“After a thorough review of the facts and circumstances, we have determined that Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Burma’s ruling party, and Win Myint, the duly elected head of government, were ousted in a military coup on February 1,” a state The department official said Tuesday with a different name for Myanmar. “We call on the Burmese military leadership to release them and all other civil society and political leaders immediately and unconditionally.”
The United States offers’ very little ‘foreign aid directly to the government of Myanmar and’ the government of Burma, including the Burmese army, is already subject to a number of foreign aid restrictions, including legal restrictions on military aid, due to its human rights record . “
The State Department official said during a conversation with reporters that the administration will undertake a broader review of our aid programs to ensure that it is consistent with recent events. ‘
That review will begin “immediately” and will “look at any programs that are indirectly to the benefit of the military or individual low-level officers.”
“At the same time, we will continue programs that directly benefit the people of Burma, including humanitarian aid and democracy support programs that benefit civil society. A democratic civilian government has always been the best opportunity in Burma to address the problems facing the country. to camp, to address. ” said the official.
They also suggested that sanctions in response to the power attack by Myanmar’s army remain on the table on Monday.
“As President (Joe) Biden has said, we will take action against those responsible, including by carefully reviewing our current sanctions position on Burma’s military leaders and related companies,” the official said. .
Biden warned in a statement the previous day: “The United States has removed sanctions against Burma over the past decade based on progress towards democracy. Reversing progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanctions laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action. “
The civil servant did not offer a timeline for possible sanctions. Officials told CNN on Monday that the government could roll it out this week, but a decision to pull the trigger will likely be influenced by a desire to move with allies.
Congress assistants, who were briefed by the State Department on Monday, told CNN that members of Congress are likely to pass legislation to impose sanctions if the government does not impose them.
Myanmar’s armed forces took control of the country on Monday after detaining top government figures, including leader Suu Kyi, after months of growing friction between the civilian government and the military, known as the Tatmadaw, over alleged irregularities in the election.
The State Department official told reporters on Tuesday that they had not had direct contact with the military on the ground since the coup, nor had they had any contact with the civilian leaders detained.
“As for our ability to talk to members of the party (National League for Democracy) or Aung San Suu Kyi ourselves, no, we could not do that,” they said. “We understand that most senior officials are under house arrest, and that the NLD leadership as well as some of the local government figures and the civil society figures. But we could not achieve that, we will of course continue to try to do so. . ‘
The official noted that the US ‘was in regular contact with our like-minded allies and partners in the region’, including Japan and India, with whom they ‘have daily talks’.
“We are certainly appreciated that some other countries have better contact with the Burmese army than we do, and we are continuing the talks,” the official said.
CNN’s Kylie Atwood contributed to this report.