Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi condemned on Tuesday human rights violations in Rakhine state and said violators would be brought to book, but she did not address U.N. accusations of a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims.
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi condemned on Tuesday human rights violations in Rakhine state and said violators would be brought to book, but she did not address U.N. accusations of a campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims.
The Nobel Peace laureate's remarks came in her first address to the nation since attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents on Aug. 25 sparked a military response that has forced more than 410,000 Rohingya into neighbouring Bangladesh.
Here are some of the highlights of her speech
- "We feel deeply for the suffering of all the people who have been caught up in the conflict. Those who have had to flee their homes are many, not just Muslims and Rakhines, but also small minority groups. The government is working to restore the situation to normalcy."
- "Myanmar is prepared to start the verification process of refugees who wish to return. Those who have been verified as refugees will be accepted without any problems and with full assurance of security and access to humanitarian aid."
- "There have been allegations and counter-allegations … We have to make sure those allegations are based on solid evidence before we take action."
- "We are concerned to hear that numbers of Muslims are fleeing across the border to Bangladesh. We want to find out why this exodus is happening."
- "We condemn all human rights violations and unlawful violence. We are committed to the restoration of peace and stability and rule of law throughout the state."
- "Action will be taken against all people, regardless of their religion, race and political position, who go against the law of the land and violate human rights."
- "We don't want Myanmar to be a nation divided by religious beliefs or ethnicity... we all have the right to our diverse identities."
- "Myanmar wants peace rather than war, harmony rather than conflict. The government wants to put an end to the suffering to our people as quickly as possible. We don’t want Myanmar to be divided on the basis of religious beliefs or ethinicities or political ideology. We have the right to our diverse identities."
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