On Tuesday, the United Kingdom, European Union, and Canada jointly issued a further round of sanctions targeting the Myanmar military’s access to military material, equipment, and funds.
Taken in coordination with the European Union and Canada, the UK imposed financial sanctions on six entities involved either in providing aviation fuel to Myanmar's military or in the supply of restricted goods, including aircraft parts.
The UK’s latest sanctions target six companies involved in supplying aviation fuel or restricted items such as aircraft parts to Myanmar’s military. The sanctioned entities include Asia Sun Group Company Ltd., Swan Energy Company Ltd., Myan-Oil Company Ltd., Rich Ray Trading Company Ltd., Progress Technology Support Company (also known as Royal Shune Lei Co.), and King Royal Technologies Company Ltd. The UK government stated that the new sanctions will help to constrain the Myanmar military’s ability to conduct airstrikes on civilians, which amount to gross human rights violations. Since the February 2021 coup, the UK has imposed sanctions on 25 individuals and 33 entities under the Myanmar Sanctions Regime.
Catherine West, the UK’s Minister for the Indo-Pacific region, condemned the Myanmar military’s human rights abuses, stating, “The human rights violations taking place across Myanmar, including airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, are unacceptable, and the impact on innocent civilians is intolerable.”
Canada joined in, sanctioning three individuals—Charlie Than, Ne Aung, and Win Kyaw Kyaw Aung—and four entities, including King Royal Technologies Ltd., Royal Shune Lei Co Ltd., the International Group of Entrepreneurs (IGE) Ltd., and Swan Energy Company Ltd., for their role in supplying weapons and military equipment to the junta amid escalating attacks on civilian populations.
The EU’s new sanctions list includes Chit Linn Myaing Group (CLM) and its founder and former chairman, Colonel Saw Chit Thu, along with Lieutenant Colonel Mote Thun and Major Tin Win. These individuals and entities have been identified for their involvement in operations linked to serious human rights violations and activities that threaten peace, security, and stability within Myanmar and the region. As of now, a total of 106 individuals and 22 entities are under EU restrictions, which include asset freezes, a ban on providing them with funds or resources, and EU travel prohibitions.
In parallel with these new sanctions, the United Nations is expected to receive updates today on Myanmar’s situation from the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Thomas Andrews, and the head of the UN’s Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar IIMM, Nicholas Koumjian.
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