The US imposed new sanctions on Myanmar’s military on the second anniversary of the coup-induced crisis on Tuesday.
Sanctions
The US Treasury Department announced that it is sanctioning six individuals and three entities connected to the junta. Among the entities sanctioned are:
- The Union Election Commission (UEC) for supporting the military and legitimising the coup.
- Mining Enterprise 1 and 2, which are used by the regime to extract and export Myanmar’s natural resources
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Additionally, Washington imposed restrictions on three officials related to Myanmar’s energy sector, two former military officials, and one individual for providing support to the regime.
Blinken’s Remarks
Accusing the military of “usurping power” from a democratically elected government, Blinken said the US will “continue to promote accountability for the military’s atrocities.” He noted that the latest sanctions have been imposed in conjunction with similar actions taken by the UK and Canada.
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Hundreds gathered outside Myanmar Embassy on the coup anniversary. Two years since Myanmar’s generals ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government, thousands of people have died in civil conflict and many more have been forced from their homes in a dire humanitarian crisis. pic.twitter.com/3Q5AfmNvvI
— Tassanee Vejpongsa (@tassanee) February 1, 2023
To date, the US has sanctioned 80 individuals and 30 entities connected with the junta.
EU Joint Statement
A joint statement signed by EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borell and the foreign ministers of 21 countries, including Australia, Ghana, New Zealand, South Korea, Ukraine, the US, and the UK, demanded that the military return Myanmar to the path of democracy. “The military regime must end violence and create space for meaningful and inclusive dialogue to allow for any democratic process to resume,” it said.
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Further, the statement called on the international community to support all efforts against those responsible for human rights atrocities in Myanmar and end the sale and transfer of arms to the military.
UN Warning
UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer warned on Tuesday that the military’s actions, including its brutal crackdown on protesters, have “inflicted enormous damage” and led to “a multidimensional crisis” spanning humanitarian, human rights, and socio-economic consequences.
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Heyzer made three recommendations to improve the situation in Myanmar:
- Increase humanitarian assistance
- Unified international position against Myanmar’s military
- Implement measures to protect civilians in Myanmar and refugees in the wider region.
The Coup
The Myanmar military launched a coup on 1 February 2021 and ousted the democratically elected government. Subsequently, mass protests erupted, with the military responding brutally. According to estimates, the military has killed 3,000 people and detained nearly 17,000.
Moreover, 1.5 million people have been internally displaced, and 15.2 million are food insecure.
Blinken noted that the regime’s “scorched earth campaign” continues to claim the lives of innocent people, worsen the armed conflict within Myanmar, and increase insecurity beyond its borders.