ASEAN countries strongly condemn continued acts of violence in Myanmar

Jakarta: Association of South Eastern Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers, in a joint communique released on Thursday late night from Jakarta, Indonesia, strongly condemned the continued acts of violence, including air strikes, artillery shelling, and destruction of public facilities in Myanmar.

ASEAN member countries jointly urged all parties involved in Myanmar to take concrete action to immediately halt indiscriminate violence, denounce any escalation, and create a conducive environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and inclusive national



dialogue.

Myanmar, one of the ASEAN's 10 members, has been ravaged by deadly violence since a military coup ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's government in February 2021, unleashing a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy opponents. Rift within ASEAN over Myanmar were highlighted when Thailand hosted Myanmar military officials for controversial 'informal talks'. Myanmar Junta officials have been barred from high-level ASEAN meetings due to the lack of progress on a five-point peace plan which calls for a halt to violence and inclusive dialogue.