July 18, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1539 still angry at her defection many years before. BURMESE FREEDOM AND sion, the growing and producing of heroin, the When Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, DEMOCRACY ACT OF 2003 forced labor conditions—they all must end. We Celia was the lead singer of La Sonora have tried other methods to encourage the SPEECH OF Matancera, ’s most popular orchestra. military regime to change its course, to no The group headlined ’s world-famous HON. SANDER M. LEVIN avail. Only if the United States and others in Tropicana nightclub and casino and toured the OF MICHIGAN the international community come together to impose sanctions and deprive the junta of its United States and Central and South America. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Monday, July 14, 2003 economic power can the Burmese people La Sonora Matancera’s fame and frequent hope to have any relief from the long list of tours provided them an escape route, by pre- Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I support the Bur- atrocities being committed upon them. tending they were going on another tour, mese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, never returning to Cuba. H.R. 2330, because I believe that it is essen- f tial to demonstrate that the United States re- I am honored to be here today to talk about fuses to help perpetuate the brutality of Bur- IN RECOGNITION OF MS. EILEEN a music legend. She recorded more than 70 ma’s military junta against the Burmese peo- H. TOUGHILL, R.N., PH.D. albums, many of them gold and platinum ple. The junta, which ironically calls itself the records, and received twelve Grammy nomina- State Peace and Development Council HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR. tions, winning for the first time in 1989. Celia (SPDC), has recently stepped up its anti-de- OF NEW JERSEY was honored with stars and street sections in mocracy activities by violently cracking down IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES on pro-democracy activists, and re-imprisoning some of the most well-known avenues of the Friday, July 18, 2003 world. Hollywood gave her a star on the Walk the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Ms. Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, has of Fame in 1987. Miami’s Calle Ocho was Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to already spent much of the last 15 years with laud the accomplishments of Ms. Eileen H. named ‘‘ Way’’ and presented her her movements and speaking restricted under Toughill, R.N., Ph. D. Dr. Toughill holds the with a star, an honor she has received in other house arrest. I understand that a month ago, position of both Executive Director of the cities such as San Jose, and the after spending only one year free from 20 Community Health Center of Asbury Park and Plaza Galeria in , Mexico. She re- months of recent house arrest, Ms. Suu Kyi Director of Community Health at the Visiting ceived many awards and distinctions, which was again detained and is now being held in Nurse Association of Central Jersey. Dr. include a Lifetime Achievement Award from a Burmese prison notorious for its poor condi- Toughill recently received the VNA of Central the Smithsonian Institution, the prestigious tions and the mistreatment, and even torture, Jersey Award for Professional Distinction, Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hispanic of political prisoners. The United States must proving to be indicative of her compassion and Heritage Awards, and in 1994, she received in take every opportunity to be a leader in pres- dedication to her work. the White House the highest honor the United suring the SPDC to free Aung San Suu Kyi The Visiting Nurse Association of Central States can bestow on an artist: the National and her fellow opposition leaders. Jersey is a nonprofit home health agency that Endowment for the Arts. The import sanctions created by the Act will promotes the ‘‘restoration and healthcare’’ of hit the military junta where it can be hurt all members of the community. In her capacity Celia Cruz was a musical icon that made worst—by taking strong action against the Cuban music known beyond our national bor- as Director of Community Health for VNACJ, SPDC-controlled economy and depriving the Dr. Toughill holds responsibility over the provi- ders while touching different generations. military of a source of revenue. sion of health services to more than 65,000 The slave-like labor conditions in Burma are Lovers of Latin music worldwide embraced her vulnerable and underprivileged community- one indication of the extent of the junta’s cru- style and boundless energy on the stage as based residents. In addition to these duties, elty against the Burmese people. In 2000, they enjoyed her contagious music and Dr. Eileen Toughill has taken on even greater after reviewing the working conditions in rhythms. For the Cuban American exile com- responsibilities for the welfare of community Burma, an International Labor Organization munity, she was the link between young residents following the terrorist attacks of Sep- (ILO) team of experts found that the junta con- tember 11, 2001 by establishing a comprehen- Cuban Americans and their parents’ genera- tinued to restrict worker rights and to use sive response to the chaos and stress that fol- tion, making Cuba a reality to the younger forced labor on a widespread basis. After re- generation by providing them with the music ceiving the report, the ILO took the unprece- lowed the attacks, including bereavement and that entertained their parents and their grand- dented step of invoking Article 33 of the ILO trauma counseling. parents. Charter and formally urged its 174 member Other achievements that this exceptional woman has accomplished include an outreach Celia’s fondest dream never became a re- states to review their relations with Burma. This is as close as the ILO can come to urg- program to assist residents in hotels, motels, ality: the opportunity of returning to a free and ing sanctions upon a country. boarding homes and shelters in Monmouth democratic Cuba. This woman who sang for It is likely that more than a million people in and Middlesex counties. Dr. Eileen Toughill pi- presidents and heads of state worldwide sim- Burma are subjected to forced labor on con- oneered the start up of two nurse practitioner- ply wanted to return one day to the country struction sites for roads, railways, military in- managed primary care centers as well as she had known. She hoped to one day per- stallations and tourism. The military is particu- helping to implement an AIDS education and form again in the land of her birth, and to utter larly notorious for imposing forced labor on vil- prevention program in four correctional institu- her signature catch phrase ‘‘Azucar’’ to her fel- lagers living near military operations. Even tions. Dr. Toughill’s crowning achievement came low Cubans. She left us before her dream be- more outrageous is that this forced labor is this Spring when through her hard work she came a reality, but I say ‘‘Azucar’’ in her honor often accompanied by brutality, such as tor- ture, arbitrary and extrajudicial execution, saw the Community Health Center of Asbury and in her memory. rape, and population displacements. Non-com- Park successfully designated as a full-fledged Celia, I know that you can hear us this pliance by one individual has been known to Federally Qualified Health Center. This in- evening. We love you and your music will con- bring the junta’s wrath upon a whole village. cludes a renewable federal grantof $475,000, tinue to live in our hearts. We will never forget For example, the transport of food and other allowing the center to expand its current pri- you. I promise you, Celia, that I will continue market goods to and from a village could be mary care services to include prenatal care to work tirelessly in the United States Con- blocked, or a whole village could be faced with and mental health, as well as increasing the number of patients the center can serve. Dr. gress for your dream of a free and democratic the threat of relocation. Forced labor has the Toughill’s implementation of multiple programs Cuba. At that time, the Cuban people will once additional effect of forcing villagers to neglect their own fields, making hunger an ever- as well as her perseverance in securing fed- again be able to enjoy your music filled with present concern. Sometimes, even during har- eral funding for her community’s health center rich, Cuban rhythms and Afro beats ‘‘en vesting times, they are forced to travel far is admirable. Dr. Eileen Toughill’s accomplish- libertad’’—in freedom. May you rest in peace, from their village to work. If and when they re- ments are outstanding—they exemplify deter- Celia! turn, they often do not have the ability to sus- mined commitment to the ideals of healthcare tain the needs of their own homes and com- for all, and demonstrate how one individual munities. can actively make a difference. The current regime’s policies of ethnic Mr. Speaker, on this day I rise up to ac- cleansing, rape as an official tool of repres- knowledge a truly remarkable individual and I

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