Blinken further reiterated his support for the Burmese people….reports Asian Lite News
The ongoing humanitarian crisis and human rights abuses in Burma exacerbate difficulties faced by members of many of Burma’s ethnic and religious minority groups, and Rohingya in particular, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Saturday.
The United States stands with the survivors of the Rohingya genocide and is committed to providing life-saving assistance to affected members of Rohingya communities and those affected by the crisis in Burma, Bangladesh, and the region, he added.
In a separate post on X on Sunday, Blinken said, “Today marks the seventh anniversary of the Burma military’s genocide and crimes against humanity targeting Rohingya. The United States continues to honor the victims and stand with the survivors as they seek justice and accountability for these atrocities.”
In his statement, the Secretary of State Blinken said, “Over the past seven years, the United States has contributed nearly $2.4 billion in humanitarian assistance. They also conduct extensive documentation of the atrocities and abuses committed against Rohingya and all civilians.”
Blinken further reiterated his support for the Burmese people. “Our support for the people of Burma in their aspirations for a democratic, inclusive, and peaceful future is unwavering, as are our calls on all parties to protect civilians from harm,” he added.
The stateless Muslim Rohingya minority, having fled ethnic cleansing operations in Myanmar in 2017, is particularly vulnerable in India and Bangladesh. Bangladesh currently hosts 1 million Rohingya refugees in congested refugee camps located in Cox’s Bazar on the border with Myanmar.
Since August 25 in 2017, Bangladesh has been hosting over million forcefully displaced Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar district and most of them arrived there after a military crackdown by Myanmar, which the UN called a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing” and other rights groups dubbed it as “genocide.”
In the last seven years, not a single Rohingya went back home. Myanmar agreed to take them back, but repatriation attempts failed twice due to trust deficit among the Rohingyas about their safety and security in Rakhine State.
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