Senior members of Myanmar’s military and security services have been completely unscathed by “toothless” British sanctions imposed in response to the mass killing of Rohingya in Rakhine state, a rights group said.

A recent annual review from the British Treasury showed that none of the 16 individuals, including commander-in chief Min Aung Hlaing, have had any of their assets frozen as a result of measures. 

"The main British government action against the Burmese military in response to genocide of the Rohingya is this asset freeze, but in fact no assets have been frozen," said Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK.

The review does not report figures under £3.5m pounds. Farmaner’s group has requested information from the Treasury about whether any assets valued at less than that have been frozen but it has refused to say. 

“It is highly unlikely that any assets at all from Burma have been frozen as a result of these sanctions,” the group said a statement on Thursday. 

“British government ministers have previously been forced to concede it was unlikely that these individuals being sanctioned had any assets in the UK.

"These are toothless sanctions and the British government appears to be trying to cover this up. Symbolic measures do not constitute an effective response to genocide," Farmaner added. 

Fourteen individuals are subject to asset freezes in Britain because of sanctions brought in when the country was a member of the European Union in 2018. 

Two others, Min Aung Hlaing and his deputy Soe Win, were sanctioned in July under British law. The sanctions also include a ban on travelling to the UK.

The British Treasury declined to comment on Burma Campaign UK’s statement and directed Myanmar Now the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. 

A spokesperson there said: “As the Foreign Secretary has stated, these sanctions send a clear message that the Myanmar military is responsible for a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya.

“The UK is a global leader on sanctions and we are clear that those who committed atrocities should be held to account,” they added. 

Burma Campaign UK also criticised the UK for failing to follow the recommendations of a panel of UN experts on Rakhine and for failing to join international efforts to prosecute Myanmar.

“The British government has refused to implement the recommendation of the UN Fact-Finding Mission to sanction Burmese military companies, and refuses to join The Gambia and other countries bringing a case of genocide against Burma at the International Court of Justice,” the group said. 

“Instead they have imposed an asset freeze which has frozen no assets and a visa ban which amounts to nothing more than a holiday ban,” it added. 

Both the military and Myanmar’s government have repeatedly denied accusations that soldiers committed genocide in Rakhine state in 2017 and say the attacks were legitimate counter-terrorism operations. 

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