Stating that the "Americans are outraged" by the situation in Burma, where a military junta has imposed a 19-year long reign of fear, US President George W Bush on Tuesday announced a tightening of economic sanctions and visa restrictions on the generals and their families.
Addressing the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly, Bush also urged the UN and the international community to use their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom.
Bush announced three major measures against the military regime. First, he said, the US will tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers. Secondly the US will impose an expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights, as well as their family members. Thirdly, the US will facilitate the efforts of humanitarian groups working to alleviate suffering in Burma.
As expected, Burma constituted a major part of his speech at the UN, during which he said the world body must work to free people from tyranny and violence, hunger and disease, illiteracy and ignorance, and poverty and despair.
"Every civilized nation has a responsibility to stand up for people suffering under dictatorship," Bush said. In Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Syria, and Iran, brutal regimes deny their people the fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"Americans are also outraged by the situation in Burma, where a military junta has imposed a 19-year reign of fear," Bush said.
Addressing the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly, Bush also urged the UN and the international community to use their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom.
Bush announced three major measures against the military regime. First, he said, the US will tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers. Secondly the US will impose an expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights, as well as their family members. Thirdly, the US will facilitate the efforts of humanitarian groups working to alleviate suffering in Burma.
As expected, Burma constituted a major part of his speech at the UN, during which he said the world body must work to free people from tyranny and violence, hunger and disease, illiteracy and ignorance, and poverty and despair.
"Every civilized nation has a responsibility to stand up for people suffering under dictatorship," Bush said. In Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Syria, and Iran, brutal regimes deny their people the fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"Americans are also outraged by the situation in Burma, where a military junta has imposed a 19-year reign of fear," Bush said.
