Wake up or face prosecution, Nobel laureates tell Suu Kyi

Three visiting Nobel peace laureates in the city Wednesday called for an immediate end to the genocide in Rakhine against Rohingya people, reports UNB.

Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, Shirin Ebadi of Iran and Mairead Maguire of Northern Ireland made the demand at a press conference in a city hotel.

"We can't remain silent. If we remain silent, we're indeed complacent with this cruelties and crimes," Maguire said.

She said they accuse Myanmar and its military of committing genocide and demanded that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes be brought to justice at the International Criminal Court.

They called on their fellow laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and the Myanmar military to put an end to the killings and the persecution of Rohingya people.

"She must stop turning a deaf ear to the persecution of the Rohingya or risk being complicit in the crimes. Wake up or face prosecution," said Karman.

The Nobel laureates, as women committed to peace, urged Suu Kyi to exercise her personal and moral responsibility to stop the genocide.

"If she fails to do so, her choice is clear: resign or be held accountable, along with the army commanders, for the crimes committed," Karman said.

They sought initiatives to take the matter to the International Criminal Court.

"Time has come to break [the] silence. We need help to make sure our voices are heard," said Shirin Ebadi.

Responding to a UNB question, Maguire said all the countries (especially China, Russia and India) must stand for humanity.

She urged all the countries to work as 'entire human family' for a peaceful solution to the crisis saying all have the moral obligation to speak for Rohingya people and stop the crisis.

"We're the human family. We need to speak and stand beside Rohingya people. We need a united voice. Today, we need science of peace," Maguire said.

Shirin Ebadi laid emphasis on building global public opinion and sought an active role for the journalists so that their voices for Rohingya people are heard.

She urged all the countries to show more interest in humanity instead of only concentrating on economic interest.

"With over a million Rohingyas displaced, countless dead or missing and rape and sexual violence being used as a weapon of war, it is well past the time for the international community to act," said Shirin Ebadi.

Responding to a question, Karman said they have a plan to visit Myanmar and they sent several messages to their friend Suu Ky but 'unfortunately' she did not respond. "We need to see what's happening there."

The Nobel laureates urged Suu Kyi to do something different breaking her silence and take back Rohingya to their homeland from Bangladesh.

They demanded citizenship rights for Rohingya people so that they can have a peaceful and dignified life on their own land.

There's no other word other than genocide. How she can continue to remain silent, wondered the Nobel laureates.

They said Suu Kyi is not telling the truth to the world. "She has to tell the truth or she can resign."

The Nobel laureates in partnership with Bangladesh women's organisation Naripokkho spent time listening to stories, meeting over 100 women in Cox's Bazar district and travelling to 'no man's land' where thousands of Rohingya have been stranded between Myanmar and Bangladesh.

After hearing testimonies describing how security forces burned villages, tortured, killed and systematically raped women and girls as well as reports from humanitarian organisations and UN officials the Nobel laureates concluded that the ongoing attacks on Rohingyas amount to crimes against humanity and genocide.

The Nobel laureates heard how Rohingya women have been twice victimised -- for being Rohingyas and for being women.

They described stories of horrific violence and systematic mass rape.

"My 18-year-old daughter had her breasts cut off and she died," a Rohingya woman in Thankhali camp told the Nobel peace laureates.