[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1703]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SUPPORTING HOUSE RESOLUTION 1091

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 20, 2018

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, the House 
passed H. Res. 1091, offered by my friend from Ohio, Steve Chabot. I 
support this resolution and commend my colleague for his leadership on 
a pressing issue of concern. If democracy dies in darkness as the 
Washington Post masthead daily reads, surely the release of the Reuters 
journalists will bring a little light back to Burma. But only a little 
light unfortunately.
   We all believed that Nobel Peace Prize laurate Aung San Sui Kyi 
would govern differently from past Burmese leaders. Unfortunately, she 
has not. The democratic icon has become an extremely disappointing 
politician. On her watch one of the world's largest ethnic cleansings 
has occurred--the forced and violent removal of Rohingya from Burma. 
The blood of Rohingya is on her hands. Over half a million Rohingya 
were removed and untold numbers killed by a military that long planned 
for this operation.
   I commend the Administration for using Global Magnitsky sanctions to 
target Burmese military leaders and units. But with atrocities 
continuing against the Rohingya and other Burmese minorities, more 
clearly needs to be done. Expanding sanctions against companies and 
cronies linked to the military leadership is a potential game changer 
in any punitive approach to this issue. And the U.S. should be urging 
the EU and other nations to do the same.
   I understand the arguments made by those who urge caution, fearing 
that too much pressure on Aung San Sui Kyi will lead to a military 
coup, with the full backing of Beijing no doubt. But at what price, 
silence? Thousands of deaths? Half a million people forcibly removed? 
Condoning crimes against humanity and genocide? We cannot be bystanders 
to genocide. As with the mass detention of Uyghur Muslims in China or 
the genocide experienced by Christians and Yazidis at the hands of 
ISIS, U.S. leadership is needed to create a global response to this 
crisis. I again commend the gentleman from Ohio for this resolution. 
Preventing and addressing genocide and mass atrocities are a core 
national security interest and a core moral responsibility of the 
United States.

                          ____________________