Tuesday, February 13, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Yangon Police Lodge Complaints against 7Day Newspaper

Posted: 13 Feb 2018 08:39 AM PST

YANGON — Lt. Col Myint Htwe of the Yangon Division Police lodged a complaint with the Myanmar Press Council last week against 7Day Daily, one of Myanmar's leading independent newspapers, over an article that claimed the lawsuits brought against two Reuters journalists were initiated at the orders of Vice-President U Myint Swe.

A Press Council member leaked copies of the police letter, which was dated Feb. 9, to The Irawaddy on Monday evening. The complaint accuses 7Day news of failing to accurately report the testimony of officer Lt. Col Yu Naing, who is the plaintiff in the case against the two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, and for adding a subjective commentary to the conclusion of the article.

According to the police letter, Lt. Col Yu Naing testified that his lawsuit had been approved by Kyaw Kyaw Han, director general of the President's Office, in accordance with the Official Secrets Act's Article 3 (1) (C), and that it was approved by Vice-President U Myint Swe. But according to 7Day's published account, Lt. Col Yu Naing had testified that his complaint had been filed at the behest of Vice President U Myint Swe.

The complaint says the 7Day article provided misleading information to readers as the lawsuit against the two reporters was filed with the backing of the President's Office rather than being approved personally by Vice President Myint Swe.

The police complaint states that the news report "could harm the reputation of state dignitaries and violate the media law's Article 9 as the piece added the reporter's opinion."

As a result, Lt. Col Myint Htwe had filed the complaint with the Myanmar Press Council to demand it take action against 7Day news in accordance with the media law's Article (21), which asserts that media workers should not appear to act as direct agents of the police or other authorities since this could call into question their editorial independence and/put the safety of their staff at risk.

In the second point, sub-section (c ), of the complaint, it says the police officer testified he had confiscated arson-situation reports on ethnic villages between Aug. 25 and Oct. 13, a copy of population statistics (Maungdaw), two mobile phones, a couple of ATM cards and some cash from the two reporters.

However, the 7Day piece quoted Yu Naing as saying police had seized a copy of an ammunition report (showing how much ammunition was spent during the clearance operation) from reporter Wa Lone and that he found a copy of a population status report for the Maungdaw region, arson-situation reports of villages and an attached file from Kyaw Soe Oo. In fact, the description that appeared in 7Day news was based on a police report that had been passed among journalists in mid-December 2017, a few days after which, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were detained in police custody in Htauk Kyant.

In response to the police complaint, the Myanmar Journalist Institute (MJI)'s training director, U Sein Win, concluded that the move appears intended to protect the public image of Vice President U Myint Swe, a notorious former military general. He also played down the miss-quoting of the police officer's testimony, saying it was not a big crime and was an unnecessary matter to bring to court.

He said the military and ruling National League for Democracy government have a negative view of the media and are overly sensitive about reporters, instead of practicing democratic norms and allowing freedom of expression.

"They should understand that arresting and imprisoning journalists will badly harm their reputations," U Sein Win said.

In an effort to get a response from the 7Day newspaper, The Irrawaddy phoned editor-in-charge Ko Arr Man several times on Monday evening but failed to reach him.

On Monday, PEN America announced that it would award the 2018 PEN/ Barbey Freedom to Write Award to Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo.

The post Yangon Police Lodge Complaints against 7Day Newspaper appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Analysis: A Win for Peace Commission as Mon, Lahu Groups Sign NCA

Posted: 13 Feb 2018 07:29 AM PST

YANGON – Two years and four months after the first eight ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, the number of signatories expanded to 10 on Tuesday as the New Mon State Party and Lahu Democratic Union signed the pact.

The development is a win for the NLD-led government's Peace Commission, among whose aims are to increase the number of signatories to the NCA, which is considered a gateway to political dialogue. This recent success notwithstanding, peace negotiations with the remaining active armed groups in the northeast and north of the country still face numerous challenges.

During more than six years of efforts at peace building, starting in August 2011 under former general-turned-President U Thein Sein, there have been numerous formal and countless informal talks aimed at reaching understandings with the various groups. Based on these negotiations the NCA text was drafted by the ethnic armed organizations and the government's representatives. It lays out basic principles for holding political dialogues after signing the NCA.

However, the informal talks have been less publicized by the NLD government, and this has led to some misunderstandings regarding the negotiations. The government's Peace Commission has held nine informal talks and nine formal talks with the United Nationalities Federal Council ethnic bloc, of which the NMSP and the LDU are members, during the past 18 months.

Having two more signatories will not solve the intensified armed conflict in the country, especially in the north where the Kachin Independence Army and the Tatmadaw, Myanmar's Army, are engaged in a gunfight.

The NMSP signed a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the government in February 2012 and previously in June 1995. It has not had any major clashes with the Tatmadaw in the intervening years. Signing the NCA should help to reduce tensions between the Karen National Union, another signatory, over territorial disputes, which can be discussed by the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee.

Kyar Khun Sar, chair of the Lahu Democratic Union, signs the NCA on Tuesday. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy)

NCA a stepping stone to dialogue

Speaking at a signing ceremony in Naypyitaw on Tuesday, State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar Army chief Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and NMSP chairman Nai Htaw Mon reiterated that signing the NCA is not the end of the process. Rather, they said, it is an entryway to political dialogue aimed at solving political problems through political means and building a democratic federal union.

Nai Htaw Mon also urged the government "to continue their efforts to have all stakeholders included in the peace process" and the Tatmadaw "to immediately stop its offensives" against the armed groups.

He said that the decision to sign the NCA pact was aimed at advancing the interests of the Union, not just those of one ethnic group, because the interests of minority ethnic groups and the union are intertwined.

Nai Htaw Mon urged his ethnic counterparts to participate in Union-building as a process in which every ethnic group has a sense of ownership. "I acknowledge those who doubt and disagree with our choices. We may disagree over our perspectives and technical approaches, but our goodwill and vision for ending the conflicts, for achieving equality and autonomy and building a genuine federal Union, are not different."

A group photo after the signing of the NCA by two additional ethnic armed organizations on Feb. 13. ( Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy)

More NCA signatories likely

In 2018, there will be more signatories, said leading peace negotiator U Khin Zaw Oo, the secretary of the Peace Commission, at a press conference held after the ceremony. He led the informal negotiations between the NMSP and the government.

But he did not name which groups those would be, saying that he "would not disclose the status of those informal negotiations he has been holding with other ethnic armed groups." The meetings have been held in Thailand and China over the past year.

He said, "We are optimistic there will be more EAOs signing [the NCA] in the remaining 10 months of this year." As a former lieutenant-general, U Khin Zaw Oo plays a key role in the negotiations as he directly communicates with the Tatmadaw chief. He negotiated the setting up of informal talks between the KIA and the Tatmadaw, which were held earlier this month in China's Yunnan province.

Given his optimism on negotiations, both the State Counselor and the Army Chief reassured the remaining ethnic EAOs in their addresses that the door to signing the NCA was open, especially to those groups in northeastern Myanmar, to take part in the process. Absent from Tuesday's ceremonial events was the seven-member Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) bloc led by the United Wa State Army. The bloc seeks an alternative approach to the NCA. The government negotiators prefer to talk to individual groups, rather than to blocs.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi urged all sides to join together to build a democratic federal union by "leaving the bad legacy" of civil war that raged for seven decades. As she has done in regular speeches in the past couple of years, she urged the stakeholders to think about the greater good, to consider the future of children forced to live as internally displaced persons due to the prolonged civil war.

The Army chief reaffirmed that the Tatmadaw would strictly adhere to its six-point policy on peace, which had caused a deadlock during the NCA text negotiations. He said he had "taken notice of the concerns the ethnic brothers from the EAOs have during the coordination for peace." He urged the EAOs "not to hold on to doubtful and untrusted thinking," because "when we talk about the security sector issue, it is not about disarmament. Such thoughts are just personal inferences."

The speeches sounded good, but the offensives against the minority ethnic armed groups continue. Despite this reality, the Tatmadaw insists that there is no offensive against the armed groups in Shan and Kachin states; it is just protecting civilian lives from those organizations violating existing laws, it says.

The end of the UNFC

As two of the UNFC members, the NMSP and the LDU, become signatories, the future of the UNFC is in doubt. It is currently comprised of four active members — the NMSP, LDU, Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and Arakan National Council (ANC). The Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army North is preparing to leave the bloc. UNFC was started in 2011 and seven years later, it is left with two groups, which are non-signatories.

U Zaw Htay, the government spokesman, said it would deal bilaterally with the KNPP and there is no chance of the ANC taking part in the current NCA talks, as they had tried out various approaches for the group to be part of the NCA process.

"But they can take part in the political dialogue process, like other civil society groups," he told reporters during Tuesday's press conference.

The ANC, like Lahu's LDU, is considered a political group, with no armed forces. The LDU agreed to take part in the political dialogue without joining a bilateral ceasefire agreement.

The post Analysis: A Win for Peace Commission as Mon, Lahu Groups Sign NCA appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Prosecution offers to drop charges against Swe Win if he Apologises to U Wirathu

Posted: 13 Feb 2018 05:50 AM PST

The criminal defamation charge filed against Myanmar Now editor Swe Win will be dropped if he agrees to apologize to nationalist monk U Wirathu, the prosecutor in the case told the court today.

But Swe Win, who was charged under section 66(D) of the Telecommunications Law, said he would not apologize for allegedly sharing a post on Facebook that was critical of U Wirathu for supporting Kyi Win, the alleged murderer of prominent Muslim lawyer U Ko Ni.

Talking to reporters outside the court, Swe Win showed no sign of backing down in the legal fight, urging authorities to take action against U Wirathu, whom he said threatened the rule of law as a whole, and specific individuals with threats such as telling people to 'Enjoy your last meal.'

Today was the 18th time Swe Win has appeared in the Mandalay court in connection with the case. The initial charges were filed by state prosecutor Kyaw Myo Shwe following a complaint by a supporter of U Wirathu.

The court today accepted paper records and other evidence submitted by Kyaw Myo Shwe despite the objections of Swe Win's legal representatives. The evidence included a CD that U Khin Maung Myint, legal counsel for the defence, said contained a distorted record of events.

"We rejected it because it was not the original recording.  The court should not accept it as evidence," U Khin Maung Myint said.

Among the evidence was also about 100 pages of records that had already been rejected by the Kyautathar court in Rangoon when Swe Win was charged previously with insulting the national religion.

However, today the prosecutor resubmitted those papers in Mandalay along with the CD, which  contains a recording of an interview Swe Win gave at a press conference at his office in Rangoon. The prosecutor made the recording from an RFA Media broadcast but then edited out certain parts, which distorted the context of Swe Win's criticism of U Wirathu, to strengthen his case against the journalist.

This CD was not submitted to the court when the charges were initially laid, prompting Swe Win's legal counsel to condemn the court decision to accept it as unfair.

The government banned U Wirathu from delivering sermons for a year on the grounds that his speeches violated Buddhist ethics and stirred up antipathy toward Muslims. But, he has continued to use social media and Facebook to spread his hate speech. His Facebook account has been blocked several times and he now cannot use this channel. Nevertheless, he continues to use his supporters' Facebook accounts, and continues to spread his anti-Muslim message.

Swe Win's next court date has been set for Feb. 26, prompting U Khin Maung Myint to say he was not happy with the court decision and that he would go to the district court in Mandalay to "fight for justice".

"It was not appropriate for the court to make a decision like that. We were not happy about it and will appeal to the district court," U Khin Maung Myint said.

The post Prosecution offers to drop charges against Swe Win if he Apologises to U Wirathu appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

KIA Says Tatmadaw On the Offensive to Clear Economic Corridor

Posted: 13 Feb 2018 03:55 AM PST

The Tatmadaw and Kachin Independence Organization/Kachin Independence Army (KIO/KIA) held a two-and-a-half hour meeting in the border town of Dali in China's Yunnan Province on Feb.1 focused on de-escalating their conflict in Tanai and other parts of Kachin State.

The Tatmadaw delegation was led by Lieutenant General Tun Tun Naung and the KIA delegation was led by General N'Ban La, the group’s chairman. The meeting was brokered by China’s Special Envoy for Asian Affairs Sun Guoxiang.

At the meeting the Tatmadaw demanded that the KIA remove its Battalion 14 headquarters in Tanai and its Battalion 12 and 27 outposts in Mansi in order to de-escalate the situation.  The Irrawaddy reporter Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint interviewed KIO/KIA information officer Colonel Naw Bu about the meeting.

What was discussed at the meeting?

I don't know about the meeting minutes. But I heard that they discussed de-escalating the clashes. So they must also have negotiated the deployment of troops.

Did Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung come as the representative of the Myanmar army chief?

Yes, I heard that he represented army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

What reason did the Tatmadaw give for the removal of KIA Battalion 14 from Tanai?

They said illegal mines are being operated there. There are amber and gold mines in the areas controlled by Battalion No. 14. They asked us to remove our outposts in order to prevent illegal mining. They want to control the area.

We heard the KIA and Tatmadaw had a business partnership during the 17-year truce until clashes broke out again in 2011. So why did the Tatmadaw ask the KIA to remove Battalion 14 now?

I don't know about the inside issue. But as everyone knows, nobody can do business such as gold, amber and jade mining without the involvement of the Tatmadaw and the government. The KIA alone can't contact foreign businessmen to come [to the mines]. I mean the KIA can't do that without tactical commanders, brigade commanders and battalion commanders on the [Tatmadaw’s] front lines. The two sides might have some disputes about sharing profits, and that's why [the Tatmadaw] is complaining about the legality of those mines now.

Tanai is on the Ledo road and in the economic corridor linking India and China. Some speculate that the Tatmadaw is trying to remove the KIA from there for this reason. What would you say to that?

Every place where clashes occur is economically linked to China. The Ledo road links China and India, and the Tatmadaw of course wants to clear the area. Other main roads such as Namkham and Bhamo are also set for upgrades in cooperation with China. So the Tatmadaw has to conduct clearance operations. We can conclude from an economic point of view that the clashes happened because of these factors.

At the meeting, the Tatmadaw refused to recognize the KIA's new brigades — Brigade 5, 6, 7, 8. What is the KIA's response?

The Tatmadaw views those brigades that did not exist when we signed the 1994 ceasefire as new brigades. But fierce clashes have occurred since 2011. So we have expanded some brigades, which they don't recognize. They don't like us deploying Brigade 4 and Brigade 6 in the Kachin sub-state in northern Shan State. They insisted that those brigades be moved to Kachin State.

Will the Feb. 1 meeting have any impact on clashes on the ground?

I don't think it will have much impact. But there have been hardly any clashes since then. However, further discussion will be needed.

Did the Tatmadaw delegation talk about the NCA [Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement] during the meeting? The KIA has upheld the Panglong pledges.

The Tatmadaw asked us to engage in political dialogue only after signing the NCA. They implied that some of the provisions in the Panglong agreement are no longer up to date. But to build a union the Panglong is necessary and basic. So we will engage in political dialogue based on the Panglong agreement.

What did the KIA learn about the position of the Tatmadaw during the meeting?

Militarily and politically, the Tatmadaw will need to consider the points we have made. I think they now understand our positions.

Does it depend on the Tatmadaw for the KIA to hold political talks with the government?

During U Thein Sein's administration, the government was the Tatmadaw and the Tatmadaw was the government. Now, the government and the Tatmadaw are different entities, and our discussions with the government on military issues have not achieved good results. That's why we have talked to the Tatmadaw about military issues and the de-escalation of clashes. But to discuss politics we have to talk with the government.

What would you like to say to Kachin people about the KIA’s meeting with the Tatmadaw?

We met to discuss the de-escalation of clashes, not politics. More meetings must be held continuously. To end the civil war, the only way through is political dialogue. There won't be any good answers without dialogue.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post KIA Says Tatmadaw On the Offensive to Clear Economic Corridor appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Telecom Firm Mytel Transmits First Call

Posted: 13 Feb 2018 02:32 AM PST

YANGON — A new telecom firm operated jointly by the Myanmar and Vietnamese militaries under the brand name Mytel transmitted its ceremonial first call in Naypyitaw on Sunday, ahead of its upcoming official service launch.

Mytel is a joint venture between Vietnam Defense Ministry-owned Viettel and two local partners: Star High Company (a subsidiary of the military-run Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd.) and Myanmar National Telecom Holding Public Ltd.

It was awarded the country's fourth and final telecom operator's license on Jan. 12, 2017. The license is valid for 15 years and can be renewed.

"The telecommunications industry is one of the major businesses helping to drive the country's development. Better telecommunications services, both domestic and international, will lead to rapid improvement of people's socioeconomic status," said Myanmar Army Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in his opening speech at a ceremony to mark the first call in Naypyitaw on Sunday.

He said Mytel would also assist in the development of Myanmar's social environment.

He added that it would provide public services such as free Internet, multimedia, and tele-centers, as well as establish a charity program under the name Operation Smile.

At the ceremony, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing made a video call to Vietnamese Minister of National Defense Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich, Myanmar Northern Command chief Maj-Gen Nyi Nyi Swe, Triangle Region Command chief Maj-Gen Aung Zaw Aye and Coastal Region Command chief Maj-Gen Lin Aung, according to the army chief's official Facebook page.

Mytel estimates it will invest nearly $1.5 billion to deploy 7,200 base stations and build out a 4-G network, according to Viettel. Star High Company has an approximately 28 percent stake in the venture.

The company joins three existing telecom operators: Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), a state-owned provider that has partnered with Japan's KDDI Corp; Qatar's Ooredoo; and Norwegian operator Telenor.

Mytel aims to focus on rural areas and has set a target of reaching 95 percent of the population with its network.

It is scheduled to launch SIM card sales in the first quarter of this year.

The post New Telecom Firm Mytel Transmits First Call appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 13 Feb 2018 12:57 AM PST

Idiots: 13th Anniversary One Band Show | Feb. 17

The band Idiots will perform.

Feb. 17, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thuwunnabhumi Event Park. Tickets are 8,000 to 30,000 kyats at City Marts. 

Wanted One Band Show | Feb. 18

The band Wanted will rock Hmaw Sin Kyun.

Feb. 18, 7 p.m. Kandawgyi Hmaw Sin Kyun. Tickets are 9,000 kyats at City Marts.

Charity Musical Show | Feb. 17

The Myanmar Federation of Persons with Disabilities will organize a charity musical show to celebrate its 16th anniversary.

Feb. 17, 7 pm. National Museum, Myoma Kyaung Street. Tickets are 5,000 to 20,000 kyats at Mann Thiri Recording.

Chinese Film Festival | Feb. 16-22

The Chinese Embassy will screen Xuan Zang, Kung Fu Yoga, Detective Chinatown and Go away Mr. Tumor to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Feb. 16-22, 6.30 pm. Nay Pyi Taw Cinema, Free admission.

Valentine's Day Celebration | Feb. 13-15

There will be sales and celebrity performances to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Feb. 13-15, Myanma Plaza.

Valentine's Day Duet | Feb. 14

Helay and Eaint Chit will perform on Valentine's Day.

Feb. 14, Pai's Bar, 8th Mile, Pyay Road. Tickets are 15,000 kyats.

Black Coffee in Antibiotics | Feb. 17

The music band Antibiotics and Thiri J Maung Maung will perform.

Feb. 17, 9 p.m. Yangon Yangon Bar, Bogyke Aung San Road. Tickets are 10,000 kyats.

Colorful Poetry | Feb. 17-21           

This exhibition features the paintings of famous poets.

Feb. 17-21. Ahla Thit Gallery, No. 17, University Avenue Road, Bahan Tsp.

Sweet Inle | Feb. 17-21

Artist Nu Nu features scenes of Shan State's Inle Lake at her solo exhibition.

Feb. 17-21, 43 Art Gallery, 43rd Street, Botahtaung Tsp.

Core | Feb. 16-20

The group art exhibition of six artists will showcase works of different mediums.

Feb. 16-20, OK Art Gallery, Aung San Stadium (North Wing)

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

7 Tatmadaw Soldiers to Be Held Accountable for Killing of 10 Muslims in Rakhine

Posted: 13 Feb 2018 12:05 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — Sixteen people including seven Tatmadaw soldiers will be held accountable for the killing of 10 Muslim residents of Inn Din village in Rakhine State's Maungdaw, according to the President's Office.

"The investigation found that four military officers and three other ranks of Tatmadaw soldiers, three policemen and six villagers were involved in the killing," U Zaw Htay, director-general of the President's Office told The Irrawaddy.

The Tatmadaw, or Myanmar Army, said on Jan. 10 that villagers of Inn Din and security forces killed 10 Muslim villagers at the village's graveyard on Sept. 2, 2017, and that it would take action against those involved in the killing.

The President's Office has instructed the Home Affairs Ministry to take action against the three policemen and six villagers according to civil law, said U Zaw Htay. But it is not yet clear how the Tatmadaw will take action against the soldiers involved in the killing.

"The Tatmadaw has to abide by both the Defense Services Act and civil law," said U Zaw Htay.

"Though they are service personnel, they should be tried at a civil court. This case is not simple. And I believe there were racial and religious motives. So, they should be tried at a civil court," said director U Sein Win of the Myanmar Journalism Institute.

After two Reuters reporters who tried to investigate the deaths were arrested and detained by police on Dec. 12 in Yangon, the Tatmadaw launched an investigation into the killings, saying that it had received a tip from an anonymous source.

Meanwhile, Reuters featured the story Massacre in Myanmar on Feb. 8, alleging that security forces and Buddhist villagers of Inn Din killed Rohingya Muslims and torched their houses.

U Sein Win complained that international media did not report when Hindus and ethnic Mro people were killed in Rakhine State during the violence.

"Normally, the reporting of Reuters is independent. But when it comes to the Rohingya issue, its perspective is that the Rohingya are oppressed in Myanmar. So, its reports about Rakhine usually focus on what the government and Tatmadaw do [to the Rohingya]," said U Sein Win.

U Thiha Thway, a journalist based in Yangon, believes that there are connections between the Inn Din killing and the detention of the Reuters reporters. He said the case has hampered the right to information in the democratization process.

"While we are advocating the new government and Parliament for an increased right to information, the concept of "security" is hampering this right," he said.

There was no investigation into the killings of Hindu and Mro people during the violence between August 5 and Sept. 15, and the media has been called into question, said U Zaw Htay.

"I don't mean all of the media, but some media organizations are very keen to investigate such cases [the killing of Rohingya Muslims]. Meanwhile, there are other cases [the killing of Hindus and Mro] that were not reported on. [Myanmar] people have the perception that [the international media] has an agenda [to highlight the plight of the Rohingya]," said U Zaw Htay.

While some local journalists have criticized the repetitive use of 'Buddhists' by Reuters in its story, U Sein Win said he thinks Reuters used the word to highlight that the conflict is not because of disputes over the terminology 'Rohingya,' but because of sectarian strife between Buddhists and Muslims.

The Reuters story concludes with this quote by a Buddhist elder of Inn Din village when talking of the killings: "I want to be transparent on this case. I don't want it to happen like that in future."

"The last quote is strong. He said he revealed the case because he didn't want similar cases to happen in the future. It indicates that he can't accept such things although they have conflicts with Islam. Though he doesn't like the Rohingya, he can't accept inhumane acts," said U Sein Win.

The post 7 Tatmadaw Soldiers to Be Held Accountable for Killing of 10 Muslims in Rakhine appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Valentine’s Day: If You Don’t Want To – Say No to Sex

Posted: 12 Feb 2018 11:29 PM PST

Valentine's Day has become increasingly popular in Myanmar in recent years. Shops put on big displays of Valentine's goods. Couples look forward to it as a day to give each other special attention, and to have a sweet rendezvous. There is love and suspense in the air.

But for many girls, Valentine's Day is a day when they come under increased pressure to have sex, even when they do not want to. Gifts of chocolate and flowers, romantic fantasies, and the general anticipation of the day can create the expectation that girls must agree to sex on Valentine's Day.

Learning the Difference Between Sex and Love

Young people are still exploring the boundaries within adolescence, and the excitement of their own emotions and sexuality. In transitioning from childhood and adolescence to adulthood, many have not yet learned the difference between love and sex.

"Girls — and boys also — need to know that they have the right to and can say 'no' to sex. Society has a duty to inform young people about their choices and to help them make right and safe decisions, especially when it comes to issues of sexuality and relationships," said Janet Jackson, country representative for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

 Giving Young People Confidence and Information

For many young people, the right decision is to say "no" to sex. There are also young people who are emotionally ready, and for them the right decision could be to say yes to sexual intimacy with a trusted partner. But to do so safely, they need to know how to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, as well as from violence and abuse.

At the moment, pharmacies across Myanmar are stocking up on the emergency contraceptive pill to meet the high demand on the morning after Valentine's Day. But young people should not have to resort to this option. While many need the confidence to simply say "no" to sex, others need knowledge about safe sex and about what types of contraceptives are most appropriate.

The only method that gives protection from unwanted pregnancy and from getting infected by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections is the condom. Even so, it is often difficult for girls and young women to negotiate with their boyfriend for safe sex and for using a condom.

 The Mobile App: Information that Protects Young People

To help young people make the right choice on Valentine's Day and on all days, UNFPA has collaborated with youth groups and the Government of Myanmar to produce a mobile app for young people. This app offers information about growing up, and about health, love and relationship dilemmas.

The app is designed to give young people the confidence to make decisions that are safe and that they will not regret. It also provides advice and practical suggestions on how to talk to their boyfriend or girlfriend about what they want and what they do not want.

What sets "Love Question: Life Answer" apart from so many other apps on the market today is that it comes from a trusted source. With the backing of the United Nations and the Government of Myanmar, young people can fully trust the information in the app. What's more, parents too can trust the information their sons and daughters are accessing through the app.

In the run-up to Valentine's Day, there are specific sections of the app that are particularly important for young people:

All this information and much more is available in the Myanmar language in the app and on the web.

 Comprehensive Sexuality Education

To make informed and safe choices about their bodies and their lives, young people need knowledge. This is why UNFPA also advocates for comprehensive sexuality education in Myanmar. Comprehensive sexuality education teaches children and young people the emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. It helps them adopt healthy lifestyles and avoid risks.

"The questions young people have are real. And our answers need to be honest. This affects their futures," said Ms. Jackson.

This article was first published by the UNFPA on Friday and is republished here with the agency's permission.

The post Valentine's Day: If You Don't Want To – Say No to Sex appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

People’s Outcries Must Be Heeded, Not Neglected

Posted: 12 Feb 2018 10:19 PM PST

The raging civil war between the Myanmar Army (Tatmadaw) and the ethnic armed group the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) continues and now appears unstoppable. Since fighting resumed in June 2011, tens of thousands of Kachin have become internationally displaced, countless people have died, and thousands of combatants have lost their lives on meaningless battlefields.

Numerous negotiations have taken place under former President Thein Sein's government and current de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's government, but no solution has yet been found.

The fighting is fiercely escalating across Kachin State. Not only have people had to flee their homes, properties, and villages; roughly 2,000 domestic migrant workers and villagers have been trapped in the conflict area in amber-rich Tanai, in the western part of Kachin State. According to locals, some have been permitted to leave Tanai, but hundreds of people remain in the jungle. Likewise, hundreds of people who fled from villages now take refuge in the jungles in the eastern part of Sumprabum town in Kachin State.

The Peace-talk Creation Group (PCG) attempted to negotiate with the commander of the Northern Command Maj-Gen Nyi Nyi Swe to evacuate those who were trapped. On Jan. 30, several Kachin religious leaders from different denominations sent an appeal letter to the northern commander to seek permission to evacuate the trapped people.

The group also sent letters not only to the Kachin State chief minister but also to the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, according to the PCG.

Lin Lin Oo and Ja Tang – two members of the Lower House of Parliament from Tanai constituencies also sent a request letter to Win Myint, the chairman of the Lower House to arrange an evacuation.

It appears that no responses were received to these requests. The lack of a response led to a mass demonstration in Myitkyina on Feb. 5. Thousands of people, including members of civil society and religious organizations, gathered in Manau Park and marched toward government offices. The protestors chanted "stop airstrikes on civilians," "immediately stop using civilians as human shields," "stop blocking humanitarian aid," and more.

A number of civil society organizations sent an appeal letter to the president, state counselor, commander-in-chief, two parliamentary speakers, and the chair of the Kachin Independence Organization, asking for a ceasefire and the evacuation of civilians trapped by conflict.

The Kachin diaspora from the EU, US, and other countries also showed sympathy and sent an appeal letter requesting UN member action. Kachin and other ethnic people in Japan also protested on Feb. 8, due to the lack of government response to the escalation of conflict.

All those who are trapped must be immediately evacuated and the government should facilitate temporary shelter and access to humanitarian aid.

Kachin people had high expectations for the National League for Democracy (NLD) and came out in large numbers to vote in support of the party in the 2015 general election, hoping that Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government could bring peace to the region.

The NLD government had promised that 2017 would be a year of peace, but it turned out to be a year of suffering for many Kachin. The tragedy will continue through 2018 unless immediate action is taken.

Now is the time for the government and the Tatmadaw to build mutual trust with all ethnic minorities including the Kachin and pave the way for coexistence between multiple ethnicities under a genuine federal union.

Hoping to attain mutual trust, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and other military officers, for example, the commander of the Bureau of Special Operations 1 and the northern commander occasionally meet Kachin religious leaders.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi met with religious figures from the Kachin Baptist Convention in July 2017, and Snr-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing recently hosted four Kachin bishops in Naypyitaw. These are the symbols of building mutual trust and cooperation between the government, the Tatmadaw and ethnic Kachin to end the fighting and create a federal union.

However, the continuity of severe fighting which, in turn, produces additional displaced people in the region could become a major obstacle to national reconciliation in Myanmar.

Thus, the government and the Tatmadaw should heed the outcries of displaced people and show the courage and magnanimity to accept their demands and respond suitably, for the sake of the future of this multi-ethnic country.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of a Kachin State-based analyst.

The post People's Outcries Must Be Heeded, Not Neglected appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Aung San: A Legacy Unfulfilled

Posted: 12 Feb 2018 10:07 PM PST

Aung San, who was murdered in 1947 at the age of 32, is regarded as the father of modern Myanmar and the founder of the Myanmar Army. He is lovingly called "Bogyoke," meaning "General" in the Myanmar language. To mark his 103rd birthday, The Irrawaddy revisits this commentary from February 2015 on the fate of his ambitions to bring unity, equality, democracy and prosperity to the country.

Since the 32-year-old Aung San was killed in 1947, Myanmar has suffered from a crisis of leadership. The architect of national independence left a giant hole that no one has been able to fill over the past nearly 70 years.

Even now, as the country tries to scale back from the abyss after decades of military rule, it continues to struggle in the absence of strong and visionary leadership. Myanmar seriously needs another Aung San, but there is no one close to the widely revered general.

Myanmar people still remember him as a selfless leader with integrity, whose shrewd dealings with both the British and the Japanese in the mid-20th century helped Myanmar break free of imperialism and achieve independence.

Sixty-eight years since he was assassinated by a political rival, General Aung San remains an unrivaled political figure in modern Myanmar. As his centennial birthday approaches on Feb. 13, the country will embrace grand commemorative celebrations mainly organized by the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party and its leader, the General's daughter, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The martyred Aung San is regarded as the father of modern Myanmar and the founder of the Myanmar Army. He is lovingly called "Bogyoke," meaning "General" in Myanmar language.

Aung San worked for unity, equality, democracy and prosperity in Myanmar—goals that are yet to be fulfilled. Myanmar people still long for these ideals and believe that if the General had survived, the country would have evolved along this path.

His immediate successor, U Nu, the most senior member of the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League and Myanmar's first prime minister after the country gained independence on Jan. 4, 1948, failed to build unity with the various ethnic groups. A coup was launched in 1962 and the military has since ruled, in various guises, without pause.

In January 1946, General Aung San said in a public speech that "No man, however great, can alone set the wheels of history in motion, unless he has the active support and co-operation of a whole people. No doubt individuals have played brilliant roles in history, but then it is evident that history is not made by a few individuals only."

This reflected the value he placed on the participation of individual citizens in the building of the country. But it was an ideal that failed to materialize. In Myanmar since independence, only a handful of individuals "made" history—the military leaders that consistently ruled the country without the consent of ordinary citizens. When individuals strived to overturn the military's influence, they were systematically defeated. Myanmar became a failed state.

Those new generations that fought for democracy were in fact struggling to achieve General Aung San's own aspirations. Even now, whenever protestors stage demonstrations, images of the General are frequently held aloft. When demonstrations were crushed, so too were General Aung San's photos scattered across the streets.

Aung San once said, "I am never relieved when it comes to Burma's fate. Even in my dreams, I cry and am angry for my country as it is not independent." If he were still alive today to witness the oppression and disunity in Myanmar, he would undoubtedly shed even more tears.

Aung San urged politicians to work for unity among all citizens, including ethnic nationalities. Otherwise, the General said, Myanmar "won't be able to fully enjoy the essence of independence."

He was absolutely right. Aung San always underscored the importance of unity and this led to the signing of the Panglong Agreement that enshrined equal rights and political autonomy for ethnic nationalities in 1947. But successive leaders failed to build on this legacy and Myanmar descended into civil war.

Aung San said, "When we build an independent Burma, ethnic people and Bamar [Burman] must have equality without discrimination." One of his favorite quotes, applicable for all ethnic people, was: "If Bamar get one kyat, Shan and Kachin must get one kyat respectively."

The military leaders who ruled the country with an iron fist after 1962 failed to honor Aung San's pledge. They undercut unity, not only with ethnic people, but also pro-democracy groups and all those who spoke out against oppression.

Aung San may be long dead but the aspirations he articulated are still as relevant as ever. If Myanmar is to realize the General's hopes—of peace, democracy and prosperity—current leaders must create an atmosphere of collaboration with all stakeholders, including opposition parties and ethnic groups.

To work towards this, all that's needed is the genuine political will. Otherwise the country will remain in crisis.

The post Aung San: A Legacy Unfulfilled appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Boxing Fever Grips Thailand’s Boys But Doctors Raise Health Concerns

Posted: 12 Feb 2018 09:11 PM PST

BURIRAM, Thailand — Loud cheers erupt as two boys trade punches at a boxing ring in Thailand's northeastern province of Buriram.

After dominating five rounds, the winner is declared; 11-year-old Nanthawat Promsod, who is better known by his boxing name — "Super Big Saksandee."

He earned 3,000 baht ($94.34) for winning the fight, and earns 1,500 baht ($47.17) for each match-up that he takes part in.

He is one of at least 10 boxers aged 15 or less in the district of Satuk, where nearly every village has a boxing camp.

"Muay Thai," or Thai boxing, is said to be 2,000 years old. Known as "The Art of Eight Limbs," it makes extensive use of elbows, hands, knees and feet.

Thailand's national sport is increasingly popular overseas too but in this Southeast Asian country it can provide a way out of poverty, as those who climb to the top of the sport can earn a lot of money.

The country's rural northeast is home to most star boxers who have gone on to win international recognition, such as welterweight Buakaw Banchamek, a two-time K-1 World MAX champion.

Hailing from Surin province, Buakaw, 35, started fighting when he was eight years old and won his first international kickboxing tournament in 2004 in Tokyo.

Nanthawat wants to follow in his footsteps.

"I want to become a champion," said Nanthawat, who has had 40 fights over a two-year career and in recent months has won more than 10 consecutive fights. "I will be proud if I win at least one championship belt."

But as more Thai children, even some preschoolers, flock to Muay Thai, physicians and children's rights bodies warn the sport could cause chronic health problems, such as neurological disorders.

Jiraporn Laothamatas, a neuroradiologist and director of Thailand's Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Center (AIMC), said a five-year study she conducted showed patterns of brain damage and memory loss in young fighters, compared to non-boxing peers.

"There's no safe boxing, because you can see that when even adult boxers get old, they also get Parkinson's disease because of the brain damage caused," Jiraporn said.

More than 10,000 Muay Thai fighters are younger than 15, the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) said last year. But experts say that figure could be 20 times higher because not all child boxers are registered.

Still, some parents and trainers argue that Muay Thai teaches children discipline and is a valuable source of income.

"The money Nanthawat earns from boxing, we save for him," said his father and trainer, Ong-arj Promsod, 36. "Whenever we are short of money, I give him that money as daily allowance for school."

The post Boxing Fever Grips Thailand's Boys But Doctors Raise Health Concerns appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Biggest US Force in Years Joins Thai Military Exercise

Posted: 12 Feb 2018 08:59 PM PST

BANGKOK — The biggest US force in years joined an annual military exercise in Thailand on Tuesday despite controversy over the Thai junta’s invitation to neighboring Myanmar's army, which has been accused of ethnic cleansing.

The United States scaled back attendance at Cobra Gold, Asia's largest multilateral military exercise, after a 2014 coup in Thailand. But relations between the junta and the United States have improved under President Donald Trump.

The presence of the 6,800 US personnel — nearly double last year's number — was a demonstration of America's continuing muscle in a region where China is growing ever more powerful.

The Cobra Gold military exercise has been held for more than three decades. This year's Cobra Gold will be attended by some 11,075 personnel from 29 countries.

"This exercise is the largest multilateral exercise in the Indo-Pacific region. It speaks to the commitment of the US in the region," Steve Castonguay, a spokesman for the US Embassy in Bangkok, told Reuters.

This year’s exercise has been marked by Thailand's controversial invitation to Myanmar, where 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled military action that the United Nations has denounced as ethnic cleansing in response to insurgent attacks.

Castonguay confirmed an army major from Myanmar was attending the opening ceremony but that Myanmar would not participate in any military drills.

The United States has pushed for the restoration of democracy in Thailand, its oldest regional ally.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had promised an election would take place in November this year, but the junta last month said it could be delayed until February 2019 — which would be the latest of several postponements.

The post Biggest US Force in Years Joins Thai Military Exercise appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Solar Power Push Lights up Options for India’s Rural Women

Posted: 12 Feb 2018 08:49 PM PST

KAMLAPUR — In her village of Komalia, the fog swirls so thick at 7 a.m. that Akansha Singh can see no more than 15 meters ahead. But the 20-year-old is already cycling to her workplace, nine kilometers away.

Halfway there she stops for two hours at a computer training center, where she's learning internet skills. Then she's off again, and by 10 a.m. reaches the small garment manufacturing plant where she stitches women's clothing for high-end brands on state-of-the-art electric sewing machines.

Solar energy powers most of her day – the computer training center and the 25-woman garment factory run on solar mini-grid electricity – and clean power has given her personal choice as well, she said.

If the mini-grid system had not been put in place, Singh – a recent college graduate without funds to pursue training as a teacher, the only job open to women in her village – would have had no alternative but to marry, she said.

In fact, "I would already be married off," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Today, however, she earns 4,500 rupees ($70) a month working on solar-powered sewing machines. She uses part of that to pay 300 rupees ($4.70) a month for her computer education class – and is planning to start a computer training center closer to home.

Like her, most of the women at the factory earn between 2,500 and 4,500 rupees ($39- $70) a month, which has helped their families eat better, get children to school and pay for healthcare, they said.

"With a month's earning alone we can buy new bicycles for ourselves and our school-going children," Bandana Devi, a mother of four, told the Thomson Reuter Foundation, as she looked up from her sewing.

She bought one for her 12-year-old daughter, she said, and her 6-year-old rides pillion with her to the school, 2 km away.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a $2.5 billion plan to electrify every Indian household by 2019 – a huge task in a country where close to 240 million people still have no access to electrical power.

Solar power – including the use of small local grids – is likely to be a big part of the push, with 60 percent of new connections expected to be to renewable power, according to a report by the International Energy Agency.

Stable Power, More Contracts

In a clearing in an acacia plantation, the more than 140 solar panels that make up the Kamlapur mini-grid are being cleaned early in the morning.

The 36-kilowatt plant, set up by the for-profit OMC Power Private Ltd. (formerly Omnigrid Micropower Company) in 2015, distributes solar energy over 2.4 kilometers of power lines to 70 households, two telecommunications towers, the clothing manufacturing unit and several other small businesses.

Solar mini-grids usually rely on one or two large users of power – often mobile phone towers – to provide a stable base revenue for the system. But as solar electricity becomes available in areas beyond the traditional grid, power-hungry small businesses are emerging that could become anchor users.

Kamlapur's garment factory, for instance, consumes 10 kilowatts of power each day – the same as the telecom towers, said Ketan Bhatt, an OMC official in Uttar Pradesh state.

The state in 2016 became India's first to put in place a mini-grid policy, recognizing private solar companies as legitimate players in India's push to get power to all.

Company owners, in turn, say solar mini-grids – which can be more reliable than the unstable grid power their competitors rely on – is giving them a business advantage.

"Because the power supply is steady, we are regularly able to deliver on contract deadlines, which in turn enhances our reputation to bag more contracts," said Mohammad Riyaz, who set up the Kamlapur garment unit in 2016.

Rohit Chandra, a co-founder of OMC, said he was seeing many solar power users moving beyond simply buying power for home lighting and appliances. Now, he said, they are harnessing solar energy for profit.

"We see barbers installing televisions and fans in their shops to attract more customers. Carpenters buy electric saws and wood polishers, fruit sellers are adding electric juicers. Health centers and dispensaries are coming up in underserved villages too," Chandra said in a telephone interview.

"People are now continuously climbing," he said.

Sangeeta Singh, of the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency, said rural villagers "are willing to pay for assured, customized hours of supply, even at a higher price."

"The myth that rural consumers will not pay for electricity is now demolished," added Jaideep Mukherji, the CEO of Smart Power India (SPI). "Over the last two years we've discovered not only do rural consumers pay for the electricity, 93 percent pay on time."

SPI is backed by the US-based Rockefeller Foundation's $75 million Smart Power for Rural Development initiative, which aims to get power the "last mile" to users without it in India, Myanmar and sub-Saharan Africa.

SPI works with seven private mini-grid operaters, including OMC, in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand – some of India's least electrified states – to boost demand for solar mini-grid power and help develop rural economies.

The aim is both to improve life for poor people in power-hungry regions and help make sure solar mini-grid power is financially feasible for its operators, Mukherji said.

Chandra, of OMC, said that, on average, after supplying reliable power for a year, "we see around 30 micro-enterprises come up in each village."

Though most are expansions of existing businesses, some are new ventures – such as a new water purifying plant in Kamlapur.

Sanskrit language teacher Aparna Mishra has just invested 400,000 rupees ($6,240) to set up a reverse osmosis water purifier.

Starting later this month, 100 customers – including schools, hotels and homes in the area – will begin receiving 20-liter refillable jars of water, dropped off at their doorstep, the entrepreneur said.

Mishra's two-year target is to produce 3,000 liters of clean water a day, delivered over a 12 km radius from the 5-kilowatt plant.

"If villagers can understand the link between good health and clean drinking water from my plant, that itself is the biggest return on my investment," the 26-year-old told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

An assessment of Smart Power India villages at the end of 2016 found that after two years of access to mini-grid power, small businesses using it had increased their monthly income by 13 percent.

A Price Too High?

While Smart Power India is reaching a growing share of communities without electricity, a 2017 study by the International Center for Research on Women found that large numbers of women and poor families still lack access to clean energy, even in areas where it is available.

For some of them, the cost of private mini-grid power is a deterrent to using it.

Riyaz's clothing factory, for instance, pays 25 rupees (39 cents) for each kilowatt of the 10 kilowatts of power it uses each day – well above the 11 to 17 rupees that rural users of grid power pay.

"The electricity bill pinches," the 45-year-old tailor said.

Chandra, of OMC, admitted that "on the face of it, our charges for reliable power might look high."

But grid power users in Uttar Pradesh must pay a minimum monthly fee of 1,000 rupees, he said. With many small solar businesses – such as phone recharging – using less power, and even larger businesses often saving energy by using efficient machines, solar mini-grid power can come out cheaper, he said.

The post Solar Power Push Lights up Options for India's Rural Women appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Cambodia Deports Seven Foreigners Held Over ‘Pornographic’ Dance Party

Posted: 12 Feb 2018 08:20 PM PST

PHNOM PENH — Cambodia has deported seven out of a group of 10 foreigners who were charged with producing pornography in connection with a party in the tourist town of Siem Reap, a court said on Monday.

The 10 were arrested on Jan. 25, along with 77 other foreigners, in a raid on an event called the "Pub Crawl or Let's Get Wet" in Siem Reap province, home to the ancient Angkor Wat ruins.

The Siem Reap Provincial Court, which granted bail to the seven last week, had also ordered them to leave Cambodia, Yin Srang, the court's spokesman, told Reuters.

"A judge said that they must leave the country, that they must not return, and that they must not gather in a group and party," he said.

Cambodia, a conservative Buddhist country, is a popular destination for tourists back-packing through Southeast Asia.

The court charged the 10 foreigners, among them citizens of Britain, the Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, on Jan. 29 with producing pornography for their roles in organizing the party.

All 10 denied the charges.

Defense lawyer Ouch Sopheaktra said the three remaining foreigners still in detention – from Britain, the Netherlands and Norway, would soon be put on trial.

The seven released on bail and ordered out of the country had all left, Ouch Sopheaktra said, adding that the charges still stood against them in Cambodia.

The other 77 foreigners arrested were freed after being "educated" over their unacceptable behavior, police said.

The post Cambodia Deports Seven Foreigners Held Over 'Pornographic' Dance Party appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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