25 political parties call for lifting of sanctions against Myanmar

By Admin 29 May 2024

DMG Newsroom
29 May 2024, Sittwe

Twenty-five political parties including the military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) have called for an immediate lifting of sanctions on Myanmar. 

Foreign governments have frozen the private assets, isolated the regime, imposed financial pressures, and restricted trade and travel following the 2021 coup, says the parties’ statement, issued on Tuesday.

The statement was released after political parties met in Yangon on Tuesday to discuss the impacts of sanctions on Myanmar. 

“The world’s countries should objectively assess the impacts [of sanctions on Myanmar], and give a helping hand. We political parties resolutely oppose sanctions against Myanmar,” reads the statement. 

Among the parties that signed the joint statement are the Rakhine State National Unity Party, Khami National Development Party and Mro National Development Party. All three are based in Arakan State and the junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) has approved their registrations as political parties.

Six political parties based in Arakan State have registered with the junta’s election body for a poll proposed by the regime, for which no date has yet been set. The election body has approved the registration of five of them, with the exception of the Arakan National Party.

The vice chairman of the Khami National Development Party, U Oo Than Htay, said: “It is the people who are bearing the brunt of sanctions. We joined the statement because we hate sanctions from the international community. We are working for the interests of the people, and we demand on behalf of the people that sanctions be lifted.” 

Those sanctions violate Article 7 of the United Nations Human Rights Declaration, says the political parties’ statement.

According to a February report from Justice for Myanmar, the United States, Britain, EU, Australia, Canada and New Zealand has targeted 161 individuals, and 75 companies and organisations with ties to the regime, over the three-plus years since the coup.