[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 158 (Thursday, October 18, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13070-S13071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ONGOING TRAGEDY IN BURMA

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, over the past few weeks, I have joined 
many of my fellow Senators from both sides of the aisle in speaking 
about the recent events in Burma.
  A few weeks ago, the world watched in admiration and support as 
thousands of Buddhist monks peacefully marched through Burma's largest 
cities calling for an end to that country's brutal military 
dictatorship. Amidst tens of thousands of clapping and cheering 
supporters, the monks chanted ``democracy, democracy.''
  All the while, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi remained locked under 
house arrest--an appalling situation that has continued for most of the 
last 18 years of her life. Despite the shameful detention, the Burmese 
people have not forgotten it was her political party that won a 
landslide victory in the 1990 election.
  During the recent protests, the monks reportedly reached Suu Kyi's 
heavily guarded home, where witnesses said she greeted them at her gate 
in tears.
  This scene is moving in its dignity and simplicity--a population 
peacefully saying: Enough.
  What happened next was tragic. The military in Burma used violence, 
murder, and arbitrary detention to try to halt the calls for change. 
The military did what all dictatorships do: it used fear to suppress 
its own people. Yet it is the military that is truly afraid--afraid of 
the people of Burma, afraid of change, afraid of releasing Aung San Suu 
Kyi.
  This Reuters photograph is so graphic. It shows Burmese military 
violently attacking peaceful protesters. It also shows a Japanese 
photographer, Kenji Nagai, being shot at close range. You see his body 
lying on the street. Mr. Nagai died shortly after this photo was taken. 
The military's mouthpiece newspaper brazenly said his death was his own 
fault as he was ``inviting danger'' by being among the protesters.
  Sadly, reports from the past few days are even more tragic. Instead 
of reaching out to Aung San Suu Kyi and the international community to 
work toward peace, the military has only furthered its brutal 
crackdown, hunting down and detaining leaders of the peaceful movement.
  Amnesty International has expressed concern that the arrested 
dissidents will be tortured--a real concern in a country with an 
abhorrent record of torturing political prisoners. For example, the 
2006 State Department Human Rights Report on Burma cites a recent study 
by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners that meticulously 
documents the regular use of electric shocks, beating until 
unconscious, forced crawling on glass, and threats of rape. The 
Government is reportedly even hunting down simple participants and 
bystanders from the rallies, including groups of ``those who watched,'' 
``those who clapped,'' and ``those who joined in.''
  Mr. President, this is madness. The United States and international 
community must not allow this to continue. This is a government with a 
long and well-documented history of brutality and indifference to its 
people. For example, in eastern Burma, the military has destroyed 3,000 
villages over the past 10 years. It has widely used forced labor and 
has recruited up to 70,000 child soldiers--70,000 child soldiers--far 
more than any other country in the world. Today, Burma has an estimated 
1.5 million refugees.
  Global condemnation of Burma's brutal actions has been loud and 
swift. European Union foreign ministers have just approved new 
sanctions against the military junta, including an embargo on the 
export of wood, gems, and metals, and threatened further penalties. 
President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush have similarly called for

[[Page S13071]]

greater international pressure to make it clear to the generals that 
they will be completely isolated by the international community if they 
continue.
  The Association of Southeastern Asian Nations, ASEAN, expressed 
revulsion at the killings and demanded fellow member Burma stop using 
violence against demonstrators. Japan announced a cut in foreign 
assistance. And just the other day, the U.N. Security Council issued a 
statement agreed to by all of its members saying that it ``deplores the 
use of violence against peaceful demonstrations'' in Burma, called for 
the release of ``all political prisoners and remaining detainees,'' and 
urged a ``genuine dialogue'' with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
  Recently, Senators Feinstein, Kerry, Lieberman, and I joined for a 
discussion with the Chinese Ambassador on the situation in Burma. We 
discussed the need for China, in particular, to play a more 
constructive role in ending the violence and pushing for democratic 
change. I am glad that China helped with U.N. Special Envoy Gambari's 
timely trip to Burma and its support of the recent U.N. statement. But 
the global community must do more. China must do more. And the United 
States must do more. We must not let the brutal crackdown bring an end 
to the desperate need for change in Burma.
  So once again, I speak to lend my support to these peaceful protests 
and to call on the Burmese military to immediately begin working with 
Aung San Suu Kyi and the U.N. envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, to bring about 
peaceful change and democracy in Burma. It should also unconditionally 
release all political prisoners, including four recently detained 
dissidents, Htay Kywe, Mie Mie, Min Ko Naing, and Ko Ko Gyi.
  I call on the ASEAN nations and the Governments of China, Thailand, 
and India to use their special relationships with the Burmese 
Government to once and for all start democratic change. ASEAN should 
consider suspending, even expelling, Burma under these circumstances, 
and Japan needs to apply even greater economic pressure.
  I also call on the U.N. to tighten sanctions, including an arms 
embargo against the Burmese military. We in Congress should also do all 
we can to tighten our existing sanctions against Burma.
  My colleague Senator McCain has introduced important legislation to 
take such steps. I am pleased to enthusiastically cosponsor Senator 
McCain's bipartisan efforts.
  The circumstances in Burma couldn't be more compelling: A Nobel Peace 
Prize winner is held under house arrest for 12 of the last 18 years, 
held under house arrest even while her party wins a landslide election 
in the country; a brutal and corrupt military government pillages the 
country's economic wealth and its own children's future; and repeated 
attempts by the people through elections and peaceful demonstrations to 
bring about democratic change are extinguished.
  No nation on Earth should support or protect this ghastly regime. No 
nation should trade one more item with these horrible leaders in the 
junta in Burma. And no nation should ever sell any arms to a regime 
which treats its people with such brutality.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.

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