ASEAN Envoy Visits Myanmar as Questions Grow Over Access to Suu Kyi and Rohingya Accountability

ASEAN special envoy Maria Theresa Lazaro is visiting Myanmar amid uncertainty over access to detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The visit also raises questions about ASEAN’s response to Myanmar’s political crisis and the unresolved suffering of Rohingya, many of whom view Suu Kyi’s defense of Myanmar at the International Court of Justice as a profound betrayal.

Photo Source: AFP

The Philippines’ Foreign Secretary and ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar, Maria Theresa Lazaro, is visiting Myanmar on Wednesday and Thursday amid uncertainty over whether she will be allowed to meet detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar’s authorities say Suu Kyi, the country’s former civilian leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is being held under house arrest in Naypyidaw. The visit comes as ASEAN continues to seek humanitarian access and progress towards resolving the country’s political crisis.

But for the Rohingya, any discussion about Myanmar’s future must also confront a painful chapter in the country’s history: the mass violence, displacement and persecution that forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh in 2017.

Suu Kyi once represented hope for democracy in Myanmar. However, her response to the Rohingya crisis deeply damaged that image. In 2019, she personally defended Myanmar against allegations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, while her government had faced widespread criticism over the military’s treatment of the Rohingya.

For many Rohingya survivors, this remains a profound sense of betrayal. They expected a democratic leader to defend their rights, but instead saw her publicly defend the state against accusations arising from the violence they had endured. Although the military carried out the operations, Suu Kyi’s political response and defence of Myanmar’s position remain an important part of her legacy.

The Rohingya crisis also predates the 2017 military operations, with decades of restrictions, discrimination and denial of citizenship leaving the community vulnerable. Many Rohingya remain displaced in Bangladesh, where families continue to face uncertainty over their future and the possibility of safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation.

Lazaro’s visit therefore raises a wider question: can ASEAN make meaningful progress on Myanmar without addressing the suffering of all affected communities, including the Rohingya? Humanitarian access, political dialogue and the protection of civilians must not become separate issues from accountability and the rights of those who have been forced from their homes.

Suu Kyi’s possible meeting with the ASEAN envoy could offer a rare opportunity to assess her situation after years of isolation. But any renewed attention to her detention should not erase the experiences of Rohingya people who continue to seek justice, recognition and the right to return home safely.

Myanmar’s crisis cannot be understood solely through the fate of its former leader. A lasting solution must also acknowledge the Rohingya’s suffering and ensure that their rights and dignity are part of any political settlement.