Responding to a decision by the United Nations Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution on Myanmar that for the first time calls on UN member states to refrain from the export, sale or transfer of jet fuel to the Myanmar military, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Research, Montse Ferrer, said:

“This resolution is a step in the right direction to combat the deadly supply chain that enables the Myanmar military to continue its barrage of air strikes in which schools, clinics, religious buildings and other civilian infrastructure have all been targeted. It highlights the urgent need to suspend shipments of aviation fuel to Myanmar, where it is used by the military to carry out war crimes.

“In a violent, worsening trend that continues up to this very week, air strikes have pulverized homes, devastated communities and caused mass internal displacement. More than three years after the coup, escalating conflict in Myanmar puts even greater urgency on the need to stop the flow of aviation fuel to the military, which increasingly relies on airpower to carry out strikes that are in violation of international humanitarian and international human rights laws.

“The threat aviation fuel poses to civilians in Myanmar should be well known by now, yet Amnesty International’s research shows the military continues to be able to bypass international restrictions and source the aviation fuel needed for these deadly air strikes. Today’s vote should build momentum to disrupt this supply chain before the human rights situation deteriorates even further. It is imperative that states and companies act now to end the supply of aviation fuel to the Myanmar military.

“It is critical that member states, many of whom have national companies that have played – or continue to play – a role in the aviation fuel supply chain, stand by the commitment expressed through the resolution. All Human Rights Council members must take all necessary steps to prevent business entities from using their jurisdictions to supply aviation fuel to the Myanmar military.”

Background:

On 4 April 2024 the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on Myanmar by consensus. The resolution includes a call for all states to “refrain, in accordance with applicable national procedures and international norms and standards, from the export, sale or transfer of jet fuel, surveillance goods and technologies and less-lethal weapons, including ‘dual-use’ items, when they assess that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that such goods, technologies or weapons might be used to violate or abuse human rights, including in the context of assemblies.”

While China was the only state that chose to disassociate itself from the consensus, it did not contest the resolution by calling for a vote.

In November 2022, Amnesty International published Deadly Cargo: Exposing the Supply Chain that Fuels War Crimes in Myanmar, in collaboration with Justice for Myanmar.

The report revealed how aviation fuel ended up with the Myanmar military and how it reached bases from which air attacks that constituted war crimes were conducted. In March 2023, Amnesty published updated findings on new shipments.

Following evidence linking foreign and domestic companies to the supply of aviation fuel to the Myanmar military, the UK, the USA, Canada, the EU and Switzerland imposed sanctions on companies and individuals in Myanmar and Singapore involved in the procurement and distribution of aviation fuel into Myanmar.

In August, the USA extended the reach of potential sanctions, stating that anyone involved in this industry was at risk.

Earlier this year Amnesty published new research based on data that suggested that despite sanctions, aviation fuel was still being shipped into Myanmar, primarily through a port in, and companies from, Viet Nam.

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