UK Foreign Secretary announces new sanctions against Myanmar

On Sep 3, 2021

United Kingdom Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab has announced new Myanmar sanctions and said the purpose of it was to affect businesses that provide financial support to the military junta.

The UK government released a statement saying that new sanctions were aimed at Myanmar businessman U Tay Za and his business empire Htoo Group. The business group is a large business network that controls several activities in Myanmar and has been accused of funding the 2017 clearance of Rohingya in Rakhine.

The UK’s foreign ministry said, it would impose an asset freeze on conglomerate Htoo Group of Companies and its founder Tay Za, that the tycoon was involved in arms deals on behalf of the military.

“The military junta has shown no signs of halting its brutal attack on the people of Myanmar.

“Along with our partners, the UK will continue to restrict the junta’s access to finance and the supply of arms used to kill innocents, including children, and target those who support the junta’s actions,” Raab said.

The UK said, Tay Za was associated with the military through his extensive links with the former and current junta regimes.

It accused him of providing support for serious human rights violations in his role in assisting the military to procure arms.

The February military takeover has so far left at least 1,045 dead, according to rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, with more than 6,000 people also currently in detention for opposing the military rulers.

Kamila/Al-Jazeera