Myanmar expels East Timor envoy amid war crimes row

Timor Leste foreign minister

Myanmar’s military government has ordered East Timor’s top diplomat to leave the country, escalating tensions after reports that Dili had opened a war crimes case against the junta.

The expulsion was confirmed in a statement from the generals, who said East Timor’s decision to appoint a prosecutor to examine allegations of atrocities was a “great disappointment”. The charge d’affaires was summoned on Friday and given one week to depart.

Rights group Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) revealed earlier this month that East Timor had launched proceedings under universal jurisdiction, allowing domestic courts to try international offences. The case reportedly includes evidence of gang rape, massacres, killings of religious officials and an air strike on a hospital.

Myanmar’s military seized power in a 2021 coup and has long faced accusations of abuses against ethnic minorities. It is already defending itself at the International Court of Justice over allegations of genocide against the Rohingya.

The junta insists East Timor’s move breaches ASEAN’s charter, which stresses sovereignty and non-interference. East Timor only joined the regional bloc in October 2025, becoming its 11th member.

This is not the first diplomatic clash between the two nations. In 2023, Myanmar expelled East Timor’s envoy after Dili met with a banned shadow administration formed in the aftermath of the coup.

The latest expulsion underscores the growing isolation of Myanmar’s rulers, as regional neighbours grapple with how to respond to mounting evidence of atrocities and the ongoing civil conflict.

-2026-02-16