1) BACKGROUND ON THE HOUSE RESOLUTION 898

For years, Burma’s military regime has carried out brutal crimes against humanity and war crimes against its own civilians. Their abuses include the conscription of tens of thousands of child soldiers, the destruction and forced displacement of over 3,500 ethnic minority villages, widespread rape of Burmese women, the killing of civilians, and forcing hundreds of thousands of Burmese people into forced labor, what some call modern-day slavery.

These are not simply human rights abuses — they are mass atrocities called “crimes against humanity” and “war crimes,” meaning that they are illegal under international law such as the Geneva Conventions and Rome Statute.

In the past, the United Nations Security Council has voted to create a “Commission of Inquiry” to investigate abuses of a major magnitude — such as in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and the Darfur region of Sudan. The Commission of Inquiry then makes recommendations to the U.N. Security Council for action. However, no such Commission of Inquiry been created for Burma.

To read more about the House Resolution 898, please click here to download.

House Resolution 898 calls for:

-The US to hold the Burmese dictators accountable for Human Rights abuses

-The United Nations Security Council to establish a Commission of Inquiry into Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes, and Impunity in Burma

-A Global Arms embargo against Burma

We need each of you to call your representative to ask them to co-sponsor this Resolution. We would like you to call your Congressional office to urge your member of the U.S. House of Representatives (NOT the U.S. Senate) to co-sponsor Resolution 898 along with Congressman Peter King and Joe Crowley. You do not have to be a citizen; just live or work in your Congressperson’s district. Below are specific instructions on how you can do this.

2) WHAT TO SAY

When a receptionist answers the phone, ask to speak to the foreign policy staffer:

* “Hi my name is [your name] from [name of your town], may I speak to the staffer in charge of foreign policy?”

Tell the receptionist that you live in the Congressperson’s district and that you want to speak to the staffer about cosponsoring House Resolution 898 regarding regarding the country of Burma. Be sure to be polite, and say something like:

* “I am calling because I would like to ask if my Representative will cosponsor resolution 898 regarding crimes against humanity in the country of Burma.”

3) WHAT THE RECEPTIONIST WILL SAY

At this point the receptionist will either:

A) Transfer you to the telephone of the staff member. If this happens see section “A” below. or

B) Transfer you to the voicemail of the staff member. If this happens see section “B” below.

C) The receptionist will to take a message for the staff member.

A) IF YOU SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE STAFFER

I.) Thank them for speaking with you and tell them why YOU think that the member of Congress should co-sponsor the resolution.

II.) Tell them why you called.  Here is a suggestion of what to say:

* “Hi my name is _______ I am from _________, a town in the Congressperson’s district. I am calling because I am very concerned about the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity that Burma’s military dictatorship continues to commit. I would like to urge Representative _________ to cosponsor resolution 898 asking president Obama to support a U.N. Security Council investigation into the crimes against humanity that are being committed in the country of Burma, as well as for a global arms embargo against the regime.  Resolution 898 is being circulated by Representative Peter King and Representative Crowley.”

* Offer to email them the House Resolution (click here to download the H.R.898); there is a good chance that the staffer may not have seen the Resolution yet. To do this, cut and paste the letter from this website:

III.) OPTIONAL You might want to tell them some key facts about Burma, such as:

* Burma’s military regime has recruited tens of thousands of child soldiers

* Burma’s military regime has destroyed over 3,500 ethnic minority villages, forcing at least 1 million people to flee as refugees and internally displaced persons

* Burma’s military regime uses rape as a weapon of war against ethnic minority women

IV.) Ask whether or not your Representative will Co-sponsor the resolution.

It is likely that they will not give you an immediate answer because they need to ask your Representative. If that is the case, ask them politely when you will know about the final decision and how you can be informed.

V. How Your Congressperson Can Co-sponsor.

Ask them to contact the following staffer, based on their party affiliation:

–Republicans contact Adam Paulson in Rep. Peter King’s office at adam.Paulson@mail.house.gov 202-225-7896.

–Democrats contact Jeremy Woodrum with Rep. Joe Crowley’s office at jeremy.woodrum@mail.house.gov or 202-225-3965.

VI.) Ask them when you can call back to follow-up.

VII.) OPTIONAL: Add additional information about why YOU care about Burma.

-As Speaker of the House Tip O’Neal once observed “All Politics is Local,” meaning to be successful you must bring the issue home. Your Congressperson represents YOU and it is you they want to hear from. If you have traveled to refugee camps on the Thailand-Burma border, know Burmese people, or care about human rights, be sure to let the staff member know.

VIII) IMPORTANT: Let us know how it went!

-Send an email to: mikejen@uscampaignforburma.org to let us know what happened. Please be as detailed as you can.

B) IF YOU LEAVE A VOICEMAIL

I.) Leave a brief message with the foreign policy staffer. Here is a suggestion for a message to leave:*

“Hi my name is _______ I am from _________, a town in the Congressperson’s district. I am calling because I’m very concerned about the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity that Burma’s military dictatorship continues to commit. I would like to urge Representative _________ to cosponsor resolution 898 asking president Obama to support a U.N. Security Council investigation into the crimes against humanity that are being committed in the country of Burma, as well as for a global arms embargo against the regime.  Resolution 898 is being circulated by Representative Peter King and Representative Joe Crowley.”

II.) Call back (politely) every day until you talk to the staff member on the phone. Members of Congress are very busy, so it often takes a few calls to get their attention. Once you reach them on the phone, follow the instruction in section “A.”

III.) Let us know how it went -Send an email to: mikejen@uscampaignforburma.org to let us know what happened. Please be as detailed as you can.

C.) IF THE RECEPTIONIST ASKS YOU TO LEAVE A MESSAGE WITH THEM

Follow the same directions as in step B:

“Hi my name is _______ I am from _________, a town in the Congressperson’s district. I am calling because I’m very concerned about the human rights abuses and crimes against humanity that Burma’s military dictatorship continues to commit. I would like to urge Representative _________ to cosponsor resolution 898 asking president Obama to support a U.N. Security Council investigation into the crimes against humanity that are being committed in the country of Burma, as well as for a global arms embargo against the regime.  Resolution 898 is being circulated by Representative Peter King and Representative Joe Crowley.”

II.) Call back (politely) every day until you talk to the staff member on the phone. Members of Congress are very busy, so it often takes a few calls to get their attention. Once you reach them on the phone, follow the instruction in section “A.”

6) REPORT BACK TO ME

Call me at any time. Let me know if you spoke to your Representative’s office, or let me know if you are having a hard time getting through to the right person. I am here to help — contact me as much as you need. Write both Jen and I at “mikejen@uscampaignforburma.org” or you can call me anytime at (202) 234-8022.