Democratic Voice of Burma |
- Bullet Points: 21 October 2014
- Burma govt tables liaison body proposal to SSA-N
- Karen rebels meet to discuss merger proposal
- Burma to form counter-terrorism unit
- Birth registration project launched in Magwe, Mon, Chin
- DVB Debate: Can federalism be the solution?
- Norwegian support for hydropower: peacebuilding through best practice
- Heartbreak, pride for Burma in football semis
| Bullet Points: 21 October 2014 Posted: 21 Oct 2014 05:18 AM PDT On tonight's edition of Bullet Points:
You can watch Bullet Points every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news. |
| Burma govt tables liaison body proposal to SSA-N Posted: 21 Oct 2014 03:03 AM PDT The Burmese government's Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC)—the body in charge of negotiating with Burma's armed ethnic groups—has suggested setting up a joint liaison body with the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) to prevent further hostilities in Shan State in the wake of renewed clashes between the Shan armed group and government forces. The SSA-N met with the UPWC on Saturday at the Burmese army's Northeast Regional Military Command headquarters in the Shan State town of Lashio, where lower house MP Thein Zaw from the UPWC proposed the government's plan to form a liaison team that would include: regional police and military commanders; the minister for border and security affairs; and SSA-N officials. Sai Naw Lek, a central committee member of the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP)—the SSA-N's political wing—said the Shan militia had asked the government to give them a week to decide on the proposal. "At the meeting, UPWC member Thein Zaw proposed forming a liaison body … to monitor and prevent hostilities," said Sai Naw Lek. "Thein Zaw stressed that we meet again soon and that we give them an answer. We told them that we will get back to them in one week," he added. During the UPWC's meeting with the SSA-N, the two sides also discussed the possibility of cooperating to develop the region and increasing the number of existing SSA-N liaison offices in Shan State towns. SSPP central committee member Sai Naw Lek said the SSA-N told the government that Shan troops had already withdrawn from their positions in Kehsi Mansam Township's Ta Pha Saung Village, the centre of recent fighting. The SSA-N indicated they withdrew in order to avoid further hostilities and urged the government to do likewise. In response, the UPWC delegation promised to help the SSA-N liaise with government forces. But according to the SSA-N, Burmese army units were still in the area as of Monday and had even brought in reinforcements in vehicle convoys. Khun Sai, managing director of an organisation which closely monitors the peace process known as the Pyidaungzu Institute, said: "The Tatmadaw [Burmese army] previously demanded that the SSA-N withdraw their troops from four areas, but if forming the liaison committee can get them to drop this demand it will be a positive sign." Khun Sai also criticised government forces of wrongfully accusing the SSA-N of infringing on government territories—an accusation which he says the government used as a pretext recently for launching another offensive against the rebels. As part of a recent preliminary ceasefire between the two sides, the rebels agreed to remain in their positions, Khun Sai added. The UPWC delegation which met with SSA-N representatives on 18 October was led by parliamentarian Thein Zaw, Shan State Chief Minister Aung Myat and regional military commanders, along with their SSA-N counterparts led by SSPP General-Secretary Sai Khun Hseng. The SSA-N reached a union-level preliminary ceasefire agreement with the UPWC in 2012, but since the agreement was signed the two sides have engaged in nearly 200 armed clashes. |
| Karen rebels meet to discuss merger proposal Posted: 21 Oct 2014 01:28 AM PDT The leaders of the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) held a meeting on Sunday to discuss a reunification plan for Karen armed groups. The DKBA's general staff officer, Maj. Tun Tun, said the meeting addressed last week's formation of the Kawthoolei Armed Forces (KAF), which was ostensibly created to unite all Karen armed groups—a goal which the KNU had already decided to work towards at its 15th Congress in December 2012. In an interview with DVB, Tun Tun said, "The meeting [on Sunday] focused on the proposed formation of the Kawthoolei Armed Forces. The KNU has issues it needs to discuss internally, but we met with them to discuss these issues in order to ensure we're all on the same page." The DKBA general staff officer said several Karen armed groups and other concerned parties have planned a meeting for 29 October to discuss the KAF proposal, which was announced in a statement released on 13 October. "We are planning to invite every group we can reach, including: the KNU/KNLA; the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO); the KNU/KNLA-Peace Council (also called the Karen Peace Council or KPC); the Myanmar Peace Centre; and concerned government officials," he said. At its 15th Congress in 2012, the KNU laid out an objective of reuniting the various Karen factions and set up a "reunification committee". But last week, a statement that was supposedly signed by high-ranking officials from the KNLA, KNDO, DKBA and KPF was released which claimed that all these groups have agreed to reunite under the KAF banner. The authenticity of the letter has been called into question, however, and shortly after the statement was released the KPC said their leadership denied knowledge of the statement. The KNU quickly distanced itself from the KAF proposal, indicating that it was a "personal choice" by the individuals who signed the agreement. The KNU released a statement on 14 October which said that both the KNDO and KNLA "fully accept the political leadership of the Karen National Union." Paul Keenan, a senior researcher at the Burma Centre for Ethic Studies who is a noted expert on ethnic issues, told DVB that the KAF proposal was merely political posturing by certain KNU factions ahead of the KNU's upcoming central standing committee (CSC) meeting: "The creation of the KAF at this particular juncture suggests a political manoeuvre to influence the KNU's forthcoming CSC meeting on [the issue of] whether the KNU will withdraw from the United Nationalities Federal Council," said Keenan. The KNU is scheduled to hold its CSC meeting on 23 October, and it's expected that CSC members will focus on the KAF proposal and whether to part ways with the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of armed ethnic groups formed in February 2011. Over the past few years, the UNFC leadership has engaged in various negotiations with the Union government on behalf of Burma's armed groups, but recently the ethnic bloc has appeared divided over the organisation's leadership structure, which has been dominated by the Kachin Independence Organisation. Related StoriesOn 31 August, a group of KNU representatives walked out of a UNFC meeting, saying they needed to consult their leadership. A press statement released later that day by the KNU said the armed group had "temporarily suspended" its participation in the UNFC. The letter was signed by KNU Commander-in-Chief Mutu Say Poe, who led the dissenting KNU representatives as they left the UNFC meeting on 31 August. The letter also said that "No KNU representative will be sent [to the] UNFC [in the] coming term," and that the KNU central committee "will decide [later] whether the KNU will join the UNFC or not." In an interview with DVB shortly after the incident, Gen. Mutu said: "This [UNFC] organisation is costing us our autonomy. It is a top-down structure where we are expected to hand over our fate to the leadership. We cannot accept that. We must continue to represent the Karen people, and the UNFC is not always considering their best interests." |
| Burma to form counter-terrorism unit Posted: 21 Oct 2014 12:53 AM PDT The Burmese government plans to set up a national counter-terrorism body in the near future to protect the country from extremist groups, according to a senior police official. Police Brig-Gen Soe Myint, the director of the Transnational Crime Department, said the Ministry of Home Affairs is leading efforts to establish a central agency comprised of representatives from various government ministries to fight terrorism. He said the move is an implementation of the Anti-Terrorism Law that was passed by parliament in June. "In accordance with provisions in the Anti-Terrorism Law, working committees will be formed," he said. "We propose appointing the minister of home affairs as the body's chair with Burma's police chief as secretary. "As anti-terrorism is a broad subject, the body will include representatives from various concerned government ministries. We are currently working on these details and will make an official announcement once it is confirmed." He added the body will consist of around 40 members and will be formed "as soon as possible", although there is no specific timeframe. Burma has in recent years experienced several bomb attacks, however no link has been established links between those incidents and overseas terrorist networks. Related StoriesIn September, Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri announced in a video clip posted on the internet that the group was forming a new branch in the Indian subcontinent with operations in Bangladesh and Burma. On 13 October, documents were found on an Air Kanbawza airplane on the ground at Mandalay International Airport related to terrorist group the Islamic State, or ISIS. "Based on our analysis on past incidents, there is no link between terrorists in Burma and global terror networks – the attacks that took place inside Burma were carried out by smaller groups which are remnants of larger insurgent organisations using homemade weapons and devices," said Soe Myint. "However, according to the Al Qaeda chief, the extremists are now also targeting Burma and stepping up their recruitment drive globally," he said. "We believe it is necessary to take preventative measures and adopt laws to deal with any acts of terrorism if they take place in Burma." The Anti-Terrorism Bill carries a minimum 10 years sentence and a maximum of life imprisonment or death penalty. It was passed by the bicameral union parliament on 4 June. To date, no one has been charged under this law but at least 30 individuals have been detained in recent months for alleged connections to acts of terrorism. |
| Birth registration project launched in Magwe, Mon, Chin Posted: 20 Oct 2014 10:42 PM PDT A pilot project to register the births of all children in Magwe Division, Mon and Chin states was launched on Monday by various Burmese government ministries, in cooperation with UNICEF and with financial assistance from the EU. The pilot scheme will target non-registered children in the principal towns in those regions, namely Magwe, Moulmein and Hakha, and is the initial part of a long-term national objective of registering every child's birth in Burma. "The programme aims at promoting the concept of birth registration, and in the long run will bring about a perfect public registration system," said Win Myint, the deputy immigration and population minister. The birth registration project will involve the following ministries: Immigration and Population; Health; National Planning and Economic Development; and Home Affairs. According to a UNICEF report, there are around 1.6 million children with no birth registration in Burma. While almost all children born in Rangoon Division are certified from birth, some 76 percent in Chin state, 11 percent in Mon, and 43 percent in Magwe Division have never been issued birth certificates. |
| DVB Debate: Can federalism be the solution? Posted: 20 Oct 2014 10:18 PM PDT From the moment Burma gained independence from British rule in 1948, ethnic groups have been fighting for autonomy in the border areas. Civil war began after the government refused minority groups any form of federal governance and the conflict has continued for over 65 years. On this episode of DVB Debate, a panel of ethnic leaders and political analysts discuss the future of federalism in Burma. |
| Norwegian support for hydropower: peacebuilding through best practice Posted: 20 Oct 2014 08:39 PM PDT Last week I accompanied a group from the Norwegian embassy in Rangoon, and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), to the Karen National Union 3rd Brigade area in Kyauk Kyi Township, eastern Bago [Pegu] Region. The purpose of our trip was to prepare terms of reference for a pre-feasibility study regarding a potential hydropower project on the Bawgata River. During this brief mission, we explored part of the potential dam site, which is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty and considerable biodiversity, in the middle of dense forest. We held a consultation with potentially affected communities and local civil society organisations, and met with government and KNU officials. We undertook this mission at the invitation of the KNU's 3rd Brigade and central headquarters. There had previously been plans to construct a large dam on the Bawgata River. The KNU rejected this approach, and proposed instead the construction of two or more smaller dams – with a focus on identifying and addressing the environmental and social impacts of any hydropower project. The KNU insisted that the community should be consulted at all stages of the project. In the past, when dams were built in Myanmar [Burma], this involved little if any consultation with communities, and few significant attempts to address environmental or social impacts. Previously in the 3rd Brigade area, the government built a 75 MW hydropower project on the Shwegyin River, which flooded and displaced several villages and destroyed the natural environment, with no consultation or compensation. Understandably therefore, local communities have serious concerns regarding the possibility of another hydropower project in their area. Related StoriesIndeed, on the morning of the consultation some local people had put up "no dams" signs in a nearby village. During the consultation, a number of Karen pastors and other community leaders expressed their concerns – but by the end of the meeting all those who spoke said that they were satisfied to go ahead with a pre-feasibility study for this project. By the time we left that afternoon, the "no dams" signs had been taken down. After consultation with local villagers and CBOs, NVE will – on behalf of the KNU and with approval from the government – go ahead with preparation of a prefeasibility study. NVE, which is a Norwegian government agency, emphasised several times during the fieldtrip and public consultation that they only provide advisory services to the KNU and government, and have no commercial interest in the proposed project. What explains the villagers' movement, from outright opposition towards cautious support for this project? I think the most important element was NVE's assurance that, unlike previous dam projects in Myanmar, the intention at Bawgata is to adopt international standards, from start to finish. This involves continuous consultation with the community and other stakeholders throughout the lifetime of the project – which is likely to be at least 10 years. Of utmost importance is the identification of possible environmental and social impacts, and detailed plans to mitigate these. During the community consultation and discussions on the sidelines, it was repeatedly stressed that the hydropower project would only go ahead if the advantages outweighed negative impacts on the environment and local communities. The forthcoming pre-feasibility study (the next stage of this project) will assess the different options. It will also look at issues of financial viability, and social and environmental impacts – and how to mitigate these. At every stage, the project would only go ahead after extensive consultation with community and other stakeholders. One option remains not to proceed, if advantages of the project do not out-weigh potential negative impacts on environment and communities. “In terms of peacebuilding, I found it extraordinary to see the Myanmar government, the KNU (and its armed wings, the KNLA and KNDO), Karen CBOs and local communities discussing together in a spirit of friendship and cooperation – albeit with some understandable caution and concerns on the part of local people.”On initial assessment, there seem to be few people currently living in the potential flood-zone – although some people may have lived there before the 1975 "Four cuts" counter-insurgency campaign in this area. A more significant issue may be threats to the wonderful biodiversity and natural beauty in this area. These are issues to be addressed in the forthcoming pre-feasibility study. Already the Bawgata "pre- prefeasibility study" has broken new ground in Myanmar, introducing international best practice into an area which has been devastated by half-a-century of armed conflict. If the project goes ahead, it can be a model for other parts of the country. In terms of peacebuilding, I found it extraordinary to see the Myanmar government, the KNU (and its armed wings, the KNLA and KNDO), Karen CBOs and local communities discussing together in a spirit of friendship and cooperation – albeit with some understandable caution and concerns on the part of local people. Many issues remain to be resolved, including the future ownership and management of the hydropower plant – which may be jointly held by the Myanmar government and KNU. Also of course, this project could only go ahead if it is financially viable. It will be important to provide training to local stakeholders (including KNU personnel), so that they can fully participate in all stages of the project. On a personal level, I was particularly interested to see how a non-traditional contribution to peacebuilding in Myanmar might work. Having spent the last three years working for the Norwegian government-initiated Myanmar Peace Support Initiative, I have seen some good practice in this country. However, I've also come to learn how difficult it is for mainstream international donors to support peacebuilding in Myanmar. Too often, international donors have their own agendas and priorities, which are imposed on conflict-affected communities. In this case however, the request for outside intervention comes from a key conflict actor, the KNU. Community participation will be central to the project from the outset. Hopefully, by working with these key stakeholders and the government, any future Bawgata hydropower project can provide much-needed local revenue, and clean and renewable power supplies to conflict-affected communities. If it goes ahead, the project can also contribute towards multi-stakeholder participation in peacebuilding, after half-a-century of armed conflict in southeast Myanmar – while limiting (although inevitably not entirely excluding) significant environmental or social damage.
Ashley South is a senior adviser to the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative.The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s and do not reflect DVB editorial policy. |
| Heartbreak, pride for Burma in football semis Posted: 20 Oct 2014 07:53 PM PDT It was a case of "so near and yet so far" for Burma on Monday night as the men's Under-19 football team was narrowly defeated 3-2 by Qatar in a thrilling Asian Cup semi-final in Rangoon. Burma went into last night's game knowing that they had already clinched a spot as one of Asia's four representatives in next year's U-20 World Cup to be held in New Zealand. However, having been disciplined to the sum of US$24,000 by the Asian Football Confederation just the day before owing to hooliganism in previous games, the onus was on the home team to put on a good show. Qatar went into the semis unbeaten and manager Felix Sanchez Bas had reason to be confident, such was the depth of their squad and power in attack. That offensive strength was evident early on in the match when Burmese goalkeeper Myo Min Latt was called into action to pull off a series of good saves. The Burmese lads had looked to have held out for the first 45 minutes, but in injury time Almoez Ali put the Qataris in front. Related StoriesBurma came out revitalized after half-time, and on 60 minutes, Aung Thu curled a thrashing shot into the top corner from the edge of the box, sending the Rangoon faithful into raptures. The atmosphere hit fever pitch a few minutes later when Nyein Chan Aung met Aung Thu's free-kick perfectly to slam Burma into a 2-1 lead. But the dream was not to last. Burma took their foot off the pedal and allowed Qatar to come forward. Inevitably, a goal came; this time it was Akram Afif who netted with a free-kick. At 2-2 after 90 minutes, extra-time was called, and in the very first minute of the restart Qatar again took the lead. As the match progressed, no one can deny that the Qataris looked the stronger outfit. However, Burma fought bravely and came oh-so-close in the dying seconds to getting an equaliser that would have taken the match to penalties. In the end, the country will applaud the young Burmese for a heroic tournament. Officials will also be grateful that Burma's fans maintained their composure in what was an intense atmosphere and that there was no repeat of the silly tantrums that followed the defeat to Iran last week. Qatar now go on to play North Korea in Thursday's final, while Burma will have time to get ready for the 2015 World Cup which starts on 30 May. |
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