US calls Myanmar treatment of Rohingya 'ethnic cleansing'

The United States has called the Myanmar military operation against the Rohingya population “ethnic cleansing” and threatened targeted sanctions against those responsible for what it called “horrendous atrocities”.

“The situation in northern Rakhine state constitutes ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya,” secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in a statement, using a term he avoided when visiting Myanmar last week.

“The United States will also pursue accountability through US law, including possible targeted sanctions” against those responsible for the alleged abuses, which have driven hundreds of thousands of Rohingya into neighbouring Bangladesh, he said.

In a further ratcheting up of pressure on Myanmar’s military and civilian leaders, the UN envoy on sexual violence in conflict said on Wednesday that alleged atrocities against Rohingya women and girls by the military may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Full story...

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