Bush Imposes New Sanctions on Burma

According to VOA President Bush is imposing additional sanctions against Burma's government and wants China and India must do more to pressure Burma's military rulers......................
Mr. Bush sanctioned most of the top military commanders in Burma last month after at least ten people were killed when security forces opened fire on the largest demonstrations in decades.
The new measures freeze U.S. assets of another eleven members of the military government, tighten export controls to Burma, and allow the U.S. Treasury Department greater authority to sanction those responsible for human rights abuses and public corruption.
"Business as usual is unacceptable," said President Bush. "So I applaud the efforts of the European Union and nations like Australia that have announced targeted sanctions on the Burmese regime."
"I commend nations such as Japan that have curtailed their assistance in response to the atrocities. I appreciate nations such as Singapore, and the Philippines, and Indonesia who have spoken out against the atrocities," he added.
The European Union this week decided to impose an import embargo on timber, gems and precious metals from Burma..............................
Comment: President Bush who has shipped heavy criticism on the Iraq issue has certainly laid down a marker on Burma. For this he deserves much credit. Similarly pressure from the EU Japan and Australia is most welcome.

Unfortunately the irresponsible attitude of China, India and Russia undermines efforts to remove the junta. China has neutered the UN Security Council on this issue through a cynical use of the veto. It is time to reform the Security Council and remove China from permanent membership. After all he who pays the piper calls the tune. The largest contributors to the UN are the US, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy in that order. The US contributes $423 million, Japan contributes $332 million but China only contributes $35 million. This miserable $35 million contribution is sufficient to render The UN powerless on Burma. No wonder the junta leaders are impervious to realism. Japan should replace China on the Security Council. It is time for the UN to ignore China.

Strangely there is a reluctance to threaten a boycott of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. It is now or never.

Burma-International community fails pro democracy movement

The UN Security Council has once more displayed its powerlessness in the face of tyranny. Ibrahim Gambari, addressing the U.N. Security Council after a four-day visit to Myanmar said that the Burmese government must recognize that what happened there "can have serious international repercussions." Interesting to note the use of the word can. This illustrates clearly the ineffectiveness and relative powerlessness of the UN. Once more China has intervened to protect the junta. China opposes the sanctions on the basis that that the measures will impact on the population more than the government. This is a cop out. It is not in the least concerned with human rights violations in Burma once its economic interests are protected. The same applies to India and Russia.
China and Russia are major obstacles to world peace and are neutralising the UN Security Council through the use of the veto.

Detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party dismissed the Burmese junta's offer of talks as a surrender demand on Friday. Her steely determination is an inspiration to all who seek justice There is an interesting contrast between her approach and that of the
lily-livered leaders of China and Russia.

The obduracy of the Junta is buttressed by the support it is receiving from China and Russia. It is time for the international community to boycott the Beijing Olympics of 2008. The international outcry at the brutality of the junta has been negatived by the absence of worthwhile action by the major powers to cripple the tyrants of Rangoon.
Citizens in the US and EU countries must keep up the pressure on their governments to take meaningful action to remove the Butchers of Rangoon.