ASEAN Summit Pressured to Act on Myanmar Crisis

Malaysia’s foreign minister has called on Myanmar’s military rulers to implement ASEAN’s long-stalled peace plan and allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians, saying the bloc’s Five-Point Consensus is “not too difficult” to enforce. His remarks came during a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur ahead of the regional summit this weekend.

Mohamad Hasan acknowledged that ASEAN cannot prevent Myanmar’s upcoming elections, scheduled to begin in December, but stressed the need for the vote to be “fair, transparent and inclusive.” The junta, which seized power in 2021, has been accused of sidelining opposition parties and planning a staged contest to entrench military rule.

“The people of Myanmar must be able to participate,” Hasan said. “We don’t want elections where only some can vote while others are excluded.”

ASEAN’s peace plan, agreed with Myanmar’s top general in 2021, was intended to halt violence and foster dialogue. But the military has largely ignored it, refusing to engage with opponents it labels “terrorists.” The civil war continues to rage, and the planned elections will not be held nationwide due to ongoing conflict.

Amnesty International has sharply criticised ASEAN’s handling of the crisis. As leaders gather for the bloc’s 47th summit in Malaysia, the rights group warned that Myanmar is facing a “human rights nightmare,” with widespread displacement, unlawful airstrikes, torture, and extrajudicial killings.

“The situation is worsening by the day,” said Montse Ferrer, Amnesty’s regional research director. “ASEAN must take a clearer stand against these abuses or they will only escalate.”

Amnesty also raised concerns about human trafficking and forced labour in scam compounds across Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia, where thousands have reportedly been enslaved. Despite repeated warnings, the group says Cambodian authorities have failed to act decisively.

The rights watchdog urged ASEAN governments to dismantle criminal networks, investigate abuses, and uphold international standards on freedom of expression and policing—especially in Indonesia and the Philippines, where recent protests have been met with force.

As Myanmar’s junta prepares for elections amid deepening repression, ASEAN faces mounting pressure to move beyond statements and take concrete action. The credibility of the bloc, rights groups warn, depends on putting human rights at the centre of its regional agenda.

-2025-10-26