Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2783 of 29 October 2024 amending Decision 2013/184/CFSP concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Myanmar/Burma

• CELEX: Decision (CFSP) 2024/2783
• Articles: 3

Article 1

The Annex to Decision 2013/184/CFSP is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .

Schedules & Appendices

ANNEX

ANNEX

The Annex to Decision 2013/184/CFSP is amended as follows:

(1)

the following entries are added to the list set out in Section A (Natural persons referred to in Articles 5(1) and 6(1)):

Name

Identifying information

Reasons

Date of listing

‘104.

Saw Chit Thu

(a.k.a. Saw San Myint, Maung Chit Thu, Chit Thu)

Nationality: Myanmar/Burma;

Place of birth: Inn village, Hlaingbwe, Karen State, Myanmar/Burma;

Gender: male;

Rank: Colonel;

Associated entity: Chit Linn Myaing Group

Colonel Saw Chit Thu is a Karen/Kayin warlord and businessperson. He is a founding member and the Secretary-General of the Karen/Kayin Border Guard Forces (BGF)/Karen National Army (KNA), an armed group affiliated with the Tatmadaw (the Myanmar Armed Forces). Under Chit Thu’s leadership, the BGF/KNA is responsible for human rights violations and abuses against civilians in its operations areas, including scam compounds like Shwe Kokko. The compounds are regional hubs for transnational crime, including online fraud, drugs and human trafficking. The scam compounds are experiencing massive human rights violations, including forced labour and torture, thus threatening the peace, security and stability in Myanmar/Burma.

To control the scam compounds, the BGF/KNA collaborates with the Tatmadaw, for example by informing the Tatmadaw about opponents of the government and by forcefully recruiting soldiers, thus further contributing to threatening the security and stability of Myanmar/Burma.

Saw Chit Thu is the founder and former chairman of Chit Linn Myaing Group (CLM), a group of companies run by his family in cooperation with the BGF, also involved and gaining profit from Shwe Kokko. Since 2017, Saw Chit Thu is developing Yatai New City in Shwe Kokko in cooperation with Yatai International Holding Group.

As founding member and Secretary-General of the BGF/KNA and due to his involvement in the scam compounds, Saw Chit Thu is responsible for serious human rights violations in Myanmar/Burma and is furthermore engaged in actions that threaten the peace, security and stability of Myanmar/Burma. He is furthermore associated with the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw).

29.10.2024

105.

Mote Thun

(a.k.a. Saw Mote Thun, Mote Thone)

Nationality: Myanmar/Burma;

Gender: male;

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel;

Function: Deputy Secretary-General of the Karen/Kayin Border Guard Forces/Karen National Army (BGF/KNA); founding member of the Karen/Kayin BGF;

Associated individual: Saw Chit Thu

Lieutenant Colonel Mote Thun is a founding member and the Deputy Secretary-General of the Karen/Kayin Border Guard Forces (BGF/Karen National Army (KNA), an armed group affiliated with the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces). He is particularly powerful in the South of Myawaddy township at the Thai-Myanmar border, where many scam centres are located. Key compounds under Mote Thun’s control include Wan Kuok-Koi’s (a.k.a. Broken Tooth) and Dongmei Zone. Mote Thun is also involved in the KK Park Project. The compounds are regional hubs for transnational crime, including online fraud, drugs, human trafficking. The scam compounds are experiencing massive human rights violations, including forced labour and torture, thus threatening peace, security and stability in Myanmar/Burma.

To control the scam compounds, the BGF/KNA collaborates with the Tatmadaw, for example by informing the Tatmadaw about opponents of the government and by forcefully recruiting soldiers, thus further contributing to threatening peace, security and stability of Myanmar/Burma.

As a founding member and Deputy General Secretary of the BGF/KNA and due to his involvement in the scam compounds, Lieutenant Colonel Mote Thun is responsible for serious human rights violations in Myanmar/Burma and is furthermore engaging in actions that threaten peace, security and stability of Myanmar/Burma. He is furthermore associated with the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw).

29.10.2024

106.

Tin Win

(a.k.a. Saw Tin Win)

Nationality: Myanmar/Burma;

Gender: male;

Rank: Major;

Function: Direct subordinate to Colonel Saw Chit Thu in Karen National Army (KNA), former member of Border Guard Forces;

Associated individual: Saw Chit Thu

Major Tin Win is a direct subordinate to Colonel Saw Chit Thu in the Karen/Kayin Border Guard Forces (BGF)/Karen National Army (KNA), an armed group affiliated with the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces).

Under the direct command of Colonel Saw Chit Thu, Tin Win supports and benefits from scam compounds near Myawaddy, such as Shwe Kokko, the KK Park Project and the Huanya Project. These are major regional hubs for transnational crime, including online fraud, drug and human trafficking. The scam compounds are experiencing massive human rights violations, including forced labour and torture, thus threatening the peace, security and stability in Myanmar/Burma.

To control the scam compounds, the BGF/KNA collaborates with the Tatmadaw, for example by informing the Tatmadaw about opponents of the government and by forcefully recruiting soldiers, thus further contributing to threatening the security and stability of Myanmar/Burma.

In his role in the BGF/KNA and due to his involvement in scam compounds, Major Tin Win is responsible for serious human rights violations and is furthermore engaged in actions that threaten peace, security and stability of Myanmar/Burma. He is furthermore associated with the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw).

29.10.2024’

(2)

the following entry is added to the list set out in Section B (Legal persons, entities and bodies referred to in Article 6(1)):

Name

Identifying information

Reasons

Date of listing

‘22.

Chit Linn Myaing Group (CLM)

Place of registration: Myanmar/Burma;

Principal place of business: Shwe Kokko, Myawaddy Township, Myawaddy District, Kayin State, Myanmar/Burma

Chit Linn Myaing Group (CLM) is a group of companies controlled by Colonel Saw Chit Thu, who is a founding member and Secretary-General of the Karen/Kayin Border Guard Forces (BGF)/Karen National Army (KNA), an armed group affiliated with the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces), and his family. CLM is involved and profits financially from activities in scam compounds, controlled by the BGF/KNA, in the area of Myawaddy township (Thai-Myanmar border), including, among others, the city of Shwe Kokko. Shwe Kokko is a hub for transnational crime, including online fraud, drug and human trafficking. The scam city is experiencing massive human rights violations, including forced labour and torture, thus threatening the peace, security and stability in Myanmar/Burma.

To control the scam compounds, the BGF/KNA collaborates with the Tatmadaw, for example by informing the Tatmadaw about opponents of the government and by forcefully recruiting soldiers, thus further contributing to threatening the security and stability of Myanmar/Burma.

Therefore, Chit Linn Myaing Group is engaged in actions that threaten peace, security and stability of Myanmar/Burma and is furthermore benefiting from the Myanmar Armed Forces. Chit Linn Myaing Group is associated with the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw).

29.10.2024’.