US Campaign for Burma - FREE BURMA!

US-Burma Policy

In solidarity with Burma’s democracy and human rights activists, US-Burma policy for the past two decades has centered around supporting the position of Burma’s democratically elected leaders from the 1990 elections led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy (NLD), and Burma’s ethnic minorities.  This includes a consistent bi-partisan call for the unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners and a genuine meaningful tri-partite dialogue between the military regime, Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD, and ethnic minority representatives towards national reconciliation, and a cessation of hostilities against civilians.

At the recommendation of Burma’s democratically elected leaders, to achieve these goals and in response to acts of aggression and defiance by the military regime, the United States has imposed a varying degree of sanctions against Burma’s military regime.

US Sanctions against Burma:

  • Following the military regime’s brutal bloody crackdown of the 1988 peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations and refusal to honor the 1990 election results, in which Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy won 82% of the seats in Parliament, the United States imposed an arms embargo against Burma and visa ban against senior regime officials.

  • In 1997, following the decision of Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD to no longer participate in the regime’s National Convention because the regime refused to allow any meaningful participation, and the increasing concern over the regime’s perpetration of human rights abuses, including forced labor, prompted then President Clinton to impose a new investment ban to ensure no new American company or investment could be complicit in the regime’s atrocities (it did not require American companies which were already  in Burma to pull out, they were permitted to maintain their existing  investment).  This new investment ban has been renewed each year by each succeeding American President, including most recently President Obama in May 2010.

  • In 2003, after the regime’s failed assassination attempt against Aung San Suu Kyi, in which pro-regime thugs attacked, beat, and killed some of her supporters, Congress passed the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, which bans imports from  Burma.  The Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act must be renewed by Congress every year.  Every year more members of Congress support the renewal of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, recognizing it is important to cut of the regime’s financial lifelines and not have unsuspecting American consumers supporting Burma’s brutal military regime.

  • In the fall of 2007 after the military regime’s violent crackdown against Buddhist Monks during the Saffron Revolution, President Bush issued an Executive Order imposing financial sanctions against regime officials, their family members and their cronies barring them from having access to the US financial system.

  • Shortly thereafter, Congress passed the Tom Lantos Block Burmese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act to close a loophole in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act and ban the importation of the precious gems rubies and jade from Burma, called on the President to impose stronger banking sanctions against not only regime officials but the banks that hide their assets.  In addition the ‘JADE’ Act required the President to appoint a Special Representative and Policy Coordinator on Burma.  To date President Obama has yet to nominate someone for this position.

The Obama Administration’s policy on Burma, some of the important highlights:

The goals remain largely the same, as previous Administrations and Congress.

  • Ensure the unconditional release of Burma’s democratic leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and all 2,200 political prisoners;

  • Press for an end to conflicts with ethnic minority groups;

  • Hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations;

  • Secure a genuine tri-partite dialogue between the military regime, the democratic opposition (led by Aung San Suu Kyi), and the ethnic minorities towards a transition to democracy.

Implementation:

  • Sanctions remains in place which includes an arms embargo, import ban, investment ban, visa ban, and financial sanctions against regime leaders and their cronies.

  • Pragmatic engagement with direct, senior-level dialogue between the U.S. and the military regime.

Questions remain:

  • The JADE Act required appointment of a Special Representative and Policy Coordinator on Burma but no one has yet been nominated;

  • The JADE Act has also yet to be fully implemented, particularly banking sanctions, it is unknown if or when the Administration will increase banking sanctions;

  • The military regime is known for using engagement as a diversion and stall tactic, as the U.S. pursues a policy of engagement, they must set timelines and benchmarks to avoid this pattern;

  • The new policy calls for accountability of those responsible for human rights violations but does not outline how they will attempt to achieve this goal, the U.S. must call for a UN Commission of Inquiry, an investigation into the military regime’s crimes against humanity and war crimes perpetrated under a climate of impunity as the first step towards ensuring justice and accountability for their victims.