[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 60 (Thursday, April 23, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E575-E577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ROHINGYA CRISIS CONTINUES IN BURMA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 23, 2015

  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues a new report about the perilous reality facing the daily 
lives of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Burma, also known as Myanmar. 
The report, The Rohingya Crisis and the Risk of Atrocities in Myanmar: 
An ASEAN Challenge and Call to Action, was published by the ASEAN 
Parliamentarians for Human Rights and describes the continuing 
persecution of the Rohingya in Burma. Along with my friend and 
colleague, Congressman Joe Pitts, in our positions as the Co-Chairs of 
the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, we sent a letter to the 
Chairman of the ASEAN parliamentarians for Human Rights, the Honorable 
Malaysian Member of Parliament Charles Santiago, expressing how we 
share their concerns regarding the continuing human rights abuses 
perpetrated against the Rohingya people of Burma. Last year, the 113th 
Congress passed H. Res. 418, ``urging the Government of Burma to end 
the persecution of the Rohingya people and to respect internationally 
recognized human rights for all ethnic and religious minority groups 
within Burma.''
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit the letter to Chairman Santiago, 
the press release from the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights 
describing their report, and the Executive Summary and Call to Action 
of the report.
  I urge all my colleagues to review this report and continue to 
advocate on behalf of the human rights and basic human dignity of the 
Rohingya people of Burma.

                                                       Tom Lantos,


                                      Human Rights Commission,

                                                   April 21, 2015.
     Hon. Charles Santiago,
     Member of Parliament, Malaysia, Chairman, ASEAN 
         Parliamentarians for Human Rights, Kuala Lumpur, 
         Malaysia.
       Dear Chairman Santiago: As Co-Chairs of Tom Lantos Human 
     Rights Commission of the United States Congress, we are 
     writing to congratulate you on the release of your report, 
     ``The Rohingya Crisis and the Risk of Atrocities in 
     Myanmar''. We share your concerns with the situation in Burma 
     (Myanmar) and appreciate the initiative of ASEAN 
     Parliamentarians for Human Rights to shed light on these 
     disturbing developments and call for action to address them. 
     We are eager to review the report and bring it to the 
     attention of the U.S. Congress and the American people by 
     sharing it with our colleagues and formally entering it into 
     the Congressional Record.
       The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission shares your vision 
     of standing up for abuses of human rights wherever they may 
     occur. We have held hearings and briefings in the U.S. 
     Congress and have worked closely with civil society 
     organizations to bring further attention to the particularly 
     egregious abuses against minorities by the Government of 
     Burma. Last year, we introduced and passed a Congressional 
     Resolution, H. Res. 418 ``Urging the Government of Burma to 
     end the persecution of the Rohingya people and respect 
     internationally recognized human rights for all ethnic and 
     religious minority groups within Burma.''
       We appreciate your leadership on this important issue and 
     your commitment to advancing human rights within ASEAN. We 
     would be pleased to work with you and other elected officials 
     who are committed to the advancement of human rights to 
     address the escalating human rights crisis facing the 
     Rohingya in Burma.
           Sincerely,
     James P. McGovern,
       Member of Congress, Co-Chair TLHRC.

[[Page E576]]

     Joseph R. Pitts,
       Member of Congress, Co-Chair TLHRC.
                                  ____
                                  

 Parliamentarians Call on ASEAN Leaders To Address the Rohingya Crisis 
         and the Escalating Risk of Atrocity Crimes in Myanmar

       Kuala Lumpur.--ASEAN leaders must urgently respond to the 
     escalating crisis situation for Rohingya Muslims and other 
     vulnerable minorities in Myanmar, ASEAN Parliamentarians for 
     Human Rights (APHR) said today in a public call on regional 
     governments on the eve of the 26th ASEAN Summit.
       In an open letter to ASEAN heads of state, the collective 
     of parliamentarians called for greater recognition of the 
     serious threat the continued persecution of the Rohingya 
     minority represents not only to Myanmar, but to all of ASEAN. 
     APHR also called for an independent investigation into the 
     growing crisis and the deployment of ASEAN monitors in the 
     lead up to elections scheduled for later this year.
       ``The growing risk of atrocity crimes in Myanmar represents 
     a direct threat to ASEAN nations, both because of the 
     security risks and economic strains it poses for all ASEAN 
     member states, and because it undermines our shared 
     commitment to protecting all people from persecution and 
     violence,'' said Charles Santiago, APHR's Chairperson and a 
     member of the Malaysian Parliament.
       ``We are standing on the precipice of a great tragedy. 
     ASEAN as a grouping as well as individual national leaders 
     have the responsibility, both morally and under international 
     law, to act to prevent atrocity crimes and crimes against 
     humanity from taking place.''
       APHR MPs travelled in early April to Myanmar to see the 
     situation first hand and were alarmed by the proliferation of 
     hate speech and extremist language that the state is turning 
     a blind eye to.
       The findings of that mission, combined with further long-
     term independent research by established human rights 
     organizations, were compiled into the APHR report, The 
     Rohingya Crisis and the Risk of Atrocities in Myanmar: An 
     ASEAN Challenge and Call to Action, released today. The 
     report highlights the deteriorating situation for Myanmar's 
     already vulnerable minorities and the escalating risk of 
     atrocity crimes.
       ``Our delegation identified several troubling signs of 
     anti-Muslim rhetoric and broader incitement to violence, 
     which are likely to increase in the lead up to elections,'' 
     the parliamentarians wrote in their open letter to ASEAN 
     leaders.
       ``There is no possible conclusion other than that the 
     Myanmar government is at best allowing and at worst 
     encouraging this very dangerous and systematic persecution of 
     Rohingya and other religious and ethnic minorities, in direct 
     contravention of international human rights laws,'' Santiago 
     added.
       APHR's report analyzes current dynamics based on indicators 
     included in the UN Framework for Analysis of Atrocity Crimes, 
     including specific indicators of the risk of war crimes, 
     crimes against humanity, and genocide.
       Among the indicators in the case of Myanmar is the intense 
     discrimination and persecution of Rohingya. As the report 
     details, Rohingya face severe restrictions on all aspects of 
     daily life in their native Rakhine State. Tens of thousands 
     still live in IDP camps more than two years after deadly 
     inter-communal violence, and thousands more have fled by 
     sea--often at the mercy of human traffickers.
       U Shwe Maung, a Rohingya member of Myanmar's parliament, 
     declared that, ``the situation is already dire, and I fear 
     what is coming may be much worse. The unwillingness of many 
     in Myanmar to even recognize the word `Rohingya' is 
     particularly troubling.''
       The report also highlights concerning indicators for other 
     minority populations in the country, including widening anti-
     Muslim sentiment throughout Myanmar and persistent human 
     rights abuses perpetrated by the Myanmar Army with impunity 
     against ethnic minority groups in Kachin and northern Shan 
     States.
       The report and open letter represent a collective call to 
     action for ASEAN leaders to prioritize the issue at the 
     upcoming ASEAN Summit and future meetings and to take other 
     measures to combat the crisis.
       ``ASEAN's leaders have a role to play in mitigating the 
     risk of atrocity crimes in Myanmar,'' said Irine Yusiana 
     Roba, a member of parliament from Indonesia. ``Working 
     through existing regional mechanisms, including the ASEAN 
     Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, they can 
     strengthen their response. But it must begin with a 
     recognition that the issue impacts all of us and deserves to 
     be prioritized.''
       In appreciation of the need for a coordinated international 
     response, the co-chairs of the U.S. House of Representatives' 
     Human Rights Commission sent a letter to APHR congratulating 
     its members on the report's release and expressing interest 
     in working with them to address the crisis facing Rohingya in 
     Myanmar.
       As the report concludes: ``APHR will remain focused on the 
     escalating crisis and determined to draw the attention and 
     action of ASEAN's leaders.'' Parliamentarians are committed 
     to continuing their push for action, working with allies 
     around the globe, including members of the U.S. Congress, to 
     secure a robust response to the crisis.
                                  ____


                           Executive Summary

       The longstanding persecution of the Rohingya Muslim 
     minority in Myanmar has led to the highest outflow of asylum 
     seekers by sea since the U.S. war in Vietnam. Human rights 
     violations against Rohingya have resulted in a regional human 
     trafficking epidemic, and there have been further abuses 
     against Rohingya upon their arrival in other Southeast Asian 
     countries.
       This protracted culture of abuse threatens Myanmar's 
     political transition, puts strains on regional economies, and 
     supports the rise of extremist ideologies that pose potential 
     security threats throughout the region. Ongoing human rights 
     abuses against Rohingya pose a threat to regional peace and 
     security and must end.
       Broader anti-Muslim rhetoric and violence has also flared 
     up in locations across Myanmar in recent years. These 
     incidents, as well as ongoing abuses against ethnic minority 
     groups throughout the country pose similar risks for Myanmar 
     and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
       In April 2015, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights 
     (APHR), an organization of members of parliament from several 
     ASEAN countries, conducted a fact-finding mission in Myanmar. 
     APHR is deeply concerned about the current dynamics there and 
     how they affect the region and the broader global community. 
     APHR is equally concerned with the failure of ASEAN nations 
     to adequately respond.
       Critical national elections in Myanmar are slated for the 
     end of 2015. APHR has found an alarmingly high risk of 
     atrocities against Rohingya, other Muslims, and other ethnic 
     minority groups in the lead up to the election. These risks 
     constitute a regional concern, not only due to potential 
     cross-border spillover effects, but also because ASEAN member 
     states share a moral responsibility to take all possible 
     measures to prevent the commission of atrocities within 
     ASEAN.
       Despite these troubling realities, the Rohingya issue 
     remains conspicuously absent from the agenda of the ASEAN 
     Summit. ASEAN and other global leaders ignore these dynamics 
     at their own peril. The Rohingya crisis and broader animosity 
     toward other Muslims and ethnic minorities in Myanmar are not 
     just a Myanmar problem--they are an ASEAN problem.
       Nearly every common risk factor for atrocity crimes 
     identified in the United Nations' Framework of Analysis for 
     Atrocity Crimes is present in Myanmar today This report draws 
     upon APHR's collective knowledge to analyze the situation in 
     Myanmar within the context of this United Nations' Framework. 
     Based on this analysis, it is clear that there is a high risk 
     of ongoing atrocity crimes in Myanmar in 2015 and beyond.
                                  ____


                             Call to Action

       The crises in Myanmar, including the persecution of 
     Rohingya, anti-Muslim violence, and systematic abuses against 
     other ethnic minorities, are not only a problem for Myanmar, 
     they are a problem for all of ASEAN. The risk factors and 
     specific indicators enumerated in this report, including 
     those for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, 
     demonstrate a high risk of atrocity crimes in Myanmar in the 
     year ahead. Such crimes threaten to undermine the human 
     rights standards and common dignity of ASEAN citizens. They 
     also threaten to spill over borders and affect the economic 
     and physical security of neighboring countries.
       APHR will remain focused on the escalating crisis and 
     determined to draw the attention and action of ASEAN's 
     leaders. This report is more than a detailed listing of 
     warning signs. It also represents a call to action to prevent 
     the further escalation and perpetration of atrocity crimes 
     that will affect Myanmar and the entire region.
       We call upon ASEAN's leaders to take the following actions:
       Recognize the escalating crisis in Rakhine State and the 
     plight of Rohingya as a serious danger to both Myanmar and 
     ASEAN by prioritizing the issue in Summit meetings.
       Conduct an independent investigation of conditions and 
     risks of increased violence and displacement in Myanmar, as 
     well as associated risks to ASEAN, including greater refugee 
     flows to countries like Malaysia and Thailand.
       Expand the mandate of the ASEAN Intergovernmental 
     Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to include country visits, 
     inquiries, complaints, and emergency protection mechanisms, 
     and ensure adequate independence and staffing support for its 
     members. Engage AICHR to conduct a follow-up investigation 
     into the Rohingya crisis.
       Deploy ASEAN monitors well ahead of the Myanmar elections 
     to observe and report on the Rohingya crisis and broader 
     anti-Muslim and ethnic minority dynamics.
       Utilize existing mechanisms in ASEAN, such as the ASEAN 
     Troika, AICHR, the office of the ASEAN Secretary General, and 
     the role of the ASEAN Chair, to respond appropriately to 
     humanitarian crises in member states in accordance with the 
     principles of the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Declaration on 
     Human Rights.
       Commit to protecting those fleeing the crisis in Rakhine 
     State, including by granting prima facie refugee status to 
     Rohingya and providing the UN refugee agency with unfettered 
     access to asylum seekers.

[[Page E577]]

       Ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention.
       Strengthen and expand the mandate of the ASEAN Commission 
     on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and 
     Children (ACWC) to help combat threats to women's rights, 
     including those presented by the ``Protection of Race and 
     Religion Bills'' and other Myanmar government policies that 
     restrict rights, particularly for ethnic and religious 
     minority women.
       Call upon the Myanmar government to adhere to regional and 
     international human rights and humanitarian standards, 
     including by rejecting the ``Protection of Race and Religion 
     Bills.''
       Call upon the Myanmar government to address the root causes 
     of the Rohingya crisis by amending the 1982 Citizenship Law 
     to provide Rohingya with equal access to full citizenship, 
     promoting reconciliation initiatives, denouncing hate speech 
     and propaganda, and holding perpetrators of violence, 
     including government officials, accountable.

                          ____________________