Malaysia’s top diplomat, Mohamad Hasan, is on a critical mission to Myanmar today. His one-day trip aims to tackle two big issues: the country’s upcoming general election and breathing life into a frozen peace process. The government in Kuala Lumpur hopes his visit will make some headway.
Mr. Hasan will land in Naypyidaw wearing his hat as the current chair of ASEAN. He plans to meet with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the military leader, along with Myanmar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. These meetings are significant because Myanmar’s military government has been kept at arm’s length from ASEAN’s top tables since 2022.
The reason for this distance is clear. The generals failed to live up to promises made in a five-point peace plan. General Min Aung Hlaing himself agreed to this plan after his forces took control in 2021. Now, Myanmar is caught in a civil war between its army and various resistance groups, making any diplomatic effort a real challenge.
The military has scheduled the first round of its general election to begin on December 28. However, many critics scoff at this, calling it a fake election. They believe it’s just a way for the military to stay in power through people they control. Only a few political parties are even joining the national race. Most opposition groups are either banned from running or have flat-out refused to take part.
Back in July, Mr. Hasan made it clear: ASEAN’s priority wasn’t the ballot box. He urged Myanmar to focus on its peace commitments instead. During his visit, the Malaysian Foreign Ministry stated he will press the junta hard to follow the peace plan. This includes stopping all fighting, allowing aid to reach people without trouble, and holding open talks with everyone involved in Myanmar’s future.
Indeed, a shadow of violence has stretched across the land since the 2021 coup. The generals face stiff opposition from armed groups. In a recent Facebook post on Thursday, Mr. Hasan noted that recent breaches of ceasefire agreements are hurting peace efforts, though he didn’t give specifics. These comments come after truly disturbing reports. On Wednesday, witnesses and rights groups said Myanmar government forces attacked civilians in the central Sagaing region. This attack killed at least 20 people. These civilians were actually protesting a previous bombing. Just last Monday evening, the military used a paramotor to drop bombs on roughly 100 people gathered for a Thadingyut festival, taking at least 24 lives.
(Source: Reuters)