Government urges Aung San Suu Kyi to act on ‘tragedy’ of Rohingya crisis
2 min read
A senior Foreign Office minister has pleaded in person with Aung San Suu Kyi to end the violence against the Rohingya people on a visit to Myanmar.
Mark Field called on the country’s de facto leader to grant full humanitarian access to the United Nations and ramp up efforts to protect the under siege group.
The Nobel Prize winner, who spent years under house arrest in pursuit of democracy in the region, has been the subject of international criticism over her handling of the crisis, which has seen around 400,000 flee the country to Bangladesh over military aggression.
Mr Field - thought to be the first foreign minister to speak with the Myanmar leader from outside the region since the violence began – said he had told her of the UK’s concerns about the “unacceptable tragedy”.
"What we have seen in Rakhine in the past few weeks is an absolute and unacceptable tragedy," he said.
"We need the violence to stop and all those who have fled to be able to return to their homes quickly and safely.
"During my meetings with Aung San Suu Kyi and others, I strongly emphasised the need for Burma to heed the security council's call to end violence and allow humanitarian access to those in need of aid."
Yesterday in his conference closing speech, Jeremy Corbyn also urged Ms Suu Kyi to take greater action in ending the struggle - branded a “textbook case of ethnic cleansing” by the UN.
While acknowledging her past work as a "champion of democracy and human rights", the Labour leader added: “The Rohingya have suffered for too long”.
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