The U.S. House of Representative vote declaring persecution of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar a "genocide" should encourage other nations to follow suit, a senior rights activist said.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency on last week's vote, Harn Yawnghwe, son of Myanmar's first president Sao Shwe Thaike, said the move “affirms the action taken by the International Criminal Court to further investigate, and the UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (IIFFM) report that there is credible evidence against the Myanmar government and its security forces.”
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution by a vote of 394-1 on Dec. 14 affirming “the Burmese military’s actions were genocide against the Rohingya people".
A UN fact-finding mission on Myanmar found the military guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity including rape, gang rape, sexual slavery, forced nudity, mutilations, torture, persecution, and enslavement.
The Canadian government, parliament and Senate also recognized atrocities against Rohingya a genocide in September.
"This should encourage other nations that are undecided to also recognize that what is happening in Myanmar is a genocide,” said Yawnghwe, who is also the executive director of Brussels-based Euro-Burma Office, which promotes democracy in his home country.
The U.S. move would mean that “the international community has an obligation to act to stop the genocide,” according to Yawnghwe.
“Immediate action is needed to protect the Rohingya. They need a protected homeland in Myanmar.”