U.S. sanctions Myanmar militia for scams, human trafficking

The Treasury Department on Monday said it was sanctioning the Karen National Army, or KNA, as well as its leader, Col. Saw Chit Thu, and his two sons. The militia group in Myanmar, also known as Burma, runs cyber scam operations that stole billions of dollars from Americans in the last three years, the Treasury said. The KNA also trafficked foreigners, luring them into forced labor in scam centers, according to the Treasury. The new sanctions block the leaders and their militia from transactions or use of assets in the United States.

The Treasury Department also accused the KNA of collaborating with the Myanmar military in criminal operations. The military seized control of Myanmar from its elected government in 2021.

Who are the Karen people? The Karen people are a cluster of several different ethnic minority subgroups in Southeast Asia. The roughly 4 million Karen people mainly live along the border between Myanmar and Thailand. But many have fled to Thailand to escape ongoing fighting between the Myanmar military and Karen rebel groups. Around two-thirds of Karen are Buddhist, though about 30% are Christian, as many of their ancestors converted due to missionary efforts during British rule. Some also have animist beliefs, according to the Minority Rights Group advocacy organization.

What is the Karen National Army? The militia group, formerly known as the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, is headquartered in Myanmar’s southeast Kayin or Karen State. The KNA controls much of the border region there and has close ties with the Myanmar military. The KNA also fights against Karen rebel groups, according to the Treasury.

How did the militia respond to the sanctions? Lt. Col. Naing Maung Zaw, a KNA spokesman, told the Associated Press the group was not carrying out scams. He acknowledged that the militia rented land to some businesses operating scam centers. But he said the KNA was in the process of eliminating the centers and repatriating the thousands of foreigners who worked there, according to the Associated Press.

Dig deeper: Read Antonio Graceffo’s story on how Christians in Myanmar cling to faith amid war.