United States funds to help democracy in Burma

Washigton, Jun 10: US Chief Deputy Whip of the Democratic Party Joseph Crowley has announced million in economic support funds (ESF) to promote democracy in Burma that was included in the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill for the fiscal beginning October 1.

''The situation in Burma has drastically deteriorated over the last few months, which I thought was not possible. Not a single humanitarian relief agency is allowed into the area, not a single journalist is permitted to record the facts, and not a single UN official is permitted to meet, let alone protect, those on the run in Burma's eastern jungles,'' said Rep. Crowley, an executive member of the Congressional Human Rights, Caucus ''With these funds, Congress is working to provide the means necessary to foster democracy in a nation that has been run by a military regime for four decades,'' he added.

These federal dollars will help fund democratic programmes along the Burma-Thailand border, and also assist student groups and organisations outside Burma, which has been run by the military for more than four decades.

The country has ruthlessly suppressed its non-violent democratic movement. Thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators were gunned down in 1988. The military refused to hand over power in 1990 after losing the country's only democratic election.

He said a recent annual report by Amnesty International declared Burma as having one of the worst human rights records. Over 1,100 Burmese people have been made political prisoners by the oppressive regime. Among them is opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been in detention for more than 10 of the last 17 years. The regime recently extended Suu Kyi's house arrest, despite an appeal from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the US State Department.

In addition, Congressman Crowley, also a member of the House International Relations Committee, has called for the US State Department to push the UN Security Council to pass a binding resolution requiring change in Burma.

Rep. Crowley stated, ''We cannot stand by and wait for someone else to provide leadership, if none is being provided. Leaders of the United States, United Nations and elsewhere should state publicly that it is time for a UN Security Council resolution on Burma.''

UNI