The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s special envoy to Myanmar, Othman Hashim, visited Myanmar from Feb. 6-8 to meet with the junta leadership. His visit, however, was not covered by regime media – a significant departure from the junta’s usual practice of widely publicizing visits by foreign dignitaries for propaganda purposes.
Othman, a former secretary-general in Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, was appointed as ASEAN’s envoy to Myanmar in January when Malaysia assumed the bloc’s rotating chair for 2025.
The regime has failed to honor any part of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus for peace in Myanmar, leading to criticism the bloc is not pushing it hard enough. High-level junta officials are currently banned from ASEAN meetings.
Diplomatically isolated and desperate for legitimacy, the regime has consistently sought to capitalize whenever foreign government representatives visit Naypyitaw. Such visits are normally highlighted in its propaganda newspapers and television channels.
But the regime appears to have imposed a news blackout on the ASEAN envoy’s visit.
Khun Okkar, patron of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization, a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), said the envoy may also have been shunned by junta boss Min Aung Hlaing.
“Last year, we were invited to meet [ASEAN’s] special envoy from Laos in Naypyitaw on January 10. This year, we were not invited, and nor were any political parties. I heard the envoy only met with Foreign Minister U Than Swe. I don’t know if he met other high-ranking officials.”
Last year’s ASEAN envoy, Alounkeo Kittikhoun of Laos, met both the junta boss and foreign minister during his visit in January last year. Min Aung Hlaing also arranged for Alounkeo to hold talks with representatives of the seven NCA signatories and political parties that have registered with the junta’s election body.
Last week, the junta’s Burmese-language Myanma Alin newspaper reported that Than Swe met with Kirstine Damkjaer, deputy executive director of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), on Feb. 6. The ASEAN envoy’s visit occurred on the same day but was notably absent from junta media coverage.
After wrapping up his trip, the envoy travelled to Bangkok for talks with revolutionary groups including the parallel National Unity Government (NUG), and the K2C group comprising the Karen National Union, Chin National Front, and Karenni National Progressive Party, according to sources at the meeting.
Khun Okkar said the envoy’s Myanmar visit was likely toned down due to Malaysia’s tougher stance on the Myanmar issue. Kuala Lumpur has previously called for ASEAN to impose tougher measures against the junta. In 2023, then Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said the junta had created obstacles blocking the peace plan’s implementation, stating “we cannot allow this to continue without strong and effective measures imposed on the junta.”
That explained the cool welcome received by ASEAN’s envoy in Naypyitaw, Khun Okkar said.
“The envoy met with the K2C and NUG in Bangkok, but we NCA signatories were excluded from the meeting. ASEAN’s policy now is apparently to prioritize [talks with] groups that are fighting the regime,” he said.
The Bangkok meeting reportedly focused on three points in ASEAN’s peace plan: cessation of violence, delivery of international humanitarian assistance, and inclusive dialogue. One meeting participant said the ASEAN envoy was more keen on initiating inclusive dialogue than supporting the junta’s proposed election.
Political observers say the regime cold-shouldered the ASEAN envoy because he is closer to revolutionary forces.
