A Message to President Obama

A Message to President Obama (The Irrawaddy)

Tuesday, January 20, 2009
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=14959

The Irrawaddy recently spoke with Aung Din, executive director of the US Campaign for Burma, about the implications of an Obama presidency for future US policy on Burma.

Question: What is your message to President Obama?

Answer: I want President Obama to uphold the existing economic sanctions on the Burmese military regime and lead a strong diplomatic effort to organize the international community to put collective pressure on the regime. Instead of divided responses, what we need importantly from the international community is to speak with one voice to the generals and I believe President Obama, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and US Permanent Representative to the UN Dr Susan Rice will be able to make this happen. As the first step, we want President Obama to appoint someone whom we can trust and rely on to be his Special Envoy on Burma, as authorized by the Tom Lantos Block Burma Jade Act of 2008, and get Senate confirmation as soon as possible.

Q: What can you realistically expect the incoming administration to do on Burma? Do you think the policy will be more or less the same as Bush’s? Or will there be more engagement inside Burma, or even dialogue with the regime?

A: President-elect Obama and Secretary of State-designate Clinton have been among the strong supporters of Burma’s democracy movement since their Senate years. I expect they will continue to place significant pressure on the regime for the release of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and for the realization of a meaningful and time-bound dialogue between the regime and democracy forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. I also expect that they will be able to organize the international community to stand together for the people of Burma and speak with one voice to the generals in Burma.

Q: What do you think of the efforts of George Bush and former first lady Laura Bush on Burma?

A: President Bush and the first lady have done their best for the people of Burma. They were both personally involved in Burma and have made Burma a higher US foreign policy priority. Even in the last days of his administration, President Bush and the first lady have put Burma in the international spotlight again and again and set a precedent for the next administration. We owe them a lot. I still believe that they will continue to be with us even they leave office.

Q: What do you think about Michael Green’s appointment as a special envoy on Burma?

A: I respect Dr Mike Green and I really want him to be the US Special Coordinator for Burma. I expect President Obama will continue to nominate him for the job when he takes office on January 20.

Q: We all know Burma won’t be a top priority, as there are many pressing issues ahead—Afghanistan, North Korea, Darfur, Iraq and of course Pakistan. Do you have any concerns that the new administration will not be able to adequately address the Burma issue?

A: It is true that Obama will be occupied with many pressing issues. We will continue to work with the Congress to remind him of the situation of the people of Burma. We still enjoy strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House. I believe the Congress will help us to put Burma on Obama’s foreign policy priority sooner or later.

Q: If Burma faces another major event like the Saffron Revolution, do you think the Burmese people will look to the US administration for support?

A: It is usual for any non-violent movement to expect international support in their peaceful struggle against brutal dictators. International support for the people of Burma and international pressure on the Burmese junta will continue to be a major factor to strengthen and empower democratic forces inside Burma. The United States will continue to play a leading role in the international community for both supporting Burmese democrats and pressuring the junta.

Realizing the Dream, Acceptance Remark on behalf of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Commemoration and Realizing the Dream Awards Celebration
January 18, 2009
Washington, DC

Remark by Aung Din, Executive Director, U.S. Campaign for Burma, Accepting “Trumpet of Conscience” Award on behalf of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honor for me to accept the “Trumpet of Conscience” award, on behalf of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Burma’s democracy movement. She has been working tirelessly to bring freedom and democracy to Burma. Her leadership has offered courage to the people of Burma as they confront the brutal military regime with brave feats of civil disobedience. While we are here to honor her courage, her love and her sacrifice for the people of Burma, she could not join all of us today. She is still under house arrest, where she has been for more than 13 years.

As Dr. King did, and as you all do, Aung San Suu Kyi has a dream; her dream is simple and innocent: She wants to help people to have freedom from fear, freedom from oppression and freedom to exercise their fundamental rights. She encourages people to stand against injustice. She requests the military regime to start a meaningful political dialogue and to engage in national reconciliation amongst all stakeholders in Burma. However, her quest for peace is being denied by the military regime, which wants to maintain their ruthless power by whatever means necessary.

The military regime uses excessive forces and civilian militias to crush peaceful protesters, and arrests, tortures, and imprisons thousands of democracy activists. The regime has intensified military offensives against ethnic minority civilians, which has resulted in the destruction of over 3,300 villages, forcing two million refugees to flee to neighboring countries while an additional half million people remain in hiding in jungles and mountains in eastern Burma to avoid being killed by Burmese soldiers. The regime’s soldiers rape ethnic women and girls, as young as seven years old, with impunity and millions of people are subject to forced labor and force relocation.

While I am honored to receive the award on her behalf, I am also sad that she is not here with us today. If she was here, she would thank Martin Luther King III, his siblings and “Realizing the Dream” for recognizing her work for justice in Burma. She would feel greatly honored to be in the company of Senator Edward Kennedy, Congressman John Lewis and Reverend Claude Black, who all have provided great leadership for the people of the United States of America. She would also thank Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan for presenting the award and she would thank you all for the spotlight this occasion gives to Burma.

President-elect Obama paid tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi by stating: I quote: “She has sacrificed family and ultimately her freedom to remain true to her people and the cause of liberty. And she has done so using the tools of nonviolent resistance in the great tradition of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King, earning the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.”: unquote. I hope President Obama will uphold existing economic sanctions and lead a strong diplomatic effort to organize international community to put collective pressure on the regime.

Thank you for this tribute to our nationally elected leader and hero. I wish that I will have a chance to return to my country soon to present this award to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and tell her how the people of the United States of America stand with us during our darkest days.

Thank you,

Aung Din
Executive Director
U.S. Campaign for Burma