US diplomat Bill Richardson yesterday resigned from a panel appointed by Burmese State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to ease communal tensions in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, and hit out at the Nobel Laureate for an “absence of moral leadership” over the crisis.
The former New Mexico governor and one-time Aung San Suu Kyi ally said he could not in “good conscience” serve on the committee.
Richardson also accused Aung San Suu Kyi of a “furious response” to his calls to help free two Reuters journalists arrested while reporting on the Rakhine crisis.
Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were arrested last month and face up to 14 years in jail under the Official Secrets Act over the alleged possession of classified documents, purportedly relating to the military campaign in Rakhine.
His resignation came after Myanmar and Bangladesh failed to meet a deadline on Tuesday to begin the complex and contested repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees.
About 690,000 Rohingya have fled a military crackdown and crossed into Bangladesh in recent months.
“It is with great disappointment that I announce my resignation from the Advisory Board on Rakhine State,” a statement released by Richardson’s office said after three days of talks in Myanmar. “It appears that the Board is likely to become a cheerleading squad for government policy as opposed to proposing genuine policy changes that are desperately needed to assure peace, stability and development in Rakhine State.”
He said he was “taken aback” by the disparagement of the media, the UN, human rights groups and the international community, and alarmed by the “lack of sincerity” with which the issue of Rohingya citizenship was discussed.
Rohingya have been denied citizenship for decades in a system that heavily restricts their rights and movement within Myanmar.
The US former governor admitted that the Burmese military still wields significant power, but added that “the absence of Daw Suu’s moral leadership on this critical issue is of great concern,” referring to Aung San Suu Kyi by her Burmese honorific.
Meanwhile, the US on Wednesday criticized Russia for approving sales of fighter jets to the Burmese military despite its deadly operations against Rohingya Muslims, warning that Moscow’s actions could make the situation worse.
Russian defense officials used a visit to Myanmar this week to announce a deal to deliver six Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets to the Burmese military.
The Russian officials said Myanmar is also interested in buying Russian navy ships and land weapons.
US Department of State spokeswoman Heather Nauert called Russia’s move to provide the jets “a good example of the challenges we face with certain governments.”
Most of the world wants the Rohingya crisis resolved peacefully, she said, adding that Russia’s actions would fuel more suffering and instability.
“This would seem to be an occasion where Russia could show solidarity through humanitarian assistance rather than potentially aggravating the situation through weapons sales,” Nauert said.
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