| ‘I Want to Tell Women: Don’t Be Afraid of Bodybuilding’ Posted: 23 Jun 2014 05:23 AM PDT  Aye Aye Soe, 24, became the first female Burmese bodybuilder to win a gold medal in a competition. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) Burma's female bodybuilders have been joining international competitions since 2012. This year, Aye Aye Soe, 24, became the first female Burmese bodybuilder to win a gold medal in a competition at Women's Athletic Physique contest held in Singapore's NUS center this month. Female bodybuilders from seven other Southeast Asian countries joined the competition. Irrawaddy reporter May Sitt Paing spoke with Burma's first female prize-winning bodybuilder about her experiences, training regime and how Burmese society views her sport. Question: Could you tell me about your win at the contest held at the NUS center? Answer: This was the fourth overseas contest for me. I didn't expect to win a gold medal as my rival from the host country was really good. There were also several body builders who were senior to me. I feel satisfied to win the gold medal as the success represents Myanmar. Q: How long have you been joining body builder contests? A: I have joined several times in Yangon. This is the first time I earned a gold medal in an international contest. Before, I won a third prize in Guangzhou, and I finished sixth in Bangkok and fifth in Vietnam. Q: When did you become interested in bodybuilding? A: After my matriculation exam, I worked as a clerk at Myanmar Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation. There, my mentor Maung Maung Kyi, who is a bodybuilder himself, encouraged me to join the sport. Later, I gradually grew interested in it. Q: To what extent Burmese women are interested in bodybuilding? A: Not many are, only a few dozens, probably. So, if you compare with other countries, the interest in bodybuilding here is not very high. But now we have opportunities to take part in contests, it's good for us. Q: Why are most Burmese women not interested in it? A: They are afraid that they will have bigger muscles and will no longer be feminine if they do bodybuilding. It's not true. Even though you take the exercise seriously, you are still a woman. If you exercise regularly and keep a strict diet, it will be OK. I want to tell them: Don't be afraid of bodybuilding. Q: What are the important things in body building? A: Only doing exercise can't help you. You have to refill energy that you lost during the exercise. You have to be strict on the time you go to bed and wake up. But the most important thing is diet. You have to learn to enjoy bland [but healthy] food. No matter how hard you exercise, you will not improve if there is no strict regimen on food. Q: What are the advantages of being a bodybuilder? A: When female bodybuilders get older, they still have a beautiful body structure because they have no fat and they still look like young women. Q: How long do you think it will take before bodybuilding becomes popular among Burmese women? A: Abroad, women have been taking part in body building contests for a long time. But here we were only allowed to join in 2012. It's quite late if you compare it with other counties. We have to work hard to keep abreast with them. Q: Do you ever receive criticism for being a female body builder? A: Traditionally, bodybuilding is regarded as men's sport. So it's quite strange or alarming for some people here to see a female bodybuilder. But I want to tell them: Please don't be afraid of us—support us! The post 'I Want to Tell Women: Don't Be Afraid of Bodybuilding' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Burma’s Special Branch Investigates Finances of News Journals Posted: 23 Jun 2014 05:15 AM PDT  The Myanmar Post, the Popular News journal and The Voice are among publications under investigation by Special Branch. (The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Special Branch of Burma's police force is investigating the financial records of private local news journals, editors say. Editors of six private journals have been questioned since Friday by Special Branch (SB) officers, who reportedly wanted to know how the journals have managed to stay afloat in a difficult market for print media. The editors—who lead The Voice, Unity journal, Myanmar Thandawsint, the Myanmar Post, Popular News and People's Age—said they did not know why their finances were of interest to the SB, which reports directly to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Some wondered whether the investigation was linked to government corruption probes. The SB officers said they planned to investigate all private journals, as well as state newspapers and journals belonging to political parties, the editors said. "They said they just want to know the financial details of some journals—who is the financier, what are the expenses, what is the circulation, and how are they surviving while journals lose money every week," said Than Htike Thu, the editor in chief of the Myanmar Post, who was questioned at his journal's office in Botahtaung Township on Saturday evening. "We had to answer correctly, but I wondered what their motives were," he added. "They said they were just doing as they were ordered." He said he was summoned for further questioning at the SB branch in Kyauktada Township but declined to go because he had committed no crime. "They want to check our financial status, but it's not their business. This would be the responsibility of the Department of Internal Revenue," he said. He wondered if the investigation of print media was linked to a corruption probe involving the country's former religious affairs minister, who was fired from his post last week. "There might be many reasons behind this," Than Htike Thu said. Editors of the Myanmar Thandawsint journal, who have been accused of accepting financial support from ministers, including from the former religious affairs minister, Hsan Hsint, were also questioned for one and a half hours on Sunday. "The accusations are not true. We receive no support from them—we are standing on our own. We were checked by the SB yesterday," said the journal's deputy chief editor, San Win Tun, adding that the police did not ask about Hsan Hsint. Kyaw Min Swe, editor in chief of The Voice weekly journal and daily newspaper, criticized the investigation of journals as unnecessary. "This is not the Special Branch's business," he said. "They had no official document from the respective ministry to authorize the investigation. It seems to be a threat to freedom of media." In a post on his personal Facebook account after the questioning, he wrote," Have we done anything that is not in accordance with existing laws?" "We don't take support from anyone," he wrote. "We have also been accused of writing to promote the government, but we have written about many reforms and about elections, to encourage the public to vote, and we have received many warnings from the censorship board in the past. Six times our license has been suspended, and we have been sued by the Ministry of Mines. Editors of the Unity journal could not be reached for comment. Earlier this year, four journalists and the chief executive of the journal were detained after publishing a story about an alleged chemical weapons factory in central Burma. The editors of Popular News and People's Age say they were questioned on Friday. In April of last year, private dailies were allowed to launch for the first time in several decades in Burma. But many have struggled to survive, with reports that some dailies are losing up to US$3,000 per day. "Of course, we are losing every week, but we can still survive. They have seen the money we are spending and where it comes from, and we have no secrets. That's why we can answer their questions," Than Htike Thu said. "In the past, some media have been strongly supported by cronies and ministers. So there are questions about how they can sell a copy for 100 kyats," he said, when production costs are about 300 kyats. "Maybe SB wants to know if they are damaging the market rate, and if that's the case, we welcome the investigation. If not, we condemn this act." Burma's Interim Press Council plans to issue a statement about the investigation of print media on Wednesday, according Kyaw Min Swe, who is also the council's secretary. The post Burma's Special Branch Investigates Finances of News Journals appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Aung Min Apologizes to Military for ‘Aggravating’ Remarks Posted: 23 Jun 2014 04:26 AM PDT  The government's chief peace negotiator Aung Min during an interview at the Myanmar Peace Center in Rangoon. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The government's chief peace negotiator has apologized to Burma's powerful military for comments he reportedly made last week that appeared to diminish the stature of soldiers fighting on the front lines of Burma's long-running civil war. Before his formal apology was issued on Saturday, President's Office Minister Aung Min had received criticism from pro-military voices over his remarks, in which he reportedly said government soldiers fighting ethnic rebel groups in Burma "do not need to be conferred with honorable titles," according to local media. "I sincerely apologize for my words at the UMFCCI ceremony, which aggravated current Tatmadaw soldiers, ex-military commanders and their families," Aung Min wrote in a letter titled "My apology" and posted online byHla Maung Shwe, an adviser to the government-affiliated Myanmar Peace Center. Tatmadaw is the Burmese word for Burma's combined armed forces. "The minister apologized because he thinks it was the right thing to do," said Hla Maung Shwe of the MPC, which is headed by Aung Min. Yan Myo Thein, a Rangoon-based political commentator, claimed that the senior minister issued the apology out of fear that he might be sidelined in ongoing peace negotiations with Burma's ethnic rebel groups. "U Aung Min made it because he wants to continue participating in the peace building process," he said. "If not, he would be the one to be kicked out from the peace process." Aung Min made the offending comment during an event at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) in Rangoon last week. In the apology letter, Aung Min said he would never betray the Tatmadaw and its soldiers, and insisted that he had never done so in the past. "I served faithfully in the Army in accordance with the four vows of the Army." According to a biography provided by the former general, Aung Min joined the Tatmadaw in 1967, and served 35 years before retiring as a major-general in 2002. After hanging up his military uniform, he served as the country's Railways Transportation minister under the former military regime (2003-2011) and the new quasi-civilian government that took office in April 2011. In August 2012, he was appointed as a President's Office minister, and was given a portfolio that included a focus on guiding peace talks between the central government and ethnic rebel groups. His comment last week appears to have struck a nerve among Burma's pro-military contingent: Since independence in 1948, the Tatmadaw's primary enemy has been domestic insurgents from ethnic minority groups and their associated civilian populations. "I promise I will continue working on Myanmar's peace-building process as best as I can," Aung Min said in the apology, which comes amid concern from some quarters that an increasingly frustrated military may leave the peace process negotiating table. Talks with Burma's ethnic armed groups on a proposed nationwide ceasefire agreement appear to have hit a snag in recent months, with the military sticking to six points that ethnic leaders have said they will not accept in a ceasefire accord. Yan Myo Thein said that regardless of Aung Min's motivations, the apology was a "good habit" that should be practiced by more public figures, from the president and his ministers on down to local-level politicians. "There have been many instances of misconduct from the cabinet or lawmakers, which they should make public apology for, during the three years of the new government," he said, adding that the minister would do well to be equally forthcoming with apologies made toward other stakeholders in Burma's peace process, in order to avoid perceptions of bias. The post Aung Min Apologizes to Military for 'Aggravating' Remarks appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Rangoon Plans Another Flyover to Relieve Traffic Congestion Posted: 23 Jun 2014 03:39 AM PDT  Traffic jams in Yangon are becoming a major downside of the rapidly expanding car market. (Photo: Reuters) The government has announced plans to construct a new flyover in Rangoon's Insein Township that will allow cars to pass over the railway track and relieve busy traffic in the area, state-run media reported. The project will construct a new two-lane flyover that will cost about US$6 million, Myo Zaw Too, engineer at Myanmar Railways Bridge Depot was quoted as telling The New Light of Myanmar. The flyover will be constructed parallel to an old, smaller flyover, which will now become a one-lane bridge. The paper reported that the flyover will be completed by April 2015. Myo Zaw Too, senior engineer of Myanmar Railway's bridge deport said that the old bridge is too narrow and causes traffic jams at the area, especially at the junction of Insein-Rangoon road. The busiest road in Insein, connecting Hlaing Tharyar Township to the west of Rangoon with the rest of the city, crosses the old flyover. In recent years, traffic congestions had worsened in Rangoon due to a sharp increase in the number of cars after the government lifted import restrictions on cars that were in place under the former military regime. Several major infrastructure projects were completed last year, including three flyovers, at Hledan, Shwe Gone Dine and Bayint Naung, in order to relieve the traffic congestions. In February, Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) announced plans for another overhead crossing at Myaynigone junction. "We were told that the two flyovers in Insein and Myaynigone junction will be built within this fiscal year," said parliamentarian Hla Swe, who asked the President's Office Deputy Minister Aung Thein about the projects last week. Hla Swe criticized the government's approach to infrastructure development in Rangoon, saying that authorities were pushing ahead with a few big projects without developing an overall master plan for the city's urban planning and traffic flow. "The government has no city plans and town plans so that it could not solve the traffic jams," he claimed, adding that instead the cash-strapped city should "build interconnecting roads and a network of flyovers all at the same time." Hla Swe did not explain where the funding for his plans could come from. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has drawn up a 852-page Yangon Master Plan, which advises that 103 "priority projects" are built in Rangoon at US$5.4 billion, the city's long-term transformation will cost tens of billions more, Reuters reported last year. However, YCDC has a budget of only $56 million, the report said, adding that Chicago, a city with half the population, passed a $6.5 billion budget in 2012. A local urban planner said more parking spaces are the solution to Rangoon's traffic problems, adding that creating more parking space in the busy downtown area would be a good idea. "That's why people use to park their vehicle at their will and this is one reason which cause the traffic jams. It is also necessary to build parking lot, especially in the busiest part of the city," said the urban planner who asked not to be named because she was not authorized to talk to the media. A taxi driver from North Okkalapa Township named Arkar Kyaw said it was the traffic users who are causing the traffic congestion problems. "Most of the drivers, especially taxi drivers, never follow the traffic rules. They would U-turn on a one-way road and they would never give chance for other drivers who want to go through from small lane. And near the schools and markets area, the roads were blocked for the drivers park their cars are double parked." The post Rangoon Plans Another Flyover to Relieve Traffic Congestion appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Pyu Cities Snag Burma’s First Unesco World Heritage Listing Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:33 PM PDT  A woman cleans brickwork on the wall of the ancient royal palace at the center of the city of Sri Ksetra, near the banks of the Irrawaddy River in Pegu Division. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The ancient city-states of Pyu became Burma's first entry into the Unesco World Heritage List on Sunday, with the three sites securing the endorsement of the World Heritage Committee, meeting in Doha, Qatar. The trio of cities—Halin, Beikthano and Sri Ksetra—are located in Burma's central Dry Zone and feature the walled remains of sites built by the now-extinct Pyu people from the first to ninth centuries AD. At Sri Ksetra in Pegu Division, the ruins of what was once Southeast Asia's largest walled city cover an area of about 18 square miles, with the remains of a royal palace at the center. Halin in Sagaing Division and Beikthano in Magwe Division likewise include the ruins—enclosed by the remains of brick fortifications and featuring elaborate irrigation systems—of ancient Pyu city-states. Thant Myint-U, chairman of the Yangon Heritage Trust, said the listing was a major step toward additional recognition of Burma's historical heritage from the UN cultural body. "Many more [World Heritage listings] are possible and it's been critically important to achieve this initial listing. The proper safeguarding of these and other sites now becomes much more possible," he wrote on his Facebook page. "Congratulations to the Myanmar team that have been working on this for many months." The Pyu sites together formed one of 15 historical and natural sites in Burma on the tentative list for World Heritage status. Other sites put forward as potential listings for World Heritage recognition include Inle Lake in Shan State, the Myeik Archipelago in Tenasserim Division and Bagan, the ancient Buddhist temple complex in Mandalay Division. "A more complex appreciation of our past and its many and varied traditions is really key to a peaceful and more tolerant future," Thant Myint-U wrote on Sunday. The post Pyu Cities Snag Burma's First Unesco World Heritage Listing appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Large Group of Rare Cranes Spotted at Kachin’s Indawgyi Lake Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:25 PM PDT  The rare sarus crane take flight. (Photo: www.bjornolesen.com) RANGOON — Fauna & Flora International (FFI) said it has made an unusual sighting of a large number of sarus cranes in the wetlands surrounding Indawgyi Lake in Kachin State, northern Burma FFI said in a statement that it was undertaking a water bird census when Ngwe Lwin and a team of FFI ornithologists and Win Zaw Lun, a ranger of Indawgyi Wildlife Sanctuary, spotted the birds. "First we just saw their charismatic red heads sticking out of the tall green grass, but through our telescopes we soon spotted the amazing number of nine individuals," said Ngwe Lwin, FFI's Terrestrial Conservation Program Coordinator. "Finding this large group of sarus crane in Indawgyi area has shown us that this species, which is classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, is still safe in the Indawgyi area." Previously, two or three cranes had been spotted at the lake, while the birds are frequently seen in Arakan State and the Irrawaddy Delta. Sarus cranes are large non-migratory birds found in parts of the Indian Subcontinent, Indochina and Australia. The cranes in Burma belong to the subspecies of the eastern sarus crane Grus antigone sharpii that formerly occurred throughout Indochina. The species, which at a height of up to 1.8 meters is the tallest of the flying birds, can be found in small numbers in Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia, but has not been seen in Laos, Thailand and southern China in many years. "We have alerted local communities not to destroy their nests or to attempt to catch the cranes," said Ngwe Lwin, who is educating local communities around the lake. FFI said it is planning to carry out a specific sarus crane survey to gain greater knowledge and help determine the threats to the species. The post Large Group of Rare Cranes Spotted at Kachin's Indawgyi Lake appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Netherlands Burma Water Management Cooperation to Address Challenges, Boost Trade Posted: 22 Jun 2014 06:00 PM PDT  Netherlands Minister of Infrastructure and Environment Melanie Schultz van Haegen talks to Burmese media during a boat trip on the Irrawaddy River near Mandalay. Click on the box below to see images of the Irrawaddy Delta. (Photo: Netherlands Economic Mission / Jeroen de Bakker) RANGOON — Burma and the Netherlands resumed water management cooperation in 2013 after a hiatus of some 25 years. During a recent visit by the Dutch minister of infrastructure and transport, both sides expanded the cooperation and revealed plans for a joint US$20 million pilot project to improve use of the Irrawaddy River. "We're planning to develop 70 kilometers of riverbank in a bend of the river at Bagan city for multipurpose use," Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen told The Irrawaddy in a recent interview in Rangoon. She said the project would be a private public partnership, adding, "Currently, we're completing the funding, this will be arranged via several projects." The Good Growth Fund, which offers investment and export financing to Dutch firms doing business in developing countries, is expected to play a role in the financing. On June 4, the minister attended a water management seminar with Burmese Vice President Nyan Tun, who is chairman of the National Water Resources Committee, along with local officials from several ministries. She visited with a delegation of more than a dozen Dutch water experts and companies, such as engineering firm Royal Haskoning DHV, dredging company Boskalis, Damen Shipyards, and the Port of Rotterdam Authority. At Bagan, Dutch firms will build hydraulic structures to protect and restore the unstable river banks near the temples and hotels, and they will dredge the river to limit fluctuations of its course and improve water transport. They will also construct small-scale hydropower installations to generate power for local communities. The pilot project is one of the outcomes of a broad-ranging water cooperation program between Burma and the Netherlands that was agreed upon during a first visit by the minister in May 2013. The cooperation includes a Netherlands-funded $1 million study with recommendations for a national master plan on water management, assistance for improving measurement data collection, scholarships for Burmese PhD students at Dutch universities, and advice on so-called "quick-wins" projects to improve water management in Burma. The program revives an old connection between the countries. From the 1960s until the 1988 military coup, Dutch water experts and engineering firms were regular visitors to Burma, helping to assess flood risks and giving advice on dike development in the Irrawaddy Delta, while many Burmese students went to study water management at universities in the Netherlands. The low-lying northern European country is internationally renowned for its water management expertise and technology, built up during centuries of preventing flooding and reclaiming land. Burma is crossed by the Irrawaddy and four other major rivers and faces a range of water issues, including the management of its rivers, large-scale hydropower plans, drought in the central dry zone, cyclone and flood risks in the Irrawaddy Delta, rapid deforestation in watersheds, and a lack of access to drinking water in rural areas. Vice President Nyan Tun told the seminar that environmentally sustainable development and sound water management were key elements of President Thein Sein's reform agenda, adding, "Many of the water-related laws are in place, though incomplete, and we are [addressing this].We also began with drafting a national water policy." Schultz said the Netherlands is keen to help Burma's reformist government meet these challenges, while showing how communities and private sector can benefit from water projects and new technology, such as the micro hydropower installations included in the Bagan project. "This pilot can serve as an example … it shows how you can generate energy on a small scale without large dams, and that this approach is actually preferable," she said. The minister hopes the cooperation program will also result in more water projects involving Dutch firms and experts. "Since we have so much [water management] knowledge, we feel an obligation to share it with others, but potential trade is of course another reason. If we share those ideas, we hope that they want us to join," she said. The minister said she believes that bilateral trade and cooperation in areas such as water infrastructure construction and ship yard and port development—sectors that have seen little development for decades—could expand and become worth hundreds of millions of dollars. "The [Burmese] managing director of inland water transport said he has to replace 80 percent of the ships, but he no longer has shipyards," Schultz said. "We believe this country could become another Vietnam," she added, referring to Netherlands-Vietnam trade, mostly in port and shipyard development, which has grown to a value of $3.6 billion since 2000. 'No Progress for 30 Years' Dutch experts traveling with the minister said Burma faces numerous water management challenges because the former military regime failed to prioritize the sector after seizing power in 1988, and the country became cut off from international advances in water management. "There is has been no progress for the last 30 years," said Paul van Meel, an engineer with Royal Haskoning DHV who leads the Dutch policy study. "But there is a lot [of water infrastructure] from before [1988], so there is a base to build upon." "Little has been done in terms of planning, training and studies in past decades. There is also a great shortage of data because there was not much measuring going on in past decades," said Wim van Driel, a program manager at Delta Alliance, a Netherlands-based institute that hosts a network for researchers, authorities and civil society groups from the world's major river deltas. "It will take tens of millions of dollars and many years to build up this knowledge and a [water management] curriculum," he added. They said the current government is actively pushing water management policy and water projects forward, adding that last year it set up a National Water Resources Committee and a senior water expert group that are tasked with formulating policy and studying water projects. Prof. Khin Ni Ni Thein, secretary of the expert group and member of the committee, was not available for comment on Burma's new water policy. Risks to the Irrawaddy Delta A key area of study for Dutch experts is the Irrawaddy Delta, Burma's most productive agricultural area and home to its largest city and commercial capital, Rangoon. Van Driel, who is involved in a vulnerability and resilience assessment for the delta, said the region faces a range of issues such as an increase in salt water intrusion due to rising sea water levels, pollution from chemicals and pesticides due to agricultural intensification, declining fish stocks due to overfishing, and worsening flood protection due to rapidly declining mangrove forests. Another issue is the increase in population pressure in the delta, where some 8 million people live. "There is concern over spatial planning in the delta; how can they ensure that all people live in areas that are safe?" Van Driel said. Cyclones and associated floods are a risk for both the Irrawaddy Delta and Burma's lengthy Bay of Bengal coastline. Cyclone Nargis hit the delta in May 2008, killing an estimated 138,000 people, crippling Rangoon and causing approximately $10 billion in damages. Cyclone Giri hit Kyaukphyu Island off the Arakan coast in 2010, leaving 70,000 people homeless and killing 157 others. A tropical cyclone moving eastward and hitting the Irrawaddy Delta, like Nargis did, is a rare event, the experts said, adding, however, that it is difficult to predict the course of a cyclone and the chances that another one would strike the delta region. "It seems there is no data to indicate that a storm of these proportions has ever hit the delta," Michel Tonneijck, senior project manager for rivers, deltas and coasts at Royal Haskoning DHV, said of Nargis. Van Meel said that according to some scientists climate change could have contributed to the unusual path of Cyclone Nargis, but he added, "There are differing theories about this." "This question is super important but not easy to answer. Most cyclones head to India and Bangladesh, but sometimes one will veer off in this direction," said Tjitte Nauta, a specialist advisor at Dutch engineering institute Deltares. He is using computer models to calculate the water flows of Burma's major rivers and the course and storm surge of past cyclones, including Nargis. Monitoring the water temperature in the Bay of Bengal can indicate whether a cyclone is forming, Nauta said, but he added, "In terms of predicting the storm's track, it's still guesswork… you would need carry out a comprehensive statistical analysis of all the historical tracks [of cyclones]." Tonneijck said Burmese authorities had set up a cyclone warning system in the Irrawaddy Delta after 2008. "The warning system has been greatly improved since Nargis. Before the cyclone, this was all very marginal. Now the meteorological department has a lot of information and has received all sorts of equipment," he said, adding that weather warnings can be sent to local coordinators. "Meanwhile, in the delta they have created flood shelters. Instead of hiding in the trees like before, people can shelter in large concrete buildings on stilts," said Tonneijck, who coordinated the development of Vietnam's Mekong Delta Plan. "These buildings often house schools and the local teacher is often the coordination point for the community and receives the weather warning." He noted, however, that getting the message to isolated villages could be a challenge, adding, "The communication connections in the delta are very marginal, some parts don't have a phone network reception, but in these villages you have radios and satellite dishes [to receive weather warnings]." The sources of funding for the Bagan Project were corrected in this article at 5 pm June 23, 2014. The post Netherlands Burma Water Management Cooperation to Address Challenges, Boost Trade appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Above It All Posted: 22 Jun 2014 05:00 PM PDT  Monks walking in one of Sagaing Hill's many beautiful temples. (Photo: Teza Hlaing / The Irrawaddy) SAGAING, Sagaing Region — A minivan carrying a group of tourists climbs a steep, narrow road up to the top of a hill, honking at every turn to warn cars coming from the opposite direction. After a long, winding ascent, the van stops at the foot of a staircase leading to a pagoda. The group's guide, wearing a large hat as protection against the sun, leads the way up the steps, explaining the history of the pagoda as he goes. The foreigners look like they're bracing themselves against the tropical heat, but they listen eagerly to every word. Increasingly, this is becoming an everyday scene on Sagaing Hill, located some 12 or 13 miles (20 km) west of Mandalay. Stretching along the west bank of the Ayeyarwady River from north to south, the hill comes closer than anywhere else in Myanmar to matching the country's image as an almost mythical land of pagodas. As such, it is attracting an ever-growing number of foreign visitors eager to experience a place that is not just steeped in history, but is very much a living embodiment of a religious faith that is central to Myanmar culture. Besides the white and gold of the pagodas, visitors can also see the colorful robes of monks, nuns and lay meditators who come here from all over the country to find serenity and develop their insight into the timeless truths of Buddhism. Strolling among the shady trees of this spiritual oasis are monks in their maroon-colored robes and nuns wearing pink; for the unordained, white is the color that most commonly signifies separation from worldly concerns. 'A Holy Place' For many in Myanmar, Sagaing Hill is the best place in the country to achieve peace of mind and make progress on the long journey to enlightenment. In the distant past, it was home only to wild animals, making it ideal for those seeking seclusion. These days, however, it has numerous monasteries and has become an important center for religious studies. Despite the growing number of people who flock here, there is an air of tranquility that all who visit can readily appreciate. "Sagaing Hill is a holy place, and we believe that we can find real inner peace and the power of the Dhamma if we meditate here," said U Aung Than, 50, a resident of Monywa visiting the Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda after a two-week meditation retreat. The Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda, located at the top of the hill, enshrines a relic of the Buddha and is believed to have been built in the 6th century. There are other major pagodas on the hill, such as U Min Thone Sae, but also many small, centuries-old meditation halls and monasteries that attract visitors. One of the most beloved of these is a small abandoned 18th-century monastery located in a secluded spot in the forest. With its ornate teakwood carvings, it is often likened to the much larger Shwenandaw Monastery in Mandalay, famous for its beautiful wooden sculptures. "Although our clients are usually exhausted after seeing so many pagodas and temples in Bagan, they all say they love this little monastery," said Mandalay-based guide U Tun Oo. A Nun's Life At the foot of the hill, there are also dozens of nunneries, some of which welcome visitors curious about the unique way of life of Myanmar's Buddhist nuns. The Zeya Theingi Kyaung (kyaung means both monastery and nunnery in Myanmar) is one of the country's most famous centers for young girls and women who strive to strictly follow the Buddha's path. There are around 150 nuns and novices living here, all in pink robes and walking mindfully around the compound with their rosaries. The sound of chanting pouring from inside the main building adds to the feeling that one has entered a space free from the stresses of outside life. Like the Mahagandaryone Monastery in Amarapura, where foreign visitors are invited to witness the daily lives of monks, the Zeya Theingi Kyaung is popular with tourists. "Foreign visitors have been coming here for more than 10 years, ever since MRTV aired a documentary about our daily lives," said Daw Gunawadee, a senior nun at the nunnery, adding that the filmmakers chose the Zeya Theingi Kyaung because it was recommended by Sitagu Sayadaw, the country's most influential monk, as an example of a Buddhist learning center that hews closely to the Buddha's teachings. "Visitors really appreciate that we are well-disciplined and well-organized here, compared with other centers across the country," she added proudly. During the peak travel season, thousands of visitors pour into Buddhist learning centers like the Zeya Theingi Kyaung. If they are lucky, their visits coincide with religious ceremonies, during which they will be treated to meals of traditional Myanmar food offered to the nuns and shared with all who come to the monasteries on these occasions. "Some of our clients were fortunate enough to join the nuns for a meal. They were so happy, and some even said it was the best meal of their lives," said U Aung Khaing, a tour guide from Mandalay. As the cars carrying the tourists leave the hill one by one, the sun spreads its orange rays and prepares to say good night. The lights of the pagodas and temples are lit as dusk deepens, and the whole hill twinkles in the twilight. Reflected in the waters of the Ayeyarwady River, the scene leaves a lasting image in the minds of all who see it. "Farewell," it seems to say. "And come again." | Flourishing Arts and Crafts | | Visiting Sagaing Hill can be a rewarding experience in itself, but if you want to take away more from your trip than just happy memories, it's worth going an extra few miles to check out some of the local cottage industries. Near Sagaing are many small workshops famous for their traditional, handcrafted silver products. Working without modern machines, expert silversmiths fashion exquisite pieces of jewelry, decorative items and objects used in religious ceremonies. Inside one workshop, around 10 young men are busy pounding with small hammers to create images from Buddhist mythology on a large silver bowl. In a corner of the workshop, two other men are sweating profusely as they pour molten silver into a mold. U Min Naing, who runs the workshop, explains that the men are working on an especially large project. "It will take two months to complete, and will cost around two million kyat (US$20,000)," he says. Despite the high cost of such items, they remain popular with local people, who love to use them for weddings and other special occasions. Foreign visitors also appreciate the fine handiwork of the products on offer. To the west of where you'll find all the silversmiths is an area well known for its earthen pots, including the famous "Sagaing Oh" pots, which are traditionally used as water containers. Here you can watch a demonstration of how the pots are made or, if you like (and you don't mind getting your hands dirty), even take the potter's wheel for a spin yourself. Most, however, prefer to spend their time snapping photos of the pros. One popular subject for shutterbugs is the impressive balancing act of the young ladies who work here, carrying eight pots at a time: four on their heads, and four in their arms. Like the bells and gongs of the Sagaing Hill, the tapping of the silversmiths and the sound of the potters at work give this area a distinctive, almost meditative rhythm. | This article first appeared in the June 2014 print issue of The Irrawaddy magazine. The post Above It All appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Burma Gas Exports Worth $3.3Bln Last Year After Slight Drop Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:17 PM PDT  A platform in Burma's Yetagun Offshore Field in the Andaman Sea that produces natural gas exported to Thailand. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — Burma’s earnings from natural gas exports fell in the last fiscal year as more of the resource was consumed domestically but shipments of greater volumes to China as a new pipeline comes up to speed are expected to boost earnings this year. Burma earned $3.299 billion from the export of gas during the 2013-14 (April/March) fiscal year, down from $3.666 billion in 2012-13 and compared to $3.502 billion in 2011-2012 and $580 million in 2003-2004, according to data released on Wednesday by the state-run Central Statistical Organization (CSO). Gas exports are a crucial revenue source for the Southeast Asian nation, accounting for nearly 30 percent of its total exports of $11.204 billion in the last fiscal year. Win Maw, a senior energy ministry official, said the drop in exports in the last fiscal year was due to the allocation of more gas for domestic consumption after redrawing the agreement with Thailand’s PTT, previously the sole buyer of gas from offshore blocks in the Mottama Sea in southern Burma. He said a small amount of the gas was exported during 2013-2014 to energy-hungry neighbor China but more will be exported this year as a new cross-country pipeline is filled to capacity. "We started selling gas from Rakhine Offshore Blocks to China through the 793 km-long cross-country pipeline around the end of last year, but the amount was rather small since it was not technically feasible to send much through a new pipeline," Win Maw told Reuters. "Technically, we need to fill up a new pipeline with gas gradually and it takes about a year to fill to capacity. Around the end this year, we’ll be able to transport to China through the pipeline to full capacity," he said. Domestic power consumption in Burma has been rising steeply as the country has undertaken economic reforms since a quasi-military government took office in 2011 after nearly five decades of military rule. According to CSO data, total generation of electric power during the last fiscal year was 13.048 billion kwh, up from 10.964 billion kwh in the 2012-13 fiscal year and 8.625 billion kwh in 2011-2012. Generation by gas was 2.794 billion kwh during the last fiscal, up from 2.377 billion kwh in 2012-13 and 1.763 billion kwh in 2011-2012. "As the official data shows, domestic demand for electricity is growing speedily, but we have prepared to increase generation to meet the demand without affecting gas exports," a senior official from the Ministry of Electric Power told Reuters. The post Burma Gas Exports Worth $3.3Bln Last Year After Slight Drop appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Portugal Grab World Cup Lifeline, Belgium Reach Last 16 Posted: 22 Jun 2014 10:09 PM PDT  Portugal's Varela, center, scores their second goal as Tim Howard, right, of the US (Photo: Reuters / Andres Stapff) CUIABA, Brazil — Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal seized a World Cup lifeline with a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer to secure a 2-2 draw against the United States after highly fancied Belgium booked a place in the last 16 on Sunday. Belgium scored in the 88th minute of a pedestrian 1-0 win over Russia, leaving Algeria to light up Group H by routing South Korea 4-2. Portugal had looked on their way out of the tournament until the fifth minute of added time in the Group G clash when Ronaldo's curling cross from the right was met with an emphatic header by substitute Silvestre Varela past goalkeeper Tim Howard. The Americans were seconds away from a last 16 place with goals from Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey turning things around after Nani's early strike for the Portuguese in steamy Manaus. "When you concede in the last second it is unfortunate, but it was an amazing game from us, I can't ask for any more. Now we have to get a result against Germany and that is what we are going to do," said US coach Juergen Klinsmann. Germany and the United States have four points with Ghana and Portugal on one apiece going into the final games on Thursday. Germany take on the Americans in Recife with Ghana and Portugal meeting in Brasilia. Belgium teenager Divock Origi became the youngest scorer so far at this tournament when he secured victory with a sharp shot into the roof of the Russia net from Eden Hazard's devastating run down the left and pinpoint cutback. Algeria, who lost 2-1 to Belgium in their first match, tore the ramshackle Koreans apart, scoring the highest number of goals by an African team in a World Cup match. It was the joint second-highest scoring match of the Brazil finals so far after France's 5-2 victory over Switzerland and equaled the Netherlands' 5-1 thumping of titleholders Spain. Islam Slimani and Rafik Halliche stunned the Koreans with two goals in two minutes and Abdelmoumene Djabou added a third to give Algeria a 3-0 lead at the interval. They became the third team to score three first-half goals at this tournament after Germany in their 4-0 win over Portugal and France in their rout of the Swiss. South Korea pulled one back through Son Heung-min, who turned to shoot between goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi's legs in the 50th minute. Yacine Brahimi scored the goal that set the African record just after the hour and took the steam out of the Korea rally before Koo Ja-cheol pulled another goal back. Algeria go into their last group match against Russia on Thursday in second place with three points, two more than both Fabio Capello's side and the Koreans, looking to reach the last 16 for the first time. "We did analyze the strategies but the result was such that I could say it was not well done," South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo told reporters. "The result speaks for itself… Since we conceded a lot of goals, there was a strategic mistake on our part." Once Belgium's celebrations are over, coach Marc Wilmots will need to reflect on their scoring difficulties if they are to confirm their status as dark horses in the knockout phase. The match at the Maracana, which rivaled Nigeria's 0-0 draw with Iran as one of the worst in a tournament which has been mostly thrilling, was brightened up by Origi's late strike. Capello was pleased with the performance of Russia, who host the next finals in 2018, saying they did not deserve to lose. Wilmots was not too bothered with the manner of the victory and, along with Hazard, said fitness was the key. "To advance in a tournament, you don't always need to be pretty. I believe that you need to be efficient," said Wilmots, who played for Belgium at three World Cup tournaments. "There's something clear in football. Levels of physical fitness count in a World Cup," he added. "I know how to make the difference. When I make the difference, I often do it at the end of the match and that shows that I am fresh," said Hazard. Reporting by Mike Collett and Bill Schomberg in Rio de Janeiro, Steve Keating and Angus MacSwan in Porto Alegre, David Llunggren and Zoran Milosavljevic in Manaus. The post Portugal Grab World Cup Lifeline, Belgium Reach Last 16 appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Thai Police Detain 8 Anti-coup Protesters Posted: 22 Jun 2014 09:57 PM PDT  Police officers stand guard at a shopping mall in Bangkok on June 8, 2014. (Photo: Reuters / Athit Perawongmetha) BANGKOK — Police in Thailand arrested eight people on Sunday for demonstrating against the nation's increasingly repressive military junta, including a man who was dragged away by undercover officers for reading a copy of George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four" outside one of Bangkok’s most luxurious shopping malls. The arrest was the first known case of anyone being detained for reading as a form of protest since the military seized power last month. Handfuls of anti-coup protesters have staged several silent readings of the classic book elsewhere in the capital in recent weeks because they say its indictment of totalitarianism has become relevant after the army deposed the nation’s elected government in a May 22 coup. A police officer said all the arrests took place in and around Siam Paragon, a crowded, upscale mall in downtown Bangkok that's one of Southeast Asia’s largest. It was the world's most photographed location on Instagram last year. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to give information to the media. A Thai reporter who witnessed the lone man reading Orwell's book said he was taken away by half a dozen plainclothes police. The reporter, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation, said the man first read the book quietly, then held it up as officers approached and journalists took photos. When questioned, the man said he was reading the book for "liberty, equality and fraternity"—the slogan of the French Revolution. The man was also playing the French national anthem on his smartphone, the reporter said. Several other people were also detained in the shopping mall's food court for preparing to hand out sandwiches, mimicking another recent protest in which a small group of student activists from Bangkok's Thammasat University gave out that said were "sandwiches for democracy." The eighth arrest on Sunday was of a woman wearing a T-shirt with the words "Respect My Vote" on it. The phrase became popular among pro-democracy groups trying to counter anti-government protesters who obstructed elections Feb. 2 that were later annulled in a controversial court ruling. The protesters had accused the government of corruption and abuse of power, and had repeatedly called for it to be overthrown and urged the army to intervene. The government, meanwhile, had argued that the nation’s fragile democracy was under attack by protesters, the courts, and finally the military which staged the coup. The junta that took power last month has proven to be one of the most repressive regimes in Thailand in more than four decades. Military authorities have made clear they will tolerate no dissent. They have summoned hundreds of people perceived as threats to public order—mostly members of the ousted civilian government, activists and intellectuals; most of those released have had to sign pledges saying they will not instigate unrest. The post Thai Police Detain 8 Anti-coup Protesters appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Hong Kong Irks Beijing with Democracy Vote Posted: 22 Jun 2014 09:51 PM PDT  Voters are guided inside a polling station during a civil referendum held by Occupy Central in Hong Kong on June 22, 2014. (Photo: Reuters / Tyrone Siu) HONG KONG — Tens of thousands of Hong Kongers lined up to vote Sunday, joining hundreds of thousands of others who cast electronic ballots in the first three days of an unofficial referendum on democratic reform that Beijing has blasted as a farce. Tensions have soared in Hong Kong over how much say residents of the former British colony can have in choosing their next leader, who's currently hand-picked by a 1,200-member committee of mostly pro-Beijing elites. Beijing, which has pledged to allow Hong Kongers to choose their own leader starting in 2017, has balked at letting members of the public nominate their own candidates, saying they would have to be vetted by a Beijing-friendly committee. Pro-democratic organizers of the Occupy Central with Love and Peace movement are offering voters three proposals on so-called public nomination. They've vowed to hold a mass protest if the former British colony's government, which has carried out a consultation on electoral reform, doesn't come up with a proposal that meets their standards. The plan involves rallying at least 10,000 people to shut down the city's central business district and has alarmed businesses in the Asian financial hub. By 10 p.m. Sunday, nearly 700,000 ballots had been cast since voting started Friday, including about 440,000 through a smartphone app. About 200,000 more were cast online despite a massive cyberattack that left the site intermittently inaccessible and forced organizers to extend voting by a week until June 29. And about 48,000 people cast ballots at 15 polling stations, which organizers were operating on two successive Sundays. There are 3.5 million registered voters in Hong Kong, out of a total population of 7.2 million. The outlook for Hong Kong’s democratic development "is quite pessimistic but we are also proactive and we will try our best to make miracles happen," said Chan Chi-chung, a teacher voting at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. "If many people come out to voice their opinion, but the Beijing central government ignores that voice, then it's over for Hong Kong." Voters at one polling station were met by a small-group of protesters decrying the vote as a crime. The central government's liaison office has called the vote "a political farce that overtly challenges the Basic Law," referring to the mini-constitution that promises a high degree of autonomy under the principle of "one country, two systems" for Hong Kong after it became a specially administered Chinese region in 1997. Hong Kong’s current leader, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, has also said the three options don't comply with the law. Justice Secretary Rimsky Yuen said there was "simply no legal basis" for the vote, which should be seen merely as "an expression of opinion by the general public." The post Hong Kong Irks Beijing with Democracy Vote appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Thai Telcos ‘On Hold’: Interventionist Junta’s First Economic Casualty Posted: 22 Jun 2014 09:45 PM PDT  A woman walks past a billboard advertising 4G at a shopping district in Bangkok on June 20, 2014. (Photo: Reuters / Athit Perawongmetha) BANGKOK—Thailand's telecoms sector is fast emerging as the first economic casualty of an interventionist junta in a country that has swung between democratic and military rule more times than any other nation in Southeast Asia. The government led by General Prayuth Chan-ocha halted an auction of 4G bandwidth last week after giving its blessings to the tender in May when it came to power. Telecoms analysts say the suspension could lead to US$4 billion in investment and revenue losses in a sector that accounts for a tenth of Thailand's GDP. A prolonged delay could also cause mobile service disruptions. The decision U-turn highlights the growing regulatory risk that foreign investors face just as they are desperately being sought to revive a slumping economy. It is also a stark reminder to investors of the economic missteps of Thailand's previous military governments. General Surayud Chulanont, the leader of the last military coup in 2006, was lambasted by his critics for his poor oversight of the economy and his resistance to foreign investment, particularly in the telecoms sector. The latest military government has swiftly moved to dispel such an impression. The investment agency said last week it had approved applications for 18 projects, the biggest of which was a plan by Japan's Toyota Motor Corp to build capacity to make pickup trucks. Yet at the same time, the industry regulator said it plans to review foreign ownership of telecoms operators, alarming investors. The regulator said the foreign ownership structure of Total Access Communication PCL (TAC) will be examined. Advanced Info Service PCL (AIS), the country’s biggest mobile phone operator, is 23 percent-owned by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. China Mobile Ltd is in the process of buying an 18 percent stake in True Corp , which runs Thailand's third-largest mobile network. The TAC review came after the telco's controlling shareholder Telenor ASA disclosed information related to the Facebook blackout in Thailand a few days after the military seized power. The Norwegian company has since issued an apology for saying the regulator asked TAC to block access to Facebook on May 28. TAC has said it was confident it is "qualified" for the 4G auction. The 4G auction is expected to fetch at least 42.9 billion baht ($1.33 billion) in state revenue. The sector is estimated to invest at least 100 billion baht after licenses are issued. "The review of foreign ownership is normal practice to qualify companies which want to take part in such projects. We are willing to cooperate," an AIS official told Reuters, declining to be identified because she is not authorized to speak to the media. True's CFO Noppadol Dej-Udom told Reuters the ownership review is in line with regulations. "We are not worried about the investigation," he said. Military Scrutiny After seizing power from a government that had been accused of corruption, the military has been scrutinizing state-owned companies and major projects, especially those worth more than 1 billion baht ($32 million). "The 4G projects are worth over 1 billion baht. So the army wants them to be truly transparent. They don't want anyone to have doubt," said Takorn Tantasit, secretary-general of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Committee (NBTC). The telecoms regulator plans to explain to the army how the bidding process works, and that the money raised from the auction will not be kept at the NBTC but sent to the government, Takorn told Reuters, adding that the starting price of the auction, as well as the terms, will not be changed. The uncertainty around the auction is also a headache for industry forecasters. Market researcher IDC is unable to review its forecasts for the telecoms sector until it knows when the 4G auction will be held, senior analyst Neeranuch Kanokvilairat told Reuters. IDC estimates the IT and telecoms sector has suffered at least $750 million in revenue loss in the past six months following delays in several government projects. AIS, which has already cut its 2014 revenue growth target due to the weaker economy, is likely to be the hardest hit by the delay because it has the lowest amount of operating bandwidth among the country’s top three operators. The company plans to use its existing frequency to help ease the impact from the delay, CEO Wichian Mektrakarn told Reuters. Analysts say AIS's current network is not enough to cope with rising demand. Adding more pressure on the company to migrate clients to a new spectrum, AIS's existing concession is due to expire in September 2015. Without a new spectrum, AIS will have limited resources to develop a 4G service, hurting data revenue growth. That would benefit True Corp, which has already launched 4G services. "The longer the delay, the greater benefit for True as the 4G leader," said Chatchai Jindarat, an analyst at Maybank Kim Eng Securities. Over the past two weeks, shares in TAC and AIS have dropped by 13 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively, while True shares have risen by a third. Looming Blackouts About 10 million mobile users may face a blackout if there is no new frequency for them to migrate to. True, which aims to increase its share of the sector's revenue to one-third from 17 percent, needs a new frequency to migrate 6 million users on the 1800 MHz band which is expiring on Sept. 15 this year. AIS's subscribers on the 900 MHz band will expire on Sept. 30, 2015. Without a new frequency, AIS will face the same problem as the existing spectrum will not be able to support all 42 million subscribers, analysts say. The impact on second-ranked TAC will be limited as it has the highest amount of bandwidth, and its concession is not due to expire for another four years. Telcos also want to migrate clients to 4G because they are paying hefty fees to the state companies overseeing Thailand's telecoms infrastructure under older concessions. Regulatory fees for 2G are about 25-30 percent of revenue. Under the 3G and 4G regimes, regulatory fees are around 6-8 percent of revenue. Due to the 4G auction delay, the telecoms regulator said it will extend a 2G concession of a True subsidiary, The Bangkok Post reported last week. The extension would eliminate the risk of service disruption to some 6 million customers, according to the report. The post Thai Telcos 'On Hold': Interventionist Junta's First Economic Casualty appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
