The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Shan Coalition Emphasizes Unity and Collaboration at Annual Meeting
• All Chief Ministers To Be From NLD: Win Htein
• Mining Equipment Import to Kachin State Results in Govt Dismissals
• Kachin Anti-Opium Campaigners Anticipate Lawsuit
• USDP’s Five-Year Term Sees $23b in FDI: Investment Official
• Sittwe: A City Divided
• Thai Celebrities Join UNHCR Campaign to Support Burma Refugees
• India’s Female Scavengers Enslaved by Caste, Gender Discrimination
• Climate Impact Predicted to Cause 500,000 Extra Deaths in 2050
• Thai Junta’s Intimidation of Academics Reveals Insecurity: Rights Group

Shan Coalition Emphasizes Unity and Collaboration at Annual Meeting Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:35 AM PST Lt-Gen Yawd Serk of the RCSS/SSA-S makes opening remarks at the annual meeting of the Committee for Shan State Unity on Thursday in Rangoon. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) began their second annual meeting in Rangoon on Thursday with a focus on collaboration among Shan organizations. The three-day long meeting of CSSU—a coalition of ethnic Shan armed groups, political parties and civil society representatives formed in 2013—opened with a speech by Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S) chairman Lt-Gen Yawd Serk. Yawd Serk, also the current chair of the CSSU, emphasized the importance of working toward unity in his speech. Echoing the Lt-Gen's message, Sai Phone Han of the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N) told The Irrawaddy that "we mainly have to build unity amongst the Shan first." RCSS/SSA-S has been engaged in clashes with the ethnic Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan State since November of last year. The fighting has displaced thousands, and will also reportedly be discussed at the Rangoon meeting. Sai Leik, the spokesperson of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), told the reporters they would try to include other ethnic representatives on the collaboration team in the future, as the current CSSU is only comprised of Shan organizations. "We, the Shan armed groups and political parties, have to meet first, but even now, the Shan Nationalities Development Party (SNDP) could not join this meeting," he said, referring to a second ethnic Shan political party. "We might have to establish a mobilization team to incorporate other ethnic groups based in Shan State," Sai Leik said, when asked how it might be possible to unify people in such a diverse region of the country. Issues of the public protection at the Union level, constitutional amendments in support of federalism and strategies to increase public peace building support will also be discussed at the meeting. The post Shan Coalition Emphasizes Unity and Collaboration at Annual Meeting appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

All Chief Ministers To Be From NLD: Win Htein Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:23 AM PST Lawmakers arrive to attend the first session of the Union Parliament on Feb. 8, 2016 (Photo: J Paing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — One week ahead of Burma's scheduled presidential nominations, a senior member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) has disclosed to the media that the heads of all states and regions will be appointed from within the party. Central Executive Committee member Win Htein squashed earlier suggestions that four chief ministerial positions were set to go to the military. "We have already selected the chief minister posts. All will be NLD representatives," Win Htein told The Irrawaddy on Thursday. Intense speculation followed post-election meetings between NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma Army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, suggesting that negotiations were under way to amend or suspend the 2008 Constitution's Article 59 (f)—a clause that effectively excludes Suu Kyi from the presidency. In return, some expected that the military was seeking chief ministerial posts for the Shan, Arakan and Kachin states and Rangoon Division. The Constitution mandates that the ministerial posts be directly appointed by the president, a position which will be held by an NLD member. The NLD claimed large majorities throughout most of the country in November's general election, with Arakan and Shan states as the two exceptions. In the state parliaments of Arakan State, the Arakan National Party (ANP) won the most seats, and in Shan State, the majority went to the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), followed by the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and the NLD. On Monday, the Parliament announced that the date of presidential nominations had been rescheduled from March 17 to March 10. The NLD's silence on the issue raised speculation that the negotiations between Suu Kyi and military leaders had not been in the NLD chairwoman's favor. Win Htein declined to comment on the rescheduling of the nominations. "It is an internal affair," he said. The post All Chief Ministers To Be From NLD: Win Htein appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Mining Equipment Import to Kachin State Results in Govt Dismissals Posted: 03 Mar 2016 02:53 AM PST Mining equipment in Kachin State's jade-rich Hpakant Township. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) Dozens of government officials, including two in Kachin State directorial positions, have been dismissed this month in connection with the illegal import of heavy machinery into Hpakant Township to be used in jade mining. The exact number of people who were fired was not known at the time of reporting, but The Irrawaddy confirmed that among them were directors within the Customs Department and the Ministry of Commerce's Trade Department. Large shipments of excavation equipment from China arrived at Hpakant's jade mines in both December of 2015 and in January of this year. Despite instructions from outgoing President Thein Sein to probe into the case, authorities failed investigate the shipments further, ultimately leading to the mass dismissal. "Director-General of the Customs Department, U Tun Thein, and Director-General with the Ministry of Commerce, U Nyunt Aung, and Kachin State government officials were dismissed in connection with the arrival of a large amount of heavy [mining] equipment in Hpakant," a government official told The Irrawaddy. He explained that the investigation had extended to others within the state's leadership as well. "The Kachin State chief minister and ministers were also interrogated. The Home Affairs Ministry directly handled this case by order of the President's Office," he added. Aung Soe, a former military captain, has been appointed as the acting director-general of the Ministry of Commerce's trade department. The director-general of Myanma Insurance is reportedly serving as the acting director-general of the customs department. An investigation into the shipment is still ongoing, with more officials from the Ministry of Commerce, the Customs Department and the General Administration Department likely to be dismissed. The post Mining Equipment Import to Kachin State Results in Govt Dismissals appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Kachin Anti-Opium Campaigners Anticipate Lawsuit Posted: 03 Mar 2016 01:34 AM PST Poppy plants, from which opium would have later been extracted, are shown after being destroyed near the village of Tar Pu, in Shan State on Jan. 27, 2012. (Photo: Damir Sagolj / Reuters) MANDALAY –Pat Jasan, an anti-opium group in Kachin State, have said they expect to be sued by farmers in Waingmaw Township after they were attacked while trying to destroy their poppy fields last month. According to the campaigners, police from the state police office in the Kachin capital of Myitkyina have questioned seven members of Pat Jasan about the incident, in which 20 members were injured after locals and militiamen fired on them. "The way the questioned us was like they were interrogating criminals," said Zung Ding, a Christian pastor and leader within Pat Jasan. The campaigners who were being questioned by the police said the police kept careful records of their testimonies. "Since we have heard that the poppy farmers are planning to sue, it is very possible that the police have accepted the case. If not, we would not be questioned like this," said Zung Ding. "When we asked the police if the poppy farmers of Wai Moe village had filed a lawsuit against us, they gave no comment." "If they file a case, we have to face it," he added. On Feb. 25, two convoys of Pat Jasan members who were attempting to destroy the poppy fields in Wai Moe village, between Sadung and Kambaiti sub-townships, were attacked with guns and grenades by locals and militants. The campaigners, who were not armed, have since paused their anti-drug campaigns, citing a lack of protection from the authorities. The post Kachin Anti-Opium Campaigners Anticipate Lawsuit appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

USDP’s Five-Year Term Sees $23b in FDI: Investment Official Posted: 03 Mar 2016 01:25 AM PST People walk by a construction site of new apartment buildings in Rangoon on Nov. 4, 2015. (Photo: Jorge Silva / Reuters) RANGOON — A total of US$23 billion in foreign direct investment has been pledged over the five-year term of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) government ending in less than a month's time, according to Aung Naing Oo of the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC), a figure that may exaggerate the actual rise in money entering the country from abroad. According to MIC figures, total foreign investment from 1988 to 2016 was $59 billion, while during the five-year fiscal period ending March 31, $23 billion was committed. Singapore topped the list of foreign investors in Burma over the past five years, at $9 billion, but that pole position too may be misleading. "Though Singapore is the top investor, not all those investments are made by Singaporean investors," Aung Naing Oo, secretary of the MIC, said this week. "Some countries, especially European countries, register their businesses in Singapore and make investments in Myanmar." The oil and gas sector received the largest amount of foreign investment—more than $5 billion over the past five years, followed by the manufacturing sector with over $4 billion, and the telecommunications sector topping $3 billion. Burma expects about $6 billion in foreign investment for the current fiscal year ending March 31 and has received more than $5 billion to date. In the current fiscal year, the oil and gas sector received over $2 billion; the telecommunications sector nearly $1.6 billion; the manufacturing sector around $829 million; the property sector $435 million; and the hotels and tourism sector a distant fifth at $11 million. Aye Lwin, joint secretary of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), said these FDI figures represented only estimated commitments. "It's not actual money coming into the country," he said. Myat Thin Aung, chairman of the Hlaing Thayar Industry Zone, Rangoon's biggest industrial park, echoed Aye Lwin, saying the $23 billion was likely a pledged amount and that the manufacturing sector figures appeared to be overstated "Investors usually inflate the numbers in their contracts, so that the MIC approves [them]. The actual invested money is less than the figures," he said. "In the industrial [manufacturing] sector, most investors come for garment factories. I don't see significant development in this sector, but it is not known if the MIC included figures from Japanese investment in the Thilawa SEZ [special economic zone], for example." Myat Thin Aung added that most investors in the garment sector did not need to bring a large amount of money to get their factories up and running. "When making contracts for garment factories here, the investment amount is always big," he said. "That's why these MIC figures may not be accurate." The post USDP's Five-Year Term Sees $23b in FDI: Investment Official appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Sittwe: A City Divided Posted: 03 Mar 2016 12:48 AM PST A group of men sit outside a mosque in Aung Mingalar, Sittwe's Muslim quarter—also known locally as Ambala—in late February this year. (Photo: Thu Mratt) SITTWE, Arakan State — It has been more than three years since riots shook Arakan State, displacing 140,000, due to religiously motivated violence. Among those affected were members of the region's ethnic Buddhist Arakanese majority and a disproportionate number of the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are denied citizenship and labeled as "Bengali" migrants by the Burmese government. Pervasive mistrust, a consequence of the 2012 violence, persists in the Arakan State capital of Sittwe. On a recent visit, The Irrawaddy witnessed the presence of security guards throughout the city, and police checkpoints that have sprung up in the city's Muslim quarter. There, vacant homes have been transformed into camps hosting security forces. Locals spoke quietly of living under surveillance, in conditions comparable to house arrest, and of the hope for steps toward the desecuritization of their city. No Permit, No Entry The Irrawaddy visited Sittwe hoping to interview religious leaders. But authorities prohibit Arakanese visitors to Aung Mingalar, the Muslim quarter—also known by locals as Ambala—as well as Muslim visitors to the Arakanese Buddhist quarters. They say that these restrictions reportedly exist to prevent unexpected violations of the law. In order to enter the Muslim ward, an official permit is required. An armed security guard was stationed in front of the Ambala mosque when The Irrawaddy arrived. Mid-conversation with a small group of locals, a uniformed police officer arrived and questioned the presence of visitors. A policeman keeps watch in Aung Minglalar, Sittwe, where security checkpoints and encampments remain, more than three years after 2012 riots shook the city. (Photo: Thu Mratt) ''We take [responsibility] for the security here and we can't let strangers go inside. You need an official entitlement to visit this quarter," he said. The clearance request for outsiders is not new to Zaw Zaw, a Rohingya Muslim man originally from Rangoon, but who relocated to Sittwe to run a small business. ''If you want to enter this quarter, you need official permission from the Arakan State government," he said, explaining that any interviews conducted had to be cleared by security officials. Zaw Zaw assumes that police encampments in Muslim quarters have been intentionally placed there for political purposes. ''We have to avoid bad results and need to think deeply about the consequences," he explained. "We have to concentrate on the stability and development of Arakan State." 'House Arrest' Sittwe's municipal market once hosted more than 150 shops owned by Aung Mingalar's Muslim residents. Today they have all closed; restrictions banning Muslims from entering Buddhist Arakanese quarters also keep them from the city's commercial area. Alhmet Ohsan, from Sittwe's Bu May village, told The Irrawaddy that villagers were forbidden to shop or work downtown, so they bought commodities from Thae Chaung, once a village and now a camp for internally displaced Muslims. He owns a roadside stall and earns a maximum of 3,000 kyats (less than US$ 2.50) per day, an amount insufficient to feed the eight people in his family. Although his house is still standing, more than 40 homes in Bu May were burned down, leading many to seek refuge in IDP camps. The authorities have allowed some Arakanese to sell goods in the camps, but Muslim Rohingya are not allowed the same privilege, and are restricted from leaving. Those who evacuated received food and clothing from relief groups, Alhmet claims, but those who remained in the village have not had access to any aid. ''Living in my own house feels better than being in a refugee camp," he maintains. Although Alhmet does not regret staying in Bu May, others now feel trapped in their surroundings. "We feel like we are under house arrest," said Mhamat Husein, an administrator for a Muslim neighborhood within Ambala. Changed Relationships Zaw Zaw said his friendships with Buddhist Arakanese have also suffered in recent years. ''After the violence occurred … our relationship changed," he said. "Now we are building a mutual relationship. When we meet on the street, we say 'hello.' Sometimes we talk about business, but it's still difficult to get back to normal conditions.'' An influential monk, Badanta Dhamika, head of Thathana Ranthi monastery in Sittwe's Bouk Thee Suu quarter, mediated between the Muslim and Buddhist communities during the violence of 2012. From his point of view, the situation is a "game" played by the Burmese government to exploit both sides; both will be victims, and opportunists will take advantage of their weaknesses, he explained. Badanta Dhamika told The Irrawadddy that the authorities use communal mistrust and tension as a justification to station security guards in the Muslim neighborhoods. ''I think that the long-term guarding [of the city quarters] is unreasonable and it's not solving the problem," he said. "We have to find the root causes [of what] happened." His hope is that the authorities will gradually decrease the number of police in the area. "In some places, they should test [a reduction of security forces]," the monk said. "If it is successful in one place, they can do the same in other places." Zaw Zaw agreed with Badanta Dhamika's suggestion that changes should be introduced in small stages. Mistrust runs high; an integrated Sittwe where Buddhist Arakanese and Muslim Rohingya live together is still hard for many locals to imagine. Little government action has been taken to address the deep rifts in the city. Dr. Kyaw Yin Hlaing, an advisor to outgoing President Thein Sein, led a team formed in 2014 to assist in building peace in Arakan State. One aim of the initiative was reportedly to decrease tension between the region's two religious communities. Both sides requested that a dialogue be arranged but, two years later, such talks have not been organized. The Irrawaddy contacted Kyaw Yin Hlaing by phone, but he could not be reached. Unsure of where to turn, members of the two communities said they are looking ahead to Burma's incoming NLD-led government to address the legacy of violence still evident in the Arakan State capital. The post Sittwe: A City Divided appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai Celebrities Join UNHCR Campaign to Support Burma Refugees Posted: 03 Mar 2016 12:43 AM PST Refugees who fled Burma wait for the Thai authorities to conduct a census at Mae La refugee camp, near the Thai-Burma border in Mae Sot, Tak province, on July 21, 2014. (Photo: Chaiwat Subprasom / Reuters) CHIANG MAI, THAILAND—Well-known Thai actor Saharat "Kong" Sangkapricha and actress and model Priya "Pu" Suandokmai have joined a UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) fundraising project that highlights the plight of Burma's displaced in Thailand. The campaign, called "Namjai for Refugees," aims to assist over 120,000 Burmese refugees currently living in nine camps on Thai-Burma border;  "namjai" is the Thai word for "generosity." Iain Hall, the senior field coordinator for the UNHCR in the Thai border town of Mae Sot, told The Irrawaddy that the project is part of the UN agency's ongoing fundraising efforts, which in this case are directed towards the Thai public. Donations from the Namjai campaign will go toward improving and rebuilding the lives of Burmese refugees, some of whom have lived in the border camps for over 30 years since fleeing civil war and persecution in Burma. Pu and her team visited Burmese refugees on the Thai border to better learn about their lives. "The global refugee crisis is dominating news headlines. As Thai people, we can be part of the global response by starting to lend our support to refugees in Thailand," actress and model Pu is quoted as saying in a UNHCR report. In the same report, Thai singer Kong also promised to use his musical talent to work with songwriter Van to compose a song that appeals to people’s generosity and will support child refugees in particular. "I hope that this song will inspire Thai people to extend our namjai to fellow human beings," he said. The project was launched earlier this year and has been endorsed by eight Thai celebrities. As part of the Namjai campaign, the UNHCR has also produced a short video about the plight of refugee children in Thailand, entitled, "The Life of Pa Thu." The post Thai Celebrities Join UNHCR Campaign to Support Burma Refugees appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

India’s Female Scavengers Enslaved by Caste, Gender Discrimination Posted: 03 Mar 2016 12:17 AM PST Hindu women holding plates decorated with religious items wait to tie "rakhi" or traditional Indian sacred thread, to Hindu saints during a function organiZed by non-governmental organiZationSulabh International to celebrate RakshaBandhan festival in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 28, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) MUMBAI — New legislation inIndia to crack down on the practice of forcing mainly the poorest women to clear other people's excreta will have little impact unless deeply entrenched sexism and caste bias are changed, activists said. Manual scavenging, a euphemism for disposing of feces from dry toilets and open drains by hand, has long been an occupation thrust upon members of the Dalit group, traditionally the lowest ranked in India's caste system. At least 90 percent of India's estimated 1.3 million manual scavengers are women, according to campaign group Jan Sahas. "It is not just a case of caste discrimination, but also gender discrimination, as women are forced to do this basest of jobs," said Ashif Shaikh, founder of Jan Sahas, which says it has liberated more than 21,000 Dalit women from the practice. "It is not even a job, it's slavery," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "The women do not have a choice, they are paid a pittance, and are threatened with violence if they quit. There's a lot of pressure from the village, the community, and their own families." India, which banned caste-based discrimination in 1955, has passed several laws to end manual scavenging with government pledges to modernize sanitation and criminalize those who employ manual scavengers. Legislation passed in December further tightened penalties. Yet Dalit communities continue to face threats of violence, eviction and withholding of wages if they try to give up the practice, human rights groups say. In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a "Clean India Mission" to improve sanitation in the fast-growing economy and increase funding for public toilets to end open defecation. The campaign has helped draw attention to the plight of manual scavengers and forced state governments to act, Shaikh said. The government offers 40,000 rupees ($590) to each rescued manual scavenger and training for alternate jobs. Yet crimes against lower-caste Indians are rising. There were more than 47,000 such crimes in 2014, an increase of about a fifth from the previous year, according to official figures. The Copenhagen-based International Dalit Solidarity Network has called manual scavenging, a "caste-based and hereditary occupation form of slavery." Paid less than a minimum wage, manual scavengers are often forced to borrow money from their higher-caste employers, leading to debt bondage. The government estimated in 2011 that more than 180,000 rural households are engaged in manual scavenging. Western Maharashtra state, which topped the list, had set a deadline of the end of March to end the practice. "We have provided incentives in rural areas to build toilets, and we have offered alternative employment to these people in some districts," said U.S. Lonare, a senior official in the state's social justice department. He did not say if the deadline will be met. Jan Sahas' Shaikh said the new legislation must be implemented in full. "Even one woman forced to do this work is a shame," he said. "It's a crime." The post India's Female Scavengers Enslaved by Caste, Gender Discrimination appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Climate Impact Predicted to Cause 500,000 Extra Deaths in 2050 Posted: 03 Mar 2016 12:05 AM PST Laborers work in a paddy field in Birnaraya village in Karnal district in the northern Indian state of Haryana on Sept. 2, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) LONDON — Climate changecould cause significant changes to global diets, leading to more than half a million extra deaths in 2050 from illnesses such as stroke, cancer and heart disease, experts said on Wednesday. As extreme weather such as floods and heat waves wreaks havoc with harvests and crop yields, estimated increases in food availability could be cut by a third by 2050, according to the experts' study published in The Lancet medical journal. This would lead to a reduction of 99 calories available per person per day, the assessment of the impact of climate change on diet composition and bodyweight found. Climate change could also lead to a 4 percent reduction in the consumption of fruit and vegetables, along with a 0.7 percent drop in the amount of red meat consumed, the study said. Reduced consumption of fruit and vegetables could cause twice as many deaths as undernutrition by 2050, it said. "Even modest reductions in the availability of food per person could lead to changes in the energy content and composition of diets, and thesechanges will have major consequences for health," study lead author Marco Springmann from the University of Oxford said in a statement. These changes could be responsible for around 529,000 extra deaths in 2050, compared to a future without climate change in which increases in food availability and consumption could have prevented 1.9 million deaths. Even though some climate-related deaths will be offset by reductions in obesity, the projected 260,000 fewer deaths will be balanced by lower calorie availability, the study said. Low- and middle-income countries in the Western Pacific region and Southeast Asia are likely to be worst affected, and almost three quarters of all climate-related deaths are expected to occur in China and India. "There should be enough food to produce a better diet in 2050 than we currently have globally but if you add in climate change then you loose some of those improvements," study co-author Peter Scarborough from the University of Oxford told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. In Europe, Greece and Italy are likely to be significantly affected, with 124 and 89 deaths per a million people respectively. Cutting emissions could have substantial health benefits and reduce the number of climate-related deaths by between 29 percent and 71 percent, the study said. "We need to be mitigating greenhouse gasses. If we do, it will bring down the health impact of climate change," Scarborough said. The post Climate Impact Predicted to Cause 500,000 Extra Deaths in 2050 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai Junta’s Intimidation of Academics Reveals Insecurity: Rights Group Posted: 02 Mar 2016 08:54 PM PST Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha addresses the nation and summarizes the junta government's annual report in Bangkok on Dec. 23, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) BANGKOK — Thailand's junta is intensifying intimidation of academics who criticize the generals efforts to stay in power by sending army officers to their homes, a Thai rights group said on Wednesday. Since the military seized power nearly two years ago, at least 77 academics have been harassed at home by officers advising them to adjust their critical mindset or ordered to attend camps for indoctrination, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. Those who attend the camps are usually released within a couple of days. At least five academics have been forced into exile, said Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, a member of the lawyers' group, which provides legal aid and monitors rights violations in Thailand and is influential with international NGOs, the European Union and other foreign governments. "With legitimacy stretching thin and achievements falling flat, the junta feels the pressure to silence critics to maintain its power," Poonsuk told Reuters. The country's generals have struggled to revive Southeast Asia's second-largest economy after ousting a democratically elected government in 2014 to end months of political unrest that was damaging business. There have been scattered protests against military rule, but they were quickly quelled by troops and police. Some Thais welcomed the coup after months of anti-government street protests, but critics accuse the military of delaying a return to democracy by pushing back the date for elections. Rights groups say the junta has used authoritarian methods to systematically repress rights and muzzle critics. In a Feb. 24 report, Amnesty International said Thailand had dismissed international calls not to silence dissent. Last week, self-exiled prominent Thai academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun took to social media to accuse the junta of intimidating his family in Thailand. "To hunt me is already unacceptable. But for them to go after my family is really too much," he told Reuters via Skype. "This has to be the junta's most daring move yet," said Pavin, who gives lectures abroad on the Thai monarchy, a sensitive subject that cannot openly be discussed in Thailand because of draconian royal insult laws. Junta spokesman Col. Winthai Suvaree denied that the military is pursuing academics with greater zeal and told Reuters he was unaware of any intimidation of Pavin's family. Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Pavin in June 2014, one month after the coup, for ignoring a junta summons to attend a military "attitude adjustment" session while abroad. His passport was revoked the following month. The junta's pursual of academics highlights its growing insecurity, said Kan Yuenyong, an analyst at Siam Intelligence Unit think-tank. "The military sees academics as a mouthpiece whose messages carry big significance," said Kan. "Their criticism can do a lot to undermine the junta's legitimacy." ] The post Thai Junta's Intimidation of Academics Reveals Insecurity: Rights Group appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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National News

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• IDPs must not be forgotten in wake of elections: UN
• NLD and govt at odds on handover ceremony
• New bridge a boon for beach tourism
• Boat crackdown forces smuggling shift
• Compensation skips some as factory settles
• Five-day water cut begins as part of JICA upgrade project
• Long-delayed tobacco rules get thumbs-up
• Weather to heat up from middle of March
• Signs warn public of dangerous foods

IDPs must not be forgotten in wake of elections: UN Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST United Nations representatives are continuing to pressure Myanmar on the international stage over its treatment of Muslim minorities and internally displaced people.

NLD and govt at odds on handover ceremony Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST Fresh from an ugly fight over an alleged state asset fire-sale, the government and the National League for Democracy have found a new disagreement: where to hold the power handover ceremony.

New bridge a boon for beach tourism Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST Business operators at Chaungtha are hoping the reopening of a bridge on the road to Pathein will restore tourism to the beach.

Boat crackdown forces smuggling shift Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST After last year's crackdown disrupted maritime human smuggling routes out of Rakhine State, traffickers and those desperate to leave are scouting for alternatives.

Compensation skips some as factory settles Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST One day after Myanmar workers won a rare victory over Thai employers, obtaining more than US$1 million in compensation from the owners of a canning factory at which abuses were rife, temporary labourers reported being overlooked in the payout.

Five-day water cut begins as part of JICA upgrade project Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST Upgrade to Yangon's water pipeline network will see supply cut for five days to 11 wards in four inner-city townships, starting today.

Long-delayed tobacco rules get thumbs-up Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST Telling the truth about tobacco in Myanmar has taken a long time, health officials say. In the wake of this week's announcement by the Ministry of Health that cigarette packaging will display stern warnings and graphic pictures of tobacco-related diseases, it has emerged that campaigners have been trying for years to pass these measures.

Weather to heat up from middle of March Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST The heat is on. Temperatures are set to rise markedly in mid-March and the month as a whole is set to be warmer than March last year, weather experts say – but it will not be the hottest month this year.

Signs warn public of dangerous foods Posted: 02 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PST You've been warned. Notices went up all over Mandalay on March 1 alerting consumers to watch out for food products that contain dangerous chemical dyes.

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Shan Herald Agency for News

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Photo Essay to Loi Tai Leng Posted: 02 Mar 2016 07:52 AM PST The second piece of this 60 day journey widely describes the difficulties of the characters in the story for which the photographer is a part of. Salween in Thai, Nujiang in Chinese and Than Lwin in Burmese all refer to Namg Kong in Shan language. The Salween River starts its runoff from Tibetan plateau and flows through to Yuan Nan province of China, Shan State, Myanmar, Mae Hong Son province of Thailand then into Andaman sea of Southeast Asia. Even though it can't be used in irrigations, millions of bio-diversities as well as different ethnic groups rely on the river. Sands were shoveled and sold to construction companies. Teak forests along the river bank, which were also threatened by Dam constructions, were eventually chopped down. The story of Salween has been told as tales, sung as songs and written as poems for many generations. However, no adventure stories were ever associated with it. Group of Shan youths crossing the Salween River in Langkhur Township located in Southern Shan State. These youths were painted with golden dust as they just came out from rough road. Coming from different parts of Shan State, these youth gathered to celebrate the Shan State National Day in Loi Tai Leng (Tai Prosperity Mountain), the headquarters of Restoration Council of Shan State/ Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) along Thai-Myanmar border. During the dry season, it is difficult for motor boats to cruise the shallow Salween River. In order to reach enough depth to cruise, Travelers need to drive along Nam Taung River (pronounce Namg Daing) until it combines with Salween River. Groups of Shan youth enjoy a game of cane ball after political lesson in Nong Kham Seng village, situated on the high mountains of Thai-Myanmar border. Most Villagers wake up early; every home is a shelter for guests who are going to participate in the celebration of the Shan State National Day on Feb. 7.  Shan youth celebrate unity under the "One meal, one firewood" saying. Every day they look for firewood exchanges by offering rice. While thousands of people came to the ceremony, this particular village ran out of water where some people weren't able to bathe. Prevention is better than cure! A young boy helps his dad dig a bunker under the gully of Nong Kham Seng village. The bunker is over 30 kilometers from markets situated at the edge of Thai-Myanmar border. Each family responsible is for one bunker. The process of digging these bunkers results in harsh conditions such as humidity, its hard to breathe, bad smell and the wall can be fall in at anytime. Time is rare for soldiers to sit and stare. One to two months can go by before they actually have time to even wash their uniforms. Soldiers came to welcome Tripitaka (three Baskets), a scripture in Buddhism brought from Thailand to the monastery name Leng Harn Tai. Soldiers from different training camps took their positions at the ceremony to watch and cheer. Soldiers derived from different classes of families rich and poor. They do not expecet to receive higher salary; instead they are paid in satisfaction by helping civilians, respect, keeping neat appearances, bravery and 22 articles that have been identified by the council. Concrete stage was decorated with number 69 constructed in the windy plain of Thai-Burma border hosted 69th Anniversary of Shan State National Day. Because of its rare celebrations, people defined Shan State National Day in various perspectives. Recently thousands of Shan State people, including Shan migrant workers from Thailand, Akha, La Hu, Karenni and Karen, respectively attended the ceremory cheering for their most memorable moments. The ceremony reflected the spirit of Pang Long, a historical event for the Union of Burma independence and ended the controversial term of Shan State Nattional Day. Shan women met at Shan State National Day ceremony carrying Akhas, a traditional musical instrument. Even though Akha is typically described as the hill tribe ethnic group of Shan State, some live in Yunan provience of China, Laos, Northern Thailand and Eastern Shan State. Three Akha women prepare to perform their traditional dancing. February. 7th  is the day when 34 Shan State chiefs who are Shan or Tai, Ta Ang, Pa O, Wa and Ka Yan or Pa Taung held historical conference to get independence from British in 1947. Shan State civilians marked that day as Shan State National Day. The ceremony represents unity of Shan State's diverse ethnic groups. Medics, clerks, gem factory of the council workers, radio broadcasting station volunteers; no matter the job, their all Nang Harn; which in Shan stands for brave woman. Shan women army corps was formed more than two decades before the current council. Female soldiers eat the same meal as men soldiers; but unlike men, they have much more time to bathe. The reason being is because under the council strategies policy, they are not allowed to participate battle; although Nang Harn are proficient in various skills just like men. Being scowled in parades shows the bravery and honesty of those female soldiers. Their appearances with tidy uniforms overwhelm most women who have seen them. Two observers stand by the entrance of the organic farms of Loi Tai Leng high school; which is also an orphanage. Due to lack of space for farming, the school constantly has to resort to the local market located over 20 kilometers away. Local students have learned agricultures and organic farming technics from a Thai NGO. Student organic farms produced cosmetic products like Shampoo, make-up and soap. The terraces at the slope near school were recently farmed by orphans. Local residents are expecting to purchase these crops once grown. However, it is very challenging for graduated students to attend universities due to its location and lack of Thai and Burma government's ability to recognize it. Nearly 300 houses share one clinic with over 20 medics. By Jai Jai Lao Mong / Special Contributor to Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N.)

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