The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Nationalist Monks Call NGOs ‘Traitors’ for Opposing Interfaith Marriage
• Hundreds Welcome KIA Ahead of Peace Talks
• Newly Displaced in Northern Burma Lack Shelter as Rainy Season Begins
• Singaporean PM Tours Naypyidaw
• Burma’s ‘School on a Bus’ Project Gets a New Lift
• Burma Benefits From Asean Chairmanship: Official
• Wa Official Dispels Claim of Wa State ‘Crimea Style’ Secession
• Burmese Govt Reviews Citizenship Applications for Former Exiles
• Burmese Translation of Vaclav Havel’s Children Book to Launch This Week
• China Acting Dangerously in Sea Dispute Vietnam Tells ASEAN Summit
• Thailand Warns People to Stay Away From Protests
• Chinese Elite Push for Release of Jailed Nobel Laureate
• Steering ASEAN Through Treacherous Waters

Nationalist Monks Call NGOs ‘Traitors’ for Opposing Interfaith Marriage Posted: 12 May 2014 05:42 AM PDT Nationalist monk U Wirathu held a rally on Sunday in Rangoon's North Okkala Township to garner support for his interfaith marriage bill. (Facebook / Wirathu) A nationalist Buddhist monk movement has called Burmese civil society groups "traitors" because they object to the interfaith marriage bill that the monks have put forth. The group of monks, also known as the 969 movement or the Association of Protection of Race and Religion (Mabatha), issued a statement on Friday saying that "those activists objecting to the bill are traitors on national affairs." The Mandalay-based radical movement said they "condemn those critics, who are backed by foreign groups, for raising the human rights issues and not [working for] the benefit of the public and not [being] loyal to the state.” In recent months, the 969 movement and its public figurehead U Wirathu have hired lawyers to draft a bill that, if enacted, would require Buddhist women to get permission from parents and government officials before marrying a man from another faith. The bill also calls for non-Buddhist men to convert to Buddhism before marrying Buddhist women. Other sections of the bill would ban polygamy and include unspecified restrictions enforcing family planning measures. U Wirathu has repeatedly stated that Burma's Muslim minority—which represent around 5 percent of the country's approximately 55 million people—is a threat to Buddhism. He told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the bill would "protect women" from Muslim men and "is not violate the rights of women." He added that he expected the bill to be released publicly in early June. The bill is being proposed at a time of heightened inter-religious tensions in Burma. Recurrent outburst of anti-Muslim violence in Arakan State and dozens of cities in Burma have left scores dead and tens of thousands, mostly Muslims, displaced since 2012. The radical 969 movement stands accused of fanning hate speech against Muslims and has called for Buddhists to shun Muslim-owned shops. The movement claims to have collected 4 million signatures in a petition campaign in support of the bill in recent months. Neither government leaders nor lawmakers have dared to oppose the political initiative of the Buddhist clergymen, who are deeply revered in Burma. In March, the monk's draft was accepted for consideration by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Attorney-General's Office, which are preparing the bill for a vote in Parliament. Burmese civil society groups have grown increasingly concerned about the interfaith marriage bill, also known as the Law on Protection Race and Religion, which would violate basic international human rights standards. Spearheaded by women's rights activists, some 130 NGOs signed a statement last week condemning the bill and faith-based political activities and argued that these "events and ideas [are] designed to distract the public before the 2015 election." Aung Myo Min, director of Equality Myanmar, dismissed the 969 movement's attack on civil society groups. "We are not the traitors to our race or religion," he said. "We are raising our concerns about some of the worst impacts of the Protection of Race and Religion bill." Sein Sein Shwe Latt, a spokesperson of women's rights group Phan Tee Eain, said civil society groups would send a letter to President Thein Sein requesting a meeting in which they would share their concerns and offer recommendations regarding the interfaith marriage bill. "The idea is to meet with the president, as well as with leading monks, the respective authorities and the legislators, and to share our suggestions," she said. May Sabae Phyu, a coordinator of Gender Equality Network said, the bill needs to be stopped because "it hinders the public's and especially women's rights to make a decision on their marriage and [affects] their rights to religious freedom too." May Sabae Phy condemned the government's participation in drafting a bill that would violate the most fundamental human rights if enacted. "It is a very shameful action if we look at in terms of human rights or international standards," she said. May Sabae Phy dismissed claims by the monks that they were improving the protection of women's rights, adding, "By drafting this bill it seems Burmese society is going back to old conservative ages." Additional reporting by Nang Sai Nom. The post Nationalist Monks Call NGOs 'Traitors' for Opposing Interfaith Marriage appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Hundreds Welcome KIA Ahead of Peace Talks Posted: 12 May 2014 05:12 AM PDT Supporters of the Kachin Independence Army gather in Myitkyina on Monday ahead of peace talks. (Photo: Lawi Weng / The Irrawaddy) MYITKYINA, Kachin State — A 71-year-old ethnic Kachin woman closes her eyes and prays amid a crowd of hundreds of people, all gathered to welcome rebel leaders from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). "I came here just to pray for our leaders. We want them to have peace," says Karmg Mam, who traveled all the way from northern Shan State to the Kachin State capital Myitkyina, where a KIA delegation is preparing to meet with government peace negotiators, amid ongoing fighting. "We want our people to have peace," she adds, adding that the reasons for the clashes are irrelevant—she simply wants them to end. "I don't know about the politics." Hundreds of ethnic Kachin gathered on Monday in front of Kachin National Manau Park, shouting slogans of support for the KIA and its political wing, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). "The KIA and KIO are in our hearts, they are our hearts!" the crowd cheered as KIA deputy chief Gun Maw arrived at about 3 pm, riding in a convoy of vehicles that had traveled from the KIA headquarters near Laiza. Two days of talks will begin on Tuesday. The KIO delegation will be led by Sumlut Gam, while the government's team will be led by Minister Aung Min from the President's Office. The meeting was requested by the Kachin rebels amid an escalation of hostilities in Kachin State and northern Shan State. Fighting in April displaced thousands of civilians and killed more than 22 government and Kachin soldiers. The fighting continues as Burma's government says it is moving closer toward a nationwide ceasefire accord with all armed groups. The government has already signed bilateral ceasefire deals with most major ethnic armed groups—with the exception of the KIA and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), based in northern Shan State. "There is fighting in our Kachin State. Our people are under attack," said a 72-year-old Kachin woman who asked to remain anonymous. "We want to have peace. I came here to pray for our leaders." Many in the crowd on Monday wore shirts decorated with the KIA flag. Some waved flags in their hands as a sign of welcome as the rebel leaders drove into town. For part of the day, a main road was blocked due to the gathering of people in front of the park, where the peace talks will be held. "The fighting is not fair. They only attack our Kachin," said Zin War Naw, a Kachin youth leader who organized the welcome event. He said he wanted the government to recognize the Panglong Agreement, a deal reached in 1947 that gave ethnic minorities a considerable degree of political autonomy. "We don't want independence for our Kachin. There is the Panglong Agreement—we want that to be followed," he said. The post Hundreds Welcome KIA Ahead of Peace Talks appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Newly Displaced in Northern Burma Lack Shelter as Rainy Season Begins Posted: 12 May 2014 04:36 AM PDT A makeshift camp for internally displaced persons, in the grounds of a church in Muse, northern Shan State, was flooded by rains last week. (Photo: Namhkai Hka / Facebook) RANGOON — Thousands of people displaced by recent fighting in Kachin and Shan states are facing the prospect of months of heavy rains in unsuitable tents, aid workers said. Fighting in northern Burma broke out once again in April, with clashes sending thousands more civilians into camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs). More people fled fighting in both Kachin State and northern Shan State, where an estimated 100,000 were already living in camps after being displaced by fighting since 2011. The newly displaced are largely staying in the temporary white tents provided by the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, which are unsuitable for heavy rains. "As the rain has come in the past one or two days, water comes into the tents. They have to throw the water out. They are facing difficulties," said Mary Tawn, head of the humanitarian NGO Wunpawng Ningtoi (WPN), based in Mai Ja Yang. Phyu Ei Thein, an aid worker for White Holding Hands volunteer group, who recently visited newly displaced people in Man Win Gyi village, said they have been provided with some rations of rice and dried fish. But the IDPs' next food delivery was not guaranteed, as the rations provided by UN agencies and international NGOs like Save the Children, were only enough to properly feed those already displaced before the recent fighting, she said. According to Karuna Myanmar Social Services, a Kachin NGO, about 3,000 newly displaced people have been added to 3,300 existing IDPs in Man Win Gyi village, an area under Burma Army control. Man Win Gyi village has a Roman Catholic (RC) camp and a Kachin Baptist Convention camp, but since no additional shelter has been arrived, many of the newly displaced are staying at a makeshift camp in a boarding school. "Those currently living at the boarding school will have to move when school starts [at the end of May] and the shelter will be an urgent need for them," Phyu Ei Thein said. "The tents provided by UNHCR are not livable anymore when the rain comes. But there is no budget to built shelters yet." The nearby Lagat Yang Camp on the border of Kachin and Shan states, which used to house about 800 IDPs, now stands empty. Since the recent fighting, the Burma Army has been based nearby the camp, in an area formerly controlled by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). Burmese soldiers had reported detained and questioned people from the camp. "They have moved over to Man Win Gyi RC camp after three [soldiers with] heavy weapons came in to the camp," Phyu Ei Thein said. "People seem to be quite scared even to talk about what happened to them as the Burmese army is occupying the area." Phyu Ei Thein said that according to one displaced woman now in the RC camp, her son was shot by the Burma Army because he was suspected of sending rations to the KIA. The woman reported that the bureau chief of Battalion 99 came to the camp and gave her US$100 in compensation for her son's wife and $15 each for his two children. "The mother asked what should they do with $100—her son's life is invaluable," she said. WPN's Mary Tawn said that it was not just the newly displaced people who will face difficulties in the wet season. "As all refugee camps are in their third year, the plywood [of the shelters] is not fit anymore after three years of rain," Mary Tawn said. "Renovation is needed, but we face trouble in doing so as we don't have funding ready." In Bum Tsit Pa Camp No.2, 1,000 IDPs are living in UNHCR tents, she said. Many have moved to the camp after fighting broke out near their previous place of shelter, Nam Lin Pa camp. Khon Ja, an activist from the Kachin Peace Network, said more than 900 people were also newly displaced in Muse, on the border between northern Shan State and China, and living in tents. The post Newly Displaced in Northern Burma Lack Shelter as Rainy Season Begins appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Singaporean PM Tours Naypyidaw Posted: 12 May 2014 04:17 AM PDT Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, left, talks with Burma's President Thein Sein during a break in Asean meetings over the weekend. (Photo: Lee Hsien Loong / Facebook) RANGOON — During a weekend of tense discussions in Naypyidaw, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong took a break from the 24th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to tour some areas around the Burmese capital. The prime minister described for his Facebook followers what he saw. "Took a drive around, including to the older nearby town of Pyinmana, which has a population of 100,000 (about the same size as Toa Payoh)," he wrote in a post on the social media site on Sunday, referring to a Singaporean district. Of the Burmese town, he wrote, "The streets were lined with shophouses, and thronged with people. It looked and felt like Singapore or Penang in the 1950s and 1960s, except that many of the residents were taking pictures of us with smartphones!" Pyinmana, located about 2 kilometers from Naypyidaw, is a logging town and sugar cane refinery center which was formerly a base for the Burmese army during World War II. Lee Hsien Loong was in Naypyidaw on Saturday and Sunday for the Asean summit, which Burma is hosting for the first time. He was accompanied by other Singaporean senior government officials, including Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang, and Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam. During the summit, the 10-member regional bloc agreed to issue a joint statement calling for restraint over escalating disputes in the South China Sea. The post Singaporean PM Tours Naypyidaw appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burma’s ‘School on a Bus’ Project Gets a New Lift Posted: 12 May 2014 04:11 AM PDT Students gather in front of a bus that has been turned into a mobile classroom in Rangoon on Sunday. (Photo: MyMe / Facebook) RANGOON — Since late last year, over 100 Burmese children who left school to work at teashops in Rangoon have been able to resume their studies in a rather unique location: inside a bus that has been converted to a mobile classroom. The so-called "school on a bus" project—launched in December by the Myanmar Mobile Education Project (MyMe)—drives around to different teashops in Burma's biggest city, offering an opportunity after working hours for the children to pursue a non-formal education, including with classes in basic literacy, math, computer schools and critical thinking. To expand the project, a well-wisher recently donated a second bus turned mobile classroom. "We will use this bus for high school students, and we will teach computer literacy to other students at monastic schools who have no access to technology," said Tim Aye Hardy, director of the project, during a launching ceremony on Sunday for the second bus, which was donated by the family of Myoma U Ba Lwin, a national education leader who founded a high school in Rangoon. MyMe currently has 11 teachers and volunteers who reach out to nearly 150 students through their mobile classroom project. The post Burma's 'School on a Bus' Project Gets a New Lift appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burma Benefits From Asean Chairmanship: Official Posted: 12 May 2014 03:35 AM PDT Aung Htoo, deputy director general of the Asean affairs department in Burma's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, talks to reporters at the Asean Summit in Naypyidaw. (Photo: Kyaw Hsu Mon / The Irrawaddy) NAYPYIDAW — During this weekend's 24th Asean Summit the hot topic was the South China Sea, where tensions have been raised in regional states' territorial disputes with China. Also on the agenda for the leaders of the 10 Asean countries was the plan for regional economic integration, an ambitious project known as the Asean Economic Community, which will come into force next year. The Irrawaddy's Kyaw Hsu Mon met with Aung Htoo, deputy director general of the Asean affairs department in Burma's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss the challenges posed by Burma's first chairmanship of Asean. Question: What difficulties and challenges have the South China Sea disputes created for Burma as Asean chair? Answer: As Asean chairman, we are standing with the member countries. But the issue is we have to consider both parties—China and the two Asean countries, Vietnam and the Philippines. At the same time, we're following the Asean rules, so we're standing in between these two parties. It's difficult. Q: Some foreign leaders did not appear to be paying close attention, perhaps being disrespectful to Burma as Asean chair. Do you agree? A: It's not like that. There is very good involvement from member countries. Even though we had a tough situation to negotiate with them for the Naypyidaw Declaration, they agreed despite those difficulties. The leaders always said that they support Burma. Q: Although the president talks a lot about integration, and Asean presents itself as harmonious, many believe there is discord between the members. Is that the case? A: The president wants more integration between Asean members in the future, and expects the upcoming 2015 Asean Economic Community to be stronger. Also, beyond 2015, there should be more unity between member countries, that's why he frequently talks about that. You can see in the joint statement on the South China Sea disputes, we brought all the foreign ministers' desires together and came up with an agreement. Q: What benefits, politically and economically, has Burma got from being the chair of Asean? A: Burma has received more confidence from among the Asean countries during this chairmanship period. Mutual trust is quite important. Beyond building trust, a lot of foreign direct investment will flow into the country. A very significant benefit is that after the country has reformed, the number of international visitors has been significantly increasing. There were no more than 300,000 visitors per year before 2011, now it will reach more than 2 million this year. Foreign direct investment in other sectors is also increasing annually. Early this year, when Asean foreign ministers met in Bagan, they all learned that Burma has a very long history and a developed culture. We are getting all the benefits from hosting Asean here. Q: Will Timor-Leste [East Timor] become a member of Asean soon? A: There is a negotiation committee to accept the Timor-Leste to become a member state. There are officials from the political, economic and social sectors who are now doing comprehensive studies on the country's acceptance. Leaders agreed last January to accept Timor-Leste as a member state at the end of this year. They will invite officials from Timor-Leste to attend Asean process meetings. The post Burma Benefits From Asean Chairmanship: Official appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Wa Official Dispels Claim of Wa State ‘Crimea Style’ Secession Posted: 12 May 2014 02:01 AM PDT Wa soldiers stand at ease in this undated photo. (Photo: Facebook / Wa State UWSP) A leader of the United Wa State Party (UWSP) has said the Wa-controlled areas in Shan State will under no circumstances seek a 'Crimea-style' secession from Burma with the support of China. "Some wonder if something bad happens between China and Burma, Wa State will become a problem like Crimea. [But] they are just speculating as they wish," said Aung Myint, secretary of the UWSP, the political wing of the powerful United Wa State Army (UWSA). The Crimea region broke away from Ukraine and its predominantly Russian population joined Russia after a referendum in April that was condemned as flawed by Western nations. "Those who understand history know there is no problem. Those who don't would try to instigate problems and people might protests against [secession] because they don't know the history," he told The Irrawaddy by phone. "Since we left the Communist Party of Burma 25 years ago, we released statements saying that the Wa people will never secede from Burma. We still maintain this position," Aung Myint said. "We are asking for autonomy as Wa region is our land. It has nothing to do with secession." Since the collapse of a China-backed communist insurgency in northern Burma in 1989, leaders of the ethnic Wa, who comprised most of the foot soldiers, took over from the Burmese community party leaders. Shortly afterward, the then military junta in Burma signed an agreement with the Wa granting them autonomy in Special Region 2 in northern Shan State on the border with China. The group formed the UWSA and maintained their close links with China, while their border region became culturally and economically interlocked with Yunnan Province. These days, the Wa state region uses Chinese currency, Chinese mobile phone network and Chinese goods, and many inhabitants speak Chinese. Some UWSA leaders are believed to be ethnic Chinese. Burma's government only recognizes six townships in Special Region 2 as autonomous Wa area. The UWSA wants to create a separate Wa State in Burma and wants government recognition of nearly 20 townships under its control. Since President Thein Sein's reformist government came to power Burma's relations with China have cooled significantly. Some observers have said China has supplied weapons to the Wa in order to maintain pressure on Naypyidaw. When Crimea's secession was making international headlines, some Burmese outlets wrote that is was not unlikely for Wa State to join China in a similar fashion. Some observers have argued recently that the Burma Army could be preparing for an assault on the UWSA, to be carried out before the 2015 elections. The UWSA has grown into a heavily-armed insurgent force funded by first by opium drug trade and later methamphetamine production, mostly trafficked to Thailand and China. The UWSA signed a new ceasefire with Naypyidaw in 2011, but the group are not participating in the ongoing nationwide ceasefire talks between the government and 16 ethnic armed groups. Wa fighters are believed to number between 20,000 and 30,000, and have reportedly received Chinese heavy weaponry such as armored personnel carriers, surface-to-air missiles and even helicopters—a claim the Wa have denied. The post Wa Official Dispels Claim of Wa State 'Crimea Style' Secession appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burmese Govt Reviews Citizenship Applications for Former Exiles Posted: 12 May 2014 01:30 AM PDT Khin Yi, the minister of immigration and population, speaks at a press conference in Rangoon last Wednesday. (Photo: May Kha / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Burmese government is now reviewing citizenship applications for people who left the country for various reasons under the former military regime, according to the minister of immigration and population. Khin Yi said three ministries were involved in the screening process and were forwarding applications to the President's Office, which would make a decision for each applicant. "But the whole process does not end there. There are still more steps to be done," he said at a press conference in Rangoon last Wednesday. Dual citizenship is not allowed in Burma, according to the 1982 Citizenship Law, so applicants will be required to give up their foreign citizenship, the minister said. He added that anyone who committed a crime before leaving Burma would not be eligible. The process of verifying this information will take some time, ministry officials told The Irrawaddy. In the years after the failed 1988 uprising, tens of thousands of Burmese people fled the country. Many were dissidents, while others went abroad for social reasons or to pursue an education. After President Thein Sein came to office in 2011, ushering in a series of political reforms, many exiled elites, including technocrats and journalists, returned home. In 2012, some famous political activists returned after the quasi-civilian government removed their names from a blacklist. A large number of the former exiles had applied for foreign citizenship while living abroad, effectively losing their Burmese citizenship. When they moved back to Burma under Thein Sein's government, they were required to apply for visas, like foreign visitors. Maung Maung Than, director-general of Burma's Immigration Department, said 138 citizenship applications have been received thus far. Of these, the President's Office has endorsed 43 applications and is continuing to review another 22. The ministries of immigration and population, foreign affairs and home affairs are reviewing the remaining cases. One applicant, Moe Thee Zun, criticized some of the application requirements. "They demand in the application that we stay clear of political activities—not only us, but also our parents. I don't understand this," he told The Irrawaddy. "I joined political activities just because of their oppression," he said, referring to his activism against the former junta. However, Maung Maung Than from the Ministry of Immigration and Population said the government would not discriminate against applicants with a history of political involvement. "There are some misunderstandings," he said. "We are not asking the applicants about their political background. But we ask whether or not they have a criminal record. We do not discriminate based on political background." Khin Ohnmar, chairwoman of the Network for Democracy and Development, a Burmese political organization based on the Thai-Burma border, said it would be important for the government to be as receptive to citizenship applications as possible. "There are many learned professionals among Burmese people living abroad," she said. "The government must be transparent in its policy for reaccepting the exiles and allowing them to return decently." 'They need to declare a general amnesty,' she added. "It is hard for us to return because they have not done so." The post Burmese Govt Reviews Citizenship Applications for Former Exiles appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burmese Translation of Vaclav Havel’s Children Book to Launch This Week Posted: 11 May 2014 10:25 PM PDT Václav Havel photographed in Prague in 2009 at a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. (Photo: The Associated Press) RANGOON — A Burmese translation of a children's book written by former Czech president and playwright Václav Havel will be launched in Rangoon this week. The translation of "The Pizh'duks," which is the only children's book ever written by Havel, will include illustrations by Burmese dissident leader Min Ko Naing, according to the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Rangoon, which has organized the launching ceremony. Min Ko Naing will read passages from the book at the ceremony, to be held at Gallery 65 on Wednesday from 5-7 pm. Havel, a supporter of the Burmese pro-democracy movement, was the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first president of the Czech Republic from 1993-2003. He wrote more than 20 plays and numerous works of non-fiction, but only one children's book. "The The Pizh'duks," written in 1975, is a fairy tale through which he attempts to show the absurdities of the then-ruling communist regime. "Dear children, I don't usually write for children, and that is why I don't know if this tale of mine about the Pizh'duks is going to make sense to you, and if you are going to like it," wrote the former Czech president, who died in 2011. "If not, don't throw it away—wait and see how it is when you are older!" The children's book is the second piece of work by Havel to be translated to Burmese, after "The Power of the Powerless," a political essay written in 1978, according to the Embassy of the Czech Republic. The post Burmese Translation of Vaclav Havel's Children Book to Launch This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

China Acting Dangerously in Sea Dispute Vietnam Tells ASEAN Summit Posted: 11 May 2014 10:15 PM PDT President Thein Sein during his opening address at the Asean meeting in Naypyidaw on Saturday evening. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Vietnam’s prime minister told Southeast Asian leaders on Sunday that China was slandering his country and committing dangerous violations in disputed waters, but the 10-nation Asean group refrained from criticizing Beijing in a summit communique. Tensions rose in the resource-rich South China Sea last week after China positioned a giant oil rig in an area also claimed by Vietnam. Each country accused the other of ramming its ships near the disputed Paracel Islands. Hundreds of Vietnamese rallied in the country’s biggest cities on Sunday to denounce China, in rare protests that looked likely to prolong the tense stand-off. Speaking to fellow leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) at a summit in Burma, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said Vietnam had acted with "utmost restraint" and used all means of dialogue to request China remove the rig. "But until now, China not only hasn’t responded to Vietnam’s rightful request but also slandered and blamed Vietnam while increasing their violations, which are becoming more dangerous and serious," he said, in his strongest comments yet on the crisis. China has accused Vietnam of intentionally colliding with its ships in the South China Sea, after Vietnam asserted that Chinese vessels used water cannon and rammed eight of its vessels at the weekend near an oil rig. Asean, a loose grouping that relies on unanimous consensus to reach decisions, faced a test of unity at the summit as some members expressed alarm over China’s growing assertiveness and pushed for a strong statement. The group’s foreign ministers voiced "serious concerns" on Saturday over the naval clashes between Vietnam and China and its top official urged Beijing to step up efforts to advance talks on maritime security. Asean, however, appeared unwilling to risk antagonizing China, which exerts huge political and economic influence over much of the region. Neither Burma's President Thein Sein’s opening speech nor the final statement of the summit on Sunday touched on the China-Vietnam dispute. Dung urged Asean and other nations to "support the legal and legitimate requirements of Vietnam." China’s foreign ministry, in a statement late on Saturday, said the issue was not "a problem between China and Asean" and that it opposed certain member states trying to use it to sow discord. That was an apparent reference to Vietnam and the Philippines, two of the most vocal countries on the South China Sea dispute. "The Chinese side is always opposed to certain countries’ attempts to use the South Sea issue to harm the overall friendship and cooperation between China and the Asean," it said. China was ready to work with Asean to continue implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, a statement that was agreed in 2002 to try to manage tensions in the seas, the ministry added. China has begun official talks with Asean to establish maritime conduct rules for the South China Sea, but argues that territorial disputes should be discussed on a bilateral basis. It claims the entire South China Sea, putting it in conflict with Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. The last four are Asean members. The post China Acting Dangerously in Sea Dispute Vietnam Tells ASEAN Summit appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Thailand Warns People to Stay Away From Protests Posted: 11 May 2014 10:10 PM PDT An anti-government protester jumps and kicks a metal barrier blocking the entrance of a police compound housing a government security group as protesters gather outside demanding an apology from the police for firing teargas on demonstrators on Friday, in the north of Bangkok May 10, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) BANGKOK — Thailand's caretaker government said Sunday that it would tighten security to prevent clashes that could arise between the two sides in an escalating political crisis, and warned people to stay away from protest sites for their own safety. The announcement was broadcast on television as pro-government and anti-government protesters held competing rallies in Bangkok over the weekend. The two groups were several kilometers apart, but concerns of violence have risen following a court's ouster of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra last week. Senior security official Tharit Pengdit warned that if the anti-government movement carries out an attempt to appoint an unelected prime minister, it would ignite anger from government supporters that "could definitely spread to clashes and could eventually lead to a civil war." The comment echoed one made a day earlier by the head of the pro-government Red Shirt movement. "It is therefore necessary for CAPO to escalate law enforcement to a stricter level, to solve problems that will arise in the near future," said Tharit, an executive for the government's security Center of Administration for Peace and Order. "We are asking people to stay away from the protesters and … to avoid the protest sites for their own safety." He did not specify how or where security would be tightened. Two people were injured late Saturday when unknown assailants fired two grenades at Government House, the prime minister's office compound, where anti-government protesters were camped, said police Col. Kamthorn Auicharoen. Officials vacated the compound months ago due to the protests launched against Yingluck in November. It was the latest in a series of grenade attacks and drive-by shootings that have left hundreds of people injured since Thailand's political crisis escalated in November. Both sides accuse the other of orchestrating the violence. Anti-government protesters were emboldened by the Constitutional Court's ruling Wednesday to dismiss Yingluck for nepotism, accomplishing what months of anti-government protests supported by the urban elite and royalists have failed to achieve. On Friday, the protesters ramped up their efforts to bring down what remains of Yingluck's administration by laying siege to television stations, surrounding state offices and demanding lawmakers help them install a non-elected prime minister to rule the country. Yingluck's Cabinet has named deputy premier Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan as acting prime minister, but the leader of the anti-government protest movement, Suthep Thaugsuban, said Saturday that Niwattumrong "doesn't hold the authority and status to be the head of the government." Suthep has asked the Senate to "quickly consult the presidents of the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Administrative Court and the Election Commission to work to appoint the new prime minister immediately." The Senate said it would hold an informal meeting Monday to discuss the crisis. The anti-government protesters called Friday for a "final push" to oust the entire Cabinet and set up an unelected "people's council" that they say would implement still-undefined reforms to combat corruption and fight money politics. They oppose elections scheduled for July, which the current ruling party would likely win. Thailand's long-running political crisis began in 2006 when Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled by a military coup after being accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Thaksin, a former telecommunications billionaire, remains highly popular among the rural poor in Thailand's north and northeast, and parties controlled by him have won every national election since 2001. The anti-government protesters, aligned with the opposition Democrat Party, say they want to remove all traces of his political machine from politics. Associated Press writer Jocelyn Gecker contributed to this report. The post Thailand Warns People to Stay Away From Protests appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Chinese Elite Push for Release of Jailed Nobel Laureate Posted: 11 May 2014 10:06 PM PDT A quite campaign is urging the Communist Party leadership to release Liu Xiaobo on parole to improve the country's international image. (Photo: Reuters) BEIJING — A group of "princelings," children of China's political elite, has quietly urged the Communist Party leadership to release jailed Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo on parole to improve the country's international image, two sources said. Liu's release is not high on the agenda of the party, which is trying to push through painful economic, judicial and military reforms amid the most extensive crackdown on corruption in over six decades, the sources with ties to the leadership said, requesting anonymity. But the back channel push for Liu's parole shows that a debate is taking place among leaders about damage to China's reputation caused by his jailing. It also suggests the ruling elite are not monolithic when it comes to views on dissent. Liu, 58, a veteran dissident involved in the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests crushed by the army, was jailed for 11 years in 2009 on subversion charges for organizing a petition urging an end to one-party rule. He won the Nobel Peace Prize the following year. "For many princelings, the pros of freeing Liu Xiaobo outweigh the cons," one of the sources said. "Liu Xiaobo will definitely be freed early. The question is when." He is eligible for parole after serving half his term. The sources declined to say how big the group of princelings was, but said most were second- or third-generation born in the 1960s or 1970s and some were close to President Xi Jinping. "The biggest worry is hostile forces using Liu Xiaobo once he is freed," the second source told Reuters. Asked how the message was relayed to the leadership, the source said: "We have our channels … the topic has come up many times during our gatherings." The sources declined to identify the princelings or say if they had written or spoken to Xi or went through his aides or family members. The Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Justice and State Council Information Office did not respond to faxed requests for comment. Liu's wife, Liu Xia, has been put under effective house arrest since shortly after her husband won the Nobel prize, ostensibly to prevent her from talking to the media, and could not be reached. Liu Xia was admitted to hospital in February after police refused to let her seek medical help abroad. Liu Xiaobo is considered a moderate dissident, but the Communist Party is obsessed by anyone or anything it perceives as a threat to social stability. Critics say Chinese leaders are insecure about what they feel are Western efforts to undermine one-party rule by pushing democratization. President Xi, despite being the son of a reform-minded former vice premier, has shown no sign of wanting to loosen the political system. He said in Belgium last month that China had experimented with multi-party democracy and that it did not work. China's human rights record has been a thorn in its side since the army crackdown on student-led demonstrations for democracy centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989, which attracts endless opprobrium abroad. Suppression of Expression The government has stepped up pressure on the rights community ahead of the 25th anniversary of the crackdown, detaining several leading dissidents and activists, including lawyer Pu Zhiqiang and journalist Gao Yu. Xi's administration has also clamped down on Internet critics and tightened curbs on journalists in what rights groups call the worst suppression of free expression in recent years. Yet the purge of retired domestic security tsar Zhou Yongkang could be conducive to Liu's release, the sources said. Zhou is under virtual house arrest and under investigation for corruption. He had little sympathy for dissidents and during his five-year watch government spending on domestic security eclipsed the defense budget. "Zhou Yongkang had recommended imprisoning Liu Xiaobo," the second source said, adding that this could be an opportunity to undo Zhou's deeds. "But even if Liu Xiaobo is freed, the government will not [politically] rehabilitate June 4 soon," the source said, referring to the Tiananmen crackdown. Liu's lawyer, Mo Shaoping, said that any decision on releasing Liu would be political, not legal. Maya Wang, Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch, said there have been sustained efforts from within China to get Liu released, but that she was not optimistic. "According to Chinese law he would have to admit guilt first. Since he didn't, the likelihood of that happening is rather low," Wang said. Despite Beijing's crackdown on dissent, there have been nuanced changes to China's policy towards the 1989 protests. Taiwanese song writer Hou Dejian, who defected to China in 1983 and was deported seven years later for staging a hunger strike with Liu and two others in support of student protesters on the eve of the Tiananmen crackdown, set foot in China in 2006 for the first time in 16 years. Hou's return and the recent release from detention of two outspoken bloggers—Xue Manzi and Wang Gongquan—have raised hopes the government may show leniency towards Liu. In another sign of possible tolerance, President Xi approved publication in China last year of the Chinese version of "Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China" by Harvard academic Erza Vogel, multiple sources said. The book was the first unofficial account of the crackdown by a foreign academic to be published in China. In yet another sign, "democracy movement" was dropped last year from a government blacklist of "hostile forces," three independent sources said. But the security apparatus continues to put dissidents and bereaved families of victims under house arrest ahead of politically sensitive dates. In a rare move, Chen Ziming, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison as one of two "black hands" behind the 1989 protests, was allowed to go to the United States in January for medical treatment and to receive a human rights award. The 1989 protests had initially been labeled "counter-revolutionary," or subversive, but have since been watered down to a "political disturbance." The post Chinese Elite Push for Release of Jailed Nobel Laureate appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Steering ASEAN Through Treacherous Waters Posted: 11 May 2014 09:57 PM PDT   The post Steering ASEAN Through Treacherous Waters appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

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