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2 Singapore Embassy in Yangon staff safe after attack on Asean humanitarian convoy they were part of: MFA

LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia / SINGAPORE — Two staff members of the Singapore Embassy in Yangon were part of an Association for Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) humanitarian convoy that came under attack in Myanmar on Sunday (May 8).

Asean's flag (second from left) along with member states' flags outside the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta. MFA said it condemns Sunday's attack on the Asean convoy of which two Singapore Embassy of Yangon staff were part of.

Asean's flag (second from left) along with member states' flags outside the Asean Secretariat in Jakarta. MFA said it condemns Sunday's attack on the Asean convoy of which two Singapore Embassy of Yangon staff were part of.

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  • Two staff members of the Singapore Embassy in Yangon were part of an Association for Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) humanitarian convoy that came under attack in Myanmar on May 8
  • The embassy staff are safe and have returned to Yangon, a Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesman said on May 9
  • MFA said Singapore condemns the attack in the eastern Shan state
  • Indonesian President Joko Widodo had earlier on May 9 also spoken about the attack
  • A Myanmar state-run media report said that gunmen had opened fire with small arms and a security team accompanying the convoy returned fire

LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia / SINGAPORE — Two staff members of the Singapore Embassy in Yangon were part of an Association for Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) humanitarian convoy that came under attack in Myanmar on Sunday (May 8).

"They are safe and have returned to Yangon," said a Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesman in a statement on Monday night, adding that the incident took place in the eastern Shan state.

"Singapore condemns this attack. It is critical to safeguard the safety of humanitarian and diplomatic personnel, to ensure that they can continue their operations and provide necessary aid to those in need."

News agency Associated Press (AP) quoted a member of an ethnic minority militia as saying that the attack took place in Shan state’s Hsi Hseng township, about 128km northeast of Myanmar's capital, Naypyitaw.

AP also said that state-run television MRTV had reported that gunmen had opened fire with small arms and a security team accompanying the convoy returned fire.

A security vehicle was damaged, but no one in the convoy which included Asean officials and staff from from the Indonesia and Singapore embassies was injured, the MRTV report added.

Other local media reports said that those in the convoy were headed to a discussion with various groups on providing assistance to internally displaced persons, but the trip had to be cancelled after the incident.

MFA's statement, which did not give more details on the attack, came hours after Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo spoke about a "shootout" erupting while officials from the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management and an Asean monitoring team en route to delivering humanitarian aid.

The Indonesian leader, popularly known as Jokowi, was speaking to reporters in Labuan Bajo in eastern Indonesia where the 42nd Asean Summit will be held this week.

He did not give further details of the incident, though he added that it would not affect Asean’s or Indonesia’s resolve to push for peace in Myanmar.

“Stop using force. Stop violence. Because it is the citizens who will be the victims. (And because) nobody stands to gain from such conditions,” he said in a mix of English and Bahasa Indonesia.

“I urge everyone to sit together, create space for dialogue to find a solution together.”

It is unclear who was behind Sunday's attack.

Reuters reported Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government, which is allied with the anti-junta militias, as saying that it was not involved in the incident.

A spokesperson for the Myanmar junta did not respond to Reuter's request for comment. 

Myanmar has been embroiled in violence since February 2021, when the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

The military junta, which is facing growing armed resistance in many parts of the country from pro-democracy forces and ethnic rebel groups that have long fought for autonomy, has responded with the use of lethal force.

Asean, led by its rotating chair Indonesia, last month "strongly condemned" an air strike that reportedly killed more than 100 people in a remote village in Myanmar.

On Monday, Mr Jokowi said that the condition in Myanmar is very complex as it has been “seven decades” in the making.

Asean officials conducting needs assessment for humanitarian aid have also had access hindered, he added.

He also said that as Asean chair this year, Indonesia will continue to push for the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.

The Five-Point Consensus is a peace plan issued by Asean leaders in April 2021. Among other things, the plan calls for mediation between various parties and an immediate end to violence in a bid to end the turmoil in Myanmar.

On Monday, MFA said that Singapore urges all parties to refrain from violence, in accordance with the Five-Point Consensus.

"Only constructive dialogue among all key stakeholders in Myanmar can facilitate a peaceful solution in the interests of the people of Myanmar,” the MFA spokesman added.

On Wednesday, Asean leaders convening at the summit issued a statement expressing "deep concern" about the ongoing violence in Myanmar.

They urged the immediate stop of "all forms of violence and the use of force", to allow safe and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance and inclusive national dialogues.

"We condemned the attack and underlined that the perpetrators must be held accountable," said the Asean leaders' statement, adding that they supported the statement made by Mr Widodo on Monday as chair of the regional grouping.

"We supported the efforts of the Chair of Asean, including its continued engagements with all stakeholders in Myanmar, to encourage progress in the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus."

Related topics

Myanmar ASEAN indonesia Joko Widodo

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