The Philippines called on Myanmar on Wednesday to allow ASEAN’s special envoy to meet with detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi, pressing for greater transparency after authorities allowed her to serve the remainder of her sentence under house arrest.
“We view these developments as vital steps in a sequence of confidence-building measures necessary for long-term national stability in Myanmar,” the Philippines, serving as this year’s chair of ASEAN, said in a statement.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said Myanmar should allow Aung San Suu Kyi to communicate with her family to “demonstrate genuine commitment to national reconciliation.”
Support From ASEAN
Access for ASEAN’s special envoy would support engagement with all stakeholders and advance inclusive national dialogue, it said.
The Philippines also said that the developments should be used to build momentum for political dialogue and reconciliation in Myanmar under the ASEAN peace framework known as the Five-Point Consensus.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been in detention since her elected government was toppled in a 2021 coup.
She has been serving a 27-year sentence after being convicted of multiple offences based on charges her allies said were politically motivated.
Myanmar’s Crisis
In April, ASEAN reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Myanmar in achieving a “peaceful and durable solution” to its ongoing political crisis. Chaired by the Philippines, ASEAN also called for further prisoner releases in Myanmar, including detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, saying a recent amnesty is a positive step towards inclusive national dialogue.
Her sentence was commuted by one-sixth as part of an amnesty last month for thousands of prisoners, which also saw the release of her ally, former President Win Myint.
Myanmar’s leadership has seen several changes in the last six months. After being under military rule for several years, the army held elections in several provinces, only for the military-backed party USP to win a majority. While international observers have often termed it a sham election, it has provided legitimacy to General Min Aung Hlaing’s rule. Last month, he was also selected to be the President.
(with inputs from Reuters)
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