Tuesday, January 9, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Govt Shakeup Coming to Some States, Regions

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 05:28 AM PST

YANGON — NLD sources said the government was likely to replace some of its state and region ministers and chief ministers starting as soon as next week in what would be the largest shakeup of its kind since the party took power almost two years ago.

Monywa Aung Shin, secretary of the NLD's Central Information Committee, said on Monday that the local ministers and chief ministers would be replaced during the coming session of Parliament, which will reconvene next Monday after a two-month break.

"We heard that about five or six ministers will be replaced at state and region level, as well as chief ministers," he said.

The Irrawaddy Region's minister for natural resources, environment, agriculture and livestock, U Ba Hein, has submitted his resignation already, also for health reasons.

Local media has reported that Magwe Region's minister for labor, immigration and population, U Nay Myo Kyaw, and its minister for agriculture, livestock and irrigation, U Soe Myint, have tendered their resignations as well.

They reported that U Nay Myo Kyaw was the subject of an internal party investigation over an alleged extramarital affair and that U Soe Myint was resigning on health grounds.

Last week, the Rakhine State Parliament voted to strip Municipal Affairs Minister U Min Aung of his duties after being accused of failing to hold consultations on the state budget.

News of the pending replacements follows closely on the NLD's announcement last week of coming structural reforms within the party ahead of the 2020 elections. It also comes amid mounting calls from pundits that its government replace key posts in order to improve its performance.

The NLD lawmakers who spoke on condition of anonymity said the government was also likely to replace some Union ministers who have been criticized for their performance over the past two years.

NLD spokesperson U Nyan Win would neither confirm nor deny the reported changes.

"I couldn't say that is not true. It will depend on the decision of the government. As a party, we don't decide on that," he said.

U Nyan Win told The Irrawaddy last week that the NLD would carry out reforms based on the lessons it has learned from its mistakes over the past two years.

Additionally reporting by Htet Naing Zaw from Naypyitaw.

The post Govt Shakeup Coming to Some States, Regions appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Peace Process Hits Another Hurdle

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 04:09 AM PST

YANGON — The government and ethnic leaders postponed a Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) meeting this month, where stakeholders would discuss setting a date for the upcoming session of the Union Peace Conference (UPC), in part because of the suspension of the Shan national-level political dialogue.

With the UPDJC talk postponed, the peace process is stalled and whether the UPC will be convened later this month as previously planned is uncertain.

"All meetings have been postponed," said U Myo Win, a secretary of the UPDJC who represents the ethnic armed organization (EAO) side. The UPDJC has 48 members and EAOs, the government and political parties have 16 representatives, respectively.

"We are not ready to meet again, partly because the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) suspended the Shan national-level political dialogue," he said, referring to the Tatamdaw's obstruction of prior consultations held in Shan State in December.

It seems that the peace process has reached a stalemate yet again for the government, the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) and signatories of the nationwide ceasefire agreement. But stakeholders say they are optimistic that further negotiations will propel the process forward.

The Peace Process Steering Team of the eight NCA signatories, led by Karen National Union (KNU) chairman Gen Saw Mutu Say Poe, will discuss a way to overcome this hurdle on Thursday.

"If the RCSS completed its Shan national-level political dialogue, the process could move forward," said U Myo Win, but the UPC would still be postponed.

Dr. Manam Tu Ja, the chairman of the Kachin State Democracy Party, echoed that a stalled UPDJC meeting does not mean that the peace process had stopped.

He also speculated that the stalemate could be the result of hopes of additional NCA signatories following peace talk efforts between the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) and the government.

The UNFC requested a meeting with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to discuss the issue.

The New Mon State Party (NMSP), a member of the UNFC bloc, expressed a desire to sign the NCA soon, after its executive committee meeting in December. However, the stance of UNFC member the Karenni National Progressive Party remains uncertain, as three KNPP soldiers were recently killed by the Tatmadaw in Loikaw.

In the meantime, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the KNU, urged for a postponement of the UPC, as the military-drafted 2008 Constitution remains in place, and little has been accomplished under this framework in prior peace conferences.

Since ceasefire negotiations began, the Tatmadaw wanted the EAOs to disarm and take part in politics under the 2008 Constitution. But EAOs consistently raise concerns regarding reform of the security sector, as agreed to in the NCA. There is an ongoing dispute as to whether disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) or security sector reform (SSR) comes first.

KNLA commanders reaffirmed that they would not give up their arms until genuine peace prevails in the country.

The post Peace Process Hits Another Hurdle appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

KNLA Says It Won’t Attend Third Session of Panglong Peace Conference

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:22 AM PST

YANGON — Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) commanders have decided not to attend the third session of the Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong—slated for the last week of January, saying peace negotiations have gone nowhere under the military-drafted 2008 Constitution.

KNLA commanders reviewed the results of the second session of the peace conference at a meeting on Jan. 5.

"Our leaders attended the previous session of the Panglong Conference. Upon reviewing it, we found that the conference made no progress from the 2008 Constitution. We are concerned that the next session will be the same," Brigadier-General Sha Htu Waw, the joint deputy adjutant general of the KNLA, told The Irrawaddy.

"The current peace process is not in line with our aims. Therefore, we don't have any trust in it," he said, adding that the third session should be suspended.

The meeting also discussed the DDR (disarmament, demobilization and reintegration) and security sector reform processes.

DDR is one of the key demands of the Myanmar Army, or Tatmadaw, with respect to ethnic armed groups' full participation in the peace talks.

The army insists there is only one armed force in the country, while ethnic armed groups have demanded security sector reforms including the formation of a federal army that would incorporate ethnic armed groups.

"We have also decided that we won't accept DDR unless the country achieves peace," he said.

The government's Peace Commission declined to comment on the KNLA's decision. "Everyone knows who drafted the 2008 Constitution. Even the National League for Democracy [NLD] came to power according to the 2008 Constitution and has to work within that framework," said U Aung Soe, a member of the commission.

The post KNLA Says It Won't Attend Third Session of Panglong Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 10:36 PM PST

112 Years Yangon Zoo Donation Fair | Jan. 13-14

Singers will perform at this fundraising event and proceeds will be donated to orphanages.

Jan. 13-14. Yangon Zoo.

 

Charity Show | Jan. 12

Singers will perform and taekwondo will be demonstrated at this event.

Jan. 12, 6 pm. Kandawgyi Hmaw Sin Kyun.  Tickets are 5,000 to 20,000 kyats at City Mart Supermarkets.

 

 Lin Lun Khin Book Sale | Jan. 8-17

Lin Lun Khin Publishing will celebrate its 11th anniversary with discounts on its books.

Jan. 8-17. Leik Kan Street, Pazundaung Tsp.

 

Smart City & Future Yangon | Jan. 13

The Yangon Region Computer Industry Association will give talks on what a smart city is and the challenges facing Yangon in the future.

Jan. 13, 2 pm to 5 pm. Myanmar ICT Park, Hlaing University.

 

Musical Night | Jan. 14

Chart-topping singers will perform at this event.

Jan. 14, 7 pm. Shwe Htut Tin Grounds. Tamwe Tsp. Tickets 20,000 to 40,000 kyats at 09-977009157, 09-455573442.

 

Yar Pyae Book Sale | Jan. 8-14

Yar Pyae Publishing House will offer up to 20 percent discounts on its publications.

Jan. 8-14, Hledan & Pansodan.

 

Watercolor Art Exhibition | Jan. 13-16

A group art exhibition of nine artists will feature watercolor paintings on various subjects.

Jan. 13-16, 43 Art Gallery, 43rd Street, Botahtaung Tsp.

 

The Value | Jan. 13-17

Nyan Ye Naing's solo art exhibition 'The Value' highlights the importance of shoes to humans.

Jan. 13-17, Bo Aung Kyaw Art Gallery, Bo Aung Kyaw Street.

 

Khin Maung San Solo | Jan. 13-15

Khin Maung San (Magwe) will show his modernist paintings.

Jan. 13-15. Moon Art Gallery, 35th Street, Kyauktada Township.

 

Stains and Me | Jan. 13-19

This is a modernist art exhibition by artist Aung Zaw.

Jan. 13-19. Nawaday Tharlar Art Gallery, Yaw Min Gyi Street.

The post Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Saint Laurent Ventures Online in China as Luxury Portals Take Off

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 09:20 PM PST

PARIS — French fashion label Saint Laurent, part of Kering, will start selling online in China through a JD.com portal, joining shopping players like Alibaba in trying to tap strong luxury goods demand from Chinese consumers.

The French brand, created in 1961 by its late founder Yves Saint Laurent, said on Monday it was partnering with Toplife, a platform launched last October by JD.com that aims to woo luxury buyers with same-day deliveries and premium services.

It rivals Luxury Pavilion, a similar portal launched in August that is backed by Alibaba’s Tmall platform and features products from fashion groups such as Burberry.

Chinese shoppers made up 32 percent of the worldwide luxury market in 2017, more than any other nationality, consultancy Bain & Co said, making it a crucial market for fashion brands.

KPMG has projected, meanwhile, that half of China’s domestic luxury consumption could come from web sales by 2020.

Online shopping has proved a potent earnings driver for fashion brands even if many were initially reluctant to distribute their wares too widely.

Top labels such as Kering's Gucci or LVMH's Louis Vuitton recently started marketing directly to Chinese buyers with their own websites in the country.

High-end fashion houses are still wary of alliances with mass-market platforms such as Amazon, however, fearful they will lose control of their image.

JD.com and Alibaba's specialist luxury platforms have already lured several other brands, touting themselves as more exclusive, selective sites.

The post Saint Laurent Ventures Online in China as Luxury Portals Take Off appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai King Orders Festival Paying Homage to Past Monarchs

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 08:59 PM PST

BANGKOK — Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has ordered a history-themed festival for the public, a government spokesman said on Monday, as the Southeast Asian nation emerges from a year of mourning for his revered father.

The king's father, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, whose reign spanned seven decades, was cremated in Bangkok in October.

The late king, who died in October 2016, commanded the devotion of millions and helped shape Thailand for decades after World War II. King Vajiralongkorn does not attract the same level of devotion.

The festival, which will take place at the Royal Plaza, a public square in Bangkok, from Feb. 8 to March 11, will feature exhibitions showcasing the life and work of his late father King Bhumibol and his great grandfather, King Chulalongkorn, who reigned from 1868 to 1910.

The festival will include gardens, fountains and historic-looking structures.

"The king wants Thai people to be happy by reminiscing about the past, that's why the festival has a historical theme," government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd told Reuters on Monday.

He added that the public will be encouraged to wear traditional Thai clothes and 19th century Thai fashions.

King Vajiralongkorn, who ascended the throne after his father's death, quickly asserted his authority by requiring changes to a new constitution to make his powers clear and he also set about reorganizing the palace.

He has issued a number of royal decrees in recent months pertaining to the promotion and dismissal of palace officials.

He has also been given full control of the agency that manages the multi-billion dollar holdings of the monarchy.

Outside of the palace, the king has ordered the organization of public events such as weekend music concerts aimed at "bringing happiness to the people."

King Vajiralongkorn's formal coronation is expected to take place later this year and could signal the start of politics following a year of mourning and the late king's funeral.

Thai laws protecting members of the royal family from insult limit what all news organizations, including Reuters, can report from Thailand.

The post Thai King Orders Festival Paying Homage to Past Monarchs appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Says 27 of 31 Regions Met 2016 Low Carbon Targets

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 08:24 PM PST

SHANGHAI — China said 27 of its 31 regions met their greenhouse gas reduction targets aimed at combating global warming in 2016, the country's climate change regulator said in a notice on Monday.

China is the world's biggest source of greenhouse gases and in 2016 published a plan for its 31 regions to accelerate the development of non-fossil fuel energy, tackle greenhouse gases in the agricultural sector and boost forest coverage.

China has pledged to cut carbon dioxide produced per unit of GDP growth by 18 percent over 2016-2020 and to cap total energy consumption at 5 billion tons of standard coal equivalent by the end of the decade, up from 4.3 billion tons in 2015.

Among the regions rated as "excellent" were the cities of Beijing and Shanghai and the major manufacturing provinces of Zhejiang in east China and Guangdong on the southeast coast.

But the remote western regions of Tibet and Qinghai, the rural southwestern region of Guangxi and the northeast rustbelt province of Liaoning all "failed" to implement their targets, said the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The assessment covered only 2016 and the NDRC did not provide any details.

Beijing has pledged to bring greenhouse gas emissions to a peak by "around 2030" as part of a commitment to the Paris climate change agreement. While it has promised to reduce carbon intensity over 2016-2020, total emissions are still expected to rise over the period.

China last month launched its long-awaited nationwide emissions trading system, which will cover the power sector in the first phase, and is aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

The post China Says 27 of 31 Regions Met 2016 Low Carbon Targets appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Journalists Ask Govt for Details of Reuters Reporters’ Case

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 08:18 PM PST

YANGON — A group of Myanmar reporters asked the government on Monday for details about the arrest of two Reuters journalists last month, arguing that the case could have implications for the ability of journalists to do their jobs, two members of the group said.

The two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, are being investigated on suspicion of breaching the Official Secrets Act, a little-used law that has been on the books from the days of British colonial rule.

They had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis in the western state of Rakhine, where an estimated 655,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from a military crackdown that followed militant attacks on security forces.

The two are due to appear in court on Wednesday. It will be their second appearance in court and the prosecutor could request that charges are filed against them.

Twelve reporters based in Myanmar's capital, Naypyitaw, said they had made their request to the interior ministry for more information about the case in accordance with the media law.

"The government hasn't given a proper enough explanation to the country," Nyan Hlaing Lynn, Naypyitaw bureau chief for Frontier magazine, told Reuters.

"We're worried that this will set a bad example of what happens when someone gives information to the media."

Calls for Their Release

The two Reuters reporters were arrested on Dec. 12, after they were invited to meet police for dinner in Yangon.

The Ministry of Information has cited the police as saying the two journalists were "arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine State and security forces." It said they had "illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media."

Government officials from some of the world's major nations, including the United States, Britain and Canada, as well as top UN officials, have called for the release of the journalists.

Reuters President and Editor-In-Chief Stephen J. Adler has called for the immediate release of the two.

"As they near their hearing date, it remains entirely clear that they are innocent of any wrongdoing," Adler said in a statement on Monday.

Aung Myo Min, reporter for Mizzima, said he and the others who wrote the letter were concerned about the implications for their work.

"We hope they'll give reasonable answers to our questions. We feel it could happen to us," Aung Myo Min told Reuters. "This case is a threat to the security of us journalists."

The 12 journalists had tried to present their written request to the Ministry of Home Affairs but officials there had told them to send it through the post, they said. They also published a copy online.

Authorities have blocked most media access to the north of Rakhine State, where Rohingya militant attacks on the security forces on Aug. 25 sparked the military crackdown.

The United Nations has condemned the Myanmar military campaign as ethnic cleansing. Buddhist-majority Myanmar has rejected that.

The US and British embassies condemned on Monday a rare attack by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army insurgents on Myanmar security forces last week in which several members of the armed forces were wounded.

"This act of violence only serves to further undermine peace and security," the US embassy said.

The US and British missions both called for all sides to work to ensure safe conditions for the refugees to return home.

The post Myanmar Journalists Ask Govt for Details of Reuters Reporters' Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rival Karen Armed Groups Continue Latest Round of Fighting

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 08:02 PM PST

YANGON — Fresh fighting broke out in a remote part of Karen State on Monday between two ethnic armed groups, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and Karen National Union (KNU), with alleged involvement of the Myanmar Army, or Tatmadaw.

The DKBA claims that its Battalion 905 has been under attack by an alliance of troops from the Tatmadaw, the government-back Border Guard Force and KNU since Oct. 16 and that the fighting escalated on Jan. 1.

Battalion 905 Caption Hla San told The Irrawaddy that the Tatmadaw and KNU on Monday attacked his camp, located in a remote area between Mae Tha Waw village and Myaing Gyi Ngu, in Hlaing Bwe Township.

"It happened today around 11 a.m., and they have been firing artillery since the weekend," he said.

"The KNU, in coalition with the Tatmadaw, blocked our food transport routes. They destroyed the rice field," added the DKBA's Colonel Saw San Aung.

Members of the DKBA, including the colonel, strongly oppose the military-drafted 2008 Constitution and are active supporters of the Northern Alliance, a group of seven armed group that have not signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

Col. Saw San Aung said the latest skirmishes took various forms, including landmine attacks, arms fire and guerilla tactics.

He said the Tatmadaw encourages the KNU to fight the DKBA because its territory is near the planned construction site of Hat Gyi hydropower dam.

"They have this dam project and the site has been prepared for construction, especially the clearing of the route for the Mae Tha Waw road. There is no way they would give up on it. But to implement it, they need to get rid of us, so they help the Karen armed groups to fight us," the colonel said.

Brigadier General Sha Du Wawh, of the Karen National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the KNU, would neither confirm nor deny an attack on the DKBA on Monday. But he rejected as rumor the claim that the KNU was working with the Tatmadaw.

"We protected our territory so that we could avoid further confrontation with the Tatmadaw," he told the Irrawaddy.

The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, which has not signed the NCA, is a splinter group of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, which has.

Chit Min Tun contributed to this report.

The post Rival Karen Armed Groups Continue Latest Round of Fighting appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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