Amnesty strips Aung San Suu Kyi of its highest honour over Rohingya crisis

Amnesty International has stripped Aung San Suu Kyi of its highest honour over the Myanmar leader’s “indifference” to the atrocities committed by the military against Rohingya Muslims.

The loss of the Ambassador of Conscience Award is the latest blow to the standing of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner since Myanmar’s military drove 720,000 Rohingya out of the Buddhist-majority country, in what the UN has called an act of genocide.

The global human rights organisation in London said on Monday that it was revoking the award it gave Ms Suu Kyi in 2009 while she was under house arrest.

“Today, we are profoundly dismayed that you no longer represent a symbol of hope, courage and the undying defence of human rights,” Amnesty International chief Kumi Naidoo said in a letter to her.

“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.”

Amnesty said it informed Ms Suu Kyi, 73, of the decision on Sunday. She has made no public response.

Ms Suu Kyi was globally hailed as a human rights champion who stood up to her country’s military junta while under house arrest for years.

Her party swept to power in 2015 but her tenure has been marred by a failure to speak up for the Rohingya.

Amnesty said thousands of Rohingya were killed since August last year. vocal line on Myanmar, Dr Tan See Seng, a professor of international relations, told The National that a muted response could emerge.

“The Rohingya crisis will probably be discussed behind closed doors among the Asean leaders, but we probably shouldn’t expect any major decision by Asean on the issue, certainly not anything that puts the Myanmar government on the back foot,” he said.

“Asean will probably maintain consensus.”