Thursday, December 8, 2016

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

South Korea’s Parliament Sets Up Presidential Impeachment Vote 

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 07:19 AM PST

Prosecutors say they believe Park colluded in the criminal activities of a longtime confidante to manipulate government affairs and extort businesses.

The post South Korea's Parliament Sets Up Presidential Impeachment Vote  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon to Launch Public Waterfront Area in 2017

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 07:13 AM PST

Walled riverfront areas along Strand Road from the downtown streets of Pansodan to Sule Pagoda will be open for public use as a pilot project.

The post Rangoon to Launch Public Waterfront Area in 2017 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

KNU Congress Scheduled for March

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 06:21 AM PST

The Karen National Union will hold its 16th Congress in March at its Karen State headquarters after it was postponed in November.

The post KNU Congress Scheduled for March appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

MPs Express Frustration with Ministers

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 05:16 AM PST

Lawmakers accuse ministers of being out of touch with the everyday lives of citizens and failing to address issues effectively.

The post MPs Express Frustration with Ministers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Car Import Deadline Pushes Dollar Exchange Rate to Record High

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 05:12 AM PST

'Importers have to beat the deadline. That's why the demand for dollars is rising, and the exchange rate is going up too,' says Dr. Soe Tun.

The post Car Import Deadline Pushes Dollar Exchange Rate to Record High appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon to Reform Municipal Body in 2017

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 04:40 AM PST

The announcement of municipal reforms follows the State Counselor's remark that in 20 years, Burma hopes to have 'overtaken' Singapore's economy.

The post Rangoon to Reform Municipal Body in 2017 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Philippines’ Duterte Says Trump Made Him Feel ‘Like a Saint’ 

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 04:07 AM PST

US President-elect Donald Trump praised him for 'doing great' in his deadly campaign against illegal drugs, says Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

The post Philippines' Duterte Says Trump Made Him Feel 'Like a Saint'  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thailand to Resume Peace Talks with Muslim Separatists in Malaysia

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 03:50 AM PST

'Our goal is to minimize losses and violence. Talks right now are at the trust-building stage," says Thai negotiator.

The post Thailand to Resume Peace Talks with Muslim Separatists in Malaysia appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Women’s Rights Bill to go to Parliament in 2017

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 03:32 AM PST

Burma will submit a long-awaited bill to Parliament that will protect women from violence, according to a committee working on the draft law. 

The post Women's Rights Bill to go to Parliament in 2017 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Shan State Parliament puts Peace Process in Jeopardy

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:45 AM PST

'This only proves how the Burma Army does not have genuine intentions for the peace process,' says TNLA spokesman. 'Now more fighting will come soon.'

The post Shan State Parliament puts Peace Process in Jeopardy appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Parliament Approves Japanese Loan

Posted: 07 Dec 2016 09:58 PM PST

Loan of US$270 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency approved to fund third Thilawa special economic zone bridge.

The post Parliament Approves Japanese Loan appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Dissidents Urge Trump to Press China on Human Rights

Posted: 07 Dec 2016 09:10 PM PST

Exiled Chinese dissidents urge President-elect Donald Trump to champion human rights in China and recognize Taiwan as "a full democratic country."

The post Dissidents Urge Trump to Press China on Human Rights appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thousands Take Refuge in Mosques After Deadly Aceh Quake

Posted: 07 Dec 2016 09:05 PM PST

Thousands of people in the Indonesian province of Aceh took refuge for the night in mosques after a strong earthquake killed nearly 100 people.

The post Thousands Take Refuge in Mosques After Deadly Aceh Quake appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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National News

National News

Street vendor holdouts, YCDC on crash course over relocation plan

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:37 AM PST

Tensions are mounting between Yangon City Development Committee and the commercial capital's street vendors, as a small contingent refuses to move stalls from their locations on Anawrahta Road.

War an ever-present nightmare for northern Shan State villagers in TNLA, Tatmadaw crosshairs

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:29 AM PST

War is not a distant reality. War is on our doorstep, say people living in northern Shan State.

Speaker demands detailed allegations as MPs discuss fraud

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:26 AM PST

An intervention by the Speaker of parliament's lower house could have the effect of shutting down a debate on possible fraud in the granting of agricultural loans, some MPs say. Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker U Win Myint told MPs on December 6 to include specific details of alleged fraud in their statements, and not to confine themselves to generalities.

Advocacy group to tackle misconceptions on Human Rights Day

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:23 AM PST

Public awareness is on the agenda during this year's Human Rights Day, with activists deciding to take a grassroots approach to the occasion on December 10.

Shan legislature favours ‘terrorist’ designation for Northern Alliance

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:22 AM PST

The Shan State Hluttaw yesterday green-lit a controversial proposal to designate the new Northern Alliance-Burma as a "terrorist" organisation, in a motion put forward by a lawmaker from the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party.

Bill seeks 9-month term limit for sub-commissions

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:18 AM PST

The Union Election Commission has introduced a budget-saving bill that would reduce sub-commissions' terms from five years to just nine months, UEC members confirmed yesterday.

Environmental disasters could doubly affect IDPs

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:11 AM PST

The coupling of increased environmental disasters with internal conflict has created unique and threatening realities for internally displaced persons in Myanmar, according to a recent Refugees International report.

Magwe to install retaining walls to counter river bank collapse

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:08 AM PST

In a bid to reduce erosion and destructive riverbank collapse during next year's rainy season, retaining walls will be constructed along the banks of the Ayeyarwady River throughout Magwe Region over the coming months.

Hluttaw OKs Japanese loan to fund Thanlyin bridge

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:06 AM PST

In spite of concerns raised by lawmakers on the wisdom of accepting large foreign loans for commercially viable projects, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw overwhelmingly voted yesterday in favour of receiving more than 31 billion yen (US$283 million) from the Japanese government to fund the construction of a new bridge over the Bago River.

Sagaing inspections net off-book pesticides

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:05 AM PST

Authorities have uncovered an unregistered cache of imported insecticides and herbicides worth around K30 million (US$23,000) in Sagaing Region's Butalin township.
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Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

Eastern Shan party will not contest by-elections

Posted: 08 Dec 2016 12:15 AM PST

The Eastern Shan State Development Democratic Party (ESSDDP) has said that it will not contest the upcoming bi-elections, which are slated to be held on April 1 next year.


Sai Sam Tip Hsur, the vice chairman of the ESSDDP, which was formed shortly before the 2015 general election, told Shan Heraldthat his party had decided not to list candidates for the 2017 by-elections because of a breakdown in cooperation with its sister parties, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and the Shan National Democratic Party (SNDP).

"I am sure we will not be able to win in eastern Shan State if we [three Shan parties] do not unite," he said. "Both the SNLD and the SNDP will contest [the same constituencies]. I believe that if we do not cooperate, we will all lose.

"If we believe that our nationality is the priority, we must cooperate," Sai Sam Tip Hsur emphasized. "No whether which party wins – whether it is the SNDP or the SNLD – the outcome is that we all [Shan nationals] win."

He added: "I am sure that every Tai [Shan] loves his or her national identity. However, if we continue to hold prejudices against one another, we are going to lose.

"No one need beat us; we will lose the elections by ourselves."

The three ethnic Shan-based parties lost every seat in eastern Shan State to the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the National League for Democracy (NLD) in the general election last year.

The SNDP, also known as the White Tiger Party, had contested 207 seats in 68 townships in Kachin State, Kayah State and Shan State, as well as Mandalay and Sagaing Divisions. However, it won only one State Assembly seat in Mong Pan Township. The SNLD, which won a convincing victory in Shan State in the 1990 elections, won a total of just 40 seats in last November's elections.


Both SNDP and SNLD confirmed that they would contest all available seats in the by-election next year. 

By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)
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