Mizzima
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) this week said it welcomed the announcements on 31 January of further sanctions on the Myanmar army by the governments of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), according to a press release.
As CSW notes, the sanctions, which were introduced ahead of the second anniversary of the military coup of 1 February 2021, target the supply of aviation fuel to the military, a crucial step towards preventing the indiscriminate airstrikes that the military has carried out on civilian populations throughout the past two years.
In a statement announcing the UK sanctions, the UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: ‘Our sanctions are meticulously targeted to deliver maximum impact, reducing the military’s access to finance, fuel, arms and equipment. The junta must be held to account for their brutal crackdown on opposition voices, terrorising air raids and brazen human rights violations. The UK has led a strong, coordinated international response to support the people of Myanmar, their democratic demands and right to fundamental freedoms.’
The February 2021 coup plunged Myanmar into a humanitarian and human rights crisis even more severe than under previous military regimes. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), 17,572 people have been arrested in the past two years since the coup, and 13,763 are still in prison. At least 2,940 people have been killed by the junta.
CSW’s Senior Analyst for East Asia Benedict Rogers said: “CSW welcomes the announcement of much-needed further sanctions against the Myanmar military, and we urge the governments of Australia, Canada, the UK and the US to ensure that these are implemented swiftly and fully. We urge these governments to go even further, and call on other members of the international community to follow suit until the military is completely unable to access the arms, aviation fuel and money that keep it afloat. On this second anniversary of the coup, we reiterate our unwavering support for the people of Myanmar, and emphasise our commitment to ensuring that this ongoing tragedy is neither ignored nor forgotten.”
