The effectiveness of this law ultimately depends on the cooperation of regional state actors such as Bangladesh, India and Thailand.
Last month, the United States enacted the BURMA Act, formally known as the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022, to address the political and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. This is a significant piece of legislation that will have an immense impact on shaping the future of Myanmar, South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The BURMA Act was introduced in response to the military coup that took place on February 1, 2021, which saw the ousting of the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. The coup resulted in widespread civil unrest, violent crackdowns on protesters and severe human rights violations, prompting international condemnation and calls for action.
The BURMA Act was incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 and became law in December 2022. It provides the U.S. government with expanded authority to impose sanctions on the Burmese military, their business interests and entities that provide them with support.
This law also authorizes support for pro-democracy groups, civil society organizations and ethnic minorities who have been persecuted by the military regime. The act reflects a broader effort by the U.S. to hold the Burmese military accountable for its actions, including atrocities committed against the Rohingya Muslim minority, which have been widely recognized as crimes against humanity and, possibly, genocide.
In practical terms, this law allows for targeted sanctions, including asset freezes and visa restrictions, against individuals and entities associated with the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s armed forces. It also mandates increased coordination with international partners, particularly in Southeast Asia, to support a return to democratic governance in Myanmar. Furthermore, it promotes humanitarian assistance to those displaced by conflict and persecution, particularly along Myanmar’s borders and within refugee communities in neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Thailand.
The rights groups welcomed the BURMA Act as a significant step in favour of human rights in Southeast Asia and hoped that this law would confront Myanmar’s authoritarian regime, bringing about improvement in the country’s human rights situation. However, the effectiveness of this law ultimately depends on the cooperation of regional state actors such as Bangladesh, India and Thailand.
Bahauddin Foizee is an analyst & columnist focusing on the assessment of threat/risk associated with business, economy and investment as well as legal, security, political and geopolitical threat/risk. His articles on these areas as well as on social, environmental, financial and military affairs in the Asia-Pacific/Indo-Pacific and Middle East regions have been widely published.
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