KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -The Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN has agreed that an election in Myanmar was not a priority and is urging the country’s ruling junta to adhere to its peace commitments instead, Malaysia’s foreign minister said on Friday.
Myanmar, an ASEAN member, is in the grips of an escalating civil war and critics have derided the junta’s planned election this year as an attempt to prolong military rule through proxies in the absence of a viable political opposition.
Minister Mohamad Hasan said members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which Malaysia is chairing, want Myanmar to honour a “five-point consensus” peace plan its junta agreed to in 2021, months after a coup against Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government.
The peace plan has largely been a failure, with the military government unwilling to engage in dialogue with opponents it views as “terrorists”. Opposition political parties have been decimated and what remains of them are either barred from or unwilling to contest the election.
“An election is not part of the five-point consensus,” Mohamad told reporters on the sidelines of a gathering of ASEAN foreign ministers.
“We advised Myanmar that an election is not a priority for now, the priority is to cease all violence… so that all parties can sit together.”
ASEAN has barred Myanmar’s generals from attending its key meetings since 2022 for failing to honor its peace commitments. Myanmar is represented at meetings by foreign ministry officials.
Mohamad said the bloc would not accept an election in Myanmar that was not participated by all parties.
“There’s no point in having a partial election. That will not solve any problems, but instead will worsen conditions.”
Myanmar’s military is battling to contain a widening rebellion by ethnic minority rebel armies and a resistance movement that mushroomed quickly after a lethal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations. At least 3.5 million people have been displaced, according to the United Nations.
Human rights groups have accused the junta of committing widespread atrocities against the civilian population, which it has dismissed as Western disinformation.
ASEAN also wants a temporary ceasefire announced by the junta after a devastating earthquake in March to be extended and expanded, Mohamad added. Rebels, rights groups and conflict monitors have accused the junta of ignoring its own ceasefire and continuing artillery and air assaults, which it denies.
(Reporting by Danial Azhar; Writing by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Martin Petty)
