PRESS RELEASE

13 April 2023

“The air attack on a community hall in the central Sagaing region is another display of brutality
and a barbaric model of military authority over the people living within Myanmar’s territory.
This further confirms the absence of intent from Myanmar’s military junta to exercise utmost
restraint in stopping violence in Myanmar as the ASEAN Leaders expected back in April 2021,”
said Dinna Prapto Raharja, Ph.D, international relations practitioners, founder & executive
director of Synergy Policies. She further said that the fact that Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for
the military, confirmed its act on the basis to combat an alleged militia group suggests that the
military sees nobody outside of the military circle as a partner to manage and govern the multi-
ethnic and multi-groups Myanmar. This is a strong sign of a zero-sum game mindset that is fatal
for the governance of a sovereign nation.

“This is a violation of ASEAN’s principle as stated in the ASEAN Charter, where “all the people
of the member states of ASEAN adhere to the principles of democracy, the rule of law and good
governance, respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms”, thus
Indonesia as the ASEAN Chair 2023 must take a swift action beyond sending statement of
condemnation to stop violence in Myanmar on behalf of ASEAN,” said Dinna.

“We understand that the Office of the ASEAN Special Envoy for Myanmar have been trying to
bring all parties concerned in Myanmar to the negotiating table, but this latest brutality shows
that it is most urgent to bring together only the parties with intent to restore non-violent approach
to conflict within Myanmar to brainstorm immediate steps for stopping violence with the help of
the like-minded elements from within ASEAN,” Dinna further elaborates. Sharing of ideas to
stop violence from within Myanmar is urgent.

Synergy Policies (by PT Cipta Inspirasi Nusantara) is an independent think-tank and consulting
firm based in Jakarta with the passions and track-record for connecting, organizing, and
synergizing ideas for better public policies. Since 2020, figures within Synergy Policies have
gathered experts and practitioners of peace to discuss the way forward for Myanmar.

Contact person:
Dinna Prapto Raharja, dinna.prapto.raharja@gmail.com, 0815-8710075