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Press Release July 16, 2003 NCGUB Welcomes Passage of ‘Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act’ The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma warmly welcomes the passage of the "Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003" (H.R. 2330) by the U.S. House of Representatives with an overwhelming majority vote of 418-2 on 15 July 2003. A similar bill was passed by the U.S. Senate with 97-1 vote on 11 June 2003. The NCGUB is deeply grateful to Representatives Tom Lantos and Peter King, all co-sponsors, and other members of the House of Representatives who voted for the Bill. We are also appreciative to all staffers and individuals who made the passage of this important bill possible. The Act serves as a clear and strong response from the United States to the Burmese generals who had imprudently and recklessly carried out a murderous attack on leaders and members of the National League for Democracy near Tabayin on 30 May. The Act, together with widespread international condemnation and action by governments, sends a strong message to these generals that their days of ruthless oppression with impunity are over and that the only option left open for their survival is to stop being the impediment to the now defunct national reconciliation and democratization process in Burma. There has never been a greater need for friends at this juncture for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD, and the people of Burma who had voted for the NLD, and the "Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act" fulfilled that need by extending an official recognition to the NLD as the "legitimate representative of the Burmese people as determined by the 1990 election”. Prime Minister Dr Sein Win said, "By passing this act the US will certainly boost the moral of the NLD and the Burmese people struggling for democracy and hit the generals where it hurts most--their pockets. We are confident that as clearly defined in the Act, the United States will empower the Burmese democracy movement and continue to closely monitor developments to ensure democratization is taking place in Burma.” The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma also fully supports calls by U.S. congressional leaders, the European Union, and other democratic countries to bring the case of Burma before the United Nations Security Council and help bring about democratic changes in the country. It also urges Burma's neighbors to think about the relations with a democratic Burma of the future and to pressure the generals into doing the correct thing now. The NCGUB will continue its efforts to bring about stronger unilateral as well as multilateral action against the Burmese generals until democracy is restored in the country. Contact National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
(NCGUB) Burma UN Service Office |
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