The Dhaka Times Desk The United States has imposed sanctions on officials of the country's military because of the massacre of the Rohingya population in Rakhine, Myanmar. Even then, Myanmar will participate in US naval exercises!
According to media reports, Myanmar is expected to participate in the military exercises of the countries led by the United States in the South China Sea next week.
The spokesperson of the Office of the Chief of the Armed Forces Ja Min Tun informed the press last Wednesday about the participation of the Myanmar forces in the naval exercises of the United States with the countries of the ASEAN alliance. This news was given by Channel News Asia.
The Singapore-based news media reported that Myanmar's army chief and three senior officials were banned from traveling to the United States after 740,000 (the actual number would be around 1.2 million) Rohingya Muslims fled to Bangladesh two years ago after being persecuted. was done Human rights organizations say that the main role in the massacre was played by the Myanmar army, but the Myanmar navy was also involved.
ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) is a regional alliance consisting of 10 countries in Southeast Asia. The naval exercise of the alliance is scheduled to begin on September 2 in the Gulf of Thailand. Myanmar is going to participate alongside the United States.
At a time when Myanmar's military is under sanctions, international analysts are wondering whether to include Myanmar in such exercises with the United States. John Quinley, spokesman for the international human rights organization Fortify Rights, said, "The United States should continue to pressurize Myanmar for accountability by declaring solidarity with the international community." Certainly not to participate in military exercises with them.'
Rohingya human rights activist Tun Kin commented that this exercise was 'extremely painful'. He told the media that the US was conducting exercises with Myanmar's military chief a week after he was accused of widespread human rights abuses. However, Myanmar's spokesperson said that they have received an offer to participate in this exercise because they are an ASEAN country. Prohibition is quite different.
On the other hand, the United States has also called this exercise important for ensuring joint security in the Southeast Asian region. The country's State Department said that the exercise, organized with 10 ASEAN countries, is an opportunity to work on urgent security issues in the Southeast Asian maritime region. Pressure is mounting on the United States to impose stronger sanctions on the country's government over the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar. In a statement on Monday, several top US lawmakers proposed legislation that would allow Myanmar's government to face new sanctions for brutal violence against the Rohingya.
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