By Lalit K JhaWashington, Dec 21 (PTI) Launching a new sanctions regimetargeting human rights abusers worldwide, the US today slappedsanctions against 14 individuals, including a Pakistanisurgeon and a top Myanmar general, who is accused of leadingan ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims.
Maung Maung Soe, in his former role as the chief ofBurmese Army's Western command, oversaw the military operationin the Rakhine State responsible for widespread human rightsabuse against Rohingya civilians in response to attacks by theRohingya militants, the Department of Treasury said.
Rawalpindi-based Pakistani surgeon Mukhtar Hamid Shahspecialised in kidney transplants who police believe to beinvolved in kidnapping, wrongful confinement, and the removalof and trafficking in human organs, the Treasury said.
As an owner of the Kidney Centre in Rawalpindi, Shah wasinvolved in the kidnapping and detention of, and removal ofkidneys from, Pakistani laborers, it added.
Ahead of the sanctions, President Donald Trump signed anExecutive Order today declaring a national emergency withrespect to serious human rights abuse and corruption aroundthe world and providing for the imposition of sanctions onactors engaged in these malign activities.
As a result of this, all of the assets within USjurisdiction of the individuals and entities included in theAnnex to the Order or designated by OFAC are blocked, and USpersons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactionswith them.
"Today, the US is taking a strong stand against humanrights abuse and corruption globally by shutting these badactors out of the US financial system.
"Treasury is freezing their assets and publiclydenouncing the egregious acts theyÂ’ve committed, sending amessage that there is a steep price to pay for theirmisdeeds," said Secretary of the Treasury Steven T Mnuchin.
These actions advance American values and promote thesecurity of the United States, allies, and partners, Secretaryof State Rex Tillerson said.
"We must lead by example, and todayÂ’s announcement ofsanctions demonstrates the US will continue to pursue tangibleand significant consequences for those who commit serioushuman rights abuse and engage in corruption," he said.
The sanctions list includes Yahya Jammeh (Jammeh), formerpresident of Gambia; Roberto Jose Rivas Reyes, president ofNicaraguaÂ’s Supreme Electoral Council; Dan Gertler, aninternational businessman, and Slobodan Tesic, who is amongthe biggest dealers of arms and munitions in the Balkans.
Benjamin Bol Mel (Bol Mel), president of ABMC Thai-SouthSudan Construction Company Limited; Gulnara Karimova, daughterof former Uzbekistan leader Islam Karimov; Angel Rondon Rijo,a politically connected businessman in the Dominican Republic;Artem Chayka, son of the Prosecutor General of the RussianFederation; Gao Yan, who was the Beijing Public SecurityBureau Chaoyang Branch director; Sergey Kusiuk, commander ofan elite Ukrainian police unit, the Berkut; Julio AntonioJuarez Ramirez, a Guatemalan Congressman and Yankuba Badjiefrom Gambia have also been sapped sanctions with. PTI LKJZH.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.