HCR200OCT5

As Burma, now Myanmar, has become a concern of the Bush administration, this resolution brings attention to matters there that Congress takes issue with.

In 1990 the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) nullified the National League for Democracy (NLD) efforts to move Myanmar towards a representative government with much support of the nationals.

Prime Minister Kyi

The elected leader of the NLD government is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who was not allowed to assume the office of Prime Minister. She was placed under house arrest, released in 1995 and placed under house arrest again in 2000. In 2002 when was arrested and imprisoned.

The resolution follows a letter from 50 world leaders and the UN in 2007 demanding her release. Nevertheless, her imprisonment was extended.

The preamble further explains human rights violations allegedly by the Burmese government.

The resolution calls for Kyi’s release. And calls on China and other countries that provide economic support to Myanmar’s junta to influence the military leaders to release Kyi and to end attacks on ethnic minority civilians.

More resolution below…

Sponsor: Rep. Peter King (NY-3^rd)

Vote: Passed House 413 to 2 RC 931 October 2, 2007

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost

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MORE INFORMATION

Whereas in 1990 the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), a military junta in Burma, nullified the victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD);

Whereas NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not allowed to assume the office of Prime Minister and was subsequently placed under house arrest;

Whereas Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was released in July 1995, yet once again placed under house arrest in September 2000;

Whereas following a second release, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and several of her followers were attacked by a government-sponsored mob on May 6, 2002, and she was then imprisoned at Insein Prison in Yangon;

Whereas on May 16, 2007, more than 50 world leaders released a letter demanding the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a demand repeated by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 14 United Nations human rights experts, the European Union, the United States, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the foreign ministers of three ASEAN member states, yet on May 27 her detention was extended;

Whereas for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991;

Whereas the ruling military junta in Burma continues to violate the human rights of Burmese citizens, including the systematic use of rape as a weapon of war and extrajudicial killings;

Whereas the armed forces in Burma have been accused of large-scale trafficking in heroin and methamphetamines;

Whereas the Burmese Government has destroyed more than 3,000 villages, displaced approximately 2 million Burmese people, and arrested approximately 1,300 individuals for expressing critical opinions;

Whereas Burma's main broadcasters and publications are state controlled and the media does not report opposing views except to criticize them;

Whereas on September 30, 2006, the United Nations Security Council officially included Burma on its agenda for the first time;

Whereas the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) denounced the ruling military regime of Burma on June 22, 2007, citing the use of detainees as porters for the armed forces and the systematic abuse and murder of both detainees and civilians;

Whereas the last time the ICRC publicly denounced egregious, ongoing, and systemic human rights abuses was in 1994 when the ICRC addressed genocide in Rwanda; and

Whereas the ICRC stated that civilians, especially those residing near the Thai-Burma border, have been subjected to abuse such as destruction of their food supply and forced unpaid manual labor: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That--

(1) it is the sense of Congress that United States policy should continue to call upon--

(A) the military regime in Burma--

(i) to immediately and unconditionally release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other detained political prisoners and prisoners of conscience;

(ii) to immediately cease attacks against ethnic minority civilians; and

(iii) to immediately begin a meaningful process of tripartite dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD, and Burma's ethnic nationalities; and

(B) the People's Republic of China and other countries that provide political and economic support to Burma's military junta to utilize their position and influence to--

(i) urge Burma's military generals to immediately release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners; and

(ii) end their attacks on ethnic minority civilians and begin a meaningful process of genuine national reconciliation with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD, and Burma's ethnic nationalities;

(2) Congress urges the United Nations Security Council to immediately consider and take appropriate action to respond to the growing threat the SPDC poses in Burma;

(3) Congress expresses support for the restoration of democracy in Burma; and

(4) Congress expresses the need for freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press to be guaranteed for all Burmese citizens.

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