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Watch Board
meeting Video Archive (Burma Agenda 37; about 1 hr from the beginning):
http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=10&clip_id=9985
Online SF Meeting Agenda (It is agenda. 37):
http://www.sfbos.org/Modules/
Here is the City Scanned Document:
http://www.sfbos.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/bosagendas/materials/bag051110_100544.pdf
(Before the amendment)
The resolution was passed with unanimous
consent with the following amendment:
Instead of the City directly denouncing the regime's 2010 election, it will
instead urge the US federal government to denounce the election.
Below is the Text:
San Francisco Burma Resolution -
2010
[Resolution denouncing the Burmese military regime’s illegitimate 2010 election.]
Resolution [urging the federal government] to denounce the Burmese military regime’s illegitimate 2010 election and recognizing May, 27, 2010 as Burma Democracy Day in honor of the 20th Anniversary of the 1990 Elections.
WHEREAS, The City of San Francisco has a long history of supporting the democracy movement in Burma; and,
WHEREAS, in response to the 1988 uprising, the military regime held elections in 1990, but when the National League for Democracy (NLD) won an overwhelming majority of votes, the regime arrested and imprisoned the democratically elected leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the General Secretary of the NLD, who subsequently received the Nobel Peace Prize and the US Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of her courageous and unwavering commitment to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and democracy; and,
WHEREAS, the regime refuses to abide by the results of the 1990 elections and has held Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest 15 of the last 20 years. In response, the US imposed sanctions by enacting the Burma Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003; and,
WHEREAS, in August and September 2007, the people of Burma, led by Buddhist monks, took to the streets in peaceful demonstration to protest intolerable economic conditions resulting from a sudden 500% increase in fuel prices. The military regime killed hundreds of peaceful protesters and arrested, imprisoned, and tortured many thousands more including Buddhist monks. The violent actions taken against the peaceful protests were reported by Human Rights Watch (See December 2007 Report "Repression of the 2007 Popular Protest in Burma"), Amnesty International (See November 2007 briefing paper "No Return to 'Normal’”), and the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, based on numerous first-hand accounts by victims and eye-witnesses of: shootings, beatings, and killings of protesters and monks, monasteries being raided, arbitrary detentions and disappearances, torture, cruel and degrading treatment, and restraints on political activity and access to the media; and,
WHEREAS, on May 21, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told senators at a hearing that “If they (the generals) stay on the track they're on, their elections in 2010 will be totally illegitimate and without any meaning in the international community;" and,
WHEREAS, on April 2009, the NLD released the Shwegondaing Declaration, which calls for the unconditional release of all political prisoners, review of a draft constitution, recognition of the 1990 election results; and to establish a political dialog between the military, the NLD and other stake holders. However, in response, the military regime released the 2010 election law on March 9, 2010 which states that any political party with members in jail is automatically disqualified. Given Burma's record of imprisoning dissidents, that makes political participation for a legitimate opposition impossible. (429 members of Suu Kyi's party are imprisoned.); and,
WHEREAS, on March 9, 2010, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the junta to empty the jails of political dissident so that they can participate in the election. He also said that “Without participation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all key political prisoners, this election will not be an inclusive one.” He wrote to General Than Shwe “expressing my concern about this lack of progress on democratic reforms, and emphasizing the importance of ensuring this year’s vote is most credible, inclusive and transparent”; and,
WHEREAS, on March 15, 2010, during the press conference at the UN headquarters in Geneva,Thomas Ojea Quintana, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, accused the Burmese military regime of systemic and gross violations of human rights and called for an international commission of inquiry to look into serious cases of abuse, which he says entail crimes against humanity; and,
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2010, at a briefing, US State Department spokesperson Philip J. Crowley told reporters ''given the tenor of the election laws that they've put forward, there's no hope that this election will be credible." Crowley also added that, “The political party law makes a mockery of the democratic process and ensures that the upcoming elections will be devoid of credibility;" and,
WHEREAS, over 200 people attended the 10th Annual Burma Human Rights Day benefit on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalist Hall, organized by the Burmese American Democratic Alliance (BADA) and signed the BADA Burma Human Rights Day Statement denouncing the Burma’s military regime for banning Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners from participating in the election and calling for their immediate release; and,
WHEREAS, on March 19, 2010, more than 150 pro-democracy organizations, including BADA, launched a global campaign on Burma’s 2010 elections calling on the international community to denounce this election and refuse to recognize the results; and,
WHEREAS, on March 29, 2010, Burma's main opposition party, the NLD, decided against registering for the general election; choosing to cease to exist as a legal entity, according to that law. U Win Tin, a founder of the NLD, stated, “For me, the decision was simple: No. We cannot expel Aung San Suu Kyi and others who are or have been imprisoned under this corrupt and unfair legal system. Without them, our party would be nothing. They are in prison because of their belief in democracy and the rule of law”; now, therefore, be it
RESOLved, That the San Francisco Board of Supervisors urges [the US federal government] to denounce the Burmese military regime’s 2010 illegitimate election and recognizing May, 27, 2010 as Burma Democracy Day in honor of the 20th Anniversary of the 1990 Elections therefore recognizing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as the rightful leader of the people of Burma; and further declare May 27 as Annual Burma Democracy Day; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Office of the Clerk of the Board shall send this document to President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice thanking them for their support of the Burmese people and asking that they continue urging Burma’s neighbor China, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and India to stand with the US and the UN in rejecting the regime's 2010 election unless the regime makes necessary changes that would ensure credible, inclusive and transparent elections; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Office of the Clerk of the Board shall send this
document to United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon thanking him for
supporting the Burmese people and urging him to reach out to the Security
Council Members and Burma’s neighbor China, ASEAN, and India to stand with the
US and the UN in rejecting the regime's 2010 election unless the regime makes
necessary changes that would ensure credible, inclusive and transparent
elections.
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Supervisor Alioto-Pier – District 2
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244
San Francisco, Ca 94102-4689
(415) 554-7752
(415) 554-7843 - fax
Michela.Alioto-Pier@sfgov.org
Aides: Bill Barnes & Catherine Stefani
Supervisor David Chiu –
District 3
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244
San Francisco, Ca 94102-4689
(415) 554-7450
(415) 554-7454 - fax
David.Chiu@sfgov.org
Aides: David Noyola, Jamie Cantwell, Victor Lim
Supervisor Carmen Chu – District 4
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244
San Francisco, Ca 94102-4689
(415) 554-7460
(415) 554-7432 - fax
Carmen.Chu@sfgov.org
Aide: Katy Tang & Cammy Blackstone
Supervisor Sean Elsbernd – District 7
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place,
Room 244
San Francisco, Ca 94102-4689
(415) 554-6516
(415) 554-6546 - fax
Sean.Elsbernd@sfgov.org
Aides: Olivia Scanlon & Alexander Volberding
Supervisor Bevan Dufty -
District 8
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place,
Room 244
San Francisco, Ca 94102-4689
(415) 554-6968
(415) 554-6909 - fax
Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org
Aides: Boe Hayward & Nicolas King
Supervisor Sophie Maxwell -
District 10
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place,
Room 244
San Francisco, Ca 94102-4689
(415) 554-7670
(415) 554-7674 - fax
Sophie.Maxwell@sfgov.org
Aides: Jon Lau & Alice Guidry
Supervisor John Avalos – District 11
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place,
Room 244
San Francisco, Ca 94102-4689
(415) 554-6975
(415) 554-6979 - fax
John.Avalos@sfgov.org
Aides: Raquel Redondiez& Frances Hsieh