US imposes sanctions on Myanmar military chief over alleged Rohingya atrocities

The United States said in a statement that it has imposed sanctions on the four major leaders of Myanmar military which included their commander-in-chief. The decision comes amid the on-going UN hearing on the violation of human rights against the Rohingya Muslims. This is being considered as the most serious step taken by Washington for alleged human rights abuses against the Rohingya and other minorities. 

The US imposes Sanctions 

In the statement released by the US Treasury Department on December 10, it said that Burmese military forces under the leadership of Commander Min Aung Hlaing, they have violated the human rights and inflicted serious human rights abuses on the Rohingya Muslims. The statement further read there were several members of the Rohingyas who were killed and suffered injuries from the gunshot or large-bladed weapons. There were others who were burned to death in their houses. 

READ: Aung Suu Kyi Faces Rohingya Genocide Trail At Hague, Myanmar Refuses Allegations

The sanctions imposed by the United States were part of the implementations imposed under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which aims at targeting people who commit serious human rights abuses and corruption. According to the sanctions imposed, it will freeze all the US assets held by them and also prevents Americans from engaging in business with them. The sanctions were imposed on military chief Min Aung Hlaing, the same day when, Aung San Suu Kyi, attended the first-day hearings at the UN high court in Hague, where she will personally defend her country on the accusations of genocides. 

READ: Suu Kyi Defends Myanmar At ICJ, Calls Genocide Charges ‘misleading’

The three-day hearing will begin from December 10. The lawyers will ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to announce ‘provisional measures’ in order to provide protection to the Rohingya Muslims before the entire case can be heard. The panel comprises of 16 judges who will announce the verdict.

Myanmar leader and Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s office informed that she will take over the defence of her country personally. A senior member of the cabinet said that it will be easy to get the allegations dropped.

The Defence is prepared to argue that no genocides took place in Myanmar. They will further argue that the UN court lacks jurisdiction over the matter and that there are no bases to form a case with the Gambia as the petitioning party. However, experts feel that the request posed by the Gambian government is equivalent to seeking a restraining order against a country.

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READ: Gambia Takes Myanmar To Top UN Court Over Rohingya Campaign