JakartaGlobe-Nov 1, 2023
ASEAN chair Indonesia admitted Tuesday that Myanmar was still not close to holding an inclusive national dialogue, although Jakarta said it would continue to try nudging everyone into having such talks. It has been over three years since the Myanmar military seized power in a coup-d’êtat. Many civilians have died since then.
According to Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, Indonesia has been engaging the different sides in the conflict to cool down the crisis. Indonesia reported that it had organized over 180 engagements with the stakeholders in Myanmar since it assumed the ASEAN chairmanship in Jan. These engagements aim to pave the way for an inclusive national dialogue. Indonesia said that it had approached Myanmar’s government-in-exile National Unity Government (NUG) and the junta State Administration Council (SAC), among others. The engagements were taking place in multiple formats. Some were virtual, while others were in person. There were times when Indonesia contacted the stakeholders by phone. But judging by the responses, it is unlikely that Myanmar will have this inclusive national dialogue soon.
“Especially for the NUG and SAC, when I offered ‘Do you want to meet without any agenda and preconditions?’, I did not hear any positive response. But it does not mean the door is closed,” Retno told the 2023 ASEAN Media Forum in Jakarta on Tuesday. Human rights organization the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners reported that 4,162 people, including pro-democracy activists and civilians, had been killed by the junta and pro-military groups since the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021. Read more at: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-doubts-myanmar-is-close-to-inclusive-national-dialogue
