Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB) -

Burma's Nuclear Ambitions Threaten Regional Security

Statement
Posted by: tacdb
Posted on : 2010/6/29 16:31:45

June 28, 2010; Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB) denounced the State
Peace and Development Council’s (SPDC) secret efforts to amass nuclear weapons. As per
claims made by Major Sai Thein Win (recently defected), Burma is working on obtaining nuclear
weapons with North Korea's assistance.

The SPDC need to clarify their previously hidden activities the international media has claimed.

These claims include experimentation with uranium and specialized equipment to build a nuclear
reactor, missiles, and develop enrichment capabilities.
TACDB has been following the development of the human, economic, social, health, and education
rights of the people from Burma under the military rule since it was set up in 1994. The situation has
gone from bad to worse and now the SPDC is going a step further with its nuclear plans which
threaten regional and international security.

The SPDC and its current state apparatus and policy implementation are largely responsible for the
forced migration of millions of its citizens as internally displaced, refugees and migrants within the
Asian region.

It is believe that the gas and oil revenue from the Yadana field has given the junta the financial
resources necessary to increase military spending. So, TACDB has been campaigning to the
international community, ASEAN and the Royal Thai Government not to invest in Burma.

According to the Thai newspaper ‘Post’ on 21st May 2009, the Petroleum Authority of
Thailand (PTT-EP) receives natural gas from Burma totaling US $3 billion per year.

Over the years we have seen a very clear picture of the SPDC destroying the lives of the people of
Burma and are threatening ASEAN regional peace and stability by spending more than 40% of its
GDP on the military.

The majority of the income for the SPDC is coming from selling the natural gas to the neighboring
countries which are energy hungry to secure their own countries needs.

Royal Thai Government and rest of the ASEAN members need to urgently take action against Burma
for starting a nuclear program despite the fact that Burma signed the Treaty on the Southeast Asia
Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Bangkok, Thailand on 15 December 1995.

Burma's nuclear ambitions are set to start an arms race in Southeast Asia where about 600 million
people are living in poverty and are in need of the much necessary people-centered development. A
nuclear armed Burma will push other ASEAN members to respond likewise and the poor people in
the region will be burdened with the cost of development funds being directed towards military

http://www.tacdb-burmese.org 2010/6/30 17:59:40 - 1

expenditures.

To be a part of global nuclear disarmament and a peaceful environment, the establishment of a

Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone is the way forward in order to bring human security to
the region. The following requirements should be demanded:

•The SPDC must stop its meaningless plan for nuclear armament.

•Royal Thai Government should consider not injecting more financial aid in the name of
business to the SPDC.

•ASEAN must take action against Burma for breaking the Bangkok Treaty.

http://www.tacdb-burmese.org 2010/6/30 17:59:40 - 2