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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
December 28, 2007
Saw Myat Mar 408 205 9683
George Berticevich 415 789 9225
MEDIA ADVISORY
BADA lauds US Congress for honoring Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
The Burmese American Democratic Alliance (BADA)
today praised the US House of Representatives for voting to award the
Congressional Gold Medal to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and urged the US Senate to
quickly approve a similar measure, which would provide strong American support
and recognition for the struggle for democracy in Burma.
The House of Representatives unanimously voted to award Daw Aung San Suu Kyi the
Congressional Gold Medal on the 17th of December, 2007. In the Senate, a similar
bill is being introduced by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is Burma's democracy icon, and her people's beloved leader.
She has been under house arrest most of the last 19 years, and in virtual
isolation for the last four and a half years since a brutal attack on her
entourage on the 30th of May 2003.
In mid-2007, after learning that the Gold Medal
had been awarded to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, BADA engaged with Congressional
Representatives and Burmese activist groups in order to try to secure the award
for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. "We believe this is a much-deserved recognition of her
sacrifice and devotion to non-violence and democracy, and a much-needed moral
support for the people's struggle in Burma. But when we initially approached
some members of Congress with the idea six months ago, we were told that it
would be a huge undertaking," says Victor Win a BADA Board Member who was
instrumental in pushing the bill in through Congress.
The legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal must be co-sponsored by
two-thirds of the membership of both the House of Representatives and the Senate
before the Congressional Committees can consider it.
"And most importantly, we were also told that all the Burmese groups must work
in harmony to make this a reality. We quickly and formally introduced the idea
and encouraged all leading activist groups to work on this together. Many were
supportive of our effort," he added.
Such an effort usually takes up to three years, and fewer than ten non-Americans
have ever been awarded the Congressional Medal. But now, thanks to the recent
dramatic protests in Burma, understanding and support for Burma in the US
Congress has greatly increased. Our on-going lobbying effort quickly turned into
a bill that received the overwhelming support of 291 co-sponsors and passed
unanimously, 400-0, in the House. The bill had been introduced by Congressman
Crowley (D-N.Y.), but many other members of Congress were also instrumental in
its passage.
"We thank Congressman Crowley and the House of Representatives for giving voice
to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma," said George Berticevich, a
BADA Board Member who recently attended the ceremony awarding the Congressional
Gold Medal to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Washington, DC. Berticevich, and
other BADA members, had also been meeting with some members of Congress and
Burmese groups to promote the same award for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
"We urge the US Senate to follow suit, and quickly and unanimously approve the
Senate bill, when introduced. The historic and peaceful protests in Burma are
still being brutally crushed, and so the US Senate must show that it is behind
the people of Burma," Berticevich added.
BADA is a community-based organization in the San Francisco Bay area. BADA has
been advocating democracy and freedom for all the people of Burma since its
founding in 2001.