Statement BY SASC Chairman John McCain On Human Rights Abuses In Burma

Press Release

Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement today on human rights abuses in Burma:

"All people of conscience should be alarmed by reports of gross atrocities and human rights abuses being committed by the Burmese military against the Rohingya people as they try to flee the country. The government's decision to block a U.N. inquiry only adds to concerns over an escalating campaign against these people in the Rakhine state. The violent persecution of the Rohingya not only violates Burma's international commitments on human rights, but also threatens the remarkable progress the country has made in recent years.

"Aung San Suu Kyi has long been a source of inspiration for all those who seek peace, freedom, and justice. I have known and worked with her in her struggle for democracy on behalf of the Burmese people for decades. Now, it is essential that Ms. Suu Kyi actively engages on this issue to ensure that the fundamental rights of the Rohingya people are respected, the military's brutal repression against them comes to an end, and all human rights violators are held accountable."

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