On Tuesday, former UN head Ban Ki-moon called on the Myanmar military to end the bloodshed in the country and begin dialogue with its opponents.
Since the military overthrew civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in February 2021, warfare has broken out throughout large swaths of Myanmar and the economy has collapsed.
The international condemnation of the junta’s harsh crackdown on dissent and its refusal to engage with its opponents have stymied diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the issue.
Ban made these comments after a two-day trip to Myanmar, during which he met with junta commander Min Aung Hlaing and other senior military officials.
Ban added that Suu Kyi’s National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow administration dominated by parliamentarians from her party attempting to overthrow the coup, must be a part of any “lasting solution.”
The military has showed no signs of wanting to negotiate with its detractors, which include the NUG, which it has labelled a “terrorist” group.
Human rights organisations have accused the junta of carrying out massacres and retaliatory attacks against civilians by setting fire to villages and launching air and artillery strikes.
More than 170 people were reportedly killed this month when the military launched an attack on a community in a resistance stronghold.
The junta promised new elections after seizing power on the basis of unverified charges of fraud in the 2020 elections, which were overwhelmingly won by Suu Kyi’s party.
Ban warned that holding elections when tensions are high would increase the likelihood that the results will be rejected by the public.
Ban, who is presently serving a 33-year prison term for a series of closed-door trials that rights groups claim were a fraud, was not mentioned in the statement as having sought a meeting with Suu Kyi.
The state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar featured Ban’s visit on its top page on Tuesday, but it omitted any mention of his appeals for dialogue and an end to violence.
“exchanged views on the latest progress of Myanmar and cordially discussed it with constructive attitudes,” the article reported, without providing details.
Ban travelled to Myanmar in his role as a member of Nelson Mandela’s peace-promoting and conflict-calming “The Elders” group.
