U.S. required to cut foreign aid to Myanmar after formally determining military takeover is a coup
"After careful review of the facts and circumstance," the State Department has officially determined the military takeover in Myanmar was a coup d'état, a designation that requires the United States to cut its foreign aid to the country, CNN notes.
After Myanmar's military, which ruled the country for decades until 2011, seized control and detained top government figures, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar's ruling party, the Biden administration reportedly spent much of the day debating whether they should formally recognize the events as a coup. President Biden condemned the military's actions, but U.S. trade with Myanmar is small, while China's is significant, so there was seemingly a concern that an official designation would drive Myanmar even closer to Beijing, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
Ultimately, though, the administration went through with it on Tuesday. A State Department official told CNN that Washington sends little foreign assistance to Myanmar's government, which, along with the military, "is already subject to a number of foreign assistance restrictions ... due to its human rights record," including allegations of genocide against the Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group. The U.S. reportedly plans to continue its humanitarian programs that help the Rohingya, as well as other "democracy support programs that benefit civil society." Read more at CNN.
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