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Conclusion

The problems faced by Burma's ethnic groups, including the Chin people are the direct consequence of military rule and its campaign of State terrorism directed primarily against the ethnic people who constitute more than 40% of the country's population. Today, the Chin people and all the ethnic people are fighting for our very survival as a people. Our cultural, ethnic and religious identities are being rapidly eroded, and our very survival as a people being threatened by the policies of ethnic cleansing relentlessly conducted by the military regime. The sufferings of the ethnic nationalities could only be remedied through fundamental change in the political system, a change that would allow the ethnic people equitable representation in the decision-making process of the country. Time is passing and innocent lives are being lost. The international community needs to take effective and urgent actions on Burma before the problems develop into an irreversible stage.

Thank You.

LETTER TO CONGRESS FROM THE KARENNI NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE PARTY DATED
SEPTEMBER 17, 2003

KARENNI NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE PARTY
September 17, 2003.

The Congress of the United States of America,
Washington, DC.

On behalf of the Karenni National Progressive Party and the Karenni people, I would like to take this great opportunity to thank you for what you have to address the situation in Burma. I have been following up what you are doing for the people

of Burma.

There are fifty thousands Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Karenni State due to the forced relocation program by the Burmese regime known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Under this program tens of thousands of Karenni people have lost their homes and land. The IDPs have been hiding in the jungle with no food and no medicines. There is also no access to education. Human rights violations committed by the Burma Army in the Karenni State continue unabated. Forced labor and forced portering continue despite the warnings from the International Labour Organiztion (ILO).

The SPDC's plan to build dams across the Salween river will displace thousands of Karenni and will also destroy forests and wild life in eastern Karenni. Half of the Karenni State will be under the water if the dams are constructed. These dams are only the most recent actions that the dictators of Burma have taken against us. We have the right to protect ourselves, our people and our land from the attacks of the Burma army and to provide emergency assistance to the thousands of IDPs. The evil we are facing is many times stronger than us and we need your help. In the meantime, we will not give up trying to help our people and would like to request humanitarian assistance for the IDPs and for your help to keep the door open help these people.

May God bless you for your good work of helping the oppressed people of Burma.

Sincerely yours,

AUNG THAN LAY, Vice-Chairman.

LETTER TO CONGRESS FROM THE RESTORATION COUNCIL OF THE SHAN STATE DATED SEPTEMBER 10, 2003

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I feel very much honored to have this opportunity to present the issue of the persecuted people of the Shan State. Shan State became a part of the Union of Burma in 1948. Before that, the Union of Burma never existed. The Shan people joined the Union based on the promises of the Pang Long Agreement and the right to secede if these promises were broken.

However, since 1949 the Shan and other ethnic peoples of Burma have faced brutal attack and oppression by the dictators of Burma that continues to this day. The people of the Shan State have been deprived of their hereditary rights and bean persecuted by the Burmese Army. Burmese troops capture Shan villagers and use them as porters and human mine sweepers. Shan women are raped and extrajudicial executioris are common. Forced relocation and the burning of villages are common. Hundreds of thousands of Shan State people have been displaced from their ancestral homes. For many, there is no place to call home, no land to plant their crops, no way to make a living and sustain their families. In addition to these violations of basic human rights, the majority of the Shan State people have no identity cards and are not included in the census of Burma nor do we have the rights that all human beings should enjoy. We feel we are worth less than animals, as the Burma Army uses and kills us with an impunity and recklessness with which they would never trest their own animals. We Shan desire a democratic and just Burma with a Federation of Eight States where basic ethnic right are protected. We also desire to be free from the stain and bondage of the narcotics trade, a trade that only exists at the current level because of the active support of the dictators of Burma.

We fully support the US sanctions on Burma and join you in an appeal for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and the restoration of democracy. Thank you for this opportunity to testify. Thanking for helping us to be free from the dictators' reign of terror. May our people enjoy the taste of freedom and a secure life. We wish to invite you to come and observe the true situation in Shan State and join us in the cause of freedom, democracy, equality and justice. We thank you America, for shining the light of liberty to the world and for your compassion for all people.

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RESPONSE OF THE HONORABLE LORNE W. CRANER, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LABOR, TO QUESTION ASKED BY THE HONORABLE JOSEPH R. PITTS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Mr. Pitts' Question:

What further information would be helpful in furthering the report the State Department plans to issue regarding whether or not the widespread human rights abuses occurring in Burma constitute ethnic cleansing or genocide?

Mr. Craner's Response:

The Department of State is in the process of preparing its comprehensive Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003, which will include a detailed description of human rights practices in Burma and other countries. With respect to Burma, the Bush Administration is deeply concerned by the widespread human rights abuses occurring in that country. We are especially concerned about the numerous reports of rape, torture, extra-judicial killing, forced labor, forced relocation, and other human rights abuses by the Burmese military against ethnic minority civilians.

The State Peace and Development Council is one of the most repressive regimes in the world. It engages in serious and systematic human rights abuses against the people of Burma. Although such abuses are especially severe for ethnic groups that maintain armed resistance to the regime, the regime deals brutally with all who oppose its grip on power. We do not, however, have evidence that these human rights abuses, as serious and reprehensible as they are, are being undertaken with the specific intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. We are thus not in a position to assert that the Government of Burma has engaged in genocide, as the United States defines that term under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

The Department is continuing to monitor carefully the human rights situation in Burma. We will continue to report fully the abuses we uncover there.

RESPONSES OF THE HONORABLE MATTHEW DALEY, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, BUREAU OF EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, TO QUESTIONS ASKED BY THE HONORABLE JOSEPH R. PITTS, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Mr. Pitts' Question:

For Subcommittee Member and staff use, please provide a comprehensive list of organizations or individuals receiving funding from the U.S. government for work with internally displaced persons (IDPs) inside Burma.

Mr. Daley's Response:

The United States does not fund organizations or individuals for work inside Burma among IDPs.

Some projects operating along the Thailand-Burma border, including health and educational programs, do provide spillover benefits to those still in Burma.

Mr. Pitts' Question:

For Subcommittee Member and staff use, please provide a comprehensive list of organizations or individuals receiving funding from the U.S. government for work on democracy development, civil society development, and refugee programs.

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American Center for International Labor Solidarity/Federation of Trade UnionsBurma

Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners

Burma Lawyers' Council

Burma Relief Center

Burmese Women's Union

Chin Forum

Chin Human Rights Organization

Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People

Democratic Party for a New Society

Friends Without Borders

Human Rights Education Institute of Burma

Human Rights Foundation of Monland

International Republican Institute/Political Defiance Committee

International Republican Institute/National League for Democracy-Liberated
Areas

Irrawaddy Publishing Group

Karen Information Center

National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma

National Council of the Union of Burma

National Council of the Union of Burma-Foreign Affairs Committee

National Democratic Institute for International Affairs

National Health and Education Committee

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What are the immediate and long-term actions the Administration will be taking at the United Nations and with the international community in order to address the overall situation in Burma and implement assistance programs to the IDPs inside Burma?

Mr. Daley's Response:

Respect for internationally recognized human rights and the restoration of democracy are our primary goals in Burma. We focus our energies bilaterally and multilaterally in bringing those goals to fruition and ameliorating the situation for all people of Burma, including those currently displaced. There is concern that the growing humanitarian crisis in Burma affects all ethnic groups.

The immediate U.S. policy objective in Burma is to encourage a genuine dialogue on democratic political reform, including securing the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and the re-opening of all NLD offices. Following the May 30 ambush on Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD convoy, the United States redoubled efforts to encourage all countries with a major interest in Burma, particularly Burma's immediate neighbors and members of ASEAN, to use their influence to convince the junta to undertake these immediate steps. It is in the interest of Burma's neighbors and other ASEAN countries, and in the interest of regional stability, to press the SPDC for a more constructive position on political dialogue, economic reform, and the institution of rule of law. Many countries in the region have expressed concern and agree that the SPDC must work with the democratic opposition in order to effect a smooth transition.

We will also continue to rally the international community to support the U.N. Secretary General in his efforts to start genuine talks on a political transition in Burma. Specifically, we will use every useful opportunity available in regional forums and at the U.N. to secure support for Special Envoy Razali and Special Rapporteur Pinheiro. The United States co-sponsored the annual resolution on Burma at the 2003 U.N. General Assembly and supports the efforts of the International Labor Organization to deal effectively with the severe forced labor problems in Burma.

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We remain very concerned about the situation faced by the internally displaced persons in Burma. We support the work of international organizations, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Labor Organization that have access to these areas.

Mr. Pitts' Question:

When was the most recent time the issue of Burma was raised by the U.S. government at the United Nations? At what level was the issue raised, by whom, and what was raised?

Mr. Daley's Response:

The United States has co-sponsored the 2003 UN General Assembly resolution on Burma. The resolution calls attention specifically to the events of May 30 and the need for international participation in an investigation of the incident. It also expresses grave concern for the ongoing detention of Aung San Suu Kyi. U.S. negotiators, including Ambassador-level representatives, were involved in negotiation on the crafting of this text, and its subsequent adoption by consensus. A U.S. public delegate raised Burma under the Human Rights agenda item in the Third Committee on November 10. Deputy Assistant Secretary Daley discussed Burma with UN Special Rapporteur Paulo Sergio Pinheiro in November and December.

Our Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Negroponte raised Burma at the Security Council on July 16. He reported on our meetings with Special Envoy Razali Ismail and expressed our concerns for the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, the closure of the offices of the National League for Democracy, and the terrible events of May 30. Embassy officials meet regularly with Ambassador Razali in Kuala Lumpur.

Mr. Pitts' Question:

In one statement during the hearing it was said that there are individuals wanted in New York City for heroin smuggling who are now receiving protection in Rangoon. What is the State Department's response to this information and what is the U.S. doing to press Rangoon to send the criminals back to the U.S. for prosecution?

Mr. Daley's Response:

Several Burmese nationals are wanted on Federal drug violations in the Eastern District of New York. Among them is Wei Hsueh-Kang, the leader of the dominant heroin trafficking group in Southeast Asia, the United Wa State Army. Wei HsuehKang is one of the senior-level commanders of the United Wa State Army, which has 20,000 well-equipped troops.

The Department of State, through its Narcotics Rewards Program, offers rewards of up to $5,000,000 for information leading to the arrest or conviction of major drug traffickers like Wei Hsueh-Kang.

In addition, through our Embassy in Rangoon, we have urged the Government of Burma to take action against major drug traffickers and their organizations and to render fugitives from U.S. justice to us for prosecution. However, some of the cases may now be so old that successful prosecution could be problematic. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which maintains an office in Rangoon, makes efforts to encourage greater cooperation from the Government of Burma.

Mr. Pitts' Question:

What reports substantiate the claims that an estimated 40,000 garment workers lost their jobs from U.S. sanctions? In addition, what reports substantiate the claims that those garment workers are seeking employment in the illegal sex and entertainment industries in Thailand as a direct result of U.S. sanctions? How many workers were actually traced moving willingly from the garment sector to the sex industry? Mr. Daley's Response:

Our sanctions on Burma are intended to press the junta to move toward national reconciliation and democracy. The government denies human rights and has produced only economic decline for a country that was once a star economy of Southeast Asia. As a result of the government's mismanagement, Burmese citizens face a number of social ills, including trafficking in persons, displaced people, poverty, limited employment opportunities and terrible health conditions. We reject any implication that the plight of the Burmese is the “fault” of U.S. sanctions. The fault lies with the junta.

Conversations with factory owners and representatives of non-governmental organizations in Burma led us to estimate the loss of 40,000 jobs in the wake of the imposition of the import ban in August 2003. One non-governmental organization in Rangoon expressed concern, based on interviews, that former garment workers

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