Myanmar Regime Lashes Out at Timor-Leste Over ‘Stain on ASEAN’ Comment

Myanmar’s military-dominated regime has issued a sharp rebuke to Timor‑Leste President José Ramos‑Horta, accusing him of spreading “false narratives” that distort the country’s image and undermine ASEAN’s principle of non‑interference.

A statement issued by the regime’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday targeted Ramos‑Horta’s remarks at the Shangri‑La Dialogue in Singapore and at an ASEAN‑ERIA forum in Jakarta. At both events, the Nobel laureate described Myanmar’s civil war as a “stain on ASEAN’s otherwise impressive catalogue of successes” and urged the bloc to keep channels open with the generals to push implementation of the Five‑Point Consensus (5PC), the bloc’s peace plan for Myanmar. He also called for the release of political prisoners, including civilian leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as a trust‑building step toward reconciliation.

Ramos‑Horta warned that Myanmar’s conflict is a “war of exhaustion” with no winners, devastating the country’s economy and people. He suggested that ASEAN bring together all sides—the Myanmar military, ethnic armed groups, and the democratic opposition—“under a tent, with no preconditions.” He added that the talks should be guided by a prominent Southeast Asian figure, such as a retired general.

The regime—which labels the parallel civilian National Unity Government (NUG) a terrorist organization—dismissed his remarks as interference. Declaring that the peace process was “Myanmar‑led and Myanmar‑owned,” the statement claimed that most of the country is “peaceful and stable,” inviting outsiders to visit and see for themselves. It warned that Ramos‑Horta’s comments damaged bilateral ties and undermined “the spirit of the ASEAN family.”

Inclusive dialogue, a key demand of the 5PC alongside an immediate end to violence, has been ignored by Myanmar’s ruling generals, who refuse to engage with the opposition.

Relations between Myanmar and Timor‑Leste were already at a low. Ramos-Horta has been openly critical of Myanmar’s military rulers and has expressed support for the opposition. In February, the junta expelled Timor‑Leste’s chargé d’affaires in Yangon after Dili opened legal proceedings accusing Min Aung Hlaing and the military of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The case, filed by the Chin Human Rights Organization, documented atrocities in Chin State, including the gang rape of a pregnant woman and the massacre of 10 civilians. It marks the first time that one ASEAN member has pursued legal action against another under universal jurisdiction.

The regime first expelled a Timor-Leste diplomat in 2023, following Ramos-Horta’s engagement with the NUG. Dili later sought to appease Naypyitaw after Myanmar’s ruling generals threatened to block its ASEAN membership bid, but tensions rose again after East Timor was admitted as the bloc’s 11th member in October 2025.

The regime’s rebuke comes as ASEAN itself remains sharply divided over Myanmar’s political future. The bloc has yet to reach agreement on whether to recognize the junta’s December–January election, which enabled Min Aung Hlaing’s transition from coup leader to president in April. However, the newly installed president’s vow to restore normal ties with ASEAN was thwarted when the bloc again denied him access to its summit in May. The bloc has barred Myanmar’s military leaders from high-level regional meetings for their failure to comply with the 5PC.

While four ASEAN members—Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei—broke ranks to congratulate Min Aung Hlaing on his presidency, the rest of the bloc has withheld recognition.

Speaking to Indian media this week on his first trip abroad as president, Min Aung Hlaing insisted the three-phase elections were free and fair, leading to a legitimate government.

Major opposition parties were barred from contesting the tightly controlled poll, which was confined mostly to junta-held urban centers and widely condemned as a sham.

Min Aung Hlaing told DD India that Myanmar’s relations with most ASEAN states are “good,” adding that one or two maintained a strong position against his regime.

“Since ASEAN’s stance is decided by consensus, it is difficult for the remaining countries to engage with us normally when one or two nations maintain a rigid stance,” he said.