It was conveyed in a press statement by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued by the US Embassy in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The sanctions were imposed by the United States, including against the senior leadership of Myanmar’s Ministry of Energy, Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) and Myanmar’s Air Force as well as an arms dealer and a family member of an earlier designated business associate of the military.
"We are also sanctioning the Union Electoral Commission, which the regime has deployed to advance its plans for deeply flawed elections that would subvert the will of the people of Myanmar," Blinken noted in the statement.
"We are taking today’s action in conjunction with actions also being taken by the United Kingdom and Canada," he affirmed.
To date, the US has sanctioned -- under an executive order -- some 80 individuals and 30 entities to deprive the regime of the means to perpetuate its violence and to promote the democratic aspirations of Myanmar’s people.
"The United States remains firm in our position that the regime’s planned elections cannot be free or fair, not while the regime has killed, detained, or forced possible contenders to flee, nor while it continues to inflict brutal violence against its peaceful opponents," Blinken stated.
"Many key political stakeholders have announced their refusal to participate in these elections, which will be neither inclusive nor representative, and which almost certainly will fuel greater bloodshed," he remarked.
Blinken also pointed out that the United States will continue to support the pro-democracy movement and its efforts to advance peace and multiparty governance in Myanmar.
"We commend those working to strengthen unity and cohesion among diverse groups, who share a vision of a genuine and inclusive democracy in Myanmar," he remarked.
The United States will also continue to promote accountability for the military’s atrocities, including through support to the UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and other international efforts to protect and support vulnerable populations, including Rohingya.
"We welcome the actions taken by our allies and partners to urge the regime to end the crisis," Blinken remarked.
The US looks forward to building on cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its members, with the UN following the recent passage of the UN Security Council Resolution on the situation in Myanmar, and with the international community writ-large, as partners seek to uphold the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, intensify diplomatic and economic pressure against the military, and support a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous Myanmar, Blinken noted in the statement.
Two years ago, Myanmar’s military regime usurped power from a democratically elected government – blatantly rejecting the will of the people, setting the country on a disastrous path that has killed and displaced thousands, reversing the hard-fought democratic progress achieved over the last decade.
Since the military’s coup on February 1, 2021, the political, economic, and humanitarian crisis in Myanmar has only grown more dire, with reports indicating nearly three thousand killed, nearly 17 thousand detained, and more than 1.5 million displaced.
The regime’s ongoing scorched-earth campaign continues to inflict harm and claim the lives of innocent people, fueling a worsening armed conflict within Burma and insecurity beyond its borders.
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Reporter: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Editor: Sri Haryati
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