[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 90 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 90


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 7, 2017

       Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya and calling for an end to 
the violence in and an immediate restoration of humanitarian access to 
                     the state of Rakhine in Burma.

Whereas on August 25, 2017, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army carried out 
        attacks on Government positions in the state of Rakhine in Burma 
        (``Rakhine State'');
Whereas in recent decades the Rohingya people have lost, through systematic 
        discrimination by Burmese national, state and local authorities, a range 
        of civil

              

 and political rights, including citizenship, and face barriers today such 
that they are mostly stateless peoples;

Whereas since the August 25 attacks, Burma's military and security forces, as 
        well as private mobs, have carried out attacks resulting in over 600,000 
        Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh;
Whereas Amnesty International described the attacks by stating that ``Myanmar 
        security forces are setting northern Rakhine State ablaze in a targeted 
        campaign to push the Rohingya people out of Myanmar.'';
Whereas the United Nations Security Council has called for an end to the 
        violence and attacks;
Whereas the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights has said that the 
        response by the military is ``grossly disproportionate'' and a 
        ``textbook example of ethnic cleansing'';
Whereas Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said, ``This violence must stop, 
        this persecution must stop'';
Whereas under Burma's military-drafted constitution, the country's military and 
        security services are not subject to civilian rule and only Burma's 
        Commander-in-Chief, Min Aung Hlaing, can command troops to cease attacks 
        impacting civilians in Rakhine State;
Whereas Burma's civilian Government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, has not yet taken 
        necessary steps to address the violence and should take further 
        measures, including to address the pervasive problem of hate speech;
Whereas the United States acknowledges the democratic transition underway in 
        Burma, maintains hope for further genuine democratic reforms, and 
        expects Burma's elected officials to take action to prevent violence and 
        secure rights;
Whereas the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State (``Rakhine Commission'') 
        examined, beginning in 2016, the underlying tensions in Rakhine State 
        and made a series of recommendations including a wide range of 
        suggestions and policy changes dealing with humanitarian aid, 
        citizenship, reconciliation, and peace;
Whereas the Rakhine Commission stated, ``While Myanmar has every right to defend 
        its own territory, a highly militarized response is unlikely to bring 
        peace to the area. What is needed is a calibrated approach--one that 
        combines political, developmental, security and human rights responses 
        to ensure that violence does not escalate and inter-communal tensions 
        are kept under control.'';
Whereas the United Nations estimates that $434 million in humanitarian 
        assistance will be needed to provide life-sustaining support to 
        1,200,000 people, both refugees and host communities, in the first few 
        months of this crisis; and
Whereas the United States is providing an initial $32 million in humanitarian 
        assistance to address the urgent needs of Rohingya fleeing violence from 
        Rakhine State into Bangladesh, as well as the needs of internally 
        displaced persons in Rakhine State and host communities in Bangladesh: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) condemns the attacks against civilians by Burma's 
        military and security forces and calls on Burma's Commander-in-
        Chief, Min Aung Hlaing, to immediately end all attacks against 
        civilians in the state of Rakhine in Burma;
            (2) expresses deepest appreciation to the Government of 
        Bangladesh for providing refuge to those fleeing violence and 
        attacks;
            (3) condemns the attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation 
        Army and the violence in Rakhine and Rohingya communities, but 
        warns that these attacks do not justify the unrestrained 
        response by Burmese military and security forces that has 
        resulted in severe human rights violations, murderous ethnic 
        cleansing, and atrocities against civilians;
            (4) calls on Burma's Government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, 
        and the Burmese military and security forces to work 
        constructively to implement the recommendations of the Advisory 
        Commission on Rakhine State, including those relating to 
        justice, reconciliation, humanitarian aid, and citizenship;
            (5) calls on Burma's Government and its military and 
        security services to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to 
        refugees and internally displaced persons;
            (6) urges support and access for the United Nations Fact 
        Finding Mission to Burma;
            (7) calls on Burma's military and Government to allow 
        refugees to voluntarily return to Burma in a manner consistent 
        with internationally recognized principles of human rights and 
        refugee protection and to change laws and policies that have 
        contributed to insecurity in the state of Rakhine; and
            (8) calls on the President of the United States to impose 
        sanctions on members of the Burmese military and security 
        forces who are responsible for human rights abuses.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 6, 2017.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.