Myanmar Coup, Sanctions For Military Must Be Strategic

Blokade militia depan Mandalay Region Government Office, Myanmar. (Wikimedia Commons / Kantabon)

JAKARTA - The Myanmar military carried out a takeover of power in Myanmar after the arrests of Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar President Win Myint and a number of other figures on Monday, February 1 yesterday.

The pretext used was cheating in the November 8, 2020 elections. The military handed over power to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing who then appointed Myint Swe, Myanmar's first vice president as the acting President. This action drew criticism from various parties, including the threat of sanctions.

"The sanctions imposed on Myanmar must be sanctions that have a strategic target, to their military. To the top brass of the Myanmar military and their cronies to have an impact," Khin Ohmar's Burmese (Myanmar) Democratic Activity said in a webinar Tuesday 2 February.

He added that a military coup was sad and unacceptable. According to him, the coup that occurred yesterday could potentially disrupt peace efforts in Myanmar.

Threats and criticism against this action also came from the leaders of countries in the world. Including United States President Joe Biden.

"The international community must unite in one vote to pressure the Burmese military to immediately relinquish the powers they have taken, to release the activists and officials they have arrested," Biden said in a statement.

“The United States is lifting sanctions against Burma over the past decade based on progress towards democracy. The reversal of progress will require an immediate review of our laws and sanctions authorities, followed by appropriate action, "he stressed.