By Al Jazeera | March 23, 2021
The European Union has announced sanctions on eleven officials in Myanmar - including the leader of the military junta.
Video Transcript
NATASHA BUTLER: Hundreds of people protested in the coastal city of [? Diwei ?] in Myanmar as demonstrations continued in parts of the country against the February coup and the junta's increasingly brutal crackdown. The demonstrations came as EU foreign ministers in Brussels announced sanctions on 11 military officials in Myanmar linked to the coup and ongoing violence in the country, among them junta leader Min Aung Hlaing.
JOSEP BORRELL: All direct financial support from our [INAUDIBLE] to the government reform programs is withheld.
NATASHA BUTLER: Some rights campaigners said the impact of the sanctions would be limited.
MAUNG ZARNI: It cannot make a difference for simple reasons that the 11 or so generals and individuals that have been singled out for targeted sanctions, they keep their assets in places like China or Singapore, banks and you know, in Southeast Asia, and you know, so therefore, if we really want to have any impact on the military and its behavior, the EU should seriously look at, you know, de-recognizing military attaches across European Union countries.
NATASHA BUTLER: The sanctions against the military officials in Myanmar clearly won't be enough to end the violence, but after weeks of only condemning the coup and calling for democracy, the EU's decision to finally act sends a powerful message. Natasha Butler, Al Jazeera, Paris.
