US slams Myanmar for non-humanitarian behaviour against Rohingya Muslims; announces to withdraw military assistance

Washington, October 24: The United States on Monday slammed Myanmar for its non-humanitarian behaviour against Rohingya Muslims. Notably, US announced to withdraw its military assistance from Myanmar units and officers involved in violence against Rohingya Muslims that has triggered a massive exodus and humanitarian crisis.

 

In a statement issued by the United States State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said, “We express our gravest concern with 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,” Heather Nauert added.

She further said that since Aug. 25, the U.S. had ceased consideration of JADE Act travel waivers for current and former Myanmar military leaders, and was assessing further economic options available to target individuals associated with any atrocities.

In addition, the state department said it has halted its consideration of travel waivers for senior Myanmar military leaders and is weighing targeted economic measures against individuals linked to the “atrocities,” along with targeted sanctions

“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.

Importantly, at least 600,000 members of the Rohingya Muslims have fled across the border into Bangladesh in an intensifying crisis that began in late August. Terrorist attacks on Myanmar security forces in Rakhine sparked a major army crackdown on the community likened to ethnic cleansing by the UN.

The statement is one of the first signs that the United States would reimpose sanctions on Myanmar that were lifted after it shifted toward democracy. The state department made the announcement ahead of US president Donald Trump’s maiden visit to the region early next month when he will attend a summit of ASEAN countries, including Myanmar, in Manila.

Interestingly, it marked the strongest US response so far to the months-long Rohingya crisis but came short of applying the most drastic tools at Washington’s disposal such as reimposing broader economic sanctions suspended under the Obama administration.