July 5, 2024

The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) has announced that the military junta in Myanmar no longer holds governmental authority due to widespread national resistance. SAC-M emphasized the necessity for ASEAN to engage with the legitimate representatives of the Myanmar people, including the National Unity Government (NUG), Ethnic Revolutionary Organizations (EROs), and civil society organizations to continue implementing its Five-Point Consensus.

SAC-M urged ASEAN to adopt innovative methods to actualize the Five-Point Consensus, noting that three years after agreeing with the junta leaders, the military regime has failed to implement the agreement. SAC-M highlighted that unilateral decisions on Myanmar’s situation are impractical, given the severe violations of human rights and international humanitarian law occurring daily.

The junta’s attempts to block VPNs pose significant risks to journalists, further complicating the situation. SAC-M’s recent statement expressed deep concern over the ongoing violence and violations committed by the junta, the Arakan Army (AA), and other armed groups, which have intensified the precarious situation in northern Rakhine State.

SAC-M also referenced the United Nations Human Rights Council’s decisions, acknowledging the NUG’s policy stance on recognizing Rohingya as Myanmar citizens. They welcomed the NUG’s acceptance of the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction under Article 12(3) of the Rome Statute since 2002, affirming the importance of this declaration for international justice.

In light of these developments, SAC-M’s statement calls for international and regional bodies to recognize the diminishing control of the Myanmar military junta and to increase support for the NUG and other legitimate representatives of the Myanmar people.