[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 121 (Friday, August 5, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1503-E1504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SUPPORT OF H.J. RES. 66: APPROVING THE RENEWAL OF IMPORT RESTRICTIONS 
       CONTAINED IN THE BURMESE FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 5, 2011

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.J. Res. 
66, approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the 
``Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003.''
  I support this resolution because it is consistent with our 
humanitarian and democratic values against forced labor. As Americans, 
we must not only sustain these values in our country but we must act 
globally and deter other countries from tolerating or employing 
practices that have no place in a civilized society such as forcing 
innocent men, women, and children to work under harsh and slave-like 
labor conditions. For this reason, it is critical that we renew the 
import restrictions contained in the ``Burmese Freedom and Democracy 
Act of 2003.''
  Mr. Speaker, it is helpful to recount briefly why import restrictions 
were placed by the United States on Burma and why it is important to 
renew them.
  In 1990, Burma's State Peace and Development Council, SPDC, known 
then as the State Law and Order Restoration Council, held multiparty 
elections. The overwhelming number of parliamentary seats (82 percent) 
was won by the National League for Democracy party, led by Nobel Prize 
for Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. However, the military regime 
refused to honor the election results, however, and arrested and 
imprisoned both democracy activists and elected members of parliament, 
including Aung San Suu Kyi.
  Multiparty general elections were next held in Burma on Nov. 7, 2010 
as part of the ``roadmap to democracy'' proposed by the ruling military 
regime. The National League refused to participate over concerns that 
the electoral process was fraudulent, concerns that were confirmed by 
the United Nations and most Western countries, which noted widespread 
fraud, voter intimidation and cheating throughout the country.
  Since then, the Burmese regime has continued its campaign of 
suppression and persecution against political opponents, dissidents and 
other minority populations. This shameful conduct has resulted in the 
internal displacement of more than 600,000 people and forced more than 
130,000 persons to live in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. 
Additionally, during this time the SPDC regime has been protecting drug 
traffickers and forcing residents into slave labor.
  In response to these atrocities, Congress enacted the Burmese Freedom 
and Democracy Act in 2003, which it reauthorized in 2009. The law 
imposed import restrictions; froze any assets held by the regime in the 
United States; and expressed U.S. opposition for international lending 
to the SPDC. The law also prohibited the issuance of U.S. entry visas 
to members of the SPDC and condemned the regime's campaign against its 
people and expressed support for opposition groups.
  These restrictions are to remain in place until the State Department 
certifies that the regime no longer systematically violates the human 
rights of the Burmese people; no longer uses slave and child labor; and 
halts the conscription of child soldiers. The law also requires as a 
precondition to lifting the restrictions that the regime make 
demonstrable progress in releasing political prisoners, permitting free 
speech, permitting the peaceful exercise of religion, and holding free 
and fair elections.
  Sadly, Mr. Speaker, the regime in Burma has not made the necessary 
progress to justify lifting the restriction. According to a recent 
report of Human Rights Watch, the highly respected NGO, tens of 
thousands of villagers have been displaced and fled to the Thai-

[[Page E1504]]

Burma and China-Burma borders and there are many credible reports of 
cases of sexual violence against women and girls by Burma army troops. 
These reports are in line with extensive documentation of sexual 
violence perpetrated by Burmese military personnel over many years.
  The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 
recently listed Burma as the fifth largest source country of refugees 
in 2010, with 415,700 refugees.
  In view of its atrocious record it would send the wrong signal to the 
Burmese regime, the international community, and, most important, 
dissidents working to bring real democratic change to their country.
  For these reasons, I strongly support the continued imposition of 
sanctions on the Burmese regime. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
voting for H.J. Res. 66.

                          ____________________