Myanmar needs transparency over internal conflicts: ASEAN researcher

Myanmar needs transparency over internal conflicts: ASEAN researcher

Published on Sunday, 14 July 2013 23:27

Myanmar needs to be transparent about its internal conflicts and communal violence in order to avoid pitfalls when assuming ASEAN chairmanship next year, a Myanmar researcher from ASEAN Studies Centre said.

Moe Thuzar, the lead researcher at ASEAN Studies Centre, made the statement in a round-table discussion co-organized by Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Germany-based Hanns Seidel Foundation in Yangon on July 13.

She said the communal violence in Rakhine State sparked from the case of a Rakhine girl raped by three Bengalis has not been resolved yet even after one year passed. This has affected Myanmar people living in other countries, and it is bound to have ramifications over Myanmar's ASEAN chairmanship.

"Such conflicts occur in southern Thailand, too. The important point is, when Myanmar becomes ASEAN chairman, it should transparently tell the country's situations to the ASEAN family and ask their advice for the problem," Moe Thuzar said.

She said, "When we discussed such problems in ASEAN summit, the responsible minister once threatened to quit the summit if the discussion on the topic would continue. But these problems are common to all the countries. Myanmar should convince the ASEAN members to reach an understanding on the country."

Observers earlier accused people who embraced dictatorship were creating the religious conflicts between Buddhists and Muslims in the country. However, the government denied that the army and the government were behind the conflicts.

"Unless Myanmar could resolve and stop those conflicts, the country can face a military coup like Egypt," said Than Lwin, one of the advisors of President Thein Sein.

Moe Thuzar commented that Myanmar will need to take some time to solve the issue of the stateless Bengalis as the problem itself was introduced long time ago with the illegal immigration from the neighbouring Bangladesh.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/07/15/myanmar-needs-transparency-over-internal-conflicts-asean-researcher/