Tainted and isolated, Suu Kyi calls for culture of peace

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is facing international criticism over her country's crackdown on Rohingya Muslims, yesterday called for "a culture of peace" to end conflict between communities.

The Nobel Peace prize winner did not mention the Rohingya crisis -- which has led the United Nations to call for a genocide investigation -- in her keynote address to an international meeting organised by a group linked to the Unification Church.

"At the basis of conflict is ill-will which seeks to hurt and to destroy and thus to open the way to conflict, which in turn spews out an ever-renewing cycle of hate and fear, snuffing out the light of peace," Suu Kyi said.

Suu Kyi called for cooperation between nations to seek peace and mutual prosperity.

"Only by promoting a culture of peace in this world of interdependence will it be possible to create harmony between diverse countries and societies," she said.

Suu Kyi, whose position of state counsellor in Myanmar is considered the equivalent of a prime minister, has faced a wave of condemnation since Myanmar launched its military crackdown on the Rohingya in August 2017.

A UN rights team found evidence of widespread murder, rape, torture and arson, and called for top generals to be prosecuted for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Her speech at the Kathmandu meeting, backed by the Universal Peace Foundation, came a day after Paris announced will it will strip her of her honorary freedom of the French capital over her failure to speak out against the Rohingya crackdown.

The British cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Oxford have taken similar action against Suu Kyi over her refusal to condemn the military violence.