Two days of meetings on Myanmar ’s violent political crisis began Thursday in the Thai capital Bangkok, the latest in a long series of regional talks that have made no headway in restoring peace to the war-torn Southeast Asian nation.
Myanmar has been wracked by violence since its army in February 2021 ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and violently repressed peaceful pro-democracy protests, leading to the establishment of an armed resistance movement. The military government has used harsh tactics, including air strikes, to suppress its opponents, but the war has only became fiercer, especially in the past year.
Thursday’s discussions were attended by foreign ministers and high-level representatives from Myanmar and its neighbors, Laos, China, India, Bangladesh and host Thailand.
Myanmar’s neighbors, fearing regional destabilization, particularly the massive movement of refugees from the fighting, have made numerous efforts to promote a peaceful solution to the crisis.
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, has taken the lead in efforts to restore peace in Myanmar. Its members, excepting Myanmar, will hold talks in Bangkok on Friday.
ASEAN in early 2021 agreed on a “five-point consensus” for peace, but the military leadership in Myanmar did virtually nothing to implement it, frustrating the group’s fellow members to the extent they have barred leading members of Myanmar’s ruling military from attending their meetings.
The peace plan calls for the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar, a dialogue among all concerned parties, mediation by an ASEAN special envoy, provision of humanitarian aid through ASEAN channels, and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet all concerned parties.
Read more here.
