Tillerson declares Myanmar violence as 'ethnic cleansing'

Source: The Hill




BY MAX GREENWOOD - 11/22/17 08:36 AM EST

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday declared the violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar "ethnic cleansing," while warning the U.S. government could impose new penalties on Myanmar.

In a statement, Tillerson vowed to hold those responsible for the violence to account, and warned that the U.S. could pursue that accountability through targeted sanctions.

"These abuses by some among the Burmese military, security forces, and local vigilantes have caused tremendous suffering and forced hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children to flee their homes in Burma to seek refuge in Bangladesh," he said. "After a careful and thorough analysis of available facts, it is clear that the situation in northern Rakhine state constitutes ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya."

Tillerson said that no provocation could justify the Burmese military, security forces and local vigilantes' actions toward the Rohingya in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/international/361508-tillerson-declares-myanmar-violence-to-be-ethnic-cleansing