Among new wave of arrests, US President Biden orders sanctions against Myanmar after military coup

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday ordered new sanctions against the military regime in Myanmar, taking action after the military this month staged a coup in the Southeast Asian country and arrested de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior politicians.

Team Newsable

Washington D.C., First Published Feb 11, 2021, 10:28 AM IST | Last Updated Feb 11, 2021, 10:28 AM IST

A close aide to ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained in a new wave of arrests following last week’s military coup, a party official said on Thursday, as Washington moved a step closer to imposing sanctons on the junta.

The aide, Kyaw Tint Swe, had served as minister for the office of the state counsellor under Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the Feb. 1 coup.

Biden said he was issuing an executive order that will prevent Myanmar's generals from accessing $1 billion in assets in the United States. Biden added that more measures are to come.

“The military must relinquish power it seized and demonstrate respect for the will of the people of Burma,” Biden said.

“The people of Burma are making their voices heard, and the world is watching,” Biden said, using an alternate name for Myanmar. “We'll be ready to impose additional measures and we'll continue to work with our international partners to urge other nations to join us in these efforts.”

The February 1 coup and detention of Suu Kyi presents Biden with his first major international crisis, and a test of his dual pledges to re-centre human rights in foreign policy and work more closely with allies.

The military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically-elected government on 1 February, alleging without evidence that elections her party won by a landslide had been marred by fraud.

Tens of thousands of people in Myanmar are turning out in daily street protests as anger grows against the coup.

(With inputs from agencies)

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