Justice For Myanmar (JFM) has released a list of ‘disgraced ASEAN tycoons’ who are supporting the Myanmar military junta’s violent operations. While the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) claims to be supporting peace in Myanmar through its Five-Point Consensus, JFM criticizes that some member states have failed to prevent the military junta’s acts of violence. Therefore, JFM has published the ‘ASEAN Dirty Thirty List’ to expose businesspeople across Southeast Asia who are enabling the military junta’s brutal campaign of terror.
Some companies from ASEAN countries continue to provide financial assistance and weapons sales to the Myanmar military junta, and through such actions, ASEAN governments and their tycoons are complicit in the junta’s international crimes, according to JFM. Since the devastating earthquake on March 28, the military junta has expanded its violent operations, conducting over 500 airstrikes and artillery attacks across the country, including in earthquake-affected areas. The newly released list of twelve ‘disgraced tycoons’ includes influential businesspeople from across Southeast Asia who are profiting through providing financial support, selling military equipment, and offering financial services that enable the junta’s brutal atrocities.
The list includes prominent figures such as Robert Kuok from Malaysia, founder of Shangri-La Hotels Group; Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi from Thailand, founder of Thai Beverage; Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao from Vietnam, CEO of VietJet Air and vice-chair of HD Bank; Chatchai Rungbunwong from Thailand, executive director of Northern Gulf Petroleum; and Lee Tih Shih from Singapore, director of OCBC Bank. These individuals and their businesses are accused of providing various forms of support to the military junta through business arrangements, tax payments, and financial services that ultimately enable the junta’s continued violence against civilians. The release of this list comes ahead of the ASEAN Summit to be held in Malaysia on May 26-27, where JFM urges ASEAN member states to take decisive action by imposing restrictions on business dealings with the military junta and its network of companies.
