Dhaka Tribune
The situation is dire, says Ambassador-at-Large for
International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback
US: Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya Continuing: https://youtu.be/G7jRve_Z5YU
The United States has asked for more action from the international community regarding the Rohingya issue and other areas of concern in Myanmar in the coming days, terming the situation “dire.”
"Former secretary Tillerson had announced that
evidence of ethnic cleansing had been found, and I also believe it is ethnic
cleansing of a religious minority that is taking place," said
Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback.
The US envoy for international religious freedom made the
remark at a special briefing on the release of the 2017 Annual Report on
International Religious Freedom in Washington on Wednesday.
Recalling his visit to several refugee camps in
Bangladesh about a month ago, Ambassador Brownback said, "The situation is
dire. We must do more to help them, as they continue to be targeted for their
faith."
He said he had asked for access into Myanmar and to meet
Aung San Suu Kyi and/or to go into northern Rakhine State where the problems
have been most acute, although there are plenty of problems in other places in
Myanmar.
"I was denied permission for most of the things I
wanted to do. They might have let me in, but they were not allowing me to have
the meetings I wanted to have or go to the places I needed to go," he
said.
The Ambassador said he does not think there has been any
progress in Myanmar.
"If anything, the administration there is doubling
its efforts and going after the Kachin people in the northern part of the
country, and the number of refugees in the northern part of Burma keeps
increasing," Brownback said.
He also said the continuing desperate situation of the
Rohingyas will now be compounded with the upcoming rainy season.
Highlighting the plight of the Rohingya people,
Ambassador Brownback said it is a terrible situation that requires the world's
attention.
"There is a lot of international attention on it,
but I think there needs to be more action from the world at large," he
said.
Responding to a question, he said, "You continue to
see, as I noted, a horrific situation of all the refugees coming out that
fortunately has been reported on in Bangladesh, and the international community
and the international press have done a great job reporting this."
"Unfortunately," he said, "Now you are
seeing forces in Myanmar step up again in the north – especially in the Kachin
area – and the number of refugees there has increased in recent weeks as the
fighting has increased with another ethnic religious minority being pushed out
of the country and their localities.
"This is going to require a lot of focus from the international
community. Fortunately, they are focusing, but I think it is going to require
action and I think you will see a lot of action coming," the Ambassador
added.
Mandated by the International Religious Freedom Act of
1998, the International Religious Freedom Report details the status of
religious freedom in nearly 200 foreign countries and describes US actions and
policies in support of religious freedom worldwide.
According to the US Embassy in Dhaka, US Secretary of
State, Mike Pompeo, in his remarks on the release of the report called
religious freedom "a right belonging to every individual on the
globe," and assured that the US "stands with those who yearn for
religious liberty."
Meanwhile, US Ambassador in Dhaka, Marcia Bernicat, on
Wednesday said they will continue to put political pressure on Myanmar to
create conditions which will allow Rohingyas to return home to Myanmar.
Talking to reporters after her meeting with Home Minister
Asaduzzaman, the ambassador said they are going to continue their material
support for Rohingyas and other displaced people in various places.
Bernicat said they have increased their sanctions against
the Myanmar government and will continue to urge Myanmar to do the right thing.
She commended Bangladeshis – especially the host
community, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and her government – for all the
support they have extended to the Rohingyas.