Today, the military is ramping up efforts to cement authoritarian control of online space, alongside violent crackdowns, and serious human rights violations. This is a digital coup, and the world must resist.
The company, which has dozens of subsidiaries, was sanctioned last month by the U.S.
The city of Yangon in the evening. (Source: Alexander Schimmeck, via Unsplash)
By Samuel Rubenfeld and Helen Koo
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
The U.K. last week sanctioned Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), a military-linked conglomerate, over its involvement in human rights abuses following the coup.
MEC, which has dozens of subsidiaries involved in manufacturing, mining and telecommunications, was also sanctioned last month by the U.S., and is listed by Canada. Though the firm is owned in practice by the Myanmar defense ministry, it is associated with the Tatmadaw, the armed forces, according to a sanctions notice issued by the U.K. government.