Justice For Myanmar (JFM) and its partner organizations have called on French authorities to investigate French technology and defense company Thales over its sale of coastal surveillance radar systems to the Myanmar military, alleging the transactions may have breached the European Union’s arms embargo on Myanmar.
According to findings released by the investigative groups, Thales, in which the French government holds a stake of more than 26%, sold six Coast Watcher 100 coastal surveillance radar systems to the Myanmar military between 2017 and 2020 in deals worth approximately €16 million.
Internal company documents reviewed by the investigators reportedly show that Thales earned around €6 million in profit from the sales, representing a profit margin of between 30% and 40%.
Human rights groups warn that the radar systems, which can monitor maritime and coastal activity around the clock and track up to 1,000 targets simultaneously, could be used for surveillance and operations against civilians.
The procurement was reportedly facilitated by Ky-Tha Trading, owned by the Kyaw Thaung family. Investigators said they obtained a Thales invoice worth more than €9 million addressed to Myanmar military procurement officials and Ky-Tha Industrial Development, which they say demonstrates a direct commercial relationship between Thales and the Myanmar military.
JFM said the documents constitute significant evidence of direct business dealings between the French defense contractor and Myanmar’s armed forces.
Investigators also pointed to Thales’ technological links to RAWL-02 radar systems supplied to the Myanmar military through India’s state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). Dutch arms trade watchdog Stop Wapenhandel first documented those links in 2015.
Thales has denied exporting controlled military technology or defense equipment to Myanmar, either directly or indirectly, through its cooperation with Indian companies.
Regarding the Coast Watcher 100 systems, the company said they were civilian coastal surveillance systems intended for maritime security rather than military use, and that all applicable international sanctions and export control regulations had been fully respected.
Human rights organizations dispute that position, arguing that under EU sanctions adopted in 2018, dual-use goods and technologies destined for the Myanmar military as the end user are considered prohibited military-related exports. They contend the radar sales may therefore have violated EU sanctions.
ACAT-France, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, FIDH, Info Birmanie and Justice For Myanmar have called on the French government to investigate whether the transactions breached EU sanctions. They also urged Thales to cease all sales and maintenance services linked to the Myanmar military.
The groups further called on the European Union to impose sanctions on Ky-Tha, KT Group and their senior executives, while urging the international community to strengthen measures preventing arms, military equipment and related technologies from reaching the Myanmar military.
