MEDIA RELEASE
Conflict in Burma (Myanmar) Escalates: Urgent Call for Change from Foreign Minister Penny Wong
Vientiane, Laos — Foreign Minister Penny Wong has issued a direct plea to Burma’s military rulers amidst escalating violence, urging them to adopt a different path. Speaking on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regional gathering, Senator Wong expressed deep concern over the worsening situation in the country.
Since the military seized control from Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in 2021, Burma, a nation of over 50 million people, has been engulfed in conflict. Senator Wong highlighted the dire economic conditions, rampant violence, and mounting casualties as evidence of an unsustainable situation.
“This is not sustainable,” Senator Wong told reporters in Vientiane on Saturday. “We see the increase in illegal narcotics, the economic trajectory is very poor for the people, and the security situation is declining. My message from Australia to the regime is that it is not sustainable for you or for your people, and we urge them to take a different path.”
The ongoing conflict pits Burma’s well-equipped military against a loose alliance of ethnic minority rebel groups and an armed resistance movement, which has been gaining ground and challenging the junta’s governance. An estimated 2.6 million people have been displaced by the fighting.
The junta has faced international condemnation for excessive force in its air strikes on civilian areas and allegations of atrocities, which it dismisses as Western disinformation.
Senator Wong reaffirmed Australia’s support for ASEAN’s efforts to stabilize Burma, including the implementation of a “five-point consensus” for peace.
In addition to the conflict in Burma, tensions in the South China Sea were a key topic during the three days of high-level talks. Senator Wong expressed concern over “very disturbing incidents” involving the disputed territory of Second Thomas Shoal.
“We continue to support international law and are very concerned about any actions that are destabilizing,” she said.
