Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi delivers a speech to the nation over Rakhine and Rohingya situation, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
Nay Pyi Taw, September 19 (IANS) Breaking her silence on Rohingyas, Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday said she and her government condemned all human rights abuses and unlawful violence in the country and do not fear global scrutiny on the situation in Rakhine state. State Counsellor Suu Kyi made the remarks in English in her much-anticipated address in Parliament over the violence that has seen about 415,000 Rohingya Muslims flee into Bangladesh since August 25 following a military crackdown that has raised global concerns. Her comments came a day after a group of countries led by the UK met with representatives of the Myanmar government in New York and called for an end to the violence against Rohingya Muslim minority and allow aid to be provided to them. [caption id="attachment_303256" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
A Rohingya refugee woman wraps her child with a scarf as it drizzles in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, September 17, 2017. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain[/caption]
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Rohingya refugees wait under open sky, pending the arrival of tent supplies in Teknaf, Bangladesh September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain[/caption]
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Smoke is seen on Myanmar's side of border as an exhausted Rohingya refugee woman is carried to the shore after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border by boat through the Bay of Bengal, in Shah Porir Dwip, Bangladesh September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui[/caption]
Ministers from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Turkey, Australia, Canada, Sweden and Denmark as well as the US permanent representative in the UN, Nikki Haley, took part in the meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
Suu Kyi did not, in her 30-minute televised address, denounce the alleged atrocities against the Rohingyas, termed by UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein as a "textbook case of ethnic cleansing". Instead, she said Myanmar was not "afraid of international scrutiny".
Her speech was criticised for failing to address the allegations of abuse by the Myanmar military. Hours later, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva called for full access to the region so it can investigate the situation "with its own eyes".
In her address, Suu Kyi only referred to the Rohingya by name once -- in connection to the burgeoning Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militant group that she claimed was "responsible for acts of terrorism".
Suu Kyi, who decided not to attend the UN General Assembly in New York, said she was "aware of the fact that the world's attention is focused on the situation in Rakhine". She said she wanted the international community to know what was being done by her government.
"It is not the intention of the Myanmar government to apportion blame or to abdicate responsibility. We condemn all human rights violation and unlawful violence."
Despite the continuing exodus from conflict-hit Rakhine, which borders Bangladesh, Suu Kyi claimed that the military's offensive ended two weeks ago.
"There have been no conflicts since September 5 and no clearance operations. We too are concerned. We want to find out what the real problems are," said the Nobel Peace Prize winner.
"There have been allegations, and counter allegations, and we have to listen to all of them... We have to make sure that these allegations are based on solid evidence before we take action.
"We want to find out why this exodus is happening. We'd like to talk to those who have fled, as well as those who have stayed."
Suu Kyi said she felt "deeply" for the suffering of "all people" in the conflict and Myanmar was "committed to a sustainable solution... for all communities in this state".
"Action will be taken against all peoples, regardless of their religion, race or political position who go against the laws of the land and who violate human rights.
Suu Kyi also promised to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the violence.
Responding to her speech, Amnesty International accused Suu Kyi and her government of "burying their heads in the sand over the horrors unfolding in Rakhine state.
"At times, her speech amounted to little more than a mix of untruths and victim blaming," said James Gomez, Amnesty International's Regional Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
India on Tuesday stressed on the restoration of normalcy in Rakhine state and called for the situation to be handled with restraint.
"It is imperative that violence is ended and normalcy in the state is restored expeditiously through a solution based on respect for peace, communal harmony, justice, dignity and democratic values," said Rajiv Chander, India's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva.
Suu Kyi's speech, though disappointing to many outside the country who view her as a champion of human rights, was met with applause and cheers from large crowds in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, who watched her live on large outdoor screens.
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Rohingya refugee children walk on a muddy path after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, in Teknaf, Bangladesh.REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui[/caption] [caption id="attachment_300947" align="aligncenter" width="780"]
Rohingya refugees walk through a paddy field after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui[/caption] [caption id="attachment_300921" align="aligncenter" width="780"]
A Rohingya refugee girl sits next to her mother who rests after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, in Teknaf, Bangladesh.REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui[/caption] [caption id="attachment_300923" align="aligncenter" width="780"]
Rohingya refugees wash mud from their clothes while crossing a canal in Teknaf, Bangladesh.REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain[/caption] [caption id="attachment_300918" align="aligncenter" width="780"]
Rohingya refugees carry their child as they walk through water after crossing border by boat through the Naf River in Teknaf, Bangladesh.REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain[/caption] There was a party atmosphere among the people watching Suu Kyi. The Rohingya refugees have fled since the violence broke out on August 25 when ARSA rebels attacked police checkposts and killed 12 security personnel. The Myanmar government has said its operations in Rakhine state were in response to the August attack and that the military was battling terrorists and doing everything to protect civilians. Human rights activists, fellow Nobel laureates and much of the world's Muslim community have condemned Suu Kyi for failing to use her position as a government leader and moral authority to speak out on behalf of Rohingyas. Myanmar considers the Rohingya illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh whereas Bangladesh considers them Myanmar citizens. The Myanmar government does not use the term "Rohingya" and does not recognise the people as an official ethnicity, which means the Rohingya are denied citizenship and effectively rendered stateless.
