Violent repression of the largely Muslim Rohingya population in Myanmar amounts to genocide, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Monday, the statement was intended to create international pressure and also lay the groundwork for a possible lawsuit, the AP reported.
Blinken made the remarks on the basis of verified reports of an extensive and systematic campaign by the Myanmar army against the ethnic minority, Blinken said in a speech at the American Holocaust Memorial Museum.
This is the eighth time since the Holocaust that the United States has concluded that genocide has taken place. The Secretary of State noted the importance of drawing attention to inhumanity even when horrific attacks occur in other parts of the world, including Ukraine.
“Yes, we stand by the people of Ukraine,” he said. “And we must also stand by people who suffer atrocities elsewhere.”
The Myanmar government, also known as Burma, has been under several layers of US sanctions since a military coup overthrew the democratically elected government in February 2021. Thousands of civilians across the country were killed and imprisoned as part of an ongoing repression of anyone opposing the ruling junta.
The determination that genocide has taken place could lead other countries to step up pressure on the government, which is already facing charges of genocide in the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
“As we lay the groundwork for future responsibility, we are also working to stop the ongoing atrocities of the military, and support the people of Burma as they strive to get the country back on the path to democracy,” Blinken said.
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