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Myanmar/Burma
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
The Union of Myanmar[1] has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
In November 2010, a government representative said that the legal affairs department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reviewing the convention.[2] Previously, in November 2009, a government official informed a regional conference on cluster munitions that while Myanmar has not yet joined the convention it nonetheless, “criticizes the use of such weapons with indiscriminate area effect and which can cause humanitarian consequences.”[3]
Myanmar attended one regional meeting of the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions (Xieng Khouang, Lao PDR in October 2008). Since 2008, Myanmar has shown an interest in the convention. It participated in a regional conference on cluster munitions in Bali, Indonesia in November 2009, where it made its first public statement on the issue. Myanmar attended the First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Vientiane, Lao PDR in November 2010 as an observer, but did not make any statement.
Myanmar is not party to the Mine Ban Treaty or the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling
In November 2009 Myanmar stated, “We do not use cluster munitions, develop, produce, otherwise acquire, retain or transfer to anyone, directly or indirectly, nor assist, encourage or induce anyone to engage in any activity prohibited under this Convention.”[4]
[1] The military junta ruling the country changed the name from Burma to Myanmar. Many ethnic groups in the country and a number of states still prefer to use the name Burma.
[2] Interview with Aye Thidar Myo, Assistant Director, International Organizations and Economic Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vientiane, 10 November 2010.
[3] Statement by Ye Minn Thein, Assistant Director, International Organizations Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Conference on the Promotion and Universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Bali, 16 November 2009.
[4] Ibid.
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