• Asean leaders met in Jakarta for a summit on Saturday about Myanmar’s situation
• Myanmar’s military chief General Min Aung Hlaing was present
• Asean leaders called for an end to the violence at the closed-door meeting 
• Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged Myanmar to facilitate a delegation visit from Asean

SINGAPORE — The Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) is expected to put together a delegation to visit Myanmar amid its growing civil unrest, and start preparations to provide humanitarian assistance for the beleaguered country, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday (April 24). 

This comes after Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing told Asean leaders at the grouping’s summit in Jakarta on Saturday that he was not opposed to such arrangements or to the 10-member Asean playing a constructive role in the crisis.

Speaking to reporters in a virtual interview after the three-hour meeting,  Mr Lee said: “I am sure that they will be implementing this, and there is a long way forward, because it's one thing to say they will cease violence and release political prisoners, and it is another thing to get it done.

“To have an inclusive discussion in order to reach a political resolution, it is even harder still, but at least there are some steps forward which we can take.”

He added: “Overall, it has been a productive meeting and it has pointed to the next steps forward for Asean. If Asean had not met, or had not been able to come to a conclusion on the matter, that would have been very bad.”

The closed-door meeting on Saturday began with the Myanmar’s military chief giving a lengthy briefing of the political situation in his country, which was followed by statements from each Asean leader present.

Mr Lee, who was the final Asean leader to speak at the meeting, delivered an intervention at the summit to suggest several ways forward for Myanmar, as well as to reiterate Singapore’s position on the situation there.

In his speech, he said Singapore strongly opposes the use of lethal force against unarmed civilians under any circumstances.

“We call upon the military authorities in Myanmar to exercise restraint, and stop further bloodshed and violence immediately. 

“We also urge the military authorities to de-escalate the political situation, by immediately releasing all political detainees, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,” said Mr Lee.

Mr Lee then called for Myanmar to take the first step towards the resumption of constructive dialogue in the country so that it can return to stability.

To this end, an Asean delegation should be allowed to visit Myanmar to help facilitate discussions, he said. 

“Any solution that returns Myanmar to the path of democratic transition must involve both the Tatmadaw, which has always been a key institution in Myanmar’s body politic, and also the National League for Democracy (NLD), which commands popular support,” said Mr Lee.

The NLD, which was the elected political party of detained leader Ms Suu Kyi, was not present at the leaders’ meeting on Saturday.

Mr Lee, in his interview with reporters, said other Asean leaders had brought up similar points such as the call to cease violence, for a resumption of political dialogue among all key stakeholders, as well as for Myanmar to facilitate a visit by an Asean delegation to the country.

A statement by Brunei, which is chairing Asean this year, will likely be issued soon, he added.

Mr Lee said that by the end of the meeting, there was a degree of consensus formed among the leaders present, including Myanmar’s, notwithstanding NLD’s absence.

Said Mr Lee: “At the end of this, General Min Aung Hlaing responded. He said he heard us. 

“He would take the points in which he considered helpful, and that he was not opposed to Asean playing a constructive role, or an Asean delegation visit, or humanitarian assistance, and that they would move forward and engage with Asean in a constructive way.” 

In the long term, Mr Lee said that the resolution of the conflict in Myanmar must come from the people of Myanmar, its government, the elected parties as well as the armed forces.

“The armed forces are a key institution in Myanmar and you cannot just say we put them out of the picture and then we carry on without them. It is not possible. The society will split, and the remaining system cannot function. So that is for Myanmar to decide. 

“I think we take it one step at a time. It is a very difficult road ahead,” he said.