US President Biden Orders Sanctions Against Myanmar Military Leaders

 

Daily Mail: Joe Biden slaps sanctions on Myanmar's military coup leaders freezing $1 billion of U.S. assets and warning of more if they don't give up power 

 * Biden speaks at White House to say that he is seizing $1 billion of assets in the U.S. to stop generals who took power from accessing them 

 * Warned that if they do not hand power back to de facto elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi more sanctions will be imposed 

 * His administration planned to identify specific targets of the sanctions later this week, he said 

 * Military deposed Kyi and other politicians and took them into custody on February 2 

President Joe Biden on Wednesday ordered new sanctions against the military regime in Myanmar, taking action after the military this month staged a coup in the Southeast Asian country and arrested de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior politicians.

Biden said he was issuing an executive order that will prevent Myanmar's generals from accessing $1 billion in assets in the United States. Biden added that more measures are to come. 'The military must relinquish power it seized and demonstrate respect for the will of the people of Burma,' Biden said. 

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 More News On US President Biden Ordering Sanctions Against Myanmar's Military Leaders 

Biden orders sanctions against Myanmar after military coup -- AP 

In Myanmar coup response, Biden approves order for sanctions on generals, businesses -- Reuters

Biden announces sanctions on Myanmar after coup -- Politico 

Biden says US will sanction Myanmar military leaders after coup, warns not to stop protests -- USA Today 

US to impose sanctions on military leaders in Myanmar, Biden says -- Al Jazeera

U.S. Sanctions Senior Myanmar Generals Over Rohingya 'Ethnic Cleansing'

NPR: U.S. Sanctions Senior Myanmar Generals Over Rohingya 'Ethnic Cleansing'

The State Department said it has issued sanctions to four top military leaders in Myanmar over what it called "gross human rights violations" during the "ethnic cleansing" of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

Targets of the sanctions include the military's commander in chief Min Aung Hlaing, his deputy Soe Win, Brig. Gen. Than Oo and Brig. Gen. Aung Aung. The sanctions, which were announced by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday, mean the leaders and their immediate families are barred from entry into the United States.

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Update #1: U.S. sanctions Myanmar generals over mass killings of Rohingya (CBS/AP)
Update #2: Rohingya crisis: US imposes sanctions on top Myanmar generals (BBC)

WNU Editor: Too little and too late.

U.S. Imposes Sanctions On Elements Of The Myanmar Military For Conducting Ethnic Cleansing Against Rohingya Muslims

Rohingya refugees, who crossed the border from Myanmar two days before, walk after they received permission from the Bangladeshi army to continue on to the refugee camps, in Palang Khali, near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo

Reuters: U.S. imposes sanctions on Myanmar military over Rohingya crackdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on four Myanmar military and police commanders and two army units, accusing them of “ethnic cleansing” against Rohingya Muslims and widespread human rights abuses across the Southeast Asian nation.

The sanctions by the Treasury Department marked the toughest U.S. action so far in response to Myanmar’s crackdown on the Rohingya minority, which started last year and has driven more than 700,000 people into neighboring Bangladesh and left thousands of dead behind.

But the Trump administration did not target the highest levels of Myanmar’s military and also stopped short of calling the anti-Rohingya campaign crimes against humanity or genocide, which has been the subject of debate within the U.S. government.

The measures were announced as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to U.S. officials, prepares to issue the findings of an intensive U.S. investigation of alleged atrocities by Myanmar authorities against the Rohingya in Rakhine state.

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WNU Editor: These sanctions are too little and too late. Myanmar’s powerful army chief, Min Aung Hlaing, has been spared from these sanctions, as well as Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

U.S. Declares ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ Against The Rohingya Is Occurring In Myanmar

BBC: Rohingya crisis: US calls Myanmar action 'ethnic cleansing'

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says Myanmar's military action against the minority Muslim Rohingya population constitutes ethnic cleansing.

He said the Rohingya had suffered "horrendous atrocities" and as a result the US was considering targeted sanctions against those responsible.

In September, UN human rights chief Zeid Raad Al Hussein also accused Myanmar of ethnic cleansing.

Mr Tillerson's comments come days before a visit to Myanmar by the Pope.

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More News On The U.S. Declaring ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ Against The Rohingya In Myanmar

US declares ‘ethnic cleansing’ against Rohingya in Myanmar -- AP
US condemns 'ethnic cleansing' of Myanmar's Rohingya -- AFP
US condemns 'ethnic cleansing' of Rohingya in Myanmar -- DW
Tillerson declares violence in Myanmar is ethnic cleansing -- ABC News
Tillerson: Myanmar clearly 'ethnic cleansing' the Rohingya -- CNN
Violence against Rohingya Muslims in Burma is 'ethnic cleansing,' US declares -- Fox News
U.S. Condemns Myanmar's Rohingya Crisis as Ethnic Cleansing -- Bloomberg
US: Myanmar attacks on Rohingya 'ethnic cleansing' -- Al Jazeera
U.S. hopes to pressure Myanmar to permit Rohingya repatriation -- Reuters