Poppy McPherson’s article (Report, 24 May) paints a vivid picture of the growing persecution faced by Rohingyas. A developing national pride in Myanmar seems to be going hand in hand with greater threats towards marginalised minorities. And the recent dispute between the US ambassador and Aung San Suu Kyi over using the term Rohingya has drawn attention to their easy dismissal in Myanmar, where they are seen as foreigners.
Over recent years, the Equal Rights Trust has advocated for Rohingya rights in Myanmar and neighbouring countries, arguing in particular for these governments to do more for their protection. The opportunity for Daw Suu Kyi to provide a protective force for Rohingya and other persecuted groups is lessening by the day. Maybe she has a longer-term strategy. Maybe she must first gain the trust of the military. But as McPherson and others have pointed out, the more time that passes, the more powerfully will extremism take hold and divisions form. Perhaps worse still, her party, the NDL, established to promote democracy, will find itself too far down the road taken by its predecessors to find a route back.
Saphieh Ashtiany
Chair, Equal Rights Trust
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