U.S. Senate renews Myanmar sanctions ahead of ASEAN talks

U.S. Senate renews Myanmar sanctions ahead of ASEAN talks

Agence France-Presse, Washington

The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed a resolution on Tuesday
(Wednesday morning in Jakarta) renewing a one-year ban on all
imports from Myanmar ahead of an Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) meeting next week where the military-ruled state
will come under scrutiny.

The 97-1 Senate vote followed a similarly favorable 423-2
action by the House of Representatives last month. U.S. President
George W. Bush is expected to sign the renewal into law soon.

"These sanctions are absolutely necessary," said Senator Mitch
McConnell, one of the bill's chief sponsors, citing Myanmar's
dismal human rights record under the "paranoid misrule" of
military junta chief Than Shwe.

Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house
arrest for most of the last 15 years. Her National League for
Democracy (NLD) party won 1990 elections but was never allowed to
rule. Its offices have been shut down by the junta, which has
also locked up many other party members.

"The human rights and dignity of the Burmese people continue
to be grossly abused," McConnell said. "The litany of atrocities
-- from the use of rape as a weapon of war to the murder, torture
and intimidation of political activists -- are well-known and
well-documented," he said.

The Congress resolutions would renew a complete ban on all
imports from Myanmar until Bush determines and certifies to the
legislature that the Southeast Asian state has made "substantial
and measurable" progress on a number of democracy and human
rights issues.

"We thank and commend the U.S. Congress for this firm and
forward-looking policy," said Aung Din, a former political
prisoner and torture survivor who serves as policy director at
U.S. Campaign for Burma.

The group comprises activists from around the world seeking an
end to the military dictatorship in Myanmar, whose previous name
is Burma.

"Burma is not only an embarrassment to the countries of
Southeast Asia, it is increasingly a threat to regional security.
It is time for the United Nations Security Council to act," Aung
Din said.

The United States halted new investments to Myanmar in 1997
and imposed bans on financial transactions and imports in 2003.
Visa restrictions on officials from the military junta and
affiliated groups have also been implemented.

But the U.S. law requires annual renewal only for the import
ban.

The Senate vote comes ahead of a decision expected next week
on whether or not Myanmar will take up the chairmanship of the
ASEAN.

The decision is expected at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers
meeting in Vientiane, Laos.

Myanmar is due to take over the ASEAN helm from Malaysia in
2006. The chairmanship is determined by alphabetical rotation
among member states, which also include Brunei, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and
Vietnam.

But both the United States and European Union, key trading
partners of ASEAN, have vowed to boycott the Southeast Asian
group's meetings if Myanmar is chairman.

Some ASEAN member states are afraid that Myanmar will damage
the group's image and international links if it takes over the
mantle.

"Burma was admitted to ASEAN to lift its people up, not to
drag the organization down. ASEAN members should feel similarly
-- how could they not?," said McConnell.