Since hostilities escalated in 2017, the Emgage Action policy team has tirelessly advocated for the Rohingya Muslims on the Hill and in-district through our chapters (VA, PA, NY, TX, MI, and FL). Most prominently, we have been advocating for the passage of the bipartisan BURMA Act of 2021, which was introduced last year by Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY-5) and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD). On top of requiring the Secretary of State to make a genocide determination for the Rohingya, which we have now achieved, this act will:
- Authorize to impose sanctions on individuals and entities who helped stage the February 1 coup d'état and are responsible for the subsequent repression of fundamental freedoms, human rights abuses, use of indiscriminate violence towards civilians, and other gross atrocities.
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Authorize to prohibit the import of precious and semi-precious gemstones from Burma into the United States.
- Authorize for support to civil society and for humanitarian assistance in Burma, Bangladesh, Thailand, and the surrounding region.
- Call for the United States to pressure the United Nations to take more decisive action with regards to Burma.
We are pleased to see the Biden administration qualify the violence committed by the Burmese military against Rohingya Muslims for what it is: genocide. The oppression of the Rohingya has been erased for far too long, so we welcome this move. But, it cannot end here. Congress must pass the BURMA Act of 2021, so that those perpetrating this genocide can be held accountable and that we can effectively work towards achieving freedom for Rohingya Muslims. |
