Indian state-owned agency bought 20 gun barrels to Myanmar: Activists

By AFP

BANGKOK: An Indian state-owned arms producer has shipped artillery barrels to military-ruled Myanmar, an activist group stated Wednesday, warning they could possibly be utilized by the junta in its crackdown on dissent.

Myanmar has been in turmoil because the generals toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian authorities two years in the past, ending a short democratic experiment and sparking mass protests.

The military has used artillery barrages in addition to air strikes in opposition to opposition teams because it struggles to crush resistance, in line with rights organisations, sparking worldwide calls to cease supplying weapons to the junta.

In October, state-owned arms producer Yantra India Limited despatched 20 gun barrels to Myanmar measuring 122 millimetres, transport knowledge obtained by activist group Justice for Myanmar exhibits.

The consignee for the cargo, which was valued at $330,000, was Innovative Industrial Technologies Company Limited, primarily based within the industrial hub Yangon, in line with the info shared with AFP.

Last yr, the identical firm received a junta tender to put in and configure safety home equipment at an information centre, in line with paperwork seen by AFP.

The barrels had been doubtless used to make artillery for the army, Justice for Myanmar stated.

ALSO READ | ‘India maintains shut ties with Myanmar, transfers weapons,’ says report quoting humanitarian outfits

Myanmar’s troopers march. (File Photo | AFP)

Yantra India Limited has “state-of-the-art steel-making” services for gun barrels and “other components of artillery and tank guns”, in line with its web site.

Yantra and Innovative Industrial Technologies didn’t reply to emailed requests for remark.

AFP has contacted India’s international ministry for remark, however has not but acquired a response.

“India is directly supporting the junta’s indiscriminate attacks against civilians by allowing the export of barrels,” stated Justice For Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung.

More than 3,000 folks have been killed within the army’s crackdown on dissent, in line with an area monitoring group.

READ HERE | ‘I simply need my legs again’: Myanmar landmine casualties soar

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the disaster have floundered, with the junta shielded on the United Nations by shut allies Russia and China.

In December, India abstained — together with Moscow and Beijing — from the UN Security Council’s first decision on the disaster, which referred to as for the discharge of all “arbitrarily detained” prisoners, together with Suu Kyi.

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has defended New Delhi’s ties with the junta, saying India can not keep away from coping with its neighbour due to cross-border points equivalent to organised crime.

In January, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund stated it had divested its shares in Indian state-owned firm Bharat Electronics over an “unacceptable risk” that it was promoting weapons to the Myanmar junta.

READ MORE | ‘Silent strike’: Myanmar resistance steadfast in opposition to military rule two years later

BANGKOK: An Indian state-owned arms producer has shipped artillery barrels to military-ruled Myanmar, an activist group stated Wednesday, warning they could possibly be utilized by the junta in its crackdown on dissent.

Myanmar has been in turmoil because the generals toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian authorities two years in the past, ending a short democratic experiment and sparking mass protests.

The military has used artillery barrages in addition to air strikes in opposition to opposition teams because it struggles to crush resistance, in line with rights organisations, sparking worldwide calls to cease supplying weapons to the junta.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

In October, state-owned arms producer Yantra India Limited despatched 20 gun barrels to Myanmar measuring 122 millimetres, transport knowledge obtained by activist group Justice for Myanmar exhibits.

The consignee for the cargo, which was valued at $330,000, was Innovative Industrial Technologies Company Limited, primarily based within the industrial hub Yangon, in line with the info shared with AFP.

Last yr, the identical firm received a junta tender to put in and configure safety home equipment at an information centre, in line with paperwork seen by AFP.

The barrels had been doubtless used to make artillery for the army, Justice for Myanmar stated.

ALSO READ | ‘India maintains shut ties with Myanmar, transfers weapons,’ says report quoting humanitarian outfits

Myanmar’s troopers march. (File Photo | AFP)

Yantra India Limited has “state-of-the-art steel-making” services for gun barrels and “other components of artillery and tank guns”, in line with its web site.

Yantra and Innovative Industrial Technologies didn’t reply to emailed requests for remark.

AFP has contacted India’s international ministry for remark, however has not but acquired a response.

“India is directly supporting the junta’s indiscriminate attacks against civilians by allowing the export of barrels,” stated Justice For Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung.

More than 3,000 folks have been killed within the army’s crackdown on dissent, in line with an area monitoring group.

READ HERE | ‘I simply need my legs again’: Myanmar landmine casualties soar

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the disaster have floundered, with the junta shielded on the United Nations by shut allies Russia and China.

In December, India abstained — together with Moscow and Beijing — from the UN Security Council’s first decision on the disaster, which referred to as for the discharge of all “arbitrarily detained” prisoners, together with Suu Kyi.

Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar has defended New Delhi’s ties with the junta, saying India can not keep away from coping with its neighbour due to cross-border points equivalent to organised crime.

In January, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund stated it had divested its shares in Indian state-owned firm Bharat Electronics over an “unacceptable risk” that it was promoting weapons to the Myanmar junta.

READ MORE | ‘Silent strike’: Myanmar resistance steadfast in opposition to military rule two years later