; Whereas Members of Congress, professional journalist organizations, human rights groups, and other distinguished writers from around the world have called on the Burmese authorities to release Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo from their unjust imprisonment; Whereas the Burmese military has committed numerous crimes against civilians over many years in Burma’s Rakhine, Shan, and Karen States; Whereas Marzuki Darusman, chair of the United Nations fact-finding mission on Burma said in a statement on September 18, 2018, Peace will not be achieved while the Tatmadaw remains above the law. The Tatmadaw is the greatest impediment to Myanmar’s development as a modern democratic nation. The Commander-in-Chief of the Tatmadaw, Min Aung Hlaing, and all the current leadership must be replaced, and a complete restructuring must be undertaken to place the Tatmadaw under full civilian control. Myanmar’s democratic transition depends on it. ; Whereas in recent decades the Rohingya people have lost, through systematic discrimination by Burmese national, state, and local authorities, a range of civil and political rights, including citizenship, and face barriers today such that they are mostly a stateless people; Whereas, on August 25, 2017, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army carried out attacks on government positions in Rakhine State; Whereas since the August 25, 2017, attacks, Burma’s military and security forces, as well as private mobs, have carried out widespread attacks, rapes, killings, and the burning of villages throughout Rakhine State resulting in approximately 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh; Whereas Burma’s civilian government, led by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, has not yet taken necessary steps to address the violence and should take further measures; Whereas, on November 22, 2017, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated, After a careful and thorough analysis of available facts, it is clear that the situation in northern Rakhine State constitutes ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya.