ASEAN ministers to discuss Myanmar crisis, but Myanmar is not invited. Here's why
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or the ASEAN comprises of ten Southeast Asian countries - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Today (October 27), the ASEAN ministers began meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia to discuss Myanmar's recent accelerating political and economical crisis.
Why is the meeting happening? The meeting is taking place to plan and discuss the intensifying turmoil in Myanmar. However, this comes 18 months after agreeing on a peace plan with Myanmar's military rulers.
Why Myanmar is not invited in the meeting? Myanmar's Generals have been barred from the high-level ASEAN meetings since last year, after the army ousted Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government, detaining her and thousands of activists, and launching a deadly crackdown that has given rise to armed resistance movements in the country.
Myanmar had been invited to send a non-political representative to the meeting in Indonesia, but the Junta did not agree, according to the host government.
Air raids, violence and poverty: What's happening in Myanmar?
After a coup inMyanmar on February 1, 2021, Myanmar has turned into a war zone with violence against the locals increasing.
According to the UN, More than 13.2 million people do not have enough food in Myanmar and 1.3 million are displaced.
Last Saturday, (October 27) Myanmar began an air raid in Kachin state in the northern Myanmar which killed at least 50 civilians, including singers and officers of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), media reported, citing witnesses who said three planes carried out the attack.
Aftermath of a bombing raid by the Myanmar Air Force against a concert being held by the Kachin Independence Organization near the village of Kansi. Among at least 50 believed killed were 4 popular Kachin singers including Galau Yaw Lwi and Aurali. pic.twitter.com/AtA60hF2ke
— Jonathan Head (@pakhead) October 24, 2022
There have been media reports stating the constant struggle between the rebels against the military and the current military-formed government.
On October 19, bombs inside parcels exploded at Myanmar's biggest jail prompting soldiers to return fire in a confrontation in which at least eight people were killed, state media and a witness said.
An armed anti-Junta group claimed responsibility for the attack at Insein prison in a statement posted on social media, saying it was "retaliation against (Junta chief) Min Aung Hlaing".
Quick recap of February 1, 2021: The National League for Democracy (NLD), the country's ruling party, was overthrown on the morning of February 1, 2021 by the Tatmadaw, Myanmar's military, which then handed control to a military Junta.
Then Acting President Myint Swe declared a one-year state of emergency and said that Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Min Aung Hlaing had taken over as president. Soon after After lifting the state of emergency, the junta invalidated the general election results from November 2020 and ruled that new elections will be held.
Along with ministers, their aides, and lawmakers, detentions included President Win Myint, State Counselor and Nobel laurete Aung San Suu Kyi.
The coup prevented the Myanmar Parliament from swearing in the candidates who won the 2020 election the day before it was supposed to happen