The National Unity Government (NUG) issued a statement on March 19 urging the ASEAN Chair, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, to effectively address the military council’s violence in Myanmar. The statement notes that with the international community’s primary focus on Ukraine, ASEAN has an opportunity to take the lead in addressing Myanmar’s worsening crisis. The NUG emphasized that under Malaysia’s rotating chairmanship, ASEAN must maintain its commitments to human rights and regional security.
The statement emphasizes that the current moment is crucial for implementing decisive actions that can restore justice and peace for each Myanmar citizen. The NUG has urged ASEAN to move beyond the Five-Point Consensus and establish a more effective process that aligns with the wishes of Myanmar’s people. The statement highlights recent incidents, including the military council’s airstrikes on a monastery in Naung Cho, northern Shan State, and continued targeted killings of civilians. The military council’s aerial attacks on religious buildings and civilians in Sagaing, Mandalay, Magway regions, and Shan State have led to increasing civilian casualties, as detailed in the statement.
The NUG’s statement underscores the urgency of ASEAN’s intervention, particularly given the escalating violence against civilians and religious sites. The military council’s continued use of airstrikes against civilian targets represents a significant escalation in their campaign of violence. The statement calls for ASEAN to take concrete steps beyond existing frameworks to address the humanitarian crisis and establish a path toward genuine democratic transition that reflects the will of Myanmar’s people. The increasing civilian death toll and targeting of religious sites demonstrate the deteriorating situation that requires immediate and effective international response, particularly from regional leaders within ASEAN.
