As we approach the third anniversary of the military launching its coup, the British government is falling far behind in sanctioning some of the main sources of money for the Burmese military.
GAS:
The European Union and USA have imposed sanctions on the military controlled Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), through which revenue from gas sales reaches the military.
The UK hasn’t.
MINERALS/MINING:
The European Union, Canada and USA have sanctioned the two state-owned military controlled mining enterprises which provide revenue to the military from sales of minerals and rare earths.
The UK hasn’t.
STATE-OWNED MILITARY CONTROLLED BANKS:
The USA has sanctioned the Myanma Foreign Trade Bank (MFTB) and Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank (MICB), through which the military receives international revenue from gas, gems, minerals and other exports.
The UK hasn’t.
More pressure is vital
As the people of Burma continue to resist military rule, the generals are becoming ever more desperate and brutal as they try to cling on to power, bombing homes, schools, hospitals, churches and mosques. Two million people have been forced to flee their homes. 20,000 political prisoners are in jail.
There is no single thing that the British government can do to cut revenue to the Burmese military. It is the combination of sanctions and other measures which will have an impact.
This is why it is vital that David Cameron uses every opportunity there is to cut of the supply of money, arms and equipment to the military.
