Jakarta: On the final day of a summit, Indonesian President Joko Widodo declared that Southeast Asian countries have made "no significant progress" in putting a peace plan to stop the bloodshed in Myanmar into action.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting on the Indonesian island of Flores has been dominated by the escalating violence in junta-ruled Myanmar.
Although the regional bloc has led diplomatic efforts to end the crisis, it has not yet implemented a five-point plan that it and Myanmar agreed upon two years ago.
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Since Aung San Suu Kyi's government was overthrown by the military, it has presided over a brutal crackdown on dissent, killing thousands of people while fighting off armed opposition to its rule.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo acknowledged there had been "no significant progress" made towards putting the peace plan into action as the final day of talks between ASEAN leaders began in the fishing town of Labuan Bajo.
Through a translator, Widodo stated, "We need the unity of ASEAN to map our way forward. Those efforts appear to have been hampered by disagreements among ASEAN participants at the summit.
Some nations wanted to invite the junta back to ASEAN meetings, according to an internal report on the discussions among the foreign ministers, because "the time for isolation has served its purpose."
According to the document obtained by AFP, "There was also an observation that ASEAN might be experiencing a 'Myanmar fatigue,' which might divert ASEAN from larger goals of ASEAN Community-building."
Since there won't be a quick fix for the crisis, patience, adaptability, and creativity are needed.
Due to the junta's failure to put the peace plan into action, Myanmar, which is still a part of the ASEAN bloc's ten members, is no longer permitted to attend its summits.
The junta has dismissed criticism from abroad and declined to negotiate with its rivals, which include expelled lawmakers, the anti-coup "People's Defence Forces," and armed ethnic minority groups.
The junta's isolation grew as a result of an airstrike on a village in a rebel stronghold last month that reportedly resulted in the deaths of about 170 people.
With Jakarta serving as the group's chair this year, there were high hopes that ASEAN could use both its diplomatic skills and economic clout to push for a peaceful resolution.
There is now more pressure for tougher action following the armed attack on a convoy carrying diplomats and government representatives Sunday who were coordinating ASEAN humanitarian aid in Myanmar.
Although ASEAN has long been criticised as a toothless talking shop, its ability to put an end to the violence in Myanmar has been hindered by its charter principles of consensus and non-interference.
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The paragraph on Myanmar was left open in the most recent draught of the summit statement, which was obtained by AFP and reflects the issue's diplomatic challenges.
A charter review was "long overdue," according to Lina Alexandra of the Jakarta Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
What will you do if you notice that your next-door neighbor's home is on fire? Please keep quiet; this is not your concern. She spoke.
