In response to Secretary Tillerson’s meetings with government and military officials in Myanmar, Joanne Lin, national director of advocacy and government relations at Amnesty International USA, issued the following:
“As Rohingya refugees continue to flee violence from the Myanmar security forces and face starvation in Rakhine State, Secretary Tillerson was right to grant additional humanitarian aid and to call for a credible independent probe into human rights abuses against the Rohingya.”
“But the pressure cannot end there. Legislation being considered by Congress would push U.S. leaders to hold General Hlaing and Myanmar military leaders accountable, and must be passed and acted upon. A strong U.S. response combined with decisive action by the international community is what is needed to halt the Myanmar military’s atrocities against the Rohingya people.”