What is the US doing to press its partners to contribute more to aiding this continuing humanitarian crisis?
The United States leads by example. We are the leading single donor of humanitarian assistance in response to the Rohingya regional crisis, providing nearly $1.9 billion since the escalation of violence in 2017, of which more than $1.5 billion is for programs in Bangladesh. We continually urge other donors to join us in making contributions that help meet the needs of Rohingya refugees, many of whom have survived genocide, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing, and those affected by violence displaced in Burma and throughout the region—as well as the local communities hosting them. We will not allow the world to forget about Rohingya people.
What is the US currently doing to collect evidence of genocide committed against Rohingya?
In 2017, Burma's military launched a brutal campaign against Rohingya—razing villages, raping, torturing, and perpetrating large-scale violence against Rohingya men, women, and children. More than 740,000 Rohingya were forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in Bangladesh. The United States determined that members of Burma's military committed genocide and crimes against humanity against Rohingya. The United States has conducted its own efforts to document and collect evidence of atrocities in Burma, and is supporting the UN's Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, which has a mandate to collect, consolidate, preserve, and analyze evidence of the most serious international crimes committed in Burma.
The United States also supports The Gambia's case before the International Court of Justice. At The Gambia's request, the United States has shared relevant evidence and information with The Gambia related to its case. We support efforts by the federal courts in Argentina to investigate and prosecute the atrocities committed in Burma, and as Secretary Blinken has stated, the United States would support a UN Security Council referral of the situation in Burma to the International Criminal Court. We will continue to work with our international partners and allies to explore all options to support justice and accountability for atrocities against Rohingya.
What are the US and its partners prepared to do to hold those responsible accountable for genocide committed against Rohingya?
We reiterate our commitment to seeking justice and accountability for the Burma military's heinous crimes, as well as our support and encouragement of the nations hosting Rohingya refugees in a manner that respects their human rights. We continue to support the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, the case under the Genocide Convention that The Gambia has brought against Burma before the International Court of Justice, and the pursuit of justice by credible courts around the world that have jurisdiction in cases involving the crimes committed against Rohingya. The United States also supports measures by the UN Security Council to promote justice and accountability for the military's actions in line with its mandate to promote international peace and security, and would support a UN Security Council resolution referring the situation in Burma to the International Criminal Court.
If the international community decides collectively to absorb Rohingya refugees, how many refugees would the US be willing to take?
As part of a broader comprehensive response to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, the US government is pleased to be coordinating with the Government of Bangladesh, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and other resettlement countries to establish a resettlement program for the most vulnerable Rohingya. The United States will consider for resettlement all UNHCR referrals of Rohingya refugees to the US Refugee Admissions Program.
Repatriation remains the priority for those Rohingya who volunteer to return to Burma when it is safe for them do so, and we share this aspiration. As with any refugee population, there will always be Rohingya who are unable or unwilling to return to Burma. This is the group we will target for resettlement.
What is the US doing to stop countries from deporting and/or turning away Rohingya refugees/survivors of genocide?
We have repeatedly and strongly condemned the genocide of Rohingya and the February 2021 military coup in Burma. The coup and horrific violence perpetrated by the military regime in Burma have closed the door for a large-scale, voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to Burma anytime soon. We maintain pressure on the Burma military regime to cease its violence and restore the country's path toward a genuine and inclusive democracy, and we support our UN partners in Rakhine State to create the conditions for an eventual return. At the same time, we urge all countries to continue to provide a safe haven for Rohingya refugees who fled the brutal campaign of genocide and crimes against humanity in Burma, and we continue supporting Bangladesh and other countries in the region hosting refugees in these efforts.
Bangladesh's role in hosting Rohingya has been exemplary, wouldn't you agree?
Bangladesh showed the world what it means to be a humanitarian leader when the country opened its doors to Rohingya fleeing genocide. Five years later, Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi people continue demonstrating compassion, leadership, and true generosity in providing a safe haven and life-saving assistance to nearly one million Rohingya refugees, many of whom fled the campaign of genocide and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Burma's military. We have been partners on this response from the beginning, as I noted earlier, the United States has provided more than $1.9 billion in humanitarian assistance for the Rohingya regional crisis since August 2017.
What does the US hope to accomplish over the next year in addressing the Rohingya crisis?
As we strive for justice and accountability, pursue durable solutions, and partner to meet the immediate basic needs of Rohingya refugees and their host communities, we also must take the long view. The 2021 coup and horrific violence perpetrated by the military regime in Burma have closed the door for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya refugees to Burma anytime soon. The international community has to think and act strategically and sustainably so we can continue to meet the needs of refugees and their host communities even as new displacement crises worldwide strain donor resources. We also should acknowledge that Rohingya—much like many other refugees in other countries around the world, including the United States—can be a huge benefit to the communities who host them as potential workers and consumers. We have seen in many other refugee contexts that every dollar a refugee earns and spends benefits the host community too. Rohingya refugees are an untapped resource for Bangladesh; allowing them to become self-reliant would enable them to live lives of dignity and support the development of the communities that have so generously hosted them these past five years.
