Democratic Voice of Burma

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• Burma and N Korea continue to boost secret military ties: report
• Mission to Burma’s tallest mountain
• Burma to survey discrimination against children with HIV
• Child soldiers an ‘ongoing problem’ in Burma
• NUP calls for constitution to be amended, not re-written
• World Bank approves US$140 million electricity loan for Burma

Burma and N Korea continue to boost secret military ties: report Posted: 25 Sep 2013 06:24 AM PDT Burma continues to enjoy a furtive defence relationship with North Korea by using front companies and false flags to ship military cargo from Pyongyang to Rangoon, according to an investigation by NK News published on Wednesday. The report accuses the Burmese military of endorsing Pyongyang as recently as June, several months after promising Washington that it would sever all defence ties with the Asian pariah. The general director of the military-run firm Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Than Tun is cited by the state-run North Korean Central New Agency (KNCA) as backing Pyongyang in its fight against the "US imperialists" in an official dispatch dated 23 June. "We extend full support and firm solidarity to the Korean people in their struggle for building a thriving nation and achieving the reunification of the country under the leadership of the dear respected Kim Jong Un," Than Tun said, according to KNCA. "The US imperialists are now trying everything they can to lure Burma away from its alliance with North Korea. But the trade with North Korea is no doubt continuing." NK News adds that North Korean ships have been told to be "more discreet" and not fly their own flag when entering Burmese waters, since relations with the west began to warm in 2011. The news group says that cargo ships now use "flags of convenience", usually from Central American countries, to conceal their passage to Burma. The report also cites evidence of North Korean vessels disguising under Burmese flags to ship illicit materials into Rangoon, often in exchange for thousands of tonnes of rice. Many of theses transactions are reportedly handled through front companies registered in Singapore or Burma, ostensibly trading "cement" or other commercial goods. The allegations back previous reports of North Korean vessels being caught flying foreign flags en route to Burma. In June 2011, the US navy intercepted a North Korean naval ship flying the Belize flag on the South China Sea. It was suspected of carrying arms exports and returned to port. The author of Wednesday's report and renowned military analyst, Bertil Lintner, suggests that Burma is seeking to obtain advanced missile technology in a bid to establish its vision, or "delusions", of grandeur. He cites one intelligence source who describes the programme as a "phallic fantasy" intended to boost their annual Armed Forces Day celebrations. "Just imagine how proud they would be to see a truck towing a big and impressive missile past the grandstand," the source told Lintner. Another military source said that neither China nor Russia, who both enjoy military relationships with Burma, would be reliable suppliers of such technology. Suspicions about Burma's relationship with Pyongyang have been an ongoing source of tension with the US, which recently vowed to strengthen its military ties with Naypyidaw. In July, the US slapped sanctions on a senior Burmese general for reportedly purchasing military goods from North Korea, in what has been described by analysts as a warning to the central government. But Burma has persistently refuted the allegations and denied any knowledge about suspected arms deals. Last week, the quasi-civilian regime agreed to give UN nuclear weapons inspectors full access to sites suspected of being used to develop nuclear technology – another programme linked to Pyongyang – in the latest effort to assuage western concerns about their military ambitions.

Mission to Burma’s tallest mountain Posted: 25 Sep 2013 05:24 AM PDT On 7 September a team of mountaineers successfully summited the snow-capped Gamlang Razi in Kachin state. The joint Burmese-American expedition was made up of five Americans and two Burmese climbers and took 35 days to complete. The team endured a 150-mile long hike through the jungle before making the ascent. "We hiked for about seven days through the jungle to the foot of Gamlang Razi," said Pyi Phyoe, one of the Burmese expedition team members. "It was a very tiring distance that left us exhausted before we even started climbing. Although the whole expedition took 35 days, the actual climbing took only about seven days and the rest was just hiking." Related Stories US extends Burma gem ban Controversial gas pipeline goes into operation Kachin activist wins prestigious humanitarian award The expedition team arrived back in Rangoon on 21 September and held a press conference to discuss their findings. The team's mission was to accurately measure the height of nearby Hkakabo Razi, South East Asia's tallest mountain. Using GPS and satellite the team found that Hkakabo Razi is actually lower than the commonly referenced 5881 metre summit height. Their data showed that in fact, Gamlang Razi, measuring at 5850 metres tall was higher than Hkakabo Razi. But the team has come under fire from Kachin groups for making the climb while nearby in Putao district, the Burmese army and the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) are still fighting. The Kachin News Group reported that hundreds of civilians have been displaced in Putao's Machyangbaw township and are living in dire conditions. The expedition was financed by Burmese billionaire and notorious crony Tay Za and his Htoo Foundation. Tay Za has extensive business interests in Putao district, including a vast area for logging. He has also made attempts to control large amounts of land in the area for gold mining.

Burma to survey discrimination against children with HIV Posted: 25 Sep 2013 04:26 AM PDT The Burmese government is planning to conduct a survey to identify the prevalence of discrimination against HIV positive school children, according to a leading medical researcher. It follows a study carried out by the Department of Medical Research last year, which revealed that over 4 percent  of children living in households affected by HIV had been expelled as a result of their families’ status. According to a head researcher, who asked not to be named, the department is now conducting a new survey focusing on children. "We are currently conducting a survey specifically on children living with HIV – the findings will be published in a report sometime next year," she told DVB. "The previous survey focused on families living with HIV – we want to focus the current one on discrimination against children living with HIV in the education sector." "The discrimination is especially bad in schools, often committed by teachers themselves and also parents of other students – we would like to promote understanding among the teachers about children living with HIV, and to allow them to continue their education." She added that teachers should be given training on how to cope with HIV positive students. According to the 2012 survey, over 40 percent of individuals living with HIV were forced to leave their jobs, while 22 percent have been denied jobs because of their status. Burma has the third highest HIV infection rate in Asia, but spends less than 4 percent of its annual budget on health care. Campaigners estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 HIV infected people die every year because of a lack of access to lifesaving anti-retroviral therapy. The stigma associated with the disease presents an additional barrier to people living with HIV. Many people are shunned by their communities and families when their status is revealed. "I used to live at my brother's house, but my brother's wife is very afraid of HIV. She used to check my skin to see if there were ulcers or pus discharge or something like that. And she told me to stay away from her children," an HIV positive man told the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières last year.

Child soldiers an ‘ongoing problem’ in Burma Posted: 25 Sep 2013 03:39 AM PDT In June 2012, the Burmese government signed a joint action plan with the United Nations to end the use of child soldiers. Since then, 166 underage recruits have been released from the military, but reports suggest that children continue to be forcibly enlisted and sent into combat. Charu Lata from Child Soldiers International (CSI) spoke to Colin Hinshelwood from DVB about the current situation of child soldiers in Burma and what the next steps towards ending child recruitment should be. What kind of traditional methods have been used to recruit children into the army? Any recruitment of children into a military force under the age of 18 is regarded as coerced, unless it happens at the age of 16 and there is an obligation on the side of the force not to deploy the child. So any deployment of anyone under the age of 18 would be coercive. In the Burmese military we've noticed civilian brokers have been used to pick up children and present them to battalion commanders who in turn receive falsified documentation of age and then recruit the children. In other instances, we have had examples where military officials have gone out to public spaces, including railway stations and bus stops, to identify separated and unaccompanied children; especially children who've come from villages looking for work in the city. Often the children are given two options, either to produce their national registration card or go to prison. Obviously the children who don't have the card agree to go with the military official and that's when recruitment takes place. What would the daily life be like for a child who finds himself in a conflict zone? The level of information about children who serve in various roles in the Burmese military continues to be scarce. One important issue is that most of these children suffer from high levels of trauma so their narratives are not very reliable. But we know for a fact that children are trained along with the other soldiers for four and a half months in training centres. They are then expected to perform all the duties of an adult soldier. Often children, depending on their capabilities, may be used as porters, messengers, spies, and cooks. They are also trained in military equipment and in firearms and are therefore often deployed in active combat. When you say children, you are referring to all recruits under the age of 18 but in many other countries, you can join the army at 16 or 17. What percentage of these cases would be children aged 12, 13, 14 years old and how young does it get? There is evidence with the UN of children as young as 12 and 13 being recruited in recent years. But recent information gathered by international organisations like the ILO [International Labour Organization] and other UN actors, indicates that the recruiting age is going up. Increasingly there are 15 and 16 year olds being recruited by the Tadmadaw [Burmese armed forces]. The kind of information we had ten years back on seven year olds being used, those cases are not being reported any more. Related Stories Young blood Burma army continues to persecute former child soldiers Dozens of youths freed from Burma's military: UN Child Soldiers International does cover the ethnic armies as well, to what extent are they just as culpable as the Burmese army in the recruitment of children? Like the state, the non-state armed groups also bear a responsibility to end underage recruitment and prevent underage recruitment into their ranks. However the state is a signatory to the convention on the rights of the child. The Burmese government has also signed the joint action plan on ending underage recruitment and use within its ranks. So therefore its commitments are far more reflected on paper than with the non-state armed groups. That does not mean that the non-state armed groups have no obligation to prevent and end the recruitment of children. Certainly, in the joint action plan, there is a commitment on the part of the Burmese government to open up a dialogue with the groups and with the UN, especially the groups that are in the ceasefire fold. Some of the non-state armed groups have made independent commitments to other organisations. We know that the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) have signed deeds of commitment with organisations like Geneva Call, which indicate at least their desire to end this practice. What is needed is full and unimpeded access by the UN to these groups, in order to encourage and develop dialogues, which would lead to action plans and end this practice for good. You've mentioned the steps that are being taken but are you satisfied that the Burmese government is doing enough? Certain steps that have been taken, particularly the signing of the action plan, the recent releases, the increased access the UN is getting, the increased receptiveness of the Burmese government to listen to this issue, are all very positive signs. But our fear is that not enough is being done in terms of the prevention of the recruitment agenda – it is not sufficient just to identify and release children who are currently present. It is important to initiate steps that actually prevent the future recruitment of children and these would require immediate transformation and reform of the Burmese military. The steps would be in terms of reduction in troop size and a modernisation of recruitment procedures and processes, oversight and monitoring of these processes, and most of all enough accountability to ensure that deterrents are created so that people are too fearful to recruit. To what extent do you think the prevention of child recruitment lays hand in hand with the ceasefire agreements around the country with the various ethnic armies? It has been proven the world over that child soldiers and child protection issues need to be embedded at the start of the peace talks and peace process, rather than be linked up to the issue of demobilisation at a later stage. Children need immediate protection, and as we have seen in conflicts across the world and indeed in Burma, the level of trauma of children who have been living for decades in situations of armed conflicts, whether in the ethnic areas or within the Burmese military, is very high. What visible and practical steps is the government taking to abide by its pledge to abolish child recruitment? After five years of intense negotiations, the government agreed to sign the joint action plan with the UN in June last year. They have been liaising closely with the UN's country task force in the implementation of this action plan and they are gradually opening up access to their military sites. The government is also opening up to the idea of the UN accessing the non-state armies. They are also releasing child soldiers – the number may be low but these are visible steps and a sign of commitment towards this issue. Finally, what does the Burmese government need to do to fulfill its end of the bargain? It needs to stop all recruitment of children, which is continuing to happen and is an ongoing problem. Though the numbers are far less than in the past, even one child recruited is a violation of the government's commitment under the international convention and under the joint action plan. Secondly the government needs to provide full and unimpeded access to the UN task force and to the military sites so the UN can verify that the government is taking all the adequate steps to end child recruitment. Thirdly, the government has to ensure that underage recruitment and child protection is made an integral part of all peace agreements that are signed. And finally, it needs to take effective steps to prevent underage recruitment in the future, it needs to reform the way it recruits, it needs to ensure that age verification is completed and conducted and ages of recruits are not falsified. And lastly I would add that accountability is going to be the final deterrent to end underage recruitment.   Charu Lata is the Asia Program Manager for Child Soldiers International

NUP calls for constitution to be amended, not re-written Posted: 25 Sep 2013 12:34 AM PDT The National Unity Party (NUP), which was formed by the military junta in 1988, insisted on Tuesday that Burma does not need to draft a new constitution, although some provisions could be amended to satisfy the ethnic populations. The announcement follows months of heated debate over whether Burma should re-write or amend its controversial 2008 constitution, which grants the military 25 percent of seats in parliament and excludes opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from the presidency. Speaking to DVB after an event marking the party's 25th anniversary, Central Executive Committee member Thein Htun defended the legislation and dismissed suggestions that it should be scrapped. "We aim to work for the development of our nation within a political framework based on the 2008 constitution," he said. "We don't see that it is necessary to completely rewrite the constitution to improve it but should only amend certain points prioritising the interests of the ethnic nationalities and the public." At the event, which was held at the NUP's headquarters in Rangoon on 24 September, the party also released a statement calling for Burma to become a "peaceful and developed" democratic nation based on the 2008 constitution. Earlier this week, Suu Kyi slammed the 2008 legislation as "undemocratic" and insisted that it must be amended ahead of the 2015 general elections. However, she has yet to clarify whether the National League for Democracy (NLD) will back a complete overhaul of the document or focus on specific sections. In the past, she has focused her criticisms on the military's dominant role in politics, as well as a section which excludes those with foreign marital ties from leading the country – a provision many say was drafted to exclude Suu Kyi, who had a British husband, from becoming president. Related Stories Women's groups call for new constitution If not now, then when? The need for a nationwide ceasefire Shwe Mann reiterates his support for federalism Meanwhile, the United Nationalities Federal Council, an umbrella group made up of major ethnic armed groups, has already outlined plans to completely re-write the constitution in the coming months. Ethnic rebels, who have fought the government for decades, insist the legislation must be guarantee greater ethnic autonomy and rights under a genuine federal framework. Thein Htun said that although the NUP objects to drafting a new constitution, they support plans to make changes that allow greater self-determination for Burma's ethnic peoples, which make up roughly 40 percent of the population. "We see that it is necessary to allow more power for ethnic regions, to decrease power centralisation, to promote regional governance and socio-economic development. In order to do that, chapters 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the 2008 constitution should be reviewed," said Thein Htun, referring to sections addressing the basic principles of the union, the structure of the state, the head of state and the executive branch. But the military is guaranteed 25 percent of seats in parliament under chapter 4. The NUP was created by former dictator Ne Win as a new political front for his Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) — which seized power through a military coup in 1962 — to contest the 1990 elections. But Suu Kyi's party the NLD won by a land-slide and the elections were subsequently annulled by the junta. The NUP came second, securing only 10 seats. It later won 64 seats in the heavily disputed 2010 general elections, which brought Thein Sein to power. The NUP event on Tuesday was joined by over 700 guests including representatives from the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party and the Democratic Party-Myanmar. The NLD, although apparently invited to the event, did not turn up.

World Bank approves US$140 million electricity loan for Burma Posted: 24 Sep 2013 10:25 PM PDT The World Bank on Tuesday approved a US$140 million interest-free loan to boost electricity access in Burma, where over 70 percent of the population live in darkness. The project, which will replace aging gas turbines in Mon state, is expected to produce 250 percent more electricity by developing a sustainable, modern and efficient power plant, according to the Bank. "Delivering reliable energy services to those in need will be essential to end extreme poverty and build shared prosperity," said Axel van Trotsenburg, the Bank's East Asia Pacific Regional Vice President. The World Bank has continued to step up its economic engagement with Burma's quasi-civilian regime, which has introduced a series of reforms since taking power in 2011 and formally ending decades of military rule. The new loan comes from the International Development Association, which is the Bank's fund for the poorest countries in the world, and aims to bring "good practices" into Burma's energy sector. Power cuts are common throughout Burma, including its commercial capital Rangoon, where fury over electricity shortages unleashed a wave of protests last year. The current power plant in Mon state uses technology that is almost 40 years old. In January, the Bank announced that it would clear Burma's outstanding debt of some US$440 million, with the help of a bridge loan from Japan, allowing the country to reapply for grants and loans from international institutions. The World Bank has vowed to push ahead with "people-centered" reforms in Burma, focusing on improving the lives of the rural poor, where only 16 percent have access to the electricity grid. Related Stories Foreign investors call for land price regulation in Burma Foreign investment has created 20,000 jobs in Burma since April Parliament approves plan to accept US$260 million loan from World Bank Burma is the poorest country in Southeast Asia, despite its vast reserves of natural wealth, including hydropower and natural gas reserves estimated at 10 trillion cubic feet. Most of its electricity is currently exported to its neighbouring countries, notably Thailand and China. "Myanmar's [Burma's] transition has tremendous potential to reduce poverty. A more reliable electricity supply will create jobs and improve lives," said Kanthan Shankar, the Bank's country manager for Burma. The Bank also emphasised the need for Burma to develop "long term" solutions, including diversifying its energy sources and introducing regulatory reforms in its natural resource sector.

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The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Burma Govt Allows Oil and Gas Firms to Name Profit-Sharing Terms
• World Bank Provides $140 Million Loan for Burma’s Electricity
• Karen Woman Found Dead Outside Refugee Camp
• Shwe Mann Assures Yingluck Burma Has Inclusive Democracy
• Two Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Okkan Violence
• Supplies Dwindling at Kachin Border IDP Camps
• Greenpeace Calls for Renewed Vigor in Asean’s Renewable Energy Drive
• Cambodia’s Hun Sen Pushes On With Forming Govt, Rejects Opposition Role
• East Timor Bans Martial Arts Clubs Amid Killings

Burma Govt Allows Oil and Gas Firms to Name Profit-Sharing Terms Posted: 25 Sep 2013 05:13 AM PDT Oil wells in the Burmese town of Chauk in Magway Division. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — In an apparent bid to make tenders to explore for oil and gas more attractive, Burma's Ministry of Energy is inviting international companies preparing their bids to suggest their own terms for profit sharing with the government, a ministry official said Tuesday. The ministry is currently accepting bids from companies for exploration licenses on 18 "blocks" of onshore territory, and 11 shallow-water and 19 deepwater offshore blocks, in an attempt to tap into the countries largely untapped and highly lucrative energy reserves. Firms winning the tenders will be invited to enter so-called production sharing agreements with the state-owned Myanmar Oil & Gas Enterprise. A detailed outline of the bidding process—presented to potential investors and contractors at the Myanmar Oil and Gas conference, held in Rangoon by the Centre for Management Technology (CMT) on Tuesday—suggested that the government is considering awarding the blocks on more generous terms than it had previously announced. Aung Kyaw Htoo, deputy director of the Ministry of Energy's production planning section, told potential investors and contractors at the conference that Burma's government needed international help developing reserves below the deep seabed of the Bay of Bengal. "The offshore blocks are a good incentive for the investors," he said. "Especially the deepwater blocks; they are untapped, they are never touched before. So we believe, more or less, the giant oil and gas reserve will become [available]." Aung Kyaw Htoo said that, in the companies' bids, an upfront "signature bonus" to be paid to the government for exploration licenses was an important factor in choosing the winning bids. An additional "production bonus" to be paid to the government if and when the company is approved to begin extracting oil or gas, the amount the company will put into a local training fund, and the amount of capital gains tax they will pay on profits are all also factors the companies must include in bids, he said. And, contrary to "standard terms" of the production sharing contracts, set by the Ministry of Energy in September 2012 and published on the ministry's website, Aung Kyaw Htoo said companies could set in their bids how much of the profits they want to share with Burma's government. "Profit split is very important for both sides," he said. "In the offshore area, generally 60 percent- 40 percent—60 percent for government, 40 percent for investor—that is our preferable business scale. But all of you investors can submit what's your scale." The original published terms for the profit split gave the private companies a maximum of only 40 percent of profits for most projects and 45 percent for offshore projects at a depth of more than 2,000 feet. Aung Kyaw Htoo said that, under the government's favored terms—when royalties of 12.5 percent, all taxes and other factors are taken into account—the total "government take" from oil and gas revenues would be 81.4 percent. An adviser to one of the foreign firms licensed to bid in the tender said the original terms were "very tough" for companies. The change appeared to be a concession from the government to make the tender more attractive to firms, the advisor said. Jean Loi, managing partner at legal consultants VDB Loi, told the Myanmar Oil and Gas conference that, based on the way bidding had gone in the telecommunications tender awarded to Norway's Telenor and Qatar's Ooredoo in June, the amount of money companies promise to inject into Burma would be a deciding factor. "At the end of the day, [the telecoms tender was] all about the roll out [of the] projects: how much money are you going to spend on the roll out? And how much money are you going to pay for the spectrum," she said. "The reputation of the contractor is also very important. Myanmar government wants to show the rest of the world that they can do business with the East and the West," Loi added. Deputy Energy Minister Myint Zaw, also speaking at the conference, said 26 companies had already submitted bids for the onshore blocks since bidding began in January, and that 61 prequalified firms are preparing bids for the offshore areas. A previously announced list of the 61 firms bidding for offshore blocks includes Total of France, Chevron of the United States, Daewoo of South Korea PTTEP of Thailand and CNPC of China, as well as Burmese firm MPRL E&P. "We are planning the award of onshore blocks before the end of 2013, and offshore blocks by the first quarter of 2014," he said. Myint Zaw said the total cumulative crude oil production in Burma had so far been 600 million barrels and 1.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. "However, I'm told by my expert geologists that Myanmar still has lots of onshore potential still remaining to be discovered," he said. "Our country Myanmar is awaiting technology, expertise and funds to discover new onshore reserves of petroleum…. [And] our new round of bid invitations for 11 shallow-water blocks and 19 deepwater blocks will surely give us new discoveries in the next five to seven years time." According to a presentation to potential investors by Lynn Myint, vice general manager at China's North Petro-Chem Corporation (Myanmar) Ltd, some 20 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves had already been discovered beneath Burma's waters, and there were an additional 80 trillion cubic feet of "probable and possible" gas reserves, before the unexplored deepwater areas are taken into consideration. "As the exploration is not fully conducted yet, the hydrocarbon reserves of Myanmar offshore is still unknown. However it can be envisaged as a sleeping petroleum giant in the Southeast Asia region," the presentation said. The post Burma Govt Allows Oil and Gas Firms to Name Profit-Sharing Terms appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

World Bank Provides $140 Million Loan for Burma’s Electricity Posted: 25 Sep 2013 05:00 AM PDT From left, Charles Schneider of the International Finance Corporation sits with Khwima Nthara and Kanthan Shankar of the World Bank at a press conference in Rangoon. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Back in Burma after a 20-year absence, the World Bank has approved an interest-free US$140 loan to fund a power plant in Mon State, the bank's first international investment project in the country since re-engaging last year. Kanthan Shankar, the World Bank country manager in Burma, said a monitoring team would ensure that the funds supported the country's electricity supply, as more than 70 percent of the population currently lacks access to power. The gas turbine plant in Thaton Township, a four-hour drive from Rangoon, will have a capacity of 106 megawatts of electricity, covering half the peak demand in Mon State and 5 percent of peak demand in the country, the World Bank said. "Burma's per capita energy consumption level is one of the lowest in the world, with fewer than 30 percent of its people having access to electricity, and only 16 percent in rural areas," Shankan said. "We have a team here to monitor the progress of the project, and to conduct a financial audit of where the money goes. The responsibility is the government's, but we will monitor them." The Ministry of Electric Power will receive the 40-year loan, of which $130 will go toward the establishment of the plant and $10 million toward technical support. The natural gas-fired plant will improve access to reliable electricity in Mon State as well as Rangoon Division and the Irrawaddy delta area. It is intended to support Burma's goal of providing universal access to electricity by 2030. The World Bank expects to call for tenders for the project next month. Due to decades of underinvestment in electricity infrastructure, 80 percent of Burma's rural population lacks access to electricity, while 77 percent of the total population—including in urban areas—lacks access, according to statistics from the Mekong Energy and Ecology Network. Many families in rural areas collect firewood for cooking, with the average five-person family gathering 2.5 tons of wood annually, according to Global Environmental Institute-China, an independent environmental nonprofit, which said the time and cost of collecting the wood was significant for families and that the practice was detrimental to the environment. According to figures from the Rangoon Electricity Supply Board, Burma as a whole uses 1,500 megawatts of electricity annually, of which Rangoon consumes 720 megawatts. The World Bank started work with Burma in 1952 and pulled out in the 1990s, under the country's former military regime. The loan for the power plant follows an $80 million grant for a national community-led development project last year that was designed to help 3.6 million people in rural communities. The post World Bank Provides $140 Million Loan for Burma's Electricity appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Karen Woman Found Dead Outside Refugee Camp Posted: 25 Sep 2013 04:15 AM PDT Mae Lae camp in Thailand is home to Burmese refugees, including many from Karen State. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — A Karen refugee woman who disappeared two days ago was found dead on Wednesday morning at the Mae La refugee camp in Thailand's Tak Province. Shwe Hla Aye, 37, originally from Hlaing Bwe Township in Burma's Karen State, disappeared from the camp on Monday afternoon. Her body was discovered at 7 am on Wednesday, with all her clothes except her bra removed. Family members reported the disappearance on Monday night to Daw Aye, a member of the Karen Women Organization who handles abuse cases for girls and women. Daw Aye said photographs were posted of the missing woman around the camp but that search attempts on Tuesday were unsuccessful. On Monday, rations for the refugees were distributed. When Shwe Hla's name was called, however, she did not come forward for her share. She had reportedly gone to the camp grocery store to make some purchases, but her neighbors said she never returned. Saw Honest, the new chairman of Mae La camp, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the woman's neck was broken. "Her chest seemed to have been hit by something tough," he added. "We're not sure whether she was raped. Thai authorities have been investigating." Daw Aye said a Thai police-investigator and doctors arrived at the scene at about 9 am. "They said, the body must be brought to a hospital in Bangkok if the family wants to know whether she was raped or not," Daw Aye said. "But they did not guarantee to cover the cost, so the family members decided not to go, as they cannot afford it, and will bury her right away." Shwe Hla Aye has been living in the refugee camp for more than a decade, with certification from the UN refugee agency. She was a widow with two children. Amoegyi, her neighbor, said, "She had no problem with the neighbors, she was quiet. But nobody knows how this happened to her." Camp residents said the woman had been mentally ill, with a history of losing consciousness. Refugees said such cases of disappearance and death were rare but that several rape cases were reported every year. The post Karen Woman Found Dead Outside Refugee Camp appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Shwe Mann Assures Yingluck Burma Has Inclusive Democracy Posted: 25 Sep 2013 03:58 AM PDT Speaker of Myanmar’s Lower House of Parliament Shwe Mann, left, shakes hands with Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra during his visit to Thailand at the Government House in Bangkok September 23, 2013. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — Shwe Mann, speaker of the Lower House of Burma's Parliament, assured Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra that Burma was now practicing a democratic system, and that ties between the two countries remain strong, state media reported. The Thai premier told the Union Development and Solidarity Party (USDP) chairman that Thailand recognized the progress Burma has made in recent years. Burma's military regime ceded power to a quasi-civilian government in 2011, ushering a series of reforms opening up the country economically and politically. The two met at Government House in Bangkok on Monday, where they also discussed bilateral cooperation to achieve a multi-million dollar Dawei deep-sea port project in southern Burma, Burma’s state-run radio announced Tuesday. A report in the English-language Bangkok Post said the two agreed to accelerate progress on the Thai-and-Japanese-backed project. State radio said Shwe Mann emphasized to Thai government officials that the President Thein Sein-led government is attempting reforms, and that representatives from all different ethnic and opposition parties, as well as the military, are included in Burma's Parliament. The two also agreed to maintain good relations and to cooperate to boost the border trade, it said. State radio also said that Shwe Mann thanked Thailand for hosting more than 3 million Burmese migrant workers, and said he wanted the Thai government to keep helping Burmese workers in the future, adding that Burma's government and Parliament were willing to cooperate with Thailand on migration issues. Shwe Mann is on a five-day trip to Thailand that ends Thursday. He was officially invited by Somsak Kiatsuranont, president of Thailand's National Assembly and speaker of House of Representatives, with whom he met to discuss parliamentary matters. According to state-run radio, Kiatsuranont told Shwe Mann that Burma and Thailand were a geographically important part of Southeast Asia becoming a more important economic market to the world. The post Shwe Mann Assures Yingluck Burma Has Inclusive Democracy appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Two Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Okkan Violence Posted: 25 Sep 2013 03:28 AM PDT A young Muslim boy runs through the ashes of his village in Kyawe Poan Lay, Okkan township, which was razed by a Buddhist mob in May. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Taik Kyi Township Court on Tuesday sentenced two Buddhist men to five years imprisonment for their role in the violence that erupted in April between Buddhists and Muslims in Okkan, a town located not far from Rangoon. "Two of them got five years each. The court sentenced them for their involvement in arson and destroying public property," said Myint Maung, in Rangoon's Division's Taik Kyi Township police officer. "The court plans to sentence another 20 detainees, but no date has been set yet," he said. A total of about 40 suspects were reportedly detained by local police in May and June for their involvement in the April violence. Myint Thein, a local political leader, said the men who were sentenced on Tuesday are Soe Win and Kyaw Myo Thu, both from Khon Nyi Tan Village. On Wednesday, another eight suspects are due to be sentenced for their role in the inter-communal violence, he added. Last month, the Taik Kyi Court sentenced three other Buddhist men on charges of destroying property and carrying out violence, Myint Thein said, adding that a detainee named Sein Han received five years imprisonment, while detainees Win Than and Kyi Khaing Pyo were both sentenced to seven years. Aye Taung, a Muslim resident from Okkan whose parents lost their home during the April violence, said he felt disappointed by the recent sentences. "We feel the court could have handed down stronger sentences than this," he said. An altercation between a Muslim woman and Buddhist novice monk sparked an outbreak of inter-communal violence in Okkan in late April. Buddhist mobs went on a rampage, burning down 81 Muslim-owned homes and businesses and one mosque, while killing one Muslim man and injuring nine others. In June, Taik Kyi Court convicted two Muslim women for their involvement in the altercation with the 11-year-old novice. They were each sentenced to two years in prison and hard labor under the Penal Code charges 295 and 296, which provide punishment for "insulting religion or religious beliefs." Okkan, a Rangoon Division town located about 100 km north of Rangoon, was among a dozen or so towns that were affected by a wave of anti-Muslim violence that spread through central Burma in March and April. The worst violence occurred in Mandalay Division's Meikthila in late March, when 40 people were killed, 60 injured and more than 2,000 homes were destroyed. Muslim leaders and human rights groups have accused Burma's government of doing little to prevent the violence by Buddhist mobs against the country's Muslim minority. The post Two Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Okkan Violence appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Supplies Dwindling at Kachin Border IDP Camps Posted: 25 Sep 2013 02:27 AM PDT Families at Jeyang IDP camp near the Sino-Burmese border, which has a population predominately made up of women and children. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) Food is in short supply at camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) near Burma's border with China, prompting humanitarian concerns as clashes in the region between government troops and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) reportedly continue. The fighting, which has occurred despite ongoing talks between the two sides aimed reaching a ceasefire, has led more civilians to seek shelter at the camps, straining humanitarian supplies even as access to some of the IDP sites remains difficult. "A number of UN organizations have donated rice sacks at the Hlaing Zar headquarters. But no rice was delivered to places situated in remote areas near the border. Now, students from our orphanage have to eat rice with salt as there is nothing else to eat it with," Hlu Twei, at the Maijayan IDP camp in Lwe Jae Township, told The Irrawaddy. Musicians from the band Lawkanat and an aid group named "A Phyu Yaung Twe Let" (White Holding Hands) will donate 7.5 million kyats (US$7,700) in concert proceeds to the IDP camps in remote areas near the border. The money will go toward food and medical supplies for the camps, which are often inadequately supplied due to the difficulty of accessing them. "We reached those refugee camps near the border this September. I really felt sad because I saw that the students there ate only rice with salt," Bo Bo, who is a member of Aphyu Yaung Twe Let Myar, told The Irrawaddy. "I am worried for their health. So, we are going to donate all the profit [from concerts] to those refugee camps in order to buy food for the students there." Health conditions at the squalid and cramped IDP camps are a major concern, according to Bo Bo. In addition, the provision of health care has been hampered by a lack of medical supplies, doctors and nurses, leaving some IDPs in need untreated. Dwindling food supplies have also resulted in malnutrition among camp residents. Conditions at the IDP camps have led some youth to attempt to cross into China in order to find work, making them targets for human traffickers, according to sources in the border camps. "Knowing the difficult living conditions at the refugee camps, Chinese people particularly try to persuade young women and children from the camps [to cross into China]. Everyone from the camps has been warmed and taught not to trust and follow them," said Mai Jya, who is campaigning against human trafficking along the Sino-Burmese border. Young unmarried Kachin girls from IDP camps, typically between 15 and 16 years old, fall prey to human traffickers, according to Mai Jya. Burma's police force and its anti-human trafficking task force told The Irrawaddy that they were cooperating with officials from the Chinese government in an effort to root out human trafficking in Kachin State. Burma's central government and the KIA managed to reach a seven-point accord in late May, in which the two sides agreed, among other things, to "undertake efforts to achieve de-escalation and cessation of hostilities." Clashes have nonetheless taken place sporadically since then, even as the government trumpets plans for a ceremony next month at which it says a "nationwide ceasefire" will be signed with the country's many ethnic armed groups. The post Supplies Dwindling at Kachin Border IDP Camps appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Greenpeace Calls for Renewed Vigor in Asean’s Renewable Energy Drive Posted: 24 Sep 2013 10:54 PM PDT A villager carrying wood for cooking walks near a geothermal power plant project in Indonesia's Central Java province. (Photo: Reuters / Beawiharta) JAKARTA — Greenpeace Southeast Asia laid out an argument on Tuesday for a concerted push for renewable energy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), focusing on both the economic and environmental benefits of a greener power policy. "The deteriorating climate should be Asean's top concern, given that the region is experiencing frequent and more intense extreme weather events due to climate change caused by carbon emissions," said Amalie H. Obusan, regional climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia. Launched at the 31st Asean Ministers of Energy meeting in Bali, "Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable Asean Energy Outlook" emphasizes the socioeconomic advantages of pursuing renewables in a roadmap detailing how the regional group could safeguard its energy security. "The Asean region, with its rapid pace of economic and population growth should play an important role in this global solution as the E[R] report clearly shows that a low carbon development path is possible," Obusan said. The report said sustainable energy sources—such as wind, photovoltaics and geothermal energy—could comprise 70 percent of the region's total electricity generation by 2050. This is due in part to a "democratization of energy production," according to Greenpeace—access to solar panels could bring electricity to remote or deprived Southeast Asian communities currently unconnected to electricity grids. Costs and Benefits The exploitation of green-energy sources across Asean could, the report said, result in US$2.8 trillion worth of investment, $2.7 trillion in fuel-cost savings and 1.1 million jobs by 2030. "There is already a strong global movement for reducing the dependency on fossil fuels by increasing the share of renewable energies," said lead author Sven Teske, renewable energies director at Greenpeace International. "The Asean countries have more than enough natural resources to become a leading player for clean, renewable energies. Renewable energies are more competitive than coal, utilize indigenous local resources and create more employment. Using more renewables is now an advantage for the economy, not a burden and reduces their dependence on dirty, imported fossil fuels like oil and coal." Indonesia, a net importer of gasoline and one of the biggest markets for natural gas in the world, has in the past acknowledged the need to gradually switch over to renewable energy sources, but the obstacles—bureaucracy, corruption, funding and land law among them—remain as plentiful as the sources themselves. On Sept. 20, state-owned electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara forecast that Indonesia would need at least $77.3 billion to sufficiently develop renewable energy as a source of electricity by 2021. Mochamad Sofjan, head of the renewable- and new-energy division at the Jakarta-based company, said that amount would be enough to add another 13,000 megawatts to the country's power grid over the next eight years. "During that period, we will build power plants with hydro, geothermal, biomass and solar as energy sources," Mochamad said. PLN, which provides much of the power to the country's population of nearly 250 million, believes renewable energy will contribute at least 20 percent of the country's electricity needs by 2021. "Currently, 86.3 percent of our power plants are powered by conventional energy, while renewable accounts for only 13.7 percent," he added. Facts on the Ground In April, Israeli business website Globes reported that Ormat Technologies, a subsidiary of Israel-based renewable energy company Ormat Industries, had signed a joint-operating contract to construct a 330-megawatt geothermal power plant in Tapanuli, North Sumatra. The project would be Indonesia's largest to date, after the Wayang Windu plant in West Java. Refurbishment of existing infrastructure—as opposed to new, big-ticket renewable-energy projects—is another avenue along which Indonesia has taken some steps. Entec Indonesia, the Bandung-based subsidiary of its Swiss parent, Entec, worked with a local firm in West Sumatra to develop the Salido Kecil mini hydroelectric plant in a fairly remote area 50 kilometers south of Padang. The plant was built almost a century ago to power the local gold mining operation. Ardi, Entec Indonesia's project manager, told the Jakarta Globe that the company replaced the three turbines and installed a new generator to improve the power station's output. "We were able to use the existing superstructure because it was in good condition," he said. The plant's 660 kilowatts, at a cost of 4,500 tons of CO2 per year, has the potential to power almost 1,000 homes. Green politics Greenpeace warned, however, that Asean's renewable-energy outlook was inextricably linked with the contours of its political landscape. "Climate change is a wholesale problem requiring a wholesale solution, one that needs the absolute cooperation of every nation in the region," said Obusan. "For the sake of a sound environment, political stability and thriving economies, now is the time for Asean to commit to a truly secure and sustainable energy future—one built on genuinely clean technologies, economic development and the creation of hundreds of thousands of green jobs." Additional reporting by Tito Summa Siahaan. The post Greenpeace Calls for Renewed Vigor in Asean's Renewable Energy Drive appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Cambodia’s Hun Sen Pushes On With Forming Govt, Rejects Opposition Role Posted: 24 Sep 2013 10:50 PM PDT Prime Minister Hun Sen smiles during a meeting with opposition leader Sam Rainsy at the National assembly in Phnom Penh on Tuesday. (Photo: Pring Samrang / Reuters) PHNOM PENH — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen pushed ahead with forming a new government on Tuesday and said he had rejected a demand from the main opposition party, which says it won July’s general election, to be given senior positions in parliament. The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which boycotted the opening of parliament on Monday, said it would hold further protests around the country. One man was shot and killed during a rally in the capital, Phnom Penh, last week. Hun Sen told reporters that, in talks last week, the CNRP had not pressed its demand for an independent inquiry into alleged irregularities during the July poll, but had sought the position of National Assembly president plus six of the 12 committee chairmen’s jobs. "Have you ever seen, anywhere in the world, a minority party holding the position of the president of parliament?" he asked. The prime minister suggested the real reason for the opposition boycott of parliament was not alleged vote-rigging, but its failure to secure top jobs. "If we’d agreed to their demand for the presidency, they would surely have attended the meeting," he said. Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and has said he will rule Cambodia into his seventies. He portrays himself as the man who saved Cambodia from the terror and chaos of the Khmer Rouge years in the 1970s and the civil war that followed. But his authoritarian rule and widespread corruption alienated many young people who did not live through that era and who turned to the newly merged CNRP in the election. The National Election Committee says Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won 68 seats in the poll to the CNRP’s 55. That was already a big setback for Hun Sen, but the CNRP claimed victory, saying it was cheated out of 2.3 million votes. Hun Sen has ridden roughshod over critics in the past, but was obliged to hold talks with CNRP leader Sam Rainsy last week as an emboldened opposition took to the streets. He has taken back the initiative by forcing the opening of parliament in the face of the CNRP boycott, leaving the opposition struggling to keep up the momentum. "We will hold nationwide demonstrations and we will mount a diplomatic campaign to ensure that the election results and the unconstitutional meeting of parliament are not recognized," CNRP lawmaker Yim Sovann told Reuters. The Cambodian constitution stipulates that "the National Assembly shall comprise at least 120 members". The opposition and some political analysts say that means a quorum of 120 lawmakers is needed to open parliament. Monday’s session went ahead after the names of the 123 elected members were simply read out and Hun Sen said in a short speech to the house on Tuesday that everything had been done legally. He says the rules stipulate a new government can be formed if a minimum 63 of the 123 lawmakers vote in favor and his premiership was endorsed by the 68 CPP members on Tuesday. The names of ministers have not yet been announced, but a first cabinet meeting is due to be held on Wednesday. The post Cambodia’s Hun Sen Pushes On With Forming Govt, Rejects Opposition Role appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

East Timor Bans Martial Arts Clubs Amid Killings Posted: 24 Sep 2013 10:45 PM PDT A Sacred Heart martial arts gang member is arrested by a UN police unit during a violent gang clash in the Dili suburb Bairo Pite in this file photo. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) DILI — East Timor police say there will be zero tolerance against those who continue to practice a local martial art after the government banned all clubs following deadly gang violence, an official said Monday. At least 12 East Timorese have been killed and more than 200 injured in the past two years as a result of fighting among rival pencak silat clubs, said Armando Monteiro, National Police detective chief. Two were killed in neighboring Indonesia, while other deaths and injuries have occurred as far away as England and Ireland. He said the number of casualties is likely higher since many people are afraid to report gang activity or go to the hospital for treatment. "Any martial arts clubs members that violate the government resolution will be dealt with under the law," Monteiro said. There will be "zero tolerance for martial arts activities in the country." Schools and clubs for pencak silat, an adapted form of the Indonesian martial art, have a long history in East Timor, with many students in the past fighting against Indonesia’s military occupation. They also became active clandestine members in supporting guerrilla fighters and some made significant contributions toward winning the country’s independence in 2002. Later, martial arts students became rivals and began killing each other in the streets as happened in 2006 during a violent political crisis that left dozens dead and tens of thousands displaced in the tiny half-island nation. In many villages across East Timor, students start learning pencak silat at age 13. Less popular martial arts, such as karate, kung fu, taekwondo and judo, are not banned. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao issued a resolution outlawing the popular clubs two months ago. He said he has tried to work with the groups for years to allow them to continue to operate peacefully, but said the original purpose and philosophy of martial arts has been lost in East Timor. "I have no more mercy and no more patience," said Gusmao, who added he has tried to work with the groups since becoming the country’s first president in 2002. "I cannot tolerate the situation anymore, and I cannot permit it anymore." Gusmao said police and members of the military have been told to leave martial arts groups or be fired. Some clubs have publicly handed over their uniforms to police in front of government officials, but police say some members continue to conduct their training secretly at night. Monteiro said anyone caught violating the resolution will be punished under the law. Seven martial arts clubs were registered, but many others exist without the government’s knowledge making it difficult to estimate the number of members nationwide. Last month, one East Timorese student was killed at Widyagama University in Malang, Indonesia, and another had his hand cut off with a samurai sword by a martial arts gang member. "I need justice because the suspects who cut off my hand have not yet been captured by the police," said Jacinto Cipriano Ximenes, 25, a final-year telecommunications student who plans to return to school and finish his studies this year. The post East Timor Bans Martial Arts Clubs Amid Killings appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

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