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Washington, DC – Today, Lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul released the below statement following the recent events in Burma. Lead Republican McCaul cosponsored the BURMA Act in the 116th Congress to impose sanctions on the Tatmadaw, in addition to authorizing humanitarian aid and pushing for a genocide determination. 

“The return of military rule to Burma is a tragedy for the country’s people and their decades-long struggle for democracy. The crimes of Burma’s military, the Tatmadaw, go far beyond ending Burma’s five years of partial-democracy, and include the genocide against the Rohingya and continued abuses against democratic freedoms inside the country. Despite being handed many chances, especially the lifting of sanctions in 2016, the Tatmadaw has resoundingly failed to prove  it can act as a reasonable and trustworthy  player on the world stage. The Tatmadaw must end arbitrary detentions, stop interfering with communication, and return to democracy immediately, and there must be consequences for their actions.”

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