“The United States calls on the military regime to release all those wrongfully detained; stop its attacks on civil society, journalists and trade unionists; stop the brutal killings by its security forces; and return power to the democrats elected government, ‘Blinken said.
The US will designate Myanmar Police Chief Than Hlaing and his Commander-in-Chief of the Special Operations Bureau, Lieutenant General Aung Soe, as well as two military units “to be responsible for or complicit in it or to be directly or indirectly involved or to try to participate in actions or policies that prohibit, restrict or punish the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly by people in Burma, ”Blinken said in a statement with a different name for Myanmar.
Members of one of the military units were among the security forces who fired live shots at a crowd of protesters in the capital of Mandalay, and both units are ” part of the Burmese security forces’ planned, systemic strategies to use deadly weapons. sharp. power, ‘Blinken said.
“These names show that this violence will not go unanswered,” the top U.S. diplomat said.
‘Brutal oppression’
The EU sanctions have been targeted at senior Myanmar military officials, including the commander-in-chief, the deputy commander-in-chief, as well as an official who heads the election commission.
Blinken noted that the UK and Canada also approved many of the same individuals.
“The United States, along with our allies and partners, has stood by them. In response, the military regime continues its violent repression, which has killed at least 194 people to date, including peaceful protesters,” Blinken said. . “The junta continues its efforts to overturn the results of a democratic election by brutally suppressing peaceful protesters and killing individuals who simply demand a say in the future of their country.”
The military took over after claiming that the November 8 election, led by political leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy, had been quadrupled by fraud. After the country’s election commission disputed the claim, the military replaced the commission.
The coup is a return to military rule, which stifled Myanmar for decades before a meager democratic opening began in 2010. As citizens of the country took to the streets to defend their electoral system with strikes and protests, the military responded with increasing violence. and attempts to stifle communication. Internet access is restricted, journalists are arrested and some newspapers are unable to publish.