Suu Kyi’s award suspended by UK union over Myanmar crisis

One of Britain's largest trade unions has suspended an award given to Aung San Suu Kyi when she was a political prisoner, as international criticism mounts over Myanmar refugee crisis, according to a report of The Guardian.

Unison, the country's second largest trade union, came up with the move as a number of British institutions say they are reviewing or removing honours bestowed on Aung San Suu Kyi during her campaign for democracy under Myanmar's oppressive military junta, the report said.

This suspension comes as many British institutions say they are reviewing or removing honours bestowed on Aung San Suu Kyi during her campaign for democracy under Myanmar's oppressive military junta, reports The Guardian.

"The situation facing the Rohingya of Myanmar is appalling," The Guardian reports quoting Margaret McKee, Unison's president.

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

Bristol University, one of the universities that awarded honorary degrees to Suu Kyi during her time in opposition, also said it was reviewing its award in light of the accusations of brutal mistreatment of the Rohingyas in the Rakhine state of Myanmar, described by the UN as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing".

 "The university shares the growing concern with the ongoing situation in Myanmar," a spokesperson for Bristol University said, according to The Guardian.

"In 1998 we awarded an honorary degree of doctor of laws to Dr Aung San Suu Kyi, who at the time was leading the struggle for human rights and democracy in the then Burma."

"In terms of this award it would be wrong to make any decision at this time to consider revoking such an honour but we will continue to monitor and review the situation as necessary."

The London School of Economics student union said it would be stripping the former political prisoner 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 Mahatir Pasha, the union's general secretary.

Over the last 3 decades Aung San Suu Kyi has been awarded with honorary degrees from several UK universities including Glasgow, Bath and Cambridge, as well as the freedom of several cities, and other honours.

Oxford councillors announced that they might reconsider the freedom of the city of Oxford awarded to Suu Kyi in 1997 at next month's council meeting, the report said.