Published
Friday, February 09, 2018
U.S. passes Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act
Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Republican Senator from Arizona John McCain. Photo: Michael Reynolds/EPA-EFE
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has passed legislation authored by U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to impose targeted sanctions and travel restrictions on senior Burmese military officials allegedly responsible for human rights abuses in Rakhine State.
The Burma Human Rights and Freedom Act would prohibit specific military cooperation with the Burmese military until the Departments of State and Defense can certify that officials have halted the violence.
The bill would also support economic and security sector reform, and encourage Burma’s successful transition of power to a civilian government.
