31 October 2017
Statement from Councillor Pete West on Council Leader’s decision to pull Council debate on Myanmar
Following news that the Notice of Motion on Conflict in Myanmar has been withdrawn, [1] Councillor Pete West, who had proposed an amendment to this cross-party motion calling for Aung San Suu Kyi’s Freewoman of the City title to be revoked, said:
“The city will be really disappointed to hear that the Leader of the Council has chosen to take away the opportunity to express concern about the horrific events in Myanmar. With over 1000 people killed in what the United Nations have labelled ‘textbook ethnic cleansing,’ this was a crucial debate. Greens wanted to take the original motion further and also put the option of swiftly removing the Freewoman of the City title forward to Full Council.
“From the outset Greens have been clear that the Council could send a stronger message both to Aung San Suu Kyi and to our resident Muslim population by revoking her Freedom of the City status. But in an unnecessary development, our views on her status have led to Warren Morgan pulling the plug on the entire course of action, with the chance for debate, including the original cross-Party actions, now lost.”