The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Not Suu Kyi, but NLD’s President-Elect Still Excites
- Ten Things To Do In Rangoon This Week
- What Might Htin Kyaw’s Presidency Mean for Burma’s Economy?
- Police Investigate Blast at Journalist’s Home in Arakan State
- Salween in Focus for Burmese Civil Society on Rivers Day
- Htin Kyaw Confirmed as Next President in History-Making Vote
- Human Rights in Burma: Can the UN Human Rights Council Rise To The Occasion?
- Burma’s Expected President Is an Unlikely Leader
- US Ambassador Derek Mitchell: ‘I Feel Gratitude for What I’ve Been Able to Witness’
| Not Suu Kyi, but NLD’s President-Elect Still Excites Posted: 15 Mar 2016 05:18 AM PDT  President-elect Htin Kyaw, second left, and National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi, center, leave Parliament in Naypyidaw on March 15, 2016. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters). RANGOON — The Union Parliament on Tuesday morning elected National League for Democracy (NLD) nominee Htin Kyaw as Burma's next president. On April 1, the 69-year-old will become Burma's first democratically elected president from a civilian background in more than five decades. The Irrawaddy spoke to a variety of people, including lawmakers, political analysts and supporters, about their thoughts on the historic decision.
"This morning, tears welled up in my eyes while [I was] watching the Parliament session on television. It [Parliament's decision] is very exciting, and I'm so happy, too. This is a landmark for our country's democracy."
"It was a very exciting moment for all Burmese citizens. Many people waited and watched Parliament live-broadcast [the decision] at tea shops, like watching a football match. It gave me goosebumps." "I believe that an administrative body will be implemented, under Aung San Suu Kyi's leadership, that will be able to work effectively for the country and its people."
"The thought that we are now free from military rule will ease the pain of [my country] having lagged behind all my life."
 Dr.Daw Nyo Nyo Thin. Photo – JPaing / The Irrawaddy ) Nyo Nyo Thin, former Rangoon Division independent lawmaker "The Union Parliament today voted for Htin Kyaw, whose hands are not stained with blood, to be Burma's new president. … He is honest and has a clean background. He doesn't have military experience. He has been elected because he's believed to be loyal to the public. I would like to urge all people to work together with the president in building a peaceful country and turning away from dictators."
"We now have Burma's first civilian president, elected from a party whom the people voted for. As an elected MP, I chose the candidate most desired by the people when I voted among the presidential nominees. I believe my constituents will like the president I voted for." "We hope the president will move our country forward, and we will work together [with the president and vice presidents, as well as Parliament and ministries] to achieve positive change and good governance."
"I didn't know who U Htin Kyaw was before [he was confirmed as president]. He is the son of U Min Thu Wun, who had a good name [because of his works of literature]. He studied abroad. I also know that he is honest and industrious. We accept him. He has the capacity. He does not have executive experience, but I believe he can cope with that." "Today, people only accept Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. We appreciate [her] sacrifices. Now all have to follow her leadership. She has spoken against partisanship, regionalism and racism. We believe Daw Aung San Suu Syi. Her actions speak. She cooperates with ethnic [parties], with the USDP. I think there will be better prospects for the country through cooperation with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi."
"I think the National League for Democracy has chosen U Htin Kyaw, as we [the military] have chosen retired Lt-Gen Myint Swe, because they think he is suitable [for the presidency]. We accept U Htin Kyaw. We believe he will be a good, capable person. However, there should not be anyone above the president. The president is at the top of the country. He is the head of state and the chief executive officer. This is enshrined in the Constitution." Additional reporting by Htet Naing Zaw and Tin Htet Paing. The post Not Suu Kyi, but NLD's President-Elect Still Excites appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Ten Things To Do In Rangoon This Week Posted: 15 Mar 2016 04:25 AM PDT
The Irrawaddy picks 10 interesting events happening in Rangoon this week.
Some of the best work by Burmese photographers will be on show in a garden setting. Prizes will be awarded by a jury presided over by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, according to the event's website, and international photo personalities such as Hossein Farmani (Lucie Awards), Hans Silvester and Floris de Bonneville (Gamma). Where: Institut Francais de Birmanie, 340 Pyay Rd, Sanchaung Tsp. When: Saturday, March 19. Time: 6:00 pm.
Burmese rock band Iron Cross are back with a show. Tickets are available, according to the band's Facebook page, at 5 Network Showroom, 4 Digital Main Showroom, The Sun Music Production, 1876 Call Centre, Ko Ko Beauty Salon (Dagon Center). Where: People's Park When: Friday, March 18. Time: 7:00 pm
Mixed Martial Arts One Championship Union of Warriors will be in Rangoon for a mixed martial arts competition, along with ethnic Kachin fighter Aung La Nsang (Burmese Python) who will face Egyptian striker Mohammad Ali. The event will feature ten bouts of fighting, with competitors from Singapore, the Philippines, Brazil and more. Tickets are available at MMtix.com and branches of AGD Bank. Where: Thuwunna Stadium, Thingangyun Tsp. Tel: 094-5101-0789 When: Friday, March 18. Time: 6.30pm
The Novotel hosts tournaments for pool, football and dart players every Wednesday with awards for shots and gift vouchers for winners. Where: Novotel Yangon Max, 459 Pyay Rd, Kamayut Tsp. When: Every Wednesday night. Time: 6:00 pm
"A piece of pastel" will showcase the works of 12 artists including Win Pe Myint and Bogalay Htay Win. Where: Myanmar Ink Art Gallery, 1st Floor, Room 3, Nawaday St, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 097-8099-4471 When: Until Wednesday, March 16. Time: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Yangon Essay Artist Aung Htet Lwin's second solo show, titled "Yangon Essay" will feature scenes from Yangon's urban landscape. A total of 36 paintings will be displayed. Prices range from US$50 to $500. Where: Lokanat Galleries, 62 Pansodan St, 1st Floor, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel. 095-1382-269 When: Tuesday, March 15 to Saturday, March 19. Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Every Tuesday evening, Pansodan Gallery opens up for a gathering in which all sorts of people interested in the future of the country enjoy conversation and perhaps some beer until late at night. Guitars generally come out after midnight. Where: Pansodan Gallery, 144 Pansodan St, Kyauktada Tsp. When: Every Tuesday evening. Time: From 8:00 pm onwards.
Artist Latya Lynn Naing will stage his third solo show of collage works. A total of 61 works will be shown, with prices ranging from US$15 to US$20. Where: Cloud 31 Gallery, 49/51, 1st Floor, 31st Street (Lower Block), between Merchant St and Mahabandoola St. (Tel: 095-104-231, 097-8510-4231) When: Saturday, March 19 to Wednesday, March 23. Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
"Totally Wired & Dalla Days" is a double exhibition of mythical sculptures and environmental portraits by Don Wright. The photographs were taken in Yaza Thingyan Ya Kwet in Dala Township. All profits from the sale of photographs and a percentage of the sale of the sculptures will go towards supplying water containers and mosquito nets to residents. Where: Gallery 65, at 65 Yaw Min Gyi St, Dagon Tsp. When: Friday, March 18 to Sunday, March 20. Time: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Looking back: Photographers Sai Zaw, Htoo Tay Zar, Hein Htet, J Paing, Soe Zeya Tun and Thet Htoo documented student demonstrations against the National Education Law and the subsequent police crackdown during March 2015. Where: Myanmar Deitta. 49, 44th St. When: Monday, March 14 to Thursday, March 31.
The post Ten Things To Do In Rangoon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| What Might Htin Kyaw’s Presidency Mean for Burma’s Economy? Posted: 15 Mar 2016 04:05 AM PDT  The president, Htin Kyaw (left), and his two vice presidents, Myint Swe (center) and Henry Van Thio (right). (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Since Htin Kyaw's confirmation as Burma's next president Tuesday morning, observers have been speculating about what this might mean for the national economy. Soe Tun, chairman of the Myanmar Automobile Manufacturers and Distributors Association and vice president of the Myanmar Rice Federation, expressed judicious optimism. "I believe U Htin Kyaw can drive up Burma's economy, given his education in economics and that he has to listen to what the people want," Soe Tun told The Irrawaddy. "I don't think the new government can solve the difficulties of economic growth during this honeymoon period—within the first 100 days—but I believe that the NLD [National League for Democracy] can be clear about what its economic policies will be." He also mentioned that he is unconcerned about Vice President Myint Swe, a former lieutenant-general and outgoing Rangoon chief minister, manipulating the business environment since NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi will be the one ultimately calling the shots. Myat Thin Aung, chairman of the Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone and a central executive member of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, voiced similar thoughts on the military-backed Myint Swe. "According to procedures set by the outgoing government, vice president No.1 normally makes decisions about national projects, while vice president No. 2 focuses on the education, health and social sectors. So if the new government follows this procedure, Myint Swe will make decisions regarding national projects," Myat Thin Aung said. "As far as I know, U Myint Swe is flexible in making business decisions, he's not rigid… [Either way] the president and other vice president will be working together with him." Htin Kyaw earned 360 out of a total of 652 votes in the Tuesday morning legislative session, while Myint Swe won 213 votes and ethnic Chin lawmaker Henry Van Thio won 79 votes, making them vice president Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Though there is much political wrangling ahead, there also seems to be a powerful current of hope running through Burma's burgeoning business community. "I believe that he [Htin Kyaw] can boost the country's economy, that he can spur businesses to develop in his term [as president]," said Sabei Aung, managing director of Nature Dream Travels and Tours. "He's honest, wise and has experience with international dealings, so no doubt he can lead the country. And, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be supporting him." The post What Might Htin Kyaw's Presidency Mean for Burma's Economy? appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Police Investigate Blast at Journalist’s Home in Arakan State Posted: 15 Mar 2016 12:40 AM PDT  Police officers are pictured at the purported scene of an explosion on Thursday night. (Photo: Facebook / Mrat Thu Tun) RANGOON — An Arakan State-based journalist claims to have been targeted for his media outlet's coverage of controversial issues, holding a press conference in Rangoon on Monday to discuss an explosion last week at his home in Sittwe that he characterized as an attack. The journalist, Min Min, general manager of Root Investigation Agency (RIA), was traveling to Buthidaung Township with his family at the time of the incident on Thursday, and no one was injured. He added that his home did not suffer any serious damage. Min Min speculates that the alleged attack on his home, which doubles as an office, was due to stories that his organization has recently published, implicating officials in scandals, though he defends the stories as fair. One such story accuses the leader of the Arakan Army, Tun Myat Naing, of leading the illicit narcotics trade in Arakan State. "Journalists, particularly those in conflict zones in ethnic areas, can't expect media freedom or for their lives to be secure," RIA said in a statement on Monday, pointing to the recent incident as evidence. The media outlet has also received threats on social media, with one supposedly offering a monetary reward for the killing of an RIA journalist. Min Min told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the investigation is being led by police officer Aye Khin Maung of Sittwe Township. The officer, however, declined an interview request from The Irrawaddy, and the cause of the explosion is as yet undetermined. Police officer Yan Naing Thet confirmed on Tuesday that the explosion occurred at about 11 pm on Thursday, but he declined to provide additional information. The RIA was founded last year, covering a range of issues including armed conflict, education, health care, human rights and human trafficking. The post Police Investigate Blast at Journalist's Home in Arakan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Salween in Focus for Burmese Civil Society on Rivers Day Posted: 14 Mar 2016 11:23 PM PDT Click to view slideshow. Ethnic civil society organizations and environmental activists together with local communities marked International Day of Action for Rivers along the Salween River in eastern Burma on Monday, expressing concern over the Burmese government's six planned dams on the waterway. Separate events took place at different locations in Shan, Karenni and Karen states, where in some locations active or latent conflict is a concern of the groups in addition to the projects' potential negative environmental impacts. The Save the Salween Network, an environmental advocacy group, was among those holding events on the Salween River, at Wan Sala village in Mongton Township along the Thai-Burma border in southeastern Shan State. The group was joined by local communities, including children, elders, religious leaders and political party representatives. Similarly, the Karen environmental organization known as Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN) held a Salween River event at the Ei Htu Hta displacement camp in Papun District, eastern Karen State. Hundreds of local community members including internally displaced persons (IDPs) attended. Community-based organizations in Karenni State also held separate events. The Save the Salween Network released a statement on Monday against "the government's plans to build six dams on this vital artery, which has nourished the culture, traditions and livelihoods of our peoples for generations." One mega-project was singled out. "We are also concerned at recent efforts to push ahead with the giant Mong Ton dam on the Salween River in southern Shan State, which will be the largest hydropower project in Southeast Asia. …We deplore the Burmese government's attempts to push ahead with mega dams in ethnic conflict zones, against the wishes of local ethnic communities," said the statement. "We urge governments, companies and investors not to build any hydropower dams on the Salween, as they will threaten the livelihoods and existence of countless ethnic communities living along the river," it continued. The Salween River, one of the longest rivers in Southeast Asia, supports ecosystems rich in biodiversity along much of its length, providing food security for ethnic communities throughout the river basin. The post Salween in Focus for Burmese Civil Society on Rivers Day appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Htin Kyaw Confirmed as Next President in History-Making Vote Posted: 14 Mar 2016 11:10 PM PDT  Htin Kyaw, left, at Parliament as an observer in February. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Union Parliament voted on Tuesday in favor of National League for Democracy (NLD) nominee Htin Kyaw as Burma's next president, confirming the 69-year-old's improbable rise to the country's highest elected office less than a week after the party put his name forward for the post. The executive committee member of an Aung San Suu Kyi-led foundation earned 360 out of a total 652 votes in the Tuesday morning legislative session, with lawmakers bursting into applause when his final tally was announced. Myint Swe, the military's candidate for the role, received 213 votes, while NLD Upper House nominee Henry Van Thio, an ethnic Chin lawmaker, won 79. Myint Swe and Van Thio will serve as vice president Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in an executive trio led by Htin Kyaw, who had been expected to win the final parliamentary vote since his nomination by the Lower House on March 10. All three candidates were deemed eligible for the presidency after passing a parliamentary scrutinizing body's vetting process, the findings of which were presented by Union Parliament Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than on Monday. The seven-member body was made up of the Upper and Lower houses' speakers and their deputies, two other NLD lawmakers and one military representative. Maj-Gen Than Soe, the army's delegate to the committee, had objected to the NLD's nomination of both Htin Kyaw and Henry Van Thio on the grounds that Htin Kyaw was not an elected lawmaker, and that Henry Van Thio had spent an extended period of time outside of Burma with his family, and thus might not meet the qualifications to hold an executive role. The scrutinizing body, however, overrode those concerns, as well as those regarding Myint Swe, whose son, once an Australian national, would appear to have given up his foreign citizenship so that it would not hinder his father's presidential ambitions. Article 59(f) of Burma's controversial 2008 Constitution bars anyone with a foreign spouse or children from serving as president. This clause has kept NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi from the role, as her sons hold British citizenship. Suu Kyi has all but declared Htin Kyaw a proxy for an incoming government in which she will call the shots. The new government takes power April 1, with formation of the Htin Kyaw cabinet to come ahead of that date. Htin Kyaw is set to become Burma's first democratically elected president from a civilian background in more than five decades. The post Htin Kyaw Confirmed as Next President in History-Making Vote appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Human Rights in Burma: Can the UN Human Rights Council Rise To The Occasion? Posted: 14 Mar 2016 09:30 PM PDT  Yanghee Lee, UN Special Rapporteur on Burma, pictured in Rangoon in August 2015. Her country report, submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, will undoubtedly influence a resolution put forward by the UNHRC for Burma later this month. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) As the world anxiously awaits the announcement of a new president for Burma on March 15, the United Nations is discussing the human rights situation in the country. Yesterday, Yanghee Lee, the UN Special Rapporteur on Burma, presented her report in Geneva to the UN Human Rights Council. At the end of this month, a resolution by the Council will decide how to move forward with the scrutiny of the human rights situation in the country. Since 2011, international attention on Burma has heavily focused on the political transition within the country. As that transition now moves into the verge of a new era, human rights challenges that the country has faced for decades loom large. In her report, the Special Rapporteur says that the "new government will now face formidable human rights challenges." The actions of the UN Human Rights Council will play a key role in deciding the future of these challenges. On Feb. 24, in an open letter addressed to member and observer states of the Council, 121 Burmese civil society organizations urged the body to maintain the country's status under Item 4 of its agenda, which addresses human rights situations that require attention. This would also mean not ignoring the dire state of human rights in the country, which could happen if scrutiny were to be relaxed and Burma promoted to an Item 10 classification, in which the focus would be merely on technical assistance and capacity building. The overwhelming majority secured by the National League for Democracy (NLD) in Burma's November 2015 elections has ushered in new possibilities for democracy and human rights. This change, however, has yet to take root in reality. Extensive and pervasive powers held by the military hang over the new government like the sword of Damocles. The 2008 Constitution guarantees the military 25 percent of seats in the national parliament as well as key government positions and powers; the army also enjoys a preeminent position in the powerful National Defense and Security Council. It may take some time before the extent of civilian control over the government is delineated and apparent. Meanwhile, as the NLD remains locked in a delicate dance with the military in negotiating democratic space, the UN Human Rights Council has a duty to strengthen the cause of that space by maintaining its scrutiny and remaining steadfast in its past demands. Decades-long armed conflicts continue in Burma's ethnic areas despite the October 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). As a result, hundreds of thousands remain displaced inside and outside the country and abuses such as torture, sexual violence and extrajudicial killings continue. In her report, the Special Rapporteur has reiterated the calls of previous UN experts on establishing accountability for violations of international humanitarian law. In the meantime, intolerance and religious extremism have been on the rise within the country. Systematic discrimination of Muslim communities, including the Rohingya, continues through legislation and state policy. These disastrous effects were visible in the massive regional crisis that engulfed South and Southeast Asia last year due to an exodus of refugees from Arakan State. Institutionally, the country faces a breakdown in the rule of law, and basic freedoms such as those of expression, association and assembly remain under severe threat. In this context, the Feb. 24 civil society letter calls on the Council and the Special Rapporteur to come out with clear benchmarks and a roadmap for the future of human rights in the country. Burma sits precariously on a geopolitical faultline that dangerously straddles competing interests of global and regional powers. The country's rich natural resources have added fuel to the fire. As economic powers compete over access to the country's untapped resources, new patterns of human rights violations involving business interests have emerged. Geopolitical tensions are also visible in current negotiations underway at the Council over the resolution on Burma. Several calls have been made for lowering—or even ending—the scrutiny of the human rights situation in the country. The UN Human Rights Council has a duty to not politicize human rights concerns. In the coming weeks, both the world and the people of Burma will be closely watching the outcome of negotiations and the resolution that emerges from it. International human rights bodies can be a key ally for the incoming NLD government in providing an open, transparent and standards-based path to address massive human rights challenges amidst residual internal pressure and competing external interests. As the premier human rights body of the world, it is imperative that the UN Human Rights Council is able to be meet its mandate to promote and protect human rights and show leadership at this pivotal point in Burma's history. It can contribute towards this not by abandoning its scrutiny and long-standing concerns, but by laying down clear benchmarks and a roadmap to address the human rights challenges that haunt the country.
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| Burma’s Expected President Is an Unlikely Leader Posted: 14 Mar 2016 09:22 PM PDT  Central executive committee member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) Htin Kyaw arrives for the opening of the new Parliament in Naypyidaw on Feb. 1, 2016. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) NAYPYIDAW — For years he walked alongside Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, a quiet confidant as she campaigned for democracy in Burma. On Tuesday, with her blessing, Htin Kyaw will become the country's president. A soft-spoken man with a penchant for literature and writing, Htin Kyaw gave up a career in the Foreign Ministry decades ago to help Suu Kyi, his childhood friend, with her political party. When Burma was under military rule, he ended up in the junta's prison along with other pro-democracy activists. But until last week, Htin Kyaw was hardly a household name, and most people in Burma—or outside—could have never imagined that he would become the president of the country's first democratically elected government in more than a half-century. Suu Kyi led her National League for Democracy (NLD) party to a landslide victory in the Nov. 8 general elections, but is prevented from becoming president by a constitutional clause designed by the former military rulers who have been gradually letting go of power since 2011. So she chose a trusted friend and adviser. She has repeatedly said she expects the president to be her proxy. Htin Kyaw, 70, is the son of a national poet and the son-in-law of a founding member of the country's pro-democracy movement. He has known Suu Kyi, 71, since grade school. Their fathers were family friends, and Htin Kyaw has been at Suu Kyi's side almost constantly since 1992. But he kept such a low profile that journalists were left scrambling to find out anything about Htin Kyaw when his nomination was announced last week. After all, he was only the nameless face often appearing behind Suu Kyi in pictures taken during her infrequent public appearances before she was freed from long periods of house arrests. "Htin Kyaw is a very quiet man who loves literature," said Zaw Min Kyaw, who has known Htin Kyaw for more than 20 years. Zaw Min published a book compiling a series of articles Htin Kyaw wrote about his father, titled "My Father's Life," in 2009. "He talks steadily and softly. He is such a kind person; very honest, quiet, and passionate, and lives simply," he told The Associated Press. Under Burma's complicated electoral system, the president is elected by lawmakers of both houses of Parliament. They chose from three candidates, one representing the Lower House, one the Upper House and one representing the military bloc, which has 25 percent of seats reserved for them. The candidate with the highest number of votes becomes president and the other two become vice presidents. As the personal nominee of Suu Kyi, Htin Kyaw is expected to win the highest number of votes in elections set to take place Tuesday. Suu Kyi nominated him "obviously to show that he is the most trusted person for her," said Zaw Min, 48, a former NLD member. "If this kind of person leads the country … it will also affect positively on the people of this country." Htin Kyaw is one of the first generation of graduates from Rangoon University, now the University of Yangon. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1967 and a master's degree in economics in 1968, while also working as a lecturer there. He moved to the computer science department in 1970, and later studied computer science at the University of London for two years before returning home to work as a programmer and analyst until 1975. Five years later, Zyaw Min said, Htin Kyaw then joined the government's foreign economic relations department, where he worked as deputy director. He resigned in 1992—apparently because of his family connections to the opposition party—and took greater interest in the work of the NLD, which was in the throes of a democracy campaign against a military junta. At the time, his father-in-law, U Lwin, was sick and Htin Kyaw used to drive him to the party office. In the process he started helping Suu Kyi with issues relating to foreign policy, and became the key adviser on the party's outreach to foreign governments and embassies, even as the junta continued to throttle the democracy movement. A watershed in his life came in 2000 when NLD workers, including Zaw Min, wanted to go to Mandalay on a campaign trip. They went to the Rangoon train station to meet with Suu Kyi, who had been driven there by Htin Kyaw. But officials refused to sell them tickets, and the situation became tense. Instead of leaving Suu Kyi at the station, Htin Kyaw "waited and waited because he knew the situation was not good," said Zaw Min. In the end everyone was detained, including Htin Kyaw. Suu Kyi was returned to house arrest, and the other nine activists spent the next 4½ months in notorious Insein prison. Up to that point, and even after his release, Htin Kyaw "didn't really do much active politics as far as I know," said Zaw Min. "It's not like he was taking a big position in the political party, but over the years he ended up helping Suu Kyi a lot in party affairs." Htin Kyaw is now a senior executive of the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, a charity named for Suu Kyi's mother. He is also a trusted member of the party's inner circle. "He is a very trusted friend of Daw Suu Kyi," said Zaw Min. They both went to the same elementary school in Rangoon. Htin Kyaw is remembered by his acquaintances as a smart student who loved sports. At university, he played water polo. "After he retired [from his government job], he became very quiet. He started spending a lot of time reading and writing articles," said Zaw Min. The post Burma's Expected President Is an Unlikely Leader appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| US Ambassador Derek Mitchell: ‘I Feel Gratitude for What I’ve Been Able to Witness’ Posted: 14 Mar 2016 05:42 PM PDT  The outgoing US Ambassador to Burma Derek Mitchell speaks to The Irrawaddy's Kyaw Zwa Moe in February. (Photo: Kyaw Phyo Tha / The Irrawaddy) Derek Mitchell, the now-former US ambassador to Burma, has helped guide a remarkable transformation in bilateral relations between the two countries since he was installed in 2012 as Washington's top envoy in the Southeast Asian nation. The Irrawaddy's English edition editor Kyaw Zwa Moe sat down with Mitchell last month to discuss a range of issues including economic sanctions, national identity and Burma's historic November general election. Mitchell's last official day on the job was Monday. You've witness a lot over the past few years in Burma. How do you feel now that you're leaving? I feel a mixture of emotions, for obvious reasons. There's a great sadness that my wife and I feel to leave this country because we have loved it so much. I feel gratitude for what I've been able to witness, gratitude to be part of a historic time that continues to unfold. We don't know how this is going to unfold, but we are in a very different place than we were years ago. We'll have to figure out ways that we can continue to contribute without being ambassador and wife. I think we have both witnessed a lot of change over the past five years. A few days ago, the current administration arrested Nilar Thein, a prominent, political activist. How do you feel leaving Burma with political prisoners still incarcerated and political activists facing arrest? These are people I've gotten to know over the past several years who I admire tremendously for their courage and their commitment to their country. It is disappointing to be departing before their situations are cleared up. The issue of political prisoners is one of the priorities that I took up. These people are allies in democracy. They believe in free speech. They are patriots. It's disappointing that this legacy of the past remains. But, I'm hopeful that a new government and maybe a new era are coming, that all people will be able to freely express themselves, and that the laws will be changed to embrace free speech instead of seeing it as a threat to stability. That latest arrest indicated that the international community didn't manage to convince Thein Sein's administration to accept international and democratic norms. How difficult is it for you to convince Thein Sein's administration to accept those norms? What they're saying is they have violated laws that are on the books as they've been passed by the Parliament. I wish they would be selective in their interpretation of the laws in order to allow for free speech and the right to demonstrate. It is the responsibility of the new government to put this era in the past, to pass laws that are clear, and to place people in the ministries that will interpret these laws in ways that affirm democratic practice. There are limitations on free speech and demonstrations, but they should be consistent with international standards.
Why do you think the administration, with only one month left to govern, keeps arresting or intimidating the people? I think it is an old mindset of what constitutes stability and rule of law. They may believe there are laws on the books that you need to follow in order to have a demonstration, and if you don't follow those laws you are held accountable. This is a sensitive moment and they want to ensure stability to get to April 1, just as they felt they had created a stability that allowed the elections to occur. That's one mindset. And I think what you need is a new mindset and a new government so that belief is something of the past. It won't be easy for the president of the NLD to announce amnesty for the political prisoners. They need to collaborate with the minister of the Home Affairs Ministry, which will still be appointed by the military. I think clearly Daw Suu [NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi] wants to form a partnership with the military and convince them that democratic stability is different than military stability. The stability imposed by force against people who are freely expressing themselves is harmful to the democratic system you want to create. It creates more tension in society rather than creating a stable environment where everybody feels they have a voice. Many critics have said that the current administration might try to make a comeback in coming years. Do you share this concern? I don't think it's going to happen. There is a history here of military domination of politics and there's a lot of mistrust. That's represented in that question. You have a history and you've had disappointments. People didn't expect the elections to go well. The people of this country have earned that, but they should work for the best and build trust steadily. The only hope for the country is to work for the best rather than assume the worst. As far as we know, the ongoing meetings between Suu Kyi and the senior general are going well. What is the best scenario that could come from these crucial meetings? A partnership. If they can build trust and a common vision going forward, these two people can set a model of reconciliation for the entire country. The country can succeed if the NLD and the military can work something out. What is the worst scenario? I think we should stop focusing on bad scenarios. When people focus on bad outcomes, they may act in ways that create more tension and mistrust. I hope people on all sides in this country think about how to make things better instead of assuming that what happened in the past is inevitable going forward. The only way there's a possibility of positive change is to hold out for the possibility of a positive future. Without the military's cooperation, the NLD government will face difficulties in many areas including the peace process, corruption and the economy. How should the new administration deal with the power of the military? With great patience and great openness. The strength of the incoming NLD government is that they are clearly the will of the people. If the military wants to be on the side of the people they should be partnering with civilian leadership. The NLD recognizes the need for a strong, respected military. They're not anti-military. If they can reach an understanding that both sides want the best for the country, then they can work on issues like military control of the economy, land confiscation, peace, drugs and accountability for military abuses. The NLD can reassure the military that they're not looking to attack; they're looking to build a partnership for the future. The United States administration has been engaging with the military as well. Do you see that kind of willingness in the military to work with the NLD? They're certainly saying that. I do think that there is a genuine desire for peace. Militaries are the ones who get killed and wounded on the front lines. They are often the ones who want peace the most. But we'll have to see what they're willing to sacrifice or compromise in order to get the peace they say they want. Again, it comes down to mistrust. They have enormous mistrust in the ethnic armed groups and the NLD. In Burma, the Constitution guarantees the military 25 percent of the seats in Parliament, three ministerial positions and the selection of a vice president. What if they want more from the political dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi? It's incumbent on the military to take the steps to ensure the country that things have changed, that they're embracing the people's wish for civilian leadership, and that they will conform to a new democratic moment. That includes issues of whether they need to control certain ministries or what their representation is in Parliament. If they can stand side by side with the opposition on April 1 and say, 'We will work together for the betterment of this country,' that will go a long way to build the trust that's necessary for a true people's military. Many observers and critics say the US re-engagement policy in Burma was encouraged by the Chinese influence in the region. The Chinese government has been active in reaching out to the opposition parties over the past year, especially after the US government started re-engaging with Burma. How important is China as a factor for the United States in Burma? It's not a factor for us. It's more a factor for the people of this country. China is recognizing it's a new day in the country, that there are new voices they need to talk to. But that's not about the United States, that's about the success of your reform process. We're only concerned if any country, not just China, involves itself in a way that is contrary to the interests of the people. Anything that gets in the way of this country's success makes us concerned. The democratic success of this country is in our national interest because it can be another engine of growth, and a model of democratic success in Asia. That's the only so-called China factor that we're concerned about and that's true of any country. The Chinese government doesn't seem to support the new US policies in Burma. Is a clash between the US and China likely as the US gets more engaged with Burma? I hope not. I know there are suspicions that the United States is here because of China. China has expressed those concerns, both privately and publicly. I have tried to keep a US-China dynamic out of this country. You have enough problems to worry about.
China may have concerns in terms of the instability along the border between China and Burma. I can understand that. There's a long border and they have security concerns. We have concerns along our border in the United States. China may question what the US is doing given the tension in their relationship and suspicions writ large throughout the region. But we are not here to counter China. This is not a strategy to use Burma as a tool to contain China. But we do care that this country maintains its sovereignty, maintains its ability to control its borders, and have a peace process that is not influenced negatively by outside powers. It's not a China issue. But if China is engaged in the country, we hope they adhere to the values of transparency, democracy and human rights that the people want. The Chinese leaders probably feel they are losing their neighbor, Burma, to the United States. I think that is a great concern for Chinese people. That's a zero-sum mentality. The Chinese like to say they don't believe in a zero-sum mentality. If they believe that our improved relationship with Burma is coming at their expense, this counters their view of how things should operate in this region. It is incumbent on China to do what's necessary to earn the trust and respect of people here, just like it's incumbent on the US to do the same. You are a proud people with your history, you want your sovereignty, you have huge neighbors and you remember colonialism. You don't want to be dominated by great powers so we each have to do our part to earn your trust. I don't think any big country should demand it without earning it. Over the past five years, since President Thein Sein's government started opening the country, the US administration has eased sanctions. Will the US lift more sanctions? We've gone a long way in terms of sanctions. There are no trade sanctions now, and we have eased on investment so that American companies can come in. There's simply a blacklist, a selected list of people that we have restricted our businesses from working with. I'm proud of American businesses and what they have done here. But we recognize that there is not a level playing field, that the structure of the economic system is the same as it was before. There are people with money who are confiscating land and we feel that our businesses should not be working with them in the interest of real economic justice. We consistently review our sanctions policy to determine what is getting in the way of our ability to promote reform here. Democracy must deliver for the people. Jobs must be created. People must feel there's something different. That balance is something we have to think about and clearly we're not doing this alone. We're doing this in close consultation with the new government and we'll do it in close consultation with ethnic communities who may feel that they're not being listened to. Recently President Thein Sein didn't go to the summit in the US. What was the reason? You'd have to ask them why he decided not to go. I think it was unfortunate since President Obama met with all the other leaders of the region. I heard Vice President Nyan Tun did an outstanding job, but it's always good to have the president there to meet his counterparts. But he made his decision and I respect it. You'll have to ask him the reason. What kind of conflict do you see in the new administration? I can't predict. It's a matter of personalities; it's a matter of Daw Suu and the new president working with the military to build trust. Nothing is easy in this country. It has its own way of developing. It never takes the path you hope it'd take going forward. But that doesn't mean it can't work. It'll just be more complicated and more unique in how the international community deals with it. It'll be a strange governmental structure but it can still work and we will do our best to help it work, to enable it to succeed. You've had the opportunity to meet with high-ranking people from both sides here? Will you write a book about Burma in the future? I don't think I'll write a book anytime soon. I'll let things settle and see how things come out. There's still a lot to work on. When I go back, I want to give talks and explain what I've seen here to ensure people outside the country understand the context and complexity of what is happening. In Burma, we have villains and heroes. How would you categorize those two groups in Burma's political arena? I think there are many heroes. And people here will decide on villains. There are people who did not allow things to move forward quickly because of old mindsets, but I hope people don't think in those terms. I wanted to do away with that. I didn't deal with who was right or wrong; it was, 'How can we both work together, everyone work for the best.' That's the mindset that's critical for a country that's been so divided. That mindset will continue to hold the country back. I hope people think in terms of what can we do to build a single, successful Burma and come to a real national identity. That's a huge challenge. There's never been a single national identity in this country. How do you overcome the singular identities that people hold onto because they feel they're under siege? There must be a respect for the past. Once people are reassured that their identity isn't under threat, we can work to build a single national identity. What is your most memorable achievement during your stay here? Setting the foundation for a lasting US-Burma people-to-people relationship, reconnecting our societies, and rediscovering the history that we've had. I want to maintain that momentum. I'm proud of laying that foundation. That's the most important legacy I can have because the rest of it can come and go. What is your farewell message to the Burmese people? Think about the positive. Take account of the past. Build communities of cooperation. Division has held the country back. Now, you're starting a peace process where divisions are hopefully being overcome. That's the only way democracy can succeed. And to the international community, don't forget about this country. Be patient, but not too patient. Recognize that certain types of change will happen gradually but that other types should happen as soon as possible. The dignity of every human being in this country should be respected. The international community will not forget about issues of human dignity. It's what we have fought for. We want you to succeed. This transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity. The post US Ambassador Derek Mitchell: 'I Feel Gratitude for What I've Been Able to Witness' appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
Aung Moe Zaw, chairman of the Democratic Party for a New Society
Yan Myo Thein, a Rangoon-based political commentator
Shin Daewe, filmmaker
Htoot May, Upper House lawmaker from the Arakan National Party
Soe Aung, Upper House lawmaker from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)
Brig-Gen Tint San Naing, military lawmaker
Rangoon Photo Night
Iron Cross 
Game Night
Painting with Pastel
Tuesday Snippets 
Silent Green
Totally Wired & Dalla Days
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