Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi visited the Rakhine state this week, where the military is accused of carrying out a campaign of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, as US lawmakers proposed sanctions against the country.
Ms Suu Kyi made the brief trip for the first time since violence erupted in the state and was accompanied by the Burmese military.
She reported met with Rohingya villagers of Pan Taw Pyin village, telling them “I hope everything will go fine as local villagers handle the rebuilding process”. “We all have to try our best to live peacefully,” she added.
Her visit comes as reports state that some 600,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since 25 August.
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Meanwhile US House Republicans and Democrats proposed legislation that would place import and trade restrictions on Myanmar in response to the military campaign.
Senate Armed Services Committee chairman John McCain said the legislation would “hold accountable the senior military officials responsible for the slaughter and displacement of innocent men, women and children in Burma, and make clear that the United States will not stand for these atrocities”.
"There will be consequences for their crimes against humanity," said Senator Ben Cardin, a Democratic sponsor of the bill.
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