Amnesty International strips Aung San Suu Kyi of conscience award over Rohingiya issue
New Delhi, Nov 13 (IBNS) ; Amnesty International, the London-based global human rights organisation, has stripped Myanmarese leader Aung San Suu Kyi of its highest honour, accusing the Myanmar leader of perpetuating human rights abuses by not speaking out about violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority.
The organisation has cited her “indifference” towards the atrocities committed by Myanmar’s military on Rohingya Muslims as the reason, media reports said.
Suu Kyi was given the Ambassador of Conscience award in 2009 while she was being kept under house arrest by the then military dictatorship in Myanmar.
Amnesty, in a letter written by the organisation’s secretary general Kumi Naidoo to Suu Kyi, accused her of “overlooking” the crimes committed by Myanmar’s military against the Rohingyas and “shielding” the military from international scrutiny and accountability.
“Today, we are profoundly dismayed that you no longer represent a symbol of hope, courage, and the undying defence of human rights,” said Naidoo in the letter.
"Amnesty International cannot justify your continued status as a recipient of the Ambassador of Conscience award and so with great sadness we are hereby withdrawing it from you." the letter stated adding that the public announcement of the revocation will be done on 13 November.
In 2015, Suu Kyi and her party National League for Democracy (NLD) rose to power in Myanmar, ending decades of military rule.
She is also a recipient of the Nobel peace prize that was awarded to her in 1991.
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