Rohingyas for regional refugee protection plan in ASEAN

The Rohingya community in Malaysia has sent a clear message to ASEAN to include a regional refugee protection policy and mechanism as part of the ASEAN Vision 2045 at the Regional Consultation to Strengthen the Advocacy for Rohingya: Strategies and Regional Collaboration that was organized in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia recently. This

Dhaka seeks global support in Pilot Rohingya repatriation project

Bangladesh has urged the United Nations, ASEAN and regional countries to support the pilot repatriation project and help Rohingya returnees reintegrate in Myanmar. Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, made the call while speaking at the Security Council's Arria-formula meeting on Myanmar. The

Understanding military coup in Myanmar, two years later

Last month marked the second anniversary of the military coup in Myanmar that resulted in the country's devastating civil war, with the military arresting more than 20,000 anti-coup protestors, killing more than 3,000, and burning 55,000 houses and buildings. Meanwhile, Myanmar’s GDP plummeted from an average 6% growth rate during

ASEAN lawmakers for global action to end Myanmar crisis

Dozens of parliamentarians from several Southeast Asian countries on Friday urged the ASEAN and the international community at large to take swift and concrete action against the illegal military junta led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and provide real assistance to the pro-democracy forces in Myanmar, following a roundtable

ASEAN parliamentarians cannot escape violations of their human rights

Parliamentarians worldwide face increasing human rights violations and a greater risk of reprisal simply for exercising their mandate or expressing their ideas and opinions. Asia follows the same trend according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). It is the second most dangerous region for MPs, with the number of cases recorded by

Myanmar must return to democracy for regional peace, says UN chief

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the Myanmar military government to immediately return to democracy, saying the current situation in the country was a threat to peace in the region. Myanmar has spiralled into bloody conflict since the military removed Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in February last year,

ASEAN agrees to talk to Myanmar opposition

Southeast Asian leaders agreed Friday to engage Myanmar opposition groups as they seek ways to quell the country's escalating bloodshed which has seen thousands killed in clashes since last year's coup. The Myanmar crisis dominated the first day of a gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional

Myanmar and ASEAN: Time is not on the side of democracy

For 10 days in November, the world’s diplomatic attention will largely be focused on three major diplomatic meetings in Southeast Asia. These include the Group of 20 (G-20) Summit on November 15-16 in Bali, Indonesia, and the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which will be held November 18-19 in Bangkok,

ASEAN ministers ‘even more determined’ to solve Myanmar crisis

Southeast Asian foreign ministers said they were "even more determined" to solve the political crisis in Myanmar during talks in Indonesia on Thursday ahead of the ASEAN leaders' summit in November. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military coup in February last year, but despite its expressions of concern, efforts

ASEAN voices concern over rising Myanmar violence

This screen grab shows the concert area following an airstrike targeting a Kachin gathering by the Myanmar junta in Hpakant township, northern Kachin state, Myanmar, Oct. 24, 2022, resulting in the death of a large number of civilians. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is gravely concerned about escalating violence