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Burma: The World is Watching
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September 26th, 2007 - Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks Wednesday on reports from Burma that security forces of the State Peace and Development Council violently attacked and arrested several peaceful protestors last night:
“There is disheartening news coming out of Burma this morning. Last night, following yet another day of massive peaceful protests demanding political reform in Burma, the repressive Burmese regime imposed a nighttime curfew and banned all public gatherings of more than five people.
“Despite this brazen effort to muzzle freedom of expression, reports indicate that thousands of Buddhist monks and other protestors courageously defied this prohibition on public assembly and marched again in Rangoon. In response, reports indicate that the security forces of the State Peace and Development Council responded with typical brutality, beating and arresting scores of these brave protestors.
“It was reported that at least one person was shot dead and several others received gunshot injuries.
“In 1988, the regime responded to similar peaceful protests by massacring thousands of its own citizens. But the Burmese regime should know that things have changed in the intervening years. Modern technology has permitted photographs of these heroic protestors to be transmitted via the internet around the world.
“Whereas before the news could be more easily muzzled by the junta, today that is no longer the case. The world is watching, and any brutal steps taken in Rangoon are instantly made known in places such as New York, New Delhi and Beijing.
“These moving images of heroism have certainly reached Washington, D.C.
“As I’ve said before, to the regime in Burma, we are watching; to the people of Burma, we stand with you.”
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