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Aung San Suu Kyi stripped of Oxford honour

Burma's leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been stripped of a human rights award by the City of Oxford.

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Source: AAP


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Burma's leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been stripped of her Freedom of Oxford award.

Councillors on the city council took the "unprecedented" step amid widespread concern about her lack of action in dealing with the suffering of the Muslim Rohingya population in Burma.

It is the latest snub for Ms Suu Kyi after her portrait was removed from her alma mater of St Hugh's College at Oxford University, where she studied for a degree in philosophy, politics and economics between 1964 and 1967.

In a statement following a special council meeting on Monday, councillor Mary Clarkson said: "When Aung San Suu Kyi was given the Freedom of the City in 1997 it was because she reflected Oxford's values of tolerance and internationalism. We celebrated her for her opposition to oppression and military rule in Burma.

"Today we have taken the unprecedented step of stripping her of her city's highest honour because of her inaction in the face of oppression of the minority Rohingya population."

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It comes after Live Aid founder Bob Geldof handed back his freedom of the city of Dublin in protest at the same honour being held by the Burmese leader.


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