Japan urged to halt military study scheme for cadets from Myanmar

TOKYO • Human Rights Watch urged Japan yesterday to halt a military study-abroad programme in which cadets from Myanmar receive combat training.

Since the February coup in Myanmar, Japan has cut new aid and called on the Myanmar military to halt violence, but human rights groups have been asking for stronger action such as economic sanctions.

Japan has sought to balance its support for Myanmar democracy with its efforts to counter China's influence in the country, officials and analysts have said.

Japan and Myanmar have an academic exchange programme, under which eight cadets from the South-east Asian nation's military are studying at Japan's National Defence Academy.

"It's mind-boggling that Japan is providing military training to Myanmar cadets at the same time as its armed forces are committing crimes against humanity against Myanmar's people," Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

The exchange programme for cadets from foreign countries provides the same courses that Japanese cadets take, according to the academy's website.

The academy provides a broad range of military training from combat arms to basic command and operation.

Japan's defence ministry, which runs the academy, had no immediate comment on Human Rights Watch's statement.

Revelations about economic ties to Myanmar's military may put more pressure on Tokyo and Japanese companies to drop them, according to human rights groups.

Myanmar's military overthrew the elected government of Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb 1, claiming election fraud, and this month sentenced her to four years in prison.

More than 1,300 protesters have been killed by troops, independent observers say.

Australia has suspended its defence cooperation programme with Myanmar in non-combat areas like English-language training and New Zealand has stopped all high-level military contact with Myanmar.

Meanwhile, a Myanmar court deferred yesterday the latest verdicts in the trial of Ms Suu Kyi to next Monday, a source familiar with the proceedings said.

The court had been due to rule on charges of possession of unlicensed walkie-talkies and a set of signal jammers, which carry maximum penalties of three years and a year in jail, respectively.

The source said the judge did not give a reason for the deferral.

The delay comes after Ms Suu Kyi, 76, was sentenced by the court on Dec 6 to four years in prison for inciting dissent and breaching coronavirus rules.

Her sentence was later reduced to a two-year term of detention in her current, undisclosed location.

REUTERS