Thursday, March 16, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Legal Adviser: Article 66(d) Case Against Ko Swe Win ‘No Longer Valid’

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 09:21 AM PDT

Citing statements by Ma Ha Na and the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, the accusations against the journalist are void, says the lawyer.

The post Legal Adviser: Article 66(d) Case Against Ko Swe Win 'No Longer Valid' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Health Ministry Stands Firm as Nursing Students Protest Delayed Licensing

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 08:58 AM PDT

Nursing students reject assertions that they do not want to complete state service—instead highlighting issues of late licensing.

The post Health Ministry Stands Firm as Nursing Students Protest Delayed Licensing appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

NLD Govt Reviews Thein Sein-Era Foreign Investment MoUs

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 07:36 AM PDT

The current government is reviewing 60 out of 101 MoUs signed between the previous government and international investors.

The post NLD Govt Reviews Thein Sein-Era Foreign Investment MoUs appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Arakan State Advisory Commission Releases Interim Report

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 07:31 AM PDT

The Kofi Annan-led commission's recommendations include the closure of IDP camps and better training for security forces.

The post Arakan State Advisory Commission Releases Interim Report appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Religious Affairs Minister: ‘Constitution Goes Against Buddhist Beliefs’

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 07:22 AM PDT

U Aung Ko has called for amendments to the controversial, military-drafted Constitution.

The post Religious Affairs Minister: 'Constitution Goes Against Buddhist Beliefs' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UNFC Affirms Internal Disagreements

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 04:24 AM PDT

The alliance of ethnic armed organizations says top leaders within the bloc have different views on how to proceed with the peace process.

The post UNFC Affirms Internal Disagreements appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Two Civilians Killed in Clashes Between Burma Army, TNLA

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 02:02 AM PDT

A local mother and her 5-year-old daughter are killed, and two others injured, by artillery fire in latest clash in Kutkai Township.

The post Two Civilians Killed in Clashes Between Burma Army, TNLA appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Workers Replaced by Automation Demand Jobs Back

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 01:35 AM PDT

Despite negotiations, management and employees of Myanmar Mayson Industries Co. do not reach an agreement over a massive dismissal of factory workers.

The post Workers Replaced by Automation Demand Jobs Back appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Refugees Who Fled Arakan State Fear Losing Right to Return

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 12:48 AM PDT

Annual household survey in Muslim areas of northern Arakan State means returning refugees could face immigration charges.

The post Refugees Who Fled Arakan State Fear Losing Right to Return appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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National News

National News

Small water pumps banned at three sides of palace moat

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:43 PM PDT

The public will not be allowed to use small water pumps along three streets bordering the Mandalay palace moat this coming Thingyan (Water Festival), said U Ye Myat Thu, member of the Mandalay City Development Committee (MCDC).

New market building for Sittwe

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:39 PM PDT

A new building which will be constructed to replace the May Yu market in Sittwe township, Rakhine State, will include facilities such as a playground, hall, cinema and restaurants, as well as 268 shop lots offering goods such as clothing, commodities and electronic products.

Billboard guidelines for Bagan cultural zone

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:38 PM PDT

Guidelines for the erection of billboards in the Bagan cultural zone will be drawn up to ensure that they conform to the structure of ancient buildings in the area, said Daw Yu Yu Lin, coordinator with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for Bagan's tourism development project.

Bid for Pone Taung-Pone Nyar heritage listing

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:37 PM PDT

The Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library is keen on getting World Heritage listing for the Pone Taung-Pone Nyar region, where fossils of the earliest primates have been discovered.

NUSU holds protest over unlicensed nurses ban

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:30 PM PDT

Some 500 student nurses marched on the streets of Yangon yesterday in protest over the Ministry of Health and Sports' directive to bar nurses who do not complete the required three years' service in government hospitals from working at private hospitals.

‘Moe Pyar’ case proceedings delayed

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:27 PM PDT

The prosecution of 'Moe Pyar' doctrine founder U Nyana and his followers will be delayed as the authorities have yet to obtain court warrants to proceed, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture (MORAC) U Myint Oo told The Myanmar Times on March 13.

FDA testing foods in Pyin Oo Lwin

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:26 PM PDT

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Mandalay is testing jams and various other food items produced in Pyin Oo Lwin township, Mandalay Region, to ensure safety and raise awareness on cleanliness among consumers.

Myanmar Now chief reporter assailed

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:20 PM PDT

The chief reporter of The Myanmar Now was threatened by nationalists through Facebook after writing a follow-up story about NLD legal advisor U Ko Ni's assassination. He was also assailed on March 14 by three men.

Factory workers demand 10-day leave for water festival

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:19 PM PDT

About 500 workers at Running Tex, a Chinese-owned garment factory in Ngwe Pin Lae industrial zone in Hlaing Tharyar township, Yangon Region, launched a strike on March 15 to demand 10 days' leave during the Thingyan (Water Festival) ushering in the Myanmar New Year.

Advanced votes can be cast beginning March 22

Posted: 15 Mar 2017 11:16 PM PDT

Voter identification cards for the upcoming by-election will be issued by the Union Election Commission (UEC) and those ID cards can be collected at the respective UEC sub-offices beginning from March 17 until March 30, according to a UEC announcement.
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Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

Burmese commander accuses Shan armies of undermining local development

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 06:57 AM PDT

Maj-Gen Than Hlaing, the commander of Eastern Central Command, has accused two ethnic Shan armies – the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) and the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) – of undermining local community development, according to an official of the SSPP/SSA.

The SSPP/SSA soldiers
Speaking to Shan Heraldunder condition of anonymity, the SSPP/SSA official said that representatives of his group had gone on Monday to a meeting with Maj-Gen Than Hlaing at the Eastern Central Command headquarters in Kholam Township, southern Shan State. He said that the Burmese military commander had bluntly alleged that due to the actions of the SSPP/SSA and RCSS/SSA, the townships of Mong Nong and Kehsi were still underdeveloped.

"The way he [Maj-Gen Than Hlaing] spoke was disrespectful," the Shan army official said. "He accused us of failing to follow the 2012 ceasefire accord, and he insinuated that we are trying to expand our territory. He also called us 'narrow-minded'."

On the contrary, the SSPP/SSA official said, it is in fact the Burmese military which has launched offensives against ethnic people and expanded their positions into areas recognized as zones under the control of ethnic armed groups.

Fighting has broken out regularly in recent times between units of the Burmese armed forces and the SSPP/SSA and RCSS/SSA. This year alone, clashes have occurred between Burmese troops and SSPP/SSA forces in Mong Nong Township, while they have also engaged with the RCSS/SSA in Hsipaw Township.

The RCSS/SSA soldiers march on the Shan National Day
The SSPP/SSA officialsaid that the Shan armies were also accused of not following the Burmese military's so-called 'Six-point Principles'* The Burmese commander reportedly emphasized that the 2008 constitution was applicable to all parties, and reasserted that the military will protect it.

The RCSS/SSA was not immediately available for comment. The RCSS/SSA is one of eight ethnic armed groups which signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with President Thein Sein in October 2015.

The SSPP/SSA opted not to ink the NCA in 2015. However, it has signed state-level and union-level ceasefire accords with the government.

*The Burmese military's Six-point Principles are: to maintain a keen desire to reach eternal peace; to keep promises agreed to in peace deals; to avoid capitalizing on the peace agreement; to avoid placing a heavy burden on local people; to strictly abide by existing laws; and to 'march towards a democratic country' in accordance with the 2008 Constitution.

By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

Report on report: China and Myanmar’s Peace Process

Posted: 16 Mar 2017 01:42 AM PDT

The first thing I would like to say is my sincere thanks to Ms Yun Sun for writing this report. She certainly knows more than us (that means me) about China, Wa and the Kachin.

On China, these are the things I've learned:
·        Its official policy is "persuading for peace and facilitating dialogues"
·        There are certain Chinese special interest groups and individuals who have offered direct financial support for ethnic armed organizations in Myanmar:
1.     Yunnan Jingcheng Group, founded by Jingpo (Kachin) businessman Dong Lecheng. His hotel in Ruili was the venue for negotiation between Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/KIA) and the Myanmar government in 2013
2.     Yucheng group, a private financial company founded by a 34 year old Ding Ning, currently under criminal investigation, had reportedly provided funding to six armed groups active on the border: Arakan Army (AA), KIO/KIA, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA),National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and United Wa State Army (UWSA)
On Kachin
·        The political and financial support KIA enjoys from their Chinese Kachin brothers is perhaps the strongest among all ethnic armed groups. Such strong support carries important sway in China, because the local governments are keen to pacify ethnic minority groups for the sake of social stability
·        But China is not really happy about the KIO/KIA on several factors: Not always supportive of Chinese investments, maintaining close ties with western countries and organizations, attempts of "internationalization of the Kachin issue" by proposing to invite the United States, the UK etc into the peace process, its radical hardliners opting for independence and "stalling the peace process" through the alliance under its leadership, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)
On Wa
·        Among all the ethnic groups in Myanmar, UWSA perhaps has the closest ties with and elicits the most sympathy from China, to the extent that some local officials regard UWSA as China's "illegitimate child"
·        China will not push UWSA to quit the peace process; however, neither will it push UWSA to embrace by any settlement it is unwilling to accept. In the view of both China and UWSA, such an imposed settlement would be fragile, unsustainable, and only live likely to cause greater instability in the future
·        China supports the tacit leadership role of UWSA among the ethnic armed groups in northern Myanmar
·        Chinese authorities seem to tolerate Wa's illicit economy, including drug trafficking and casinos, for revenue, and instead pursue tighter law enforcement within China to combat the crimes

Other than these six groups, according to her, the Shan State Army North and Shan State Army South also matter to China even though they are farther south from the border. However, compared to other groups, why they matter so much is something the author has only a few general answers, such as their stand on the NCA and cooperation with the government military, which "affect the unity and politics of ethnic armed groups". For example, the current hostilities between the SSA South and the TNLA.

My thought is that perhaps Ms Yun Sun would like to find out more. And it wouldn't have been difficult for a researcher of her stature to do that.

A great country is like the lowland toward which all streams flow. Hence, if a great country can lower itself before a small country, it will win over the small country; and if a small country can lower itself before a great country, it will win over the great country. The one wins by stooping; the other by remaining low.


Chapter 61, Dao De Jing, by Lao Zi
Author: Yun Sun, Henry L. Stimson Center
Publisher: United States Institute of Peace
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