Wednesday, March 28, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Rakhine Government Puts Brakes on Ngapali Beach Hotel Project

Posted: 28 Mar 2018 06:40 AM PDT

YANGON – Early this year, Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu ordered a halt to an upscale hotel project on southern Rakhine State's unique Ngapali Beach. Since 2015, at least 30 tons of beach sand have been used to fill a shallow inlet through wetland known locally as Lin Thar brook to accommodate the project, said Lin Thar village administrator U Myint Tun.

Rakhine State cabinet members have determined that the high-end project violated the Conservation of Water Resources and Rivers Law enacted under ex-military dictator Sen-Gen Than Shwe, as well as coastal directives issued by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. Despite this, the developer was granted land ownership documents by the Land Registration Department of Thandwe district, which is under the control of the General Administration Department.

The project is situated between the Golden Coconut Garden, which is owned by the Myanmar military, and the Silver Beach resort on the Lin Thar village seashore. An approximately 50-meter-wide inlet flows in a zig-zag through the village, and a large sandbank protrudes from the mouth of the river.

According to Lin Thar administrators, nearly 100 villagers complained to the Rakhine government three years ago after fishermen lost their docking areas, which had been lined with nipa palms and mangrove forests, when businessmen involved in the hotel project used dredging machines to pump beach sand from the foreshore.

A newly built white sand compound next to Lin Thar brook on Ngapali shore. This area was once crowded with nipa palms and mangrove forests

"Once, fishing boats could dock there, but it's gone now," U Myint Tun said. "I can't say exactly how many tons of beach sand they removed, but I am sure it's a lot," he said.

Last week, Rakhine State Planning and Finance Minister U Kyaw Aye Thein confirmed that the cabinet had ordered a halt to the project, but he could not provide detailed information such as the total land area of the project.

A hotelier from Ngapali told The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity that the land was bought by U Soe Myint, a former shareholder in First Myanmar Investment (FMI) group. Ngapali residents know him as U Sein Gay, who served as a mayor of Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay division around 2001. He currently operates Hotel Pyin Oo Lwin, which is a part of the Soe and Associates hotel group. His status as a shareholder in FMI group remains unclear.

A senior staff member at Hotel Pyin Oo Lwin confirmed to The Irrawaddy over the phone on Wednesday that her boss bought an area of wetland in Ngapali but had no further information. U Soe Myint declined to comment via an employee on Wednesday.

The hotelier disclosed that U Soe Myint tried to resell the disputed land to some foreigners with the help of a US lawyer in order to start a profit-sharing project, but it was canceled. The investor had intended to put about USD40 million into the luxury beach resort.

Both the hotelier and Lin Thar village administrator U Tun Myint estimated that around 5 or 6 acres of mangrove lands had been covered by salty beach sand, and that around 5 acres remained unspoiled. A hotel owner estimated that U Soe Myint's project had resulted in about 30 tons of beach sand being moved, and even labeled the act as "ecotourism crime".

"The small river has been shrunk to nearly half of its former total acreage," he said.

A boat docks in Lin Thar inlet off southern Rakhine State's Ngapali Beach.

During a recent visit, The Irrawaddy independently verified that the developer had laid concrete blocks and filled the site in with white sand, which could clearly be seen from the air, surrounded by trees.

Breaching MOHT's coastal directives is not unusual in Ngapali, where investors and residents routinely violate them for their personal interest. As a result of large-scale sand mining and the construction of huge retaining walls along the seashore for the purpose of keeping out high waves during the rainy season, once-pristine Ngapali Beach is now marked by a steep slope and foot-high sand terraces. For various reasons, Ngapali, once ranked No. 1 by travelers, was not among Trip Advisor's top 25 beaches for 2018.

Early this month, Union Hotels and Tourism Minister U Ohn Maung, Chief Minister U Nyi Pu and several cabinet members held a meeting with hotelier associations in Ngapali. Some guesthouse owners strongly criticized the lack of law enforcement and continued illegal sand mining in Ngapali.

Just last weekend, two motorboats from Irrawaddy delta bearing the name Sai Shan Tun mined with heavy equipment right in front of the standing Buddha stupa in Gyeiktaw village and directly pumped the sand to a nearby compound, despite government officials' insistence that sand mining is strictly prohibited on Ngapali Beach.

The post Rakhine Government Puts Brakes on Ngapali Beach Hotel Project appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bagan Steps Up Efforts to Stop Climbers After Latest Temple Tumble

Posted: 28 Mar 2018 06:13 AM PDT

MANDALAY — Officials in Bagan are planning to do more to warn people against climbing the pagodas of Bagan after a German tourist was injured in a fall on Tuesday.

Yulia Krylova, 22, fell off one of the relatively smaller of the area’s thousands of pagodas after watching the sun set and was sent to the Nyaung Oo general hospital to be treated for a minor head injury.

Because people are now prohibited from climbing the pagodas typically most popular for sunset views, visitors are clambering up the smaller temples, which can still be risky.

"We've prohibited the climbing of the pagodas since the earthquake hit and have requested the hotels and guesthouses to inform the tourists. However, the incident on Tuesdays shows our efforts are still weak," said U Aung Aung Kyaw, director of the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library's Bagan branch, part of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture.

The department said it will put up more notice boards around Bagan and remind hotels and guesthouses to tell tourists that climbing the pagodas is prohibited.

"Since it is very hard for us to keep an eye on everyone and every location, we hope the tourists will also understand the situation and avoid taking risks. Instead, we would like to encourage the use of the sunset viewing spots that we made," U Aung Aung Kyaw said.

Nearly 400 pagodas were damaged in the earthquake of August 2016. Shwesandaw Pagoda, especially popular for its sunset views, was closed to the public after the terrace collapsed last October.

The department prohibited the climbing of all pagodas in Bagan the following month after an American tourist fell to her death.

The department has built three earthen hills around Bagan for sunset views to help discourage climbing of the pagodas.

"It is not uncommon for visitors to fall from pagodas in Bagan. The incident on Tuesday was the fourth in 2017-2018. We would like the visitors to use the sunset viewing spots rather than risking their lives to climb the pagodas," U Aung Aung Kyaw said.

According to his department’s records, about 900 people would climb Shwesandaw Pagoda a day before the ban.

"The views from the pagodas are fantastic. But there are safety reasons, and in our traditional point of view it is somehow inappropriate for people to climb the pagodas. That is why we have to ban the climbing," he said.

With an application to grant world heritage site-status to Bagan now before UNESCO, some have complained that the earthen hills could hurt its chances.

"We've received many complaints and suggestions about the manmade hills. But these hills could be abolished easily when we do not want them," the director said.

"Ideas are welcome, and if we have a better solution we can remove these hills in no time. These hills cannot give the feeling of seeing the views from the pagodas, but we do not yet have a better way to provide an elevated location for viewing the sunsets besides these hills," he added.

Members of the World Heritage Site Committee will visit Bagan in mid-2018. The site will be brought up for deliberation at UNESCO's World Heritage Site convention in 2019.

The post Bagan Steps Up Efforts to Stop Climbers After Latest Temple Tumble appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

On Armed Forces Day, One Holiday, Two Visions

Posted: 28 Mar 2018 04:22 AM PDT

YANGON — The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) and Myanmar’s military, or Tatmadaw, held separate events to mark the 73rd anniversary of Armed Forces Day on Tuesday and shared very different ideas about how to build peace and achieve national reconciliation.

While the Tatmadaw said Myanmar needed a strong and modern army to protect the country, the NLD said the military should stay out of national and ethnic affairs in order for Myanmar to see an end to decades of civil war.

The NLD marked the anniversary at its headquarters in Yangon, going with Anti-Fascist Day instead of its official name, preferred by the military. March 27 celebrates the beginning of the military’s resistance to Japanese occupation in 1945.

"Exerting influence in national and ethnic affairs with military might must be ended. Resorting to armed conflicts that result from suspicions and grudges between ethnicities and national people must also be ended," the NLD’s statement on the anniversary reads.

It adds that the NLD would never allow the loss of the country’s hard-won democratic gains, the result of the people’s resolve and perseverance.

About 100 party members attended the NLD’s event, at which party leaders recalled the hard work the NLD has put into leading the country toward democracy. They urged party members to also work hard to further their cause and to heed the example of party chair Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de facto leader.

The NLD attributed its 2015 election victory to its years of resistance to military rule, from the pro-democracy uprising of 1988 on through the start of the transition to a semi-civilian government in 2010.

Party leaders said the NLD remained committed to achieving national reconciliation and a federal system accommodating the country’s many ethnic groups. Only when Myanmar achieves peace can it truly develop, they added.

"If we want to build a safe, peaceful and prosperous nation, this can only be achieved when political parties and the Tatmadaw cooperate with the people," U Hantha Myint, a member of the NLD’s central executive committee, said in his speech. "Therefore, by embracing a policy of national reconciliation, the NLD is working hard to unify the political parties, Tatmadaw and the people."

Since the NLD took power, U Hantha Myint said, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has prioritized peace in order to establish a union based on democracy and a federal system.

"To do so, we have called for the problems between us to be solved at the table rather than with armed fighting," he said.

A Martial Mandate

Control of Myanmar is effectively split between State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Tatmadaw chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, each with a different vision of how to end the civil war.

Leaders of the country’s ethnic armed groups blame the slow pace of progress toward peace at least in part on the pair’s fraught relationship. Still, many of them see in the NLD a more committed partner than the Tatmadaw, which has been fighting with the armed groups for decades. The military-drafted 2008 Constitution prevents the government from ordering the Tatmadaw to stop fighting, or from amending the Constitution without the Tatmadaw’s consent.

Since taking the reins of government in early 2016 — minus three key ministries and a critical quarter of parliamentary seats, all still firmly in the Tatmadaw’s hands — the NLD has made little obvious progress toward peace. A planned national peace conference has been repeatedly pushed back as the Tatmadaw has blocked efforts by some ethnic groups to hold public consultations with their members in preparation.

Marking Tuesday’s anniversary in Naypyitaw, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said the Tatmadaw had to be strong, modern and patriotic to protect the country’s independence.

"Only when the Tatmadaw is strong will the nation be strong," the army chief said, citing a favorite saying.

Speaking on the peace process, he advocated pragmatism over idealism.

"During the peace talks, it will be more practical to negotiate about probable things, in view of long-term benefits, instead of claiming the impossible ones and procrastinating," he said.

The general said Myanmar achieved independence by fighting off the Japanese with the help of the people, saving the country from disintegration.

He said a solid foundation had been laid for a “smooth” transition to democracy and that the Tatmadaw has played an important role in the country throughout its history.

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing urged people to practice a “Myanmar spirit without racial and religious discrimination, and to strive for the country’s development into a cohesive union. Instead of pointing to the past and finding faults, it is now high time to learn the lessons from the past and to [work] for the country's development."

The post On Armed Forces Day, One Holiday, Two Visions appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

4 Policemen Arrested Over Alleged Torture of Suspects in Irrawaddy Region

Posted: 28 Mar 2018 04:16 AM PDT

PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Region — Four policemen were arrested on Sunday over the alleged torture of two burglary suspects in a village in Irrawaddy Region's Labutta Township.

The chief of the Poe Laung police station and other ranks allegedly tortured two burglary suspects against legal procedures during interrogation sessions, said a spokesperson of the Irrawaddy Region Police Force Police Lt-Col Khin Maung Latt.

"We have launched an internal investigation," he said, adding that the investigation is being led by the chief of the Myaungmya District police force.

Police arrested Khing Maung Latt and Soe Myat Aung, who were suspected of stealing more than 40 million kyats (US$30,000) worth of goods from a house in the village of Daung Chaung in Labutta Township in January.

The four policemen from the Poe Laung police station were arrested and are currently being held in the Labutta police station after families of the two suspects filed a complaint.

Locals said the police held the two suspects for weeks without remand. The four policemen allegedly slapped the two suspects with their hands and shoes, burned their genitals with cigarettes, burned plastic rope and bottles, and hung them upside down with their hands handcuffed.

"In the first few days, we were held separately. They slapped me in my face with a slipper and hung me upside down for about five hours. They also ripped out my pubic hairs. On March 21, they burned [plastic] water bottles and dripped them on my genitals and thighs," Soe Myat Aung told The Irrawaddy.

Khin Maung Latt then confessed to burglary because of the torture and lied and said he had buried the loot under his house. As police brought him to his house to recover the goods, he showed his injuries to his wife and village administrators so that the village knew about the torture, said U Zaw Yan, a member of the Myanmar Farmers Network, a group supporting local farmers.

The wife of Khin Maung Latt and the mother of Soe Myat Aung then filed a complaint with the Labutta District police force. Khin Maung Latt and Soe Myat Aung have been receiving medical treatment at Labutta Hospital since March 23.

"I can't hold things with my hands now because of the torture. I even need my mother to feed me. Because they slapped me in my face, my jaw hurts if I speak for too long. I also have burns," Soe Myat Aung told The Irrawaddy.

Khin Maung Latt also suffered similar injuries, plus he can't hear out of his left ear, said U Zaw Yan.

"The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission said it would investigate the case within a few days," he said.

In 2003, a couple in Pathein who were suspected of a theft, committed suicide following torture by police during their detention. The inspector who led the interrogation was sacked and imprisoned and four other policemen were demoted.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko

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Highlights of Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing’s Armed Forces Day Speech

Posted: 28 Mar 2018 04:08 AM PDT

At this year's Armed Forces Day commemoration, Myanmar military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing did not inspect the troops from the back of a moving military vehicle, opting to do so on foot.

In his speech, he said the country is lagging behind even its neighbors in the region.

In order to catch up, he urged people to work hard and show the "spirit of Myanmar"—interestingly, he also told the people of this Buddhist majority country to avoid racial and religious prejudice.

He reiterated his commitment to protecting the military-drafted 2008 Constitution. The military chief also urged all armed groups to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement without making impossible demands.

"Instead of pointing to the past and finding fault," Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said, "it's time to learn the lessons of the past and to work for the country's development."

Independence Struggle

In what has become something of a tradition for military leaders during Armed Forces Day speeches, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing devoted the first part of his speech to the Tatmadaw's role in the independence struggle.

He mentioned Aung San, father of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who led the independence struggle, using the military training he had received from Japan to drive out the British colonizers. He and the rest of the legendary "Thirty Comrades" entered Myanmar through Thailand to liberate the country, which was then colonized by the British.

Min Aung Hlaing briefly touched on the Dawei and Mawlamyine columns that entered Myanmar from Thailand.

"Among the columns, the Dawei column was the core one and it was cordially welcomed by local residents of all kinds on its arrival in Dawei," he said.

It is well known that residents of Dawei (known as Tavoy in southern Myanmar) welcomed the Myanmar soldiers, then part of the Burma Independence Army (BIA), and that many in Dawei joined the army. Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is himself from the town.

The army chief then went on to discuss the post-independence period, and highlighted two major issues: the invasion by the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) of eastern Myanmar, and the Mujahideen insurgency in the west.

In January 1950, KMT troops from China, backed by the American CIA, crossed the border from Yunnan and occupied northeastern Shan State, prompting the government under Prime Minister U Nu to formally complain to the UN. Myanmar forces, including the air force, bombed KMT troops and a series of fierce battles were fought.

In 1953, the UN passed a resolution calling on the US to work for the removal of the KMT troops from Myanmar.

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing then touched on the Mujahideen insurgency in western Myanmar. In the Burmese language, he talked about the "bad, naughty kalar." (A derogatory term for those of South Asian descent).

In northern Rakhine starting in 1950, separatist Bengalis who had migrated from what was then East Pakistan took up arms against the central government, he said. The military launched several operations including "Operation Mayu." Mujahideen leaders fled or surrendered and the rebellion finally ended in 1961.

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing related this story to demonstrate how the armed forces had played a role in protecting Myanmar's sovereignty. He did not refer directly to the current crisis in Rakhine State, however.

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing arrived at the parade grounds in Naypyitaw on Tuesday morning to attend the 73rd anniversary of Myanmar Armed Forces Day. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

Modern Army and Military Professionalism

The Tatmadaw leader did not fail to mention the ongoing efforts to build a modern army and to "effectively utilize technology and military professionalism to collectively serve military affairs."

Freedom of Speech

He also touched on freedom of speech.

"Today, our country is marching toward becoming a modern and developed democracy," he said.

"Democracy is a negotiation of different views from multiple directions and it is a way to live cohesively with those attitudes. Whichever policies are pursued in the country, there shall be laws, rules and regulations promulgated."

He added, "In democracy, there is freedom of speech in line with democratic norms, but these must also be in accordance with rules and regulations, as well as accountability…. Baseless speech leads to animosity and degrades the prestige of our country, hindering nation building."

On Ethnicity and Religion

The commander-in-chief stated that more than 130 ethnic groups have existed in Myanmar for decades.

"Among these ethnic groups, some number in the hundreds of thousands, while others have a population of just a handful. However, population is not the main issue, and all ethnic groups have equal rights under the Constitution. Although the majority believes in Buddhism, there is also freedom of worship for other religions. Thus, speech spreading disinformation must be restrained in relation to religion." One wondered whether he was preaching "tolerance" as some army officers, well-funded thugs, vigilantes and extreme nationalists have been accused of involvement in attacking minorities and Muslims.

On Rules of Engagement

"Discipline is the backbone of the Tatmadaw," Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said.

"Our Tatmadaw is strong because it stands on the firm ground of good military discipline and obedience. Each and every serviceman must strictly follow rules and regulations, orders and instructions."

He told military personnel to adhere to the military code of conduct.

He said, "Moreover, apart from following civil laws, military laws and laws related to war, we must also abide by rules of engagement [ROE]. ROE is a legal instruction as well as guidance for circumstances and restrictions to be followed by units and corps in the accomplishment of military objectives. I would like to say that legal action will be taken against anyone who violates the code of conduct, rules or regulations."

The comments appeared to be aimed at deflecting international criticism of the military crackdown on Muslim insurgents, terrorists and the self-identified Rohingya population of northern Rakhine State.

On the NCA

During peace talks, he said, it would be more practical to negotiate toward likely outcomes, in view of long-term benefits, instead of wasting time and setting impossible conditions.

In conclusion, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing spoke about peace, prosperity, development of the nation and unity, and urged people not to dwell on the past.

He repeatedly mentioned multiparty democracy and federalism and urged people to avoid racial and religious prejudice.

He did not mention anything about government leadership changes, but his speech indicated that he was trying to put his house in order as well as to counter international condemnation, tougher sanctions and accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide.

The post Highlights of Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing's Armed Forces Day Speech appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

5 of 9 Suspects in Sittwe Bombings Released

Posted: 28 Mar 2018 02:55 AM PDT

SITTWE, Rakhine State — Five of nine suspects detained over a series of bomb attacks that injured a police officer in the third week of February in Rakhine State's Sittwe were released on Monday.

Ko Naing Soe, also known as Mae Lone, an executive committee member of the Arakan National Council (ANC), was among those who were released on Monday.

Others include locals Ko Shwe Tun Aung, Ko Maung Myint Shwe, Ko Tun Myint Shwe and Ko Maung Thein Nu.

Ko Naing Soe was charged by police under multiple articles of the Counter-Terrorism Law that carry a minimum prison sentence of 10 years.

"My arrest is ridiculing the rule of law. When will Myanmar achieve peace if police, who are supposed to enforce the law, do not respect the law and oppress the people? The fact that they are trying to forcibly arrest us is insulting the law," Ko Naing Soe told the media upon his release.

According to police procedure, suspects shall not be held on remand for more than 30 days. After eight of nine detainees spent 30 days in prison on remand, police still could not find evidence to bring them to trial and asked the court to extend their remand on other charges.

The court only approved the extension for three suspects—two over the charge of illegally crossing the border, and one for a bomb blast in Mrauk-U—and ordered the release of the five others.

Three bombs exploded in Sittwe on Feb. 24, respectively in front of the Sittwe Court, in the backyard of an outspoken state government secretary, Tin Maung Swe, and in front of the Land Records Department.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Parliament Elects Ex-House Speaker Myanmar’s Next President

Posted: 27 Mar 2018 11:44 PM PDT

YANGON — The Union Parliament on Wednesday elected former Lower House Speaker U Win Myint the country's 10th president after U Htin Kyaw left the post last week citing the need to rest.

U Win Myint became president-elect after securing 403 votes from the 636 lawmakers of the Upper House and Lower House. The other two candidates, U Myint Swe and U Henry Van Thio, secured 211 and 18 votes, respectively.

U Myint Swe is currently the country’s acting president. Based on the number of votes he secured on Wednesday and his military background, the former lieutenant general likely landed votes not only from all 162 military lawmakers but also from more than 40 lawmakers of the main opposition, the Union Solidarity and Development Party.

"It's announced that U Win Myint, who has secured the most votes, has been elected the president," Union Parliament Speaker U Mahn Win Khaing Than announced after all the votes were counted.

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and some union ministers attended the election as observers.

As part of the process to select a replacement for the 71-year-old U Htin Kyaw, who resigned on Mar. 21, U Win Myint was elected a vice president on Friday, paving the way for a vote for a new president.

U Win Myint submitted his resignation as speaker of the Lower House soon after U Htin Kyaw's resignation was announced on Wednesday, prompting speculation that he would become Myanmar's next president.

The 67-year-old is believed to be one of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's favorites among fellow senior National League for Democracy (NLD) members. He became Lower House speaker in February 2016, after the NLD won the 2015 general election.

During his time in the Lower House, the former lawyer was known for his strict discipline. He did not tolerate discussions that were off topic during parliamentary meetings. Even union ministers were not free from his stern warnings, not to mention lawmakers, including those from the military.

U Win Myint became an NLD central executive committee member in 2010. In 2012 he also served as secretary of the Lower House's Rule of Law, Peace and Tranquility Committee — chaired by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was a Lower House lawmaker at the time — after being elected to represent Yangon's Kawhmu Township.

Born in Danubyu in the Irrawaddy Delta in 1951, U Win Myint studied geology at Yangon University before moving on to study law in the 1980s. He was working as a barrister in 1988 when nationwide pro-democracy protests erupted, leading to the founding of the NLD, which he subsequently joined.

Since joining the party, U Win Myint has won three election races: in the 1990 general election, a 2012 by-election, and the last general election in 2015.

He was elected speaker of the Lower House in 2016.

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UN Chief ‘Shocked’ by Top Myanmar General’s Comments on Rohingya

Posted: 27 Mar 2018 10:10 PM PDT

YANGON — United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed “shock” at comments by Myanmar’s military chief in which he said the Rohingya minority shared nothing in common with the rest of the population and that their demand for citizenship had stoked recent violence.

Nearly 700,000 Muslim Rohingya fled to Bangladesh since the military launched a crackdown in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State in response to insurgent attacks on security forces in August, according to UN estimates. The United States and UN have described the operation as ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, which Myanmar denies.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said in a speech to military personnel and their families last week in northern Kachin State that Rohingya “do not have any characteristics or culture in common with the ethnicities of Myanmar,” according to his website.

The military chief also said the tensions in Rakhine were “fuelled because the Bengalis demanded citizenship,” using a term that Rohingya activists reject as implying they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

UN chief Guterres said in a statement on Monday he was “shocked” at the comments, and urged “all leaders in Myanmar to take a unified stance against incitement to hatred and to promote communal harmony.”

“The Secretary-General reiterates the importance of addressing the root causes of the violence and the responsibility of the Government of Myanmar to provide security and assistance to those in need,” the statement said.

Though many Rohingya say their families have lived in Myanmar for generations, they are not among the 135 officially recognized ethnic groups and so are denied citizenship.

Several calls to a military spokesman seeking comment went unanswered.

The army chief is an influential figure under Myanmar’s Constitution, which obliges State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government to share power with the military.

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China Says North Korea Pledges Denuclearization During Friendly Visit

Posted: 27 Mar 2018 09:59 PM PDT

BEIJING/SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pledged to denuclearize and meet US officials, China said on Wednesday after an historic meeting with President Xi Jinping, who promised China would uphold its friendship with its isolated neighbor.

After two days of speculation, China and North Korea both confirmed that Kim had visited Beijing and met Xi during what China’s Foreign Ministry called an unofficial visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday.

The China visit was Kim’s first known trip outside North Korea since he assumed power in 2011 and is believed by analysts to serve as preparation for upcoming summits with South Korea and the United States.

North Korea’s KCNA news agency made no mention of Kim’s pledge to denuclearize, or his anticipated meeting with US President Donald Trump that is planned for some time in May.

Beijing has traditionally been the closest ally of secretive North Korea, but ties have been frayed by North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and China’s backing of tough UN sanctions in response.

China’s Foreign Ministry cited Kim in a lengthy statement as telling Xi that the situation on the Korean peninsula is starting to improve because North Korea has taken the initiative to ease tensions and put forward proposals for peace talks.

“It is our consistent stand to be committed to denuclearization on the peninsula, in accordance with the will of late President Kim Il Sung and late General Secretary Kim Jong Il,” Kim Jong Un said, according to the statement.

North Korea is willing to talk with the United States and hold a summit between the two countries, he said.

“The issue of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realization of peace,” Kim said.

Kim Jong Un’s predecessors, grandfather Kim Il Sung and father Kim Jong Il, both publicly promised not to pursue nuclear weapons but secretly continued to develop the programs, culminating in the North’s first nuclear test in 2006 under Kim Jong Il.

The North had said in past failed talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear program that it could consider giving up its arsenal if the United States removed its troops from South Korea and withdrew its so-called nuclear umbrella of deterrence from South Korea and Japan.

Many analysts and former negotiators believe this still constitutes North Korea’s stance on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and remain deeply skeptical Kim is willing to give up the nuclear weapons his family has been developing for decades.

Trump Briefed

Though billed as an unofficial trip, Kim’s appearance in Beijing contained almost all the trappings of a state visit, complete with an honor guard and banquet at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

Kim and Xi also met at the Diaoyutai State Guest House, where Kim Il Sung planted a tree in 1959 that still stands.

State television showed pictures of the two men chatting amiably and Kim’s wife, Ri Sol Ju, getting an equally warm welcome from Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan.

China briefed Trump on Kim’s visit and the communication included a personal message from Xi to Trump, the White House said in a statement.

“The United States remains in close contact with our allies South Korea and Japan. We see this development as further evidence that our campaign of maximum pressure is creating the appropriate atmosphere for dialogue with North Korea,” the statement said.

A top Chinese diplomat, Politburo member Yang Jiechi, will brief officials in Seoul on Thursday, including President Moon Jae-in, on Xi’s meeting with Kim, according to the presidential office in Seoul.

Kim told a banquet hosted by Xi the visit was intended to “maintain our great friendship and continue and develop our bilateral ties at a time of rapid developments on the Korean peninsula,” according to KCNA.

Xi had accepted an invitation “with pleasure” from Kim to visit North Korea, KCNA said.

However, China’s statement made no mention of Xi accepting an invitation, saying only that Xi pledged to keep frequent contacts with Kim through the exchange of visits and sending special envoys and letters to each other.

China had largely sat on the sidelines as Pyongyang improved its relations with Seoul, prompting worry in Beijing that it was no longer a central player in the North Korean issue, reinforced by Trump’s subsequent announcement of his proposed meeting with Kim in May.

“China is North Korea’s lifeline, so the notion, from a Chinese perspective, that Kim Jong Un couldn’t have these other two meetings before meeting with Xi Jinping, I think the Chinese just thought that is not going to happen,” said Paul Haenle, director of the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center in Beijing and the former White House representative to North Korea denuclearization talks from 2007-2009.

Speculation about a possible visit by Kim to Beijing was rife earlier this week after a train similar to the one used by Kim’s father was seen in the Chinese capital, along with heavy security and a large motorcade.

Improving ties between North Korea and China would be a positive sign before planned summits involving the two Koreas and the United States, a senior South Korean official said on Tuesday.

Kim Jong Il met then-president Jiang Zemin in China in 2000 before a summit between the two Koreas in June that year. That visit was seen at the time as reaffirmation of close ties with Beijing.

The secrecy around the visit was not unusual. The later visits of Kim Jong Il to China were only announced by both countries once he had left the country.

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Philippines Child Slavery Survivors Fight to Heal Scars of Abuse

Posted: 27 Mar 2018 09:47 PM PDT

MANILA — After years of being abused, exploited and enslaved, the girls in gloves do not hesitate to strike when their turn arrives.

Cheered on by their friends, the Filipina children launch into a frenzied flurry of kicks and jabs against their trainers.

These young survivors of modern slavery are learning martial arts as part of their recovery in a shelter for child trafficking victims in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

“I like learning to fight because I want to protect myself and the other girls,” said 15-year-old Ash, raising her gentle voice to be heard over the constant thud of fists and feet.

“I’m tired but happy … Muay Thai will be useful when I become a police detective one day,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation during a martial arts lesson at the shelter run by the Visayan Forum Foundation, an anti-trafficking charity.

Cybersex child trafficking – where victims are forced to perform sex acts, abused or raped over webcam for global clients – is a growing problem in a country regarded by activists and anti-slavery organizations as a regional hub for modern slavery.

Children as young as one or two are sexually exploited by traffickers and also their own relatives in the Philippines, which has been identified as the epicenter of the livestream sex abuse trade by the United Nations’ children’s agency (UNICEF).

For the girls at the shelter – many of whom have been abused, beaten and betrayed by their families – the chance to be active, creative, and even aggressive, is a welcome opportunity.

From self defense sessions in Kenya to Kung Fu lessons taught by nuns in India, a growing number of projects globally teach women and girls martial arts to boost their confidence, help them defend themselves and aid them to recover from abuse.

“Such activities are a very important medium for women and girls who have suffered abuse,” said Dolores Rubia, director of aftercare for the International Justice Mission in Manila.

“They allow them to express their feelings, they are therapeutic, and offer the chance to learn skills for the future,” added Rubia of the global charity, which works with local partners to support child victims of cybersex trafficking.

Healing Process

The Visayan shelter in Manila is home to about 45 girls, ranging in age from 3 to 23. Some have lived here for years.

Most of the girls arriving at the center have been rescued in police raids, found by charities or escaped from cybersex dens, brothels or homes where they were forced to work as maids.

For those who have been exploited by their relatives or are involved in court cases against their abusers, going home may be not an option, says Visayan, which helps the girls find jobs and a place to live once they are old enough and ready to leave.

The shelter provides visiting teachers so the girls can catch up on their education and sit exams, as well as a wide range of activities such as arts and crafts, karaoke, dancing and martial arts, said Rachel Subia of the charity.

“These activities are a good way to help the girls forget their past experiences … it is healing for them,” Subia said.

As each awaits their turn to take on the instructors, the girls fiddle with their gloves and joke, laugh and whoop loudly, watching as the others put their newfound skills to the test.

Those stepping forward are a picture of concentration – eyes narrowed, shoulders raised and fists clenched – as they fight.

“At first, the girls were so awkward,” said Muay Thai instructor Olivia Cruz, who has helped to run the bi-monthly martial arts sessions since they started earlier this year.

“But they are really strong,” she added, chuckling as one girl knocked her male trainer to the ground. “And they love it.”

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Southeast Asia Closes Island Beaches to Recover from Climate Change and Tourism

Posted: 27 Mar 2018 09:31 PM PDT

BANGKOK — More popular Southeast Asian islands will be off limits to visitors this year as officials seek to protect eco-systems crumbling from warming seas and unchecked sprawl, despite the risk to tourism revenues and tens of thousands of jobs.

Thailand will shut Maya Bay, which famously featured in “The Beach," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, for four months a year, from June. In the Philippines, officials plan to close Boracay Island for six months at the end of April.

“Islands have very fragile eco-systems that simply cannot handle so many people, pollution from boats and beachfront hotels,” said Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a marine expert in Bangkok.

“Coral reefs have been degraded by warmer seas and overcrowding. Sometimes, a complete closure is the only way for nature to heal,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

More than three-quarters of Thailand’s coral reefs have been damaged by rising sea temperatures and unchecked tourism, said Thon, who last week recommended limiting visitors to its 22 marine parks to 6 million a year to enable their recovery.

Currently, they number about 5.5 million, he said.

Thailand closed dozens of dive sites to tourists in 2011, after unusually warm seas caused severe damage to coral reefs in the Andaman Sea, one of the world’s top diving regions. It also shut some islands in 2016.

The country’s sandy beaches helped draw record numbers of tourists last year, with revenues contributing about 12 percent of the economy. The government expects 38 million visitors this year.

Southeast Asia is expected to bear the brunt of rising damage to coral reefs, depriving fishermen of incomes and leaving nations exposed to incoming storms and damage from surging seas, recent research showed.

In the Philippines, which is among the most vulnerable to climate change, about 2 million people visited Boracay last year, celebrated for its white-sand beaches.

On a visit last month, President Rodrigo Duterte called the island a “cesspool” because of sewage dumped directly into the sea, and warned of a looming environmental disaster with buildings constructed too close to the shore.

Government agencies have recommended closing the island for six months to fix the problems.

Tour operators say more than 36,000 jobs are at stake.

“We support the government in adopting responsible and sustainable tourism practices … but not in shutting down the whole island,” the Philippine Travel Agencies Association said.

But Thailand’s Thon warned against short-term fixes.

“Tourism is important, but we need to preserve these spaces for our future generations, for future livelihoods,” he said.

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