[[link removed]]
[[link removed]]
Photograph: Jack Hill for The New York Times
Dear John,
This week, the House passed the BURMA Act of 2021 [[link removed](10%2F05%2F2021)&text=To%20authorize%20humanitarian%20assistance%20and,Burma%2C%20and%20for%20other%20purposes.] !
In the two days leading up to this vote, and thanks to advocates like you, we sent nearly 500 letters calling on the House to pass the BURMA Act. But, we still need YOUR help to ensure the swift passage of this crucial legislation in the Senate.
As we remember Muslims from around the globe this Ramadan, we ask you to take action for the Rohingya facing genocide by writing to your Senators to follow the House in passing the BURMA Act.
Tell your Senators to pass the BURMA Act [[link removed]]
Background:
For decades under the brutal rule of the Burmese military, the Rohingya Muslims - a stateless minority group in Burma - and other minority groups have suffered discrimination and violence. Since hostilities escalated in 2017, thousands of innocent men, women, and children have been killed, with over 900,000 Rohingya fleeing the country. In 2018, a United Nations report accused the military of carrying out mass killings and rapes with a “genocidal intent.” Last month, the State Department finally made an official genocide determination for the Rohingya Muslims and other minorities. The Rohingya are currently living in massively overcrowded camps in Bangladesh with an estimated 600,000 Rohingya still remaining in the Rakhine State in Burma.
For years, Emgage Action has tirelessly advocated for the Rohingya Muslims on the Hill and in-district through our chapters (VA, PA, NY, TX, MI, and FL). The BURMA Act, once passed, will impose necessary sanctions on individuals responsible for the repression of fundamental freedoms, human rights abuses, and use of indiscriminate violence. Additionally, this bill will support humanitarian assistance in Burma, Bangladesh, Thailand, and surrounding regions.
[[link removed]] “[The] passage of my BURMA Act sends a clear message to the Burmese military that there will be accountability for their brutal and illegal February 1st, 2021 coup, and for its subsequent crimes against humanity," said Congressman Gregory Meeks . "Together with last month’s formal determination by the Biden Administration that the Burmese military committed a genocide against Rohingya, the passage of the BURMA Act reaffirms the United States’ leadership to protect human rights and democratic values and ensure accountability and justice.”
Congressman Gregory Meeks
Congressman Gregory Meeks
The time is NOW, tell the Senate to pass the BURMA Act [[link removed]]
Tell your Senators TODAY to pass the BURMA Act of 2021, so that those perpetrating this genocide can be held accountable and that we can effectively work towards achieving freedom for Rohingya Muslims.
Sincerely,
Wa'el Alzayat
Emgage Action CEO
Looking for an immersive Washington internship to see how policy is made and to learn from real-world practitioners? Apply to the Emgage Washington Internship Program by sending your resume to
[email protected] . Make sure to write Washington Internship in the subject line.
Please consider supporting our work by making a contribution today. Your generous donation will go toward our various voter mobilization and policy education projects that are essential to building a civically engaged Muslim American community and a healthy democracy
Donate [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]
[[link removed]]
If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe: [link removed] .