Key Highlights:

• In a unified statement, the foreign ministers of G7 countries urged all nations to stop arms flow, including jet fuel, into Myanmar
• During a summit in Jakarta on April 24, 2021, the 9 ASEAN leaders, alongside Myanmar’s junta chief, Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, reached an agreement on five key points
• On December 21, 2022, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2669 (2022) on Myanmar, with 12 in favor, none against, and 3 abstentions from China, India, and Russia

Amidst global tensions, the plight of the Rohingya people serves as a poignant reminder of our collective failure to safeguard the most vulnerable. The recent declaration by the Group of 7 (G7) foreign ministers on Friday, April 19th, has thrust this issue back into the spotlight, underlining the pressing need to facilitate the voluntary, secure, dignified, and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

In a unified statement, they urged all nations to stop arms flow, including jet fuel, into Myanmar. They called on the Myanmar military to immediately cease violence, release detainees (especially elected leaders), and engage in inclusive dialogue for democracy reinstatement. The G7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, along with the EU High Representative, stressed the Myanmar military”s duty to uphold human rights and international law.

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They demanded an end to forced labor and unhindered humanitarian access. They support ASEAN’s efforts for a credible, inclusive Five-Point Consensus implementation and emphasize UN Security Council resolution 2669 (2022) implementation. Additionally, they support increased UN engagement, spearheaded by the recently appointed UN Special Envoy and Resident Coordinator in Myanmar.

Furthermore, they unequivocally condemn the recent enforcement of the 2010 conscription law by the military regime. As per the joint statement, the enforced enlistment of youth is poised to breed additional violence and incite a widespread exodus towards neighboring countries.

Myanmar’s Junta Defied ASEAN Consensus

During a summit in Jakarta on April 24, 2021, the 9 ASEAN leaders, alongside Myanmar’s junta chief, Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, reached an agreement on five key points.

However, Hlaing blatantly disregarded each of these points while orchestrating a harsh nationwide crackdown aimed at quelling the millions of dissenting voices opposed to military rule.

Days after the consensus, the junta broke its commitment, saying it would only consider ASEAN leaders’ suggestions after stability. Instead of stopping hostilities, they intensified oppression. Security forces killed over 1,700, including 130 children, and detained 13,000. Instead of aiding as agreed, they blocked assistance, punishing the vulnerable.

Meanwhile, the five-point consensus has been utilized as a pretext by G7 nations. On Jan 28, 2022, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet criticized the ineffective international response. She noted the UN Security Council and ASEAN failed to stop Myanmar’s violence. In her report to the Human Rights Council, Bachelet highlighted ASEAN’s lack of progress despite their consensus.

Resolution 2669 Demands Change

On December 21, 2022, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2669 (2022) on Myanmar, with 12 in favor, none against, and 3 abstentions from China, India, and Russia. It demanded an immediate end to violence, urged the release of detained individuals like President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, and called for ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus implementation by March 15, 2023.

In response to the resolution, the foreign affairs ministry of the Myanmar junta declared on December 23, 2022, that the resolution contained intrusive elements into Myanmar’s internal affairs, contrary to the principles and purposes of the United Nations, and therefore, they rejected it.

The resolution highlighted the dire situation in Myanmar, where extensive military operations have displaced 1.4 million people, leaving them without necessities in forests and mountainous regions. The military’s ‘four cuts’ strategy has led to the destruction of tens of thousands of homes in rural villages, and over 13,000 individuals are being held in harsh conditions in notorious prisons. Moreover, nearly 8 million children are deprived of education due to the ongoing crisis.

The language used in Resolution 2669 (2022), employing terms like ‘demands’, ‘urges’, and ‘calls for’, indicates a strong and authoritative stance by the Security Council, potentially carrying legal implications as per the Namibia Advisory Opinion.

What’s Behind the Global Alarm Over Myanmar’s Conscription Legislation?

The 2010 conscription legislation, also referred to as the People’s Military Service Law, was instituted by Myanmar’s military regime. Its implementation commenced for the first time on February 10, 2024. This law mandates compulsory military service for men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27, with an extension to 45 for men and 35 for women possessing specialized skills.

Young adults in the country are obligated to serve in the military for a period ranging from 2 to 5 years. According to regime statistics, approximately 14 million eligible individuals exist for conscription, constituting about 26% of Myanmar’s population of 54 million.

The initial batch of 5,000 conscripts will be chosen after the Myanmar New Year holidays in April, with women exempted from the initial selections. Avoiding conscription carries penalties of 3 to 5 years imprisonment along with a fine while feigning illness or disability to evade service is punishable by a 5-year prison term.

The regime has orchestrated rallies and propaganda drives to foster public compliance with the law, directed diplomats to defend it on the global stage, facilitated venues for training prospective conscripts, drafted a bylaw (currently in its third iteration), initiated the registration process for eligible individuals, and has commenced training for the first cohort of conscripts.

This legislation has sparked widespread apprehension and alarm among the populace, prompting many to seek avenues to depart the country. The UN special rapporteur for Myanmar cautioned that the number of individuals fleeing across borders to evade conscription ‘will surely skyrocket’.

With Myanmar’s junta brazenly defying international calls for reform, the onus now falls squarely on the global community, led by the influential G7 nations, to transition from mere condemnation to concrete action. The G7’s unequivocal stance against the military regime’s draconian conscription law and egregious human rights violations must catalyze a coordinated multilateral response. Failure to do so would not only embolden the junta’s repressive tactics but also imperil regional stability as a potential exodus of conscription evaders looms. The stakes could not be higher as this Southeast Asian nation teeters on the brink of an abyss.

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