Subcommittee Chairman Don Manzullo (R-IL) opened the hearing by
noting the lack of progress in U.S.-Burma relations despite the Obama
administration’s engagement policy.

“Since the Obama Administration began its policy of pragmatic engagement
in 2009, U.S. relations with Burma have not changed,” he said. “If proponents of pragmatic engagement are correct, then Burmese leaders should recognize
this unprecedented opportunity beingoffered by the Obama Administration
and seek to improve relations with the U.S. by demonstrating tangible change.
Unfortunately, this is not the case.”

Posted By Josh Rogin Wednesday, June 22, 2011 – 6:46 PM Foreign Policy

Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi testified before the U.S. Congress for
the first time ever today, via video, and called on the U.S. Congress to take a more active
and clear-eyed look at the lack of democratic progress in Burma.

“What I would like to urge is that you look at what is happening in Burma in the light of the
United Nations Human Rights Council resolution, the recent one, which came out in March,
” she said, “This resolution covers all the needs of Burma today, all the political needs,
let me say, of Burma today. The requests, the urgings, the demands of this resolution are
very much in line with what we in Burma think is needed to start Burma along the genuine
process of democratization. So, if you are to consider this resolution very, very closely,
and then, if you were to look at the present situation in Burma, you would have a very good
idea of how far we are along the path to democracy, if we have started on that path at all.”

She referred to the resolution to highlight the issues of political prisoners, freedom of
association and information, independence of the judiciary, and the right of the U.N.
human rights rapporteur to visit Burma. She called on the U.S. Congress to help ensure
that the provisions of the U.N. Human Rights Council resolution are met and that a
commission of inquiry into the human rights situation in Burma is established.

“True friends are those who share your values and who understand why you hold onto
these values in spite of all the difficulties you have to face,” she said. “With the help and
support of true friends, I’m sure we will be able to trade the path of democracy, not easily
, and perhaps not as quickly as we would like. But surely, and steadily.”

In live testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Asia Subcommittee, Aung Din, the
executive director of U.S. Campaign for Burma, called on the U.S. government to get
tougher with the Burmese regime and enforce sanctions more strictly.

“I support the United States policy of engaging with the regime while maintaining sanctions.
But, as I have reminded from the beginning, engagement should have a time frame, clear
benchmarks and it should involve an appropriate measure to respond for any development,
” he said. “However, as of today, the existing sanctions are still not fully implemented yet,
the engagement remains open ended, and I don’t see any effort by the U.S. government to
exercise the pressure in a more effective and well-coordinated way. The regime knows very
well how to manipulate the current form of engagement.”

Subcommittee Chairman Don Manzullo (R-IL) opened the hearing by noting the lack of
progress in U.S.-Burma relations despite the Obama administration’s engagement policy.

“Since the Obama Administration began its policy of pragmatic engagement in 2009, U.S.
relations with Burma have not changed,” he said. “If proponents of pragmatic engagement
are correct, then Burmese leaders should recognize this unprecedented opportunity being
offered by the Obama Administration and seek to improve relations with the U.S. by
demonstrating tangible change.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.”