Indian helicopter sale to Myanmar's military could undermine EU arms embargo

BANGKOK (AP) - The Indian government's plans to sell military helicopters to Myanmar, with components and technology from European countries, threatens to undermine a European Union arms embargo, Amnesty International said Monday.

The report by Amnesty International and other European and international NGOs, cites "credible sources" that the Indian government plans to transfer their Advanced Light Helicopter to Myanmar.

"Should this transfer go ahead, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK could be undermining an EU arms embargo on Myanmar in place since 1988," the London-based human rights group said.

Variants of the ALH attack helicopter contain rocket launchers from Belgium; rockets, guns and engines from France; brake systems from Italy; fuel tanks and gearboxes from the UK and self-protection equipment from a Swedish company. German companies have been crucial to the design development of the ALH, AI said.

"The EU embargo explicitly states that no military equipment should be supplied, either directly or indirectly, for use in Myanmar," said Roy Isbister with Saferworld, another NGO that contributed to the report. "What's the point in having an arms embargo if it is not going to be implemented or enforced?"

There was no immediate comment from the Indian government in New Delhi. Staff at the Indian Embassy in Bangkok contacted by phone on had no comment concerning the helicopters.

India and Myanmar have had warming ties for several years now, and last December discussed possible joint military exercises.

"Defense co-operation between India and Myanmar has increased in 2007, as India seeks to counteract both what it describes as Myanmar based insurgent groups operating in North-Eastern India, and China's increasing strategic presence in Myanmar,' the report about the helicopters states.

While visiting Myanmar in November 2006, India's air force chief offered a multimillion-dollar military assistance package, including helicopters, upgrades of Myanmar's existing military aircraft, naval surveillance and counterinsurgency training. It is not clear if the helicopters he spoke of where the ALH.

Myanmar's junta took power in 1988 and crushed the democracy movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi. In 1990, it refused to hand over power when Suu Kyi's party, the National League for Democracy, won a landslide election victory.

Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been in prison or under house arrest for more than 12 of the past 18 years.

India, which initially supported Suu Kyi, has in recent years kept silent on human rights abuses in Myanmar, preferring to adopt what New Delhi calls a "pragmatic" policy toward its military rulers.

The new approach comes as energy-hungry India searches for new sources of fuel.

The warming ties, despite its lack of progress in democratic reforms, is also generally regarded as a move to balance the influence of their mutual neighbor, China. Both India and China have been investing heavily in Myanmar's promising oil and gas sector in recent years.