Der Parson's rant

I got this in e-mail the other day from Evan Bayh about the Burma letter I wrote a month or so ago. It's a pretty good letter I guess, someone did take a little time to write this and give some more information on sanctions against the Myanmar junta. I appreciate them taking a few minutes to respond.

Dear Mr. Parson :

Thank you for contacting me regarding the situation in Burma . I appreciate your thoughts and concerns on this important issue.

As you may know, protests against the Burmese military government, or junta, began anew in late August 2007. By September, the protests grew to an estimated 100,000 persons led by monks. Responding with military force, the junta conducted mass arrests, surrounded Buddhist monasteries, and killed an unknown number of protestors before successfully suppressing the protests late in the month. In response, President Bush tightened sanctions against Burma to target leading Burmese officials, and imposed financial and travel sanctions on 14 senior Burmese government officials.

I support the additional sanctions placed on the junta in Rangoon . Regrettably, too few Asian nations are prepared to isolate the military rulers of Burma . Burma is blessed with natural resources and Burma 's neighbors are putting access to these resources ahead of human rights.

The Burmese people deserve a government that reflects their aspirations and needs. To that end, it is imperative that the international community, including China , join together in opposition to the junta's behavior and abuse of human rights. Individuals, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs should have the freedom to speak their mind and live their lives as they see fit. As a democratic country forged in a revolution against tyranny we have an understandable inclination to support such rights in foreign lands, such as Burma . We must encourage these nations to increase the freedoms granted to their citizens and support more open and democratic societies.

As a proud member of the Senate Armed Services and Senate Intelligence Committees, rest assured that I remain focused on Burma 's conduct and will keep your thoughts in mind when the Senate considers legislation affecting this important issue.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope the information I have provided is helpful. My website, http://bayh.senate.gov , can provide additional details about legislation and state projects, and you can also sign up to receive my monthly e - newsletter, The Bayh Bulletin , by clicking on the link at the top of my homepage. I value your input and hope you will continue to keep me informed of the issues that are important to you.

Office of Senator Evan Bayh
(202) 224-5623
Russell 463
Washington, D.C. 20510