| Where’s Wirathu? Monk Says He’s Blocked on Social Media Posted: 27 Oct 2014 06:50 AM PDT  Nationalist Buddhist monk U Wirathu is greeted with respect at a monks' conference in Rangoon in June 2013. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Radical monk Ashin Wirathu, known by many for his incendiary online activity, has been something of a digital hermit in the months following deadly inter-communal violence in Burma's second largest city, Mandalay. The outspoken Buddhist nationalist and widely revered religious leader claims that his social media accounts are being tampered with; some of his content has disappeared and he has had difficulty accessing his personal accounts. "I think my Facebook account is being hacked or attacked by someone," Wirathu told The Irrawaddy last week. "I can't sign in but I can still see my Facebook page. However, everything I posted in 2014 is gone." Facebook has yet to respond to questions regarding whether his account has been suspended or terminated for violating their terms of agreement, but the social media network's terms—which are publicly available—explicitly state that users will be notified via email should their account be terminated. The company has also stated that they do not monitor or censor content, but their policy does allow for review and removal of content when appropriate. Wirathu said that he does not know if Facebook tried to notify him of any changes to his user privileges because he has not checked his email. In late June, Wirathu shared several Facebook posts with his more than 30,000 friends and followers spreading unsubstantiated accusations against two Muslim teashop owners, claiming that they had raped a Buddhist maid. A post created on July 1 stated that he had attempted to contact the two men, who are brothers, and demanded that they be held publicly accountable for their alleged crime. Wirathu then shared another entry containing the names, phone numbers and addresses of the accused, which was widely shared by other users. Several hours later, a quarrel broke out between the two brothers and their Muslim customers when they closed their shop early. Hordes of angry Buddhists joined security forces at the site and violence later ensued between the Buddhist and Muslim residents. Riots continued the following evening, leaving two men dead. A curfew was put in place and access to Facebook was temporarily suspended. Calm and services later returned to the town, but Wirathu claims that he still cannot access all of the content and features that he could in the past. He suspects that his account is being stalked by "flaggers," who report inappropriate content to be removed by Facebook. He also believes that hackers have tampered with his account. The monk claims that he can sign in to his Facebook account, but that he cannot create posts and he is automatically logged out after a few minutes of use. He also said that every post he has created since October 2013 has been removed from his page. "I wonder why I'm not allowed to write on Facebook," said Wirathu, "and why people tried to report me. I can post on my new account, but I had to start a blog because I can no longer rely on Facebook." Wirathu said he has created a new Facebook account under the name Wirathu Masoeyein, written in Burmese, and he has been able to post content freely. His blog, also under the title Wirathu Masoeyein, now has more than 100,000 followers, the monk claims. While he and other members of the Buddhist community often use social media to inform their followers of religious ceremonies and news about the monastery, he has also been known to share unverified accusations against Muslims, and has been accused of using "hate speech" that could incite violence. Attempts to contact Facebook to confirm whether Wirathu's privileges are being stemmed by the company were unsucessful, but individual users told The Irrawaddy that they have flagged some of his content for removal. "Since the riots happened, when I see something brutal or hateful on Facebook, I immediately report it because I don't want to see any more violence," said Kyaw Kyaw Maung, a Mandalay resident who lives in the riot-hit Chan Aye Tharzan Township. "I have reported some accounts, including U Wirathu and several other extremists. "I think this is the responsibility of every citizen, to prevent hate speech and promote peaceful living," he said. Nay Phone Latt, a well-known blogger who heads a campaign for the elimination of hate speech, agreed that reporting inflammatory content is necessary to prevent the spread of hatred, but urged all citizens to be both responsible and discerning while sharing and reading Internet content. "Although reporting someone's post is effective in stopping the spread of hate speech, perpetrators can create new accounts or repost things. If everyone can act responsibly online, there will be peace on Facebook," said Nay Phone Latt. The post Where's Wirathu? Monk Says He's Blocked on Social Media appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Telenor SIMs Launched in Rangoon Posted: 27 Oct 2014 06:34 AM PDT  A monk holds up a Telenor SIM card at a store in Rangoon on Sunday. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Norway's Telenor launched its telecom network in Rangoon on Sunday, becoming the third telecoms provider to offer services in Burma's biggest and increasingly connected city. Telenor, one of two foreign telecom firms granted licenses to operate in Burma, first launched its mobile phone network in Mandalay on Sept. 27, and one week later in Naypyidaw. The company followed Ooredoo of Qatar—which launched in August—and Burma's state-backed telecoms operator Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), in offering cheap SIM cards to consumers in Burma's biggest cities for the first time. "We started selling SIMs in 8,000 shops in 44 townships of [Greater] Rangoon on Sunday," said Soe Thu Tun, a Telenor Myanmar spokesman. "We are now selling 1 million SIMs for Rangoon and 1 million for Mandalay and Naypyidaw but the number of SIM cards is not limited. We will sell as many as the customers want," he said. The SIM cards cost 1,500 kyats (US$1.50) and offer a handful of promotional bonuses. The ceremony on Sunday in Rangoon was attended by Telenor's Burma CEO Petter Furburg, Tin Maung Than from the Myanmar Peace Center and the former Norwegian ambassador to Burma, Katja Nordgaard, who now works for Telenor. "Telenor SIM cards can call to over 200 countries in the world and can be used in Malaysia, Thai, India, Pakistan and Canada," Soe Thu Tun said. As with the launch of Ooredoo in August, some early users say they are experiencing spotty or nonexistent service and mobile Internet connections. "The network will get better and better. … We have already equipped 348 towers in Rangoon for 44 townships and for the whole region of Rangoon, we will expand it up to 800 towers," he added. The state-run MPT for years had a monopoly on the mobile market in Burma and limited SIM card sales, resulting in a black market for the technology that put mobile communications out of reach for most Burmese consumers. The government awarded Telenor and Ooredoo the contracts to set up rival networks in June 2013, and the companies received licenses early this year allowing them to roll out their services. Telenor said it aims to distribute its SIM cards in parts of Irrawaddy, Sagaing, Magwe and Pegu divisions, as well as Karen, Mon and Shan states, in December. The post Telenor SIMs Launched in Rangoon appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| US Ambassador Visits Kachin State Posted: 27 Oct 2014 06:12 AM PDT  US Ambassador to Burma Derek Mitchell talks to reporters at a news conference at Rangoon International Airport in 2011, when he had recently been appointed as a US special envoy to the country. (Photo: Reuters) The US Ambassador to Burma Derek Mitchell visited conflict-torn Kachin State this weekend in advance of a visit to Burma by US President Barack Obama next month. Obama has not announced plans to travel to Kachin State, where a civil war is still being fought between the government and ethnic rebels as Burma continues to work toward a nationwide peace accord. During the three-day visit, Mitchell met with advisors to the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) religious leaders and peace negotiators in the state capital Myitkyina, according to a statement by the US Embassy. The ambassador also visited several camps for internally displaced persons (IDP's) during his third visit to the troubled state since taking the position in July 2012. A spokesperson for the KIO's Technical Advisory Team (TAT) told The Irrawaddy that the ambassador was briefed on the organization's views on the nationwide peace process and apprised of on-the-ground conditions. "The ambassador assured us that [the United States] would push [the Burmese government] and continue to support the transition to democracy," said TAT spokesperson Dau Khar, adding that Mitchell explained the United States' position on the peace process and that "the US government wants it to move forward." Dau Khar said that his team provided an up-to-date explanation of the situation in Kachin State for the ambassador to share with Obama, including briefing him on rising anxieties in Hpakant, a resource-rich area that has seen a sudden and sharp increase in Burma Army troop deployment earlier this month after a resumption in jade-mining operations led to tax disputes between miners and rebel authorities. On Monday, the US Embassy issued a press statement about Mitchell's visit, wherein he "underscored the United States' deep concern about the increase in tension in Hpakant Township." The statement stressed that the United States recognizes how increased military presence near civilian areas has fortified "a deep reservoir of mistrust toward central authority." "Actions that further risk the lives and well-being of the Kachin people will only increase suffering, deepen mistrust, and undermine confidence in the peace process," the statement continued. The ambassador was also escorted to IDP camps, where some war refugees have lived in isolation since violence broke out in 2011. The Embassy remarked of the visit that conditions in the camps "are a small indication of the continued suffering" of civilians throughout the state. Mitchell's visit comes at a time when the Western superpower is keen to see the minority sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement, which the Burmese government hoped to achieve by the end of 2015. Recent fighting in Kachin, Karen and Shan states, however, have cast doubt on their ability to meet the deadline, and talks between government and ethnic negotiators have also been repeatedly delayed. Further complicating the peace process are emerging disputes among ethnic leaders, particularly the Karen National Union (KNU), which is one of Burma's biggest, oldest and most powerful rebel groups. Some within KNU leadership demand that federalism and ethnic equality be written into the agreement, while others want to end the state's 60-year conflict quickly. Moon Nay Li, a Kachin activist based in Thailand, said that she welcomes the ambassador's visit to Kachin State because it will allow him to see how dominant "hardline" sentiments are among the general population in ethnic areas. "I think the Kachin public is more hardline than the leaders," she said, because they have experienced the real costs of the conflict such as physical danger, poverty, drug addiction and sexual violence. "We don't want our leaders to sign a tenuous NCA [Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement], one that does not guarantee equality for Burma's ethnic minorities," said Moon Nay Li, who is a spokesperson for the Kachin Women's Association of Thailand and a peace delegate for the Women's League of Burma. "I would object if the international community, including the United States, pushed too hard for any ethnic groups to sign this feeble agreement," she added. This article was updated on Oct. 27 at 8 pm. The post US Ambassador Visits Kachin State appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Tax Revenues Expected to Rise to $4Bln: Official Posted: 27 Oct 2014 06:03 AM PDT  Piles of Burmese kyat currency are counted in Rangoon. (Photo: Jpaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's Internal Revenue Department said it expected to collect approximately 4,000 billion kyats, or about US $4 billion, in taxes this year, a senior official said on Monday, adding that tax revenues have continued to rise year on year since 2011. The expected tax revenues fall short, however, of the most recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections for tax collection by the Burmese government. "The income tax represents the largest amount among these taxes, and the total amount of taxes is increasing annually," said Tin Htwe, assistant director of the Internal Revenue Department. He said his department had collected about $1.9 billion in the first seven months of this year, adding that about $1 billion was collected from income and property tax, about $900 million from commercial tax, $37 million in so-called stamp duty tax for those buying property, and about $16 million from lottery tax. In 2013-2014, the revenue department said it collected 3,852 billion kyats, a little under $4 billion against last year's exchange rate, while a year earlier it collected 2,710 billion kyats, or about $3.1 billion. Since President Thein Sein's reformist cabinet took office in 2011, the government has been trying to raise tax revenues in order to expand public spending. Tax collection has improved after township level tax committees were formed and tax officials received training and international technical support from international financial institutions, such as the IMF. Over the past year, the government introduced a new property tax with some success. It reformed and lowered its property sales tax in order to encourage more buyers and sellers to register transactions. Previously, many buyers and sellers agreed not to register the change of property ownership in order to avoid taxes. The revenue department is also trying to levy income taxes on the rapidly rising rent rates in Rangoon. Tax evasion remains common, however, in particular for property sales tax and commercial taxes levied on businesses. A Rangoon Division Internal Revenue official estimated earlier this year that "more than 80 percent" of property transactions on Rangoon's booming real estate market go unregistered and untaxed, especially when it involves expensive properties in upmarket neighborhoods. The IMF said in a recent statement on a consultation with the Burmese government that it expected Naypyidaw to collect about $4.7 billion in tax revenues in 2014-2015, well above the figure cited by Internal Revenue Department officials. It commended the government on its economic and fiscal policies, which have led to low debt levels, a small fiscal deficit, a growth in foreign investment and strong growth of gross domestic product at around 8.25 percent this year. It noted, however, that "Additional efforts to mobilize revenues are also necessary to allow increases in social spending and public investment. Priority should be given to cutting back exemptions, strengthening tax administration, and preparing for the introduction of a [value-added tax]." Additional reporting by Paul Vrieze. The post Tax Revenues Expected to Rise to $4Bln: Official appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Two More Chin Newspapers Shut Down Posted: 27 Oct 2014 05:53 AM PDT  A man reads a newspaper outside his home in Rangoon in April 2012. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — Two ethnic language newspapers in Tedim Township, Chin State, have been shut down by the regional government, making them the third and fourth in a month to be shuttered by authorities citing the publications' lack of registrations. Editors for the Tedim Post and Zo Lengthe newspapers said they received letters from Tedim Township authorities to cease operations under the instruction of the Chin State government. "The township authority issued a statement that the Tedim Post is not allowed to publish without a registration on Oct. 16," Thang Van Lian, chief editor of the Tedim Post, told The Irrawaddy. Nang Fian Buang, editor of Zo Lengthe, said his publication was also informed that it would need to halt operations on Oct. 16, with township authorities saying publishing would be permitted once the required registration is obtained. However, Dai Dim, an assistant information officer for the Tedim Township government, said authorities had simply entered into negotiations with the publishers. "We are negotiating with publishers to register and we haven't ordered them to stop publication," she told The Irrawaddy. "We don't have the authority to do that." Asked whether the publications would be allowed to continue publishing while they applied for registrations, Dai Dim said she did not know. The Tedim Post, a Zomi-language weekly founded in July 2014, covers local news ranging from government activities to social issues, as well as Chin cultural topics. It runs a circulation of about 2,000 copies and is distributed in Tedim and Thunzan townships, and near the border with northeast India. Zo Lengthe, a Zomi-language bi-monthly, was founded in 2004 and covers similar subjects, as well as running a circulation of about 2,000 copies. The publications are the latest victims of a crackdown by regional authorities on the Chin State media. The Hakha Post was the first unregistered newspaper to earn the ire of the Chin State government, which ordered the biweekly to cease operations at the end of September. The Falam Post, a Falam-language daily, was ordered to shut down in mid-October. The registration process can be an onerous one for publishers in Chin State, who must travel from the remote and rugged western state to Rangoon in order to apply. The Zo Lengthe editor Nang Fian Buang said that the township authority issued one statement ordering media to register at the end of September and saying that publications would be given one month to comply. Prior to that, Zo Lengthe had been publishing for nearly 10 years without a registration and without incident, he said. "First they said in the statement that they would give one month and now they ordered operations shuttered on October 16. I want to ask: Is there only 16 days in a month?" Nang Fian Buang said, adding that he had arrived to Rangoon and was preparing to register the publication. Thang Van Lian told The Irrawaddy that the Tedim Post had asked township authorities about how to register when it began publishing earlier this year, but did not get any information about the application process. The Tedim Post editor said the newspaper was making renewed inquiries on how to go about registering. The Chin Media Network, a non-governmental alliance of journalists, says there are more than 20 ethnic-language publications produced in the state, four of which are officially registered with the central government. Salai Hoang Htun Gay, a member of the Chin Media Network, said the crackdown on ethnic language publications was akin to efforts by Burma's former military regime to suppress the instruction of ethnic Chin languages in schools. "Because of the ethnically written newspapers, the people can improve their ethnic language skills and gradually understand to value their language," he said, adding that the Chin Media Network would be monitoring the situation as the shuttered publications apply for registrations. "We will watch the registration process to see that the newspapers are able to register smoothly and, after they have registered, whether there is any interference from government," Salai Hoang Htun Gay said, adding that "if the situation is not good, we will hold a press conference or request the support of the Press Council of Burma." The post Two More Chin Newspapers Shut Down appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Police Open Investigation Into Journalist’s Killing, Wife Says Posted: 27 Oct 2014 03:58 AM PDT  Than Dar, the wife of slain journalist Aung Kyaw Naing, attended a press conference in Rangoon on Monday morning. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The wife of slain local journalist Aung Kyaw Naing said on Monday that police in Mon State's Kyaikmayaw town have accepted her complaint and agreed to open an investigation into her husband's killing by the Burma Army. "We only could open one complaint for a criminal charge at the moment, which is a murder case. They only let us file one first. But we will add three more crimes soon, which are arbitrary arrest, torture and hiding [evidence] the dead body," Than Dar told The Irrawaddy. She was speaking on the sidelines of a press conference in Rangoon about the fact that her organization, the Democracy and Peace Women Network, won a human rights award from the N-Peace Network in Bangkok on Friday. Than Dar said she had requested authorities to hand over the body of her husband, but was told to wait. "We told the police that we want to bring his body back as soon as possible and hold funeral rites according to our Buddhist religion. But the police told me that they will take a little more time for the investigation," she said. "I feel that we cannot let them take more time—we all need to pressure them on this [issue]." On Thursday, an aide to Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing sent a statement to the Interim Myanmar Press Council, saying that an unnamed Burma Army unit in Kyaikmayaw Township had shot dead 49-year-old freelance journalist Aung Kyaw Naing, also known as Par Gyi, on Oct. 4. Soldiers had buried his body at Shwe War Chong village, some 20 km from Kyaikmayaw. The letter, which was not officially signed by the army, said the journalist had been arrested in Kyaikmayaw on Sept. 30 after he visited an area under the control of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA). The army alleged he had been a member of the rebel group and claimed he was shot as he tried to escape and grab a weapon from a guard. Than Dar said she travelled from Rangoon to Kyaikmayaw over the weekend to file a complaint, but she was initially turned away and told to go to a police station in the Mon State capital Moulmein instead. When she then travelled to Moulmein, she received a call saying that Kyaikmayaw police would accept her complaint after all. She said during her trip she was repeatedly stopped and questioned by police, soldiers and Special Branch police. "They disturbed me during the whole trip. They came on the bus asked me the same questions again and again, and took photos," she said, adding that she believed authorities had tried to intimidate her. Earlier this month, Than Dar had already made several visits to Kyaikmayaw Police Station, the local army base of Light Infantry Battalion 208 and the army's Southeastern Command in Moulmein, in order to inquire about her missing husband. But authorities sent her away and denied any knowledge of the case. Than Dar, who has one daughter and two adopted children with Aung Kyaw Naing, dismissed the claims that her husband was a member of the DKBA, but added, "They should bring him to court if they found that he violated the law—they cannot just kill him." She called on both President Thein Sein and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to carry out a transparent public investigation into her husband's killing and ensure that the soldiers responsible are punished. "Both of them often say [people should] protect and respect the 2008 Constitution. I want to know how both of them will deal with a citizen who was brutally killed. I ask them to solve this fairly," Than Dar said. "It's not only me who is angry about this [killing]. Many people in the country are not happy about this." The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said in a statement on Monday that the killing of the journalist "is a reprehensible demonstration of how the rights of the citizen in Burma are not respected and how intimidation and violence are used against them." The Thailand-based organization said, "The government must be open about what really happened to Par Gyi and we demand an investigation into not only his death but into all accounts of extrajudicial killings." The post Police Open Investigation Into Journalist's Killing, Wife Says appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Does Burma’s Army Still Hold a License to Kill? Posted: 27 Oct 2014 03:09 AM PDT  Demonstrators on Oct. 26 carry signs bearing slogans and pictures of Aung Kyaw Naing, a journalist who went missing last month and was reportedly killed by the Burma Army. (Photo: Sai Zaw / The Irrawaddy) News that the Burma Army shot dead the journalist Aung Kyaw Naing while in military custody is frightening, and of great concern for every journalist in this country. From the shocking incident, made public late last week, any reasonable observer can infer that the military still has a license to commit extrajudicial killings. Indeed, impunity is alive and well in Burma. Aung Kyaw Naing, also known as Par Gyi, was arrested on Sept. 30 while covering clashes between the Burma Army and ethnic rebels in Kyaikmayaw, Mon State. The news of his disappearance was reported and his wife, Than Dar, said in a press conference on Oct. 21 that he had been in military custody for several weeks and called for his immediate release. By the time she asked, however, he had already been killed—some 17 days prior. Thandar and the media to whom she was speaking had no idea about the killing and assumed that he was still being held in military custody. A couple of days after her press conference, the army released a statement saying that a soldier shot and killed Aung Kyaw Naing on Oct. 4 as he attempted to seize the soldier's gun with the aim of fleeing from his captors. The two-page statement in the aftermath of Aung Kyaw Naing's killing was an obvious effort to explain how the army might reasonably kill a journalist. The statement made two main points: firstly, that Aung Kyaw Naing was a "communications captain" for the political wing of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), implying that he was not a journalist but rather a Karen rebel; and that the "rebel" had tried to seize the gun from a soldier. Considering those two claims as a reference point, is the army justified in killing Aung Kyaw Naing? Granted, a statement of this kind from the army is unprecedented. The problem, however, is a growing tide of doubt over its veracity. Few believe it, due to the military's consistently poor human rights record. For decades, Burma's military has been notorious for its human rights violations, whether by cracking down on peaceful demonstrators or launching offensives against ethnic armed groups in which civilians often bear the brunt of casualties. Adding to suspicions, the army's statement said that Aung Kyaw Naing's body was "properly buried" in Shwe War Chong village, about 20 km from Kyaikmayaw. This "proper burial" has all the marks of a cover-up.  Kyaw Zwa Moe is editor (English Edition) of
the Irrawaddy magazine. He can be reached at kyawzwa@irrawaddy.org. Aung Kyaw Naing's detention, and the handling of his body, raises several "whys": Why did the army withhold this news for more than two weeks? Why didn't it let the victim's family know of his death immediately? Why did it bury his body without informing relevant authorities, such as the local government, police or hospital officials? While the army's statement claimed Aung Kyaw Naing was affiliated with the Karen rebel group, reports confirmed that he had contributed news stories and photos to local publications such as Eleven Media, the Yangon Times and The Voice. Prior to his arrest, he had been reporting from an area held by the DKBA, but last week, the DKBA's political wing, the Klohtoobaw Karen Organization, denied to The Irrawaddy that Aung Kyaw Naing was affiliated with the organization. No matter who Aung Kyaw Naing really was—a journalist or a member of the KKO—the army does not have a right to kill him in its custody. This was unequivocally an extrajudicial killing, and a severe human rights violation. Not since 2007, when the Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai was shot in the streets of Rangoon while covering anti-government protests, has a journalist been killed by the army. Ironically, news of Aung Kyaw Naing's killing came a week after President Thein Sein in Italy asked the European Union to cease its scrutiny of Burma's human rights situation. An independent investigation into the circumstances of Aung Kyaw Naing's death is crucial if this "reformist" government is to maintain credibility as such. Thandar has called on the army to return the body and told the media she would press charges against the army for the killing. On Sunday, nearly 100 people led by prominent activists such as Min Ko Naing staged a demonstration to denounce the killing, calling for an investigation into the incident. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has also chimed in: "The killing of Aung Kyaw Naing by Burma's military is reprehensible," said Shawn Crispin, CPJ's Southeast Asia representative. "Civilian authorities must investigate the military's accounting of his death, which has the initial hallmarks of a cover-up. Any soldier found responsible for his extrajudicial killing or mistreatment before his death must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." So far, President Thein Sein's government has been largely quiet on the killing, with state media printing only the verbatim statement from the army announcing Aung Kyaw Naing's death. The government's silence is effectively tacit approval for free rein for the army to commit such crimes in future. This week, there was an initial promising sign, with police in Kyaikmayaw promising to accept a criminal complaint filed by the late journalist's wife. Both the government and the military leadership must immediately initiate a proper investigation, with the inclusion of civil society, to show that the Burma Army—long in the sights of human rights defenders—no longer has a license to kill. The post Does Burma's Army Still Hold a License to Kill? appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Protesters Demand Investigation into Death of Journalist Posted: 26 Oct 2014 10:29 PM PDT  Demonstrators carry signs bearing slogans and pictures of Par Gyi, a journalist who went missing in Mon State last month and was reportedly killed by the Burma Army. Oct. 26, 2014. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Crowds gathered in downtown Rangoon on Sunday to demand a full investigation into the death of freelance reporter Aung Kyaw Naing, commonly known as Par Gyi, who was reportedly killed in custody of the Burma Army. On Friday, news emerged that the Interim Myanmar Press Council had been notified by the military that Par Gyi had been abducted in Mon State on Sept. 30, interrogated and later killed, with the army claiming that he was affiliated with a Karen rebel group. The military's statement said that on Oct. 4, Par Gyi "tried to seize a gun from a guard and run away; then he was shot dead by the guard." His body was buried and his family was not notified. Concerned citizens reacted quickly, gathering in front of Rangoon's City Hall, some carrying placards reading, "Restore justice and security for citizens" and "Stop brutality." "Ko Par Gyi is a journalist, a politician and a citizen," said Ko Ko Gyi, a prominent activist and leader of the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society movement. "His death shows that we do not have protection of the law." Ko Ko Gyi added that the statement produced by the Burma Army was sent to the Press Council nearly one month after Par Gyi's disappearance, suggesting that the government may have been concealing abuses and must provide answers to the public. "This case shows that the army is clearly abusing human rights," he said. "If they do not take action and reform, there will be a confrontation between the citizens and the army." Some protesters said that what happened to Par Gyi is not uncommon in conflict-affected ethnic areas, but that the case should be considered an alarm for citizens and an opportunity to demand justice. The post Protesters Demand Investigation into Death of Journalist appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Number of Rohingya Fleeing Burma Tops 100,000 Posted: 26 Oct 2014 10:25 PM PDT  About 74 Rohingya refugees from Burma sit on a wooden boat as they wait for transportation to a temporary shelter in Aceh Besar after arriving at Lampulo harbor, Indonesia, in April 2013. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — A growing sense of desperation is fueling a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims from western Burma, with the number who have fled by boat since communal violence broke out two years ago now topping 100,000, a leading expert said Saturday. Chris Lewa, director of the nonprofit advocacy group Arakan Project, said there has been a huge surge since Oct. 15, with an average of 900 people per day piling into cargo ships parked off Arakan State. That’s nearly 10,000 in less than two weeks, she noted, one of the biggest spikes yet. Burma, a predominantly Buddhist nation of 50 million that only recently emerged from half a century of military rule, has an estimated 1.3 million Rohingya. Though many of their families arrived from neighboring Bangladesh generations ago, almost all have been denied citizenship. In the last two years, attacks by Buddhist mobs have left hundreds dead and 140,000 trapped in camps, where they live without access to adequate health care, education or jobs. Lewa, who has teams monitoring embarkation points, is considered the leading authority on the number of fleeing Rohingya. But boats are now shoving off from more and more places, she said, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of how many are leaving. "The real number may be higher," Lewa said. She said some Rohingya families have received phone calls notifying them that ships from the latest exodus have started arriving in neighboring Thailand, where passengers often are brought to jungle camps, facing extortion and beatings until relatives come up with enough money to win their release. From there they usually travel to Malaysia or other countries, but, still stateless, their futures remain bleak. In Burma, the vast majority live in the northern tip of Arakan State, where an aggressive campaign by authorities in recent months to register family members and officially categorize them as "Bengalis" — implying they are illegal migrants from neighboring Bangladesh — has aggravated their situation. According to villagers contacted by The Associated Press, some were confined to their villages for weeks at a time for refusing to take part in the "verification" process, while others were beaten or arrested. More recently, dozens of men were detained for having alleged ties to the militant Rohingya Solidarity Organization, or RSO, said Khin Maung Win, a resident from Maungdaw Township, adding that several reportedly were beaten or tortured during their arrests or while in detention. Lewa said three of the men died. "Our team is becoming more and more convinced that this campaign of arbitrary arrests is aimed at triggering departures," she said. Arakan State spokesman Win Myaing denied any knowledge of arrests or abuse. "There’s nothing happening up there," he said. "There are no arrests of suspects of RSO. I haven’t heard anything like that." Every year, the festival of Eid al-Adha, which was celebrated by Muslims worldwide early this month, marks the beginning of a large exodus of Rohingya, in part due to calmer seas but also because it is a chance to spend time with family and friends. But there seems to be a growing sense of desperation this year, with numbers nearly double from the same period in 2013. Lewa said a number of Rohingya also were moving overland to Bangladesh and on to India and Nepal. The United Nations, which has labeled the Rohingya one of the most persecuted religious minorities in the world, earlier this year confirmed figures provided by Lewa about a massive exodus that began after communal violence broke out in June 2012, targeting mainly Rohingya. With the latest departures, Lewa estimates the total number of fleeing Rohingya to be more than 100,000. It was not immediately clear where the newest arrivals were landing. Associated Press writer Esther Htusan contributed to this report. The post Number of Rohingya Fleeing Burma Tops 100,000 appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Indonesia President Appoints Technocrats to Top Economic Posts Posted: 26 Oct 2014 10:16 PM PDT  Indonesia’s new President Joko Widodo speaks to the media after a meeting with Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbot on Oct. 20. (Photo: Reuters) JAKARTA — Indonesia’s new president on Sunday named professional technocrats to lead the top economic ministries and implement much-needed reforms that address costly fuel subsidies, cooling investment and creaky infrastructure in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy. President Joko Widodo named a 34-member cabinet in which 18 were seen as technocrats. The rest of the cabinet jobs went to members of the four political parties supporting him, and included the appointment of the daughter of former President Megawati Sukarnoputri to a senior position. Widodo, who was sworn in last Monday, appointed former state-owned enterprises minister Sofyan Djalil as coordinating minister for economics and vice minister Bambang Brodjonegoro, who was promoted to head the finance ministry. "[Djalil] is an expert of economic strategy and finance and I trust him to be the captain at the helm of economic teams," Widodo told reporters at a news conference where he announced his cabinet. Economists welcomed the appointments of the two and markets could find some support when they open Monday. "They know the problems and have high integrity and track records," said Destry Damayanti, chief economist at Bank Mandiri. "I expect them to lead structural and fiscal reform in Indonesia to accelerate economic growth." Baradita Katoppo, Indonesian country head of Fitch Ratings, said he had "high hopes" for the two ministers, both of whom served under Widodo’s predecessor, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Djalil and Brodjonegoro take the helm at a time when Indonesia faces strong economic headwinds. Gross domestic product grew by 5.1 percent on an annual basis in the second quarter, the slowest pace for five years. Indonesia’s inadequate roads, ports, electricity and other basic services, along with its corruption and daunting bureaucracy, have begun to disenchant foreign investors, who are essential for the resource-based economy to grow. At the same time, Indonesia’s commodity-dominated exports have slumped and high interest rates are weighing on domestic consumption and investment. One of the first decisions facing Widodo and his cabinet is whether to press ahead with politically-sensitive rises in fuel prices, needed to slash costly subsidies. The president named the chief executive of state-owned defense firm PT Pindad, Sudirman Said, as energy and mineral resources minister, and a former head of auto-assembler PT Astra International Rini Soemarno Soewandi as state-owned enterprises minister. Vetting of Choices Retno Marsudi, the current ambassador to the Netherlands, becomes the first woman to be Indonesia’s foreign minister. Puan Maharani, Megawati’s daughter, was named coordinating minister for human development and culture. Megawati is the head of the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle, of which Widodo is a member. The cabinet will be sworn-in and hold their first meeting on Monday. Widodo, elected president in July after a stunning rise through the ranks of local government, is popular for his clean image in a country that has consistently scored low marks among investors for widespread corruption. He sought to ensure the credibility of his cabinet by taking the unprecedented step of having the country’s main anti-graft agency vet each candidate. The Corruption Eradication Commission last week rejected eight of Widodo’s initial cabinet due to graft concerns, forcing the president to delay his announcement and find last-minute replacements. "The process of defining the ministers were done carefully and cautiously as this is a priority," Widodo said. "The cabinet will be working for five years and we want to get the clean ones … because we want to be accurate and right," he said. Not all appointments though were welcomed. Widodo, known popularly as Jokowi, appointed Ryamizard Ryacudu as defense minister, despite concerns over human rights abuses when he was in charge of the military when martial law was declared in Aceh during Megawati’s administration. "It shows that Jokowi and [Vice President] Jusuf Kalla have no sensitivity with the human rights situation at the moment in Indonesia," said Haris Azhar, coordinator for Jakarta-based Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence. The post Indonesia President Appoints Technocrats to Top Economic Posts appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| US Official Urges Vietnam to Improve Human Rights Posted: 26 Oct 2014 10:11 PM PDT  Defendants found guilty of anti-state crimes stand in front of dock at a court in Nghe An Province, about 300 km south of Hanoi, on Jan. 9, 2013. (Photo: Reuters / Vietnam News Agency) HANOI — A US official said Sunday that while Vietnam has made progress on human rights, it must do more if it is to forge closer economic and security ties with the United States. Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski told reporters in Hanoi at the end of his five-day visit that the communist government should reform its laws to bring them in full compliance with Vietnam's 2013 constitution and its international obligations. Malinowski's arrival on Tuesday came the same day that Vietnam's government released prominent blogger Nguyen Van Hai and put him on a flight to the United States. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Hai had decided himself to travel to the United States. "I made clear that we want to do more to deepen our relationship and we can do more on security cooperation and the TPP," Malinowski said, referring to the Pacific Rim trade pact the United States, Vietnam and 10 other countries were negotiating. "But we can do this if and only if there's a multiple progress on human rights." Malinowski noted that Vietnam had released 12 prisoners of conscience this year, but urged the government not to use vaguely worded security laws to arrest people who peacefully express their views. "There would not be progress if a dozen people were released and then a dozen more people were arrested," he said. "So we stressed about the need to follow through on the commitments the Vietnamese government has made to fundamentally reform the laws … to bring the country's laws into full compliance with its 2013 constitution and with its international obligations." Malinowski said that in his meetings with Vietnamese government officials, he explained that some articles of the country's criminal code were not consistent with its obligations and that they "appear to target freedom of expression and association." Malinowski said the United States "wants a much deeper and much more sustainable partnership [with Vietnam], like the ones we have with our closest allies in Asia, Europe and elsewhere," but that "we need a solid foundation based on our shared values, and that's why we stress the human rights issue so strongly." The post US Official Urges Vietnam to Improve Human Rights appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Poor Health Systems in Asia Cause for Ebola Alarm Posted: 26 Oct 2014 09:59 PM PDT  Medical staff test whether an Ebola protective suit is leak-proof at Shenzhen Third People's Hospital in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on Oct. 22, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) SINGAPORE — The longer the Ebola outbreak rages in West Africa, the greater chance a traveler infected with the virus touches down in an Asian city. How quickly any case is detected—and the measures taken once it is—will determine whether the virus takes hold in a region where billions live in poverty and public health systems are often very weak. Governments are ramping up response plans, stepping up surveillance at airports and considering quarantine measures. Still, health experts in the region's less developed countries fear any outbreak would be deadly and hard to contain. "This is a non-treatable disease with a very high mortality rate. And even a country like the United States has not been able to completely prevent it," said Yatin Mehta, a critical care specialist at the Medanta Medicity hospital near New Delhi. "The government is trying. They are preparing and they are training, but our record of disaster management has been very poor in the past." More than 10,000 people have been infected with Ebola and nearly half of them have died, according to the World Health Organization. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is the largest ever outbreak of the disease with a rapidly rising death toll in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. There have also been cases in three other West African countries, Spain and the United States. Early symptoms of Ebola include fever, headache, body aches, cough, stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, and patients aren't contagious until those begin. The virus requires close contact with body fluids to spread so health care workers and family members caring for loved ones are most at risk. Asia, home to 60 percent of the world's population, scores higher than West Africa on most development indexes and includes emerging or developed countries like Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan. But countries like India, China, the Philippines and Indonesia have vast numbers of poor, many of whom live in crowded slums, and underfunded health systems. The Philippine government estimates there are up to 1,700 Filipino workers in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, plus more than 100 peacekeeping troops in Liberia. The Department of Health is suggesting a 21-day quarantine period before its citizens leave those three countries, but doesn't know how it will pay for that, said spokesman Lyndon Lee Suy. "The DOH is doing its part, but it is downstream, it is on the receiving end," said Dr. Antony Leachon, president of the Philippine College of Physicians. "What is important is that Ebola shouldn't be able to enter. Since we have 10 million migrant workers, we have problems containing that." Indonesia has put 100 hospitals that have experience of treating patients suffering from bird flu on standby for Ebola, said Tjandra Yoga Aditama, head of the Health Ministry's research and development board. The only way of ensuring that the virus doesn't spread into a country is enforced quarantine for people coming from countries with an outbreak or—even more effective—a total travel ban. But those measures would mean that doctors and other experts trying to beat the virus at its source in West Africa would be less willing or unable to help, making the outbreak worse. Airports in Asia have stepped up their defenses: screening passengers who have traveled from affected countries, taking any with high temperature for observation and trying to keep contact them with for 21 days—the incubation period. Even assuming these measures are carried out effectively, people can and do lie about their travel history, and common drugs like Paracetamol are effective in reducing fever. Authorities in China say 8,672 people have entered southern Guangdong province from Ebola-ridden areas since Aug. 23. There are more than 160 direct flights per month from Africa to the region's capital, Guangzhou, a reflection of the booming economic ties between China and Africa. All arrivals are subject to medical observation, which, according to guidelines from the Health Ministry, involves medical staff visiting or calling them morning and evening for 21 days to ask them about their temperature. People whose temperature is above normal should be immediately quarantined for three weeks. In Hong Kong, around 15 passengers a day arrive from the affected region, chief port health officer Dr. Edwin Tsui Lok-kin said. Prior to the Ebola outbreak, Singapore had an average of about 30 people arriving a month collectively from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the government says. Dale Fisher, the head of the infectious diseases' division at the Singapore National University Hospital, said governments in the region should be educating health workers about the disease and the need to ask anyone presenting with a fever at a medical facility about their travel history. "Asia is very diverse in its capacity, and there are some countries with people that travel a lot that may not have the best infrastructure and are at greater risk," said Fisher, who has twice been to Liberia to assist in the WHO's response. "If an index case arrived back in a large Asian city and they were to sit in an open ward vomiting, then you would have a pretty big job on your hands." He said that an outbreak could be brought under control with quick isolation and effective tracing of anyone who might have been in contact with the patient, citing the example of Nigeria, African's most populous country. It was declared Ebola free after confirming 19 cases, seven of them fatal. Asian health systems and workers have experience in countering infectious diseases, including severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which first appeared in Hong Kong in 2003, infecting more than 8,000 people and killing about 800. The region grappled a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu around the same time that killed about 800 people in 12 countries, and new strains continue to crop up. Sujatha Rao, a former Indian health secretary, said India's health system kicked into overdrive when confronted with a health crisis, as was seen during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. "In India we're very good at crisis management, but we are hopeless at routine care," Rao said. Asked whether the country was prepared for Ebola, she added: "We are not ready. But that said, there is only so much preparation that any country can do." The post Poor Health Systems in Asia Cause for Ebola Alarm appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
