US President Joe Biden on Thursday signed an executive order blocking US properties and funds to Myanmar and declared dealing with military coup leaders as a threat to the foreign policy of the United States.
“I find that the situation in and in relation to Burma, and in particular the February 1, 2021, coup, in which the military overthrew the democratically elected civilian government of Burma and unjustly arrested and detained government leaders, politicians, human rights defenders, journalists, and religious leaders, thereby rejecting the will of the people of Burma as expressed in elections held in November 2020 and undermining the country’s democratic transition and rule of law, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” read the executive order passed by the President.
According to the order, all US-owned properties are blocked and may not be transferred paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in the operations of the Myanmar economy or complicit in actions that undermine democratic processes, threaten peace and security, prohibit freedom of expression, and arbitrary detention or torture of any person in Myanmar.
The funds are also blocked for the military or security forces of Myanmar and the Government of Myanmar after February 2.
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Prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
Moreover, the entry of persons in the US as immigrants or nonimmigrants, who come under the above criteria, has been suspended, except where the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, determines that the person’s entry would not be contrary to the interests of the US.
Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set in this order is also prohibited, according to Biden’s executive order.
On Wednesday, Biden had announced sanctions on the leaders of the military coup in Myanmar.
“… Today I have approved a new executive order, enabling us to immediately sanction the military leaders who directed the coup, their business interests, and their family members,” he said at the White House.
Myanmar’s military launched a coup on February 1 and detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Win Myint, and other National League for Democracy (NLD) members.
The military also announced a one-year state of emergency in the country, vowing to “take action” against alleged voter fraud during the November 8 general election, which saw Suu Kyi’s NLD party secure a resounding victory.
To quell rising protests against the coup, police forces on Tuesday arrested over 100 demonstrators and firing live rounds and riot control weapons that led to serious injuries.