I loathe these people': Sir Bob Geldof tears into leaders including Trump, Putin

and Suu Kyi

The campaigner says Myanmar's leader is an insult to former Nobel Peace Prize
winners and that he is 'sick' of Trump and Putin.
14:54, UK,
Thursday 05 October 2017
In typical style, Sir Bob didn't mince his words at the opening of the summit
Image:
In typical style, Sir Bob didn't mince his words. Pic: One Young World

Sir Bob Geldof has torn into world leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi and
presidents Trump and Putin - saying he "loathes" them.

Speaking at the One Young World Summit in Bogota, Colombia, the famously outspoken
campaigner said: "On this stage are some of the greatest people who have fought for
justice and peace and equality in our world," referring to the Nobel Peace
Laureates at the event.

"And one of their number in Myanmar insults them - insults them all. Who took the
greatest prize that humans can give to another and then becomes one of the great
ethnic cleansers of our planet. This is a disgrace."

A file picture of Aung San Suu Kyi taken in August

Image:
Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticised over the treatment of the Rohingya population
Sir Bob was referring to Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been
criticised for failing to stop the persecution of the country's Muslim Rohingya
population.

UN human rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, has described it as "a textbook
example of ethnic cleansing".

Nearly 600,000 Rohingya have gone to neighbouring Bangladesh since violence erupted
in Rakhine state in October 2016 - 500,000 of these after an upsurge in the last
five weeks.

They said they escaped the Buddhist-majority Myanmar after their villages were
burned to the ground by soldiers.

Rohingya child refugees (special title).

Video:
Special report: Rohingya's Exodus
The refugees are now packed into overcrowded camps along the border with Bangladesh
and there is an increasing risk of disease.

Sir Bob, famous for his fundraising for crises in Africa in the 1980s, was joined
at the opening of the summit by former UN chief Kofi Annan and Colombian President
Juan Manuel Santos.

He also directed his ire at the leaders of Russia, China, the US and Turkey.

"I'm sick of these leaders. I'm sick of Putin, I'm sick of Xi Jinping, I'm sick of
Trump, I'm sick of Erdogan," he said.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan

Image:
Sir Bob says he is 'sick' of leaders including Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan
"I loathe these people. I despise these people. How dare they behave in the manner
they behave. How dare they daily insult us as human beings?"

The One Young World Conference is a summit of young people and world and business
leaders that debates ideas and solutions to world problems.

Previous speakers have included Justin Trudeau, Emma Watson, Sir Richard Branson
and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey.