By Caribbean News Global 
LONDON, England – Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, on Thursday, March 25, announced further measures targeting the Myanmar regime, sanctioning military-owned conglomerate Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (MEHL) for its involvement in serious human rights violations against the Rohingya and its association with senior military figures.
Foreign Secretary, Raab, said: “[Today’s] sanctions target the military’s financial interests to help drain the sources of finance for their campaigns of repression against civilians.”
According to a press release from Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (MEHL) is a military conglomerate owned by parts of the armed forces, and current and former military officers. Designating the entity under the Global Human Rights sanctions regime will also prohibit funds being made available to any subsidiaries “owned or controlled” by MEHL.
“The designation is in response to evidence that MEHL contributed funds to support the country’s armed forces, known as the Tatmadaw, in their campaign on ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya in 2017, having reasonable cause to suspect that the funds would or may contribute to the serious human rights violations committed, and that MEHL is associated with the commander in chief and deputy commander in chief.”
FCDO said the UK is announcing this action alongside the United States, who are also imposing sanctions on MEHL, noted that “the UK has been at the forefront of a strong, co-ordinated international response to situation in Myanmar. In March, the UK secured a presidential statement at the UN Security Council condemning violence by the regime against peaceful protestors, and called for respect of Myanmar’s democratic transition and the release of all those detained arbitrarily.”
The sanction directed at MEHL on Thursday, March 25, follows two UK-led statements by G7 Foreign Ministers (condemning the coup in Myamar and violence in Myanmar) and a statement at the UN Security Council in February and last month’s designation of nine individuals from Myanmar’s military.
“Those sanctions focused on those directly responsible for human rights violations committed by the police and military during the coup in Myanmar, as well as the State Administration Council, which was set up following the coup to exercise the functions of state. In conjunction with the work on sanctions, the UK has temporarily suspended all promotion of trade with Myanmar while we work with British businesses and civil society to reshape our approach to trade,” the FCDO concluded.
