US Holds Secret Talks with Myanmar’s Military-Backed Government Amid Concerns over Rohingya Muslims
US Holds Secret Talks with Myanmar’s Military-Backed Government Amid Concerns over Rohingya Muslims
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The United States has held a second round of confidential talks with Myanmar’s military-backed authorities in Tokyo, raising questions about Washington’s renewed engagement with a leadership accused of grave human rights abuses against the Rohingya Muslim minority.
According to Reuters, the meeting took place last week and followed an earlier round of talks in Myanmar’s capital, Naypyitaw, in September. More than a dozen US officials reportedly participated in the Tokyo discussions, led by Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Michael Vance.
The earlier meeting focused on securing the release of an American businessman and tackling scam centres accused of defrauding US citizens. Reuters reported that broader discussions could include access to Myanmar’s deposits of rare-earth minerals, which are strategically important for advanced technologies. However, the precise agenda of the Tokyo meeting remains unclear.
The diplomatic engagement comes amid continuing international concerns over atrocities against the Muslim Rohingya, thousands of whom were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced during the Myanmar military’s 2016–2017 operations. The United States has formally determined that those atrocities constituted genocide.
The United Nations has also reported continuing abuses against Rohingya communities, including killings, forced displacement, arbitrary detention and forced labour. These findings have reinforced calls for accountability and protection for the minority.
