Burma Campaign UK is asking supporters to write to Airbus Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury, calling on him to deliver an ultimatum to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) that they stop arming the Burmese military, or Airbus will end all business relationships with the company.
AVIC sold up to 8 new aircraft to the Burmese military in the last year alone, knowing full well they will be used to kill civilians. Deliberate attacks on civilian targets break international law.
Burma Campaign UK is supporting the campaign launched by Info Birmanie and Justice for Myanmar, which are lobbying for Airbus to use its leverage to persuade AVIC to end sales to the Burmese military. More information on their campaign and a detailed report of the relationships between AVIC and Airbus are available here: https://www.info-birmanie.org/airbusted/ and here: https://www.justiceformyanmar.org/stories/airbusted
Airpower is key to the survival of the Burmese military. Their deliberate and indiscriminate bombing is responsible for a large proportion of more than 4 million people forced to flee their homes since the coup. It has created a humanitarian crisis.
A key international partner of AVIC is Airbus, the biggest aerospace company in the UK and Europe. Airbus has numerous partnerships with different subsidiaries of AVIC, including joint ventures, collaborating in technology, and using them as a supplier. Airbus is even the part owner of one AVIC subsidiary company.
“AVIC is a company without ethics, but if faced with a choice of sales to the Burmese military and its numerous business relationships with Airbus, the economic choice for AVIC is clear,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Airbus Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury has a choice, use his leverage to persuade AVIC to stop sales to the Burmese military, saving lives, or continue to have a business partner complicit in bombing schools and homes, violating international law.”