The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Suu Kyi Goes to China
- Environmentalists’ Objections Convince Shan Parliament to Reconsider Building Site
- UPDJC Agrees to All-Inclusion at Union Peace Conference
- Naga Activists Demand Government Support in Fighting Deadly Measles Outbreak
- Sule Square Project Stalled in Negotiations
- Panglong’s Labyrinth
- Ethnic Mon IDPs Concerned About Declining Aid
- ‘The Time for Electoral Reform is Now’ Says the Carter Center
- Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week
| Posted: 16 Aug 2016 09:05 AM PDT  China's President Xi Jinping with Burma's then-opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Beijing on June 11, 2015. (Reuters) In former times, Burmese and foreign observers considered Burma's generals well versed at playing international powers off against one another. Now it is Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's current de facto leader, who is visiting China. Many in the region, and in the West, will be assessing her diplomatic skills in engaging the Chinese and reconciling China's interests in Burma with rising Western influence. During Hillary Clinton's breakthrough visit to Burma in 2011, Suu Kyi said that Burma wanted to maintain "good, friendly relations with China, our very close neighbor, and not just with China but the rest of the world." Suu Kyi's visit to Beijing this week is an attempt to make good on this statement. On the agenda for her meetings with Chinese leaders is Burma's peace process and China's controversial mega investment projects in Burma. Her leadership skills will be tested. Like previous leaders, civilian or military, Suu Kyi made the right decision to visit Burma's powerful neighbor before heading to the West. It would be provocative, and create ill feeling, if she had first chosen to visit Washington first. Since assuming power, she has visited Laos and Thailand, where she won more friends and allies in the region. She should do well in Beijing. Likewise, China's adjustment to political changes in Burma is increasingly evident. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi flew to Burma in early April, shortly after the formation of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, making him the first foreign dignity to pay his respects to Burma's new administration—a demonstration of Burma's continued importance to China. Wang Yi conveyed president Xi Jinping's invitation to Suu Kyi to visit China. In June of last year, Beijing surprised everyone by hosting Suu Kyi, as head of the NLD and leader of the opposition. She received red carpet treatment, meeting with China's President Xi Jinping. It was a sign that Beijing was ready to outmaneuver Western governments, including the US. China's engagement with Burma has since stepped up. Last week, Beijing deputed the Communist Party's head of international relations, Song Tao, to visit Burma and meet not only with Suu Kyi, but also with Burma's armed forces chief Min Aung Hlaing, former President Thein Sein—who invited Beijing's displeasure with his suspension of the Myitsone Dam in 2011—and Shwe Mann, the powerful former parliamentary speaker and current ally of Suu Kyi. To the surprise of many, Burma's former supreme leader, ex-Snr-Gen Than Shwe—who generally keeps well out of public view—received Song Tao at his residence. Than Shwe and his subordinates in the ruling junta before 2011 were seen as selling off Burma's natural resources, allowing China to build several dams and oil and gas pipelines running from Burma's Arakan coast to China's Yunnan Province. These concessions consolidated China's strategic position in Burma. The recent meeting with Than Shwe was testament both to China's long arm and its history of relations with elite political forces in Burma. The visit to Than Shwe's opulent Naypyidaw residence (probably built by gas money from China) was private, but the former junta head reportedly told his Chinese guests that China was a "good neighbor" and "friend," and thanked China for "supporting" Burma's economic and social development. Over the last two decades, Than Shwe—now into his 80s, and still firmly under US sanctions—made numerous visits to China. His extensive friendship with, and business connections in, China should not be underestimated. After reforms were launched in 2011, Beijing was forced to adjust its policy towards Burma, a country once considered to be firmly within its sphere of influence; it was caught short by the rapid political change in Burma. Burma's re-engagement with the West made Beijing nervous. In January 2012, the US normalized its relations with Burma and substantially upped its influence. Obama became the first sitting US president to visit Burma. Perhaps to irk Beijing, the US applauded the decision of the previous Burmese government to suspend construction of the multi-billion dollar Chinese-backed Myitsone Dam project in northern Burma. The US has always denied that re-engaging Burma has anything to do with China—but it does. Re-engagement from the West has raised the stakes in Burma. Options have multiplied for Suu Kyi and all key players—particularly in cultivating friends and allies other than China—now that the country is no longer a pariah. The suspension of the US$3.6 billion Myitsone Dam project—on which $42.5 million of Chinese money had already been spent—was a big lesson for China, which is determined not to allow a repeat of such incidents in Burma. Many expect the dam to feature prominently on Suu Kyi's agenda in Beijing. Ahead of her visit, President Htin Kyaw formed a new commission to evaluate all proposed hydropower projects on the Irrawaddy River. It must submit its first assessment report to the President's desk by November 11. This was a calculated move, since Suu Kyi is now able to defer any firm positions on the dam while meeting with President Xi in Beijing. The truth is, any resumption of the Myitsone Dam is a non-starter; Suu Kyi wouldn't risk the ensuing public discontent. In July, an editorial in state-run newspaper The Mirror called for the cancellation of the Myitsone Dam. However, the oil and gas pipelines linking China's Yunnan Province to Burma's Arakan coast is more important than the Myitsone Dam. The former military regime in Burma reached an agreement with Beijing on the dual pipelines in 2006, with construction beginning in 2010, when two countries celebrated their 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The multi-billion dollar pipelines offer Beijing strategic access to the Bay of Bengal via Burma, allowing it to counter India's influence and growing naval capabilities in the Indian Ocean. New Delhi shifted its Burma policy away from that of the West back in 1993, due to China's speedy engagement and rising influence in Burma. In Burma's conflict-ridden northern borderlands, China remains a key player, continuing its tacit support to ethnic armed groups now engaged in the formal peace process. Sun Guoxiang, China's Special Envoy on Asian Affairs, addressed the summit of ethnic armed groups in Mai Ja Yang, Kachin State in late July, saying that China backed "all the forces that support internal peace in Burma." No western diplomats were to be seen. "We expect that all ethnic armed groups will join the 21st Century Panglong Conference," Sun Guoxiang told The Irrawaddy, referring to the Union Peace Conference scheduled to begin on August 31. Beijing has shown an increasing interest in stability along its long shared border with Burma. "It is crucial for Burma to achieve internal peace," Sun Guoxiang said, citing the "payoff" the country would receive. Reading these messages, one might assume that Beijing is playing along with Suu Kyi's peace plan. However, Beijing is unlikely to compromise on its strategic interests and investment, no matter how far Western influence rises in Burma. During Hillary Clinton's visit to Burma in 2011, The Global Times, a Chinese government mouthpiece, wrote that China did not oppose Burma seeking an improved relationship with the West, but wouldn't accept its interests being "stomped on." It is a complicated relationship indeed—China knows Suu Kyi holds the key. Suu Kyi will be pragmatic, and some will find this hard to swallow. In November, she told the state-owned Xinhua news agency, "We'll pay special attention to our relations in order to make them smooth, effective and clear." "Ties between neighbors are always more delicate than that between countries far apart," Suu Kyi said. In comparison to previous Burmese leaders, Suu Kyi will face daunting challenges in rebalancing Burma's relationship with China, on the one hand, and the West, on the other—while serving the interest of the Burmese public, and trying not to overly upset powerful former generals who developed strong ties with Beijing. But she knows she will have to set the record straight and repair past damage, while setting a new tone in Burma's relationship with China. Most importantly, she can't disappoint the Burmese people, who are counting on her leadership—and are hoping she won't come back empty handed. The post Suu Kyi Goes to China appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Environmentalists’ Objections Convince Shan Parliament to Reconsider Building Site Posted: 16 Aug 2016 08:02 AM PDT  Trees marked with red Xs at the proposed site of a new parliamentary building in Taunggyi, Shan State. (Photo: Living Earth Green Network) RANGOON — The speaker of the Shan State legislature has pledged to reconsider the location for the construction of a new regional parliamentary building after environmental activists voiced objections to the proposed site in the state capital of Taunggyi. Those in opposition to the plan launched a signature campaign over the course of the last week to stop the new structure from being built, as more than 80 trees are slated to be cut down to make way for the building. The activists have described the proposed site as a "landmark area" in Taunggyi. Cherry Kyaw, a Taunggyi-based environmentalist who chairs the local Living Earth Green Network, said that the state parliament's speaker Sai Loon Seng from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) met with the activists on Saturday regarding their objections. "He said that they will reconsider using a place which has been objected to by the public and he will [consult] the regional government about a new location," she said. She said that the network collected over 3,000 signatures from August 11-14. On Monday, the network sent the official objection, along with the petition, to the state government and legislature. "We are not objecting to the construction of a new parliament. We only reject the [proposed] venue, as it will have a lot of impact on the local ecology. We won't stop them if their next location doesn't have as much impact on the enviornment," said Cherry Kyaw, adding that during the meeting with Sai Loon Seng, the speaker had asked for their input regarding an alternative location. Nang San San Aye, a Shan State parliamentarian from Hsipaw Township and one of four lawmakers appointed to the tender selection committee for the new parliamentary building, told The Irrawaddy that she had heard that the building would not longer be constructed on the site originally proposed. There is not yet a decision regarding a new location, she said. The post Environmentalists' Objections Convince Shan Parliament to Reconsider Building Site appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| UPDJC Agrees to All-Inclusion at Union Peace Conference Posted: 16 Aug 2016 07:26 AM PDT  Dr. Tin Myo Win, Aung San Suu Kyi and Kyaw Tint Swe (L to R) at the UPDJC meeting on August 15, 2016 in Naypyidaw. (Photo: Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy) NAYPYIDAW—The Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) has approved a principle of all-inclusion at the Union Peace Conference, slated for later this month, during a two-day meeting in Naypyidaw. UPDJC members (from the government, Parliament, the Burma Army, representatives of registered political parties and eight non-state ethnic armed organizations) agreed to include non-signatories of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) in the joint convening committee for the conference, according to Hla Maung Shwe, secretary and government representative of the UPDJC. The conference will focus on five main topics; politics, defense, the economy, social welfare and the environment and natural resources, said Zaw Htay, President's Office spokesman. Zaw Htay told the media on Monday that participants would be given equal status during discussions, whether they were NCA signatories or non-signatories. The representatives of the ethnic armed groups and Parliament agreed to the scheduled date and the political dialogue framework. The Union Peace Conference will commence on August 31 and will be held for five days in Naypyidaw's Myanmar International Convention Centre No. 2. A similar conference is planned every six months thereafter, according to the presidential spokesman. Hla Maung Shwe said they had decided on all-inclusion for "conference attendants" whether they had previously signed the NCA or not. "We will uphold the principle of all-inclusion throughout negotiations," he added. "We will move forward and hold national level talks. We will all take joint ownership of the process and work to include all stakeholders in the process." In terms of all-inclusion, Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan National Party and political representative of the UPDJC, said the group would try to include all stakeholders, including three active armed groups—the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, Arakan Army and the Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army—in the national conference, despite the Burma Army having previously issued a demand that these groups disarm before joining the peace dialogue talks. All participants will be considered "conference attendants," without categorizing them as aligning with the Burma Army or the ethnic armed groups, said Hla Maung Shwe. Negotiations are still being held to decide who will be invited, as the building only holds about 1,600 people. State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, who also serves as chairperson of the UPDJC, urged stakeholders to "try to reach a common political agreement" in a speech on Monday in which she stressed that support from the ethnic groups would be necessary in order to achieve a genuine federal union. She said, "We aim to negotiate all of our different opinions at the conference. I believe we can all work together for our people's prosperity by negotiating, as we all have different views for our future." Another UPDJC meeting will be held prior to the Union Peace Conference, said Hla Maung Shwe on Tuesday after the meeting. The post UPDJC Agrees to All-Inclusion at Union Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Naga Activists Demand Government Support in Fighting Deadly Measles Outbreak Posted: 16 Aug 2016 07:10 AM PDT  Naga activists hold a press conference in Rangoon on Tuesday to address what they described as insufficient support for remote villages suffering from a measles outbreak. Holding the microphone, on the far right, is Naw Aung Sann, the general secretary of the Council of Naga Affairs. (Photo: Nang Seng Nom / The Irrawaddy) At a Rangoon press conference on Tuesday, right activists from the Naga Self-Administered Zone called on the Union government to put forward more support for the victims of a deadly measles outbreak in Lahe and Nanyun townships which has claimed 42 lives—including those of 29 children. "We want the government to provide more humanitarian aid for the victims," said Naw Aung Sann, the general secretary of the Council of Naga Affairs, adding that the authorities have a responsibility to build better roads to the area to facilitate the delivery of much-needed medical and food supplies. The 15 villages which have suffered the heaviest casualties from the outbreak are incredibly isolated—many are accessible only by motorbike, and can take up to a week to reach, due to a lack of transportation infrastructure. "Our people have been suffering a lot," he said, asking, "whose duty is it to help these victims?" The illness first appeared in Lahe's Thankholama village on June 6, and initially claimed the life of an elderly man. It did not alarm the community until a further five people succumbed to the then unknown disease by July 9. Six activists spoke at the Rangoon press conference, placing blame with the regional government of Sagaing Division—in which the Naga Self-Administered Zone is located—for not providing enough assistance to community-based responders struggling to address the measles outbreak. The activists said that representatives from Sagaing's government had promised that they would provide a helicopter to deliver aid, but such action had not been taken, despite requests from the ethnic Naga community for more assistance. "They said, 'if you need a helicopter, we will provide you with one.' But, in fact, they did not help us with this when we asked them," said Naw Aung Sann, who explained that his aid team transported food by bus from Rangoon to Mandalay in the hope that the Sagaing government would then be able to fly it to the remote areas of the Naga region. They did not, instead limiting the donations to 27 kilograms placed on a public flight to Lahe town, 50 miles from the hardest-hit village of Thankholama. Without transportation for the aid, much of the donated food remains stuck in Mandalay, out of reach of the Naga community. The Burma Army and the Sagaing regional government initially provided the areas affected by the outbreak with some sacks of rice, but Naw Aung Sann said that this has been insufficient in meeting the dietary needs of the sick. "The victims, especially those who are children, need nutrition, to help them recover," he said. Local activists now look back and say the measles outbreak could have been prevented by preemptive government action. Thankholama village, for example, has no clinic and no medics; children had not previously been provided the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Naw Aung Sann described one family that had lost three of its members within one month, and another that lost two people. "We all have duty to help [the victims]," said Cong Tsi Shee, an activist who spoke at the press conference. "Those children could become leaders of the country, but it is sad, because now they have died." The post Naga Activists Demand Government Support in Fighting Deadly Measles Outbreak appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Sule Square Project Stalled in Negotiations Posted: 16 Aug 2016 05:15 AM PDT  The Sule Square project in downtown Rangoon. (Photo: Pyay Kyaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Sule Square project in Burma's commercial capital of Rangoon is still under negotiation with the city's municipal body to secure final approval of its construction, the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) told The Irrawaddy on Monday, because the developer has yet to fully agree to the committee's modification demands for the project plan. YCDC's initial permission was granted in January 2013 based on the project's original proposal, which promised a public space of over 5,000 square feet and nearly 900 square feet for public restrooms. But the project's revised plan in March scaled down both of those designs—with only 1,300 square feet allotted for public space and 500-600 square feet for restrooms. In early August, YCDC demanded that the developer modify the project plan in line with the municipal body's requirements in order to issue final approval. Last week, the developer submitted its adjusted plan to YCDC, in which it agreed to modify the public space and public restrooms as originally proposed, said a senior official of the YCDC who was involved in the negotiation process with the Sule Square project but asked to remain anonymous. "The developer has fixed the majority of our modification demands, but not all," the official said. "We still have to negotiate further. Only if both sides come to an agreement will final approval be granted." The YCDC official also said, "both sides are generally in agreement on a serious monetary penalty to be levied" for the addition of two extra floors without final approval from the regional government and the YCDC. The YCDC issues approval for buildings between nine and 12.5 stories, while developers of structures 13 stories or higher are required to seek approval from the Rangoon divisional government. Sule Square is being built adjacent to the existing Sule Shangri-La Hotel—formerly known as Traders Hotel. Construction of the 23-floor structure is nearly complete but includes two extra floors for which the developer did not have permission, according to the municipal committee's initial approval of the project. Even though the two additional floors are a breach of the initial contract, the building maintains the original approved height of just over 302 feet. The Irrawaddy contacted Sule Square center director Peter Ow on Monday to comment on the ongoing negotiations with the YCDC, but had received no reply at the time of publication. The last comment received from Peter Ow came in an email to The Irrawaddy on August 5. He wrote that the company had applied for all requisite permits and was "in consultation with the authorities to secure final approval for the project." Speaking to The Irrawaddy last month, Aung San Win, secretary of the YCDC's High-Rise Inspection Committee, said the complete revised plan of the project was submitted very late—just prior to the handover between the old and new Rangoon divisional governments in March. The former divisional government and the YCDC did not have a chance to approve the revised plan, in which about 10 findings were different from the plan the YCDC has initially approved, he added. Part of the land on which Sule Square sits was originally an Armenian cemetery that was later turned into a public space after the country gained independence in 1948. The post Sule Square Project Stalled in Negotiations appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Posted: 16 Aug 2016 05:04 AM PDT  Panglong’s Labyrinth The post Panglong’s Labyrinth appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Ethnic Mon IDPs Concerned About Declining Aid Posted: 16 Aug 2016 04:13 AM PDT  The release of a report on Burma's internally displaced persons on August 12. (Photo: Zue Zue / The Irrawaddy) Ethnic Mon internally displaced persons (IDPs) are concerned about declining aid and financial assistance, according to a recent report on IDPs in Burma. The Human Rights Foundation of Monland, Burma Link and Burma Partnership released a joint report called "Invisible Lives: The Untold Story of the Displacement Cycle in Burma" in Rangoon on Friday. Nearly 70 years of ethnic conflict has created a displacement crisis with almost 650,000 internally displaced people and about 480,000 refugees who have fled the country, predominantly from ethnic minority areas, according to the report. Currently, more than 100,000 refugees live in camps along the Thailand-Burma border, and approximately 400,000 IDPs live in protracted displacement in southeastern Burma. As the political and social transformation in Burma continues—and following the triumph of the National League for Democracy in the 2015 elections which captivated local citizens and observers around the world—optimism that displaced persons would soon begin to move back to Burma has led to further decline in donor funding along the border, said the report. "We hate to think what will happen to us if we no longer receive assistance," said an IDP who lives near the border as quoted in the report. Those living in IDP camps are mainly concerned that they will not continue to receive food and healthcare amid the constant decline in supplies over the past few years. Although a coalition of international nongovernmental organizations called The Border Consortium (TBC) continues to assist ethnic Mon IDPs, its policy is to gradually reduce aid to encourage self-reliance. The Nippon Foundation has also provided assistance to Mon IDPs for years, but IDPs are worried that this aid will also stop, said Nai Awe Mon, program director of the Mon State Human Rights Foundation "Aid has not completely ceased. IDPs still receive some assistance from the Nippon Foundation, International Rescue Committee and the American Refugee Committee. There are still projects from the last fiscal year but we don't know if these will be extended or if new ones will take their place when they end," said Nai Awe Mon. He called for continued aid to Mon IDPs and said that, for countries in transition, aid should continue for people who were scapegoated in conflict until the transition is complete. Mon IDPs have been unable to find sustainable livelihoods in IDPs camps and continue to suffer from chronic poverty, debt and lack of medical care, according to the report. The report stated that there are about 35,000 IDPs in Mon Sate, mainly along the Thai-Burma border in the eastern part of the state controlled by the New Mon State Party. Some of them were forced from their homes some 20 years ago due to armed clashes and land confiscation. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko The post Ethnic Mon IDPs Concerned About Declining Aid appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| ‘The Time for Electoral Reform is Now’ Says the Carter Center Posted: 16 Aug 2016 04:03 AM PDT  Carter Center associate director Jonathan Stonestreet (right) and Burma field office director Stefan Krause (center) speak at the Tuesday press conference in Rangoon. (Photo: Ben Dunant / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — US-based non-governmental organization the Carter Center has stressed the need to get electoral reform efforts underway early on, if Burma is to have a "fully democratic parliament" after the next general election in 2020. The Carter Center, founded by former US President Jimmy Carter, launched its final report on the 2015 general election at a press conference in Rangoon on Tuesday. The 80-page report includes recommendations and findings from its observation of the full electoral process, from the drawing up of voter lists to post-election dispute resolution. Jonathan Stonestreet, an associate director at the Carter Center, said at the report launch, "The time to start thinking about electoral reform is now." He commented that, in countries in transition, electoral reform is easily "put on the back-burner" after the successful staging of an election, passed over in favor of reforms that appear more pressing—until the next election arrives and it is "too late." Proper adherence to international democratic standards would require changes to the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, says the Carter Center—for instance, "so that all members of at least one house of the Union parliament are elected by direct vote." The current 25 percent reservation in Parliament for military appointees should be "phased out," says the report, which also recommends that Article 59(f), which barred Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president because her children hold foreign citizenship, be "reconsidered." The Carter Center also cites candidate eligibility as unduly restrictive. Under current laws, only "full" citizens can run for elected office; the many residents of Burma holding "naturalized" and "associate" forms of citizenship are barred. The report touches on the large-scale exclusion of the Muslim Rohingya community in Arakan State, the majority of whom holding "temporary" forms of citizenship were barred from voting, despite being enfranchised in all previous elections. The Carter Center recommends the amendment of Burma's citizenship legislation in line with international standards: "The legal status of habitual residents of [Burma], especially former temporary registration certificate ["white card"] holders, should be resolved, and equal access to citizenship ensured through a timely, non-discriminatory, and transparent process." Stefan Krause, the Carter Center field office director in Burma, noted at the report launch that amendments to the constitution and election laws necessary for fully democratic elections could "take some time" and face political hurdles—but the Union Election Commission could take the initiative in reviewing its own by-laws and regulations. Efforts from the commission could include improving the gender-balance and diversity of election sub-commissions—which exist at various administrative levels in the country and consist largely of current and former civil servants—and allotting them more resources to lessen their dependency on local government structures under the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs, the report says. Other recommendations include updating the voter list at "regular intervals"; reforming the appointment system for the Union Election Commission—currently the prerogative of the President—to ensure impartiality and independence; curbing the unaccountable powers of the commission by making its decisions open to judicial appeal; and for Burma to sign and ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Carter Center has been present in Burma since October 2013, and deployed international observers across all states and divisions between December 2014 and March 2016. Since 1989, the organization has observed more than 100 elections in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The post 'The Time for Electoral Reform is Now' Says the Carter Center appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week Posted: 15 Aug 2016 07:23 PM PDT
The final match of the season, between Myanmar National League rivals Magway FC and Yangon United FC, will be held at Aung San Stadium. Where: Aung San Stadium, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp. When: Wednesday, August 17, 3:30pm
Organized by the Myanmar DJ Charity Foundation, an electronic dance music show will be held at J-One Music Bar to help flood victims. The entrance fee is 5,000 kyats. Where: J-One Music Bar, Bo Cho Street, behind the Union Business Center, Tamwe Tsp., Tel: 09 5085908 When: Friday, August 19, 5pm
Over the years, Artist Nann Nann has collected objects from antique shops around the country, which she has now repurposed as art. Where: The Yangon Gallery, Pyay Road, People's Park & Square, Sanchaung Tsp., Tel: 09-738 27777 When: Friday, August 19 to Tuesday, August 23
The country's first Lethwei World Championship will be held in Rangoon with bouts between international champions and Burma's fighters. Tickets are available for 10,000, 30,000 or 50,000 kyats, and the matches will also be aired live on Skynet Sport-3 and MNTV. Lethwei is a traditional Burmese form of martial art—or kickboxing—analogous to Muay Thai in Thailand. Where: Thuwunna National Indoor Stadium When: Sunday, August 21, 5pm
A group watercolor exhibition featuring 77 artists will be held at Lokanat Gallery, with 200 paintings on display with prices between $100 and $1,500. Where: Lokanat Galleries, 62 Pansodan St, First Floor, Kyauktada Tsp., Tel. 095-1382-269 When: Monday, August 15 to Friday, August 19
MPP Yei Myint holds a charity exhibition for flood victims at Cloud 31 Art Gallery. Twenty-five paintings, each priced at 300,000 kyats, will be on display. Half of the sale proceeds will be donated to flood victims through the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation. Where: Cloud 31 Art Gallery, No.49/51, First Floor, 31st Street, Lower Block When: Saturday, August 20 to Sunday, August 28
A trio of watercolor artists will showcase 100 paintings at the River Ayeyarwaddy Gallery. There will be around 100 paintings on display at the exhibition. Where: River Ayeyarwaddy Gallery, No. 134, 35th Street, Kyauktada Tsp., Tel:09-428324318 When: Monday, August 15 to Wednesday, August 17
A group exhibition of about 30 paintings from 11 artists will be showcased at Think Art Gallery. Where: Think Art Gallery, No. 23, Nawaday Street, Dagon Tsp., Tel: 09-5143266. When: Sunday, August 21 to Saturday, August 27 Thanlyin 2016 Fourteen artists will showcase about 70 works in different mediums at the Myanmar Artists and Artisans Association. Where: Myanmar Artists and Artisan Organization, Bogyoke Market When: Wednesday, August 17 to Sunday, August 21
A charity group art exhibition to benefit flood victims will be held at Hninzi Myaing Art Gallery at the Hninzigon Home for the Aged. Seventy percent of the proceeds from the sale will be donated. Where: Hninzi Myaing Art Gallery, Hninzigon Home for the Aged, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road When: Friday, August 19 to Tuesday, August 23 The post Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
The Irrawaddy picks 10 interesting events happening in Rangoon this week.
Bogyoke Aung San Shield Soccer Final
'Save Myanmar' Charity EDM Show 
Art in Me, Sculpted From Found Objects, Solo Exhibition Opening
Myanmar Lethwei World Championship 
'Atmosphere' Watercolor Exhibition
MPP Yei Myint Charity Art Show
Watercolor Exhibition 
Myanmar Contemporary Art Movement's 'Crossing Borders III'
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