Keeping ASEAN\'s Dignity
Two things immediately draw attention and Energy ; The violence that continues, even escalates, and, the reluctance of the military junta to implement the five-point consensus that was agreed upon with ASEAN.
Anti-coup protesters hold a slogan that reads "Mountains and the main land are united." during a flash mob on Thursday, June 3, 2021, in Yangon, Myanmar. Resistance to military rule remains widespread four months after civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was removed from power on Feb. 1, 2021.
The slow implementation of a five-point consensus made by ASEAN and Myanmar in Jakarta in April highlights the urgent need for the establishment of joint steps. Indonesia\'s role and a collective commitment are needed.
Keeping up with the latest news about Myanmar can be disheartening. Two things immediately draw attention and energy. First, the violence that continues, even escalates, and secondly, the reluctance of the military junta to implement the five-point consensus that was agreed upon with ASEAN.
The five- point agreement includes: to stop the violence immediately and for all parties to exercise restraint; second, to start a constructive dialogue between all relevant parties to find a peaceful solution for the benefit of the people; third, a special envoy from the ASEAN chair will facilitate mediation with the assistance of the ASEAN Secretary General; fourth, ASEAN will provide humanitarian assistance through the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance in Disaster Management; fifth, special envoys and delegates will visit Myanmar to meet with all relevant parties (Kompas.id, Friday, 11/6/2021).
Also read:
> High Expectations for ASEAN Summit
> Brunei Sultan to Lead Summit
Since the signing of the consensus on April 24 at the ASEAN’s high-level meeting in Jakarta, the junta has not yet implemented any of them. In fact, as reported by The Irrawaddy, the violence conducting by Myanmar\'s security forces continued and triggered civilian resistance. Working with a number of ethnic militias, the residents launched a counterattack.
The latest news released by The Irrawaddy said that in the last 49 days, from April 24 to June 11, as many as 165 Myanmar soldiers were killed and 123 others were injured in a shootout against members of the Civil Resistance in Chin State. From the resistance camp, around 30 people were killed and 45 injured. In a statement issued by the Chinland Armed Forces, as quoted by The Irrawaddy, nine civilians were killed and four others injured. The Irrawaddy also reported the killing of local junta-appointed officials.
The violence is escalating, which can spark a civil war. In addition to the increasing number of victims, refugees will flow to other countries in the region. It’s no wonder that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet expressed her disappointment with the junta\'s refusal to implement the five-point consensus.
She also encouraged diplomatic efforts to be expanded to suppress the Myanmar junta. Moreover, a number of countries, such as China, Japan and several Western countries, have also showed their commitment to supporting ASEAN\'s efforts.
This photo taken on May 10, 2021 and received courtesy of an anonymous source via Facebook on May 19, 2021 shows mourners holding wreaths during the funeral of poet Khet Thi in Pearl town in Sagaing region. - Before he was killed, Khet Thi\'s poems railed eloquently against Myanmar\'s sudden coup, joining a deluge of protest verse celebrating democracy demonstrators and defying the military\'s brutal war on words.
Their support is an important asset for ASEAN because since the consensus was reached, there have been doubts about its implementation. ASEAN does not have a mechanism to ensure Myanmar\'s junta will comply with the consensus.
Moreover, there was disappointment after a meeting between ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi and Brunei Darussalam Second Foreign Minister Erywan Pehin Yusof and Myanmar’s coup leader, Min Aung Hlaing, on Friday (4/6/2021). Apart from the lack of results, the visit was also criticized by a number of parties, especially by pro-democracy groups.
So far, there has been no significant progress on the implementation of the consensus. On the other hand, the junta appears to have "the upper hand" and seems "comfortable" with its own road map, ignoring the five-point consensus with ASEAN.
Indonesia\'s Role
In such a situation, a number of parties have again urged Indonesia to play a more active role. They refer to Indonesia\'s success in "softening" the junta\'s attitude when Typhoon Nargis hit Myanmar in 2008. Initially, the issue of the natural disasters and aid distribution in Myanmar was to be brought up by a number of parties to the UN Security Council meeting.
However, Indonesia, which at that time was a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, did not want the issue to be politicized. At that time, foreign minister Marty Natalegawa emphasized that the difficulties in aid distribution was not due to political reasons, but rather due to the complex and difficult situation on the field.
On the issue of the influx of Rohingya refugees in 2017, Indonesia also took a more open stance. Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi set aside time to establish communication with Aung San Suu Kyi and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As a result, there was an agreement to start repatriation.
Also read:
> Indonesia Leads Myanmar Dialog
> Myanmar Coup and ASEAN Standpoint
These two historical facts showed how important Indonesia\'s role is in dealing with Myanmar’s domestic problems. Therefore, it is not surprising that in coping with the current affairs, many parties are pinning their hopes on Indonesia.
The delay and failure of the ASEAN Secretary General\'s visit due to the lack of transparency with ASEAN member countries attracted the attention of CSIS senior researcher Lina Alexandra. According to her, not much can be done except for the ASEAN Chair to immediately appoint a special envoy accompanied by detailed guidance on the mandate, authority and resources (including the allocation of funds) to support her or his activities.
"If this is not implemented within the next week at the latest, it will be very difficult for ASEAN to show that this organization is still relevant in the eyes of the Myanmar people," said Lina.
A statue is seen in the courtyard of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) secretariat building in Jakarta on April 20, 2021, ahead of the ASEAN Summit on April 24.
In addition, Lina added, Indonesia should start exploring alternative ways outside ASEAN to engage with Myanmar.
“Indonesia can, once again, urge the chair of ASEAN [Brunei Darussalam] to be transparent in the formulation of the terms of reference for the special envoy, including the selection of special envoy candidates. Then, Indonesia needs to emphasize that the chairman must consult with all parties, not just the Tatmadaw [Myanmar’s armed forces] regarding the selection of this special envoy.”
If this cannot be realized, Indonesia, according to Lina, needed to take steps to announce that it would take alternative steps outside ASEAN.
“The options could be in the form of a coalition of a few ASEAN countries, such as Malaysia and Singapore, plus with ASEAN dialogue partner countries, such as Japan, Australia and the United States. Indonesia can also strengthen collaboration with the European Union and the United Nations,” said Lina.
Also read:
This can be carried out while intensifying the approach with the National Unity Government (NUG). In addition, one thing that also needs to be explored is approaching and encouraging Cambodia as the next ASEAN chair to start ASEAN\'s role in Myanmar.
"If it turns out that the response is not very positive, Indonesia needs to explore non-ASEAN alternatives," said Lina, stressing that ASEAN unity or solidity needed to be seen within the framework of achieving larger goals.
She appreciated the efforts of Retno, who has shown her hard work and commitment from the beginning of the crisis in Myanmar.
Collective
The absence of collective commitments can worsen the situation and its threat to regional security stability becomes even greater.
Responding to the expectations of a number of parties, Retno said on Sunday (13/6) that Indonesia would try its best to help resolve the crisis in Myanmar immediately.
"However, collective commitment is needed, especially from the Tatmadaw, all ASEAN countries, as well as from key countries in the region so that we can implement the five-point consensus as soon as possible," said Retno.
In a separate interview with Kompas, Retno emphasized the importance of collective commitments.
"The absence of collective commitments can worsen the situation and its threat to regional security stability becomes even greater," said Retno. (REUTERS)
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
