campaign for Burma

Clinton: "We Will Be Watching"

Support our Efforts to Push for Real Change

Dear Mike,

Secretary Clinton's recent trip to Burma has shown how valuable the work of the U.S. Campaign for Burma and our grassroots has been to make Burma major policy priority. Secretary Clinton delivered a letter to Aung San Suu Kyi from President Obama, in it he said that this trip demonstrates "the seriousness of our commitment to helping the people of Burma achieve their democratic aspirations."

During the trip, Secretary Clinton reiterated the demands that the U.S. Campaign for Burma and the democracy movement has been calling for: a release of political prisoners, end of civil war and hostilities against ethnic minorities, and genuine democratic reform. These are the necessary actions that will show true reform. In an interview with NPR Secretary Clinton said, "We will be watching" and made clear that the U.S. response to Burma is measured on what actually happens in the country. Will you donate to U.S. Campaign for Burma so we can continue our efforts to push for genuine democratic reform in Burma?

Thank you to everyone's efforts to keep up the pressure on Secretary Clinton. Yesterday, over 50,000 petition signatures were delivered to the State Department and the State Department's official blog of the trip was inundated with comments from people like you calling for the U.S. to push for real change in Burma.

The work of U.S. Campaign for Burma is more important than ever. Burma needs real lasting change and this is why maintaining strong international pressure is important. Burma needs all political prisoners released, not just a few. It needs the draconian laws that are used to arrest people revoked. All the changes that have happened in Burma since the elections can be easily reversed. Democratic change in Burma needs to be permanent and inclusive of all peoples of Burma. Ethnic people need to have the assurance that they won’t be used for forced labor and their village won’t be destroyed. U.S. Campaign for Burma will continue to play a crucial role in ensuring that the generals don’t get away with only making meager cosmetic changes. 

President Thein Sein has shown an interest in having a better relationship with the United States. This provides us with a great opportunity and responsibility.  We are the only U.S. based advocacy organization devoted full-time to human rights, freedom, and democracy in Burma. Our work has been featured in more than 10,000 news articles including the New York Times, CNN, BBC, Foreign Policy and the Washington Post. Our grassroots members play a critical role in building and sustaining our relationships with elected officials, local media, and communities across the country. Our advocacy efforts in Washington have resulted in strong bi-partisan Congressional Support for Burma and secured more than $20 million of US government funds for life saving humanitarian aid for those who struggle to survive as internally displaced persons. 

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in her message to USCB members at our National Organizing Meeting this year said, “We need real change in Burma and to achieve real change in Burma we need people like you. We need people like you to remind everybody, to remind the whole world that there is a need for change in Burma.” We are truly grateful to all the efforts of our members this year that heard this call from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and have massively helped in the struggle to speak truth and demand real change. Please donate to the U.S. Campaign for Burma during this holiday season as we work to end human rights abuses and bring lasting peace to Burma.

In Solidarity,

Aung Din, Jennifer, Myra, and Thelma

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