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US imposes sanctions over escalating violence in Myanmar

The move came as the European Union announced its own sanctions against 11 Myanmar individuals associated with the Feb. 1 military coup and related violence, many of whom have also been sanctioned by the United States, Britain and Canada, according to the State Department.

News Desk (Kyodo News)
Washington, United States
Tue, March 23, 2021

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US imposes sanctions over escalating violence in Myanmar US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to staff at the US State Department during the first visit of US President Joe Biden in Washington, DC. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on February 15, 2021, for an investigation into a rocket attack on an airbase in Iraq's Kurdistan region and promised to (AFP/Saul Loeb)

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he United States said late Monday it has imposed sanctions on two individuals and two entities connected with Myanmar's military and its violent repression of pro-democracy protests.

The move came as the European Union announced its own sanctions against 11 Myanmar individuals associated with the Feb. 1 military coup and related violence, many of whom have also been sanctioned by the United States, Britain and Canada, according to the State Department.

"These actions demonstrate the international community's condemnation of the (Myanmar military) regime," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, while urging the military to release all those who have been unjustly detained and to stop its attacks on civil society members.

The individuals and entities sanctioned by the Treasury Department on Monday were Than Hlaing, who leads Myanmar's police force, military officer Aung Soe and two light infantry divisions of the Myanmar army.

Meanwhile, Singapore's foreign minister traveling to Brunei on Monday said that he shared "deep concern" over the situation in Myanmar in talks with his counterpart.

Also set to visit Malaysia and Indonesia, Vivian Balakrishnan is believed to be on a mission to lay the groundwork for a special ASEAN summit called for by Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to discuss the upheaval in one of the member countries.

Brunei currently serves as chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

While in Brunei, Balakrishnan also met with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

During their talks, Balakrishnan and Brunei's second foreign minister, Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, "agreed that the ongoing situation in Myanmar was of deep concern," and they also discussed ASEAN's support for "Myanmar's return to the path of national reconciliation, peace and stability," the ministry said.

Balakrishnan plans to visit Malaysia for two days from Tuesday and hold talks with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin during his visit.

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