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3/23/2021

United States Targets Burmese Military Forces for Repression of Pro-Democracy Protests | U.S. Department of the Tre…

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
United States Targets Burmese Military Forces for Repression of
Pro-Democracy Protests
March 22, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s O ice of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC) sanctioned two individuals and two entities connected to the Burmese military and
its violent repression of pro-democracy protests. Treasury took these actions in response to
the Burmese military’s continued campaign of violence and intimidation against peaceful
protesters and civil society.
“The Burmese security forces’ lethal violence against peaceful protesters must end,” said
Director of the O ice of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M. Gacki. “Treasury will continue to
use the full range of our authorities to promote accountability for the actions of the Burmese
military and police. We continue to stand with the people of Burma.”
Treasury designated Than Hlaing pursuant to Executive Order 14014, “Blocking Property
With Respect to the Situation in Burma” (E.O. 14014), for being a foreign person determined
to be or have been a leader of the Burma Police Force, an entity that has, or whose members
have, engaged in actions or policies that prohibit, limit, or penalize the exercise of freedom of
expression or assembly by people in Burma. Than Hlaing was appointed Chief of the Burma
Police Force and Deputy Home A airs Minister on February 2, 2021. Since then, Burma’s
police have engaged in brutal acts of violence against pro-democracy protesters. Under Than
Hlaing’s leadership, the Burma Police Force has gone from attacking peaceful protesters
with water cannons, rubber bullets, and tear gas, to using live ammunition; this escalation
culminated in police killing dozens of peaceful protesters all across Burma on March 14,
2021, including 37 in the Rangoon suburb of Hlaingthaya. This bloody day brought the
cumulative death toll from the peaceful protests to an estimated 140 people, with additional
deaths since that time.
Treasury is also designating the 33rd Light Infantry Division of the Burmese Army (33 LID)
and the 77th Light Infantry Division of the Burmese Army (77 LID), pursuant to E.O. 14014,
for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or
attempted to engage in, actions or policies that prohibit, limit, or penalize the exercise of
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United States Targets Burmese Military Forces for Repression of Pro-Democracy Protests | U.S. Department of the Tre…

freedom of expression or assembly by people in Burma. The deployment of the 33 LID into
Mandalay and the 77 LID into Rangoon have resulted in instances of excessive force,
including killings, by security forces. OFAC previously designated the 33 LID on August 17,
2018, pursuant to E.O. 13818 for engaging in serious human rights abuse against the
Rohingya. Members of this notorious military unit were among the security forces that, on
February 20, 2021, fired live rounds into a crowd of protesting dockyard workers in the
country’s second city, Mandalay, killing two and injuring several others. Both the 33 LID and
the 77 LID are part of the Burmese security forces’ apparent implementation of a planned,
systematic crackdown involving ramped-up use of lethal force and killing of protestors.
Video footage shows security forces riding pick-up trucks while apparently indiscriminately
firing live ammunition in multiple directions, including into people’s homes.
Additionally, Treasury is designating Lieutenant General Aung Soe pursuant to E.O. 14014 for
being a leader or o icial of the military or security forces of Burma. Lt. Gen. Aung Soe is a
Bureau of Special Operations commander and reports directly to commander-in-chief Senior
General Min Aung Hlaing, who was designated by OFAC on December 10, 2019, pursuant to
E.O. 13818, and on February 11, 2021, pursuant to E.O. 14014. Regional commands under
Aung Soe’s control have participated in the vicious attacks on peaceful protests. These
soldiers were armed with weapons meant for the battlefield, not police actions,
demonstrating that lethal force is being used in a planned, premeditated, and coordinated
manner against the anti-coup protests.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
All property and interests in property of these persons that are blocked pursuant to E.O.
13818 continue to be blocked. Additionally, pursuant to E.O. 14014, all property and interests
in property of the individuals and entities named above, and of any entities that are owned,
directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually or with other blocked persons,
that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are blocked and
must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC
or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons
or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of
designated or otherwise blocked persons.
View more information on the persons designated today.

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