The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Ooredoo Lucky Draw Draws Fire From Users
- ANP Alleges Govt ‘Wrongly’ Issued Citizenship in Arakan State
- Government to Announce Economic Policy This Week
- Lawmaker Proposes Secretariat Be Returned to the Public
- The Lady and the Generals
- Hundreds of Jade Mining Licenses Expire This Month
| Ooredoo Lucky Draw Draws Fire From Users Posted: 25 Jul 2016 08:20 AM PDT  Ooredoo advertisement on a train on Rangoon's "circle" line (Photo: Pyay Kyaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — A reportedly defective "lucky draw" introduced by Qatar-based mobile network provider Ooredoo has been met with fury from users on social media, leading to a suspension order from the Ministry of Transport and Communication. The ministry is now investigating whether the lucky draw constitutes illegal "gambling," assistant permanent secretary to the ministry Chit Wai told The Irrawaddy. Ooredoo's text message-based lucky draw, called "Khu Phyay, Khu Htaw," was to last from July 18 to Oct. 15. Ooredoo subscribers could answer a series of quiz questions, with text message responses costing 200 kyats (US$0.17) each. Participants could win 3 million kyats ($2,526) on a given day, and accumulate 30 million ($25,255) over the full period, with the additional opportunity of winning phone handsets on weekends. The quiz included questions related to Burma's geography, current affairs and general knowledge, with participants selecting one of two answers. However, since Friday, a high number of users have been venting on Facebook that "correct" responses drew text messages reading "incorrect, try again," and claimed to have been "cheated." Catching wind of this fury, the Ministry of Transport and Communication's Department of Telecommunications sent a letter to Ooredoo on July 23 ordering them to stop the draw, and chastising them for not submitting the scheme to the ministry prior to launch. "We're now checking telecommunications law to determine whether this kind of [lucky draw] package is legal. We can't yet say whether it represents a form of gambling," assistant permanent secretary Chit Wai said. Chit Wai noted that, "Ooredoo is not forcing their subscribers to spend money on text messages for the lucky draw." He said they were still awaiting a response from Ooredoo. Meanwhile, complaints on Facebook have continued to rumble. "I've spent at least 5,000 kyats [US$4.20] answering their questions," raged Ma Mon Mon, a resident of Rangoon's Yankin Township. She went on, "If my answer is correct, I get ten points, and so on till I get closer to the prize draw—but I got back replies saying most of my answers were wrong, which is not true, and so I tried again and again got so frustrated." "It's like baiting," she said. On Monday, Ooredoo apologized to its subscribers and said it would reimburse lucky draw participants within 48 hours. The draw will remain on hold while discussions are held with the ministry, and participant's scores will remain as they were. Ooredoo recently announced it had netted 7.5 million subscribers in Burma, one of the fasting growing telecoms markets in the world since the liberalization of the market in 2013. This puts it well behind Norway-based Telenor, the only other foreign operator so far in Burma, which has claimed 16.9 million subscribers. However, Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT)—the State-owned enterprise that held the monopoly prior to 2013—still holds the largest share of subscribers. A fourth telecoms operator—a shared venture between Vietnam's Viettel, 11 local Burmese public companies and a subsidiary of military-run Myanmar Economic Corporation—was awarded a license earlier this year, but has yet to enter the market. The post Ooredoo Lucky Draw Draws Fire From Users appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| ANP Alleges Govt ‘Wrongly’ Issued Citizenship in Arakan State Posted: 25 Jul 2016 08:12 AM PDT  About 200 participants, including individuals representing civil society organizations, political parties and the Buddhist monkhood, attended the Arakan National Party's press conference on Sunday, July 24 at the Dolphin Restaurant in Rangoon. (Photo: Pyay Kyaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON – The Arakan National Party (ANP) and several Arakanese legal experts held a press conference on Sunday alleging that Burma's previous government had wrongly issued citizenship documents to over 1,000 Muslims in Arakan State's Myebon Township. The Arakanese political and legal representatives say that the 97 individuals issued Citizenship Scrutiny Cards—or "pink cards," which denote full citizenship—and 917 people granted naturalized citizenship, received these statuses in violation of Burma's controversial 1982 Citizenship Law. Several ANP leaders said that the main purpose of the press conference was to draw attention to what they allege are similarities between the National League for Democracy (NLD) government's current practices regarding citizenship verification and those of the former military-backed administration. The ANP is instead calling for stricter verification measures; the party has been active in lobbying to uphold the 1982 Citizenship Law, which has been condemned by the United Nations and the international community as being discriminatory against minorities, including Muslims. As part of a citizenship verification process initiated in June 2014 by ex-president Thein Sein's government—under the "Rakhine State Action Plan"—former Arakan State Chief Minister Maung Maung Ohn led a team that examined 2,900 applicants who applied for citizenship in Sittwe District's Myebon Township. These individuals largely belonged to Muslim minorities in the region, including ethnic Kaman and Rohingya. In December of that year, Arakanese Buddhist residents of Myebon shut their houses and businesses in protest during Maung Maung Ohn's visit to the township to show their dissatisfaction with the practices of the citizenship scrutiny committee. This caused the government to swiftly suspend the process, which only resumed in May this year. Thar Pwint, a former lawyer as well as a member of the citizenship scrutiny committee, said the committee was formed of eight people, including six government officials from the township level. At the press conference, he said that the committee had reportedly checked only the following points at the township level committee: whether the applicants had reached the age of 18, if they were mentally sound, and if they could fluently speak one of the ethnic languages of Burma. [Although the 1982 Citizenship Law contains the latter provision, it does not list what the ethnic, or "national," languages actually are—neither does the 2008 Constitution.] He acknowledged that, at the time, he was not familiar with Burma's citizenship and immigration laws, even though immigration department officials had distributed pamphlets to the committee members outlining Burma's three categories of citizenship, as outlined in the 1982 law: full, naturalized and associate. Thar Pwint alleged that government manipulation of the law "created loopholes for Bengalis," using a term employed widely throughout Arakan State and elsewhere in Burma to describe the group which self-identifies as Rohingya; "Bengali" implies that the Rohingya are interlopers from Bangladesh, a claim which they reject. At the press conference, ANP representatives, including party chairman Aye Maung, described an interpretation of the 1982 Citizenship Law focused heavily on articles 42 and 6. Article 42 states that individuals can obtain naturalized citizenship by demonstrating evidence that they or their parents or grandparents entered Burma before 1948, the year the country gained its independence from Britain. Article 6 states that those considered citizens at the time the 1982 law came into effect will remain as such, and their status cannot be revoked unless it is found that an individual has attained it under "false representation"—naturalized and associate citizenship can, however, be revoked by the central government on a range of vague pretexts, including "showing disaffection or disloyalty to the State." Kyaw Zaw Oo, an ANP lawmaker in the state legislature, argued that according to these measures, applicants for citizenship whose predecessors entered Burma after 1948 are not eligible for any form of citizenship. He pointed out that the previous government's implementation committee did, however, give "pink cards" [denoting full citizenship] to people who did not meet this criterion, thereby "breaching procedure." The Irrawaddy asked ANP vice chairwoman Aye Nu Sein whether the ANP had a plan to address the citizenship status of around 1 million stateless Muslims in Arakan State, approximately 130,000 of whom remain displaced after violence in 2012 and 2013. Echoing other members of the ANP leadership, she said that the only option was adherence to the 1982 Citizenship Law, which she said would provide them with basic rights and greater freedom of movement, without elaborating on how this would be carried out. "All we want is to keep implementing in line with 1982," Aye Nu Sein said in reference to the law, adding that the reporter should "not make allusions." NLD patron Tin Oo was among party members who attended the event, but he declined to comment. On Monday, both the Arakan State Chief Minister Nyi Pu and Win Lwin, the head of the Population and Immigration Department in Arakan State, could not be reached for comment. The post ANP Alleges Govt 'Wrongly' Issued Citizenship in Arakan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Government to Announce Economic Policy This Week Posted: 25 Jul 2016 06:52 AM PDT  Workers unload goods at the Thilawa Port in 2013. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — The National League for Democracy (NLD) government will announce its long-awaited economic policy through state-run media on July 29 said Tun Tun Naing, permanent secretary of the Ministry of National Planning and Finance. The public reveal of the economic policies comes almost four months after the NLD assumed power. Tun Tun Naing did not elaborate on policy details and said further information would come directly from the planning and finance minister. Sean Turnell, economic advisor to the NLD, told The Irrawaddy last week that the government's economic policies would follow the ones laid out by the NLD last year, as industry observers and experts expected. "The principles will remain the same," he said, but added that one big issue facing the government is a lack of security. "People don't trust in banks. They don't have land security. Investment security is fundamental." The NLD's previous economic policies stressed fiscal prudence, lean and efficient government, a revitalized agricultural sector, monetary and fiscal stability and functioning infrastructure. The party also emphasized that policies comply with domestic laws and be consistent with international human rights standards in order to facilitate foreign direct investment (FDI). Myat Thin Aung, chairman of the Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone, said he does not have high expectations for these early economic policies because they were set with politicians rather than after sufficient consulting with industry experts. Politicians need to discuss policy with business industry experts, even after releasing their plans, he said, adding that while the NLD's policy may need to be fine-tuned, he hopes that it will emerge "better." Myat Thin Aung said he expected the government to favor local entrepreneurs in order to compete with foreign investors who are entering the country. "The economic policy should be strong enough to support all types of investors," he said. The post Government to Announce Economic Policy This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Lawmaker Proposes Secretariat Be Returned to the Public Posted: 25 Jul 2016 06:47 AM PDT  A ceremony last week at Rangoon's Secretariat commemorates Martyrs' Day. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — A Rangoon divisional lawmaker will submit a proposal that would return the city's historical Secretariat building—which has been leased to a private company—back to the public. Aung Htoo, a National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker representing Rangoon's Botahtaung Township, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that he will ask the government during the upcoming parliamentary session to give back to the public the 120-year-old Secretariat building, which is located in his constituency and is the site where independence leader Gen Aung San and eight of his colleagues were assassinated 69 years ago. "I was really happy to see thousands of people enter the building on Martyrs' Day [last week]. It is a historical place and part of our heritage. It shouldn't be privatized. Instead, it should belong to the public," he said. The Secretariat is currently undergoing renovations supervised by local developer Anawmar Art Group, which was selected as winner of the Secretariat tender in 2012. After submitting a detailed plan of renovation methods and planned building use, a 50-year lease was awarded to the developer. Le Yee Soe, director at Anawmar Group, told The Irrawaddy last year that the group planned to convert part of the dilapidated colonial structure into an art museum and would spend an estimated US$50 million on the renovation. The post Lawmaker Proposes Secretariat Be Returned to the Public appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Posted: 25 Jul 2016 05:57 AM PDT  Aung San Suu Kyi receives Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing at her Rangoon residence for a Buddhist merit-making ceremony with monks on this year's Martyrs' Day, July 19. (Photo: Yawainwe Inn Ma / Facebook) It takes two to tango, say Burma-watchers trying to make sense of the relationship burgeoning between the new government and the armed forces. This last week, some intriguing gestures have passed between the two. On July 19—Burma's Martyrs' Day, commemorating the assassination of independence hero Aung San and eight of his colleagues in 1947—Commander-in-Chief Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing became the first armed forces commander in decades to take part in the annual ceremony at the Martyrs' Mausoleum in Rangoon. This is bound to become protocol for Min Aung Hlaing's successors. There were more surprises. After delivering his salute at the mausoleum, the commander-in-chief showed up at Aung San Suu Kyi's Rangoon residence for a Buddhist merit-making ceremony, switching his uniform for a traditional Burmese jacket and longyi. Pictures of Min Aung Hlaing and Suu Kyi nodding and smiling at each other alongside prominent Buddhist monks in Suu Kyi's lakeside villa were shared widely among the Burmese public and foreign observers. Prominent former generals were also present, including Myint Swe, vice president and a protégé of former dictator Than Shwe, and Shwe Mann, who was once "number three" in Than Shwe's military junta and is now a close ally of Suu Kyi. Relations between Shwe Mann and the military establishment have grown chilly at best; with Suu Kyi in the middle, they were forced to exchange pleasantries. Last month, the military attempted to sue a local newspaper for a story that quoted from a speech given by Shwe Mann to graduates of the Defense Services Academy, in which he urged them to work with the country's newly elected democratic government. The military claimed the publication of these words could "destroy the unity of the military."  Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy. Tin Oo, a commander-in-chief of the military during the 1970s and now one of the senior-most leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD), was seen conversing with top members of the military establishment at Suu Kyi's house on July 19. The event was like a social gathering of the current bi-polar political elite in Burma, minus President Htin Kyaw. The general public reacted positively. Min Aung Hlaing, who had turned 60 by July 19, brought his wife along; she was photographed sitting behind Suu Kyi as the monks partook of their lunch offerings. It was a demonstration of closer relations forged between Suu Kyi and the armed forces chief. So what was the deal underlying all this? One theory circulating among political analysts asserts that the government first proposed that President Htin Kyaw attend the ceremony at the Martyrs' Mausoleum, which would have made him the first Burmese head of state to attend since before the 1988 coup. However, this would have led to concerns that such a move would reflect badly on previous heads of state—who chose to remain aloof from a monument so closely associated with Aung San, the late father of then-opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi—and would have set a binding precedent for all succeeding presidents. In the end, President Htin Kyaw commemorated Martyrs' Day in Naypyidaw at a Buddhist merit-making ceremony, receiving little publicity. Assigning Min Aung Hlaing to the high-profile ceremony in Rangoon was part of the compromise reached, so the theory goes. A rumor shared among political pundits several months ago was that Min Aung Hlaing was facing resistance in extending his position for another five years—on the understanding that, constitutionally, he would need the go-ahead from the president. On Wednesday of last week, Lt Gen Mya Tun Oo addressed a press briefing in Rangoon on behalf of the military, in which he confirmed that Min Aung Hlaing and his deputy, Soe Win, would continue in their roles for the full term of the current government, ending in 2020. Under an amended defense services law, the retirement age is now pegged at 65. Political insiders have since claimed that the NLD government had given the green light for this extension; Suu Kyi and senior NLD officials were not ready to begin relations with a new commander-in-chief. In May, Min Aung Hlaing clarified his position at a press conference in Naypyidaw: "The commander-in-chief is below the president. Contrary to what many had assumed, we are working together [with the civilian government]." Suu Kyi's present goal is to achieve peace in a war torn country. For this, she must find common ground with army generals as well as ethnic leaders. Like her father, she has shown herself to be a pragmatic politician. The events of last week, with the appearances of the commander-in-chief at the Martyrs' Mausoleum and in Suu Kyi's Rangoon home, signal such an attempt to reach out and build trust. This augurs a new political dynamic in Burma—a cause for cautious optimism. The post The Lady and the Generals appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Hundreds of Jade Mining Licenses Expire This Month Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:46 AM PDT  A mining field in Kachin State. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) Burma's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has released a list of 310 jade mining companies in Kachin State who will be unable to renew their licenses when they expire at the end of this month. The government previously said it would not renew expired jade mining licenses until it had worked out a management plan that met international environmental norms. Most of the expiring licenses belong to jade miners operating in Kachin State's Mohnyin, Hpakant and Lone Khin areas, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation's website. The ministry is prepared to develop an environmental management plan and will regulate mining companies in line with that plan, said Win Htein, director general of the ministry. "We won't renew the licenses of mining companies that do not meet the norms," he said. Kachin State's jade mines came into the spotlight after hundreds of miners were killed during numerous landslides in Hpakant Township last year. The worst incident killed at least 110 people at a mining waste dumpsite last November. "This is a good move. But companies aren't just operating in one mining field. The question is how the government will check that these companies with expired licenses really cease operations," said Myint Han, information officer at the Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association. Jade dealers said they doubt the new government can effectively enforce the ban on mining in Kachin State, where the rule of law is weak because of ongoing fighting between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burma Army. Meanwhile, thousands of Burmese jade dealers have collected signatures on a petition calling for the new National League for Democracy (NLD) government to temporarily halt gemstone mining and stop illegal exports to China in an effort to increase prices on the domestic market, according to sources at the Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association. Existing regulations require jade dealers to pay the government a 28 percent tax on every sale. Sellers who want to avoid the tax sell illegally to China, according to sources at the association. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Hundreds of Jade Mining Licenses Expire This Month appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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