South Asia's illegal arms market is full of "Chinese-made weapons" - but many of them may not actually be made in China. Anti-arms campaigners say that the rifles and machine guns which South Asia's rebel armies buy are manufactured under "an informal franchise" that Burma's rebel United Wa State Army (UWSA) has managed to secure from Chinese ordnance factories. The UWSA is an ethnic left-wing rebel militia, with an estimated 30,000 fighters. It is accused of being... (GunPolicy.org)

DIMAPUR — Small arms wielded by Northeast militants and Maoists invariably find their way in from Yunan province of southern China through the Chin people in Myanmar. But forces handling security this side of the India-Myanmar border have "no reasons yet" to suspect Beijing's official involvement in the gun-running racket. Chinese copies of weapons such as the American M-16 rifles and Russian Kalashnikovs — AK-47s and AK-56s — are cheaper but almost as... (GunPolicy.org)

SEOUL — The North Korean freighter that changed course after being tracked by the U.S. Navy appears to be carrying conventional small arms, including Soviet-era rifles and anti-tank launchers, a source said Saturday. "Most of its consignments are believed to be small-scale military supplies such as AK-47 rifles and RPG-7 anti-tank rocket launchers," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the information has to do with intelligence. AK-47s and... (GunPolicy.org)

The United Wa State Army (UWSA), an armed ethnic ceasefire group based in Shan State, northern Burma, is manufacturing arms and ammunition for use by its own battalions and to sell to other armed groups in the region, according to sources close to armed groups in Shan State. Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, Sai Sheng Murng, the deputy spokesman of the rival Shan State Army-South (SSA) said, "For more than one year now, the UWSA has been manufacturing AK-47 rifles... (GunPolicy.org)

MYANMAR SHILLONG — Security agencies have expressed concern on the increasing number of illegal arms markets in Bangladesh and Myanmar, a top official said today. "The arms markets in both countries have been thriving with the proliferation of new arms and explosives in China after Beijing's decision to dispose of obsolete weapons. Not only in Bangladesh and Myanmar, but these illegal arms market are also flourishing in China, Thailand and Cambodia," Intelligence... (GunPolicy.org)

UNITED NATIONS — As China tries to boost its international image, playing host to a summer Olympic games, the government in Beijing is being singled out as a key arms supplier to some of the world's worst human rights abusers, according to a new study released here. Although China controls only 2 percent of the global arms market, Beijing's impact "is measured less by the value of its sales than by the character of its clients," says William D. Hartung, director of... (GunPolicy.org)

While the United Nations works diligently to curb the Second Amendment rights of Americans, it is turning a blind eye to abused Karamojong tribesmen fighting a brutal government to keep their only means of self-defense. International gun prohibition groups are working hard and successfully to push an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) through the United Nations. They claim that the reason the treaty is needed is that arms are often used to violate human rights. True enough. One... (GunPolicy.org)

GUWAHATI — India's eastern frontiers — bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh — have become a flourishing arms market with separatist groups from the northeast offering a ready market to scores of South Asian gunrunners, officials said. The porous international borders, thick with forests, along the northeastern states of Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura, have been used by the illegal weapons syndicate to smuggle small and medium arms and ammunition to at... (GunPolicy.org)

Burma [Myanmar]'s ruling State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC, has been at pains over recent months to tell the international community that it is devoting a considerable effort to implementing a new "road map" to multi-party democracy and introducing measures for a more open economy. The military government has also claimed major advances in promoting education and public health, and in developing the country's civil infrastructure. The Rangoon regime can... (GunPolicy.org)

Bangladesh military intelligence agents have arrested two Arakan leaders allegedly for arms trafficking. The two arrested were Dr Khin Maung, chairman of National Unity Party of Arakan (NUPA), and Ko Nyi Nyi Lwin, director of Arakan National Council (ANC). They were arrested at Chittagong Airport on their return from Thailand on 2 July. Khaing Myat Kyaw, news editor of the Narinjara News told DVB that the arrests are connected 10,000 firearms captured at... (GunPolicy.org)