A Torch to Drop on ASEAN’s Lap (Part 1) by Theo Zaw
A Torch to Drop on ASEAN’s Lap (Part 1) by Theo Zaw
MoeMaKa, May 18, 2025
Saying “ASEAN issues aren’t worth shedding blood over” may not raise eyebrows anymore—ASEAN no longer stirs much emotion. But on the flip side, it’s still essential to pay attention to how international positions—including that of the UN—trail behind ASEAN's stance. That’s why ASEAN’s position remains crucial regarding the military council's sham elections and its various efforts to gain legitimacy. The question is not whether ASEAN will support our side, but rather whether it will avoid siding with the junta.
Neighboring China, which seeks to meddle in relations between the resistance forces and the National Unity Government (NUG), does not need to exert much effort to influence how ASEAN member states engage with Myanmar. A regional power that competes politically with global powers can easily use ASEAN as its diplomatic mouthpiece.
One key difference between Western governments and Myanmar’s regional neighbors in ASEAN is that the latter are more historically entrenched in Myanmar’s affairs and therefore more familiar with its political dynamics. So it’s not that they are unaware of Myanmar’s internal crisis—they simply prioritize their own strategic interests over democracy, human rights, and justice. Put bluntly, most ASEAN governments are not thinking about the Myanmar people first.
Look at how ASEAN reacted to Thailand’s repeated military coups or Cambodia’s sham elections suppressing opposition parties. There’s no need to elaborate. Even in the late 1970s, when Suharto’s Indonesia invaded East Timor and the UN General Assembly condemned it through Resolution 3485, ASEAN refrained from criticizing Suharto’s actions.
Since Malaysia assumed the ASEAN chair this year, we have seen some constructive moves, but time will tell how strong their political will really is. At this moment, ASEAN must be urged to not simply go along with China’s cozy dealings with Myanmar’s junta.
As the saying goes, you only know pain when the flame lands on your own skin. In that spirit, we believe it’s time to metaphorically drop a nuclear torch onto ASEAN’s lap to spark awareness and accountability.
A Nuclear Torch?
This isn’t just about ASEAN—nuclear security issues impact the entire region. But this article focuses specifically on ASEAN’s complacency. So far, ASEAN has failed to treat Myanmar’s military junta as a threat to regional peace and stability. They still assume the junta abides by ASEAN norms, despite its egregious domestic crimes.
What needs to be exposed is how Myanmar’s military continues to deceive ASEAN, all while hoping to maintain its place at the regional table.
ASEAN’s Treaty Commitments
ASEAN countries are signatories to the Bangkok Treaty (South East Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty), signed in 1995 and ratified by Myanmar in 1996. This treaty prohibits member states from developing, manufacturing, acquiring, possessing, or using nuclear weapons—within or outside the region.
If any member violates these commitments, it could threaten regional security and damage ASEAN’s credibility. That’s why we’re raising these nuclear-related concerns—to push ASEAN to take its own treaties seriously.
The Ebisawa Case
Enter Takeshi Ebisawa, who recently confessed in a New York court to trying to illicitly obtain weapons-grade plutonium from Myanmar. This is a rare and highly dangerous material that cannot be produced without a nuclear reactor, which Myanmar does not publicly possess. His statement linked the source to Myanmar and mentioned possible connections to ethnic armed groups, with speculation pointing to RCSS.
The U.S. Department of Justice and the DEA have confirmed Ebisawa’s confession through forensic nuclear testing. According to former IAEA inspector and SIPRI expert Robert Kelley, weapons-grade plutonium cannot be obtained on black markets. This lends serious weight to Ebisawa’s claim that the material came from within Myanmar.
If this is true, then the question becomes: who inside Myanmar has access to such high-level nuclear materials? All signs point to the military, which has denied any nuclear ambitions in the past—most notably during a 2012 Shangri-La Dialogue appearance, when Myanmar’s then defense minister publicly claimed the program had been halted.
But if those claims were true, how did this plutonium surface? Is this not a violation of ASEAN’s Bangkok Treaty?
Time for ASEAN to Wake Up
This is why we’re calling for ASEAN to take responsibility. If it is to uphold its own nuclear-free treaty, it must investigate Myanmar’s possible violations and take a firm stance. The “nuclear torch” has been lit—now it must not be ignored.
(To be continued…)
Join Us @ MoeMaKa Telegram
t.me@moemaka
Please show your support, donate with Zelle
#MoeMaKaMedia
#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Saying “ASEAN issues aren’t worth shedding blood over” may not raise eyebrows anymore—ASEAN no longer stirs much emotion. But on the flip side, it’s still essential to pay attention to how international positions—including that of the UN—trail behind ASEAN's stance. That’s why ASEAN’s position remains crucial regarding the military council's sham elections and its various efforts to gain legitimacy. The question is not whether ASEAN will support our side, but rather whether it will avoid siding with the junta.
Neighboring China, which seeks to meddle in relations between the resistance forces and the National Unity Government (NUG), does not need to exert much effort to influence how ASEAN member states engage with Myanmar. A regional power that competes politically with global powers can easily use ASEAN as its diplomatic mouthpiece.
One key difference between Western governments and Myanmar’s regional neighbors in ASEAN is that the latter are more historically entrenched in Myanmar’s affairs and therefore more familiar with its political dynamics. So it’s not that they are unaware of Myanmar’s internal crisis—they simply prioritize their own strategic interests over democracy, human rights, and justice. Put bluntly, most ASEAN governments are not thinking about the Myanmar people first.
Look at how ASEAN reacted to Thailand’s repeated military coups or Cambodia’s sham elections suppressing opposition parties. There’s no need to elaborate. Even in the late 1970s, when Suharto’s Indonesia invaded East Timor and the UN General Assembly condemned it through Resolution 3485, ASEAN refrained from criticizing Suharto’s actions.
Since Malaysia assumed the ASEAN chair this year, we have seen some constructive moves, but time will tell how strong their political will really is. At this moment, ASEAN must be urged to not simply go along with China’s cozy dealings with Myanmar’s junta.
As the saying goes, you only know pain when the flame lands on your own skin. In that spirit, we believe it’s time to metaphorically drop a nuclear torch onto ASEAN’s lap to spark awareness and accountability.
A Nuclear Torch?
This isn’t just about ASEAN—nuclear security issues impact the entire region. But this article focuses specifically on ASEAN’s complacency. So far, ASEAN has failed to treat Myanmar’s military junta as a threat to regional peace and stability. They still assume the junta abides by ASEAN norms, despite its egregious domestic crimes.
What needs to be exposed is how Myanmar’s military continues to deceive ASEAN, all while hoping to maintain its place at the regional table.
ASEAN’s Treaty Commitments
ASEAN countries are signatories to the Bangkok Treaty (South East Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty), signed in 1995 and ratified by Myanmar in 1996. This treaty prohibits member states from developing, manufacturing, acquiring, possessing, or using nuclear weapons—within or outside the region.
If any member violates these commitments, it could threaten regional security and damage ASEAN’s credibility. That’s why we’re raising these nuclear-related concerns—to push ASEAN to take its own treaties seriously.
The Ebisawa Case
Enter Takeshi Ebisawa, who recently confessed in a New York court to trying to illicitly obtain weapons-grade plutonium from Myanmar. This is a rare and highly dangerous material that cannot be produced without a nuclear reactor, which Myanmar does not publicly possess. His statement linked the source to Myanmar and mentioned possible connections to ethnic armed groups, with speculation pointing to RCSS.
The U.S. Department of Justice and the DEA have confirmed Ebisawa’s confession through forensic nuclear testing. According to former IAEA inspector and SIPRI expert Robert Kelley, weapons-grade plutonium cannot be obtained on black markets. This lends serious weight to Ebisawa’s claim that the material came from within Myanmar.
If this is true, then the question becomes: who inside Myanmar has access to such high-level nuclear materials? All signs point to the military, which has denied any nuclear ambitions in the past—most notably during a 2012 Shangri-La Dialogue appearance, when Myanmar’s then defense minister publicly claimed the program had been halted.
But if those claims were true, how did this plutonium surface? Is this not a violation of ASEAN’s Bangkok Treaty?
Time for ASEAN to Wake Up
This is why we’re calling for ASEAN to take responsibility. If it is to uphold its own nuclear-free treaty, it must investigate Myanmar’s possible violations and take a firm stance. The “nuclear torch” has been lit—now it must not be ignored.
(To be continued…)
Join Us @ MoeMaKa Telegram
t.me@moemaka
Please show your support, donate with Zelle
#MoeMaKaMedia
#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
Posts
