Indonesia president condemns attack on ASEAN officials during aid delivery in Myanmar

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo on Monday (May 8) condemned an attack in Myanmar on ASEAN officials delivering humanitarian aid, but did not provide details of the incident.

Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government, which is allied with the anti-junta militias, the People’s Defence Forces (PDF), said it was not aware of any attack.

The PDF in Taunggyi District, Shan State where the attack reportedly took place did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

At a press briefing in Labuan Bajo, a fishing town in East Indonesia where the 42nd ASEAN summit will be held this week, Mr Widodo on Monday stressed the need to end the violence. 

“What I want to emphasise is that (the attack) does not affect ASEAN and Indonesia’s resolve to once again call for an end to violence. Stop using force. … Because the citizens will be the victims, nobody will emerge as winners in such conditions,” he said in Bahasa.

“I urge that we sit together (and) create space for dialogue to find a solution together.”

As chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, Indonesia had launched a quiet effort to make a breakthrough in the crisis in Myanmar, with its diplomats having held more than 60 “engagements” with all parties involved, said its foreign minister earlier this month. 

Additional reporting by Taufiq Zalizan and Grace Yeoh.