Don’t Want to Use an Emotive Term: Suu Kyi on not Naming Rohingya

Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

(Photo: ANI Screengrab)

Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, in an interview on 19 September, explained why she refrained from referring to the muslim minority community in Rakhine state as 'Rohingyas' during her State of Union address.

In her defence, Suu Kyi said that she did not intend to use emotive terms for an already affected population.

There has been a lot of controversy with regard to the term used to describe Muslims in Rakhine. There are those who refer to the Muslims there as Rohingya. I think instead of using these emotive terms, t’s better just to say Muslim. I don’t see any point in using terms that will inflame the passions further.

Aung Saan Suu Kyi, State Counsellor, Myanmar

When asked to make a distinction on whether the Rohingya issue was a humanitarian or a socio-economical crisis, Suu Kyi said:

It is a humanitarian issue, which has risen out of long-term social-economic problems. The problems of the Rakhine state go back to the 19th century and obviously, it is not something we can solve overnight. But there are places in the Rakhine state, where the communities live in a harmony and we want to see why it is not possible in some places.

Leaders and diplomats from several countries have expressed strong disappointment with Suu Kyi’s stance on Rohingya issue. More than 4,00,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since August.

The latest unrest in the troubled Rakhine state was sparked by attacks on police stations across the state last month, blamed on a newly emerged militant group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

(With inputs from ANI)

Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim

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