Suu Kyi is missing all of the reasons for her Nobel peace prize

IT is time for the Nobel Foundation - the very organisation responsible for awarding Aung San Suu Kyi the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 - to strip her of the award due to her failure to speak up against the mistreatment and atrocities committed against the Rohingya and other minorities in her own country.

For many weeks, we have witnessed many incidents involving the continuous and merciless prosecution of the Rohingya and the minorities. According to Amnesty International and other international human rights groups, the ethnic Rohingya people have continued to suffer from many human rights violations under the country’s military regime.

It’s very sad to see a well known and highly respected figure keeping her silence and behaving as if nothing has happened in her own backyard.

Though she doesn’t have real political power in the country, she should exercise her moral authority and influence to stop the ongoing brutality done by the country’s army towards the minorities.

We must remember that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to internationally respected people who have contributed a lot for world peace and humanity. It’s very sad to see the prestigious award being tainted by so many controversies and criticisms.

The Nobel Peace prize has been awarded annually since 1901 (with some exceptions) to “those who have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”.

It is clear to us that Aung San Suu Kyi is missing all the criteria to keep the award.

As such, the responsible foundation needs to strongly consider the calls by many peoples and organizations to strip her Nobel Peace Prize Award.

It is hoped that stripping her of the prestigious award, would send a strong signal to the Myanmar government that their continuous slaughtering of the Rohingnya and other minorities in their country can no longer be tolerated.

It will also send a strong reminder to other receivers of the award that they carry a heavy burden of responsibility to ensure and maintain all the efforts that they have done to put an end to all forms cruelty and uphold justice and peace to all mankind.

DR MUZAFFAR SYAH MALLOW

Faculty of Syariah & Law,

Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia