Aung San Suu Kyi stripped of Oxford honour
A cross party motion was unanimously passed by the council on Monday which said it was no longer appropriate for her to hold the honour.
London: An honour bestowed on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi by the city of Oxford has been withdrawn as a reaction to her perceived inadequate response to the plight of Rohingya Muslims in the country.
The ‘Freedom of Oxford’ had been granted to the de facto leader of Myanmar in 1997 for her “long struggle for democracy” by the Oxford City Council.
A cross party motion was unanimously passed by the council on Monday which said it was “no longer appropriate” for her to hold the honour. The city council will hold a special meeting to confirm that the honour is removed on November 27.
Meanwhile, more than 10,000 Muslim Rohingya have massed in Myanmar near a crossing point into Bangladesh, Myanmar media said on Tuesday, apparently poised to join an exodus across the border due to food shortages and fear of attacks.
Over 500,000 Rohingya have streamed into Bangladesh in just the past five weeks.