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OFAC Designates Burmese Military Officials

The Office of Foreign Assets Control has designated six individuals and three entities connected to Burma’s military regime in conjunction with actions taken by both the U.K. and Canada, according to a Jan. 31 news release. The designations cover individuals and entities that financially support Burma's military regime, which OFAC says has "continued to use violence and oppression to deny the people of Burma the ability to choose their own leaders."

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The Union Election Commission (UEC) was designated for its role in overseeing a do-over vote and invalidating the results of the 2020 democratic election. Two state mining enterprises owned by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation also were designated for being state-owned enterprises that help fund the regime.

The minister of energy, Myo Myint Oo, along with leading officials in the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, Aung Min and Than Min, were designated for their roles in Burma's energy sector. The production and export of oil and gas generates over $1 billion in annual revenue and is the single largest source of foreign currency revenue for the regime, OFAC said.

An ex-military official and a former lawmaker, Hla Swe, was designated for helping secure arms for pro-regime militias. OFAC said Hla Swe is considered the man behind a pro-regime publication that regularly publishes death threats against members of minority groups. Gen. Htun Aung was designated for his role as the head of Burma's air force, which continues to launch airstrikes against pro-democracy forces that have killed and displaced civilians.

“Two years after Burma’s military forcefully overthrew the democratically elected government of Burma, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, along with partner nations like the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia continue to stand with the people of Burma as they seek freedom and democracy,” said Brian Nelson, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. The U.S. “will continue to promote accountability for those who provide financial and material support to, and directly enable, the violent suppression of democracy in Burma.”