u.s. congress approves sanctions bi

[ncgub@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: u.s. congress approves sanctions bill

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National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma 
815 Fifteenth Street, NW, Suite 910, Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-7342			   Fax: (202) 393-7343 
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P R E S S    R E L E A S E            P R E S S    R E L E A S E


U.S. CONGRESS APPROVES SANCTIONS  
September 18, 1996 

 
On September 17, the eve of the anniversary of the violent takeover 
of power by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) in 
Burma eight years ago, the US Congress approved sanctions against the 
military dictatorship. The bill was passed in spite of intense 
lobbying against it by the US oil firm Unocal and its corporate 
partners.  In approving the Cohen-Feinstein Amendment - Section 569 
of the Foreign Operations and Appropriations Act, the US is sending a 
clear message to the Burmese generals that they cannot continue to 
pursue a policy of intimidation, imprisonment, and torture with 
impunity. The US action gives a major boost to the Burmese democracy 
movement led by Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. 
 
The Cohen-Feinstein Amendment proposed in July was a compromise to  
the mandatory sanctions called for by Kentucky Senator Mitch 
McConnell and New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Under the 
provisions of the adopted legislation, the US President shall 
prohibit new US businesses from investing in Burma if SLORC 
physically harms, re-arrests, or exiles Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, or 
continues its repression of the democracy movement. As recently as 
September 14, SLORC arrested two close confidants of Daw Aung San Suu 
Kyi -- U Aung Myint Oo and Maung Khin Thein.  Since the last 
crackdown in May, more than sixty supporters of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 
have been arrested and half have been sentenced to harsh prison 
terms. 
 
On September 11, the 125th Congress of the ruling Social Democratic  
Party of Denmark unanimously adopted a resolution to work for 
European Union sanctions against SLORC and to support the work of the 
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB).   NCGUB 
Prime Minister Dr Sein Win currently in Germany said, "I am very 
happy to see that the US Congress has passed the legislation. The 
joint efforts of the United States and the Danish Government in 
Europe will have a significant impact on the political process in 
Burma. I trust that those nations committed to seeing democracy 
restored in Burma will follow the lead of the United States and 
Denmark."  Dr Sein Win added that "the current US sanctions bill is 
only the first step in a process that will begin again when a new 
Congress convenes." He said he was confident that the US Congress will 
increase its support for democracy in Burma. 
 
The NCGUB advocates sanctions because foreign investments have  
enabled the illegitimate military regime to survive and more than 
double its army while becoming increasingly brutal and repressive, 
especially in ethnic areas. Only sanctions will curb the excesses of 
the generals and influence them to enter into a political dialogue 
with the Burmese democracy movement led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and 
Burma's ethnic peoples.
 
					oo0oo