11 June 2003
Leahy Backs McConnell Bill in Senate to Sanction Burma
(Says Suu Kyi rightful, democratically elected leader of Burma) (660)
The ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee wants to
"turn up the heat" on the military junta ruling Burma.
In a June 10 speech, Senator Patrick Leahy (Democrat of Vermont) said
he backed the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, S1215.
He called on Burma's rulers to release Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he
called "the rightful, democratically elected leader of Burma."
S. 1215, Leahy said, sends a clear signal that the Bush
administration, ASEAN members and the international community "need to
turn up the heat on this illegitimate regime."
Bringing democracy and human rights to Burma "will require active
pressure from its neighbors in Southeast Asia," he said, citing in
particular Thailand, Japan, and China.
Following is the text of Leahy's remarks from the Congressional
Record:
(begin text)
BURMESE FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY ACT
Senate
June 10, 2003
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I strongly support the Burmese Freedom and
Democracy Act of 200(3), introduced by Senator MCCONNELL and Senator
FEINSTEIN. This legislation seeks to pressure the military junta in
Burma to release Aung San Suu Kyi and help bring democracy and human
rights to Burma.
Several days last week, Senator MCCONNELL came to the floor to speak
on this issue. I want to commend him for his steadfast leadership, and
associate myself with his remarks. I have also joined as an original
cosponsor of this legislation.
The message that we are sending to the ruling junta in Burma is clear:
Its behavior is outrageous. Aung San Suu Kyi is the rightful,
democratically elected leader of Burma. She and her fellow opposition
leaders must be immediately released. This legislation also sends a
clear signal to the administration, ASEAN members, and the
international community that we need to turn up the heat on this
illegitimate regime.
The efforts of Senators MCCONNELL and FEINSTEIN are already having an
impact. On June 5, 2003, the State Department issued a strong
statement on this matter, which reads:
The continued detention in isolation of Aung San Suu Kyi and other
members of her political party is outrageous and unacceptable. We call
on the SPDC to release them immediately, and to provide all necessary
medical attention to those who have been injured, including assistance
from international specialists. The offices of the National League for
Democracy closed by the SPDC should be reopened without delay and
their activities no longer proscribed.
But we all know that U.S. actions can only go so far. Bringing
democracy and human rights to Burma will require active pressure from
its neighbors in Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, Japan, and
China. It will require these and other nations to disavow the failed
policies of engagement. These policies simply have not worked.
I am pleased to see that the McConnell-Feinstein legislation attempts
to trigger a process that will ratchet up the regional pressure on the
Burmese Government. I am also glad to see that the United States has
demarched every government in Southeast Asia on this issue.
In closing, I want to highlight the fact that the U.N. Envoy, Razali
Ismail, was finally able to see Aung San Suu Kyi. According to CNN,
Mr. Ismail said that she shows no signs of injury following clashes
with a pro-government group. His exact words were "she did not have a
scratch on her and was feisty as usual." That is indeed good.
I was also glad to see Mr. Ismail call on the members of ASEAN to drop
the organization's policy of nonintervention. He stated: "ASEAN has to
break through the straitjacket and start dealing with this issue. ...
The situation in Burma can only be changed if regional actors take
their positions to act on it."
I agree. The international community has a responsibility to act
together to pressure the SPDC. The time for appeasement is over.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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