Mizzima
Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) released a joint statement voicing their concern over the escalation of conflict in Myanmar’s northern Shan State and calling for humanitarian assistance for the people caught up in the conflict there.
Below is the text of their statement:
We, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), are deeply concerned over the recent escalation of conflicts, especially in the Northern Shan State of Myanmar, which have caused displacement of civilians, including foreign nationals and citizens of ASEAN Member States. We call for the safe return of the nationals of ASEAN Member States caught up in the ongoing conflict.
We urge all parties to exercise utmost restraint and immediately end all forms of violence, uphold international humanitarian law, and take all the necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of all civilians.
We call on Myanmar authorities and relevant parties to render urgent humanitarian assistance to and to ensure rapid and safe passage to allow the evacuation of stranded foreign nationals. We also note the Myanmar authorities’ effort so far on safe evacuation of these nationals and citizens of ASEAN Member States from the conflict area and for their safe return in coordination with the respective embassies in Myanmar.
We reaffirm our commitment to assisting Myanmar in finding a peaceful and durable solution to the ongoing crisis through the full and swift implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, for peace, security and stability in the region. We also reaffirm that a peaceful and unified Myanmar is in the interest of ASEAN.
