[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 76 (Thursday, May 8, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S3971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 BURMA

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, in these last days our sympathies have 
been stirred by the shocking images of suffering and loss that have 
come from Burma. Last week's cyclone was one of the most devastating in 
memory. The damage to Burma's infrastructure, to its cities and towns 
and villages, is staggering.
  The human toll won't be known for weeks. As many as 100,000 are 
thought to be dead. Thousands more are unaccounted for and injured. And 
those who survived face grave challenges. By all accounts, potable 
water and food are scarce, increasing the threat of disease. And 
shelter is hard to find.
  This kind of suffering tests our powers of comprehension. But the 
extent of the damage, combined with the already primitive economic 
conditions imposed by the Burmese regime and the regime's sluggish 
response to the storm, means this suffering will be far greater than it 
otherwise might have been and will last far longer than it otherwise 
would.
  We have heard reports that little or no notice was given to the 
people about the severity of the storm. And while the U.S. and other 
donors have expressed a clear willingness to assist, the Burmese regime 
has continued to resist allowing outside donors, such as the U.S., in.
  The U.S. has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to help the 
victims of natural disasters. Our generous response to the 2004; 
tsunami is a tribute to generosity and compassion of Americans, as was 
our response to the flooding of Bangladesh in the early 1990s. We 
responded generously to the 1990 earthquake in the Philippines, an act 
of kindness that was met with deep gratitude. The U.S. has helped this 
region of the world again and again, and now we stand willing to help 
the people of Burma.
  Precious time has been, and continues to be, wasted. Why? Because 
rather than focusing on preparations for the storm, the political 
leaders in Burma were focused on a sham constitutional referendum 
scheduled for this Saturday. While all of the energies of government 
were needed to prepare for relief efforts, the regime was thinking of 
solidifying its control over the country. Its only concession to the 
critics--as the extent of the dead, the missing, and the injured became 
known--was an agreement to postpone the referendum in certain parts of 
the country.
  This is not the first time the Burmese regime has put the political 
risks of letting in outsiders over urgent humanitarian needs. In 2004, 
the same junta rejected foreign aid after the tsunami. The only 
difference this time is that the devastation to Burma and the Burmese 
people is on a much larger scale.
  If Saturday's referendum were legitimate, its timing would be merely 
irresponsible and crass. Yet everything about this Saturday's 
referendum is a farce. The process leading up to it has been marked by 
oppressive measures that, of course, are not typically associated with 
free and open political debate. It's a crime, for instance, to 
criticize the document.
  The substance of the constitution is also profoundly antidemocratic. 
It prohibits Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the party that won Burma's 
last free and democratic election, from holding high office. Former 
political prisoners and activists could find themselves unable to run 
for Parliament. And the Burmese military would control key ministries 
and hold a quarter of the seats in the national legislature.
  This is not a constitution. This is a fig leaf to place over the 
junta's oppressive rule.
  The people of Burma are already suffering from the tragedy of a 
terrible natural disaster. Now they are being forced to participate in 
a farce. Last week's cyclone revealed more than nature's power and 
life's fragility. It revealed, once again, the inhumanity of Burmese 
junta--not only in its disregard for the people suffering from the 
storm, but also in its callous insistence that, in the midst of so much 
suffering, a sham constitutional referendum validating its authority go 
forward.
  This is a time of great sadness in Burma. It is also a time of 
renewed outrage at the oppressive regime that controls it. On occasion, 
the leaders of such regimes reveal their warped minds to the world. 
This is such a time. It's my hope the world will take notice.
  Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to address the terrible toll 
taken by the recent cyclone in Burma.
  It is unimaginable to me that the people of Burma, already struggling 
under the weight of tyranny, could be expected to bear further 
hardship. The daily trudge for existence faced by the Burmese is heart-
wrenching; and yet now their suffering has increased. On Saturday, May 
3, their country was struck by a horrible cyclone, an unfortunately 
common occurrence in Southeast Asia. U.S. diplomats estimate the death 
toll from this storm could be as high as 100,000, victims of a 120 mph 
wind and a storm surge that has obliterated entire villages. The United 
Nations estimates that hundreds of thousands of people have been left 
without basic necessities such as food, potable water, and shelter.
  The Burmese military regime has compounded this crisis through 
political repression, economic mismanagement, and xenophobia. But the 
tragedy of Burma's government cannot and should not blind us to the 
human suffering inflicted by this most recent disaster. The 
international community must take immediate steps to alleviate some of 
the worst deprivations of this humanitarian crisis. To this end, I am 
proud and humbled that two of our own Oregon institutions are leading 
the effort in bringing comfort to the afflicted. Northwest Medical 
Teams and Mercy Corps are closely engaged in collecting humanitarian 
donations and cooperating with local partners to help the survivors in 
Burma. I urge the government in Burma to accept the foreign assistance 
offered by these groups and others around the world.
  I know I speak for all Oregonians--and indeed all Americans--when I 
say that our hearts go out to the survivors of this storm. We stand 
ready to help, and I sincerely thank all those who are donating their 
time and resources to help those stricken by this terrible disaster.

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