Burma: what can we expect from the Asean summit?

Flags of ASEAN members fly outside the organization's general secretariat on the eve of the summit in Jakarta, April 23, 2021. REUTERS - WILLY KURNIAWAN

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The ten-country summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the Burma crisis is being held in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, on Saturday.

For a large number of international actors, this summit will be a test for the credibility and unity of the ten countries which form ASEAN.

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For the United Nations, it is imperative that the leaders of the ASEAN countries step up to the plate and manage to find concrete solutions, such as sending a delegation to Burma in order to paint a real picture of the situation there.

The lack of intervention and position taken by the countries of the region have been criticized by the international community. 

The UN, although itself divided on the question of sanctions, underlines the major role of the countries of the region and would like to work with the countries of ASEAN to put an end to the Burmese crisis. 

However, ASEAN countries do not usually interfere in the internal affairs of member countries, as Thailand, Laos and Cambodia have already pointed out.

But others, such as Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, have made it known that they want to actively participate in resolving the crisis.

Junta leader 

Min Aung Hlaing

to travel to Indonesia for the summit - a move heavily criticized by activists, human rights groups, and the

shadow government

recently created by Aung San party MPs Suu Kyi who would have liked to be invited to the summit. 

►

To read also: Burma: the leader of the junta invited to the Asean summit

The summit is held as the army has just blocked an additional diplomatic effort: it has refused entry into the country to Christine Schraner Burgener, the UN special envoy for Burma, while she is visiting In the region. 

This Friday, on the eve of the summit, demonstrators marched through downtown Yangon, demanding that the leaders of the region "

 support the people

 " of Burma.

More than 700 people have been killed since the

February 1 coup

, but despite declarations and

sanctions

already imposed by the international community, the military is not wavering.

► To listen and read: Young Burmese compete in creativity to make their voices heard

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• ASEAN

• Burma