Opponents of the military coup in Myanmar announced that they had lost confidence in regional diplomatic efforts to end the country’s crisis, as two ASEAN envoys met with the military ruler Min Aung Lai in the capital Nay Pyi.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has led a major international diplomatic effort to find a way out of the crisis in Myanmar, which has been in turmoil since the army overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi’s government as elected on February 1.

“We lack confidence in ASEAN’s efforts. All our hopes are dashed,” said Moe Zaw Oo, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Shadow National Unity Government (NUG). The military has declared treason and its members are called “terrorists.” .

“I don’t think they have a reliable plan,” he said of ASEAN on Friday.

Moe Zaw Oo spoke at a streaming press conference that was interrupted by Internet disruptions across Myanmar.

Two sources familiar with the power outage, who declined to be named for security reasons, told Reuters that the authorities had ordered the power outage.

According to a report by the military-run Miaowadi TV station, on Friday, the military leader Min Anglai met with ASEAN Secretary-General Lin Yuhai and ASEAN’s rotating chairman of Brunei’s Second Foreign Minister Eriwan Yusof.

The report said that the meeting discussed cooperation on humanitarian issues, holding elections once the country is stable, and suspected violations in the elections that led to military intervention.

Chaotic country

The military that ruled Myanmar from 1962 to 2011 promised to restore democracy within two years.

This visit is part of the five-point consensus reached at the EU leaders’ meeting held in Jakarta in late April. Min Aung Lai attended the meeting and ASEAN celebrated this as a breakthrough.

ASEAN has not announced the visit, and it is unclear whether the envoy plans to meet opponents from the military or other stakeholders.

#june5coup: The anti-junta coalition strike in Mandalay this morning.

No matter how they oppress us, we will never give up and fight for our freedom and justice!#June5Coup#Myanmar what happened pic.twitter.com/5oW9narWAo

-Kyaw Zayar Lin (@kzy_linn) June 5, 2021

Since the coup, Myanmar has been in chaos. Strikes, boycotts and protests across the country have paralysed the economy, and tens of thousands have been displaced by fierce fighting between the army and ethnic minority insurgents and newly formed militias.

According to a militant group, at least 845 people were killed by security forces and more than 4,500 were in prison. The military disputed these figures.

The 75-year-old Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi was detained in two different courts on charges ranging from violating coronavirus restrictions and illegal import of walkie-talkies to violating the Official Secrets Act, with a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

Her lawyer expressed concern on Friday that she has no legal representation in the most serious case, including her Australian economic adviser, Sean Turnell, but has listed everyone as representing herself.

“We are worried that they will not have any legal representation and there will not be any transparency,” Khin Maung Zaw told Reuters.

NUG, composed of pro-democracy groups and supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi’s ruling party, said on Friday that it will end the conflict in Myanmar and enact a new federal constitution, but first needs to defeat the military coup leader.

Protesters participated in a demonstration against the military coup in Dawei on Thursday [Dawei Watch via AFP]

NUG Defense Minister Khin Ma Ma Myo stated that a militia organization called the “People’s Defence Force” has been formed across the country, but it must cooperate with existing armed groups.

“The NUG government will call for war at some point. At that time, we must work together to defeat the military government,” he said.

“At present, it does not matter who is the leader. What is important is to defeat the common enemy-the terrorist regime.”

Meanwhile, protests across the country continued on Saturday, including in the city of Mandalay, where hundreds of people took to the streets to denounce the military leadership and call for the restoration of democracy.

On Saturday, similar protests were reported on social media in Langlong Township, Tanintharyi District, and residents of Saitaung in Pagan held a candlelight strike on Friday night.