Brussels, Belgium. The European Union is hosting a state visit of Myanmar Suu Kyi and normally during a state visit one does not attack a guest and question their honesty, but that is in some alternative world far from Brussels, because that is in fact, exactly what the EU just did to Burma’s ruler.
Brussels decided to start a fight with the visiting leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, by publicly supporting an international mission to look into alleged human rights abuses by the country’s security forces against Rohingya Muslims, while in the EU on a State visit.
Federica Mogherini, speaking at a news conference with Suu Kyi, said an agreed resolution of the U.N. Human Rights Council would help clear up uncertainty about allegations of killings, torture and rape against Rohingyas.But said nothing about why the EU was picking the time of her visit to launch the inquiry.
When questioned about the move, Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace laureate, said: “We are disassociating ourselves from the resolution because we don’t think the resolution is in keeping with what is actually happening on the ground.” The leader was shaken and visibly upset with what should have been a diplomatic disagreement in private, not one played out for EU political gain at a guest’s expense.
The Human Rights Council adopted the resolution, which was brought by the European Union and supported by countries including the United States, without a vote in March. China and India distanced themselves from the UN resolution. Giving rise to international concerns that BRICS nation members may yet form their own international union of nations for dispute resolution.
The UN issued areport issued last month, based on interviews with 220 Rohingya among 75,000 who have fled to Bangladesh and said that Myanmar’s security forces have committed mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya in a campaign that “very likely” amounts to crimes against humanity and possibly ethnic cleansing.
The leader of Myanmar Suu Kyi assumed power following a landslide election win after military leaders initiated a political transition. The country had been run under a number of military dictatorships or juntas up to that point.