Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her "non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights". Back then, she was a campaigner for those things, spending a total of 15 years under house arrest.
She knows what it's like to have rights and freedom taken away.
But now that she's in perhaps the ultimate position of power in Myanmar, there is no sign she is going to defend the rights of people who have been detained simply because of who they are.
Tens of thousands of Muslims, mainly Rohingya, have been kept in camps in western Myanmar's Rakhine State for almost four years since their homes and communities were attacked. (Courtesy of aljazeera.com)
May 23, 2016
State counsellor urges avoidance of words ‘Rohingya’ and ‘Bengali’
Speaking for the first time since taking office about the issue of inter-communal violence in Rakhine State, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told reporters in a press briefing yesterday that she did not support the use of either of the terms “Rohingya” or “Bengali”.
Meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Nay Pyi Taw, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who also serves as foreign minister, stressed that arguing about the nomenclature was not helpful to her administration’s effort in finding a workable solution for the conflict in Rakhine State.
“The reason why I said ‘you’ve got to be very firm about not using emotive terms’ is because such terms make it very difficult for us to find peaceful and sensible resolutions to our problems,” she said. She said the terms “Bengali” and “Rohingya” had created greater divisions between the two communities. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Nay Pyi Taw, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who also serves as foreign minister, stressed that arguing about the nomenclature was not helpful to her administration’s effort in finding a workable solution for the conflict in Rakhine State.
“The reason why I said ‘you’ve got to be very firm about not using emotive terms’ is because such terms make it very difficult for us to find peaceful and sensible resolutions to our problems,” she said. She said the terms “Bengali” and “Rohingya” had created greater divisions between the two communities. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Govt to launch citizenship scrutiny process
As a part of the immigration and population ministry’s 100-day plan, citizenship scrutiny will be carried out nationwide despite possible challenges, Minister U Thein Swe told the Pyithu Hluttaw on May 20.
“As a first priority and a part of the 100-days plan, we’ve already arranged a work program for the citizenship scrutinising process that will be carried out systematically across the country and in accordance with the 1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law,” U Thein Swe said.
The Minister for Labour, Immigration and Population replied to a proposal submitted by MP Daw Khin Saw Wai from Rakhine State.
In her proposal she called on the government to initiate a nationwide citizenship scrutinising program to deal with what she said is an increasing number of illegal immigrants. Other ethnic MPs seconded her proposal. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
“As a first priority and a part of the 100-days plan, we’ve already arranged a work program for the citizenship scrutinising process that will be carried out systematically across the country and in accordance with the 1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law,” U Thein Swe said.
The Minister for Labour, Immigration and Population replied to a proposal submitted by MP Daw Khin Saw Wai from Rakhine State.
In her proposal she called on the government to initiate a nationwide citizenship scrutinising program to deal with what she said is an increasing number of illegal immigrants. Other ethnic MPs seconded her proposal. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Cyclone Roanu leaves IDP residents more exposed
The first cyclonic system of the monsoon season appears to have passed over northwestern Rakhine State causing minimal disruption to its major centres, with initial reports indicating no casualties. Residents in makeshift shelters at IDP camps outside of Sittwe appeared yesterday to have suffered the worst brunt of the storm in Myanmar.
Cyclone Roanu, which has claimed at least 24 lives in Bangladesh and another dozen in Sri Lanka, according to AFP, made landfall on May 21, causing heavy rains and high winds across Myanmar.
In Buthidaung and Maungdaw, where the storm was strongest, no missing persons had been reported at the time of printing. The exact impact on coastal and inland villages remains unclear, with information still scarce as of last night. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Cyclone Roanu, which has claimed at least 24 lives in Bangladesh and another dozen in Sri Lanka, according to AFP, made landfall on May 21, causing heavy rains and high winds across Myanmar.
In Buthidaung and Maungdaw, where the storm was strongest, no missing persons had been reported at the time of printing. The exact impact on coastal and inland villages remains unclear, with information still scarce as of last night. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
'No Muslims allowed': how nationalism is rising in Aung San Suu Kyi's Myanmar
At the entrance to Thaungtan village there’s a brand new sign, bright yellow, and bearing a message: “No Muslims allowed to stay overnight. No Muslims allowed to rent houses. No marriage with Muslims.”
The post was erected in late March by Buddhist residents of the village in Myanmar’s lush Irrawaddy Delta region who signed, or were strong-armed into signing, a document asserting that they wanted to live separately.
Since then a couple of other villages across the country have followed suit. Small but viciously insular, these “Buddhist-only” outposts serve as microcosms of the festering religious tensions that threaten Myanmar’s nascent experiment with democracy. (Courtesy of theguardian.com)
The post was erected in late March by Buddhist residents of the village in Myanmar’s lush Irrawaddy Delta region who signed, or were strong-armed into signing, a document asserting that they wanted to live separately.
Since then a couple of other villages across the country have followed suit. Small but viciously insular, these “Buddhist-only” outposts serve as microcosms of the festering religious tensions that threaten Myanmar’s nascent experiment with democracy. (Courtesy of theguardian.com)
U.S. Sanctions on Myanmar to Stay Until Military’s Influence Is Reduced
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday said Myanmar would have to change its constitution to guarantee civilian power if it is to see the remaining American economic sanctions on the country lifted.
Speaking in the country’s capital Naypyitaw after meeting with the country’s foreign minister, Aung San Suu Kyi, Mr. Kerry said the key to lifting the remaining sanctions would be for Myanmar to show more progress in reducing the military’s influence as the country continues along the road to democracy. “It is very difficult to complete that journey, in fact impossible to complete that journey, with the current constitution,” Mr. Kerry said.
He was later scheduled to hold talks with Myanmar’s army chief before traveling to Vietnam, where President Barack Obama is due to arrive early Monday for a state visit. (Courtesy of wsj.com)
Speaking in the country’s capital Naypyitaw after meeting with the country’s foreign minister, Aung San Suu Kyi, Mr. Kerry said the key to lifting the remaining sanctions would be for Myanmar to show more progress in reducing the military’s influence as the country continues along the road to democracy. “It is very difficult to complete that journey, in fact impossible to complete that journey, with the current constitution,” Mr. Kerry said.
He was later scheduled to hold talks with Myanmar’s army chief before traveling to Vietnam, where President Barack Obama is due to arrive early Monday for a state visit. (Courtesy of wsj.com)
Rohingya refugee: We were hunted down by mob in Myanmar
For decades, Rohingya Muslims have been fleeing Myanmar, a Buddhist majority country where they are forced to live in apartheid-like conditions and denied access to jobs, education and healthcare.
But in recent years the exodus of refugees has surged. Since 2012, more than 100,000 people have braved perilous boat journeys in search of better lives in Malaysia, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries.
Abu Siddiq, a Rohingya refugee living in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, told Al Jazeera that he was forced to flee his home after ethnic Buddhists launched a brutal campaign against his family and community. (Courtesy of aljazeera.com )
But in recent years the exodus of refugees has surged. Since 2012, more than 100,000 people have braved perilous boat journeys in search of better lives in Malaysia, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries.
Abu Siddiq, a Rohingya refugee living in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, told Al Jazeera that he was forced to flee his home after ethnic Buddhists launched a brutal campaign against his family and community. (Courtesy of aljazeera.com )
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