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 junta’s violence in Myanmar. The statement notes that while the international community remains focused on the Ukraine crisis, ASEAN has an opportunity to take the lead in addressing Myanmar’s worsening crisis. This presents a crucial moment for the regional organization to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the deteriorating situation in Myanmar.
Under the leadership of Malaysia as the current ASEAN Chair, the organization needs to maintain its commitments to human rights and regional security, according to the NUG statement. The current period is described as a critical time to implement decisive actions that can restore justice and peace for individual Myanmar citizens. The statement emphasizes the importance of taking concrete steps beyond the existing Five-Point Consensus to establish a process that aligns with the Myanmar people’s aspirations.
The NUG highlighted recent incidents of violence, including the military’s airstrike on a monastery in Naung Cho, northern Shan State, as evidence of the junta’s systematic targeting of civilians. The statement details how the military council continues to conduct deliberate attacks against civilian populations, demonstrating a pattern of violence that requires immediate intervention. The military’s actions represent an escalation of their campaign of violence against the civilian population, according to the NUG’s assessment.
The statement also documents the rising civilian casualties resulting from the military council’s airstrikes targeting religious sites and civilian areas in Sagaing, Mandalay, and Magway regions, as well as Shan State. The NUG emphasizes that these attacks demonstrate the urgent need for ASEAN to take effective action to stop the violence and ensure accountability. The organization calls for immediate and concrete measures from ASEAN that go beyond diplomatic statements and actually address the ongoing humanitarian crisis and human rights violations in Myanmar. The NUG stresses that the current situation demands a more robust response from ASEAN to protect civilians and work towards restoring democracy in Myanmar.
