A letter sent by Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena inviting Foreign Minister of the Myanmar Army Junta, that seized power through a military coup, to attend the BIMSTEC summit has caused a great deal of controversy.
Many Myanmar nationals have commented on Twitter that the Sri Lankan government has indirectly accepted military rule in Myanmar through this invitation.
[If BIMSTEC countries are not gonna be helpful to the people of Myanmar, at least kick out terrorist junta from your meetings while we settle our own affairs. @MFA_SriLanka @PMBhutan @FMBhutan pic.twitter.com/pkDAr77hfu
— Civil Disobedience Movement (@cvdom2021) March 10, 2021
We, #Myanmar People, strongly condemn #Srilanka for their invitation letter to Military Coup.#ProtestBIMSTEC#ProtestSriLanka#WhatIsHappeningInMyanmar
— Thein Myint (@STTheinMyint) March 10, 2021
We, the people of #Myanmar strongly condemn #SriLanka for the invitation of Wunna Maung Lwin, the illegal minister of junta to attend #BIMSTEC meeting. Your ignorance to our cause is an insult to us. Against to the wishes of Myanmar people is a total disgrace! pic.twitter.com/bVKEE4PkW5
— Nai Moe Myint (@895B_Thomason) March 10, 2021]
In this regard, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena says that as Sri Lanka holds the chairmanship of the BIMSTEC Conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Myanmar was also invited traditionally to attend the online conference.
He said it did not mean that the Sri Lankan government would accept the new government in Myanmar.
However, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena states that Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Myanmar Nalinda Silva is still in Myanmar and maintains diplomatic relations.
Meanwhile, Nalaka Gunawardena, an analyst on international politics, points out that the invitation raises whether the Myanmar military junta has received diplomatic recognition.
“This situation would not have arisen if the letter had been sent to the post without mentioning a name. However, the problem arose because the letter was sent in the name of the new Minister of External Affairs. When sending this invitation as a government, it could have been sent without mentioning a name,” said Nalaka Gunawardena.
