Myanmar: Fact-finding mission identifies businesses linked to the military that is accused of serious rights violations; some companies respond
The International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, established by the UN Human Rights Council, released a report on The economic interests of the Myanmar military (05 August 2019). This report is also cited in the initiatory document for the ICC case on the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar)- 11 November 2019.
In earlier and related reports, the Mission submitted that there were "established consistent patters of serious human rights violations and abuses in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine States, in addition to serious violations of international humanitarian law between 2001 and 2019. It added that the "violations were principally committed by the Myanmar security forces, particularly the military, or Tatmadaw. Further, it concludes that the "Tatmadaw's economic interests enable its conduct".
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre asked companies, belonging to the sixth classification of businesses found in the report, to respond to the part of the report stating that they belonged to either one of these classifications:
- Enterprises and States that transfer conventional arms and related items to the Tatmadaw; or
- Private companies from which the Tatmadaw procured or sought to procure dual-use goods and technology for military purposes.
The companies listed under enterprises and states that transfer conventional arms and related items to the Tatmadaw are: Aviation Industry Corporation of China, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, China North Industries Corporation, Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation, Bharat Dynamics, Hindustan Aeronautics, Israel Aerospace Industries, TAR Ideal Concepts, Armscor, Irkutsk- United AIrcraft Corporation, Rostec, Excellence Casting, STE Global Trading, and Malyshev Plant.
- None of these companies responded.
The private companies from which the Tatmadaw procured or sought to procure dual-use goods and technology for military purposes are Dejero, Icom, Jotron, Nikon, Reutech, Schiebel, and Veripos.
- Only Reutech did not respond.
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre continues to encourage the companies that did not respond to send their statements so that they may clarify their connection to the Tatmadaw.