Isolate terrorism, says Suu Kyi

NEW DELHI: One of the worst terror attacks in Myanmar’s recent history was blamed on a group led by a man trained in Pakistan but tackling terrorism cannot be only

NEW DELHI: One of the worst terror attacks in Myanmar’s recent history was blamed on a group led by a man trained in Pakistan but tackling terrorism cannot be only about isolating organisations or nations, the country’s de-facto ruler Aung San Suu Kyi said on Tuesday.

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The world community needs to isolate terror itself and focus on the reasons why people resort to terrorism, Suu Kyi, who is Myanmar’s State Counsellor and foreign minister, told HT.

Her remarks came against the backdrop of India’s campaign to isolate Pakistan over using cross-border terrorism as a policy, an issue which figured prominently at the BRICS Summit and meeting of Bimstec leaders in Goa that was attended by Suu Kyi.

“Terrorism is rife all over the world, so I think it’s terrorism we need to isolate and to eliminate. I do not like to think in terms of individuals or organisations or countries, although these come into the equation as well,” she said in response to a question about New Delhi’s drive to isolate Islamabad for sponsoring terror.

Suu Kyi acknowledged that two men handed over by Bangladesh in connection with the October 9 terror attack on three police facilities in the restive Rakhine state had said the strikes were “organised by a man who had received six months training in… Pakistan”.

But she sounded a note of caution about apportioning blame.

A statement issued by the Myanmar President’s Office on October 13 said the attacks were carried out by Aqa Mul Mujahidin, which is linked to the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation. The leader of the group was identified as Havistoohar, an extremist who attended a “six-month Taliban training course in Pakistan ”. Nine Myanmarese policemen were killed and 64 weapons looted during the attacks.

Suu Kyi defended her government’s handling of the issue of Rohingyas, saying it was working on both national reconciliation and reconciliation between different communities in Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh.

She also rejected the perception she had tilted towards China because of India’s prolonged engagement with the military junta, saying: “We must keep very healthy balance because after all, both of you are our neighbours”.