On 25 August 2022, Wednesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in a statement said “We are working to significantly increase the resettlement of Rohingya refugees from the region, including Bangladesh, so that they can rebuild their lives in the United States.”
Blinken also said in the statement that Burma’s military launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingya five years ago. They destroyed their villages, committed rape, torture and large-scale violence. Thousands of Rohingya men, women and children were massacred in the incident. Also, more than 740,000 Rohingyas were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in Bangladesh.
In March of this year, he gave a speech at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and argued that the Burmese army’s atrocities against the Rohingya constituted crimes against humanity and genocide.
Blinken commented that the United States stands in solidarity with the victims and survivors of Myanmar. The US also remains committed to advancing justice and accountability for the Rohingya and all peoples of Burma and continues to support the independent investigation process for Myanmar.
The case brought by The Gambia against Burma at the International Court of Justice under the Genocide Convention and other credible courts around the world have involved atrocities committed by the Burmese military. The United States supports actions by the United Nations Security Council to promote justice and accountability for military actions consistent with its mandate to promote international peace and security.
He also mentioned in the statement that more than $1.7 billion (US) has been provided to help those affected by the crisis in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the region.
He added that the United States will continue to support the Rohingya and the Burmese people in their quest for freedom and inclusive democracy by promoting justice and accountability, increasing economic and diplomatic pressure, and protecting the human rights and human dignity of all people in Burma.
