Saturday, May 16, 2015

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Wonders of the Wa: The Vibrant Culture of Burma’s Mysterious Mountain Dwellers

Posted: 16 May 2015 06:46 AM PDT

 

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For a relatively small ethnic group couched in a remote region along Burma's eastern border, the Wa have a particularly colorful cultural presence, though they rarely have the chance to show off for visitors. Late last month, however, when the Wa welcomed ethnic leaders from all over the country for a major summit at their Panghsang headquarters, the group's lively traditions were on full display.

The most striking part of the summit's opening ceremony may well have been a performance by more than 80 dancers. While some of them performed traditional styles unique to Wa Special Region, others had also skillfully mastered dances representative of other parts of the country. Couples showed off steps iconic to each of the region's main ethnic groups, while others entered the ensemble later carrying the flags of members of the United Nationalities Federal Council, a coalition of ethnic minorities. The ornately dressed men and women wove throughout the venue belting out a song with the lyrics: "We welcome our ethnic leaders who work for peace, and we bless you all to reach an agreement for peace in this country."

In Wa culture it is customary for visitors to have a taste of traditional wine, which each dancer held in a bamboo cup as they glided across the room. Some of the ethnic leaders do not ordinarily drink, but they obliged out of politeness to their hosts. Chan Don, a member of the New Mon State Party, confessed he was "a little worried" about what would happen to his party's chairman, as he "did not drink alcohol for a long time."

The mood was lighthearted, however, as San Khun, a spokesman for the United Wa State Army's foreign affairs department, joked that, "If you guys don't drink our wine, our Nat will possess you. Our Nat will not be happy if you don't drink."

After the wine was a tremendous display of local foods. The Wa ordinarily eat with chopsticks, but traditional cuisine gets a slightly different treatment. Platters of various dishes were laid out on a long bench-like table, around which everyone sat together and ate with their hands.

The Wa region has its own Ministry of Culture, which puts a lot of value on preserving aspects of traditional life such as food and dance. Ai Lu Chit, who is currently a traditional dance instructor employed by the ministry, explained a bit about his work. He said that young people were scouted out and brought in from villages all around the region to learn the dances we saw at the opening ceremony. To maintain Wa culture,

"We bring our Wa children from other townships, those who stay on the mountains. We teach them how to dance, and we also let them study. We offer many different subjects here, including Wa, Burmese, English and Chinese languages," Ai Lu Chit said.

Those selected to perform at the ceremony trained for about a month in advance, he said. Daytime, night time, whatever it took. Training was rigorous because the dancers had to perfect so many different routines. In one number, dancers acted out the parts of farmers growing paddy in a field. In another, they played young lovers on a date, a traditional bit during which the woman combs the hair of her boyfriend.

The dance most dear to the Wa, however, is a wild thrashing number in which women fling their hair back and forth. Female dancers are required to have long hair for the purpose of performing this particular move.

"We have to train them a lot for the hair dance," Ai Lu Chit said. "It's very hard to train them; they often get dizzy if we do not train them daily. For this dance you have to shake your head a lot, then your back. That's why it's so easy to get dizzy."

Beyond the food and the unconventional dance moves, traditional clothing is also a source of pride for the Wa. That's one area, however, where many feel the culture may be dying out. Ai Lu Chit and others in the ministry said they worry that Chinese influence is slowly eroding some of the region's traditional flair.

"I noticed this a lot among the students I brought here from the mountain," Ai Lu Chit said. "Their families stay on the mountain, and those who stay there dress very politely and culturally. But after being in Panghsang for about one month, the kids change their style of dress. The boys and the girls, they change their style."

About 75 percent of the population in Wa Special Region are believed to be ethnically Wa, while the remainder represent other ethnic groups including Chinese. The region has enjoyed a ceasefire with the government for 26 years, during which it has developed much more rapidly that some other parts of the country, though much of that development was funded by eastern Burma's expansive drug trade. But with development came exposure to foreign cultures, particularly of the Chinese variety.

"We are people who stayed very close to the border with China, and we worry a lot about their cultural influence," Ai Lu Chit said. "This is why we work hard to maintain our traditions. We do not want our ethnic [identity] to disappear."

The post Wonders of the Wa: The Vibrant Culture of Burma's Mysterious Mountain Dwellers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tycoons, Military Recognized at Presidential Awards

Posted: 16 May 2015 06:29 AM PDT

 

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NAYPYIDAW — Tycoons and the military swept the field at the third annual Presidential Honor Awards on Friday, held to recognize business, society and sporting achievements.

Held at the Myanmar International Convention Center in Naypyidaw, 40 awards were presented to individuals and organizations for "supporting the country's development and sacrificing for society."

Among the awardees were Asia World managing director Tun Myint Naing (also known as Steven Law), Myanma Apex Bank founder Chit Khaing, KBZ Group head Aung Ko Win, and World Treasure Bank chair Aung Myint, who were all recognized as the country's top taxpayers.

The Burma Armed Forces were presented with a Special Recognition Award for their "protection of the people" of Burma. Humanitarian accomplishment awards were presented to 14 residents of Arakan State who saved the lives of passengers during the sinking of the Aung Takun-3 passenger ferry off the coast of Kyaukphyu in March.

Myanmar Red Cross member Moe Kyaw Than, who died after the ambush of a convoy in Laukkai, was recognized posthumously alongside fellow Red Cross workers Zaw Min Htike and Kyaw Zaw Htoo.

"I am so proud of my husband," said Doung Nywe, Moe Kyaw Than's wife. "I am here to receive the award because of his effort. I am feeling a mixture of happiness and sadness at the moment. It will be a hard struggle in the future with our four children but I will try my best."

Aung Ko Win’s KBZ Group also received an award for the activities of the Brighter Future Foundation, the conglomerate's charitable arm. The foundation made has provided funds for infrastructure works in areas hit by Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and has helped to repatriate trafficked Burmese migrant workers from abroad.

Burma's national under-20 football team received a sporting award after qualifying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will be held in New Zealand from the end of May. The Burma Army and the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry were presented with awards recognizing their protection of forests from illegal logging.

The post Tycoons, Military Recognized at Presidential Awards appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘The Wa Region Really Looks Like Its Own Country’

Posted: 15 May 2015 05:30 PM PDT

 

The Irrawaddy's English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe is joined by reporters Lawi Weng and Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

The Irrawaddy's English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe is joined by reporters Lawi Weng and Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

On this week's edition of Dateline Irrawaddy, two of our journalists discuss their recent trip to the little-known Wa Special Region, where a dozen ethnic armed groups recently gathered to discuss ongoing peace negotiations with the government.

Kyaw Zwa Moe: A conference of ethnic armed groups was held in Panghsan, the capital of Wa Special Region, earlier this month. The Irrawaddy's reporters Ko Lawi Weng and Ma Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint attended the conference. Today we'll discuss how much things have changed in Wa, a region once known for head hunters, flesh-eating practices and bare-skinned people. I'm The Irrawaddy's magazine editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

Ma Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint, around 1937, Wa was an undeveloped place. There was virtually no administrative mechanism in Wa, even after the country regained independence in 1948. Then, around 20, 26 years ago, the Wa secured a ceasefire with the government. After 2008, they were designated as a self-administered division. What interesting things did you see in the Wa region and how does its development compare with other ethnic regions?

Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint: To draw a comparison, it is very different from Yangon. There is not even a single hut in villages, there are apartments there instead. Transportation is pretty good there and I saw them building drains systematically, which other ethnicities still can't do. For example, in ethnic regions like Karen and Mon states, roads aren't even paved smooth. There is a huge difference between Wa and them.

KZM: You made a comparison with Yangon. So what about the other things, like hospitals, there?

NLHP: In Wa, there is a government hospital as well as a hospital funded by the United Wa State Army [UWSA]. There is a big difference between the two hospitals. In the government hospital, there are only ordinary beds and perhaps general practitioners and basic drugs. The UWSA hospital, however, is a modern one. It has modern diagnostic equipment that was purchased from abroad.

KZM: Did you see anything interesting, Ko Lawi? You have been to various ethnic regions. What differences did you observe?

LW: I am particularly interested in the hotels. They are building up their town day and night. Hotels there are better than those in Mandalay. I stayed at one of the best hotels in Mandalay, which charges US$270 a night. But then, the hotel I stayed at in Wa is better than that hotel.

KZM: Were there many guests?

LW: Yes, Chinese men. There are lots of hotels and there were also many guests. But the hotels are really neat and tidy. These hotels were built under a really good system.

KZM: The Wa Army has around 30,000 troops and is the biggest among ethnic armed groups. What do its activities and deployment look like in Phanghsan?

LW: In Panghsan, I saw many uniformed UWSA soldiers going around the town or going to market by bike with their families. We media outlets frequently say that 'Wa' even has anti-aircraft weapons, but I did not see any specific anti-aircraft weapons there. I noted that I did not even see snipers. I saw AK-47s and M-16s. That's all.

I think they practice conscription because the Wa region only has a population of around 600,000 people. Why do they have so many troops? I saw children ranging from 7 to 15 in military uniforms. But they are not given arms. That's why I say conscription must be practiced there.

KZM: What did you observe in terms of the livelihoods of ordinary Wa people? I mean salary and working conditions.

NLHP: Some say that clothes can be used as a yardstick against which to measure living standards. The style of dress in Wa is completely different from that of Yangon. They dress completely neat and tidy. Yangon's dressing style does not stand comparison with that of the Wa. Those who come to sell things at the market wear traditional clothes. Mostly, they wear traditional clothes. They wear top brands.

KZM: Most of them use Chinese-made goods since Wa is close to China, don't they?

NLHP: It's not like that. Wa people say that Chinese-made products are not of good quality. So, they don't use them. At shops, I rarely saw Chinese-made foods, and instant noodles were the only Chinese-made food I saw. But even the noodles, they only sell well-known brands.

KZM: But across Myanmar, people eat and rely on China-made products and foods. What about the salary there?

NLHP: Unskilled workers, for example waiters and part-time waiters, say they earn around 1,000 to 1,500 yuan (US$160-$240). Those who work at rubber plantations earn around 1,500 to 3,000 yuan.

KZM: It is Chinese currency. How much is the Myanmar equivalent?

NLHP: 500 yuan equals to around 100,000 kyats [$85], so 1,500 yuan is around 300,000 kyats.

KZM: So, it is higher than the average salary in Yangon.

NLHP: There is a huge gap.

KZM: That's why the living standard is different. What about the education and language there?

NLHP: They say they mainly go to Chinese schools. There are Burmese schools opened by the government, but they just learn enough Burmese for speaking. Some people can't read. Mainly, they use the Wa and Chinese languages. What is noticeable in Wa is that I saw a library there. People can read there. In their monthly magazines, I saw the Chinese and Wa translation of current local issues like Daw Aung San Suu Kyi giving a speech, students staging protests and the president holding peace talks with the UWSA. Looking at this, we can see that they are monitoring politics and news and are informing people. That is really significant.

LW: They themselves are concerned about China's influence. As far as I could tell, they do not use Chinese products although they live on the Chinese border. I don't know where the pistols they use come from. But when I asked an official from Mon…

KZM: You mean military officers?

LW: I asked a major from the New Mon State Party if he knew where the pistols the Wa are carrying come from. He replied that they are from the US.

KZM: So, they use products from Western countries, even the weapons.

LW: China does not manufacture the M-16. M-16s come from Thailand. The latest products. … They mostly use such products. There are also Wa-made weapons. They are very distinct from other weapons.

KZM: Wa-made weapons are also popular?

LW: I noticed that AK-47s used by the Kokang and Palaung and Wa are completely identical in appearance. I noticed that both police and troops carry identical AK-47s.

KZM: Leaders of other ethnic armed groups such as the Kachin, Karen and Mon also went there. What was their view of Panghsan?

LW: At first I asked [ethnic Mon leader] Nai Hong Sar how he felt about Panghsan. He replied that the Wa have their own country while they [Mon] have got nothing. I asked other ethnic leaders and most other ethnic leaders shared his view.

KZM: 'Country,' what does that mean?

LW: Wa has seen development. It really looks like its own country. Hotels are big, there is 24-hour electricity and the roads are broad.

KZM: What is the major driving force behind it? Because [former senior junta leader] U Khin Nyunt, who once negotiated with the Wa, Kokang and KIA [Kachin Independence Army] for peace, wrote in his book that the Wa are really hard-working and honest. He described them as a hard-working people. He said the Wa had greatly developed just one year after making peace with him because of their hard work and honesty. What do you think? How is their living style and their culture?

LW: They say they are earnestly working day and night. They say, for example, that if they are to build a hotel, they hire Chinese engineers for designing the hotel's architecture. They build it really well. They work together with Chinese engineers. Then, they stop hiring Chinese engineers, after they get techniques from them. They build it themselves. They have complete confidence in themselves. Again, I saw that they are building roads like in Thailand.

KZM: How is it different from Myanmar?

LW: The roads are really good; even and smooth and of a high standard. They are constructed by the UWSA.

KZM: I think it must have been around 1994 that the UWSA gave considerable support to government army troops in their fight against the drug lord Khun Sa. How is the existing relationship between government army and the UWSA?

LW: The UWSA leadership is concerned that fighting may recur and that it might damage their capital, which they are still building. They talked about northern Shan State and Kachin, where clashes are ongoing. They are very concerned that the progress of the region may be affected by the fighting because they are putting heart and soul into development works.

KZM: There are five self-administered zones and one self-administered division, according to the 2008 Constitution. Are the Wa not satisfied with their division status?

LW: Yes, they say they are satisfied. They have political awareness. They always read the news. They know the positions of news agencies. They said some news agencies were really critical, but now they aren't anymore and they have become moderate now. They are studying everything even though their place is a remote region. They even talk about amending the 2008 Constitution.

KZM: Ko Lawi and Ma Nan Lwin, both of you were able to interview Wa leaders. You interviewed [UWSA chairman] Bao Youxiang. What did he say about the Constitution and politics?

NLHP: He mainly talked about the Constitution. He said that charter reform is a precondition for a [nationwide] ceasefire, and that all the ethnic armed groups will sign the ceasefire only after the Constitution is changed.

LW: I asked him if he saw any difference between U Than Shwe and reformist U Thein Sein and he immediately replied that there was no difference and that they are the same. But then, they are studying seriously what U Thein Sein is doing.

KZM: He means he still has his suspicions and he has not seen real changes.

LW: He said the 2008 Constitution must be amended. It is their main point.

KZM: Ko Lawi, Ma Nan Lwin, very interesting. Thanks you very much for your discussion.

The post 'The Wa Region Really Looks Like Its Own Country' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (May 16, 2015)

Posted: 15 May 2015 04:59 PM PDT

A mountain slope in Hpakant, the site of large-scale jade mining, March 2013. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy)

A mountain slope in Hpakant, the site of large-scale jade mining, March 2013. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy)

International Names in Race to Develop Southern Burma Islands

International investors are among 13 tourism developments in southern Burma's Mergui Archipelago to receive government approval and a Singapore-based firm may be close to getting the green light for a "mega project" on one of the islands, according to an industry news site.

TTG Asia said in a report on Thursday that 13 out of 27 proposals for hotel projects on islands off Mergui, also known as Myeik, were given the green light by the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC).

Investors are clamoring for approvals to develop the largely untouched collection of 800 or so islands. The government has singled out the area as a priority for tourism projects, while concerns have been raised that development could ruin an area of natural beauty and biodiversity.

Little is known about most of the companies trying to move into the islands, but the Myeik Public Corporation, a consortium of local businessmen, has announced plans to invest US$4 million in a resort development.

"One of [the approved developments] is UAE-based investment company Gecko Holdings which, together with local Kyaw Win Phyo Company, formed a joint venture called Mokan to build a hotel on a 2,060 [hectare] site on Kyunphelar island," the TTG Asia report said.

Gecko Holdings Group, also known as Andawar, did not respond to a request for comment. According to its website, the company has a presence in Dubai, Denmark, Sweden and Rangoon. The island project is the first venture for the company, which claims to be "developer of world-class eco-tourism destinations in Myanmar."

Another company reportedly trying to invest on the islands is Zochwell Group, a Singapore-incorporated entity that also appears wholly geared toward investing in Burma. TTG Asia reported that the group is "expecting to sign a contract to develop a US$1.2 billion project, including a casino, on Salon Island" in the archipelago.

"TTG Asia e-Daily understands that the group has attained approval from the Thanintharyi [Tenasserim] regional government, but is awaiting consent from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism and MIC," the report said.

Zochwell has been touting the "Luxdream Mega Project" since at least 2013, when a video was posted online showing plans to turn the rugged jungle-covered island adjacent to the Thai town of Ranong with hotels, golfing fairways and a theme park.

According to its website, Zochwell has "a wide array of development portfolio [sic] in Myanmar including hotels & island developments, and condominium & apartment developments" as well as a cement plant.

A former Burmese military official, retired Major Kyaw Kyaw, is listed as director of Zochwell Myanmar Co. Ltd. "His last held position in the army prior to his retirement was with the Military Intelligence Headquarters where he developed a skill for interrogations," the firm's website said.

Since retirement, the firm said, Kyaw Kyaw has taken to the construction materials business with "a burning entrepreneurial spirit" and also pushed a "strong passion for mining."

The firm said that Kyaw Kyaw "is currently in a Joint Venture partnership with a China based company in developing an 800 acre mine in Kawthaung," the closest Burmese town to Salon island.

Delayed Mining Law May Be Holding Back Investment

The wait for a new law to regulate Burma's mining sector may extend beyond elections this year, a report from the Wall Street Journal this week suggested, amid concerns that the slow pace of legislative change is holding back potential investors in the extractive industry.

A story on the Frontiers section of the New York-based newspaper's website cited Ministry of Mines Director General Win Htein saying that lawmakers could not agree on how revenues would be shared from the vast mineral wealth thought to be sitting beneath Burma.

The new law has been in the works since 2012, but amid ongoing conflict in Burma's ethnic states, the issue of resource sharing is highly controversial.

"Analysts have warned foreign investors against hoping for any major legislative change before Myanmar's upcoming general elections, scheduled for this November," the Wall Street Journal report said.

Business groups have been lobbying hard to get the law passed, and it is thought the existing rules on mining may be a stumbling block for Western firms wanting to enter an industry currently dominated by opaque Chinese investments.

"Myanmar's current mining law dates back to 1994," the report said. "It includes no protections for foreign investors and shuts them out of important sectors such as coal and gold, forcing foreigners to partner with local companies if they are interested in these materials."

In an analysis of Burma's mining sector published late last year, lawyers Norton Rose Fulbright also highlighted the difficulties posed by a burdensome permitting regime requiring companies to repeatedly seek authorization at different stages of a project.

"The lack of a new mining law is undoubtedly a contributing factor to the sector's inability to attract significant foreign investment," the analysis said, adding that problems around land acquisition were also a concern.

"Foreign investors are particularly sensitive to land acquisition and permitting issues, given that these are a prerequisite for any company seeking bank finance with a security package that will satisfy potential lenders."

Mekong Bridge Opens Connecting Burma and Laos

Cross-border trade between Burma and Laos could benefit from the inauguration this month of the first bridge spanning the Mekong River between the two countries.

The Global New Light of Myanmar reported that Burmese President Thein Sein officially opened the bridge on May 9 with the unveiling of a stone plaque on the Burmese side of the "Myanmar-Lao Friendship Bridge" in Tachilek township.

Both governments hope that the new link will help development in the Golden Triangle region, an area historically dominated by smuggling and the opium trade. The Burmese side of bridge is in eastern Shan State, where a number of ethnic armed groups still control large swaths of territory.

The state-run newspaper cited Burmese Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin saying that the bridge will form part of the regional Northern Economic Corridor, which will link Kyaukphyu on the coast of Arakan State with Haiphong in Vietnam and the South China Sea.

According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, the bridge is almost 700 meters long, and cost $26 million to build. The agency said the bridge can withstand vehicles weighing 75 tons, and cited Lao Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith calling the inauguration a "significant historic milestone between the two nations."

"The move will also help create cross-border trade and ease transportation between the two nations and their neighbors, including China, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh and India," the agency paraphrased the Lao minister saying.

CB Bank Joins Indian Firm in Agricultural Finance Venture

Indian company SLCM Ltd. has joined up with Cooperative Bank (CB Bank) to offer finance to Burma's farmers, according to a report in the Mumbai-based Economic Times newspaper.

The report said that SLCM, a subsidiary of Sohan Lal Commodity Management, would allow Burmese farmers to get credit using their produce as collateral.

"The step is aimed to provide agri-financing solutions to farmers, processors, traders, exporters and importers across Myanmar," the report said, adding that CB Bank will allow farmers to pledge up to 60 percent of their crop in order to secure loans at an annual interest rate of 13 percent.

The commodities would be stored at SLCM warehouses in Burma, it said. SLCM also tied up with Yoma Bank earlier this year.

"This is the second tie-up that we have formalized in 2015 in Myanmar after the MoU with Yoma Bank earlier this year," the Economic Times quoted SLCM chief executive officer Sandeep Sabharwal as saying.

"Our output has been very encouraging from the earlier association and the way in which we are seeing a paradigm shift in Myanmar’s economy and policies, especially relating to agriculture and collateral financing, we are determined to further explore the region and fourfold our presence there.”

Thailand's SPCG Looks to Expand Solar Presence in Burma

Thai company SPCG Public is expected to set up solar power "mini grids" in Burma before the end of the year, according to a recent report.

Japanese news agency Nikkei reported an interview with the Bangkok-listed company's CEO, Wandee Khunchornyakong, highlighting Burma as a growth market for SPCG. The report described the company as "Thailand's largest solar power company," adding that the firm has 36 solar farms generating a total of 260,000 kilowatts of power in Burma's neighbor.

"Mini grid capable of generating up to 1,000kW will supply electricity to plants and homes in Yangon, Mandalay and other cities in Myanmar," Wandee was cited as saying.

"Demand for electricity is set to grow in Myanmar as the country pushes forward with industrialization, according to Wandee," the report added.

The CEO estimated that the so-called mini grids would cost about $2 million each to build, and said that funding would come from World Bank Group and Japanese electronics company Kyocera, according to Nikkei.

The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (May 16, 2015) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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