D.he United States has tightened its sanctions against the military junta in Myanmar. Punitive measures were imposed on two other members of the military government installed after the coup on February 1, as Foreign Minister Antony Blinken announced on Monday. The sanctions are directed against the Air Force Commander General Maung Maung and against Lieutenant General Moe Myint Tun.
The two military personnel are banned from entering the United States. Potential assets of the two generals in the United States will also be frozen. The American government had previously imposed sanctions on other senior military officials in Myanmar.
“We will not hesitate to take further action”
Blinken threatened the military junta with further sanctions on Monday: “We will not hesitate to take further measures against those who practice violence and suppress the will of the people.” The Foreign Minister appealed to the army and police of the Southeast Asian country to stop all attacks on peaceful Hiring protesters, releasing wrongly detained people, stopping “intimidation of journalists and activists” and reinstating the democratically elected government.
A few hours earlier, the EU foreign ministers had also decided to impose sanctions on representatives of the military in Myanmar. However, after the decision in principle, a specific list of those affected still has to be drawn up and approved separately.
The military coup three weeks ago ended a decade of democratic change in Myanmar. Since then, the military have faced massive protests and increasingly responded with violence against demonstrators. Four people have already been killed in the protests and more than 600 arrested.
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