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The Issue
Burma is experiencing a military coup under a genocidal military right now. As a result, more than 1,200 have been killed for simply wanting freedom and democracy. Many have been killed while protesting, riding motorbikes, running errands, staying at home, sending supplies to internally displaced persons, and for just living life in general. Over 6,000 have been arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned.
Located next to India, underneath China, and above Thailand, Burma is home to 135 officially recognized ethnic groups and the country has previously experienced a coup followed by dictatorship rule from 1988 to 2011. The country remained largely unknown to the rest of the world until it began to democratize from 2011 until the Myanmar military attempted another coup.
While international attention focused mainly on the 2017 Rohingya Crisis (where over 700,000 fled by foot out of Rakhine state after a brutal military crackdown) and the resulting 2019 International Court of Justice case, it must be understood that issues concerning anyone from Burma must be approached from an all-inclusive viewpoint that voices the concerns of all ethnic minorities within Burma. While the Rohingya crisis continues to be discussed as the most prominent case of intentional genocide from Burma, as well as one of the fastest mass exoduses seen in history, this case is just one out of many in the bigger picture, where ethnic minorities all across Burma have been subjected to persecution for more than seventy years. Crimes against humanity, human rights violations, and war crimes committed by the Burma Army continue to hurt Burma’s ethnic groups, including the Kachin, Shan, Karen, Karenni, Mon, Rakhine, Chin, and more.
Located next to India, underneath China, and above Thailand, Burma is home to 135 officially recognized ethnic groups and the country has previously experienced a coup followed by dictatorship rule from 1988 to 2011. The country remained largely unknown to the rest of the world until it began to democratize from 2011 until the Myanmar military attempted another coup.
While international attention focused mainly on the 2017 Rohingya Crisis (where over 700,000 fled by foot out of Rakhine state after a brutal military crackdown) and the resulting 2019 International Court of Justice case, it must be understood that issues concerning anyone from Burma must be approached from an all-inclusive viewpoint that voices the concerns of all ethnic minorities within Burma. While the Rohingya crisis continues to be discussed as the most prominent case of intentional genocide from Burma, as well as one of the fastest mass exoduses seen in history, this case is just one out of many in the bigger picture, where ethnic minorities all across Burma have been subjected to persecution for more than seventy years. Crimes against humanity, human rights violations, and war crimes committed by the Burma Army continue to hurt Burma’s ethnic groups, including the Kachin, Shan, Karen, Karenni, Mon, Rakhine, Chin, and more.
Where did the conflict start?
Many of the mass atrocities and human rights abuses witnessed today can be attributed to the unstable foundations of Burma’s independence in 1948, broken promises of the Panglong Agreement, and pre-existing ethnic tensions that were aggravated by British colonialism. To achieve independence from British rule, General Aung San negotiated with and brought together many different ethnic groups under the Panglong Agreement in 1947 to create a Burmese Union. He was, however, assassinated. The death of a founding leader, the struggle to create a unified national identity, and the chase for power by Burmese officials have set the country up for countless mass atrocities, human rights abuses, and war crimes in the continuation of the longest civil war in the world.
Action Corps advocates for accountability of the Burma Army and government for their complicity in human rights violations by sanctioning top-ranking military officials and cutting U.S. government and business ties from them. Action Corps supports the passage of the Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act to ensure democracy and human rights in Burma, and the Rohingya Genocide Determination Act to prompt the U.S. government to take swift action concerning the Rohingya, which would greatly change the ways in which the U.S. conducts their overall relations with Burma.
Action Corps advocates for accountability of the Burma Army and government for their complicity in human rights violations by sanctioning top-ranking military officials and cutting U.S. government and business ties from them. Action Corps supports the passage of the Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act to ensure democracy and human rights in Burma, and the Rohingya Genocide Determination Act to prompt the U.S. government to take swift action concerning the Rohingya, which would greatly change the ways in which the U.S. conducts their overall relations with Burma.
What the UN Found
The UN has listed six top military figures in Myanmar who must be investigated for genocide in Rakhine state and crimes against humanity in other areas. The report also sharply criticizes Myanmar's de facto leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, for failing to intervene to stop the attacks.
Crimes documented in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine include murder, imprisonment, torture, rape, sexual slavery, persecution and enslavement that "undoubtedly amount to the gravest crimes under international law". The report also found elements of extermination and deportation "similar in nature, gravity and scope to those that have allowed genocide intent to be established in other contexts".
Myanmar's army is accused of a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing. Under the constitution, civilian authorities have little control over the military but the document says that "through their acts and omissions, the civilian authorities have contributed to the commission of atrocity crimes".
Not Surprisingly, Myanmar rejected the report
Myanmar's Permanent Representative to the UN, U Hau Do Suan, told BBC Burmese, "As we did not accept the idea of a fact-finding mission from the beginning, we reject their report."
Crimes documented in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine include murder, imprisonment, torture, rape, sexual slavery, persecution and enslavement that "undoubtedly amount to the gravest crimes under international law". The report also found elements of extermination and deportation "similar in nature, gravity and scope to those that have allowed genocide intent to be established in other contexts".
Myanmar's army is accused of a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing. Under the constitution, civilian authorities have little control over the military but the document says that "through their acts and omissions, the civilian authorities have contributed to the commission of atrocity crimes".
Not Surprisingly, Myanmar rejected the report
Myanmar's Permanent Representative to the UN, U Hau Do Suan, told BBC Burmese, "As we did not accept the idea of a fact-finding mission from the beginning, we reject their report."
The Solution
Pass S.2937, Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability (BURMA) Act
Ask your Senators to support the bipartisan bill, the
“Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability” Act, or BURMA Act, which
“Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability” Act, or BURMA Act, which
- Authorizes increased humanitarian assistance
- Authorizes sanctions against the military and its allies
- Determines war crimes committed by Myanmar Military
- Establishes an interagency Burma accountability office
- Authorizes sanctions against the military and its allies
- Determines war crimes committed by Myanmar Military
- Establishes an interagency Burma accountability office
Call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and urge your Senator to support and co-sponsor S.2937 today.
