[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 12, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H8110-H8111]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              UNSPEAKABLE SUFFERING OF THE ROHINGYA PEOPLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Levin) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise, once again, to speak about the 
unspeakable suffering of the Rohingya people.
  Two recent developments have accentuated the vital need for the House 
to speak formally and clearly about this human disaster.
  First, last month, a factfinding mission of the United Nations 
spelled out what is undeniable, that Burma's Rohingya Muslim population 
has been subjected to ``systemic oppression'' culminating in so-called 
clearance operations that ``targeted and terrorized the entire Rohingya 
population.''
  The U.N. report called for Burma's military leaders to be 
investigated and prosecuted on charges of genocide, crimes against 
humanity, and war crimes related to the atrocities committed against 
the Rohingya.
  Let me quote directly from the U.N. report on the violence and 
brutally inflicted on the Rohingya by operations

[[Page H8111]]

conducted by the Burmese military last year:
  ``The `clearance operations' constituted a human rights catastrophe. 
Thousands of Rohingya were killed or injured. Mass killings were 
perpetrated. . . . Villagers were gathered together, before men and 
boys were separated and killed. . . . Women and girls were taken to 
nearby houses, gang raped, then killed or severely injured. Bodies were 
transported in military vehicles, burned and disposed of in mass 
graves.''

                              {time}  1215

  ``Villagers were killed by soldiers, and sometimes Rakhine men, using 
large bladed weapons. Others were killed in arson attacks, burned to 
death in their own houses. In some cases, people were forced into 
burning houses or locked into buildings set on fire. Rape and other 
forms of sexual violence were perpetrated on a massive scale.''
  Secondly, reporters who have attempted to expose these atrocities in 
Burma have been targeted for harassment and arrest. Just last week, two 
reporters from Reuters were sentenced to 7 years in prison by a Burmese 
court for violating state-secret laws in what has been widely reported 
as a sham process.
  During their court proceedings, a police official testified he had 
been ordered to entrap these journalists. This is nothing less than an 
effort to suppress the truth.
  The leader of Burma's civilian government, Aung San Suu Kyi, must 
pursue the immediate and unconditional release of these courageous 
reporters. Anything less represents a betrayal of justice and 
democracy.
  Earlier this year, Burma's national security advisor made a series of 
comments designed to deny or downplay any violence and atrocities 
against the Rohingya, saying the vast majority remain in Burma, and 
``if it was genocide, they would all be driven out.''
  He went on to declare that the Burmese Government ``would like to 
have clear evidence'' of ethnic cleansing and genocide. The evidence, 
of course, is overwhelming, as presented in the current and previous 
U.N. reports.
  The fact is that Suu Kyi and the civilian government too often excuse 
or deny genocide. The U.N. report stated that she failed to use her 
position or moral authority to protect the Rohingya, and that civilian 
authorities have, instead, ``spread false narratives'' about the 
atrocities.
  Some have preached patience with Suu Kyi, noting that she does not 
have direct authority over Burma's military. They say that there is a 
danger the military may dismantle the civilian government if she raises 
concerns about their brutal and murderous repression of the Rohingya.
  I met personally with Suu Kyi a few years ago as part of a delegation 
led by Nancy Pelosi. Her story of not only perseverance but triumph 
over oppression was an inspiration to all of us.
  But none of this justifies silence in the face of genocide.
  Over three-quarters of a million Rohingya have been forced to flee 
their homes to seek refuge in neighboring Bangladesh. Many thousands 
have been killed, raped, and beaten as described earlier. Dozens of 
villages have been burned and bulldozed into oblivion.
  The civilian government has the power to free the two jailed 
reporters who have exposed particular cases of violence against the 
Rohingya.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise once again to speak about the unspeakable 
suffering of the Rohingya people.
  Two recent developments have accentuated the vital need for the House 
to speak formally and clearly about this human disaster.
  First, last month, a fact-finding mission of the United Nations 
spelled out what is undeniable--that Burma's Rohingya Muslim population 
has been subjected to ``systemic oppression'' culminating in so-called 
clearance operations that ``targeted and terrorized the entire Rohingya 
population.''
  The UN report called for Burma's (also known as Myanmar) military 
leaders to be investigated and prosecuted on charges of genocide, 
crimes against humanity, and war crimes related to the atrocities 
committed against the Rohingya.
  Let me quote directly from the UN report on the violence and 
brutality inflicted on the Rohingya by operations conducted by the 
Burmese military last year:

       The ``clearance operation'' constituted a human rights 
     catastrophe. Thousands of Rohingya were killed or injured. 
     Mass killings were perpetrated . . . villagers were gathered 
     together, before men and boys were separated and killed . . . 
     women and girls were taken to nearby houses, gang raped, then 
     killed or severely injured. Bodies were transported in 
     military vehicles, burned and disposed of in mass graves.
       Villagers were killed by soldiers, and sometimes Rakhine 
     men, using large bladed weapons. Others were killed in arson 
     attacks, burned to death in their own houses. In some cases, 
     people were forced into burning houses, or locked into 
     buildings set on fire. Rape and other forms of sexual 
     violence were perpetrated on a massive scale.

  Second, reporters who have attempted to expose these atrocities in 
Burma have been targeted for harassment and arrest. Just last week, two 
reporters from Reuters were sentenced to seven years in prison by a 
Burmese court for violating state secrets laws in what has been widely 
reported as a sham process.
  During their court proceeding, a police official testified he had 
been ordered to entrap these journalists.
  This is nothing less than an effort to suppress the truth. The leader 
of Burma's civilian government, Aung San Suu Kyi, must pursue the 
immediate and unconditional release of these courageous reporters. 
Anything less represents a betrayal of justice and democracy.
  Earlier this year, Burma's National Security Advisor (Thaung Tun) 
made a series of comments designed to deny or downplay any violence and 
atrocities against the Rohingya, saying the vast majority remain in 
Burma, and ``if it was genocide, they would all be driven out.''
  He went on to declare that the Burmese government ``would like to 
have clear evidence'' of ethnic cleansing and genocide. The evidence of 
course is overwhelming, as presented in the current and previous UN 
reports.
  The fact is that Suu Kyi and the civilian government too often excuse 
or deny genocide. The UN report stated that she failed to use her 
position or moral authority to protect the Rohingya, and that civilian 
authorities have instead ``spread false narratives'' about the 
atrocities.
  Some have preached patience with Suu Kyi, noting that she does not 
have direct authority over Burma's military. They say there is a danger 
the military may dismantle the civilian government if she raises 
concerns about their brutal and murderous repression of the Rohingya.
  I met personally with Suu Kyi a few years ago as part of a delegation 
led by Nancy Pelosi. Her story of not only perseverance but triumph 
over oppression was an inspiration to all of us.
  But none of this justifies silence in the face of genocide.
  Over three-quarters of a million Rohingya have been forced to flee 
their homes in Burma to seek refuge in neighboring Bangladesh. Many 
thousands have been killed, beaten, and raped. Dozens of villages have 
been burned and bulldozed into oblivion.
  The civilian government has the power to free the two jailed 
reporters who have exposed particular cases of violence against the 
Rohingya. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo should not be imprisoned for shining 
a light on the truth.
  Congresswoman Schakowsky is leading efforts to urge Secretary of 
State Pompeo to demand their immediate release in direct discussions 
with Suu Kyi, saying ``this case is only the latest example of the 
ongoing erosion of press freedom in Burma, especially directed at those 
covering military abuses.''
  Representatives Joaquin Castro and Ann Wagner have sent a letter 
directly to Suu Kyi urging the journalists' release after being 
sentenced for, in their words, ``their commitment to a central role of 
a free press--speaking truth to power.''
  Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, has said 
``the conviction of two journalists for doing their job is another 
terrible stain on the Burmese government.''
  Last week, I introduced H. Res. 1057, calling on Suu Kyi to move to 
immediately and unconditionally free the two reporters. It builds on an 
earlier resolution that I joined with Senator Durbin and the late 
Senator McCain that called for both military and civilian authorities 
to end the violent repression of the Rohingya.
  I urged that we in the House carry out our solemn duty and come 
together now and speak with one voice. We should pass a resolution 
right now saying that jailing reporters for exposing the truth is a 
grave injustice, especially when that truth is the crime of genocide.
  We cannot wait to respond to this injustice when it is convenient or 
safe. Those whose voices have been suppressed through violence and 
cruelty need us to speak for them now. We must not fail them.

                          ____________________