Observer Desk
US president Barack Obama has told Aung San Suu Kyi that sanctions on the country will be lifted. The sanctions were imposed 19 years ago when the military regime had hinted it was not ceding power anytime soon. Since 2012, they were gradually removed when the regime began to carry out political and economic reforms.
The lifting of sanctions if carried out would allow US firms access to the lucrative ruby and jade trade, that had till now remained off limits.
Human rights observers have expressed dissatisfaction with recent developments fearing the lifting of sanctions would reduce leverage over the Tatmadaw.
The move is a sharp contradiction to current US policy as just four months before, the country’s secretary of state John Kerry had stated it would be impossible to lift sanctions without changes in the constitution that allows the army wide ranging political powers. The sudden reversal of US policies appears to be steered by diplomatic initiatives of Suu Kyi who has traditionally had good relations with the US.
