April 16, 2025
1. It has been reported that military leader Min Aung Hlaing—who continues to oppress the people of Myanmar daily—is scheduled to meet with ASEAN leaders in Bangkok, Thailand, in the coming days to discuss humanitarian assistance for those affected by the recent earthquake.
2. We express our grave concern over ASEAN leaders’ engagement with the head of the military junta under the pretext of delivering humanitarian aid. This individual is responsible for the daily killings of innocent civilians—even during the traditionally peaceful Myanmar New Year—using small arms, artillery shelling, fighter jets, and aerial bombings, all funded by the country’s own treasury.
3. Humanitarian assistance must be delivered in a non-discriminatory, impartial, and needs-based manner. It should not be funneled through the military junta, which currently controls only 22% of the country’s territory. Instead, aid must be directed to all relevant stakeholders, including areas administered by the National Unity Government and ethnic revolutionary (resistance) organizations.
4. The military junta led by Min Aung Hlaing is a perpetrator of clear violations of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, particularly the principle calling for an immediate cessation of violence, which ASEAN member states had agreed to uphold.
5. It must be acknowledged that the sovereignty of Myanmar is no longer solely exercised from Nay Pyi Taw but has been reclaimed by the people across states and regions. The military junta neither exercises full territorial control nor holds any legitimate mandate to represent the people of Myanmar.
6. Effective humanitarian assistance must avoid engaging with, supporting, or legitimizing the military junta. It must also actively involve all relevant stakeholders to ensure that aid reaches those genuinely affected by both the natural disaster and ongoing conflict.
7. At a time when the people of Myanmar urgently need recovery and support in the aftermath of the earthquakes and ongoing war, it is vital to emphasize that the so-called election unilaterally planned by the military junta is neither a viable solution to the current crisis nor a priority for the people.
8. Any unilateral engagement with the military leader—widely regarded as a terrorist—must be approached with the utmost caution. To support a genuine, inclusive, and sustainable peace process, the aspirations of the Myanmar people must remain central to any “Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led” approach.
9. We strongly oppose any initiative by ASEAN leaders to engage solely with, or provide humanitarian assistance exclusively through, Min Aung Hlaing—the military leader widely regarded as a terrorist. Such an approach undermines the core humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence, and fails to ensure that aid is distributed based on actual needs. Rather than supporting the people of Myanmar, these actions risk legitimizing the illegal military coup and reinforcing the regime responsible for their suffering. Therefore, we firmly object to any such decisions.
National Unity Government (NUG)
Karen National Union (KNU)
Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)
Chin National Front (CNF)
All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF)
Women’s League of Burma (WLB)
Free Rohingya Coalition (FRC)
Anonymous Revolutionary Organizations