Terms of Reference

Roundtable Discussion on

“ASEAN and Myanmar Crisis:

What ASEAN has achieved, what ASEAN should go on with”

16 February 2023

Background
The impact of the Myanmar Crisis has turned the country and the neighboring region
unstable. A late 2022 report has stipulated that more than one million refugees and
asylum seekers have crossed the border and almost one and a half million persons were
internally displaced. As the preceding ASEAN Chair, Cambodia made particular steps
during its chairmanship, such as visits from the ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar and
convening dialogues with the junta leader. However, Myanmar Junta Regime exhibited
little commitment, thus, there had been little progress in complying with the Five-Point
Consensus. With no significant progress made on the implementation of the consensus,
ASEAN took a clear stance during the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit. At the end of its
chairmanship, Cambodia led the group to agree on the ASEAN Leaders’ Review and
Decision on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.

Under Indonesia's 2023 chairmanship, great expectations and hopes are pinned on
Indonesia to have a shot at addressing the Myanmar crisis. According to the 2023 Annual
Press Statement of the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia plans to
establish an office of special envoy which will be led by the foreign affairs minister. It is a
concrete and practical step from Indonesia to help Myanmar out of the crisis and the step
to be taken will always be based on the ASEAN Charter's fundamental principles and
values. That said, Indonesia should generate creative dialogue mechanisms and
approaches to engage with all stakeholders in Myanmar and it remains to be seen in the
future.

By capitalizing on its traditional role as the “natural leader” of ASEAN, Indonesia has
repeatedly encouraged a regional solution to not only the current crisis but also other
humanitarian crises in Myanmar such as the 2011 Cyclone Nargis and the atrocious
human rights violations in the Rakhine State. However, a comprehensive understanding
of Indonesia's activism towards political and humanitarian crises in Myanmar, let alone
the recent political crisis post the 2020 coup, has been severely limited. This gap
contrasts the vibrant discussions on Indonesia’s activism as an interlocutor in addressing
or settling past conflicts and disputes. To discuss and dive deeper into the Myanmar Crisis
issue, the Roundtable Discussion on “ASEAN and Myanmar Crisis: What ASEAN has
achieved, what ASEAN should go on with” will be conducted with support from The
Asia Foundation Bangkok.
Objectives
- To discuss the update on recent development in Myanmar after the coup;
- To identify what Cambodia has done as the previous Chair of ASEAN in dealing
with the Myanmar Crisis;
- To analyze the challenges faced by Cambodia in approaching the Tatmadaw to
abide by the Five-Point Consensus;
- To explore lessons learned from Cambodia's chairmanship in overcoming regional
matters.

Format
The discussion will be held online via Zoom. The event will proceed as an open discussion
session between all discussants, facilitated by a moderator.

Discussants
The following are the discussants who will be present at the Roundtable Discussion:
1. Aung Kyaw Moe (Advisor, National Unity Government’s Ministry of Human
Rights);
2. Him Sothearoth (Research Fellow, The Asian Vision Institute);
3. Debbie Stothard (ALTSEAN-Burma).

Venue & Date

Date & Time : Thursday, 16 February 2023; 14.00 - 16.00 (Jakarta time)
Online Platform : Zoom