Situation in Burma

Situation in Burma, We remain concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian and political situation in Burma, which poses a threat to stability in the region. We believe the time has come for the Security Council to take action to express its deep concern about Burma and its strong support for the Secretary General's "good offices" mandate, which is intended to encourage the Burmese leadership to take concrete steps toward greater freedom and improved humanitarian conditions for the Burmese people. The U.S. has proposed a Security Council resolution to achieve those objectives. The U.S. remains committed to pursuing this resolution as soon as possible in the new year.

The situation in Burma remains bleak. Violence against ethnic minorities continues, more than a million Burmese have been displaced internally or to neighboring countries, complaints of forced labor continue to emerge, narcotics continue to flow across borders, and the regime holds over 1,100 political prisoners in its custody, including Aung San Suu Kyi and other key civil society leaders.

2006/1142, Released on December 28, 2006

Press Statement, Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesman, Washington, DC. December 28, 2006

Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin.

Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently transferred to house arrest, where she remains virtually incommunicado.

In November 2005, the junta extended her detention for at least another six months. Her supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved human rights, are routinely harassed or jailed. CIA Factbook

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