14-party rejects Suu Kyi's speech over Rohingya issue

The ruling Awami League (AL) led 14-party alliance leaders today outright rejected Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's first address to the nation after military crackdown in Rakhine state since August 25 that forced the Rohingyas to flee to Bangladesh in thousands.

"We reject Suu Kyi's speech to the nation as she even did not pronounce the word Rohingya (in her 30-minute televised speech) for a single time. She has repeatedly described the Rohingyas as Bangalees, which is completely unacceptable," said 14-party spokesman Mohammad Nasim.

He said this after holding a view exchange meeting with leaders of the Hindu and the Buddhist communities over the upcoming Durga Puja and Prabarana Purnima festivals.

Calling upon the Myanmar government to bring the Rohingyas back to their homeland, Nasim, also Health and Family Welfare Minister and a presidium member of the AL said, "It is a must (for Myanmar) to take Rohingyas back."

He also hoped the Rohingyas will be given the voting right and necessary security after their return home.

The Rohingyas are homeless as they have been fleeing in thousands to Bangladesh from the Rakhine state to escape inhuman torture of Myanmar's army, he said, adding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been relentlessly working to drum up opinion across the globe to mount pressure on the Myanmar government to bring their people back.

Communal harmony of the country will remain intake in the days to come, Nasim said and warned that if anyone tries to foil it, he will be handled with an iron fist.

General Secretary of Sammobadi Dal Dilip Barua, General Secretary of Workers Party Fazle Hossian Badhsha, Chairman of Tarikat Federation Nazibul Basher Maijbhandari, Secretary General of Jatiya Party (JP-Monju), Sheikh Sahidul Islam, AL Organizing Secretary Ahmed Hossain, Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam, and Hindu-Buddhist community leaders Prof Nim Chandra Bhoumik, Monindra Kumar Debnath, Ranjit Barua and Piar Barua were present at the meeting, among others.

Source: BSS