[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 2, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN BURMA

  (Ms. TENNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. TENNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to raise awareness of the 
grave human rights violations taking place in Burma, also known as 
Myanmar.
  For decades, the country of Burma has been working diligently to 
establish credible elections, democratic civilian governance, and a 
peaceful transition of power.
  However, this progress came to a halt after the military violently 
seized control on February 1, 2021. The military has since used this 
unlawful control to violently oppress ethnic minorities, including 
firing artillery into Burmese villages and displacing over 7,000 
people.
  Peaceful protests for freedom have been met with deadly force, 
killing 18 and imprisoning nearly 700. One protester, a 16-year-old 
boy, was reportedly shot in the head by an army sniper.
  Utica, New York, my hometown, is home to over 4,000 Burmese refugees 
and new Burmese-American citizens. Many fear for the lives of their 
friends and families in peril in Burma.
  In Utica, they have peacefully stood in solidarity with their home 
country, holding signs that say, ``Save Democracy, Save Burma.''
  I met recently with a group of these refugees to hear their grim 
accounts of the conditions in their native country. Their passion and 
courage are inspiring.
  We must also condemn the cruelty and genocide against the Rohingya 
people, an ethnic minority who also desperately need our support and 
assistance.
  The U.S. remains a symbol of democracy to the world. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting the Burmese people in their quest 
for freedom and democracy.

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