WASHINGTON—A key US lawmaker on Thursday called on the Burmese military regime to set Aung San Suu Kyi free and says rumors that she will be released in November are a ploy to gain legitimacy in the upcoming election..
“We've seen this 'catch and release' game by the Burmese junta before—they release Aung San Suu Kyi to create a facade of change and then turn around and unfairly arrest her again," Congressman Joseph Crowley said.
“If the military junta was really serious about making changes and carrying forward fair and democratic elections, they would release her now, along with the other members of her party,” said the congressman from New York who has sponsored several laws and resolutions against the military junta in the past.
"Unfortunately, the claim that they may release her is a ploy to legitimize these unfair elections, and further proof that the junta will do or say just about anything to maintain power," he said.
Meanwhile, several lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning the Burmese military regime’s undemocratic upcoming elections on Nov. 7.
The resolution denounces the regime’s election as “the one-sided, undemocratic and illegitimate actions of the State Peace and Development Council [official name of the regime] that seeks to legitimize military rule through a flawed election process”.
Welcoming the resolution, Aung Din of the United States Campaign for Burma, said: “This is a timely and necessary action on the part of the US Congress to warn the US administration not to wait and see, but to take effective action without further delay to stop the regime’s plan to build a permanent military dictatorship in Burma, with the help of China, India, and North Korea.”
The resolution denounces the regime’s dissolution of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, led by Suu Kyi.
The resolution says that “no government in Burma can be considered democratic or legitimate without the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD, and ethnic nationalities and the full restoration of democracy, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and internationally recognized human rights for all Burmese citizens.”
An influential American lawmaker on Thursday also introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives calling on the Burmese regime to immediately recognize the Rohingya people “as full and equal citizens of Burma.”
The resolution, introduced by Congressman Christopher Smith, also urges the Burmese military regime to lift all restrictions on movement, marriage and access to education. It calls for an end to the regime’s campaign of religious and ethnic persecution “amounting to crimes against humanity throughout Burma.”
Co-sponsored by Congressman James McGovern and Joseph Pitts, the resolution urges the government of Bangladesh to address “the dire humanitarian conditions and food insecurity in the makeshift camps” along its border with Burma, in co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and to “desist from forcing unregistered Rohingya to return to Burma.”
It also highlights the situation of Rohingyas in Saudi Arabia and urges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to allow Rohingyas “access to education and livelihoods.”
Addressing Burma’s crimes against humanity, the resolution urges the US to “proactively support” the recommendation by the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma for the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry.
“This legislation underscores the plight and human rights abuses endured by the Rohingyas with the hope and expectation that the light of scrutiny will result in new actions by the many governments that can and should provide assistance and refuge to the Rohingyas,” said Congressman Smith.
“We've seen this 'catch and release' game by the Burmese junta before—they release Aung San Suu Kyi to create a facade of change and then turn around and unfairly arrest her again," Congressman Joseph Crowley said.
“If the military junta was really serious about making changes and carrying forward fair and democratic elections, they would release her now, along with the other members of her party,” said the congressman from New York who has sponsored several laws and resolutions against the military junta in the past.
"Unfortunately, the claim that they may release her is a ploy to legitimize these unfair elections, and further proof that the junta will do or say just about anything to maintain power," he said.
Meanwhile, several lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning the Burmese military regime’s undemocratic upcoming elections on Nov. 7.
The resolution denounces the regime’s election as “the one-sided, undemocratic and illegitimate actions of the State Peace and Development Council [official name of the regime] that seeks to legitimize military rule through a flawed election process”.
Welcoming the resolution, Aung Din of the United States Campaign for Burma, said: “This is a timely and necessary action on the part of the US Congress to warn the US administration not to wait and see, but to take effective action without further delay to stop the regime’s plan to build a permanent military dictatorship in Burma, with the help of China, India, and North Korea.”
The resolution denounces the regime’s dissolution of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, led by Suu Kyi.
The resolution says that “no government in Burma can be considered democratic or legitimate without the participation of Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD, and ethnic nationalities and the full restoration of democracy, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and internationally recognized human rights for all Burmese citizens.”
An influential American lawmaker on Thursday also introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives calling on the Burmese regime to immediately recognize the Rohingya people “as full and equal citizens of Burma.”
The resolution, introduced by Congressman Christopher Smith, also urges the Burmese military regime to lift all restrictions on movement, marriage and access to education. It calls for an end to the regime’s campaign of religious and ethnic persecution “amounting to crimes against humanity throughout Burma.”
Co-sponsored by Congressman James McGovern and Joseph Pitts, the resolution urges the government of Bangladesh to address “the dire humanitarian conditions and food insecurity in the makeshift camps” along its border with Burma, in co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and to “desist from forcing unregistered Rohingya to return to Burma.”
It also highlights the situation of Rohingyas in Saudi Arabia and urges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to allow Rohingyas “access to education and livelihoods.”
Addressing Burma’s crimes against humanity, the resolution urges the US to “proactively support” the recommendation by the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma for the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry.
“This legislation underscores the plight and human rights abuses endured by the Rohingyas with the hope and expectation that the light of scrutiny will result in new actions by the many governments that can and should provide assistance and refuge to the Rohingyas,” said Congressman Smith.
