[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Pages 7640-7641]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       CONDEMNING THE CONTINUED DETENTION OF DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration 
and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 480.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 480) condemning the continued 
     detention of Burmese democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 
     and calling on

[[Page 7641]]

     the military regime in Burma to permit a credible and fair 
     election process and the transition to civilian, democratic 
     rule.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment at the 
desk be agreed to; the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; the 
preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 3913) was agreed to, as follows:

                (Purpose: To amend the resolving clause)

       On page 2, beginning on line 7, strike ``the National 
     League for Democracy and other opposition groups,'' and 
     insert ``all political groups and individuals dedicated to 
     democratic ideals,''.
       On page 3, beginning on line 9, strike ``(including the 
     People's Republic of China, the Association of Southeast 
     Asian Nations, and the United Nations Security Council)'' and 
     insert ``, as appropriate, in order''.
       On page 3, line 17, strike ``the National League for 
     Democracy and''.

  The resolution (S. Res. 480), as amended, was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, as amended, with its preamble reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 480

       Whereas the military regime in Burma, headed by General 
     Than Shwe and the State Peace and Development Council, 
     continues to persecute Burmese democracy leader Daw Aung San 
     Suu Kyi and her supporters in the National League for 
     Democracy, and ordinary citizens of Burma, including ethnic 
     minorities, who publically and courageously speak out against 
     the regime's many injustices;
       Whereas Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been imprisoned in Burma 
     for 14 of the last 19 years and many members of the National 
     League for Democracy have been similarly jailed, tortured, or 
     killed;
       Whereas the Constitution adopted in 2008 and the election 
     laws recently promulgated effectively prohibit the National 
     League for Democracy, Buddhist monks, ethnic minority 
     leaders, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in 
     upcoming elections, and do not leave much opportunity for 
     domestic dialogue among key stakeholders; and
       Whereas the persecution of the people of Burma has 
     continued even though the Department of State has pursued a 
     policy of engagement with the military regime designed to 
     secure the release of political prisoners, foster national 
     reconciliation, and facilitate peaceful transition to 
     civilian, democratic rule: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns the continued detention of Burmese democracy 
     leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all prisoners of conscience 
     in Burma, and calls for their immediate and unconditional 
     release;
       (2) calls on the military regime in Burma to engage in 
     dialogue with all political groups and individuals dedicated 
     to democratic ideals, as well as with ethnic minorities, to 
     broaden political participation in an environment free from 
     fear and intimidation;
       (3) calls upon the Secretary of State to assess the 
     effectiveness of the policy of engagement with the military 
     regime in Burma in furthering United States interests, and to 
     maintain, and consider strengthening, sanctions against Burma 
     if the military regime continues its systematic violation of 
     human rights and fails to embrace the democratic aspirations 
     of the people of Burma;
       (4) calls upon the Secretary of State to engage regional 
     governments and multilateral organizations, as appropriate, 
     in order to push for the establishment of an environment in 
     Burma that encourages the full and unfettered participation 
     of the people of Burma in a democratic transition to civilian 
     rule; and
       (5) calls on the Secretary of State to support the people 
     of Burma in calling for significant constitutional and 
     election reforms by the military regime, which will broaden 
     political participation, further democracy, accountability, 
     and responsive governance, and improve human rights in Burma.

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