Myanmar revolutionary groups urge ASEAN to set hard deadline for ending violence under Philippine chairmanship

Mizzima

A coalition of 11 Myanmar revolutionary organizations has formally called on ASEAN to adopt a “time-bound strategy” to halt the military junta’s escalating atrocities, including indiscriminate airstrikes and forced conscription.

The joint statement, released on 27 January 2026, follows a landmark Stakeholder Engagement Meeting (SEM) held in Tagaytay last week, led by the Philippines’ Foreign Affairs Secretary and ASEAN Special Envoy.

This was highlighted in relation to the SEM meeting involving ASEAN, Myanmar revolutionary forces, political groups, and civil society organizations.

The group which includes the National Unity Government (NUG), the All-Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), and the Rohingya Consultative Council (RCC)—urged the regional bloc to establish specific benchmarks for stopping village burnings and heavy artillery shelling.

The SEM meeting was led by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and the ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar, with representatives from the National Unity Government (NUG), ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), and civil society organizations in attendance.

Furthermore, the statement explicitly declared that any political or electoral processes conducted amidst the violence do not align with ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and urged ASEAN not to recognize them.

Shortly after taking over the ASEAN chairmanship from Malaysia for this year, the Philippines, as the host, formally invited revolutionary forces and pro-democracy groups to convene this Stakeholder Engagement Meeting.

In their statement regarding the meeting, the revolutionary forces pointed out that the Myanmar issue is no longer just an internal affair; it directly threatens the security of neighbouring countries due to online scams, human trafficking, and drug issues. Consequently, they pressured ASEAN to adopt a “more decisive strategy.”