JAKARTA, Indonesia

Indonesia’s president on Friday called on Myanmar’s military junta to immediately cease its use of force against civilians.

“The use of violence in Myanmar must be stopped immediately so there will be no more victims,” Joko Widodo said during a virtual news conference.

Myanmar’s military has killed at least 224 people since mass protests erupted against Feb. 1 power grab, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners.

Some 2,258 people have been arrested, charged, or sentenced over the anti-army demonstrations.

The Indonesian president stressed that the safety and well-being of the people of Myanmar must be the top priority.

“On behalf of myself and all Indonesian people, I would like to express my deepest condolences and sympathy to the victims and families of victims as a result of the use of violence in Myanmar,” he said.

The president urged all sides in Myanmar to hold talks and work for reconciliation to restore democracy and stability in the country.

Widodo said he would soon hold talks with the sultan of Brunei, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to discuss the possibility of holding a high-level meeting on the Myanmar crisis.

*Writing by Maria Elisa Hospita