Myanmar leader has
been criticized for failing to condemn violence against Rohingya Muslims
Austin Grabish · CBC
News
The Canadian Museum
for Human Rights is removing reference to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi from
one of its displays and dimming her picture in another, following criticism of
the Nobel Peace Prize winner's response to widespread allegations of human
rights violations against Rohingya Muslims in her country.
Reference to Suu Kyi
will be removed from the Winnipeg museum's timeline of human rights milestones.
Her portrait in a gallery of honorary Canadians will remain, but has been
dimmed.
CMHR
faces calls to remove Myanmar leader Suu Kyi https://lnkd.in/d6WC5Q3
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"It was a very
beautiful moment of relief," said Raiss Tinmaung, a representative of the
Rohingya community who lives in Ottawa and was part of a chorus of voices
calling on the museum to remove references to the once-celebrated human rights
leader from its exhibits.
Suu Kyi lived under
house arrest for years during her fight for democracy under Myanmar's military
regime. Recently, though, as the country's state counsellor she had been
criticized for failing to condemn violence against Rohingya Muslims.
The UN
has said the Myanmar army began a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya Muslim minority
following insurgent attacks. https://lnkd.in/dYMckKG
The CMHR said it
hopes dimming Suu Kyi's portrait in the gallery and providing a stand in front
of it with information about the current situation will help visitors realize
it is important to question the leader's actions.
"We hope that
they'll pause and reflect that she is a honorary Canadian. That is part of
history but that's not where we stop," said Angela Cassie, vice-president
for public affairs and programs at the CMHR.
Cassie said the
decision came after consultation with the Rohingya community and researchers.
"We recognize
that it's painful for members of the community to see her face in this
exhibition."
Myanmar
massacre report prompts calls for independent probe https://lnkd.in/de4w45V
Tinmaung is happy
with the museum's move but ultimately wants Suu Kyi removed from the honorary
Canadian exhibit completely — something Cassie said is a challenge given the
museum can't change the fact she is one of six honorary Canadians. https://lnkd.in/de3bVzN
Instead, she said
the museum is looking at moving the display featuring Suu Kyi to the side or
putting a permanent text panel in front of it.
"She is still
an honorary Canadian but we need to deepen the history and deepen the story,
and so from our perspective, it's allowing Canadians to have that context and
not erase that but problematize it to increase that conversation."
'We cannot have this
insult'
Suu Kyi is in the
exhibit along with the five other honorary Canadians, including Nelson Mandela,
who Tinmaung grew up celebrating. He said keeping Mandela and Suu Kyi
together in the display is wrong.
"It's an insult
to Mandela. We cannot have this insult," he said.
"The museum is
making a fool of itself if it continues to have Suu Kyi as she is as a human
rights icon."
The museum said it
is looking for a replacement from the Rohingya community to fill the void that
will be left in the human rights timeline once Suu Kyi is removed.