Notes about Urgent: Stop US Congress From Sitting on Hands After Burma Crackdown

[from the US Campaign for Burma]

We are writing to ask for your urgent help.

It has now been nearly two months since the Burmese military regime's brutal crackdown on peacefully demonstrations.  Yet, the US Congress has not yet responded with concrete action.  Congressmen Lantos (D-CA) and Peter King (R-NY) and others in the US House of Representatives introduced legislation that would cut off industries such as gems, that area a major cashflow to the regime, as well as targeted banking sanctions which will severely impact the generals.

The legislation is still sitting, waiting, in the House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee because the committee has been busy with other matters.  In order to stop Burma's regime from profiting off the sale of gems, the Committee and Subcommittee need to pass the bill out of their committee so the entire House of Representatives can vote on the matter.

We are asking you to call the office of the Chairman of this committee -- Charles Rangel -- as well as the Chairman of the "Trade Subcommittee" in the Ways and Means Committee, Sander Levin.

Even if you don't live in the district of these two Congressmen, you should still call them and urge them to pass it out of their committee. Let's let the Chairmen hear from all of America that Americans shouldn't be bankrolling Burma's military regime!

Here is the Contact Info You Need:

Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY, chairman Ways and Means Committee): 202-225-4365

Congressman Sander Levin (D-MI, chairman of Trade Subcommittee of Ways and Means): Jeff Ziarko at 202-225-4961

What the Act Does:

The regime makes hundreds of millions of dollars each year off the sale of gems.  More than 90 percent of the world's rubies and fine-quality jade comes from Burma.  The new sanctions will crack down on the regime's practice of avoiding U.S. sanctions by laundering gemstones through third countries before they are sold.

Chevron with a large investment in natural gas in Burma, provides the regime with huge cash flows.  They have also escaped sanctions - until now!  This bill will target Chevron's payments to the regime and their ability to claim tax deductions on those payments.    

This Act also freezes the assets of Burmese political and military leaders, prevents Burma from using U.S. financial institutions via third countries to launder the funds of those leaders or their immediate families, and prohibits Burmese officials involved in the violent suppression of protesters from receiving visas to the United States.

"This legislation will turn off a huge cash spigot for the thuggish Burmese regime," Lantos said. "If my colleagues come together and act quickly to pass these new sanctions, we can put an end to huge profits for the junta and its unscrupulous middle-men. We must ensure that the sale of some of the Earth's most beautiful natural resources does not continue to enable the horrors inflicted upon the people of Burma."

Burma also uses third countries to access the U.S. banking system.  These overseas banks process accounts in and through the United States for Burma's rulers, providing the regime with much-needed hard currency.  The regime uses these funds to purchase weapons and luxury goods, while the bulk of Burma's population lives in poverty.

Lantos' legislation tightens existing sanctions to prevent Burma's military rulers from profiting from sales to the United States, and blocks access to the U.S. financial system not just for Burmese human rights violators but also to those who provide the regime with banking services.

The Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007, if passed, would be the strongest action yet that the U.S. takes to pressure Burma's military regime to negotiate with Burma's democracy leaders and ethnic nationalities.

Talking Points for Staffer:
- Tell the staffer you want Congressmen Rangel and Levin to ensure that the Block Burmese JADE Act of 2007 gets passed through committee
- Give her/him proof that this policy works. It cuts off hundreds of millions of dollars to the regime and will specifically target the top generals' finances.  
- Mention that the military junta still deserves sanctions. On top of brutally crushing thousands of peaceful demonstrators, including monks, the military regime has destroyed more than 3,000 villages. It has forcibly displaced more than half a million people inside Burma as well as causing a million refugees to flee across the border to neighboring countries and has made no efforts to move toward democracy.
- Let her/him know it is important to send a strong signal to the regime that the US government will continue to keep American money out the hands of the junta.
- This is not the only action being taken against Burma. On top of many diplomatic efforts, the EU has imposed new sanctions, as well as Australia, and even Japan has decreased aid to Burma.  
- Keep on calling every day to make sure the do this.

Important: Leave your phone number!
Let him/her know that his/her constituents care about Burma!

Please let me know when you have contacted their offices and how it went - thelma at uscampaignforburma.org.  We cannot wait any longer for the US government to take strong actions in response to Burma's brutality.