Mark Kirk: “I rise to draw attention to two recent events signaling a step backward for basic human rights. The Nepali Government…”

“I rise to draw attention to two recent events signaling a step backward for basic human rights. The Nepali Government violated international law by jailing 18 Tibetan refugees instead of turning them over to the United Nations. Nepal then made these refugees prisoners of the Chinese, the very people that they were fleeing. International refugee law is well settled, that once Tibetans reach Nepal, they are turned over to the U.N. for safe passage. Nepal's action flies in the face of her commitment to international law, and American tourists should not visit Nepal. Second, in Burma on Friday the military dictatorship detained many members of the National League of Democracy, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, and closed all universities. Suu Kyi, the elected leader of her country, was beaten, and her whereabouts are currently unknown. I want to commend Secretary Powell for speaking out against both governments, and urge Members of Congress to call attention to these two governments, Nepal and Burma, that are turning back the clock on human rights.”