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WEAPONS

Swedish weapons used in Burmese fighting

Burmese rebels have gained access to Swedish-designed weapons after government forces reportedly left them behind following conflict in the mountains of the country's far north.

Photographs surfaced of rebels from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) with six Swedish recoilless antitank rifles – the “Carl Gustav” – after government forces left them behind, according to the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper (SvD).

Saab Bofors Dynamics, which manufactured the weapons, has reported the incident to the the Swedish Agency for Non-Proliferation and Export Controls (Inspektionen för Strategiska Produkter, ISP)

“After seeing the pictures we have reported the matter to the responsible authorities, the ISP, which handles these questions,” Sebastian Carlsson, spokesman for Saab, told SvD.

“We’re taking it seriously that our products have ended up in Burma.”

The Carl Gustav was first developed in 1947 and introduced into Swedish service in 1948. It has since been sold in at least 40 countries and has featured in conflicts such as the Falklands War and Afghanistan.

Now, Burmese officials are asking Sweden to investigate.

“We urge the Swedish government to investigate how these Swedish weapons ended up in the hands of the Burmese Army,” Zawng Hra, chairman of the Burmese political organization Kachin Independence Organization, told the paper.

In 1996, the EU countries were forbidden from exporting weapons to Burma, a law that remains today and applies to Sweden.

TT/The Local/og

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WEAPONS

Swiss weapons exports up 38 percent despite pandemic

Switzerland’s weapons exports have seen a 38 percent increase in 2020, according to official government figures.

Swiss weapons exports up 38 percent despite pandemic
Swiss weapons exports are on track for their highest year on record. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Switzerland exported CHF690 worth of weapons over the first nine months of 2020. That’s a 38 percent increase on the CHF500 million sold over the corresponding period in 2019. 

Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) published the figures on Tuesday

The biggest customers for Swiss weaponry were Denmark, Indonesia and Germany. 

In total, 76 countries bought Swiss weapons during the period. 

According to current figures, weapons exports are on track to be the highest in Swiss history – beating the record of CHF893 million set in 2011. 

‘Death business is flourishing’ 

The news has been heavily criticised by a number of non-government organisations critical of weapons being sold to countries at war or who may use them against their own citizens. 

The Organisation for Switzerland without an Army (GSOA) and Terre des Hommes have been critical of the figures, particularly as the industry has called for a decrease in regulation in recent years. 

GSOA wrote in a statement “the death business is flourishing”. 

Saudi Arabia – currently involved in a conflict in Yemen – appear on the list, along with Brazil. Weapons opponents are concerned the Swiss exports could be used in the country’s slums, Der Bund reports

 

 

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