FURTHER sanctions are to be imposed on Myanmar from the UK.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced that measures would be targetted against a group believed to be chanelling funds to the military.
It comes amid growing concerns about Myanmar's governance, with reports that hundreds of civilian protesters have been killed by the country's military in the past two months.
Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the country's ruling party the National League for Democracy and other senior officials were deposed by the Tatmadaw—Myanmar's military - on February 1, with violence growing since.
Today the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said there was “credible evidence” that Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) was supporting the armed forces which have been responsible for serious human-rights violations in the country.
The MEC board of directors is said to be mainly comprised of serving or retired military personnel, including the chiefs of staff of the army, navy and air force, and the former quartermaster general.
The designation of the conglomerate prohibits funds and economic resources being made available to any subsidiaries “owned or controlled” by the MEC as defined by the Global Human Rights sanctions regime.
Announcing the move, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “Two months on from the start of the coup, the Myanmar military has sunk to a new low with the wanton killing of innocent people, including children.
“The UK’s latest actions target one of the military’s key funding streams and impose a further cost on them for their violations of human rights.”
The UK is also providing an additional £500,000 in funding for the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM), which was established by the UN Human Rights Council to collect and preserve evidence of serious human-rights violations in the country.
The UK has already sanctioned another military-linked conglomerate – Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd – as well as nine military officers, including the commander-in-chief, for their involvement in serious human-rights violations.
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