Rights advocates urge jet fuel sanctions against Myanmar

Some human rights advocates are urging governments to impose sanctions against supplying aviation fuel to Myanmar as security forces stage air attacks against opponents of its army-led administration

BANGKOK -- Some human rights advocates are urging governments to impose sanctions against supplying aviation fuel to Myanmar as its security forces carry out air strikes against opponents of the army-led administration.

Calls to cut off jet fuel supplies gained attention after several major oil and gas companies, including Total and Chevron, said they would withdraw from ventures in the country, potentially reducing flows of hard currency to the military.

While Myanmar still produces oil and gas in partnerships with Thai, Japanese, Chinese and South Korean companies, it has no large-scale modern refineries and imports all its aviation fuel for both civilian and military use.

Widespread nonviolent protests followed a Feb. 1, 2021, military takeover that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. An armed resistance has grown after peaceful protests were put down with lethal force. The country now faces an insurgency that some experts characterize as a civil war.