KALADAN NEWS

Dated- Thu, July 17, 2003

ROHINGYA WELCOMES ON US APPROVED SANCTIONS ON BURMA

Chittagong, July 17: Rohingya people of Arakan State, Burma, welcomes on US approved sanctions on Burma in protest against its recent crackdown on the pro-democracy opposition, said an exiled NLD member living in Chittagong.

The US House of Representatives passed sanctions on 15^th July 2003, one month after the Senate approved the move. It voted 418-2 to ban imports from Burma, where pro-democracy leader Daw Aung SanSuu Kyi has been detained by the Burmese military ruling junta since May 30.

A prominent Rohingya leader said, the US moves were “ tremendous for the whole people of the country.”

The House bill would limit the import ban to 3 years to address US business community concerns about the difficulty of lifting sanctions once they have been imposed.

Burma’s textile and clothing industry is likely to be hardest hit by the measures, which were welcomed by opposition groups.

Burmar's junta condemned the economic sanctions, describing them as "weapons of mass destruction" that would create havoc, according to BBC.

The European Union has also imposed tighter sanctions on Myanmar, while the country's largest donor Japan has suspended new economic aid, according to AFP, Rangoon.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Randy Schriver on Wednesday criticised China's stance on Myanmar, saying it was isolated in its failure to condemn the junta and should use its leverage to push for change, AFP further added ##