AUNG San Suu Kyi, now State Councillor of Myanmar, received an honorary degree from the University of Oxford on June 20, 2012.

In her speech on that day she stated that “the most important thing for me about Oxford was not what I learnt there in terms of set texts and set books we had to read, but in terms of a respect for the best in human civilisation”.

Her current actions and words condoning the persecution of the Rohingya minority in her country do not show such a perspective but rather a lack of understanding of human rights.

A UN report of February this year identifies mass gang-rape, killings, including of babies and young children, brutal beatings, disappearances and other serious human rights violations by the country’s security forces. Yet Aung San Suu Kyi has expressed astonishment that anyone would wish to fight the army when the government has done so much for them. Her office has posted on its Facebook page alleging that a Rohingya woman’s claims of rape are fake. She has asked the UN not to use the name ‘Rohingya’ because her country does not recognise them as an ethnicity.

We have written to the Dean of the Law Faculty of the University and the Director of its Human Rights Institute asking them to withdraw the honorary doctorate.

There is also an online petition at www.change.org/p/professoranne-davies-withdraw-aung-sansuu-kyi-s-oxford-doctorate.

Please sign it and keep up the pressure on the university.

DR HAZEL DAWE & STEVE DAWE

Bulan Road, Oxford