ASEAN Leaders Urged to Abandon “Failed” Peace Plan and Take Decisive Action Against Myanmar Junta
CEBU, Philippines | May 7, 2026 | Burma Independent Voice
Former foreign ministers and international legal experts issued a scathing ultimatum to ASEAN leaders gathered in Cebu for the 48th ASEAN Summit, calling for the immediate abandonment of the “failed” Five-Point Consensus (5PC) in favor of punitive measures against the Myanmar military regime.
In a joint statement released Wednesday by the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M), experts warned that the junta, led by Min Aung Hlaing, has exploited ASEAN’s diplomatic patience as a strategic cover to intensify atrocities against civilians.
The high-level signatories include former Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, former Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, former Philippine Senator Leila de Lima, and three prominent former United Nations experts.
“After years of being humiliated by the junta, ASEAN must finally accept that the leopard will not change its spots,” the statement read. It dismissed the military’s recent staged elections and the reported transfer of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest as “cosmetic maneuvers” designed solely to manufacture international legitimacy.
The experts further asserted that if the reports of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s transfer are accurate, she remains an illegally detained prisoner. They demanded immediate and unfettered access for independent monitors, medical professionals, and her family members.
The call for a harder line comes as data reveals March 2026 was the deadliest month for civilians since the 2021 coup, with junta attacks claiming over 500 lives. Consequently, SAC-M urged ASEAN to expand its current ban on junta representation from high-level summits to include all technical working groups and seminars.
Additionally, the group urged ASEAN to:
- Maintain formal recognition of U Win Myint as the legitimate President of Myanmar.
- Bypass junta-controlled channels to deliver humanitarian aid directly through cross-border mechanisms.
- Significantly strengthen the mandate and authority of the ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar.
The 48th Summit serves as a critical juncture for the regional bloc, which faces mounting global pressure to prove its relevance in resolving the continent’s most protracted and violent crisis.
