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Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has landed in Myanmar ahead of a meeting with coup leader Min Aung Hlaing in the wake of a trip amid protests by critics and civil rights groups in Myanmar, the first since a foreign leader took office nearly a year ago.
Hun Sen, who had completely wiped out Cambodia’s political opposition, arrived in Naypyidaw just before 4am GMT and was pictured greeting Foreign Minister Wunna Maung in the army. He later walked across the red carpet on his sides, guarded by soldiers in pale blue tunics and white trousers.
Myanmar’s army took power on February 1 last year, when the country’s newly elected parliament was due to convene in the morning, arresting civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of his government.
Cambodia is the current president of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and last year refused to attend the annual summit of the Min Aung Hlaingi group because it failed to move forward in an April “consensus” to promote dialogue and end violence. .
Emerlynne Gil, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director of International Research, said Hun Sen’s “malicious diplomacy” could do more harm than good.
“If Hun Sen really wants to help, he should stop this trip and take strong action to address the dire human rights situation in the ASEAN country, instead of getting into empty gestures that will likely lead to more than one photo shoot for self-congratulations.” . he said in a statement.
Nearly 1,500 people have been killed in the coup and nearly 11,500 arrested, according to the Association of Support for Political Prisoners, which is monitoring the situation.
Last month, security forces were charged Killing and burning more than 30 civiliansincluding two Save the Children staff, a support team.
Protests were held in various parts of the country before Hun Sen arrived.
In Depayin, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of the capital Naypyidaw, protesters burned the Cambodian prime minister’s poster and said, “Hun Sen did not come to Myanmar. We don’t want dictator Hun Sen, “Reuters reported, citing social media photos.
Protests were also reported in Mandalayn, Tanintharyi and Monywa regions.
A spokesman for the Dawei District Democratic Movement’s Strike Committee told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that Hun Sen’s visit will give legitimacy to a regime that has made no progress in resolving the political crisis.
“He is the dictator of Cambodia,” a spokesman told RFA. “It’s absolutely impossible for someone like him to mediate in our country’s affairs.”
Hun Sen’s visit has caused a stir within ASEAN, which operates in accordance with the consensus and has long been proud of the principle of non-interference.
Indonesian President Widodo made a phone call to the Cambodian leader on Wednesday and said he stressed the need to move forward with the April agreement.
“In the absence of significant progress in implementing the 5PCs (five-point consensus), Myanmar should only be presented at ASEAN meetings (at the non-political level),” he later tweeted.
Cambodia has said Hun Sen will meet with Min Aung Hlaing, but reports say he will not meet Aung San Suu Kyi.
The planned visit by an ASEAN envoy last year did not take place because the military denied him access to a detained leader who is on trial on various charges.
The United Nations has not accepted the generals as the authorities in Myanmar and Kyaw Moe Tun, appointed by the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, remains in office.
“The people of Myanmar want to restore democracy and respect their rights, and they will not accept any shortcuts from Hun Sen,” said Phil Robertson, Asia’s deputy director of Human Rights Watch. “Eight other ASEAN countries should publicly demand Hun Seni’s explanations, and make it clear that most ASEAN states are in favor of an approach that requires negotiations with all parties to the Myanmar conflict, not just the coup and the generals who ruled Myanmar. in this mild disaster.
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