United States Imposes Economic Sanctions Against Myanmar

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on Thursday that it is imposing sanctions on the government of Myanmar because of the recent violence against peaceful demonstrators there, as well as because of the government's "longstanding oppression" of its people.

In making the announcement, the Treasury Department called the country "Burma," rather than using the country's official name of "Myanmar." By doing so, the U.S. government appears to be making a statement about its views of the non-legitimacy of the country's military government which changed the country's name from Burma to Myanmar in 1989.

The Treasury Department announcement names fourteen senior government officials in Myanmar, as well as several government organizations and government-controlled banks. All of their assets that are under U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen, and Americans will not be allowed to conduct any business with them.

The announcement refers to President Bush's speech at the United Nations on Tuesday, where he announced the plans for tightening sanctions that are being carried out now. The Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the Treasury Department said, "The President has made clear that we will not stand by as the regime tries to silence the voices of the Burmese people through repression and intimidation."

The situation in Myanmar continues to get worse, and is rapidly changing. In a story published on Thursday, at 2:00 pm U.S. West Coast time, the Associated Press reported that the government fired at demonstrators for the second consecutive day on Thursday, and also raided monasteries, beating and arresting monks. The Myanmar government said that nine people were killed and eleven wounded. It is not clear if figures from more reliable sources are available yet. Among the dead were several Buddhist monks and a Japanese journalist, Kenji Nagai. The Japanese foreign minister said that Japan would hold Myanmar "strictly accountable" for Nagai's death.

Sources

Treasury Action Targets Violent Burmese Suppression, Press release, U.S. Department of the Treasury, September 27, 2007

The Wikipedia articles on Myanmar and Names of Burma/Myanmar contain longer discussions on who uses which name and why.

9 killed in 2nd day of Myanmar crackdown, Associated Press, September 27, 2007