NGO Justice For Myanmar is calling for an investigation and global arms embargo over arms and military aircraft being sold to the Myanmar junta that illegally grabbed power in a coup in February.

The call was made on 17 December as the NGO outlined in a report how UN Security Council members including France, Russia, China, Holland and Italy are directly involved in supporting the Myanmar junta, which is currently using some of this equipment to target its own people, largely in the ethnic areas, but also in a widening range of divisions and regions.

The call comes as junta leader Min Aung Hlaing attended a ceremony on Wednesday this week to commission airplanes and helicopters during a ceremony to mark the 74th Anniversary of the Tatmadaw (Air).

During the ceremony at the Flying Training Base in Meiktila Station, Commander-in-Chief (Air) General Maung Maung Kyaw extended greetings to the commissioning of airplanes and helicopters. In his address, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said it is necessary to build the Tatmadaw to be the strong, capable and modern armed forces, according to Myanmar government media.

As the multipurpose fighter planes were upgraded and more fighters, transport planes and helicopters and fighter helicopters were added to the Tatmadaw (Air), its capacity could be upgraded to control Myanmar’s aerospace territory.

As Justice For Myanmar points out in their latest report, several countries, companies and sovereign wealth funds are doing a great deal to support the Myanmar junta’s defence and attack capabilities at a time when other, notably the USA, UK and Canada are imposing sanctions in attempts curtail the junta’s capabilities and income-making.

As the NGO notes, the Myanmar military commissioned aircraft manufactured in France, Russia and China, during the anniversary ceremony held on Wednesday.

Aircraft include an ATR-72 600, an Airbus Eurocopter, a Y-12, Yak-130s and K-8s. ATR-72 600s are manufactured in France by ATR, a French-based joint venture between Airbus and Italy’s Leonardo Corporation. Eurocopters are also manufactured in France by Airbus. Airbus’ corporate headquarters are in the Netherlands.

Justice for Myanmar says the aircraft were commissioned by EU sanctioned war criminal and junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as the Myanmar military intensifies its terror campaign following the February brutal and illegal coup attempt. In recent weeks, the junta has carried out indiscriminate airstrikes in Kachin and Shan states and the Sagaing and Magwe regions, killing civilians, destroying property and causing mass displacement. Earlier air raids had also targeted Chin, Karen and Karenni states. These attacks amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Data from ACLED, analysed by Altsean Burma, shows a 632% increase in armed clashes and attacks compared to 2020. Between February 1 and November 26, Myanmar had more armed clashes and attacks than both Yemen and Afghanistan.

The European Union has an arms embargo on Myanmar, with a ban on the transfer of dual use goods, although the Myanmar military has a history of bypassing arms controls through their network of private brokers and crony-run airlines.

Justice For Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung says: “The French, Dutch and Italian governments must immediately investigate how ATR and Airbus aircraft got into the hands of the terrorist Myanmar military junta. These aircraft will be used by the military to attack civilians and kill children. The fact that the military continues to procure aircraft must be a wakeup call for the European Union, which has not imposed new sanctions on Myanmar since June. That contrasts with the US, UK and Canada, which have targeted entities related to military procurement in the latest round of sanctions. France has a particular responsibility as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and should be leading the push for a global arms embargo on Myanmar. It is unacceptable that the junta is still able to procure European aircraft after the 2017 genocide against the Rohingya, their illegal coup attempt and continued acts of terrorism.”

In addition to European aircraft, the Myanmar military has commissioned K-8 trainer jets, Yak-130 fighter jets and a Y-12 military transport plane.

K-8s and Y-12s are manufactured by subsidiaries of the Chinese state-owned company AVIC. K-8s are produced by AVIC’s Hong Kong listed subsidiary AviChina Industry and Technology Co. Ltd, connecting AviChina investors to AVIC’s complicity in the Myanmar military’s atrocities.

AviChina’s biggest investors include Airbus, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, Dimensional Fund Advisors and the sovereign wealth funds of Australia, New Zealand and Norway.

Yak-130s are manufactured in Russia by the majority state-owned United Aircraft Corporation.

Justice For Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung says: “China and Russia are aiding and abetting the junta’s war crimes and crimes against humanity by selling aircraft, profiting from the murder of Myanmar people. The fact that two UN Security Council permanent members with veto power are arming the terrorist military junta explains why the UN’s highest body has utterly failed to take meaningful action on Myanmar. The international community must take action against Russia and China’s complicity in the Myanmar military’s atrocity crimes.

It is alarming that sovereign wealth funds and major international corporations continue to invest in AVIC, despite clear evidence of their complicity in the Myanmar military’s war crimes and crimes against humanity. We demand that shareholders of AVIC immediately divest to end their link to the Myanmar military’s crimes. International partners and suppliers of AVIC and United Aircraft Corporation also have a responsibility to prevent human rights impacts linked to their business relationships. We call on them to cut ties with AVIC and United Aircraft Corporation immediately.”

What is becoming increasingly clear is a number of countries continue to support the Myanmar junta with weapons and related equipment, and the training to go with it.

A source in Naypyitaw recently noted that the Myanmar military has purchased chemicals, ammunition, detonators and accessories from NORINCO, China. A ship carrying the material sailed from Dalian port in China on 12 December, and will arrive in Thilawa Port, to then be transported to military bases in Myanmar.

In addition, 30 Myanmar officers and 15 other personnel are due to attend minesweeping training from February to May 2022 in Pakistan, according to a communique from the Myanmar Military Attache in Islamabad. A team from Pakistan reportedly arrived in Myanmar on 3 December to provide advice on mine-clearing in northern Rakhine State and Chin State, ordnance planted by the Arakan Army (AA). Pakistan personnel will provide assistance in mine-sweeping in Rakhine State and Paletwa Township, Chin State.

While it is widely known that military aid is supplied to the Myanmar junta from China and Russia, less obvious is the military help being provided by countries such as France, Holland, Italy and Pakistan.