Myanmar’s military junta has started producing large scale weapons inside the country that are being used against its own population, due to help from several countries such as China, the US, France, Japan, and also India, among others that provide raw material and inputs, says a report by an independent think-tank focussed only on Myanmar.
The report – Fatal Business: Supplying the Myanmar Military’s Weapon Production – by Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M), an independent think-tank founded by former officials of the United Nations after the February 1, 2021 coup by the Myanmar military, known as the ‘Tatmadaw’.
“Myanmar’s military has gradually become largely self-sufficient in manufacturing a range of weapons … The DDI (Directorate of Defence Industries), currently has an extremely robust production capacity for small arms to meet its operational needs, which are focussed almost exclusively on the brutal internal suppression of the Myanmar population,” the report said.
Ever since the coup took place in 2021 that witnessed the ousting and subsequently imprisonment of their pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the junta has unleashed unprecedented violence on their citizens to suppress protests.
While hundreds and thousands have been brutally killed and kidnapped, many have been thrown behind the bars while others tortured for protesting against the military dictatorship under their Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing.
“The leader of the Myanmar military, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and his top military leaders must be held accountable for the human rights violations that they have perpetrated. However, this report emphasises that concrete action must also be taken to address the corporate responsibility to respect human rights in Myanmar. This requires action both by the companies that have been identified in this report and by their home governments,” the report said.
Some of the companies that are responsible for supplying raw materials and inputs which are feeding the rapidly growing weapons industries across Myanmar are not just from China but also from India, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, US and France among others.
According to the report, the Myanmar military’s DDI is now producing small arms, including MA-3 MK I and G3 rifles, which are used to carry out genocidal atrocities.
“The DDI currently has an extremely robust production capacity for small arms to meet its operational needs, which are focussed almost exclusively on the brutal internal suppression of the Myanmar population,” it said.
It needs to be noted here that Myanmar’s weapon industry is purely run by the Tatmadaw and there are no private firms. Thus, companies supplying raw materials and other inputs to Myanmar’s arms manufacturing facilities are aware of the fact that these weapons are being used for what kind of purposes.
‘Stop support to KaPaSa factories’
The factories that produce weapons in Myanmar are known as ‘KaPaSa’ factories and they are located across the country. These KaPaSa factories are well-connected to roads, ports, airports and rivers to facilitate the transport and inflow of necessary materials for sustained weapon production, according to the report.
“The ability to produce weapons in-country remains an important source of pride for Myanmar’s armed forces and is considered essential by its members and supporters in light of the perceived threats to the country’s unity and stability,” the report said.
The report also noted that the DDI has been importing fuses from several Indian companies.
“In 2022, fuses for 84 mm recoilless rifles were purchased by the DDI through a Myanmar-registered civilian front company (Creative Exploration Ltd.) 155 from India-based company Sandeep Metalcraft,” it said.
It added that important amounts of cast boosters, detonating caps, igniters and electric detonators were also shipped to Myanmar between 2019 and 2021 by companies registered in India with the DDI listed as the buyer.
“Indian company Sandeep Metalcraft had exported type 447 time mechanical fuses to a military crony company in Myanmar for 84 mm artillery commonly used with Carl Gustaf recoilless rifles,” it said.
The SAC-M further noted that, “Depending on the battle conditions, the Myanmar army is also known to equip its sniper rifles with other types of accessory weapon sights. Such sights have been imported from companies domiciled in India.”
It stated that in 2022, Indian company Tonbo Imaging has shipped Ek long-range thermal imaging sights to Myanmar that are fitted in assault and sniper rifles. India’s Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) also sends shipments of fuses to that country.
The report also found out that BHEL supplies multi-purpose reflex weapon sights for Myanmar.
The DDI also produces tanks, armoured vehicles and utility vehicles under an agreement signed in 2019 with Ukrainian State-owned arms conglomerate Ukronoronprom and State-owned arms trading company Ukrspecexport.
The SAC-M said that the companies identified in the report should “immediately stop doing business with the Myanmar military’s Directorate of Defence Industries and associated military entities and civilian front companies for the Myanmar military, and they should investigate how their products have ended up being used for the manufacturing of arms by the military in Myanmar.”
“Beyond this, companies should also take steps to prevent future harmful end-use of their products through robust due diligence to identify, prevent, and mitigate the risk of harm associated with the sale/licensing and deployment of their products. In relation to harms that have already been suffered by civilians in Myanmar, companies should provide for, or cooperate in, the remediation of such harms, including by collaborating with any future legal or administrative proceedings,” it added.