,,iii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #gja ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ag1 #bjbj,mr4 ,cardin 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,young1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,cramer1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mrs4 ,blackburn1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 and ,mr4 ,markey7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,urging the ,government of ,burma to hold free1 fair1 inclusive1 transparent1 participatory1 and credible elections on ,november #h1 #bjbj4 ,whereas the ,union ,election ,commission of ,burma announced that the country will hold general elections on ,november #h1 #bjbj2 ,whereas ,burma's previous elections were characterized by controversy1 conflict1 and disenfranchisement instigated by the military of ,burma 7the ,tatmadaw71 including in ,may #aiij1 ,november #bjaj1 the ,april #bjab special elections1 and ,november #bjae2 ,whereas the ongoing ,tatmadaw offensives in ,rakhine1 southern ,chin1 ,kachin1 and northern ,shan states continue to cause significant displacement of ethnic groups1 creating substantial challenges for the ,union ,election ,commission to generate a verified comprehensive voter list and set up polling stations in conflict affected areas2 ,whereas provisions in the #bjjh ,constitution of ,burma allocate #be percent of parliamentary seats to the military1 conferring exceptional powers to the ,tatmadaw and thereby affording the ,tatmadaw considerable power to suppress basic rights1 including freedoms of expression1 assembly1 and association2 ,whereas constitutional amendments proposed by the ,union ,parliament's ,charter ,amendment ,committee that aimed to democratize the ,burmese ,constitution and ensure equal rights1 including voting rights1 for all citizens of ,burma were defeated by military lawmakers1 further enabling the military to exercise outsized power and influence the country's electoral processes2 ,whereas the ,national ,league of ,democracy political party has repeatedly failed to uphold and protect the rights of ethnic and religious minorities since coming to power in #bjae2 ,whereas1 as of ,march #ca1 #bjbj1 during the first four years of ,aung ,san ,suu ,kyi's civilian government1 over #ejj lawsuits against more than #a1jjj individuals have used ,burma's legal system to repress peaceful expressions critical of the ,tatmadaw1 civilian government1 and ,aung ,san ,suu ,kyi1 resulting in the imprisonment of journalists1 such as ,reuters reporters ,wa ,lone and ,kyaw ,soe ,oo1 ethnic activists1 and student protestors2 ,whereas the ,political ,parties ,registration ,law of #bjaj limits the right to form and join political parties only to full citizens1 thereby severely curtailing the political participation of religious and ethnic minorities1 including ,rohingya1 those of ,chinese and ,indian descent1 internally displaced populations across ,rakhine1 ,kachin1 and ,shan states1 and ,burmese refugees in ,thailand1 ,bangladesh1 and elsewhere in the region1 many of whom had citizenship documents canceled and who face multiple hurdles in gaining citizenship documentation2 ,whereas the ,government of ,burma instituted a blackout1 that is still ongoing as of ,september #a1 #bjbj1 of mobile internet services and restricted internet service quality in ,rakhine and ,chin ,states1 beginning in ,june #bjai1 thereby inhibiting the ability to hold free and fair elections in these areas and further exacerbating difficulties in aid distribution and access to potentially life-saving information since the onset of ,,covid-#ai2 ,whereas the ,government of ,burma continues to curtail freedom of the press and civil society--which are critical foundations for free and fair elections--as evidenced by government directives to block independent and ethnic media sites1 and the anticipated restrictions by the ,union ,election ,commission on voter education and election observation activities2 ,whereas ,burma's #bjae election saw the disenfranchisement of significant segments of the population1 particularly of ,rohingya ethnicity1 but also including those of ,chinese and ,indian descent1 ,muslims1 and other internally displaced persons2 ,whereas ongoing conflict in #bjae was used to justify the cancellation of elections in #g townships and more than #djj ward and village tracts1 mostly in ,kachin1 ,shan1 and ,kayin states2 ,whereas ,burma's #aihb citizenship law stripped ,rohingya of their ,burmese citizenship and subsequent policies rendered them stateless and disenfranchised1 despite having the right to vote as recently as #bjaj and ability to serve in parliament as recently as #bjae2 ,whereas in #bjag1 the ,tatmadaw commenced a genocide against ,rohingya civilians in ,rakhine state1 causing over #gdj1jjj ,rohingya refugees to flee into ,bangladesh1 joining over #bjj1jjj who had been previously displaced in prior waves of anti-,rohingya violence1 resulting in more than #a1jjj1jjj ,rohingya refugees not present in ,burma for the election2 ,whereas the ,government of ,burma has not created conditions conducive to repatriation and political and electoral participation of ,rohingya refugees and has not made progress on the most crucial of the #hh recommendations of the ,rakhine ,advisory ,commission identified by ,rohingya refugees as prerequisites to voluntary repatriation1 including freedom of movement1 provision of civil documentation1 and a transparent pathway to restoration of full citizenship2 ,whereas the ,tatmadaw's senior generals have been sanctioned by the ,united ,states ,government for perpetrating gross human rights violations and are subject to ongoing investigations into their conduct by both the ,international ,criminal ,court and the ,international ,court of ,justice2 and ,whereas the ,united ,nations ,special ,rapporteur on the ,situation of ,human ,rights in ,myanmar stated on ,july #ac1 #bjbj1 ,the people of ,myanmar deserve a free and fair election this ,november and this includes respect for the right to vote regardless of one's race1 ethnicity or religion1 freedom of expression and assembly1 and access to information and a free press4 ,it will also require that steps are taken now to assure that those in conflict areas will be able to exercise their rights43 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 recognizes the importance of free1 fair1 inclusive1 transparent1 participatory1 and credible elections in ,burma and that the #bjbj elections mark a critical juncture in ,burma's democratic process2 7#b7 stands with the people of ,burma in their ambition for sustainable peace1 a genuine democracy1 and the realization of fundamental human rights for all2 7#c7 calls upon the ,president and the ,secretary of ,state to-- 7,a7 support ,burma's democratic transition1 including by emphasizing the importance to that transition of this election as well as of the ,government of ,burma undertaking a credible and sustainable process of genuine national and ethnic reconciliation2 7,b7 support free1 fair1 inclusive1 transparent1 participatory1 and credible elections in ,burma1 including by working to ensure that the ,tatmadaw and its affiliates do not interfere with vigorous public debate or the mechanism of the electoral process and that other government officials do not use official resources for electioneering2 7,c7 call for a ceasefire in all ,burmese states and localities to ensure that conflict is not used as an excuse to deny people the right to vote2 7,d7 support the right to vote for internally displaced persons1 refugees1 and other ,burmese communities outside of ,burma1 with specific attention to the disenfranchised ,rohingya people2 7,e7 condemn any action taken by the government1 political parties1 military1 or ,union ,election ,commission to limit civil society participation in the election1 including prohibitions on voter education and election observation1 or otherwise restrict civil society or humanitarian space in the lead up to the election or in the post-election period2 7,f7 ensure that ,united ,states-based social media companies1 including ,facebook1 not allow their platforms to be used as vehicles for spreading misinformation or advocating violence or voter intimidation to suppress voter participation2 and 7,g7 ensure that the ,department of ,state's #bjbj ,country ,report on ,human ,rights ,practices includes an extensive evaluation of the ,burmese election1 including an assessment of inclusivity1 participation1 and interference2 7#d7 calls upon the ,united ,states ,government1 in partnership with the international community1 to ensure that the ,union ,election ,commission functions as an independent electoral management body that establishes a regulatory framework that fosters fair1 open1 and transparent electoral processes1 and that the ,tatmadaw publicly affirms that it will honor the results of such elections2 7#e7 calls upon the ,secretary of ,state and the ,administrator of the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development to work with like-minded regional and international organizations1 such as the ,international ,foundation for ,electoral ,systems1 the ,international ,institute for ,democracy and ,electoral ,assistance1 the ,asian ,network for ,free ,elections1 ,people's ,alliance for ,credible ,elections 7,,pace71 and the ,carter ,center1 to ensure that the general elections in ,burma meet international standards of free and fair elections1 including by seeking full and unimpeded access to all aspects of the electoral process for international and domestic observers2 and 7#f7 calls on the ,president to consider sanctioning individuals within the ,government of ,burma1 the ,tatmadaw1 and among military associated businesses and ultranationalist groups1 whom the ,united ,states ,government determines undermine free1 fair1 inclusive1 transparent1 participatory1 and credible elections in ,burma or the safety of such elections4