Democratic Voice of Burma

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• Pegu farmers say they must pay bribes to request land deeds
• Thein Sein gets red carpet treatment in Beijing
• ASEAN must cooperate to curb Rohingya trafficking crisis
• Mogok environmentalists wade in to clean up lake

Pegu farmers say they must pay bribes to request land deeds Posted: 28 Jun 2014 01:05 AM PDT Farmers in Min Hla Township in Pegu Division have told DVB that staff at the local Department of Land Statistics are asking for bribes when they request the land certificates they require in order to apply for agricultural loans. "To get a number 7 form – a land ownership license – the staff request between 10,000 and 20,000 kyat (US$10- $20)," a local farmer said. "We need this certificate in order to request a crop-planting loan from the bank." "In our community, almost all the farmers need a loan from the bank at this time of year," said Thanarpo village administrator Win Aung. "All were asked for bribes by the Land Statistics office. After we sent a letter of complaint to the township officer, then about half of the farmers were given the deeds." When asked about the allegations of corruption in his department, Aung San, the assistant chief officer of Min Hla Department of Land Statistics said, "I don’t know anything about these bribes. It is difficult to oversee all the staff – they are not my sons and daughters." A new registration process for agricultural loans was initiated in August 2012 whereby farmers had to produce evidence of land ownership to apply for a loan to pay for the expense involved in planting crops. However, many farmers were unaware of the new system and it wasn't until the last minute that many approached the land statistics office for certificates, said Win Aung. Rainy season has already begun in most parts of Burma, including Pegu [Bago], and farmers generally need to plant rice and other crops during the month of June, else they miss the season's harvest. Related Stories Burma Business Weekly Can Burma reclaim its status as a major rice player? Burma Business Weekly

Thein Sein gets red carpet treatment in Beijing Posted: 27 Jun 2014 11:26 PM PDT Burma's President Thein Sein received a guard of honour when he arrived in Beijing in Friday ahead of trilateral talks with China and India. Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Thein Sein for cordial talks after the latter's arrival in the Chinese capital on Friday. According to Chinese media, Xi hailed Sino-Burmese cooperation as "reciprocal and win-win", and said his government encourages Chinese enterprises to invest in Burma, officially known as Myanmar. China's president said he "expects the two sides to create a favorable environment for the smooth operation of large-scale projects involving energy, mining, gas pipelines and hydro-electricity, as well as agricultural projects," state agency Xinhua reported. "Xi said China welcomes Myanmar’s participation in the construction of the 21st century Maritime Silk Road and the development of an economic corridor between Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar," the report said. The so-called Maritime Silk Road is expected to be high on the agenda this weekend as China and India see Burma as a geopolitical thoroughfare for trade and commerce. After the talks, the two presidents reportedly witnessed the signing of several deals, involving culture, education and medical care. Related Stories Local boy Thein Sein attends Irrawaddy delta rally Rights groups call for transparency in Kaladan Project China and Bangladesh pledge to build 'Maritime Silk Road’ Burmese state media reported that the Chinese-backed Kyaukphyu special economic zone in Arakan State was also discussed, as well as a feasibility study for Yangon [Rangoon] General Hospital, and Chinese technical assistance for a communications network to be installed at Yadanabon Cyber City, east of Mandalay. On Saturday and Sunday, Thein Sein is scheduled to attend a ceremony to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Announcement of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, a mutual non-aggression, non-interference pact that was signed between Burma, China and India in 1954. The leaders are undoubtedly looking to take advantage of blooming economic conditions, following some decades of icy relations. China long supported Communist insurgents in Burma, while India and China went to war in 1962. Thein Sein has previously visited China for a number of times. He paid a state visit in May 2011 and he attended the 9th China- ASEAN Expo in Nanning in 2012. The Burmese president paid two state visits to China in 2013, including another appearance at the China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning last September. The Chinese embassy in Rangoon confirmed that Thein Sein is also scheduled to meet with China's Premier Li Keqiang, and will pay a visit to the ancient capital of Luoyang in central China’s Henan Province. "The attendance by H.E. President U Thein Sein and the leader of India to the commemorative activities in Beijing reflects the three countries’ determination to promote world peace and development," the embassy said in a statement to DVB on Friday. "China expects this visit to further consolidate bilateral good-neighbor relations, enhance strategic trust, boost pragmatic cooperation and develop the bilateral all-round strategic partnership," an embassy spokesperson said. "China firmly pursues a friendly policy toward Myanmar and would like to work with Myanmar to deepen cooperation, benefit the two peoples and promote regional peace, stability and development."

ASEAN must cooperate to curb Rohingya trafficking crisis Posted: 27 Jun 2014 09:58 PM PDT Countries in the region need to try harder to find solutions to the problem of Rohingya people who have been forced to leave Burma and ended up victims of human trafficking gangs, a forum was told on Thursday. Addressing a seminar on “Rohingya’s Solution for Better Protection” in Bangkok on Thursday, rights advocates said attempts to address the plights of the minority group in Burma’s Arakan State had to be made both from within and outside the country through regional collaboration. Htay Lwin Oo, of the New York-based Civil Rights Movement for Burma, said there was strong evidence Rohingya had lived in Arakan State for 300 years before Burma was created and the Burmese government should accept that fact rather than attempting to drive them out from their homes. ASEAN and the world community must not stand silent to the genocide against the Rohingya happening in Burma, he said. Abu Tahay, a Rohingya MP candidate for the Union Nationals Development Party, said he would like to see Naypyidaw acknowledge the ethnic issue was a problem that needed to be solved politically and not through other means. Mr Tahay also pleaded with Thailand and Bangladesh to lend further humanitarian assistance while trying to tackle the trafficking issue. Related Stories UK parliamentarians discuss Rohingya crisis in Burma Rohingyas screened to assess citizenship claims Human trafficking bust in Bangkok: Burmese children forced to sell flowers to tourists Abdul Kalam, chairman of the Rohingya Association of Thailand, called on the Thai military junta to work with Rohingya people to help solve the problem of illegal trafficking of Rohingya migrants. “If [the Thai junta's] perspective is widened by engaging more with the civil society, within three to six months the military leadership should be able to get rid of the trafficking networks in and outside Thailand,” he said. “They have preyed on the Rohingya ummah [compatriots],” said Mr Kalam, also a long-time Rohingya resident in Bangkok. He hoped the military regime would overhaul the system of labour management, registration and the legal status of all types of immigrants in Thailand. Pol Col Prayuth Chommalee, deputy commander of Thailand's Immigration Bureau’s Division 6, said the lack of a clear state policy on the Rohingya boatpeople has prevented state agencies from being able to tackle the problem of these illegal migrants. He said although the number of Rohingya detained by his agency has dropped by half this year when compared to the same period last year, the bureau still needed help to take care of the migrants properly. “With the Ramadan fasting approaching, we need to be more considerate of their halal food and religious activities,” he said. Pol Col Prayuth said half of the 1,000 Rohingya now detained at immigration centres in the South have already been initially verified as Bangladeshis but documentation was still needed to provide final proof. The officer said, however, the Burmese embassy has not participated in verification or deportation of these Rohingya. While waiting for further verification of these illegal immigrants, the Immigration Bureau had paid some 14 million baht (US$440,000) on shelter, food and clothing without budgetary support from the National Security Council, he said. Angkhana Neelapaijit, chair of Working Group on Justice and Peace, praised Thai authorities for providing shelter for the Rohingya and not immediately expelling them.   This article was originally published by the Bangkok Post on 27 June 2014.

Mogok environmentalists wade in to clean up lake Posted: 27 Jun 2014 09:35 PM PDT Environmental groups in Mandalay say they are fed up with the level of pollution in one of their region's most picturesque landmarks. Mogok Lake is a major tourist attraction and a well-known scenic spot located 100km north of the city. The surrounding area is known as Ruby Land, and too draws many visitors for its breathtaking views, with the rainy season mist only adding to its charm and beauty. But the lake has become polluted. Now after years of neglect on the part of the local government, environmentalists have decided to take matters into their own hands. Environmental groups Sein Yaung So Activities and Sein Lan Mogok have teamed up with a local National League for Democracy (NLD) office, and are staging a mass clean-up of the lake. Ye Aung, Sein Lan Mogok's coordinator, says that human-induced changes to the local ecosystem have led to a spike in the growth of weeds. "The poor waste disposal system in the homes surrounding the lake has led to the growth of water hyacinth which thrive with the nitrogen," he said. The lake plays an important role in the area's ecosystem, and the groups say the clean-up campaign will go a long way in protecting the local flora and fauna. Local NLD member Pwint Phyu says that it is crucial to fight back in order to restore balance to the ecosystem. "We are doing what we can to preserve our environment. Mogok Lake is a landmark in this region and it also helps balance the weather in the area. Related Stories NLD to hold first youth congress in July Civil society leaders released from Insein US delegation discusses electoral reform with democracy groups "From an environmental point of view, this lake is priceless," she added Lakes in the city of Mandalay are cleaned and maintained by local authorities, but officials in Mogok appear to have taken their eye off the ball. This is the second time that this coalition of environmental groups and the NLD have taken up the reins and cleaned the lake themselves. Blessed with such outstanding natural beauty at their doorstep, the people of Mogok say their lake should be preserved for future generations. "This lake can be regarded as the jewel of the town," said Maung Maung Oo of Seing Yaung So Activities "If we can restore its natural beauty, it will enhance the landscape. However at the moment, it's in a dire condition."

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