Washington ? President Bush imposed new sanctions Friday to punish Myanmar’s military-run government and its backers for a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Expanding on sanctions imposed last month, Bush ordered the Treasury Department to freeze the U.S. assets of additional members of the repressive junta. He also acted to tighten controls on U.S. exports to Myanmar, also known as Burma. And he called on the governments of China and India to do more to pressure the government of the Southeast Asian nation.

“The people of Burma are showing great courage in the face of immense repression,” Bush said in the Diplomatic Room of the White House. “They are appealing for our help. We must not turn a deaf ear to their cries.”

Last month, tens of thousands of people turned out for rallies, which started as protests of sharp fuel increases and later snowballed into the largest show of government dissent in decades. The junta claims that 10 people were killed when troops opened fire on demonstrators to disperse them, but diplomats and dissidents say the death toll is much higher.

“I believe no nation can forever suppress its own people,” Bush said. “And we are confident that the day is coming when freedom’s tide will reach the shores of Burma.”

The president directed the Treasury Department to bar almost a dozen more senior Myanmar government officials from using the U.S. financial system. These include the mayor of Rangoon and the ministers of electric power, health, education, industry, labor, science and technology, commerce, national planning and economic development, finance and revenue, telecommunications and construction.

Treasury banned 14 other officials last month, including the junta leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, and the No. 2 man in the military regime, Deputy Senior Gen. Maung Aye.

Bush also issued a new executive order that names an additional 12 individuals and business entities for sanctions. The order gives the Treasury Department expanded authority to sanction individuals responsible for public corruption, human rights abuses or for supporting and providing financial backing to the regime.

“Sanctions do have an impact,” White House press secretary Dana Perino said. “We believe that tightening the noose around the leaders in Burma, as well as their cronies who help them by carrying out their bank transactions and buying their luxury goods, is a way to increase the pressure so that the Burmese can be relieved of the dictatorship.”