Boris Johnson pushes Aung San Suu Kyi to create safe space for Rohingya refugees and hold investigation into human rights violations in Burma
BORIS Johnson said he pushed Aung San Suu Kyi to create a safe space for the Rohingya refugees to return to Burma and called for an investigation into the country’s human rights violations.
The Foreign Secretary held top level talks with the country's de facto leader after more than 600,000 men, women and children have fled persecution from the military to neighbouring Bangladesh.
He had an hour-long meeting with the controversial politician after visiting the camps where the Rohingya have moved to after violence broke out in their native state of Rakhine last August.
Mr Johnson said the subject, described as the world's fastest growing refugee crisis, dominated the talks.
He said: "I spoke to her about my own experience witnessing the terrible conditions of the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, and my deep concern about their future.
"I underlined the importance of the Burmese authorities carrying out a full and independent investigation into the violence in Rakhine, and to hold to account those responsible for human rights violations.
"I underlined the urgency of creating the conditions in Rakhine that could make it a safe place for the Rohingya refugees to return to, free from fear, and in the knowledge that their basic rights will be respected and upheld.
"The UK is already a major donor to the humanitarian crisis.
“We will continue to use all our diplomatic tools and influence on the global stage to find a way to provide a better future for the Rohingya community.
"I encouraged her efforts to broker a nationwide peace settlement to put to an end 70 years of conflict in her homeland."
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Earlier in the weekend he visited a refugee camp at Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, and called for Rohingya Muslim refugees to be able to return to Burma safely and with dignity.
The Foreign Secretary said: "I have seen for my own eyes the horrendous living conditions the Rohingya people are having to endure and it has only further strengthened my commitment to working with international partners to improve the lives of these people in 2018.
"I pay tribute to the hospitality and compassion shown by the government of Bangladesh, who are facing an enormous challenge in providing humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya community.”
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