What’s Happening in Burma?

Despite heartening news of political reforms in Burma, recurring violence and looming humanitarian crises raise questions of the government’s ability and willingness to protect civilians.

United Nations officials and independent human rights groups have reported evidence of direct state complicity in ethnic cleansing and severe human rights abuses, blocking of humanitarian aid and incitement of anti-Muslim violence, constituting ominous warning signs of genocide.

Read Full History



140,000 Rohingya Muslims forced from their homes and living in camps

#1 Country Susceptible to state-led mass killing 100,000 Rohingya have fled Burma by boat since 2012



The Rohingya:

Not Just a Name, A People at Risk of Genocide

The Rohingya Muslim ethnic minority in Burma have been called “the most oppressed people on Earth”. They suffer vicious attacks and systematic abuse by Burma’s government.

The 1.3 million Rohingya have been denied citizenship and stripped of all rights. They are forced to live in Apartheid conditions where they cannot travel, work or even marry without permission. Over 140,000 were forced into concentration camps after their homes and villages were burnt to the ground in 2012, and remain there today.

The government of Burma denies their very existence, prohibiting the use of their name and pressuring foreign officials not even to utter the word Rohingya. According to Burma’s President Thein Sein, “There are no Rohingya” in Burma.”

As Burma’s government persecutes the Rohingya and denies their existence, the precursors to genocide are loud and clear.



Help the Rohingya Fleeing Threats of Genocide Unless the policies of hate end in Burma, the crisis will only escalate. Fleeing the threat of genocide in Burma, over 100,000 ethnic minority Rohingya have taken a perilous journey to leave the country by sea. The Rohingya are fleeing horrific Apartheid-like conditions where 140,000 are confined in what many describe as "concentration camps" and what the U.S. Holocaust Museum has described as "early warning signs of genocide". With an enormous amount of influence in Burma, the U.S. has a moral obligation to confront the source of this hell – Burma’s systematic repression and endangerment of 1.3 million Rohingya people living there. Unless the policies of hate end in Burma, the crisis will only escalate. Help the Rohingya fleeing threats of genocide. Ask President Obama to demand that Burma stop its attacks on the Rohingya. ACT NOW



Recent Blog Posts

A Million Reasons for Caution in Burma While the swearing in of Burma's new government is welcome news, the U.S. must keep the pressure up to protect minorities there who remain under siege. 0 likes

Ignoring the Plight of the Rohingya is a Mistake The State Department’s minimization of the plight of the Rohingya is sending dangerous, mixed messages to Burma and its neighbors. 0 likes

Other Conflict Areas