Antony Blinken refers to Burmese military violence as a “reign of terror”. The United States becomes the biggest donor and supporter of Rohingya refugees fleeing from persecution.
The United States is now the leading donor and contributor of support to the Rohingya humanitarian crisis. It has promised the people of Bangladesh their financial support, including nearly $155 million to help the Rohingya refugees and other people in need in Burma. This will help the almost 900,000 refugees in Bangladesh who are displaced and harmed due to the fleeing from the abhorrent violence in Burma’s Rakhine State.
The United States urges other countries to contribute and show their support to Bangladesh, Burma, and nearby regions during this time of military crisis, including violence from the Burmese military, which has been occurring since 2017. The priority of the U.S. is Rohingya refugees and it will support and assist nations with similar goals and hopes for the refugees.
What happened in Myanmar?
Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a country in Southeast Asia that is facing severe violence and hardships for its citizens due to the Burmese military. On February 1st, 2021, the Burmese military seized control of the government by declaring a state of emergency following a landslide victory of political leader Ms Suu Kyi’s NLD. The Burmese military took control and staged a coup to take down this government and form one of their own, with Military commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing as a leader.
This coup has resulted in struggles and problems for all citizens of the region, especially the Rohingya Muslim population. They are rejected citizenship and repeatedly persecuted in the country. During 2017, the military cracked down on them which resulted in a large flee from the country and an increase in refugees seeking protection from the military and government. The United States and other countries such as the U.K. and European Union have stated support for the refugees and condemn the acts of the authoritarian regime.
Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, has called the actions of the military and government a “reign of terror”.