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:

Khin Ohmar, Progressive Voice; [email protected]
Communication and Media Programme, FORUM-ASIA; [email protected]

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)
1. Basic Education Worker Unions – Steering Committee (BEWU-SC)
2. Representative Committee of University Teacher Associations (RC of UTAs)
3. 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
1. LGBT Union – Mandalay
2. Monywa LGBT Strike
3. LGBT Community Yangon
4. LGBT Alliance Myanmar (Kalay Region)
5. 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)
1. Samgha Sammaga-Mandalay
2. Mandalay Alliance Coalition Strike
3. Mya Taung Strike
4. Mandalar University Students’ Strike
5. Chanmyatharzi Township People’s Strike
6. Maharaungmyay Township People’s Strike
7. Mandalay Youth Strike
8. 12 Basic Education Branch High School (Maharaungmyay) Students’ Union
9. Co-operative University Mandalay Students’ Strike
10. Mandalay-based People’s Strike
11. Multi-Religions Strike
12. Myanmar Institute of Information Technology Students’ Strike
13. Daung Sitthe Strike
14. Seinpann Strike
15. 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
1. All Burma Federation of Student Unions (Monywa District)
2. Network of University Student Unions – Monywa
3. National League for Democracy (Monywa Township)
4. The 88 Generation Peace and Open Society (Monywa)
5. Thakhin Kodaw Mhine Peace Network (Monywa)
6. Former Political Prisoners and New Generation Group – Monywa
7. 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)
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)
1. Mandalay Women Strike
2. Yangon Women Strike
3. Monywa Women Strike
4. Monywa-Amyint Road Women Strike
5. Chindwin (West) Villages Women Strike
6. Kalay Women Strike
7. Depayin Women Strike
8. Taze Women Strike
9. Dawei (Ashaetaw) Women Strike
10. Gangaw Women Strike
11. Thayat Chaung Women Strike
12. 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
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