Suu Kyi assures humanitarian aid on the way, says US lawmaker

Washington: A top US lawmaker defended Aung San Suu Kyi, saying Myanmar’s under-fire leader had assured him she is working to get aid to Rohingya Muslims suffering a violent military crackdown.

The nation’s first civilian leader has faced international condemnation for a lack of moral leadership regarding victims of what the UN views as ethnic cleansing.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a longtime Suu Kyi friend and ally, said that during a telephone call she “agreed with the need for immediate and improved access of humanitarian assistance to the region, particularly by the International Red Cross, and she conveyed that she is working toward that end.”

Suu Kyi, who is the de facto head of government, said it was important that violations of human rights be addressed, the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor.

The Nobel peace laureate has been berated for failing to speak up for the minority amid a crisis that shocked the global community.

McConnell warned against “unfounded criticism” of Suu Kyi, noting that she has no command over the powerful military.

“Condemning Aung San Suu Kyi, the best hope for democratic reform, is not constructive” and could slow progress toward representative government, McConnell said. — AFP