[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
BURMA DEBATE VOA 10/3
- Subject: BURMA DEBATE VOA 10/3
- From: moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 16:46:00
DATE=3/10/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-35905
TITLE= BURMA DEBATE
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN CONSIDERING HOW TO
RESPOND TO THE SITUATION IN BURMA, WHERE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE
RULING MILITARY AND DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT REMAIN HIGH. U-S
OFFICIALS HAVE MET IN RECENT WEEKS TO DECIDE IF CONDITIONS ARE
BAD ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY SANCTIONS -- SPECIFICALLY A BAN ON NEW U-S
INVESTMENT IN BURMA. THERE HAS BEEN MORE PRESSURE FROM CONGRESS,
AS WELL AS HUMAN RIGHTS AND BURMESE DEMOCRACY GROUPS. AS V-O-A'S
DAN ROBINSON REPORTS, ONE U-S LAWMAKER SAYS THERE COULD BE
TOUGHER LEGISLATION ON BURMA IF THE ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT
DECIDE SOON WHAT STEPS TO TAKE:
TEXT: AFTER YEARS OF WATCHING THE SITUATION IN BURMA, AND
SEVERAL REVIEWS OF POLICY, THE ADMINISTRATION FACES INCREASING
PRESSURE TO ADOPT AN EVEN TOUGHER POSITION TOWARD THE MILITARY
GOVERNMENT IN RANGOON.
A LAW PASSED BY CONGRESS LAST YEAR REQUIRES THE PRESIDENT TO
PROHIBIT NEW INVESTMENT BY U-S COMPANIES IF THE RANGOON JUNTA
CARRIES OUT "MASSIVE" REPRESSION AGAINST DEMOCRACY FORCES, OR
HARMS OR ARRESTS PRINCIPLE DEMOCRACY FIGURE AUNG SAN SUU KYI.
// OPT // IN 1990, WHILE AUNG SAN SUU KYI WAS UNDER HOUSE
ARREST, HER NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY (N-L-D) WON AN ELECTION
PERMITTED BY THE MILITARY TWO YEARS AFTER TROOPS VIOLENTLY
CRUSHED NATIONWIDE PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATIONS. THE JUNTA NEVER
ALLOWED AN N-L-D GOVERNMENT TO TAKE POWER. AUNG SAN SUU KYI WAS
RELEASED FROM HOUSE ARREST IN 1995. // END OPT //
SINCE LAST YEAR, BURMA'S MILITARY HAS TIGHTENED RESTRICTIONS ON
AUNG SAN SUU KYI, AND HAS JAILED KEY MEMBERS OF HER NATIONAL
LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY PARTY (N-L-D).
IN HER LATEST COMMENTS, THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE DESCRIBED
WHAT SHE CALLED "PERSECUTION OF UNPRECEDENTED SEVERITY." SHE
SAYS THE LIVES OF N-L-D MEMBERS ARE BEING THREATENED AND SAYS THE
JUNTA IS MOVING TO ELIMINATE HER PARTY AS A POLITICAL FORCE.
THE COHEN-FEINSTEIN AMENDMENT WAS NAMED AFTER ITS PRINCIPLE
CO-SPONSORS -- FORMER SENATOR AND NOW DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM
COHEN, AND DEMOCRATIC SENATOR DIANE FEINSTEIN. IT WAS A MILDER
VERSION OF OTHER PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT CALLED FOR MANDATORY
SANCTIONS.
LAST MONTH, A BI-PARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS SENT A LETTER TO THE
WHITE HOUSE URGING THE PRESIDENT TO PROMPTLY ASSESS THE
COHEN-FEINSTEIN LAW AND PLANS TO IMPLEMENT SANCTIONS.
SO FAR, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS SAID ONLY THAT THIS ASSESSMENT IS
UNDERWAY. IN A V-O-A INTERVIEW, SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY, A
DEMOCRAT FROM VERMONT, SAYS LAWMAKERS WILL COME UP WITH TOUGHER
LEGISLATION IF THEY DO NOT GET A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE:
/// LEAHY ACT ///
LAST YEAR WE STARTED OUT WITH STRONGER LEGISLATION, BUT
BACKED OFF BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GIVE THE ADMINISTRATION
SOME WIGGLE ROOM [FLEXIBILITY]. BUT IT APPEARS THAT
THEY ARE NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION TO OUR CONCERNS.
/// END ACT ///
BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT SAYS A BAN ON NEW INVESTMENT BY U-S
COMPANIES WOULD HAVE LITTLE EFFECT, AND THAT ASIAN AND EUROPEAN
COMPANIES WOULD EASILY MAKE UP FOR ANY LOSSES.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IN THE DEBATE IS WHETHER TOUGHER ACTION
WOULD REMOVE "LEVERAGE" WASHINGTON HAS TO INFLUENCE THE RANGOON
JUNTA -- POSSIBLY LEADING TO EVEN MORE REPRESSION AGAINST THE
DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT.
SENATOR LEAHY SAYS BURMA'S MILITARY SHOULD KNOW THERE WILL BE, AS
HE PUTS IT, "CONSEQUENCES" DEPENDING ON HOW IT RESPONDS TO
PRESSURE FOR CHANGE:
/// LEAHY ACT ///
SLORC (BURMA'S STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL)
HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES. AND CERTAINLY THOSE
OF US WHO HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THIS WILL PUSH FOR
TOUGHER LEGISLATION, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT REACTED.
AND IT IS NOT A PARTISAN OR IDEOLOGICAL THING.
/// END ACT ///
ADDING TO THE PRESSURE, THREE MAJOR U-S NEWSPAPERS -- THE
WASHINGTON POST, NEW YORK TIMES, AND WALL STREET JOURNAL --
RECENTLY PUBLISHED STRONGLY-WORDED EDITORIALS URGING THE
ADMINISTRATION TO IMPLEMENT THE LAW AND PROHIBIT NEW U-S
INVESTMENT.
AT THE SAME TIME, U-S BUSINESS INTERESTS HAVE STEPPED UP THEIR
OWN CAMPAIGN AGAINST SANCTIONS, SAYING SUCH A STEP WOULD DO
NOTHING TO HELP BRING ABOUT CHANGE FOR THE BETTER IN BURMA.
/// REST OPT ///
SINCE THE 1988 MILITARY CRACKDOWN ON BURMA'S DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT,
THE UNITED STATES HAS BANNED AID TO BURMA -- EXCEPT FOR
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND SOME COOPERATION IN ANTI-NARCOTICS
SUPPRESSION. LAST YEAR, PRESIDENT CLINTON BANNED VISITS TO THE
UNITED STATES BY MEMBERS OF BURMA'S RULING JUNTA OR THEIR
FAMILIES. (SIGNED)