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“COMMENDING DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI ON THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF HER RECEIVING THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8039-H8042 on Nov. 13, 2001.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
COMMENDING DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI ON THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF HER
RECEIVING THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 211) commending Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the 10th anniversary of her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the Government of Burma, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 211
Whereas since 1962, the people of Burma have lived under a repressive military regime;
Whereas in 1988, the people of Burma rose up in massive prodemocracy demonstrations;
Whereas in response to this call for change, the Burmese military brutally suppressed these demonstrations;
Whereas opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest after these demonstrations;
Whereas in the 1990 Burmese elections, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy and affiliated parties to a landslide victory, winning 80 percent of the parliamentary seats;
Whereas the ruling military regime rejected this election and proceeded to arrest hundreds of members of the National League for Democracy;
Whereas Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's freedom of speech was restricted by the military regime;
Whereas in recognition of her efforts to bring democracy to Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 14, 1991;
Whereas Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remained under unlawful house arrest until 1995;
Whereas even after her release, the Burmese military regime, known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), has continued to ignore the basic human rights of 48,000,000 Burmese citizens and has brutally suppressed any opposition to its authority;
Whereas according to the State Department, the SPDC has made no significant progress toward stopping the practice of human trafficking, whereby thousands of people have been sent to Thailand for the purpose of factory and household work and for sexual exploitation;
Whereas the SPDC has forced civilians to work in industrial, military, and infrastructure construction operations throughout Burma, and on a large-scale basis has targeted ethnic and religious minorities for this work;
Whereas a Department of Labor report in 2000 described the human rights abuses of forced laborers, including beating, torture, starvation, and summary executions;
Whereas the worldwide scourge of heroin and methamphetamines is significantly aggravated by large-scale cultivation and production of these drugs in Burma;
Whereas the Drug Enforcement Agency has reported that Burma is the world's second largest producer of opium and opiate-based drugs;
Whereas officials in Thailand have estimated that as many as 800 million tablets of methamphetamine will be smuggled into their country this year, contributing to the growing methamphetamine problem in Thailand;
Whereas there are as many as a million internally displaced persons in Burma;
Whereas the SPDC has severely restricted Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's political activities;
Whereas in September 2000, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest when she attempted to visit a National League for Democracy party office on the outskirts of Rangoon, and again when she attempted to travel by train to Mandalay;
Whereas Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has recently begun talks with the SPDC which are welcomed by the international community, although the slow pace of the talks reflects on the SPDC's sincerity to move toward national reconciliation;
Whereas the SPDC has recently allowed the National League for Democracy to open some political offices, and has released some political prisoners, although over 1,800 such prisoners are believed to remain imprisoned;
Whereas with the exception of these positive developments the SPDC has made little progress in improving human rights conditions and restoring democracy to the country;
Whereas the SPDC has continued to restrict the political power of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy;
Whereas Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle to assert the rights of her people has spread beyond politics and into popular culture, as evidenced by others championing her cause, most notably the rock group U2 in their song ``Walk On'', which is banned in Burma; and
Whereas, in the face of oppression, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has remained an outspoken champion of democracy and freedom: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That--
(1) the Congress commends and congratulates Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the 10th anniversary of her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, and recognizes her remarkable contributions and tireless work toward bringing peace and democracy to Burma;
(2) it is the sense of the Congress that the President and Secretary of State should continue to encourage the Government of Burma to restore basic human rights to the Burmese people, to eliminate the practice of human trafficking, to address the manufacture of heroin and methamphetamines, to continue the process of releasing political prisoners, to recognize the results of the 1990 democratic elections, and to allow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy to enjoy unfettered freedom of speech and freedom of movement; and
(3) it is the sense of the Congress that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should be invited to address a joint meeting of the Congress at such time and under such circumstances as will, in the judgment of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, advance rather than endanger her continued ability to work within Burma for the rights of the Burmese people.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).
General Leave
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the concurrent resolution now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I urge a unanimous vote in favor of this important resolution which makes clear that continued strong support of Congress for freedom and democracy in Burma and for the struggle of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League of Democracy to assert the fundamental rights of the Burmese people.
I want to thank and congratulate the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) and the 35 bipartisan cosponsors of this timely and important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, the manager's amendment, which is included in the text, now makes technical and drafting changes and has been agreed to by the chairman and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) on the Democratic side of the aisle.
Mr. Speaker, 10 years ago this month, the Nobel Committee recognized what the whole world knew, that the only way to restore peace and prosperity to the once-proud nation of Burma was to restore legitimacy. Burma is different from most other countries in which power is wielded by a totalitarian dictatorship, in that we do not have to theorize what would they do if they had the opportunity. The people had the opportunity, and they chose to govern themselves.
Eleven years ago, the military dictatorship did allow an election, which they figured they would be able to win by fraud and by dividing and conquering the different ethnic groups that comprise the nation of Burma; but to their shock, dismay and surprise, the reformers won with an overwhelming support from all ethnic groups in all parts of the country. So the dictatorship simply canceled the results of the election.
Nevertheless, it laid to rest any doubt about the desire of the Burmese people, the earnest desire for freedom and democracy and about the fundamental illegitimacy of the military junta that has continued to govern Burma.
This resolution commends and rightfully commends Aung San Suu Kyi on the 10th anniversary of her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. She is a great leader. That anniversary occurred on October 14 of this year. The resolution also describes the suppression of freedom and democracy by the Burmese military junta and the continuing struggle of Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy to assert the rights, legitimate rights, of the Burmese people.
It declares the sense of the Congress that the U.S. Government should continue to encourage the government of Burma to restore basic human rights to the Burmese people; to eliminate the practice of human trafficking; to address the manufacture of heroin; and to continue the process of releasing political prisoners; to recognize the result of the 1990 elections; and to allow Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy to enjoy unfettered freedom of speech and freedom of movement.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, this resolution declares a sense of Congress that Aung San Suu Kyi should be invited to address a joint meeting of the Congress. It is my hope that this meeting will occur when Aung San Suu Kyi has taken her rightful place as the leader of a free and democratic Burma.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume, and I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 211.
First, I would like to commend my friend and colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), for introducing this important legislation and my good friend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), who has not only been a champion of human rights in Burma but across the globe.
Mr. Speaker, when visitors arrive in my office, they are greeted by a picture of one of the world's most inspirational figures, Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi's picture is a daily reminder to all who come to my office of her ongoing struggle for freedom and democracy in Burma.
As we all know, Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy to a landslide victory in the 1990s election in Burma. Instead of accepting results of this election, Burma's brutal totalitarian regime rejected the results of the election, placed Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest and arrested hundreds of members of her political movement.
Mr. Speaker, it would have been very easy and convenient for Aung San Suu Kyi to leave Burma and live her life in exile. When her husband was extremely ill in Great Britain and the Burmese Government refused to allow him to come to Burma to see her one more time, she could have left; but she chose to stay.
Facing enormous restrictions on her personal and political freedom, this courageous woman has continued the fight for freedom and democracy in Burma during the 10 years since she won the Nobel Peace Prize.
As Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Nelson Mandela found out, nonviolent struggle can take decades to succeed; and the struggle can be very lonely at times. This is all the more reason for the international community and for the United States to continue to stand with Aung San Suu Kyi in her struggle for freedom and democracy and all the values we share.
Aung San Suu Kyi recently began a dialogue with the Burmese Government, and I certainly hope that it will bear fruit; but we must keep the pressure on that dictatorial regime until democracy prevails in Burma.
To that end, I have introduced legislation which prohibits Burmese imports into the United States until the President determines that the Burmese Government has made progress in reversing its gross violations of internationally recognized human rights and worker rights, implementing democratic government and cooperating with the United States in our counternarcotics efforts. It is my earnest hope that the Committee on Ways and Means will expeditiously consider this legislation.
The resolution before us today, Mr. Speaker, will keep the pressure on the Burmese Government. By continuing to spotlight Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle in Burma and calling on our administration to encourage Burma to change its repressive and destructive policies, we build a stronger international coalition for positive change in Burma.
Before concluding, I also want to acknowledge our colleague, the gentleman from Oregon's (Mr. Blumenauer) helpful comments regarding this legislation. The gentleman has suggested that Aung San Suu Kyi could be invited to address a joint session of Congress by video conference. I think this is a creative idea, and we should give it serious thought.
I urge all of my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 211.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank Chairman Hyde for bringing to the floor H. Con. Res. 211, a resolution Commending Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the 10th anniversary of her receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the Government of Burma. I want to commend the gentleman from New York, Congressman King, for drafting this important resolution.
Daw Suu was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 after winning a democratic election in 1990 and leading her party, the National League for Democracy, to a landslide victory, winning 80 percent of the parliamentary seats. However, she was rearrested a year ago and has once again been under house arrest since then.
One year ago talks began between her party the National League for Democracy and the military government. Since then we have seen the release of 2180 political prisoners and the opening of approximately 30 NLD offices. While we welcome these actions, Amnesty International reports that there are close to 1800 political prisoners still being held in Burma and at that pace it could be another 10 years before we see them all freed. This is not acceptable.
Human rights abuses continue, narcotics production and trafficking continue and the NLD and ethnic supporters of the democracy movement are not allowed to freely associate or express their views. Just two weeks ago the State Department issued its report on international religious freedom once again citeing Burma as a country of concern for religious persecution.
Accordingly Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H. Con. Res. 211 and urge my colleague to support this bill.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution to honor Ms. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a political activist currently under house arrest in Burma. Ms. Suu Kyi has devoted her life to furthering the democratic cause in her native land, in opposition to the brutal military regime now in power.
The government in Burma acts with an overt disrespect for the human rights of the Burmese people. Human trafficking is a very real problem, which the military dictatorship makes no significant effort to curtail. And thanks to the government's involvement, the country ranks second only to Afghanistan in the production of heroin and methamphetamines. All publications, broadcast media, and even artwork are heavily censored. Freedoms of expression and assembly are ignored. The United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and other groups have routinely reported massacres, torture, rape, detention without trial, massive forced relocations, and forced labor.
This is the government that Ms. Suu Kyi has been fighting for the past thirteen years. For seven of those years she has been under house arrest, subject to a law that permits detention without charge or trial. Yet she continues to advocate non-violent means of restoring democracy to her country. Because of her efforts she has become an international symbol of the fight against oppression and human rights abuses.
IIn 1991, Ms. Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It is on the tenth anniversary of this occasion that we seek to honor her by recognizing her achievements and expressing our support of her endeavor to free Burma from the repressive and murderous dictatorship under which it suffers.
As many of my constituents already know, I have been following human rights abuses in Burma quite closely. On March 13, 2001, Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, hosted an Inaugural Human Rights Program Awards Ceremony which called attention to three teachers being held as political prisoners in Burma. This program is believed to be the only undergraduate interdisciplinary human rights program in the United States, and is under the skillful direction of its Director, Maryam Elahi.
Eight months ago, a number of the members of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus joined me in writing to the State Peace and Development Council of Burma requesting the immediate release of the three educators who were imprisoned after unfair trials. Neither they nor their lawyers were permitted to speak in court, in a blatant violation of international human rights norms. We have not yet received a response to our letter.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to again stand with me in denouncing the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Burmese government and in commemorating the non-violent and pro-democratic efforts of Ms. Suu Kyi by voting for this resolution.
Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Hyde and the ranking member, the gentleman from California, Mr. Lantos, for not only their longstanding commitment to democracy in Burma but their assistance in moving this resolution to the floor of the House. I also want to thank Joseph Rees, Peter Yeo and Jamie McCormick on the International Relations Committee for all their hard work and assistance.
Mr. Speaker, this past October 14th marked the 10th anniversary of Aung San Suu Kyi receiving the Nobel Peace Prize yet, today she remains under house arrest. Barricades surround her residence, her telephone number is cut off and Western journalists face detention if they go within 200 yards. Obviously the suppression of democracy continues in Burma.
The ruling military junta continues to abuse human rights and authorities continue to assist in the drug trade. Human trafficking and the displacement of peoples are persistent and growing problems. Burma's democratically elected government is still being denied the right to take office.
Through it all, Aung San Suu Kyi has been a paragon of personal and political strength. It is my hope that the U.S. Congress and the American people continue to recognize the personal and national struggle for freedom in Burma.
It is imperative that the United States continue to recognize and give hope to those who sacrifice so much in the name of freedom and democracy.
Certainly, Aung San Suu Kyi has inspired so many and given so much--
that it would be a travesty for democratic nations to ignore and walk away from the oppression and military control that has become her way of life.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and continue their efforts to maintain pressure on the military junta in Burma.
{time} 1430
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Whitfield). The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 211, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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