Obama Proposes $36.5 Million To Support Democracy in Burma
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By LALIT K. JHA / WASHINGTON |
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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US President Barack Obama has earmarked $36.5 million in his 2011 budget to support democracy and humanitarian programs for Burma and along the Thai-Burma border. The money, earmarked under the US Administration's “Economic Support Fund,” would be used within Burma but also for programs and activities involving Burmese student groups and other unnamed organizations located outside the country.  | | US President Barack Obama speaks about his budget for fiscal year 2011, at the White House on February 1, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images) |
The proposed budget, covering the year beginning in Oct. 2010, now goes before the US Congress for its approval. The Administration proposes that in addition to aid for Burmese refugees provided under the heading "Migration and Refugee Assistance,'' $ 4 million shall be made available for community-based organizations operating in Thailand to provide food, medical and other humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons in eastern Burma. According to the 2011 budgetary proposals, when implementing activities with funds appropriated for assistance for Burma, the implementing agency shall only support activities that are consistent with the principles and goals of the National League for Democracy in Burma. The budgetary proposals also reiterate that the Obama administration will continue to oppose at any international forums any loans or financial assistance to Burma. “[The] Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United States executive director to each appropriate international financial institution in which the United States participates, to oppose and vote against the extension by such institution of any loan or financial or technical assistance or any other utilization of funds of the respective bank to and for Burma,” the proposals state. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a radio interview that Washington had “offered the potential” to Burma for developing better relations. Clinton told the Voice of America: “We want to develop a better bilateral relationship with Burma and we have offered the potential of that. But of course we really hope to see the kind of progress that would demonstrate that Burma is ready to emerge from a period of authoritarian rule and some level of isolation and violation of human rights. “The United States stands ready to work toward better relations with Burma and assistance but we have to see some evidence first.” Clinton repeated US calls for “free fair and legitimate elections that give the people of Burma the chance to express their preference for their own leaders. We want to see Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners released as soon as possible.”
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Thanks and welcome for the president's appropriate budget for Burma's refugees. But my view is he should not only count those refugees who are living only in Thailand and along the Burma border. There are some more refugees known as Burmese Rohingya in Bangladesh, living in a terrible situation. We really appreciate the president's budget plan for Burmese refugees and would like to ask the president to count Rohingya refugees, too, in distribution.
Hopefully,
Johan USA |
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Garrett Wrote: |
10/02/2010 |
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President Obama should be earmarking at least 1/3 of the 36.5 million for the Free Burma Rangers & Partners World, two organizations which bravely deliver aid, shelter, and medical care to the IDP's of Eastern Burma. In many areas they have been the only hope for tens of thousands of persecuted Burmese ethnic minority IDP's who are ignored and left to starve by the United Nations & their own countrymen.
Some very good reader comments were made about the Burmese peoples' responsibility to effect the political changes in Burma which would lead to national unity and democracy.
As Aung San Suu Kyi is the leader elected by the people of Burma, they should stand up and claim their leader's right to assume power by organizing endless non-violent protests, acts of public disobedience, work stoppages, & human rights rallies on behalf of those hidden behind the bamboo curtain.
And, it is far more likely that MP4 UMPF's imaginary Shwebomin II is liaising with the Red Queen in Wonderland. |
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Kyaw Swa Wrote: |
10/02/2010 |
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There is news that some highly-paid U.N. officers in 3rd world countries are dishonest and corrupt favouritists.
President Obama's Funding is good news for Burmese people--face it $36.5m is not much--considering US Aid spending in other rich nations is a lot more.
Burma an LDC, long suffering due to the damaging systems namely, UK's abolishing of Burmese royalty, Japanese Facism & later Ne Win's authoritarianism, deserves equal treatment and persuasive diplomacy fr. international community.
A Burmese secretary revealed that a leading UNOPS staff in Myanmar took home printer/computer equipment bought with Aid budget while the funds do not go directly to the victims/citizenry who need financial help.
Western nations must ensure that aid is pure, sincere & delivering results to lift poor Burmese out of poverty and political suffering. Aid isn't a tool for political deal-making, but it's a miracle to help impoverished rural women, children/old people left out by governing powers' wealth. thanks |
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Myanmar Patriot 4 UMPF Wrote: |
06/02/2010 |
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Free Laos Wrote: 03/02/2010
"Free people may look stupid, but they have brains/ As of today, the National League for Democracy is the only viable democratic party."
"We" have great sympathy for Laotian people; communism has caused much suffering and we understand that our claimant in exile to the throne, Shwebomin II, is liaising with the Laotian royal family in Paris to facilitate reconciliation.
The problem is local politics - Vietnamese influence; communist kindred spirit is a difficult block to remove; still, no people will remain oppressed forever and there is always hope. We hope that you Laotians are not blindly against royalty as some Burmese republicans/communists, a tiny minority, are.
Monarchy has a very important role to play; not to be confused with absolutism.
We do not interfere but try to unite. We don't deploy Western methods of divide-and-rule. The Destiny of Laos is in the hands of Laotians.
Meanwhile, please refraim from supporting the National League for Demoncracy; you do not know enough. Thanks.
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Kyansitthar, I perfectly know and understand. Maybe there is another way. We will do our very best.
Some say also that you cannot fight a war with candles. But there is a miracle factor operating in the world at this time...It simply cannot go on.
Please know that all our hearts and speech (and action) are with you all, and Aung San Suu Kyi, and ALL the others whose names are too many, but known to all. This is NOT just rhetoric.
This brutality, backed by world powers who should know better than to think they can get away with it, has a limited life now. Keep the faith.
With very much love to all.
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Kyansitthar Wrote: |
03/02/2010 |
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Thanks Kerry.
You are on my side of the fence.
Yes, we can do it on our own of course.
Than Shwe has money and guns and we have none.
He is just uncompromising and not yielding to rhyme and reason much less sense and sensibility.
He is above the law and has no rule of law in his land.
Thus, talking about unity, truth, democracy, responsibility, peace and others is simply playing harp to a buffalo as we used to say.
Than Shwe knows only that power comes from a barrel of a gun and money.
That is his religion today, not Buddhism since he killed those Buddhist monks during the 2007 Saffron Revolution.
He has jumped over the cliff into hell since the day he stole the remains (body) of our MOST REVERED THA-MA-NYA SAYADAW a couple of years back.
Hence, US and EU should provide us with money and arms only to do the job, to be fair and in the name of freedom also.
We need no personnel as we have millions willing to give up their lives for their freedom. |
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The people of Burma should ignore all voices unless they speak of support, unity, truth, democracy, responsibility... and your freedom. You have the strength and the numbers to create change, and the eyes and ears and hearts of the world to help you.
The whole world feels for you. You have been so, so courageous, under unbearable conditions and sufferings.
2010 is the year that ALL global bullying and barbarities causing great human distress in undeserving lives are addressed. We do not need more politics, threats and deals: we need the abuses to stop and the abusers and bullies to be stood down.
In this ALL countries need to be accountable.
Aung San Suu Kyi has been one of the world's greatest modern leaders in this massive movement for peaceful, non-violent change.
Anything else is a distraction, and part of the "Divide and Rule" policy of the maddest of oppressors, and those with vested interests. |
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Myanmar Patriot 4 UMPF Wrote: |
03/02/2010 |
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Dear a burma,
You are absolutely right. Thanks to The Irrawaddy for the moral courage to publish a burma's comment.
We had been shown by security agents of the UK and US how much was paid to the NLD and anti-regime groups circa 1989-90; it was around $2,000,000.
The US must stop meddling in Burma's affairs in this way.
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Free Laos Wrote: |
03/02/2010 |
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Free people may look stupid, but they have brains/ As of today, the National League for Democraci is the only viable democratic party.
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Tom Tun Wrote: |
03/02/2010 |
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a burma,
You said, DASSK don't know about Burma politics. May be you know about Burma. Please explain to us about Burma politics. What is Burmese politics? Is it lying, cheating and broken promises? Or, taking over power illegitimately by the force of the military at gun point?
If those are Burmese politic, DASSK or any other future leaders of Burma should not know Burmese politics..
What we should look for in a leader is "not Burmese politics", but the skills of a leader. Can a leader lead Burma as a successful leader? What skills does he or she have? Can that leader persuade the majority of the country to find and reach to peace and prosparity? Leaders are not the students of history. Leaders are visionary. We must be very careful with what kind of leader we are looking for. DASSK may be a good leader or may be not. Her chances to prove herself are shut until now. |
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Jeffrey Hellman Wrote: |
03/02/2010 |
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President Obama,
Thank you very much for your support of the people of Burma. I look forward to hearing of your continued help of a democratic and peaceful Burma.
Thank you very much.
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| We welcome the offer to support democracy and provide humanitarian assistance. But this sentence puzzles us: "..the implementing agency shall ONLY support activities that are consistent with the principles and goals of the National League for Democracy.." |
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George Than Setkyar Heine Wrote: |
02/02/2010 |
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Certainly money alone would not change things substantially in Burma's struggle for freedom.
Burma only needs the US, EU, and UN specifically to stand tall in the international arena against Chinese communists and Russian mafia.
Of course, the Burmese opposition alliances outside Burma also could use some help money-wise in their endeavors for their country's freedom from military tyranny.
Only paying lip service and pittances for survival like today would not help much, much less achieve their objectives.
Most importantly, the US should strongly enforce its today's policy on Burma with no nonsense determination and commitment like it did on Taiwa.
In a worst case scenario, the US should also provide money and arms assistance to the ABSDF, KNU, MNSP and KIO, excluding the UWSA and its Shan drug peddlers.
Burma does not need US soldiers to risk their lives as the country has more sons and daughters to give their lives against Than Shwe's hordes than the US could spare, I dare say.
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maung seing Wrote: |
02/02/2010 |
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The NLD is the No. 2 team in the successive ultra-nationalist Burman-dominated pseudo and total totalitarian regimes of Burma.
As usual, the CIA headed by Obama has opted for a stand against the war for the freedom of indigenous peoples. What role did the US play in the 1971 war of Bangladesh? Liberation is good enough to prove the farcical role the US played.
Enough is enough. The war and human rights violations will continue/ |
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a burma Wrote: |
02/02/2010 |
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| Obama, you will be very stupid if you emphasize supporting A.S Suu Kyi, who understands nothing of Myanmar's politics and is an old foolish mole of the CIA. |
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