US President Barack Obama has renewed for a year his authority to maintain US sanctions against Myanmar. The White House notified Congress on May 22, saying that despite significant progress, concerns persist over conflict and human rights abuses, particularly in ethnic minority areas and Rakhine state
The announcement comes as international concern mounts over the plight of thousands of minority Rohingya Muslims who have fled sectarian violence and apartheid-like conditions in Myanmar, and are stranded in boats in the Andaman Sea.