Myanmar's Complaints of Being Ostracised by ASEAN

Myanmar has complained about ASEAN’s stance. The Myanmar government feels ostracised by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

According to AFP, on Monday (11/5/2026), the complaint was voiced after last week’s ASEAN Summit blacklisted Myanmar’s post-coup leadership.

ASEAN, comprising 11 countries, has excluded Myanmar from summits since the country’s military ousted the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi and detained the democracy icon in 2021. The coup triggered a civil war.

After five years leading the military government, Myanmar’s junta held highly limited elections last month, excluding Suu Kyi’s party. The elections resulted in junta leader Min Aung Hlaing assuming power as civilian president.

He has stepped down from his position as Myanmar’s supreme military commander. At last week’s ASEAN Summit in the Philippines, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr complained that there has been ‘no progress at all in Myanmar’.

Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement, claimed the opposite. Myanmar stated that there have been positive developments recognised by some ASEAN countries.

“Positive developments in Myanmar have been well acknowledged by the majority of ASEAN member states. However, it appears that some member states continue to maintain restrictions, discriminatory actions, and exclusion of the Myanmar government from equal representation,” the Myanmar Foreign Ministry said.

At the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines, Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said Myanmar is not yet ready to join the conference table because ‘atrocities against their own citizens are still occurring’. Several countries, including Indonesia and Singapore, which will hold the rotating ASEAN chairmanship next year, are widely believed to agree with Malaysia’s view.

Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry stated that non-constructive engagement with the new Myanmar government would disregard the will of the Myanmar people. The ministry claimed that the Myanmar people have exercised ‘their democratic rights’.

“Over the past five years, despite facing unfair treatment arising from the positions of some ASEAN member states, Myanmar has been patient,” the Myanmar Foreign Ministry said.

Although not naming specific countries, Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry accused some nations of ‘interfering in Myanmar’s internal affairs through criticism and pressure’. According to analysts, ASEAN is experiencing a breakdown in consensus on Myanmar, with growing frustration over the lack of progress in the bloc’s peace plan to end the war in Myanmar.

Some countries, such as Thailand, congratulated Min Aung Hlaing upon his inauguration as Myanmar’s President. Other countries remained indifferent to Min’s inauguration following elections widely criticised by democracy watchdogs.

RI Foreign Minister Reveals Discussions on Myanmar at ASEAN Summit

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Sugiono stated that the situation in Myanmar was also discussed at the 48th ASEAN Summit retreat forum in Cebu, Philippines, attended by President Prabowo Subianto. The discussions included the elections and the formation of Myanmar’s new government resulting from those elections.

Sugiono said Indonesia has emphasised that the electoral process in Myanmar must be inclusive and capable of addressing various existing issues. The political process is also expected to bring peace.

“Then, at yesterday’s retreat opportunity, the situation in Myanmar was also discussed, as we all know, elections have taken place, and the new government resulting from those elections has been formed. From the beginning, Indonesia’s position is that if elections are held, they must be inclusive, able to address the problems there, bring peace, and create a better situation,” Sugiono said, as seen on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube, on Monday (11/5/2026).

Indonesia, according to him, remains committed to the ASEAN five-point consensus, which has been the main reference for resolving the crisis in Myanmar. He said ASEAN countries highlighted several positive steps taken by Myanmar’s new government.

One of them is the release of more than 6,000 political prisoners, as stated by the Myanmar side, and the change in status of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi’s detention. He said this step is an effort to fulfil the ASEAN consensus.

“After the elections, there are some positive gestures that are also seen as needing appreciation by the new government, including the release—according to the Myanmar side, around more than 6,000 political prisoners—and also the change in detention status for Aung San Suu Kyi.”

“I think this is progress in fulfilling the five-point consensus, which is an obligation,” he added.

Sugiono said all ASEAN member states share the view that Myanmar must be embraced as part of the ASEAN family. Member countries also agreed to continue paying attention so that Myanmar can improve its domestic situation.

“In essence, all agree that as one family in the ASEAN region, member states must continue to give attention and engage Myanmar to find their own path to improve the situation in their country,” he said.