India has invited the Arakha Army (AA), Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Chin National Front (CNF) and National Unity Government (NUG) to the “Constitutionalism and Federalism” seminar, scheduled to take place with the fund of the Indian government. The event would be hosted by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), whose council includes foreign minister S Jaishankar, in New Delhi of India, in November.
Since the military coup, India has maintained its relations with Myanmar military leaders. However, the invitation extended to opposition groups opposing the military council for the seminar is unprecedented.
Furthermore, it is unclear whether the Myanmar military council has been invited to the seminar, and no further details about the seminar have been released at this time. 1
In his message commemorating the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Belarus and Myanmar, Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian president of Belarus—often referred to as Europe’s “last dictatorship”—extended an invitation to Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing.
In 2023, the Myanmar military council opened a Consulate-General in Belarus, which invited junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and Belarus did not support the UN motion condemning the military coup. On the other hand, Belarus is a country which is exporting weapons to the Myanmar army, observers said.
Belarus is a landlocked country in eastern Europe. Dictator Alexander Lukashenko, has been ruling the country since 1994. The Belarusian government has faced criticism for its repression of civil liberties and a severe crackdown on the media. 2
The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar released a statement opposing actions that seek to undermine China-Myanmar relations and unjustly blame China. The statement emphasizes China’s commitment to non-interference in internal affairs and support for a peace process led by the Myanmar people. China expressed its opposition to instability and conflict in Myanmar.
This month, despite its claim of non-interference in Myanmar’s affairs, China sent a threatening letter to the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), urging an immediate halt to their ongoing Operation Shan-Mann. In addition, China has engaged with the military council without criticizing the junta’s coup and the arrests and killings of civilians and the aerial bombings. China also blocked the resolutions related to Myanmar at the UN Security Council. 3
Over 100 civil society organizations, including the Peace and Human Rights Federation of Korea, issued a letter condemning a recent meeting between the Myanmar ambassador and military attaché with the Gunsan Legislative Council in South Korea. This council had previously condemned the Myanmar military coup three years ago. The meeting, which took place last month, came to light after Korean media reported on it.
As this meeting amounted to recognizing the junta, they have also called on the Gunsan Legislative Council to apologize to the Korean people, including Myanmar migrant workers in Korea. 4
1 India invites opposition groups including AA to the seminar on federalism, Narinjara, 24 September 2024
2 Belarusian dictator Lukashenko invites Myanmar military leader, DVB, 24 September 2024
3 China says it opposes interference in Myanmar’s internal affairs, DVB, 15 September 2024
4 Gunsan City Legislative Council, which met with the ambassador of military council, condemned, DVB, 11 September 2024
