ASEAN to Welcome Release of Thousands of Prisoners in Myanmar

Tokyo (ANTARA) - ASEAN will welcome the release of more than 4,000 prisoners in Myanmar in a chairperson’s statement to be issued at the high-level conference (summit) in the Philippines, according to a draft obtained by Kyodo News. “We view the release of prisoners in Myanmar as a positive step towards inclusive national dialogue among all parties in Myanmar,” the draft states. The statement is scheduled to be released on Friday after leaders of 11 ASEAN countries meet in Cebu, central Philippines. The draft, shown to Kyodo News by an ASEAN source, mentions that Win Myint, the former president of Myanmar under the democratic government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, is among the prisoners released. ASEAN also urges the release of other prisoners “in the spirit of reconciliation and sincere dialogue.” Meanwhile, ASEAN leaders will express deep concern over the “humanitarian situation” in Myanmar and note the “limited progress” in implementing the five-point consensus to address the political crisis in the country. Suu Kyi was ousted in a military coup in 2021 and imprisoned on various charges, including corruption. Recently, Myanmar’s military government transferred her from prison to house arrest. Although ASEAN has sidelined Myanmar since the coup, the regional bloc has reaffirmed that Myanmar remains an integral part of ASEAN. According to the draft, ASEAN only notes that Myanmar has held staged elections up to January, placing former military chief Min Aung Hlaing as president. Those elections were rejected by several Western countries and Myanmar’s opposition, who view them as sham elections to permanently legitimise military rule. The Philippines is currently seeking to prioritise discussions on the energy crisis due to the war in the Middle East, so it is not yet confirmed whether ASEAN will also impose additional restrictions on Myanmar. ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Timor Leste.