Bill Summary
This legislation is a resolution proposed by the House of Representatives that calls for the United Nations Security Council to immediately impose an arms embargo against the military of Burma. The resolution highlights the military coup that took place on February 1, 2021 and the subsequent detainment of elected civilian leaders and restrictions on freedoms in the country. It also discusses previous actions taken by the United States, as well as warnings from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Secretary General, and urges the international community to take action. The resolution includes three main points: 1) The UN Security Council should impose an arms embargo to hold the Tatmadaw accountable for their actions and prevent further violence. 2) The UN arms embargo should only be lifted if the Tatmadaw meets certain conditions, including releasing imprisoned leaders, allowing humanitarian access, and transitioning power back to a civilian-led government. 3) The international community should continue to support and promote peace and reconciliation within Burma.
Possible Impacts
1. The arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council could limit the military's access to weapons and military equipment, potentially reducing their ability to use force against civilian populations. This could lead to fewer human rights abuses and a decrease in violence against peaceful protestors, government officials, and ethnic minority groups.
2. The sanctions and designations of certain individuals and entities by the United States could restrict their ability to conduct business or travel, limiting their power and influence in the country. This could potentially weaken the military's hold on the government and create more opportunities for a democratic transition of power.
3. The call for the international community to support civilians and promote peace and reconciliation dialogues could provide much-needed aid and resources for those affected by the coup and create a platform for peaceful negotiations and potential resolutions to the crisis. This could lead to a more stable and peaceful transition of power and help mitigate the impact of the coup on the people of Burma.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 85 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 85
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United
Nations Security Council should immediately impose an arms embargo
against the military of Burma.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 1, 2023
Ms. Tenney (for herself, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mr. Wilson of South
Carolina, Ms. Sherrill, Mr. Bera, Mr. Keating, Mr. Sherman, Mr.
Williams of New York, Ms. Norton, Mr. Connolly, Ms. Omar, Mr. McGovern,
Mr. Schneider, and Ms. Kamlager-Dove) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United
Nations Security Council should immediately impose an arms embargo
against the military of Burma.
Whereas the military of Burma (also referred to as the ``Tatmadaw'') conducted a
coup against the democratically elected civilian government on February
1, 2021;
Whereas, on February 2, 2021, the Department of State concluded that Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma's ruling party, and President Win
Myint, the duly elected head of government, were deposed in a military
coup on February 1, 2021;
Whereas the Tatmadaw has detained the elected civilian leaders of the country,
nullified the results of the November 2020 democratic elections, and
installed a junta, the State Administration Council, under a ``state of
emergency'';
Whereas the Tatmadaw has restricted freedom of movement, telecommunications,
internet service, and the media, limiting access to information to and
from Burma during a political crisis and international pandemic;
Whereas protests opposing the coup have continued across Burma, and hundreds of
innocent people have died at the hands of the Tatmadaw through the
brutal use of force;
Whereas the United States has sanctioned Tatmadaw officials, including Commander
in Chief Min Aung Hlaing and Burma's chief of police, Than Hlaing, and
Bureau of Special Operations commander, Lieutenant General Aung Soe;
Whereas the United States has also designated two entities linked to the coup
leaders, Myanma Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL) and
Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC);
Whereas, on April 13, 2021, the United Nation's High Commissioner for Human
Rights Michelle Bachelet said, ``There are clear echoes of Syria in
2011.'' in the current situation in Burma, and warned, ``I fear the
situation in Myanmar is heading towards a full-blown conflict. States
must not allow the deadly mistakes of the past in Syria and elsewhere to
be repeated.''; and
Whereas, on February 3, 2021, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres
stated, ``We will do everything we can to mobilize all the key actors
and international community to put enough pressure on Myanmar to make
sure that this coup fails.'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives
that--
(1) the United Nations Security Council should immediately
impose an arms embargo against the military of Burma to prevent
the continued acquisition of arms and military equipment and
the proliferation of weapons throughout the country, and to
hold the Tatmadaw accountable for--
(A) ongoing violations of human rights and the
security forces' history of grave abuses against
peaceful protestors of military rule and against the
Rohingya and other ethnic minority groups;
(B) obstructing humanitarian access to civilian
populations in dire need of assistance;
(C) using increasingly lethal force against
peaceful, prodemocracy demonstrators; and
(D) threatening and arbitrarily detaining
government officials, activists, journalists, students,
and civil servants, and imposing rolling internet
shutdowns that put lives at risk;
(2) the lifting of a United Nations arms embargo should be
contingent upon the Tatmadaw--
(A) implementing a permanent cease-fire;
(B) releasing the democratically elected government
leaders from imprisonment;
(C) bearing the primary responsibility for gross
human rights abuses and forced displacement perpetrated
by the Tatmadaw's violent rule, including but not
limited to the Rohingya, Karen, Rakhine, and Kachin
ethnic minorities;
(D) allowing for consistent, unimpeded humanitarian
access to vulnerable civilian populations;
(E) fully restoring internet and telecommunications
access within the country of Burma; and
(F) establishing a clear and verifiable process to
immediately transition power back to a democratically
elected civilian-led government; and
(3) the international community should continue to support
civilians, particularly ethnic minorities, who have been
adversely affected by the coup in Burma and should promote
peace and reconciliation dialogues within local civil society.
<all>