New Delhi (Mizzima) – A US-based lobby group for Burma, the United States Campaign for Burma (USCB), has asked the US government to impose sanctions against an additional 42 people including actor Lwin Moe and Nay Shwe Thway Aung, the grandson of former Senior-General Than Shwe, for their alleged financial and political support of the Burmese government.
A letter addressed to the US Secretary of Treasury called for imposing sanction against 42 individuals besides those who are already listed in targeted sanction by the US government.‘The Burmese economy is, in fact, not a free economy. Generals, their families and their cronies manipulate and monopolize the economy. So the role of these people is very crucial in helping the government cling to power’, Aung Din, the policy director of USCB, told Mizzima.
The letter asks for businessmen Aung Ko Win a.k.a. Saya Kyaung (Kanbawza Bank), Kyaw Win (Shwe Thanlwin Trading), Maung Maung Myint (Myan Gone Myint), Maung Ko (Htawara Mining), Aung Htwe, Kyaw Myint (Golden Flower), Nay Win Tun (Padamya Nagar), Aik Tun (Olympic Construction), Aung Myat a.k.a. Aung Myint (Mother Trading and Construction) and Win Lwin (Kyaw Thar Co.) to be added to the targeted sanction list.
‘They conduct business by collaboration with the military clique and they reap huge profits. They [the generals] keep their profits in hard currency in offshore banks. Then they can use these hard currencies to buy military hardware such as helicopters and jet fighters etc.’, Aung Din said.
The letter dated June 27 called for the inclusion of former Senior- General Than Shwe’s grandson, Nay Shwe Thway Aung a.k.a. Pho Lapye. USCB claimed in the letter that he worked as a broker between businessmen and government authorities by asking for commissions from them.
USCB said sanctions were the best and most efficient way to put pressure on the government to bring real change in the country for the benefit of the people.
‘The role of these crony businessmen has expanded. Some of them have become MPs. In fact, they are the second most powerful people in our country only after the military top brass and the top echelon in the government. The pyramid structure of power in our country consists of Burmese military leaders on the top, followed by these cronies, and under them at the third tier are the local authorities. The local authorities are afraid of these cronies’, Aung Din said.
Most of the people on the list are already included on the sanction lists of the EU and Australia.
The list prepared by USCB includes actor Lwin Moe, film director Zinyaw Maung Maung, Phyo Ko Ko Tint San (managing director ACE Construction), Thadoe Hein (Myanmar Aw Bar), Hla Maung Shwe (Vice Chairman Myanmar Fisheries Federation), Zaw Win Shein (Ayer Hinthar), Zaw Lay (fishery and fishery products), Zaw Win Tun (Shwe Thanlwin), Khaing Soe (Annawa Hlwan) and Aung Kyaw Moe (IBTC).
Actor Lwin Moe said that he had no comment on the letter by USCB.
‘I have nothing special to say to them. They are doing their work and we are doing our work. We are quite far from them. Our view will be quite different from theirs too. So they cannot understand our situation’, he said.
Actor Lwin Moe is said to have a close relationship with businessmen Zay Kabar Khin Shwe and Yuzana Htay Myint. He helped USDP party candidate Khin Shwe in his election campaign. ‘I just helped them in their election campaign as some of them are my friends and also businessmen in the community’, he said. ‘My political belief is to work for the people. All must work for the welfare of the people, I think, this is the important, main point’. USCB called for the inclusion of some domestic media personnel such as Dr. Tin Tun Oo (Pyi, Myanmar Journal, Myanmar Times Journal), Dr. Nay Win Maung (The Voice Journal and Living Colour Magazine), Myat Khaing (Snap Shot Journal), Ko Ko (Institute of Technology) Rangoon Media Group, Zaw Min Aye (Eco Vision) and Nan Kalyar Win a.k.a. Kalyar (Popular Journal). According to USCB, this the first ever call for inclusion of media personnel on the targeted sanction list.
‘We do not regard them as true journalists. They are just the tools of Information Minister Kyaw Hsan. They are leading in Kyaw Hsan’s campaign of “Fight media with media” against the foreign media’, Aung Din said. ‘Some of them not only work on propaganda for the government inside the country by using their media, they are also working in advocacy campaigns for the government in foreign countries too. So we must assume these people are staunch political supporters of the military clique’.
Family members of military generals such as Aung Zaw Ye Myint (Yetagon Construction), Tun Naing Shwe (Myanmar Naing Group), Toe Naing Man (Red Link) and Aung Soe Thar (MICT) are also included on the list.
Others on the list include Dr. Sai San Tun (Lwe Hein), San San Yi (Super One), Sit Taing Aung, Sit Thway Aung (Suntac International Trading), Nay Aung, Pyi Aung (Aung Ye Phone Co.) Win Myint (Shwe Nagar Min), Nay Lin Aung (Nilar Yoma), Aung Zaw Naing (Olympic) Chit Khaing (Eden Group) and Yan Win (A One Construction).
