The military junta of Myanmar (Burma) has ordered the expulsion of the highest-ranking diplomat from East Timor, accusing him of having relations with what the military considers a “terrorist group”.
East Timor, officially known as Timor-Leste, is a Southeast Asian nation located on the eastern half of the island of Timor.
It gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after a long and violent struggle that followed decades of Indonesian occupation.
Despite its rich natural resources, Portuguese-speaking East Timor is one of the least developed countries in the world, grappling with challenges such as political instability, weak institutions, and poverty.
The junta stated that the East Timor government had taken action with the so-called National Unity Government (NUG), which it accuses of encouraging and committing terrorist acts in Myanmar.
The NUG, which declares itself as the legitimate authority of Myanmar, was initially formed by former parliamentarians opposed to the military regime.
However, the junta views it as a “terrorist group” due to the actions of its armed wing, the People’s Defence Forces (PDF), partially formed by inexperienced youths after the coup, and which has been gaining ground against the army.
According to the junta, East Timor’s relationship with the NUG “damages the bilateral relationship between both countries” and accused them of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations through “their actions and comments”.
The statement indirectly referred to a meeting held between East Timor’s Prime Minister, José Ramos Horta, and the NUG’s Foreign Minister, Zin Mar Aung, in Dili, the capital of East Timor, last July.
Many countries maintain chargés d’affaires instead of ambassadors in Myanmar as a protest against the military coup of February 1, 2021.
The government of East Timor, one of the most critical in the region of the Myanmar regime, issued a statement condemning the expulsion before the Myanmar authorities made it public.
The statement reiterated East Timor’s solidarity with the people of Myanmar, emphasizing the importance of supporting all efforts to restore democratic order in Myanmar and urging the military junta to respect human rights and seek a constructive and peaceful solution to the crisis.
The coup plunged Myanmar into a deep political, economic, and social crisis, with brutal repression against dissidents and intensified guerrilla wars against ethnic minorities throughout the country.