Oct. 7 (UPI) – The United States on Thursday sanctioned a Burmese company accused of encouraging the military junta’s ability to commit human rights abuses by supplying arms to Russia and Belarus.
“Today, we are targeting networks and war profiteers who enable the acquisition of weapons for the regime from the Burmese military,” Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement, referring to Myanmar by its other name.
In applying the sanctions, the United States cited the executions in July of well-known democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu, known as Ko Jimmy, and lawmaker Phyo Zeya Thaw, as well as Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw.
The Treasury described Aung Moe Myint as a Burmese businessman whose son is an officer of the Tatmadaw.
Since the coup, Aung Moe Myint has bought weapons for the army and used his company to acquire weapons, missiles and aircraft.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday’s sanctions “implicate” Myanmar’s longstanding ties with the Belarusian and Russian armies, which invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 with Minsk’s help.
“We will continue to use our sanctions government to target those in Burma and elsewhere who are responsible for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, as well as Russia and Belarus’ facilitation of the Burmese regime’s violence against its own people,” he said in a statement.