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Solons hail GMA stand on Myanmar

January 14, 2008

By Jose Katigbak
WASHINGTON - Influential members of the US House of Representatives have praised President Arroyo for her strong call for Myanmar to return to democracy.

We stand with you as you provide important leadership on this issue in Southeast Asia and within ASEAN,” they said in a letter to her dated Wednesday.

The letter was signed by 16 House members headed by Democrat Tom Lantos of California, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Joseph Pitts of Pennsylvania, assistant Republican whip.

Other signatories included Virginia Republican Frank Wolf who sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Alcee Hastings of Florida, a senior Democratic whip, Indiana Republican Mike Pence, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, a Colorado Republican.

They expressed their appreciation to Mrs. Arroyo for her leadership on behalf of the people of Myanmar, previously known as Burma.

It is extremely disturbing that nations surrounding Burma have not done more to press the dictators to engage in meaningful dialogue that will bring much-deserved democracy and freedom to the people of Burma, their letter said.

At an Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Singapore last month, Mrs. Arroyo met with Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein and reiterated her call for the early and safe release of political prisoners in Myanmar, the full and free participation of all political parties in the political processes and the return of democracy.

But she stopped short of supporting economic sanctions or other drastic moves against Myanmar for failing to implement democratic reform.

The US House on Dec. 12 unanimously passed tough legislation aimed at squeezing Myanmar?s military dictators where it hurts most, in the pocketbook.

HR 3890, known as the Block Burmese JADE (Juntas Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act, bans the importation of Burmese jade and rubies into the United States, freezes the assets of political and military leaders, prevents Burma from using US financial institutions via third countries to launder the funds of those leaders or their immediate families, and prohibits officials involved in the violent suppression of protesters from receiving visas to the United States.

The legislation also cuts off tax deductions for Chevrons major gas investment in Burma.
By blocking the import of Burmese gems into the United States and expanding financial sanctions, the legislation will take hundreds of millions out of the pockets of the regime each year, Lantos said in a statement.

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