Families and friends waiting for prisoners to be released from Insein prison in Yangon for the Buddhist New Year. — AFP
ABOUT three years ago, Asean leaders gathered in Jakarta for an emergency summit on Myanmar at which the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) – entailing the cessation of violence in the country, constructive dialogue among parties to the conflict, the appointment of a special Myanmar envoy and the provision of humanitarian assistance – was agreed upon with the State Administration Council’s (SAC) senior general Min Aung Hlaing.
The 5PC has since seen very limited progress. Airstrikes by the Myanmar military and fighting among various armed actors continue, leading to the displacement of more than 2.5 million people since the 2021 coup. Inclusive platforms for political dialogue have not materialised.
