Myanmar’s state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi (left) offers a toast to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a dinner at the Presidential palace in Naypyidaw on Tuesday.(AP)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed concern over “extremist violence” in Myanmar’s Rakhine and “violence against security forces” but skipped mention of the alleged persecution of Rohingya Muslims, which the United Nations says could turn into a humanitarian catastrophe.
Modi also praised Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s “leadership” amid mounting criticism of an alleged state-sponsored persecution of the minority Muslim community, forcing an estimated 1.25 lakh people to flee to Bangladesh and India.
Myanmar has an estimated 1.1 million Rohingya people.
“We share your concerns about extremist violence in Rakhine state and violence against security forces and how innocent lives have been affected,” Modi said in a joint statement with Suu Kyi at Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw.
“We hope that all stakeholders together can find a way out in which unity and territorial integrity of Myanmar is respected,” he said, adding “peace, justice, dignity and democratic values for all” can be achieved.
Suu Kyi, the de-facto leader of Buddhist-majority Myanmar, thanked India for taking a strong stand on the “terror threat” faced by her country.
She said India and Myanmar jointly can ensure that terrorism is not allowed to take root on their soil or on the soil of neighbouring countries.
Modi is expected to raise the issue of Rohingya exodus into neighbouring countries.
The Indian government says it will deport an estimated 40,000 Rohingyas staying illegally in the country.
The leader of Buddhist-majority Myanmar has come under pressure from countries with Muslim populations over the crisis, and on Tuesday UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres warned of the risk of ethnic cleansing and regional destabilisation.
In a rare letter expressing concern that the violence that has raged for nearly two weeks could spiral into a “humanitarian catastrophe”, Guterres urged the UN Security Council to press for restraint and calm.
The latest violence in Rakhine state began 12 days ago when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an army base. The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 400 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh.
Suu Kyi has been accused by Western critics of not speaking out for the minority that has long complained of persecution, and some have called for the Nobel Peace Prize she won in 1991 as a champion of democracy to be revoked.
(Agencies)
