THe imposed new sanctions on us on the senior leaders of the Myanmar military junta on Monday – the day before the first anniversary of their reversal of the democratically elected government in the country and the imprisonment of his leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
The United States, joined by the United Kingdom and Canada, announced sanctions against officials who have helped to prosecute Aung San Suu Kyi, head of the National League for Democracy. The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize was arrested during the coup of February 1, 2021. The Myanmar courts sentenced her to a total of six years in prison on January 10, but she faces additional accusations.
Washington also slapped penalties on the scion of Kyaw family thoungNew York Times reported to close ties to the Myanmar army and helped him get equipment. The sanctions also targeted a government agency in Myanmar responsible for the purchase of weapons for the army, known locally as Tatmadaw.
But Myanmar activists and observers say that targeted sanctions will not do much to dissuade a brutal regime which is more and more isolated from the West and determined to resist its reign with a violent repression. More than 1,500 people were killed during meetings with the junta across the country, according to Human Rights Group Association of Political Prisoners.
“I think it is right to say that the West has had little lever in Myanmar both politically and on the ground since the coup,” explains John Nielsen, principal analyst of the Danish Institute of International Studies and former Danish ambassador to Myanmar.
Pro-democracy demonstrators have long called on the international community to find ways to cut sources of income from the junta. And since last year's coup d'etat, several Western companies – including energy giants TOTAL OF THE REGALS of France and Chevron of the United States – has sworn to withdraw Myanmar affairs due to human rights violations in the country.
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The chief of the Junta, Min Aung Hlaing and other members of the Tatmadaw, were already under sanction by the United States and other nations. Human Rights Watch urged the United Nations Security Council to impose a global Liaison Liaison Embgo in Myanmar.
But in addition to punitive measures, Burmese exiles say that the international community must work to protect people with the reign of the junta. The Burmese activist and scholar based in London, Maung Zarni, said that neighboring states should open their borders to the Burmese refugees fleeing the tatmadaw.
They also be wary of dialogue with military leaders, that neighboring countries, including certain members of the Association of Nations of Southeast Asia (ASEAN), promote. Nay San Lwin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition, a global network of Rohingyas militants and allies, says that many Burmese demonstrators believe that such discussions will only be used to cement the legitimacy of heads of state.
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But not everyone saves it from tatmadaw. Russia was criticized for failing myanmar after the blow, Continue to sell weapons And its officials present Events led by the junta. China also has continuous relationships with Myanmar, but has adopted a more ambivalent position: it urged “Restart the democratic processIn the country of Southeast Asia while committing both with Tatmadaw and the ethnic armed forces. “The main objectives of China in Myanmar is to ensure borders stability and to have access to the Indian Ocean thanks to an economic corridor from Kunming in Rakhine. They will work with any part in the conflict to achieve these objectives – and that is essentially what they do, ”explains Nielsen.
Jason Tower, director of Myanmar at the United States Peace Institute, says that there must be a regional approach to the crisis, because closely aligned companies on the junta operated in neighboring states. If the United States and Allies can convince the neighbors of Myanmar, including Thailand and India, to rage against these companies, this could have a dramatic effect on the money flowing towards military leaders.
But the window for such a action can be closed. Cambodia resumed the presidency of the Anase in 2022. And Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen – No friend of democracy –gave a conditional invitation to the leader of the coup d'etat of Myanmar. Last year, the nine countries crossed the representative of the Junta of Myanmar to attend his meetings.
More and more activists say they cannot count on the international community to support their cause of restoration of a democratic government in Myanmar. They put their faith in minority ethnic militias that have long fought the tatmadaw and the popular defense force – an armed group made up of members of the exiled ghost government of Myanmar and pro -democracy demonstrators. “If we want to be free, we have to fight for ourselves,” says Zarni.
