Week 23: 2010 Election Watch (10-16 August)

Developments

• The SPDC Election Commission set the election date for 7 November and also established a two-week filing period that ends on 30 August for political parties to submit their list of candidates for review and approval.
• The SPDC Election Commission designated constituencies for the National and Regional Parliaments […]

U.S. Supports UN Investigation on Crimes against Humanity in Burma

After months of rigorous grassroots campaign led by United States Campaign for Burma (USCB) and repeated requests from the U.S. lawmakers, the Obama administration finally agreed to support the establishment of an UN-led Commission of Inquiry to investigate crimes against humanity and war crimes taking place in the Southeast Asian country of Burma.[…]

Congressman Crowley Applauds Administration’s Support of the Establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes in Burma

[…]“It is long overdue that the world acknowledges that the Burmese regime is guilty of heinous and brutal acts against its own people and I applaud today’s announcement by the Obama Administration of its support for a Commission of Inquiry into these crimes.[…]

Nobel Women’s Initiative Welcomes the U.S. Support of a Commission of Inquiry on Burma

The Nobel Women’s Initiative welcomes the United States’ support for an United Nations commission of inquiry into human rights abuses in Burma. The U.S recently announced that it will join Britain, Australia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in actively supporting the inquiry, to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Burmese military regime.

Republican Leader calls Burmese Junta’s announcement a ‘mockery of the democratic process’

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Friday on the announcement by the Burmese junta that their election will be on November 7, 2010:
“Although the Burmese junta will characterize the charade it announced today as an election–an exercise that only the junta considers meaningful–November 7, 2010 will be just another day in Burma, marked by continued government oppression and hardship for its people. […]

Burma Sanctions Extended by Senate and Sails through to the White House for Obama’s Signature

One week after members of the House of Representatives unanimously approved the extension of economic sanctions against generals in Burma; their fellow lawmakers in the Senate today overwhelmingly approved the measure with a vote of (99-1), and sent it to the White House for the signature of President Obama […]

Extractive Industry Transparency Now United States Law

By Paul Donowitz, Campaign Director

Today, President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act passed last week by the U.S. Senate that includes a landmark provision requiring disclosure of payments from oil and mining companies to governments around the world. For the first time, communities who live in resource-rich countries will know how much their governments receive annually, and on a project-by-project basis for the extraction of natural resources […]

AAFA applauds House passage of Burma import ban renewal

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for voting to renew the total ban on imports from Burma under the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003. The affirmative voice vote came on the heels of a key vote letter AAFA sent to every member of the House urging for swift passage of the measure[…]

Congressman Crowley’s Legislation Imposing Sanctions on Burma Passes House

Crowley Urges Action on Crimes Against Humanity Following UN Findings

Today, Congressman Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx) praised the unanimous passage of H.J. Res. 83, a resolution led by the Congressman that extends sanctions on Burma. Specifically, the measure continues the ban on imports from Burma […]

U.S. House of Representatives Unanimously Extends Sanctions on Burma’s Military Junta

The U.S. Campaign for Burma, a leading coalition of Burmese activists in exile and American human rights campaigners working to promote freedom, justice and democracy in Burma, today welcomes and supports the unanimous decision of the U.S. House of Representative to extend sanctions against the military junta that rules the Southeast Asian country of Burma with guns, threats and oppression, and conducts crimes against humanity under a system of impunity. The House Joint Resolution 83 (H.J. RES. 83), the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, was introduced by Congressmen Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Peter King (R-NY), cosponsored by 20 additional House Members and approved by a voice vote today[…]