UK, EU, and Canada expand Myanmar sanctions
The United Kingdom, European Union and Canada have announced new coordinated sanctions against Myanmar’s military regime, with the UK targeting six entities while the EU added three individuals and one entity to its sanctions list.
The UK sanctions specifically target companies involved in supplying aviation fuel and equipment to Myanmar’s military, which conducted record numbers of airstrikes against civilians in August 2024. The EU’s measures focus on individuals and entities connected to scam operations along the Thai-Myanmar border.
‘The human rights violations taking place across Myanmar, including airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, by the Myanmar military is unacceptable and the impact on innocent civilians is intolerable,’ UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West said in a statement, 29 October.
Among the UK-sanctioned entities are Asia Sun Group Company Limited and Swan Energy Company Limited, both targeted for their role in providing aviation fuel to Myanmar’s security forces. The sanctions come as the humanitarian situation in Myanmar continues to deteriorate, with over 3.4 million people displaced and 18 million requiring humanitarian assistance.
In addition, the UK sanctions target Myan-Oil Company Limited and Rich Ray Trading Company Limited for their associations with Asia Sun and involvement in aviation fuel supply. The measures are also against Progress Technology Support Company (also known as Royal Shune Lei Co), for supplying restricted goods or technology to Myanmar and King Royal Technologies Company Limited, for providing goods or technology that could contribute to serious human rights violations.
The EU’s new sanctions target the Chit Linn Myaing Group (‘CLM’) and its founder, Colonel Saw Chit Thu, along with two military officers, Lieutenant Colonel Mote Thun and Major Tin Win. According to the EU press release, CLM ‘is involved with and profits financially from activities in scam compounds’ in Myanmar’s border regions, particularly in areas where ‘massive human rights violations, including forced labour and torture’ are reported.
Canada’s sanctions, announced by Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, target three individuals – Charlie Than, Ne Aung, and Win Kyaw Kyaw Aung – along with four companies. Three of these firms – – King Royal Technologies Company Ltd., Royal Shune Lei Company Ltd. and Swan Energy Company Limited – were also sanctioned by the UK, while the fourth, International Group of Entrepreneurs (IGE) Company Ltd., was uniquely targeted by Canada.
With these additions, the EU now has imposed restrictions on 106 individuals and 22 entities, while the UK has designated 25 individuals and 33 entities since Myanmar’s military coup in February 2021.
