According to a major UK newspaper, Israel is behind the sale of weapons to Myanmar’s military junta amid the ongoing bloody violence against Rohingya in Myanmar.
As more than 150,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar via boats in the recent days after fresh incidences of violence spread against the Muslim community in Burma, it has come to light that Israeli arms companies have sold as many as 100 tanks, boats and light weapons to the government of Myanmar.
One such defence contracting company by the name of TAR Ideal Concepts has imparted training to Burmese special forces in the northern Rakhine state, considered the epicenter of violence in the country. TAR Ideal Concepts has also uploaded pictures of the trainings on their website.
Human rights activists and watchdogs have slammed Israel for its decision to arm Myanmar despite the country’s disregard for the Rohingya community. Israel’s high court will decided on a petition filed by activists on whether to ban the sale of weapons to Myanmar or not later this month.
“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,” said Ofer Neiman, an Israeli human rights activist.
In less than two weeks since the violence occurred, more than 125,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh while 400 have been killed.
Violence surged across the country as the government initiated a crackdown against Rohingya after an attack was carried out on the Burmese army by a group of Rohingya.