• The UK, EU and Canada have announced a further round of sanctions to increase pressure on the Myanmar military regime and its associates.
• UK sanctions target entities supplying aviation fuel and equipment to the Myanmar military. August 2024 saw the highest number of airstrikes on record by the Myanmar military, killing dozens of civilians.

The UK, EU and Canada have announced further sanctions targeting the Myanmar military’s access to military material, equipment and funds.

UK action will help to constrain the Myanmar military’s ability to conduct airstrikes on civilians, which amount to gross human rights violations.

The latest round of UK sanctions is against six entities involved either in providing aviation fuel to the Myanmar military or in the supply of restricted goods, including aircraft parts. Today’s announcement bolsters previous sanctions against suppliers of aviation fuel to the military in February and March 2023 and arms dealers in October 2023.

The UK will continue to work with partners to restrict the sale and transfer of arms and finance to the Myanmar military. Since the coup, the UK has provided more than £150 million for life-saving humanitarian assistance, healthcare, education and support for civil society and local communities in Myanmar.

Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Catherine West said:

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.

That is why today the UK is announcing fresh sanctions targeting the suppliers of equipment and aviation fuel to the Myanmar military. Alongside the EU and Canada, we are today further constraining the military’s access to funds, equipment and resources.

These sanctions will increase pressure on the Myanmar military. The UK remains steadfast in our support for the Myanmar people and their aspirations for a peaceful and democratic future.

On 1 February 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the democratically elected government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and installed a military regime. Since then, they have used violence and atrocities to maintain power and suppress any opposition voices. Increasingly brutal tactics have been implemented as the military continue to cling on to power, leading to the highest number of airstrikes on record by the Myanmar military this August (2024), killing dozens of civilians.

Over 3.4 million people are now displaced from their homes due to the fighting, over 18 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and Myanmar is now seeing a proliferation in serious and organised crime.

Background

Since the coup, the UK has designated 25 individuals and 33 entities under the Myanmar Sanctions Regime. The UK continues to lead international efforts to undermine the regime’s credibility and constrain their access to revenue and arms.

Today the UK has sanctioned:

1. Asia Sun Group Company Limited – for being owned or controlled by Zaw Min Tun, a Myanmar businessman previously sanctioned by the UK in 2023 for making available economic resources, namely aviation fuel, directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of the Myanmar security forces.
2. Swan Energy Company Limited – for being associated with Asia Sun Trading Company Limited and by making available economic resources (aviation fuel) directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of the Myanmar security forces.
3. Myan-Oil Company Limited – for being associated with Asia Sun Trading Company Limited.
4. Rich Ray Trading Company Limited – for being associated with Asia Sun Trading Company Limited and by making available economic resources (aviation fuel) directly or indirectly to or for the benefit of the Myanmar security forces.
5. Progress Technology Support Company (a.k.a Royal Shune Lei Co) – for being involved in the supply to Myanmar of restricted goods or restricted technology or of material related to such goods or technology.
6. King Royal Technologies Company Limited- for being involved in the supply to Myanmar of goods or technology which could contribute to a serious human rights violation or abuse.