Anti-coup forces allege Myanmar military using banned, restricted weapons
Al JazeeraJun 25
Myanmar: Rebel Groups Allege Government Forces Using Chemical, Incendiary Weapons
Above: Protesters hold banners and shout slogans while marching past Myanmar military soldiers who arrived to guard the Central Bank overnight on February 15, 2021 in Yangon, Myanmar. Image copyright: Hkun Lat/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
A report from Al Jazeera has alleged that Myanmar's military, which seized power in a 2021 coup, has made use of weapons banned under international treaties in its fight against anti-coup militants.
The article includes accounts from fighters and doctors who describe wounds as consistent with chemical and incendiary weapons and not with "metallic foreign bodies" from conventional munitions.
The Spin
Narrative A
The truth is the first casualty of war, and the civil war in Myanmar has sparked outlandish claims from pro- and anti-junta sources. Propaganda and fake news have proliferated against every faction in this brutal war, and skepticism must rule the day when it comes to stories from Myanmar. If true, these allegations are horrific, but we cannot make a rash rush to judgment without confirmation on the ground.
Narrative B
The world is not taking the atrocities in Myanmar seriously, as the death toll mounts outside of the consciousness of the world. Foreign banks have helped the junta evade sanctions and buy weapons to mete out destruction against their own civilians unabated. There is strong evidence of crime against humanity occurring on the ground, and the international community needs to wake up and starve the regime of money and legitimacy.