[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 125 (Tuesday, October 10, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H9582-H9586]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING BURMA
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 328) expressing the sense of
the Congress in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the free and
fair elections in Burma and the urgent need to improve the democratic
and human rights of the people of Burma, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 328
Whereas in 1988 thousands of Burmese citizens called for a
democratic change in Burma and participated in peaceful
demonstrations to achieve this result;
[[Page H9583]]
Whereas these demonstrations were brutally repressed by the
Burmese military, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives;
Whereas despite continued repression, the Burmese people
turned out in record numbers to vote in elections deemed free
and fair by international observers;
Whereas on May 27, 1990, the National League for Democracy
(NLD) led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi won more than 60 percent of
the popular vote and 80 percent of the parliamentary seats in
the elections;
Whereas the Burmese military rejected the results of the
elections, placed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of
members of the NLD under arrest, pressured members of the NLD
to resign, and severely restricted freedom of assembly,
speech, and the press;
Whereas 48,000,000 people in Burma continue to suffer gross
violations of human rights, including the right to democracy,
and economic deprivation under a military regime known as the
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC);
Whereas on September 16, 1998, the members of the NLD and
other political parties who won the 1990 elections joined
together to form the Committee Representing the People's
Parliament (CRPP) as an interim mechanism to address human
rights, economic and other conditions, and provide
representation of the political views and voice of Members of
Parliament elected to but denied office in 1990;
Whereas the United Nations General Assembly and Commission
on Human Rights have condemned in nine consecutive
resolutions the persecution of religious and ethnic
minorities and the political opposition, and SPDC's record of
forced labor, exploitation, and sexual violence against
women;
Whereas the United States and the European Union Council of
Foreign Ministers have similarly condemned conditions in
Burma and officially imposed travel restrictions and other
sanctions against the SPDC;
Whereas in May 1999, the International Labor Organization
(ILO) condemned the SPDC for inflicting forced labor on the
people and has banned the SPDC from participating in any ILO
meetings;
Whereas the 1999 Department of State Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices for Burma estimates more than 1,300
people continue to suffer inhumane detention conditions as
political prisoners in Burma;
Whereas the Department of State International Narcotics
Control Strategy Report for 2000 determines that Burma is the
second largest world-wide source of illicit opium and heroin
and that there are continuing, reliable reports that Burmese
officials are ``involved in the drug business or are paid to
allow the drug business to be conducted by others'',
conditions which pose a direct threat to United States
national security interests;
Whereas Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been denied the basic
rights to freedom of movement and assemble with members of
the NLD by Burmese security authorities who, on August 24,
2000, forcibly blocked her and her party from traveling to
NLD township offices near Rangoon;
Whereas after having been halted for nine days at a
roadblock, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party were forcibly
returned to Rangoon by Burmese security authorities;
Whereas since their forcible return to Rangoon Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi and other NLD leaders have been held incommunicado in
their residences and diplomats and others have been denied
access to them;
Whereas the refusal to allow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to leave
her compound or to allow others access to her has created
grave concern for her safety and welfare;
Whereas the NLD party offices have been ransacked and
documents seized by Burmese authorities and access to the
party headquarters has been denied to NLD members;
Whereas the Burmese authorities have continued to refuse to
engage in a substantive dialogue with the NLD and other
elements of the democratic opposition; and
Whereas despite these massive violations of human rights
and civil liberties and chronic economic deprivation, Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the NLD have continued to
call for a peaceful political dialogue with the SPDC to
achieve a democratic transition: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the Sense of the Congress that--
(1) United States policy should strongly support the
restoration of democracy in Burma, including implementation
of the results of the free and fair elections of 1990;
(2) United States policy should continue to call upon the
military regime in Burma known as the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC)--
(A) to guarantee freedom of assembly, freedom of movement,
freedom of speech, and freedom of the press for all Burmese
citizens;
(B) to immediately accept a political dialogue with Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy (NLD),
and ethnic leaders to advance peace and reconciliation in
Burma;
(C) to immediately and unconditionally release all detained
Members elected to the 1990 parliament and other political
prisoners; and
(D) to promptly and fully uphold the terms and conditions
of all human rights and related resolutions passed by the
United Nations General Assembly, the Commission on Human
Rights, the International Labor Organization, and the
European Union; and
(3) United States policy should sustain current economic
and political sanctions against Burma as the appropriate
means--
(A) to secure the restoration of democracy, human rights,
and civil liberties in Burma; and
(B) to support United States national security
counternarcotics interests.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and the gentleman from American
Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter).
General Leave
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on H. Con. Res. 328, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, we are on with the House business now
after a very important and moving tribute to our late colleague, Bruce
Vento. As I begin, I must reflect upon the service I had with him for
almost 20 years on the Committee on Banking and Financial Services and
earlier for 4 years on what was then the House Committee on Interior
and Insular Affairs, where he really accomplished remarkable things in
both jurisdictions, but I think he will be known so much for the kind
of things that he assisted America to preserve and protect in our
national environment.
I remember well how much assistance he gave to this Member on a very
controversial measure related to a scenic river designation in my own
State.
Today, Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 328 is before us. It was introduced
on May 16 by the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Porter) and
was unanimously approved by the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific on
September 13 and by the House Committee on International Relations on
September 21.
For over 10 years, the Burmese military regime, now known as the
State Peace and Development Council, the SPDC, has refused to implement
the results of the 1990 elections which were won overwhelmingly by the
National League for Democracy, the NLD. During this period, and indeed
since 1962, when General Ne Win and the military seized control, the
Burmese military has engaged in egregious systematic violence and abuse
of the fundamental human rights of ethnic minorities and other people
of the country.
The abuses of the junta in Rangoon again came under international
scrutiny when, on August 24 of this year, Aung San Suu Kyi was denied
the ability to visit NLD party offices outside the capital. For 9 days,
she was detained at a roadblock and eventually was forcibly removed to
her residence. She and other NLD party leaders were placed under
virtual house arrest.
Despite the military's denials, no independent observer was allowed
to visit her; and the British ambassador, for example, was roughed up
when he attempted to force his way into her compound. In addition,
party offices were ransacked and papers seized.
To justify their action, the junta has issued the ludicrous charge
that the NLD had formed an alliance with rebels in the provinces.
On September 21, the day the committee passed this measure, Aung San
Suu Kyi was again blocked from traveling outside Rangoon by the
military regime.
She planned to travel by train to Mandalay in order to visit with NLD
party members. Officials at the Rangoon's central train station,
insisting that there were no train tickets available, refused to sell
tickets to her and her accompanying party.
Eventually, after hours of stalemate, police removed her from the
train station and forced her to return home. Since her September 21
attempt to travel to Mandalay, Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD party
leaders remain under de facto house arrest, and the regime has denied
any contact with foreign diplomats.
NLD vice chairman Tin Oo is being detained by the military regime.
This week, the U.N. Secretary General special envoy, Malaysian
diplomat, Ambassador Razali Ismail, has
[[Page H9584]]
been in Rangoon meeting with senior leaders in the Burmese military
regime, including Foreign Minister Win Aung and General Khin Nyunt.
Despite his mandate to promote human rights and restore democracy in
Burma, Ambassador Razali has yet to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi or any
other NLD party leaders.
This is Razali's second visit to Burma as the U.N. Secretary
General's special envoy. Clearly not meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi or
any other NLD leaders brings the U.N.'s credibility into question.
Mr. Speaker, it is entirely proper, therefore, that the House of
Representatives go on record condemning these human rights abuses.
Since her electoral victory in 1990, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has
repeatedly been arrested, threatened, and harassed.
The illegal SDPC military regime has done everything possible to
discredit NLD and its leaders. This is simply wrong, and this body
should say so.
Mr. Speaker, at the subcommittee markup, an amendment was approved
that had the concurrence of the resolution's distinguished author, the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Porter), and which was designed to update
the situation in Burma.
The amendment updated the current standoff between Aung San Suu Kyi
and the military by including six new whereas clauses. These clauses
detailed the denial of right to movement and association, and the
seizure of documents at NLD party offices.
The new language makes it clear that Aung San Suu Kyi was clearly
within her rights in attempting to visit party offices and that there
was no justification for the roadblock established by the SDPC.
Mr. Speaker, this Member urges the body to approve H. Con. Res. 328,
as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, like my colleague, the gentleman from
Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), the chairman of our Subcommittee on Asia and
the Pacific and the Committee on International Relations, I, too, echo
the same sentiments as I expressed earlier about the passing of our
colleague, Bruce Vento, from the State of Minnesota, expressing the
same sympathy and condolences to the members of his family.
Mr. Speaker, I want to certainly thank the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Porter) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), chairman of our Committee on
International Relations, and also the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr.
Smith) as the chief cosponsors of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I would
first like to say introducing this resolution was very appropriate and
the fact of the matter is that 12 years ago, thousands of Burmese
citizens demonstrated in the streets calling for democratic change in
Burma.
In May 1990, the National League for Democracy, led by Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi won more than 60 percent of the popular vote and 80 percent of
the parliament seats in the elections.
Despite this, Mr. Speaker, instead of turning over the power to the
winner of the elections, however, the Burmese military rejected the
results of the election and, for the past 10 years, have continued
their brutal crackdown on organized political opposition, free press,
and freedom of assembly.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has remained under tight control since the
elections, and Burma's dictators have even denied her ailing husband
permission to visit his wife one last time before he passed away.
Mr. Speaker, the State Department's annual human rights report
identifies more than 1,300 people who continue to suffer inhuman
detention conditions as political prisoners in Burma. Furthermore, the
State Department Narcotics Control Report for the year 2000 determined
that Burma is the second largest worldwide source of illicit opium and
heroin trafficking.
The United Nations General Assembly and the Commission on Human
Rights have responded to this continuing crackdown on basic freedoms by
condemning nine consecutive resolutions, the persecution of religious
and ethnic minorities and the political opposition.
The resolutions have also criticized Burma's record of forced labor,
exploitation and sexual violence against women. Both the Clinton
administration and the European Union have similarly condemned
conditions in Burma and have imposed travel restrictions and other
sanctions against Burma's dictators.
Mr. Speaker, the resolution before the House today reiterates that it
is U.S. policy to support the restoration of democracy in Burma,
including the implementation of the 1990 elections.
The resolution also calls on Burma's leaders to guarantee the basic
human rights of its citizens, to accept a dialogue with Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi, to immediately release all political prisoners, and to
promptly uphold the terms of international resolutions on Burma's
situation.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, the resolution states that the U.S. should
continue policies designed to secure the restoration of democracy,
human rights and civil liberties in Burma and to support U.S. national
security and counternarcotics interests.
This is a great piece of legislation, Mr. Speaker; and I urge my
colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), my colleague on the
Committee on International Relations, the chairman of the Subcommittee
on International Operations and Human Rights.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), for yielding me the time; and I
thank him for his work on behalf of Burmese people, for the fine
remarks of the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega), for
the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), and the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Gilman) for the work on this resolution and, above all,
to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Porter), the prime sponsor of it.
Mr. Speaker, just over 10 years ago, in the spring of 1990, the
people of Burma courageously embraced democracy. In the face of
intimidation by the Burmese military, they turned out in record numbers
to participate in freedom and fair elections.
In those elections, the National League for Democracy, led so aptly
by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, won more than 60 percent of the popular vote;
and as my friend, the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega),
reminded us 80 percent, 80 percent of the seats in parliament went to
the National League for Democracy. The Burmese military responded by
rejecting the election results, imprisoning hundreds of NLD Members,
including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and severely curtailing the civil
liberties of the Burmese people.
Since that time, the ruling military thugs, who currently call
themselves the State Peace and Development Council, have inflicted
massive human rights violations and economic privations on the people
in Burma. More than 1,300 political prisoners, including the woman
elected to lead Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, still suffer at the hands of
their government captors.
Just last month, as we all know, she was forcibly detained when Aung
San Suu Kyi attempted to travel outside the Burmese capital to
Mandalay. The Burmese regime routinely uses forced labor, and it
continues to wage a brutal war against ethnic minorities within its
borders.
Mr. Speaker, in August of 1998, I traveled to that region in an
effort to secure the release of one of my constituents, Michele Keegan,
who had been seized by the Burmese authorities for passing out cards
the size of our voting cards that said ``We have not forgotten you. We
support your hopes for human rights and democracy.''
The SLORC repeatedly refused my requests for a visa to enter Burma,
so I had to help negotiate her release from Bangkok, Thailand. After 5
days of detention, Michele and 17 other foreign activists were expelled
from Burma, but not until they had been sentenced to 5 years
imprisonment for sedition.
[[Page H9585]]
{time} 2015
Let me remind Members, they handed out a card that said we have not
forgotten you, we support your hopes for human rights and democracy, a
little card just handed out on the streets in Rangoon; and for that, a
5-year sentence. That is just an indication of what they do to their
own people.
Mr. Speaker, I am also proud to note that the State Department
reauthorization bill, H.R. 3472, the Embassy Security Act, which I
introduced last year that, thankfully, became law, retained a provision
that helps ensure that the United Nations Development Program, UNDP,
does not enrich the Burmese military regime. It reduces U.S.
contributions to UNDP by the amount that that program spends in Burma
unless UNDP's activities in Burma: One, are focused on eliminating
human suffering; two, are carried out only through private voluntary
organizations that are independent of the regime; three, do not benefit
the regime; and four, are carried out only after consultation with the
leadership of the National League for Democracy and the leadership of
the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma.
The resolution before us today, Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 328,
properly commemorates the 1990 elections, describes adequately and
accurately the situation in Burma and expresses the sense of the
Congress that the United States should strongly support the restoration
of democracy in that country. It urges the military regime in Burma to
guarantee basic freedoms for Burmese citizens, to undertake a political
dialogue with the National League for Democracy and ethnic leaders, and
to immediately release all political prisoners, and to fulfill the
conditions of international human rights instruments.
It also recognizes the current sanctions in place against the
government of Burma as appropriate means of pursuing democracy and
civil liberties for the people of Burma.
Again, I want to thank all those involved, but especially the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Porter) for offering this resolution.
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he
may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Porter)
who has offered this and many other resolutions important to human
rights. He will be sorely missed when he retires at the end of this
session.
Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Bereuter) for those kind words, for yielding me the time, and for the
leadership that he has brought to bear on this and so many other issues
in Asia and all around the world.
I also want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) as
well as the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for bringing the
resolution together with the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) to
the floor, and for their leadership on human rights in so many
instances. For such a long time they have stood up and stood for those
who were oppressed in foreign countries and for the expansion of their
rights. I commend them again for doing so with respect to the people of
this country, Burma.
Mr. Speaker, I have a written statement I will submit for the Record.
Mr. Speaker, Burma is a country of almost 50 million people. We talk
today about the National League for Democracy. We talk about Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi and her great leadership for the things that all human
beings on this planet ought to be accorded, basic human dignity and
basic rights as opposed to the rights of their governments. Yet, in
Burma, it is not just the National League for Democracy or Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi, it is all the people of Burma who suffer at the hands of this
terrible military dictatorship.
There are no rights in Burma. There are no rights to speak freely.
There are no rights to worship freely. There are no rights to assemble.
There are no rights to stand up and be counted for the things that
people believe ought to be done. There are no free elections.
The only free election that has been held in Burma in at least the
last 50 years was the one held in 1990 that was won by the National
League for Democracy, as has been detailed by each of the gentlemen
today.
Unfortunately, that chance for a better life for the Burmese people
was stolen away by the military who now run one of the worst regimes in
the world in terms of abusing their population.
In August, as the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) and the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) detailed, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
and her followers in the National League for Democracy were again
particularly abused as they have been in the past.
But I want to say today, there is nothing this regime can do that
will ever overcome this lady. She won the Nobel Prize for Peace. She
has an indomitable spirit that cannot be crushed. She is a person of
great integrity, great intelligence and great articulation. She is a
person of beauty because she stands as an example to the Burmese people
of what life could be, how beautiful it could be if only they could
live in freedom.
Lately, the international community, thank God, has finally begun to
see the regime in Burma for what it is. Most recently, Switzerland
decided not only to condemn the conduct of the SPDC, but also to impose
sanctions, not as strong as I would like to see, not as strong as those
that the United States has imposed, but sanctions; and perhaps we are
beginning to see some change in the international community to bring
pressure to end the repression in Burma.
Gradually this world is changing. Gradually the world is coming
together to stand up for basic human rights for all peoples. The fall
of Slobodan Milosevic. The war crimes tribunal that brings people who
violated the rights of others, even in times of war, before a tribunal
for accountability. Maybe some day soon we will find a way to believe
that the most important thing that we can do on this Earth is to care
about one another and to care about establishing a rule of law that
guarantees basic human rights.
It is unfortunate that in so many places in the world today that is
not being observed, in China and Sudan and Turkey and Burma and many
other places. But we are gradually moving in the right direction. The
message today is that we must always, always stand and knock on the
door day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year
until the rights of every single human being on this planet are
established and protected. Because the denial of the rights of any
single person is the denial of the rights of every one of us.
I want to commend the committee and the subcommittee for bringing
this resolution forward, for insisting that we recognize that it has
been 10 years since the people of Burma chose a freely elected
government and 10 years of ongoing repression by a military regime that
wants to offer no rights.
Someday soon, Mr. Speaker, this is going to change. The United States
of America must stand up and be counted day after day and year after
year to make certain that this happens.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 328,
commemorating the tenth anniversary of the free and fair elections in
Burma. I would like to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman),
the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), and the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith) for their leadership in bringing this resolution to
the floor.
Mr. Speaker, Burma is a country governed by a military junta. Burma
is a country with no respect for human rights and no rule of law. On
May 27th, 1990, the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, won a majority of the parliamentary seats in the
nationally held elections. This was a great victory for the champions
of democracy and human rights in Burma.
However, the Burmese military regime, known as the State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC), arbitrarily annulled the results and
arrested Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of NLD members. Many were forced
to flee the country, and ever since, freedoms of assembly, speech and
the press have been severely restricted. Hundreds of NLD members are
political prisoners and still hundreds more live in exile around the
world.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been forced to live under house arrest in
Rangoon most of the time since 1989. The past two months have seen the
outrageous treatment of the Nobel Peace Prize winner exacerbated. Twice
in less than two months, Suu Kyi has been detained when she has tried
to travel outside the capital. Soldiers have surrounded her car on the
road side, removed her from the train station and surrounded her house,
while she is forced to sit idly inside.
[[Page H9586]]
Since September 22nd when she was again placed under house arrest,
her telephone lines have been cut, and she has been denied all
communication. Presently, it is not only Suu Kyi being suppressed,
other members of the NLD's central executive committee are either in
detention or being kept incommunicado under virtual house arrest, with
approximately one hundred NLD members, including members of the NLD
women's group having been arrested by the military in recent days.
I commend the statements in recent days from the international
community, condemning the SPDC. Switzerland announced last week that it
would impose sanctions on Burma, similar to those imposed by the
European Union, which include freezing assets, visa bans and an arms
embargo. Although these sanctions are not as strong as current U.S.
sanctions, slowly the international community is coming together to
demonstrate that we will not do business or work with these egregious
violators of human rights.
We must stand together as one, against those who, when they violate
the rights of one of us, violate the rights of all.
The United States is seen as a beacon of light and of hope around the
world. We must remember what our country stands for: democracy, the
rule of law, freedom of speech and free and fair elections. The Burmese
can not exercise any of these basic human rights.
I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in standing with our
fellow duly-elected representatives in Burma and join their call to
take their rightful places in parliament.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). Does the gentleman from Nebraska
(Mr. Bereuter) yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) to
control the time?
Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York
(Mr. Gilman) and ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to control
the time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Nebraska?
There was no objection.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask the Chair how much time we have
remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) has
4 minutes remaining.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
(Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, this measure recognizes the 10th anniversary
of the freedom and fair elections in Burma and the urgent need to
improve the democratic and human rights of the people of Burma. Aung
San Suu Kyi and members of the parliament who were elected in 1990 have
not been able to establish a government inside of Burma. Many of her
supporters have been and still are in prison. Thousands have been
tortured and murdered.
The government relies heavily on slave and forced labor for
construction projects. The International Labor Organization, the ILO,
has even banned it from participating in any ILO meetings.
The government of Burma is indifferent to the illicit drug trade and
was recently decertified for not fully cooperating to our Nation. It
has provided a safe haven to notorious Burmese drug dealer Khun Saw. It
was just reported that Secretary of Defense Cohen was in Thailand 2
days ago and that the Thai are now asking for 50 helicopters to fight
against the drug traffickers.
The Thai military has estimated that some 600 million amphetamine
pills flooded Thailand just last year from across the border with
Burma. Thai community leaders have frequently accused Burma of
destroying Thai youth, warning that drug addiction was reaching crisis
proportions in Thailand with more than 600,000 young people reportedly
hooked on amphetamines.
On September 19, Secretary Cohen said, ``We understand now that there
is a serious problem concerning Thailand by virtue of methamphetamine
being produced and distributed from Burma. The drug problem will be
high on the agenda of the commander of the U.S. forces in the Pacific,
who is due to visit Thailand next week.
On September 21, Aung San Suu Kyi was prevented from boarding a train
to leave Rangoon, and many of her supporters were arrested. Since that
time, diplomats and friends have been prevented from seeing her, and no
one knows the whereabouts of her arrested colleagues.
Just 2 days ago, Mr. Speaker, the government-run newspaper in Rangoon
issued a statement by officials stating, ``Anyone confronting the
military government in Myanmar is committing what amounts to high
treason.''
Mr. Speaker, the only way for the drug production to end in Burma is
for our Nation and for the world to take a stronger stand against the
illegal Burmese government so that it steps down and hands over the
reigns of power to the democratically elected government of Aung San
Suu Kyi.
Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
measure.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I would truly be remiss, and it will probably be the
last opportunity I have before we adjourn, if I did not express my
personal sense of appreciation and gratitude to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Porter), not only as cochairman of our Human Rights
Caucus, but certainly for his outstanding leadership and service that
he has rendered to our Nation.
I want the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Porter) to know how much I
really appreciate his friendship over the years that I have got to know
him.
Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 328, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and concurrent resolution, as
amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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