Monday, April 23, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

5 Charged With Murder Following Fatal Beating of Obo Prison Inmate

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 07:15 AM PDT

Mandalay – Authorities at Obo Central Prison in Mandalay have filed criminal charges against five inmates over the death of a fellow prisoner in Cellblock No. 3 on Saturday.

Ko Kyaw Myo Thu, who was being held on a non-bailable charge of trespassing, was found dead on Saturday after the five inmates allegedly beat him to death.

According to prison authorities, the incident was triggered by a dispute between Ko Kyaw Myo Thu and another inmate, Ko Sithu Aung, over a right of passage within the crowded cellblock. Four of Ko Sithu Aung's friends also joined in the attack on Ko Kyaw Myo Thu, according to the charges.

"Prison authorities arrived quickly, however Ko Kyaw Myo Thu died on the way to the hospital," said a prison officer who asked not to be identified. "We are taking action based on prison rules, as well as filing murder charges at the police station against the five inmates."

The prison authorities said that Ko Sithu Aung and the four other suspects also attacked prison officials. All five are currently being held in an isolation unit. The murder charges were filed at Mandalay's No.2 police station.

Ko Sithu Aung and the four others were originally jailed on charges under Myanmar's anti-narcotics law.

"The responsible prison officers for Block No. 3 will also be punished according to prison rules for not being able to stop the fight," the senior prison official added.

According to the family of Ko Kyaw Myo Thu, who had been detained for about three months as he waited for his trial to be concluded, he was about to be released by the court.

"We are very sad because he was going to be free soon as the trial was nearly finished. Now we just want justice," said Ma Lei Lei Moe, the murdered man's wife.

Since Obo prison and many other jails across the country are overcrowded, disputes between inmates over places to live are common, although cases of inmates being beaten to death are quite uncommon.

The capacity of Obo prison is around 4,000. However, there are currently 7,000 inmates being held in the jail.

The post 5 Charged With Murder Following Fatal Beating of Obo Prison Inmate appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Wife Of ‘Scapegoat’ Police Officer in Reuters Trial Appeals for Help

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 04:37 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW & MANDALAY — The wife of a police officer who told a court that police had entrapped two Reuters reporters said her husband was a "scapegoat" and appealed for help from President Win Myint and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

During a press conference in Mandalay on Sunday, Daw Tu called for justice for her husband, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing, saying her husband was "innocent."

As a prosecution witness, the police officer testified on Friday that the police had set up Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, while providing details about the Dec. 12 arrest.

Moe Yan Naing also revealed that the "trap" was masterminded by Police Brig-Gen Tin Ko Ko.

The police captain has been detained since December last year for his interaction with the reporters, who were working on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in a village in Rakhine state. The reporters were arrested under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

"My husband didn't give any documents to them (Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo). Brig-Gen Tin Ko Ko scapegoated my husband," Daw Tu Tu told the reporters in Mandalay on Sunday. "He is innocent."

Following the police captain's testimony, authorities on Saturday ordered the family to move out of a police housing complex where Daw Tu and one of their young daughters were living.

"I don't know where to go now," Daw Tu told an Irrawaddy reporter on Saturday after she received the eviction notice.

The eviction order went viral online, generating an angry reaction and public condemnation of the police action. Police spokesman Myo Thu Soe told the media on the same day that the family had to leave as they had overstayed their tenancy since March. But he didn't explain why the eviction was enforced right after Moe Yang Naing's testimony on Friday.

On Sunday, the unemployed woman told the media that her family has had to rely on relatives to survive as her husband hasn't received his salary since being detained.

"We haven't got his salary for four months. His salary is the only income we have to live on," she said. The couple has three children; the eldest is a university student.

After Moe Yan Naing's revelation of a police set-up and the alleged involvement of Brig-Gen Tin Ko Ko during the court hearing on Friday, the plaintiff's lawyer submitted a motion seeking to have the police captain declared a 'hostile witness.'

The court will decide whether to accept the motion on Wednesday.

For now, Daw Tu said all could she do was appeal to the country's top political leadership for help.

"Mr. President, State Counselor, please don't let us down. We are helpless," she said on Sunday.

The Irrawaddy reporters Htet Naing Zaw contributed to this report from Naypyitaw and photojournalist Zaw Zaw from Mandalay.

The post Wife Of 'Scapegoat' Police Officer in Reuters Trial Appeals for Help appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tatmadaw Pushes Back KIA Battalions in Kachin State, Alliance Says

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 04:30 AM PDT

YANGON — The Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, pushed back two battalions of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) based in southern Kachin State on Friday and Saturday, according to the Northern Alliance.

In a message posted to its Facebook page on Saturday, the alliance of four ethnic armed groups said the withdrawn KIA forces included Battalion 11, under Brigade 2, and Battalion 26, under Brigade 8.

"They were shooting their big artillery at Battalion 11 nonstop. They even shot at Ka Sung village, where there are 1,000 people, and which is near our base. We did not want the local people to be harmed, so we withdrew from our base," the report said.

The Tatmadaw’s latest offensive started on April 11 and shows little sign of letting up, employing a combination of ground forces, shelling and air strikes. Residents of Lashio Township, across the border from Kachin in Shan State, said some 60 truckloads of Tatmadaw troops arrived on Sunday.

The alliance claimed that the Tatmadaw on Friday also fired 30 artillery shells at Brigade 5, located near the town of Laiza in KIA-controlled territory, and another 17 at Brigade 3, near a camp for families displaced by the fighting in northern Shan.

None of the members of the Northern Alliance have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the government and military. And except for the KIA, all have been excluded from participating in the national peace process.

About 1,000 ethnic Kachin displaced by the latest fighting have arrived in Kachin State’s Namti Township in several waves since Saturday, according to the Kachin Baptist Convention, which is sheltering them in a local church.

"We were all worried that we were trapped in the middle of the fighting, so we fled our village," said La Jawng, who fled his home in Mogaung Township.

The Irrawaddy’s Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint contributed reporting to this story.

The post Tatmadaw Pushes Back KIA Battalions in Kachin State, Alliance Says appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tatmadaw Troops Protecting Shan State Mine ‘Pose Human Rights Threat’

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 04:10 AM PDT

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — The presence of Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) troops in eastern Shan State to protect a mining project has led to human rights abuses against civilians, according to the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF), citing the recent alleged rape of an elderly woman by a soldier in Monghpyak town.

On the morning of April 2, the 73-year-old woman from Wan Huay village in Monghpyak was found lying on the ground with her sarong torn from her, with injuries to her head, including her ears, from which earrings worth about 150,000 kyats (US$115) had been ripped.

The old woman was hospitalized at Keng Tung Hospital and later transferred to Monghpyak Military Hospital, but three weeks after the attack she remains unable to talk or walk, according to Sai Tip Yee, Wan Huay village administrator.

The family filed a case at Monghpyak police station, but police have only filed a case of slashing and robbery, not rape, partly because the old woman is still weak and unable to talk about what happened on that morning, Sai Tip Yee told The Irrawaddy on Monday.

Police detained the alleged perpetrator, Private Nay Myo Thu, on the same day, but he was later transferred to military custody, so the case is no longer under civilian jurisdiction, said SHRF spokesman Sai Hor Hseng.

"We heard from the military that he [Private Nay Myo Thu] will be brought to the military court and they will take responsibility for this case, but we want him to stand trial in the civilian court in order to ensure justice for the victim," he said.

Shan rights advocate Sai Hor Hseng added that they "want justice for the victim and to end this sexual violence, because it is very dangerous for the public, especially women."

Such cases are not uncommon. In a case documented by the SHRF in 2015, a soldier accused of rape in Tachilek was transferred back to his base in Monghpyak and there was no further news of whether he would face legal action.

In a separate case in April 2015, an elderly Kachin woman, also 73, from Kachin State’s Momauk Township was the victim of an attempted rape by a Myanmar Army soldier, who was later sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for trespassing, illegal drug use and violating the military’s code of conduct. She died a year later in June 2016, without ever receiving justice for the sexual assault, despite a civilian court having accepted her case, according to a report by the Kachin Women’s Association Thailand.

The SHRF said military impunity for sexual violence "must end," describing it as a threat to women nationwide. "SHRF therefore welcomes the new report by the UN Secretary General on conflict-related sexual violence, which blacklists the [Tatmadaw] for being 'credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape,'" the organization said in a statement Monday.

The militarization of Shan State has increased despite the ethnic Shan armed groups, such as the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South and the Shan State Progressive Party /Shan State Army-North, signing bilateral ceasefires with the government in 2012, and the former being a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.

In Monghpyak town alone, there are about 1,000 Tatmadaw troops stationed. The town has a population of about 6,000.

"Such a large military-civilian ratio is a constant source of fear for local residents, particularly women, given the ongoing military impunity for sexual violence," the SHRF statement reads.

According to Sai Hor Hseng, the huge military presence in the ethnic areas, especially in areas with ongoing conflicts, is partly to protect natural resources extraction companies, including Australian-run Access Asia Mining. The companies seek protection from the military for security, but it has a large impact on local residents.

Access Asia Mining plans a 150,000-acre gold-mining venture in Monghpyak. It is awaiting final approval from the Shan State government, SHRF said.

"We would like the company and army troops to withdraw from the areas," Sai Hor Hseng said, adding that when giant companies enter the areas to conduct business, the military takes responsibility for their security, and the arrangement has high social and environmental costs.

The post Tatmadaw Troops Protecting Shan State Mine 'Pose Human Rights Threat' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Two Elephant Poachers Detained in Chaungtha Forest Reserve

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 03:40 AM PDT

Two suspected poachers were detained by a combined team of authorities after an elephant carcass and weapons used for poaching were discovered in Chaungtha Forest Reserve near Ngwesaung Beach, Pathein Township in Irrawaddy Region on Sunday afternoon.

After receiving a tip-off about an elephant carcass, authorities questioned two suspects from Thitphyu Village, leading to the discovery of the carcass and weapons used in hunting the elephant.

"We have detained two suspected poachers and seized the elephant carcass, its removed skin, firearms and poisoned arrows. Four people were involved in the poaching but two of them managed to escape. The police are trying to arrest the escapees. The Forest Department will formally charge them for poaching," Police Lieutenant Colonel Khin Maung Latt told the Irrawaddy.

The combined team of the local police, forest rangers and officials from the Forestry Department detained the two suspected poachers, Ko Htwe, known as Thaung Aye, and Nga Du, known as Chit Min Naing, together with two firearms, arrows, bottles of poison, gunpowder, knives, axes, elephant skin and flesh.

"Local people reported to the authorities that they had discovered an elephant carcass. When the team arrived at the village, the carcass had already been hidden. So, the team questioned the two suspected poachers who lived nearest to the scene. The two admitted poaching the elephant and showed the police the carcass, its skin and weapons," said Dr. Lin Lin Tun, leader of a local elephant conservation group.

The two suspected poachers have been detained at Ngwesaung Police Station and will be charged under Section 37 (a) of the Protection of Wildlife Act.

Poachers killed about 40 wild elephants, which were searching for food in Pathein, Ngapudaw and Thabaung during the period from 2011 to 2017, according to the Pathein Township Police Force.

Translated from Burmese by Myint Win Thein.

The post Two Elephant Poachers Detained in Chaungtha Forest Reserve appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UN Security Council to Make a Two-Day Visit to Myanmar

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 03:27 AM PDT

A team of 15 permanent representatives from the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council will visit Myanmar for two days early next month after being invited to examine the situation in Rakhine State by the Myanmar government.

During the two-day visit, the team will meet with the chairperson of the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine (UEHRD) State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and officials in Naypyitaw before visiting Rakhine State, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs U Myint Thu told the Irrawaddy.

"The team will spend one day in Naypyitaw and will stay in Rakhine State another day. It has been a long time since they requested to visit Myanmar. The government invited them as a form of cooperation with the United Nations. We have sent our invitation through the permanent representative of Myanmar at the UN," said U Myint Thu.

The security council delegation will leave New York for Bangladesh on April 26 before concluding their visit to Myanmar on May 2.

Ambassadors from five neighboring countries of Myanmar, permanent member states of the UN Security Council and the ambassador of Singapore to Myanmar, as the current ASEAN chair, will also be invited to join the trip.

"We will explain what we have been doing to repatriate refugees. Dr. Win Myat Aye will clarify the details of UEHRD's arrangements for repatriation," he added.

Some news sources suggested to the Irrawaddy that the security council delegation was invited to Myanmar as China and Russia advised Myanmar to do so.

Although inviting members of the security council to Rakhine State could alleviate international criticism against the government for lack of transparency and media freedom, it is important to be prepared for consequences if Myanmar fails to meet their expectations, said Daw Pyone Kay Thi Naing, a member of the Lower House international relations committee.

"Inviting an important international body is an effective method. It might produce good outcomes as well as bad ones. Those who are responsible for tackling the problem should be prepared," she said.

Chief Minister of Rakhine State U Nyi Pu said that his government has arranged transportation and security for the delegates.

The Myanmar government has faced international criticisms for the exodus of Muslim refugees and human right abuses by security forces.

Translated from Burmese by Myint Win Thein.

The post UN Security Council to Make a Two-Day Visit to Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Staycation Culture Booms in Myanmar

Posted: 23 Apr 2018 02:19 AM PDT

The 'staycation' trend is booming in Myanmar and continues to grow in popularity.

Also known as a 'holistay' or 'daycation,' the fad took off in 2016 and 2017 in the country.

People are choosing staycations after intense periods of work or when they want to take a vacation but don't have time to travel. People take a day trip to see the city's sights and then stay overnight at a hotel, which allows them to relax in luxury with less planning, less travel and less stress.

"In other countries, there are staycation activities but in Myanmar, most people just see it as staying in a hotel in their town for a mini vacation," said Ma Thinzar Myat Mon, an assistant director of marketing and communications for the Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake.

Guests having a meal at the Novotel Yangon Max hotel restaurant. / Novotel Yangon Max

She added that staycations are most suitable for people who want to spend holidays in their towns or nearby cities with family or friends, especially on weekends on public holidays.

Generally, these types of guests spend the day relaxing by the pool, and using the gym, spa and other hotel amenities.

"Whether they want to relax by the pool or somewhere with a good view, read a book, chat with friends or play with their children, hotels are the best venues for staycations," Ma Thinzar Myat Mon said.

Deluxe room at the Novotel Yangon Max. / Novotel Yangon Max

The Chatrium Hotel began running vacation deals years ago for summer holiday, Thingyan and New Years. These deals appealed to both foreign and domestic travelers.

Currently, the Chatrium Hotel is offering a Summer Staycation package for USD$100 per room per night for 2 people including breakfast and complimentary use of the fitness center and swimming pool, plus other deals like 20 percent off spa services and 15 percent off at restaurants and bars.

Those choosing to stay two nights also receive a complimentary lunch or dinner at the hotel," said Ma Thinzar Myat Mon.

According to her, customers include a range of locals and foreigners, families and friends.

A guest relaxes at the Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Hotel’s pool. / Chatrium Hotel

The Chatrium's Summer Staycation package is open to all Myanmar citizens, FRC holders, expatriates and permanent residents and it is valid until May 10, 2018.

The Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake is one of Myanmar's leading hotels, located on Nat Mauk Street in Yangon's Tamwe Township.

Ma Joanna Yu, the marketing coordinator of another top luxury hotel the Novotel Yangon Max, said staycations benefit both the hotels and guests. Hotels see increased occupancy and guests received bundled packages with additional services at affordable prices.

The Novotel Yangon Max offers a staycation package that includes accommodation and breakfast for a family (two adults and two kids under 16 years old), available on weekends. The package runs from May 1 until Oct. 31 for $149 per night.

A deluxe room with a lake view at the Chatrium Royal Lake Hotel. / Chatrium Hotel

During Thingyan, the Novotel offered a discounted rate of $111, which many local families took advantage of, said Ma Joanna Yu.

Many locals with busy work schedules take advantage of these deals.

"I love staycation culture as a busy worker. I don't always have time to take a trip because of my schedule. So, my friends and I will get together and take advantage of hotel staycation deals," said 28-year-old Ma Thandar.

She added that she enjoyed that staycations don't require much planning, packing or preparation. She recently had a staycation with friends at the Sedona Hotel.

"We will do it again. Traveling somewhere new is better if possible, but a staycation with friends is also fun," Ma Thandar said.

The post Staycation Culture Booms in Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

India’s Modi to Visit China This Week as Rapprochement Gathers Pace

Posted: 22 Apr 2018 09:10 PM PDT

BEIJING — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China this week for an informal meeting with President Xi Jinping, as efforts at rapprochement gather pace following a testing year in ties between the two giant neighbors.

The Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said the two would meet on Friday and Saturday in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

“Our common interests far outweigh our differences. The two countries have no choice other than pursuing everlasting friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and common development,” Wang told reporters after meeting Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj in Beijing.

“The summit will go a long way towards deepening the mutual trust between the two great neighbors,” he added. “We will make sure that the informal summit will be a complete success and a new milestone in the history of China-India relations.”

Modi has sought to reset ties after disputes over issues including their disputed border with Tibet and other issues.

The discussion with Wang was to prepare for the informal summit, Swaraj said.

“It will be an important occasion for them (Modi and Xi) to exchange views on bilateral and international matters, from an overarching and long-term perspective with the objective of enhancing mutual communication,” Swaraj said.

The Asian giants were locked in a 73-day military stand-off in a remote, high-altitude stretch of that boundary last year. At one point, soldiers from the two sides threw stones and punches.

The confrontation between the nuclear-armed powers in the Himalayas underscored Indian alarm at China’s expanding security and economic links in South Asia.

China’s ambitious Belt and Road initiative of transport and energy links bypasses India, apart from a corner of the disputed Kashmir region, also claimed by Pakistan, but involves India’s neighbors Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives.

Modi’s previously unannounced Wuhan trip is even more unusual in that he will visit China again in June for a summit in Qingdao of the China and Russia-led security grouping, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which India joined last year.

It is almost unheard of for foreign leaders to visit China twice in such close succession. Xi is also extending Modi the rare honor of a meeting outside of Beijing, which almost never happens unless there is a multilateral summit taking place.

Modi’s nationalist government has reversed course on its relationship with Beijing apparently after realizing its hard line on China was not working.

Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who lives in India and who China considers a dangerous separatist, is also facing the cold shoulder.

In March, India issued an unprecedented ban on Tibetans holding a rally with the Dalai Lama in New Delhi to mark the 60th anniversary of the start of the failed uprising against Chinese rule.

Other areas of disagreement remain however between Beijing and New Delhi.

China has blocked India’s membership of a nuclear cartel and it has also been blocking UN sanctions against a Pakistan-based militant leader blamed for attacks on India.

The post India's Modi to Visit China This Week as Rapprochement Gathers Pace appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

In the Driver’s Seat: Seoul’s Peace Initiative Pays Off

Posted: 22 Apr 2018 07:24 PM PDT

As Myanmar ushers in a New Year with golden padauk in bloom, Korea is full of cherry blossoms signaling that spring has arrived. This time of year is one of the most beautiful and flowery seasons in Seoul. But this year is particularly special. A historic inter-Korean summit is taking place on April 27. This is the third such summit in history, with the most recent taking place 11 years ago in 2007. It is significant in many ways and it bears resemblance to Myanmar's noble endeavors for peace as well.

Recent developments in the Korean peninsula are remarkable. Just a year ago, tensions were high, to the point that there was speculation about another Korean war.

Immediately after assuming office last May, the government of the Republic of Korea under the new leadership of President Moon Jae-in undertook a peace initiative. The government did its utmost to ease tension and create an atmosphere of peace on the peninsula. At the center was the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, where South and North Korean athletes marched together at the opening ceremony under the same flag, symbolizing a unified Korea. The two Koreas formed a unified women's ice hockey team, which touched the hearts and minds of the people across the world. It was indeed an exhibition of the unique power of sports. In a sense, it also resonates with the "collective strength and united endeavor" echoed by the Myanmar government in its quest for greater unity in the Union.

The Korean government's peace effort is anchored in its unswerving conviction that there cannot be another war on the peninsula and that the Korean people should be the architects of its destiny. The upcoming inter-Korean summit will be held at Panmunjeom located within the demilitarized zone. The selection of venue is quite meaningful as Panmunjeom symbolizes the fact that Korea remains divided and it is still technically at war. This cross-border meeting will be a culmination of the Korean government's fearless efforts to open a new chapter for peace and stability on the peninsula. It will mark a significant turning point for building trust between the two Koreas. Likewise, for Myanmar's peace process, confidence building among ethnic minority groups is essential for the success of the 21st Century Panglong peace conference.

Seoul has also taken painstaking efforts to bring key partners on board. The inter-Korean summit will be followed by a summit between Washington and Pyongyang. We hope that it will mark another meaningful step toward the establishment of peace on the Korean peninsula. Moreover, it could provide an unprecedented opportunity for denuclearization of the peninsula. In this regard, recent high-level communications among the six parties, including the United States, China, Japan and Russia, are encouraging. To resolve the nuclear conundrum on the Korean peninsula, we need strong support from the international community as a whole. For Myanmar, international support is also important for its peace process, especially as it commemorates its 70th year of independence.

We sincerely hope that Korea's tireless efforts to realize permanent peace on the Korean peninsula and to improve inter-Korean relations will bear fruit in the near future. A denuclearized North Korea will lead to peace and prosperity not only on the Korean Peninsula but throughout the region at large. In turn, it will be a milestone event for the international non-proliferation regime as well. This is why the international community should encourage and support the upcoming inter-Korean summit.

Mr. Lee Sang-hwa is the South Korean Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Myanmar.

The post In the Driver's Seat: Seoul's Peace Initiative Pays Off appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Employment Project Supports Rehabilitated Drug Users

Posted: 22 Apr 2018 05:59 PM PDT

It was 2003 when Reverend Zau Tawng realized that most of his students from bible studies in Hpakant were using drugs. It saddened him to realize that the drug problems in his Kachin State homeland were as serious as the jade mining disasters, ongoing conflicts with ethnic armed groups, and internally displaced persons forced to flee their homes.

Clueless but eager to save young addicts, he tried operating a rehabilitation center in his hometown Mohnyin but drugs were easily accessible inside the rehab compound and the center was not a success. Realizing that Kachin State was not the right place for his venture, he moved to Yangon and bought four acres of land in Hlegu where he then founded the Harvest Rehabilitation Center in 2012.

"I empathize with the pressure and anxiety that the parents of addicts have to endure. That's why I decided to help them," said Zau Tawng. Since its opening in 2012, the center has housed 242 addicts mostly from Kachin and Shan states, reporting that some 75 percent of them do not relapse after leaving the facility.

Harvest students at an outdoor excursion. / Harvest Rehabilitation Center

Only accepting those who voluntarily enter the rehab process, Harvest Center operates as an abstinence-based residential program that offers sports, music, spiritual studies and therapy, not only to recover from addiction but to promote overall physical and mental well-being.

The Harvest Center welcomes drug addicts of any ethnicity and from any part of the country, as long as they are ready to close that chapter of their lives.

The center generally does not accept newcomers from June to October during its intensive withdrawal period. If addicts are ready to leave the facility, they travel around the country and share their recovery stories in November and December. But life after rehab is uncertain for many, who without jobs and stability face the possibility of relapse.

Zau Tawng was joined by his son Zaw Tu Hkawng, who had experience working in the health sector prior to the center opening. Zaw Tu Hkawng now manages programs for rehabilitated participants. After visiting rehab centers in New Zealand with the Myanmar Young Leaders program in 2017, he learned that employers were often hesitant to hire former drug users – not because they had bad experiences with them but because of a social stigma that painted them as an unreliable workforce. Zaw Tu Hkawng faced the same reaction when reaching out to small hotels and other businesses in the hospitality industry.

"I want to prove to employers that these rehabilitated men deserve a new start and that they can be responsible workers," he said.

With a strong desire to create job opportunities for his mentees from Harvest, he designed a program to help former drug users get job training called "Nurturing Rehabilitated Users for Employment," funded by international non-governmental group UnionAID of New Zealand. The program connects business owners who want to help their communities and rehabilitated young men who are seeking vocational training to move forward in their lives.

Of the 24 mentees who are currently living at Harvest, nine of them spent nearly two months at four different businesses receiving onsite training. Three of them worked at a bakery, two worked at a car repair shop, two at a video production business and two at pig farms from January 25 to March 12, 2018, six days a week. With daily reflections and reports from respective employers, the nine Harvest mentees successfully finished their training with support, encouragement and appreciation from employers and coworkers.

Naw San Min Thu, the owner of Orison Frozen Food and one of the employers, wanted her small bakery to be a responsible business. Having reminded her employees to be friendly and kind to the mentees before their arrival, she reminisced about the first day of job training.

Drug-free Harvest students at Orison bakery for the employment program. / Harvest Rehabilitation Center

"It was more of an excitement to meet these drug-free young men than worrying about them not getting along with my employees," she said. Although there were some awkward moments at first, her three mentees and coworkers got along well and became friends throughout the program.

Although the employment program ended, Naw San Min Thu offered permanent employment for her mentees to continue their work at Orison after noting their strong will to improve their lives.

"The three mentees were determined to make their lives better and I am very honored to be part of their journeys," she proudly said.

La Ja Aung, 36, went to Harvest nearly a year ago when he realized that continuing to use drugs would bring embarrassment and burden to his family as well as a possible end to his life. Withdrawal was difficult for him but he was committed.

After being trained and supported by Orison's familial work environment, La Ja Aung now dreams of owning a small bakery.

"A bakery is doable for a small family. I could also distribute baked goods from Orison as an alternative," he said. He hopes to earn a stable income and create a stable life for his family.

Students enjoying sports therapy at the Harvest center compound in Hlegu. / Harvest Rehabilitation Center

After managing a successful employment program, the father-son duo has bigger dreams and better plans to serve unprivileged youth in the country. So far running on donations and grants, Reverend Zau Tawng wants to make Harvest Rehab Center a sustainable institution that offers diplomas and degrees to its students in the future, and Zaw Tu Hkawng is ready to strategically implement his father's dream.

Despite big plans for the future, accommodations at the Harvest center are in need of an upgrade before the monsoon rains come. Reverend Zau Tawng is hopeful despite having a limited budget.

"We don't have enough to upgrade the entire building now but I believe we'll figure something out before the rainy season," said the reverend.

The post Employment Project Supports Rehabilitated Drug Users appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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