The 44th ASEAN Summit held from October 6 to 11 in Vientiane, Laos, highlighted mounting regional concerns, especially Myanmar’s worsening crisis. Since the military coup in 2021, Myanmar has been in turmoil, and despite multiple efforts, including ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus, there has been little progress towards stability. The civil war is not only ravaging Myanmar, but also challenging ASEAN’s credibility as a regional bloc committed to peace and stability. The situation in Myanmar Myanmar remains engulfed in a brutal civil war between the military junta and various resistance groups, including Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs) and the People’s Defence Forces (PDFs). The junta, which forcibly took control after toppling the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, faces widespread armed resistance. The resistance groups now control significant swathes of territory, including six major border trade routes. The military’s efforts to quash the rebellion have led to violence, displacing hundreds of thousands and creating a humanitarian crisis. More than 18.6 million people, including 6 million children, are in need of assistance, according to the United Nations.
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