*EPF303 06/11/2003
Text: Senator Patrick Leahy Backs McConnell Bill to Sanction Burma
(Says Suu Kyi rightful, democratically elected leader of Burma) (660)

The ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee wants to "turn up the heat" on the military junta ruling Burma.

In a June 10 speech, Senator Patrick Leahy (Democrat of Vermont) said he backed the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, S1215.

He called on Burma's rulers to release Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he called "the rightful, democratically elected leader of Burma."

S. 1215, Leahy said, sends a clear signal that the Bush administration, ASEAN members and the international community "need to turn up the heat on this illegitimate regime."

Bringing democracy and human rights to Burma "will require active pressure from its neighbors in Southeast Asia," he said, citing in particular Thailand, Japan, and China.

Following is the text of Leahy's remarks from the Congressional Record:

(begin text)

BURMESE FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY ACT

Senate
June 10, 2003

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I strongly support the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 200(3), introduced by Senator MCCONNELL and Senator FEINSTEIN. This legislation seeks to pressure the military junta in Burma to release Aung San Suu Kyi and help bring democracy and human rights to Burma.

Several days last week, Senator MCCONNELL came to the floor to speak on this issue. I want to commend him for his steadfast leadership, and associate myself with his remarks. I have also joined as an original cosponsor of this legislation.

The message that we are sending to the ruling junta in Burma is clear: Its behavior is outrageous. Aung San Suu Kyi is the rightful, democratically elected leader of Burma. She and her fellow opposition leaders must be immediately released. This legislation also sends a clear signal to the administration, ASEAN members, and the international community that we need to turn up the heat on this illegitimate regime.

The efforts of Senators MCCONNELL and FEINSTEIN are already having an impact. On June 5, 2003, the State Department issued a strong statement on this matter, which reads:

The continued detention in isolation of Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of her political party is outrageous and unacceptable. We call on the SPDC to release them immediately, and to provide all necessary medical attention to those who have been injured, including assistance from international specialists. The offices of the National League for Democracy closed by the SPDC should be reopened without delay and their activities no longer proscribed.

But we all know that U.S. actions can only go so far. Bringing democracy and human rights to Burma will require active pressure from its neighbors in Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, Japan, and China. It will require these and other nations to disavow the failed policies of engagement. These policies simply have not worked.

I am pleased to see that the McConnell-Feinstein legislation attempts to trigger a process that will ratchet up the regional pressure on the Burmese Government. I am also glad to see that the United States has demarched every government in Southeast Asia on this issue.

In closing, I want to highlight the fact that the U.N. Envoy, Razali Ismail, was finally able to see Aung San Suu Kyi. According to CNN, Mr. Ismail said that she shows no signs of injury following clashes with a pro-government group. His exact words were "she did not have a scratch on her and was feisty as usual." That is indeed good.

I was also glad to see Mr. Ismail call on the members of ASEAN to drop the organization's policy of nonintervention. He stated: "ASEAN has to break through the straitjacket and start dealing with this issue. ... The situation in Burma can only be changed if regional actors take their positions to act on it."

I agree. The international community has a responsibility to act together to pressure the SPDC. The time for appeasement is over.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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