Burma Campaign and CSW welcome aspects of the Government announcement on Burma sanctions. Like the curate’s egg – it’s there in parts
Media Release From Burma Campaign UK
For Immediate Release Thursday 18th February 2021
UK Announcement on Sanctioning Military Companies Welcome – Burma Campaign UK
Burma Campaign UK expressed disappointment with sanctions announced against three Burmese military leaders by the British government today, which effectively amount to nothing more than a holiday ban.
However, the announcement that the UK will work on ways to stop British companies working with the military is a very positive step and something Burma Campaign UK has been calling on the British government to do for many years.
“These military leaders won’t have any assets in the UK to freeze, so the practical outcome of these type of sanctions is that they can’t take holidays in the UK,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of the Burma Campaign UK. “Sanctioning military companies will hit the military where it hurts, in their pockets, and it is essential Dominic Raab moves swiftly to get these sanctions in place. We are delighted that Dominic Raab has announced that he will take steps to stop British companies doing business with the Burmese military.”
Sixteen military leaders are already subject to asset freezes and holidays bans. The British government refuses to disclose the value of assets frozen under these sanctions, but it is believed to be nothing.
People in Burma are risking their lives with mass protests and civil disobedience and calling for international support.
When Min Aung Hlaing held his military coup, he was calculating that there would be a price to pay but that it would not be too high a price. In Burma people have proved him wrong but we are yet to see sufficient effective and decisive action from the British government and the rest of the international community.
The British government has also announced welcome new measures to prevent British aid reaching the military controlled government.
“Sanctioning military leaders is largely symbolic, but the moves to sanction military companies will be much more effective,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Sanctions by themselves won’t be enough, we also need to see the UK building a coalition of countries imposing arms embargoes, and supporting international justice initiatives like referring Burma to the International Criminal Court and joining the genocide case at the World Court.”
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For Immediate Release
18 February 2021
BURMA: CSW URGES EU FOREIGN MINISTERS TO TAKE STEPS TOWARDS ARMS EMBARGO AND TARGETED SANCTIONS
CSW is calling on European Foreign Ministers to consider robust steps to address the coup in Burma (Myanmar) at their meeting on 22 February, such as assembling a coalition of countries to implement arms embargoes on the Burmese regime and pushing for targeted sanctions on military companies and individuals under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime.
EU Foreign Ministers are due to attenda Foreign Affairs Council meeting at the Council of Europe on 22 February, chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. The situation in Burma following the military coup is on the agenda for discussion.
The Burmese military seized power in a coup on 1 February, following a general election which the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, won by a landslide. It declared a year-long state of emergency and put Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders under house arrest. Political power is now held by commander-in-chief of the Burmese army, Min Aung Hlaing.
In the days since the coup, there have been widespread anti-coup protests, with hundreds of thousands of people demanding the release of civilian leaders and a return to democracy. Police have responded to the marches, walk-outs and acts of civil disobedience with water cannon, rubber bullets and live ammunition.
In a statement published on 16 February, The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said: “Continued repression of the people of Myanmar’s basic liberties and human rights must end immediately. I call on the international business community in particular to take immediate action. Urgently call your interlocutors in the State Administrative Council and stress to them that you will be forced to suspend or cease business in Myanmar if they continue down this violent path. Specifically stress to them that under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, businesses and investors should suspend or terminate activities with the Myanmar junta when the risk of involvement in serious human rights abuses can no longer be reasonably managed. I, and many others, would argue we have long passed that threshold. Please implore them to use restraint. Implore them to return power to the people of Myanmar.”
Benedict Rogers, CSW’s senior East Asia analyst and author of three books on Burma, said: “There is an urgent need for the international community to respond to the illegal overthrow of a democratically elected government and resulting human rights violations with robust, targeted action and not merely with words. It is time for the European Union to impose targeted sanctions against the Burmese military and their enterprises, while taking care to avoid measures that would hurt the people or the country. It is also vital that the EU lead the way in seeking a global arms embargo. The military regime will not respond to words, but they may respond to pressure, especially if their own interests are impacted, and so the time for such action is now.
