Aung San Suu Kyi playing second fiddle to Myanmar army: Cong on Rohingya crisis

The Congress party on Thursday said that Myanmar State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi is playing second fiddle to the nation's army which has been accused of levelling atrocities on the Rohingyas.

Congress leader Tom Vadakkan said Aung San Suu Kyi has been accorded with peace prize and that she must live up to it.

"Myanmar president is taking a reasonable line but beyond that, there is a lot of explanation to be done by Suu Kyi on the way she has handled the serious problem. She is been decorated by the peace price and she has to live up to it. The whole world is watching, she is playing the second fiddle to the army, it is obvious," Vadakkan told ANI.

Vadakkan further said that the situation of Rohingya's clearly exude that Army in Myanmar is enjoying a free play while adding that Aung San Suu Kyi is trying to cover the veracity due to international pressure.

"The kind of treatment that the Rohingya's are facing is a clear indication that the army had a free play and now when international pressure is mounting she is doing a cover-up operation. There may be a lot of truth in what she says but the reality is she is playing the second fiddle to the army," Vadakkan added.

In her Tuesday's address, the de-facto leader condemned human rights abuses but did not blame the army or address allegations of ethnic cleansing.

It's also noted that during her speech, Suu Kyi mentioned the Rohingyas by name only once, in reference to the armed militant group - the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa).

Leaders and diplomats from several countries have since expressed strong disappointment with her stance.

More than 4, 00,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since late August.

The latest unrest in the troubled Rakhine state was sparked by attacks on police stations across the state last month, blamed on a newly emerged militant group, the Arsa.

Suu Kyi, in her state address, had stressed on the short time her government has been in power for, adding, "I am aware of the fact the world attention is focused on the situation in the Rakhine State as a responsible member of the community of nations. Myanmar does not fear international scrutiny and is committed to bringing a sustainable solution that will bring peace, stability and development for all communities within that state."

Suu Kyi also defended her country from international criticism and said "more than half" of Rohingya villages were not affected by the violence and invited diplomats and foreign observers to visit them to see "why they are still there when they are surrounded by a state of turmoil" as she addresses the nation on Rakhine issue.

-ANI