Don Pathan
Mizzima News
Tomorrow’s meeting between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC), Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, in Bangkok will mark the first time that the chair of the ASEAN Standing Committee meets with the Myanmar junta chief after years of keeping him at a distance.
“The meeting comes at a time of uncertainty, and at the same time provides opportunities for Myanmar stakeholders to work and converge on the common objective of humanitarian support for the quake victims. Thailand and Malaysia will work closer on this and both would like to see progress on the ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus,” said Kavi Chongkitavorn, a veteran journalist and an expert on ASEAN affairs.
Anwar insists that he is not abandoning ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus as the basis for the regional grouping’s engagement with Myanmar, but maintains that the meeting is being held purely on humanitarian grounds. He will be looking to advance the ceasefire between rebel forces and SAC troops.
“With just one phone call, he (Min Aung Hlaing) agreed to meet in Bangkok, despite April 17 being a major religious holiday in Myanmar. This reflects both respect for Malaysia and their willingness to engage in dialogue,” Anwar said.
Instead of thanking Min Aung Hlaing, it makes more sense that the Myanmar junta chief thanks Anwar for the invitation. After all, this is something that the junta chief has been looking for and something that the resistance movements have been dead against — legitimizing the status of this junta chief who pay lip service to humanitarian issues but continue to bomb civilians, not necessary as part of a military strategy but to terrorize them into submission.
SAC’s decision to renege on the promise to halt offensives to facilitate humanitarian aid to the areas affected by the earthquake reflects the fragility of Anwar’s peace initiative.
If nothing concrete comes out of the meeting, Min Aung Hlaing can always say that he did not hesitate to engage with regional leaders to address Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis.
Indeed, one cannot overlook the political underpinnings of tomorrow’s meeting in Bangkok. It is not clear if Thaksin Shinawatra and his daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn, will join the meeting. Thaksin was appointed advisor to Anwar.
Malaysia may be the chairman of ASEAN. But it doesn’t mean its policy and strategy are confined to humanitarian initiatives. Thousands have lost their lives because of the earthquake and the ongoing conflicts. Access to medical support is extremely limited.
But with the current humanitarian drive following the massive earthquake, ASEAN members and Myanmar’s neighbouring countries may have just found a new way to work toward resolving the crisis inside the country. Min Aung Hlaing is using it to heighten his standing internationally. There is no reason why Thailand and other ASEAN member states cannot do the same thing — using the crisis to reach out to Myanmar’s resistance forces and EAOs to push for a more robust ceasefire and conflict resolution.
Thailand employed the same humanitarian argument when it pushed through the humanitarian coordination effort to bring aid across the border to villagers in Karen State. Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) warned against it, saying the effort did more to help legitimize the SAC. They said the design was flawed as it reached only a handful of people. Such concerns still exist today.
Anwar said the ceasefire was crucial as it allows humanitarian aid to reach victims of the recent earthquake in Myanmar. Yes, that may be true. But one has to keep in mind that much of the areas along the Myanmar border are controlled by EAOs and resistance forces. The question is whether Malaysia, Thailand, and ASEAN will have the political courage to engage these forces or will they stick to the status quo for fear of offending the SAC, the fancy name that the Myanmar junta has given itself.
Anwar said assistance would only be offered if military operations were suspended. “The people are suffering… so I asked for a ceasefire. Two days later, Myanmar announced a truce in place until April 22. Although not solely due to our efforts, Malaysia has at least taken a clear stand on behalf of ASEAN. Insha-Allah, during my meeting with him on April 17, I will push for the ceasefire to be extended,” he added.
The Red Cross Society of Thailand, an outfit that coordinates its humanitarian efforts with state agencies, has consistently provided aid and medical supplies to Burmese internally displaced persons (IDPs) through civil authorities closely aligned with EAOs such as the Karen National Union (KNU) and Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA). Perhaps the government could learn from their examples.
Indeed, the fragmentation in Myanmar has forced bordering countries to adjust their stance and policy. But balancing engagement with Naypyidaw and the opponents of the regime has not been easy. There have been suggestions in Thai government circles that Thailand should become a place where discussions and debates about Myanmar can be conducted safely. But such ideas have not gained serious traction at the policy level. Again, for fear of offending the SAC, Thailand does not seem to want to be too open about their interactions with opposition forces and prefers to keep them as local, unofficial arrangements.
Meanwhile, Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) and other opposition groups have issued a statement expressing their concern about the planned meeting between the Myanmar junta chief and the ASEAN chair. The statement warned about the dangers of the meeting being held under the guise of trying to help with humanitarian aid. The junta has not adhered to the Five-Point Consensus and continues to attack civilians, despite the desperate need to help quake victims.
The statement points out that players other than the military junta need to be engaged during the humanitarian aid drive. They point out the dangers of unilateral engagement with a player who is considered a “terrorist”. Such an approach undermines the core humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence and fails to ensure aid is delivered according to need.
“Rather than supporting the people of Myanmar, these actions risk legitimizing the illegal military coup and reinforcing the regime responsible for their suffering. Therefore, we firmly reject any such decisions,” the statement says.
Don Pathan is a Thailand-based security analyst
https://eng.mizzima.com/2025/04/16/21353
