On Tuesday, an official stated that Myanmar would send a "non-political, high-level" envoy to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) conference next week, after the bloc prohibited junta commander Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing from attending due to the military regime's lack of cooperation.
Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the Junta, told RFA's Myanmar Service that after receiving approval from ASEAN members, an official from the foreign ministry would attend the three-day summit, which begins on October 26 in Brunei. He refused to reveal the envoy's name or position.
According to BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, ASEAN foreign ministers decided at an emergency meeting on October 15 to deny Min Aung Hlaing a seat at the table for next week's meeting because he had failed to implement steps to restore peace and democracy following the military's February 1 coup.
The ASEAN Special Envoy Erywan Yusof was denied access to incarcerated former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) government, according to the bloc.
As part of a five-point agreement struck at an ASEAN meeting in April to assess Myanmar's post-coup circumstances, Min Aung Hlaing agreed to enable the special envoy to speak with all stakeholders. Yusof, who took office on August 4, postponed his trip to Myanmar this week after being denied meetings.
Myanmar's Junta stated in response to last week's decision that the decision was made without the consent of all ASEAN members—ASEAN matters and actions are decided by consensus.
Min Aung Hlaing said Yusuf's demands were "not negotiable" in an emergency address on Monday but that his administration will cooperate "as much as possible."
"Due to various proposals, the ASEAN special envoy's visit to Myanmar is still under consideration," he stated.
"The legislative and the judiciary work together to rule a country. Apart from particular legislation enacted when needed, the two bodies must ensure that everything runs well. The ASEAN envoy's demands are not negotiable. In any case, our country is an ASEAN member, and we will do whatever we can."
Min Aung Hlaing chastised the international world for pressing the military but said nothing about the "violence" perpetrated by the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), Parliament's Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Committee of Representatives (CRPH), and the anti-junta People's Defense Force militia.
Credibility has been sullied.
According to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, security forces have killed 1,181 civilians and imprisoned at least 7,190 in the eight months since the coup—mostly during crackdowns on anti-junta protesters.
The Junta claims it deposed the NLD administration because it used widespread voter fraud to win a landslide victory in Myanmar's November 2020 election. It has failed to prove its assertions, and public discontent is at an all-time high.
The Junta released 5,636 political prisoners on Monday, according to observers, to reduce pressure from ASEAN and the world community—claims rejected by Zaw Min Tun.
On Tuesday, Dr. Sai Kyi Zin Soe, a political analyst, told RFA that the Junta should comply with ASEAN demands rather than risk losing its credibility by breaking commitments.
"I don't think it'll be easy for the junta to do what it wants while also trying to get the international community to accept it," he added. "Now everything depends on how many international requests it accepts."
"It hasn't yet accepted any." If Malaysia continues to refuse to follow the five previously agreed-upon principles, ASEAN may take action or apply a penalty, which it has never done before."
Inviting people to talk
According to Moe Thuzar, an ASEAN specialist, the bloc has increased diplomatic pressure to send a strong message to the Junta not to abuse its cooperation, despite a long-standing connection with the military.
"In the hopes of achieving a positive outcome in Myanmar, ASEAN has led the international community to support recommendations," she said.
"In this situation, ASEAN will not take rash action that could jeopardize mutual ties." However, ASEAN may adopt a stricter stance to ensure that its collaborative approach is not exploited."
She said, however, that pressure was unlikely to result in the Junta changing its mind or engaging in a genuine political conversation any time soon. She stated that ASEAN and the international community must "do more" to press the Junta to hold negotiations.
Before honest political discussions can take place, all political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, must be released, according to Kyaw Htwe, a member of the NLD Central Committee and a former member of parliament representing Zabu Thiri township.
"For the sake of the country, a positive and open dialogue must be inclusive," he stated.
"All current detainees must be released unconditionally, and all legitimate political parties must be able to function without disrupting the political process for the talks to be truly meaningful."
