The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Nearly 3,000 Displaced as Shan State Offensive Continues
- Colorful Crowds: The Art of Nay Aung Shu
- Mixed Response After Central Bank Rescinds Foreign Exchange Licenses
- Indonesia’s Aceh to Close Churches after Pressure from Muslim Groups
- As Tibetan Exiles Vote, Candidates Discuss Views on China
- Many Topics Off Limits at Reunions for Koreans Divided by War
| Nearly 3,000 Displaced as Shan State Offensive Continues Posted: 19 Oct 2015 04:36 AM PDT  Displaced villagers at the Hai Pa village monastery over the weekend. (Photo: Khun Myo Satt) RANGOON — Over 2,700 people have now fled their homes as clashes between the military and Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) resumed over the weekend, according to local civil society groups. At least eight villages in Kyethi Township have been totally abandoned after a Burma Army artillery bombardment and gunfire in Kyethi and Mong Hsu townships, according to Sai Zu of the Shan Youth Network, who said that an additional 1,200 people had been displaced since a temporary cessation in hostilities last week. "Wan Zau monastery has 1500 people, Hai Pa monastery has 1200 people, and Mongnawng has over 100 people," he told The Irrawaddy, adding that many of those displaced were women and children. "They do not have enough food. There is no refugee camp here. It is very hard for them." Hla Shwe Thein, who is helping with relief efforts in Kyethi town, said he had heard that two elderly villagers had been left behind during the evacuation of the villages, including a 102-year-old man. "This older man is blind. His family couldn't carry him when they ran from the fighting, so the family left him at their home," he said, adding that a paralyzed woman over the age of 90 had also been left at home by her family. Over the course of half an hour on Sunday evening, Hla Shwe Thein said the Burma Army fired a massive artillery bombardment from a base in Mongnawng, directed at nearby villages. Another barrage took place early on Monday morning. On Oct. 6, the Burma Army launched an assault on the SSA-N headquarters in Wan Hai village, Mong Hsu Township, in response to the ethnic armed group's refusal to vacate its strategic river port base in Kyethi Township's Tar San Pu village. Last week, SSA-N spokesman Col. Sai Hla said the group's forces made a tactical retreat from Tar San Pu in order to bring an end to the fighting. Clashes appeared to come to a halt before the renewed Burma Army attacks on Sunday. Sai Hla told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the military had made an assault on an SSA-N post near the group's Wan Hai base. The SSA-N, the armed wing of the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), declined to participate in the "nationwide" ceasefire agreement, signed by the Burmese government and representatives of eight armed insurgent forces in Naypyidaw last Thursday. The post Nearly 3,000 Displaced as Shan State Offensive Continues appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Colorful Crowds: The Art of Nay Aung Shu Posted: 19 Oct 2015 03:05 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. RANGOON — The work of well-known local artist Nay Aung Shu will be on display at Rangoon's Pansodan Scene this week, the latest offering as part of the gallery's series of solo exhibitions. Now in his mid-forties and having painted through an era of dictatorship to more recent, reformist times, Nay Aung Shu, who humbly describes himself as a man of the people, is drawn to portray his everyday environment in vivid detail. Artistic talent runs in the blood, as Nay Aung Shu's father, Khayay Myint Than, was also a renowned artist, as is one of his younger brothers. The former studied at the Yangon art school from 1992 to 1994. Nay Aung Shu's large acrylic works on canvass evoke the vibrant colors so often associated with Burma; warm, rich reds, yellows and greens dominate a wide mix of styles and approaches to his favored subject matter. Many works have the feel of a street photographer's perspective as expressed on canvas: passengers crowded into small taxi trucks, footpath markets, monks and everyday scenes at times depicted from unusual and surprising angles. Both rural and city landscapes sit alongside distinctive ethnic portraits with occasional forays into more abstract design. The exhibition includes a number of more intriguing works with subtle socio-political and historical motifs, no doubt resonating strongly with a local Burmese audience intimately familiar with the country's tumultuous past. Closer examination of several of these individual pieces reveals deeper political subtexts. Collages, which at first glance may seem part of a straightforward work, suddenly give way to a subtle collection of internally placed portraits, news cuttings and headlines in both English and Burmese text. The material skillfully demonstrates varied perceptions of depth. In one work, the face of Burma's president Thein Sein emerges on the back of a monk's head, whilst other political figures, identified as being both from the establishment and the resistance movement, mingle with highly significant numbers and dates. This is an exhibition well worth a visit and well suited to the open, spacious atmosphere of the Pansodan Scene Gallery. The post Colorful Crowds: The Art of Nay Aung Shu appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Mixed Response After Central Bank Rescinds Foreign Exchange Licenses Posted: 19 Oct 2015 02:36 AM PDT  Stacks of Burma's kyat currency in Rangoon, September 2012. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — After the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) announced the revocation of foreign exchange licenses last week, questions remain over how the move will affect local businesses striving to accommodate a common preference for trade in US dollars. In a letter dated Oct. 13 sent to businesses possessing a Foreign Exchange Acceptor & Holder License, the CBM said the permits would be cancelled in an effort to encourage use of the country's struggling local currency. The licenses had permitted businesses to carry out transactions in foreign currency. In August, the Central Bank hinted at enacting measures to prohibit the use of dollar transactions for local services after franchises of the ice cream restaurant Swensen's and Thailand's The Pizza Company began pricing their menus in US dollars. The Central Bank had previously halved US dollar withdrawal limits in May as concerns mounted over the months-long depreciation of the kyat. The directive, which contained no stipulation of punishment for businesses that failed to comply, is expected to impact hundreds of businesses, with some concerned over their capacity to promptly adjust. "We're selling our package tours to tourists in US dollars," said Hnin Pwint Phyu, managing director of Nanmyint Maha Tours. "How will we sell them now? There should be a solution." Hnin Pwint Phyu's concerns were echoed by a local airline official who queried the potential impact on airlines selling tickets in US dollars. "We need better solutions now this policy has been announced," said the representative, who wished to remain anonymous. Sean Turnell, an economist at Macquarie University in Sydney, said the Central Bank's move would arrest "above ground" dollar transactions but would likely only stimulate the trade on the black market. "Ultimately, the demand for US dollars in Myanmar reflects the lack of trust in the kyat and the domestic financial system, so addressing this is what is needed in the long run," Turnell said, adding that he had some sympathy for the CBM as no central bank wanted a foreign currency in wide local circulation. "For one thing, it means domestic monetary policy is much less effective," he said. "But, in the end, all of this highlights the need for further and deeper structural reform in Myanmar, which addresses the question of why domestic institutions are distrusted." Some industry sources however have welcomed the CBM's attempt to control "dollarization" of the local market. Dr Maung Maung Lay, vice chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), said any country would adopt similar policies to boost its national currency. "Look at Thailand, our neighbor, which only accepts Thai baht. We should be like that," he said. The post Mixed Response After Central Bank Rescinds Foreign Exchange Licenses appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Indonesia’s Aceh to Close Churches after Pressure from Muslim Groups Posted: 18 Oct 2015 09:53 PM PDT  A resident cries as she prays during a mass near a burned church at Suka Makmur village in Aceh province on Sunday. (Photo: YT Haryono / Reuters) ACEH SINGKIL, Indonesia — Authorities in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province said on Sunday several Christian churches would be shut down this week, just days after a mob burned down a church, killing one person and injuring several others. Tensions have been high among the ethnically and religiously diverse population of Aceh, raising the risk of further religious violence in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim population. The vast majority of Indonesians practice a moderate form of Islam and Aceh is the only province to adhere to Islamic Sharia law, putting it at odds with the rest of the country. Aceh was granted special autonomy as part of a 2005 agreement to end decades of separatist violence, which allowed it to implement Sharia law. Christian groups in Aceh Singkil district, where the churches stand, had been consulted on the matter, authorities said, and members of as many as six churches had agreed to dismantle their houses of worship after admitting they did not have the required building permits. “All houses of worship, regardless of the religion, need to be in accordance with the laws of Aceh,” Bardan Sahidi, a member of the provincial parliament, told Reuters after attending a meeting of political and religious figures, including representatives from the religious affairs ministry in Jakarta. Local Christian groups were not immediately available for comment. The move comes after Muslim residents, including members of the hardline group Islamic Defenders Front, demanded that the local government shut down 10 churches, citing a lack of permits. A mob of hundreds of people burned down a small church in Aceh Singkil district last week, forcing thousands of Christians to flee to neighboring villages. One Muslim member of the mob was killed, police said last week, adding that at least 10 people had been detained on suspicion of inciting violence. The government has since deployed 1,300 police and military personnel to the area, with hundreds more on standby, to patrol the streets and stand guard outside churches that dot the small palm oil plantations in the district. Christian residents of the run-down village attended a service on Sunday right next to the charred remains of their church, under the guard of about a dozen armed security personnel. “At the moment, things are calm but we are on standby for any further incidents,” said Saladin, spokesman for Aceh police, adding that evacuees had since returned to their homes. The post Indonesia’s Aceh to Close Churches after Pressure from Muslim Groups appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| As Tibetan Exiles Vote, Candidates Discuss Views on China Posted: 18 Oct 2015 09:41 PM PDT  A protester holds a Tibetan flag during a rally in support of Tibet and Taiwan's independence in the US city of Seattle, Sept. 22. (Photo: David Ryder / Reuters) DHARMSALA, India — As Tibetans around the world voted Sunday in the first round of elections to choose a new government-in-exile, candidates were debating how to carry on their campaign to free their Himalayan homeland from Chinese rule. Hundreds of Tibetans, including monks and nuns wearing wine-colored robes, lined up behind voting kiosks in the north Indian hill town of Dharmsala, where the exiled government is based. One by one, they wrote the names of their favorite candidates on pieces of paper and slid them into green ballot boxes. It’s just the second time Tibetans are voting since the Dalai Lama stepped down as head of the government-in-exile in 2011 to focus on his role as Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader. “He wants us to stand on our own feet and decide about the future of Tibet,” said Tsering Tsomo, who heads the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Dharmsala. Tsering Tsomo noted that Tibetan democracy was still developing. “We have the institution, but not the culture,” she said. The Tibetan community—comprising some 130,000 people spread across communities from the United States and Norway to Nepal and Taiwan—thrust itself onto the international stage and consciousness after the Dalai Lama fled Chinese occupation in 1959 and settled in exile in India. Rallying behind a charismatic leader and the single cause of freeing Tibet, the community proved a major irritant to Beijing. But exiled Tibetans have struggled in recent years to maintain a cohesive political voice, while seeing China’s diplomatic and economic clout grow. In a telephone interview with The Associated Press, incumbent Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay was frank in acknowledging that little progress has been made. The last round of talks between envoys of China and the Dalai Lama was in 2010, 25 years after the Dalai Lama proposed Tibetans give up on independence and instead seek a “middle way”—regional autonomy under China through peaceful dialogue. “As far as talks with China are concerned, there is a status quo,” said Lobsang Sangay, who is running for re-election. One candidate for prime minister has riled the debate by rejecting the Dalai Lama’s middle way policy and instead arguing that the community should be demanding full independence for Tibet. “It’s fashionable to talk about the middle way, but it kills the passion to act,” said the candidate, Lukar Jam. A writer and political activist, Lukar Jam also suggested that China could not be trusted to honor Tibetan autonomy, saying Beijing “makes regular changes in its constitution where minority rights are concerned.” Because it’s considered unwise and impolite to question the Dalai Lama’s wisdom, Lukar Jam has earned the nickname the anti-Dalai Lama. But he said his critics were missing the point. “I have separated the spiritual and political Dalai Lama and criticize only his political policies,” he said. Many Tibetans, however, still defer to the Dalai Lama, despite his having given up his political powers. They see the Dalai Lama, whom they believe is the reincarnation of the god of compassion, as their leader in everything and the best judge of what’s right for the community as a whole. The parliamentary speaker, Penpa Tsering, has even refused to debate Lukar Jam in public. “I cannot give importance to someone who openly maligns the Dalai Lama,” said Penpa Tsering, who is running for prime minister. “We find nothing wrong in the middle way approach, but only in the Chinese response to it,” he said. More than 80,000 Tibetans worldwide had registered to vote in Sunday’s elections, which will decide which parliamentary and prime ministerial candidates will run in the final polls on March 20. The results from Sunday’s voting are expected in December. The post As Tibetan Exiles Vote, Candidates Discuss Views on China appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Many Topics Off Limits at Reunions for Koreans Divided by War Posted: 18 Oct 2015 09:16 PM PDT  Kim Woo-jong, 87, who has been selected as one of 90 reunion participants. (photo: Kim Hong-Ji / Reuters) SEOUL — When Ahn Yoon-joon, 86, meets his two younger sisters this week that he has not heard from in more than 60 years, there is much they won’t be able to talk about. A guidebook distributed to the elderly South Koreans chosen by lottery to meet family members separated by the 1950-53 Korean War includes a long list of do’s and don’ts—mostly don’ts. “You can’t ask everything you want to ask. This is not a reunion, but just a meeting that’s staged,” said a frustrated Ahn, who missed out in lotteries for past reunions and said the restrictions have dampened his enthusiasm for the upcoming trip. The booklet provided by the Red Cross, which organizes the reunions, advises South Korean participants not to press for answers on topics such as the North’s political leadership or living standards. “In case your family members from North Korea sing propaganda songs or make political statements, please restrain them and try to change the subject,” the booklet advises. Ahn wants to ask how his father died, but realizes it could be politically sensitive for his sisters to answer, as their father was a rich landowner in what became militantly socialist North Korea. “All I can do is to take down the dates my parents died. There’s nothing else,” he said. At the outbreak of the Korean War, Ahn, then an elementary school teacher, fled his hometown, fearing North Korean communist forces would conscript him or kill him. The two Koreas, bitter rivals that remain in a technical state of war, agreed to hold family reunions for the first time since February 2014 after negotiating the end of a standoff at their heavily militarized border. Under UN Security Council resolutions imposed after the North’s missile and nuclear tests, only gifts worth 100,000 South Korean won ($88) or less are allowed. Ahn first thought of a gold necklace for each of his two sisters but since jewelry is banned, he will bring medicine and toothpaste. The reunion of 90 South Koreans and 96 North Koreans, the 20th of its kind, will be held at a resort in the North, mostly in a large ballroom under the watchful eye of officials. The reunions are politically important for the South, where 66,000 people are on a waiting list to see long-lost relatives, a number that is shrinking fast, while the North also seeks to maximize their domestic propaganda value. Kim Woo-jong, 87, who fought for the South after fleeing the North in 1951, leaving his mother and sister behind, said he will watch what he says during the reunion with the sister he calls “the flower of the family.” “My history looks bad to North Koreans,” said Kim, partially paralyzed by a stroke more than 30 years ago. “But my sister is taking the risk to meet me before we die.” The post Many Topics Off Limits at Reunions for Koreans Divided by War appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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