Thursday, December 12, 2013

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Could the SEA Games Revitalize Myanmar Sport?

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST

Myanmar, Burma, The Irrawaddy,

Myanmar's last time hosting a regional sports meet was the in 1969, when it hosted the Southeast Asian Peninsular Games in Yangon. (Photo: Burmese Sport, 1970)

NAYPYITAW — Yangon was once Southeast Asia's aviation hub, pre-junta Myanmar had probably the region's best education system, and the country's living standards were as good as those of any of its neighbors. All that changed, however, after a 1962 coup. Gen Ne Win's search for the "Burmese Way to Socialism" led to Myanmar's rapid economic decline, leaving it a moth-eaten economic outlier where nowadays only a quarter of the population has electricity.

That fall from grace was also mirrored in the country's sporting performance. In the 1960s, Myanmar topped the SEA Games medal table twice, and as late as 1979, it managed a third place on the medal-winners ranking. For the most part, however, since the SEA Games were last held in Myanmar in 1969, the country has slipped into sporting oblivion, falling way behind neighbors such as Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and, more recently, Vietnam, who all have done well at the SEA Games.

"The government didn't support the people who play sports or assist talented young people to develop their sport abilities," U Khin Maung Htwe, a long-time sports journalist in Yangon, told The Irrawaddy. "Our country had a good name in the past for sports, but during the military era, the government wanted us to be isolated."

Myanmar's total haul of SEA Games medals over the decades now stands at 1,858, putting it seventh overall, far behind leader Thailand's 5,025 medals or second-placed Indonesia's 4,410.

But history shows that the host country usually does well, often topping the medals tables or finishing in the top three—though the host's haul is often abetted by some sharp pre-games arrangements, such as pushing for the inclusion of local sports that other countries are not familiar with.

Not wanting to break with history, it seems, Myanmar was itself accused by other countries of trying to gerrymander the event roster to suit itself. The allegations stung, and Dr. Myat Thura Soe, international relations secretary at the Myanmar National Olympic Committee, sought to counter barbs thrown at the host country from Thailand and the Philippines.

"We had a meeting between all the countries early in 2013 and we decided between us all then what sports to include," he told The Irrawaddy, speaking at a hectic office in the interior of the Wunna Theikdi Stadium in Naypyitaw, a new 30,000-seat venue where the 2013 SEA Games track and field events will be held.

Despite Myanmar compromising with angry rivals on what sports to include, Dr. Myat Thura Soe is hopeful that Myanmar can nonetheless do well at the SEA Games, though he conceded that competing with countries such as Thailand and Indonesia at the top of the medals board might be a step too far, for now at least.

What Myanmar's sports officials hope for, however, is more long-term: that hosting the Games can jump-start the country's sporting engine and help Myanmar move back towards the top of the Southeast Asian pile.

"We think of the example of Vietnam," said Dr. Myat Thura Soe. "After they hosted the SEA Games, they went up to the top level in Southeast Asia."

Vietnam hosted the SEA Games for the first time in 2003, topping the medals table that year with 183 golds, and since then has been a consistent top-three SEA Games finisher along with Indonesia and Thailand.

"In 2001, Myanmar and Vietnam were almost the same level, but now they have progressed way ahead of us," said Dr. Myat Thura Soe.

Central to the country's plans for enhanced sporting prowess in the years to come are the pristine new facilities in Naypyitaw, all specially built for the Games. The Wunna Theikdi Stadium is the centerpiece of a bigger complex that includes an Olympic-standard swimming pool and diving area, as well as an 11,000-seat indoor stadium for basketball and smaller facilities for various martial arts.

The SEA Games men's football tournament, likely to be the main spectator draw at the Games, will be staged a 30-minute drive away along desolate football-pitch-wide highways, in another 30,000-seat stadium on a hill between Naypyitaw's military museum and the city's zoo.

Many of the SEA Games facilities were built by Max Myanmar, the sprawling conglomerate headed by U Zaw Zaw, a tycoon long sanctioned by the United States for his ties to Myanmar's old army regime. Max Myanmar was, however, ranked in the top 10 in a recent listing of the country's taxpaying companies—a sign to some of a budding corporate transparency in a country long known for inscrutable business dealings.

"We started in 2010. At the time, it was all forest here," said U Khin Maung Kywe, Max Myanmar's construction director, speaking from the viewing area of the Wunna Theikdi Stadium, where President U Thein Sein was joined by other regional heads of government for the SEA Games opening ceremony on Dec. 11.

But looking out over the stadium—a white and silver amphitheater baking in the sun—one had to wonder how this and other venues could be put to use once the Games are over.

Here and there in Naypyitaw, there are statues of white elephants, which according to Myanmar lore signify that a just and powerful king sits on the throne. But will the lavish new sporting facilities in Naypyitaw really help Myanmar reclaim its former athletic glory, or will they turn out to be white elephants of a far less auspicious kind?

So far, the government is short on specifics about what it will do with the new facilities, apart from hand them over to the Sports Ministry. But officials say they won't repeat the mistakes of Laos, which as host of the 2009 SEA Games built new stadiums in the capital Vientiane, only to let them fall into disrepair after the Games were over.

Dr. Myat Thura Soe said that one option is to make Myanmar's world-class sporting venues available to foreign athletes. "Singapore has expressed an interest," he said, noting that the city-state doesn't have much space for big sports training grounds.

"This will help us in Myanmar, as we can have joint training with other athletes," he said. "We want the SEA Games to be a boost for Myanmar's sporting future."

Additional reporting by Htet Naing Zaw.

This story was first published in the December 2013 print edition of The Irrawaddy magazine.

The post Could the SEA Games Revitalize Myanmar Sport? appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burma’s SEA Games Opener Extolled, Critiqued

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 04:52 AM PST

Myanmar, SEA Games, Southeast Asian Games, Naypyidaw, opening ceremony

Fireworks light up the Naypyidaw sky during the opening ceremony of the Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — The historic return of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) to Burma, 44 years after the country last hosted a regional games, was officially marked in Naypyidaw on Wednesday evening with captivating performances featuring hundreds of traditional, and some more modern, songs and dances.

The opening ceremony's set design, lighting and sound system, as well as an attention-grabbing fireworks display—put together with a little help from Chinese technicians and cash—have become the talk of the town. But the grand event at the purpose-built Wunna Theikdi stadium has stimulated the both pride and wariness among spectators.

One spectator told The Irrawaddy that he was proud that his country could put on such an extraordinary ceremony.

"Our country's image has been so poor among the international community. But this time, we can show off that we can do such brilliant work by showcasing our abilities through the SEA Games opening ceremony," said Kyaw Min, who traveled from Rangoon to Naypyidaw for the ceremony.

Despite some inconvenience getting to their seats in the stadium amid heightened security, spectators found themselves involved in the performances and singing along to Burma's national anthem together as the country's flag was hoisted up.

"I even had goose bumps, and my eyes were filled with tears when everyone sung along with the national anthem," said another Rangoon resident who made the trip, Myat Myat Htun.

"I never thought the ceremony would be that great. I wonder why some people are seeing negatives in the fascinating ceremony."

She referred to criticism the high level of government spending on the showcase event given that only 10 percent of the national budget is spent on health and education, and over the influence of China on the landmark games.

Many Burmese resent what they see as the overbearing influence of China in the country, particularly as Burma's giant neighbor helped to prop up the unpopular military government even as the West severed ties with the country's ruling generals.

Chinese Ambassador Tang Houlan reportedly told local media at a press event in Rangoon on Dec. 3 that China gave more than US$33 million to support Burma's SEA Games.

And according to an announcement posted on the official website of Chinese Embassy in Rangoon, 700 Chinese experts, including coaches, managers, stage designers and technicians were sent to Burma to help prepare for the games.

The announcement said that the support from China for technical cooperation was in response to a request from the Burmese government, which wanted help to create spectacular opening and closing ceremonies for the regional sports event.

Comments in the official Chinese announcement from an official sparked arguments among the local spectators on Facebook.

Wang Shengwen, Director General of Department of Aid to Foreign Countries of Chinese Ministry of Commerce was quoted saying, "Assisting Myanmar to organize the 27th SEA Games is a very important project for Chinese government. It shows the pauk phaw friendship between the two countries."

Perhaps making things worse, President Thein Sein, during his speech opening the games, praised China's support. "This is a sign of the strong relationship between China and Burma," he said in the address broadcast nationwide.

Some people suggested in comments that China—which has significant business interests in Burma, including controversial mining and hydropower projects—would be getting something in return for its generosity.

"Why do the Chinese say the SEA Games ceremony is an important project for Burma? Is there some hidden agenda?" remarked Burmese Facebook user Moe. "China has never been sincere with our country and it is not something to be proud of."

Some dismissed the criticism, favoring pride that Burma is now in the limelight. "Let's just let our country shine in the region. We are proud, whatever," said one comment.

Zarni Soe Htut, a local political columnist, said the opening ceremony was an example of the newer "soft power" approach China has taken to Burma since the government began a rapprochement with Western powers.

"The image of China in the heart of Burmese people is so bad that some people recently torched a Chinese flag in front of their embassy in Rangoon," he said, referring to a protest over the highly controversial Chinese-backed Letpadaung copper mine in Sagaing Division.

"Instead of using hard power and economically colonizing, China has changed its strategy by giving us social support."

Min Thu, an opposition National League for Democracy parliamentarian from Uttara Thiri constituency in Naypyidaw dubbed the event a "Bejing-ized ceremony" as it bore some resemblance to the 2008 Olympic opener held in the Chinese capital.

"The Chinese operated the opening ceremony like it was the Beijing Olympics," he said.

"The closing ceremony will be the same with the support from China. The Chinese technicians have been here since two months ago. These points show Burma is still under the influences of China."

Additional reporting by Sanay Linn and Htet Naing Zaw.

The post Burma's SEA Games Opener Extolled, Critiqued appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

At SEA Games Stage, China Casts a Long Shadow

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 04:43 AM PST

Burma wants to prove it has moved on from isolation and is ready to join the rest of the world, and through the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) it has found an opportunity.

At the opening ceremony of the regional sporting event Wednesday in Naypyidaw, organizers staged a lavish spectacle of lights and performance, boasting the country's impressive culture and history through song and dance.

With the ceremony, Burmese leaders sought to show off just how far the former pariah state has come over the past two years. They couldn't pull off a grand performance on their own, but they saw no reason to worry: China would come to the rescue.

Beijing reportedly offered Burma nearly US$33 million in technical assistance for the Games, including for the opening and closing ceremonies, while accepting Burmese athletes for training on Chinese soil.

"Assisting Myanmar [Burma] in organizing the 27th SEA Games is a very important project for the Chinese government," Wang Shengwen, director general of the department of foreign aid at China's Ministry of Commerce, told reporters in Naypyidaw, according to Xinhua news agency.

"It shows the 'paukphaw' friendship between the two countries," he said, referring to a concept of fraternal relations.

China also sent top government officials to the Games, with Burma President Thein Sein receiving Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Liu Yandong for the opening ceremony. Liu Yandong reportedly called on Burma to stay on the right track with bilateral relations and ensure steady long-term development.

Since coming to power in 2011, Thein Sein's nominally civilian government has moved closer to the West while testing relations with China. In September 2011 the Burmese president ordered the suspension of a controversial hydroelectric project financed by a state-owned Chinese company. Over the past two years Burma has also seen several anti-Chinese protests at several projects, including a major mining site in central Burma.

Aung Zaw is founder and editor of the Irrawaddy magazine. He can be reached at aungzaw@irrawaddy.org.

China is Burma's largest investor, channeling between $14 billion and $20 billion into the country since 1988, but economic interest from other countries is growing. Last year the European Union lifted economic sanctions against Burma, while the United States suspended sanctions, citing political reforms. President Barack Obama also visited Rangoon last year and later met with Thein Sein in Washington. At the time, analysts suggested that Beijing, once considered Burma's traditional ally, was caught off guard.

Under the previous military regime, energy-hungry China rapidly expanded its business and political influences in Burma, pouring money into hydropower projects in ethnic regions. Three major Chinese oil corporations also established a strong foothold.

But most ordinary Burmese people were repulsed by Beijing's support for the ruling generals, and today many continue to protest against China's extraction of natural resources with little regard for the environment and local populations. As a result, over the past decade Burma has seen growing anti-China sentiment.

Seeking to continue exploiting natural resources while gaining strategic access to the Indian Ocean, and perhaps fearful of losing influence, Beijing has adopted a new tactic: making friends with everybody in Burma, including opposition leaders who once fought the former military regime. Through a "soft power" strategy, it has sought to win back the hearts of the Burmese people, and to put an end to hostile anti-China media reports.

Chinese diplomats have publicly met with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders, including members of the 88 Generation Students group and ethnic leaders. Several senior members of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party are also currently visiting China.

But these efforts will not stop the United States from warming relations with Burma as Washington continues to pivot toward Asia.

"They talk about a power struggle in Myanmar, especially between China and the US," the Chinese ambassador to Burma, Yang Houlan, told The Irrawaddy in July. "I think it would be unfortunate if such a thing happens. If there is a power struggle between China and the US, it will also not be good for Myanmar. We hope it doesn't happen."

He said China did not support the idea of a zero-sum game. "We should have a policy of win-win cooperation," he said. "Some Myanmar politicians have also made it very clear that Myanmar should not become a battlefield of bigger powers. That is not the desire of the Burmese people. We welcome the US to play a constructive role in Myanmar."

Burma is now a darling of the East and the West. For China, investing in the SEA Games is a must to renew the "paukphaw" friendship.

"China has helped a lot," Burmese presidential spokesman Ye Htut told AFP, referring to assistance for the opening ceremony. After hosting the 2008 Olympics, China has no shortage of experience.

The Burmese ambassador to China, Tin Oo, reportedly described the East Asian powerhouse as "one of the important countries in the region that is providing necessary assistance to Myanmar in its democratic and economic reform," according to a report by China Daily newspaper.

It remains to be seen how successful this SEA Games diplomacy will be in the long run. But China is not putting all its eggs in one basket. It will continue to woo both Naypyidaw and the NLD, perhaps hoping to adopt the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's pragmatic approach: "It doesn't matter whether the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice."

The post At SEA Games Stage, China Casts a Long Shadow appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Royal Family Aims to Renovate King Thibaw’s Mandalay Palace

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 04:21 AM PST

Mandalay Palace, Myanmar, Burma, King Thibaw, Mindon

A view of the grounds of the sprawling 413-hectare Mandalay Palace complex from the Watch Tower. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

RANGOON — Members of the late King Thibaw's royal family are seeking to renovate the Mandalay-based monarch's former palace, and plan to submit a letter to President Thein Sein requesting permission to carry out the project.

The Mandalay Palace was built in 1857 by King Mindon of the Konbaung Dynasty, a line of kings that ruled from 1752 to 1885. Their reign was ended by the British colonial forces, which abolished Burma's monarchy and sent Mindon's heir, King Thibaw, into exile in the late 19th century.

The Mandalay Palace was largely destroyed by an Allied bombing campaign during World War II, leaving only the moat and city walls remaining. The palace complex was reconstructed in the late 1980s and is today known as Mya Nan San Kyaw, the Golden Palace.

The palace holds the tombs of King Mindon and his three wives. King Mindon was the late King Thibaw's father and the tomb of his mother, Queen Laung Shay, also lies inside the palace.

Soe Win, a descendant of King Thibaw living in Rangoon, said he is now attempting to contact King Mindon's descendants—no easy task for a king who had three wives and some 50 concubines—to gather their support for the palace's renovation.

"As royal family members, we should maintain the Golden Palace. Though the government has taken responsibility, we want to repair some parts of the palace that are in really terrible condition," he said.

He added that the Mandalay Division government has allocated just 100 million kyats (US$102,000) for the maintenance of the palace, an amount insufficient for the task at hand.

"Our grandparents' tombs are almost unrecognizable, many tourists don't even know that the tombs are still there when they visit the palace, so we need to repair these tombs first as royal family members," Soe Win said.

In late 2012, President Thein Sein visited King Thibaw's tomb in Ratanagiri, India, where the king was exiled and spent the remaining years of his life. Soe Win traveled with the president on the trip and proposed that Thibaw's remains be brought back to Burma. Prior to the president's visit, the proposal was noted by Parliament in July 2012.

"Bringing Thibaw's grave to Burma was proposed last year when I spoke with the president. Now I will definitely submit a proposal letter to U Thein Sein again, after speaking with King Mindon's relatives in Mandalay," Soe Win said.

"Though we are of Thibaw's blood, King Mindon was also our great grandfather, so we need to talk with his direct bloodline, most of whom are living in Mandalay," he added.

Kyaw Thiha, U Soe Win's nephew, said he is assisting his uncle in the effort to repair the king's palace in Mandalay. He said he expected that they would organize a committee next year to handle the matter after speaking with relatives in Mandalay.

"Inside the palace compound, the roof on the palace is falling apart, other structures in the palace as well, especially our grandparents' tombs are obscured by bushes. We won't allow them to be destroyed, so we will ask the president to grant permission to renovate," he said.

"Most of my relatives in Mandalay want to repair their grandparents' tombs through their own funding. First we will repair King Mindon's tomb, and his wives' tombs will follow if we get permission," he said.

In the palace's interior, 10 roofs out of 24 in total are the original architecture. The rest were reconstructed by Burma's former military regime.

Amid the royal family's plans to fix up the palace, the Mandalay Division government is in the process of privatizing tourism at the historical complex, the abode of Burma's last kings.

In August 2012, several firms were invited to submit a tender to manage commercial tourism at the famed palace, with the winner expected to invest in the development of tourism facilities at the complex such as public gardens, souvenir shops and restaurants.

The Ministry of Culture's archeological department will maintain overall authority for management of the palace.

The post Royal Family Aims to Renovate King Thibaw's Mandalay Palace appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

NGO Raises Concerns With Japan Over Dawei SEZ Involvement

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 03:45 AM PST

Dawei SEZ, Thailand, Japan, business, industry, deep sea port

A small port was built as a temporary site for the planned billion-dollar industrial estate in Dawei in southern Burma last year. (Photo: Reuters)

RANGOON — Ahead of this week's Japan-Asean Summit, a Dawei-based NGO has called on Japan to carefully consider its potential involvement in the Dawei Special Economic Zone in southern Burma, as the project will have far-reaching social and environmental impacts.

In an open letter to Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Dawei Development Association (DDA) urged Japan to review these impacts before deciding to become involved in developing the stalled megaproject.

In recent weeks, Italian-Thai Development Co. Ltd. (ITD) was removed from its position as lead project developer after it failed to attract private investors to Thai-Burmese SEZ, which is seen as a boon for Thai economic interests. The project has been suspended and ITD's work will be subject to a Due Diligence Assessment.

Japan has voiced interest in getting involved in the project and is expected to discuss investment in Dawei SEZ with Thailand at the ASEAN-Japan summit held in Tokyo this week. The Bangkok Post reports that Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan will ask Shinzo Abe for support and investment in the project.

The massive billion-dollar project includes a deep-sea port, heavy industries and extensive transport links. It would form a regional industrial hub located just 350 km west of Bangkok. Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation has reportedly agreed to build a massive, 7000-megawatt coal plant at Dawei.

Thousands of Dawei farmers would be required to give up their land for the project, which would also produce high levels of industrial pollution. Local communities are up in arms over these prospects and have complained of a dearth of project information and poor compensation offers for loss of land.

DDA warned Japan over these problems and said any Japanese involvement should meet its international standards on Japanese investment overseas.

"[W]e local people from Dawei in [Tenasserim] Region demand that the Japanese government and relevant agencies carefully and closely consider and review the existing environmental and social impact studies, as well as the human rights violation situation in the Dawei Deep Sea Port and SEZ Projects, before making any decision to participate in these projects," the letter said.

Ye Lin Myint, from DDA, told The Irrawaddy, "Japan is interested to invest. Myanmar and Thai governments also want Japan to invest. We also want Japan to invest as Japan has the experience and financial resources to handle this kind of huge project.

"But we want them to head the project and solve the current problems relating to land compensation, environmental impact, resettlement and creating livelihood opportunities for locals."

"Even if the project can't avoid damage to land, we need to find international standards and practices to ensure the least damage to the environment and social and health conditions," said Ye Linn Myint, adding that he believed there was no need to construct the massive coal plant.

"We have enough natural gas from Yetagon, Yatanar and Zawtiga [gas fields] for the project, as the government has promised that newly-found natural gas will be used for public benefit," he said.

Burma's government has cancelled the planned construction of 4000-MW coal-fired power plant in Dawei in January 2012 due to concerns over its environmental impacts.

Earlier this year, DDA filed a complaint with Thailand's National Human Right Commission over inadequate land compensation by ITD and the company's supposed involvement in human rights and community rights violations.

The post NGO Raises Concerns With Japan Over Dawei SEZ Involvement appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Rangoon Land Protesters Go Home After Lawmaker Promises Investigation

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 02:55 AM PST

Myanmar, Burma, Rangoon, land rights, protest, Yangon, military

Demonstrators pack up a protest camp in eastern Rangoon's Thingangyun Township on Thursday after receiving a promise that a parliamentary committee will investigate claims their land was illegally seized by the military. (Photo: Sai Zaw / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Demonstrators who for more than two weeks have held a sit-in protest in Michaungkan village, in eastern Rangoon's Thingangyun Township, have agreed to go home after lawmakers promised to investigate their case.

A well-organized camp of mainly female protesters was set up outside land seized and occupied in the early 1990s by the Burma Army. The former residents had remained in place for 17 days, defying arrests, demands from Rangoon Division Chief Myint Swe that they leave, and an alleged attack by pro-government thugs.

At about 11 am Thursday morning, Aung Thein Lin, a ruling-party lawmaker and a member of Parliament's Land Investigation Committee, signed a letter pledging that the committee will urgently look into the Michaungkan villagers' case, according to protester Sein Than.

The letter said the committee agreed with the villagers' claims that they were legal residents of the land, under a 1984 land law, before its confiscation. The committee said that since Michaungkan village had a government school and clinic, it was a permanent settlement, and therefore the land grab was illegal, according to Sein Than.

"Aung Thein Lin said the case will be proposed as an urgent report to Parliament," said Sein Than. "He read the signed letter in front of the public and media, but we will take the official letter from him tomorrow with other detailed information because the current one they gave us had no official seal and was just handwritten."

Sein Than is one of two Michaungkan protesters jailed last month under the controversial Section 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Law, which outlaws protesting without prior permission from authorities. He was released Wednesday, one of 41 prisoners of conscience granted amnesty by the government.

He said the villagers had temporarily packed up the protest camp as of lunchtime Thursday, but would return if nothing was done about their case.

"We can give them only three months. Within that period they have to give us a clear answer about giving back our land," Sein Than. "If not, we will go back to the protest camp again with a larger number of people. So this return can be called temporary."

The protesters are pushing for charges to be dropped against 25 women who visited a pagoda inside the military-restricted area, he said.

Sein Than added that the demonstrators would also be filing a legal complaint against thugs they say attacked them at the protest camp over the weekend. Some protesters were injured when men, allegedly from the government-aligned group known as Swan Arshin, attacked the camp.

"We are happy, but we still need to fight until we get back our land back, and we will sue the Swan Arshin who attacked protesters during the protest," said Sein Than.

The post Rangoon Land Protesters Go Home After Lawmaker Promises Investigation appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

KIA Keeps Tabs on Tay Za

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 02:48 AM PST

Kachin Independence Organization, Myanmar, Burma, Putao, Tay Za, Kachin, Myitsone, investment, business, environment

Burmese tycoon Tay Za at his office. (ygnutd.com)

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) says it is keeping tabs on Tay Za, a Burmese tycoon on the US sanctions list, to determine whether his investments in Kachin State are benefiting the local people or solely padding his own pockets.

KIA deputy chief Maj-Gen Gun Maw said he met with Tay Za in Rangoon last month and expressed displeasure at the tycoon's financial and moral support to the Burma government army, which was continuing to exchange heavy fire with the ethnic rebel group.

"We can understand if he looks for new technology, arms and ammunition for the Burmese army, because he was assigned by the government," Gun Maw recently told The Irrawaddy in an exclusive interview. "But we cannot accept when he provides direct assistance to the army columns that came to launch offensives against us."

Gun Maw, who has met with Tay Za in the past, said he requested information last month about the tycoon's investments in Burma's northernmost resource-rich state.

"After looking at data from him, we can find out how his businesses will affect our people, and we will have a better idea what to discuss with him," the KIA deputy chief said. "We will invite businessmen who can contribute to the good of our people and our Kachin State, with real goodwill. But we will have to say openly if any business affects our people."

Tay Za is reportedly launching a number of businesses in the Putao area and other parts of the state, including logging, mining and resorts.

But he has not been transparent with the local people about his plans, Gun Maw said.

"The KIO is always watching to see if he is working not only for the people in Putao, but also for Kachin people as a whole, or if he is working for his own benefit," he said.

The KIA has also voiced its displeasure at other business ventures which it believes will not help local people, including the Chinese-backed Myitsone Dam. Gun Maw said the rebel group sent an official letter to Beijing rejecting construction of the dam, which was suspended by the Burma government in 2011 due to opposition from the public.

"We sent an official rejection to both Snr-Gen Than Shwe, Burma's former junta supremo, and the Chinese president regarding the construction of the Myitsone dam project after it was first reported in newspapers in Burma," the KIA deputy chief said.

"The Myitsone area is historically important for local people, and also the lifeline of the whole country—that's why we opposed it. We still hold that position."

Beijing has reportedly urged the Burma government and the KIA to end clashes.

"Many problems go on the China side of the border whenever fighting breaks out on our side, so the Chinese government has asked the KIA not to engage in battles in the border areas, and we have heard that it told the Burmese administration the same," Gun Maw said.

The post KIA Keeps Tabs on Tay Za appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Group Resettlement of Thai Border Refugees to End Early 2014: UNHCR

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 02:40 AM PST

Myanmar, Burma, The Irrawaddy,

A man walks in the Mae La Oon refugee camp in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand. (Photo: Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy)

MAE HONG SON, Northern Thailand — The final deadline for eligible applicants for UN group resettlement to third countries for Burmese refugees on the Thai-Burma border will be sometime in late January 2014, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Vivian Tan, the spokeswoman for the UNHCR in Asia, told The Irrawaddy that eight years after the program began in 2005, and with the departure of tens of thousands of refugees to the United States since then, the number of eligible refugees is dwindling.

"The number of refugees expressing interest in this program has decreased in recent years, signaling a natural end to the program," Tan said.

The United States first announced to camp residents in January 2013 that the group resettlement program for registered refugees would begin wrapping up this year, and a camp in Mae La, Thailand, stopped taking new applicants months ago. The announcement was made at different times in different camps, and each camp was given different deadlines for eligible applicants.

There are more than 130,000 Burmese refugees, mostly ethnic Karen who abandoned their homes in eastern Burma and fled to live in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border in provinces such as Mae Hong Son, Tak and Sangklaburi. Many refugees have been living in these camps for more than 20 years.

Since the installation of a quasi-civilian government led by President Thein Sein in 2011, peace talks between the government and more than a dozen ethnic minority rebel groups have been a priority of the Thein Sein administration. The peace push has yielded results, with the government signing ceasefire agreements with all but two of the country's major ethnic armed groups.

But the "peace dividend" for refugees on the Thai-Burma border has taken the form of decreasing humanitarian support amid a growing call by some for the refugees to be repatriated to their homelands.

Tan, however, said that even after the group resettlement program comes to an end, eligible refugees will still be able to express interest in individual resettlement to the United States and other third countries. "Thus, this is not the end of resettlement per se, just the end of the group resettlement program to the US," she added.

"Eligible refugees are given several months to decide if they wished to avail of the group resettlement option. The US authorities have said the program will continue until they have processed every application received by the deadline for each camp," said Tan.

However, the US Embassy in Rangoon denied the discontinuation of any resettlement program. According to an official at the embassy, the refugees' admission program is ongoing and there is no halt to the processing of Burmese refugees.

"In fact the continuation of this program was specifically highlighted, as Burmese refugees continue to constitute one of our largest groups being resettled in the United States," said the official, who asked for anonymity and did not specify whether the program referred to involved group or individual resettlement.

The official said that for the 2013-14 fiscal year, US President Barack Obama authorized the admission of up to 70,000 refugees from around the world. The top five nationalities resettled to the United States in 2013 were Iraqi, Burmese, Bhutanese, Somali and Cuban.

The United States is one of several countries participating in the program, which according to the UNHCR has so far resettled 80,000 refugees to the United States, Canada, Australia and several European countries as well as Japan.

The Border Consortium (TBC), a non-profit organization that has been providing food aid and shelter to the Burmese refugees for more than 20 years, also expressed concern over the reduction in financial support from international donors.

Mike Bruce, a spokesman for the TBC, said funding for humanitarian assistance has been reduced, with the impact of this manifested in recent ration changes.

"Rice rations are being revised in refugee camps in Thailand following reductions in funding for humanitarian food aid and a transition to needs-based and community-managed humanitarian relief," said Bruce.

Households in refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border are now categorized as "Most Vulnerable," "Vulnerable," "Standard," or "Self-Reliant." Standard categorized households have seen a change in the rice provided for adults, and Self-Reliant households no longer receive food assistance for adults over 18 years of age, according to the officer.

In talks with more than a dozen refugees on the Thai-Burma border, The Irrawaddy was told that the shrinking financial support had made day-to-day life more difficult, between the rations cuts and a reduction in construction materials used to repair makeshift homes of bamboo and straw.

Refugees are scrambling to apply for group resettlement ahead of the program's anticipated termination, they said.

Resettlement in third countries was the most appropriate option for them, refugees said, with uncertainty over what they might return to in Burma making that option less appealing, and their continued existence in the refugee camps made more challenging by dwindling financial support.

The post Group Resettlement of Thai Border Refugees to End Early 2014: UNHCR appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Near Letpadaung, Factory Pollution Raises Health Fears

Posted: 12 Dec 2013 02:18 AM PST

Letpadaung, mining, health, Monywa, Sagaing Division, Myanmar, Burma, Wanbao, Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings, health impact assessment, environmental impact assessment, ground pollution

Locals at Letpadaung say mining projects have threatened their rural livelihoods. (Photo: Zarni Mann / The Irrawaddy)

Concerns are growing about the potential health effects of the Letpadaung copper mine project in Sagaing Division, following allegations that pollution from a factory connected to the project may be linked to respiratory illnesses and damaged crops.

A Burmese military company will use the sulfuric acid factory to purify copper from the Letpadaung mine, which is still undergoing construction and has not yet begun extracting minerals. But the factory has been operating for six years to purify the copper from two other nearby mining projects, at the Sabae Taung and Kyay Sin Taung mountain ranges.

In Kan Kone village, about 200 yards from the factory, soil samples in a recent study were found to contain unhealthy levels of sulfate, according to a well-known environmentalist. Local residents are also complaining of air pollution, saying that in addition to crop damage, their families have suffered from respiratory and other health problems.

Environmentalist Win Myo Thu led the study of soil samples with his NGO, Advancing Life and Regenerating Motherland (ALARM), whose members are trained in environmental assessment procedures and laboratory testing. He said six soil samples showed high sulfate levels.

"We began testing, both at our lab and the government's lab for agriculture and land use, in early November," he told The Irrawaddy.

He hopes to launch a more official health impact assessment in Kan Kone starting in January, with help from public health specialists.

"We need public health expertise, or expertise on respiratory illness," he said.

The Mo Gyo Sulfuric Acid Plant became operational in 2007 and is run by the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL), a Burmese military company that is backing the Letpadaung mining project along with China's Wanbao company and the Burma government.

Since the factory became operational, people in Kan Kone have reported an increase in lung, throat and other respiratory problems, as well as trachoma, an eye disease. Last year, amid heightened media attention over the Letpadaung mine, they began documenting the deaths that they believed could be connected to factory pollution.

In the village of about 3,800 people, 31 deaths from January to November this year were believed to be linked to pollution. That compares with 29 deaths last year.

Late last year, four children from Kan Kone who were suffering from cerebral palsy, vision loss and in one case a brain tumor underwent medical testing at Rangoon Children's Hospital, at the request of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who chaired a parliamentary inquiry committee looking into the Letpadaung mine project.

State-run media reported that medical testing revealed "no symptoms of exposure to acid."

In August this year, hundreds of residents protested against the factory, demanding that it be relocated farther from their village. The factory operates 24 hours a day and produces nearly all the sulfuric acid needed for the Sabae Taung and Kyay Sin Taung mining projects.

The post Near Letpadaung, Factory Pollution Raises Health Fears appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burma Spares No Expense for SEA Games Opening

Posted: 11 Dec 2013 09:57 PM PST

Myanmar, Burma, Southeast Asian Games, Naypyidaw, opening ceremony

The opening ceremony for the 27th Southeast Asian Games was held on Wednesday in Naypyidaw. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy)

NAYPYIDAW — Burma laid on a spare-no-expenses opening ceremony for the Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday, part of efforts by the government to convince the world it's open for business following a half-century of brutal military rule and isolation.

The four-hour extravaganza, complete with parades, fireworks, singers, dancers and a sound-and-light show, was held to loud cheers and bursts of applause in a packed 30,000-seat stadium.

It is one of nearly a dozen arenas built for the games in the surreal, remote capital of Naypyidaw, which was carved from the jungle by former leaders of the junta just a few years ago.

Some people traveled for days in hopes of getting tickets to the opening ceremony—held a full 11 days after the games got underway—but not everyone felt comfortable with the money and energy invested, especially on infrastructure.

The nation of 60 million remains one of the world's poorest, with only a tiny portion of the budget going to education or health.

"I'm proud we can hold these games, but it's hard to understand such a grand event," said Moe Zaw, a 33-year-old who lives hand-to-mouth in a dusty village a few kilometers from the stadium, as he prepared to drop a fishing line into a little creek.

Burma last hosted the SEA Games, the largest sporting event in the region, in 1969.

There has been little star power this time around, with all the premier badminton players at the Superseries Finals in Malaysia. Several countries decided to scale down their presence after the host scrapped sports like tennis and gymnastics in favor of traditional, cane-ball competitions like chinlone, and obscure martial arts forms like wushu, to boost its chances at winning golds.

The tactic appears to be working as Burma leads the medal table with 18 golds, trailed by 10 for Vietnam and six for Thailand.

For the country, an international pariah under successive dictatorships, the games are more about showing the world how much has changed since President Thein Sein installed a nominally civilian government two years ago.

As part of sweeping reforms, it has released thousands of political prisoners, including 44 on Wednesday, and freed up the media. With US and European sanctions largely lifted, multinationals like Coke and Unilever are slowly starting to test the waters.

Determined to make sure everything goes smoothly throughout the 22-day event, the government has tightened security, with police carrying automatic weapons lining multilane highways that crisscross the sprawling capital, and bomb-sniffing dogs being walked around venues.

To avoid the embarrassment of empty seating, thousands of students also have been bused in for the competitions, said Chit Win Maung, a sports commentator.

The turnout for Wednesday's official opening, however, appeared to be genuine.

"Well, I'm a little disappointed," said Pe Ray Mya, a 29-year-old who spent a full day driving from eastern Burma with her husband in hopes of attending, only to find out all the tickets had been snatched up.

"At this point," she added, shielding her eyes from the tropical sun as she looked at the long line in front of her, "I'll go to any of the competitions if I can get in."

Associated Press writer Aye Aye Win contributed from Rangoon.

The post Burma Spares No Expense for SEA Games Opening appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

In the Land of the Holy Cow, Fury Over Beef Exports

Posted: 11 Dec 2013 10:14 PM PST

India, Hinduism, beef industry, religion

A Sadhu or a Hindu holyman tends to a newborn calf at a goushala or a cow shelter in the old quarters of Delhi June 19, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

DELHI/MUMBAI — Symbols of India’s emergence as an economic powerhouse line the four-lane highway to Jaipur out of New Delhi: a factory owned by the world’s biggest motorbike maker, glass towers housing global call centers, shopping malls for India’s burgeoning middle class.

One night in August here, an angry mob ran amok, burning trucks and government property and forcing traffic to halt and factories to shut.

The rioters were incensed over an issue arguably as old as India itself: the eating of beef, which the country’s majority Hindus have considered sacrilegious for at least a thousand years.

Perhaps surprisingly in a country where so many people view cows as sacred, India could soon become the world’s biggest beef exporter, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Most, though not all, of the beef India exports is buffalo, an animal less venerated than the hump-backed indigenous Indian cow. But the trade, even in buffalo beef, still evokes revulsion among Hindu nationalists.

The sharpest criticism comes from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the main opposition in parliament. Its candidate for prime minister in next year’s elections, Narendra Modi, has slammed what he calls the government’s "pink revolution," (a play on the original agricultural or "green" revolution in India) and its "secret agenda … for export of beef."

India’s vegetarian traditions and the Hindu aversion to beef mean only 2.1 million tons of beef are consumed domestically a year. That compares with 11.5 million tons a year in the United States, which has just a quarter India’s population.

But exports of beef from India are likely to hit close to 1.8 million tons in 2013, second only to Brazil, according to an April forecast by the USDA. The value of India’s exports has nearly doubled from $1.9 billion in 2010/11 to $3.2 billion in 2012/13, according to the government’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). That’s about one percent of India’s $300 billion annual exports last financial year.

While beef is unlikely to emerge as a major issue ahead of next year’s election, Modi has made his opposition to the trade clear. In a blog on his website in 2012, he attacked the current government’s policies and called for a halt to the beef trade.

"Our ancient Indian ethos and values doesn’t (sic) teach us to kill mother cow … sadly, the (government) seems unbothered about this rich ethos of our culture. It wants to make India the biggest exporter of beef!" he wrote in August last year. "Our future generation is not getting sufficient milk and this government wants to kill cows that provide us a ‘ladder for life.’ I’m sure that you will contribute your might in stopping such an insane act."

Modi has not commented on the trade in recent months, perhaps because he is trying to downplay his Hindu nationalism ahead of national elections to be held by next May. The BJP has won sweeping victories in local state elections this month, sending the stock market to a record high on expectations Modi, widely seen to be more business-friendly than the current Congress Party-led government, will lead his party to power.

In India, the beef issue can even stir sectarian divisions. Beef production is dominated by Muslims, a minority in the country. Many Muslims mistrust the BJP and Modi, because he ran the state of Gujarat during anti-Muslim riots there in 2002. Modi denies any role in the riots or bias against Muslims.

This year’s unrest along the Delhi-Jaipur highway shows how quickly beef can stir anger. Passers-by reported a foul smell coming from a truck that had broken down; rumors spread that it was loaded with cow meat. Slogan-shouting youths swept through the town of Dharuhera, some 40 km (25 miles) from Delhi, ransacking the truck and tearing out its cargo of ice-covered meat. By the time police calmed the riot, 74 trucks and buses had been burned.

In the end, the cargo turned out to be buffalo meat, not cow. But Sailesh Soni, a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a powerful Hindu nationalist group that backs the BJP and wants stricter enforcement of a ban on cattle killing, said all Hindus should be ready to defend all cattle.

"If somebody targets my mother, what would I do? I will stand and save her, isn’t it? Likewise, you should get up, gather and save our mother cow," he said.

Mythology

In a cavern under the well-swept courtyard of a Hindu temple off the narrow streets of Old Delhi, a calf blinks as it takes in the world for the first time and nuzzles for its mother’s udder.

This is a goshala, a shelter for cows brought there by Hindus as thanks to the gods for good fortune, or simply pulled in off the streets where they wander, disrupting traffic and feeding on rubbish.

Hindus believe that Nandi, a bull, is the steed of powerful deity Lord Shiva, and that Lord Krishna was born as a cow-herd.

Many rural households in India, the world’s biggest producer of milk, own at least one cow or buffalo. Female buffaloes, in particular, are prized for their creamy milk, while the males are used for pulling carts and ploughs, and their dung keeps home fires burning in villages that have little or no access to power.

Statistically, there are enough cows and buffalo in India for every rural household to have about two. But once cows are past their productive life, owners will often simply turn them out, unwilling to spend on fodder for no return.

Buffaloes and cows are increasingly ending up in abattoirs mushrooming across the country, according to industry participants and officials Reuters spoke with. Buffalo makes up by far the bulk of India’s beef exports. Cow meat is banned from export, but animal rights groups say some finds its way abroad.

In all, India has half the buffaloes in the world, according to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and the largest number of cattle, with 327 million head, according to the USDA. The United States has around 89 million cattle.

Booming Beef Industry

Sitting in his airy ground-floor office in an abattoir about 8 km (5 miles) from the town of Aligarh in northern India, Mahendra Singh says business is booming. His production of buffalo meat has increased to 150 tons a day from 100-120 tons around a year ago.

His employer, Hind Agro industries Ltd, has sought the local government’s permission to lift its daily output limit to 250 tons to meet rising demand.

"Earlier there was only our plant but now there are more than five more units in this area alone," Singh, the plant’s General Manager, said.

One of the company’s leading suppliers is Salim Qureshi, who cuts an imposing figure dressed all in white as he strides between boot-polish-black buffalo at Gulaothi animal market.

Men greet him warmly, addressing him as Haji Salim in respect for his three pilgrimages to Mecca, and calling him over to see their animals.

Qureshi casts his eye over a large bull and weighs the beast by sight, judging it to be about 300 kg (660 lbs), worth as much as $650. The beast is skin and bone compared to American steers, which can weigh more than twice as much.

"I have around 100 suppliers working for me," Salim says as he settles the price. "There were just 30 animal suppliers a few years back but now every plant has around 30 to 40."

Striking deals conforms to a long-standing tradition among Muslim traders, and highlights the way the industry works on both trust and secrecy.

Standing slightly apart from the crowd, one supplier speaks in whispers to the owner of a hefty-looking buffalo. He puts a one-rupee piece into the other man’s palm as a token of good faith.

"I bought 70 heavyweight buffalo," says Mohammad Sheikh, one trader. "I hope I have estimated the weight correctly or I’ll make a big loss," he says, replacing his wallet in the pocket of his brown wool waistcoat.

Qureshi outlines plans for his own slaughter house as he offers snacks in the salon of his eye-catchingly colorful house outside Aligarh. The dates are as plump as the velvet cushions and the cashews are perfect crescents.

"This business is profitable," he says.

Is China Buying?

A dull thud announces the arrival of another black carcass on the conveyor belt and, 30 seconds later, a buffalo hangs from an overhead hook through its foreleg, swaying gently as it waits in line to be stripped to white, slippery flesh.

The abattoir's conveyor belt moves slowly, taking the body past a succession of men who each remove some part of the animal. Skin, hooves, ears, head; every bit is stripped from about 1,500 buffalo a day.

Hind Agro sells most of its meat to the Middle East and Southeast Asia, but the government says India’s biggest beef buyers are Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Egypt.

China, where beef consumption is growing rapidly, could soon be on the official customer list after the two countries signed a framework deal earlier this year.

China may already be buying huge amounts of Indian beef via Vietnam, according to industry experts who would speak only on condition of anonymity. According to Vietnam’s customs data, the country imports no buffalo meat from India.

Global demand for exports of buffalo – leaner and cheaper than cow meat – is growing at around 30 percent a year. The lack of growth hormones in Indian beef provides an additional attraction for health-conscious consumers, said M. Kalim Khan, vice-president of exports and marketing at Hind Agro.

India might not be able to increase supplies quickly enough to meet that demand given the lack of dedicated buffalo farms or rearing facilities. Analysts at Credit Suisse say about 10.5 million animals are likely to be slaughtered in India in the financial year 2013/14, but add that there’s a limit.

"It is hard to see this number rising much higher, as … of the 105 million buffaloes in 2007, only 20 million were males, and less than 2 million were females beyond reproductive age," they said in a research note.

High Stakes and Hijacks

The rapid expansion of the sector, rising prices and demand have encouraged cattle smuggling, animal activists and officials say.

"Abandoned animals are picked up from the streets for slaughter. No one is bothered because everyone, including the police, get their share from the agents," says Arvind Shah, a founder of Karuna, a charity for animal welfare in the city of Mumbai.

Shah, whose tall and thin physique has made him a well-known figure among residents near his tiny office, describes violent clashes between truck drivers and animal rights activists.

"Stopping trucks on highways in the middle of the night is a very risky business. I was chased by masked men and threatened," the 49-year-old activist says.

Activists get tip-offs from villagers and even rival suppliers about the route and timing of vehicles carrying meat or animals, and then they work out a strategy to stop them.

"We go in a group of 30 to 40 people and carry wooden sticks. Most of the time, we succeed in stopping the trucks and releasing the animals," says Brijesh Shah, a 34-year-old member of Jiv Rakshak Dal, which literally means animal protection group. "Sometimes … they attack us with iron rods and other sharp weapons."

The group has stopped 120 trucks since 2002 and saved around 8,000 animals, he says.

Truck drivers, for their part, have stories of beatings and robberies.

"We are fed up of paying bribes to policemen and getting beaten up by animal rights people and political party members," said Mohammad Gulfam, a driver at the Gulaothi market.

While government regulations on the transport of animals are strict, implementation is often weak and cattle are squeezed into trucks to cut costs. Animals often make the journey to the slaughter house without food or water and are sometimes left in the baking heat while drivers take their breaks.

Even beef producer Qureshi admits the rules are flouted. The law allows transport of only seven animals in a 22-foot-long vehicle. Suppliers load around 14 animals to save the transportation charges, he said. Most have their own trucks to transport animals.

Playing Politics

And there are dangers for beef traders even when they are operating legally.

"On my way to make a delivery at Hind Agro, our truck was stopped by about 15 people belonging to some political party," said Mohammad Yusaf, a driver waiting to load up at Gulaothi market. "They beat me and my co-worker and robbed us of 25,000 rupees ($408)," he added.

While Modi’s heartland of Gujarat, the western state where he is chief minister, is not on any of the main routes to ports, Qureshi no longer lets his trucks travel there even if it’s a shortcut for some deliveries.

"It’s the most troubled route. We face a lot of problems in Gujarat … The chief minister himself is against this trade," he said.

Gujarat’s BJP government says the state bans the slaughter of cows and transportation of beef but that buffalo meat is not banned. However, a Home Department official said local "cow protection committees" stop vehicles ferrying meat and pressure police to act. "They take legal action if the vehicles are found to be ferrying beef, but many times even genuine firms have to suffer," the official said.

After the outbreak of violence outside New Delhi, Muslim elders and clerics decided that preserving the peace was far more important than eating beef.

Anyone killing cows, including the ones left to stray, will now be fined 115,000 rupees, they announced. Since then, tensions have eased in the area, where Hindus and Muslims live side-by-side and chat in each other’s front yards.

"This wasn’t such a problem before, but some people are trying to create trouble between the communities," said Mohammad Shaikh, a young cleric at a local mosque. "We have told our people not to do anything provocative at this time."

The post In the Land of the Holy Cow, Fury Over Beef Exports appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

All Eyes on Thai Military as Protest Leader Calls for Meeting to Pick Sides

Posted: 11 Dec 2013 09:46 PM PST

Thailand, Yingluck, Suthep, Thaksin, military, protests

Protestors gathered near Bangkok's Democracy Monument. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy)

BANGKOK — Anti-government protesters in Thailand pinned their hopes on winning support from the powerful security forces on Thursday to take forward a campaign to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and install an unelected administration.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a firebrand veteran politician, has asked police and military chiefs to meet him by Thursday evening and choose their side in the latest crisis engulfing Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy.

The politically powerful army has staged or attempted 18 coups in the past 80 years—including the ousting of Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, in 2006—but it has said it does not want to get involved this time, although it may mediate.

The latest crisis in an eight-year, on and off, political conflict again centers on Thaksin, with protesters viewing Yingluck as her brother's puppet. Thaksin lives in self-imposed exile. He was convicted in absentia of graft in 2008 but he dismissed the charges as politically motivated.

Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon, courted rural voters to win back-to-back elections in 2001 and 2005 and gain an unassailable mandate that he used to advance the interests of major companies, including his own.

His opponents are Thailand's royalist elite and establishment who feel threatened by his rise. Trade unions and academics see him as a corrupt rights abuser, and the urban middle class resent, as they see it, their taxes being used as his political war chest.

Yingluck was forced on Monday to call an early election for Feb. 2, as 160,000 protesters massed around her office. But the protesters have rejected the ballot.

They want an unelected "people's council" to run the country and say Yingluck and her ministers should step down now. She is caretaker prime minister until the election.

"If a plane crashed with the whole cabinet in it and they all died, Thailand would still go on," protest leader Suthep told supporters late on Wednesday.

Thaksin's supporters have said they would weigh in to defend Yingluck if Suthep seemed poised to overthrow her. On Wednesday, pro-Thaksin leader Jatuporn Promphan promised to mobilize crowds that dwarfed the recent anti-government protests.

Thaksin's "red shirt" supporters brought central Bangkok to a halt for weeks in April and May 2010 in protests aimed at forcing then Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call early elections.

That protest was put down by the military. More than 90 people, mostly Thaksin supporters, died over the two months.

Abhisit and Suthep, who was a deputy prime minister in Abhisit's government, have been charged with murder related to those events. Suthep was in charge of a crisis control center that authorized "live fire" zones.

Formal proceedings start on Thursday and both men have been summoned to the criminal court. Suthep has said he won't go.

Suthep's campaign to oust Yingluck has been strong on rhetoric but failed to stop the government from functioning.

Missed deadlines for Yingluck to resign have become the norm for a protest movement that has openly courted anarchy on Bangkok streets in the hope of inducing a military coup or judicial intervention that, as in the past, might disband Thaksin-allied parties or ban their leaders from politics.

Suthep's statements have been bewildering at times. He has told police to arrest Yingluck for treason, ordered civil servants and security forces to report to him and not the government, and has called for citizen "peacekeeping forces" to take over from police.

The post All Eyes on Thai Military as Protest Leader Calls for Meeting to Pick Sides appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Amnesty Probe Finds Australia Breaches Asylum Laws

Posted: 11 Dec 2013 09:38 PM PST

Australia, asylum, boat people, Rohingya, United Nations, Amnesty International

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, pictured during his election campaign, won power in September partly on the back of a tough stance on asylum seekers. (Photo: Reuters)

SYDNEY — Rights group Amnesty International has urged Australia to review its asylum seeker policies and end offshore detention after finding "debilitating and humiliating conditions" at processing centers that breach obligations under international law.

A steady flow of refugee boats is a hot political issue in Australia, polarizing voters. Prime Minister Tony Abbott's conservative Liberal-led coalition won power in September partly on the back of a tough campaign against asylum seekers.

In its report, Amnesty said 1,100 male asylum seekers now detained on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea were living in squalid "prison-like" conditions, where one compound was reported to violate the UN Convention Against Torture.

Compounds on the island are known to be overcrowded with small fans shared among more than 100 men in an environment of stifling heat and overwhelming stench, Amnesty said.

"This system of harsh conditions and humiliating treatment is a deliberate effort to pressure people to return to the desperate situations they have fled from," Claire Mallinson, director of Amnesty in Australia, said in a statement.

"The policy of offshore processing is here to stay," Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, who heads the combined asylum seeker task force known as Operation Sovereign Borders, told Reuters in an email response on Wednesday.

"To walk away from offshore processing would be reckless and irresponsible."

He added, "Where practical, suggestions raised to improve the operations of our offshore processing centers will be given proper consideration."

The UN refugee agency, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, last year identified a global total of 10.5 million refugees, compared to just over 30,000 settled in Australia, putting the country's share at 0.29 percent, and ranking it at 49 among the countries that host refugees.

Pakistan hosted the largest number, with 1.6 million, and Iran, with 868,000 people.

Amnesty said asylum seekers at Manus were forced to line up for several hours a day for meals and had no access to adequate medical facilities for mental illness and health conditions.

The majority of those held on Manus have fled from war-torn areas, including Afghanistan, Darfur, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, as well as Rohingyas from Burma and Bidun from the Gulf region, who have fled from ethnic persecution.

The report follows an inspection by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees that found conditions on Manus and at another centre on the Republic of Nauru in the South Pacific fell short of international standards.

They "do not provide a fair and efficient system for assessing refugee claims provide safe and humane conditions of treatment in detention," that report concluded.

The post Amnesty Probe Finds Australia Breaches Asylum Laws appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)