Amnesty International has stripped off Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto leader’s human rights award over her ‘shameful betrayal of the values she once stood for’. Amnesty International told her she no longer “represents a symbol of hope, courage, and the undying defence of human rights”.
The Myanmar leader has been criticised for failing to intervene to stop violence against Rohingya Muslims. Her award was stripped of because of ‘apparent indifference’ towards Myanmar Army’s action against Rohingya Muslims. In May this year, Amnesty International itself had confirmed that Hindus were massacred by Rohingya Muslims even as Indian ‘liberals’ tried to whitewash their crimes.
Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience in 2009 when she was under house arrest. She was recognised for her peaceful and non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.
Amnesty Secretary General Kumi Naidoo, in her letter to Aung San Suu Kyi, told her that her title can no longer be justified.
The letter states that Amnesty is “appalled to witness your administration spread hate narratives against minorities”. Amnesty had campaigned for her release, but her government has “actively used them (repressive laws) to curb freedom of expression.” Interestingly, as per an investigation carried out by Amnesty itself, it was revealed that an armed Rohingya group was responsible at least one and potentially a second massacre of up to 99 Hindu men, women and children as well as unlawful abduction in August 2017.
Earlier, US Holocaust Museum’s Elie Weisel Award and Freedom of City awards given to her were also revoked.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been accused of being indifferent towards the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The UN special investigator on human rights in Myanmar has said she is in ‘total denial’ about accusations of violence.
Amnesty International also added that Aung San Suu Kyi’s administration flared hate against Rohingya Muslims by labeling them ‘terrorists’. The administration is also accused of obstructing an international investigation into abuses. Amnesty International conveniently ignores the human rights abuses by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) fighters, who have sowed fear among Hindus and other ethnic communities with these brutal attacks.
In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded Nobel Peace Prize and has also worked at the UN for three years. Aung San Suu Kyi came to power as de facto head of Myanmar in 2016. The international community has put pressure on her to condemn Myanmar Army’s alleged brutality against the Rohingyas.
