Myanmar's junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing -
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s junta chief, arrived in Jakarta on Saturday for a summit of Southeast Asian leaders centred on the crisis in his country.
Myanmar General Min Aung Hlaing, who led the military takeover that sparked turmoil in his country, arrived in Jakarta on Saturday for a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders seeking try to forge a path to end the violence in the impoverished nation.
The ASEAN Summit will discuss several issues, including the political crisis in Myanmar.
On Saturday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and the Sultan of Brunei, the current chair of ASEAN, were to be joined by leaders and foreign ministers from most of the 10-country group, which also includes Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Laos.
According to Channel News Asia protests were expected around ASEAN's downtown headquarters, which is being ringed by heavy security. The meeting was to be closed to media.
The general's expected involvement has angered activists, human rights groups and a shadow government of ousted Myanmar lawmakers, which was not invited to the talks.
"The crisis initiated by a murderous and unrepentant Myanmar military has engulfed the country, and will cause severe aftershocks - humanitarian and more - for the entire region," Amnesty International said ahead of the meeting.
"The Indonesian authorities are duty-bound to investigate Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and other Myanmar military officials who may join his delegation to Jakarta," it added.
Few analysts expected major breakthroughs from the meeting, saying instead it was a chance to bring Myanmar's military to the bargaining table and pave the way for a possible resolution//VOI