Hundreds of minority Christians in Myanmar are being forced to sign papers vowing to limit…

Letter to Sec. Pompeo From The Faith Coalition To End Genocide In Burma
October 17, 2018
The Honorable Michael Pompeo
Secretary of State United States
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20230
Dear Mr. Secretary,
We, the undersigned organizations, request that the United States Department of State officially designate the recent atrocities committed against the Rohingya, and other ethnic and religious minorities in the nation of Burma, as both genocide and crimes against humanity.
The State Department’s report “Documentation of Atrocities in Northern Rakhine State” clearly reveals that Myanmar’s military “waged a planned, coordinated campaign of mass killings, gang rapes and other atrocities against the Southeast Asian nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority.”
On September 26, 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing that unanimously declared the situation in Burma a genocide. This bi-partisan effort led by Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Elliott Engel (D-NY) introduced a resolution (H.R. 1091) that calls for the release of the Reuters journalists who were unjustly sentenced in Burma earlier this month and declares the House’s position that the atrocities committed by the Burmese military against the Rohingya were genocide.
Credible studies reveal findings of gross violations of human rights that meet the elements under international humanitarian and criminal law for such designations. The August 2018 United Nations Human Rights Council International Independent Fact-Finding Mission (Mission) on Myanmar explain undeniable facts that point to no other reasonable conclusion.
“Genocide occurs when a person commits a prohibited act with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such. The Rohingya are a protected group under this definition. Their treatment by the Myanmar security forces, acting in concert with certain civilians, includes conduct which amounts to four of the five defined prohibited acts; (a) killing, (b) causing serious bodily or mental harm, (c) inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the group in whole or in part, and (d) imposing measures intending to prevent births.
The critical element of the crime is “genocidal intent.” The Mission assessed its body of information in light of the jurisprudence of international tribunals regarding the reasonable inference of such intent. The crimes in Rakhine State, and the manner in which they were perpetrated, are similar in nature, gravity and scope to those that have allowed genocidal intent to be established in other contexts. Factors pointing at such intent include the broader oppressive context and hate rhetoric; specific utterances of commanders and direct perpetrators; exclusionary policies, including to alter the demographic composition of Rakhine State; the level of organization indicating a plan for destruction; and the extreme scale and brutality of the violence.
The Trump Administration’s leadership on this issue is critical to stand against ethnic and religious persecution. It is critical to act now, as the same military divisions that attacked the Rohingya, have relocated to Kachin State where they are positioning themselves to commit the same atrocities against the Kachin Christians. Burma’s Christian population is estimated at four to six million. We urgently encourage you to take immediate action by articulating a moral, political, and policy designation respecting the dignity and safety of victimized Burmese individuals. This data is the tool needed to make a genocide declaration. We call on you as the chief diplomat for the United States, to take this bold humanitarian step and provide the leadership to the international community that is desperately needed with this declaration.
Sincerely,
Greg Mitchell, Co-Chair, International Religious Freedom Roundtable
Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform
Property Rights Alliance
Bhuchung Tsering, International Campaign for Tibet
Nguyen Dinh Thang, PhD, CEO & President, Boat People SOS
Thien Nguyen, Buddhist Solidarity Association
Hanh Thai-Tang, The Junior Sacerdotal Caodai Council
Jianli Yang, Citizen Power Initiatives for China=
Dr. Carl Herbster, President, AdvanceUSA
Colin Christopher, Islamic Society of North America
Kelly Yaegermann, The Way To Happiness Association of Tampa Bay
Scott Morgan, Red Eagle Enterprises
Lawrence I. Lerner, Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union
Association for Advancing Freedom of Religion or Belief in Vietnam (AFoRB-VN)
Helen Ngo, Chairwoman, Committee for Religious Freedom in Vietnam
Vietnamese Women for Human Rights
Vietnam – Coalition Against Torture (VN-CAT)
Tony Tran, Chairman, Con Dau Parishioners Association
Hammad Ahmad, Ahmadiyya Community
Abdelkarim Benothman, Religious freedom, peace and human rights activist
DOVA International Charities, Ltd.
Michael Farris, President, CEO & General Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom
Bob Roberts, Founding Pastor, Northwood Church and President, GlocalNet
Greg Surratt, Founding Pastor, Seacoast Church and President, Association of Related Churches
JD Greer, President, Southern Baptist Convention and Pastor, The Summit Church
Micah Fries, Senior Pastor, Brainerd Baptist Church
Nic Burleson, Founding Pastor, Timber Ridge Church
Abdul Malik Mujahid, Chair, Burma Task Force
Imam Mohamed Magid
The Rev. Dr. Chloe Breyer, Executive Director, The Interfaith Center of New York
Hena Zuberi, Justice For All
Muhammad Shafiq, Professor, Islamic Center of Rochester
Shaukhat Kyaw Soe Aung Ali, Founder and Executive Director, Rohingya American Society
Donald Palmer, Muslim Association of Virginia
Humaira Ali M.D., Interfaith Group
Wa’el Alzayat, CEO, Emgage Action
Imam Omar Suleiman, Founder and President, Yaqeen Institute of Islamic Research
Rev. Petra Zenryū Hubbeling, Zen Peacemakers Low Lands
Brighter Future Counseling
Ocean Zendo
Melanie Klein, Executive Director and Buddhist Minister of the Boulder Shambhala Center
Charley Rosicky, Director of Health and Wellbeing, Boulder Shambhala Center
Kelly R. Perline, CAGS, M.Ed, Perline Center for Compassion and Connection
Julia Gies, Cedar Hills United Church of Christ
Hoka Chris Fortin , Dharma Heart Zen
Rev. Reirin Gumbel, Milwaukee Zen Center
Stephanie Monroney, Seattle Soto Zen
Windham County Buddhists
Brittany Porter, Buddhist Action Coalition NYC
Kathleen Y. Drury, Buddhist Peace Fellowship Chicago
Alfonso Taboada, acharya, Shambhala
Suntheary Cheavor, Peace For All
Sophie Leger, Director of Translations, Shambhala International
Mushin Terris, Spiritual Director, Buddhists Responding Corvallis
Rev. Zuiko Redding, Cedar Rapids Zen Center – Jikyouji (Buddhist)
Simon Billeness, International Campaign for the Rohingya
Upasaka ShenJing Gilenson, Bodhi & Bass Hermitage
Judith O’Brien, Principal, Alliance Architecture
Travis Wussow, VP for Public Policy, ERLC
Danny Akin, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Philippe Nassif, Executive Director, In Defense of Christians
Matias Perttula, Advocacy Director, International Christian Concern
Rev. Denis Hoin Darby, Zen Priest, Engaged Buddhism
Greater Saint Louis Buddhism
Michael Calvisi, Shambhala
St. John’s Shambhala
Ven. Sangye Khadro, Teacher, FPMT
Miekie Awater, Pensionada Federation Dutch Union
Jerome Freedman, PhD, Mindfulness Breaks
Mara Lenon, BScN, MSW, Social Worker, psychotherapist, Mara Lenon Counselling
Nazim Ahmed, Awareness of Myanmar’s Genocide
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)
Rev. Dr. Robert L. Brashear, HR, Presbytery of New York City
Gary Allen, Education Director, Ratna Peace Initiative
Ven. Amala Wrightson, New Zealand Buddhist Council
Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Director, Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
Rev. Dr. T. Kenjitsu Nakagaki, Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York
Ecclesia Ministries of New York