Asean presses junta to open dialogue

Orderly protest: School teachers in their uniforms and traditional hats taking part in a demonstration in Mandalay as protesters in Myanmar take to the streets again. — AP

INDONESIA stepped up pressure on Myanmar’s coup leaders to respect Asean principles and the will of the people of Myanmar, as the bloc appealed for open dialogue among all parties concerned during an eagerly anticipated regional meeting.

Myanmar’s military, the Tatmadaw, overthrew the country’s democratically elected civilian government last month, detaining leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) over unfounded claims of election fraud.