BRI has presented its findings and recommendations to Congress, the Administration, diaspora communities from Burma, UNHCR, and NGOs. These presentations include multiple appearances at the International Religious Freedom Summit, International Religious Freedom Roundtable, and Refugee Council USA.
BRI has also conducted five Congressional briefings on Capitol Hill and briefings in Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and other states.
In addition to briefings on religious freedom and human rights, BRI has conducted briefings on Burma’s political situation. The most recent was “U.S. Policy on Burma: Opportunities and Challenges” on December 16, 2024, at the Rayburn Office Building (Room 2200).
In addition to briefings on religious freedom and human rights, BRI has conducted briefings on Burma’s political situation. The most recent was “U.S. Policy on Burma: Opportunities and Challenges” on December 16, 2024, at the Rayburn Office Building (Room 2200).
Our latest report’s recommendations:
Recommendations
To the Trump Administration
- Make a formal determination that crimes against humanity and war crimes have been committed against Christians.
- Press for the release of detained Christian pastors and other clergy, and for political prisoners, including State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint, and others.
- Redesignate Burma as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and enforce accountability, including by imposing visa restrictions and sanctions against the regime and others responsible for the atrocities.
- Condemn and reject the ongoing sham elections of the Burmese military junta and its outcome which will only prolong the military rule.
- Strengthen Burma’s self-reliance by allowing pro-democracy groups and ethnic resistance organizations (ERO) access to the $1 billion in Burma funds being held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
- Sustain a strong U.S. religious freedom policy.
- Reinstate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for people from Burma and remove the travel ban placed on people from Burma.
- Increase resettlement of Christians and others from Burma fleeing religious and political persecution by the military junta.
- Amplify U.S. messaging and diplomacy against Burmese military atrocities against Christians.
- Implement the BURMA Act.
To Congress
- Hold a Congressional Hearing on Religious Freedom in Burma.
- Urge the Administration to designate Burma as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and enforce accountability of the junta and other perpetrators of atrocities against Christians.
- Appropriate funds to support the pro-democracy movements, ethnic resistance organizations, and others in Burma, pursuant to the Burma Act of 2022.
- Urge the Trump Administration to unfreeze $1 billion of Burma funds being held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and make it available for humanitarian and non-lethal assistance to the pro-democracy groups, ethnic resistance organizations, and others.
- Continue calling on the Administration to condemn and reject the sham elections and their results and to appoint a special representative and policy coordinator for Burma.
To USCIRF
- Recommend that the Trump Administration determine that atrocities against Christians committed by the Burmese military constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes.
- Continue urging the Trump Administration to designate Burma as a Country of Particular Concern.
Among other humanitarian recommendations, BRI calls for UN agencies such as UNICEF and WFP to establish a presence in Mizoram State to support both refugees and local Mizo communities.