VIENTIANE, LAOS —The failure of Myanmar's junta to end the country's violence, allow humanitarian assistance and implement other elements of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' "Five-Point Consensus" will be the focus of ASEAN's summit this week in Laos.

For the first time since the junta seized power three years ago, Myanmar will send a Foreign Ministry official to the summit. But that move has drawn criticism from some human rights groups, NGOs and opponents of the junta inside the country, who have said allowing Myanmar to participate legitimizes the regime.

ASEAN's highest profile 2024 gathering is set for Oct. 8-11 in Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

Neither Myanmar's junta nor Laos' Ministry of Foreign Affairs would name the junta's representative to the summit.

Myanmar's shadow government, the National Unity Government (NUG), has called for the junta's exclusion from ASEAN meetings and praised the creation of a group of three countries, consisting of Indonesia, which chaired the bloc last year, Laos and Malaysia, to address the crisis.

"The military council does not represent Myanmar, and no one appointed by them should be invited," NUG spokesperson, Kyaw Zaw told VOA on Sunday from an undisclosed location due to security concerns. "If anyone represents Myanmar, it must be the people's true voice. Over 200 civil organizations have demanded an end to the conflict, and while we've supported the Five-Point Consensus, lack of cooperation has blocked progress."

Kyaw Zaw also emphasized the need for urgent international action, including from ASEAN, to hold the junta accountable. "Myanmar is in a humanitarian crisis with 4 million war refugees and over a million flood victims. ASEAN and the global community must step in effectively," he said.

The Five-Point Consensus is an ASEAN peace plan from 2021 aimed at resolving Myanmar's crisis, calling for an end to violence, dialogue, and humanitarian aid. However, the junta's non-compliance has stalled progress, limiting ASEAN's ability to influence the situation.

Civil society demands junta exclusion

In an open letter, 237 organizations, consisting of human rights and public-interest and civil society groups across the region, urged ASEAN to exclude Myanmar's military junta from future meetings, noting the junta's attendance at over 500 ASEAN meetings since 2021, with little progress toward peace.

These groups, led by Defend Myanmar Democracy, a Myanmar human rights international advocacy group, argued that allowing the junta to participate damages ASEAN's credibility and helps legitimize the regime.

Defend Myanmar Democracy spokesperson Naw Aung condemned the decision to allow Myanmar to host a series of ASEAN meetings this month.

"Rewarding the junta disregards the suffering of Myanmar's people, who are being murdered, raped, and tortured by the regime," the group said in a statement released on October 3.

"ASEAN is not relevant in this picture because it has yet to establish a clear position," said Debbie Stothard, founder of the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, Altsean, by phone to VOA. Stothard, a human rights advocate in Burma and the ASEAN region for over three decades, has been at the forefront of promoting democracy and accountability in the region.

"We are now witnessing what could be called a second wave of genocide against the Rohingya," Stothard said. "Myanmar's military airstrikes have surged to over 100 per month, yet ASEAN continues to shield an illegal regime."

"The Five-Point Consensus is no longer relevant," Stothard added, calling for a focus on the banking system and long-term planning for post-coup in Myanmar.

"We already know from [U.N. special Rapporteur] Tom Andrews' reports that Thai and Singaporean banks have been involved in transactions which fund war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Myanmar," says Stothard. "If ASEAN banks are found to have done nothing to prevent these activities, they will be in serious trouble."

"Additionally," Stothard continued, "The organization must plan how it will participate in the post-junta transition: how will ASEAN support the resistance to restore the rule of law and help rebuild the economic and social institutions that the junta has destroyed in just under four years?"

ASEAN has planned 19 official meetings in Myanmar this month, covering topics from women's rights to tourism, hosted by junta-controlled ministries in Naypyitaw, the junta's administrative headquarters.

As of now, ASEAN has not provided a specific public explanation for why they are holding 19 meetings in Myanmar. The meetings were announced on ASEAN's official website as part of the standard procedure for member countries.

Broader summit discussions

Beyond Myanmar, the summit will include wider, global issues, including the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Hamas conflict. These global tensions are directly affecting ASEAN member states, some of which report citizens caught in the conflicts.

On Oct. 11, Laos will pass the ASEAN chairmanship to Malaysia. The new leadership will play a key role in shaping the region's future, especially with long-term goals such as the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, which prioritizes digital transformation and sustainability.

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