Singapore, Indonesia condemn attack on diplomats in Myanmar
Humanitarian aid convoy came under fire in northeastern Shan state but escaped unscathed.
Singapore and Indonesia have condemned an attack on regional diplomats on a humanitarian aid mission in Myanmar’s crisis-hit northeastern state of Shan.
Singapore said two staff members from its embassy in Yangon were part of the convoy that came under fire on Sunday and made it safely back to the city.
“Singapore condemns this attack,” the city-state’s foreign ministry said in a statement late Monday. “It is critical to ensure the safety of humanitarian and diplomatic personnel, to ensure that they can continue their operations and provide necessary assistance to those in need.”
It was not clear who was behind the attack, which, according to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, occurred as officials were on their way to “hand over humanitarian aid” in the region. The United States said in email comments that the convoy was under military escort.
“Unfortunately there was a firefight on the way,” Widodo told AFP news agency.
Indonesia is hosting the ASEAN summit in eastern Labuan Bajo this week, with the 10-member group of Southeast Asian nations coming under increasing pressure for not doing more to resolve the crisis in Myanmar sparked by the coup of February 2021.
Ignoring the so-called Five Point Consensus that coup leader Min Aung Hlaing agreed with ASEAN in April of that year, the military is battling armed resistance groups as well as longstanding ethnic armed organizations in a situation that some have described as civil war.
Thousands have been killed and more than a million civilians have been forced to flee.
“Singapore urges all parties to refrain from violence, in line with the five-point consensus,” the Singapore statement continued. “Only a constructive dialogue between all major stakeholders in Myanmar can enable a peaceful solution in the interest of the people of Myanmar.”
The US State Department also expressed concern about the incident.
“These attacks in Shan State come as the regime’s violence and disregard for the rule of law have led to increased instability on the ground, while the regime has continued to neglect its commitments under the ASEAN Five Point Consensus, which includes cessation of its violence and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid,” said department spokesman Matthew Miller.
The statement urged the military to “respect the democratic aspirations of the people who have demonstrated that they do not want to live another day under the military’s tyranny” and to abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, including rules for the protection of diplomatic personnel and civilians. .
State television reported that the attack was the work of “terrorists”, the word the military uses to describe all its opponents.
The Government of National Unity (NUG), founded by elected officials overthrown in the coup, also condemned the incident, saying such attacks were “against” its principles.
“This attack is neither ordered nor approved by the NGG or its partners,” it said in a statement. The NGG has established a network of People’s Defense Forces to fight military rule.