Myanmar’s Southeast Asian neighbours have displayed different responses to the Feb. 1 military coup, with some countries more critical than others towards the military junta in Naypyidaw. The Myanmar junta has largely ignored the international condemnation of its takeover and violent repression of citizens, but has shown willingness to maintain cordial relations with some fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Critics say the regional grouping has been slow and divided in responding to the Myanmar coup so far. But as the death toll rises, and with a humanitarian crisis looming in Myanmar, pressure is building on ASEAN to find a way out – or risk having Myanmar erupting into a potential proxy war among major powers.
All eyes are now fixed on an upcoming emergency meeting among ASEAN leaders in Jakarta, to see how the regional grouping (which includes Myanmar) will proceed. Can ASEAN be an effective platform to help solve the crisis in Myanmar? Or will its members prioritize individual diplomatic and geopolitical considerations over a regional multilateral approach? Join FCCT for a discussion with a panel of experts about ASEAN diplomacy on Myanmar as the Southeast Asian country edges deeper into turmoil.
Speakers include:
Dr. Marty Natalegawa, former foreign minister of Indonesia
Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University and former secretary-general of ASEAN
Dr. Prapee Apichatsakol, assistant professor at Srinakharinwirot University and vice-president of the American Studies Association in Thailand
Kavi Chongkittavorn, veteran journalist and a senior fellow at the Institute of Security and International Studies, Chulalongkorn University
Moderator: Tan Hui Yee, Straits Times Indochina Bureau Chief
Click here for more information. The Facebook livestream can be accessed here.
(People carry placards during a protest against the military coup in Myanmar, outside the ASEAN Building in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 12, 2021. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana)