Reuters
May 17, 2022

Myanmar resistance urges West to provide arms for fight against junta

The defence chief of Myanmar’s shadow government has called for international help to arm its resistance forces fighting the ruling military, requesting support similar to that being given to Ukrainians battling invading Russian troops.

The people of Ukraine and Myanmar’s anti-government] militias are all fighting for freedom…but those taking on Myanmar’s well-equipped army need more than international solidarity, said Yee Mon, the National Unity Government’s (NUG) defence minister.

“The stance of international community for Myanmar is moral support for us and we are grateful for it. We will be much more appreciative if we get physical support such as arms and funding,” he said in handwritten remarks provided to Reuters.

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Western allies have been arming fighters in Ukraine….

…The United States embassy and European Union delegation in Yangon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Yee Mon’s call.

His remarks come a few days after the NUG’s foreign minister, Zin Mar Aung, held meetings with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah in the United States, on the sidelines of an international summit.