This is with reference the story, “Suu Kyi: Help us complete path to democracy” (Sept. 24). The 67-year-old Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest for opposing Myanmar’s military rulers and was recently elected a member of Parliament, is on a 17-day tour of the United States. She has already met with President Barack Obama and received the Congressional Gold Medal. Suu Kyi voiced optimism for democracy in her Southeast Asian home. She has followed in Mandela’s footstep by accepting Americans highest civilian honor, the congressional Gold medal, in an emotional ceremony in Washington, at the same time, the US responded to her call to further ease sanctions by lifting restrictions on Burmese President Thein Sein and parliamentary speaker Thura Shwe Mann — former junta leaders who lead a reformist government — in recognition of efforts to promote political reforms and human rights, and to move Myanmar towards democracy.
Anyway, between receiving Congressional awards on Capitol Hill and dining with the Obama’s at the White House it seems to us that she will be hard pressed to avoid addressing the burning question—what to do with the Rohingyas Muslims? Until now, Suu Kyi has been largely silent on the issue—she even answered: “I don’t know” when asked by a reporter whether the Muslim Rohingya community should be allowed Burmese citizenship. Other statements have been purposefully vague. During her European tour, she responded to reporters’ questions about the Arakan crisis by referring to the matter as a “rule of law” issue—hardly a heartfelt sentiment by a woman renowned across the world as a defender of the oppressed, a voice for the needy.
We are not expecting that NLD (National League for Democracy) can make policy or implement them because we know that NLD is just opposition party. What we want from Suu Kyi is that she must have moral courage to stand for the principal even not popular among voters such as Rohingyas citizenship issue. All expectation are not from NLD but from national leader Suu Kyi. She could have defused the tension between Rakhine buddies and Rohingyas Muslims by making a statement on the principal but she fail and thousand of innocent people are still paying the price Arakan state will pay this price forever. (Naser Mullah, Riyadh)
Obama and free speech
Obama defied US Constitution at UN by saying that — “US government had nothing to do with this video.” The entire world is amused at what Obama at UN said about US made anti-Islam video. He said: “I have made it clear that the United States government had nothing to do with this video.” It is surprising that how a US president (especially with distinguished legal background) can such a false statement. Obama’s mistake is evident from even what he himself said in this UN speech that “We understand why people take offense to this video because millions of our citizens are among them. I know there are some who ask why don’t we just ban such a video. The answer is enshrined in our laws. Our Constitution protects the right to practice free speech.”
Any body who has even an elementary knowledge of constitutional law knows that no government (including US government) makes such videos but US government has every thing to do to protect constitutionally guaranteed “free speech” of the said video. Therefore despite widespread outrage in the Muslim world the US has not banned this video. Rather on the contrary, Obama has gone at length in this UN speech to extensively lecture the entire world and especially the Muslim world that why they should also follow the values of “free speech,” by saying that “In every culture, those who love freedom for themselves must ask themselves how much they’re willing to tolerate freedom for others.”
Not only this, Obama at the UN has gone one step further and said that this “free speech” is not merely the values of the US but also of West (that means entire Christian world). Therefore no body should be under any delusion. Through this video controversy the West is trying to bully Muslims in accepting the values of “free speech.” (Hem Raj Jain, By e-mail)
Letters — Suu Kyi’s double standard
Letters — Suu Kyi’s double standard
Letter to the Editor: In response to Dr. Dania Khatib’s column (July 10, 2025)
Ukraine stands for freedom of speech and independent media. However, it is with a bitter regret that we noted the recent publication of an op-ed by Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib, who suggested to the public several observations which we believe are inaccurate and risk misleading readers on fundamental issues. The publication itself and a range of narratives outlined therein require a response from the Ukrainian side.
Ukraine profoundly appreciates our rich and consistently growing partnership with Saudi Arabia in line with the Kingdom’s unwavering commitment, in particular, to international law, its rules and fundamental principles.
In this context, it would be relevant to make several points thus dispelling Dr. Dania Khatib’s publication through the prism of our bilateral partnership with undisputable facts to set the record straight.
First of all, the Russian military aggression against Ukraine in no way can be considered as a legitimate deterrence. We believe that invading an independent state, partly occupying sovereign territories, killing peaceful civilians and destroying domestic economies represent a blatant and outrageous violation of the UN Charter’s provisions and international law, which all the UN member states are obliged to respect.
It would be appropriate to recall all the UN resolutions having been adopted since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and in the period 2022-2024. None of the 140 countries that unanimously deplored Russian violations ever talked of this so-called “deterrence.”
Secondly, it is vital for me to firmly reject the notion that Ukraine is “destroyed” or on the verge of collapse, as well as the allegation that a sovereign state being subject to external pressures as a weaker part of the war leading to a hypothetical surrender.
Despite the struggles posed against Ukraine, our state remains steadfast in its pursuit of a prosperous future. To demonstrate our resilience, it is useful to remember the crystal clear figures of our economic partnership with the Kingdom during the time of the full-scale aggression. When bilateral trade turnover grows by 17 percent, this speaks for itself not of a country being destroyed but a determined nation committed to resist.
We have a joint ambition to develop partnership into the future, which is codified in the joint statement issued after the official visit of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to the Kingdom in March 2025.
The reinvigoration of the Ukrainian-Saudi Joint Business Council of chambers of commerce and industry, as well as dynamic high-level exchanges between Ukrainian and Saudi companies, demonstrate the high pace of our cooperation. Moreover, we have retained our responsibility as a key food security guarantor in the world by widely supplying wheat and corn to the countries affected.
All these facts do not describe the country in ruin. On the contrary, Ukraine is simultaneously implementing national priority interests and sympathetically meeting the dire needs of struggling countries.
Far from the term “destroyed,” Ukraine refused to fall a victim of Russian aggression but displayed incredible tenacity to defend its people and land.
The final point is around criticism of weak and unreliable West. We want to make it clear: Ukraine stands against aggression with consistent support of our strategic partner the United States and the broad international coalition of the West. Their political support, economic and security assistance empowered Ukraine to withstand all brutalities of the war. The unity we have seen — politically, economically and militarily — is unprecedented and cannot be underestimated.
Ukraine is confident in the West and grateful to all who extend us a hand of help in time of a challenge. Similarly, the humanitarian assistance of the Kingdom plays a pivotal role in protecting our civilians from the consequences of the Russian invasion.
The bottom line is that, with all due respect, a contributing columnist may attempt to offer her fresh look on a complex set of issues; however, one principle must persist to be imperative: rock-solid facts, in my opinion, should not be misinterpreted and distorted in a way that undermines the foundations of international law, sovereign state vital national interests and much valuable partnerships across the globe that Ukraine treasures so much.
Anatolii Petrenko
Ambassador of Ukraine to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
