After weeks of silence on the violence against Rohingyas, Mynamar’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi delivered a controversial speech earlier this week in which she defiantly said that she does not fear international scrutiny.
The leader has asked for patience from the international community, refuting claims that more than half of the Rohingya villages had been destroyed.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner drew widespread criticism for her remarks, with many seeing it as reluctance to address the crisis and her government’s role in it.
Suu Kyi on Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh: We want to find out why the exodus is happeninghttps://t.co/oCeKazQtQo pic.twitter.com/HcIWEXKi6R— CNN International (@cnni) September 19, 2017
Thousands of Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh in recent weeks after violence between militants and Myanmar soldiers in Rakhine state.
Abdul Hafiz, a Rohingya at the Kutupalong camp told the Washington Post that,“What Suu Kyi told her people and the world is a complete lie. If what she said is not a lie then let the world media in, so that they can see whether we are tortured or we are happy. Let them see the plight of the people there. ... Because of the torture in Muangdaw town (in Rakhine state) people ran away to Bangladesh. If it’s a lie, then you can throw me in the sea and kill me. We will not mind.”
Meanwhile, India's stand remains unclear.
If India says we won't allow them in our country then no international body can ask it to take them in: Former AG Mukul Rohatgi #Rohingya pic.twitter.com/EO48mMUBlH— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2017
UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado said that according to the UN, over 250,000 children have fled Myanmar over the last 25 days.
"They are refugees" - our spokesperson @AndrejMahecic on why words matter when it comes to #Rohingya refugees https://t.co/YqKJ2Vfd1N pic.twitter.com/CmlRzeZSoh— UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) September 20, 2017
In recent days, world leaders and former Nobel laureates have spoken out against the situation in Myanmar.
Suu Kyi's fellow Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai took to Twitter to condemn the “tragic and shameful treatment” of the Rohingyas. She also tweeted saying, “The world is waiting and the Rohingya Muslims are waiting.”
Bangladeshi economist and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus also criticised Myanmar's leader. "Aung San Suu Kyi should tell the Rohingya that Myanmar is as much their home as it is hers," he said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with the Myanmar leader and “expressed deep concerns” over the sensitive issue of Rohingyas. Subsequently, 10,000 online petitions were filed by Canadians asking to remove Su Kyi’s honorary Canadian citizenship, according to media reports.
He tweeted saying that, “Today I spoke with Aung San Suu Kyi to convey Canada’s deep concerns for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.”
Hong Liang, Chinese ambassador to Myanmar, had a different view. He said, “I think this is a very good speech. It will help the international community have a better understanding of the situation here in Myanmar and in Rakhine and help the international community have a better understanding of the position held by the Myanmar government."
Amnesty International’s regional director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, James Gomez said: “ Aung San Suu Kyi today demonstrated that she and her government are still burying their heads in the sand over the horrors unfolding in Rakhine state. At times, her speech amounted to little more than a mix of untruths and victim blaming. There is overwhelming evidence that security forces are engaged in a campaign of ethnic cleansing. While it was positive to hear Aung San Suu Kyi condemn human rights violations in Rakhine state, she is still silent about the role of the security forces in this.”
The world's fastest growing refugee crisis is now #Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh - help us stop the violence: https://t.co/rOd9MTjPfh pic.twitter.com/hOfxAS9Xhz— AmnestyInternational (@amnesty) September 19, 2017
British Prime Minister Theresa May said the military action in Rakhine had to stop. The UK is suspending training courses for the Myanmar military in light of the violence.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the international community to act on the crisis warning that "unless the tragedy taking place in Myanmar is brought to a halt, humanity will have to live with the shame of another dark stain in its history."
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