The Association of Southeast Asian Nations convened a special summit last week to address regional concerns, with the coup and resulting violence in Myanmar at the top of their list.
The summit produced a “five point consensus plan” to “facilitate mediation of the dialogue process” between military leaders and the opposition that won last year’s elections and was overthrown by the coup. The agreement is an important first step but it is only meaningful if followed up by concrete action. Concerned governments must ensure that there is real dialogue and that the junta begins the process of restoring democracy to Myanmar.
On Feb. 1, a military junta led by Gen. Min Aung Hlaing overthrew the democratically elected government of Myanmar, charging that the November election results had been invalidated by massive fraud. That allegation is unfounded — but facts matter little to the Tatmadaw (the country’s military), which fears the loss of its power and privilege after the landslide victory by democratic forces led by the National League of Democracy.