BANGKOK: Myanmar’s junta on Sunday (Aug 27) ordered the expulsion of Timor-Leste’s top diplomat in the country over a meeting his government held with a banned shadow administration.
The Southeast Asian nation has been locked in crisis since the military seized power in February 2021, ending a brief experiment with democracy and sparking violent clashes.
The military has designated the shadow administration known as the National Unity Government (NUG) – dominated by exiled lawmakers working overseas to overturn the coup – as a terror organisation.
Last month, Timor-Leste’s President Jose Ramos-Horta met with NUG foreign minister Zin Mar Aung in the capital Dili.
On Sunday, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the “irresponsible actions” of Timor-Leste, ordering the country’s Charge d’Affaires in Yangon “to leave no later than Sep 1, 2023”.
The ministry said in a Facebook post that Timor-Leste was “encouraging the terrorist group to further committing their violations in Myanmar”.
Timor-Leste condemned the expulsion order, reiterating in a statement “the importance of supporting all efforts for the return of democratic order in Myanmar”.
Dili also urged the junta to “respect human rights and seek a peaceful and constructive solution to the crisis”.