The Irrawaddy Magazine

---

• Young Rohingya Trader Shot Dead in Arakan State
• Tradeless Christening of YSX Sees 6 Initial Firms Listed
• Mandalay Monk Shortlisted for Global Teacher Prize
• Burma’s Judicial System Deeply Corrupt, Parliament Told
• Burma Will Depend on Richer Countries for Climate Mitigation Schemes, Says Govt
• SSA-N Agree to Limited Troop Withdrawal after Two-Day Talks
• Suu Kyi and Govt Peace Negotiator Aung Min Meet in Naypyidaw
• Beijing Schools Close as Some Residents Take ‘Smog Holiday’
• Scant Aid for Low-Caste Villagers Hit by South India Floods: Charities
• Taiwan’s Likely First Woman President Keeps Cards Close on China Game Plan
• US General Says Eager for Burma Engagement

Young Rohingya Trader Shot Dead in Arakan State Posted: 09 Dec 2015 04:13 AM PST Rohingya Muslim men ride their bicycles past a railway line near an IDP camp outside Sittwe in Arakan State, November 7, 2015. (Photo: Sai Aung Min / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Maung Maung, a 23-year-old Rohingya Muslim man traveling from Arakan State's Maungdaw to his home township of Buthidaung on Monday evening, was shot dead by a Burmese Border Guard Police officer, according to an investigating officer and the victim's father. The victim, also known as Mohamed Mussar, was in a vehicle transporting garlic and onions from the border township of Maungdaw when the alleged incident with border security forces occurred at around 9 pm on Monday. According to police, the vehicle failed to stop at a checkpoint and was pursued by two police officers on motorbikes. While precisely what transpired is unclear, police say the victim was then shot and killed "accidentally." "He was shot in the forehead. But they told me that the shooting was accidental," said Abul Kalam, Maung Maung's 60-year-old father. "But how could you accidently shoot [someone] straight in the forehead?" "I did not see the incident take place, so I can only say what I think," he added. A police officer involved in an investigation into the matter confirmed that the offending officer had claimed the shooting was unintentional. "He told us his gun went off accidently when he got off his motorbike. He did not intend to shoot the victim. He then found blood when he opened the car door," the officer said. "We detained him [the perpetrator] and opened two charges. We will take action against him. But we have an ongoing investigation." The victim's father was dubious the family's demand for justice in the case would be fulfilled. "I told them that I wanted to take action against the person who shot my son. They told me that they would. But there is no rule of law here. How they will take action against this person, we do not know," said Abul Kalam.   The post Young Rohingya Trader Shot Dead in Arakan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tradeless Christening of YSX Sees 6 Initial Firms Listed Posted: 09 Dec 2015 04:08 AM PST Officials from government and private companies joined members of the media for the launch of the Yangon Stock Exchange in downtown Rangoon on Wednesday. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Yangon Stock Exchange was officially launched on Wednesday, though trading on Burma's first-of-its-kind bourse is not expected to begin until March of next year, the country's deputy finance minister said at a ceremony marking the occasion. Six companies will initially be listed on the exchange, being dubbed YSX and located on downtown Rangoon's Sule Pagoda Road in a building formerly occupied by Myawaddy Bank: First Myanmar Investment (FMI); Myanmar Citizens Bank; Myanmar Thilawa SEZ Holdings Public Limited; Myanmar Agribusiness Public Company Limited [Mapco]; First Private Bank; and Great Hor Kham, according to Maung Maung Thein, deputy finance minister. "We'll start with these six listed companies, but we don't want to allow them to sell their shares in a hurry. We're already late to enter the stock market, so it doesn't really matter if we are a bit later still, we want to be sure [operations run smoothly]," Maung Maung Thein said. Trading is expected to begin in March, pending settlement of outstanding issues with the bourse's underwriters, which will serve as the financial liaisons between listed companies and investors looking to purchase shares. At least 10 underwriters are expected to participate, though these firms were not announced on Wednesday, with only the KBZ Group of Companies known to have secured a YSX license so far. "These underwriters will play a major role, and as long as they are not ready, shares cannot be traded on the YSX," Maung Maung Thein said. The stock exchange—developed by the state-owned and US-blacklisted Myanmar Economic Bank with two Japanese partners—is expected to be a major advancement in Burma's financial field, offering a greater degree of stability to what has long been a poorly regulated and volatile investment landscape. "We're late in this region to open a stock market, but we can learn from others' mistakes," Maung Maung Thein said Wednesday. The Myanmar Thilawa SEZ Holdings Public Limited was formed by nine Burmese companies that own 41 percent of a special economic zone (SEZ) set up southeast of Rangoon, with the Burmese government owning 10 percent and a consortium of Japanese firms holding the remaining 49 percent stake. The project, like the stock exchange, is intended to jumpstart investment into Burma's economy, one of Southeast Asia's least developed. FMI is led by business tycoon Serge Pun, who also chairs Yoma Strategic Holdings, a company listed on Singapore's stock exchange. Pun's Burmese conglomerate has a range of interests including real estate, health care, aviation and banking. FMI listed its asking price for shares traded over the counter at a company trading center in Rangoon at 19,000 kyats on Wednesday. The Myanmar Agribusiness Public Company (Mapco) was formed in 2012 "to mobilize public savings and to foster broader investment in agriculture and agro-based industries" in Burma, according to the firm's website. The company is Burma's largest rice exporter. The two dedicated lenders to earn initial listings on the YSX, First Private Bank and Myanmar Citizens Bank, are longtime players in Burma's financial system, having both been founded in 1991. The latter was one of two companies listed on the over-the-counter trading predecessor to the YSX, the Myanmar Securities Exchange Center, which opened in 1996. Based in Muse, Shan State, Great Hor Kham is a company believed to have links to current Vice President Sai Mauk Kham. Its business activities are focused on construction projects for government agencies, state enterprises and private entities, as the primary builder or subcontractor. The company is also one of the major investors in the Muse Central Economic Zone along the China-Burma border, a major trading hub between the two countries that has been plagued by local residents' claims of land-grabbing in recent years. The post Tradeless Christening of YSX Sees 6 Initial Firms Listed appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Mandalay Monk Shortlisted for Global Teacher Prize Posted: 09 Dec 2015 02:58 AM PST Sayadaw U Nayaka, principal of the Phaung Daw Oo school. (Photo: Teza Haing / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — A leading Buddhist educator in Mandalay, known for developing a a teaching method radically different that usually encountered in Burma's moribund public education system, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Global Teacher Prize. Sayadaw U Nayaka, the cofounder and principal of Mandalay's Phaung Daw Oo Monastic School is among the 50 finalists selected for the prize, shortlisted from 8,000 nominees spread over 148 countries. U Nayaka is the first Buddhist monk and the first Burmese teacher to be shortlisted for the award. "I'm glad, although I'm just a finalist. I hope this pushes me to do more for the development of our school, and helps to change the education system in the country," he said. Unlike government schools, which are the only source of education for most of Burma's youth, monastic schools are established and regulated under the Ministry for Religious Affairs. U Nayaka has made a dramatic departure from other monastic and public schools, encouraging active learning and the development of critical thinking over the rote memorization teaching methods common in other Burmese learning institutions. Around 8,000 students are currently enrolled at the Phaung Daw Oo school, which is staffed by more than 300 volunteer teachers. U Nayaka has also developed a teacher training center in his school, guiding dozens of teachers with his teaching methods to export them to other monastic schools. The Global Teacher Prize presents a US$1 million award to the teacher who has made the most outstanding contribution to the development of education and the teaching profession for the year. The prize was launched by the London-based Varkey Foundation in 2014. The final top ten teachers under consideration for the 2015 Global Teacher Prize will be announced in February 2016. The winner of the will be announced on Mar. 16, at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai. The post Mandalay Monk Shortlisted for Global Teacher Prize appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma’s Judicial System Deeply Corrupt, Parliament Told Posted: 09 Dec 2015 02:19 AM PST The old Supreme Court building in Rangoon. (Photo: J Paing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Despite far-reaching political and economic reforms over the past five years, Burma's judiciary remains one of the country's most corrupt institutions, according to a report tabled in the Lower House on Tuesday. The Judicial and Legal Affairs Complaints and Grievances Investigation Committee, which investigated the country's legal system over the five-year term of the Thein Sein government, confirmed the existence of a "chain of bribery" in the judiciary, with judges at different levels taking instructions from their superiors and links between supervisory legal staff that often affects the outcome of criminal and civil cases. Tin Htwe, a member of the committee, said that a patronage network kept junior judges under the sway of their senior colleagues at the Supreme, state and divisional court levels. "The president, the Lower House and the media have pointed this out," he said. "The judicial system should be cleaner, but progress is very slow." Corruption and bribery are a common feature of most civil cases in Burma, the committee said, with lawyers, court staff and even messages in charge of dispatching summons notices implicated. The committee also noted the constitutional powers of the president to appoint the Chief Justice and judges of the Supreme Court of the Union, allowing the government to exert influence over the judiciary. "If you turn a blind eye to the law and are only interested in winning a lawsuit, acting as a broker [instead of an officer of the law], the judicial sector will only get worse and it will be very difficult to achieve rule of law," Tin Htwe said. The parliamentary committee of 15 lawmakers was formed in September 2011. From July 1, 2012 to Nov. 18 this year, the committee received 12,360 complaints about judicial conduct, referring 1,485 of them directly to the courts and departments named in the complaints. The committee claims to have settled 1,071 of those complaints referred on to other authorities. The post Burma's Judicial System Deeply Corrupt, Parliament Told appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma Will Depend on Richer Countries for Climate Mitigation Schemes, Says Govt Posted: 09 Dec 2015 02:10 AM PST Hla Maung Thein, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Environmental Conservation, speaks at the COP21 Paris climate change conference. (Photo: Yen Snaing / The Irrawaddy) PARIS — Burmese government officials are optimistic that they will be granted technical and financial assistance from developed countries for climate change adaptation and mitigation plans once a new treaty is agreed at the COP21 conference by the end of this week. A draft agreement was provisionally approved last week by delegates to the UN climate change conference in Paris. Hla Maung Thein, an official from the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, said that Burma and other Least Developed Countries are most at threat from climate change and need help from developed countries to implement their carbon dioxide reduction targets. "We need to do mitigation and adaptation programs at the same time," he told The Irrawaddy on the sidelines of the Paris conference. "To make it successful, we need support from developed countries." Burma has prioritized its forestry and energy sectors for mitigation programs under its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), under which countries pledge their target for post-2020 emissions reductions. The Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry says there is currently 29 million hectares of forests in Burma, around 43 percent of total country area. The government has pledged to keep 30 percent of total national land area as reserved or protected public forest and a further 10 percent as protected ecosystems under the country's 30 year national forestry master plan, which covers the period from 2001 to 2030. In the energy sector, the government says it intends to increase the level of hydroelectric generation to 9.4 gigawatts and increase access to renewable power sources of in off-grid communities to a 30 percent share by 2030. Both areas are contentious. In September, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization reported that Burma had lost more than 546,000 hectares of forest since 2010, equating to the third-worst deforestation rate of any country in the world. Hydropower projects have come under sustained community opposition, most significantly the Chinese-backed Myitsone Dam in Kachin State, which was suspended soon after President Thein Sein took office in 2011. Country delegates attending the Paris conference this week submitted their country statements, clarifying the extend of their commitments on national climate change policies. Burma said that it fully supports a new global climate compact, but echoed other developing countries in urging the world's biggest economies to take the lead. "Developed countries have money, capacity, skills and technology, whereas the developing countries lack those. We are negotiating today that developed countries should provide those," said Hla Maung Thein. Part of the Paris treaty covers financing for the Green Climate Fund, a commitment by developed nations to provide US$100 billion annually for mitigation and adaptation programs in poorer countries. Hla Maung Thein said that the Burmese government is drafting programs to compete for the funding. "For example, projects for smart agriculture compatible with climate change…Projects to produce energy from waste for [municipal governments]. Factories and workshops will be needed for technology to reduce carbon emissions," he said. "Each sector will be drafting project and we will prioritize accordingly." Hla Maung Thein acknowledged that Burma would face challenges meeting its INDC commitments. Quizzed about the government's push for new coal-fired power plants in southern Burma, he replied that the country would need to develop fossil fuel energy projects as an interim measure to promote economic development before renewable power sources could be adopted on a larger scale. "The world trend now is to reduce carbon-intensive energy sources and move toward renewable energy," he said. "America and China will reduce the use of fossil fuels and use renewable energy based on wind, water and biomass." "In our energy policy, we will also use renewable energy. But on the other hand, we also need to think about development. We need to reduce the poverty rate, which is where energy matters." According to climate NGO German Watch, Burma was the second most affected country by climate change for the period between 1995 and 2014, after the Central American nation of Honduras. The organization's study of climate risk cited events such as Cyclone Nargis, which claimed an estimated 140,000 lives and destroyed the property of a further 2.4 million people. The post Burma Will Depend on Richer Countries for Climate Mitigation Schemes, Says Govt appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

SSA-N Agree to Limited Troop Withdrawal after Two-Day Talks Posted: 09 Dec 2015 01:12 AM PST Shan State Army-North soldiers on the front line south of the group's headquarters in Wan Hai. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) agreed to withdraw troops north of a key highway on Tuesday after two days of talks with government negotiators aimed at addressing conflict which broke out in central Shan State on Oct. 6, leaving thousands of civilians displaced. A member of the SSA-N told The Irrawaddy the armed group had agreed to withdraw troops from the north side of a highway between Mong Nawng and Kyethi townships following the Dec. 7-8 dialogue in Naypyidaw. "We will withdraw our troops involved in confrontations with them [the Burma Army]. This is our first priority; to reduce tensions," said Major Sai Phone Han of the SSA-N. "After this, we hope our IDPs [internally displaced persons] will be able to go home. This is our second priority." Fighting between the two sides has recurred since early October, with the Burma Army launching multiple offensives that included aerial support and heavy artillery fire. Between 6,000 and 10,000 civilians were forced to flee their homes to escape clashes which were reported in Mong Hsu, Kyethi and Mong Nawng townships. The SSA-N rejected an order from the Burma Army late last month to withdraw from positions east of a motorway cutting through the three flashpoint townships, vowing to defend their Wan Hai headquarters in Kyethi Township. "They told us at the meeting they will not conduct any more military operations if we agree to withdraw our troops," Major Sai Phone Han said. Sai Phone Han said the Burma Army would also be required to withdraw from select positions and refrain from establishing new bases. Previous talks were held between a government delegation led by President's Office Minister Aung Min and representatives of the Shan group's political wing, the Shan State Progressive Party, on Nov. 23-24. On the ground, tensions remain as the two sides maintain positions in close proximity. Despite a lull in fighting, displaced civilians remain wary of returning to their homes and paddy fields. The post SSA-N Agree to Limited Troop Withdrawal after Two-Day Talks appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Suu Kyi and Govt Peace Negotiator Aung Min Meet in Naypyidaw Posted: 08 Dec 2015 11:14 PM PST Burma's chief peace negotiator Aung Min and NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi meet in the NLD chairperson's office in Naypyidaw on Monday. (Photo: NLD Chairperson / Facebook) National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's chief peace negotiator Aung Min met Monday afternoon at Suu Kyi's office in Naypyidaw, likely to discuss the future of the country's peace process. Aung Min, who is vice chair of the government's Union Peacemaking Working Committee and head of the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), was the leading government figure in the "nationwide" ceasefire agreement (NCA) signed by seven ethnic armed groups and the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) in Burma's capital on Oct.15. Despite ongoing and seemingly interminable conflicts between ethnic armed groups and the military in Kachin and northern Shan states, the text of the ceasefire accord was ratified by the Union Parliament on Tuesday. What was discussed during Monday's meeting is as yet unknown. The NLD said last month that Suu Kyi would lead the country's peacebuilding efforts when the next government took office in March. An MPC spokesperson told The Irrawaddy last month that the future of the government-backed group, created in 2012 with the support of the Norway-led Peace Support Donor Group, will hinge on whatever role, if any, that the next government allows. Suu Kyi held a series of meetings on Dec. 2 with President Thein Sein and military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to discuss the transfer of power to the next government, following the NLD's decisive win in the Nov. 8 general election. Two days later, she met former Burma dictator Snr-Gen Than Shwe, reportedly on the subject of "national reconciliation". Suu Kyi has also met with Union Parliament Speaker and former ruling party chairman Shwe Mann eight times since her party's resounding win in the historic Nov. 8 general election. The post Suu Kyi and Govt Peace Negotiator Aung Min Meet in Naypyidaw appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Beijing Schools Close as Some Residents Take ‘Smog Holiday’ Posted: 08 Dec 2015 09:26 PM PST A woman wearing a protective mask has her picture taken just after a flag-raising ceremony amid heavy smog at the Tiananmen Square, after the city issued its first ever "red alert" for air pollution, in Beijing, December 9, 2015. (Photo: Damir Sagolj / Reuters) BEIJING — Some residents took a "smog holiday" away from Beijing on Tuesday as the Chinese capital launched restrictions under its first red alert for pollution, closing schools, suspending factories and keeping half the vehicles off the streets. Although Beijing has in recent years seen smog at much worse levels than Tuesday's, the latest bout of pollution was the first to trigger a red alert under a 2-year-old system that requires a forecast at the outset of at least 72 hours of consecutive high pollution. The capital's hazardous smog has persisted despite the Chinese government's stated priority of cleaning up the legacy of pollution left from years of full-tilt economic growth. Most of the smog is blamed on coal-fired power plants, along with vehicle emissions, construction and factory work. "This is modern life for Beijing people. We wanted to develop, and now we pay the price," Beijing office worker Cao Yong said during a break from work. A grey soupy haze subsumed Beijing's unique landmarks, convenience stores sold air-filtering masks at brisk rates and health-food stores promoted pear juice as a traditional Chinese tonic for the lungs. "And air purifiers at home are a must," Beijing resident Sun Yuanyuan said at a downtown Beijing juice shop. Under restrictions in effect Tuesday through Thursday, schools were urged to close voluntarily unless they had good air filtration. However, Beijing's education commission later followed up with a separate order for schools to close during the three-day alert. Some residents grumbled about the inconvenience, and a few international schools sought permission to reopen Wednesday. A slew of Beijingers said via social media they planned to escape the gloom. They needed to travel relatively far, however, because nearly all of China's northeast was affected, and many cities—including nearby Shijiazhuang—were even worse than Beijing. After hearing of the school closings late Monday, Beijing mother Jiang Xia booked tickets for a 3,200 kilometer (2,000-mile) flight to the relatively clean southwestern city of Kunming, for herself and her 8-year-old daughter who she said suffers nosebleeds in the smog. She said in an interview from Kunming that they hectically packed before dawn Tuesday for their flight. "But when we arrived in Kunming and breathed in this clean, fresh air, I was very glad I made this move—a very wise decision," Jiang said. Readings of PM2.5 particles climbed above 300 micrograms per cubic meter in some parts of the city Tuesday and were expected to continue rising before improving Thursday. The World Health Organization designates the safe level for the tiny, poisonous particles at 25. Factory suspensions and several other restrictions will seek to reduce the dust and other particulate matter in the city of 22.5 million people. Use of a car is restricted to every other day depending on its license plate, and officials planned to deploy extra subway trains and buses to compensate. Some businesses closed and others said employees could work from home for the duration. A Beijing resident who gave his only his surname, Du, said he was taking advantage of a lack of crowds near the capital's ancient Forbidden City to stroll and take unique photographs. "I like this kind of haziness. It gives a blurry feeling and makes you feel like you're in a dream," Du said. While the capital's air improved in the first 10 months of the year compared with the same period last year, it has suffered two recent prolonged bouts of severe smog, which is typically worse in the winter and which last time sent PM 2.5 level as high as 976 in some locations. A red alert requires a forecast of 72 straight hours of pollution levels of 300 or higher on the city's air quality index. The index is closely linked to levels of PM2.5, although it also includes other pollutants. As an example, one Beijing monitoring site at midday showed an index reading of 308 and a PM2.5 reading of 258. Previous stretches of severe smog have lasted more than three days but without any red alert. Beijing authorities said at the time that the initial forecasts were for less time so no alert was called for, but critics maintained they were seeking to avoid the toughest restrictions for political reasons. Pressure from the central government and from the public resulted "in the Beijing city government releasing the red alert this time," Greenpeace environmental campaigner Dong Liangsai said in an interview. The WHO representative in China, Bernhard Schwartlaender, applauded Beijing's move as a sign that the city is taking air quality and health issues "very seriously." China's polluted air has had severe health effects. A study led by atmospheric chemist Jos Lelieveld of Germany's Max Planck Institute and published in the journal Nature this year estimated 1.4 million people each year die prematurely because of China's pollution. The world's biggest carbon emitter, China plans to upgrade coal power plants over the next five years to tackle the problem, and says its emissions will peak by around 2030 before starting to decline. Charcoal briquette-burning ovens that were once a major contributor to pollution are now much less common in Beijing, although they are still used widely in the countryside. While emissions standards have been tightened and heavy investments made in solar, wind and other renewable energy, China still depends on coal for more than 60 percent of its power. The post Beijing Schools Close as Some Residents Take 'Smog Holiday' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Scant Aid for Low-Caste Villagers Hit by South India Floods: Charities Posted: 08 Dec 2015 09:17 PM PST Municipal workers clear the debris in an alley after flood waters receded in Chennai, India, December 7, 2015. (Photo: Anindito Mukherjee / Reuters) CHENNAI / NEW DELHI — Hundreds of poor lower-caste families who lost their homes and jobs after devastating floods swept southern India have been neglected by government relief efforts, a survey conducted by two charities has found. About 280 people have died and more than 400,000 have been displaced across Tamil Nadu state since torrential rains began in early November, swelling rivers and reservoirs and inundating the state capital Chennai and neighboring coastal districts. A study of the first days of the floods found that although low-caste or "Dalit" families were the group worst hit by the floods, few had received any help, said National Dalit Watch and Social Awareness Society for Youth—Tamil Nadu. "No relief has reached the community properly till now. During the distribution of food relief there has been priority to the families having concrete houses, people having connections with leaders of villages," the report said. "Relief camps and medical facilities have been organized far away from the villages, or are in dominant caste areas which Dalit people cannot access due to the lack of transport and fear of discrimination and violence," it added. Government officials in Cuddalore district said the report was incorrect and helping marginalized Dalit communities was considered a priority after a disaster. "In times of inundation, Dalit colonies are usually more affected since they are in low-lying areas," Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Cuddalore's Monitoring Officer for Disaster Relief, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "The state government is very sensitive to the needs of Dalits. For them, we have built a temporary shelter in record time." The rains, the heaviest in a century, hit Chennai last week, putting some areas under eight feet (2.5 meters) of water, trapping people on rooftops with no power or communications. The rains have now stopped, water levels are dropping, and the government has set up relief camps across Tamil Nadu. Dry food and tarpaulins are being distributed, but some interior areas have been difficult to reach due to damaged roads. The survey polled 1,500 families in Cuddalore district, more than 40 percent of them Dalits, from Nov. 19 to 21. It found that 95 percent of damaged houses, 92 percent of livestock lost and 86 percent of crops lost belonged to Dalits. Caste-based discrimination was banned in India in 1955, but centuries-old attitudes persist in many parts of the country and low-caste Indians still face prejudice in every sector. Aid workers say that in times of flood or drought, many Dalits do not get the same access as higher-caste Indians to emergency aid such as clean water, dry food rations or shelter. In most Dalit villages surveyed in Cuddalore's Parangipettai and Bhuvanagiri blocks there was no clean drinking water, and in some areas dominant castes had refused to share their water sources with Dalits, the survey showed. Most Dalit villages also lack medical services, it added. But government officials said the bulk of the relief budget had been spent on helping rebuild and repair over 70,000 damaged homes of Dalits. "District and state government are aware and make conscious efforts to ensure that the poor and Dalits are given the greatest care," said Bedi. The post Scant Aid for Low-Caste Villagers Hit by South India Floods: Charities appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Taiwan’s Likely First Woman President Keeps Cards Close on China Game Plan Posted: 08 Dec 2015 09:09 PM PST Taiwan's main opposition Democratic Progressive Party chairperson Tsai Ing-wen gives a speech before her central standing committee in Taipei, Nov. 4. (Photo: Pichi Chuang / Reuters) TAIPEI — Taiwan's elections are just weeks away, with little clarity about how a likely win by a party that traditionally favors independence from China will go down with a neighbor that has threatened force to ensure the island never goes it alone. Taiwan votes in a new president and parliament in January when the ruling Nationalists (KMT) are expected to be soundly beaten by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), supported by youthful voters angered by a perceived economic dependence on the mainland. The person most likely to be Taiwan's first woman president, DPP leader Tsai Ing-wen, 59, has offered no specific China policy other than broad comments indicating she is willing to engage the Communist rulers in Beijing. In a book published in 2011, Tsai said she knew opening up to China was unavoidable. "I know even better that the pace of opening up must stay within Taiwan's grasp and control," she wrote. "Once you lose control of it, China will be like a great magnet, attracting away our capital and talent very fast." But if the relationship "is always about the problem of unification or independence and ideological argument, there will never be a solution to the cross-strait issue," she wrote, referring to the strip of water between the two sides. Liu Shyh-fang, in charge of DPP discipline, said the party had given Tsai a "lot of space" to deal with China policy. "Unless China takes provocative action, Tsai Ing-wen likely won't go in the direction of amending the constitution to change the status quo," she said. Taiwan bills itself officially as the "Republic of China." Beijing calls itself the "People's Republic of China." China and the KMT believe there is just "one China," but disagree on its interpretation. They say this is the status quo. The DPP is loathed by Beijing because the party believes the future of Taiwan is for its 23 million people to decide, which Beijing takes to mean independence. The DPP does not subscribe to "one China." Tsai has said that "a more consistent and sustainable relationship with China will be a core goal" of her government and that she will seek "to establish constructive dialogue with China," without explaining how she will achieve it. Tsai did not need to elaborate on policy until she becomes president, said people who know her. There was no need to take the risk that voters may object, they said. Polling results issued on Tuesday by Taiwan's Cross-Strait Policy Association showed the DPP presidential ticket with at least a 30 percentage point-lead against rivals, up by four percentage points from a month ago. The DPP said in a statement its position was "the maintenance of the status quo," which included "first, to maintain the Taiwanese people's democratic way of life and the Republic of China's constitutional order; secondly, peaceful and stable cross-strait relations." Contrasting Backgrounds During last month's historic summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, Xi told Ma "no force can pull us apart" and warned against any move towards going it alone. Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists retreated to Taiwan after losing the Chinese civil war in 1949 to the Communists, since when Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring what it considers a breakaway province under its control. Xi and Tsai couldn't have more contrasting backgrounds. As Xi tested his mettle within the authoritarian system as party chief of various Chinese provinces, Tsai, in her 30s, became the island's top negotiator for entry into the World Trade Organization, a role that pitted her brains against international experts as Taiwan, recognized as a country by only a handful of others, fought for its diplomatic life. Tsai formally joined the DPP in 2004. "She is willing to listen, willing to explain and willing to say what she thinks about things," said Bill Bryson, a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan who has known Tsai since the 1980s. "She knows how to negotiate with people. The question is whether people will negotiate with her." Since Ma came to power in 2008, economic ties between China and Taiwan have improved to the point where last month's summit appeared to symbolize a desire on both sides for continued peace and stability. "I know Xi Jinping is working very hard to make a circle before she [Tsai] takes office—to get her to stand inside the circle," said DPP grand dame and Taiwan's former vice president Annette Lu. "That is the trick you have to avoid. There is no such thing as the maintenance of a status quo." The post Taiwan's Likely First Woman President Keeps Cards Close on China Game Plan appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

US General Says Eager for Burma Engagement Posted: 08 Dec 2015 08:57 PM PST General Vincent Brooks addresses a crowd during Veterans Day ceremonies in Honolulu, Hawaii, Nov. 2013. (Photo: Hugh Gentry / Reuters) WASHINGTON, DC — The US Army’s commander in Asia said on Tuesday he was eager for closer ties to the military in Burma after elections that the pro-democracy opposition won by a landslide, but this would have to wait for a policy decision by the US government. General Vincent Brooks told a defense writers’ roundtable in Washington that military leaders from Burma's partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were also eager to see such US engagement with Burma. He recalled a meeting with ASEAN defense ministers in 2014. “I literally had leaders from other militaries grabbing me by the hand and pulling me to the Burmese general who was there; the region really wants the United States to engage Burma and help them to move forward,” he said. “Now we have to move at the pace we are allowed to,” Brooks said. The United States has been working to boost military ties throughout Asia to counter an increasingly powerful and assertive China, which shares a border with Burma. Washington began lifting sanctions against Burma after a quasi-civilian government was formed in 2011 following decades of harsh military rule, but continuing human rights concerns that worry US lawmakers have kept military-to-military ties to a bare minimum. Brooks said Burma's elections last month, in which pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won a landslide victory, “have caused us to be ready to move forward.” “But we haven’t advanced very rapidly thus far. I think there is good potential and so we will await policy guidelines on that.” Brooks said one of his generals had been able to speak at Burma's war college and he would like to engage more directly himself. “It’s a relationship that I really want us to have and I am eager to be allowed to do that … just kind of spend a bit more time with them.” Brooks said the United States saw it as an opportunity to export US military professionalism in terms of governance, engagement with the media, the public and civilian government. On Monday, US officials said Washington was temporarily easing trade restrictions on Burma in an effort to boost Aung San Suu Kyi’s party after its election win. US concerns about the military’s rights record were aired again last week when the State Department called for an investigation of reports of army atrocities in Shan State. The post US General Says Eager for Burma Engagement appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Irrawaddy. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

National News

---

• U Shwe Mann still in running for senior post after transition
• Onion trader shot dead in Rakhine
• Forces to withdraw from key flashpoint
• Myanmar comes under renewed pressure to ratify key human rights treaties
• Judicial system in need of major redress, says Pyithu Hluttaw committee review
• New well brings relief for parched village
• Changing Yangon’s taxis, one meter at a time
• Myanmar fishermen give testimony in trafficking case
• Fresh clashes eclipse Kachin IDPs’ hopes of returning home

U Shwe Mann still in running for senior post after transition Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:30 PM PST From presidential frontrunner to ousted ruling party leader and then defeated parliamentary candidate, the rollercoaster of Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann's political career may yet be salvaged.

Onion trader shot dead in Rakhine Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:30 PM PST A trader importing onions from Bangladesh into Rakhine State has been shot dead following an alleged altercation with border security forces in Maungdaw, according to local residents. Hundreds attended his funeral yesterday in Buthidaung.

Forces to withdraw from key flashpoint Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:30 PM PST Negotiators for the government and an ethnic armed group yesterday reached an agreement in Nay Pyi Taw to end fighting in central Shan State by first pulling back their forces from a flashpoint highway.

Myanmar comes under renewed pressure to ratify key human rights treaties Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:30 PM PST Myanmar has come under renewed pressure to lift itself from the bottom rung of countries to have ratified key international human rights treaties.

Judicial system in need of major redress, says Pyithu Hluttaw committee review Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:30 PM PST While law is typically regarded as a demanding field of study, findings from a Pyithu Hluttaw committee indicate that might not be the case in Myanmar.

New well brings relief for parched village Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:30 PM PST Thirsty no more, Nyaung Ywar village is no longer afraid of drought.

Changing Yangon’s taxis, one meter at a time Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:30 PM PST Calling all cars – do you want to join Hello Cabs? You need an air-conditioned vehicle, nice manners, clean clothes – and lose the betel. Diplomatic experience is helpful, but bargaining skills are not required.

Myanmar fishermen give testimony in trafficking case Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:30 PM PST Fishermen who were enslaved and in some cases held captive for a decade aboard seafood trawlers in Indonesia are now taking part in a lawsuit against one of the accused companies.

Fresh clashes eclipse Kachin IDPs’ hopes of returning home Posted: 08 Dec 2015 02:30 PM PST As fighting continues in Kachin State, refugees fear they are witnessing a last-ditch grab for power, one that will only prolong their displacement.

You are subscribed to email updates from National News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

Shan Herald Agency for News

---

• Two months on, no justice for farmer slain at Shan State gold mine protest
• NCA approved by parliament
• Power transfer confirmed but squabbling on political dividend might have just begun

Two months on, no justice for farmer slain at Shan State gold mine protest Posted: 09 Dec 2015 07:46 AM PST Over 300 farmers from 18 townships attended a ceremony on Tuesday in honor of a farmer shot and killed by Burma Army soldiers outside of a gold mine in eastern Shan State nearly two months ago. The event was organized by the Shan Farmers' Network in the victim's home village, Nai Hai Long, in Tachileik Township. Loong Sarm was 54 years old when he bled to death in the nearby Loi Kham Hills after being shot in the leg by government forces. The memorial ceremony was scheduled 54 days after his death, explained Nang La, a representative of the farmers' network in which Loong Sarm was also active.   Loong Sarm, the farmer killed by Burma Army soldiers outside of a gold mine in eastern Shan State in October (Photo: Shan Farmers' Network) SHAN previously reportedon the October 13 incident, in which five other farmers were seriously injured after they were shot by Burmese government troops while they approached a gold mine which had been ordered in July 2014 to cease operations by the Shan State Ministry of Mines due to the project's devastating impact on health, livelihoods and the environment.   "The troops who opened fire, from Battalion 330 in Mong Phyak, are claiming they shot in self-defence, despite the fact the villagers were unarmed and were already leaving the area when they were shot at," stated a Tuesday press release from the Shan Farmer's Network. Shan State farmers attend a ceremony to honor Loong Sarm, a farmer killed outside a mining site two months ago (Photo: Shan Farmers' Network) Area farmers say that over 300 acres of land are no longer arable due to the toxic effects of mining by two companies still active in the region, Loi Kham Long Co. and Sai Saik Pyo Ye; Nang La said that villagers have only been compensated for the equivalent of 168 acres. Meanwhile, local water sources have become polluted by mining waste to the point of being unsuitable for irrigation, bathing or drinking. Nang La worries that both Loong Sarm's killing and the destruction of the farmers' livelihoods has gone unnoticed by both the government and the mining companies.   "Since Loong Sarm died, no representative from the company has talked about this issue. The local authorities didn't take any responsibility. Only the villagers deal with the case, and give support," she said. "We want the company to take responsibility for his death." SHAN made contact with leadership within Burma's Ministry of Mines by both phone and email, but at the time of reporting, representatives had not responded to questions about Loong Sarm's death or the ongoing gold mining in eastern Shan State. The Shan Farmers' Network says it will continue to lobby for an end to gold mining and the restoration of the local environment. "We have always demanded for the companies to stop operations immediately and to compensate for all of the losses," Nang La said. Shan State is rich in minerals, including gold, silver, rubies, coal, lead and zinc, yet Burma has been ranked one of the world's least transparent countries regarding resource revenue and governance.   By SAI AW and SIMMA FRANCIS / Shan Herald Agency for News  (S.H.A.N)

NCA approved by parliament Posted: 09 Dec 2015 06:37 AM PST After much suspense, the 54-day-old Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) was approved without any dissenting votes by the Union Legislature yesterday, according 7 Day Daily, a Burmese-language news site. Leaders of eight ethnic armed groups during the signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) in Naypyidaw on October 15. "The NCA has passed its first critical test," said U Tin Maung Thann, a special advisor to the government-established Myanmar Peace Center (MPC). On Tuesday, during the parliamentary discussion over the issue, some lawmakers had said the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement was inaccurately named, as it was signed by only eight out of the country's 16 ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) recognized by the government. The non-signatories include powerful movements such as the Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/KIA), the United Wa State Party/Army (UWSP/UWSA) and the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N). The signatories' largest movements include the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) and the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S). During the second Joint Implementation Coordinating Meeting on November 17, participants passed a resolution to submit the NCA to the parliament, in accordance with Article 26 of the NCA, which states: "We shall submit this agreement to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Union Legislature) for ratification in accordance with established procedures." The meeting was also set up to oversee the activities of two bodies: Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC) and the Union Peace and Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC). After the meeting, government representative and MPC chairperson U Aung Min promised that if the NCA was faced by tough opposition, "we will ask the parliament to place the NCA on parliamentary record, which is easier and also legally binding." The UPDJC has been drafting the Framework for Political Dialogue (FPD) and is due to meet next Monday, followed by the third JICM, which is expected to endorse it. According to the text of the NCA, the country's first session on political dialogue (also called the Union Peace Conference) is required to start by January 13 at the latest. By SAI KHUENSAI / Director, Pyidaungsu Institute and Founder, Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N)

Power transfer confirmed but squabbling on political dividend might have just begun Posted: 08 Dec 2015 08:29 PM PST In the aftermath of the elections, the issue of political power transition from quasi-civilian Thein Sein regime to the landslide winning, Aung San Suu Kyi led, National League for Democracy (NLD) government-in-waiting has been dominating the Burma's political arena, punctuated intermittently with news of armed ethnic conflict, human rights violations and the troubled government initiated nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) process, which is duly in need of public endorsement and legitimacy in a broad sense. However, the most talk about news in between is the meeting of Aung San Suu Kyi and Senior-General Than Shwe, who is retired but still an influential father figure within the government and as well the military. Power transfer First, let us look at the latest development of political power transfer facet that has evolved so far. On 2 December, both President Thein Sein and Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing met Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyitaw, which were said to be productive and cordial according to U Ye Htut, the information minister. While nobody is doubtful that the meeting atmosphere is friendly and cordial, particularly seen from the video clips of Min Aung Hlaing beaming and receiving Aung San Suu Kyi and seeing her out personally, the productivity and priority setting of some crucial points, immediately concerned with the transition are less clear, as negotiating parties have yet to make the content of the talks known to the public. Indeed, the lack of transparency regarding the meeting have irked the media and the people at large, but the NLD side reasoned that during this precarious transition period, it is handling the situation with knitted gloves. Thus, suffice to say from the part of the President that power transfer will definitely happen to seal  his reform process with the smooth power transition as a "final victory", which he has initiated in 2011. "Both leaders discussed the smooth and peaceful transfer of power, to relieve public concerns over the transition," Ye Htut, the information minister said, adding that Thein Sein had "already told the world and personally promised" that he would work towards such a goal. "During the meeting, our president highlighted the need for a tradition of peaceful power transfer from an elected government to the next elected government, which we have never had in place since Myanmar's independence" - an objective Aung San Suu Kyi agreed with, he said. In the same vein, elaborating to the media as he departed from the one-hour closed-door discussion with the NLD leader Min Aung Hlaing said the two had "agreed to cooperate in the interest of the country," adding that their meeting had "yielded positive results." A press statement released by the office of the commander in chief shortly after the two met said they had "agreed to work together for peace and stability, rule of law and the development of the country, in accordance with the people's wishes." The recent meeting between the Senior-General Than Shwe and Aung San Suu Kyi, which the former explicitly endorsed and praised her as the future leader of the country – a far cry from the position he had taken to contain Suu Kyi for decades when he was in power -  also plays an ensuring role that the ex-strongman, who is very much a father figure of the military, is willing to comply with the people's wish that have been denied for so long. In other words, the loud and clear message of this meeting on 4 December is that the military (Tatmadaw) would cooperate and won't be a spoiler this time like in 1990, where the political power transfer is concerned. Armed ethnic conflict The war in Shan and Kachin States continues on and off before, during and after the general elections. The gist compilation of the armed conflict situation for November in Shan and Kachin States is documented by Alternative Asean's Burma Bulletin as follows: The day after the 8 November elections, the Tatmadaw resumed offensives against the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) in central Shan State, which have been increasing in intensity since 6 October. On 9 and 10 November, the Tatmadaw attacked the SSA-N/SSPP headquarters at Wan Hai Village, Kehsi Township, with three helicopters, two fighter jets, and heavy artillery. Fighting also broke out in Monghsu Township and Kehsi's Mongnawng sub-township. Helicopters sent by Operation Command No. 2 (Sa Ka Ka) attacked a nearby IDP camp on 10 November. During 16-18 November the Tatmadaw reinforced its ground assault on Wan Hai in tandem with aerial attacks by six helicopters and two fighter jets. SSPP/SSA spokesman Lt Col Sai La told press on 18 November that the Tatmadaw had attacked SSA positions "about every two days since 29 October," when they had begun aerial bombing and strafing campaigns. From 19-24 November, the SSPP/SSA sent various delegations to Naypyitaw and Yangon to negotiate temporary ceasefires. Six points were agreed upon by both sides by 24 November, including a cessation of hostilities, troop rotations, and cooperative resettlement of IDPs, though the terms must be finalized by senior members of the SSPP. On 7 and 8 December, Union Peace-making Work Committee (UPWC) and the SSPP again met in Naypyitaw, but said to be stuck at the point of Tatmadaw's insistence that Shan troops moved up to the north of the Monghsu-Mongnwang motorway, which they said is impossible as it has been their  settlement areas since decades, if not immemorial. Meanwhile, on 14-16 November, the Tatmadaw unleashed heavy artillery and bombing campaigns on Kachin Independence Army (KIA) positions close to the town of Mohnyin, Kachin State, in what KIA leader La Nan called the "fiercest in the history of fighting between the Burmese army and KIA." On 19 November, Information Minister Ye Htut justified the Tatmadaw attacks on the KIA in Mohnyin Township as crucial for public safety and said the government does not intend to end them. Complicating the already precarious ethnic conflict pattern, Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) clashed between 27 – 30 November. At least four battles broke out in an area between the towns of Namhkam and Montong in northern Shan State, with casualties sustained by both sides, according to each army. The TNLA said that Burmese army troops had fought alongside the SSA-S. The SSA-S, while rejecting the accusation that Burmese troops were involved, returned the blame. Spokesperson Col. Sai La told DVB that the TNLA launched an ambush while their troops were returning to Nam Kham from the SSA-S headquarters in Loi Tai Leng, in the south of the state. "Our troops were ambushed by the TNLA on the way back from attending a training course on policies and the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. Three of us were killed and five others were injured – with two remaining in the serious condition. The TNLA released a report claiming they also abducted and executed three villagers in Namhkam who they believed helped our troops. They published photos of the dead men with their hands tied but we have not yet been able to identify them," said Col. Sai La. US on military atrocities On 4 December,  the United States called for a credible, independent investigation by Burma's government of reports of military atrocities in the country's Shan State, saying they were reprehensible, if true. Some 12 Shan community based organizations, spearheaded by the Shan Human Rights Foundation, accused the Tatmadaw last week of bombing schools and Buddhist temples, firing on civilians and rape in an offensive against SSA-N/SSPP that has uprooted more than 10,000 people.  The activists claimed that the Burmese military has shelled six villages, shot and injured three people, and fired on 17 villagers who are now missing, since 6 October. The Shan Human Rights Foundation said it had documented eight cases of sexual violence since April 2015, including a 32-year-old woman gang-raped by 10 soldiers on 5 Nov while her husband was tied up under their farm hut in Kehsi Township. "We are concerned by reports of Burmese military atrocities, including allegations of indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations and infrastructure, rape, and other acts of sexual violence," said Katrina Adams, a spokeswoman for the US State Department. She urged the regime to undertake a credible, independent investigation into these allegations, and to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. However, to date, whether the Thein Sein government has responded to her request is still not known. NCA update Thein Sein government is more of a mediator in the negotiation process between the ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and the Tatmadaw, rather than the actual key negotiating partner with the EAOs, for it could do nothing without its agreement, according to Si Thu Aung Myint, a well known political commentator. A four step road map was agreed between negotiators, which are the signing of NCA, drawing framework for political dialogue (FPD), convening political dialogue (PD) and agree upon a Union Accord that in turn would be endorsed by the parliament. The NCA structure is again divided into Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) that is to oversee military code of conduct (CoC) and demarcation zones, while the Union Peace and Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) is to draw up FPD, get approval from Joint implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) – the highest organ in the NCA setup -  and convening PD leading to the attainment of Union Accord. The JMC is less problematic as it involved military matters and only the EAOs and the Tatmadaw, while the UPDJC has three components - EAOs, regime and the political parties, each with 16 representatives, 48 altogether. Here again the EAOs and the regime part is quite clear, if only the recently signed 8 EAOs are taken into account, although the choosing of the 16 political parties representatives becomes a big problem between political parties. NLD does not agree to the representation of the unelected parties, but U Aung Min and UPWC went on with their original plan of including 8 unelected representatives, giving 2 representatives each for the NLD and USDP; and the rest to some recently elected parties. The President in his recent message to the people on 4 December also reiterated that the FPD will be drawn by the controversially elected UPDJC, which eventually was approved by the union parliament on 8 December, amid protest by NLD's MPs and ethnic representatives within the parliament. (Media reports indicate the Union parliament's approval was for the NCA — Editor) It should entrust NLD with the job but if it goes on as it is moulded by U Aung Min and company, the NCA process will become problematic, without major EAOs signing and NLD only participating as observer, according to Si Thu Aung Myint. According to The Global New Light of Myanmar, on 3 December, non-signatory ceasefire groups have been invited to attend a meeting to approve the draft political dialogue framework slated for 14-15 December, according to a spokesperson of ethnic signatories. But the overtures would likely be ignored, at least during the legislative period of Thein Sein regime. For the mostly non-signatories of the NCA, United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) recent meeting in Chiangmai has indicated that it prefers to negotiate with the incoming NLD government, in an all-inclusive setting. Wrap up and outlook Regarding the power transfer, the two cordial meetings with the President and Commander-in-Chief were assurance that it would take place. The meeting with the Senior-General Than Shwe, the architect of the 2008 military-drafted constitution, buttresses that the whole military bloc would cooperate and accommodate, at least where the regime change is concerned. As there has been no public clarification on the said three meetings, analysts speculated that the talks could be a give-and-take deal of waiving the barrier of Section 59(f), which bars Suu Kyi from becoming president, apart from the inclusion of the defeated Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) members in the future NLD-led regime, with guarantees of no retribution on human rights violations facet for serving as former generals. Other than that, the Tatmadaw might also demand that a future peace deal with the EAOs should center on the country's territorial integrity that could be translated to the United Wa State Army's (UWSA) "a state within a state", not yielding to government's sovereign power political posture and excluding the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in the all-inclusive NCA deal, for its lost of face to dislodge the renegade army from Kokang territory, aside from suffering a heavy human toll, said to be in hundreds, during the conflict in February 2015 and a few months that followed. On top of that, the Tatmadaw considers the MNDAA and as well the UWSA as   foreign proxies, even though it only hinted on several occasions but never directly mentioned as such. The war in central Shan State is said to have lessened, even though clashes between the SSPP/SSA and government troops broke out again in Mongmit, northern Shan State, on November 28, forcing locals to flee their homes. The clashes that lasted for one hour left two SSA personnel dead, while there have also been casualties on the government side. The ceasefire talks between the SSPP and UPWC on 7 and 8 December,  particularly regarding the issue of demarcation – the demand of the military that SSA-N troops moved to the northern part of the Monghsu-Mongnawng motorway – still could not be agreed and resolved, at this writing. Thus it is likely that the war could resume in central Shan State, if the Tatmadaw chooses to do so for any reason. Regarding the conflict between the TNLA and RCSS/SSA-S, the latter said that it prefers to solve the problem through negotiation, but no concrete proposal has been made so far. The clashes are due to the argument over territorial ownership, with the TNLA accusing the SSA-S of trespassing its territory and fighting with the help of the Tatmadaw, which was categorically denied. The future of convening political dialogue as formulated by the UPDJC is gearing to start during the  tenure of Thein Sein regime. But whether the incoming NLD government would honour it and continue as it is with the process is an open question, as NLD has openly said it will be led by Aung San Suu Kyi and would carry on with the points that are good and make changes where necessary. To sum up the recent political development, it could be concluded that the political power transfer will happen as promised by the military clique, but on how the national reconciliation government would be formed and whether the constitutional amendment to pave way for Suu Kyi becoming president are two crucial  issues, which the movers and shakers of the country will have to determine in the short term, to be able to make linkage and connection to a long term, viable goal of national unity and federal form of government in a true sense.

You are subscribed to email updates from Shan Herald Agency for News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States