Bangla Press Desk: US lawmakers on Thursday urged the Trump administration to publicly denounce Myanmar’s planned “sham election” and to appoint a Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Burma to lead Washington’s response to the country’s deepening crisis.
The call came after a congressional hearing on Wednesday that examined Myanmar’s escalating military and humanitarian emergencies.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a joint session of its subcommittees for East Asia and the Pacific, and South and Central Asia, under the title: “No Exit Strategy: Burma’s Endless Crisis and America’s Limited Options.”
Lawmakers warned that the junta continues to tighten its grip while preparing an election designed to legitimise authoritarian rule. They pressed the administration to act decisively as Myanmar’s conflict worsens.
Young Kim, chairwoman of the East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee, said the regime is planning a staged election to disguise military rule while operating as a proxy for China and Russia.
She said the crisis threatens US interests directly, noting that scam networks linked to the junta have stolen billions of dollars from US citizens. She called for swift congressional action to protect Americans and reassess US policy on Myanmar.
Several lawmakers cautioned that without a stronger US response, Myanmar will slide further towards becoming a failed state and an “emerging hub of transnational crime.”
They also urged full implementation of the BURMA Act to deliver robust, non-lethal support to pro-democracy forces, including technical assistance for governance and communications to help administer liberated areas.
BP/SP
