Trump administration investigates sanctions against Myanmar in response to 'textbook genocide' against the Rohingya


The Trump administration withdrew assistance from Myanmar's military on Tuesday in response to the forces' recorded atrocities against the minority Rohingya population, The Guardian reports. The State Department is also considering additional targeted sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, "a law that allows the U.S. to freeze assets and impose visa bans on selected individuals," NPR writes.
Since the crisis broke out in August, more than 600,000 refugees have fled Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) into neighboring Bangladesh and hundreds more have been killed by security forces. The United Nations deemed the violence "textbook genocide." The Trump administration has been criticized for its slow reaction to the crisis, with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson saying the U.S. is "extraordinarily concerned," but taking little action so far.
"The Obama administration had a Burma policy, it was reasonably effective," David Steinberg, the former director of Asian studies at Georgetown University, told The Washington Post. "The Trump administration has no policy."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In a statement Tuesday, the State Department explained: "We have rescinded invitations for senior Burmese security forces to attend U.S.-sponsored events; we are working with international partners to urge that Burma enables unhindered access to relevant areas for the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission, international humanitarian organizations, and media." Some experts fear that will not be enough: "There must also be an effort to seriously engage the Burmese military leadership," the Post's Josh Rogin writes. See photos from the Rohingya's "desperate search for a safe refuge" here at The Week.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’
Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailout
Talking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot
-
Oregon sues to stop Trump military deployment
Speed Read The president wants to send the National Guard into Portland