You will have to Google US Campaign for Burma to make the links work.
There once was a time, many centuries ago, when the land now called Burma was largely literate and peaceful. The British colonized it and at one point the King and Queen of Burma were put under house arrest. For reference to this time read "The Glass Palace" by Amitav Ghosh.
Burma became a British colony with imported soldiers from India to keep the peace. But it already Had been largely peaceful Before colonization.
During the second World War Burma became a place of slaughter and occupation and prison camps.
When Independence was granted in the early 1960's, a group of ruling military officials soon took over. These are the Same people to whom our President is granting, along with our Congress, the right to do nearly anything they want in the name of "foreign investment." We Finally put a Stop to that in White Only rule in S. Africa, so Why don't the lives of people in Burma count?
As a human being Both situations bothered me Very much! As a co-religionist of the Burmese people, (Buddhist with animist beliefs) I am aware that it was monks who have lead one uprising after another. These have been huge and for the most part very Peaceful protests.
We helped engineer "regime change" in Libya. Libya has gas and oil.
In the name of "gas and oil" plus Election Year Politics, (multi-national corporations are now given the same rights as Persons" by our Supreme Court (read Campaign contributions and election meddling) it would seem that Burmese civilians, especially the Rohinga, a Muslim group, and the ethnic civilians of Cachin State are no Longer persons.
Burma has gas and oil too, plus rubies.
Please share the E-mail below and take a few minutes to find this ortanization and try to save Some lives?
New Role for Americans to Promote Human Rights in Burma
Dear Teresa,
On Wednesday, President Obama lifted the ban on U.S. investment in Burma without
putting any safeguards in place.
President Obama ignored the advice of the human rights community, who implored his Administration to ensure only responsible investment was permitted and human rights were respected
. For the first time since 1997, U.S companies will now be allowed to do business
in Burma, including with Burmese government owned businesses, an actual requirement
all foreign companies are subjected to by the Burmese government.
What this means for human rights in Burma and your role in promoting human rights
and democracy for the people of Burma.
A)
Sanctions against the Burmese regime and its cronies are leverage to push for democracy
and human rights. By lifting the investment ban, the United States loses leverage
to bring about more reform, while the people of Burma are still suffering human rights
abuses and mass atrocities at the hands of the Burmese regime. There is now only
one sanction left–the import ban–which must be renewed by Congress before the end
of July.
Call your Senators to support the renewal of the import ban
.
Burma’s military still commits heinous human rights abuses against Burma’s ethnic civilians
, particularly in Kachin State, where their military
won't allow
international humanitarian aid into the region. The Burmese regime refuses to admit
there are
still hundreds
of political prisoners behind bars. In an extremely worrying move,
President Thein Sein told the UN on Wednesday, he wants the Rohingya put in camps or deported, a request the UN immediately refused
. Something must be done to end these abuses!
We must send a strong signal that real reform respects human rights, not profits.
The Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act is the ONLY influence the United States has
left to pressure the Burmese regime to move forward with genuine democratic change.
B)
Investment without safeguards will contribute to human rights abuses and profits for the Burmese military
. More and more farms have been
confiscated
and some farmers have
been arrested
for refusing to leave their land. In addition to the most egregious human rights
abuses in conflict zones,
throughout the country the regime carries out forced labor, forced relocation,
extortion, land confiscation and burning of civilians’ crops and farms
, some of it in the name of making way for foreign investment. American Oil and Gas
companies are now allowed to partner with the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE),
a Burmese government company who generates billions of dollars in profits for the
Burmese military. The money our corporations will invest can fuel this murderous
machine. For a more detailed explanation of the dangers of investment without safeguards,
check out our
blog
, the
LA Times
and
IPS
.
In the months ahead, as American companies enter Burma, we will need our supporters,
like you, to help ensure their activities and investments do not involve land confiscation,
human rights abuses and money to those who obstruct political reform and commit human
rights abuses.
The people of Burma will need our help—will you speak out to for the people of Burma?
Right now, you have the power to keep the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act (S.J.RES
43) in place by calling your Senators to cosponsor the bill, but time is running
out. The bill expires in less than 3 weeks, you have to
call your Senators now!
Click here for
calling instruction
,
congressional scorecards to check where your Senators stand
and the
background of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act
.
Thank you for speaking out for the people of Burma.
Myra and USCB team
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