Myanmar’s army has imported $1 billion in weapons since seizing energy in a 2021 coup and used them “to commit atrocities,” a United Nations knowledgeable mentioned in a report launched Wednesday.
Combating has ravaged Myanmar for the reason that coup, together with renewed clashes with ethnic insurgent teams in addition to the formation of dozens of “Individuals’s Protection Forces” now battling the junta.
In its crackdown in opposition to dissent, the “army has killed a minimal of three,500 civilians” and the variety of political prisoners has swelled to twenty,000, mentioned the report.
It added that a minimum of $1 billion “price of weapons, dual-use expertise, and supplies used to fabricate weapons” have been introduced in by the junta from the day of the coup on Feb. 1, 2021, to December 2022, primarily from suppliers in Russia, China, Singapore, and India.
“These weapons, and the supplies to fabricate extra of them, have continued to move uninterrupted to the Myanmar army regardless of overwhelming proof of its duty for atrocity crimes,” mentioned Tom Andrews, the U.N. Particular Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar.
Based on the report, the junta imported $406 million in arms and tools from Russia and $267 million from China, together with from state-owned entities. Indian corporations and state-owned entities accounted for $51 million in items.
Firms based mostly in Singapore offered a further $254 million in provides, whereas $28 million in tools got here from entities based mostly in Thailand.
“Russia and China-based entities are essential to the Myanmar army for transfers of superior weapon techniques and their spare components,” Andrews wrote.
The imports have simply circumvented worldwide sanctions prohibiting arms commerce with Myanmar, in accordance with Andrews.
His report singled out an assault on an opposition-controlled village that killed round 170 folks, together with kids, describing it for instance of a “possible” battle crime.
Andrews wrote {that a} fighter jet dropped two bombs on Pazi Gyi village within the central Sagaing area, focusing on the opening ceremony of an workplace of the Nationwide Unity Authorities – a shadow administration dominated by lawmakers from ousted chief Aung San Suu Kyi’s get together.
Quickly after, two assault helicopters arrived on the village and commenced firing on survivors and first responders, he added.
“This brutal assault can be one other instance of how the Myanmar junta is utilizing internationally provided arms and related supplies to commit atrocities,” the report mentioned.
Particular rapporteurs are mandated by the U.N. Human Rights Council however are unpaid, impartial consultants who don’t communicate for the United Nations.