[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 591 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 591

 Denouncing the ongoing violence against the Rohingya people of Burma.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 26, 2017

Mr. Hastings submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

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                               RESOLUTION


 
 Denouncing the ongoing violence against the Rohingya people of Burma.

Whereas Burma recognizes 135 distinct ethnic minorities among its residents;
Whereas Burma refuses to recognize the Rohingya people as such a minority;
Whereas the Burma Citizenship Law of 1982 effectively rendered the Rohingya 
        people stateless;
Whereas an estimated one million Rohingya reside predominately in the Burmese 
        state of Rakhine and have been subjected to human rights abuses by the 
        government and military of Burma for more than 50 years;
Whereas, on August 25, 2017, a Rohingya armed group called the Arakan Rohingya 
        Salvation Army attacked Burmese security outposts;
Whereas the Burmese Army responded by systematically and ruthlessly attacking 
        civilians;
Whereas more than 580,000 people have fled northern Rakhine since late August 
        2017;
Whereas these refugees have fled to Bangladesh;
Whereas this most recent crisis has resulted in the total Rohingya refugee 
        population in Bangladesh reaching more than 800,000 people;
Whereas over 200 villages in northern Rakhine have been totally or partially 
        destroyed, allegedly by the Burmese military as part of a ``clearance 
        operation'';
Whereas officials at the United Nations have heard reports from members of the 
        Rohingya community about the indiscriminate killing of unarmed 
        civilians, the presence of landmines along the border with Bangladesh, 
        and gender-based violence directed against the Rohingya, including rape 
        and sexual assault;
Whereas the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights--

    (1) reported that members of the Rohingya community have suffered 
extrajudicial killings, forced disappearance, arbitrary detention, looting, 
and the occupation and destruction of property;

    (2) stated that he has seen reports, including satellite images, of 
Burmese security forces and local militias burning Rohingya villages and 
shooting civilians who were fleeing this violence; and

    (3) called the ongoing crisis in Rakhine a ``textbook example of ethnic 
cleansing'';

Whereas witnesses to the ongoing crisis in Rakhine have repeatedly told 
        international aid groups that those committing these atrocities were 
        wearing identifying insignia and clothing;
Whereas the insignia and clothing identified by the witnesses was consistent 
        with that worn by the 33rd Light Infantry Division of the Western 
        Command of the Burmese military;
Whereas witnesses also testified to atrocities committed by individuals in blue-
        grey uniforms; and
Whereas the Burmese Border Patrol Guards are known for their distinctive blue-
        grey uniforms and have been seen working closely with the Burmese army 
        to surround villages before setting them ablaze: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) denounces, in the strongest terms, the ongoing violence 
        perpetrated by the Burmese government and military against the 
        Rohingya;
            (2) denounces all violent actions taken by the Arkan 
        Rohingya Salvation Army;
            (3) calls on the Burmese government to allow all members of 
        the media, international aid groups, and a United Nations fact-
        finding mission unfettered access into and throughout the state 
        of Rakhine in Burma; and
            (4) calls on the international community to do everything 
        possible to help Bangladesh continue to provide life-saving 
        assistance to Rohingya refugees.
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