{ "error": "", "type": "text", "title": "Secretary Pompeo's Interview With Nike Ching of VOA [Voice of America] - Human Rights in Myanmar", "slug": "secretary-pompeos-interview-with-nike-ching-of-voa-voice-of-america-human-rights-in-myanmar", "text": "
\"QUESTION:<\/strong> On the ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya Muslims, with the Buddhists being the majority in Myanmar, the purge against Rohingya is sometimes characterized by some as religious cleansing. At the same time, killing is the worst crime for Buddhism and for many religion. Would you go further to identify the Rohingya crisis as the religious cleansing?<\/p>\n SECRETARY POMPEO:<\/strong> Well, the State Department made a decision at the end of last year to make the important statement about ethnic cleansing, and we know that there is a religious connection there. It\u2019s incredibly important that we\u2019re careful in the language that we use, and so we\u2019ll continue to review it. But as you well know, the State Department considers religious freedom at the center of its activity. We make that a priority in all of the work that we do, and in places in Asia, that is absolutely no exception.<\/p>\n QUESTION:<\/strong> Would you consider a comprehensive arms embargo and more targeted financial sanctions against tough Burmese military leaders for their involvement of the Rohingya purge?<\/p>\n SECRETARY POMPEO:<\/strong> I don\u2019t want to get out ahead of the President on this, but you should know we take these issues incredibly seriously and your viewers should know that as well. There are many things that are under consideration by this administration. We want to see the course changing; we want to see the directional change here. We have not seen that yet, and so there are many things that are being considered by the United States Government to ensure that everyone understands that their behavior is not acceptable.\"<\/p>",
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