Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Aung San Suu Kyi cancels Sydney speaking event, 'not feeling well'

Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi won't be addressing the Lowy Institute in Sydney during her Australian visit, citing illness.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has had to cancel a Sydney speaking event due to ill health.
Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has had to cancel a Sydney speaking event due to ill health. Source: AAP

Aung San Suu Kyi has cancelled a speaking event in Sydney due to illness.

Myanmar's State Counsellor was due to give a speech and take questions from the audience at a Lowy Institute event on Tuesday. 

"This afternoon the Lowy Institute was informed by the Myanmar embassy that the State Counsellor will no longer be able to participate in this event as she is not feeling well," the institute said in a statement.

Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi meets with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi meets with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Source: AAP

Ms Suu Kyi is in Australia for the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit and a series of other meetings.

She was welcomed to Parliament House in Canberra with a 19-gun salute on Monday, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and senior representatives from the government and opposition in attendance.

Ms Suu Kyi's visit comes as she faces ongoing criticism over the crisis faced by Myanmar's Rohingya ethnic minority.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner has been criticised in recent months for her silence in the face of the ongoing violence towards Myanmar's Rohingya ethnic minority, which the United Nations dubbed a "textbook case of ethnic cleansing".

Director of Human Rights Watch - Australia Elaine Pearson told SBS News the Myanmar military has the constitutional authority over military operations and bear the prime responsibility for the abuses against the Rohingya.

Leaders at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.
Leaders at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. Source: AAP

However, Ms Pearson felt Ms Suu Kyi had an important role to play. 

"(But) Ms Suu Kyi is the de facto leader and as such she has an important role to play in ensuring accountability for abuses."

"The Australian government should be doing everything possible to support efforts at accountability for these atrocities."

Additional reporting: Nick Baker


2 min read

Published

Updated


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world