The Tatmadaw has acquired civilian aircraft made by European companies despite a tightening of the arms embargo in response to alleged atrocities in Rakhine State, reports Frontier Myanmar. The aircraft were produced by France’s Airbus and Italy’s Leonardo.
Mark Farmaner, director of Burma Campaign UK, said that European countries had previously adopted different stances on their companies doing business with the military. “Sentiment is finally shifting. Stricter interpretation of EU sanctions by member states combined with growing awareness of the reputational risk will result in reduced sales of equipment to the military. Burma Campaign UK proposed that rather that tightening the arms embargo, the EU simply ban the sale of any equipment at all to the military. This was discussed as an option and it is significant that the EU rejected this proposal.”