The U.S. Department of Treasury imposed targeted sanctions today against four Myanmar officials and two military units, including Aung Kyaw Zaw, Khin Maung Soe, Khin Hlaing, and Border Guard Police commander Thura San Lwin, along with the 33rd and the 99th Light Infantry Divisions In response, Francisco Bencosme, advocacy manager for Asia-Pacific at Amnesty International USA issued this statement:
“Senior officials in Myanmar implicated in crimes against humanity must be held to account for their roles in the brutal ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya women, men and children. Responsibility extends to the highest levels of the chain of command – so too should justice and accountability. That includes Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander in Chief of the Myanmar military.
“The international community cannot sit idly by and allow those responsible for killings, rapes, and the burning of hundreds of Rohingya villages to escape justice. The Myanmar authorities are clearly unable and unwilling to investigate these horrific crimes so it is up to governments around the world to act and support the referral of the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.”
On June 27, Amnesty released a report entitled “We Will Destroy Everything”: Military Responsibility for Crimes against Humanity in Rakhine State, Myanmar”, which provides extensive credible evidence of the security forces’ crimes against the Rohingya. The report calls for senior military officials to be brought to justice, and names 13 security officials who should be investigated for their role in horrific crimes, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. It also found the 33rd and 99th Light Infantry Divisions should be investigated for potential crimes against humanity.
Amnesty International does not take a position on the Magnitsky Act.