ASEAN: Halt Plans for “Inclusive Dialogue” and Act to Hold the Military Junta to Account
1 December 2023
We, the undersigned organisations, call on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to refrain from merely advocating for inclusive national dialogue in Myanmar that undermine efforts and the will of Myanmar people. ASEAN must take concrete actions to fulfil the demands made by the people of Myanmar to establish a federal democratic union and bring the illegal military junta and Min Aung Hlaing to justice for committing mass atrocity crimes.
We took note of the update provided by the ASEAN Office of the Special Envoy on Myanmar as led by H.E. Ambassador Ngurah Swajaya–representing Indonesia as the current ASEAN Chair–and attended by a representative from Laos, the next Chair of the regional bloc. The update concerned the separate exchanges it had with various stakeholders, including representatives from the military junta and the National Unity Government (NUG) on 22–23 November 2023.[1]
While the inclusion of legitimate representatives of the Spring Revolution and the NUG in any efforts to address the crisis in Myanmar is welcome, our concern persists with the ASEAN’s continued push for the realisation of the failed ASEAN Five-Point Consensus (5PC) and the call for “inclusive national dialogue”, failing to address the root cause of the intensifying atrocity crimes across Myanmar by the Myanmar military. In particular, the message conveyed by the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia that “inclusive dialogue and political solutions are the only viable solutions to address the crisis in Myanmar” disrespects and undermines the immense sacrifices of the people of Myanmar, especially the young generations, that call for an end to the military tyranny and to achieve a genuine federal democracy since the military’s attempted coup in February 2021.
At the margins of the ASEAN Summit in May 2023, more than hundreds of local and global civil society organisations called for the ASEAN to move beyond its failed 5PC, asserting that it has emboldened the illegal junta to commit further crimes and exacerbate the suffering of the people of Myanmar. As an alternative, the groups proposed the Five Counter Points, one of which stressed the necessity for ASEAN to “secure an enabling environment where federal democracy forces and stakeholders are guaranteed agency, respect, and security” prior to calling for an inclusive dialogue for all stakeholders–a condition that includes the immediate cessation of the junta’s violence, persecution, and attacks on democracy forces as well as its collective punishment against the population.[2]
Similar positions were also conveyed by the Myanmar Spring’s Young Revolutionaries during their meeting and exchange with the H.E. Ambassador Ngurah Swajaya as the Head of Special Envoy in July 2023. Among other messages, the youth stressed the need for ASEAN to move beyond the ineffective 5PC, to cease all engagements with the junta, and to work together with the Spring Revolution to establish a federal democracy in Myanmar.[3]
In September 2023, civil society groups conducted the people’s hearing to present testimonies from survivors on the gross human rights violations committed by the military junta since the attempted coup in February 2021 and expert opinions and recommendations to ASEAN. Evident in these testimonies are indiscriminate air attacks and bombings, destruction of food sources and valuables, collective punishment, killings, torture, rape, ill-treatment of detainees, genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, among other issues. Recommendations from the regional experts included the need for ASEAN “to cooperate with the United Nations and establish an ASEAN-backed mechanism or tribunal that will be able to receive communications and hear evidence of human rights violations and to take accountability measures against the perpetrators.”[4]
It is extremely alarming that despite all these efforts from the civil society and the fact that it has claimed to conduct over 180 engagements with various stakeholders in 2023, ASEAN has yet to align its efforts with the Myanmar people’s very own demands and failed to recognise the military junta as the root cause of the all-out war nationwide.
ASEAN has failed to hold the military junta accountable for committing crimes against humanity and war crimes, amounting to mass atrocities. The bloc’s efforts have so far failed to match the call of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to refer the crisis in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.[5] Instead, ASEAN continues to invite junta representatives to various ASEAN meetings, including to the ASEAN Defence Ministerial Meeting and even allows the junta to be the Chair of the ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference under the Chairship of Indonesia, during which time it launched 20 airstrikes against civilians[6]. ASEAN also persistently calls all parties for negotiations with the perpetrator of mass atrocity crimes, which to date has arrested more than 25,000 people, killed more than 4,200[7] and torched at least 76,000 properties[8].
We echo the sentiments stated by the NUG, ‘without the assurance of ending the military dictatorship and establishing a federal democratic union, without the genuine will of the people, spring forces and alliances, and without a guarantee of a transitional period where justice is fully upheld, there will be no engagement.’
We therefore urge all ASEAN leaders, the ASEAN Office of the Special Envoy on Myanmar, and all related ASEAN stakeholders and UN and dialogue partners of ASEAN not to endorse Indonesia’s imposed “inclusive dialogue” while the military junta’s ongoing brutality is yet to be addressed.
We call on ASEAN to respect, recognise and prioritise the aspirations of the Myanmar people by ceasing the current imposed “inclusive dialogue” process that is undermining extraordinary efforts of Myanmar’s Spring Revolutionary forces. Instead, the regional bloc must work together with the UNSC to take more concrete, coordinated action to halt the atrocities committed by the ruthless military junta and help bring the junta to justice through international justice mechanisms. ASEAN must set the goal and make the most of its unique position to assist in establishing a genuine federal democracy in Myanmar as aspired by its very own people.
For more information, please contact:
Signed by 601 Myanmar, regional and international organizations including 250 organizations who have chosen to not disclose their name:
- 5/ of Zaya State Strike
- 8888 Generation (New Zealand)
- Action Against Myanmar Military Coup (AAMMC) Sydney
- Action Committee for Democracy Development (Coalition of 14 Grassroots Networks)
- Action Committee of Basic Education Students (ACBES)
- Action Group for Democracy and Human Rights
- Active Youths Kalaymyo
- Ah Nah Podcast – Conversations with Myanmar
- All Arakan Students’ & Youths’ Congress – AASYC
- All Aung Myay Thar San Schools Strike Force
- All Burma Democratic Face
- All Burma Democratic Front in New Zealand
- All Burma Student Democratic Front – Australia Branch
- All Young Burmese League (AYBL)
- Alliance of Students’ Union – Yangon (ASU -Yangon)
- ALTSEAN-Burma
- Alyansa Tigil Mina
- Anti-coup Forces Coordination Committee (ACFCC – Mandalay)
- Anti-Junta Alliance Yangon – AJAY
- Anti-Myanmar Dictatorship Movement
- Anti-Myanmar Military Dictatorship Network (AMMDN)
- ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights
- Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR)
- Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
- Association of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters
- Association of United Nationality in Japan (AUN)
- Athan – Freedom of Expression Activist Organization
- Auckland Kachin Community NZ
- Auckland Zomi Community
- Aung San Su Kyi Park, Norway
- Australia Burma Friendship Association, Northern Territory
- Australia Karen Organization WA Inc.
- Australia Myanmar Doctors, Nurses and Friends
- Australia Myanmar Youth Alliance (AMYA)
- Australian Burmese Muslim Organisation
- Australian Chin Community (Eastern Melbourne Inc)
- Australian Karen Organisation (AKO)
- AwazCDS-Pakistan
- A-Yar-Taw People Strike
- Ayeyarwaddy West Development Organisation AWDO (Minbu )
- Ayeyarwaddy West Development Organisation AWDO (Nagphe)
- Bamar Community Tasmania
- Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)
- Blood Money Campaign
- BMT counselling
- Boat People SOS
- Burma Action Ireland
- Burma Campaign UK
- Burma Lawyers’ Council (BLC)
- Burma Refugee Saving Association (B.R.S.A)
- Burmese Community – South Australia
- Burmese Community Development Collaboration (BCDC)
- Burmese Community Group (Manawatu, NZ)
- Burmese Community Support Group (BCSG)
- Burmese Friendship Association
- Burmese Medical Association Australia (BMAA)
- Burmese Rohingya Welfare Organisation New Zealand
- Burmese Women’s Union
- Cambodian Human Right and Development Association (ADHOC)
- Canberra Karen Association
- CDM Medical Network (CDMMN)
- Centre for Human Rights and Development Mongolia (CHRD)
- Chaung Oo Township Youth Strike Committee
- Chin Community – South Australia
- Chin Community in Norway
- Chin Community of Auckland
- Chin Community of Japan (CCJ)
- Chin Community of Western Australia Inc.
- Chin Community Tasmania
- Chin Youth Organization
- Chin Youth Organization of Japan (CYO-JP)
- Citizen of Burma Award – New Zealand
- CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
- Civil Information Network (CIN)
- Coalition Strike Committee – Dawei
- Colorful Spring (ရောင်စုံနွေဦး)
- Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence
- Creative Home
- CRPH & NUG Supporters Ireland
- CRPH Funding Ireland
- CRPH Support Group, Norway and members organizations endorses
- CRPH, NUG Support Team Germany-Deutschland
- CRPH/NUG support group Australia
- Dawei Defense Team
- Dawei Youths in Japan (DYJ)
- Dawei Youths Revolutionary Movement Strike Committee
- Defence of Human Rights
- Defend Myanmar Democracy
- Democracy for Burma
- Democratic Party for a New Society, Norway
- Democratic Youth Council
- Depayin Township Revolution Steering Committee
- Dhobama (2021 Generation)
- Doh Atu – Ensemble pour le Myanmar
- Dragon Dawn
- Dunedin Myanmar Community New Zealand
- Educational Initiatives Prague
- Equality Myanmar (EQMM)
- Ethnic Youth General Strike Committee (Mandalay)
- ETOs Watch Coalition
- Falam Community – South Australia
- Federal Corner
- Federal Health Workforce
- Federal Myanmar Benevolence Group (NZ)
- Federation of Worker’s Union of Burmese Citizens in Japan (FWUBC)
- Free Burma Campaign (South Africa)
- Freedom and Labor Action Group (FLAG)
- Friends Against Dictatorship (FAD)
- Future Thanlwin
- General Strike Collaboration Committee (GSCC)
- General Strike Committee of Basic and Higher Education (GSCBHE)
- Basic Education Worker Unions – Steering Committee (BEWU-SC)
- Representative Committee of University Teacher Associations (RC of UTAs)
- Basic Education General Strike Committee (BEGSC)
- General Strike Committee of Nationalities (Tavoyan)
- Generation Wave
- GenY For Revolution Japan
- Global Myanmar Spring Revolution
- Global Myanmar Spring Revolution – Japan
- Globe International Center
- Green Network
- Hope For Youth – Kyushu Japan
- Human Rights Educators Network
- Human Rights Now
- In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND)
- Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI)
- Indonesia Legal and Human Rights Association (PBHI)
- Industrial Training Centre (ITC) Family Sydney
- Info Birmanie
- Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)
- Inlihtan Peninsula Tenasserim
- Institute for Asian Democracy
- Inter Pares
- International Association, Myanmar-Switzerland (IAMS)
- International Legal Initiative Foundation (ILI)
- International Society of Myanmar Scholars and Professionals (Japan)
- Japan Myanmar Future Creative Association (JMFCA)
- Japan Myanmar Help Network – JMHN
- JMC Inn Lay
- Joint Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (JACDB)
- Justice 4 Myanmar – Hope & Development
- Justice For All – Burma Task Force
- Justice For Myanmar
- Kachin Affairs Organization – Japan (KAO (Japan)
- Kachin Association Australia
- Kachin Association Norway
- Kachin Association of Australia WA Inc.
- Kachin Student Union
- Kalay Township Strike Committee
- Kansai Group Japan
- Karen Community – South Australia
- Karen Human Rights Group
- Karen National League Japan – KNL
- Karen Swedish Community (KSC)
- Karenni Association – Norway
- Karenni Community of Western Australia Inc.
- Karenni Federation of Australia
- Karenni Human Rights Group
- Karenni National Society (KNS)Japan
- Karenni Society New Zealand
- Kayin Community Tasmania
- Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law
- K’cho Ethnic Association
- KnowUsMoreMyanmar (KUM)
- Kobe Myanmar Community (KMC)
- KontraS
- Kyae Lak Myay
- Kyain Seikgyi Spring Revolution Leading Committee
- Kyauktada Strike Committee
- Kyaw Women Association
- Latpadaung Region Strike Committee
- League For Democracy in Burma (L.D.B Japan)
- Legal Aid for Human Rights
- LGBT Alliance
- LGBT Union – Mandalay
- Monywa LGBT Strike
- LGBT Community Yangon
- LGBT Alliance Myanmar (Kalay Region)
- LGBT Alliance Myanmar (Kyaukse Region)
- Los Angeles Myanmar Movement (LA2M)
- Madarpur Legal Aid Association (MLAA)
- MAGGA Initiative
- Magway People’s Revolution Committee
- Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN)
- Mandalay Medical Family (MFM)
- Mandalay Regional Youth Association Revolution Core Group
- Mandalay Strike Force (MSF)
- Samgha Sammaga-Mandalay
- Mandalay Alliance Coalition Strike
- Mya Taung Strike
- Mandalar University Students’ Strike
- Chanmyatharzi Township People’s Strike
- Maharaungmyay Township People’s Strike
- Mandalay Youth Strike
- 12 Basic Education Branch High School (Maharaungmyay) Students’ Union
- Co-operative University Mandalay Students’ Strike
- Mandalay-based People’s Strike
- Multi-Religions Strike
- Myanmar Institute of Information Technology Students’ Strike
- Daung Sitthe Strike
- Seinpann Strike
- Industries Strike
- Mandalay-Based University Students’ Unions (MDY_SUs)
- Matu Burma Foundation
- Matu Chin Community – South Australia
- MayMyo Strike Force
- Metta Campaign
- Min Hla Farmers Group
- Minbu Farmers Group
- Mindat Chin Community NSW
- Mindat Community – South Australia
- Mizo Community – South Australia
- Mon Association – Norway
- Mon Families Group
- Mon National Council (MNC)
- Mon Youth For Federal Democracy (MYFD)
- Monywa – Amyint Road Strike Leading Committee
- Monywa People’s Strike Steering Committee
- All Burma Federation of Student Unions (Monywa District)
- Network of University Student Unions – Monywa
- National League for Democracy (Monywa Township)
- The 88 Generation Peace and Open Society (Monywa)
- Thakhin Kodaw Mhine Peace Network (Monywa)
- Former Political Prisoners and New Generation Group – Monywa
- Civil Society Organizations Coordination Committee (Monywa)
- Myanmar Accountability Project
- Myanmar anti-military coup movement in New Zealand
- Myanmar Baptist Churches in Norway
- Myanmar Buddhist Community of South Australia
- Myanmar Campaign Network
- Myanmar Catholic Community In Norway
- Myanmar Community Coffs Harbour (MCC)
- Myanmar Community Group Christchurch New Zealand
- Myanmar Community Group Dunedin New Zealand
- Myanmar Community in Norway
- Myanmar Democracy and Peace Committee (Australia)
- Myanmar Democratic Movement (MDM)
- Myanmar Development Support Group (MDSG)
- Myanmar Engineering Association of Australia (MEAA)
- Myanmar Engineers – New Zealand
- Myanmar Gonye (New Zealand)
- Myanmar Hindu Community – Norway
- Myanmar Labor Alliance (MLA)
- Myanmar Muslim Organization – Norway
- Myanmar Muslim Revolution Force
- Myanmar Nationalities’ Support Organization – JP (MNSO)
- Myanmar People Alliance (Shan State)
- Myanmar People Residing in Canberra
- Myanmar Spring Revolution Japan (MSRJ)
- Myanmar Student Union, (ABFSU), San Francisco, US
- Myanmar Students’ Association Australia (MSAA)
- Myanmar Students’ Union in New Zealand
- Myanmar Tozan Club (MTC)
- Myanmar Youth and Student Association, Japan (MYSA)
- Myanmar’s Youth Association Hokkaido (MYAH)
- Myaung Youth Network
- MyaYar Knowledge Tree
- Myingyan Civilian Movement Committee
- National Advocacy Group – New Zealand
- National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP)
- Nelson Myanmar Community Group New Zealand
- New Power Generation
- New Zealand Doctors for NUG
- New Zealand Karen Association
- New Zealand Zo Community Inc.
- NLD Organization Committee (International) Norway
- NLD Solidarity Association (Australia)
- Norway Falam Community
- Norway Matu Community
- Norway Rawang Community
- NSW Karenni (Kayah) Communities
- Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica
- Odhikar
- Okinawa Myanmar Association (OMA)
- Overseas Mon Association. New Zealand
- Oway Institute
- Owl Community
- Palaung National Society Japan, PNS – Japan
- Palaw Supporting Group – Japan
- Pale Township People’s Strike Steering Committee
- Parchern River Conservation and Development
- Partido Manggagawa
- Patriotic War Vetrans of Burma (PWVB)
- People’s Hope Spring Revolution (PHSR)
- People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy(PSPD)
- Perth Myanmar Youth Network
- Programme Against Custodial Torture & Impunity (PACTI)
- Progressive Voice
- Punnyakari Mon National Society Japan,PMNS-Japan
- Pwintphyu Development Organisation
- Pyi Gyi Tagon Strike Force
- Pyit Taing Htaung Social Club
- Pyithu Gonye (New Zealand)
- Queensland Kachin Community (QKC)
- Queensland Myanmar Youth Collective (QMYC)
- Queensland Rohingya Community
- Red Campaign Nirvana Exhortation Group
- Remonya Association of WA (Mon Community)
- Revolution Tokyo Myanmar (RTM)
- Rohingya Community in Norway
- Rural Community Development Society
- Rvwang Community Association New Zealand
- Salingyi Subcommittee
- Save and Care Organization for Women at Border Areas
- Save Myanmar Fundraising Group (New Zealand)
- Save Myanmar San Francisco
- Save Myanmar USA
- Shan Community (New Zealand)
- Shan Community in Japan (SCJ)
- SHAPE-SEA
- Shizu Youth For Myanmar
- Shwe Pan Kone People`s Strike Steering Committee
- Shwe Youth Democratic Alliance (SYDA)
- Sitt Nyein Pann Foundation
- Social Garden
- Sone See Yar (Volunteer Group)
- Southcare Medical Centre
- Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet)
- Southern Dragon Myanmar
- Southern Monitor
- Southern Youth Development Organization
- Spring Revolution Restaurant ( SRR )
- Spring Traveller
- Student Voice
- Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
- Sujata Sisters Group (NZ)
- Support for Myanmar
- Sydney Friends for Myanmar Unity
- Ta Mar Institute of Development
- Tai Youths Network Japan (TYNJ)
- Tanintharyi Nationalities Congress
- Taze Strike Committee
- Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB)
- The ants Humanitarian aid Team
- The Institution of Professional Engineers Myanmar (IPEM)
- The Ladies
- The Mekong Butterfly
- True Colors Coalition
- Try Together At Japan (TTAJ)
- Twitter Team for Revolution (TTFR)
- U.S. Campaign for Burma
- Union of Myanmar Citizen Association – Japan
- United Myanmar Community of South Australia
- University Students’ Unions Alumni Force
- Victorian Burmese Care Community (VBCC)
- Victorian Myanmar Youth (VMY)
- Voice For Justice
- Volunteers in Myanmar
- We Are One Saga MOSA
- We for All
- We Pledge CDM (Australia)
- We Support
- Western Australia Myanmar Community (WAMC)
- Western Australia Myanmar Democratic Network (WAMDN)
- Wetlet Revolution Leading Committee
- White Coat Society Yangon (WCSY)
- Women Activists Myanmar (WAM)
- Women Advocacy Coalition – Myanmar
- Women Alliance Burma (WAB)
- Mandalay Women Strike
- Yangon Women Strike
- Monywa Women Strike
- Monywa-Amyint Road Women Strike
- Chindwin (West) Villages Women Strike
- Kalay Women Strike
- Depayin Women Strike
- Taze Women Strike
- Dawei (Ashaetaw) Women Strike
- Gangaw Women Strike
- Thayat Chaung Women Strike
- Wetlet Twonship Women Strike
- Women’s Peace Network
- WOREC Nepal
- Worker’s Information Centre (WIC)
- Yadanabon University Students’ Union (YDNBUSU)
- Yadanar Foundation
- Yasakyo Township People`s Strike Steering Committee
- Yaw Funding Japan
- Yinmarpin and Salingyi All Villages Strike Committee
- Yokohama Pamphlet Campaign – Myanmar
- Youth for democratization of Myanmar (UDM)
- Youth Heart Beams
- Zo Community – South Australia
- Zomi Association Australia Inc.
- Zomi Christian Fellowship of Norway
- Zomi Community – South Australia
- Zomi Community Norway
- Zomi Community Queensland
- ခုနစ်စဥ်ကြယ်
- ဂျပန်ပြည်မှတွဲလက်များ
- ဒို့မြေကွန်ရက် – LIOH
- ပွင့်ဖြူလယ်ယာမြေကွန်ရက်
- သောင်ရင်းသတင်းလွှာ
Additional endorsement list
- Association Suisse-Birmanie (ASB)
- Kyimyindaing Networks (Myanmar)
- Mayangone Democratic Front (Myanmar)
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[1]https://kemlu.go.id/portal/en/read/5545/berita/office-of-the-special-envoy-engagements-with-myanmar-stakeholders-jakarta-20-22-november-2023
[2]https://progressivevoicemyanmar.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Updated_ASEAN_PositionPaper_FINAL_5May2023.pdf
[3]https://progressivevoicemyanmar.org/2023/07/07/press-statement-myanmar-springs-young-revolutionaries-meet-with-head-of-the-asean-special-envoy-office-and-express-concern-over-aseans-continued-failure-to-address-myanmar-crisis/
[4] https://forum-asia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/FINAL_Letter_to_ASEAN_Leaders_Myanmar_Day.pdf
[5] https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2023/09/myanmar-turk-calls-new-thinking-end-unspeakable-tragedy
[6] https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/junta-airstrikes-09182023062443.html
[7] https://aappb.org/
[8] https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zRtmvjLONqW3hNx6pQFyg_g0h5vxEaLXISaaITpzAcM/edit#gid=0