| Please take a moment
to help Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and people of Burma.
Please call your representatives and urge them to support Burma
Freedom Act (2003) and legislation to be introduced in US Congress
and Senate Tomorrow. Senator Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
and representatives Tom Lantos (D-CA) sponsored the bills. For you
convenience, contacts of some representatives are listed at the
bottom of this mail. More info: BurmaFreedomCampaign Click here to find U.S. Congress Representative (http://www.house.gov/writerep/)
U.S. CONGRESS INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO SANCTION BURMA'S REGIME Leading Senators and Congress Members Vow to "Tighten the Noose" WASHINGTON, D.C. - Vowing to "tighten the noose" of sanctions around General Than Shwe's military regime in Burma, powerful U.S. Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and seven other influential U.S. Senators today introduced legislation that will greatly expand international pressure on Burma. Included in the bill are measures that will ban all U.S. imports from Burma, expand the visa ban to the regime's political arm - the "Union Solidarity Development Association," and freeze the regime's overseas assets. Representatives Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Peter King (R-NY) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives which has already received the support of International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL). McConnell is joined by fellow Senators Feinstein (D- CA), John McCain (R-AZ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Arlen Specter (R-PA), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), and Rick Santorum (R-PA). The bill comes only days after Than Shwe's regime launched a nationwide crackdown on the democracy movement in Burma that has left dozens dead and many disappeared. The crackdown began Friday with an attack on the motorcade of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and has continued with daily arrests of democracy activists throughout the country. In his remarks on the Senate floor introducing the legislation, Senator McConnell, visibly furious with the military regime, emphasized that the U.S. "must lead" international support for Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's democracy movement. Both Senators McConnell and McCain harshly criticized the Japanese government's idle response to the ongoing crackdown. The U.S. is currently one of the largest export markets for Burma's
regime. Last year, Burma exported over $300 million to the U.S.,
while importing only $10 million. Over 80% of U.S. imports from
Burma consist of apparel and textiles. In April, a major apparel
industry association of several hundred corporate members, the American
Apparel and Footwear Association, called for the U.S. to ban apparel,
textile, and footwear imports from Burma, citing the regime's atrocious
human rights abuses and attacks on democracy. The Association represents
approx-imately 80% of wholesale apparel sales of U.S. "We are witnessing horrible organized crimes conducted by Burma's military regime," said Aung Din, Director of Policy for the Free Burma Coalition. "This is the time to take action for regime change. The people of Burma can't wait for more talk - we need action." The U.S. has vowed to raise the issue of the crackdown in Burma with other members of the United Nations Security Council. In today's remarks, Senator McConnell endorsed bringing up the situation in Burma at the Council. The sanctions push follows several strong statements from members of Congress today and yesterday. Senators and Representatives called for the immediate release of Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD). All the statements harshly condemned the regime for its new crackdown on the democracy movement. Following are quotes from statements made on the Congress floor and/or entered into the Congressional record today and yesterday: Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY and Majority Whip): "Between the attack and the closure of NLD offices and universities, the SPDC has launched a blitzkrieg on freedom in Burma. .It is past time to hold the SPDC accountable for the many injustices it has inflicted upon the people of Burma. It is time for regime change in Burma." Senator John McCain (R-AZ): "American and international policy towards Burma should reflect our conviction that oppression and impunity must come to an end, and that the regime must move towards a negotiated settlement with Aung San Suu Kyi that grants her a leading and irreversible political role culminating in free and fair national elections." Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA): "The tough sanctions legislation I am introducing... sends a clear signal that Burma's human rights violators will be punished severely. .The brutal treatment and arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi cannot stand." Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA): "The people of Burma have suffered for too long from the SPDC, from campaigns of systematic rape, murder, forced labor, destruction of villages, food sources, and a myriad of other atrocities, including the deaths of many small children." Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA): "Today, this Congress needs to be aware of what is going on in Burma, and we must warn the dictators in Burma they will not get away with the dirty deed if they have touched one hair on the head of Aung San Suu Kyi."
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Capital Address: Local: Diane Feinstein (D-CA)
Nancy Pelosi (8th District, California) Capital Address:
Capital Address: Local:
Capital Address: Local: |
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