Glasgow withdraws Suu Kyi freedom award

Councillors have voted to withdraw an offer to award Aung Suu Kyi the freedom of Glasgow following a string of alleged human rights violations in Myanmar.

The honour had been offered in absentia to the current state counsellor of Myanmar while she was under house arrest as Burma’s pro- democracy leader in March 2009.

Ms Kyi, who was released in 2010 and has since joined the Burmese government, has been criticised around the world for not stopping a military crackdown in the northern state of Rakh in ea mid allegations of ethnic cleansing.

About 600,000 Rohingya people, who are mostly Muslim, have fled to Bangladesh since August.

Clash es between ethnic groups in Burma are not uncommon but the most recent armed Rohingya insurgency has led to some of the worst fighting seen in the country, with human rights organisations including the UN calling for an immediate halt to government military activity.

Glasgow’s Lord Provost Eva Bolander said the honour was withdrawn with “sadness”.

Councillor Sor yia Siddique, who moved the motion to withdraw the award, said: “The city’ s reputation could have been tarnished by continuing to honour those turning a blind eye to violence.”