Congress seems poised to finally do right for the Rohingya and people of Burma The BRAVE Burma Act Thank you to Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) for sponsoring this bill and to Congresspeople Brad Sherman (D-CA), Betty McCollum (R-MN) and Ann Wagner (D-MO) for cosponsoring. The Myanmar military seized power on February 1, 2021. To resist … Read more
Seven years is too long to wait for justice Tell your Members of Congress to support the Rohingya GAP Act (H.R.8936) U.S. Representatives Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) have introduced the Rohingya Genocide, Accountability, and Protection (GAP) Act (H.R.8936). The Rohingya GAP Act seeks to provide protection, support, and humanitarian assistance to Rohingya … Read more
Happy holidays! Here are two must-read articles on sanctions and Burma from the essential Frontier Myanmar. Read them as you sip your egg nog or tea. https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/the-end-of-myanmars-resource-boom-could-doom-the-junta/ “The end of Myanmar’s resource boom could doom the junta” Key quote: “The military has since the 1990s relied on three main partners to weather sanctions: Singapore for … Read more
Under pressure, Harry Winston announces it will no longer sell #GenocideGems International Campaign for the Rohingya applauds the announcement today by luxury jeweler Harry Winston that it will stop buying gems that originate from Myanmar (Burma). In a post to its social media, Harry Winston (owned by Swatch) announced today that it “will no longer … Read more
The Myanmar military is deploying tens of thousands of troops and heavy weapons to Chin State northern Myanmar. These tactics are ominously reminiscent of those the army employed in its genocidal attacks against the Rohingya in 2016 and 2017. The Chin people cannot wait. In response, U.S. State Department Counselor Derek Chollet urged Singapore to help … Read more
The Burma Act of 2021 is here! Congressman Gregory Meeks formally – and finally! – will introduce the Burma Act of 2021 (aka the #BurmaBill) in the House of Representatives. Even if you’ve sent a message before, click here today to urge your Members of Congress to co-sponsor the Burma Act of 2021. The … Read more
You may have heard of #BloodDiamonds, but how much do you know about #GenocideGems? Myanmar produces more than 90% of the world’s rubies and jade, and these stones command the highest prices on the international market. Because it dominates Burma’s gemstone industry, the Myanmar military profits when high-end jewelry retailers – like Harry Winston (owned by … Read more
Let’s hold the Myanmar military accountable. Last week, we joined over 90 organizations calling on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to publicly determine that Myanmar has committed genocide and crimes against humanity against the Rohingya people. This is a crucial initiative to hold the Myanmar military accountable for its atrocities throughout the country. Lead sponsored … Read more
Six short months ago, we witnessed the Myanmar military depose the civilian government in a coup d’etat. Using the same tactics that it used against the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities, the Burmese army has brutally cracked down on the new, young, and multi-ethnic Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM). In response, we immediately swung into action. Just hours after … Read more
Myanmar produces more than 90% of the world’s rubies and jade, and these stones command the highest prices on the international market. Because it dominates Burma’s gemstone industry, the Myanmar military profits when high-end jewelry retailers – like Harry Winston (owned by Swatch) – buy Burmese gems for their collections. Today, let’s take three actions to … Read more