On Sunday, a US official told CNN that the Biden administration has formally determined that Myanmar’s activity constituted genocide and crimes against humanity, namely against the Rohingya population. US Secretary of State Atony Blinken is set to publicly announce the determination, which has been advocated for by human rights groups for years. The statement will take place at the Us Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC later today.
The US had stopped short of declaring the atrocities committed in 2017 by Myanmar genocide. The actions included mass killings and rape targeted against the Muslim minority Rohingya population. The violence forced nearly one million people to flee the country. Since the genocide, the United Nations has recommended that Myanmar’s top military officials face genocide charges. Although the determination comes years after the atrocities were committed, it remains a powerful and important step in how the US dictates its relations with the brutal regime.
Read More: Biden administration formally determines Myanmar’s military committed genocide
