This comes at the urging of ASEAN countries. While the exiled opposition reports at least 300 civilians killed by the military since last March’s earthquake, the junta is massing troops in the Mandalay region to retake Chinese-backed gas pipelines from the rebels. Potential floods in refugee camps due to the monsoon season raise concerns.

Myanmar’s military recently attacked the Bangkok IDP Camp, on the border between Shan and Kayah States. Schools and several shelters in the camp have been hit over the past year, part of a deliberate strategy of violence to weaken resistance to the regime.

In Rakhine, the Arakan Army – like the military junta – is forcibly recruiting men and women, exacerbating the civil war and aggravating the humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, Rohingya face continued abuses after fleeing abroad. India is accused of arbitrarily detaining refugees and illegally pushing some back at sea, while fuelling the stigmatisation of Muslim refugees at home.

The declaration adopted at the ASEAN summit, proposed by current chair Anwar Ibrahim, outlines a series of goals for 2045 aimed at strengthening the role of the regional organisation. A renewed appeal was made to Myanmar to extend the ceasefire and open up space for genuine dialogue. A meeting has been requested with Donald Trump over tariffs. At the same time, trilateral cooperation with China and the Gulf countries is gaining momentum.

The exiled National Unity Government slammed the summary killing of members of a local defence force by the Assam Rifles in Manipur, a state in north-eastern India affected by ethnic violence for the past two years. Indian authorities claim the dead were “armed extremists" and that they seized a trove of weapons. Myanmar’s resistance movement calls for an investigation into the incident and the suspension of fence construction along the Indo-Myanmar border.

A day after Buddhists marked Vesak Poya, a fundraiser was held in Colombo, attended by 80 Myanmar monks . Muslims, Hindus, and Christians also joined the show of solidarity. After the earthquake in Myanmar, many Sri Lankans raised funds and collected aid for the more than 400 monks studying in the country after their families and donors could no longer support them. For Fr Rohan Silva, the student monks need a helping hand, like Sri Lankans did after the 2004 tsunami.