LABUAN BAJO – Indonesian President Joko Widodo had strong words for those who criticised the lack of progress in implementing a peace plan undertaken by Asean to resolve the Myanmar crisis.

Indonesia, the rotating chair of the regional bloc, said it had adopted a quiet “non-megaphone” policy in trying to end the violence in Myanmar. It made more than 60 engagements with various stakeholders, but detractors have lamented the slow progress and demanded stiffer action against Myanmar’s military regime.

“Engagement does not mean recognition, which was why I had conveyed at the Asean meeting that Asean unity is very important. Without unity, it is easy for other parties to divide Asean, and I am sure that no Asean country wants that,” he said at a media conference on Thursday to close the two-day Asean Summit in Labuan Bajo, in East Nusa Tenggara province.

“No party inside or outside Asean should take advantage of the internal conflict in Myanmar. Violence must be stopped, and the people must be protected,” he added.

The five-point consensus was forged by Asean in April 2021 as a way of trying to resolve the crisis triggered by the Myanmar military’s coup in February that year, which has seen thousands of civilians killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.

It called for a dialogue among all parties, an immediate halt to violence in Myanmar, the appointment of an Asean special envoy to facilitate mediation, humanitarian assistance and a visit by an Asean delegation to Myanmar to meet all concerned parties.

Chairing a retreat session earlier in the day, Mr Widodo called for “unity in Asean to chart our way forward” in resolving the crisis in military-controlled Myanmar. He acknowledged that “no significant progress” has been made in the peace plan.

“However, I have to be honest... there has been no significant progress in the implementation of the five-point consensus, so unity in Asean is needed to chart our way forward,” he told his counterparts.

Mr Widodo, or Jokowi as he is better known, acknowledged that Asean’s credibility is at stake as the consensus not only called for engagement with all stakeholders, but also for inclusivity to be upheld. Indonesia, as the 2023 rotating chair, is “ready to talk to anyone, including the junta and all stakeholders in Myanmar for the interests of Myanmar”.

In fact, Indonesia has engaged many parties in Myanmar to look for solutions, “although we don’t always talk about it”, he stressed, adding that there were “many parties with many interests involved”.

“We will continue to involve more stakeholders in Myanmar to create as many dialogues as possible,” he said. “We hope Myanmar also has political commitment to (hold) dialogue internally between them. I need to emphasise once again that engagement does not mean recognition. This is clear.”

At the media conference, Mr Widodo said: “Asean is a very strong family, its unity is very important to sail towards the same goal.”

In the chairman’s statement issued at the close of the summit, Asean leaders reiterated their unified position that the five-point consensus remains the bloc’s main point of reference.

The leaders also strongly condemned recent attacks on a humanitarian convoy in Myanmar.

Separately, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Singapore reporters on the sidelines of the summit that the plan still serves a purpose.

“It signals that all is not well, that progress has to be made, that, meanwhile, problems in Myanmar cannot hold back Asean’s work and Asean’s cooperation, and Asean’s engagement with dialogue partners around the world. And this format, I think, has a symbolic purpose as well as important practical consequences. There is no reason to change this format, because no progress has been made,” said PM Lee.

Myanmar remains a member state of Asean, and it has been invited to participate in the bloc’s meetings at a non-political level, which PM Lee said was a “wearable” solution.

“I think we should not just say, ‘You don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk’ – we stand off forever.

“You don’t want to talk, I continue to want to talk to you, and we will try to make efforts to try and make it possible for you to come back to our deliberations at the political level.”

At the same time, there is also a need to engage with various parties in Myanmar. PM Lee said there is a need to try and influence things for the better so that these parties can talk to one another and humanitarian assistance can be given, if possible, so that the violence can stop.

“It is very hard to do. It will take a long time,” he added.

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who was at the media conference with Mr Widodo, said lack of progress on the implementation of the consensus “does not mean Asean has to give up, especially give up the principle in the Asean Charter” which, among other things, states that decision-making shall be based on consultation and consensus with member nations.

At a doorstop after the media conference, Ms Retno told reporters that some progress has been achieved in implementing the peace plan, like access to stakeholders in the distribution of humanitarian assistance.

“Now, access has been given, so they can make consultations with other stakeholders... and we will continue to extend the delivery of human assistance.”

In response to a question by The Straits Times on the division of views among leaders in handling the crisis, Ms Retno said: “It is very normal that there are different points of view.”

“But what seems clear is that all leaders agree on the importance of the urgency to implement the five-point consensus. We are still united and strong in seeing the urgency in implementing it,” she added.

She said: “Not having reached common ground does not mean there will be no solution. We will try again and again. And the well-being of the people is the priority.”