Upset at invite to Myanmar junta members

Myanmar junta officials have been invited to an Asean senior officials’ summit in Wellington next month, despite New Zealand’s opposition to the military regime that deposed a democratically elected government.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed senior Myanmar officials have been invited to the summit between New Zealand and Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries.

While Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said the invitation was up to Asean and would be a “mid-level” official, not a senior junta leader, the Myanmar community – backed by former Prime Minister Helen Clark – is urging the Government to prevent any representative of the regime – which is waging a war against its own citizens – from entering New Zealand.

“The military regime, they don’t have legitimacy, they have not been given power by the people, and that is why within the international community they want recognition and legitimacy,” said Phyo Sandar Soe, a Myanmar community leader who has launched a campaign called “Keep out the Butchers of Myanmar”. “If New Zealand invites these officials, that’s a kind of recognition to the military. Regardless of high-officials or low-officials ... they will be representing the military regime.”

Thirty-three Myanmar community groups in NZ had signed a letter to Foreign Minister Winston Peters asking that visas be declined.

“For New Zealand to grant a visa to a Myanmar junta representative because Asean has issued an invitation is an abdication of our national sovereignty,” Clark said.