NUG criticizes Naypyidaw response to ASEAN exclusion; APHR warns against normalizing relations with Myanmar

APHR warns against normalizing relations with Myanmar

The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a network of current and former lawmakers focusing on how to improve human rights in countries across Southeast Asia, issued a statement on Tuesday warning against what it called a “lack of concrete action” on Burma by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) following the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines, on May 7-8.

APHR highlighted statements made by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who described the crisis in Burma since the 2021 military coup as a “thorny problem” without any clear solutions. It added that ASEAN’s principles of consensus and non-interference continue to hinder any concrete action in Burma, while Thailand and other member states risk “normalizing” ties with the regime by engaging with them.