ASEAN keeps Myanmar talks amid junta's civil war as peace plan falters: Marcos

Nearly six years after the military coup in Myanmar, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has agreed to continue engaging Naypyidaw for “constructive and principled” talks amid the ongoing civil war and humanitarian crisis there.

President Marcos Jr. announced this on Sunday as chair of the 49th regional summit hosted by Manila, during a brief opening retreat before the same moved to closed-door sessions.

ASEAN leaders reached a Five-Point Consensus (5PC) with Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in April 2021—two months after the military coup—to swiftly end hostilities there and accept humanitarian assistance from Southeast Asian countries, among others.

Marcos, however, acknowledged that the peace plan did little to help military-run Myanmar and stressed the need to strengthen 5PC and adopt more practical measures that respond to the actual needs of the people in Myanmar.

“Five years hence, we need to ask ourselves, what more can we do for Myanmar? Ultimately, the crisis in Myanmar is about people, families who have been displaced, communities that need humanitarian assistance, and young people whose future has been interrupted by conflict and instability,” Marcos said.

The remarks came amid reports of ongoing human rights violations and stalled efforts to restore democracy in Myanmar despite the so-called peace plan.

Recently, the United Nations Human Rights Council estimated that more than 3.7 million people in Myanmar have been displaced, while 8,122 civilians—including 1,791 women and 1,078 children—have been killed since the military coup against the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.

The council also projected that more than 12 million people face acute hunger or severe food insecurity amid alleged efforts by Myanmar’s military-backed leaders to block humanitarian assistance and other life-saving aid.

Marcos told his Southeast Asian counterparts that the ongoing regional summit may produce solutions that make ASEAN’s efforts “more responsive to realities on the ground and support a peaceful, inclusive, Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led process.”

“Myanmar is not merely an issue on ASEAN's agenda. Myanmar is part of our ASEAN family,” the Philippine leader stressed.

Myanmar is represented by its Foreign Ministry director-general for ASEAN affairs, while the rest of the delegates from the 11-member bloc are ASEAN leaders.

Since 2021, ASEAN has barred Myanmar’s military-backed political leaders from attending high-level summits.

Reports suggest that ASEAN is under intense pressure to reconsider such a decision following an alleged increase in engagement with Myanmar by Thailand and other ASEAN members despite the ongoing civil war.

Citing DFA Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, a Kyodo News report states that Myanmar’s possible return to key regional meetings will be off the table at the ongoing summit.

Instead, the discussion is reportedly to be entrusted to Singapore next year, which will take over the ASEAN chairmanship from the Philippines.