In the News

Tom Andrews expands community organizing to the world

Andrews lives in Washington, D.C., these days, where he runs United to End Genocide, a coalition of human rights and religious groups that raises public awareness about abuses, pressing the governments of the United States and other countries to keep up pressure on the repressive governments that use mass murder and terror to maintain control.

In addition to Sudan, Andrews has also been active in Myanmar, where he sneaked accross the Chinese border and witnessed sham elections that were closed to foreign observers and the media.

US Officials Argue Sanctions Policy on Burma

The official’s response came as the dozen investors released their collective letter on May 11 arguing that they do not believe that immediate relaxation of US sanctions would best serve the goal of achieving progress toward democracy and respect for human rights in Burma.

“As institutional investors, financial service providers and related stakeholders, we are concerned about the risks posed by the potential broad relaxation of US sanctions and the ban on financial transactions and investments in Burma,” the letter said.

Human Rights Experts Urge US Not to Drop Sanctions

Independent human rights experts have urged the Obama administration and US Congress not to relax sanctions on Burma, arguing reforms being initiated by the Burmese government are reversible.

“As much as we want to hope that the recent progress toward democracy in Burma will mark a turning point, nothing positive will last until the Burmese military stops committing atrocities and a political agreement is reached with the ethnic national states,” said former Congressman Thomas H. Andrews in his testimony before a Congressional subcommittee on Wednesday.

Experts Ask US to Use Caution in Easing Burma Sanctions

Former congressman Tom Andrews, who is president of the group, “United to End Genocide,” cautioned that the Burmese government could still undo any positive changes and that there is still military violence against innocent civilians.

Myanmar Activists Say Go Slow on Easing Sanctions

This past week, the U.S.-based activist organization United to End Genocide released a report as part of a corporate responsibility project warning that rushing to invest with Myanmar might only make the country's problems worse.

The group said its president, Tom Andrews, had spent the day of the April 1 by-elections in Kachin state, and quoted him as saying, "There is no evidence of reform for many desperate people in Burma."