US Sanctions Alleged Myanmar Arms Traffickers

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Facts

  • The US on Thursday sanctioned Aung Moe Myint and Hlaing Moe Myint - the owners of Dynasty International - as well as Myo Thitsar, the company's director, for allegedly procuring Russian-made weapons and aircraft from Belarus and supplying them to Myanmar's military regime.
  • When announcing the sanctions, US Sec. of State Antony Blinken referenced the regime's recent executions of pro-democracy activists in July and its helicopter attack on a school on Sept. 16. He said the latest round of sanctions target the Myanmar military’s ties to Russia and Belarus.
  • Aung Moe Myint is the son of one of the regime's military officers, who is believed to have facilitated the deals involving missiles and aircraft with Belarus, with the sanctions barring any American from doing business with him or his alleged co-conspirators.
  • The State Dept. also placed former police chief and deputy home affairs minister, Than Hlaing, on its sanctions list over his alleged involvement in the extra-judicial killings of protesters following the country's February 2021 coup.
  • Russia is one of the Myanmar junta's primary suppliers of ammunition and one of the only internationally vocal post-coup supporters of the regime. Over 2.3k people have been killed and a million more displaced since the junta came to power.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Diplomat, CNN, and Von.

Narratives

  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Singapore Post. The US has played an active role in strengthening the junta's military capacity, as its months-long series of sanctions against Russia and its allies have only made Putin friendlier with the Myanmar dictatorship. As the West continues to attack Russia both militarily and economically, Putin can now only search for partners in the East.
  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Voa. As these weapons deals help support the junta's lethal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, the US has no choice but to sanction both governments and private individuals involved in procuring them. The US must continue these sanctions to hinder Min Aung Hlaing's vicious tactics against his people.