News Desk
BRUSSELS: The European Union has imposed new sanctions on 16 individuals and entities in military-ruled Myanmar amid the continuing escalation of violence in the country.
Nine persons and seven entities, including the energy minister, influential businessmen and high-ranking officers, were targetted by the EU in its sixth sanctions package. Also included in the curbs list were politicians and administrators in the country’s largest city, Yangon, who were said to behind the executions of four pro-democracy activists in July 2022, and who monitored massacres, air raids, and used civilians as human shields during military raids in the country’s northern Kachin state.
“The ones responsible for the coup, as well as the perpetrators of violence and gross human rights violations, should be held accountable,” the EU said in a statement on Monday.
The EU condemned rights violations in Myanmar including sexual violence, persecution of civil society workers, human rights activists, journalists and civilians, and aerial raids on schools and hospitals conducted by the military regime since it seized power on February 1, 2021.
NUG Welcomes EU’s move
Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG) welcomed the EU’s move, as did the Burma Campaign UK, an advocacy group which closely oversees events in the country formerly known as Burma.
Describing the sanctions as “well targeted”, the Burma Campaign said the EU had focused on people doing business with the military, including suppliers of aviation fuel, arms brokers, military procurement entities, as well as senior officers and associated bodies.
