Asking President Obama To Stand For Burma
 Wednesday, May 20th, 2009  by Connie T.

Image via Fernando Rascon Moreno

Since the U.S. Campaign for Burma was founded, they have reported on the use of rape as a weapon for war, forced labor, torture, and the displacement of thousands after more than 3,300 ethnic minority villages were destroyed in Burma.

Senior General Than Shwe is the head of state of Myanmar (Burma), Commander-in-Chief of the Tatmadaw, and chairman of the State Peace and Development Council. He was ranked #4 on the world's 10 Worst Dictators List this year by Parade. Last year, Shwe refused to allow foreign aid workers in to assist the victims of Cyclone Nargis. He has refused to meet with a United Nations special envoy.

The International Criminal Court could investigate war crimes in Burma and bring charges to any responsible - in fact sixty members of the British Parliament have just signed a letter urging the UK and other governments to move forward on a commission of inquiry to "investigate allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Burma."

Right now, a letter is being set through the U.S. House of Representatives which would ask President Barack Obama to support a United Nations Security Council Commission of Inquiry.

The Burmese people have been deeply driven into poverty, while the head of the military junta there has greatly prospered. The military regime has refused to restore the power to the legally elected Government of the country, the party led by Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest by the junta for 13 years, when she was captured and over 100 of her supporters were killed (she is now being transferred from her home to prison to await trial).

It was very noble of President Obama to speak out for American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi last month, requesting her safe return and asserting confidence in her innocence, after she was wrongfully imprisoned. We express major appreciation for his heroism in that regard.

And as now is the time for positive change, we should strive to continue the pursuit of justice wherever we can.


1. Ask your Representative to sign the letter being circulating in Congress by Rep.'s Joseph Crowley (D-New York) and Don Manzullo (R-Illinois).

2. Sign the petition asking UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to make it a priority to secure the safe release of Aung San Suu Kyi, Khun Tun Oo, Min Ko Naing, and other political prisoners in Burma.

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