iToday, February 11, 2020, the Biden Administration issued a new Executive Order (EO) imposing asset blocking sanctions in connection with the military coup in Burma. Simultaneously, the Treasury Department designated 10 individuals and 3 entities as blocked persons (Specially Designated Nationals or SDNs) under the new EO. (Two of the individuals were already SDNs as a result of an earlier EO. )
The EO authorizes sanctions against persons determined to have engaged in a variety of activities detrimental to democracy and human rights in Burma, including parties that are determined by the U.S. government: to operate in the defense sector or such other sectors as shall later be identified; to be a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the Government of Burma; to be a leader or official of the Government of Burma on or after February 2, 2021; to be a spouse or adult child of a blocked party; or to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, a blocked party. Accordingly, there is room for the sanctions to spread and U.S. and foreign parties engaged in trade with Burma should take this into account when assessing their risk exposure.
The parties designated today are as follows:
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Commander-in-Chief of the Burmese military forces Min Aung Hlaing (previously designated under E.O. 13818)
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Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Burmese military forces Soe Win (previously designated under E.O. 13818)
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First Vice President and retired Lieutenant General Myint Swe
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Lieutenant General Sein Win
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Lieutenant General Soe Htut
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Lieutenant General Ye Aung
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General Mya Tun Oo, appointed Minister of Defense
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Admiral Tin Aung San, appointed as Minister for Transport and Communications
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Lieutenant General Ye Win Oo, appointed Joint Secretary of the SAC
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Lieutenant General Aung Lin Dwe, appointed Secretary of the SAC
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Myanmar Ruby Enterprise
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Myanmar Imperial Jade Co., LTD.
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Cancri (Gems and Jewellery) Co., LTD.
The new EO is here and the Treasury Press release announcing the designations is here.
