Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims living in refugee camps in Bangladesh should be reintegrated into Myanmar society and afforded "full rights” including citizenship, according to a key ally of ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Speaking in an interview last week, Dr. Sasa, who uses just one name and describes himself as the envoy representing Myanmar’s parliament to the United Nations, said it was time for the country’s 55 million people to set aside their differences and face down a military that seized power last month.
Under the previous government led by Suu Kyi, who is now detained, Myanmar defended the military against accusations of perpetrating genocide on the Rohingya from 2017, forcing more than 700,000 people to flee across the border. The military’s treatment of the Rohingya prompted the U.S. to sanction top military leaders, damaged Suu Kyi’s international reputation and soured the investment climate.