US President George Bush on Thursday announced another round of sanctions on the Burmese military government—this time on state-owned companies dealing in gems, timber and pearl.
The latest sanctions, which freezes assets of thee state-owned companies, come just 10 days ahead of the Burmese referendum on the draft constitution, which the US has called as a sham.
The companies are Myanmar Gems Enterprise, Myanmar Timber Enterprise and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise.
"Today I've issued a new executive order that instructs the Treasury Department to freeze the assets of Burmese state-owned companies that are major sources of funds that prop up the junta," Bush said in his speech delivered on the occasion of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
"These companies, in industries such as gems and timber, exploit the labor of the downtrodden Burmese people, but enrich only the generals," said the US President, who devoted a considerable part of his speech to Burma and Tibet.
The Executive Order expands existing authorities that allow the US to target those who are responsible for supporting, empowering, and enriching the Burmese regime—a regime that exploits and oppresses the people of Burma, he said.
The executive order is the latest in the series of sanctions imposed by the Bush Administration since the Burmese uprising last year when people and monks protested against the rising prices of essential commodities and petrol in the country. The peaceful protest was brutally suppressed.
"We've imposed visa bans on the junta's generals and their families and their cronies, trying to send a clear message—and we hope the rest of the world follows as well," Bush said.
Saying the military regime continues to reject the clear will of the Burmese people to live under leaders of their own choosing, Bush said this is the reason why his administration over the past eight months has tightened sanctions on the regime.
"Today I'm sending yet another clear message, that we expect there to be change, and we expect these generals to honor the will of the people," he said.
A statement issued after he signed the executive order alleged that Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his regime have ensured that the referendum will be on a flawed constitution and will not be free, fair, or credible.
"They continue to ignore calls from the Burmese people and the international community for a genuine process that could result in a legitimate constitution reflecting the will of the people," he said.
The junta continues to carry out a campaign to intimidate voters and to arrest those who dare speak out against the flaws of the referendum and draft constitution, Bush said.
Referring to the inaction of the Burmese government on the measures called for by the UN Security Council, he said it has refused offers from UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari to provide technical assistance or international monitors for the pending referendum.
"The regime has not acted on any of the measures called for by the United Nations Security Council and does not cooperate with special advisor Ibrahim Gambari," Bush said.
The president said the US and the international community has called for the early release of all political prisoners; implementation of measures to address the political, economic, humanitarian, and human rights issues that are of concern; and the creation of necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation.
“We’re working with India to promote democracy and the peace it yields throughout the continent. We’re working together to extend the hope of liberty throughout Asia,” he said.
Meanwhile, the European Parliament, passed a resolution on Burma on April 24. The resolution urged the European Council to renew and broaden its targeted sanctions, focusing on restrictions on access to international banking services for the military-owned companies and other businesses owned by cronies who are well-connected to the ruling generals.
The parliament also called on the European Council to ensure the effective application of targeted sanctions, to adequately investigate potential targets of sanctions and to review decisions and ongoing monitoring.
However, some European diplomats said the European Union’s decision could differ from the US’s targeted sanctions against the junta although a resolution by the European Parliament is an important step.
“It is difficult to adopt effective targeted sanctions by the EU on the Burmese generals, their cronies and their business. The EU has only a little bit of interest in Burma
The latest sanctions, which freezes assets of thee state-owned companies, come just 10 days ahead of the Burmese referendum on the draft constitution, which the US has called as a sham.
The companies are Myanmar Gems Enterprise, Myanmar Timber Enterprise and Myanmar Pearl Enterprise.
"Today I've issued a new executive order that instructs the Treasury Department to freeze the assets of Burmese state-owned companies that are major sources of funds that prop up the junta," Bush said in his speech delivered on the occasion of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
"These companies, in industries such as gems and timber, exploit the labor of the downtrodden Burmese people, but enrich only the generals," said the US President, who devoted a considerable part of his speech to Burma and Tibet.
The Executive Order expands existing authorities that allow the US to target those who are responsible for supporting, empowering, and enriching the Burmese regime—a regime that exploits and oppresses the people of Burma, he said.
The executive order is the latest in the series of sanctions imposed by the Bush Administration since the Burmese uprising last year when people and monks protested against the rising prices of essential commodities and petrol in the country. The peaceful protest was brutally suppressed.
"We've imposed visa bans on the junta's generals and their families and their cronies, trying to send a clear message—and we hope the rest of the world follows as well," Bush said.
Saying the military regime continues to reject the clear will of the Burmese people to live under leaders of their own choosing, Bush said this is the reason why his administration over the past eight months has tightened sanctions on the regime.
"Today I'm sending yet another clear message, that we expect there to be change, and we expect these generals to honor the will of the people," he said.
A statement issued after he signed the executive order alleged that Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his regime have ensured that the referendum will be on a flawed constitution and will not be free, fair, or credible.
"They continue to ignore calls from the Burmese people and the international community for a genuine process that could result in a legitimate constitution reflecting the will of the people," he said.
The junta continues to carry out a campaign to intimidate voters and to arrest those who dare speak out against the flaws of the referendum and draft constitution, Bush said.
Referring to the inaction of the Burmese government on the measures called for by the UN Security Council, he said it has refused offers from UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari to provide technical assistance or international monitors for the pending referendum.
"The regime has not acted on any of the measures called for by the United Nations Security Council and does not cooperate with special advisor Ibrahim Gambari," Bush said.
The president said the US and the international community has called for the early release of all political prisoners; implementation of measures to address the political, economic, humanitarian, and human rights issues that are of concern; and the creation of necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation.
“We’re working with India to promote democracy and the peace it yields throughout the continent. We’re working together to extend the hope of liberty throughout Asia,” he said.
Meanwhile, the European Parliament, passed a resolution on Burma on April 24. The resolution urged the European Council to renew and broaden its targeted sanctions, focusing on restrictions on access to international banking services for the military-owned companies and other businesses owned by cronies who are well-connected to the ruling generals.
The parliament also called on the European Council to ensure the effective application of targeted sanctions, to adequately investigate potential targets of sanctions and to review decisions and ongoing monitoring.
However, some European diplomats said the European Union’s decision could differ from the US’s targeted sanctions against the junta although a resolution by the European Parliament is an important step.
“It is difficult to adopt effective targeted sanctions by the EU on the Burmese generals, their cronies and their business. The EU has only a little bit of interest in Burma
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