Suu Kyi must fulfill responsibility to Myanmar to resolve Rohingya issue
8:03 pm, November 26, 2018
The Yomiuri Shimbun. In order to resolve the serious humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, the leadership of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de facto head of government, is indispensable. The international community, including Japan, also needs to increase its involvement.
Over the issue that the country’s Muslim minority Rohingya have fled to neighbor Bangladesh as refugees, both governments postponed the repatriation plans, originally scheduled to start on Nov. 15. It is expected to be difficult for the plans to be implemented within this year.
The refugees are refusing to be repatriated on the grounds that their safety has not been secured in Myanmar. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had also requested the postponement of their repatriation, saying the will of the refugees should be respected.
After Myanmar’s security authorities launched a campaign of ethnic cleansing in August last year, more than 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh as refugees. Neither their slipshod return that would have these refugees exposed to dangers, nor any further prolongation of their wretched life as refugees is pardonable.
The U.N. Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, established by the U.N. Human Rights Council, said in its report released in August that such crimes as indiscriminate killing, sexual violence, attacking and burning of villages, and others against Rohingya amount to an act of ethnic genocide, and called for prosecuting Myanmar’s top military leaders.
With regards to Suu Kyi, too, the report noted that she “has not used her de facto position as Head of Government.”
Japan must take stronger stance
Myanmar is still in the process of becoming a democratic country, with the military still maintaining a strong influence. As the great majority of its people are Buddhists, the sense of discrimination against the Rohingya, a non-Buddhist minority, runs strong.
Isn’t Suu Kyi putting off a fundamental solution to the issue, out of consideration for the military and public opinion? She must take to heart the growing criticism from the international community.
The European Union is considering imposing economic sanctions against Myanmar. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence also told Suu Kyi of U.S. concerns.
The Myanmar government has established a commission to investigate allegations of persecution of Rohingya and to prevent a similar incident from recurring. Four people, including Kenzo Oshima, Japan’s former ambassador to the United Nations, were appointed as members. The Myanmar government and the military are required to actively cooperate with the investigation and strive to regain trust.
Drawing a line from countries in Europe and North America, Japan attaches importance to assistance to Myanmar, while holding in check its criticism about the country. When member countries at the U.N. council adopted a resolution to condemn Myanmar’s persecution of Rohingya, Japan abstained. There may also be such concerns that China could increase its influence there if Japan becomes distanced from Myanmar.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe emphasizes that Myanmar, by accepting the involvement of an international organization, should accelerate the improvement of the environment for the return of Rohingya refugees. Japan, for its part, should not only show its understanding toward Suu Kyi, but also strongly demand her to take action.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 26, 2018)
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005372589
8:03 pm, November 26, 2018
The Yomiuri Shimbun. In order to resolve the serious humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, the leadership of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de facto head of government, is indispensable. The international community, including Japan, also needs to increase its involvement.
Over the issue that the country’s Muslim minority Rohingya have fled to neighbor Bangladesh as refugees, both governments postponed the repatriation plans, originally scheduled to start on Nov. 15. It is expected to be difficult for the plans to be implemented within this year.
The refugees are refusing to be repatriated on the grounds that their safety has not been secured in Myanmar. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had also requested the postponement of their repatriation, saying the will of the refugees should be respected.
After Myanmar’s security authorities launched a campaign of ethnic cleansing in August last year, more than 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh as refugees. Neither their slipshod return that would have these refugees exposed to dangers, nor any further prolongation of their wretched life as refugees is pardonable.
The U.N. Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, established by the U.N. Human Rights Council, said in its report released in August that such crimes as indiscriminate killing, sexual violence, attacking and burning of villages, and others against Rohingya amount to an act of ethnic genocide, and called for prosecuting Myanmar’s top military leaders.
With regards to Suu Kyi, too, the report noted that she “has not used her de facto position as Head of Government.”
Japan must take stronger stance
Myanmar is still in the process of becoming a democratic country, with the military still maintaining a strong influence. As the great majority of its people are Buddhists, the sense of discrimination against the Rohingya, a non-Buddhist minority, runs strong.
Isn’t Suu Kyi putting off a fundamental solution to the issue, out of consideration for the military and public opinion? She must take to heart the growing criticism from the international community.
The European Union is considering imposing economic sanctions against Myanmar. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence also told Suu Kyi of U.S. concerns.
The Myanmar government has established a commission to investigate allegations of persecution of Rohingya and to prevent a similar incident from recurring. Four people, including Kenzo Oshima, Japan’s former ambassador to the United Nations, were appointed as members. The Myanmar government and the military are required to actively cooperate with the investigation and strive to regain trust.
Drawing a line from countries in Europe and North America, Japan attaches importance to assistance to Myanmar, while holding in check its criticism about the country. When member countries at the U.N. council adopted a resolution to condemn Myanmar’s persecution of Rohingya, Japan abstained. There may also be such concerns that China could increase its influence there if Japan becomes distanced from Myanmar.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe emphasizes that Myanmar, by accepting the involvement of an international organization, should accelerate the improvement of the environment for the return of Rohingya refugees. Japan, for its part, should not only show its understanding toward Suu Kyi, but also strongly demand her to take action.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 26, 2018)
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005372589
