Clearer policy on Myanmar is needed

Regrettably, the recent earthquake in Myanmar compounds the longstanding pain and suffering inflicted on the people of the country due to authoritarianism and human rights violations. Such a catastrophe also is a catalyst for transformative, corrective change.

- Vittit Muntarbhorn

At first glance, there is the opportunity for a ceasefire to enable humanitarian aid to be delivered non-discriminately. Yet in recent days, the junta in power has shown its “malevolence” by continuing to bombard areas under opposition forces and by impeding the delivery of air to areas controlled by dissident elements.

There should thus be a clarion call for and from the global community to counter the objectionable opportunism. There is a need to prevent those now in power in Myanmar from profiteering individually and systemically from the process, with robust monitoring of aid activities in the country.

On this issue, Thailand’s current position is necessarily rather than ambivalent. The country’s authorities enabled the leader of the junta from Myanmar to attend in person the most recent Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) summit in Bangkok, when the preferred position should have been to follow the precedent offered by the UN and Asean.

To date, the UN has not invited that junta leader to attend its key meetings, bearing in mind that there is a court detail in Myanmar at the beginning of 2021, which swept the condemned worldwide. Asean has kept the junta from exploiting natural resources, including precious minerals, oil, and gas, and the related energy sector to which the junta thrives.