Condemning the Ethnic Cleansing of the Rohingya in Burma (H. Con. Res. 90)

What is H. Con. Res. 90?

(Updated November 18, 2019)

This resolution would condemn the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya and call for an immediate restoration of humanitarian access to the state of Rakhine in Burma. It would condemn attacks against civilians by Burma’s security services and call for an end to such attacks, while also condemning attacks carried out by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army but warning that those don’t justify the human rights violations carried out in response.

The resolution would also call on Burma’s government and security forces to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, including those relating to justice, reconciliation, humanitarian aid, and citizenship. It would urge support and access for the United Nations Fact Finding Mission to Burma, and call on Burma’s government to allow refugees to voluntarily return to Burma without undue restriction and to change laws that have contributed to insecurity in the state of Rakhine.

As a concurrent resolution this legislation could be approved by both chambers of Congress but wouldn’t have the force of law.

Argument in favor

Congress should condemn the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in Burma and for humanitarian access to the region to be restored.

Argument opposed

The U.S. doesn’t need to involve itself with the situation in Burma and this resolution is non-binding.

Impact

The government of Burma, the Rohingya, and Congress.

Cost of H. Con. Res. 90

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) offered the following statement on Rep. Joe Crowley’s (D-NY) resolution to condemn the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya:

“In recent months, we’ve heard horrific stories of young Rohingya mothers torn from their burning homes, drowned children, and mass executions. Many consider the Rohingya the most persecuted minority in the world. This resolution calls for an end to all violence in Burma, and for the military and government to allow refugees to return home.”

This legislation passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee on a voice vote and has the support of 25 bipartisan cosponsors, including 15 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

Of Note: The ethnic minority Rohingya Muslims of Burma has been subject to severe persecution by the government of Burma, and more than 600,000 have fled the country. In November 2017 Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the situation “ethnic cleansing”, a designation that will open the door to targeted sanctions against the regime.

Media:

• House Foreign Affairs Committee Press Release