58 NGOs urge US Secretary Pompeo to call Myanmar’s crimes Genocide

Last updated: July 17, 2020 8:15 PM

Published: July 17, 2020

4 Min Read

Yesterday, 58 NGOs and human rights organizations including Rohingya Khobor have signed a petition urging U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to call Myanmar’s crimes against the Rohingya – Genocide.

The petition states, “Now is the time to use the words that fit the crimes. U.S. leadership matters. We call upon you to demonstrate the moral leadership and courage necessary to push global action in the face of genocide.”

“Such a determination would be wholly consistent with findings of the Department of State, which concluded that the attacks on the Rohingya were “well-planned and coordinated” and that they were “extreme, large-scale, widespread, and seemingly geared toward both terrorizing the population and driving out the Rohingya residents.” The law group engaged by the State Department to investigate atrocities against the Rohingya conducted its own legal analysis and found reasonable grounds to believe that genocide was committed. A UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission similarly found “a pattern of conduct that infers genocidal intent on the part of the State to destroy the Rohingya, in whole or in part, as a group.” The Fact-Finding Mission has further warned, “The State of Myanmar continues to harbour genocidal intent and the Rohingya remain under serious risk of genocide,” warned in the petition.

Refugees International Senior Advocate for Human Rights Daniel Sullivan said, “A genocide determination is not just a matter of semantics, but a vital step in bolstering global action and accountability. Without action, Rohingya have little hope of returning home, and those inside Myanmar remain at risk of genocide. The world cannot turn a blind eye.”

On the coming month, it will mark three years since the Rohingya fled systematic violence in Myanmar.

The petition in English and Burmese and to listen in Rohingya here.

The 58 signatory NGOs are: