With President Biden’s Signature, ‘Burma Act’ Becomes Law With Aim of Holding Military Accountable and Supporting A Democratic Myanmar
PEN AmericaDec 23, 2022
The deposed leader of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been sentenced to a further seven years in prison by the country's governing military junta. The latest verdict, on charges of corruption, means the 77-year-old faces a total of 33 years in prison.
According to an anonymous source familiar with the trial, Suu Kyi was found guilty of five counts of corruption, specifically relating to the lease and use of a helicopter while she was the de facto leader of Myanmar.
This was a show trial aimed at silencing Aung San Suu Kyi and removing her from the political landscape. The US's targeted sanctions of the military junta, however, will help support those working towards the shoring up of democracy in Myanmar. Under Biden's leadership, the US has clearly signaled its solidarity with the people of Myanmar and its willingness to hold the nation's military accountable for countless human rights violations.
The US is continuing to fail to take an effective stance against human rights abuses in Myanmar. American officials only throw humanitarian crumbs towards populations who lack proxy value, while giving billions to big-ticket, election-friendly issues like the Russia-Ukraine war. Issues affecting Europe remain a priority, as 55M people in Myanmar struggle to stay alive and eke out an existence under an unforgiving dictatorship.