The Dhaka Times Desk Many countries are speaking out against Myanmar's recent actions, especially the controversial leader of Myanmar, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. This time, the Irish artist announced the return of the award to protest against Suu Kyi!
Aung San Suu Kyi's controversial role in the Rohingya issue has caused widespread reactions worldwide. This time, Irish musician and rights activist Bob Geldof is returning the award in protest against Suu Kyi.
Geldof announced on Sunday that he would return the award titled 'Freedom of the City of Dublin' to the authorities. In 1999, Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest at the time, received the same award.
In a clear announcement, Geldof said that Suu Kyi does not want to keep the award that Suu Kyi received. He further said, 'The association of our city with him (Suu Chir) has truly shamed us all.'
Bob Geldof's criticism of the popular music industry has been added to the continuation of widespread international pressure for not being able to take measures to stop the 'ethnic cleansing' campaign conducted by the country's army against the minority Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar's Rakhine state and for failing to raise this issue.
About 637,000 Rohingyas have taken refuge in Bangladesh to save their lives in the face of violence against the Rohingyas in Rakhine in the last week of August.
Musician Geldof, founder of Live Aid, a charity concert fundraiser, said in a statement, "Our city's association with her (Suu Kyi) shames us all and we cannot have anything to do with it." We honored him but now he is terrorizing and shaming us.'
The City Council of Dublin, the capital of Ireland, honors people who have made a special contribution to their city with the 'Freedom of the City of Dublin Award'. Besides, this award is also given to leaders and individuals who have made a special contribution to the world. 82 Irish honorees have so far received the award, including South African President Nelson Mandela, (former) US President Barack Obama and US First Lady Michelle Obama. Suu Kyi and Geldof are two of them.
Aung San Suu Kyi has come under heavy criticism from world leaders and rights activists in the international arena for failing to stop the torture against the Rohingya and failing to control the issue. Suu Kyi has also been strongly criticized by the artists of the popular Irish band group 'U2'. They also called for immediate action to stop Rohingya torture by the army.
It should be noted that the Oxford City Council withdrew her name from the 'Freedom of the City of Oxford' award given to Suu Kyi last month. Council chief Bob Price said it was an 'unprecedented move' by us.
Earlier, the authorities of the institution removed a portrait of Suu Kyi from St. Hugh's College of Oxford University. He studied political science in this college. His portrait, which was on display at Hague's College, has already been removed due to his silence on the atrocities against the Rohingyas.
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