[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 82 (Thursday, June 5, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      POLITICAL TENSIONS IN BURMA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 2003

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I risk today to express my deepest concerns 
about the ongoing political problems in Burma and the recent arrest of 
opposition leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi. I am deeply troubled by the 
military regime's stifling of political life. This equals a brutal, 
unacceptable situation lacking democratic essentials. Obviously, the 
military junta tries to block and prevent democratic change for which 
nobel peace prize laureate Suu Kyi's life and work stand for.
  With the detention of Suu Kyi and nineteen members of her National 
League for Democracy party last Friday, the political tensions are on 
the rise again. The NLD headquarters and universities were also closed. 
It is common practice for the junta to crash NLD meetings by sending 
bullies to intimidate pro-democracy advocates. Only last year Suu Kyi 
was released from custody while at the same time the junta arrested 
many NLD party members. The military regime allowed her to travel 
freely throughout the country and organize her party but during her 
last two trips she met harassment and obstruction. This clearly 
indicates that hope for democratic reform, which was stirred by Suu 
Kyi's release, has suffered a major setback. The illegitimate 
government further promised to engage in a dialogue with the NLD, 
supervised by the United Nations. Sadly, the talks failed to make 
significant progress.
  Deficits are not only visible in the political arena but also in the 
social and economic field. Long-term economic mismanagement under 
authoritarian rule created severe economic and social ills. Due to the 
government's human rights' abuses and the unfriendly business 
environment, international companies have left the country. Inflation 
is rampant, probably as high as fifty percent. The social sector is in 
dire straits with every third child suffering from malnutrition. Yet 40 
percent of the budget is spent for defense.
  The problems in Burma are grave and wide-reaching. There's a 
democratic movement that deserves and needs our support, there's a 
military regime that needs to realize that its only way out of Burma's 
crisis is to fully respect democracy and human rights. This regime must 
accept the results of the 1990 election which were won by Aung Sang Suu 
Syi. To achieve these goals, I have cosponsored the ``Burmese Freedom 
and Democracy Act of 2003,'' which--amongst other provisions--prohibits 
imports from Burma in order to press the regime to adapt full-fledged 
democratic reforms and supports democracy activists within Burma.

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