IN the latest development, the US Treasury on Friday slapped sanctions on four Myanmar military and police commanders and two army units for involvement in “ethnic cleansing” and other human rights abuses against the country’s Rohingya minority. In response to Myanmar’s crackdown on the Rohingyas, the sanctions are so far the toughest the US action. Though the US government earlier imposed sanctions on the Chief of Myanmar’s western military command, the lawmakers and human rights activists pushed for more sanctions.
Significantly, the US decision about sanctions has come weeks after the European Union imposed sanctions on seven military, border guard and police officials in Myanmar over human rights violations. The sanctions will block all properties owned by the sanctioned individuals within the US jurisdictions and prohibit the US citizens from engaging in transactions with them.
It is a good beginning that the US and European Union countries have joined together punishing the Myanmar for the barbarian brutality perpetrated against Rohyanga people. The Myanmar military must be taught a lesson that at the age and in the modern times their barbarian acts would not be accepted in the civilised world.
Over 7 lakh Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh after an insurgent attack on security forces last August in Rakhine State sparked off a brutal military counteroffensive. Around 12 lakh Rohingyas are now staying in refugee camps and other places in Cox’s Bazar district. They are living a miserable life to the shame of the whole world. Sure the world cannot helpless against a small insignificant but brutal country.
We expect China and Russia will also join the rest of the world and show their strong response to the call of humanity. The military junta of Myanmar has not only created crisis in their own country, they have also outrageously forced their people into Bangladesh creating a terrible inhuman situation for us.
We do not have the resources to serve the cause of humanity of such magnitude. We are thankful that the various international organisations and countries have come to help the refugees. Such help is not and cannot be enough. The refugee families are being disintegrated under pressure of inhuman miseries. The women and young girls are being abused. The human tragedy is difficult to accept in our world where protection of human rights and dignity is an international obligation.
We have been urging the international community to take urgent initiatives to end the human crisis of Rohingya and make it possible for the refugees in Bangladesh to go back to their homes and hearths. No country should feel free to deny citizenship to a section of people and create problem for another country. The unconscionable example set by Myanmar is dangerous for a peaceful world.
