Myanmar Civil Society Groups Urge ASEAN to Act Against Military Junta

December 18, 2024

On December 16, 2024, more than 260 Myanmar civil society organizations called on ASEAN to hold the Myanmar military accountable for war crimes under international law and abandon its ineffective Five-Point Consensus on the Myanmar crisis.

In a joint statement issued by the Myanmar National Organizing Committee for ACSC/APF (Myanmar NOC), the groups urged ASEAN to reject the junta’s legitimacy, condemn its planned sham elections, and support a people-led, democratic solution. They also demanded ASEAN end all engagement with the military regime and facilitate an inclusive political dialogue that excludes the junta entirely.

The organizations further called for cooperation with civil society groups to deliver humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons (IDPs) through cross-border channels.

The statement was released ahead of informal talks on Myanmar’s crisis, scheduled for December 19 in Thailand, where the junta’s Foreign Minister, U Than Swe, will participate. Officials from neighboring countries, including China, India, Laos, Thailand, and Bangladesh, are expected to attend the discussions, which will also address regional border issues.⁩

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