U.S. imposes Myanmar sanctions

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Assets of 14 Myanmar junta leaders will be frozen under U.S. Treasury Department sanctions over the military government's violence against its citizens.

"We are today (Thursday) imposing sanctions against senior officials of the government of Burma (now known as Myanmar)," Adam Szubin, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control within the Treasury Department, said in a news release. "The President has made clear that we will not stand by as the regime tries to silence the voices of the Burmese people through repression and intimidation."

The designation also bars U.S. citizens from transacting or doing business with them, the Treasury Department said.

Among Myanmar government leaders affected are Senior Gen. Than Shwe, defense minister and chairman of the State Peace and Development Council; Vice Senior Gen. Maung Aye, Army commander and SPDC vice chairman; Lt. Gen. Thein Sein, acting prime minister and SPDC first secretary; and Gen. Thura Shwe Mann, Joint Chief of Staff, Armed Forces and SPDC member.