Asean 'strongly condemns' Myanmar air strike that killed dozens

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), criticised for its inaction over the deepening Myanmar crisis, yesterday strongly condemned air strikes that reportedly killed dozens of people.

Indonesia, Southeast Asia's biggest economy, is the 2023 chair of the regional bloc and is hoping to kickstart a five-point plan, agreed with the Myanmar junta two years ago, and other mediation attempts that have so far failed to end the violence.

"All forms of violence must end immediately, particularly the use of force against civilians," the 10-member bloc said in an unusually bold statement issued by Indonesia.

The military toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government in a February 2021 coup. Its subsequent crackdown on dissent and armed groups opposed to its rule has killed more than 3,200 people, according to a local monitoring group.

The official death toll from Tuesday's strike on the remote Kanbalu township in Myanmar's central Sagaing region remains unclear, although at least 100 fatalities have been reported by the BBC, The Irrawaddy and Radio Free Asia.

The strike drew international condemnation. UN human rights chief Volker Turk said he was "horrified" and that its victims included schoolchildren performing dances.

The junta confirmed on Wednesday it had launched "limited" air strikes.

"Asean strongly condemns the reported recent air strikes carried out by the Myanmar Armed Forces (...) that claimed the lives of at least dozens of civilians," the Asean statement said.

A statement from the Asean chair does not necessarily indicate the agreement of all member states.

One fighter jet and a helicopter were involved in Tuesday's attack, a security source told AFP.

A villager also told AFP on Wednesday it was difficult to identify the dead.

"We can not identify anymore who is who among the dead because they all became pieces," he said.

The junta said it had received a tip-off about an event marking the opening of an office for one of the local defence forces that have been opposing its rule.

Singapore threw its support behind the Asean statement.

"Singapore is gravely concerned by these attacks," foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on Twitter.

Indonesia will host annual Asean leaders' meetings in May and September.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said last week Jakarta had been working hard to implement the "five-point consensus, which calls for an end to violence and for talks between the military and rebels.

That plan has largely been ignored by the junta.

Jakarta's chairmanship of the bloc had raised hopes Asean could push for a peaceful solution, using its economic weight as well as its diplomatic experience.

Indonesia announced this year plans to set up a special envoy's office under the foreign ministry to establish low-level dialogue with the junta, although little has emerged about the status of any talks.

Myanmar remains an Asean member but has been barred from top-level summits over the junta's failure to implement the peace plan.

Rizal Sukma, a senior fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a Jakarta-based think tank, said Indonesia's diplomatic efforts as ASEAN chair had been ineffective so far.

"I see that Indonesia's 'quiet diplomacy' effort has yet to have an impact," Sukma told AFP. "In fact, I feel Indonesia is being insulted by the junta."

It would be "time for a review" of Indonesia's strategy if there was no progress by May, when ASEAN leaders gather in Labuan Bajo in Indonesia's east, he said.

ASEAN has long been criticised for its inaction but its initiatives are limited by its charter principles of consensus and non-interference.

Indonesian officials have acknowledged that a lack of progress on Myanmar would test ASEAN's credibility.