Rafta Foundation calls its former prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi to condemn the military’s assault against civilians and “ethnic cleansing” in Myanmar, writes NRK.
Aung San Suu Kyi won both Nobel Peace Prize and Rafto Foundation from Norway for her “contribtuion to democracy in Myanmar”. However, since she has taken over the post of Foreign Minister and State Counsellor of Myanmar, she has been in the center of international criticism for her support for the military’s actions against Rohingya minorities.
The international criticism of Raftopris winner Aung San Suu Kyi has increased because she has not distanced from the Myanmar Army’s intensive assault and ethnic cleansing against the minorities and blockage of the UN investigation about the accusation against the Myanmar army.
Rafto Foundation leader Jostein Hole Kobbeltvedtdoes says Suu Kyi does not condemn the military’s assault against civilians in Myanmar and take her joint responsibility.
In the previous few weeks, 300,000 people from the minority group Rohingya reportedly fleed across the border from the state of Rakhine in Myanmar to Bangladesh.
– I’m sorry that you have been quiet about the army’s assault, you have gone a long way in discrediting organizations that are critizing you, and that you have denied UN access to the areas of abuse. It’s completely unacceptable and I’m very disappointed, said Kobbeltvedt in the letter published by Bergens Tidende.
He also asked Aung San Suu Kyi to do everything to stop the atrocities.
– You must condemn the election against civilians, or you may be responsible for genocide,” he told to NRK.
Aung San Suu Kyi received the Raftopris in 1990, while she was an unknown human rights activist. The following year, she won Nobel Peace Prize. Both before and after the award ceremonies, she spent many years in house arrest in the capital city of Rangoon.
The Foundation has contact with Suu Kyi via Myanmar’s Embassy in Norway.
Last week Norwegian Prime Ministry also shared concern about the humanitarian situation in Rakhine.
– We are deeply concerned about the escalation of violence and the deterioration in the humanitarian situation of the Rohingya, the Muslim minority in Rakhine state in Myanmar. All groups must show restraint. The authorities, under the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi, have a particular responsibility to protect civilians from abuses, to stop the violence and to ensure humanitarian access,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende.
