Justice For Myanmar (JFM), a human rights organization, has strongly condemned the decision by Thailand and BIMSTEC member countries to allow Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing to attend the BIMSTEC summit. The organization stated that Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, and other BIMSTEC member countries are complicit in the Myanmar military’s international crimes through their continued supply of weapons, related materials, and financial support. This condemnation comes at a time when Myanmar is dealing with the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that has caused significant destruction and loss of life, yet Min Aung Hlaing chose to attend the BIMSTEC summit instead of addressing the crisis at home.
According to JFM, the military junta has been blocking humanitarian aid and rescue operations for earthquake victims while continuing to conduct airstrikes in various regions, including earthquake-affected areas. The organization highlighted that BIMSTEC allowed the military junta to sign the BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters in 2022, which facilitates regional cooperation in locating and identifying individuals, sharing information, conducting searches and arrests, and obtaining evidence or assistance in investigations. This has significantly aided the junta in obtaining intelligence information and military-police cooperation while providing misplaced political legitimacy to their ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity that continue with impunity.
JFM has provided detailed evidence of how BIMSTEC member countries are supporting the Myanmar military. Thailand’s registered companies have exported military equipment and related materials worth $120 million to Myanmar in the 2023 fiscal year. Thailand’s state-owned oil company PTTEP continues to operate crucial offshore natural gas projects in Myanmar, providing foreign currency earnings for the military regime. India remains one of the primary suppliers of military weapons and equipment to the Myanmar military, alongside Russia and China. Indian state-owned arms companies, particularly Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), have continued to supply various military equipment, including surveillance systems and electronic components, throughout 2024 and early 2025. Sri Lanka has also been implicated in supplying aviation electronics systems, aircraft parts, and petroleum products to Myanmar in 2024.
