[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 84 (Tuesday, June 28, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 SENATE RESOLUTION 234--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING 
   THE FIFTH YEAR OF IMPRISONMENT OF DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI BY BURMA'S 
                         MILITARY DICTATORSHIP

  Mr. MOYNIHAN (for himself, Mr. Pell, Mr. Simon, Mr. D'Amato, Mr. 
Kennedy, Mr. Helms, and Mr. Pressler) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 234

       Whereas on July 19, 1994, Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung 
     San Suu Kyi will have endured five years of unlawful house 
     arrest by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (in 
     this preamble referred to as the ``SLORC''), the military 
     junta in Burma;
       Whereas on May 27, 1990 the people of Burma voted 
     overwhelmingly in a free election for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 
     and the National League for Democracy;
       Whereas despite numerous pledges, the SLORC has failed to 
     honor the results of the May 1990 elections;
       Whereas the Untied States recognizes the individuals who 
     won the 1990 elections as the legitimate representatives of 
     the Burmese people;
       Whereas the United States has not sent an ambassador to 
     Rangoon to protest the failure of the SLORC to honor the 1990 
     elections and the continued human rights abuses suffered by 
     the Burmese people;
       Whereas the United Nations General Assembly stated in 
     resolution 48/150 that no evident progress has been made to 
     restore democracy in accordance with the will of the people 
     of Burma as expressed in the 1990 election;
       Whereas the Special Rapporteur for Burma appointed by the 
     United Nations Commission on Human Rights has been denied 
     access to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners 
     in Burma;
       Whereas the Government of Thailand has in the past 
     generously provided safe haven to the many Burmese forced to 
     flee the brutal repression of the SLORC regime;
       Whereas despite pressure from the SLORC, the Government of 
     Thailand has allowed Burmese democracy leaders to operate 
     within its borders, and has granted visas for international 
     travel;
       Whereas recent reports indicate that the Government of 
     Thailand has adopted more restrictive policies toward Burmese 
     refugees in Thailand;
       Whereas reports have indicated that some Rohingya refugees 
     located in Bangladesh have been returned to Burma against 
     their will; and
       Whereas the members of the Association of Southeast Asian 
     Nations (ASEAN) will meet in Bangkok, Thailand in July 1994, 
     and the SLORC has been invited to attend the opening meeting: 
     Now, therefore, be it hereby
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 
     United States Government should--
       (1) enunciate a clear and strong policy to promote 
     democracy in Burma;
       (2) strongly encourage ASEAN members at the meetings in 
     Bangkok in July to join United States efforts to:
       (a) seek the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and 
     all other political prisoners in Burma and allow them to 
     participate fully in the Burmese political process:
       (b) achieve the transfer of power to the winners of the 
     1990 democratic election;
       (c) join the arms embargo which the United States continues 
     to maintain against Burma;
       (d) end the gross human rights abuses perpetrated by the 
     SLORC, including torture, arbitrary arrests, executions, 
     forced labor, forced relocation and the rape and trafficking 
     of women;
       (3) clearly and publicly indicate the continued opposition 
     of the United States to SLORC participation in ASEAN;
       (4) work to implement United Nations General Assembly 
     resolution 48/150, unanimously adopted on December 20, 1993, 
     and pledge to seek international sanctions through the United 
     Nations, including a multilateral arms embargo, and the 
     appointment of a special envoy to facilitate the transfer to 
     democracy in Burma;
       (5) oppose commercial arrangements that only provide 
     financial support for the SLORC;
       (6) oppose foreign aid and financial assistance from 
     international financial institutions such as the World Bank 
     and the International Monetary Fund which only provide 
     financial support for the SLORC;
       (7) encourage the Government of Thailand to allow Burmese 
     political leaders and refugees, including the Karen, Mon and 
     Karenni, and other ethnic groups, to continue their efforts 
     to bring democratic change to Burma without fear of 
     harassment or other pressure;
       (8) continue the current United States policy of not 
     sending an ambassador to Rangoon until such time as the SLORC 
     has taken concrete steps to end human rights abuses and 
     transfer power to the democratically elected leaders of 
     Burma;
       (9) investigate claims of forced repatriation of Rohingya 
     refugees and encourage adequate monitoring to prevent Burmese 
     refugees from being repatriated against their will.

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