By Arun Kumar, IANS
Washington : The United States has asked India and China to do more to pressure Myanmar as it expanded its own sanctions against it while accusing its military rulers of “vicious persecution” of democracy protesters.
“Burma’s rulers continue to defy the world’s just demands to stop their vicious persecution,” President George W. Bush said Friday as he unveiled the second package of US measures in less than a month.
“Business as usual is unacceptable,” he said asking “other countries to review their own laws and policies, especially Burma’s (Myanmar) closest neighbours – China, India, and others in the region.” But Bush commended the efforts of the European Union, Australia, Japan, Singapore and the Philippines and Indonesia.
Besides ordering a tightening of US export controls on Myanmar, he designated 11 more leaders under existing sanctions list already covering 14 top military leaders, including Than Shwe and his deputy, Vice Senior General Maung Aye.
He also named 12 new “individuals and entities” to be covered by US penalties, including a freezing of US assets. Another 260 officials “responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights” and their family members were put on a visa ban list.
Myanmar’s leaders “continue to reject the clear will of the Burmese people to live in freedom under leaders of their own choosing,” he said acknowledging failure of efforts to get them to ease up on repression of protesters and open a dialogue with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“In light of the ongoing atrocities by these men and their associates, the United States has today imposed additional sanctions,” Bush said. The White House said Bush’s tightening of exports controls would include a ban on the sale of high-performance computers to Myanmar.
Bush demanded the International Committee of the Red Cross be given access to political prisoners, that Suu Kyi and other detained leaders be allowed to communicate with each other and that UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari be allowed back.
“And ultimately, reconciliation requires that Burmese authorities release all political prisoners and begin negotiations with the democratic opposition under the auspices of the United Nations,” he said.
Bush said the US would “consider additional measures if Burma’s leaders do not end the brutal repression.”