YANGON: A convoy of diplomats travelling in Myanmar came under fire from an unknown armed group, a military official and a diplomat said on Monday.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since a military coup deposed Aung San Suu Kyi’s administration in Feb 2021.

On Sunday a convoy of several vehicles travelling in Taunggyi township in eastern Myanmar’s Shan State was attacked by an unknown armed group, a foreign diplomat based in Yangon said on condition of anonymity.

“A convoy with some diplomats was attacked yesterday morning,” the source said.

The convoy was carrying diplomats from the embassies of Indonesia and Singapore and officials coordinating humanitarian relief from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) regional bloc, they added, noting that no casualties were reported. A senior military official who did not want to be named confirmed said that a convoy had been fired on.

Indonesian president condemns ‘shootout’, vows to push for peace

‘Shootout’

The officials and diplomats had been travelling to “hand over humanitarian aid,” Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Monday.

“Regretfully on their way, there was a shootout,” he said, without giving any further details. But said it would not deter efforts by Indonesia and Asean to push for peace in Myanmar.

“Stop using force, stop violence because it’s the people who will be victims. This condition will not make anybody win,” he said, adding that Indonesia encourages all stakeholders to have a dialogue and find solutions.

It was unclear who was behind the incident which, according to Indonesian foreign ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah.

Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government, which is allied with the anti-junta militias, the People’s Defence Forces (PDF), said it was not involved in the incident.

The PDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for the Myanmar junta did not respond to a request for comment.

Indonesia has for months been quietly engaging the Myanmar junta, shadow government and armed ethnic groups to try and kick-start a peace process, its foreign minister said last week.

Southern Shan state — home to Taunggyi township — has seen relatively little of the violence that has ravaged Myanmar since the coup.

But in March around 30 people sheltering at a monastery in the same state were killed, with the junta and anti-coup fighters trading accusations over the massacre.

Southeast Asian leaders will this week meet in Indonesia for a summit expected to be dominated by the Myanmar crisis.

Long slammed by critics as a toothless talking shop, Asean has led diplomatic attempts to resolve the bloody crisis.

But its efforts have stalled as the junta ignores international criticism and refuses to engage with its opponents, which include ousted lawmakers, anti-coup PDF and ethnic minority armed groups.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2023