The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• A Holy Limestone Cave in Karen State
• ‘Workers Are Now Very Afraid’
• Monks Threaten Protest for Jailed Clergymen in Rangoon Monastery Row
• Nationwide Ceasefire May Delist Ethnic Armed Groups as ‘Unlawful’
• Burmese President Appoints New Religious Advisors
• Two Men at Large After Prison Break in Sagaing Division
• Thai Court Hits British Migrant Rights Activist with 4th Charge, Seizes Passport
• Raids, Arrests Leave Burmese Migrants on Edge in Thailand
• Suu Kyi Celebrates 69th Birthday
• Govt Still Studying Controversial Nickel Mine in Chin State: Minister
• As Arakanese Buddhists Gain Strength, so Does Anti-Muslim Apartheid
• We Will Not Back Down
• Hot Nights, and Daytime Cool
• World Cup Highlights Asia’s Illegal Betting Boom
• Japan’s ‘Patriotic Wives’
• Hong Kong’s Democracy ‘Referendum’ Likely to Rile Chinese Communists
• Champions Spain Drop out of World Cup, Dutch March on

A Holy Limestone Cave in Karen State Posted: 19 Jun 2014 05:30 PM PDT A Buddhist monk pays respect to a Buddha statue at the entrance of the cave. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) Lush green paddy fields and limestone cliffs create a beautiful landscape in southeastern Burma's Karen State, home to the ethnic Karen people. The Kawgun cave, a natural limestone cavern, is about two miles from the state capital Pa-an, and can be reached by motorbike on a cement road. Along the way, a bridge crosses over the Salween River, where police and military officers once checked the IDs of anyone who passed, though the checkpoint has been removed since the political reforms of 2011. Many visitors, including foreign tourists, stop at the Kawgun cave, which is filled with Buddha statues and Buddhist artifacts dating back to the seventh century. Ethnic Mon people also travel to worship there, driving cars and motorbikes from Moulmein, the capital of Mon State, which borders Karen State. During a visit by The Irrawaddy, Karen monks were taking care of cave grounds. Some monks said the cave had been damaged by a government-owned cement factory that is situated on the west bank of the Salween River. They said the cement company routinely blasts the mountains of the Kawgun area to extract limestone. Buddha images in the cave have been cracked as a result. At a swimming pond near the cave, local people and youths splash and play in the water. The post A Holy Limestone Cave in Karen State appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

‘Workers Are Now Very Afraid’ Posted: 19 Jun 2014 05:00 PM PDT Irrawaddy reporters Yan Pai, Kyaw Kha and Lin Thant talk during this week's episode of "Dateline Irrawaddy." In this week's "Dateline Irrawaddy" show—first aired on the Democratic Voice of Burma—panelists discuss the recent crackdown and expulsion of Burmese, Cambodian and other migrant workers in Thailand.   Lin Thant: This week we are going to cover the arrest and expulsion from Thailand of migrant workers from Burma and other countries. I am Lin Thant, a reporter for The Irrawaddy magazine, and joining me this week are Ko Kyaw Kha and Ko Yan Pai, fellow members of The Irrawaddy team. After the military coup in Thailand, the ruling military council, the National Peace and Order Maintaining Council, made a plan to arrest undocumented migrant workers, and as a result we are seeing the continuous arrest of migrant workers, both documented and undocumented. And most of the detainees turned out to be from Burma, although there are also migrant workers from Thailand's other neighboring countries, like Laos or Cambodia. Some Burmese migrant workers who were arrested are documented, while some are undocumented. Organizations and actors working for the migrant workers are addressing the issue. However, they are not happy about the lack of cooperation and protection from the Burmese Embassy in Thailand. Just this morning, there was a protest outside the Burmese Embassy over the embassy's lack of support and protection for Burmese migrant workers. Can you tell us more about that, Ko Kyaw Kha? Kyaw Kha: Yes. The current operation is arresting documented migrant workers as well as undocumented ones. There are reports that they have been arresting some workers with valid documents. The Burmese Embassy gives no support in these instances. That was the reason why a solo protester protested outside the embassy a while ago. The embassy talked with him later, and he presented the embassy with a video and photo evidence of how Thai police are extorting money from Burmese migrant workers, despite their legal status, so that the embassy can take action. But the embassy failed to respond, and that is the reason he decided to protest. LT: I just learned yesterday that the embassy's officer for migrant worker affairs issued a handwritten memo, which is quite strange and disappointing to see. The memo urges Burmese migrant workers, both documented and undocumented, to contact the phone numbers mentioned in the document in the case of arrests. How many Burmese migrant workers know about this? According to the studies, Burmese migrant workers comprise the majority of the migrant work forces in Thailand, numbering about 3 million and making up 85 percent of the total migrant workers. Therefore, how effective can the letter be? KK: Just think about the nature of that memo. Instead of issuing a typed letter, they just made do with a handwritten one. We also have to see how well the letter has been distributed. If they are doing this in good faith to spread information to migrant workers inside Thailand, they have to distribute it through media and migrant affairs organizations. So far they have just spread it through people they know, and only because of social media like Facebook have some others came to know about it. The reality is that they have been weak in addressing these issues effectively. LT: There are other migrant workers in Thailand, apart from the Burmese, and they are also facing arrests. Now hundreds of thousands of Cambodian migrant workers have already gone back home. What do you want to say, Ko Yan Pai? Yan Pai: Thailand calls migrant workers from neighboring countries dtàang dâao (ต่างด้าว). After the military coup on May 22, Thaksin Shinawatra hinted that he would help rebel against the Thai coup-makers from Cambodia. Rumors related to this matter are spreading, and that has led to tension between Thailand and Cambodia. Another thing is that the National Peace and Order Maintaining Council has tightened law enforcement since taking power. They have launched operations against drugs, illegal arms and undocumented migrant workers. That's how some Cambodian migrant workers were arrested and why others have run away from Thailand. Then we saw the political play of Cambodia. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen went to the Thai-Cambodia border to welcome the returning migrant workers, and he told them that there are now jobs for them at home, like what Burma did before. Because of that, over 120,000 Cambodian migrant workers went back by train and other means. People accuse the Thai government of driving away Cambodian migrant workers. Although it might have been intentional, the Thai government didn't drive them away. They just run away because of the series of arrests. LT: Yesterday, I saw that the National Peace and Order Maintaining Council made an announcement stating that they are not arresting these migrant workers, and that they are forming committees to provide work permits to them systematically, and if there are any arrests, detentions or instances of extortion, complaints can be sent to them. YP: Thai police are also part of the problem. If the migrant workers are working in another place other than the place listed on their work permits, the police not only arrest the workers, but also extort them. That's why Burmese migrant workers don't dare to go out while Cambodian migrant workers are returning home, and that might be the reason why the director-general from the Ministry of Labor issued the statement yesterday that you just mentioned. LT: How is the situation of Burmese migrant workers in Thailand, and how many of them have been arrested already? KK: After the military coup, they started arresting Burmese migrant workers in Mae Sot, and within a week they started arrested arresting migrant workers in Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Mahachai. At first, they targeted undocumented migrant workers. But a few days ago in Chiang Mai, they arrested those with valid documents. When the workers asked the police why they were being arrested, even though they are documented, the police said they were just cleaning up the garbage. Workers are now very afraid. The police are probing areas where these workers work, like markets, construction sites and even in the workers' quarters. The workers are moving to other places and some are even afraid to go to work although they are documented. YP: Whether the workers are documented or not, the police always find them as easy scapegoats for extortion. LT: I saw in the news that some cases have been reported by migrant workers and migrant rights activists in which the police ripped the papers of documented migrant workers. The Burmese Embassy needs to address cases like these, although the embassy says it has urged the Thai government not to arrest Burmese migrant workers. One thing I have noticed here is that there are many Burmese citizens in Thailand overstaying their four-year stay permits, and their plans to extend their stay, which requires the cooperation of both countries, have been delayed because of the political instability in Thailand. The Burmese Embassy's appeal was mainly intended for these workers. Among the arrested migrant workers, there may be workers in this situation as well as those without any documents. How big is this issue? KK: There are about 3 million Burmese migrant workers in Thailand, and only 1.7 million of them hold temporary passports that were issued since 2009. Since the passports are only valid for four years, most of the passports have already expired, and 1 million of those 1.7 million passport holders may already be illegal by now. I think only about 200,000 to 300,000 of them are holding valid temporary passports. When their passports expire and they can't get extensions, they will become illegal. The Thai government and the Burmese government have to solve this, but now they are facing arrests. LT: The arrests are carried out in military operation style, in places like Mae Sot, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and in southern Thailand.  Migrant workers rent land either from their employers or from other landowners and build huts where they can live. Now Thai government forces are destroying their huts and they have lost their livelihoods as well. Their situation is worrisome. Burmese migrant workers are working in Thailand because the economic situation at home is not good. But with the recent arrests of Burmese migrant workers, the authorities are also cracking down on the sale of yaba tablets, and that may make the matter worse. What are the root causes of the problems, and how can leaders of both countries, the migrant workers themselves, and other actors working on migrant workers' issues respond? KK: The National Peace and Order Maintaining Council just formed a committee to issue work permits to the migrant workers. This is good news. The commander in chief also told the workers not to return home, as they are not going to arrest them anymore. But on the other hand, the police are still arresting them, especially Red Shirt supporters. Police are arresting them as a political game. Burmese migrant workers are scapegoats in this case, like Cambodian and Laotian migrant workers. The reality is that Burmese migrant workers don't want to return. When they are arrested and sent to the border area in Myawaddy and Mae Sot, they don't return to their home. They find a way to come back to Thailand. YP: Since they can only make their living in Thailand, they have to return. LT: Thai authorities are urging the migrant workers, whether they are documented or undocumented, not to go back, because most of Thailand's industries depend on migrant workers, and if they go back Thailand's economy will be highly affected. The Burmese government should take responsibility to protect them. We want to close our discussion this week by calling on the government of Burma and other organizations to provide more protection for migrant workers. I am Lin Thant, a reporter for The Irrawaddy magazine and joining me this week are Ko Kyaw Kha and Ko Yan Pai fellow members of The Irrawaddy team.  Thank you all for watching. The post 'Workers Are Now Very Afraid' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Monks Threaten Protest for Jailed Clergymen in Rangoon Monastery Row Posted: 19 Jun 2014 06:06 AM PDT The Maha Thanti Thukha monastery in Rangoon's Tamwe Township. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Threatening to stage a protest if their demand is not met by Friday, Buddhist monks are urging the release of five of their fellow clergymen who have been detained since June 10 and are charged with committing offenses to religion. Seven monks and 32 laymen were evicted from the Maha Thanti Thukha monastery in Rangoon by the government-backed Buddhist clergy, the Sangha Maha Nayaka, and were subsequently apprehended. The laymen and two monks were later released, but the five who remain behind bars were reportedly disrobed and sent to Rangoon's Insein Prison to await their trial, scheduled for June 20. The five detainees, including the English national Sayadaw U Ottara, are followers of Penang Sayadaw U Pyinnya Wuntha, an 86-year-old abbot who has been involved in a dispute with the state Sangha over the ownership of the monastery since the early 2000s. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has backed the state Sangha in the case and supported the June 10 raid on the monastery. "We are requesting the release of the monks by tomorrow. If they don't, we will protest," U Pamaukkha, one of monks spearheading the campaign for their release, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday. He said that he would lead the protest, along with the well-known Buddhist monks Shwe Nya War Sayadaw, who hails from a monastery in Pegu Division's Okkan Township, and U Wirathu of the Ma Soe Yein Monastery in Mandalay. "We were discussing with the abbot of Natsintayar monastery for the release of the monks. As representative of us, he is negotiating with the state Sangha for their release," U Pamaukkha said. Burma's Penal Code carries provisions that set out punishments for acts that insult religious feelings and beliefs, or disturb places of religious worship and assembly. The charges carry fines and prison terms of between one and two years. U Wirathu, a monk best known for his controversial affiliation with the anti-Muslim 969 movement, said the dispute was between Penang Sayadaw U Pyinnya Wuntha and the state Sangha, calling authorities' decision to charge the five monks "an injustice." "The state Sangha is still discussing whether they will release the monks or not. We will act depending on their decision. If they continue to detain the monks, it is sure that we will stage a protest or do something to demand release," he said. The post Monks Threaten Protest for Jailed Clergymen in Rangoon Monastery Row appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Nationwide Ceasefire May Delist Ethnic Armed Groups as ‘Unlawful’ Posted: 19 Jun 2014 05:37 AM PDT Shan commandos on parade at Shan State National Day on Feb. 7, 2014, in Loi Tai Leng, the headquarters of the Restoration Council of Shan State. (Photo: Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy) Government peace negotiators have told Shan leaders that once-outlawed ethnic armed groups would be removed from its list of "unlawful associations" after signing a nationwide ceasefire agreement. President's Office Minister Aung Min dangled that carrot in front of Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) leaders at a meeting on Thursday in Thailand, according to Col. Sai La, the RCSS spokesman. "We discussed the signing of the nationwide ceasefire agreement quickly and collaborating for the initiation of political dialogue before the 2015 general election," he added. "They [government representatives] said they would attempt to remove us from the list of outlawed associations after we sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement in August," Sai La told The Irrawaddy. The Unlawful Association Act was used by the former military regime to punish any group or individual involved with insurgents. It outlaws any connection with, support for or participation with associations listed by the government as illegal. The act, which has largely been allowed to lapse as the government has engaged with Burma's many ethnic armed rebel groups, has still occasionally been used by President Thein Sein's reformist government to imprison people based on their alleged affiliation with rebel groups. Last year in May, the RCSS called on the government to amend the act, which it said was hindering the peace process. Shan negotiators, led by Lt-Gen Yawd Serk, did not reach any breakthrough agreements with their government counterparts on Thursday in northern Thailand's Chiang Saen, according to the RCSS spokesman. "We talked about rebuilding mutual trust and understanding at the ground level to overcome the misunderstandings and problems at the grassroots level," he said, referring to a May raid on the RCSS liaison office in Kengtung, Shan State. Tensions were high last month after soldiers from the government's military intelligence unit, police officers and township authorities raided the RCSS office without notice. A few weeks later, the RCSS vowed it would "continue the armed struggle" to achieve its political aims if left with no other choice, in a statement marking the 56th anniversary of Shan State People's Resistance Day. Relations appear to have warmed since then. The RCSS, which is not a member of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), said it would join the next meeting between the NCCT and the Union Peace Working Committee. The NCCT and UPWC met last month, hoping to agree to a single text on the nationwide ceasefire agreement. The government has said it wants a signing to take place by August, but no official date has been set. Ethnic leaders say they would meet for a third ethnic armed groups conference in July, ahead of a planned meeting with government representatives. The first and second conferences were held in Laiza, Kachin State, and Law Khee Lar, Karen State, in October 2013 and January 2014, respectively. Most of Burma's major ethnic armed groups have signed bilateral ceasefires with the central government, but the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) have yet to do so. Clashes between the two ethnic armed groups and government troops are still a regular occurrence in northern Burma. The post Nationwide Ceasefire May Delist Ethnic Armed Groups as 'Unlawful' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burmese President Appoints New Religious Advisors Posted: 19 Jun 2014 05:02 AM PDT President Thein Sein walks with ministers and other high-ranking civil servants in Naypyidaw. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burmese President Thein Sein has created a new religious affairs advisory group—comprising two officials, including a family tie and a former religious affairs minister—following reports that the current religious affairs minister has been detained and is being investigated for corruption. State media announced on Thursday that former Religious Affairs Minister Myint Maung will lead the president's new religious affairs advisory group. Myint Maung, a brigadier general under the former military junta, retired from his ministerial post last year, after facing blame for failing to adequately assist monks who were injured in a police crackdown on protesters at Letpadaung copper mine in 2012. A former ambassador, Sein Win Aung, the father-in-law of Thein Sein's daughter, has been appointed as a second religious affairs advisor, state media reported. The appointments came as Eleven Media reported on Thursday that the current religious affairs minister, Hsan Sint, has been detained and is being investigated for corruption. The report could not be independently verified by The Irrawaddy. The government is also facing international and local opposition to two religious bills that would restrict religious conversions and interfaith marriages. In Rangoon, tensions are high after the state-backed Buddhist clergy recently evicted monks from a large Rangoon monastery. Also on Thursday, state media announced that the president has selected four other new advisors for health, education and economic affairs, who will join a team of about 40 current presidential advisors. Former Unicef senior staff member Yin Yin Nwe will join the education advisory group. Following two decades of experience with Unicef, she has recently served as an advisor to the government-affiliated Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), as well as a member of the National Economic and Social Advisory Council, and a member of the Education Promotion Implementation Committee (EPIC), which is promoting education reform under the Ministry of Education. "I have told the President's Office how the education sector has been wrecked," she told The Irrawaddy. "During the military government era, many educated experts left the country, and there were Western sanctions, so various sectors in Burma were ruined. Now the president needs to develop all sectors with advice from experts. Not only one, but many experts are welcomed." Another education advisor will be Kyaw Yin Hlaing, also a member of the MPC. Dr. Nu Nu Thar, a former superintendent of Rangoon General Hospital, will join the president's health advisory group. She is the sister of Soe Tha, the former minister of national planning. Tin Htut Oo, a former director-general of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, rounds out the six new advisors as he joins the economic advisory group. "The president seems to know there are weaknesses in these sectors which need to be upgraded," said Yan Myo Thein, a political analyst. "He appointed the former religious affairs minister as a team leader [of the religious affairs advisory group], so I think there might be a lot of weaknesses and needs in the Religious Affairs Ministry." Yan Myo Thein added that the appointment of many advisors was no guarantee of action. "He [Thein Sein] should take care with his appointments because the advisors are paid with the people's money. I don't expect much from them because they are all his old mates," Yan Myo Thein said. The post Burmese President Appoints New Religious Advisors appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Two Men at Large After Prison Break in Sagaing Division Posted: 19 Jun 2014 04:33 AM PDT A police officer on duty inside a courthouse in Rangoon. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — Police have tightened security in Homalin, Sagaing Division, after eight detainees—two of whom remain at large—escaped from the local police station's detention facility. Police said the eight men, accused of narcotics trafficking, were being held at a stilt-elevated confinement building near the station and managed to break through the floor, escaping on Thursday morning at 1:45 am. "Six of them were rearrested within a few hours. We are now tightening up the security … and searching the area around the town thoroughly, with special forces, to find the two who are still at large," said a duty officer from Homalin Township. A Homalin resident with close contacts at the police station said the police had ramped up their anti-narcotics efforts in recent weeks, with a slew of related arrests straining the detention capacity of local law enforcement. Another source said the confinement building was too small and speculated that the cramped conditions had prompted the escape attempt. "The police built a new building but with the increasing number of detainees, the room, which is capable of holding 40 people, was filled with 53 detainees. We think that's why they tried to escape," he said. However, the Homalin duty officer downplayed overcrowding as a factor. "We think they wanted to escape from the charges. However, we are still questioning them and divisional officials are on their way to make an inquiry into the case too," he said. Last year, both male and female detainees staged a protest against conditions at the station, where 80 men and women were locked together in a room meant for a maximum of 40 people. Ceding to their demands to separate the men and women and alleviate overcrowding, authorities built a second building. The post Two Men at Large After Prison Break in Sagaing Division appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Thai Court Hits British Migrant Rights Activist with 4th Charge, Seizes Passport Posted: 19 Jun 2014 04:09 AM PDT Andy Hall (wearing blue) and his legal team, with Thai Frozen Foods Association and Thai Tuna Industry Association representatives, in front of the Prakanong Court on Wednesday. (Photo: Andy Hall) RANGOON — British migrant rights activist Andy Hall said he was briefly detained and released on bail on Wednesday during a trial hearing in Thailand. Hall is facing various defamation charges brought against him by Natural Fruit Co Ltd. after he had accused them of abusing Burmese migrant workers. "My passport was confiscated so I can't leave the country," he told The Irrawaddy. "I think the case is unjust and unfair. I feel very much like my rights are being violated with my passport being confiscated, that really limits my freedom of movement. "I was put in a cell while I am innocent; I felt it was really wrong. I was being treated like a dangerous suspect," Hall said. "The fact that a company can persecute and harass someone like this is totally unacceptable," he said, adding that court authorities had been uncooperative. "They said that if I wanted a translation [of Thai court documents] they could arrange, but they would take me to Prakanong Prison for a few days while they organize it," Hall added. Natural Fruit has brought four charges against Hall at different courts over his claims that the company's employees were suffering from labor rights abuses. On Wednesday, the fourth charge, criminal defamation, was accepted by the Prakanong Court. Hall pleaded not guilty. The Thai Frozen Foods Association and Thai Tuna Industry Association provided his bail out of support for Hall’s work as a human rights defender and migration expert. Hall co-authored a report by Finnwatch last year that detailed a range of labor rights abuses faced by migrant laborers, mostly Burmese, employed by Natural Fruit Co Ltd at its Vita Food Factory in Kanchanaburi Province, which sells pineapple concentrate to Finnish supermarkets. He also spoke out in the media against the abuses. For a decade, Hall has been researching and speaking out against abuses against the millions of Burmese and Cambodian migrant laborers providing cheap labor in Thailand, many of whom are vulnerable because they lack proper identification papers and employment permits. Asked how long the trials initiated by Natural Fruit company might last, Hall said, "[The process] can take many years… There are many, many cases against me; it might take up to five or ten years." If found guilty on the various civil and criminal charges brought against him, Hall could face a maximum of seven years in prison, while Natural Fruit is also claiming US $10 million in damages. The post Thai Court Hits British Migrant Rights Activist with 4th Charge, Seizes Passport appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Raids, Arrests Leave Burmese Migrants on Edge in Thailand Posted: 19 Jun 2014 03:30 AM PDT A Shan migrant worker carries his child at a housing compound for migrant laborers in Chiang Mai, Thailand. (Photo: Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Burmese migrant workers in Thailand are living in fear, with some of their fellow laborers having been arrested in recent weeks and an unknown number of others returning to Burma as the Thai junta intensifies its crackdown on illegal foreign workers. Amid the ongoing crackdown—which has focused on Cambodians migrants, sending as many as 200,000 of them in Thailand streaming back into their home country—both documented and undocumented Burmese migrant workers say they fear that they might be next. Many are staying away from their places of employment, forgoing wages as the Thai army and police intensify nationwide inspections in places where migrants live and work. Inspections are taking place in cities heavily populated by migrant workers including Bangkok, Mahachai, Chiang Mai and Mae Sot. Migrant workers have been questioned and arrested if they lack proper documents. According to migrant workers' rights groups, despite the absence of official figures on the number of detained Burmese nationals, inspections and arrests by Thai authorities are ongoing. Though a far smaller disruption to livelihoods than that brought on the Cambodian migrant population, potentially thousands of Burmese have been arrested or returned to Burma since the crackdown began earlier this month. Maung Tu, a Burmese migrant worker in Mahachai, Samut Sakhon Province, where many Burmese work, said the Thai army has visited his workplace, a fish processing facility in the port town. "Some who are afraid of inspections have returned home through border points such as Ranong and Mae Sot. Some dare not go into work. They hide in their compounds," Maung Tu said. Thailand relies heavily on cheap, unregulated labor supplied by its poorer neighbors Burma, Cambodia and Laos. Estimates of the total number of Burmese migrants vary widely, but up to 3 million Burmese are said to be working in Thailand, often performing unskilled jobs in the construction sector, restaurants or the fishing industry. Mai Mai, a migrant workers' advocate with the Migrant Assistance Program (MAP) Foundation, a Chiang Mai-based NGO that provides assistance to migrant workers in Thailand, confirmed that raids and inspections of Chiang Mai migrants' workplaces and housing compounds were taking place. "Some migrant workers have called us and sought advice from us on whether they can stay or whether it is better to return home. We don't have an official figure of the arrested people, but we know that Thai authorities raided their workplaces and compounds and arrested several dozen of them," said Mai Mai. A labor rights organization in Mae Sot, Joint Action Committee for Burmese Workers Association, estimates that about 1,000 Burmese workers in Mae Sot alone have been arrested and deported since early June. The Thai government has provided no information on the number of migrant workers arrested, and NGOs that work with migrant workers were reluctant to estimate how many may have been arrested across Thailand so far. Some migrant workers are even reporting problems despite having all their legal paperwork in order. Si Si Lwin, a labor rights activist with MAP Foundation who lives in Mae Sai on the border with Burma's Tachileik Township, said five legal Burmese migrant workers were detained in Chiang Mai and then repatriated. The workers said the trouble stemmed from their employers' unwillingness to vouch for them. "I got many calls from migrant workers. Five of the workers came to seek help from me. They all have documents. They gave the phone numbers of their employers to police, but when the police called to confirm, the employers denied [their employment]. So, they were arrested, detained and paid 9,000 baht [US$300] for their release," Si Si Lwin said. "They paid for [valid work] documents. But in the end, they could do nothing. So, there is no safety for our Burmese migrants in Thailand," she added. Despite the climate of fear among the migrant population, many Burmese workers in Chiang Mai, especially ethnic Shan, are equally reluctant to return to Burma, where they face the prospect of settling for low-paying jobs or unemployment. Ethnic conflict and a dearth of economic opportunity has for decades led Burmese workers to seek better-paying jobs in neighboring countries like Thailand. Many cross the border into Thailand illegally and lack official identity papers, Thai working visas and other legal documentation. As a result, many work as unregistered laborers, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation by employers and authorities. Win Maung, the Burmese ambassador to Thailand, told The Irrawaddy that he had met with Thai officials including a Thai army official, Gen. Thanasak Patimaprakorn, in Bangkok on June 6 to discuss the crackdown on migrant workers. "We discussed with them [Thai officials] not to arrest Burmese migrant workers who are overstaying their visas. They also asked us to extend visas for the workers, so that they don't have to arrest the migrants. They asked us to ensure that all migrant workers have the required documents," Win Maung said. "Currently, no arrests have been made in Bangkok," the ambassador said. "They [Thai authorities] said that they have already released the arrested migrants in Chiang Mai after questioning them." The Irrawaddy reporter Kyaw Kha contributed reporting. The post Raids, Arrests Leave Burmese Migrants on Edge in Thailand appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Suu Kyi Celebrates 69th Birthday Posted: 19 Jun 2014 03:23 AM PDT Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi celebrates her birthday in Naypyidaw on Thursday. (Photo: NLD) RANGOON— On her 69th birthday on Thursday, Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has urged her supporters to pray for her and continue standing beside her during the country's transition toward democracy. The National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman, who was born in Rangoon in 1945, rarely makes birthday resolutions, saying that each year she is working toward the same goal. "But on birthdays, I think it's the time to glance back on what you have done in the past year. As a politician, I prefer to contemplate what I have done best for the country, rather than what I have gained personally," she said in Naypyidaw. "I wish you—my friends, colleagues, the NLD members and anyone who loves me—to enjoy wellbeing, and that you pray for me, and I urge you to keep supporting and walking with me on my ongoing political journey." Suu Kyi is currently in Naypyidaw to attend parliamentary meetings. On Thursday afternoon, she and other NLD lawmakers took a break to celebrate at the office of Parliament's Rule of Law Committee, which she leads. They enjoyed a birthday cake, decorated in red like the NLD flag, and Suu Kyi invited other parliamentary staff members, including cleaners and gardeners, to join the festivities. One lawmaker from the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) also attended. Outside Parliament, her supporters in the capital marked the day by giving blood donations, a common tradition on holy days in Burma, and by attending literary talks. And at the NLD headquarters in Rangoon, party members made offerings to Buddhist monks and prayed for their leader's good health. A women's group comprised of leading Burmese democracy activists released a statement on Thursday in support of Suu Kyi. The group, known as Women's Political Action 2015, was formed to create an outlet for women's voices in the upcoming 2015 election. "We believe Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the most suitable candidate for the presidency at this time. We give our full support to her as our birthday present, and we will stand behind her political leadership," the group said. But before Suu Kyi can become president, she will need an even bigger present from Parliament, which still needs to vote on whether to amend an article in the Constitution that currently bars her from the post. The post Suu Kyi Celebrates 69th Birthday appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Govt Still Studying Controversial Nickel Mine in Chin State: Minister Posted: 19 Jun 2014 02:29 AM PDT A local resident reads posters put up by a Chinese mining company giving information about a planned nickel-mining project in Chin State's Tedim Township. (Photo: Chinland Natural Resources Watch Group) RANGOON — Burma's Deputy Minister for Mines Than Tun Aung has told the Upper House on Wednesday that his ministry has yet to approve a controversial nickel mine project, located on the border of Chin State and Sagaing Division, state-owned media reported. Than Tun Aung said his ministry was still studying the result of a feasibility study conducted with the permission of the Myanmar Investment Commission by North Mining Investment Co Ltd, a Hong Kong-based firm, according to The New Light of Myanmar newspaper. In 2012, the firm began carrying out a feasibility study into nickel deposits at Mwe Mountain, which cover parts of Sagaing's Kalay Township and Chin State's Teddim Township, areas located close to the Burma-India border, and in 2013 it reportedly submitted the results to the Ministry of Mines and the Environment Ministry. Than Tun Aung told lawmakers "that the mining project will be implemented only after approval by the experts in a transparent consultation with the state government, the regional government and the local people to avoid future problems," state media reported. The deputy minister said the feasibility study estimates that there are 42 million tons of metal ore at the proposed mining site, composed of 1.37 percent nickel, 16.32 percent iron, 0.88 percent chromium, 21.72 per cent magnesium dioxide and 39.46 percent silica. Chin political parties and activists have spoken out at against the massive project since last year. They demand that the government releases more project information, ensures that environmental safeguards are put in place for the project and allocates a share of its profits to Chin State, which is considered Burma's most impoverished region. In January, China activists and residents of Teddim Township said they were growing increasingly concerned about the project and its potential environmental impacts on communities, after company representatives visited more than 15 villages and met with the locals to explain the project. North Mining Investment Co Ltd told locals that it expected the project—which reportedly requires financing of close to US$500 million—would begin this year. Hand-outs and posters distributed by the firm claimed the mine would benefit local communities, contribute $500,000 a year to the development of Chin State, and bring jobs to the area. In addition to the mine, the firm would also build two smelters to process the nickel ore and a dock at Kalaywa on the Chindwin River in Sagaing Division, from where the ferronickel concentrates would be transported on to Rangoon and China, where there is a strong demand for nickel. The post Govt Still Studying Controversial Nickel Mine in Chin State: Minister appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

As Arakanese Buddhists Gain Strength, so Does Anti-Muslim Apartheid Posted: 18 Jun 2014 09:45 PM PDT Sinnuyar Baekon (C), 25, sits inside her hut with neighbors at a refugee camp outside Sittwe, the capital city of Arakan State June 8, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) KYAUKPYU — A campaign to isolate Muslims living under apartheid-like conditions is gathering steam in western Burma, driven by Buddhist activists emboldened by the country’s transition from military rule. Religious violence since 2012 has killed hundreds of Rohingya Muslims and displaced more than 140,000 in Arakan State. Survivors live as virtual prisoners in camps or in segregated villages, subject to restrictions on travel, and, in some areas, marriage and the number of babies they can have. In recent months, Buddhist Arakanese activists and politicians have spearheaded a campaign to restrict healthcare and other aid for many of the estimated one million Rohingya living in the state, aid workers say. At the forefront of the movement are the Rakhina Social Network (RSN), an umbrella grouping of activist organizations, and the newly-formed Arakan National Party (ANP). "We are worried that this country will not remain Buddhist," Nyo Aye, the chairwoman of the Rakhine Women’s Network, which is part of RSN, told Reuters. "We Rakhine are strongly guarding Myanmar’s western door," she added, referring to the widely accepted belief that the Rohingya are illegal Muslim immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh. The step up of the campaign against the Rohingya comes as Arakanese leaders use Burma’s democratic reforms to seize greater local autonomy and a slice of billions of dollars in infrastructure development and oil and gas revenue. Such bigotry is proving a stumbling block to Burma’s opening to the world after nearly 50 years of military rule. Last month, U.S. President Barack Obama cited abuses in Arakan State as one reason for extending some economic sanctions against Burma. "There has been a very active campaign to both isolate the Rohingya population and drive them out from what the Rakhine regard as their homeland," said Matthew Smith, the executive director of Fortify Rights, an NGO which monitors Arakan State. Even relatively moderate Arakanese leaders are calling for "essentially apartheid-like conditions for the Rohingya and a continuation of abuses that amount to crimes against humanity," said Smith. Win Myaing, a spokesman for Arakan State’s centrally appointed state government, denied there was a humanitarian crisis in the area. Most displaced Rohingya live more comfortable lives in the camps than before the violence, he said. According to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 86,000 Rohingya have fled Burma by boat since 2012 to escape the oppression. A conference involving hundreds of Arakanese leaders in the coastal town of Kyaukpyu in late April and early May was widely seen as a coming-out party for the ANP, which hopes to dominate the state parliament in an election next year. The party is not officially linked to the RSN but shares many of its goals. Conference delegates passed resolutions calling for Arakanese to grab a 50 percent share of oil and gas revenue in the state, as well as for constitutional changes to drastically shift power to the state and its elected parliament. Dominating the discussion was what to do with the Rohingya. "The estimated population in Rakhine State is three million people. More than one million are Bengalis," said ANP leader Aye Thar Aung, using the term preferred by Burma’s government, which refuses to recognize the existence of a Rohingya ethnic group. "How can we allow people whose nationality is unknown to vote in Myanmar?" he said. "It is clear that our border, our state are under threat of invasion." The solution favored by Arakanese leaders interviewed by Reuters is simple: Grant citizenship to perhaps 200,000 Rohingya, then forcibly remove the remaining majority to "detention camps," where they will be held in perpetuity unless rich nations take them. Moves would also be made to tighten the border with Bangladesh to prevent what Arakanese leaders believe to be an influx of illegal Rohingya immigrants. The aim, Aye Thar Aung said, is to neutralize the demographic threat that the Rohingya pose to Arakanese gaining control over their state. Squeezing Health Care In the Rohingya camps and settlements, foreign aid workers say the campaign to staunch healthcare has worsened already dire conditions. Last year, the workers began receiving anonymous death threats and Arakanese landlords began turning away humanitarian groups, said a former official with an international agency focusing on Arakan State, who did not want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. Arakanese activists, mostly grouped in the RSN, first led a lengthy campaign against Medecins Sans Frontieres-Holland (MSF-H), an aid group which had been the primary healthcare provider for half a million Rohingya, claiming the group was biased against the Arakanese. They closed in on MSF-H after the group said it had treated people for violent injuries in an area where the United Nations reported at least 40 Rohingya were massacred in January. Protests led the central government to expel MSF-H in February. On March 26, the attack on foreign aid groups widened. Enraged by a rumor that a foreign worker from the aid group Malteser International had desecrated a Buddhist flag, mobs trashed offices and warehouses of the United Nations and humanitarian groups in the state capital, Sittwe, causing the withdrawal of foreign aid workers. Arakanese leaders deny any connection to the violence. More than two months later, only about 60 percent of the evacuated aid workers have returned to the state, according to the United Nations. Both MSF-H and Malteser remained blocked by Burma’s government, leaving more than 600,000 people in camps and villages with little or no healthcare. Arakanese Monitor Aid Groups In the village of Inn Din in the north of the state, Norjan, a 60-year-old tuberculosis patient, told Reuters the expulsion of MSF-H meant the end of treatment in her Rohingya settlement. Since then, she has only seen a doctor once, after a bone-rattling journey to the town of Maungdaw, several hours away. The trip and medicine cost her 50,000 kyat (USD 51.54). "I used whatever money I had and then borrowed the rest from relatives and neighbors," she said. "I will have to pay them back somehow." In the aftermath of the March violence, the same Arakanese leaders who agitated against foreign aid groups have assumed power over monitoring their work. A new body, called the Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC), has overseen foreign aid groups since late March. The Arakan State ECC is dominated by Rakhine Social Network members. Than Tun, a state ECC member and RSN patron, told Reuters that neither MSF-H or Malteser has a chance of returning to the state. Other aid groups are being closely watched to make sure they do not favor the Rohingya. "Speaking as a Rakhine, if I were to put it bluntly, if all of the U.N. agencies and international NGOs were to leave Rakhine, it would go half way to resolving the conflict in Rakhine state," he said. The post As Arakanese Buddhists Gain Strength, so Does Anti-Muslim Apartheid appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

We Will Not Back Down Posted: 18 Jun 2014 05:00 PM PDT Nationalist Buddhist monk U Wirathu is greeted with respect at a monks' conference in Rangoon in June 2013, where a proposal about an interfaith marriage bill was discussed. (Photo: Jpaing / The Irrawaddy) In June of last year, a group of nationalist monks began lobbying for a new law to protect the national race and religion, Buddhism, with a focus on restricting interfaith marriages. They drafted a bill that called for restrictions on marriages between Buddhist women and men of other faiths, and they sent their proposal to lawmakers. Women's groups responded with a simple message: We said the bill was unacceptable because it was based on nationalistic and religious extremism, interfering with individual freedoms and particularly with the personal choices of women. We also pointed out that the bill, if enacted, would suggest that Buddhism was so vulnerable as to require some form of protection. It would imply that the religion lacked the strength to stand while mingling with other faiths. Over the past year, President Thein Sein has ordered government ministries and the High Court to draft official versions of not only the interfaith marriage bill, but also three other bills to restrict religious conversion, to enact population control measures and to outlaw polygamy. All of these are intended to protect race and religion. It is high time for the people of Burma, regardless of ethnic background, faith or gender, to unite during the democratic reform process. That is why we women's groups decided last month to issue a second statement against these divisive faith-based bills. "We believe the current faith-based political activities, including arguments against interfaith marriage currently taking place in the country, are not in accordance with the objectives of the peaceful coexistence of all faiths and the prevention of extreme violence and conflict, but instead are ideas signed to distract the public before the 2015 election," we wrote. Zin Mar Aung is a human rights activist who co-founded the Rainfall Gender Studies group and won a 2012 International Women of Courage Award. It seems that these bills are a ploy to delay the transition to democracy, the national peace process and constitutional amendments. From a gender perspective, it is also clear that supporters of the interfaith marriage bill view women as objectives. We cannot accept this irrational view, and we are not backing down from our campaign against it. But we are facing a tough response from extreme nationalist groups. Civil society leaders and women's rights activists who oppose these bills are now receiving abusive calls and online messages, including on Facebook and the phone application Viber. I have personally been the recipient of scary phone messages since late last month. I have been called a "traitor of race and religion," and I have received death threats. "Do you want to die, traitor?" one person asked. A blog, Myanmar Express, has meanwhile been personally attacking women activists who have spoken out against these bills. As threats continue, the so-called reformist government remains silent. Rather than taking steps to ensure our safety, the minister of religious affairs has proposed to legally recognize the Association to Protect Race and Religion—known locally as Ma Ba Tha—as an official organization. I am very upset about the actions taken by Thein Sein, who is lauded internationally as a reformist. He has opened his ears to extremist monks and pushed their agenda forward. Now the religious conversion bill, which seeks to prevent people from converting to a new faith without government permission, is about to hit the Parliament floor for discussion. Last week, some representatives of civil society groups met with Parliament's Rule of Law Committee, led by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, to discuss our concerns about this bill. We frankly and freely offered our opinions. The end result of our campaign will be determined by the leading decision-makers of the democratic transition—by officials in positions of power, including the president, ministers and parliamentarians, who will either accept or reject these bills. But no matter what, we will continue to fight for what we believe is right. Zin Mar Aung is a human rights activist who co-founded the Rainfall Gender Studies group and won a 2012 International Women of Courage Award. The post We Will Not Back Down appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Hot Nights, and Daytime Cool Posted: 18 Jun 2014 05:30 PM PDT It took the MOJO Lounge & Restaurant only half a year to become a Yangon hotspot for food and music. (Photo: Oliver Gruen / The Irrawaddy) YANGON — Eric Clapton is wafting from the speakers, there is cold beer in the glasses and the mixed crowd is in the mood to party. It took the MOJO Lounge & Restaurant only half a year to become a Yangon hotspot for food and music, after internationals teamed up with locals to create the kind of fusion venue that would fit right in if it were transplanted to Barcelona, Boston or Bogota. Located across from the Savoy Hotel on Inya Road, about half a mile north of Shwedagon Pagoda, MOJO adds another lively element to an already vibrant neighborhood. Opened late last year by Jean Curci of Marseille, France, the cool two-story bar/restaurant, with a comfy porch on the outside, is one of a number of gastronomic businesses set up by French expatriates in Yangon. Naturally, many of his patrons are also French. "You know," a young French woman said with a mischievous smile, "we call it the French mafia, because so many of us work for the French petrol company, Total." We visited MOJO twice: once for lunch, and again for the Monday Blues session. For lunch, there were two specials of the day. We decided to go for the Myanmar Lunch Set (7,900 kyat), offered daily until 3:00 pm. Starters included a clear chicken broth, which was savory and aromatic, with crisp carrots, broccoli and pieces of braised chicken breast. A mildly seasoned Myanmar tomato salad, with the right amount of oil and sesame seeds, went well with the soup. The starters were followed by a Rakhine national fish curry with tamarind and chili. The consistency of the fish was remarkably firm, with the inside tender perfectly executed. The chili enhanced the flavor without the burn of chili in Mexican and Thai dishes. For dessert we chose chocolate ice cream; two scoops were served in a martini glass. The ice cream was very creamy and chocolaty, and a good choice if you like dark chocolate. Interestingly, it did not melt quickly, even though we were seated outside. We ended with a strong espresso. By the time we received our dessert, a full hour had passed for the five-course meal to be served, with the apology that some of the staff were absent because of illness, but free ice water came regularly to compensate for the wait. As an alternative to the five-course meal, you can also try the MOJO Platter (prawn rolls, spring rolls, chicken rolls, beef and chicken wings), which serves two for US$19, steak or butterfish ($10-13), or an assortment of tapas to share. Singha Beer from Thailand (2,000 kyat) and white and red wines from France, Italy and Germany by the glass for $5 add to the international flavor. When asked why he didn't offer Myanmar Beer or local wines such as Aythaya or Red Mountain, which would attract the locals and support the national industry, Mr. Curci (who, incidentally, wears a longyi convincingly) made it clear that he takes pride in serving European wines, especially French ones. He added, however, that he is open to considering the Myanmar 2013 whites. MOJO is one of the few bars in town to feature blues and swing music, helping to fill a gap for lovers of international live music. The name comes from the African-American word "mojo," which originally meant an amulet or a flannel bag containing magical ingredients (although blues legend Muddy Waters had something else in mind when he sang "Got My Mojo Working"). In keeping with its name, MOJO hosts a weekly Monday Blues blues concert. The lineup on a recent night consisted of a French-Swiss guitar player and singer named Charles David Hay, who waits tables during the week, and British-born George Fogel (whose understanding of Myanmar music is tremendous) on piano. The audience (French, Jamaicans, US citizens and local youngsters on the night we were there) enjoyed the two-set gig and sang along, even to lesser known songs. The future plan is to build a professional stage on the first floor that will host international music played by visitors and those working in Yangon. In addition to the many special events on offer (Happy Hour and Blues Monday, among others), MOJO also hosts Yangon's "Mobile Monday," an open-community platform for mobile phone industry professionals to network and socialize. Due to MOJO's success, its owner has also opened a new restaurant next door called the Golden Kitchen Tori, which offers yakitori and a range of Japanese, Korean and Myanmar food. MOJO is certainly worth a visit, whether for a reasonably priced lunch or a dinner-and-music evening with mojitos, margaritas, Havana Club Rum and Armagnac served for $6. This article first appeared in the June 2014 edition of The Irrawaddy print magazine. The post Hot Nights, and Daytime Cool appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

World Cup Highlights Asia’s Illegal Betting Boom Posted: 18 Jun 2014 10:31 PM PDT A Thai mahout plays a ball as another paints Spain's flag on an elephant before a football match with Thai students in Thailand's Ayutthaya province on June 9, 2014. The match was held as part of a campaign to promote the 2014 World Cup and also to discourage gambling during the competition. (Photo: Reuters / Chaiwat Subprasom) HONG KONG — As teams battle for football glory at the World Cup in Brazil, the biggest winners from the tournament may be illegal bookmakers in Asia. Since kickoff, Chinese officer worker Chen has already wagered 2,000-3,000 yuan (US$320-$480) through black market online bookies and plans to gamble more on big upcoming games. Chen, who started betting on sports that also include NBA games four years ago, said that during the previous World Cup in South Africa he bet 115,000 yuan ($18,500) in a single day on three different games—a huge sum for the average Chinese—and lost about half of it. "My friend helped me with betting on games through the Internet," said Chen. "I'll call my friend and transfer money to him and he would help me to deal with the rest." Chen, who lives in the southern city of Shenzhen, next to Hong Kong, would only give his surname because he didn't want to get in trouble with authorities for betting illegally. Demand for bets from Asian sports enthusiasts illustrates how the World Cup is also a huge bonanza for betting companies while focusing attention on the surge in illegal wagering in East Asia, where there are few legal options to accommodate the lucrative market. "It is the biggest single gambling event of the decade and each World Cup gets bigger," said Warwick Bartlett, CEO of Global Betting & Gaming Consultants, based on the Isle of Man. However, "the propensity to gamble in Asia is stronger than anywhere else on the planet, yet there are few legalized gambling opportunities." Government monopoly operators offer legal sports betting in a handful of Asian jurisdictions, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. The Philippines' Cagayan province is home to 68 online gambling companies. It's banned outright in many other countries, including India, Indonesia and Thailand. But thousands more illegal online bookmaking outfits, which don't pay tax, are thriving because they offer better prices, odds, wider variety of bet types and credit. Asia accounts for just over half of the illegal bets placed worldwide, according to a recent report by a sports monitoring group. The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the world's second biggest betting operator, reported that betting turnover during the 2010 World Cup fell 1.6 percent compared with the 2006 event, which it blamed on growing use of illegal bookies. Police forces in Asia are cracking down, swooping on a number of gambling rings in recent weeks. In May, Singapore police arrested 18 people suspected to be involved in an illegal football betting ring. They seized 1.4 million Singapore dollars ($1.1 million) in cash and uncovered records that showed the suspects received S$8 million ($6.3 million) in illegal bets in the prior two weeks. Hong Kong police raided several gambling operations at the start of the tournament, including a cross-border operation with counterparts in mainland China to break up what they said was the city's biggest ever gambling syndicate, arresting 29 people and seizing slips for about $100 million in bets on football and horse racing. Even Hong Kong's prisons are tightening up prevention measures during the tournament by stepping up surprise inspections and cutting out any information on odds from newspapers and magazines given to prisoners. In Thailand, where a business group estimates Thais will spend 43 billion baht ($1.3 billion) on illegal gambling during the World Cup, police have set up a gambling "suppression center" and arrested dozens of gamblers and bookmakers, according to a local news report. The busts represent a fraction of the total. Wagers made outside licensed, regulated channels account for 80 percent of the 200 billion to 500 billion euros ($271 billion to $678 billion) bet globally on sports per year, according to a report released in May by the Qatar-based International Center for Sport Security. It estimated that black market wagering is used to launder more than $140 billion in dirty money every year. "Organized crime has moved into football because they have seen that this is a much easier way to make money than the traditional ways of racketeering, prostitution, drugs," said Patrick Jay, director of trading at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. "They do this either by means of bookmaking … or they do it through the means of actually arranging results of football matches, what's known as fixing football matches." Football match fixing has emerged as a major concern after the European Union's police agency said last year that a review found nearly 700 suspicious matches around the world as well as evidence that a Singapore-based crime syndicate was involved in some of the rigging. Three books have also been recently released on the subject, including one by Wilson Raj Perumal, a Singaporean with ties to Asian and Eastern European gambling syndicates who was jailed in Finland for match-fixing. However, Jay said chances are slim of a World Cup game being fixed because fixers target games with low media and fan interest involving poorly paid players. He added that if fixers do try to target a game during the tournament, it would be one in which the result is not very important to either side. "There's no doubt the match fixers will look at those games. However, FIFA, EUFA and Interpol are all over this now. FIFA and Interpol are in the dressing rooms, they're in the stadiums, their security people are in the hotels, they're liaising with bookmakers, sports governing bodies, sponsors, security people," he said. Associated Press researcher Fu Ting in Shanghai contributed to this report. The post World Cup Highlights Asia's Illegal Betting Boom appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Japan’s ‘Patriotic Wives’ Posted: 18 Jun 2014 10:20 PM PDT Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie, right, disembark from an aircraft upon their arrival at the airport in New Delhi on Jan. 25, 2014. (Photo: Reuters / Adnan Abidi) TOKYO — One by one, women take the microphone near a crowded crossing in a popular Tokyo shopping district on a hot and humid weekday, denouncing Japan's pacifist constitution, blasting China's "recklessness" and mocking the South Korean flag. "The Japanese constitution that cannot protect our children's future is more dangerous than nuclear power," said a banner held by members of self-styled patriotic women's group Hanadokei, which sponsored the event. Angered by demands from China and South Korea that Japan apologize again for wartime misdeeds and mistrustful of mainstream media and politicians, ultra-conservative Japanese housewives, mums and working women are speaking out. One of the few leaders to win their praise is Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Conversations with members of Hanadokei and another group, Soyokaze, offer a window into the mindset of ultra-conservatives who back Abe's push to revise Japan's post-war constitution and recast the country's past with a less apologetic tone. "In the past, Japanese people stayed silent no matter what," Machiko Fuji, Hanadokei's deputy head, told Reuters as she and her colleagues later grabbed lunch. "But after others kept telling us over and over that we are wrong … we have passed the limit of our endurance." Like US Tea Party activists, the women use the Internet to share information, link up with followers and proselytize. While their numbers are small, their views—which echo those of larger male-dominated nationalist groups—could at the margins affect policies from diplomacy to immigration, although Abe faces pressure to appeal to a broader base. "They are still small groups, but their impact might be bigger than their size because they seem to resonate with average Japanese feelings to an extent," said Mari Miura, a political science professor at Sophia University in Tokyo. While Abe wins kudos, the women are disappointed at what they see as his bowing to diplomatic pressure on some issues. And they are less pleased with his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). "Even inside the LDP there are people who want to denigrate Japan and are acting on behalf of the interests of China and South Korea," said Hanadokei leader Makiko Oka. "I support Abe, but I can't really support the LDP." Hanadokei, which literally means "Flower Clock," and Soyokaze, or "Gentle Breeze," trace their origins to the advent of the centrist Democratic Party of Japan government that ousted the dominant conservative LDP in 2009. Many members were galvanized by fears the DPJ would give foreign residents the right to vote and legislate the rights of spouses to keep separate family names after marriage, both anathema to ultra-conservatives. Soyokaze, with some 500 members nationwide, was founded in 2009 and Hanadokei, which boasts about 840 members including 300 men, sprang up in the following year. Soyokaze's members tend to be older than those of Hanadokei, many of whom are in their 30s. Both groups include housewives and working women. High on their agenda is a campaign to revoke a 1993 apology by then-Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono acknowledging the involvement of authorities in coercing women, many Korean, to work in military brothels before and during World War II. "Did Japan's wartime heroes make Korean women sex slaves? This is a huge lie," a Soyokaze member said through a microphone one Sunday near Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine for war dead, as members urged passersby to sign a petition to revoke the apology. South Korea and China say Japan has not sufficiently atoned for the suffering of the "comfort women," as they are euphemistically known in Japan. Many Japanese conservatives say there is no proof of direct government involvement in coercing the women—a stance adopted under Abe's first 2006-07 administration—and that other countries also exploited women in wartime. Persistent criticism of Japan by China and South Korea has angered the ultra-conservative women, as well as irritated more moderate Japanese. "Why should Japan keep being singled out?" Soyokaze member Harue Sato asked Reuters in an interview. Abe has questioned the Kono Statement in the past and in what many saw as a nod to his conservative base, the government is reviewing it. But mindful of potential diplomatic fallout, Abe has said he would not revise it. Anger at Seoul's demands spilled over into demonstrations last year in a Tokyo district home to many Korean restaurants and shops, in which some protesters called Koreans "cockroaches" and shouted "kill Koreans." Several members of the women's groups said they took part. Central to the tenets of the nationalist women's groups is a belief that mainstream Japanese media are biased toward the left and report lies and distortions—the reverse of liberal criticism that media are too eager to toe the government line. "I realized that pro-Japanese media were very few," said one 54-year-old Hanadokei member. "It's the same in politics. There are lots of pro-China politicians and lots of pro-America politicians, but very few pro-Japan politicians." Like many other right-wing groups, the women's organizations want Abe to regularly visit Yasukuni Shrine, seen by critics as a symbol of past militarism because Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal are honored there along with war dead. Abe paid his respects at the shrine last December, sparking criticism from China and South Korea, where memories of Japan's occupation and colonization persist, and an expression of "disappointment" from Washington. He has declined to say if he will go again. While Abe doesn't get a perfect score from the nationalist women, his return to power 18 months ago has given them hope that their views are shared by a silent majority. "They are a minority but since Abe took office, they are supported by an atmosphere that makes them feel they are the majority," said Minori Kitahara, a feminist author who has written a book about the groups called "Patriotic Wives." The post Japan's 'Patriotic Wives' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Hong Kong’s Democracy ‘Referendum’ Likely to Rile Chinese Communists Posted: 18 Jun 2014 10:12 PM PDT A protester, carrying a former Hong Kong colonial flag, demonstrates against China’s intervention and control of the internal affairs of the former British colony, outside the British Consulate in Hong Kong June 15, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) HONG KONG — Hong Kong holds a controversial "referendum" on democracy on Friday, a prelude to an escalating campaign of dissent that could shut down the former British colony's financial district and further anger China's Communist Party leaders. An affluent city of 7 million that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, Hong Kong's longstanding push for full democracy is reaching what could be boiling point with tens of thousands expected to vote in the unofficial referendum for full democracy from Friday until Sunday. While Beijing has allowed Hong Kong to go ahead with a popular vote for the city's top leader in 2017, the most far-reaching experiment in democracy in China since the Communist takeover in 1949, senior Chinese officials have ruled out allowing the public to nominate candidates. Instead, Beijing insists a small committee of largely pro-Beijing loyalists choose who gets on the ballot, which would effectively render the ability to vote meaningless. One of the founders of the Occupy Central protest movement, academic Benny Tai, hopes that its June 20-22 referendum will draw up to 300,000 people to strengthen the legitimacy of the group's demands for a fair and representative election in 2017 that would include opposition democrats. But a cyber-attack this week crippled the online voting system, meaning the organizers may have to rely on the results from 15 voting stations to be set up on Sunday instead if it is not fixed by then. "As I see it, we are under such serious attack it exactly shows that Beijing is taking us seriously," law professor Tai said. Chinese and Hong Kong officials, editorials in pro-Beijing newspapers and businessmen have in recent weeks strongly criticized Occupy Central, which plans mass protests in the Central business district this summer, saying it will harm Hong Kong. "We are using the civil referendum to tell Beijing what is our baseline, that is true democracy must be something allowing electors to have genuine choices," Tai said. Hong Kong returned to China with wide-ranging autonomy under the formula of "one country, two systems"—along with an undated promise of full democracy, an issue never broached by the British until the dying days of 150 years of colonial rule. The summer protests could see more activist groups spill on to the streets as political tensions rise. Already last week, the city's normally peaceful protests took on a violent edge. On Friday, a group of radical protesters tried storming their way into the Legislative Council, smashing glass and ramming doors with steel barricades and bamboo poles. Tai stressed his movement hadn't yet decided on an exact date to launch the street protests, though the results of the referendum would have a strong bearing. "It Only Hurts Hong Kong" Rita Fan, a senior Hong Kong delegate to China's parliament, the National People's Congress, said the Occupy protests would hurt Hong Kong and stoke Beijing's mistrust of the city. "I understand from listening to various people who are officials from the mainland that they do not wish to see this happen, but they are not afraid if it happens," Fan told Reuters. "It only hurts Hong Kong… If the Hong Kong police force is unable to contain the situation then the international ratings agencies may consider that Hong Kong is politically not stable and that may affect our rating." A Hong Kong police source told Reuters that mainland law enforcement officials had stepped up liaison work with police over the past year, forming an informal working group on how to tackle the protests. A police spokesman gave no immediate response, but stressed the force could deal with any "internal security incidents". Banks in Central have been holding emergency drills and contingency planning for possible disruptions to operations. Several current and retired Chinese officials have warned in recent months, however, that China is prepared to unleash the People's Liberation Army (PLA) garrison to handle riots in Hong Kong—a prospect dismissed by some analysts. "Disorder that is too intense for the Hong Kong police to handle could justify deployment of the PLA to restore stability," wrote Hong Kong-based risk consultancy, Steve Vickers and Associates, in a report. "Such a scenario is unlikely, but would present a major threat to businesses and to Hong Kong's autonomy and reputation." Retired Chinese diplomat Zhou Nan said in June that "we could not allow Hong Kong to turn into a base to subvert China's socialist regime under the guise of democracy". Hong Kong police have staged drills to prepare for possible civil unrest, including mass mobilization of officers at short notice, according to two law enforcement sources. The PLA remains a relatively low-key presence at bases across the territory it inherited from the British but a foreign envoy in the city said the PLA had this year made improvements to facilities and boosted the quality of troops. A recent visit to major PLA barracks close to China's border found no unusual activity. Additional reporting by Reuters reporters Adam Rose and James Zhang. The post Hong Kong's Democracy 'Referendum' Likely to Rile Chinese Communists appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Champions Spain Drop out of World Cup, Dutch March on Posted: 18 Jun 2014 09:54 PM PDT Spain’s Sergio Ramos reacts during their 2014 World Cup Group B soccer match against Chile at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro June 18. (Photo: Reuters) BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil — Holders Spain crashed humiliatingly out of the World Cup on Wednesday after a second shock defeat, while 2010 runners-up the Netherlands continued their perfect start with another high-scoring win. Thrashed 5-1 by the Dutch in their opening game, Spain’s normally composed and incisive team again looked a spent force, allowing Chile to score twice in the first half then hold firm for a totally deserved, glorious win. “It is difficult to explain,” bemoaned Spain captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who was at fault on both goals and is likely to be among an old guard jettisoned for fresh faces. “We ask people’s forgiveness. We are responsible but also the first ones to feel the pain.” The undisputed kings of global football in the last six years, Spain won the 2008 and 2012 European Championships and their first World Cup in South Africa. But their supremacy is no more and an ageing team needs to be rebuilt. Chile, who had not beaten Spain in 10 previous games, looked sharper and more aggressive from the start. Eduardo Vargas turned Casillas and avoided lunging defender Sergio Ramos to score the first goal after 20 minutes, before Charles Aranguiz struck the second just before halftime, sending the red-clad hordes of South American fans delirious. Seemingly perennial nearly-men the Netherlands, who have lost three World Cup finals including to Spain in 2010, continued their storming start to the tournament with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Australia. In a fantastic end-to-end match in Porto Alegre, “Socceroos” veteran Tim Cahill smacked in a spectacular volley that should be a contender for goal of the World Cup. “I want to leave a mark for all the kids back in Australia and around the world to be inspired,” he said. Youngest Dutch Star It was not enough, however, to stem the Dutch, who came from behind to win with a long-range strike by 20-year-old substitute Memphis Depay that made him the youngest player to score in his nation’s long and illustrious World Cup history. With maximum points and eight goals scored, coach Louis van Gaal was one of the happiest men in Brazil. The Netherlands, hoping to finally shed their unwanted tag of being the best country never to win the World Cup, and Chile have now both secured berths in the last 16. They meet on Monday to decide the Group B winners. Cameroon’s torrid World Cup also ended on Wednesday when they were trounced 4-0 by Croatia in the Amazonian heat of Manaus. Having lost captain Samuel Eto’o to injury, a miserable campaign for the ‘Indomitable Lions’ was compounded by a needless sending off for Alex Song after he hit Mario Mandzukic. Croatia, no doubt motivated by a sense of injustice over a penalty awarded to Brazil in their opening defeat by the hosts, were ruthless, Mandzukic helping himself to a double. Brazil and Mexico each have four points in Group A, and Croatia three, meaning a win for them against the Mexicans in Recife on Monday would take the European side into the last 16 for the first time since they reached the semi-finals in 1998. The tournament has been a spectacular affair so far, with daredevil teams bringing goals galore and pacy end-to-end football that has eclipsed the duller fare in South Africa. The football action has also taken attention away from sporadic political protests against Brazil’s government and worries about whether infrastructure would be ready. Pele, Maradona Miss Games This would not be South America, though, if everything went perfectly and about 200 Chilean fans stormed the media center at the Maracana stadium just before the game on Wednesday. Journalists are not the only ones to be inconvenienced. Former Argentina captain Diego Maradona, who is working as a TV pundit in Brazil, said on Wednesday he was denied entry to the Maracana for his team’s weekend game against Bosnia. That followed discomfort for another soccer great, Brazil’s Pele, who had to listen to the first half of the hosts’ 0-0 draw with Mexico on his car radio due to being stuck in traffic. While fans in Brazil have been thrilled by the action, there has been tragedy for soccer lovers in Africa where Nigeria’s Boko Haram and Somalia’s al Shabaab operating in Kenya have killed several dozen people enjoying World Cup games together. Islamist militants also marred the last World Cup with bombs killing nearly 80 fans watching football on TV in Uganda. For Thursday, there is an attractive lineup of matches. First up, Colombia and Ivory Coast clash in Brasilia, both buoyed by opening day wins in Group C. Colombia may prove to be South America’s surprise package, thrashing Greece 3-0 in their first game in an attacking display that belied the absence of top striker Radamel Falcao. Ivory Coast are looking like Africa’s best hope after a promising 2-1 win over Japan inspired by veteran Didier Drogba who came off the bench when they were losing. The second game of the day is a more desperate affair, with England and Uruguay smarting from opening defeats and hoping to justify their reputations with a first win in Group D. Japan play Greece in Thursday’s final match. The Japanese may have been distraught at letting a lead slip to the Ivorians, but they at least know how to cope with defeat. The Asian champions found some solace and had a good heart-to-heart in a shared jacuzzi session. “We told each other how rubbish we were but not to let it get to us. It’s good to finish things off with a laugh,” said striker Yoshito Okubo. Anyone else needing cheering up might want to head for Belo Horizonte. Binmen there are entertaining fans by singing and tapping out samba rhythms as they trundle through the street after dark picking up rubbish. “This is the home of music and football!” said one rubbish-collector Matheus Pinto, 20, wearing Brazil colors over his working garb as he tapped out samba on the back of a lorry. The post Champions Spain Drop out of World Cup, Dutch March on appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

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