EU slaps sanctions on 7 Myanmar army, border officials

BRUSSELS – The European Union is slapping asset freezes and travel bans on seven more people accused of human rights violations against the Rohingya minority in Myanmar.

EU headquarters said Friday that the seven army and border police officials are being put on the bloc’s sanctions list “for serious human rights violations committed against the Rohingya population, ethnic minority villagers or civilians.”

It brings to 14 the total number of people in Myanmar under EU sanctions for such abuses.

Around 700,000 Rohingya have fled their homes in western Myanmar since last year because of a brutal counterinsurgency campaign by the military, which has been accused of massive rights violations. Rights activists and U.N. investigators say the military in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar was carrying out a policy of ethnic cleansing, or even genocide.