    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 17 (Monday, April 28, 1997)]
    [Pages 573-574]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Statement on Investment Sanctions Against Burma

    April 22, 1997

        Today I am announcing my decision to impose a ban on new U.S.
    investment in Burma.
        I have taken this step in response to a constant and continuing
    pattern of severe repression by the State Law and Order Restoration
    Council (SLORC) in Burma. During the past 7 months, the SLORC has
    arrested and detained large numbers of students and opposition
    supporters, sentenced dozens to long-term imprisonment, and prevented
    the expression of political views by the demo

    [[Page 574]]

    cratic opposition, including Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League
    for Democracy (NLD).
        I have therefore imposed sanctions under the terms of the ``Cohen-
    Feinstein'' Amendment, a bipartisan measure that I fully support. As
    contained in the Burma policy provision of the Consolidated
    Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1997 (Public Law 104-208), this
    amendment calls for investment sanctions if the Government of Burma has
    physically harmed, rearrested for political acts, or exiled Aung San Suu
    Kyi, or has committed large-scale repression of, or violence against,
    the democratic opposition. It is my judgment that recent actions by the
    regime in Rangoon constitute such repression.
        Beyond its pattern of repressive human rights practices, the Burmese
    authorities also have committed serious abuses in their recent military
    campaign against Burma's Karen minority, forcibly conscripting civilians
    and compelling thousands to flee into Thailand. The SLORC regime has
    overturned the Burmese people's democratically elected leadership. Under
    this brutal military regime, Burma remains the world's leading producer
    of opium and heroin, and tolerates drug trafficking and traffickers in
    defiance of the views of the international community. The regime has
    shown little political will to stop the narcotics exports from Burma and
    prevent illicit drug money from enriching those who would flaunt
    international rules and profit by destroying the lives of millions.
        The United States and other members of the international community
    have firmly and repeatedly taken steps to encourage democratization and
    human rights in Burma. Through our action today, we seek to keep faith
    with the people of Burma, who made clear their support for human rights
    and democracy in 1990 elections which the regime chose to disregard. We
    join with many others in the international community calling for reform
    in Burma, and we emphasize that the U.S.-Burma relationship will improve
    only as there is progress on democratization and respect for human
    rights.
        In particular, we once again urge the authorities in Burma to lift
    restrictions on Aung San Suu Kyi and the political opposition, respect
    the rights of free expression, assembly, and association, and undertake
    a dialog on Burma's political future that includes leaders of the NLD
    and the ethnic minorities.