UK, Canada to punish three Burmese generals “for serious human rights violations” after coup

UK, Canada to sanction three Burmese generals for “serious human rights violations” after military coup in Myanmar in early February, the British Foreign Office announced Thursday in a statement.

The sanctions target the Minister of Defense, Mya Tun Oo, the minister of the Interior, Soe Htut, and his attachment, Than Hlaing.

This way their assets in the UK are stranded and they will not be able to travel to that country, the Foreign Office statement said, also indicating that measures will be taken to prevent UK companies from working with the military. Burmese.

In all, the measures concern 19 Burmese personalities.

On February 1, the Myanmar army overthrew the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi, whom he accuses of having committed electoral fraud during the November elections, which led to a wave of harshly repressed demonstrations.

“Together with our allies, we will call on the military to account for their human rights violations and bring justice to the Burmese people.”said the British Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab.

The UK’s foreign and international trade departments have also launched a ‘procedure to reduce the risk that military companies [birmanas] operate in the UK ”, in order to stop“ the illicit money flows associated with them ”.

In addition, London has promised that they will be launched “Further guarantees” to prevent British aid to Myanmar from “indirectly supporting the military-led government.”

However, after the announcement, the Burma Campaign UK association denounced that the sanctions imposed, although constituting “progress”, were nothing more than a “holiday ban” because “these military leaders did not no asset ”in the UK.

Amid international rejection of the coup, last week the United States also applied sanctions against Myanmar’s military rulers. The measure included the army commander, General Min Aung Hlaing, who led the armed uprising and the deposition of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Sanctions were also imposed on the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Burmese military forces, Soe Win, who was also nominated by Washington in December 2019; the retired first vice-president and lieutenant general Myint Swe; and lieutenant generals Sein Win, Soe Htut and Ye Aung.

The other sanctioned are the Minister of Defense of the military junta, General Mya Tun Oo; the holder of transport and communications, admiral Tin Aung Sa |not; the lieutenant general Ye Win Oo, Deputy Secretary of the State Administrative Council; and the lieutenant general Aung Lin Dwe, secretary of said council.

The companies penalized by the US government are Ruby Enterprise, Myanmar Imperial Jade Co. LTD and Cancri (Gems and Jewelry) Co LTD, for their links to the Myanmar armed forces.

Janet YellenThe US Treasury Secretary has warned that Joe Biden’s government could take further action: “If there is more violence against peaceful protesters, the Burmese military will realize that today’s sanctions are just the first.”

On February 1, the Myanmar military overthrew the democratic government, arrested civilian leaders, blocked internet access and suspended flights.

The military had already ruled the country between 1962 and 2011, when a controlled transition to democracy began, and in 2015 the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, led by the Nobel laureate of the Suu Kyi peace, came to power.

With information from AFP

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