President George W. Bush announced new US sanctions against Burma's military rulers today amid Burma's biggest anti-government protests in 20 years.
President Bush addresses the 62nd session of the General Assembly at the UN today. Image: Getty
"The United States will tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers," Mr Bush said in his annual address to the UN General Assembly.
"We will impose an expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights," he added, declaring that Americans were "outraged" by rights abuses in Burma. Mr Bush urged other countries to follow suit.
Mr Bush's announcement came after 10,000 monks marched through the heart of Burma's main city today in defiance of a threat by the ruling generals to send in troops to end the anti-junta demonstrations. What began as anger at sudden steep fuel price rises last month has become a wider movement against Burma's generals.
Accusing Burma's military government of a "19-year reign of fear," Mr Bush said: "Basic freedoms of speech, assembly and worship are severely restricted. . . . Ethnic minorities are persecuted. Forced child labour, human trafficking and rape are common."
He urged "the United Nations and all nations to use their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom." The president said new US sanctions were intended "to help bring peaceful change to Burma,".
In January, China and Russia vetoed a resolution calling for Burma to stop persecuting minority and opposition groups and take concrete steps toward democracy.
They argued the council was exceeding its mandate by involving itself in a human rights issue handled by other bodies.