“The United States continues to ask the military regime to release all detainees unjustly; stop its attacks on civil society members, journalists and union members; stop the brutal killings by its security forces; and return power to the democratically elected government,” Blinken said.
The United States will designate Myanmar’s chief of police, Than Hlaing, and his Special Operations Bureau commander, Lieutenant-General Aung Soe, as well as two army units “for being responsible or complicit or for engaging or trying to directly or indirectly engaging in actions or policies that prohibit, limit or penalize the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly by people in Burma, “Blinken said in a statement, using another name for Myanmar.
Members of one of the military units were among the security forces who fired on a crowd of protesters in the capital of Mandalay, and both units are “part of the planned and systemic strategies of the Burmese security forces to increase the use of lethal forces”, said Blinken.
“These designations show that this violence will not go unanswered,” said the top US diplomat.
‘Brutally suppressing’
The EU sanctions targeted senior military officials in Myanmar, including the commander-in-chief, the deputy commander-in-chief, as well as an officer who heads the electoral commission.
Blinken noted that the United Kingdom and Canada have also sanctioned many of the same individuals.
“The United States, along with our allies and partners, have been with them. In response, the military regime continues its violent repression, which has killed at least 194 people so far, including peaceful protesters,” said Blinken. “The junta continues its attempts to overturn the results of a democratic election, brutally repressing peaceful demonstrators and killing individuals who are simply demanding a say in the future of their country.”
The military seized power after claiming that the November 8 elections, decisively won by political leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, were marked by fraud. After the country’s electoral commission challenged that statement, the military replaced the commission.
The coup marks a return to the military regime, which stifled Myanmar for decades before a small democratic opening began in 2010. As the country’s citizens took to the streets to defend their electoral system with strikes and protests, the military responded with increasing violence and efforts to stifle communications. Internet access was restricted, journalists were arrested and some newspapers were prevented from publishing.