US Criticizes Burma's New Draf Contitution (voa news )

US Criticizes Burma's New Draft Constitution
By VOA News 20 February 2008
Aung San Suu Kyi (May 2002)The United States has criticized a constitution proposed by Burma's military government that bans pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from seeking office.
White House national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Wednesday Burma's military government should start working on a new draft.
Burmese officials said earlier that Aung San Suu Kyi would not be allowed to run under the proposed charter because she was married to a foreigner. The democracy leader was married to a British citizen, who died of cancer in 1999.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, also voiced its concern, but says it will not interfere in Burma's domestic affairs. Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yeo called Burma's decision to bar Aung San Suu Kyi from participating in future elections odd and out of date, but added that the group could do little about it. Singapore currently holds ASEAN's rotating presidency.
Executive director of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus based in Malaysia, Roshan Jason, called ASEAN's statement "weak." A recently signed charter calls on member states to protect human rights in the region.
Burma's previous constitution was scrapped in 1988, and the country recently announced plans to hold a national referendum in May to approve the new document. General elections are scheduled to follow in 2010.
Aung San Suu Kyi has spent 12 of the last 18 years under some form of detention and remains under house arrest in Rangoon.
Her party won elections in 1990, but the military government refused to recognize the results and prevented the party from taking office.

US Impose More Sanctions On Burmese Firms(voa news)

US Imposes More Sanctions on Burmese Firms
By VOA News 25 February 2008
The United States has imposed new sanctions on businesses and individuals linked to Burma's military leaders.
The U.S. Treasury Department said Monday that the sanctions apply to "two key financial operatives of the Burmese regime."
It said the restrictions prohibit U.S. citizens from doing business with the Burmese company Asia World Company Limited, controlled by Steven Law and his father, Lo Hsing Han.
The sanctions also apply to two hotel chains owned by Tay Za, a Burmese businessman listed by the Treasury as "an arms dealer and financial henchman of Burma's repressive junta."
A top Treasury Department official, Stuart Levey, the under secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said U.S. sanctions will continue to target people until Burma's government stops its violent oppression of its people.
President Bush said Monday the situation in Burma remains "deplorable." In a statement, Mr. Bush expressed concern about the Burmese government's refusal to talk with the opposition and ethnic minority groups.
He also noted concerns about the arrest of political activists and journalists, and the persecution of ethnic minorities in eastern Burma.
The U.S. began tightening sanctions against Burma's military leaders after their bloody crackdown last year on pro-democracy demonstrators.
A military government has ruled Burma since 1962. The political opposition won elections in 1990, but the government refuses to recognize the poll and is keeping opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest.