The Burmese military government has hired lobbyists for $2 million to help explain “the real facts of the coup” to the United States and other countries. Burmese protesters flee as military police fire rubber bullets. (AP)
According to documents submitted to the U.S. government, the Burmese junta hired an Israeli-Canadian lobbyist for $2 million to help explain “the real facts of the coup” to the United States and other countries.
Reuters reports that more than 60 protesters have been killed and 1,900 arrested in the crackdown since the Burmese military launched a coup on Feb. 1 to seize power and detain civilian government leaders, including Ung San Suu Kyi, who set off mass demonstrations.
Under the consultancy contract, lobbyist Ari Ben-Menashe and his firm Dickens & Madson Canada will represent the Burmese military government in Washington, D.C., lobbying Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Russia and the United Nations, among others.
The contract was submitted to the Department of Justice today to comply with the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. According to the agreement, Ban Monahi’s company will “assist in conceptualizing and running favorable policies for the Republic of the Union of Burma and help explain the real situation in Burma.
A spokesman for the Burmese military government did not respond to Reuters’ inquiries.
Ban Munahi’s client base is well known and includes military rulers of African countries such as the late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. Legal experts say Ban Munahi fears violating U.S. sanctions against Burma’s military chiefs.
Ban Monahi told Reuters on June 6 that his mission is to convince the U.S. that Myanmar’s military wants to move closer to the West and away from China, adding that military generals want Rohingya Muslims, who fled a violent crackdown in 2017, to return to the country. The UN has previously accused the Burmese military of being responsible for the genocide.
In response, John Sifton, director of Asian affairs at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said, “The claims he intends to make are hard to believe are sufficient to convince the United States.”
Other documents produced by Ban Monahi show that he had an agreement with Mya Tun Oo, the Burmese junta’s defense minister, to be paid $2 million for helping to lift international sanctions imposed on the junta.
The Burmese military government is paying $2 million to hire lobbyists to help explain “the real facts of the coup” to the United States and other countries. Photo shows Burmese military police arresting protesters.
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