THE proposal to set up an Asean Humanitarian Task Force will be tabled before the bloc leaders at a Special Summit on Saturday (April 24), with Myanmar expecting to be its immediate destination if approved, according to diplomatic sources.
All except two countries – The Philippines and Thailand – Asean leaders will be presented in Jakarta, which has initiated the Special Summit in wake of the crisis in Myanmar. The latter will be represented by coup leader Gen Mon Aung Hliang who will deliver a five-minute remark in a two-hour tightly calibrated programme.
The Special Summit is being closely watched around the world with Asean’s reputation on the line in its role to bring an end to violence and instability in Myanmar. The coup, which took place in early February, has led street protests nationwide and resulted in 730 killed, 3,300 in detention; and according to the UN, almost 250,000 people displaced.