Timor-Leste’s 9th Constitutional Government issued a statement condemning the Myanmar military junta’s decision to expel its Chargé d’Affaires. In a statement from the fellow member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), it reaffirmed its solidarity with the people of Myanmar and called for the restoration of democratic order, respect for human rights, and a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

The statement is as follows.

Timor-Leste, in line with the positions taken by ASEAN and the United Nations, reiterates the importance of supporting all efforts for the return of democratic order in Myanmar and expresses its solidarity with the Myanmar people while urging the military Junta to respect human rights and seek a peaceful and constructive solution to the crisis.

Since the military coup in February 2021, the situation in Myanmar has been a cause for global concern. The military Junta took power, annulling the results of democratic elections and triggering a series of humanitarian, economic and political crises. The international community, including Timor-Leste, continues to call for a peaceful resolution to the crisis and respect for the fundamental rights of the Myanmar people.

The Spokesperson for the 9th Constitutional Government, Minister Agio Pereira, stated that “the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste remains firm in its conviction that only through dialogue and respect for the will of the people can a peaceful and lasting solution to the crisis in Myanmar be achieved”. It reiterated its “appeal to the international community to join forces to promote the restoration of democratic order and human rights in the region”.