DHAKA: The Glasgow City Council on Friday (November 3) became the latest UK institution to withdraw an honor--freedom of the city--bestowed upon Myanmar de facto leader also state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, reports BBC.

The decision came following criticism of her response to the Rohingya refugee crisis amid alleged human rights violations in Myanmar.

Suu Kyi was offered the award in 2009 when she was under house arrest as Burma's pro-democracy leader.

The violence began in August when Rohingya rebels attacked police posts in northern Rakhine, killing 12 security personnel. About 600,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since the 25 August upsurge.

Myanmar's military denies targeting civilians and says it is only fighting insurgents.
Those who have fled say they are the victims of a campaign to drive them out, and the UN has denounced the operation as "ethnic cleansing".

However, Glasgow's Lord Provost Eva Bolander said: "I and the Leader, Councillor Susan Aitken, recently wrote to Aung San Suu Kyi voicing the city's concerns about the human rights atrocities occurring under her watch and urging her to intervene.

"The response we received was disappointing and saddening. Withdrawal of the offer of this honor is unprecedented and the council's decision has not been taken lightly."

There have also been calls for Glasgow University to revoke her honorary degree - something which the university says will not happen.

A spokesman for the university said: "We have no plans to review the honorary degree awarded to Aung San Suu Kyi. Any proposal to revoke an honorary degree would need to go to the Honorary Degrees Committee and then to Senate as the body which awards honorary degrees."

BDST: 1045 HRS, NOV 4, 2017
SI