Thread: British ambassador defends Burmese military training

British ambassador defends Burmese military training
COLIN HINSHELWOOD
31 December 2013


Burmese soldiers march during the Armed Forces Day parade in Naypyidaw in 2010.
(PHOTO: Reuters)

Britain’s Ambassador to Burma Andrew Patrick defended his government’s decision to initiate a training programme for the Burmese armed forces in early January, saying the course will not enhance the Burmese military’s combat ability.

Ambassador Patrick was speaking in response to a question by DVB on whether – taking into account the Burmese army’s dismal human rights – such training could be put to negative purposes.

“The course will not enhance the Burmese military’s combat ability, so we don’t think there is a risk of the training being misused,” said Ambassador Patrick, who succeeded Andrew Heyn in Rangoon in August.

“The training will focus on the role of the military in a democratic context,” he said. “The training will take place in a classroom, and draw on lecturers from Cranfield University and the UK Defence Academy. It will take place in Naypyidaw from 6- 17 January. Topics covered include governance in transitional democracies, and civilian control of the armed forces.”

Britain’s Ministry of Defence announced last week that a joint civilian and military team from its Defence Academy will provide training to 30 members of the Burmese armed forces and Burmese government next month.

According to a 25 December report in the Daily Telegraph, Mark Francois, the UK Minister for the Armed Forces, said: “The Tatmadaw [Burmese army] remain a key political force in Burma, therefore we seek to encourage them to support democratic reform through our influence and with education.”

However, in the same report, David Mathieson, a Burma researcher for Human Rights Watch, said the Tatmadaw were still regularly committing atrocities, and stood accused of attacking refugee camps in Kachin state within the past few weeks.

“The Burmese Army has got a terrible reputation,” he is quoted as saying. “It has an abusive modus operandi in its DNA.”

dvb.no

Originally Posted by dvb.no

Britain’s Ambassador to Burma Andrew Patrick

Memo : Andrew Patrick .

If you lay down with dogs you get up with fleas .


Seized refinery in Shan North ‘belonged to government militia’
Friday, 06 December 2013

A drug refinery raided and seized by government authorities on 20 November was actually owned and operated by a Burma Army run People’s Militia Force (PMF) of Mong Zi, according to local sources.

Mong Zi PMF is led by U Aung Khaing and his deputy Ah Liang aka Ah Ying aka Ya Pafa.

Most of its members are Palaung (Ta-ang), Wa and Kokang who are not locally recruited.

They receive K 30,000 ($ 30) per month each.


Myawadi Daily

Official media says 11 men were taken alive together with 22 assorted weapons and drugs worth K 277.1 million ($ 277,100).

Another co-owner was said to be an ethnic Chinese identified as Wu Sang.

“The existence of factory was likely tipped off by Chinese authorities,” said one informed source.

Ah Liang, interrogated by the police, had reportedly testified that the drugs belonged to U Ohn Khaing and that he (Ah Liang) and Wu Sang had invested K 5 million ($ 5,000) each in the joint venture.

The PMFs’ involvement in drugs have been reported at length by SHAN in its Shan Drug Watch 2011 report. The Burma Army, meanwhile, has demanded that the Shan State Army (SSA) leaves the PMFs along, after its fighters staged raids against the PMF refineries.

english.panglong.org

British Govt Accused of Training ‘War Criminals’
Friday, 17 January 2014

The British Government has been criticized by a prominent human rights advocacy group after it’s decision to fund military training for the Burma Army, who have been accused of ongoing human rights violations.

In a report titled ‘Training War Criminals? – British Training of the Burmese Army’, Burma Campaign UK said the decision to spend at least £87,850 (approximately 4.7 million Thai baht) on military training for the Burma Army was deeply flawed, as there were no set preconditions on improving human rights and supporting democratic reform.

“If the British government were serious about reforming the Burmese military and ending their human rights abuses, they could have used this training to elicit practical action and commitments to reforms,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK.

Mr Farmaner claims that the British government is putting UK business interests before human rights.

“Instead they are giving unconditional training in a move which appears be part of a general British government policy of moving as close as possible to the government of Burma in order to secure current and future trade and investment opportunities.”

The British Government’s training plan for Burma’s military coincides with a report released by the Women’s League of Burma (WLB) that documents cases of sexual violence perpetrated by Government military units since 2010, including 28 that resulted in death.

Burma Campaign UK questioned why the training would be taking place despite ongoing reports of serious human rights abuses, especially as conflicts continue in Kachin and Northern Shan States.

“Crimes committed by the Burmese Army since the reform process began include rape and gang rape of ethnic women, including children, deliberate targeting of civilians, arbitrary execution, arbitrary detention, torture, mutilations, looting, bombing civilian areas, blocking humanitarian assistance, destruction of property, and extortion. Many of these abuses could be classified as war crimes and crimes against humanity.” Burma Campaign UK said in a media statement.

“This appears to contravene the declaration on ending sexual violence in conflict which the British government has spearheaded,” the group said.

Burma Campaign UK maintains that the British Government has made conflicting claims about the main focus of its training course; claiming the training is about human rights, making the military more professional and improving governance. Burma Campaign UK claims that the British Government had already admitted that they could not effectively monitor [Burma Army] soldiers after they have been through the course, and would therefore have no way of assessing the effectiveness of the training.

Ethnic Groups Not Consulted

Conflict affected ethnic communities were not consulted about whether the training should take place, according to Burma Campaign UK.

“The British government should listen to the 133 ethnic civil society organisations who have written to them asking for key conditions to be met before training and engagement begins.” Mr Farmaner said.

“This includes assisting in training an independent military police force that investigates and prosecutes soldiers who commit abuses, and their political and military masters who order abuses. Justice and accountability are the most powerful tools to help end abuses by the Burmese Army.” Mr Farmaner said.

The Burma Army officially does not admit that it commits human rights abuses.

The first round of training begins later this month.

bnionline.net

Originally Posted by bnionline.net

In a report titled ‘Training War Criminals? – British Training of the Burmese Army’, Burma Campaign UK said the decision to spend at least £87,850 (approximately 4.7 million Thai baht) on military training for the Burma Army was deeply flawed, as there were no set preconditions on improving human rights and supporting democratic reform.

Training War Criminals? – British Training of the Burmese Army - News - Burma Campaign UK

Oh these feckin 'Ooman Rights knobs, they'll whinge about anything won't they?

Never see a good reason for anything.