Amnesty International strips Aung San Suu Kyi of highest honour

Nay Pyi Taw, Nov 13: Human Rights organisation Amnesty International withdrew its highest honour, the Ambassador of Conscience Award, from Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday.

Kumi Naidoo

Secretary General of Amnesty International, Kumi Naidoo, said, 'Aung San Suu Kyi once stood as a symbol of hope, courage and the undying defence of human rights in Myanmar. Amnesty recognised her with our highest honour, the Ambassador of Conscience award. Sadly, we can no longer justify this honour and today we are withdrawing the award." Naidoo posted the letter on Twitter.

Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh camp

It was the latest in a string of awards the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner lost since Myanmar's military drove 720,000 Rohingya out of the Buddhist majority country in what the United Nations has called an act of genocide.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Last month, Parliament of Canada decided to revoke the Canadian citizenship of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's civilian leader for her silence over the violence committed against Rohingya people and for her inability to take action against the issue. The Senate voted to strip off her honour which was given to her in 2007. The upper house's move follows a similar unanimous vote in the House of Commons. Suu Kyi is the first person to have her honorary Canadian citizenship revoked.

Aung San Suu Kyi

Suu Kyi also being the Nobel Prize Winner was honoured with Canadian Citizenship in 2007 by the Parliament of Canada. However her inactivity over the issue of Rohingya persecution in Myanmar which occurred in 2016 where the military allegedly killed Rohingya people which made the Parliament of Canada to reconsider their decision.

(With PTI inputs)