While were waiting for that i see mrs. Muhammad ali in the audience and i wanted to thank her for her focus on this issue. [ applause ] appreciate her presence with us here today. Thank you. So one of the reasons that i thought we would show the video from radio free asia is to make a point. Theres very Little Information outside of these types of coverage that are coming into the outside world and more importantly, the burmese people themselves. In myanmar, there is no coverage of this information, so people do not actually know what is happening. The generals that run the country have a different narrative. So theres very little recognition of the reality. In order to get to that reality, it is very important that we get reporters in on the ground, that we get usaid into myanmar, that we get the United Nations back in some way into myanmar in order to cover because as long as that presence is there its a check to these types of atrocities. Now, there are few more pressing demands wit
Before a house committee. This hearing will come to order. Before my opening statement, without objection, i would like to play a video from our friends at radio creation it highlights the scope and severity of the violence. If thats prepared, lets play that right now. While we are waiting for that, i see mrs. Mohamed ali and i wanted to thank her for her focus on this issue, and i appreciate her presence with us here today. Thank you. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] so one of the reasons i thought we would show the video from radio creation is to make a point, there is very Little Information outside these types of coverage that are coming out from the outside world. More important, the burmese people themselves. In miramar there is no coverage of this information so people do not actually know what is happening. The generals that run the country have a different narrative and
Thank you for coming, everybody. Weve had an encouraging morning with Member States and a range of organizations where weve laid out the situation on the ground in bangladesh and asked for help from the international community. Reenforcing the generosity and the hospitality and the extraordinary welcome bangladesh has offered to nearly 600,000 refugees who have fled from myanmar since the 25th of august. On the basis of what weve heard this morning, our assessment is that against the 434 million that we put out in the appeal Response Plan some weeks ago, we now have pledges of 340 million. So were very encouraged by that. In addition, several donors have committed more than 50 million in in kind assistance to bangladesh and myanmar. We know that some of our donors, some of our very important donors are still working on pledges. So were confident that beyond what ive said there will be more support to come. Were also very encouraged by the work thats being done by the world bank, workin
Want to thank each of you for being here. We thank you. Its very timely. In 2009 the Obama Administration shifted the direction of u. S. burma policy. Taking a leap of faith that an approach combining engagement and pressure would help usher in democratic reform where sanctions alone had failed. Although many were skeptical burmas 2010 elections brought an opportunity to test a more proactive engagement approach. And in the ensuing years the United States worked to balance engagement with military and the democratic grass roots movement. Undoubtably this had a positi positivefect on the burmas democratic reforms including the 2015 election. And while the 2015 election was historic, burmas democratic transition has been a work in progress. Along with its complex, ethnic and cultural history, the Burmese Military continues to control key ministries in large swaths of the economy. Which is why there was some concern in 2016 when the obumau administration unilaterally rolled back most of t
Want to thank each of you for being here. We thank you. Its very timely. In 2009 the Obama Administration shifted the direction of u. S. burma policy. Taking a leap of faith that an approach combining engagement and pressure would help usher in democratic reform where sanctions alone had failed. Although many were skeptical burmas 2010 elections brought an opportunity to test a more proactive engagement approach. And in the ensuing years the United States worked to balance engagement with military and the democratic grass roots movement. Undoubtably this had a positi positivefect on the burmas democratic reforms including the 2015 election. And while the 2015 election was historic, burmas democratic transition has been a work in progress. Along with its complex, ethnic and cultural history, the Burmese Military continues to control key ministries in large swaths of the economy. Which is why there was some concern in 2016 when the obumau administration unilaterally rolled back most of t