|
Burma (Myanmar) is widely suspected to have initiated a nuclear weapons programme.〔(), ''Sydney Morning Herald'', August 24, 2009, Accessed November 17, 2009.〕 If such a program does exist, Burma's technical and financial limitations may make it difficult for the program to succeed. Burma has faced persistent accusations of using chemical weapons; however, the NTI has stated there is "no evidence to suggest that Myanmar has a chemical weapons program." Burma is a member of nuclear, but not chemical or biological, non-proliferation treaties. ==Chemical weapons== The first public indications of Burma's possible possession of chemical weapons came in testimony delivered to the United States Congress in 1991 by Rear Adm. Thomas Brooks, Director of Naval Intelligence of the United States Navy,〔Chemical Arms; Navy Report Asserts Many Nations Seek Or Have Poison Gas(), ''New York Times'', March 10, 1991, Accessed August 9, 2009.〕 in which Burma was included on a list of nations that "probably possess" chemical weapons. However, the United States then took Burma off the list of nations with chemical weapons programmes in 1993.〔 In 2005 Belgian photojournalist Thierry Falise reported speaking to two deserters from the Burmese Army who, during their time in service, were "reportedly told to take special precautions because they were handling chemical shells."〔Burmese junta uses chemical weapons (), ''The Sunday Times'', May 8, 2005, Accessed August 9, 2009.〕 The deserters described seeing artillerymen wearing masks and gloves to fire the munitions. In a separate report from the same year, Dr. Martin Panter, a physician and the president of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, reported treating injuries of anti-government Karenni rebels that were "consistent with a chemical attack," and claimed that "strong circumstantial evidence exists for the use of chemicals, particularly nerve agents, pulmonary agents and possibly blister agents."〔Burma 'using chemical weapons'(), ''The Guardian'', April 21, 2005, Accessed August 9, 2009.〕 In response to the Christian Solidarity Worldwide report, the Burmese government denied the use of chemical weapons. 〔http://www.voanews.com/burmese/archive/2005-04/2005-04-22-voa5.cfm?moddate=2005-04-22〕 The NTI has stated that "without further investigation it is not clear if the reports refer to agents recognized under international law as chemical weapons or to riot control agents - the latter is most likely."〔 In January 2014 Unity Weekly, a Burmese magazine, reported that Burma was making chemical weapons. The magazine claimed that the military had seized hundreds of hectares of land to build a chemical weapons factory in Burma's Magway Region and quoted workers at the factory who said it produced chemical weapons. The magazine also claimed Chinese technicians were often seen around the factory. In response, the Burmese government sentenced the head of Unity Weekly, along with four Unity Weekly journalists, to 10 years in prison and hard labor under colonial-era espionage laws. The Burmese government claims the factory produces "military equipment" but does not produce chemical weapons. Security experts remain unconvinced that the facility in Magway is being used to produce chemical weapons, but some, including prominent journalist Bertil Lintner, suggest that the site is tied to a secretive North Korean program to develop missile parts.〔Arterbury, John (13 July 2014). "Military facility hides secrets from the world". http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/420248/military-facility-hides-secrets-from-the-world (Bangkok Post). Retrieved 19 September 2014.〕 Burma signed the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993 but has yet to ratify the agreement. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Myanmar and weapons of mass destruction」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|