Myanmar diaspora in US pins hopes on Burma Act

Myanmar

The law would authorize the United States to push for democracy and human rights in the Southeast Asian nation

The Myanmar diaspora has called on the US Congress to pass the Burma Act 2021 to pressurize the military junta to end violence in the Southeast Asian country.

The US House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on the bill authorizing the Department of State to designate a coordinator to promote democracy and human rights as well as enable humanitarian assistance and civil society support and impose targeted sanctions with respect to human rights in Myanmar.

The Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2021 was introduced on Oct. 5, 2021, by Democrat legislators Gregory W. Meeks from New York, who is chairman of the house foreign affairs committee, and Benjamin L. Cardin from Maryland along with Steve Chabot, a Republican representing Ohio.

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“The humanitarian and democracy aid authorized in the Burma Act are sorely needed, as is the investigation into the oil and gas industry, the accountability for the military’s ongoing war crimes, Rohingya genocide and atrocity crimes against ethnic minorities, and a special coordinator position to make sure it all gets done,” said the letter signed by the US Advocacy Coalition for Myanmar and various groups residing in the US.

The call by the broad coalition of diaspora communities in the US with the endorsement of CSOs and community organizations inside Myanmar came with the hope that the bill referring to Myanmar by its former name, Burma, will hold accountable all those responsible for the perpetration of the coup and the ensuing atrocities that have claimed over 1,700 lives so far.

The bill could also authorize targeted sanctions against the military, the State Administrative Council and their affiliated entities and conglomerates.

Despite sanctions, the junta has continued its reign of terror against civilians by raiding villages, burning homes, killing innocent people including women and children, arbitrary arrests and torture

The US and Western governments have imposed sanctions against Myanmar’s military leaders and their families after they seized power by toppling the elected civilian government.

The US recently designated Myanmar’s military atrocities against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine as “genocide” as the brutal crackdown by security forces forced more than 740,000 men, women and children to flee Bangladesh to survive as refugees in crowded camps.

Despite sanctions, the junta has continued its reign of terror against civilians by raiding villages, burning homes, killing innocent people including women and children, arbitrary arrests and torture that were labeled by a UN report as “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

On April 3, Myanmar’s security forces set ablaze at least 250 homes and forced more than 2,000 people to flee after a raid on a village in the Sagaing region, according to Radio Free Asia.

The junta is struggling to consolidate power after meeting with growing resistance from the people’s defense forces, especially in Sagaing, Magway, Kayah and Chin states.

The ongoing conflict has displaced an estimated 502,000 people with a further 31,000 people seeking refuge across the border in India, according to the UN report.

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