U.S. passes legislation to hold senior Myanmar military leaders accountable

25 September 2019
U.S. passes legislation to hold senior Myanmar military leaders accountable
The fountain on the North Lawn of the White House is seen dyed green in Washington, DC, USA. Photo: EPA

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the BURMA Act, legislation which would advance efforts to hold senior Myanmar military leaders accountable for crimes against the Rohingya and against other ethnic minorities in Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan States, Amnesty said in a statement. 

As the Senate prepares to vote on the BURMA Act, which requires President Trump to provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by Myanmar military crimes across the country, including Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, and to pursue justice against responsible Myanmar leaders, Amnesty International USA’s Asia Pacific Advocacy Manager Francisco Bencosme said:

“Just this year, we have seen more arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances against civilians in Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan States. The time to support justice for ethnic minorities across Myanmar is long overdue.”