Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 103 Part 3.djvu/496

 103 STAT. 2564 CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—OCT. 24, 1989 ,-^ ., Whereas the Government of Burma has also continued to obstruct peaceful opposition protests and has continued to use deadly force against demonstrators; Whereas the procedural rights of persons charged with political offenses have been severely curtailed through martial law orders bestowing judicial authority on military commanders and empowering them to conduct summary trials that lack basic safeguards; Whereas the United States Department of State and independent human rights monitors report that severe mistreatment of politi- cal prisoners (including burnings, beatings, and use of electric shock) is commonplace in Burma and in some cases has led to death; and Whereas the United States Government hsis condemned gross viola- tions of human rights by the Government of Burma and called for the lifting of restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly, and association: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring). That the Congress— (1) calls upon the Government of Burma to— (A) remove house arrest orders imposed on Aung San Suu Kyi and U Tin Oo; (B) release all persons imprisoned for the peaceful expres- sion of their views; (C) abandon martial law restrictions on the right to a fair trial and provide all persons charged with crimes with access to lawyers and family members, adequate time to prepare defenses, and the opportunity to have cases heard by an impartial tribunal; (D) order thorough investigations of reports of torture and pursue prosecutions against those believed to be responsible for mistreatment of detainees; (E) permit opposition political parties to operate freely in Burma and, in particular, to exercise their rights of free association, expression, and assembly without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or prosecution; and (F) maintain its commitment to hold free and fair elec- tions in Burma by May 1990; (2) calls upon all nations to withhold foreign assistance from the Government of Burma until a democratically elected government assumes office; and (3) calls upon the President, the Secretary of State, the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and the United States Ambassador to Burma to— (A) condemn publicly the heightened level of repression in Burma; and (B) encourage free and fair elections by May 1990 and the provision of international observers for such elections. Agreed to October 24, 1989.

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