[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 138 (Tuesday, December 7, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2174]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RELEASE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE RECIPIENT AUNG SAN SUU KYI

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                            HON. MIKE PENCE

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 7, 2004

  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight recent and 
profoundly heartbreaking situations in the brutal authoritarian 
dictatorship of Burma. For nearly two decades, the ruling military 
regime has sought to crush any and all opposition to their complete 
domination of the country.
  The military junta's actions have led to the unjust imprisonment of 
over 1,000 political opponents, including the world's only imprisoned 
Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Aung San Suu Kyi. While indications 
recently hinted at the release of most, if not all, of these political 
prisoners, once again the regime has proven that no trust can be lent 
to their promises. Just days after the promising release of a handful 
of democracy activists, the military junta informed Aung San Suu Kyi 
that her sentence would be extended one more year.
  Mr. Speaker, even more appalling, recent reports indicate that five 
Burma Army battalions are involved in slash and burn campaigns in 
ethnic minority controlled areas in eastern Burma. These actions follow 
an all-too-familiar pattern of tactics employed by the regime to stifle 
resistance by anti-regime, ethnic minorities. Military are actively 
burning villages and crucial rice supplies. Perhaps a greater outrage 
is the military then land mining the empty villages, and most times, 
the paths to and from that village so people are unable to return. 
There is no other intention in these actions than extermination.
  As a strong advocate for children, I am saddened that the nearly 
7,500 displaced villagers recently fleeing to the jungle include 
numerous children. The child mortality and malnutrition among these 
displaced people are staggering. Not only the children are suffering 
the effects of this displacement. With nowhere to go, many families are 
divided and many people die of preventable, treatable diseases.
  Mr. Speaker, I add my voice to others in this great nation that 
continue to seek freedom and democracy for the people of Burma. I 
strongly object to the continued imprisonment of Nobel Peace Prize 
recipient Aung San Suu Kyi, and call for her immediate release. I also 
encourage the Administration to take whatever measures necessary to 
exert more pressure on the ruling military regime.

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