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Canada MPs vote to strip Aung San Suu Kyi of honorary citizenship | Canada MPs vote to strip Aung San Suu Kyi of honorary citizenship |
(about 9 hours later) | |
Canadian MPs have voted unanimously to revoke the honorary citizenship of Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. | Canadian MPs have voted unanimously to revoke the honorary citizenship of Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. |
Passing the motion was a response to her failure to stop the persecution of the Rohingya minority in her country. | Passing the motion was a response to her failure to stop the persecution of the Rohingya minority in her country. |
Ms Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her efforts to bring democracy to Myanmar - also known as Burma - which was then under military rule. | Ms Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her efforts to bring democracy to Myanmar - also known as Burma - which was then under military rule. |
A UN report last month said Myanmar military leaders must be investigated for genocide against the Rohingyas. | A UN report last month said Myanmar military leaders must be investigated for genocide against the Rohingyas. |
At least 700,000 Rohingya have fled violence in the country in the past 12 months. | |
Rare honour | Rare honour |
The move by MPs in the House of Commons came a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that parliament was reconsidering whether Ms Suu Kyi still deserved the honour of citizenship. | The move by MPs in the House of Commons came a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that parliament was reconsidering whether Ms Suu Kyi still deserved the honour of citizenship. |
But Mr Trudeau also said the move would not end the plight of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people, a Muslim minority which is stateless in majority-Buddhist Myanmar. | But Mr Trudeau also said the move would not end the plight of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people, a Muslim minority which is stateless in majority-Buddhist Myanmar. |
In 2007 Canada granted honorary citizenship to Ms Suu Kyi, just one of six people to be so recognised. | In 2007 Canada granted honorary citizenship to Ms Suu Kyi, just one of six people to be so recognised. |
Honorary citizenship has been conferred in Canada by a joint resolution of both houses of parliament. Canadian officials told Reuters it must be formally removed the same way. | Honorary citizenship has been conferred in Canada by a joint resolution of both houses of parliament. Canadian officials told Reuters it must be formally removed the same way. |
The next steps are not immediately clear, Liberal MP Andrew Leslie told journalists on Thursday after MPs passed the motion. | The next steps are not immediately clear, Liberal MP Andrew Leslie told journalists on Thursday after MPs passed the motion. |
"Now the machinery of government will actually chew over the details of what specifically is required to implement," he said. | "Now the machinery of government will actually chew over the details of what specifically is required to implement," he said. |
Earlier this month, the House of Commons unanimously adopted a motion to recognise the crimes against the Rohingya as an act of genocide. | Earlier this month, the House of Commons unanimously adopted a motion to recognise the crimes against the Rohingya as an act of genocide. |
In 2015, Ms Suu Kyi became Myanmar State Counsellor, the de facto head of the country's civilian administration, following a democratic opening in Myanmar. | In 2015, Ms Suu Kyi became Myanmar State Counsellor, the de facto head of the country's civilian administration, following a democratic opening in Myanmar. |
Since last year, at least 700,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar after the army launched a brutal crackdown in response to attacks by a Rohingya militant group. | Since last year, at least 700,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar after the army launched a brutal crackdown in response to attacks by a Rohingya militant group. |
Ms Suu Kyi has faced international pressure to condemn the army's alleged brutality. However, she has refused to do so. | Ms Suu Kyi has faced international pressure to condemn the army's alleged brutality. However, she has refused to do so. |
The military still holds immense power in the country and controls three key ministries - home affairs, border affairs and defence. | |
The last time Ms Suu Kyi spoke to the BBC in April 2017, she said: "I think ethnic cleansing is too strong an expression to use for what is happening." |
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