Myanmar’s pro-democracy activists have criticised a deal between the country’s junta chief and Southeast Asian leaders to end a violent post-coup crisis, vowing to continue protesting.
Some protests took place in Myanmar’s big cities on Sunday, following the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
According to a statement from ASEAN chair Brunei, a consensus was reached in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta on five points which include ending violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, a special ASEAN envoy, acceptance of aid and a visit by the envoy to Myanmar.
But Khin Sandar from a protest group called the General Strikes Collaboration Committee said the protests would continue any agreement made does not reflect Myanmar’s ground situation
The Chin state Human Rights Organisation said even as Saturday’s statement was issued in Jakarta, at least three soldiers were killed and several injured in an armed clash in the town of Mindat in western Myanmar.
Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said it was unfortunate that only the junta chief represented Myanmar at the meeting.
He said in a statement that no representatives of the Myanmar people was invited to the Jakarta meeting but they also got left out of the consensus that ASEAN has brokered.
He added that the lack of a clear timeline for action, and ASEAN’s well known weakness in implementing the decisions and plans that it issues, are real concerns.
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