BANGKOK (AP) - Myanmar's military government has ordered the departure of East Timor's senior diplomat following the acceptance of a criminal complaint against Myanmar's armed forces by judicial authorities in East Timor. This diplomatic maneuver, reported by state media on Monday, significantly heightens tensions between the two nations and marks a rare formal action among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which East Timor became the 11th member only last year.
The East Timorese government has not yet responded to inquiries for comment via phone or online. East Timor, officially known as Timor Leste, is Asia's youngest nation, having achieved independence from Indonesia in 2002.
A statement from Myanmar's Foreign Ministry indicated that East Timor's President, José Ramos-Horta, engaged with the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) in mid-January, which documents alleged human rights abuses, particularly in Myanmar’s northwest Chin state. The statement alleged that Ramos-Horta's administration accepted a criminal complaint filed by the CHRO against senior members of Myanmar's military and designated a senior prosecutor to explore the case, despite previous diplomatic warnings.
The Myanmar Foreign Ministry subsequently informed Elisio do Rosario de Sousa, charge d’affaires of East Timor's Embassy in Yangon, that he must leave the country no later than February 20. The CHRO revealed that East Timor's judicial authorities had initiated legal proceedings against Myanmar's military government, including its leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Specific allegations in the complaint include instances of gang rape, a massacre of ten individuals—including a journalist, the deaths of Christian religious figures, and airstrikes targeting a hospital and religious sites.
East Timor's approach towards Myanmar's military has been consistent, characterized by sustained efforts to push for accountability for alleged atrocities in Myanmar. Notably, the laws in East Timor empower its domestic courts to investigate and potentially prosecute serious international crimes irrespective of where they transpired or the nationality of those involved. This legal action signifies the first time an ASEAN member has pursued such action against another member state.
Since the military seized power from the democratically elected government in February 2021, Myanmar's military has faced widespread allegations of serious human rights violations, as indicated by rights organizations and United Nations investigators. The military's takeover triggered massive nonviolent resistance, which has subsequently transformed into a widespread armed struggle.
Many nations have downgraded their diplomatic relations with Myanmar, often leaving junior diplomats in place of ambassadors. President Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Prize laureate, has openly criticized Myanmar's military leaders and expressed support for the opposition groups. In August 2023, Myanmar's military government expelled East Timor's charge d'affaires after Ramos-Horta conducted meetings with Myanmar's shadow government—the National Unity Government—which claims to represent the legitimate administration of Myanmar.
The tensions surrounding East Timor's condemnation of Myanmar and its engagement with opposition groups led to threats from Myanmar's military to obstruct East Timor’s bid for ASEAN membership, a membership that ultimately succeeded in October of the previous year. Following their acceptance as ASEAN’s newest member, Ramos-Horta indicated in an interview that he would be willing to personally intervene to help resolve the ongoing civil war in Myanmar.
Suzana Cardoso in Dili, East Timor, contributed to this report.
