US, UK, Canada, Australia plan new sanctions on Myanmar

The United States will impose further sanctions on Myanmar, according to a US Treasury Department statement seen by Reuters, marking the two-year anniversary of the coup in partnership with US allies.

The US will impose sanctions on the Union Election Commission, mining enterprises, energy officials and current and former military officials, according to the statement. 

The action will be taken in co-ordination with the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Canada and Australia imposed their further sanctions on Tuesday.

Myanmar’s top generals led a coup in February 2021 after five years of tense power-sharing under a quasi-civilian political system that was created by the military, which led to a decade of unprecedented reform.

The country has been in chaos since, with a resistance movement fighting the military on multiple fronts after a bloody crackdown on opponents that resulted in foreign sanctions being re-imposed.

Tueday’s US move will target the managing director and deputy managing director of the state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), which is the junta’s single largest revenue generating state-owned enterprise, according to the Treasury statement.

Human rights advocates have called for sanctions on Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise. 

The sector remains a signficant source of revenue for the junta.

Also among those that will be designated was the Union Minister of Energy, Myo Myint Oo, who Treasury said represents Myanmar’s government in international and domestic energy sector engagements and manages the state-owned entities involved in the production and export of oil and gas.

Mining Enterprise No 1 and Mining Enterprise No 2, both state-owned enterprises, as well as the Union Election Commission, are also set to be hit with sanctions.

The military has pledged to hold an election in August this year. 

On Friday, the junta announced tough requirements for parties to contest the election, including a huge increase in their membership, a move that could sideline the military’s opponents and cement its grip on power.