Burmese military regime hit by US, new UK penalties
The Burmese military regime has been hit by the United States and new United Kingdom sanctions.
In a press statement on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the US was designating Myanma Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation Limited (MEC) to specifically target the funding streams that support the brutal repression of the Burmese military, the military’s economic interests and the coup leaders.
The United Kingdom also sanctioned MEHL in further measures against the Burmese military regime, saying the military-owned conglomerate is associated with senior military figures and involved in serious human rights violations against the Rohingya people.
The US secretary of state referred to the US penalty as his country’s “most significant action to date” to financially hit the Burmese military.
“MEHL and MEC are the two largest military holding companies in Burma, and all shares in them are held and managed by current or former Burmese military officers, regiments, and units, and organizations led by former service members,” reads Blinken’s statement, which also clarifies these actions are not directed at the people of Myanmar/Burma.
The UK said that designating MEHL under the Global Human Rights sanctions regime will also stop any MEHL-owned/controlled subsidiaries from receiving funds.
“The designation is in response to evidence that MEHL contributed funds to support the country’s armed forces, known as the Tatmadaw, in their campaign on ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya in 2017, having reasonable cause to suspect that the funds would or may contribute to the serious human rights violations committed, and that MEHL is associated with the Commander in Chief and Deputy Commander in Chief,” said a UK government press release.
This is not the UK’s first response to the situation in Burma. Earlier in the month, the country secured a Presidential Statement at the UN Security Council condemning violence by the Burmese military regime against peaceful protesters and called for respect of the democratic transition in Burma and the release of all who had been confined arbitrarily. Earlier, the UK led two statements by G7 foreign ministers, who condemned the coup and violence in Burma, and gave a statement at the United Nations Security Council in February. Also last month, the UK designated nine individuals from the Burmese military.
“Those sanctions focused on those directly responsible for human rights violations committed by the police and military during the coup in Myanmar, as well as the State Administration Council, which was set up following the coup to exercise the functions of state,” said the UK news release, adding: “In conjunction with the work on sanctions, the UK has temporarily suspended all promotion of trade with Myanmar while we work with British businesses and civil society to reshape our approach to trade.”
The US also strongly condemned the recent killing of people in Myanmar, including children, by the Burmese military.
“The United States is shocked and deeply saddened by reports that Burmese security forces continued to use lethal force against the people of Burma last weekend, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 people, including several children,” said US State Department spokesperson Ned Price in a press statement. “These abhorrent and brutal acts against children, one as young as seven years old who was shot and killed in her home while sitting on her father’s lap, further demonstrate the horrific nature of the Burmese military regime’s assault on its own people and its complete disregard for the lives of the people of Burma.”
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