EU imposes sixth round of sanctions on Myanmar’s junta

February 21 (United Press International) — The European Union on Monday imposed a sixth round of sanctions on Myanmar’s government as the junta continues to inflict violence on its citizens.

The European Council, the collegial body of the European Union, the measures taken Nine people and seven entities were blacklisted on Monday, accused of assisting the junta in threatening peace and stability in the country.

advertise

On Monday, the Union of Myanmar’s Energy Minister Myat Myint Oo, well-known arms brokers and senior military officials, as well as the Ministry of Defense and a state-owned company under its jurisdiction, as well as private companies that provide fuel, weapons and weapons to the army were sanctioned. funds.

Sanctions also target politicians and administrators in the Yangon region, including Lieutenant Colonel Myo Mint Aung, who is accused of serving as a military judge in sentencing Death Sentence and Execution Anti-coup activists Kyaw Min Yu, Phyo Zeya Thaw, Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw attended the meeting in July.

Their executions were the first in the country since 1988, the United Nations said.

according to statement of reasons Regarding the blacklisting of Aung, the EU said that “during his tenure as a military judge, many members of the opposition were sentenced to death and imprisonment.”

Major General Ko Ko Maung, the regional military commander in Kachin state in northern Myanmar, was also sanctioned on Monday for overseeing airstrikes, massacres, raids, arson and the “military use of human shields”, according to the EU.

in october, one air raid About 80 people were killed and more than 100 were injured at a music festival in Kachin State.

The sanctions come after the two-year anniversary of the military junta seizing control of the country in a coup on February 1, 2021.

the day the military overthrew the democratically elected government Aung San Suu Kyiwho were arrested and installed their ruling National Executive Council regime.

The coup sparked massive protests, which were brutally suppressed by the junta.According to Thai media reports Political Prisoner Aid Associationmore than 3,000 people were killed by the military government, and nearly 20,000 people were arrested.

About 1.5 million citizens across the country internally displaced since coup, UN human rights office explain in late December, adding that more than 34,000 civilian properties had been destroyed in the past two years,

The Myanmar activist group Justice for Myanmar said that while the latest blacklist filled a gap in the previous sanctions regime against the junta, further restrictions were needed.

“While these latest sanctions are a positive step in cutting off the junta’s access to resources, more needs to be done to coordinate sanctions that systematically target the junta’s sources of revenue, weapons and jet fuel,” Myanmar judiciary spokesman Yadanar Maung said in a statement. a statement.

Since the coup, Western countries including the US, Australia, the UK and Canada have responded with sanctions on Myanmar, the most recent as union at the end of last month.

But activists say they need to go further and deploy with more urgency.

“The EU has taken the right approach, but they have been too slow in imposing these sanctions,” British Campaign Myanmar said in a statement. a statement on Monday. “The delay in cutting off sources of income, weapons and equipment is costing lives.”

Including the sanctions announced on Monday, the EU has imposed an asset freeze and travel ban on 93 people and 18 entities linked to Myanmar’s ruling military junta.