Burma Campaign UK welcomed new UK sanctions targeting suppliers of aviation fuel to the Burmese military, but claimed they do not go far enough.

The organisation said that limiting the ability of the Burmese military to carry out airstrikes is one of the single most effective steps the international community can do to address the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Burma, but it needs to go further and faster to cut off supplies to Burma.

On 31 January the UK government introduced sanctions on two companies involved in the supply of aviation fuel to the Myanmar junta, Asia Sun Trading Company Limited and Cargo Link Company Limited. Both are part of the Asia Sun group which dominates the aviation fuel sector in Myanmar.

Personal sanctions were also announced against Zaw Min Tun, a director and sole shareholder of Asia Sun Trading and Win Kyaw Kyaw Aung, a former director and shareholder of Asia Sun Trading.

Anna Roberts, Executive Director of Burma Campaign UK said: “The British government is spot on, targeting suppliers of aviation fuel to the military, but they need to go further and faster to cut supplies to Burma, as the military seize civilian supplies of aviation fuel.”

However, Burma Campaign UK is extremely disappointed by the incredibly slow pace of the implementation of sanctions.

“Two years on from the attempted coup starting there are still numerous sources of revenue and arms which have yet to be sanctioned,” said Anna Roberts.

“The snail’s pace of sanctions implementation allows the military to access more revenue and arms. Foreign Office ministers need to devote more resources to the speedy implementation of sanctions”, she added.

As the military fails to consolidate its coup in the face of growing resistance, it is using increasingly desperate tactics, including daily airstrikes and artillery strikes against civilians, displacing more than a million people, according to Burma Campaign UK.

Last year Amnesty International published a report exposing aviation fuel suppliers to Burma entitled: Deadly Cargo: Exposing the supply chain that fuels war crimes in Myanmar.