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As the violence in Myanmar worsens, more pressure is being put on the country to impose sanctions.
The escalation of violence in Myanmar as authorities crack down on anti-coup protests is increasing calls for further sanctions against the junta, even as countries fail to persuade military leaders who have become numb to international condemnation.
Fears of harming ordinary people, who are still suffering from an economic slump exacerbated by the pandemic, but are risking detention and injury to express indignation over the military takeover, make the task even more challenging. Activists and experts say there are ways to put more pressure on the government, especially by cutting off funding and access to repressive resources.
On Friday, the United Nations special envoy urged the Security Council to intervene to stop junta violence that killed about 50 demonstrators and wounded dozens more this week.
Christine Schraner Burgener, who spoke at the conference, said, “There is an urgent need for collective action.” “Can we let the Myanmar military get away with even more?”
Coordination at the United Nations is complicated, however, since permanent Security Council members China and Russia will almost certainly veto any such action. Myanmar’s neighbours, who are its most important trade partners and sources of investment, are also wary of imposing sanctions.
Some steps have already been taken on a piecemeal basis. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada have imposed new limits on Myanmar’s army, their families, and other junta leaders. The US thwarted a military effort to gain access to more than $1 billion in Myanmar central bank funds kept in the US, according to the State Department.
However, the military’s economic interests are “largely unchallenged,” according to Thomas Andrews, the United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar’s human rights situation, in a report released last week. Help has been delayed by several countries, and the World Bank has announced that it has stopped funding and is reviewing its programs.
While symbolic, it is unclear whether the sanctions imposed thus far would have any effect. According to Schraner Burgener, the army responded to an alert of potential “big strong steps” against the coup by saying, “‘We are used to sanctions and we have endured those sanctions in the past.”
Andrews and other experts and human rights advocates are calling for a ban on dealings with the several Myanmar firms linked to the military, as well as an embargo on weapons, technology, goods, and services that could be used for surveillance and abuse by the authorities.
Justice for Myanmar, an advocacy organization, has released a list of hundreds of foreign companies it claims have supplied such possible repressive resources to the government, which is now fully under military rule.
Budget documents for the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Transport and Communications indicate acquisitions of forensic data, monitoring, password recovery, drones, and other equipment from the United States, Israel, the European Union, Japan, and other countries, according to the study. Such technologies may be used for good, even beneficial purposes, such as preventing human trafficking. However, both online and offline, they are being used to track down protesters.
Restricting business with military-dominated conglomerates like Myanmar Economic Corp., Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd., and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise may have a bigger effect while having a smaller impact on small businesses and individuals.
Chris Sidoti, a former member of the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, said in a news conference on Thursday that one proposal gaining traction is to prevent the junta from accessing crucial oil and gas revenues paid into and stored in banks outside the country.
Myanmar’s largest exports are oil and gas, which provide a critical source of foreign exchange for paying for imports. The $1.4 billion oil, gas, and mining industries account for more than a third of exports and a significant portion of tax revenue in the nation.
“The money supply must be slashed. That is the most pressing priority and the most direct action that can be taken,” said Sidoti, one of the founding members of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, a newly formed international organization.
Unfortunately, such steps take time and effort, and “time is not on the side of the Myanmar people at this time when these atrocities are being committed,” he said.
After a coup in 1962, Myanmar’s economy became isolated. Since the nation began its tumultuous transition to democracy in 2011, many of the sanctions levied by Western governments in the decades that followed were removed. Following the army’s violent operations against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar’s northwest Rakhine state in 2017, some of these restrictions were reinstated.
The European Union has stated that it is updating its policies and that it is prepared to impose sanctions on those directly responsible for the coup. Japan, too, has stated that it is considering its options.
On March 2, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held a virtual meeting to address Myanmar. Later, the group’s leader released a statement calling for an end to the violence and for talks to try to find a peaceful solution.
However, Myanmar was admitted to ASEAN in 1997, long before the military, known as the Tatmadaw, began reforms that helped Aung San Suu Kyi lead a quasi-civilian government. The majority of ASEAN governments are led by authoritarian leaders or are ruled by a single political party. They have a long history of working together and not interfering with each other’s personal lives.
Some ASEAN governments have vehemently denounced the coup and the subsequent arrests and killings, despite their lack of appetite for sanctions.
The spiraling, brutal violence against demonstrators has shaken ASEAN’s stance that the crisis is solely an internal matter, according to Marzuki Darusman, an Indonesian lawyer and former chair of the Fact-Finding Mission that Sidoti joined.
Darusman said, “ASEAN considers it imperative that it play a role in resolving the crisis in Myanmar.”
With a 2,400-kilometer (1,500-mile) border with Myanmar and over 2 million Myanmar migrant workers, Thailand does not want more to flee into its territory, particularly at a time when the pandemic is still raging.
Kavi Chongkittavorn, a senior fellow at Chulalongkorn University’s Institute of Security and International Studies, believes ASEAN would be better off using a “carrot and stick” strategy to get Myanmar back to a civilian government.
But it is with the demonstrators that he sees the greatest hope, he said.
“The Myanmarese people are extremely courageous. “This is the country’s No. 1 pressure,” Chongkittavorn said at an East-West Center seminar in Hawaii. “It’s clear that the junta understands what it takes to move forward; otherwise, sanctions would be even more severe.”
2021: West Park, White Bear Lake, inside a miniature ball with a face mask.
2020: Highland Park, encased in an icy doll’s head.
2019: Long Lake Regional Park, wrapped in cardboard to look like a downed cottonwood leaf on a wooded shoreline.
2018: Harriet Island Regional Park, inside a cut-up football, a nod to the Super Bowl coming to town.
2017: Keller Regional Park, in a frozen boot print.
2016: Bald Eagle-Otter Lakes Regional Park, inside a plastic Pioneer Press newspaper bag with some cigar leaves and a wet nap.
2015: Snail Lake Park, wrapped in white tape and frozen inside a chunk of ice.
2014: Como Park, hidden inside a blue jeans pocket buried in ice and snow.
2013: Cherokee Park, wrapped in leaves and ice.
2012: Tony Schmidt Regional Park, frozen in a mass of ice, tucked into a bag of Diamond pecan halves and then wrapped in leaves and brush before being secured with one white and one blue hair binder.
2011: Battle Creek Regional Park, unadorned and folded into a clear plastic newspaper sleeve.
2010: Lilydale Regional Park, under some ice next to a fallen tree, wrapped in a clear plastic bag with a photocopy of the Pulitzer Prize medal on it.
2009: Swede Hollow, attached to a laminated picture of the Pioneer Press bulldog mascot.
2008: Indian Mounds Park, in a plastic-wrapped box for 3M brand Highland Invisible tape.
2007: (first) Hidden Falls Park, encased in a block of ice between two logs.
2007: (second) Roseville’s Central Park, no disguise.
2006: Battle Creek Park, wrapped in ice, in a Nut Goodie wrapper and a red garter.
2005: Crosby Farm Nature Area, under a piece of bark from a fallen tree frozen to the ground.
2004: Phalen Park, inside a green doughnut.
2003: Como Park, frozen in a chunk of ice under fallen timber and leaves.
2002: Merriam Park, taped to the underside of a tortilla-chip can liner.
2001: Como Park, inside an Iron Man sports sock tucked into a Dove soap box.
2000: Newell Park, inside an Ace brand box of playing cards.
1999: Conway Park, wrapped inside a white crocheted holder.
1998: Cherokee Park, inside an Old Navy brand sock.
1997: Como Park, inside a Curad bandage box wrapped in a red bandana.
1996: Harriet Island Park, inside a Skoal tin.
1995: Battle Creek Park, inside a knitted yarn pouch.
1994: Highland Park, inside a small, white wooden box.
1993: Hidden Falls Park, inside a diaper.
1992: Cherokee Park, inside a white mitten.
1991: Langford Park, inside a Hostess Sno-Ball.
1990: Como Park, wrapped in clay and grass.
1989: The Capitol Mall, inside an earmuff.
1988: Tony Schmidt Park, coated with almond bark.
1987: Indian Mounds Park, wrapped in clay and grass.
1986: Highland Park, in a pipe.
1985: Kellogg Mall Park, glued inside a White Castle hamburger box.
1984: Newell Park, attached to a broken 45 rpm record.
1983: Lake Phalen Park, substituted as filling in an Oreo cookie.
1982: Wakefield Lake Park, Maplewood, wrapped in a classified ads section.
1981: Acorn Park, Roseville, taped between leaves.
1980: Como Park, In a plaster “stone.”
1979: Marthaler Park, West St. Paul, taped to a dead tree.
1978: Harriet Island Park, frozen inside a snowball.
1977: Irvine Park, in a cigar box.
1976: Keller Lake Park, Maplewood, in tree roots.
1975: Mears Park, inside a Bull Durham sack.
1974: Cherokee Park, inside a crushed Coke can.
1973: Lake Phalen Park, cemented inside a closet bracket.
1972: Marydale Park, inside a chunk of drainpipe.
1971: Wakefield Lake Park, Maplewood, attached to a baby-buggy wheel.
1970: Battle Creek Park, attached to a cast-iron vise.
1969: Victoria Street and Interstate 35E, in a crevice between two rocks.
1968: Highland Park, attached to plasterboard.
1967: State Fairgrounds, under 8 inches of ice, with a horseshoe.
1966: Harriet Island Park, attached to a flatiron.
1965: Como Park, attached to a block of printing lead.
1964: Beaver Lake Park, attached to a golden brick.
1963: Carroll, Jefferson, Farrington and Rondo streets, in a snowbank.
1962: Along Mississippi Street, attached to a disc.
1961: Highland Park, in a large clump of grass.
1960: Harriet Island Park, in the heel of a rubber boot.
1959: Warner Road, under a tree.
1958: Under U.S. 61 bridge, in milky ice on Phalen Creek.
1957: Battle Creek Park, in a clump of roots above ground.
1956: Como Park, inside a hollow log.
1955: Seventh and Robert streets, under a mailbox.
1954: Hidden Falls Park, in a hollow stump.
1953: Cherokee Park, in a snowbank; State Fairgrounds, in a large bush near the Poultry Building (there were two hidden in 1953).
1952: Highland Park, in a treasure chest in weeds.
CORVALLIS, Ore. — One team made timely shots and one team didn’t.
That was the difference Monday, as the Colorado women’s basketball team fell at Oregon State, 69-66 in overtime at Gill Coliseum.
“That’s probably a super accurate statement because the boards were pretty even and we did some really good things defensively and such but yeah, they made shots when they needed to and we did not,” CU head coach JR Payne said after a disappointing defeat in the first Pac-12 road game of the season.
The 22nd-ranked Buffaloes (13-2, 2-2 Pac-12) lost their second in a row after a 13-0 start to the season, despite 18 points from Quay Miller and a double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds) from Mya Hollingshed.
Oregon State (8-4, 1-1) got a 3-pointer from Talia von Oelhoffen with 18 seconds to play in overtime to snap the 66-66 tie. CU had no timeouts remaining and raced down the court to try to tie the game, but Jaylyn Sherrod’s 3-point attempt was off the mark.
The Buffs, who led 61-56 with less than three minutes left in regulation, went 1 for 13 from the floor in the final eight minutes, including 0 for 7 in overtime.
“It was real disappointing,” said Frida Formann, who had 13 points for the Buffs. “We definitely felt like we shouldn’t be in an overtime situation and a last shot situation. We just need to be tougher and more composed and have better IQ in those moments, but we’re going to learn from it.”
CU out-rebounded Oregon State, the Pac-12’s No. 1 rebounding team, 38-36, but OSU snagged the final three boards. One of those came with about 20 seconds to play in overtime. After von Oelhoffen missed a jumper, Jelena Mitrovic got the rebound and kicked it out to Ellie Mack, who quickly flipped the ball to von Oelhoffen, who then drained the game-winning 3.
“If you force Talia to miss a shot and then you give up an O-board and give her another chance, she’s not gonna miss twice,” Payne said. “We actually did a pretty good job on the defensive glass against them because they’re very good on the glass, but those last one or two were crucial.”
CU was looking to rebound from a 60-52 loss to No. 2 Stanford on Friday and jumped to a 12-7 lead early. OSU led after each of the first three quarters, however.
Although neither team ever led by more than five, CU had to battle all afternoon to keep pace.
Formann had nine of her 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a 3-pointer that sparked a 7-0 run to give the Buffs a 61-56 lead.
OSU responded with back-to-back 3-pointers, however. Formann hit a layup and then drained 1 of 2 free throws with 12.4 seconds to go in regulation to give the Buffs a 64-62 lead, but Mack sent the game to overtime by hitting a jumper with 7.7 seconds to go.
After the game, the Buffs headed to Boulder after the short trip, but look to regroup before heading out to Arizona State on Friday.
“It’s the next-game mindset,” Payne said. “Just be the ultimate learning group and be able to take the good and the bad from every single game and be able to take what happened and didn’t happen and you just use it to get better moving forward.”
Notes
CU remained at No. 22 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released on Monday. This is the first time since December of 2016 that CU has been ranked in consecutive weeks. … Tayanna Jones had one of her best games in her two seasons at CU, scoring 10 points, pulling down six rebounds and recording three steals. … Oregon State blocked 12 CU shots. It’s the second time in the past four games CU has had 12 shots blocked. Prior to that, it had not happened in nearly six years.
Fast break
What went right: The Buffs out-rebounded the Pac-12’s top rebounding team, 38-36, and played solid defense much of the day.
What went wrong: The offense struggled when the Buffs needed it most. The Buffs made 44% of their shots in the first 37 minutes, but went 1-for-13 (7.7%) in the last eight minutes.
Star of the game: Tayanna Jones. She didn’t lead the Buffs in scoring or rebounding, but was exceptional off the bench with 10 points, six rebounds and three steals. She also had the Buffs’ only blocked shot.
What’s next: The Buffs visit Arizona State on Friday at 5 p.m. MT.
Oregon State 69, No. 22 Colorado 66 (OT)
COLORADO (13-2, 2-2 Pac-12)
Sherrod 2-9 0-0 4, Formann 5-14 1-2 13, Finau 0-4 0-0 0, Hollingshed 5-14 2-2 13, Tuitele 1-2 2-2 5, Jones 5-7 0-0 10, Sadler 0-1 1-2 1, Miller 6-13 5-6 18, Wetta 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 24-65 13-16 66.
OREGON STATE (8-4, 1-1 Pac-12)
Corosdale 3-8 2-2 9, Kampschroeder 1-2 0-0 3, von Oelhoffen 6-13 1-1 17, Adams 2-6 1-3 5, Brown 1-2 4-4 6, Mannen 0-0 0-0 0, Marotte 3-7 0-0 6, Mitrovic 2-4 0-2 5, Mack 6-6 0-0 16, Codding 1-7 0-0 2. Totals 25-55 8-12 69.
Colorado 13 12 19 20 2 – 66
Oregon State 14 13 20 17 5 – 69
3-point goals – Colorado 5-18 (Formann 2-7, Miller 1-5, Hollingshed 1-3, Tuitele 1-1, Sherrod 0-2), OSU 11-27 (von Oelhoffen 4-8, Mack 4-4, Corosdale 1-4, Kampschroeder 1-2, Mitrovic 1-2, Codding 0-4, Marotte 0-2, Brown 0-1). Rebounds – Colorado 38 (Hollingshed 11), OSU 36 (Mack 7). Assists – Colorado 8 (Wetta 4), OSU 16 (Adams 6). Steals – Colorado 11 (Jones, Miller 3), OSU 10 (Corosdale 3). Turnovers – Colorado 11, OSU 18. Total fouls – Colorado 14, OSU 15. Fouled out – None. A – 3,854.
It was four years ago last week when the rivalry changed for good.
The night of Jan. 10, 2018, was a memorable one, if not a victorious one, for the Colorado men’s basketball team in Los Angeles. Coming off wins at home against ranked teams from Arizona State and Arizona, the bolstered confidence of a young Buffaloes team was derailed by a 70-58 loss at USC.
Four days previous, CU head coach Tad Boyle offered his “hell yes!” exclamation following the win against Arizona when asked if there was extra satisfaction in defeating one of the teams embroiled in the then-new FBI recruiting corruption probe.
USC, of course, was one of those teams, too. And with the Trojans holding that 12-point lead, head coach Andy Enfield took a timeout in the waning seconds to lead a courtside celebration with his team. The Trojans then tried to run a set play on their final possession.
USC completed a regular season sweep of the Buffs that year, but CU has enjoyed payback ever since. Fifth-year senior and Los Angeles native Evan Battey was redshirting as a true freshman that season, and was just weeks removed from the stroke that threatened to end his basketball career. As an active player, he has never lost to the Trojans in three seasons covering seven games. That run will be put to the test when the Buffs open a homestand ripe with opportunity against the Trojans on Thursday (5:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks).
“Any time you go and play against a hometown team like USC, right down the street from me, it’s a great opportunity to just compete,” Battey said. “I’m definitely going to miss playing them. I’m sorry I didn’t get to play them at the Galen Center this year. It’s coming to an end…all the rivalries I had coming in to my college career are coming to an end.”
After losing at Stanford and then at home against Oregon, USC dropped 11 spots to No. 16 in the latest AP Top 25 released Monday. Nevertheless, the opportunity to extend the seven-game winning streak against USC — sweeps in each of the past three regular seasons, plus a matchup in the Pac-12 tournament semifinals last spring — is a critical one for an improving CU team still in need of signature wins to bolster any possible NCAA Tournament credentials.
The Buffs are coming off a road split in Arizona but have not yet proven themselves against top-tier competition. CU is 0-3 this season against ranked teams, losing at home against Tennessee and on the road against UCLA and Arizona. After trying to extend their three-year run against USC, the Buffs will have another chance to change that winless mark Saturday against the ninth-ranked Bruins.
“It’s too early to worry about NET (rankings),” said Boyle, whose club stood at No. 89 in the NET on Monday. “We’ve just got to play well. We’ve just got to figure out a way to beat USC. But yes, we knew we had this stretch — Arizona, Arizona State on the road, then UCLA and USC at home — that’s a great opportunity for us to make strides.
“It’s a great opportunity to earn respect nationally and to make a move in the league standings. This is our only crack at USC and we’re both 4-2 in the league. It’s a separation game.”
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