The United States lifted sanctions designations on a number of allies of Myanmar’s ruling generals on Thursday (July 25, 2025), two weeks after the pinnacle of the ruling junta praised U.S. President Donald Trump and known as for an easing of sanctions in a letter responding to a tariff warning.
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Human Rights Watch known as the transfer “extremely worrying” and mentioned it advised a serious shift was underway in U.S. coverage in the direction of Myanmar’s army, which overthrew a democratically elected authorities in 2021 and has been implicated in crimes towards humanity and genocide.
A discover from the U.S. Treasury Department mentioned KT Services & Logistics and its founder, Jonathan Myo Kyaw Thaung; the MCM Group and its proprietor Aung Hlaing Oo; Suntac Technologies and its proprietor, Sit Taing Aung; and one other particular person, Tin Latt Min, had been being faraway from the U.S. sanctions checklist.
KT Services & Logistics and Jonathan Myo Kyaw Thaung had been added to the sanctions checklist in January 2022 underneath the Biden administration in a step timed to mark the primary anniversary of the army seizure of energy in Myanmar that plunged the nation into chaos.
Sit Taing Aung and Aung Hlaing Oo had been positioned on the sanctions checklist the identical 12 months for working in Myanmar’s defence sector. Tin Latt Min, recognized as one other shut affiliate of the army rulers, was positioned on the checklist in 2024 to mark the third anniversary of the coup.
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The Treasury Department didn’t clarify the rationale for the transfer, and the White House didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
On July 11, Myanmar’s ruling army general, Min Aung Hlaing, requested Trump in a letter for a discount within the 40% tariff price on his nation’s exports to the U.S. and mentioned he was able to ship a negotiating group to Washington if wanted.
“The senior general acknowledged the president’s strong leadership in guiding his country towards national prosperity with the spirit of a true patriot,” state media mentioned on the time.
In his response to a letter from Trump notifying Myanmar of the tariff to take impact on August 1, Min Aung Hlaing proposed a decreased price of 10% to twenty%, with Myanmar slashing its levy on U.S. imports to a spread of zero to 10%.
Min Aung Hlaing additionally requested Mr. Trump “to reconsider easing and lifting the economic sanctions imposed on Myanmar, as they hinder the shared interests and prosperity of both countries and their peoples.”
Myanmar is without doubt one of the world’s primary sources of sought-after uncommon earth minerals utilized in high-tech defence and shopper functions.
Securing provides of the minerals is a serious focus for the Trump administration in its strategic competitors with China, which is answerable for 90% of uncommon earth processing capability. Most of Myanmar’s uncommon earth mines are in areas managed by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), an ethnic group preventing the junta, and are processed in China.
John Sifton, Asia advocacy director of Human Rights Watch, known as the U.S. transfer “shocking” and its motivation unclear.
“The action suggests a major shift is underway in U.S. policy, which had centered on punitive action against Myanmar’s military regime, which only four years ago carried out a coup d’etat against a democratically elected government and is implicated in crimes against humanity and genocide,” he mentioned in an emailed assertion.
“The decision will cause deep concern among victims of the Myanmar military and everyone who has been fighting and advocating for a return to democratic rule in Myanmar,” Mr. Sifton mentioned.
