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Myanmar crisis looms over ASEAN Summit
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (center) issues a press statement at Hotel Meruorah in West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, on May 8, 2023, just days before the start of the ASEAN Summit. (Courtesy of Communications and Information Ministry/-)
T
he fallout from the 2021 Myanmar coup will loom large over the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia this week despite the junta’s absence, with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo expressing regret over an attack on a diplomatic convoy delivering humanitarian relief in the conflict-ridden country.
As chair of ASEAN and host of the regional summitry this year, Indonesia has sought to implement a five-point peace plan agreed with Myanmar two years ago that called for the cessation of violence and the granting of access to humanitarian assistance, following a pandemic-era putsch that has sparked violent clashes between the junta forces and a multi-headed resistance.
Now, just days before he is set to open the summit, Jokowi had to get tough with the warring sides after a mission involving regional humanitarian relief agency the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) got caught in crossfire.
“Yesterday [Sunday], a monitoring team from ASEAN accompanied the AHA Centre to distribute aid [in Myanmar], but we deeply regret that a shootout erupted in the middle of their journey,” the President said in a video statement issued from Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, on Monday.
Jokowi did not provide any further details on the incident, but insisted that it would not deter the efforts by ASEAN and Indonesia to broker peace in Myanmar.
“Stop using force. Stop this violence, because it is the people who suffer. Such conditions will prevent anyone from winning, so let us sit together and open a path for dialogue toward a common solution,” Jokowi asserted.
It was later reported that a convoy of several vehicles traveling in Taunggyi township in Myanmar’s Shan state was attacked by an unknown armed group on Sunday, unnamed sources told AFP.
