The National Unity Government (NUG), Karen National Union (KNU), Chin National Front (CNF), All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and other revolutionary forces have issued a statement objecting to ASEAN’s planned meeting with Min Aung Hlaing, who continues to bomb and kill civilians even during the earthquake crisis and Thingyan New Year period, stating that he does not represent the people. The statement was also joined by the Women’s League of Burma (WLB), Rohingya Liberation Coalition (FRC) and other unnamed groups.
The revolutionary forces strongly emphasized that if ASEAN leaders only provide humanitarian assistance through military leader Min Aung Hlaing while attempting to deliver aid effectively without discrimination and bias according to humanitarian principles, there is an inevitable risk that humanitarian assistance will be politically exploited. They therefore strongly object to aid delivery solely through military channels. They further stressed that humanitarian assistance should not be delivered directly to the military council, which only controls 22 percent of the country’s territory, but should be coordinated with all stakeholders in areas administered by the National Unity Government and ethnic revolutionary forces.
The statement highlighted that the terrorist military council is also guilty of blatantly violating ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus, including the immediate cessation of violence that they agreed to before ASEAN member states. The revolutionary forces warned that the military council is neither the sole authority controlling the country’s sovereignty nor does it represent the people in any way. They emphasized that Myanmar’s sovereignty is no longer directly administered from Naypyidaw but has devolved to people across different territories. Therefore, they strongly advised that any humanitarian assistance programs must not only engage with and directly support the military group, but must establish a process to coordinate with all relevant parties to ensure aid reaches Myanmar people suffering from both natural disasters and military attacks.
