Barbara Boxer: “I support the resolution offered by Senator Kerry on the current crisis in Burma. In his April 16, 1963, letter from a…”

“I support the resolution offered by Senator Kerry on the current crisis in Burma. In his April 16, 1963, letter from a jail cell in Birmingham, AL, Dr. King wrote that ``freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor, it must be demanded by the oppressed.'' The people of Burma, are demanding freedom. They are peacefully marching in the streets to demand freedom from an oppressor that is one of the world's worst human rights abusers. They are demanding freedom from a government that restricts the basic freedoms of speech and assembly, engages in human trafficking, discriminates against women and ethnic minorities, uses children as soldiers and laborers, imprisons arbitrarily, abuses prisoners and detainees, and rapes and tortures. This military junta is now engaged in an attempt to violently suppress the Burmese people who refuse to be silenced anymore. Those who have taken to the streets are doing so at great personal risk. Thousands were killed in a similar uprising in the summer of 1988. This brutal regime is responsible for the destruction of 3,000 villages and the displacement of 2 million people. The people of Burma are saying enough is enough. Dr. King also wrote from his jail cell that ``injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' That is why this resolution is so important and why I am so proud to be a cosponsor.”