Yangon [Myanmar]: Myanmar military has claimed they have received an invitation for a senior Foreign Ministry official to attend a virtual ASEAN summit meeting on Tuesday. Major General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for Myanmar’s military, expressed unhappiness about the military leader’s exclusion from the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and related events this week, holding out the possibility that no one would represent Myanmar on the occasion. ASEAN Foreign Ministers decided on October 15 to sideline Min Aung Hlaing, leader of a February 1 Myanmar coup, for his failure to implement that plan, which included ending hostilities, initiating dialogue, allowing humanitarian support and granting a special envoy full access to the country. The junta struck back late on Friday, accusing ASEAN of departing from its principles on consensus and non-interference. It refused to agree to send a politically neutral Myanmar representative instead of Min Aung Hlaing. The exclusion of Min Aung Hlaing is an unprecedented snub from a bloc long criticised for being tardy and ineffective at dealing with member governments accused of atrocities. More than 1,000 civilians have been killed in a post-coup crackdown in Myanmar, with thousands more detained, many tortured or beaten, according to the United Nations, citing activists. The junta is accused of using excessive military force against civilian populations.
