The United Nations’ envoy for Myanmar, U Kyaw Moe Tun, has issued a stark warning that the country’s military junta could potentially weaponize nuclear technology under its control. His concerns come amid reports that Myanmar is moving forward with the development of a nuclear power facility, raising serious regional and international alarm.
The nuclear plant, expected to be a Small Modular Reactor (SMR), is part of a broader strategy by the junta to expand its energy infrastructure. However, the lack of transparency surrounding the project and Myanmar’s past attempts to pursue nuclear capabilities have prompted fears of potential militarization.
Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun pointed to the regime’s history of suppressing democratic movements and its current involvement in violent crackdowns on opposition groups as reasons to be skeptical of any claims that the technology will be used solely for peaceful purposes.
There have been longstanding suspicions dating back to the early 2000s that the Myanmar military has harbored ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons. Past reports have highlighted alleged covert collaborations with countries such as North Korea and attempts to secretly develop nuclear infrastructure. These concerns have been amplified by the junta’s recent moves to centralize control over strategic technologies.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has not confirmed whether the proposed reactor will fall under its inspection and safeguards protocols, raising further questions about international oversight.
Analysts and global watchdogs are calling for stringent monitoring and accountability mechanisms to ensure that nuclear technology in Myanmar is not diverted for military use. They argue that the presence of a nuclear-capable regime in a volatile political and humanitarian landscape could pose a severe threat to regional stability.
The UN envoy has urged the international community to act decisively and engage diplomatically to prevent the misuse of nuclear energy by authoritarian regimes, especially in conflict-ridden states like Myanmar.