The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- President’s Inauguration Raises Hopes, Reminds Us of Political Realities
- NLD Party Revamp Elevates U Win Myint to No. 2 Spot
- Lawyers Say Filing of Multiple Charges Against Arakanese Pair Is Unlawful
- Analysis: Audiences Embrace New Filmmakers, Cinema Industry Slow to Follow Suit
- Villagers Flee as Specter of War Returns to Northern Karen State
- 2 Sagaing Women Arrested for Trying to Keep Police from Entering Village
- KNU Says Army Cancelled Meeting to Settle Standoff Because of Missing Delegate
- A Brief Bio of Myanmar’s Newly Sworn-in President
- New President Vows to Bring Democracy, Human Rights to Myanmar
- Family of Journalist Killed in Traffic Accident with Army Major Drops Charges
- Fire Kills 20 Myanmar Migrant Workers on Bus in Thailand: Police
- Rights Lawyer Amal Clooney to Represent Reuters Reporters Held in Myanmar
- Migrant Construction Workers’ Children in Thailand Exposed to Violence: UN
| President’s Inauguration Raises Hopes, Reminds Us of Political Realities Posted: 30 Mar 2018 07:19 AM PDT Watching Myanmar's new president taking the oath of office this morning, a great many citizens no doubt had a feeling of "so far, so good", despite the political turbulence that has rocked the country over the past year. After more than half a century of military rule, we watched U Win Myint, an elected civilian, succeed another elected civilian as president. After the decades-long ordeal of authoritarian government, the recent political instability has many people worried that the current democratic transition, which only dates back to 2011, could make a U-turn. In this light, the current moment seems especially auspicious: President U Win Myint is still just the second elected civilian president in the 56 years since the military seized power in a coup in 1962. And the 66-year-old president brings a certain amount of "added value": His record as a seasoned political activist and politician under military rule stretches back to 1988; prior to that he worked as a barrister. He has been a lawmaker since he won a seat in the 2012 by-election, serving as Lower House speaker since 2016. More importantly, he has been a core member of the National League for Democracy since Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her co-founders formed it in September 1988. The NLD is still the country's most popular party, having scored an unbroken series of landslide victories in the country's last four elections—the general elections in 1990 and 2015, and by-elections in 2012 and 2017. However, the inauguration ceremony also served as a reminder of the political realities of the country, which no one can ignore. In his oath, President U Win Myint swore to "uphold and abide by the Constitution and its laws…" Like his predecessors, he swore an oath to abide by a Constitution—drafted by the previous military regime in 2008—that has come to be seen as undemocratic. But minutes after taking the oath, the President delivered his inaugural address on the same stage, vowing to amend the Constitution as a first step toward building a democratic federal union. How ironic! And how typical of Myanmar's political situation! That's not all. Take a look at the scene: The President took his oath alongside two vice presidents, one of whom was U Myint Swe, a former general elected by the military appointees who comprise 25 percent of lawmakers. In short, he represents the country's powerful military. U Win Myint took the oath in front of the members of parliament, 25 percent of whom are military officials appointed by the commander-in-chief, Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, who was present at the inauguration on Friday morning.  Sitting with distinguished guests and elected parliamentarians, the commander-in-chief, his deputies and the military appointees all looked on as the new president was sworn in. This is the odd reality imposed by the Constitution, which also mandates the appointment of a vice president selected by the military appointees in Parliament and three key cabinet ministers appointed by the commander-in-chief. It's a paradox, indeed—a political game between the elected civilian government and the powerful military. In this political climate, the main political goals of the NLD-led government under the new president will not change much. As with his predecessor, this political situation led the new president to underscore national reconciliation—specifically between the government and the military—and the peace process in his inauguration speech. But there is one important thing U Win Myint must understand. After two years of NLD rule, he must be pragmatic. The economy is more important to the daily lives of the population than politics. He seems to be aware of this. Unlike former President U Htin Kyaw, whose inauguration took place two years to the day before that of U Win Myint, the new president cited improving the socio-economic conditions of the people, along with ensuring the rule of law, as his number one priorities, rather than national reconciliation, peace and amending the Constitution to build up a democratic federal union. Over the two years since the NLD took office in March 2016, many people from all walks of life have consistently complained that the economy has deteriorated under the NLD and that their businesses are dying. This is largely due to the fact that the NLD-led government under Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as State Counsellor prioritized political matters such as the peace process over the economy. But the president raised economic issues on his first day in office. Now the people of Myanmar will have to wait and see what he does in the coming weeks and months. Beyond political matters, the president called for an attitude and mindset change on the part of the entire population in order to ensure the success of the democratic transition, which is still in its infancy. He said, "It's vital for the public and civil servants to change their mindsets and fixed habits," referring to the outmoded attitudes and habits that defined the previous military and authoritarian regimes going back decades. The president said he would supervise government departments that have been slow to implement reform. Those specific points have drawn cheers from many people in the country as people are still suffering under the old bureaucratic system and old-style civil servants. He also vowed to reform the judicial system, fight corruption, take steps to combat the illegal drug trade and manage the country's budget so as to eliminate waste. The president also pledged to uphold human rights. U Win Myint is aware of how his country's image has declined due to authorities' human rights violations against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State, which forced over 600,000 Muslims to flee to Bangladesh last year. In his speech, he vowed to work hard to raise the dignity of Myanmar citizens and the image of the country on the international stage. The new president faces challenges bigger than any the country has seen since the NLD took office in March 2016. It is not immediately clear how he will solve these gigantic problems and achieve the government's political and economic goals. But the president has to get to work right after making his speech. Otherwise, his three-year tenure won't be sufficient. As a decisive and disciplined Lower House speaker, U Win Myint proved that he is not a wishy-washy person. President U Win Myint seems to have rolled up his sleeves with the intention of getting to work on the goals he has set. The entire nation and the world will be watching closely to see if his actions match the promises he made this morning. The post President's Inauguration Raises Hopes, Reminds Us of Political Realities appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| NLD Party Revamp Elevates U Win Myint to No. 2 Spot Posted: 30 Mar 2018 07:07 AM PDT YANGON— The ruling National League for Democracy has overhauled its leadership, giving the country's new president, U Win Myint, the party's top job behind chairwoman Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In an announcement released on Friday, the NLD said that according to a party decision at a central executive committee (CEC) meeting last Saturday, U Win Myint had been appointed vice chairman (1), while Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Zaw Myint Maung had been appointed vice chairman (2). Both men are in their 60s. U Zaw Myint Maung was also recently appointed as party spokesmen along with U Myo Nyunt, a CEC member. The party's internal leadership revamp came at the same time as U Win Myint took over as the country's new president and as the NLD led government marked two years in office on Friday. U Win Myint, a favorite of de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was sworn into office on Friday after being elected as Myanmar's 10th president on Mar. 28. New party spokesperson U Myo Nyunt told The Irrawaddy that the appointment of the two vice chairmen was part of structural reforms to strengthen the party's leadership and energize the NLD by giving more leadership roles to younger members instead of senior members—many of whom are in their 70s and 80s. CEC member U Win Htein, 76, who is known to be the party's steward and a close aide of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was moved to an honorable member's role. Along with three other party elders, U Win Htein was appointed as a member of the board of patrons. Many have speculated what will happen to the NLD in the post-Daw Aung San Suu Kyi era. The party icon and co-founder is now 72 years old. It is expected that U Win Myint as president will be more active than his predecessor and exercise more executive power while sharing governmental responsibilities with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Asked if U Win Myint would take over the leadership of the NLD after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi departs the scene, party spokesperson U Myo Nyunt said the party is set up that way for now. But according to the constitution's Article 64, on assuming the presidency, U Win Myint is expected to recuse himself from party activities during his term in office. The post NLD Party Revamp Elevates U Win Myint to No. 2 Spot appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Lawyers Say Filing of Multiple Charges Against Arakanese Pair Is Unlawful Posted: 30 Mar 2018 04:58 AM PDT SITTWE — Defense lawyers for an Arakanese lawmaker and an author who were arrested in January in relation to remarks they made at a public talk told the Rakhine State High Court on Wednesday that the filing of multiple charges against their clients was unlawful. Arakanese lawmaker Dr. Aye Maung and author Wai Han Aung were each charged with defamation, unlawful association and high treason for public remarks in which they expressed support for the ethnic armed group the Arakan Army. The speeches were made at an event in Rathedaung Township to mark the 233rd anniversary of the fall of the Rakhine Dynasty to the Bamar. At their seventh appearance at the Sittwe District Court and Sittwe Township Court on Wednesday, defense lawyer U Aung Kyaw Sein asked the courts to drop the charges. "We have an existing law governing the defining of charges. According to that law, although by an act or an omission a person may have violated more than one law, he or she shall be charged under one law only. They have been charged under three laws. This is against the law," he said. Defense lawyers also asked that the defendants be tried before only one court. The two were charged at both district and township level courts in Sittwe, which defense lawyers said is tiring for the accused and their families, and wastes their time. "It is a misuse of the judicial system, so we asked the court to try them in just one court," U Aung Kyaw Sein told The Irrawaddy. Sittwe Township Court scheduled a hearing for April 4 to consider their proposal to hold the trial in only one court. After the court hearing on Wednesday, Dr. Aye Maung told reporters that he welcomed the election of president U Win Myint, saying he trusted him because U Win Myint is himself a former political prisoner and has legal knowledge. "I'm glad that U Win Myint has become president. I ask him to release all political prisoners. There are many people who were charged under the defamation and unlawful association acts like us. If he can release them all, we will be able to attend the Panglong Peace Conference," Dr. Aye Maung said. "It would be best if we can work for national reconciliation together peacefully," he added. The post Lawyers Say Filing of Multiple Charges Against Arakanese Pair Is Unlawful appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Analysis: Audiences Embrace New Filmmakers, Cinema Industry Slow to Follow Suit Posted: 30 Mar 2018 04:35 AM PDT YANGON — One discussion that has taken over Myanmar social media in recent weeks is in regards to the country's mainstream movie industry. The talk revolved around a filmmaker couple whose two newly-released films excited cinemagoers who have been disappointed with a stagnant industry. Deception and Mudras Calling, released in January and March respectively, received tremendous audience support and filled theaters. Film director Christina Kyi and her partner as well as her production's in-house actor Zenn Kyi came into the spotlight as "new idols." Myanmar netizens have taken to social media to show their support for the couple and the two films. What made the support even more intense was the resistance of some famous mainstream community members and stars who have refused to recognize and receive the new generation of filmmakers with open arms.  Embracing a New Generation of Filmmakers Enthusiasm and hunger for a 'new' cinema stem from the disappointment with many local filmmakers who simply adapt stories from foreign films rather than create their own original stories, and who make comedy movies that mischaracterize the lives of transgender people and disabled communities. Even though Myanmar was one of the earliest countries to produce films in Southeast Asia, the country's current influence in the regional industry is among the lowest. Such a situation is sad for an industry with a remarkable cinema legacy that will celebrate its 100-year anniversary in 2020. Despite bizarre censorship and political control by the socialist government, the period from the 1950s to the 1970s and sometimes 80s is viewed by many as the local industry's "golden age." In order to protest the current state of the movie industry, audiences embraced the newcomers even more by turning out in droves to support films made by the 'Kyi' couple. After studying filmmaking in the US, Christina Kyi and Zenn Kyi came back to their home country Myanmar nearly a decade ago and started making their debut feature film Mudras Calling. Due to financial and other production struggles, the film did not make it to theaters until March this year.  Their second film Deception, was released two months before the debut film. It is a twisted drama of a marriage, betrayal, wealth and poverty. While there were shortcomings in the film's script and execution, Christina Kyi was able to prove that she was a capable director. She was praised for her directorial skill and actors Zenn Kyi and Aung Myint Myat were admired for their acting. The film stayed in local theaters for seven weeks and was also screened in Singapore. Because of the success of Deception, no exceptional effort was needed to promote Mudras Calling, which featured the same director and lead actor. The film is a story of a US-raised young man's search for his roots in Myanmar while learning about the country's traditional music for his master's degree thesis. Most of the dialogue in the 95-minute film is in English with Myanmar subtitles. Filmed in the country's most visited tourist hotspots of Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Inle Lake, Christina Kyi was applauded for promoting Myanmar traditions and values. The film also stressed cultural and ideological differences between Myanmar and western societies while depicting a love story between its two lead characters. Despite flaws in screenplay, character development and technical work, the crew's years-long effort should be recognized for not following the conventional local practice and for pushing the industry forward. U Win Pe, a Myanmar Academy Award winner, prolific author, painter and former radio reporter, praised the film as successful entertainment. He particularly appreciated the way the director skillfully mingled Myanmar culture with the film narrative, and said it gave a fresh perspective of the country even to Myanmar audiences. "The good thing about this film is that it can deliver such a simple narrative in quite an interesting way from the start till the end," he said. "It gives a balanced ratio of entertainment and knowledge," he added.  Divide, Scandal, and More The fundamental difference between the "Kyi" couple and the existing mainstream movie makers is that the two learned filmmaking in college and the latter learned it from elders within the industry. While many young filmmakers cited classical films produced during the golden period as their artistic inspirations, those produced lately are regarded by many as "silly movies." While audiences criticize the industry's low artistic standards and poor creative quality, the industry's conservative filmmakers still cite the country's poverty and dictatorship as the root causes of technical challenges in their films. The real battle came after former actress and member of Myanmar film censorship board Daw Swe Sin Htike metaphorically commented that Mudras Calling was a product made by "urbanites" and other films produced by the existing mainstream industry were made by "villagers." The divide between the "Kyi" audience and the existing mainstream industry members got out of control when screenshots of Facebook messenger group chat logs between some members were leaked on social media following the 66th Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards ceremony. The screenshots of the chat history from the "Actors and Actresses" group revealed gossip about the filmmaker couple and strong backlash from the industry figures. The leak seemed to happen after several Facebook accounts of industry celebrities were hacked. While it should not happen to any individual, Myanmar netizens trolled celebrities and movie directors on social media about how they felt threatened by the two filmmakers. The leak immediately led to a public apology by the chair of Myanmar Motion Picture Organization. Chairman U Zin Wyne, who was also involved in the chat, said he apologized to the couple on behalf of all the members who gossiped, and would like to collaborate with the new generation of filmmakers for the betterment of the industry. "We always accept newcomers and must also warmly welcome them now," he said at a press conference on March 26.  What he said was quite questionable as the film Night (Nya)—obviously one of the best films released in 2017— didn't get any nominations for the Academy Awards this year. The film is a psychological thriller and a debut feature by young filmmaker Htoo Paing Zaw Oo, who is also an award-winning music video director. Even though it was tipped to be awarded for its outstanding cinematography, sound design, and directing work, it didn't even get nominated by the award selection board. Many young filmmakers said they felt discouraged by the fact that the industry didn't recognize the work of the new generation. However, director Htoo Paing Zaw Oo said he will keep making the kinds of films he likes to watch no matter if he gets recognized for it or not. Many audience members expressed their support for the film and the director on social media by saying they gave the film the audience award. Such crowd support proves that Myanmar audiences are ready for a film revolution and a new wave of cinema. Tin Htet Paing is a freelance journalist and photographer based in Yangon. She previously worked at The Irrawaddy as a reporter The post Analysis: Audiences Embrace New Filmmakers, Cinema Industry Slow to Follow Suit appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Villagers Flee as Specter of War Returns to Northern Karen State Posted: 30 Mar 2018 03:03 AM PDT It was dusk when we arrived in Taw Ku Mu Der. Basking in the golden light of the setting sun, the village located in a valley in Karen State’s mountainous Papun District (or Mutraw, as it is known in Karen) was majestic. Yet, devoid of human presence, only ominous silence remained. Gone were the carefree sounds of children playing, parents chatting on their porches, and farmers washing after a hard day in the fields. Only a handful of animals remained. A few chickens pecking for food under a hut, a goat wandering between houses and a lonely grey cat crouched on a veranda were the only remaining signs of life.  Ten days earlier, the people of Taw Ku Mu Der fled into the night. They were running from the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) after large numbers of troops were deployed in Lu Thaw Township without warning. Many fled with just the clothes on their backs and a small bundle of possessions.  Six battalions have been deployed into Lu Thaw Township, with orders to secure the area to expand a military road that has been abandoned since 2012. The military road will carve a swath through the forests and lands of local communities, to connect two Tatmadaw mountain bases. "The Tatmadaw have changed their tactics and have a very solid strategy to build a military operations road to make it easier to connect their bases, and transport military supplies," said Saw Robin Moo, the Karen National Union (KNU) secretary of Papun District.  The Tatmadaw violated the terms of the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) by moving troops into this area and firing first, Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Brigade 5 leaders said. Since the Tatmadaw crossed the ceasefire line in early March, armed clashes between their troops and the KNLA have intensified, with battles now occurring daily as Karen troops seek to defend their territory. The KNLA’s political wing, the KNU, signed the NCA with the Tatmadaw, the Union government and seven other groups on Oct. 15, 2015. The current fighting in Papun has displaced more than 2,000 people from 11 villages located in areas close to the military road. An additional 600 people from five villages have made preparations to flee as a result of the mounting instability. So far, these military operations have caused the largest civilian displacement in Karen State since September 2016, when more than 5,000 people were forced from their homes after the Tatmadaw’s Border Guard Force seized control of the Mae Tha Waw road.  Since the 2012 bilateral ceasefire between the Myanmar army and the KNU, people have been investing their trust in the ceasefire and hoping for lasting peace after decades of fighting. Yet the recent armed clashes and renewed conflict in Papun District has eroded this fragile trust. On a mountainside, an hour from Taw Ku Mu Der, villagers were busy preparing their evening meal at a makeshift camp. Dogs and several kittens meandered around their feet anticipating food droppings. Four families camped together, while others set up their own small camps in the forest, locations determined by the direction they fled when the fighting began.  Since Taw Ku Mu Der was abandoned, villagers have been returning, periodically, to collect precious possessions. Large bags of rice have been stacked on the downward trail leading to the camp. As night fell, the temperature became frigid and villagers huddled around a fire to keep warm, talking before retiring to bed.  "We are waiting for the Myanmar army to leave the area," said 60-year-old Saw Bu Kwae from Boh Nar Der village, also displaced by fighting. His village is located just three minutes walk from the proposed military road. “We see a lot more troops coming into the area, so we just have to prepare for our food and we (keep) moving a little further (away from the soldiers)," Bu Kwae explained. Weighing heavy on his mind is if he can get back to plough his fields before the planting season starts in early May.  The recent return to conflict has been a recurring concern that has marked much of Saw Bu Kwae’s life. Many of his friends were tortured or killed by the Tatmadaw in the wake of its brutal Four Cuts Policy. During this time, Tatmadaw troops shot their water buffaloes, and, unable to plough their fields, they faced food insecurity, recounted Saw Bu Kwae As villagers, we have no power to stop the fighting, he said.  "I just want our KNU leaders to talk to the NLD (National League for Democracy) government to work out real peace," he said. The post Villagers Flee as Specter of War Returns to Northern Karen State appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| 2 Sagaing Women Arrested for Trying to Keep Police from Entering Village Posted: 30 Mar 2018 02:51 AM PDT MANDALAY — Two villagers in the Letpadaung copper mining region of Sagaing Division's Salingyi Township were arrested after trying to prevent police from entering their village on Thursday. The two women, residents of Wat Hmae village, were among a group of villagers who were angered by the large police presence during a previously agreed relocation of seven households from the village that had been declared to be in a mining zone. According to the villagers, police began setting up security checkpoints outside the village on Wednesday, claiming it was necessary to protect villagers and assist those who wished to relocate to new villages. "We told them [the police] not to enter our village and that we would help the villagers move, but they forcibly entered the village with their trucks, so we confronted them," said Ko Ko Latt, a resident of Wat Hmae village. The locals said they were angered when about 100 police entered the village via its main road. "The police acted as if they were preparing for battle. We do not want such actions, for we live in peace and have not created any problems as to who will move to a new village," he said.  What began as an exchange of words between villagers and police quickly escalated into a physical clash. Police eventually detained Ma Thwae Thwae Win and Ma San San Hla, who reportedly led the villagers in confronting the authorities. The two women are currently under police detention while receiving medical treatment at Salingyi Township Hospital. According to police, officers from Salingyi Township filed lawsuits against the two arrested women, Ma Phyu Phyu Win—the sister of Ma Thwae Thawe Win—and seven other locals for injuring police and obstructing a police officer, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment. "The police used force to defame us and said our aim was to stop the relocation. This is completely untrue," Ma Phyu Phu Win said. "We just don't want the police to come into our villages. We want to tell President U Win Myint to take note of us and to ensure there is rule of law in our region." Residents of Letpadaung region have been wary of allowing police or local authorities to approach their villages since copper mining began in 2013, as authorities and mining companies have tried to forcibly relocate villages that lie within designated mining zones.  Tensions first arose in the Letpadaung region in 2012, when locals protested the mining company's activities in the area, demanding compensation and the right to remain on their land. About 7,800 acres of land in Salingyi Township were confiscated for the project, which has been dogged by protests over poor compensation and environmental safeguards. The Letpadaung copper mining project, a joint venture between the Myanmar military-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL) and the Chinese firm Wanbao, was launched in 2010. The post 2 Sagaing Women Arrested for Trying to Keep Police from Entering Village appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| KNU Says Army Cancelled Meeting to Settle Standoff Because of Missing Delegate Posted: 30 Mar 2018 02:50 AM PDT YANGON — The Myanmar Army, or Tatmadaw, cancelled a meeting it had scheduled with the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) because the commander of one of the ethnic armed group’s brigades would not be attending, according to a member of the group’s political wing. "The reason they gave us is that it was not suitable to have the meeting without the KNLA Brigade 5 commander. They said he has the most authority in the region," said Padoh Saw Thamain Tun, a central executive committee member of the Karen National Union (KNU). "As for us, our representatives went on the trip to have the meeting with them," he said. The goal of the meeting, scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Kyauk Kyi Township, was to settle a territorial dispute that erupted earlier this month when the Tatmadaw moved into an area claimed by Brigade 5 to rebuild an old road. Some 2,000 ethnic Karen have fled the fighting. Padoh Saw Thamain Tun said the KNU asked the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC) to mediate the meeting and that the KNU and KNLA had decided beforehand who to send. He said they decided not to send the Brigade 5 commander because he was not fluent in Burmese and chose to send a subordinate instead. "Saying they would not attend the meeting because the KNLA Brigade 5 commander would not be there is not a good reason. The KNU and KNLA decided who had to attend the meeting. In fact there would have been no problem without having him there,” Padoh Saw Thamain Tun said. The KNU has asked the Tatmadaw to withdraw its soldiers from the disputed area and help the displaced families move back. Karen community leaders have also written to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for help. The post KNU Says Army Cancelled Meeting to Settle Standoff Because of Missing Delegate appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| A Brief Bio of Myanmar’s Newly Sworn-in President Posted: 30 Mar 2018 01:26 AM PDT With his inauguration on Friday, U Win Myint has become Myanmar's tenth president. The House speaker-turned-president is the second head of state elected by the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD) government in two year's time, following U Htin Kyaw's sudden retirement from the post in the third week of March 2018. Like the former president, the one-time lawyer is one of the State Counselor's allies. A hardcore NLD member since the formation of the party in 1988, the 67-year-old had three electoral victories on the party ticket—being elected for the seats in his hometown Irrawaddy Delta's Danubyu in the 1990 election, Irrawaddy's Pathein Township in the 2012 by-election and Yangon's Tamwe township in the 2015 election. During his time in the Lower House, U Win Myint was known to be a strict taskmaster. He often warned lawmakers to do their homework before the parliamentary session and to keep their proposals and questions specific and to the point. The lawmakers were not alone in receiving his stern warnings. Union ministers were also among those faulted for poorly prepared answers in Parliament. Moreover, he has occasionally given military appointees in Parliament a hard time. Like many other political activists and politicians, U Win Myint was arrested several times by the previous military regime. The post A Brief Bio of Myanmar's Newly Sworn-in President appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| New President Vows to Bring Democracy, Human Rights to Myanmar Posted: 30 Mar 2018 01:20 AM PDT YANGON — Myanmar's new president vowed in his inauguration speech on Friday to implement democracy, human rights and other social changes that the public has long been waiting for. "By applying the lessons learned from the challenges and crises we have experienced in the past, our government will try its best, with full impartiality, to bring about democracy and the respect for human rights that our people long for, U Win Myint said. Laying out a roadmap for the remaining three years of the National League for Democracy-led government's current term, the president vowed to crack down on corruption and the illegal drug trade, and to reform the country's weak judicial system. U Win Myint was inaugurated as the country's 10th president on Friday morning at the Union Parliament along with two vice presidents. He was elected by a parliamentary vote on Wednesday. In his inauguration speech to the Union Parliament on Friday, U Win Myint emphasized the need for all parties to be open to change if the country's democratic transition is to succeed. He warned that "close supervision would be imposed on departments reluctant to make changes," referring to the fact that some department officials loyal to the previous government had resisted implementing changes ordered by the NLD government. The 67-year-old acknowledged that Myanmar today faces problems in every sector, while challenges mount both at home and abroad. "While it's impossible to tackle them all, I will do my best to prioritize them," he said. In a 7-minute-long speech delivered in front of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, military chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, Union cabinet members and lawmakers, the president said the government would tackle corruption; take steps to combat drug trafficking; provide compensation for illegally confiscated land; and uphold human rights. He also vowed to improve the lives of farmers, workers and students. "To make this happen, the three pillars of the country [legislative, judiciary and executive] need mutual understanding and respect, and to coordinate their activities for the interests of the people," he said. He urged the public to take the social role of the media sector seriously, describing the media as the eyes and ears of the people. U Win Myint assumes the presidency at a time when Myanmar faces both domestic and international challenges. At home, peace with ethnic armed groups continues to prove elusive, and the economy is in decline due to mismanagement. And while the country now has a democratically elected civilian government, the military retains a strong influence. Internationally, the NLD government has come under unprecedented criticism for its handling of the Rohingya issue; more than 600,000 Muslims have fled Rakhine State for Bangladesh since August last year, alleging arbitrary killing, rape and torture at the hands of security forces. The UN has accused of the country of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya, though the government has repeatedly denied this. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has come under criticism for her silence on the issue. Mindful of the situation, Myanmar's 10th president said on Friday: "We need to keep working to raise the dignity of our citizens as well as the image of the country in the international community." The post New President Vows to Bring Democracy, Human Rights to Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Family of Journalist Killed in Traffic Accident with Army Major Drops Charges Posted: 30 Mar 2018 12:07 AM PDT NAYPYITAW — The family of a local journalist has dropped charges against an army officer who hit and killed the reporter in a traffic accident nearly two weeks ago. U Tin Lin, a senior reporter at The Voice Journal, was killed instantly as he rode his motorcycle near the Naypyitaw Central Railway Station in Pobbathiri Township after being hit from behind by the car driven by Major Kaung Htoo Lwin on the night of March 17. Police handed over the investigation into the fatal crash to the army, as the driver was an army major with the Health and Disease Control Unit in Zayarthiri Township. U Tin Lin lived alone in Pobbathiri, away from his family in Yangon. He had worked as a reporter for more than 15 years. In the 2010 general election, with the National Democratic Force, he unsuccessfully contested a Lower House seat representing Yangon Region's Kungyangon Township, where he was from. U Tin Lin’s 85-year-old mother is in poor health and agreed to drop charges against Major Kaung Htoo Lwin after the army officer’s relatives came to apologize three times, said Daw San San Kyu, the younger sister of U Tin Lin. "The brother [of the major] came crying and begged my ailing mother. He told her that he and his brother would take care of her as if they were her sons and provide monthly [financial] assistance. My mother sympathized with him and decided to drop the charge out of motherly love," she said. "This type of crime allows the aggrieved party to drop the charge," Pobbathiri police Lieutenant Thaung Htike Oo told The Irrawaddy. U Tin Lin’s mother and other family members signed an agreement dropping the charges on Wednesday in the presence of community elders and the village administrator. "It all depends on his mother. We can do nothing against her will," said Ko Aung Soe, The Voice’s executive editor. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Family of Journalist Killed in Traffic Accident with Army Major Drops Charges appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Fire Kills 20 Myanmar Migrant Workers on Bus in Thailand: Police Posted: 29 Mar 2018 10:39 PM PDT BANGKOK — A fire on board a bus in western Thailand killed 20 migrant workers from Myanmar early on Friday, police said. The bus was carrying 47 workers who had just crossed the border into Thailand to work legally. Three other people on the bus were injured but the rest escaped unharmed, police said. “The driver said he saw fire breaking out from the middle of the bus, which then spread quickly,” Kritkanok Dan-udom, the chief of Maetor district police station, told Reuters. Pictures in Thai media showed the burnt-out shell of the bus. Thailand’s roads have been ranked as the deadliest in the world after Libya’s, according to the World Health Organization’s most recent study. Thailand is estimated to have more than 3 million migrant workers, many of whom come from much poorer neighbor Myanmar. Work permit rules were tightened last year. The post Fire Kills 20 Myanmar Migrant Workers on Bus in Thailand: Police appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Rights Lawyer Amal Clooney to Represent Reuters Reporters Held in Myanmar Posted: 29 Mar 2018 10:29 PM PDT YANGON — Prominent human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has joined the legal team representing two Reuters reporters jailed in Myanmar, who are accused of possessing secret government papers, her office said on Thursday. A court in Yangon has been holding preliminary hearings since January to decide whether Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, will be charged under the colonial-era Officials Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. The journalists had been working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State during an army crackdown that began in August, which has sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh. Lawyers for the two reporters on Wednesday asked the court to throw out the case, saying there was insufficient evidence to support charges against the pair. “Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are being prosecuted simply because they reported the news. I have reviewed the case file and it is clear beyond doubt that the two journalists are innocent and should be released immediately,” Amal Clooney was quoted as saying in a statement released by her office. “The outcome of this case will tell us a lot about Myanmar’s commitment to the rule of law and freedom of speech,” said Clooney, who is married to actor George Clooney. Zaw Htay, spokesman for Myanmar’s civilian government, declined to comment. Government officials have previously denied the arrests represent an attack on press freedom, which rights advocates say is under growing threat in the Southeast Asian country. Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations, Hau Do Suan, said last month that the Reuters journalists were not arrested for reporting a story, but were accused of “illegally possessing confidential government documents.” Gail Gove, chief counsel of Reuters, said retaining Clooney would strengthen the company’s international legal expertise and broaden efforts to secure the release of the reporters. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been in custody since their arrest on Dec. 12. The pair have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers at a restaurant in northern Yangon by two policemen they had not met before, having been invited to meet the officers for dinner. The district court in northern Yangon will hear arguments from prosecutors and defense lawyers on the motion to dismiss the case on April 4. The post Rights Lawyer Amal Clooney to Represent Reuters Reporters Held in Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Migrant Construction Workers’ Children in Thailand Exposed to Violence: UN Posted: 29 Mar 2018 09:47 PM PDT BANGKOK — Women migrant construction workers and their children in Thailand are exposed to violence and abuse in hazardous living conditions, the United Nations said on Thursday. The report by the UN children’s agency (UNICEF) underscores the risks to laborers from some of the poorest countries in Asia. Besides physical abuse and limited access to healthcare and education, the 60,000 or more migrant children living in construction site camps are particularly vulnerable to child labor, according to the report. Nearly a third of the children surveyed said they had started working before turning 15, the legal minimum age. Almost 90 percent had suffered some form of physical violence. “These experiences of violence are severe barriers to the children’s physical, emotional and social development, in addition to being threats to their basic safety and well-being,” said Thomas Davin, UNICEF’s Thailand representative. “That is not a childhood for any child.” Thailand has more than 3 million migrant workers, according to the International Organization for Migration, with rights groups putting the figure higher. Construction is the top employer of migrant workers, with women from Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos making up about 40 percent of the nearly 600,000 documented migrants in the sector, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). They are a rarity in an industry generally dominated by men. But they are paid less than men, get few maternity or childcare benefits, and are more exposed to safety risks, the ILO said. Families live in refashioned containers or flimsy shacks of tin and plywood at the sites, with poor sanitation and limited access to potable water, according to the survey of 119 migrant parents and children in 21 sites in northern Thailand. More than 40 percent of mothers said they had experienced some form of abuse or physical violence, it said. “I was shocked at the extent of the violence faced by women and children,” said Nicola Crosta of Baan Dek Foundation, a non-profit which helps to provide education and healthcare to migrant workers at construction sites. “But many companies are stepping up to provide better facilities and services, which can help reduce the incidence,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Since taking power in a 2014 coup, Thailand’s ruling junta has had varying degrees of success in regulating the foreign workforce, spurred partly by media reports that unregulated workers faced exploitation by employers. Thai industries are under international scrutiny this week as a team of UN experts undertake their first visit to the country to examine human rights in a range of businesses. The post Migrant Construction Workers' Children in Thailand Exposed to Violence: UN appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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