NAYPYITAW: Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi asked to be given “enough space” to address the plight of her country’s Rohingya Muslim population, as visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry pressed the Nobel Peace laureate to promote respect for human rights.
She said her new government was determined to address deep hatreds in western Rakhine State, where tens of thousands of Rohingya are confined to squalid displacement camps after waves of deadly unrest with local Buddhists in 2012.
Suu Kyi, who has faced criticism internationally for not speaking up for the Rohingya, pledged to work toward a situation where the communities “live peacefully and securely outside the camps.”
“That is why we say that we need the space to build up trust and security within the community,” she added.
The US has long supported Suu Kyi’s role in championing democratic change in Myanmar, but was surprised this month when she suggested to the new US Ambassador Scot Marciel to refrain from using the term ‘Rohingya’ for the persecuted Muslim minority.
The Rohingya, most of whom live in apartheid-like conditions, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and referred to by many as Bengalis.
“Emotive terms make it very difficult for us to find a peaceful and sensible resolution to our problems,” Suu Kyi told reporters at a joint news conference with Kerry in Naypyitaw on Sunday.
She said her new government was determined to address deep hatreds in western Rakhine State, where tens of thousands of Rohingya are confined to squalid displacement camps after waves of deadly unrest with local Buddhists in 2012.
Suu Kyi, who has faced criticism internationally for not speaking up for the Rohingya, pledged to work toward a situation where the communities “live peacefully and securely outside the camps.”
“That is why we say that we need the space to build up trust and security within the community,” she added.
The US has long supported Suu Kyi’s role in championing democratic change in Myanmar, but was surprised this month when she suggested to the new US Ambassador Scot Marciel to refrain from using the term ‘Rohingya’ for the persecuted Muslim minority.
The Rohingya, most of whom live in apartheid-like conditions, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and referred to by many as Bengalis.
“Emotive terms make it very difficult for us to find a peaceful and sensible resolution to our problems,” Suu Kyi told reporters at a joint news conference with Kerry in Naypyitaw on Sunday.
