Home Asean News Civil War Must End: Australia’s Wong Tells Myanmar Generals

Civil War Must End: Australia’s Wong Tells Myanmar Generals

Summit in Laos
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the National Convention Center, in Vientiane, Laos, July 27, 2024. REUTERS
Australia’s Foreign Minister, Penny Wong has urged Myanmar’s military rulers to end the intensifying civil war.

He has nudged them at a time when ministers and top diplomats from different countries have gathered in Laos.

They will exchange views to tackle global issues at two summits in the Laotian capital, Vientiane.

Australian Foreign Minister’s Message

Penny Wong said Australia was deeply concerned about the conflict in Myanmar since the generals seized power in a 2021 coup.

He urged them to keep their commitment on following a peace plan by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

“We see the instability, the insecurity, the deaths, the pain that is being caused by the conflict,” Wong said.

He said, “Fundamentally, my message from Australia to the regime is, this is not sustainable for you or your people.”

Russia, the United States, China, Japan, Britain and others, are attending the summits.

He said that Australia would urge them to take a different path and reflect the five-point consensus.

The Civil War

The civil war pits Myanmar’s military against a loose alliance of ethnic minority rebel groups and an armed resistance movement.

Meanwhile, more than 5,400 people have been killed in the fighting and left at least three million displaced in Myanmar.

Apart from this, the fighting in Myanmar’s civil war has led to a sharp increase in destructive attacks on schools

Arrests And Criticism Of The Junta

The military government has arrested more than 27,000 since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

The junta has faced condemnation for atrocities and use of excessive force in its air strikes on civilian areas.

The junta has dismissed this as Western disinformation.

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The military government has largely ignored the ASEAN-promoted peace effort.

The 10-member bloc, of which Myanmar is a member, has hit a wall as all sides refuse to enter into dialogue.

Concern Over Dangerous Actions

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken who arrived in Laos early Saturday, is expected to address the issue of Myanmar civil war.

He will meet ASEAN counterparts and hold bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Assertion By The United States

Blinken will reiterate calls for following international law in the South China Sea, according to a statement.

The United States has criticised repeated aggression here by Beijing’s coastguard against vessels of the Philippines.

Clashes Between The Philippines And China

The Philippines and China have clashed repeatedly at sea and rhetorically this past year.

The clashes happened over incidents near two disputed shoals within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), far from the Chinese mainland.

This has caused regional concern about an escalation in waters through which about $3 trillion of annual trade passes.

 An Agreement Between The Philippines and China

The Philippines previously said it had reached an arrangement with China allowing Manila’s vessels to reach troops stationed on a navy ship.

It said it had completed a personnel rotation and resupply mission unimpeded at the shoal on Saturday.

It added that no “untoward incidents” were reported.

Australia Expresses Concern

Wong emphasized that EEZs in the South China Sea must be secure, international waterways be accessible and tensions de-escalated.

He said that Australia is very concerned about any actions which are destabilising, dangerous and contrary to international law.