Britain And Australia's Myanmar Policy: Selective Sanctions And The Untouched Opposition

Chloe Fitzgerald

5 min read

Post on May 13, 2025

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The Scope of Britain and Australia's Sanctions on Myanmar

Targeted Sanctions: Who and what is being sanctioned?

Britain and Australia have implemented targeted sanctions against the Myanmar military junta, aiming to cripple its financial capabilities and limit its international influence. These targeted sanctions, however, are not all encompassing.

• Individuals: High-ranking military officials, including members of the State Administrative Council (SAC), are subject to asset freezes and travel bans. Specific individuals sanctioned vary slightly between the two nations.
• Entities: State-owned enterprises involved in the extraction of natural resources, particularly jade and timber, are often targeted, with restrictions on financial transactions and trade.
• Sectors: The military's involvement in various sectors, such as energy and telecommunications, has led to some targeted sanctions on these areas, though the breadth of these restrictions is debated.

The effectiveness of these targeted sanctions is debatable. While some reports suggest a decline in certain revenue streams for the junta, evidence of significant financial strain remains limited. The junta continues to find ways to circumvent sanctions.

Limitations of Current Sanctions Regimes: What's missing?

The current sanctions regimes employed by Britain and Australia suffer from significant limitations.

• Sanctions Loopholes: The junta maintains access to alternative financial networks and revenue streams, largely untouched by current sanctions. This highlights significant loopholes in the system.
• Untargeted Sanctions: Crucially, many sectors vital to the junta's power remain largely untouched. This includes certain businesses with known military connections which continue to operate with impunity.
• Ineffective Sanctions: The lack of comprehensive sanctions leaves the junta with sufficient resources to maintain its repressive apparatus and continue its violent campaign against the civilian population.

The unintended consequences of these selective sanctions are troubling. They can harm the civilian population by disrupting legitimate businesses and reducing access to essential goods and services, while failing to significantly weaken the junta's hold on power.

The Untouched Opposition: Groups and Individuals Bypassed by Sanctions

Identifying Key Opposition Groups: Who is excluded?

Many key opposition groups in Myanmar are not significantly targeted by British and Australian sanctions, leading to concerns about the overall effectiveness of the policy.

• Ethnic Minority Groups: Numerous ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) are fighting for self-determination and against the junta, but remain largely outside the scope of current sanctions.
• Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM): The extensive CDM, involving civil servants refusing to cooperate with the junta, faces indirect limitations due to the general economic downturn caused by sanctions, yet receives little direct support through policy.
• People's Defence Force (PDF): The PDF, a civilian resistance force, is largely excluded from direct sanctions considerations but faces difficulties obtaining essential resources as a result of broader sanctions.
• National Unity Government (NUG): The NUG, the shadow government representing the opposition, is not recognized by Britain or Australia, limiting its access to international financial support.

This exclusion is problematic as it undermines the ability of these groups to resist the junta effectively.

The Impact of Untargeted Sanctions on the Opposition: Positive and negative consequences

The impact of Britain and Australia's Myanmar policy on opposition groups is complex and multifaceted.

• Hindered Support: The lack of direct support for opposition groups through sanctions relief or targeted aid significantly hinders their operations and access to essential resources.
• Weakened Civil Resistance: The economic hardships caused by sanctions inadvertently weaken the civil disobedience movement and the overall ability of the population to resist the junta.
• Limited Humanitarian Aid: The sanctions regime, while intended to pressure the junta, can also indirectly restrict access to humanitarian aid for civilians in need.
• Empowered Junta: By isolating alternative forces, the current strategy may unintentionally empower the junta by limiting the options available to the opposition.

Comparing Britain and Australia's Approaches: Similarities and Differences

Alignment of Policies: Where do they converge?

Britain and Australia demonstrate a degree of alignment in their sanctions policies towards Myanmar.

• Coordinated Sanctions: Both countries actively participate in international efforts to coordinate sanctions against the Myanmar junta, sharing information and aligning their targeting strategies.
• International Cooperation: Both governments actively support multilateral efforts to pressure the junta through the UN Security Council and other international bodies.

While a degree of coordination exists, its effectiveness is tempered by the limitations of the overall strategy.

Divergences in Strategy: Where do they differ?

Despite the cooperation, subtle differences exist in Britain and Australia’s approach.

• Differentiated Sanctions: There might be minor variations in the specific individuals, entities, and sectors targeted under their respective sanctions regimes.
• National Interests: Each nation's specific national interests and strategic priorities may influence their sanctioning approach to a certain extent.

These minor divergences, while not significant, highlight the complexities in implementing a truly coordinated international response.

Conclusion

Britain and Australia's Myanmar policy, based on selective sanctions, reveals both successes and substantial limitations. While targeted sanctions against individuals and entities within the junta have been implemented, the significant gaps and the unintended negative consequences affecting civilian populations and opposition groups are significant. The failure to adequately address the needs of the diverse opposition forces fighting for democracy and human rights ultimately undermines the effectiveness of the entire strategy. A reevaluation of Britain and Australia's Myanmar policy is crucial to ensure that sanctions effectively target the perpetrators of violence while supporting the diverse opposition groups striving for democracy and human rights. Learn more about the situation and get involved in advocating for a more robust and inclusive approach to addressing the crisis in Myanmar. The need for a more comprehensive British and Australian Myanmar policy is undeniable.