The State Department has rightly recognized that the Rohingya people of Myanmar are victims of ethnic cleansing.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared, “After a careful and thorough analysis of available facts, it is clear that the situation in northern Rakhine state constitutes ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya.”
While this declarative act does not carry consequences in and of itself, it does dramatically increase pressure on Myanmar’s government. Since the ethnic cleansing events in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Rwanda in the 1990s, international law has come to regard declared acts of ethnic cleansing with greater seriousness. In turn, Tillerson’s action opens the door to tougher action at the United Nations or by the U.S. unilaterally.
Still, Tillerson’s decision isn’t all that surprising. As I noted last week, he is leading the global effort to increase pressure on Myanmar to end its atrocities. And in the context of Wednesday’s announcement, we should now assume the Trump administration is considering sanctions on top Myanmar officials.
They would be right to do so.
In concert with U.S. allies in Europe and Asia/Australasia, the U.S. should warn Myanmar that it has a matter of days to take decisive action to stop the bloodletting and assist the Rohingya people as they flee towards Bangladesh.
The need is urgent.
As my aid worker aunt has witnessed, the Bangladeshi Army is working hard to save lives, but is overwhelmed. Most analysts believe about 1 million refugees have now fled to Bangladesh.
This cannot continue.
If Myanmar’s government does not take urgent action to redress the situation, the U.S. and its allies should sanction senior leadership figures in Naypyidaw, to include Nobel Laureate Aung Sun Suu Kyi.
