Canada strips Suu Kyi of honorary citizenship

The Canadian parliament has stripped Myanmar’s state counsellor and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi of her honorary citizenship of Canada for her failure to rein in atrocities committed against Rohingya people by her military.

The Senate, the upper chamber of the Canadian Parliament, voted on Tuesday to strip Suu Kyi’s honorary citizenship bestowed on her in 2007, according to the Canadian media.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Museum is considering removing her portrait from it.

The Myanmar leader has become first person to be stripped of honorary Canadian citizenship for her role in gross human rights violations against the Rohingya people.

The Senate formally revoked the symbolic honour through unanimously adopting motion tabled by Independent Senator Ratna Omidvar in the red chamber.

Senator Omidvar called it "an appropriate message to send to her, Myanmar and to the world.”

"We need to send a strong signal here in Canada and around the world that if you’re an accomplice of a genocide, you are not welcome here. Certainly, not as an honorary Canadian citizen,” she said.

"Stripping her of the honorary citizenship may not make a tangible difference to her, but it sends an important symbolic message," she added.

Last week, the members of the House of Commons, the lower chamber of Parliament, unanimously voted to revoke Suu Kyi's honorary citizenship, but the Senate vote was necessary to make it official.

Senator Omidvar said that Suu Kyi has been complicit in stripping the citizenship and the security of thousands of Rohingya, leading to mass murder, rape and displacement.

Senator Raynell Andreychuk said that revoking Suu Kyi's citizenship is necessary because Canadians believe the honour has been breached, and she expects that the government will take further action to respond to the crisis.

The Canadian Human Rights Museum said it is considering removing a portrait of Suu Kyi after the House of Commons vote last week.

The museum already dimmed the brightness of the portrait in its exhibit of honorary Canadians, and removed a reference to her from a timeline of human rights milestones in July.

Canada strips Suu Kyi of honorary citizenship

The Canadian parliament has stripped Myanmars state counsellor and de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi of her honorary citizenship of Canada for her failure to rein in atrocities committed against Rohingya people by her military. The Senate, the upper chamber of the Canadian Parliament, voted on Tuesday to strip Suu Kyis honorary citizenship bestowed on her in 2007, according to the Canadian media. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Museum is considering removing her portrait from it. The Myanmar leader has become first person to be stripped of honorary Canadian citizenship for her role in gross human rights violations against the Rohingya people. The Senate formally revoked the symbolic honour through unanimously adopting motion tabled by Independent Senator Ratna Omidvar in the red chamber. Senator Omidvar called it an appropriate message to send to her, Myanmar and to the world. We need to send a strong signal here in Canada and around the world that if youre an accomplice of a genocide, you are not welcome here. Certainly, not as an honorary Canadian citizen, she said. Stripping her of the honorary citizenship may not make a tangible difference to her, but it sends an important symbolic message, she added. Last week, the members of the House of Commons, the lower chamber of Parliament, unanimously voted to revoke Suu Kyis honorary citizenship, but the Senate vote was necessary to make it official. Senator Omidvar said that Suu Kyi has been complicit in stripping the citizenship and the security of thousands of Rohingya, leading to mass murder, rape and displacement. Senator Raynell Andreychuk said that revoking Suu Kyis citizenship is necessary because Canadians believe the honour has been breached, and she expects that the government will take further action to respond to the crisis. The Canadian Human Rights Museum said it is considering removing a portrait of Suu Kyi after the House of Commons vote last week. The museum already dimmed the brightness of the portrait in its exhibit of honorary Canadians, and removed a reference to her from a timeline of human rights milestones in July.