naw, KIADA2 Dear Aes San Sew ky, September 18,2017 ‘Your reatlency, anada eis with profound surprise, disappointment and dismay that your fellow Canadians have ‘witnessed your continuing silence in the face of the brutal oppression of Myanmar's Rohingys ‘Muslim people. I remain deeply concerned about the siaation they face and forthe protection of all ethnic minorities in Myanmar. In June of 2012, in delivering the Nobel Lecture in Oslo, you sad his: “When the Nobel ‘committee awarded the Peace Prize to me [in 1991] they were recagniing that the opptessed and the isolated ia Burma [Myanmar] were also a part of the word, they were recognizing the oneness of humanity” In the same addtess, you cited this passage from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Disnepaed and contempt for human sights have revue in basbarows acts which have ‘outed the conscience of mankind, andthe advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy feecdom of speech and belief and freedom from feat and want has been proclaimed asthe highest spats of the common people” Te situation in Rakine State betrays these moral commitments August 25, eports indicate that 415,000 refugces, 70% of whom are women and children, have fled to Bangladesh to date, with addtional people internally displaced. Emblematic of longstanding discrimination and gross violations of human rights, reports cite che disproportionate use of force, ‘extrajudicial lllings and buening of villages by security Forces, Landmines are allegedly being ai with systemic violations of international lw, which, if established by a court of law, amount 10 crimes against humanity. The United Nations is denied secess to investigate fully and international Inumanitarian agencies lack safe and unhindered acces to help all those in need. ince violence erupted on. _As bas been stated by my Minister of Foreign Affsirs, there is no escaping the conclusion reached by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'adal-Hussein, that the “situation seems a textbook example of ethnic clsnsing.” Her Excelleney Aung San Suu Kyi ‘State Counsellor Republic of the Unioa of Myanmar1am profoundly concerned by the poli and actions by Myanmas authorities apparently intended to remove the civilian population of Rohingya Muslims from Rakhine State. ‘The esponsibility for resolving this crisis fll squarely ypon you and upon che military leadership of yao, itcluding Commander in-Chiet Min Aung Hlaing As the de facto democratic leader of Myanmar and asa renowned advocate for human rights, you have a particular moral and political obligation to speak out against this appalling cruelty, and to do whatever i in your power to stop it By publicly condemning the vilenee and taking immediate steps to protect and defend the rights ofall minorities, you ean help guide the people of “Myanmar to surmount these deep ethnic divisions also call on the Myanmar security forces to end all violence and to hold all perpetrators of human rights violaons accountable on the basis of independent and impartial investigation. The “Myanmar government mast weleome publically the return ofall Rong refgecs and dis must be accompanied hy a firm commitment co address cheitetizenship, equality before the law and the realization of right for all ethnic minorities. Tals call on the goverament to provide full access to the United Nations High Commissioner foe Human Rights and facilitate wae an vnimpeded {nterational humanitarian access to provide Fife saving assistance forall iin populations Canada weleomes your acknowledgement of the recommendations ofthe Advisory Commission on Rakhine State and the establishment of an Inter Ministerial Committe. 1 firmly Delve that a road map to implement these recommendations isthe only way to achieve lasing peace snd stability: The faure of reconelation and lasting democracy in Myanmar depends on 4 Canada stands ready to support you in these effort. Again, to cite your 2012 Nobel lecture, you sid: “OF the sweets of adversity, and let me say that these are not numerous, Ihave found che sweetest, the most precious ofall is the lesson T learnt on the value of kindness. Every kindness I received, smal or big, convinced me that there could never be enough oft in our world” These are nudable words. In order for them, and your various honours, to retain any ‘meaning, you must defend the Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic minorities ia Myanmar. Sincetels, —S