EU imposes sanctions on Myanmar’s junta officials

The European Union has imposed sanctions on two conglomerates linked to Myanmar’s military and ten of its officials who were involved in seizing power in the coup of February 1.

The announcement of the sanctions was made after a video meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.

EU diplomatic sources said the targeted officials were mostly members of the ruling State Administration Council.

There are now about three dozen individuals in Myanmar who are on the EU sanctions list, which imposes a travel ban and asset freeze.

The individuals “are all responsible for undermining democracy and the rule of law in Myanmar/Burma, and for repressive decisions and serious human rights violations,” the EU member states said in a joint statement.

The two entities were conglomerates “owned and controlled by the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw), and provide revenue for it.”

EU countries were united in “condemning the brutal actions of the military junta” and aimed to bring about change in the junta's leadership, the statement said

After the virtual talks with his EU counterparts, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the junta was “maneuvering the country into a dead end.”

Myanmar’s newly-formed shadow government, which was formed on April 16, recently called on Southeast Asian leaders not to recognize the military regime.

The junta has since the coup been engaged in a brutal crackdown that has led to the killing of nearly 730 people calling for the release of the deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the restoration of her civil government.

The military government has so far detained more than 3,140 people in connection with the coup, according to a tally by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

The United Nations human rights office warned on April 13 that the clampdown risked escalating into a civil conflict.

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