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Oct 19, 2007 10:46 am US/Eastern
Bush Cracking Down Further On Myanmar Junta
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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Daily protests drawing tens of thousands of people have grown into the stiffest challenge to the ruling military junta in two decades.
Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
President Bush will announce additional sanctions on Friday against Myanmar, where the military-run government has conducted a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
Last month, the Bush administration imposed economic sanctions against more than a dozen senior officials in the Southeast Asian country, and he spoke at the United Nations to focus international attention on the repression.
"He announced tighter sanctions that day and the possibility of additional action if the Burmese regime did not end its repression," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said. "Unfortunately the regime has not responded to the call from the international community."
Bush was preparing to make a statement on sanctions against Myanmar, also known as Burma, at 1:50 p.m. EDT in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House. The Treasury Department was also to issue a statement outlining economic sanctions and additional sanctions against individuals, Fratto said.
Daily protests drawing tens of thousands of people have grown into the stiffest challenge to the ruling military junta in two decades. The crisis began Aug. 19 with rallies against a fuel price increase, then escalated dramatically when monks joined in, drawing world attention.
In recent days, first lady Laura Bush has made personal appeals for support for Myanmar citizens, saying the acts of violence "shame the military regime."
The action taken by Treasury last month froze assets that the individuals targeted have in U.S. banks or other financial institutions under U.S. jurisdiction. The order also prohibited any U.S. citizens from doing business with the designated individuals. Among those targeted for the sanctions were the junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, and the No. 2 man in the military regime, Deputy Senior Gen. Maung Aye.
Responding to the continued crackdown, the State Department also has designated more than three dozen additional government and military officials and their families ineligible to receive visas to travel to the United States.
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