Democratic Voice of Burma |
- Bullet Points: 12 September 2014
- The key issue for us is citizenship, says UN deputy chief
- BURMA BUSINESS WEEKLY: 12 September 2014
- Black market banking brings billions from China
- Karenni language, alphabet to be taught in schools
- Farmers face eviction in Mandalay
| Bullet Points: 12 September 2014 Posted: 12 Sep 2014 06:10 AM PDT On today's edition of Bullet Points:
You can watch Bullet Points every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news. |
| The key issue for us is citizenship, says UN deputy chief Posted: 12 Sep 2014 06:04 AM PDT DVB's Alex Bookbinder talks to UN Assistant Secretary-General Haoliang Xu Restoring citizenship rights for more than 800,000 stateless people in Arakan State is the "key issue" the United Nations wants resolved, the UN's Assistant Secretary-General Haoliang Xu told DVB in an interview on Friday. "In my view, the question is, what's the best way to ensure that people in IDP camps – and [the] majority of the Muslim population outside the camps – have secure citizenship?" Xu said. "At the end of the day, this is what will move the situation forward, and everybody can focus on development. Developing a better life, developing a better country. This, to us, is key." Most Rohingya were stripped of their citizenship under Burma's 1982 Citizenship Law, despite the fact that many claim roots in Burma that date back generations. Roughly 140,000 live in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) around the state, and most – both inside and outside the camps – are subject to significant restrictions on their freedom of movement. Xu, who is also the assistant administrator for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and its director for the Asia-Pacific region, concluded a week-long visit to Burma on Friday. Along with John Ging, the director of the Coordination and Response Division of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Xu met with senior officials in Naypyidaw and spent two days in Arakan, where the pair met with state government officials and local leaders. In late June, the government launched a pilot "citizenship verification" project in Myebon Township, part of its "Rakhine [Arakan] Action Plan" – currently a work in progress – which is intended to address issues surrounding refugee resettlement, development and humanitarian assistance. But those seeking citizenship have been told that they must declare themselves "Bengalis" in lieu of "Rohingya", denying them the right to self-identification. In a July speech, the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Yanghee Lee, deemed this to be a violation of international human rights law and "not in line with international standards". But Xu cautioned against focusing on terminology while the pressing issues of statelessness, humanitarian access and development go unaddressed. He claimed that doing so runs the risk of fuelling tensions. "The [term] 'Rohingya' has been used in UN documents … there is even a UN General Assembly resolution that uses this terminology," Xu said. "But we have to recognise the impact the terminology can have, and not necessarily as a facilitator, but as probably an impediment to focus on the real issue that is citizenship. "We want to focus on the issue of … a solution. How can people get the rights [they] need. That's really our focus." Related StoriesArakan is the second-poorest state in Burma, and the development needs of both Buddhist and Muslim communities are profound. In recent years, UN agencies and international NGOs have come under intense criticism for a perceived bias towards Muslim communities in the state. In late February, relief agency Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was forced to suspend its operations, which provided life-saving front-line care to hundreds of thousands. This week, MSF signed a new memorandum of understanding with the government, but has not as yet resumed normal operations. "The … international community has been geared towards supporting the Muslim groups, and I think that, over the last 20 years, the majority of support has been geared towards [providing for] their basic needs," Xu said. "That helps to create emotions among the Rakhine community that the international community is biased. This is one issue that needs to be addressed; you need to address the emotions when you try to address such a difficult humanitarian situation." Xu believes that development plays a crucial role in bridging the divide between the two sides, and that many of their grievances are the same. "This point came out very loud and clear in discussions throughout our trip. [Both sides] know that humanitarian action is not a long-term solution … to reduce the perceived inequality between the two communities," Xu said. "The state government supports this view: they would like us to work on humanitarian issues, but also really scale up our development efforts."
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| BURMA BUSINESS WEEKLY: 12 September 2014 Posted: 12 Sep 2014 04:15 AM PDT Ups and downs The Burmese kyat was selling on Friday at 972 to the US dollar, while buying at 980. The price of gold dropped further from 662,000 kyat per tical to 655,000. Fuel prices remain constant: petrol 820 kyat; diesel 950 kyat; octane 950 kyat per litre. High-quality Pawsanhmwe rice is still 1,300-1,700 kyat per basket, while low-quality Manawthukha rice is set at 900 kyat per basket at most Rangoon Markets.
ADB predicts 9.5 percent growth by 2030 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday released a report highlighting the possibility of Burma reaching an annual average gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 9.5 percent by 2030. If achieved, this would increase the per capita income to nearly $5,000 from the current figure of $900, according to ADB's assistant chief economist, Cyn-Young Park, who stressed that the key to achieve the predicted growth rate is upgrading infrastructure and human capital investment in Burma.
South Korea to sponsor US$20m development institute in Burma South Korea signed a US$20 million Memorandum of Understanding with the Burmese government on Tuesday to fund a national institute for economic and social development in Naypyidaw. The Myanmar Development Institute (MDI) will aid in developing evidence-based policy-making processes through research and consultation. The project is spearheaded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency, under South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
MSF Holland signs MoU on disease control The Burmese Ministry of Health signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Médecins San Frontières Holland, or AZG, on disease control in Naypyidaw on Monday. Under the two-year agreement, both signatories will shell out US$29.7 million to combat malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, along with maternal health care and child care, in Rangoon Division, Arakan, Chin and Kachin states.
Indonesian firm WIKA to build US$125 million tower in Burma Indonesian construction firm PT Wijaya Karya (WIKA) and its partner, Singapore-based developer Noble Twin Dragons Pte Ltd, have signed a US$125 million contract to build a commercial tower in Burma. Construction work on the 23-storey Pyay Tower and Residences in Rangoon will commence next month and conclude within two years, reported The Jakarta Post.
Twelve countries race for Rangoon railway station deal Thirty-four companies from 12 countries have shown interest in a development project with the Rangoon Central Railway Station, Burma's Ministry of Rail Transportation announced on Monday. The ministry has selected several companies as eligible for tender bidding. Those selected must submit a non-refundable US$30,000 deposit on their committed investment, Myanmar Railways said.
Burma to launch e-lottery system Burma's paper lottery tickets will soon be replaced by an electronic system, Ministry of Finance and Revenue Dir-Gen Min Htut told DVB. Due to high printing costs and long waits for paper orders, the electronic system will make the country's lottery more efficient and affordable, he said. Vendors have also reportedly inflated paper ticket prices, which they will no longer be able to do once the new system is in place.
Malaysian firm to build luxury housing in Rangoon Malaysia-based Ho Hup Construction Co will collaborate with Burmese Zaygaba Co to construct a high-end housing development in Rangoon's Mingalardon Park City, Malaysian daily The Star reported. Costing an estimated US$200 million, the Mingala Garden City housing complex will have 190 units on 5,000 square feet of property. The Ho Hup Company will own the development, while Zaygaba will profit from land rental fees, the report said.
Telenor experiences delays building network Norwegian telecom giant Telenor announced unforeseen delays in setting up their network of 800 – 1000 communications towers in the lead-up to launching their wireless service in Burma this month. With only 600 towers completed, Telenor said the delays were caused by internal problems in Burma such as land disputes, armed conflict and bureaucratic delays in issuing land permits.
Vietnam aims to boost investment in Burma The Association of Vietnamese Investors in Myanmar (AVIM) has unveiled plans to increase investment in Burma to US$1.5 billion by 2015. At a meeting with Burmese House Speaker Shwe Mann in Hanoi, the AVIM chairman, Tran Bac Ha, indicated that doing so would boost bilateral trade between the countries to $650-700 million. At present, Vietnam has an investment stake of $600 million in Burma with seven ongoing projects.
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| Black market banking brings billions from China Posted: 12 Sep 2014 03:58 AM PDT As the illegal trade in jade, timber and drugs along the Sino-Burmese border appears unstoppable, black market banks have become a major channel for laundering criminal assets, according to insiders who are familiar with the business. Cross-border trade between Burma and its superpower neighbour to the north is thriving. Burma's Ministry of Commerce estimates that the total value of official cross-border trade between Burma and China from April 2013 to January 2014 was US$3.2 billion, but reports show that illegal trade has far exceeded that figure. The scarcity of reliable data, however, makes this difficult to prove. China has a $50,000-a-year limit on moving capital as a way to control inbound and outbound foreign exchange flows. As a result, underground black market banks, which are based across the Burmese border, have almost monopolised cross-border finance. "Good jade items can cost as much as a few million (yuan)," said Xie, a Chinese emerald businessman in Ruili who admits to trading the precious stones illegally. “There is simply no other way to bring that much cash to Burma without private banks." Such underground black market banks have been active for years, according to Chen, a black market currency trader in Rangoon. With just a phone call, tens of billions of yuan in funds can be easily transferred to Burma, or vise versa. "On the phone, we ask our clients to deposit their money into a designated account (in China), and the money will be transferred later through Hong Kong or Macao to Burma," he said. According to the illegal currency trader, after depositing the money, one can either meet up with the currency traders in Burma to retrieve the smuggled remittances or have the money transferred to a bank account in Burma. Exchange and commission rates vary every day depending on the market. Chen said dealers from Japan and Thailand also use underground banks for illicit money transfers. When asked who is in charge of the smuggling business, Chen did not answer directly, but said only that it would be "someone rich enough to run businesses in both countries". Xie posited only that most of the black market banks are run by Burmese or ethnic Chinese in Burma. "Burmese can easily open bank accounts in China, but it is hard for Chinese to do that in Burma. That's why most of the dealers are Burmese," said Xie. They also have the language advantage to know the latest exchange rate in advance, he added. It is extremely difficult to trace the source of smuggled funds. The Chinese police have prioritised tackling money laundering by Burmese businessmen over recent years, but illicit traders typically open more than 50 personal bank accounts to keep the money moving. A manager of state-owned Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) admitted that smuggling might be structured to “facilitate criminal activity", adding that without closely monitoring fiscal systems, it's impossible to tell whether money is laundered or not. The ABC signed a cooperation agreement with Myanma Economic Bank (MEB) in 2009 in a bid to rein in the illegal money trade. The deal enabled businessmen with MEB accounts to open an account with the ABC to easily facilitate transfers. But most dealers still prefer the black market banks because they offer faster and cheaper services. Some prefer the black market simply to avoid paying taxes. About 12 to 15 major private banks each have the capability of transferring 50 million yuan ($8.1 million) in funds every day, said Chen. This estimate was reinforced by the China Securities Journal, a Chinese-language newspaper, citing an anonymous expert who said that approximately $32.5 billion flows into Burma from China every year. Unsurprisingly, black market bankers come in varying degrees of credibility. In some cases, the traders will disappear after taking money from their clients, who have no legal protection whatsoever.
Echo Hui is a freelance journalist based in Hong Kong who works primarily on Chinese and Burmese affairs. |
| Karenni language, alphabet to be taught in schools Posted: 12 Sep 2014 01:49 AM PDT Karenni language and writing are to be taught in schools in the ethnic state, following a decision by the state assembly in Loikaw on 8 September. According to State Social and Health Minister Poe Reh, the teaching of Karenni children in their mother tongue was supported by 80 percent of local people in a recent field survey. Karenni National Youth Union central executive committee member Kyaw Htin Aung said it "would not be a problem" to introduce a new curriculum in Karenni language to the children of the region. He said the Karenni National Youth Union plans to host a conference in the near future including representatives of all the various sub-groups of the Karenni. The Kayah, or Red Karen (ie, Karen Ni), is the majority ethnicity in Karenni State, however a sizeable population of Padaung (Kayan) also exists. The teaching of Padaung in schools was passed by state lawmakers last year. Primary and secondary schools in Burma's ethnic areas have traditionally taught only in Burmese language, but many have ethnic language classes once a day. Both Mon and Karen authorities have approved the adoption of mother tongue languages in their respective regions after the Thein Sein government gave the green light last year to minority languages being introduced in ethnic state schools. Related StoriesIn July, more than 200 ethnic representatives met at a forum in Rangoon to brainstorm an ethnic language curriculum, based on a modern communicative approach rather than traditional teaching methods. According to the 2014 census, Karenni State is the least populated region in the country with 286,738 people. It also has the fewest number of schools. Data from 2002-03 put the number of primary schools in Karenni at 338, with 33 middle schools and just 12 high schools. The state has three universities, all located in the state capital, Loikaw. The Karenni is a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group closely related to the Karen, and its Kayah language is spoken by an estimated 590,000 people, many of whom live in Karen State. The Karenni alphabet – kyal poe gyi or kayah li – was created in 1962, and has only ever been widely taught at refugee camps in Thailand. It appears to be modelled, linguists say, on Thai and Burmese scripts. Kayah li has 24 consonants and nine vowels, each of which is controlled by one of three tones: high, mid and low. |
| Farmers face eviction in Mandalay Posted: 12 Sep 2014 12:35 AM PDT Twenty-eight farmers near Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Division, are facing eviction after years of property battles, villagers say. The Burmese military allegedly seized 18 acres of farmland in 2006 and 2007 to accommodate a housing project for elite military leaders. Villagers say that the military later forced them to buy back the land. "The township authorities and a local military commander forced the villagers buy the land back from them, and we paid because we were afraid," said Por Maung, one of the affected farmers in Nyung Ni village. "Now they are telling us to leave again as soon as possible." Por Maung said that authorities presented them with a final eviction notice, mandating that they leave before 15 September. Some of the villagers are also facing legal action for illegally occupying military land, he said. The villagers said that they have been living on the disputed land since childhood, and they don't know what they will do if forced to vacate. "We have been living here since we were young," Por Maung said. "Now we are all in our 60s and 70s. They took it, made us buy it back, and now they tell us that it's military property." DVB was unable to verify the account with local authorities. Property seizure was endemic during military rule, and many claims have surfaced since the reform process began in 2011. Farmers across Burma have begun speaking out against old cases of unfair acquisition, and in some cases have received compensation for their losses.  A land reform package approved in early 2012 was followed by the establishment of a land investigation commission, charged with examining and mediating property disputes. The Ministry of Defence announced in July 2014 that they plan to return about 120,000 acres of disputed land, less than one quarter of the area that has been formally registered as seized property. |
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