FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2003
Contact: Jeremy Woodrum, 202-547-5985; 202-246-7924 (cell)

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSES SANCTIONS ON BURMA

Bill Will Be Strongest International Action Yet To Support Burma's Democratic Struggle

WASHINGTON - Joining their colleagues in the U.S. Senate, Members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (418 to 2) today to enact new sanctions against Burma's military regime. The legislation bans all imports from Burma, places a freeze on the regime's assets in the U.S., requires the U.S. to vote against loans to the regime from the World Bank or IMF, and expands a ban on travel to the U.S. by members of the regime and its cronies Like the Senate version of the sanctions bill, the House legislation enjoyed bipartisan support. President George W. Bush is expected to sign the bill into law.

"These are tough measures but no tougher than Burma's ruling thugs deserve," said Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA), top Democrat on the International Relations Committee and sponsor of the bill.

Last month, the Bush Administration announced it also plans to ban remittances to Burma. These new U.S. measures will further squeeze the regime of Than Shwe financially. Under increasing U.S. pressure, Japan, Burma's largest foreign donor, announced freezing of its financial assis-tance to Rangoon. Likewise, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) put increased diplomatic and political pressure on Rangoon to free Aung San Suu Kyi and to begin democratization in Burma, breaking with its long-standing policy tradition of not interfering in "the internal matters" of a member nation.

"We thank the U.S. Government, politicians and citizens in supporting these pro-democracy measures. The European Union should -- and can -- do more to help expedite Burma's democratic transition," said Aung Din, a Free Burma activist. "But this must be only the first step in a broader effort for regime change in Rangoon."

Burma's regime has continually defied calls from the United Nations and from the world's political leaders for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and her fellow party members currently behind bars in Burma and has refused to honor the results of the 1990 elections in which Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a landslide.

"These sanctions are a step in the right direction, they are a strong, essential pillar of our country's pro-democracy movement. The U.S.-led sanctions weaken the regime financially and further inspire the Burmese democrats to persevere in their arduous fight for freedom," comments Free Burma Coalition's founder, Zar Ni.