As violence escalates in Myanmar, Indonesia’s foreign minister said Friday that it had been discreetly contacting key parties, including neighbors India, Thailand, and China, to start a peace process.
Retno Marsudi told Reuters exclusively that Indonesia, as chair of ASEAN, has quietly tried to resolve the problem through more than 60 “engagements” with all sides.
She named the junta, ethnic minority army, and pro-democracy shadow government.
At a press conference, Retno said trust was crucial.
“Indonesia is using non-megaphone diplomacy, this aims to build trust with all stakeholders, so they want to talk to us,” she stated.
Quiet diplomacy does not imply inaction. On the contrary, Indonesia has accomplished much in the previous four months.”
Indonesia’s proposal is the first big attempt to bring all main stakeholders in Myanmar’s conflict to the table and implement a peace “consensus” its senior general agreed to with the bloc two years ago.
“We tried to be as inclusive as possible,” Retno told Reuters. However, Indonesia continues to bridge a wide stakeholder divide.
The Myanmar authorities and two armed ethnic groups declined to comment.
NUG spokeswoman claimed it is “trying for a peace dialogue” with the ASEAN chair.
The Indonesian foreign ministry reiterated ASEAN’s support for engaging all parties.
Since the military took control in a coup in 2021 and cracked down on opponents, some of whom went abroad to form the National Unity Government (NUG), Myanmar has been plagued by bloodshed and economic instability.
Others joined national armed resistance groups that fought the junta alongside the NUG and ethnic minority armies.
The junta’s failure to execute the peace accord and assaults on opponents have frustrated ASEAN leaders. Since late 2021, the bloc has barred the junta from high-level meetings unless progress is made.
Retno said Myanmar’s generals would be prohibited again at next week’s ASEAN leaders conference.
She said that Indonesia had held 195 ASEAN sessions focused on the Myanmar issue and US-China relations.
Alongside Indonesia’s discreet diplomacy, government and think-tank representatives from Myanmar and its neighbors, including India and China, met in New Delhi late last month to resolve the Myanmar crisis.
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