Rubio: As the Burma situation escalates, US lawmakers urge to take action
Rubio: The junta’s planned “sham elections” and worsening humanitarian crisis pose a threat to regional stability and bolster China’s strategic foothold, according to nine Democratic senators who have urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to act immediately to stop the rising violence and violations of human rights in Burma.
In a joint letter headed by Senator Chris Van Hollen, the politicians said, “We write to express our profound concern regarding the ongoing bloodshed and oppression in Burma, which has lasted far too long.” They warned that the impending elections will “further damage Burma’s democracy, rule of law, and further consolidate the junta’s repressive power,” citing the “systematic persecution of ethnic and religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians, and other vulnerable communities.”
Rubio was encouraged by the senators to “prioritize addressing the escalating violence and human rights abuses in Burma, condemn the junta’s planned elections, and champion justice, accountability, and the protection of basic human dignity.”
It is also “in our core national interest to achieve stability in Southeast Asia and push back on malign People’s Republic of China (PRC) influence in the region,” they said, as a result of US leadership.
The letter describes the scope of the crisis: by August 2025, 11.8 million people were experiencing severe food shortages, 3.6 million had been displaced, and the civilian death toll had “surpassed 7,100.” An earthquake in March left 6.3 million people in critical need and at least 3,800 dead.
Despite indications of waning authority, the junta has stepped up its assaults. It carried out “at least 741 airstrikes—including on schools, killing at least 22 children, and on churches on Palm Sunday—most after a declared ‘ceasefire’ in early April” in the six weeks after the earthquake. At least 24 people, including children, were killed when a military paramotor “bombed a peaceful candlelight vigil” on October 6. “Just 21 percent of Burma’s territory” is now under the junta’s authority.
The senators cautioned that minorities are particularly at risk as a result of the junta’s campaign. They said, “These abuses demand a robust U.S. response rooted in moral leadership and strategic interest.”
They put pressure on the administration to reverse the decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status for approximately 4,000 Burmese nationals residing in the United States, fully implement the BURMA Act and restore aid, support international accountability efforts, and make Burma a diplomatic priority, including by pressuring Beijing. They said that ending TPS is “inconsistent with our values.”
Given that China and Russia have given the junta “almost $1 billion in weapons,” the senators cautioned that ongoing instability “creates further openings for increased PRC influence.” They said that “working with regional partners to end the violence and place Burma on a path to inclusive governance and democracy” is the only practical option.