Well.wisher
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2016
- Messages
- 2,977
- Reaction score
- 1
- Country
- Location
Israel is under fire from human rights groups for the continued sale of weaponry to the Burmese junta after intensified violence against the country's Rohingya Muslim minority.
More than 100 tanks, as well as boats and light weapons, have been sold to the Burmese government by Israeli arms companies, investigations by several rights watchdogs have found.
One company, TAR Ideal Concepts, has also trained Burmese special forces in northern Rakhine state, where much of the violence is taking place, posting pictures on their website of its staff teaching combat tactics and how to handle weapons.
An army crackdown triggered by an attack on 25 August by Rohingya insurgents on Burma security forces has triggered a major humanitarian crisis. At least 400 people have been killed and nearly 125,000 Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh.
ROHINGYA REFUGEES – IN PICTURES
Rohingya Muslim refugees react after being re-united with each other after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive on a boat in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after crossing from Burma on 8 September, 2017 Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
There is a US and EU embargo on selling arms to the South East Asian country, which was until recently under military rule. Israel’s high court will decide on whether to ban arms sales to the country later this month after a petition by Israeli acitivists.
In March, the Israeli defence ministry defended sales, saying that the courts had no jurisdiction over a “diplomatic” issue.
READ MORE
“This policy is strongly related to Israel's oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian people. Weapons used against the Palestinians are being sold as 'field-tested' to some of the worst regimes on the planet.”
Graphic photo and video from the region show beheaded children and entire villages burnt to the ground by military and paramilitary forces.
The violence has been condemned by the international community; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan labelled it a “genocide” last week.
More than 100 tanks, as well as boats and light weapons, have been sold to the Burmese government by Israeli arms companies, investigations by several rights watchdogs have found.
One company, TAR Ideal Concepts, has also trained Burmese special forces in northern Rakhine state, where much of the violence is taking place, posting pictures on their website of its staff teaching combat tactics and how to handle weapons.
An army crackdown triggered by an attack on 25 August by Rohingya insurgents on Burma security forces has triggered a major humanitarian crisis. At least 400 people have been killed and nearly 125,000 Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh.
ROHINGYA REFUGEES – IN PICTURES
Rohingya Muslim refugees react after being re-united with each other after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive on a boat in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after crossing from Burma on 8 September, 2017 Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
There is a US and EU embargo on selling arms to the South East Asian country, which was until recently under military rule. Israel’s high court will decide on whether to ban arms sales to the country later this month after a petition by Israeli acitivists.
In March, the Israeli defence ministry defended sales, saying that the courts had no jurisdiction over a “diplomatic” issue.
READ MORE
- Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi says 'fake news' fuelling Rohingya crisis
- At least five drown after boat carrying Rohingya Muslims capsizes
- Burma laying landmines near Bangladesh border to stop Rohingya return
- Chechen Muslims protest in solidarity with Burma's Rohingyas
“This policy is strongly related to Israel's oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian people. Weapons used against the Palestinians are being sold as 'field-tested' to some of the worst regimes on the planet.”
Graphic photo and video from the region show beheaded children and entire villages burnt to the ground by military and paramilitary forces.
The violence has been condemned by the international community; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan labelled it a “genocide” last week.
