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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2008
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Contact: Zach Goldberg
202-225-5801 (office) |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS PASSES HOLT’S RESOLUTION
TO REJECT BURMESE MILITARY JUNTA’S CONSTITUTION
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Washington, DC – The House Committee on Foreign Relations Committee today approved a Congressional Resolution, introduced by Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12), that calls for the United Nations Security Council not to accept the constitution, written by the Burmese military junta or to recognize the outcome of the May 10 constitutional referendum. Reps. Howard Berman (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), the Chairman and Senior Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, cosponsored H. Con. Res 317 and it has the support of the U.S. Campaign for Burma. The resolution, which has 50 total cosponsors, awaits a vote in the House of Representatives.
“I thank members of the Foreign Affairs Committee for supporting this resolution and sending a signal to the Burmese people that we are fully behind them in their righteous struggle for democracy,” Holt said. “I am hopeful that the United States, joined by the United Nations, can shed more light on the human rights abuses of Burma’s military junta and their ruthless measures to hold on to power.”
The resolution, sent to the full House, denounces the one-sided, undemocratic, and illegitimate constitution drafting process and referendum by the Burmese military junta, known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), insists the SPDC engage in a tripartite dialogue with democracy forces led by Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic representatives, and demands the immediate and unconditional releases of Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners. It also urges President Bush to call for the UN Security Council to not accept and recognize the SPDC’s constitution, pass a binding resolution which will enforce the SPDC to comply with recommendations made by the UN, and impose a global arms embargo.
Holt introduced the resolution after the SPDC rejected all recommendations made by the United Nations: establishing an all-party inclusive transparent process of constitution writing; establishing a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi; releasing all political prisoners; establishing a broad-based poverty alleviation commission, opening an office in Rangoon for the UN Special Envoy; and accepting UN assistance to help ensure the referendum is free and fair.
The text of the Resolution can be found here.
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