ASEAN urges cessation of violence in Myanmar’s Karen, Rakhine states

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) released a statement on Thursday calling for the parties involved in Myanmar’s escalating internal conflict to heed civilians’ safety and cease hostilities. The member states of ASEAN “are deeply concerned over the recent escalation of conflicts, including in the area of Myawaddy, Kayin State between Myanmar and Thailand and in Rakhine State of Myanmar,” the statement said, referring to Karen State by an alternate name. The recent clashes between the military and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)—the armed wing of the powerful ethnic national organisation Karen National Union—culminated on April 11 with the KNLA and allied forces’ capture of the last junta base in Myawaddy Township, Karen State, a major trade hub on the border with Thailand. Fighting resumed in mid-November of 2023 between the military and Rakhine State’s most powerful ethnic armed organisation Arakan Army (AA), breaking a ceasefire that went into effect just under a year earlier. The AA has since seized control of eight townships from junta forces since then, mostly in the northern part of the state. “We urge all parties for an immediate cessation of violence and to exercise utmost restraint, to uphold international humanitarian law, and to take all the necessary measures to defuse tensions,” the ASEAN statement continued. Violence in both Rakhine and Karen states has forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes, creating an urgent and growing need for food, medical treatment, and other aid. In the Thursday statement, the ASEAN member states also called for the “the timely and safe delivery of humanitarian assistance to all those in need in Myanmar without discrimination.” Last year, the Myanmar military regime limited humanitarian organisations’ access to communities impacted by Cyclone Mocha, causing disproportionate hardship for displaced Rohingya people already deprived of freedom of movement and adequate shelter. The ASEAN statement also reiterated the bloc’s call for full implementation of the “five-point consensus” plan, a series of measures stipulated by the member states to achieve peace in Myanmar shortly after the 2021 coup. “We reaffirm our commitment to assisting Myanmar in finding a solution by helping to create a conducive environment through the full and swift implementation of the Five-Point Consensus in its entirety,” the statement said. The measures of the peace plan, as stipulated in 2021, included a suspension of hostilities and dialogue among all involved parties including anti-junta armed groups. Since appearing to agree to these terms in April 2021, Myanmar junta chief Sen.-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing flouted them over the next three years, with ASEAN banning junta officials from attending summits in 2022 and 2023 in response. “We also reaffirm that a peaceful and unified Myanmar is in the interest of ASEAN,” the statement continued. It remains to be seen how the Myanmar military’s loss of Myawaddy, a major hub for border trade between Thailand and Myanmar, will affect the regime’s negotiating position vis-à-vis Thailand and its other ASEAN dialogue partners. In January of this year, the military regime agreed to a Chinese government-brokered ceasefire with the Brotherhood Alliance of ethnic armed organisations after the latter took control of important trade hubs on the China-Myanmar border. The AA—a member organisation of the Brotherhood Alliance—has also engaged with junta forces near development sites backed by Chinese investment, in a possible bid to weaken the junta’s leverage in future peace negotiations. However, the clashes for control of Myawaddy are unlikely to end soon. A Myanmar army convoy, which includes armoured vehicles, has continued to advance through Karen State towards Myawaddy despite coming under repeated attack by the KNLA and its allies en route. Battles between the military and KNLA-led anti-junta forces are likely imminent once the convoy reaches the town.

ASEAN urges cessation of violence in Myanmar’s Karen, Rakhine states

In addition to stating its concerns about conditions in Myanmar, the regional bloc expressed support for aid operations and reiterated its call for dialogue between the regime and anti-junta forces

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