Report: Firms in Europe, US, and Asia Helping Myanmar Manufacture Arms

Facts

• A report by the Special Advisory Council on Myanmar (SAC-M) released on Monday stated that companies in the United States, Europe, and Asia have provided supplies “critical” to the production of weapons in Myanmar.
• The report identified companies from 13 countries, including the US, France, Germany, China, India, Russia, and Singapore, and claimed that licenses, raw materials, software, parts, and components had been provided to Myanmar's government.
• The report alleges that raw materials from China and Singapore; components such as fuses and electric detonators from India and Russia; and machinery from Germany, Japan, Ukraine, and the US have all contributed to Myanmar's weapons production. It also alleges that Singapore has functioned as a transit hub.
• Myanmar's government has been sanctioned for decades due to the country's long-running civil wars, and more sanctions were imposed following the military coup in 2021. However, Myanmar has increasingly expanded its domestic arms manufacturing in response.
• The report stated that Myanmar can now domestically produce assault rifles, machine guns, mortars, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, missiles and missile launchers, artillery, land mines, naval mines, and air defense systems.
• Since the 2021 coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners has documented more than 2.7K civilian deaths, including 277 children, while more than 13K people have been detained.

Sources: Al Jazeera, BBC News, and San Diego Union Tribune.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by SAC. This report has made clear something that was already well-known: foreign powers are assisting Myanmar's military as it slaughters innocent civilians and erodes the country's democratic institutions. Foreign companies must stop sending materials to Myanmar, and world governments must do more to prevent private enterprise from colluding with a regime guilty of mass murder.
• Narrative B, as provided by BNI. Though the intentions of those calling for more sanctions against Myanmar are good, unfortunately, said sanctions would only hurt the people of Myanmar even more. The economy has already faced a dire situation and any additional sanctions will only shrink foreign investments, job opportunities, and trade.