[versi Bahasa Indonesia]

In the past week, it has been reported that the military under Aung San Suu Kyi’s Government of Myanmar has been attacking the predominantly muslim Rohingyas in Rakhine, Myanmar. According to the reports, the Rohingyas — including women and children — have been killed and physically tortured. According to the European Rohingya Council (ERC), 3,000 Rohingyas have been killed within three days between 25 and 27 August, 2017. Their villages have been burned to the ground. The military claimed that this was an effort to eliminate terrorism.

Until this second, the de facto ruler of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi has done virtually nothing to stop this crime against humanity in her country. As a result, there are many of the Rohingyas fled their homes and are stranded in the Myanmar’s border with Bangladesh. The International Organization of Migration (IOM) reported that there are at least 18,445 Rohingya refugees currently fled the area (bbc.com).

But Suu Kyi as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate appears to be deaf and have done nothing to protect her citizens. Meanwhile, in 2013, Suu Kyi made a controversial statement that appeared to be anti-Islam.

“No one told me that I was to be interviewed by a muslim.”  

This statement was made by Aung San Suu Kyi, after her interview by a BBC Today anchor, Mishal Husain, in 2013.  Suu Kyi’s disappointment may be caused by the question asked by Husain on the hardships experienced by muslims in Myanmar.  Suu Kyi was also asked to condemn the anti-muslims and those who acted violently against the muslims that led the Rohingyas to leave Myanmar (from Popham, Peter, Journalist for The Independent, The Lady and The Generals — Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma’s Struggle for Freedom, 2016).

Many people were caught by surprise that those words came from Suu Kyi, a democracy hero in Myanmar and a 2012 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.  It might only be one racially-insensitive sentence, but that was one sentence too many, and the meaning is too much for those who love peace.

Many people in many countries, including in Indonesia, respect and admire Suu Kyi.  She is known as a figure of patience, of peace loving, who eventually took back the power in her country peacefully from the military dictatorship in Myanmar. Her statement made many more disappointed and angry.  This opens up the prevailing question regarding Suu Kyi’s position on the muslim minority in Myanmar.  There has been no official position from Suu Kyi with regards to the human right violations that have been rampant as experienced by the Rohingya minority. 

Over the past three years more than 140,000 Rohingya muslims have been living in grave conditions in refugee camps in Myanmar and in many other countries, including Indonesia.

What is wrong with being a muslim, Suu Kyi?  Doesn't democracy and human rights teach us to respect differences in beliefs and celebrate brotherhood and sisterhood? Whatever the religion, shouldn’t Suu Kyi and all of us respect each other and not discriminate against other human beings?

Coming from a democratic hero, one racist statement is one too many.  It destroys the democratic values that respects differences in beliefs.  As a laureate of Nobel Peace Prize, a racist statement renders the peaceful values to be artificial, giving rise to suspicions even conflicts. 

The Nobel Prize is the highest prize only to be given to “people who have given their utmost to international brotherhood and sisterhood.”  These peaceful values need to be nurtured by the laureates of the Nobel Peace Prize, including Suu Kyi, until their last days.  When a laureate cannot maintain peace, then for the sake of peace itself the prize needs to be returned or confiscated by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.

Therefore, we hereby demand the Chair of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee confiscate or take back the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Aung San Suu Kyi.  Only those who are serious in keeping the world peace may be awarded such a coveted Prize.

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This petition is initiated and supported by Emerson Yuntho; Hamid Basyaib; Agus Sari; Nong Darol Mahmada; Ulin Yusron; Zainal Arifin Mochtar; Saidiman Ahmad; Ahmad Mukhlis Yusuf; Teguh Juwarno; Syamsul Munir; Naufal Firman Yursak; Kusfuardi; Ahmad Farhan; Andi Harianto Sinulingga; Andy Budiman; Goenawan Mohamad; Bonnie Triyana; Berly Martawardaya; Iwan Gunawan; Mirwan Bz Vauly; Effendi Ishak; Tatat Rahmita Utami; Fajar R. Zulkarnain; Ahmad Hadi Hardilani; Mahmudin Muslim; M. Ichsan Loulembah; Fajar Riza Ul Haq; Gustav Aulia; Sandy Andarusman; Suci Mayang Sari; Alpha Amirrachman; Raja Juli Antoni; Mohamad Guntur Romli; Wishnutama; Grace Natalie; Janoe Arijanto; Nita Triyana; Isyana Bagoes Oka; Ray Rangkuti; Ade Armando; Wella Sherlita;Pebriansyah Ariefana; Alif Imam Nurlambang; Ayu Purwaningsih; M.Taufik Budi Wijaya; Sri Kusmiati;Cisya Satwika; Heru Hendratmoko; Didik J. Rachbini; Tommy Soetomo; Erik Satrya Wardana; Geisz Chalifah; Suryani Sidik Motik; M. Sarmuji; Herry Gunawan; Fadhil Hassan; Ichsan Firdaus; Arif Satria; M. Sayid Iqbal; Dicky Padmadipura; Pangeran Ahmad Nurdin; Ifdhal Kasim; Fachry Ali; Umar Husin; Nova Rini; Tina Talisa; Siswanto Rusdi; Happy Bone Zulkarnain; Dian Islamiati; Medrial Alamsyah; Marbawi Katon; Yunarto Wijaya; Makroen Sanjaya; Danang Kemauan Jati; Heriyono; Syarif Fadilah; Heryus Saputro; Dhia Prekasha Yoedha; Sutami; Andrinof A Chaniago; Dita Soedarjo; Arif Zulkifli; Rachmad Bahari; Indah Nataprawira; Farhan Thalib; Hari Aprianto; Raguan Aljufri; Faozan Ammar, Fami Fachrudin; Amich Alhumami; Rosdiansyah; Ulil Abshar –Abdalla; Taibah Istiqamah; Dimas N. Hartono; Ahsanul Minan; Ucu Agustin; Dimas Fuady; Fadjroel Rachman; Irfan Gani; Prima Gandhi; Siswanto Rusdi; , Nawir Messi; Dede Nurdin Sadat; Ali Munhanif; Airlangga Pribadi Kusman; Lukman Hakiem; Zulkarnain Hamson; Hasanuddin; Laurel Heydir; Alex Junaidi, Muhamad Isnur; Irham Dilmy;  Suharso Monoarfa; Erwin Moeslimin Singajuru; Neng Dara Affiah; Budhi Kurniawan; Tantowi Anwari; Halim Alamsyah and Tsamara Amany.

We invite everyone who love peace to support and strengthen this petition.