How the Special Asean Summit on Myanmar can help stop the violence

Anti-coup protesters flash the three-finger sign of defiance during the demonstration against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, on April 23, 2021. An Asean Special Summit on Myanmar begins today in Indonesia to consider plans to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict that has wracked Myanmar since its military launched a deadly crackdown on opponents to its seizure of power in February. — AP

WE are 744 individuals, 402 civil society organisations in Myanmar and 444 in other South-East Asian nations and globally. In alignment with the Special Asean Summit on Myanmar beginning today, we call on Asean, its leaders and member states to come up with an effective and sustainable strategy jointly with the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations Human Rights Council, the International Criminal Court and other international community actors to address the illegitimate and brutal coup carried out by the military junta in Myanmar and the atrocities it has committed.

We welcome the decision to hold the Special Asean Summit on Myanmar to discuss the worsening situation in Myanmar. However, in view of Asean member states' differing positions on the coup, we are extremely concerned that this special summit might decide that the crisis is solely within Myanmar's domestic affairs and therefore will refrain from taking any meaningful action in line with the "Asean Way" of non-interference and respect for “state sovereignty”.