Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday sought Indonesia’s support for Bangladesh’s membership in ASEAN and also urged the Southeast Asian country to create more opportunities for Bangladeshi businesses. The Chief Adviser made the call when the Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Heru Hartanto Subolo, paid him a farewell visit at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka. “I hope Indonesia will help us get the membership of ASEAN. This is very important for us,” Prof Yunus told the ambassador. The Chief Adviser said that he also discussed the issue with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during the latter’s recent visit to Bangladesh, as the country is set to assume the chair of ASEAN in January. Ambassador Subolo conveyed his country’s support for Bangladesh’s Interim Government and said that Indonesia would closely follow Bangladesh’s application to become an ASEAN member. Bangladesh's success under Prof Yunus is in India's best interest: American-Indian businessman Khosla “Indonesia stands ready to support Bangladesh in all possible ways. Hopefully it will be beneficial for both countries,” he said. The Chief Adviser recalled his multiple visits to Indonesia to promote microcredit and said that from his experience he found very thin presence of Bangladeshi businesses in Indonesia. “One thing is regrettable that there are not many Bangladeshis in Indonesia. They are everywhere but not in Indonesia,” said the Chief Adviser. “Indonesia is the largest Muslim country. But people of the country are not much aware of Bangladesh. Somehow we are not interacting much,” he noted. “We must find a way to bring us closer,” he said. He also urged Indonesia to enroll more Bangladeshi students in their universities, hire more Bangladeshi doctors, and import pharmaceutical items from Bangladesh. Ambassador Subolo promised to work on increasing business cooperation between Bangladesh and Indonesia. He expressed satisfaction with the signing of the MoU between Pertamina Power Indonesia and Coal Generation Company Bangladesh Limited concerning the Solar PV investment project in Matarbari and other areas in July 2024. The Chief Adviser congratulated new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on assuming office and invited him to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared her recent six-day trip to Thailand as a landmark success, aimed at safeguarding Bangladesh's economic interests and elevating its regional presence. The visit, which took place from April 24 to April 29, was prompted by an invitation from Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. During a press briefing at her official residence, Ganabhaban, today (May 02, 2024), Prime Minister Hasina said, "Overall, this visit was a significant step forward in our efforts to protect our economic interests and enhance our regional involvement." The trip included a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings, underscoring a commitment to strengthening ties between Bangladesh and Thailand. PM Hasina to discuss outcomes of Thailand visit at media briefing today "This official visit will serve as a milestone in our bilateral relationship and ushers in a new era of fruitful partnerships," stated Prime Minister Hasina. She also highlighted the importance of her visit to Thailand, an influential ASEAN member, as being crucial for advancing economic and diplomatic ties. "The visit will play an important role in enhancing our bilateral economic relations, including advancing talks on a free trade agreement, boosting communication, and more," she elaborated. Furthermore, Prime Minister Hasina expressed optimism regarding the impact of her discussions with Prime Minister Thavisin on the issue of Rohingya repatriation. She was also hopeful that her discussions with the Thai Prime Minister will encourage Thailand to adopt a stronger stance on the speedy repatriation of Rohingyas, both bilaterally and within the ASEAN framework. Govt steps brought unemployment down to 3 percent: PM Hasina  Prime Minister Hasina also pointed out that the visit is expected to significantly support Bangladesh's bid to become an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner by 2024, marking a significant step in its diplomatic endeavors in the region.

The 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related summits kicked off in Indonesia's Jakarta on Tuesday (September 05, 2023), with the focus on establishing the region as an epicenter of economic growth. Addressing the opening ceremony, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, whose country is holding the rotating ASEAN chair this year, urged ASEAN to stay united and not be a proxy to any power. "Don't make our ship, ASEAN, become an arena of rivalry that causes damages to each other. Make our ship the foundation to build cooperation and create prosperity, stability and peace, not only for the region but also for the world," he said. During the next three days, leaders of ASEAN member nations are expected to discuss issues that would chart the future of ASEAN as a community and an institution. Read: President Shahabuddin in Indonesia to attend ASEAN Summit, East Asia Summit This includes steps to speed up the decision-making in crises and emergencies, as well as steps to bolster ASEAN's capacity to respond to emerging challenges in the region. The summit under Indonesia's ASEAN chairmanship this year is themed "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth." In the past decade, ASEAN's average annual growth reached 3.98 percent, above the global economic growth of 2.6 percent, showed ASEAN data. Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Read: Southeast Asian leaders are besieged by thorny issues as they hold an ASEAN summit without Biden

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Monday (September 04, 2023) left for Jakarta, Indonesia to attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit and 18th East Asia Summit to be held on September 5-7. A regular flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying the President along with his spouse Prof Rebecca Sultana and other entourage members, departed from Hazrat Shahjalal (R.) International Airport (HSIA) for Jakarta at 8:30 am. Among others, Chairperson of Bangladesh National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Saima Wazed and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen will accompany the President during the visit. Read: Southeast Asian leaders are besieged by thorny issues as they hold an ASEAN summit without Biden Shahabuddin has been invited by the President of the Republic of Indonesia and ASEAN Chair for 2023 Joko Widodo, Press secretary Joynal Abedin said. With the theme of "Asean Matters: Epicentrum of Growth", the ASEAN Summit will be held with a hectic agenda for three days. The Bangladesh president, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, will also attend the 'East Asia Summit' slated for September 7. Alongside, the president will deliver the concluding speech on "Strengthening Regional Architecture to Support the Epicentrum of Growth from the Perspective of IORA" as the "Guest of Chair" there. He will also have separate bilateral meetings with his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo and state leaders of Thailand, Malaysia and Timor-Leste. On September 6, the president will attend a 'Gala Dinner' to be hosted by the Indonesian president at Hutan Kota Gelora Bung Karno. Read: ASEAN’s collective market holds significant promise for Bangladesh’s economic growth: Momen Joko Widodo will chair 12 meetings during the 43rd ASEAN Summit. The ASEAN is an intergovernmental organization of 11 Southeast Asian countries - Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor Leste or East Timor. The ASEAN Summit is a biannual meeting held by its members. The Indonesian president will also chair the 18th East Asia Summit (EAS), which consists of 18 members, including the 10 ASEAN countries, the United States, the Russian Federation, New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and India, according to the ASEAN secretariat. The leaders of the Pacific Island Forum, the Prime Minister of Canada, the Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank (World Bank) are also reportedly planning to attend the ASEAN Summit. From Jakarta President Shahabuddin along with his spouse will will go to Singapore for a health check-up. He is expected to return home from Singapore on September 16, according to the revised schedule. Read: US Deputy Assistant Secretary Mira Resnick in Dhaka

The Myanmar pro-democracy movement must listen to the calls of women and ethnic groups and their vision for federalism, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) said today. On June 29, APHR held a closed-door meeting with women’s rights defenders and activists from Myanmar civil society groups in Chiang Mai, Thailand as part of a series of discussions that aim to provide a platform for gendered perspectives on the crisis in the country, including topics such as federalism, patriarchy, and ethnic inclusion.  UN shines light on humanitarian crisis in Myanmar As long as there has been a civil war in Myanmar, there has been a struggle for ethnic autonomy, including the rights to their land, language, health care, education and traditions. For women, in addition to the fight for ethnic equality, has also been for gender equality. In the current context of post-coup Myanmar, new challenges have emerged and a new struggle for equality across all genders and ethnicities.  “The commitment and dedication of women to Myanmar’s struggle for democracy is evident across the movement,” said APHR Board Member and former Thai foreign minister Kasit Piromya. “Federalism cannot exist in Myanmar without democracy, and certainly not without the contributions of women.” US sanctions Myanmar’s defense ministry, 2 regime-controlled banks “The history of Burma is rooted in ongoing conflict. When we look at the creators of conflict, it is very clear it is the Myanmar junta. Women have always been involved in revolutionary acts because we believe in genuine peace,” said Moon Nay Li, Joint General Secretary of the Women’s League of Burma .  While pro-democracy bodies, including the National Unity Government, the National Unity Consultative Council and the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, have called for federalism to defeat the junta, women-led organizations and activists are advocating for a future that is gender-equal as well as federal. Dhaka seeks ASEAN’s active role for repatriation of Rohingyas “Too often, women are told that their pursuits for gender equality are of lesser importance amidst the shared struggle to defeat the junta. These struggles are interconnected as the commitment to end military rule is rooted in ending patriarchal norms and institutions,” said APHR member and member of the Philippines House of Representatives Arlene Brosas. “Women’s rights defenders are critical actors in the pro-democracy movement, and their voices must be amplified to ensure their needs are met and perspectives are heard.” ASEAN leader acknowledges no progress toward ending Myanmar's deadly civil strife During the meeting, the women’s rights defenders and activists were very clear that more reflection needed to be done on how the ‘pro-democracy’ movement is currently progressing. For many, this includes inner work, primarily from the Bamar majority, on how to ‘unlearn’ certain attitudes and beliefs which stem from Burmanization and the patriarchy. Calls were also made to the international community to engage with pro-democracy stakeholders, and not the regime.  “The international community, including ASEAN, must support women human rights defenders and their calls for a more inclusive vision of federalism in Myanmar. Defeating the junta is imperative, but without the participation of women and ethnic people, a democratic Myanmar cannot be sustainable,” said APHR Chair and member of Indonesian House of Representatives Mercy Barends. Alarm over Myanmar, sea feud under ASEAN summit spotlight

Bangladesh has urged the United Nations, ASEAN and regional countries to support the pilot repatriation project and help Rohingya returnees reintegrate in Myanmar. Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York, Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, made the call while speaking at the Security Council‘s Arria-formula meeting on Myanmar.  The meeting convened by the United Kingdom was held at the United Nations Headquarters on Friday (May 19, 2023).  Referring to the recent dialogue between Bangladesh and Myanmar, Ambassador Muhith informed the Security Council that the two sides have decided to undertake a pilot repatriation project under which a group of verified Myanmar nationals will return to their country of origin in the first batch. Read more: China "unswervingly mediating" between Bangladesh, Myanmar to promote Rohingya repatriation: Ambassador Yao The repatriation will continue and additional Rohingyas will be repatriated in successive batches.  He further informed that a group of 20 Rohingya visited Rakhine State on May 5, 2023 to see arrangements made in Myanmar for their return.  Citing the pilot project as an important step in the right direction, the Permanent Representative said that Bangladesh is taking all measures to ensure the voluntary return of the Rohingyas in family units. Ambassador Muhith called upon the international community to remain vigilant so that the returnees under pilot project are not exposed to further persecution. “The presence of humanitarian and development actors in the Rakhine will act as an important confidence building measure. We also urge the regional countries to support the returnees and help them reintegrate in Myanmar society,” he added.  Read more: Rohingyas not bothered about facilities, their demand centres citizenship The meeting held in the in-person format was attended by all Security Council members and a large number of member states from the ASEAN.  The Security Council members discussed the current humanitarian challenges in Myanmar including in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha.  They also expressed support for  the efforts of ASEAN in addressing the multifaceted challenges of Myanmar.  On the Rohingya issue, the majority of the members expressed support for the safe, voluntary, sustainable and dignified return of the Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar, while calling upon Myanmar to improve the condition in Rakhine.  Read more: UNHCR ‘not involved’ in discussions on Bangladesh-Myanmar pilot project on Rohingya repatriation

Southeast Asian foreign ministers vowed to finalize negotiations with China over a proposed pact aimed at preventing conflicts in the disputed South China Sea in their annual retreat on Saturday in Indonesia’s capital. In the final session of their two-day meeting, the ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations also agreed to unite in their approach to implement a five-step agreement made in 2021 between ASEAN leaders and Myanmar’s military leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, that seeks to end that country’s worsening crisis. China and the ASEAN member states, which include four rival claimants to territories in the South China Sea, have been holding sporadic talks for years on a “code of conduct,” a set of regional norms and rules aimed at preventing a clash the disputed waters. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that Indonesia, this year’s ASEAN chair, is ready to host more rounds of negotiations over the proposed pact, the first of which will be held in March. She said ASEAN members are committed to concluding the discussions “as soon as possible." “Members are also committed to promote implementation of a declaration of conduct,” Marsudi added. Marsudi did not elaborate, but in the past, China has accused Washington of meddling in what it calls an Asian dispute. The U.S. has deployed ships and jets to patrol the waters to promote freedom of navigation and overflight. It has often raised alarm over China’s assertive actions, including its construction of islands where it has placed weapons including surface-to-air missiles. Sidharto Suryodipuro, head of ASEAN Cooperation at Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Jakarta that ASEAN member states will push negotiations this year and explore new approaches. “All of us agreed that it has to be an effective implementable in accordance with international law, and the code of conduct must fulfill this criteria,” Suryodipuro said, adding that Indonesia is going to involve more countries besides China in the negotiation process. “It’s an exploratory stage. We don’t know what shape it will take, but as you know negotiation is a key process that is something we intend to intensify,” he said. China has come under intense criticism for its militarization of the strategic waterway but says it has the right to build on its territories and defend them at all costs. Vietnam, one of the four ASEAN claimant states, has been vocal in expressing concerns over China’s transformation of seven disputed reefs into man-made islands, including three with runways, which now resemble small cities armed with weapons systems. Read more: MPs urge ASEAN to put strong pressure on Myanmar ASEAN members Cambodia and Laos, both Chinese allies, have opposed the use of strong language against Beijing in the disputes. Indonesia is not among the governments challenging China’s claim to virtually the entire South China Sea but expressed opposition after China claimed part of Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone in the northern region of the Natuna Islands. The edge of the exclusive economic zone overlaps with Beijing’s unilaterally declared “nine-dash line” demarking its claims in the South China Sea. On the Myanmar issue, Marsudi told a news conference Saturday that ASEAN foreign ministers reiterated the urgent need for Myanmar's military junta to implement the five-point consensus, saying it is “very important for ASEAN.” On Friday, the ministers urged Myanmar’s military rulers to reduce violence and allow unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to pave the way for a national dialogue aimed at ending the crisis. Myanmar is also an ASEAN member, but its foreign minister was excluded from Friday’s annual ministers’ retreat because of his country’s failure to implement the five-step consensus. Marsudi said the ministers agreed that an inclusive national dialogue “is key to finding a peaceful resolution to the situation in Myanmar,” and that reducing violence and providing humanitarian assistance are “paramount for building trust and confidence.” She said the lack of progress in Myanmar “tests our credibility” as a group, and that ASEAN’s efforts toward peace would be coordinated with those of other countries and the United Nations. Myanmar’s military leader promised in the five-point agreement to allow a special ASEAN envoy to meet with jailed ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others to foster a dialogue aimed at easing the crisis, set off by the military’s seizure of power two years ago. But Myanmar refused to let an ASEAN envoy meet with Suu Kyi last year, resulting in Min Aung Hlaing’s exclusion from an ASEAN summit last November. "The public should expect that Indonesia could provide fresh air for finding a political solution to the worsening conflict in Myanmar,” said Dinna Prapto Raharja, an international relations analyst from Synergy Policies, an independent think tank. “The fragmentation of power in Myanmar is worse and so managing the violence has become more complex,” she said.

Parliamentarians from Southeast Asia have urged ASEAN member states and other countries in the region to urgently rescue a boat carrying up to 200 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, which has reportedly been adrift off the coasts of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and India for weeks. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the boat has been adrift in high seas since late November, and dozens on board have already died during the journey, while survivors have no access to food, drinking water or medication. “We urgently call on ASEAN member states and other countries in the region to fulfill their humanitarian obligations and launch search and rescue operations for the boat if it enters their waters, and to allow for the proper disembarkation of the refugees. It is disgraceful that a boat filled with men, women, and children in grave danger has been allowed to remain adrift. Neglecting the people on the boat is nothing short of an affront to humanity,” said Eva Sundari, Board Member of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), and former member of the Indonesian House of Representatives. According to media reports and information from human rights organizations, two other boats carrying Rohingya refugees have been adrift in the past weeks. One, carrying 154 refugees, was rescued by a Vietnamese oil service vessel on December 8. They were handed over to the Myanmar navy. Read More: https://unb.com.bd/category/Bangladesh/very-limited-spaces-offered-for-rohingya-resettlement-unhcr/106307 Another, carrying 104 refugees, was rescued by the Sri Lanka navy on December 18 and disembarked at Kankesanturai Harbor. The Rohingyas have been suffering persecution in their country of origin, Myanmar, for decades. The overwhelming majority of them were rendered stateless in the early 1990s by the authorities, and have suffered the most serious human rights violations since at least the late seventies. In 2016 and 2017 they were the target of brutal military operations, displacing over 730,000 to neighbouring Bangladesh and for which the Myanmar army has been accused of genocide. In these desperate conditions, many of them put themselves at the hands of unscrupulous human smugglers to seek a better life in countries like Malaysia, in extremely dangerous journeys through the Andaman Sea. “In all likelihood, the delay in rescuing these boats has already caused untold suffering and loss of life. Any further delay is unconscionable. This neglect of Rohingya refugees stranded in the sea is nothing new, as it has been going on for years, and has resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths that could have been easily been prevented if the countries in the region fulfilled the most elementary humanitarian principles,” said Charles Santiago, Chairperson of APHR, and former member of Parliament from Malaysia. Read More: 16 Rohingya including children and women detained in Sreemangal APHR urged ASEAN to devise a comprehensive and coordinated regional response to the issue of refugees stranded at sea, in order to act effectively, and according to humanitarian principles, in such situations, as saving lives at sea must be a collective effort. But ASEAN should also address the root causes of the tragedy that befell the Rohingya for so many years, including putting pressure on the Myanmar authorities to restore their citizenship, and receiving the refugees currently living in camps in Bangladesh, APHR said on Tuesday. ASEAN should also help to hold the perpetrators of atrocities against the Rohingya people accountable, especially now that the army that launched the genocidal military operations against them in 2016 and 2017 has thrown Myanmar into chaos since staging an illegal coup d’état on February 1, 2021. “ASEAN and the international community at large have stood idly for too long as the Rohingya tragedy unfolded over the years. Those countries who claim to defend human rights have a moral obligation to address the root causes of the human rights crisis afflicting the Rohingya, or these humanitarian tragedies will only repeat again and again. ASEAN member states, as well as their partners in the region and beyond, must ensure that Myanmar restore the rights of the Rohingya people, end all discriminatory practices and holds those responsible for crimes against humanity to account,” said Kasit Piromya, APHR Board Member and former Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs.      

Cambodian leader Hun Sen called for unity Sunday, telling a gathering including Russia, China and the United States that current global tensions have been taking a toll on everyone. The prime minister, whose country holds the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said at the opening of the East Asia Summit that it was in the world’s common interest to cooperate to solve differences peacefully. The comments come as regional tensions remain high between the United States and China over Taiwan and Beijing’s growing regional aspirations, and while the Russia invasion of Ukraine has disrupted global supply chains, causing rising energy and food prices far beyond Europe. Without singling out any nation by name, Hun Sen said he hoped leaders would embrace a “spirit of togetherness in upholding open and inclusive multilateralism, pragmatism and mutual respect in addressing the existential and strategic challenges we all face.” “Many current challenges and tensions have been hindering our past hard-earned efforts to promote sustainable development and causing greater hardship to people’s lives,” he said as he opened the meeting, which is running in parallel to the ASEAN group’s main summit. Read: Putin won’t be at G20 summit, avoiding possible confrontation with US Participants included U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, and it comes just a day before the highly anticipated meeting between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 summit in Bali. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was also taking part in the meetings, which also included the leaders of Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan and others. On Saturday, Biden promised that the U.S. would work with ASEAN, telling leaders of the strategically vital coalition that “we’re going to build a better future that we all want to see” in the region where U.S. rival China is also working to expand its influence. He promised to collaborate to build a region that is “free and open, stable and prosperous, resilient and secure.” “I look forward to continuing our work together with ASEAN and with each one of you to deepen peace and prosperity throughout the region to resolve challenges from the South China Sea to Myanmar and to find innovative solutions to shared challenges,” Biden said, citing climate and health security among areas of collaboration. Read: Myanmar tops Asian summit’s agenda as global issues loom Li Keqiang, meantime, told a meeting of ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea that amid a “turbulent” global security situation, “unilateralism and protectionism are surging, economic and financial risks are rising, and global development is confronted with unprecedented challenges.” As major economies in East Asia, Li said the group needed to “stay committed to promoting peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region and beyond, and to improving the people’s wellbeing.”

Southeast Asian foreign ministers acknowledged Thursday that their efforts to bring peace to Myanmar haven't succeeded and agreed to increase their determination to end violence in the country, where a military takeover last year set off a crisis that threatens to destabilize the region. Recent events in Myanmar, including a military air strike on Sunday that reportedly killed as many as 80 members of the Kachin ethnic minority and the execution of political prisoners in July, have heightened worries among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. At a special meeting on Myanmar in Jakarta, Indonesia, ASEAN foreign ministers said their efforts haven't achieved significant progress and called for “concrete, practical and time-bound actions” to strengthen the implementation of a five-point consensus the group reached in April last year on ways to seek peace. Read more: ‘Without accountability, political transition in Myanmar won’t fix Rohingya issue’ ASEAN, which includes Myanmar, has tried to play a peacemaking role since shortly after the country’s military seized power in February last year, ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The five-point consensus calls for the immediate cessation of violence, a dialogue among concerned parties, mediation by an ASEAN special envoy, provision of humanitarian aid and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy to meet all concerned parties. Myanmar’s government initially agreed to the consensus but has made little effort to implement it, aside from seeking humanitarian aid and allowing ASEAN's envoy, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, to visit. But it refused to allow him to meet with Suu Kyi, who was arrested and is being tried on a variety of charges that critics say are contrived to sideline her from politics. In response, ASEAN has not allowed Myanmar’s leaders to participate in its official meetings, though working-level officials have joined some. “The meeting agreed that ASEAN should not be discouraged, but even more determined to help Myanmar to bring about a peaceful solution the soonest possible,” Prak Sokhonn, who chaired the meeting, said in a statement. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the ministers expressed their concern and disappointment, and in some cases frustration, with the lack of significant progress in the implementation of the consensus. “Instead of progressing, the situation was even said to be deteriorating and worsening,” she said. “The acts of violence once again must stop immediately,” Marsudi said. “Without a cessation of violence, there will be no conducive conditions for the resolution of this political crisis.” Read more: Locals in dread as firing inside Myanmar rocks Naikhongchhari A statement issued late Thursday night by Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry said it “will not be bound by the outcomes of the meeting” because it was held by the other nine ASEAN countries without Myanmar’s attendance. It insisted that Myanmar’s military government has been implementing the five-point roadmap by cooperating with ASEAN’s special envoy, holding peace talks with ethnic rebel groups and providing humanitarian assistance. Thursday’s meeting came ahead of ASEAN’s annual summit on Nov. 11-13, where a top focus of the leaders will be the Myanmar crisis, which has threatened the group’s unity. ASEAN members traditionally avoid criticizing each other, and the violence unleashed by Myanmar’s military is widely seen as exposing the group’s powerlessness in dealing with a geopolitical and humanitarian emergency that could affect all of them. Growing numbers of refugees are fleeing Myanmar and seeking asylum throughout the region. The U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch said an estimated 70,000 have fled to neighboring countries since the military took power and urged Southeast Asian leaders to ensure their governments don’t force people back to Myanmar. “Rather than protecting asylum seekers from the junta’s violence and persecution, regional actors are forcing Myanmar refugees and other nationals back into harm’s way,” said Shayna Bauchner, a researcher for the group. Malaysian authorities reportedly have accelerated deportations to Myanmar, returning over 2,000 people since April without allowing the United Nations refugee agency to assess their asylum claims, while Thai authorities have pushed asylum seekers back across the Myanmar border without verifying their protection needs, Human Rights Watch said. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.