Stop training Myanmar’s military: Burma Campaign UK urges 13 countries

Burma Campaign UK has called for all countries to halt training the Myanmar military, which has taken control of the country and is accused of severe violation of human rights.

"Countries entering into training and cooperation agreements with the Burmese [Myanmar] military are complicit in the violations of international law the Burmese [Myanmar] military are committing," said Anna Roberts, executive director of Burma Campaign UK, in a statement.

"We call on all countries involved in training and cooperation with the Burmese military to halt those programmes immediately. They are helping to build the skills base of the military and conferring legitimacy upon them."

Thirteen countries are involved in military training and/or cooperation with the Myanmar military, despite its human rights record, the statement said.

Burma Campaign UK has published a new briefing paper listing the countries, with open source links to information about the training and cooperation.

The countries involved in training and cooperation with the Burmese military are Australia (reviewing training since the coup but not yet announced it is stopping), Japan, India, Thailand, Russia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Ukraine, North Korea, Nepal, Pakistan and Belarus.

The statement said with the exception of Pakistan, the countries on the list have all made agreements to continue or even increase military training and cooperation since the genocide of the Rohingyas in 2017.

Not one country has been transparent on exactly what training and cooperation is taking place. Burma Campaign UK is not aware of any of these countries announcing that they will end military training and cooperation since the coup, it said.