Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, will convene a hearing tomorrow to examine human rights in Southeast Asia.  The hearing, entitled “Spotlighting Human Rights in Southeast Asia,” will begin at 10:00 a.m.

Chairman Royce on the hearing:  “The right to freedom of religion, speech, and assembly are treasured universal rights. Unfortunately, many countries across Southeast Asia deny their citizens these rights, often cracking down severely on those who express any form of dissatisfaction with their government.  In Vietnam, those that choose to speak out against the one-party communist government are often imprisoned or beaten.  In Burma, Rohingya Muslims and other minorities continue to face unprecedented state-sponsored discrimination that has resulted in widespread violence, death, and other forms of abuses.   Hun Sen has stolen another election in Cambodia, refusing to recognize the will of his country for a new government.  This hearing will examine this too-common abuse of human rights in Southeast Asia and explore how the United States can do a better job bringing about positive change.”

Chairman Royce has long been an advocate for improving human rights in Southeast Asia.  Earlier this year, Chairman Royce shepherded through the Committee and the House H.Res. 418, which urges the Government of Burma to end the persecution of the Rohingya people and respect internationally recognized human rights for all ethnic and religious minority groups within Burma.  In January, Chairman Royce called forHun Sen to step down in Cambodia amid the reports of organized beatings and murders of peaceful protestors.  In February, Royce expressed concernto Secretary of State John Kerry about Cambodia’s human trafficking failures.  Recently, Chairman Royce introduced H.R. 4254, the Vietnam Human Rights Sanctions Act, which imposes sanctions on Vietnamese government officials who are complicit in human rights abuses committed against the people of Vietnam.

What:

Hearing:  Spotlighting Human Rights in Southeast Asia

When:

10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 9

Where:

2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Witnesses:

The Honorable Lorne W. Craner
President Emeritus
The International Republican Institute
(Former Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State)

The Honorable Tom Andrews
President and Chief Executive Officer
United to End Genocide
(Former United States Representative)

Ms. Janet Nguyen
Supervisor, First District
Orange County Board of Supervisors

Thang D. Nguyen, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Boat People SOS

***See foreignaffairs.house.govfor updates.

***Coverage note:  All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.

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