WASHINGTON: UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews, who is responsible for monitoring the human rights situation in Myanmar, has called on the United States to increase sanctions on the country’s military rulers.
He specifically urged the US to target their primary revenue source, the state oil and gas enterprise. Andrews, a former member of the U.S. Congress, also emphasized the importance of maintaining humanitarian support for victims of the junta both inside and outside Myanmar.
The United States and other countries have implemented sanctions against Myanmar’s military rulers in response to the coup in 2021 and subsequent human rights abuses.
In June, the U.S. imposed sanctions on the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank.
Andrews acknowledged these efforts but stressed the need for additional sanctions, particularly against the Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise, which is a major revenue source for the junta.
He argued that cutting off this revenue could limit the military’s ability to carry out atrocities against civilians, referencing civilian deaths at the hands of the military.
Andrews expressed alarm over reports that some donors, including the U.S., might reduce support for Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar. This includes concerns about the funding levels for a Joint Response Plan that provides food rations for Rohingya children in Bangladesh, which has only been 32 percent funded so far this year.
He emphasized the importance of continuing humanitarian assistance to those affected by the junta’s actions.
Andrews called on the U.S. to work with other countries to block the junta’s access to weapons. This highlights the role of international collaboration in addressing the crisis in Myanmar.
He previously reported that Myanmar’s military had imported significant amounts of arms and materials since the coup, and he raised concerns about the involvement of Russia and China in supporting the junta’s campaign to suppress opposition.
While sanctions have been imposed on Myanmar’s military, there have been debates about their effectiveness. Myanmar military officials have downplayed the impact of sanctions, often claiming that their airstrikes are aimed at insurgents.
Despite calls from rights groups and dissidents, the U.S. has not expanded sanctions to target the Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise directly.
Tom Andrews’ appeal to the U.S. underscores the ongoing international efforts to address the crisis in Myanmar. He emphasizes the need for targeted sanctions on key revenue sources of the military junta, continued humanitarian support, and cooperation with other nations to prevent the junta’s access to weapons. This situation highlights the complexities of addressing human rights abuses and political crises through diplomatic and economic means.
