Behind the establishment: Members of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party attending a ceremony for the election manifesto at Thuwunna indoor stadium in Yangon. — AP
The Trump administration said it is ending temporary legal status for citizens of Myanmar in the United States, arguing they can safely return to the war-torn South-East Asian country and citing the military junta’s planned elections as evidence of an improving situation.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem had conferred with US government agencies and concluded that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Myanmar was no longer needed, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement on Monday.
In a formal notification of the move, DHS also credited Myanmar’s military government for engaging in ceasefire negotiations with ethnic armed groups.
It noted that China is playing a mediating role and compared the talks favourably to past peace efforts.
The status will expire for the roughly 4,000 Myanmar nationals benefitting from it on Jan 26.
John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, criticised the statement, saying: “Contrary to its content, there have been no improvements in governance or stability, the revocation of a state of emergency is meaningless in effect, and the so-called elections announced by the military are widely understood to be theatre – not even a farce, which at least might be amusing, but a sham.”
The administration’s justification appears to contradict members of Trump’s own Republican party, who have long advocated for tough policies towards Myanmar’s junta.
Trump has revoked TPS for nationals from several countries since taking office in January as part of his immigration crackdown. — Reuters
