Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia refused to attend an annual Air Chiefs Conference chaired by Myanmar’s regime this week.
Singapore and the Philippines only sent video messages to share their views on ASEAN Air Forces’ Cooperation for Sustainable Environment with Malaysia and Indonesia ignoring the event.
The annual conference gathers air force leaders from 10-nation ASEAN to discuss cooperation in defense, combating extremism and disaster relief.
However, only five air force commanders attended the 20th ASEAN Air Chiefs Conference in Naypyitaw on Wednesday.
Representatives from Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam attended.
Myanmar’s domestic opposition and advocacy group Justice for Myanmar urged ASEAN to snub the conference.
Junta air force chief Tun Aung, who chaired the conference, is held responsible for many deadly airstrikes, including on Pazi Gyi and Let Yet Kone village in Sagaing Region and Hpakant Township in Kachin State, which left hundreds dead, including children. The general is sanctioned by the US and UK.
Tun Aung also held separate talks with five ASEAN counterparts but the details are unknown.
Tun Aung handed over the chairmanship to Cambodia.
Tun Aung’s wife Tin Moe Nwe took the chiefs’ wives to the colossal new Maravijaya Buddha statue commissioned by junta boss Min Aung Hlaing.
Myanmar hosted the annual conference for the first time in 2014 under Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government with full attendance.
A group photo of the five ASEAN air force chiefs was published in the junta media.
