Foreign Secretary appeals to San Suu Kyi for justice for genocide victims

0 Aung San Suu Kyi has been appealed to over the Rohingya Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has appealed to Aung San Suu Kyi to use her influence to ensure the perpetrators of the genocide of Burma’s Rohingya Muslims are brought to justice.

Mr Hunt held talks with the Burmese civilian leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate to discuss the Rohingya crisis during the second day of his visit to the country. He warned there could be no return of the estimated 700,000 Rohingya refugees who fled the country to escape the bloody military crackdown until it was clear those responsible would be held to account.

“The world is watching to see ifthereisjusticeaftersometruly appalling things have happened. All Burma’s friends are rooting for Burma to progress as a democracy but this is one of those litmus tests,” he said. This is a big moment for Aung San Suu Kyi to show the world something really is going to happen and there will be due process.”

Mr Hunt’s visit comes after a UN fact-finding mission found the Burmese military committed widespread violations including rape, murder, and the burning of Rohingya villages. It took the unusual step of calling for military leaders to be investigated and put on trial for genocide, while it criticised Ms Suu Kyi for failing to use her “moral authority” to prevent the violence. Mr Hunt, who was taken on what he said was a “carefully choreographed” visit to northern Rakhine where most of the killings took place, said he had had “a lively discussion” with Ms Suu Kyi.

“She is also someone who has campaigned for due process and democracy all her life. We had a very important discussion about why now is a very very important moment to demonstrate that can happen in Burma,” he said. Ms Suu Kyi, Burma’s elected civilian leader - has faced calls to be stripped of her Nobel Prize over failure to condemn the violence, although real power in the country still lies with the military.

Mr Hunt said he would chair a meeting next week at the UN General Assembly to discuss further steps the international community could take.