Regional leaders gather in Indonesia for ASEAN summit

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Tuesday arrived in Indonesia to attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit which will begin on Wednesday.

Foreign ministers and senior officials of member countries have already arrived in Labuan Bajo, a tourist destination located in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara Province, as they meet ahead of the leaders' meeting.

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn attended a foreign ministers’ meeting in Labuan Bajo this morning which discussed new developments in the region, according to a tweet by the association.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also posted his departure photo on social media and said he left along with his delegation for Labuan Bajo to attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit.

The leaders are expected to discuss the Myanmar issue.

On Monday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who will chair the summit, said that violence has to be stopped as the people, in the end, become victims of the conflict.

The summit will continue until May 11.

He added the leaders will also discuss ways to eradicate human trafficking.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday the Myanmar military used “thermobaric” munition for an attack on an opposition building in Sagaing Region last month that killed more than 160 people, including children.

Urging the foreign governments to prevent funding, arms, and aviation fuel to Myanmar military, it said the airstrike using an “enhanced-blast” type munition on the village of Pa Zi Gyi in upper Myanmar caused indiscriminate and disproportionate civilian casualties in violation of international humanitarian law, and was an apparent war crime.

The incident happened on April 11.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid