Throughout Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship, a series of Stakeholder Engagement Meetings on Myanmar (SEMs) were convened by the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, bringing together key stakeholders – including representatives from the National Unity Government (NUG), the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), Ethnic Resistance Organisations (EROs), Consultative Councils, Federal Units and various other representative bodies.
These engagements have served as an inclusive platform to discuss the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, develop strategies and recommendations on the effective implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus including on cessation of violence, humanitarian assistance, and inclusive political dialogue, and to address the junta’s planned sham elections.
Stakeholders at the SEMs reiterated grave concern over the deteriorating situation in Myanmar since the military coup of February 2021 and reaffirmed their shared commitment to restoring democracy and upholding human rights. While acknowledging ASEAN’s adoption of the Five-Point Consensus, stakeholders expressed alarm over its limited implementation amid the military’s continued violence against civilians and blatant disregard for democratic norms including the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter.
Key outcomes of the meeting included:
- Rejection of the Military’s Sham Elections – Stakeholders unanimously condemned the junta’s planned elections as a façade designed to entrench military rule under the guise of democratic reform. These elections are also in direct defiance of ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, which prioritizes cessation of violence, inclusive political dialogue, and unhindered humanitarian assistance to all in need. Proceeding with unilateral elections amid ongoing violence, denial of aid, and exclusion of key stakeholders is illegitimate and a direct assault on ASEAN’s mandate and credibility. Stakeholders stand united in rejecting the junta’s attempts to manipulate ASEAN to legitimize its own authority and road-map even while remaining in blatant non-compliance with the Five-Point Consensus.
- Unity Among the Revolutionary Forces – The meeting underscored the importance of solidarity among all forces in advancing a shared vision for a federal democratic Myanmar.
- Call for Decisive ASEAN Action – Stakeholders urged ASEAN to translate the Five-Point Consensus into tangible, time-bound measures that can meaningfully end violence, protect civilians, advance inclusive political dialogue and bring peace and stability to Myanmar.
- Humanitarian Imperative – Stakeholders called for immediate and sustained humanitarian support, emphasizing the importance of cross-border delivery mechanisms and partnerships with local and community-based organizations to ensure aid reaches those most in need – particularly in conflict zones.
- Inclusive Political Dialogue – The meetings reaffirmed that durable peace can only emerge from an inclusive political process involving all legitimate stakeholders – including the NUG, NUCC, EROs, and various representatives entities committed to six political objectives of federal democracy and system change. ASEAN’s engagement efforts must reflect this inclusivity to achieve sustainable peace through a meaningful and participatory approach.
- Regional Stability – Stakeholders highlighted that the military junta’s attempted coup and indiscriminate attacks on civilians have caused Myanmar’s crisis with deep regional implications, threatening cross-border security, migration stability, and economic integrity. A strong and unified ASEAN response is essential to prevent further deterioration of Southeast Asia’s collective peace and credibility.
In closing, stakeholders expressed deep appreciation to Malaysia for its leadership as ASEAN Chair and to the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, HE Tan Sri Othman Hashim, for advancing an inclusive, principled approach to resolving the Myanmar crisis.
The meeting concluded with a clear message: There is no path forward that legitimizes military rule. Any political or humanitarian framework must be rooted in the will and aspirations of the Myanmar people for peace, justice, democracy, and a federal union that guarantees equality for all.
We call upon the ASEAN Chair and all ASEAN Member States to uphold the integrity of the Five-Point Consensus and to reject any process that violates its core principles. ASEAN’s leadership and credibility depend on standing firmly with the people of Myanmar — not with those who have defied international norms, committed atrocities, and obstructed humanitarian aid.
We reaffirm our commitment to work constructively with ASEAN, the United Nations, and international partners to advance a genuine political transition rooted in justice, inclusion, and federal democracy. Only through a process that ends violence, ensures humanitarian access, and includes all communities in a genuine political dialogue can Myanmar move towards lasting peace and stability and become a responsible member of the ASEAN family.
Call for action
- Reject and refuse recognition of any elections organized by the military junta, as such elections have no legitimacy under the Five-Point Consensus or international norms.
- Take immediate measures to protect civilians from violence, including by halting aerial and artillery attacks, strengthening monitoring and reporting mechanisms, and supporting local and cross-border humanitarian protection networks.
- End the silence on the junta’s ongoing atrocities, including systematic airstrikes, mass killings, and attacks on civilian populations and humanitarian workers, which constitute serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
- Demand the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including President Win Myint, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, journalists, activists, and community leaders unlawfully detained.
- Hold the junta accountable for its continued non-compliance and defiance of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, through diplomatic measures, suspension from ASEAN meetings, and coordinated international actions that reinforce compliance and accountability.
We hope that Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair in 2025, will continue to lead decisively in reaffirming ASEAN’s principles and ensuring that the region’s commitment to peace, justice, and the rule of law is not compromised. Only through principled and collective action can ASEAN and the international community help end the violence against Myanmar’s civilians and open the path toward a peaceful, inclusive, and federal democratic future.
For further inquiries; please contact HE Zin Mar Aung ([email protected])
Signatories:
All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF)
Anti-Junta Forces Coordination Committee – Mandalay
Chin National Front (CNF)
Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH)
Critical Movement
Federation of Sagaing Forum
Kachin Political Interim Coordination Team (KPICT)
Karen National Union (KNU)
Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)/The Interim Executive Council of Karenni State (IEC)
Magway Region Revolutionary Groups’ Network
Mandalay Region Hluttaw
Mon State Federal Council (MSFC)
Muslim of Myanmar Multi-Ethnic Consultative Committee (MMMCC)
National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC)
National Unity Government (NUG)
New Mon State Party (Anti-military Dictatorship) NMSP(AD)
Pa-O National Federal Council (PNFC)
Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO)
Rohingya Consultative Council – Interim (RCC)
Yangon Hluttaw
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