Obama proposes $ 34. 8 million for Burma

Tuesday, 02 February 2010 20:54 Mungpi

New Delhi (Mizzima) - United States President Barack Obama in his budget proposal for 2011 has earmarked USD 34.8 million to support democracy and human rights in Burma.

The proposed funds would be used to help in protecting human rights, civic participation, and access to information inside Burma, as well as for helping displaced persons, refugees and migrants along the Thai-Burma border.

Obama’s administration has earmarked it under ‘Economic Support Fund’ under the ‘Bilateral Economic Assistance’. It would also be used in addressing the need for humanitarian assistance and educational opportunities inside and outside Burma.

Despite being a long time critic of Burma’s military rulers, the US, under Obama’s leadership decided to renew diplomatic relations with the Southeast Asian nation, while maintaining existing sanctions, which were imposed as punishment for the junta’s reluctance to implement democratic transition.

Obama’s administration last year, sent a high-level delegation led by Assistant Foreign Secretary Kurt Campbell to Naypyitaw, Burma’s new jungle capital, and held talks with the junta supremo Snr Gen Than Shwe. Campbell also met detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who hailed the US for its change in policy towards Burma.

The junta has said it is gearing up for general elections this year, the first in 20 years, but has not specified any date. Critics said the polls could lack credibility as the junta has so far failed to allow opposition parties to campaign freely.

In 1990, Burma’s military rulers held the first general elections after nearly three decades of General Newin’s one-party Socialist rule. Though the National League for Democracy (NLD), the main opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi, recorded a landslide victory, the ruling junta refused to hand over power.

The US, since, has maintained a strong stand against the junta and imposed sanctions – freezing the assets of the junta’s Generals, imposed visa-ban on the Generals and their relatives, and restricted US citizens or business entities to work in the country.

But in 2009, after Obama was sworn in as the new President, US said both sanctions and engagement had failed to bring the desired change in Burma and began a policy review of the Southeast Asian nation.