By The Nation
January 28, 2018
Exit of US representative Bill Richardson from advisory
committee raises questions on seriousness of tackling the issues
A lot has been written these past few days about former
US ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, leaving an advisory
committee set up to guide the Myanmar government on dealing with the Rohingya
crisis. Richardson left Myanmar earlier than expected because he felt the
committee was whitewashing the Burmese government and he didn’t want to be a
part of the exercise.
Rohingya refugees |
“In view of the difference of
opinion that developed, the government had decided that his continued
participation on the board would not be in the best interests of all
concerned,” the office said in an English statement posted on Facebook. Burma
accused him of “personal attacks”.
Regardless of whether he left on his own or
was about to be eased out as Suu Kyi’s office claims, his exit was a major
embarrassment for Myanmar.
Disillusioned with the failure of Suu Kyi to deal with
the crisis, the world has pinned its
hopes on these advisory committee members, which includes former deputy prime
minister of Thailand Surakiart Sathirathai, to pressure Myanmar and ensure
accountability as well as an end to the atrocities against the Rohingya.
Richardson’s resignation should be a wake-up call for all that the Rohingya
crisis cannot be “business as usual”.
About 700,000 Rohingya have been forced to flee their homes in Rakhine
state in western Burma. Many were murdered and raped as they tried to make
their way to the Bangladesh side of the border.
Richardson said he could not in “good conscience” sit on a panel he
feared would only “whitewash” the causes of the Rohingya crisis.
Border Fence between Bangladesh and Myanmar |
He equated
Richardson’s criticism of Suu Kyi as a “personal attack” on her. Richardson has said that he has great
admiration for Suu Kyi, and his past work has shown that. But if she is going
to sit in that office, she will have to answer these tough questions. Moreover,
with who else could Richardson have raised the issue of the Reuters
journalists? If the two Burmese police officers who orchestrated the bogus
arrest of the two Reuters journalists can get away with what he had done, what
makes Zaw Htay think members of the international community have faith in
Burma’s justice system?
The more important issue is not whether Richardson
overstepped his mandate, but the crimes perpetrated on Rohingya civilians which
the United Nations has described as a textbook case of genocide. In the final
analysis, these stakeholders need to put their egos aside and put the interests
of the Rohingya people at the centre of the debate. It’s not about them; it’s
about the victims and justice for them. If this means charging some of these
generals with crimes against humanity, so be it.