Stop
Deferring to Aung San Suu Kyi on Burma
By
David Mepham
September 07, 2017 "Information
Clearing House"
-For
far too long, British policy toward Burma has
deferred heavily to the views of its de facto
leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. UK Foreign Secretary
Boris Johnson
was at it again
at the weekend, suggesting she use her
“remarkable qualities” to unite her country and
stop the violence in Burma’s western Rakhine
State, which, he said, afflicts “both Muslims
and other communities.” This after a fortnight
in which hundreds of Rohingya Muslims have been
reported killed, their homes burnt to the
ground, and more than 120,000 desperate people
have fled for their lives to neighbouring
Bangladesh to escape the vicious brutality of
the Burmese security forces. This followed a
coordinated attack by Rohingya militants on two
dozen police and border posts in late August.
Security force operations in response to the
attacks last year were described by the United
Nations as very likely
crimes against humanity.
Faced with these appalling developments, Suu Kyi
has uttered not a word of condemnation. On the
contrary, her office has added fuel to the fire
by
claiming – with
breathtaking irresponsibility – that
international aid groups are
supportive of terrorism.
Her pusillanimous stance has triggered
widespread criticism, including from the fellow
Nobel Peace laureate, Malala Yousafzai.
So,
what should the British government do?
First,
it needs to address the dire humanitarian
situation on the ground, both in Bangladesh and
inside Burma. Many refugees have not eaten
properly for days, and require specialized
medical help. The Burmese government is
disgracefully hindering international relief
efforts, and should face additional pressure
from the UK and other countries to ensure
unimpeded access.
Second,
there should be much greater pressure on the
Burmese government to permit an international
investigation of the many egregious abuses so
that those responsible can be held to account.
It’s outrageous that the Burmese government says
it will bar the UN-mandated international
fact-finding mission tasked with investigating
abuses in Burma, which was established in March
2017 with the support of the UK government.
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Third,
the UK and others should press Burma to address
the underlying causes of this crisis, most
obviously, the denial of nationality and legal
status of nearly one million Rohingya who have
lived in Burma for generations.
More of
the same is not an option. The gravity of this
crisis requires a major shift in British
government policy. Aung San Suu Kyi’s reputation
lies in tatters, and it’s unconscionable that UK
policy should continue to follow her lead.
This article was first published by
Human Rights Watch
-
See
also -
Rohingya Muslims: Tales
of horror from Myanmar
Rohingya crisis: Suu Kyi
says 'fake news helping terrorists'
