global criticism, with several western nations announcing sanctions on the armed forces, known as the Tatmadaw. Against this backdrop, links between Australia’s sovereign wealth fund and Myanmar’s military were shocking revelation, prompting criticism against Canberra for financing a “campaign of terror” against the people of Myanmar.
According to documents obtained by activists under Freedom of Information laws, under $158 million is being held by the Future Fund in several public companies with links to the military junta. The documents also show that about $18 million has been invested by the fund in Indian defence firm Bharat Electronics, and another $5 million in subsidiaries of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The former is known to have sold radar, sonar and other surveillance systems to the Tatmadaw, while the latter is accused of selling long-range and short-range missiles and combat aircraft to the military.
Commenting on the findings, Tin Tun Naing, the Finance Minister of Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG), claimed that the Future Fund is profiting from the suffering of people in his country. The NUG was formed in April this year, by a group of elected lawmakers and the members of parliament who were ousted in the coup in February.
“We would like to request the Australian government and the Future Fund to stop this support — they are helping the military to survive while they commit these violent acts [towards] their own citizens,” Tin Tun Naing noted.
