UK trade union suspends Suu Kyi's award

Amid growing criticism over Aung San Suu Kyi's inaction to the Rohingya crisis, Unison, one of Britain's largest trade unions, has suspended an award given to her while she was a political prisoner.

Besides Unison, a number of British institutions have said they are either reviewing or removing honours bestowed on Suu Kyi during her campaign for democracy under Myanmar's oppressive military junta, The Guardian reported yesterday.

The move came hours after the UK's suspension of an educational training course for Myanmar military which is accused of burning Rohingya villages and killing the Muslim minority in Myanmar.

"The situation facing the Rohingya of Myanmar is appalling," Margaret McKee, president of Unison, told The Guardian.

"Aung San Suu Kyi's honorary membership of Unison has been suspended, and we hope that she responds to international pressure."

Bristol University, one of a string of British universities that awarded honorary degrees to Suu Kyi during her time in opposition, also said it was reviewing its award, the report added.

"The university shares the growing concern with the ongoing situation in Myanmar," a spokesperson was quoted by The Guardian.

Myanmar's de facto leader and a Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has been slammed widely for her silence on what the UN described as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing".

The London School of Economics student union also said it would be stripping Suu Kyi of her honorary presidency.

"We will be actively removing Aung San Suu Kyi's honorary presidency as a symbol of our opposition to her current position and inaction in the face of genocide," said its General Secretary Mahatir Pasha.

Over the last three decades Suu Kyi has been awarded with honorary degrees from several UK universities including Glasgow, Bath and Cambridge. She also received other honours from different UK organisations.

Tillerson asks Suu Kyi for humanitarian aid in Rakhine

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Suu Kyi on Tuesday to facilitate humanitarian aid for displaced people in the affected areas and address deeply troubling allegations of human rights abuses and violations.

In a press release, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tillerson also urged Suu Kyi to grant access to UN monitors.

Tillerson asked if the US could provide assistance, reports AP.

ASEAN lawmakers shelve resolution on Rohingya

Lawmakers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) failed to adopt a unified stance on the plight of Rohingya Muslims on Tuesday after Myanmar blocked a resolution authored by Indonesia, reports Philippine-based online news portal Rappler.

"Indonesia expressed concern over the humanitarian crisis in the region and urged all parties to respect the rule of law, exercise maximum self-restraint and stop the ongoing violence against the Rohingya in Rakhine State," said a joint communique issued at the end of the 38th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in Manila signed by representatives of the 10 ASEAN nations.

Based on the ASEAN spirit of solidarity and unity, Indonesia supports the effort of Myanmar to restore peace and stability and provide security and assistance to all those in need irrespective of ethnicity, race, religion and belief, the statement said.

However, the Rohingya crisis was not discussed as Myanmar objected to the proposal, Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez, chairman of the AIPA joint communiqué committee, said in a press conference.