RI Welcomes the Senate Committee Passage of the Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act

Refugees International welcomes the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passage of S.2060, the Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act.  This bipartisan legislation is a critical step forward in demanding accountability for the ethnic cleansing that has taken place in Burma.  

Eric Schwartz, President of Refugees International (RI), praised the legislation saying: 

“I have interviewed Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh who suffered or witnessed horrific abuse in Burma.  Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled Burma over the past six months.  The legislation sends an important signal of congressional support for human rights and accountability as it imposes restrictions on cooperation with the Burmese military, on trade, on support for multilateral assistance that would aid the Burmese military, and on visas for military implicated in gross abuses. The legislation also signals strong congressional support for essential humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya people, particularly those displaced by the ethnic cleansing, and for full implementation of recommendations on Rohingya rights made by the Kofi Annan Commission.” 

RI thanks the authors of the legislation, Senators McCain and Cardin, as well as all cosponsors and request swift passage in the full Senate.