[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8409]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN BURMA

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I would like to address the 
heartbreaking humanitarian crisis in Burma and the actions of the 
military junta there which have shocked our consciences over these last 
days.
  A government that was swift to mobilize last year against a peaceful 
protest by unarmed monks has astonished us with its sluggish response 
to the devastating May 3 storm.
  With thousands dead and perhaps 2 million now at risk of further 
suffering, the military junta has treated the cyclone as more of a 
political inconvenience than a national tragedy, focusing on a sham 
constitutional referendum instead of relief efforts. And the 
consequences of this callous response are tragic. As precious time was 
wasted, what was already a terrible natural disaster became a manmade 
disaster of spreading hunger and disease. We have heard reports of aid 
workers being turned away and of visas for aid workers being refused on 
the grounds that consulates were closed for the weekend.
  Today, finally, an American C-130 was permitted into Burma carrying 
desperately needed supplies. Two more flights are expected tomorrow. 
This is a positive development, but it is also an extremely modest 
concession.
  It is my hope that these halting steps by the regime in the last day 
or so augur a greater openness to humanitarian assistance.
  The people of Burma should know that, if permitted, America stands 
ready to help.

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