[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 18]
[House]
[Pages 25523-25524]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  2115
                           CONFLICT IN BURMA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow the Foreign Affairs Committee 
will mark up legislation dealing with the tumultuous events now taking 
place in Burma. I am an original cosponsor, and I would ask my 
colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, we may be witnessing an historic event taking place in

[[Page 25524]]

Burma. Religious leaders are bravely confronting a violent, brutal 
military dictatorship. The people of Burma are telling the generals who 
have oppressed them and looted their country for decades to peacefully 
step aside and let a democratically elected government rule the nation.
  Nobel Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for 
Democracy overwhelmingly won elections back in 1990, but corrupt and 
brutal generals betrayed their people. They ignored the election 
results.
  The SLORC, which is what the Burmese military regime called itself, 
then commenced to murder, torture and imprison anyone who would oppose 
their tyranny. Further, they have plundered Burma's vast natural 
resources, with the help of their Chinese masters and other foreign 
looters.
  Now, at long last, the people of Burma have a chance. This is their 
moment. I urge all Burmese soldiers: do not kill your own people to 
further the greed and corruption of those who have sold out your 
country to the Chinese. You are not a vassal state of Beijing. It is 
your country. Those demonstrating for democracy are your brothers and 
sisters and your family. Do not turn your weapons on them.
  I warn the Burmese military officers: if you slaughter the monks and 
those calling for democracy, when your regime falls, and it will fall, 
you will be pursued to every corner of the globe and hunted down like 
the Nazi criminals before you.
  The bamboo ramparts of tyranny are coming down. The American people 
and free people everywhere are with the brave souls in Burma who are 
seeking to free themselves from the gangsters who oppress them and 
steal their wealth.
  To the people of Burma: You are not alone. Your cause is our cause. 
Have courage. We are with you.

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