Jakarta, 5 May 2023 (GNP): Indonesia’s foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, revealed in an exclusive interview with news agency that Indonesia, as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has been working behind the scenes for several months to initiate a peace process in Myanmar.
The country has been engaging with key stakeholders in the conflict and neighboring countries, including India, Thailand, and China.
More than 60 “engagements” have been held by Indonesian diplomats with all parties involved to try and make a breakthrough in the crisis as violence continues to escalate.
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Marsudi mentioned that the junta, ethnic minority armies, and a pro-democracy shadow government were among the key stakeholders that Indonesia had been engaging with to start a peace process in Myanmar.
At a press conference, Retno emphasized the importance of gaining the trust of all parties involved and stated that Indonesia’s approach of “non-megaphone diplomacy” is aimed at achieving that goal.
She further clarified that despite the quiet approach, Indonesia has been active in its efforts over the past four months to bring about peace in Myanmar.
Indonesia has taken the lead in making a significant attempt to bring together all the significant parties involved in Myanmar’s conflict, to push for the implementation of a peace “consensus” that Myanmar’s top general had agreed upon with the bloc two years ago.
According to Retno, they have attempted to be as comprehensive as possible in their approach, and they aim to bridge the wide gap between the different stakeholders in the conflict.
Since the military staged a coup in Myanmar in 2021, the country has been in a state of chaos, with violence and economic instability plaguing the nation.
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The military launched a brutal campaign against those who opposed them, which led some of the opposition to flee overseas and form a government-in-exile called the National Unity Government (NUG).
The leaders of ASEAN have become increasingly frustrated with Myanmar’s military regime due to their inability to implement the peace agreement and their ongoing attacks on opposition groups.
Since late 2021, the bloc has banned the junta from participating in its top-level meetings until they can demonstrate that progress is being made towards peace.
Retno has confirmed that during the upcoming ASEAN leaders summit, Myanmar’s military leaders will not be allowed to participate.
She also mentioned that Indonesia has hosted a total of 195 ASEAN meetings thus far, where discussions have primarily centered around issues related to the conflict in Myanmar and the ongoing regional tensions between the United States and China.
