The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a private organisation that tracks government killings and arrests, said Friday that 2,000 civilians have been killed by Myanmar’s security forces. The army is also battling anti-government guerillas in the countryside.

Mya Tun Oo has also been accused of involvement in atrocities carried out by the army against the Muslim Rohingya minority in 2017, when he was chief of the military’s general staff, the third most powerful post in the army.

International courts are investigating allegations that the military committed genocide in brutal counter-insurgency campaigns that sent more than 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh for safety.

“The Myanmar military junta’s acts fully meet the definition of terror under international and national law, and is responsible for ongoing violations of international human rights and humanitarian law following the military’s illegal coup attempt,” said the appeal issued by 677 civic groups to the Asean defence ministers.

“General Mya Tun Oo plays a leading role in the management of the military, which is responsible for committing ongoing atrocity crimes with total impunity,” it said. “Mya Tun Oo’s direct responsibility for international law violations has been recognised by the USA, UK, EU, Canada and New Zealand, which sanctioned him.”

Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, from the group Burma Campaign UK, told Associated Press that Asean was failing to respect and stand with the people of Myanmar by inviting Mya Tun Oo to its meeting.

“The military will see this invitation … as a sign of encouragement to continue carrying out their human rights violations in the country with complete impunity,” she said.

Cambodia is chair of the 10-nation Asean this year. In February, Asean foreign ministers held their annual retreat without their counterpart from Myanmar, who was prevented from taking part but allowed to attend online as an observer.

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Myanmar junta has reportedly torched 100 villages since last year’s coup

Myanmar junta has reportedly torched 100 villages since last year’s coup

The Asean has sought to play a mediating role in Myanmar’s crisis, fearing its increasingly violent unrest may cause problems regionally. In April last year it reached a consensus on a five-point plan to try to help restore stability, but Myanmar has hindered the agreement’s implementation.

Relations were strained further when Myanmar would not allow an Asean special envoy to meet with Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the takeover. Asean, under the guidance of its former chair, Brunei, took the unprecedented step of not allowing the leader of Myanmar’s military government, Min Aung Hlaing, to attend its annual summit last October.

A joint declaration issued after Wednesday’s defence ministers meeting included a statement of support for the five-point consensus, which calls for an immediate cessation of violence, a dialogue among concerned parties, mediation by an Asean special envoy, provision of humanitarian aid and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet all concerned parties.

In January, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen became the first head of government to visit Myanmar since the army seized power. He has stressed that Myanmar must be included in Asean’s activities, but has also expressed pessimism that any progress toward peace can be made this year.

Myanmar’s military rulers have without explanation ordered all legal proceedings against deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be moved from a courtroom to a prison, a source familiar with her cases said on Wednesday.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who turned 77 on Sunday, has been charged with at least 20 criminal offences since she was toppled in a coup early last year, including multiple counts of corruption.

Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has allowed Suu Kyi to remain in detention at an undisclosed location in the capital Naypyidaw, despite convictions for incitement and several minor offences. Suu Kyi denies all charges.

The source, who declined to be identified due to sensitivities over the trial, said hearings would be shifted to a new special court in Naypyidaw’s prison.

“It is declared by the judge that a new building for the court is complete,” the source added. The ruling military council could not immediately be reached for comment.

Suu Kyi’s marathon court proceedings take place behind closed doors with only limited information reported by state media. A gag order has been imposed on her lawyers, whose only access to her is on trial days.

It is not clear how much Suu Kyi knows of the crisis in her country, which has been in chaos since the coup, with the military struggling to consolidate power and facing increasing resistance from militia groups.

Western countries have called the convictions a sham and demanded her release. The military says she is being given due process by an independent judiciary.

Additional reporting by Reuters