U.S. Threatens to Punish Myanmar Over Treatment of Rohingya

[Banglar Bir]

U.S. Threatens to Punish Myanmar Over Treatment of Rohingya
PETER BAKER and NICK CUMMING-BRUCE
OCT. 23, 2017
Myanmar unless it pulls back from its violent military campaign against Rohingya Muslims, expressing what it called “our gravest concern” over a crisis that has killed or displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

The State Department said it has already cut off travel waivers allowing current and former senior military leaders into the country and was considering further actions to impose economic measures against those responsible for atrocities against Myanmar’s ethnic minority. The department said that all military units involved in operations against the Rohingya were ineligible for American aid.

“The government of Burma, including its armed forces, must take immediate action to ensure peace and security; implement commitments to ensure humanitarian access to communities in desperate need; facilitate the safe and voluntary return of those who have fled or been displaced in Rakhine State; and address the root causes of systematic discrimination against the Rohingya,” the department said in a statement issued Monday night, using the former name for Myanmar.

The American warning came as the United Nations said the Rohingya Muslims who have fled deadly persecution in Myanmar to Bangladesh would soon exceed one million.
Photo

Children carrying jugs of water across a Naf River stream to the refugee camp outside Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh, last month.
Credit Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times
That prediction loomed over an emergency donors conference in Geneva to raise money for aid groups struggling to help Bangladesh, one of the world’s poorest countries, deal with the crisis.
In Grim Camps, Rohingya Suffer on ‘Scale That We Couldn’t Imagine’ SEPT. 29, 2017
Desperate Rohingya Flee Myanmar on Trail of Suffering: ‘It Is All Gone’ SEPT. 2, 2017
Rohingya Recount Atrocities: ‘They Threw My Baby Into a Fire’OCT. 11, 2017
Rohingya Refugees Fleeing Myanmar Await Entrance to Squalid Camps OCT. 18, 2017
Opinion Op-Ed Contributor
How the Rohingya Crisis Is Changing Bangladesh OCT. 6, 2017
Doctors Without Borders, the medical charity, called the health conditions of the refugee encampments a “time bomb.”

More than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have battled terror, exhaustion and hunger to reach safety in Bangladesh since Myanmar’s army began a campaign of what the United Nations has called ethnic cleansing in late August. The new arrivals joined more than 300,000 Rohingya who had escaped in recent years.

The number of people crossing the Naf River that divides the two countries has slowed to about 1,000 to 3,000 a day, down from a peak of 12,000 to 18,000 a day earlier in the crisis, said William Lacy Swing, the director of the International Organization for Migration, a part of the United Nations.

Still, he said, “even at that rate the numbers are expected to exceed a million shortly.”

More than 300,000 children are among the Rohingya refugees. Mark Lowcock, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator, told reporters that many were acutely malnourished.
Helping the Rohingya

A partial list of aid groups working to ease the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
States had previously committed around $116 million toward the $430 million sought by the United Nations for humanitarian aid over the next six months. Pledges received from governments on Monday raised the total to about $340 million, Mr. Lowcock said, expressing confidence that additional contributions would flow in coming days.

Even so, humanitarian agencies face enormous challenges delivering relief. Hundreds of thousands of refugees were crammed on a strip of land that lacked roads or infrastructure to support the delivery of aid.

With 210 hospital beds available to support more than 900,000 people living with little access to clean water, sanitation or medical care, the refugees’ situation is a “time bomb ticking toward a full-blown health crisis,” Joanne Liu, the international president of Doctors Without Borders told the meeting.

The United Nations food aid agency said that it had distributed food to 580,000 people since the crisis erupted, but that it had so far received less than one-third of the $77 million it needs to aid a million people over six months.

Queen Rania of Jordan, who visited some of the camps on Monday, expressed shock at the conditions. “It is unforgivable that this crisis is unfolding, largely ignored by the international community,” she said in a statement.

Peter Baker reported from Washington and Nick Cumming-Bruce from Geneva. Rick Gladstone contributed reporting from New York.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/23/...contentCollection=Asia Pacific&pgtype=article

 

[Mugwop]

Something doesn't seem right to me

The fact that OIC and other muslim countries don't care about rohingyas and but the US wants to punish myanmar for them?

 

[Banglar Bir]

Something doesn't seem right to me
The fact that OIC and other muslim countries don't care about rohingyas and but the US wants to punish myanmar for them?

The explanation is Crystal clear,as some of us were anticipating. Tip of the Iceberg,only.
Kindly read the thread below:
https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/rohingya-crisis-the-fire-may-engulf-the-entire-region.523833/
+ The rise of China, and the emerging 21st Century "Geo-Strategic" scenario of the region of Asia and the Far Eastern region, inclusive.
Don't state that we did not inform all concerned,well ahead in time.


Why and how the US must confront Burma's Rohingya genocide
The United States should sanction Burma for its genocide against the Muslim Rohingya people, and lead an international effort to assist impoverished Bangladesh in supporting Rohingya refugees.

That's my conclusion based on the testimony coming out of southeast Bangladesh, where over 500,000 Rohingya civilians have taken refuge to avoid slaughter in Burma. My concern greatly increased after I spoke, Wednesday, with my aid worker aunt, Pat Kerr, who has taken a team to southeast Bangladesh.

Kerr described the situation at the Shah Porir Diip boat station, which sits between Burma and Bangladesh:

"Most of the refugees who arrive in Bangladesh take a boat to this station, and then barter (for example, giving jewelry for the fare) or borrow money to get to the mainland.

It is tragic to see families with many young children and all their belongings in a few rice sacks.
One young girl was so traumatized she couldn't speak or communicate in any way. Some refugees don't even have a full set of clothes, many don't have sandals.

There are more women and children than men, as the Burmese army is killing many of the men. The tales they all told were consistent: many men being killed and all villages burnt.
The pattern seems to be that this started in the north of Burma's Rakhine state and is spreading across the whole state to the south. There were 20,000 new refugees yesterday and we saw many boatloads today so the violence has definitely not stopped."

Still, Kerr says, the Bangladeshi Army is doing exceptional work in providing for those in need. She references one officer, Major Tanim, who has established an efficient supply of aid and provision of security for the thousands of refugees in his area.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are also playing a critical role, she says, describing one camp where, "Every day, 12,000 children are given a meal of meat and rice. This is one of four sites giving a hot meal of meat and rice in the middle of the day. A total of 84,000 meals are served to women and children. This is not including the sacks of dry food (rice and lentils) that are also distributed to thousands, or the medical clinic with free basic medicine."

Unfortunately, it's not enough. The current global strategy towards the Rohingya crisis is the equivalent of bandaging an arterial bleed. More must be done.

First, the U.S. should lead a global diplomatic effort to sanction Burma.
At present, the only serious reprisal Burma's government has faced for its genocide is the announcement that Aung San Suu Kyi will be stripped of the freedom of Oxford.
That's a very unfunny joke.
Considering the scale of this crisis, the Trump administration should immediately call for wide spectrum economic sanctions on the Burmese government and its financial industries.
The need for this leadership is even more urgent in the context of reporting by The Guardian, Thursday, that the United Nations has suppressed evidence of its failure to plan and respond to Rohingya refugee needs.

Here, it won't be enough to simply sanction a few random Burmese officials, the U.S. must bring the diplomatic heat.
If tough sanctions push Burma into the hands of the Chinese government, so be it.
America should seek good relations and strong economic ties with all nations that share our values or support a realist U.S. foreign policy.
But at present, Burma offers neither of those things.
Incidentally, it says much about the nature of Xi Jinping's foreign policy vision that he is willing to align himself with a genocidal regime.

Second, the U.S. should strengthen its aid to Bangladesh as that nation saves those civilians the Burmese Army has failed to kill.
To do so, Secretaries Mattis and Tillerson should send the head of Pacific Command, Admiral Harris, and the State Department's relevant Assistant Secretary, Alice Wells, to visit Dhaka and meet with top Bangladeshi officials.
This would consolidate Bangladesh in the knowledge that its humanitarian efforts have not gone unnoticed in Washington.
Bangladesh is often low-down in the U.S. foreign policy priority list, but that must now change.

More broadly, President Trump should prioritize the Rohingya in the same way that he has pushed Venezuela's situation up the international agenda.

Utilizing his good will with the Sunni-Arab monarchies and recognizing Saudi Arabia's evolving interest in humanitarian issues, Trump should push those governments to increase their aid to the Rohingya (many of whom are Muslim). Additional funds are specifically needed in order to provide the Rohingya with longer-term shelter in Bangladesh. Kerr notes that one need in the camps is a "nighttime service for pregnant women and those in labor, because at the moment, the NGOs only offer treatment during the day."

Ultimately, this isn't that complicated a foreign policy issue. America doesn't need to keep the Burmese government happy, but we must confront this human suffering.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/w...ront-burmas-rohingya-genocide/article/2636643

 

[Flynn Swagmire]

Something doesn't seem right to me

The fact that OIC and other muslim countries don't care about rohingyas and but the US wants to punish myanmar for them?

Other Muslim country does cares, but Bangladesh doesn't wants to take any action against mayanmar. For China I guess.

And US will try to reduce Chinese influence every way possible.

 

[Banglar Bir]

Other Muslim country does cares, but Bangladesh doesn't wants to take any action against mayanmar. For China I guess.
And US will try to reduce Chinese influence every way possible.

Bingo,right on the Bulls Eye.

 

[Banglar Bir]

01:32 PM, October 24, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 01:48 PM, October 24, 2017
US exploring scope for Myanmar sanctions

Urging Myanmar government to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of all Rohingyas from Bangladesh, the US on Monday, October 23, 2017, says that it is exploring scopes to impose sanctions against the country. Reuters file photo
UNB, Dhaka
Urging Myanmar government to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of all Rohingyas from Bangladesh, the US has said that it is exploring scopes to impose sanctions against the country.
"We are exploring accountability mechanisms available under US law, including Global Magnitsky targeted sanctions," said US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert in a statement on Monday.
READ more: World leaders must engage in political process
US also urged Myanmar to address the root causes of systematic discrimination against the Rohingya by implementing the Rakhine Advisory Commission's recommendations, which includes providing a credible path to citizenship.

"We are ready to support these efforts," Nauert said.

The government of Myanmar, including its armed forces, must take immediate action to ensure peace and security; implement commitments to ensure humanitarian access to communities in desperate need, Nauert said.
Also READ: Next report will be more detailed, says UN envoy
"We will continue to support Burma's transition to democracy, as well as efforts to resolve the current crisis in Rakhine State," said the Spokesperson.

The US said Myanmar in recent years has emerged from a half-century of authoritarian rule and undertaken a significant transition to an open, democratic society.

The US administration supports this transition and the elected civilian government as important means to achieve peace, stability, and prosperity in the interests of all peoples of Burma and the US-Burma partnership.

"At the same time, we express our gravest concern with recent events in Rakhine State and the violent, traumatic abuses Rohingya and other communities have endured," said the Spokesperson.

It is imperative that any individuals or entities responsible for atrocities, including non-state actors and vigilantes, be held accountable, said the US official.

"Accordingly, in addition to existing restrictions on our already-limited engagement with Burma's armed forces and our long-standing embargo on all military sales, the United States is taking the following actions in pursuit of accountability and an end to violence:

Since August 25, the US has ceased consideration of JADE Act travel waivers for current and former senior leadership of the Burmese military.
"We are assessing authorities under the JADE Act to consider economic options available to target individuals associated with atrocities," said the Spokesperson.

Pursuant to the Leahy Law, they find all units and officers involved in operations in northern Rakhine State to be ineligible to receive or participate in any US assistance programmes.

"We have rescinded invitations for senior Burmese security forces to attend US-sponsored events. We are working with international partners to urge that Burma enables unhindered access to relevant areas for the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission, international humanitarian organisations, and media," said the Spokesperson.

The US is consulting with allies and partners on accountability options at the UN, the UN Human Rights Council, and other appropriate venues
http://www.thedailystar.net/rohingy...m_medium=newsurl&utm_term=all&utm_content=all

US mulls sanctions on Myanmar over Rohingya crisis

More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled the country since late August [Anadolu]
The US is considering sanctions against Myanmar authorities for its "violent, traumatic abuses" of the Rohingya Muslims in restive Rakhine state.

Washington may use a human rights law to target leaders or groups involved in the violence in the western state, the US State Department said in a statement on Monday.

"We express our gravest concern with recent events in Rakhine state and the violent, traumatic abuses Rohingya and other communities have endured," the statement said.

"It is imperative that any individuals or entities responsible for atrocities, including non-state actors and vigilantes, be held accountable."
Myanmar: Who are the Rohingya?
Since August 25, the Myanmar army has waged a brutal military campaign in Rakhine against the Rohingya.

More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled the country, most arriving in Bangladesh by foot or by boat, with aid agencies struggling to cope with the influx.

"We are exploring accountability mechanisms available under US law, including Global Magnitsky targeted sanctions," Heather Nauert, State Department spokesperson, said.

Under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the president can block or revoke the visas of certain foreign individuals and entities or impose property sanctions on them.

UN says 14,000 Rohingya children may die from malnutrition
The US also announced that it is withdrawing military assistance to Myanmar officers and units operating in northern Rakhine.

Last week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that the US holds Myanmar's military leadership responsible for its harsh crackdown of the Rohingya.

The UN describes the Rohingya as the world's most persecuted people.

The minority group has suffered years of discrimination and have been denied citizenship in Myanmar since 1982.

In Monday's statement, the US urged the safe and voluntary return of those who have fled or been displaced in Rakhine, as well as a "credible path to citizenship".
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/10/171024063139260.html

Channel Islam International
Who are the key figures responsible for the genocide in Myanmar?

https://www.facebook.com/

 

[Banglar Bir]

US Revokes Aid To Myanmar Military, Eyeing Sanctions Over Rohingya Ethnic Cleansing

US Revokes Aid To Myanmar Military, Eyeing Sanctions Over Rohingya Ethnic Cleansing
The United States has announced new restrictions concerning engagement with the Myanmar military over the violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine State.
Washington is also weighing economic measures against those involved in the reported atrocities.

“We express our gravest concern over recent events in Rakhine State and the violent, traumatic abuses Rohingya and other communities have endured. It is imperative that any individuals or entities responsible for atrocities, including non-state actors and vigilantes, be held accountable,” State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement on Monday.

In the statement, she also outlined the measures that Washington is going to take “in pursuit of accountability and an end to violence.”

In particular, the US is withdrawing military assistance programs for Myanmar units and officers“involved in operations in northern Rakhine State.” The measure will add to Washington’s already limited engagement with the Myanmar military and its long-standing embargo on all military sales.

In addition, the State Department said it has ceased its consideration of travel waivers for senior Myanmar military officials and is weighing economic sanctions against individuals “associated with atrocities.”

According to Bloomberg, this statement is one of the first signals that the US could re-impose the sanctions on Myanmar that were lifted last year as the country shifted toward democracy after the National League for Democracy party led by Aung San Suu Kyi won the country’s first openly contested election for decades in 2015.
ALSO READ: Burma Troops Setting Bodies Of Rohingya Muslims On Fire To Conceal Evidence
“The Government of Burma, including its armed forces, must take immediate action to ensure peace and security; implement commitments to ensure humanitarian access to communities in desperate need; facilitate the safe and voluntary return of those who have fled or been displaced in Rakhine State; and address the root causes of systematic discrimination against the Rohingya,” Nauert said.

The Rohingya crisis, which actually originated in a conflict from the 19th century, intensified on August 25, 2017, when Muslim insurgents of Rohingya origin attacked security posts in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.

Myanmar’s subsequent brutal crackdown led to a spate of clashes and the death of hundreds of Rohingya people. More than half a million Rohingya Muslims have already fled Myanmar, crossing into neighboring Bangladesh.
Source: Sputnik
http://wikileaksnews.co/us-revokes-aid-myanmar-military-eyeing-sanctions-rohingya-ethnic-cleansing/

মিয়ানমারের বিরুদ্ধে ব্যবস্থা যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের, অবরোধ আরোপেরও চিন্তা

Image caption এভাবেই দলে দলে রোহিঙ্গারা বাংলাদেশে আসা শুরু করেছে ২৫শে অগাস্ট থেকে
মিয়ানমারে রোহিঙ্গা মুসলিমদের বিরুদ্ধে সংঘটিত সহিংসতায় জড়িত সেনা ইউনিট ও কর্মকর্তাদের সামরিক সহায়তা প্রত্যাহারের ঘোষণা দিয়ে যুক্তরাষ্ট্র বলছে তারা মিয়ানমারের বিরুদ্ধে অবরোধ আরোপসহ আরও কিছু ব্যবস্থা নেয়ার কথা ভাবছে।

মার্কিন পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয়ের এক বিবৃতিতে বলা হয়েছে, "কোন নিপীড়ন হলে তার জন্য দায়ী ব্যক্তি বা প্রতিষ্ঠানকে জবাবদিহিতার আওতায় আনা অত্যন্ত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ"।

এর আগে বুধবার মার্কিন পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী রেক্স টিলারসন বলেন, যুক্তরাষ্ট্র মনে করে মিয়ানমারের সামরিক নেতৃত্বই রোহিঙ্গাদের ওপর দমন-পীড়নের জন্য দায়ী।

তিনি মিয়ানমারকে সতর্ক করে বলেছিলেন বিশ্ব কোন নিষ্ঠুরতার প্রত্যক্ষদর্শী হয়ে বসে থাকবে না।

যদিও রোহিঙ্গা ইস্যুতে যথাযথ ব্যবস্থা নিতে ধীরগতির জন্য ট্রাম্প প্রশাসনের সমালোচনা করছেন অনেকেই।

ছবির কপিরাইট REUTERS
Image caption রোহিঙ্গাদের অভিযোগ মিয়ানমারের সেনারা এভাবেই তাদের গ্রামগুলো পুড়িয়ে দিয়েছে
এখন স্টেট ডিপার্টমেন্টের বিবৃতি অনুযায়ী সংখ্যালঘু রোহিঙ্গা মুসলিমদের ওপর অত্যাচার নির্যাতনের কারণে মিয়ানমারের ওপর সীমিত মাত্রায় ব্যবস্থা নেবে যুক্তরাষ্ট্র।

এর আওতায় সহিংসতায় জড়িত বার্মিজ সেনা ইউনিট ও অফিসারদের সামরিক সহায়তা প্রত্যাহার করে নেবে দেশটি।

স্টেট ডিপার্টমেন্টের মুখপাত্র বলেছেন, "রাখাইনে সংঘটিত ঘটনায় আমরা গভীর উদ্বেগ প্রকাশ করছি"।

তিনি বলেন মিয়ানমার সরকার, সশস্ত্র বাহিনীকে অবশ্যই শান্তি ও নিরাপত্তা নিশ্চিত করতে ব্যবস্থা নিতে হবে। জরুরী মানবিক সহায়তা এবং রাখাইন থেকে যারা পালিয়ে গেছে তারা যেনো নিরাপদে ফিরে আসতে পারে সেটি নিশ্চিত করতে হবে।

একই সাথে তিনি বলেছেন রোহিঙ্গা সমস্যার মূলে যে বৈষম্য সেদিকেও দৃষ্টি দিতে হবে।

জাতিসংঘের হিসেবে গত ২৫শে অগাস্টের পর থেকে রাখাইনে সেনাবাহিনীর নির্যাতনের মুখে প্রাণভয়ে এ পর্যন্ত প্রায় ছয় লক্ষ রোহিঙ্গা মিয়ানমার থেকে পালিয়ে বাংলাদেশে এসেছে।
http://www.bbc.com/bengali/news-41731271?ocid=socialflow_facebook

 

[Banglar Bir]

US Declaration of 'Ethnic Cleansing' in Myanmar on Way

In this Oct. 18, 2017, file photo, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. U.S. officials are preparing a recommendation for Tillerson to declare that ethnic cleansing is occurring against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
US officials preparing a recommendation for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to declare "ethnic cleansing" is occurring against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims.
By Matthew Pennington
Associated Press
October 24, 2017
WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration moved toward a condemnation of "ethnic cleansing" against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, as officials were preparing a recommendation for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to unequivocally use the term for the first time. Angry lawmakers on Tuesday demanded an immediate denunciation as they explored a new, tougher U.S. policy.

"My bosses have said it appears to be ethnic cleansing. I'm of that view as well," said Patrick Murphy, a senior U.S. diplomat for Southeast Asia, while adding that the final call wasn't his to make.

Tillerson could receive the recommendation to adopt such terminology as a matter of policy as early as this week, officials familiar with the process told The Associated Press. He would then decide whether to follow the advice of his agency's policy experts and lawyers, which would raise pressure on the U.S. government to consider new sanctions on a country that had been lauded for its democratic transition.

At a Senate hearing Tuesday, lawmakers pressed Murphy and other administration officials to hastily clarify their view of the brutal crackdown on Muslims in Rakhine State that has caused more than 600,000 refugees to flee to Bangladesh.
But U.S. officials have been weighing several factors for their policy toward the country also known as Burma, including concerns about undermining the civilian government led by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi for the last 18 months.

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine was among those calling for a clear determination "with dispatch." Republican Sen. Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, emphasized it "may be time for a policy readjustment." Other lawmakers in both houses of Congress have proposed new U.S. penalties on the military, which retains significant power in Myanmar and is blamed for the violence.

The U.S. officials, who weren't authorized to speak publicly on the internal process and requested anonymity, told the AP the State Department won't make a call yet on whether crimes against humanity have occurred in Myanmar. Such a determination would be even more detrimental to Myanmar's military, as it could force the U.S. to push harder for legal accountability.

According to the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention, "ethnic cleansing" isn't recognized as an independent crime under international law, unlike crimes against humanity and genocide.
It surfaced in the context of the 1990s conflict in the former Yugoslavia, when a U.N. commission defined it as "rendering an area ethnically homogeneous by using force or intimidation to remove persons of given groups from the area."

Nevertheless, Murphy stressed that "a determination of ethnic cleansing will not change our pursuit of full accountability." The issue also is sensitive because President Donald Trump will make his first official trip to Asia next month and hasn't spoken about the crisis.

Human rights groups accuse security forces of launching a scorched-earth campaign in late August as they responded to Rohingya insurgent attacks. Amnesty International alleges that hundreds of Rohingya men, women and children have been systematically killed.

Senators of both parties expressed outrage over the atrocities — and frustration at Washington's inability to stop them. They questioned whether former President Barack Obama prematurely lifted sanctions against the armed forces as a reward for an end to decades of direct military rule.
"The military control Burma today," Sen. Ben Cardin, the panel's top Democrat, said. "That's unacceptable, that's why we imposed sanctions, because of military control.
Sanction relief was given for what? So people can be ethnically cleansed?"

Murphy said the U.S. has limited leverage with Myanmar's military. He described broad sanctions and more targeted measures as under consideration, but worried about hurting Myanmar's vulnerable citizens. Administration officials also fret that punishing Myanmar too forcefully could undermine Suu Kyi's government and push her country away from the United States and toward China.

Before the latest refugee exodus, roughly 1 million Rohingya lived in Myanmar. The Buddhist majority believes they migrated illegally from Bangladesh, although many Rohingya families have lived in Myanmar for generations. They were stripped of their citizenship in 1982.

Calls for a U.S. determination of "ethnic cleansing" have intensified, as the United Nations and leading Western governments have used the term. Six weeks ago, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said it "seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing." French President Emmanuel Macron echoed that opinion, as have leaders of many in the Muslim world.

U.S. officials have been more reticent. Tillerson, who last week said that perpetrators will be held to account for atrocities, has referred to the violence as "characterized by many as ethnic cleansing." U.N. envoy Nikki Haley told the Security Council last month it was "a brutal, sustained campaign to cleanse the country of an ethnic minority."

"We are not shying from the use of any appropriate terminology," Murphy told reporters later Tuesday, without revealing what the formal review would conclude.

The recent violence already has prompted Washington to curtail already restricted ties with Myanmar's military. Two months ago, the U.S. stopped waiving visa restrictions to allow members of Myanmar's military to visit — a policy that Murphy said would also apply to commander in chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.
The State Department announced Monday that units and officers involved in Rakhine operations are ineligible for U.S. assistance, and rescinded invitations for senior security forces to attend U.S.-sponsored events.

Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers want tougher action, such as financial sanctions against military officials complicit in rights abuses. Restrictions on military-owned businesses that hold large stakes in Myanmar's economy are also a possibility.

"Here we have this horrific instance, and we have virtually no voice, no pressure," said Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, who is set to travel to Myanmar soon.
Associated Press writer Josh Lederman contributed to this report.
http://www.rohingyablogger.com/2017/10/us-declaration-of-ethnic-cleansing-in.html

 

[Banglar Bir]

U.S. Thinks About Calling Myanmar's #Rohingya Crisis 'Ethnic Cleansing'

https://www.facebook.com/

 

[Banglar Bir]

03:23 PM, October 25, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 03:54 PM, October 25, 2017
We must pursue accountability for atrocities in Rakhine: US official

The United States on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, says it want accountability for atrocities in Rakhine State of Myanmar and their efforts seek to end the violence, support the displaced and their return home.
This Reuters photo taken today, October 25, 2017, shows Rohingya refugees walk through water after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, at a port in Teknaf, Bangladesh.
UNB, Dhaka
The United States has said it wants accountability for atrocities in Rakhine State of Myanmar and their efforts seek to end the violence, support the displaced and their return home.
"We've assessed that atrocities have been committed and we must pursue accountability," said W Patrick Murphy, Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma, at a special briefing in Washington on Tuesday.
Also READ: Myanmar working on Rohingya repatriation, says Suu Kyi
Murphy, also Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia, said the terrible Rakhine State crisis has exacerbated longstanding suffering of Rohingya and other populations.

The crisis threatens peaceful transition as do other challenges the elected civilian authority inherited just 16 months ago, he said.
The US, earlier, announced $104 million in 2017 that has gone to both internally and externally displaced people.

"We've talked quite a bit about the good work that the government of Bangladesh has done in accepting so many of those refugees," Murphy said.
He said they have identified new and ongoing actions to hold responsible those who have committed violence.

The US official also shared the measures - suspending travel waivers for military leaders; assessing existing authorities to consider options to target individuals responsible for atrocities; finding that all units and officers involved in operations in northern Rakhine State are ineligible for US assistance programs.

He also mentioned rescinding invitations for Burmese security leaders to travel to US-sponsored programs; maintaining a longstanding arms embargo; consulting on accountability options at the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and other venues; and pressing for access for the UN Fact-Finding Mission, a mission that we helped support the establishment of as measures taken so far.

"There is also a need to address long-term causes of instability in Rakhine State. We support Burma in implementing the recommendations of the Kofi Annan Rakhine Advisory Commission to take on underdevelopment, lack of services, access to justice, and a citizenship process for all people in Rakhine State," Murphy said.

He said they will continue to work with the democratically-elected civilian leadership, Myanmar's diverse populations and other stakeholders inside the country, and the region on this crisis and other daunting challenges in the post-military era of that country.

"I want to be very clear: We are not shying away from the use of any appropriate terminology. We have a deliberative process to examine facts and a policy to support the pursuit of additional information to make such determinations, thus our support, for example, for the UN Fact-Finding Mission," said the US official.
http://www.thedailystar.net/rohingy...es-rakhine-us-official-patrick-murphy-1481560

 

[Banglar Bir]

U.S. weighs calling Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis ‘ethnic cleansing’
SAM Staff, October 25, 2017

Rohingya refugees wait to receive humanitarian aid at Kutupalong refugee camp near Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh 24October 2017, Photo: Reuters
The State Department is considering formally declaring the crackdown on Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims to be ethnic cleansing, U.S. officials said on Tuesday (Oct 24), as lawmakers called for sanctions against the Southeast Asian country’s military.
Pressure has mounted for a tougher U.S. response to the Rohingya crisis ahead of President Donald Trump’s maiden visit to Asia next month when he will attend a summit of Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, in Manila.

U.S. officials are preparing a recommendation for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that would define the military-led campaign against the Rohingya as ethnic cleansing, which could spur new sanctions, the U.S. government sources said.

The proposal – part of an overall review of Myanmar policy – could be sent to Tillerson as early as this week, and he would then decide whether to adopt it, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

More than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine state in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, mostly to neighboring Bangladesh, since security forces responded to Rohingya militants’ attacks on Aug. 25 by launching a crackdown. The United Nations has already denounced it as a classic example of ethnic cleansing.

Three U.S. officials testifying at a Senate hearing on Tuesday declined to say whether the treatment of the Rohingya was ethnic cleansing, but listed new measures including targeted sanctions that Washington is considering.

Those steps, however, stopped short of the most drastic tools at Washington’s disposal such as reimposing broader economic sanctions suspended under the Obama administration.
Also Read: Myanmar to take back Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh
“I‘m not in a position … to characterize it today, but to me this very closely resembles some of the worst kind of atrocities that I’ve seen during a long career,” Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mark Storella said when pressed to say whether he viewed the situation as ethnic cleansing.

Senator Ben Cardin, the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, said he considered the treatment of the Rohingya “genocide” and is working on bipartisan legislation that could spell out whether additional sanctions are needed.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, insists that action was needed to combat “terrorists.”

The recommendation to Tillerson – first reported by the Associated Press – is not expected to include a determination on whether “crimes against humanity” have been committed, as this would require further legal deliberations, one U.S. official said.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Also Read: ‘Suu Kyi government played into the hands of the military’
Some U.S. lawmakers criticized Aung San Suu Kyi, head of Myanmar’s civilian-led government and a Nobel peace laureate once hugely popular in Washington, for failing to do more.

Senator Bob Corker, Republican chairman of the committee, chided Suu Kyi for what he called “dismissiveness” toward the plight of the Rohingya and said it might be time for a “policy adjustment” toward Myanmar.

At the hearing, Patrick Murphy, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian And Pacific Affairs, said additional sanctions were being considered, but cautioned that doing so could lessen Washington’s ability to influence Myanmar.
SOURCE REUTERS
https://southasianmonitor.com/2017/...ng-myanmars-rohingya-crisis-ethnic-cleansing/

 

[idune]

US declaration of "ethnic cleansing" has significance. Last such declaration seen ICJ prosecution and even direct military intervention in Bosnia.

 

[UKBengali]

US declaration of "ethnic cleansing" has significance. Last such declaration seen ICJ prosecution and even direct military intervention in Bosnia.

That bitch and her generals will never set foot in the West ever again unless they are brought caged for trial.

 

[Banglar Bir]

UN rejects Myanmar’s claim of nod for houses for refugees
SAM Staff, October 27, 2017

In this September 30, 2017 photo, Rohingya survivors of a boat capsize, Sona Mia (center) and Lalo Mia (right), sit in a room to meet administration officers at Kutupalong camp in Bangladesh, Photo: AP
Points to killings, arson and rape carried out by troops and ethnic Rakhine Buddhist mobs

A United Nations settlement programme, UN-Habitat in Myanmar, on Thursday rejected a state media report that it had agreed to help build housing for people fleeing violence in the northern Myanmar state of Rakhine, where an army operation has displaced hundreds of thousands.

The development underscores tension between Myanmar and the United Nations, which in April criticised the government’s previous plan to resettle Rohingya Muslims displaced by last year’s violence in “camp-like” villages.

More than 6,00,000 have crossed to Bangladesh since August 25 attacks by Rohingya militants sparked an army crackdown.
The UN has said killings, arson and rape carried out by troops and ethnic Rakhine Buddhist mobs since then amount to a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya.

The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said on 26 October that UN-Habitat had agreed to provide technical assistance in housing displaced people in Rakhine and the agency would work closely with the authorities to “implement the projects to be favourable to Myanmar’s social culture and administrative system.”

But Stanislav Saling, spokesman for the office of the U.N. resident coordinator in Myanmar, told Reuters in an email that “no agreements were reached so far” after the agency’s representatives attended a series of meetings with Myanmar officials this week in its capital Naypyitaw.

“The UN-Habitat mission emphasized that resettlement should be conducted in accordance with the principles of housing and property restitution for refugees and displaced persons to support their safe and dignified return to their places of origin,” he said, responding on behalf of UN-Habitat.

UN-Habitat welcomed the interest of the Myanmar government in international norms and standards, he added.

The UN principles state that all refugees or displaced persons have the right to return to property or land from which they were arbitrarily or unlawfully removed.
SOURCE REUTERS
https://southasianmonitor.com/2017/10/27/un-rejects-myanmars-claim-nod-houses-refugees/

 

[Banglar Bir]

10:16 AM, October 27, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 10:28 AM, October 27, 2017
Rohingya crisis: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson calls Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Myanmar's army chief Thursday, October 27, 2017, to help end the violence in Rakhine state that has forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee. This Reuters photo taken on October 26, 2017 shows Rohingya refugees line up to receive humanitarian aid in Balukhali refugee camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
AFP, Washington
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Myanmar's army chief Thursday to help end the violence in Rakhine state that has forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee.
In a phone call with Min Aung Hlaing, Tillerson expressed "concern about the continuing humanitarian crisis and reported atrocities in Rakhine", according to a statement by State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.
Also READ: Same old trick
"The Secretary urged Burma's security forces to support the government in ending the violence in Rakhine state and allowing the safe return home of those displaced during this crisis, especially the large numbers of ethnic Rohingya," she added, using Myanmar's former name.

More than 600,000 members of the minority Muslim group have fled across the border into Bangladesh in an intensifying crisis that began in late August.

Militant attacks on Myanmar security forces in Rakhine sparked a major army crackdown on the group, who are labelled illegal Bengali immigrants by most Burmese.

Tillerson, who paid a visit to Myanmar's giant neighbor India earlier this week, urged the military in his phone call to facilitate humanitarian aid for those who have been displaced.

He also told the army to "cooperate with the United Nations to ensure a thorough, independent investigation into all allegations of human rights abuses and violations and to ensure accountability", said the statement.

Washington announced on Monday it was pushing for targeted sanctions against officers from the Mynanmar army involved in violence while withdrawing invitations to senior members of the security forces to visit the US, and ending travel waivers.

The move came after Tillerson had said the US holds Myanmar's military leadership "accountable" for the refugee crisis, drawing a distinction with Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government.

Tillerson warned last week the world won't stand and "be witness to the atrocities that have been reported," adding that the military must be disciplined and "restrained."

Min Aung Hlaing has consistently defended his forces against accusations of having committed atrocities.

"One-sided statements and accusations against Myanmar and security members over the terror attacks of extremist Bengalis in the west of Rakhine State are totally untrue," he said in a post on his Facebook page Tuesday.

Supporters say Rohingyas have been systematically deprived of basic rights over decades in majority Buddhist Myanmar.

In the latest crackdown, Myanmar's security forces have fired indiscriminately on unarmed civilians, including children, and committed widespread sexual violence, according to UN investigators
http://www.thedailystar.net/rohingy...m_medium=newsurl&utm_term=all&utm_content=all