Myanmar sanctions

Western sanctions should be welcomed but the country's opposition must do more.

Since the late 1980s, the military has developed a "multi-faceted arms industrial complex" that has cushioned it from the impact of Western sanctions and arms embargoes.

As the military junta’s atrocities increase, it is high time for the U.S. and like-minded partners to adopt much stronger targeted sanctions.

The Financial Action Task Force said the move was a result of the country's persistent failures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

Aung Moe Myint and his Dynasty International company are accused of procuring Russian-made arms from Belarus for the military.

Nikkei Asia is reporting that the Financial Action Task Force is likely to add the military-ruled nation to its "call for action" list at a meeting next month.

Its Commerce Ministry claims that the state earned $819 million from gas exports from April to July, mostly to Thailand and China.

Given its financial ties to Myanmar, Singapore's cooperation is vital if the world is to choke off the military junta's revenue streams.

According to the environmental advocacy group Forest Trends, much more can be done to strangle the junta's access to natural resource revenues.

Whether or not direct military aid would help, Western governments should recognize that there is no going back to the status quo ante.

The coordinated move follows a series of recent convictions against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi.