The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Parliament Appoints New Member to Central Bank’s Board of Directors
- New Commission to Decide Fate of Myitsone Dam in Kachin State
- Who Is The Head Of The Country?
- Reggae Artist Saw Poe Kwar: ‘We Can’t Find Peace Anywhere, Except in People’s Hearts’
- KNU Chairman Urges Military Readiness on Karen Martyrs’ Day
- Burmese Pokémon Chasers Intrude on Religious Sites
| Parliament Appoints New Member to Central Bank’s Board of Directors Posted: 12 Aug 2016 07:07 AM PDT  Burma's Central Bank building in the capital Naypyidaw. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — The Union Parliament appointed Bo Bo Nge, a member of the National League for Democracy's (NLD) economic committee, to the board of directors of the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM). Committee member Bo Bo Nge's nomination came in a letter sent from President Htin Kyaw to Parliament on Tuesday. Mahn Win Khine Than, speaker of the Upper House, announced the approval of his appointment during the parliamentary session on Friday, after no objections had been raised since discussion was opened to lawmakers on Tuesday. Bo Bo Nge, 48, is a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Financial and Management Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He recently joined the NLD's economic committee as a banking expert and is the head of research and risk management at KBZ Bank. He becomes the newest member of the board of the Central Bank, and will work alongside eight other members. Kyaw Kyaw Maung, 75, was elected governor of the CBM under the previous government in 2013 and will serve a five-year term. Three deputy governors and four additional members round out the board, serving four-year terms. Bo Bo Nge will fill the post left by Maw Than, who was appointed auditor-general when the NLD assumed power in April. The post Parliament Appoints New Member to Central Bank's Board of Directors appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| New Commission to Decide Fate of Myitsone Dam in Kachin State Posted: 12 Aug 2016 07:03 AM PDT  Entrance to the Myitsone Dam construction site, north of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina, photographed in 2015. If completed, Myitsone would be among the largest hydropower stations in the world. (Photo: Tin Htet Paing / The Irrawaddy) President Htin Kyaw on Friday formed a new commission to evaluate all proposed hydropower projects on the Irrawaddy River prior to their going ahead. The committee formation comes a week before State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi's trip to China as Burma's foreign minister. Since the installation of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government in April, China has been lobbying for the resumption of the multi-billion dollar Myitsone Dam, which was being constructed with Chinese backing just downriver of the confluence that forms the Irrawaddy, in Kachin State, prior to a government suspension order in 2011. The Deputy Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament T Khun Myat chairs the 20-member commission. Its vice chair is State Counselor's Office Minister Kyaw Tint Swe. The commission is tasked with assessing the potential environmental and social effects of any proposed project—both up- and downstream—its possible impact on foreign investment and the wider economy, and potential losses in water resources set alongside public access to electricity. The halt order on the China-backed Myitsone Dam, issued by former President Thein Sein in September 2011, followed widespread public protest against the project—led partially by Suu Kyi, then opposition leader, in her calls to "save the Irrawaddy." Protests against the dam were fueled by a variety of fears and misgivings: that the lion's share of electrical power generated would go straight to China, that its location near a seismic fault line posed a flooding risk to large swathes of Burma downriver in the event of an earthquake, and the general lack of public consultation undertaken beforehand. Since assuming office, Suu Kyi and the NLD government have been tight-lipped on the subject of the Myitsone Dam—aware of pervasive public opposition to the project, but also the need not to upset relations with China, Burma's biggest trade and investment partner. However, an editorial in state-run newspaper The Mirror in July called for the cancellation of the Myitsone Dam, echoing a line taken by most of Burma's private media. The newly formed commission must send its first assessment report to the President no later than November 11 this year. A member of the new commission, Cho Cho, who is also on the advisory board of the National Water Resources Committee, told The Irrawaddy they would be assessing proposals against "international standards," as well as consulting with local communities and incorporating their voices and concerns into their recommendations. "The public has already expressed concern over the Myitsone project and we will be referencing that in our assessment," he said. He added that a full study on the effects of the dam, including on areas and communities downstream, would require "three to four years." The President's Office will take care of the commission's administrative needs, according to the presidential order, which also charged relevant ministries and the Kachin State government to work with the commission. The post New Commission to Decide Fate of Myitsone Dam in Kachin State appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Who Is The Head Of The Country? Posted: 12 Aug 2016 06:03 AM PDT  State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi meets army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing at the President's Office in Naypyidaw on August 8, 2016. (Photo: Myanmar State Counsellor Office) One country run by two persons: this is Burma. On the one hand, there is State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi; on the other, there is army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. If one were to ask who is ultimately in charge, they might find no clear answer. Suu Kyi is Burma's de-facto political leader, with her power coming from the people who elected her party—the National League for Democracy (NLD)—in the country's 2015 general election. But among the checks on her authority is the capacity to make decisions relating to the Burmese army. Only Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has that privilege. The senior general has shown support for almost every action taken by Suu Kyi since the NLD took office earlier this year. Yet, in his own arena, it seems that Min Aung Hlaing has taken little initiative to rein in his military: fighting has recently broken out against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Kachin State and against the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan State.  Lawi Weng is a Senior Reporter for The Irrawaddy English edition. Additionally, Min Aung Hlaing will not allow three of the country's non-state armed groups—the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Arakan Army (AA) and the TNLA—to join Burma's upcoming Union Peace Conference starting on August 31. These groups are currently under pressure over demands to disarm, which they so far have continued to resist. As can be expected in a country arguably run by two people with different visions, there is a divide. Suu Kyi's earlier stated plan was to invite all ethnic armed groups to join her "21st century Panglong" conference, modeled after one held in 1947 by her father, independence leader Aung San. With that aim not shared by the Burma Army, what will Suu Kyi will do next, given that she has said she wants an all-inclusive event? In the latest attempt to bring all of the stakeholders together, the NLD government's National Reconciliation and Peace Center's (NRPC) delegation met twice with the three armed groups in the region of Mongla, in June and again in August. During the first meeting in June with the AA, MNDAA and the TNLA, there was reportedly high tension when the NRPC's Khin Zaw Oo, a former Burma Army general, allegedly pointed his finger at the leaders of the armed groups, saying, "you guys have to disarm." He asked the groups to issue an initial statement to the effect that they intended to give up their weapons. In an informal conversation with an Irrawaddy reporter, Tar Bong Kyaw, the TNLA's general secretary, recalled his annoyance at Khin Zaw Oo in the meeting. "He disrespected our chairman by pointing his finger at him. His action was not appropriate," he said. Dr. Tin Myo Win, the head of the NRPC delegation, did not attend the most recent meeting with the three armed groups. Instead he sent Aung Kyi—a former army general like Khin Zaw Oo. Again, no agreement was reached. At an ethnic armed group summit in Mai Ja Yang, Kachin State in late July, organizations who opted out of signing the 2015 nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA)—and are members of the ethnic armed alliance, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)—said that they remain unsure about whether to participate in the upcoming Union Peace Conference. No concrete decision about their attendance emerged from that gathering. No decisions emerged about any future signing of the NCA, either. Nai Hong Sar, vice chairman of UNFC, went as far as telling reporters at a press conference on July 29 that if it were made clear that the groups did not have to sign the NCA in order to participate in the conference, they would happily attend. The conference is a step preferable to the NCA, he said. Which brings us back to how we began: who is in charge here? And is it not time for the Burma Army to give fresh thought to the issue, namely who is the head of the country, Aung San Suu Kyi, or Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing? Suu Kyi may know some things about how to bring peace to this country, based perhaps partly on the ideas of her father Gen Aung San. But those ideas and plans could fail again, if she is not permitted to put them into action. The post Who Is The Head Of The Country? appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Reggae Artist Saw Poe Kwar: ‘We Can’t Find Peace Anywhere, Except in People’s Hearts’ Posted: 12 Aug 2016 05:35 AM PDT  Saw Poe Kwar performs at Rangoon's Thuwana National Stadium during a peace festival and concert in 2013 (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) Burmese reggae singer and peace advocate Saw Poe Kwar announced his "May Myanmar Be Peaceful" concert tour in conflict-affected areas of the country on Thursday. The 48-year-old ethnic Karen Reggae singer and songwriter has produced five albums including his latest one, titled "Go Rest On a Big Branch" and believes that his music can help plant "peace seeds" in young people's hearts throughout conflict-torn areas of the country. On the first stop of the tour, he will travel to northern Shan State—Kyaukme, Lashio, Kutkai, Muse, Pyin Oo Lwin and Mandalay—from August 27 to September 4, and hopes to reach audiences between seven and 20 years old. His next stops will take him to Karen, Kachin and Arakan states. The Irrawaddy spoke with Saw Poe Kwar on Thursday about his peace concert tour, his definition of peace, how he relates peace to children and how he is going to plant "peace seeds" in young people's hearts. How did you come up with the idea for the "May Myanmar Be Peaceful" peace concert tour? I have had this idea for a long time. I want to end racial and religious bias among our generation and in our communities—which cannot find peace. I want future generations to be based on the concepts of humanity and peace. It will make solidarity easier and they will be able to overcome obstacles together if they stick to the attitude that everyone is a Burmese national. What I mean is that I want them to leave everything else behind. We keep spinning our wheels but we haven't been able to eradicate the root cause of the problem. I believe that children are the most important key to the future. These children could rebuild peace and that's how I got the idea. Why is your target audience seven to 20 years old? I target that age group, but anyone can come and enjoy the concert, free of charge. Why that age range though? I have a better relationship with children. I am more familiar with them. In my experience, children learn and absorb things best. This age range is very good for planting seeds. If we explain things very carefully, things can stick with them for their entire lives. They are similar to good soil. After this age, people become mature and it is more difficult to expose them to new things. That's why I target this age range. Your first round of the tour will be from August 27 to September 4. Why did you choose these dates? I will start my tour on August 27 in Kyaukme. I chose these dates because it was the most convenient time for my band "One Love" and our hosts in the area. The 21st Century Panglong Conference will begin on August 31. Is this just a coincidence? Yes, it's just a coincidence. I have had the idea of a peace tour for a while. Now it's happening and this is just the first stop. Why did you choose to go to northern Shan State first? People who advocate for peace want to expose either armed conflict or religious conflict. I wanted to expose both. I want to eradicate both in the next generation and I want them to be resistant to armed, religious and racial conflict. I am often invited to perform for internally displaced persons in northern Shan State. I thought that this should be the first stop so that other regions would know how I would perform and what my intentions would be for future stops on the tour. How do you relate "peace" and "youth"? Adolescence is like being in a boxing ring. It is a fight for life. Childhood is about learning things. Adulthood is about getting out of the boxing ring and teaching about the experiences from inside the ring. People have to fight for their lives based on what they learn as children. Childhood is the most important part of someone's life. It shapes their future. I want youth to learn a sense of peace during childhood. What is your definition of peace? Peace is an essential thing—the most important thing—for the existence of the world. Without peace, we can't do anything. Peace has been here since the beginning of the world, but it is gone because of human selfishness. We can't find peace anywhere, except in people's hearts. If there is love in people's hearts, I believe we can easily find peace elsewhere. Love is something we should plant in children's hearts. What is your expectation for the tour? In these regions, some people have been brainwashed with stereotypes regarding race and religion. These hatreds have existed in their hearts historically. I hope to reduce that hatred to some extent. Who will join you on the tour? It will just be me and my band "One Love." That's only because of time constraints and scheduling. I want to set an example and I think other artists and singers will join me at a later date. What is your opinion of Burma's current peace process? It's beyond my understanding. I do what I can do for peace and I only focus on my part. I am optimistic toward anyone—not only the current government—who acts with the intention of building genuine peace. The post Reggae Artist Saw Poe Kwar: 'We Can't Find Peace Anywhere, Except in People's Hearts' appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| KNU Chairman Urges Military Readiness on Karen Martyrs’ Day Posted: 12 Aug 2016 02:52 AM PDT  KNU Chairman Mutu Say Poe delivers a speech at a ceremony marking Karen Resistance Day on Jan. 31, 2013. (Photo: Pyi Daw Myint / The Irrawaddy) On the occasion of Karen Martyrs' Day on Friday, the chairman of the Karen National Union (KNU)—whose military wing is Burma's longest running ethnic armed organization—reminded the group that military preparations must still be carried out amid ongoing political negotiations. Mutu Say Poe, chairman of the KNU, said in a statement that while KNU leaders are negotiating political issues through peaceful means, military leaders must remain prepared in the case of an attack by the Burma Army. "In order to protect ourselves from the attacks of military bullies, there must still be preparations while we attempt to solve political problems peacefully," said Mutu Say Poe. "Because we are a liberated nationality, it is our duty to protect our people from danger. Nothing can stop us," he said. Friday is the 66th anniversary of Karen Martyrs' Day, the day when the charismatic Karen leader Saw Ba U Gyi and his comrades were killed by the Burma Army in a remote village in Kawkareik Township. The event is celebrated every year on August 12 by Karen people both inside and outside of Burma, to commemorate the fallen leaders and soldiers of an armed struggle that began more than six decades ago. Mutu Say Poe said that leaders and soldiers had sacrificed their lives for the Karen people to be liberated from oppressors and able to live in peace and with dignity. Despite decades of conflict, the chairman stressed that the rights Karen people and other ethnic minorities have not yet been realized. "Karen people, as well as other ethnic minorities, do not fully receive the rights of freedom, equality and self-determination in accordance with the law. These basic rights need to be granted in the Constitution. It is necessary to achieve these rights in political negotiations," he added. In attempting to achieve its objectives during ongoing political negotiations, the chairman noted that the KNU faces challenges regarding unity, cooperation and leadership. "KNU leaders and members, along with Karen people, should build unity in an effort to achieve the expectations and goals that our martyrs sacrificed for," he said in a statement. The KNU signed a ceasefire agreement with the previous quasi-civilian government in 2012 and was one of the eight ethnic armed groups that signed last year's Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). The KNU's military wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), is one of the longest-running armed organizations in Southeast Asia, and has been struggling for autonomy since 1949. Karen Martyrs' Day is remembered by Karen people around the world as one of the key events in their long struggle for autonomy. Born in 1905 in a village in the Irrawaddy Division, Ba U Gyi studied and practiced law in England for several years before returning to Burma and becoming involved in the Karen Central Organization in 1942. He became a cabinet minister in the Burmese government, led by the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League, in 1946. He was later involved in the Battle of Insein—a conflict predominantly between Karen rebels and the Burmese government that lasted more than 100 days. Ba U Gyi laid down four principles that the KNU still use as guidelines for armed struggle today. Those principles are: surrender is out of the question; the Karen State must be recognized; we shall retain our arms; and we shall decide our own political destiny. The post KNU Chairman Urges Military Readiness on Karen Martyrs' Day appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Burmese Pokémon Chasers Intrude on Religious Sites Posted: 12 Aug 2016 12:56 AM PDT  Youth chase Pokémon in Mandalay's Aung Taw Mu Pagoda. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The avid pursuit of virtual creatures via mobile phone screens has brought urban Pokémon chasers into the compounds of various places of worship, prompting a polite expulsion order in one recorded case at a pagoda in Mandalay. Pokémon Go—an augmented-reality game developed by San Francisco-based Niantic for Android and Apple devices—was launched in Burma's major cities, including Rangoon and Mandalay, last weekend, as part of a rollout across Southeast Asia. Players use GPS and their own two feet to search real-world locations for Pokémon—visible through their phone screen—with names such as Nidoran, Raticate, Rattata, Exeggcute, Exeggutor, Gastly, Pidgey and Tangela. Initially, players in Burma experienced difficulties with the game's GPS function, and some found it to be incompatible with their phones—although most glitches appear now to have been ironed out. Pokémon "gyms"—spaces where Pokémon "trainers" can fight with one another—are located in landmark sites including People's Park, City Hall and Kandawgyi Park in Rangoon. However, in search of new Pokémon, Burma's urban players—largely youths, of both genders—have been spotted on the hunt in Buddhist pagodas, churches and mosques. On Wednesday, a video clip was posted on Facebook of a trustee at Aung Taw Mu Pagoda in the city of Mandalay speaking through a loudspeaker: "Youths who are playing phone games in front of the pagoda, please leave so as not to disturb those praying. We request you to stay away from [the vicinity] of the pagoda." "I expected this would soon become an issue. Pokémon gamers should be mindful of religion and culture while chasing Pokémon," said Bone Pyae Sone, a 26-year-old Pokémon chaser in Rangoon. He anticipated that, unless players change their behavior, pagodas might soon bear signboards prohibiting Pokémon chasing. Htoo Tay Zar, another Pokémon chaser, was skeptical that players would continue to invade places of worship in large numbers: "We can access [Pokémon] within 200 to 300 feet of buildings. We don't need to go inside." "Religious authorities need not be worried if they find young people wandering outside their buildings. It is just the nature of the game," he added. "Players should be mindful of playing Pokémon at night. In some townships, muggers on motorbikes seize mobile phones from pedestrians. Since this game can be played with friends, it is better to search for Pokémon in groups," said Htoo Tay Zar. Although credited by some for getting increasingly sedentary youth out of doors and interacting with each other, the game has been criticized in a range of areas. Players meeting accidents in different countries have been widely circulated on social media. Virtual content has been removed from some sensitive areas across the world, due to complaints, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan. Government officials in some countries, including Egypt, Russia and Indonesia, have deemed the game a security threat, amid concerns that it could be utilized by foreign intelligence agencies. During the constitutional referendum in Thailand earlier this month, players were ordered to keep clear of polling stations. The post Burmese Pokémon Chasers Intrude on Religious Sites appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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