09/19/2017, 10.22
MYANMAR
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Aung San Suu Kyi: Myanmar does not fear international inquiries on Rohingya

In her first public talk on the Rakhine crisis, the Democratic leader promises to pursue "all human rights violations and outlaw violence" and the return of those who fled. From September 5 there are no conflicts.

Yangon (AsiaNews) - Myanmar is not afraid of an "international inquiry" on the Rakhine violence against Rohingya. Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi said in a largely anticipated televised discourse today at Nay Pyi Taw.

International personalities have criticized the Nobel Peace Laureate for keeping silent on the violence that is taking place against the Islamic minority of her country by the Burmese army. Today’s speech was the first since the outbreak of the crisis, although she has said in recent weeks that there has been a "huge iceberg of misinformation".

Since August 25, after some attacks on the armed forces by Rohingya militants, the army responded with a tough campaign that killed hundreds of dead and pushed more than 400,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh.

The "Lady" did not directly condemn the military, but said that since September 5 "there have been no armed clashes and no cleansing operations" in the territory. The UN has instead condemned the operations as an "ethnic cleansing".

"We," he said, "don’t want Myanmar to be a nation divided by religious beliefs or ethnicity ... we all have the right to our diverse identities.”

"“We condemn all human rights violations and unlawful violence. We are committed to the restoration of peace and stability and rule of law throughout the state. "

Expressing deep suffering for "all the people caught up in the conflict”, she said that " Human rights violations and all other acts that impair stability and harmony and undermine the rule of law will be addressed in accordance with strict laws and justice. "

Since in 1995, a fragile democracy has been emerging in the country, Aung San Suu Kyi has been excluded from the presidency, but is a state adviser and foreign minister. Economic and military power, however, remains in the hands of the armed forces. According to some analysts, the Rakhine conflict was fomented to undermine Aung San Suu Kyi’s attempt to reconcile the entire nation. At the same time, there are suspicions that the Rohingya crisis is being harnessed by Islamic fundamentalist groups to call for a new holy war.

 "We want to find out why this exodus is happening. We would like to talk to those who have fled as well as those who have stayed. I think it is very little known a great majority of Muslims in the Rakhine state have not joined the exodus."

The Democratic leader says that her country is ready to organize the return of those who fled to Bangladesh but also to verify the identity of the exiles. In Myanmar there are about 1 million Rohingya, Bengalese Muslim migrants and Hindus. They are not part of the minorities officially registered in the state, most of them have no Burmese citizenship.

To face the crisis in the country, Aung San Suu Kyi did not travel to New York to attend the UN General Assembly. Today's speech addressed to her fellow countrymen is also addressed to the international community.

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