{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://levin.house.gov/press-release/levin-urges-clear-and-decisive-stand-against-rohingya-genocide", "Levin Urges Clear and Decisive Stand Against Rohingya Genocide", "2018-12-11", "2018", "2018-12", "Democrat", "House", "MI", "Sander Levin", "L000263", "levin.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Representative Sandy Levin (D-MI) delivered remarks on the House Floor during consideration of H.Res.1091.\n---\n(Remarks as Prepared)\nMr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution calling for the release of the two journalists imprisoned after investigating attacks against the Rohingya ethnic minority in Burma, also known as Myanmar. As I said in the resolution I introduced in early September calling for their release, the Burmese police captain involved in their arrest reportedly admitted during the trial that his superior ordered him to entrap the journalists.\nThe atrocities committed against the Rohingya  mass killings, rape perpetrated on a massive scale, whole villages burned to the ground with people being burned alive in their homes, and over 700,000 fleeing the violence to neighboring Bangladesh  has been so extreme that the United Nations issued a report earlier this year calling for Burma's military leaders to be investigated and prosecuted on the charges of genocide.\nThere can be no doubt about the culpability of Burma's military in the oppression and violence inflicted on the Rohingya.\nI had the privilege of meeting Aung San Suu Kyi a few years ago as part of a delegation led by Nancy Pelosi, joining in admiration for her perseverance and triumph over oppression.\nThere has been a hesitation by some to criticize Suu Kyi, worrying that it could make it more likely the military would take over the civilian government she leads.\nBut her words and actions  in the face of what in reality has been genocide  have been deeply disturbing, contrary to her past example as a beacon of freedom.\nIn 2017, the late John McCain and Richard Durbin introduced in the Senate and I introduced in the House a resolution that encouraged Aung San Suu Kyi to live up to her inspiring words upon receiving the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize with respect to ethnic reconciliation in Burma, and in particular to address the historic and brutal repression of the Rohingya in Rakhine State. Unfortunately, that resolution was not acted on.\nWhen Aung San Suu Kyi later said that we believe that for the sake of long-term stability and security, we have to be fair to all sides, it was a disturbing message of minimisation.\nSuu Kyi later said, In a way we can say that we understand our country better than any other country does and I'm sure you will say the same of yours, that you understand your country better than anybody else.\nAs Bishop Desmond Tutu said in a letter to Suu Kyi, my dear sister: If the political price of your ascension to the highest office in Myanmar is your silence, the price is surely too steep.\nThis resolution speaks out against the genocide and crimes against humanity that occurred in Rakhine State. All of humanity must speak out clearly and decisively.\nI urge unanimous support for this resolution.\n---\nRep. Levin has been outspoken regarding the treatment of the Rohingya and the imprisonment of journalists covering the atrocities.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://levin.house.gov/press-release/levin-urges-clear-and-decisive-stand-against-rohingya-genocide"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6677038036286831, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}