Myanmar , Apr 28, 2025
More than three years since Myanmar’s military coup, ASEAN remains deeply divided over how to respond. While Indonesia and Malaysia push for stronger sanctions and human rights accountability, countries like Thailand continue quiet diplomatic engagement with the junta.
This division has paralyzed ASEAN’s ability to present a united front. At recent summits, member states clashed over whether to isolate or reintegrate Myanmar into regional talks. The bloc’s credibility as a peace broker is now at stake, with civil society groups calling ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus toothless and ineffective.
Myanmar’s crisis also threatens regional stability, with escalating armed conflict, refugee flows, and humanitarian disasters. ASEAN’s indecision is testing the limits of its non-interference policy and raising questions about its future relevance in handling major geopolitical crises.
