Military police fire tear gas at protesting people during a protest in Yangon, Myanmar, March 4, 2021.
At least 70 people have been killed in a crackdown by the Burmese military following the Feb. 1 coup, a U.N. human rights investigation in Burma, and killings, torture and persecution by the Burmese military government that may amount to Crimes Against Humanity. The U.S. will grant a stay of deportation to Burmese citizens currently staying and allow them to work in the U.S.
Two officials told Reuters that the violent crackdown by security forces, arbitrary detentions and deteriorating human rights in Burma after the military seized power have prevented people from returning Home.
The decision means that about 1,600 Burmese currently in the U.S. will be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, including diplomats who have broken with the Burmese military.
The program is designed for immigrants who cannot safely return to their home countries, and for reasons such as natural disasters or armed conflict, they are legally allowed to remain in the U.S. for a period of Time and are permitted to work, and when their stay expires, they may apply for an extension.
The United States and the European Union have spoken out in condemnation of Malaysia’s defiance of a domestic court order to return 1,086 Burmese nationals to Burma, and on September 9, lawyers appointed by several international human rights groups said the Malaysian courts had given the organizations the authority to challenge Malaysia’s decision to repatriate Burmese.
Liang Xin You (New Sin Yew), a lawyer appointed by the groups, told Reuters, “This is a very important decision because it recognizes the responsibility of NGOs such as Amnesty International and Asylum Pipeline, and their position to bring a judicial review to hold the authorities accountable.”
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