UN expert says Myanmar military imported more than $1 billion in arms since coup

Myanmar's military imported at least $1 billion in arms and raw materials since it ousted a democratically elected government in February 2021, according to a UN report Wednesday.

Russia, China, Singapore, Thailand and India were major suppliers aiding the military, according to the report, "The Billion Dollar Death Trade: International Arms Networks that Enable Human Rights Violations in Myanmar," by UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Tom Andrews.

"Russia and China continue to be the main suppliers of advanced weapons systems to the Myanmar military, accounting for over $400 million and $260 million respectively since the coup, with much of the trade originating from state-owned entities," Andrews said in a statement.

"However, arms dealers operating out of Singapore are critical to the continued operation of the Myanmar military's deadly weapons factories (commonly referred to as KaPaSa)," he said.

The report reveals that $254 million in supplies have been shipped from dozens of entities in Singapore to the Myanmar military between February 2021 - Dec. 2022, and Singaporean banks have been used by arms dealers.

About $28 million in arms transfers from Thai-based entities to the Myanmar military were also documented, in addition to the India-based entities supplying $51 million worth of arms and related materials to the military since February 2021.

Andrews urged UN member states to "step up and stop the flow of these arms."

Myanmar has been haunted by a spiral of violence and economic crisis since the military toppled an elected government and launched a brutal onslaught to crush dissent in 2021.

The military takeover triggered mass protests, with the junta's forces killing more than 1,500 people in a crackdown on dissent, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners local monitoring group.