East Timor has emerged as an unexpected venue for a legal case accusing Myanmar’s military leadership of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The case, brought forward by the Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO), is advancing through the judicial system in Dili, testing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) cautious approach toward Myanmar’s junta.

CHRO executive director Salai Za Uk Ling told This Week in Asia that following the appointment of a senior prosecutor, the case has moved into the judicial phase. Victim representatives have recently submitted questions of law for judicial determination, and the court is currently considering the matter.

The case raises questions about whether a small, newly admitted ASEAN member with its own history of occupation and atrocity can effectively use its courts to address serious allegations against the military rulers of a fellow member state. This development comes at a sensitive time for ASEAN, which has struggled to manage Myanmar’s generals through diplomacy and a policy of non-interference, even as some regional members cautiously re-engage with Naypyidaw.

Meanwhile, rescue operations continue in Myanmar two days after a deadly blast, underscoring ongoing instability in the country.

Sources