YANGON • Myanmar's pro-democracy activists have criticised an agreement between the country's junta chief and South-east Asian leaders to end the nation's violent post-coup crisis and vowed to continue their protest campaign.
Some peaceful protests took place in Myanmar's big cities yesterday, a day after Asean's meeting with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in the Indonesian capital Jakarta reached a consensus to end the turmoil in the country, but gave no timeline.
"Whether it is Asean or the UN, they will only speak from outside saying don't fight but negotiate and solve the issues. But that doesn't reflect Myanmar's ground situation," said Ms Khin Sandar from the protest group General Strikes Collaboration Committee.
"We will continue the protests. We have plans to do so," she told Reuters by phone.
The Asean meeting produced a consensus that there would be "an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar", the bloc said on Saturday. It added that Asean will also have a special envoy to "facilitate mediation" between all parties, and this representative will be able to travel to Myanmar.
But while they "heard calls for the release of all political prisoners", a commitment to free them was not included in the consensus statement.
A spokesman from Myanmar's shadow government - known as the National Unity Government (NUG) - has said Asean's statement was "encouraging news".
"We look forward to firm action by Asean to follow up its decisions and restore our democracy and freedom for our people and for the region," said Dr Sasa, the NUG's minister of international cooperation, who is in hiding with the rest of his fellow lawmakers.
According to a statement from Brunei, Asean's current chairman, the summit reached a consensus on five points - ending violence in Myanmar, a constructive dialogue among all parties, a special Asean envoy to facilitate the dialogue, acceptance of aid and a visit by the envoy to the country.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has said that Myanmar security forces have killed 748 people since a mass civil disobedience movement erupted to challenge the Feb 1 coup against the elected government of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi.
AAPP, a Myanmar activist group, also said more than 3,300 people are in detention.
"We realised that whatever the outcome from the Asean meeting, it will not reflect what people want," said protest organiser Wai Aung in Yangon. "We will keep up protests and strikes till the military regime completely fails."
Mr Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said it was unfortunate that only the junta chief represented Myanmar at the meeting, adding that the lack of "a clear timeline for action" by Asean is a concern.
The Asean gathering was the first coordinated international effort to ease the crisis in Myanmar which has been in turmoil since the coup. Besides protests, deaths and arrests, a nationwide strike has crippled economic activity.
Leaders of Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Brunei were at the meeting, along with the foreign ministers of Laos, Thailand and the Philippines.
The NUG was not invited but spoke privately to some of the participating countries before the meeting.
UN special rapporteur on Myanmar Tom Andrews yesterday said it remains to be seen how effective the bloc's engagement will be.
"The result of the Asean summit will be found in Myanmar, not (in) a document," he tweeted.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
