US sanctions Karen National Army for cyber scams and human trafficking

In southeastern Myanmar, the United States sanctioned the Karen National Army (KNA) for its alleged involvement in human trafficking and cyber scams as announced by the U.S. Treasury Department on Monday. The sanctions target not only the KNA but also its leader Col. Saw Chit Thu and his sons. The Treasury cited concerns over operations that reportedly generate significant revenue for criminal organizations at the expense of victims in the United States and elsewhere. These operations trap many individuals, tricked into jobs that lead to virtual slavery, and perpetuate suffering for vulnerable populations. Despite these serious allegations, KNA representatives deny any wrongdoing, asserting their operations are focused on regional development rather than criminal activities. Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender emphasized the commitment to disrupt such illegal networks, indicating that the sanctions will block the KNA and its associates from accessing any U.S. controlled assets and financial services. Saw Chit Thu had already faced sanctions previously imposed by the European Union and United Kingdom, compounding the international scrutiny over his activities. Naing Maung Zaw, a spokesperson for the KNA, expressed frustration over the U.S. sanctions, labeling them as an act of aggression from a more powerful nation against a weaker entity. The KNA, which operates as the Karen ethnic minority's official Border Guard Force in coordination with Myanmar's military government, controls territories in the state of Kayin, where they are accused of providing protection for scam operations. However, Naing Maung Zaw clarified that the KNA's activities also involve renting land to businesses where threats of scams occur. In response to regional crackdown efforts initiated in coordination with Thailand and China, the KNA reported repatriating a large number of foreign workers entangled in scam networks. Thus, they stated that over 7,000 scam workers had been returned to their countries as part of efforts to eliminate these illegal operations. Nevertheless, tensions in the Kayin state, which has been under intense conflict since the military's seizure of power in February 2021, continue to create an environment ripe for illegal activities. The ongoing conflict between the military and ethnic armed groups like the KNA complicates the humanitarian landscape, leaving many in dire circumstances.