Secretary Condoleezza Rice

Secretary Rice at ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference

ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference, Singapore
July 23, 2008

It is in the interests of the people of Burma, and of ASEAN as an organization, to persuade the leaders there to release all political prisoners and to begin a genuine, time-bound dialogue with democratic and ethnic minority leaders on a credible transition to democracy. (Full text)

Bush on 10th Anniversary of International Religious Freedom Act

Secretary Condoleezza Rice

Remarks on Visit to Samaritan's Purse NGO, Water Purification Project

Dujiangyan, China
June 29, 2008

It has been sad that the Burmese authorities have, instead of making possible the international community's response to their people, that they have put up barriers to that response. And we are all trying to encourage the Burmese to allow us to help the people there. Many lives could have been saved. Perhaps still many more could still be saved, if we can get that response. (Full text)

U.S. Increases Assistance to Burmese Victims of Cyclone Nargis

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is providing an additional $3 million to the UN World Food Program to support its humanitarian assistance to those in need in the wake of Cyclone Nargis. The total USAID contribution to WFP for logistical support in Burma is $4 million to date. (Full text)

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Burma – Detention of Aung San Suu Kyi

Washington, D.C.
June 18, 2008

Aung San Suu Kyi spends another birthday in custody, denied her liberty and fundamental political and civil rights by Burma’s military rulers. This deplorable situation must end. Sadly, the regime not only continues to keep this distinguished Nobel laureate under house arrest, but there are nearly 2,000 other political prisoners currently in custody. Burma’s rulers should release all political prisoners and begin to move in earnest to transform Burma into a democratic society. (Full text)

U.S. Relief Efforts For Burma

Statement on U.S. Assistance to Cyclone Nargis Victims in Burma

Washington, D.C.
June 4, 2008

The United States is committed to bringing relief assistance to the victims of Cyclone Nargis.  To date, the United States has provided more than $26 million in humanitarian assistance to the people of Burma, and the United States Agency for International Development and the Department of Defense, as part of the ongoing airlift, have completed a total of 106 airlifts of emergency relief commodities that will benefit at least 417,000 people. (Full text)

Bush Statement on Burma Extends House Arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi

Bush Statement on Burma Extends House Arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi

Washington, D.C.
May 27, 2008

I am deeply troubled by the Burmese regime’s extension of National League for Democracy General Secretary and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi’s house arrest on May 27.  The United States calls upon the regime to release all political prisoners in Burma and begin a genuine dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy, and other democratic and ethnic minority groups on a transition to democracy. (Full text)

Mrs Laura Bush

First Lady’s Interview by Voice of America on Situation in Burma

Washington, D.C.
May 21, 2008

Q:  What has the U.S. been ready to do, capable of doing?  What more could the U.S. be doing if the regime in Burma allowed the U.S. in?
MRS. BUSH:  Well, the U.S. could be doing a lot if they were allowed in.  We do have navy ships that are off the coast of Burma that are equipped with a lot of things for a disaster.  They have big desalinization trucks that they could drive off in and make clean water, fresh water for people out of salt water, and I think that would be very important.  Obviously there's food on some of these ships, as well as plastic sheeting -- all the things you'd need to try to build some sort of structure if your homes have been destroyed -- mosquito nets, other things that people might need. So -- helicopters.  I mean, that's the really important thing.  There are helicopters that could lift people out of bad situations or could bring supplies in to people that were not being able to be reached because of high water or other sort of destruction. (Full text)

USAID SPECIAL CYCLONE NARGIS HOMEPAGE

President Bush, Secretary Rice and first lady Laura Bush

Statement by the President on Burma

Washington, D.C.
May 1, 2008

At the White House today, President Bush stated, “The people of Burma have long awaited the opportunity to live in a true democracy. The referendum vote scheduled for May 10, 2008 could have been that opportunity. However, Than Shwe and his regime are ensuring that the referendum vote will be on a dangerously flawed constitution, and will not be free, fair, or credible…I have signed a new Executive Order that will block all property and interests in property of designated individuals and entities determined to be owned or controlled by, directly or indirectly, the Government of Burma or an official or officials of the Government of Burma.” (Full text)

Executive Order: Blocking Property and Prohibiting Certain Transactions Related to Burma

Message to the U.S. Congress on Burma 

Secretary Rice speaks at the Embassy of the United States, Baghdad, Iraq

Secretary Releases 2007 Country Reports on Terrorism

Washington, D.C.
May 1, 2008

Bilateral relations between Burma and the United States remained strained. The government defined almost all anti-regime activities as "acts of terrorism" and made little distinction between peaceful political dissent and violent attacks by insurgents or criminals. The Burmese government was quick to characterize dissident groups as aligned with terrorist organizations and used this as justification to scrutinize and disrupt their activities. In the past several years, bombs have exploded in Rangoon and other parts of Burma. In most incidents, the Government of Burma claimed the incidents were a subversive act, "committed by a group of insurgent destructive elements who wanted to disturb and destroy stability of the state." Authorities did not make public any evidence of a genuine investigation or identify the specific perpetrator(s). Requests by the U.S. Embassy to view either the scenes or remaining fragments of the explosive devices were consistently denied. (Full text)

U.S. Elections 2008: The General Election

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