Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Karen National Army (KNA), a militia group in Burma, as a transnational criminal organization, along with the group’s leader Saw Chit Thu, and his two sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit, for their role in facilitating cyber scams that harm U.S. citizens, human trafficking, and cross-border smuggling. Saw Chit Thu appointed his two sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit, as officers in the KNA. Both have served in key roles in the KNA criminal enterprise. Saw Htoo Eh Moo has an interest in KNA-affiliated business ventures, including cyber scam centers. Saw Chit Chit is active in military operations alongside the military regime and has commanded KNA battalions fighting against anti-regime rebel groups. He also holds shares and directorships in several KNA-linked businesses. OFAC is designating Saw Chit Thu and his two sons, Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit, pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Karen National Army, and pursuant to E.O. 14014 for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Karen National Army. Saw Htoo Eh Moo and Saw Chit Chit are also being designated pursuant to E.O. 14014 for being the adult children of Saw Chit Thu.
On February 10, 2021, the President, invoking the authority of, inter alia, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701–1706) (IEEPA), issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14014 of February 10, 2021, “Blocking Property With Respect to the Situation in Burma” (86 FR 9429, February 12, 2021).
In E.O. 14014, the President determined that the situation in and in relation to Burma, and in particular the February 1, 2021 coup, in which the military overthrew the democratically elected civilian government of Burma and unjustly arrested and detained government leaders, politicians, human rights defenders, journalists, and religious leaders, thereby rejecting the will of the people of Burma as expressed in elections held in November 2020 and undermining the country's democratic transition and rule of law, constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and declared a national emergency to deal with that threat.
OFAC is issuing the Burma Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 525 (the “Regulations”), to implement E.O. 14014, pursuant to authorities delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury in E.O. 14014. A copy of E.O. 14014 appears in appendix A to this part.
The Regulations are being published in abbreviated form at this time for the purpose of providing immediate guidance to the public. OFAC intends to supplement this part 525 with a more comprehensive set of regulations, which may include additional interpretive and definitional guidance, general licenses, and other regulatory provisions. The appendix to the Regulations will be removed when OFAC supplements this part with a more comprehensive set of regulations.
