Irrawaddy/AFP-Aug 7
A regional envoy tasked with brokering peace in Myanmar admitted Saturday that “even Superman cannot solve” the crisis, capping a week of foreign ministerial meetings that ultimately yielded little progress. Myanmar has spiraled into civil war since a putsch in February last year, with the death toll from the military’s brutal crackdown on dissent passing 2,100, according to a local monitoring group. The 10-country Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has spearheaded so far fruitless efforts to resolve the turmoil, and acknowledged in a joint statement on Friday the lack of progress around a five-point crisis resolution plan. ASEAN special envoy Prak Sokhonn, who has made two trips to Myanmar since the coup, dampened expectations for major progress in the short term. “I am just a special envoy, I am not a superman,” he told reporters in Phnom Penh Saturday. “I think that even Superman cannot solve the Myanmar problem.” Anger is growing within ASEAN over Myanmar generals’ stonewalling of the peace plan, particularly after the execution last month of four political prisoners — including two prominent pro-democracy figures. The plan, agreed in April last year, calls for an immediate end to violence and dialogue between the military and the anti-coup movement.Earlier in the week, Malaysia — which has led calls for tougher action — indicated that Myanmar could face suspension from the bloc should members not see progress ahead of the leaders’ summit. Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/not-even-superman-can-fix-myanmar-crisis-asean-envoy-says.html
