The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- ‘We Have to Work Together as a Sisterhood’
- Many Tastes, All in One Place
- Burma Business Roundup (Nov. 16)
| ‘We Have to Work Together as a Sisterhood’ Posted: 15 Nov 2013 08:11 PM PST  Monique Wilson, an actress and women's rights activist from the Philippines, is in Burma to promote the One Billion Rising for Justice movement. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) Monique Wilson, a well-known stage and film actress in the Philippines who has gone on to take up the cause of women's rights, is in Burma to encourage her Burmese counterparts to soldier on in the campaign to stop violence against women. Back in her country, the 43-year-old Wilson, who has received numerous honors as an actress, has been a driving force behind changes to her country's laws on sex trafficking and domestic violence. She is also a coordinator for Southeast Asian countries participating in One Billion Rising for Justice, a global women's movement to stop violence against women. The Irrawaddy met up with Wilson in Rangoon to talk about her decision to become an activist and the challenges facing women today. Question: After your success as an actress, what inspired you to become a women's rights activist? Answer: In 1999, the Gabriela women's organization in the Philippines invited me to be a spokesperson for anti-sex trafficking. I didn't know much about the issue then, but through my partnership with Gabriela, they really opened my eyes to the violence against women in the Philippines, especially in very poor communities. In 2000, I produced 'The Vagina Monologues' in the Philippines. That really began a very amazing journey for me. Everybody thinks, 'Well, you produced The Vagina Monologue and then you became an activist.' But when I look back, it was not only The Vagina Monologues that brought me to this place. There was violence in my house as well. My father was very violent to my mom and to us. In the Philippines, we have a culture of silence—that we don't speak about what happens to women. Even when I was a young girl, I felt that it was not fair and there was no justification for it. So, when I grew up, I wanted to be my mother's voice. Q: Now you are the regional coordinator for the One Billion Rising movement. Why did you join this cause? A: Because I'm an artist and One Billion Rising promotes and spreads the message to stop violence against women with song and dance, I believe that combining the arts and activism has a very powerful capacity to transform people's minds. Q: Since you have experience living in Europe and also working in Southeast Asian countries, what differences between the two regions' women have you found? A: There are a lot of difficulties faced by the women of Southeast and South Asia. We live in oppressive societies where women dare not speak about the abuses they are facing because of a culture or religion that keeps us from speaking up. It is very hard to break that mold because it is deeply rooted. Women are very scared to break that barrier. At the same time, there are many Asian women who are doing amazing works for their communities. The economic hardship that we share in the region has created the economic violence, which pushes young women to be victims of sex-traffickers and domestic violence. When a woman is so poor, she cannot go to school or feed her children. For women in Europe, their government has helped them access education, health care, and they've been taken care of. We do not have such things yet. Q: How have you managed the transition from actress to women's activist? A: There are risks you take when you are an artist and an activist. I've lost a lot of my projects since working for V-Day women's movements in the Philippines. For example, I am no longer on television, which I used to appear on frequently. And people do not want you to endorse their products because they view you as too political. So, I asked myself whether I wanted to be a celebrity or contribute myself to the country. And I resolved this and now this is who I am. My belief is that if I'm a good artist, people will still seek me out. After a few years, many producers approached me and said 'OK, you have a political life but you still are good at your art, so we will cast you and that's it.' When One Billion Rising happened, I felt that it could really transform society. And we need that, because even if we have many successes with tackling violence against women, the violence is escalating and it's still a big problem. We still have a lot of violence so there's a long battle to fight. As citizens of the world and our own countries, we need to contribute in our own small ways to end the violence. A lot of my friends said, 'This is such a big problem. Why do you bother yourself?' But we cannot have that kind of mentality, of seeing things in a negative light. We need to change this for our future, in which we dream of a world free from violence. Q: As a celebrity and a women's rights activist, what would you like to say to Burma's celebrities? A: We need your voices too. You are known to a nation and also respected, and you have a big voice. Having a big voice comes with big responsibility. And you must use it not for yourself and your career but for the larger majority who are not being heard. What makes a true artist is serving your country and the people of your country through your art and celebrity status. Q: What would you like to say to governments across the globe regarding the protection of the women? A: I would like to tell every government around the world this: Violence against women is a major issue, not a side issue or a small issue. Women are being violated all around the world on so many levels—rape, female genital mutilation, sex trafficking and now, economic violence. I would like to tell them to make it a No. 1 priority. Women make up more than half the population of this Earth. We are an amazing workforce. So why are you allowing such violence to happen to us? Each government and each nation has to really go to the root of the violence. What is causing the violence is the most important question to ask. Is it your laws or lack of laws? Is it the culture? Is it the church? Is it the government because they are corrupt? Or is it that the government doesn't have policies to protect women? Is it about education? Certainly, education is important—you have to educate the boys and the men to respect the women. When we came up with One Billion Rising, it was because of a statistic that said one of every three women on the planet has been raped or beaten in her lifetime. That is a staggering statistic. That is not acceptable. Governments have a lot of responsibilities in their hands because they have the resources, they have the reach to educate the community. For Burmese women's activists who are facing many difficulties, for many different reasons, I would like to say we have to work together as a sisterhood. With our brothers, of course, who also want to end the violence against women, it is very important to come together as a community, and not work in isolation. We are stronger when we work together. The path is very difficult, there will be many challenges. But you must have faith, you must have hope, and you must be there for each other. It is your brother or sister who will give you that hope when times are tough. I was so moved by the works of Burmese women's activists who made One Billion Rising happen here last year. They made it happen with so little time and not enough support. When I met and talked with them, I thought, 'Oh my God, these are amazing women!' We need to support them, we need to bring their stories out. That's why I'm here. The post 'We Have to Work Together as a Sisterhood' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. | |
| Posted: 15 Nov 2013 07:50 PM PST  A waitress at Taing Yin Thar Restaurant in Yangon, which offers cuisine from all over Myanmar. (Photos: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) You wouldn't know it from its long history of ethnic conflict, but Myanmar is a country that takes real pride in the richness of its cultural tapestry. One of the blessings of this cultural mix is the many gastronomic opportunities that it gives us. From the remote highlands to the central plains, and from the Andaman Sea to the Bay of Bengal, Myanmar has many distinct cuisines, each one the product of a unique culture. Sadly, however, volatility in some hill-tribe regions and government restrictions on travel to certain parts of the country make it difficult for gourmets to venture out to those areas to taste local foods. That's why visitors and residents alike can be grateful for the Taing Yin Thar Restaurant in Yangon, which offers the many flavors of multiethnic Myanmar all in one convenient location. Situated at the northern end of Inya Lake, this semi-open-air eatery is Yangon's answer to those who want to know how the rest of the country eats. "There's no other restaurant like it in the whole country," said Daw Yamin Aung, one the establishment's owners. "We simply want the world to know our country's food diversity."
Established in 2011, the two-story restaurant's menu boasts more than 100 items representing the country's eight major national ethnic races. An English menu divided into seven categories—appetizer, salad, soup, main course, vegetable, side dishes and special menu—is available to help foreign visitors navigate through the restaurant's unfamiliar culinary terrain. Most ingredients are sourced from the regions where the different dishes originate, ensuring an authentic dining experience. Flavors vary, from mild-tasting fried sausages from southeastern Myanmar's Kayah State to moderately spicy grilled fish served up boneless and marinated in pepper and chili in the Shan style. Both go well with khaung yay, a kind of liquor made from fermented rice that's popular in hilly regions of the country. For those who aren't afraid to try the fiery food of Myanmar's westernmost state, the Rakhine pickle salad is sure to be a real eye opener. Or if you want to take the intensity down a few notches, just order the Chin-style pork-rib soup, served with sweet corn, bean, pumpkin and other vegetables, with green chili added for a sweet and mildly spicy taste. Besides the food (which is made to order, so freshness is guaranteed), the restaurant has a spacious dining area and attentive staff. Apart from traditional liquor, Western beverages are also available on request. There is also a parking lot. Taing Yin Thar Restaurant, Corner of Maykha Road and Parami Road, Mayangone Township, Yangon. Tel: 01-966-0792, 09-42-012-6002, 087-322-1717 This story was first published in the November 2013 print issue of The Irrawaddy magazine. The post Many Tastes, All in One Place appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. | |
| Burma Business Roundup (Nov. 16) Posted: 15 Nov 2013 07:22 PM PST Burma's Electricity Shortage Rises to 5,000 MW as Demand Grows Financial "difficulties" have prevented construction of several planned new power stations, leaving Burma with its biggest-ever electricity shortage, Minister of Electric Power Khin Maung Soe admitted. Electricity demand in the country is now running at the equivalent of 8,929 megawatts, he said, but there was a shortfall of at least 5,000 megawatts, the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported. Burma's electricity generating capacity this year should have been about 4,900 megawatts but only reached 3,600 megawatts on average, the minister said. "He called for local and foreign investment in [power station] projects, saying that the government alone cannot afford to implement them," the Global Times reported. A number of foreign companies from Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia have undertaken feasibility studies into proposals for natural gas or coal-fueled power plants. Meanwhile, Parliament has suspended plans to raise electricity prices following a succession of public protests and also postponed a decision on whether to accept a US$150 million loan from South Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund. Two-thirds of the loan was proposed to finance a 117-mile-long, 500-kilovolt power grid transmission line between Taungoo and Pegu northeast of Rangoon. German Firm Among Contractors in State Cement Production Plans German, Thai and local businesses have won Naypyidaw government contracts to form joint ventures to help more than double Burma's production of cement—one of the building blocks of the growing new economy. The Ministry of Energy named 13 firms to join state-led factory construction projects, among them the large Ferrostaal GmbH of Essen in Germany. The companies were chosen from a larger group of bidders for government tenders, said Eleven Media. The new factories, details of which have yet to be announced, plus projects already under way, will increase Burma's annual cement production capacity from 4 million tons at present to 10.5 million tons, said international industry website CemNet. "[Burma's] cement sector is set to expand with the prospect of several new state-led joint ventures coming into existence after the government gave the go-ahead to … boost the country's cement production," CemNet said. No timetable for the state-led projects has been announced. Thailand's Siam Cement Company has separately already been awarded a contract to build its own cement factory in Burma. Thai Firm Wins Contract for Burma State Paper Factory at Thabaung Thailand's leading paper maker, Double A, has won a multimillion dollar contract to take over the running of Burma's state-owned pulp and paper factory at Thabaung in Irrawaddy Division. The Bangkok firm beat four other local and foreign companies in a tender bid to operate and modernize the factory, said Eleven Media, quoting the Ministry of Industry. Double A secured a 30-year contract and will pay the government US$2 million per year to operate the factory, which produces about 70,000 tons of pulp and 15,000 tons of paper annually, said Eleven Media. Double A won the contract because it offered the best prospects for local employment and may also build a new pulp plant. The Indian paper-making firm JK Group was last year named by Mumbai's Economic Times as being on the verge of clinching a deal to manage the Thabaung plant, but the deal fell through. Brewery Ownership Tussle with Army 'Could Affect Foreign Investment' The outcome of a secret legal battle between a Burma military company, Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings (UMEHL), and ThaiBev for control of the country's biggest brewery could affect investment plans by other foreign businesses. Bangkok-based beer-to-spirits firm ThaiBev's purchase of a majority stake in Myanmar Brewery is being challenged by UMEHL. ThaiBev, owned by one of Thailand's richest men Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, acquired the brewery when it bought Singapore's Fraser & Neave earlier this year. But UMEHL, which is partnered with Fraser & Neave at the Myanmar Brewery, is now insisting it should have been given the opportunity to buy the Singapore's firm's 55 percent stake first. "Foreign investors will be keeping a close eye on the dispute: If the arbitration is seen to be handled unfairly, many will likely reconsider investing in [Burma]," said the Bangkok Post. Although Burmese at present drink on average less than four liters of beer per year, the market potential is considered to be large. By comparison, Thailand's annual per capita beer consumption is 25 liters and in Vietnam 30 liters. Thai Budget Airline Offers US$50 Fares to Rangoon to Boost Business Nok Air, the budget airline subsidiary of Thai Airways International, is offering one-way fares between Bangkok and Rangoon for just US$50 in a bid to fill planes as competition for Burma business heats up. Nok is offering the same cut price fare for its flights between the Thai Burma border town of Mae Sot and Rangoon and Mae Sot and Moulmein, said the Bangkok travel industry magazine TTR Weekly. The discount flights can be taken any time between the middle of December and October 2014, but they must be booked by Nov. 17. The $50 fares include airport taxes, said TTR Weekly. Travelers to Burma still need entry visas but the Naypyidaw government said it still hopes to finalize visa-free agreements with all member countries of Asean before the end of this year. The agreements would permit visa-free travel for up to 14 days. The post Burma Business Roundup (Nov. 16) appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
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