Tuesday, July 17, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Brother of Informant Hacked to Death, Suspects Arrested

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 07:08 AM PDT

YANGON — Police in Yangon say they have arrested six suspects in Friday’s murder of a man whose brother helped expose a ward administrator as a wanted rape suspect but deny any connection.

Police Captain Maung Maung Oo, head of the Dagon Myothit Township police station, said Thet Wai Htoo, 36, was hacked to death with swords on Friday and that six suspects were arrested the following day. He identified the suspects, all related, as Naing Win, a Ward 140 assistant in Dagon Myothit South, Chit Hla, Nay Lin, Aung Thet Paing, Than Naing Win and Aung Soe.

The police have filed homicide charges against the six under sections 114 and 302 of the Penal Code, which is punishable with life in prison or death. But the captain denied that the suspects were taking revenge on the victim because his older brother, Zaw Zaw Aung, had informed on the ward administrator, Yan Naing Soe.

“The dead person was drunk and being a bit aggressive. Then the [ward assistant] and his relatives reacted to the victim furiously. So we can say it happened because of anger,” Capt. Maung Maung Oo said.

However, the captain’s claim contradicts the account of Zaw Zaw Aung.

Zaw Zaw Aung said he was told by neighbors that some of Yan Naing Soe’s supporters were searching for his younger brother because they were angry with him for helping expose Yan Naing Soe to the media as a wanted rape suspect.

By the time Zaw Zaw Aung returned to the ward on Friday evening, he saw his brother barely alive lying in a pool of blood with multiple cuts to his body and his attackers standing around him. He said he wanted to save his brother but was held back by neighbors who feared he too would be attacked.

Once the assailants left, Zaw Zaw Aung said, he tried to rush his brother to the nearest hospital, but his brother died on the way.

He said he heard the assailants yell “Let’s leave, this guy seems to be dead now. Zaw Zaw Aung should be killed like this, too. He is quite active as a politician in this ward.”

Zaw Zaw Aung said he was actually the prime target, but because he spent most of his time outside the ward the attackers turned on his brother.

According to the Home Affairs Ministry website, Yan Naing Soe, also known as Karen, allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl with four other men in Yangon’s Thingangyun Township in 2011. While two of the men were sent to jail for two years and another was acquitted, Yan Naing Soe has evaded arrest.

In 2017, Yan Naing Soe moved to Dagon Myothit, where he contested and won a local election for Ward 140 administrator. But when some locals learned of his alleged crime, they leaked the information to freelance journalist Myo Myint.

In May, Myo Myint wrote on his Facebook page that Yan Naing Soe was still at large and working as a ward administrator even though Thingangyun Township police had handed a warrant for his arrest over to their counterparts in Dagon Myothit.

A few days later, Myo Myint was verbally threatened over the phone by one of Yan Naing Soe’s supporters and asked to take down the post

Myo Myint made the post private after a childhood friend, the wife of a police officer, advised him to be careful of Yan Naing Soe because he was a local gang leader.

The freelance journalist had also called police about Yan Naing Soe and was told they would look into it.

Myanmar Now journalists then contacted Dagon Myothit residents, including Zaw Zaw Aung, one of Myo Myint’s sources, to investigate the case and in mid-June published a story titled: “Rapist wanted by police becomes ward administrator.”

Yan Naing Soe fled the ward once the story came out and is still at large.

Neither the Ministry of Home Affairs nor Yangon Region police have issued any updates about Yan Naing Soe since.

Myanmar Now senior reporter Htet Khaung Lin told The Irrawaddy that Ward 140 was in the hands of criminals and that it was now split between those for and against Yan Naing Soe.

“Everyone knows who is responsible if authorities fail to arrest outlaws. Residents have many challenges when an outlaw becomes a ward authority, because he is barbarous and will not hesitate to handle issues in a violent way,” he said.

The post Brother of Informant Hacked to Death, Suspects Arrested appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Three Women Accuse Chief of Women’s Rights NGO of Sexual Harassment, Assault

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 07:00 AM PDT

YANGON—Myanmar's leading women's rights advocacy network has declared its support for three women who came forward on social media last week to accuse the head of one of its member organizations, a local human rights and women's empowerment NGO, of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

The Gender Equality Network (GEN)—a network of more than 100 local and international NGOs and civil society organizations—vowed to help the women seek justice.

GEN said it had received a letter of complaint alleging that a senior figure at one of its member organizations had engaged in sexual harassment and assault, as well as exploitative behavior toward staff, and of abusing their authority. It did not name the organization or the accused in the statement.

"GEN condemns any member or employee who commits or enables any violations of human rights, women's rights, and the rights of minorities," it said in a statement released on Monday, adding that the truth would be exposed and the necessary action taken.

U Aung Myo Min, a member of GEN's steering committee, told The Irrawaddy that the cases were reported by three female former employees of the accused person's organization.

He confirmed that the complainants are the same women who recently shared their ordeals on Facebook.

He said his organization planned to meet with the women and would support them, respecting their wishes and decisions without any bias, whether they sought legal action or an apology.

The case came to light on July 12, when a woman started speaking out about sexual assaults that she and her female colleagues had been subjected to at their office, and sharing their stories on her Facebook account.

She said they were sexually harassed by the chief executive officer of the organization they worked for. She said he touched, hugged, tickled and sometimes even picked up in his arms or jumped over female staff, ignoring their demands that he stop.

After the first woman shared her story, a second posted about the harassment that she had faced. She later posted about another female employee who had experienced attempted rape.

One of the three women told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that some women at the organization who experienced harassment had reported their cases to other managers, but their complaints were quickly disposed of and not followed up.

Far from having their complaints addressed, those who made them found themselves isolated in the office and were later pressured to resign, she said.

She said she and her colleagues were going public with their stories in order to encourage other victims to speak out as well as to highlight the sexual harassment that women have long faced in the workplace.

"I also want donor organizations to check the agencies they are funding to ensure they have anti-sexual harassment policies in place," she said, adding that organizations that had donated funds to her former employer had been notified.

U Aung Myo Min of GEN said the case highlighted the need for organizations to adopt sexual harassment policies for staff and to put a complaints procedure in place.

"Sexual harassment cases can be tricky and hard to prove. But that shouldn't prevent victims from making complaints or cause them to let their cases be dismissed. The victims know best whether they are victims of sexual exploitation," he said.

The activist added that victims of sexual harassment and assault should be encouraged to make complaints. Thus, every organization needs to have a complaints procedure and a policy that ensures action is taken against the perpetrators of such acts — especially at organizations working in the human rights and gender equality sectors.

The post Three Women Accuse Chief of Women's Rights NGO of Sexual Harassment, Assault appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Chair of Kyaukphyu SEZ Wary of Chinese Loans

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:43 AM PDT

YANGON — Myanmar will endeavor to take on no loans from China to complete the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) but would offer the developer no sovereign guarantees to mitigate risk if it does, said the project’s new chairman, seeking to allay fears of a debt trap.

Sean Turnell, an economic adviser to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has called the expense of the $7.5-billion project "crazy" and "absurd” and warned of a repeat of Sri Lanka’s experience.

The government of Sri Lanka borrowed heavily from China to build the $1-billion Hambantota port but was unable to repay the loans. As a result, it gave China a 99-year lease to the facility in exchange for debt relief. Turnell told a seminar in Singapore in May that Myanmar would have to borrow between $2 billion and $3 billion from the Export-Import Bank of China to make its own port project happen.

In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the head of the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Ray Washburne, also warned that China’s Belt and Road Initiative was creating a debt trap for many poor nations.

According to the initial master plan, the Kyaukphyu SEZ, in Rakhine State, will cover a total 520 hectares — 20 for the port, 100 for housing, and 400 for an industrial park. It allocates 50 percent of the land to fisheries, 30 percent to garment factories and the rest to other small enterprises.

U Set Aung, the new chairman of the SEZ’s management committee, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the government has decided to start on a smaller scale and to expand based strictly on demand.

“Hence, the project will not [make] the Myanmar government bear the debt burden,” he said.

The China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) won the bid to develop the SEZ in 2015. The shareholders agreement struck under then-President Thein Sein gives China an 85 percent stake in the project and Myanmar the rest.

The government that replaced his, led by the National League for Democracy, has been trying to double Myanmar’s stake to 30 percent.

Myanmar’s new planning and finance minister, U Soe Win, told the Nikkei Asian Review in a recent interview that Myanmar also wants to reduce the overall size of the project and eliminate unnecessary expenses.

U Set Aung told The Irrawaddy that the negotiations with CITIC have been “positive” but provided no details.

State-run media have reported that the results of the negotiations would be announced soon.

Many of the SEZ’s critics have advised the government to be cautious and to formulate a strategic plan before the suspended project resumes. Public fears of a debt trap with China have also pushed the government to seek a third party investor such as Japan.

Started in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy project. It aims to connect China and Europe via new and expanded land and sea routes, and many see Myanmar as a key piece of the puzzle, linking South and Southeast Asia and China’s landlocked Yunnan Province to the Indian Ocean.

The post New Chair of Kyaukphyu SEZ Wary of Chinese Loans appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

A Modern Traditionalist

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:36 AM PDT

YANGON — When talking about Myanmar's modernist painters, Sein Myint (Shwe Chi Doe) cannot be left out. He is praised by his contemporaries as an authority on Myanmar culture and folk art.

"The main difference [between Sein Myint and other Myanmar traditional artists] is his hands-on experience," said Tampawadi U Win Maung, a distinguished scholar of Myanmar culture.

"He traveled to many rural villages in search of folk culture and customs to be showcased at a rural art exhibition in 1992, giving him first-hand experience of how looms are set up, how peanuts are ground for oil, and more," he said.

Born in Sagaing and having grown up in Mandalay, Sein Myint was an apprentice to modernists Paw Oo Thet and Win Pe.

"I never wanted to draw conventional art. I was only interested in modern art, ever since I was young," Sein Myint said.

His first show was a group exhibition in 1970 with renowned Myanmar modernists including U Kin Maung (Bank), Paw Oo Thet, Kin Maung Yin, Win Pe, and others.

Sein Myint stands in front of some of his paintings. / The Irrawaddy

Sein Myint also accompanied renowned scholars and historians such as U Maung Maung Tin, Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt, U Aye Myint, Ko Pinna (Amarapura), Saw Mon Nyin, and U Win Maung (Tampawadi) on their archeological trips.

"I have had both strong modern and traditional nats (spirits) beside me," said Sein Myint.

Sein Myint was born into a family of traders. Thanks to this, he traveled extensively around the country, which gave him an opportunity to learn about rural life and customs – including pagoda festivals, nat festivals, marionette shows, caneball, ancient monasteries and more. All of this served as a rich source of material for his art.

"I know the ratios of traditional monastic buildings in my mind like a student knows his lessons by heart," said Sein Myint, speaking of the benefits of his travels.

Since 1985, Sein Myint has also been in the business of making tapestries depicting Myanmar folk culture.

A painting by Sein Myint. / The Irrawaddy

In 1989-1990, his tapestry embodying traditional Myanmar art was selected to grace the walls of the main chamber of the United Nations Headquarters Building in New York.

At the request of military leaders, he also created tapestries to be hung at government offices and presented to leaders of foreign countries.

In 1995, he was appointed by the government as an expert and consultant on traditional Myanmar folk arts. He conducted research with other scholars on rural folk arts in Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe.

"He has sound knowledge of Myanmar traditional culture and knows Myanmar traditional designs by heart. I notice liberty and breadth in his paintings. And he is also a researcher of Myanmar art, said modernist Win Pe, who is one of Sein Myint's mentors.

Directly appointed by General Tin Oo, the Secretary-2 of the military regime who died in a helicopter crash in 2001, Sein Myint in 1993 became a joint secretary of the Mandalay chapter of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), a proxy civil society association of the junta.

"I'm not interested in politics. I worked as a trader my whole life. But I can't help drawing. I worked at the USDA office during the day, and drew at night," Sein Myint said.

"One of the advantages [of working at the USDA office] was that there were no blackouts there," Sein Myint recalled, as the electricity supply was inconsistent in many areas at the time.

"And I could make several foreign visits," said Sein Myint. It was quite difficult to travel to foreign countries while the country was under military rule, partly because applying for a passport was difficult and partly because of the cost of airfare.

Sein Myint traveled to the Honolulu, London, South Africa, Yugoslavia and other ASEAN countries under cultural exchange programs and organized exhibitions and lectures on traditional Myanmar tapestries.

He began to focus more on art in 2010, as he did not join the USDA, which transformed itself into a political party to contest the general elections that year.

A painting by Sein Myint. / The Irrawaddy

Spirit in Colors, a series depicting Myanmar traditional nats exhibited in 2008, became a milestone in his artistic career. The series was the result of his painstaking research into the history of nats, nat songs and the life of mediums known as nat kadaw in Burmese.

Other artists have also created nat paintings, but Sein Myint's works are distinguished in terms of color and style, said Tampawadi U Win Maung.

"Artists have their own styles. But not all of them are enchanting to audiences. U Sein Myint succeeds in both," he said.

Sein Myint is also a collector of Myanmar antiques and has a private art museum at his house in Mandalay.

"His works better reflect Myanmar culture than those of other artists," said Tampawadi U Win Maung.

Sein Myint now creates Myanmar traditional paintings according to his own will. "Now I'm drawing zodiac signs. I researched zodiac signs of Western countries in comparison to the astrological chart of Asian countries. And I also included the names of Myanmar months [on the lunar calendar] and Burmese zodiac animal signs in my paintings," said the 73-year-old artist.

"He draws the things that we see and hear every day in his own style. His works are a combination of liberty and expertise," said Ko Pyae Wai, owner of Nawaday Tharlar Art Gallery.

The post A Modern Traditionalist appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Six Female Medics Murdered in Captivity by Tatmadaw, TNLA Claims

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:17 AM PDT

MON STATE — Six female medics of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) were murdered after being taken prisoner by the Myanmar Army in Namkham Township, northern Shan State, claimed the ethnic armed group, which accused the military of killing prisoners of war. A male TNLA soldier was killed while trying to protect the medics, the group said.

According to a statement issued by the TNLA on Monday, the six women were medics, and the dead man was a soldier who had tried to protect them. It said the women were detained after being ambushed by the Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) on July 11 while they were traveling as a group in a village in Mann Wang.

The Irrawaddy attempted to contact the Defense Ministry for a response to the allegations on Tuesday, but all of the ministry's listed spokespersons were unable to be reached for comment.

The TNLA soldier was killed during a brief exchange of fire with Tatmadaw troops, according to the statement. It said some other TNLA personnel were wounded but managed to escape. Those who escaped reported that the six medics were detained by Myanmar Army troops.

The army detained the six women at 1:30 p.m. on July 11 and seized three guns from them, the statement quoted the survivors as saying said.

In an interview with RFA posted online Tuesday morning, TNLA spokesperson Major Tar Aike Kyaw said the slain women were TNLA medics who would travel between villages providing medical treatment to locals. The spokesman repeated the claim made in the TNLA statement that the dead man was a soldier killed while trying to protect the group after they were ambushed by Myanmar Army troops, who later detained the women.

According to the TNLA statement, on July 14, a group of local residents found the bodies of six women who appeared to have been killed and dumped in a forested area outside the village. The local people buried the bodies in Mann Wang on the same day.

Two of the dead women had gunshot wounds to their heads and legs, while the bodies of the other four women were bruised and had stab wounds, according to the statement from the TNLA.

In the statement, the TNLA accused the Myanmar Army's Infantry Battalion 301, under the control of Infantry Division 88, of murdering the six medics.

The alleged murders have sparked outrage among ethnic Ta'ang. Locals asked why the Myanmar Army didn't prosecute the medics, rather than killing them. They accused the army of violating the rights of prisoners of war.

Lway Cherry, an ethnic Ta'ang from Namsang Township, said, "I just want to say that this is a war crime. Instead of killing them, they could have sent them to jail, in accordance with the law."

She believed the killings were intended to send a signal to other Ta'ang women not to join the TNLA.

"Their action could [be intended to] discourage girls and women from working for their people," she said.

She said the killings would spread hatred between ethnic Ta'ang and Burmese in northern Shan.

"I'm afraid that this case will fuel racial division," she said.

Ashin Tikkhanyarna, an ethnic Ta'ang Buddhist monk, said, "It is sad to see how they were murdered, especially as they were women. There are laws regarding [the treatment of] prisoners of war. But the Myanmar Army does not respect the law, and brutally killed them."

The post Six Female Medics Murdered in Captivity by Tatmadaw, TNLA Claims appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Our Coverage of the 3rd Union Peace Conference

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:05 AM PDT

The third session of the Union Peace Conference came to an end in Naypyitaw on Monday, after a six-day meeting between the government, military and ethnic armed groups in search of an elusive end to the country’s decades-long civil war. Here is a collection of The Irrawaddy's stories on the conference for anyone who wants to learn more about the peace process and the meeting. In addition to the stories on our website, you can check out some video interviews and live streams from the conference on our Facebook page.

Analysis: Military Chief Says Tatmadaw Wants Peace — but Not Because It's Weak

At opening of 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference, Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing urges all armed groups to sign NCA; State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi says ceasefire is just the first step


ANP's Criticism of Government in Peace Conference Speech Sparks Controversy

UPDJC bloc disavows comments, which upset Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Rakhine politicians say major parties have never been asked to self-censor


Military Chief's Comment on Tatmadaw 'Representing' the People Draws Backlash Online

Critics post 'Tatmadaw doesn't represent me' on social media in riposte to senior general's speech to Union Peace Conference.


Wa Delegate Faints Before Meeting With State Counselor, Rushed to Hospital

A UWSA spokesman said Bao Yu Yi, the armed group’s vice chairman, fainted from heat stroke but was recovering.


NDAA 'Will Sign the NCA at the Appropriate Time'

Mongla Group supports peace, but the path to that goal is not the same for all groups, general secretary U Kyi Myint says.

Northern EAOs Keen to Keep Talking to Government

Too soon for decision on signing NCA, Kachin leader says after FPNCC members meet with state counselor, Army chief

Advocacy Groups Seek Gender Equality Policy

Women's advocacy groups urged delegates attending the Panglong Peace Conference this week to push for a gender equality policy regarding women's representations across all sectors.


Tatmadaw Invites Ta'ang, Kokang and Arakan Armies to Participate in Ceasefire

Conditions include commitment to dialogue process and a pledge to disarm.


China Does Not Have Special Interests in Supporting Myanmar's Peace Process: Official

Chinese Special Envoy Sun Guoxiang said peace in Myanmar promotes stability on the border, but otherwise, China does have any special interest in Myanmar's peace process.


Second Wa Delegate Hospitalized in Naypyitaw Amid Peace Talks

The military chief visited the UWSA officials in the hospital on Friday.


Women Playing Larger Role at This Year’s Peace Conference

The numbers "show that more women are becoming interested in the peace process and that women have the capacity to do so," said Mi Kun Chan Non.


Peace Strategy Needed to Achieve National Goals, Suu Kyi Says

As third session of Panglong Peace Conference ends, some ethnic delegates complain Part Two of Union Accord ignores their suggestions

The post Our Coverage of the 3rd Union Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Foundation to Return $3.6M to Irrawaddy Region Govt in Fraud Case

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 04:06 AM PDT

PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Region — The Ayeyarwady Health and Education Multi-Developments Foundation will return five billion kyats donated to it by the former Irrawaddy regional government under the instruction of the President's Office in a case of alleged corruption and fraud.

The current regional government, after receiving instruction from the President's Office, notified the foundation last week, and the foundation will return more than 5.2 billion kyats (US$3.6 million), U Kyi Aung, secretary of the foundation, told The Irrawaddy.

"We will act according to the instruction of the President's Office," he said.

U Zayar Min Thein, a lawmaker from Pyapon Constituency (1) in the Irrawaddy Region Parliament, asked the regional legislature in early 2017 if the former government had handed over regional development funds to its successor.

The regional government led by former regional chief minister Mahn Johnny investigated the case but later handed it over to the President's Office of former President U Htin Kyaw. The President's Office assigned the Office of the Union Auditor General to investigate the alleged fraud.

The Auditor General's Office launched an investigation and reported to the President's Office that the donated money should be reclaimed from the development foundation.

"We have asked the foundation to return the money by the third week of July. But they have not contacted us yet," regional minister for planning and finance U Htay Win told The Irrawaddy.

The former regional government led by former chief minister U Thein Aung—who was also the chairman of Irrawaddy Region chapter of Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)—ran a foundation under the name of Ayeyarwady Multi-Developments Foundation and fundraised by holding musical concerts and soliciting contributions from local businessmen.

When the regional government was about to step down after the USDP's resounding defeat in the 2015 general elections, U Thein Aung's administration reconstituted the foundation as the Ayeyarwady Health and Education Multi-Developments Foundation.

He then allegedly handed over the regional development funds of his administration to the foundation.

The reconstituted foundation is led by former ministers of the regional government, including U Thein Aung, who serves as patron.

The foundation said that it has lent more than 400 million kyats for rural electrification works in 20 townships in the region, invested more than 800 million kyats in joint ventures with private businessmen, and saved four billion kyats at four banks in Pathein.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Foundation to Return $3.6M to Irrawaddy Region Govt in Fraud Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Interactive Timeline: Heroes in Myanmar’s History

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 03:55 AM PDT

YANGON — As Myanmar prepares to mark the 71st anniversary of Martyrs' Day on Thursday, The Irrawaddy memorializes a number of individuals who committed their lives to causes for the good of the country. While the list is inspired by Gen Aung San and his eight colleagues assassinated on July 19, 1947, we admit that there are many others we are unable to mention below, due to constraints of time, space and information. They also deserve honor for their merit.

The years mentioned in the text below signify the date in which these individuals passed away.

The post Interactive Timeline: Heroes in Myanmar's History appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UWSA Still Concerned over Implications of Signing NCA

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 03:46 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The United Wa State Army (UWSA), the biggest armed ethnic group in Myanmar, still has concerns over possible future scenarios if it were to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), said former Lieutenant-General U Khin Zaw Oo, secretary of the government's Peace Commission.

"They don't categorically reject the NCA, but they seem to have some concerns over what might happen after signing it. But it is fair to say that they have basically accepted the NCA," U Khin Zaw Oo said.

The commission plans to visit northeastern Myanmar and assuage their concerns, he added.

The leaders of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), a bloc of seven ethnic armed groups based along the northeastern China-Myanmar border led by the UWSA, met State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) Chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing last week on the sidelines of the third session of the Union Peace Conference in Naypyitaw.

The FPNCC consists of the UWSA, the Mongla-based National Democratic Alliance Army, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Shan State Progress Party, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Arakan Army (AA), and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).

The UWSA said in a statement that it would consider signing the NCA if the government and Tatmadaw made a written promise that it would be allowed, after signing the NCA, to introduce changes to the agreement and have the option of resigning from it.

Government spokesperson U Zaw Htay said the NCA does not include a provision on resignation, but according to Section 27, the signatories and the government can negotiate issues not covered by the agreement.

"They prepared that statement some months ago. And we're negotiating with them regarding the statement. At the previous meeting in June, we told them we can give them what they want within the NCA framework. They said they would consider it at their central executive committee," U Khin Zaw Oo said.

The FPNCC claims it is not a military alliance, but a political bloc formed to hold peace talks with the government and the Tatmadaw.

When asked by The Irrawaddy, U Khin Zaw Oo said he believed the government would be able to make peace with those groups before 2020.

"We believe we will achieve peace by 2020, so we're doing our best. But there are two sides. It will not be possible if only one side has political will," he said.

Myanmar is grateful to China for convincing the seven groups to travel to Naypyitaw for the conference, he said, adding that border stability is in the mutual interest of both countries.

The Tatmadaw previously labeled the AA, MNDAA and TNLA as insurgent groups, saying they were formed after Myanmar's democratic government took power in 2010. But it is now considering allowing them to join the NCA on condition they promise to give up armed struggle.

"The Tatmadaw has changed its attitude since 2016. It no longer talks about disarmament in meetings with the three groups, but instead asks them to commit to giving up the armed struggle at some point in the future," Dr. Min Zaw Oo, who has actively participated in Myanmar's peace process, told The Irrawaddy.

Last week, deputy army chief Vice Senior-General Soe Win met with the AA, MNDAA and TNLA, while Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing received the leaders of the other four FPNCC groups.

The FPNCC delegates, being non-signatories of the NCA, attended the third session of the Union Peace Conference as observers.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post UWSA Still Concerned over Implications of Signing NCA appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rediscovering Traditional Myanmar Snacks

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 01:49 AM PDT

The traditional Burmese snacks shops called 'Da Lae' (tradition) bring back childhood memories for some while offering a variety of new flavors for others.

If you look back over the last 20 years, there aren't a lot of Burmese breakfast options and most people eat traditional snacks like kauk nyin poun (steamed sticky rice), bein moat (Burmese sweet pancake), moat sein paung (steamed rice cake), shwe hta min (jaggery sticky rice cake) and more.

Anyone born before 2000 grew up eating these snacks for breakfast or afternoon dessert.

But today, it's becoming more difficult to find traditional snack vendors. People are instead reaching for fast food, Western food and Korean food, said Ko Lin, the owner of a traditional shop called Da Lae.

A bookshelf and the small tables inside the shop.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

When Ko Lin visited Taunggyi, he founds a vendor selling kyaw sone (fried snacks) and kyauk nyin poun at the local market. It tasted delicious and he wondered why these snacks couldn't be easily found in Yangon.

He said the idea for a shop came from that visit. Along with his wife, he visited Hinthada, Pyapon and other cities in the Irrawaddy Region and learned various recipes from elders in each location. He then experimented with the recipes in Yangon for six months.

All of his snacks are homemade and he says there are some he still can't offer because he hasn't mastered the recipes.

A staff member waiting to welcome customers at the entrance. (Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

"We all grew up with these foods but we are now forgetting them. We no longer see the vendors and we forget the techniques for making them. I want to remind people of our traditional snacks," he said.

When asking foreigners what they know about Myanmar, they will likely answer Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Shwedagon Pagoda and then possibly moat hinn khar (fish soup), he said, adding that he wanted to promote other snacks and traditions.

Da Lae opened last March and has quite the local following. The shop is located in the middle of Pyi Thar Yar Street in Yankin Township. It is a bit small and you might need to look carefully the first time you visit.

The shop has a thatched roof and its name is written on a sakaw (bamboo tray). Inside, there is a bookshelf and a few small tables.

After taking a seat, the staff welcomes you with traditional tea and sweet smiles. I visited around 10 a.m., not exactly proper breakfast time.

So, I ordered the hta min sote (rice ball), which was mixed with dried, salted fish that is grilled on a small charcoal fire for 1,500 kyats, along with a big sakaw of traditional Burmese snacks for 3,000 kyats, which included four snacks that the customers can choose.

Da Lae’s hta min sote, topped with fried quail eggs.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

I chose htan thee moat (steamed toddy cake), moat sein paung (steamed rice cake), moat leik pyar and shwe hta min (jaggery sticky rice cake). Individually, each would cost 800 kyats.

Customers are free to peruse the bookshelf and spend time reading at the shop. The owner placed the books there in hope that people would do so.

"I warmly welcome people who love reading. They can even come and read without ordering food, Ko Lin said.

The wait wasn't long. The plate came with three small hta min sote, topped with fried quail eggs and filled with pe byote (boiled peas).

The portions were big and the food was delicious. The rice was not too hard and the pe byote was amazing. These might have been perfect if the rice had been warm.

Owner Ko Linn preparing the snacks in Da Lae’s kitchen.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

The shop played old Burmese music, which Ko Lin had collected over time to play at his shop, hoping that the younger generations could be exposed to it.

Then, the big tray came. It was enough for three people although we were only two.

Moat leik pyar is thin layers of rice noodles filled with jaggery and red bean, folded in squares and served with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds. It is one of my favorite traditional desserts and whenever I see it on the road or in the market, I buy it.

Shwe hta min is sweet sticky rice baked with jaggery and topped with coconut flakes. It is sweet, but not too sweet. Some people like to eat it without the coconut flakes but for me, it is the perfect pairing.

A friendly staff member explaining the menu to customers. (Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

Mont sein paung is another local favorite. It is layers of steamed, ground rice mixed with layers of jaggery. It is also served with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds.

The htan thee moat was served warm with toddy palm fruit. The cake was fluffy and smelled great, a mix of sweet and sour at the same time.

Overall, the food was tasty, the staff was friendly and willing to explain, the shop was clean and the vibe was chill. I will definitely be back to spend my afternoons with a good book and the delicious snacks at Da Lae.

The post Rediscovering Traditional Myanmar Snacks appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

British Diver May Sue Elon Musk for Calling Him a ‘Pedo’

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 01:11 AM PDT

British caver Vernon Unsworth, who helped rescue the Wild Boars soccer team from Tham Luang cave in Thailand's Chiang Rai province, said Monday he might take legal action against Elon Musk after the Tesla CEO called him a "pedo".

Musk launched a stinging attack on Unsworth without providing any justification or explanation, after the cave expert slammed his offer of a miniature submarine to extract the footballers from the Tham Luang cave as a "PR stunt".

Unsworth told Agence France-Presse on Monday he had not reviewed the tweets in full and had only heard about them.

Asked if he would take legal action against Musk over the allegation, Unsworth said: "If it's what I think it is, yes." The caver told AFP he would make a decision when he flies back to Britain this week, but said the episode with Musk "ain't finished".

"He's just a PR stunt merchant – that's all he is," Unsworth added.

Unsworth, who lives part of the year in Thailand, took part in the gargantuan 18-day effort to retrieve the 12 boys and their coach, a mission that ended on July 10 when the last five members were extracted.

In an interview with CNN, Unsworth noted that the flooded tunnel was extremely narrow and twisted. "The submarine, I believe was about five, six feet long. Rigid," he said. "So it wouldn't have gone around corners or around any obstacles. It wouldn't have made it the first 50 meters."

Unsworth then claimed that Musk had been quickly asked to leave the cave during his much-tweeted-about visit.

Musk responded Sunday in a bizarre series of tweets referring to Unsworth without using his name as "pedo guy". "Pedo" is short for pedophile.

The post British Diver May Sue Elon Musk for Calling Him a 'Pedo' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:33 PM PDT

Anyeint

Tin Maung Hsan Min Win troupe will perform this traditional Burmese entertainment form mixing dance, music, song, comedy and theater.

July 21, 6 p.m. Kandawgyi Hmaw Sin Kyun, Tickets are 5,000 to 10,000 kyats, available at the door.

Culture Show

This event explores traditional Myanmar culture and includes a buffet dinner.

July 22, evening. Vintage Luxury Yacht Hotel, Booking at 01-9010532-35, 01-9010555, and 09-250846974.

Film Night

Every second Wednesday, the Goethe-Institut will be showing a variety of German films with English subtitles.

July 18, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Goethe-Institut, corner of Kabar Aye Pagoda Road and Nat Mauk Street, Bahan Tsp. Free Admission.

Book Sale

Yangon Book Plaza organizes a book sale to commemorate Martyrs' Day. Many old books will be available for only 200 kyats each with a minimum 10 percent discount on others.

July 19-22, Yangon Book Plaza, 5th Floor, Thanzay Market, Lanmadaw Tsp.

Black Island

This event is for rock music fanatics.

July 21, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. YangonYangon Bar. Tickets are 5,000 kyats.

Affordable Housing Expo

Apartments starting from 18 million kyats will be sold in installment plans.

July 20-22, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hledan Center.

Supernatural

Five artists showcase their works.

July 21-23, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 43 Art Gallery, 43rd Street.

Art Line

Fifteen artists from Myanmar, Indonesia and Singapore exhibit their paintings.

July 17-20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Yangon Gallery, People's Park.

Poetry of Brush and Ink

This is a Taiwan-Myanmar art and cultural exchange exhibition.

July 14-20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nawaday Tharlar Art Gallery, No. 304, 20 (B), Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon Tsp.

Exhibition of Accomplishment

Trainees of Art Zero Art Class will showcase their works.

July 20-30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Zero Art Space, No. 202, 2nd Floor, United Condo, Alan Pya Pagoda Road.

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

Bridge to China Brings Threat for Hong Kong’s Native Pink Dolphin

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:29 PM PDT

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s rare pale pink dolphins are battling for survival as building work on a 19-mile (31-km) bridge linking the Asian financial hub with China disrupts the communication and feeding activities of the highly sociable animals, marine experts say.

The Chinese white dolphin, which appears pink because of blood vessels beneath its skin, was the official mascot of the former British colony’s handover to China in 1997.

But large projects, including recent work on the $19-billion bridge across the Pearl River estuary, threaten the animals, whose number has slumped nearly 80 percent over the past decade to just 47.

“The construction of this bridge poses quite a significant negative impact to the dolphins and caused their really great decline,” said Samantha Lee, an official of conservation group WWF in Hong Kong.

Also known as the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, the species has become much harder to spot in nearby waters, Lee added.

A spike in sea traffic around Hong Kong, pollutants and overfishing have contributed to the loss of their habitat.

Greater underwater noise from construction makes it hard for the animals to feed and communicate, said Lindsay Porter, a scientist at marine mammal research consultancy SMRU Hong Kong.

“When you increase that underwater noise, you not only stop dolphins from being able to forage … we also stop them communicating with each other,” Porter said, adding that such interruptions threatened their survival.

More than half the dolphins spotted showed signs of distress, such as skin lesions and infections due to stress and high noise levels, Porter added.

In an email response to Reuters, Hong Kong’s conservation department said the decline in dolphin numbers was a complicated issue that needed further data analysis and close monitoring.

“To further protect Chinese white dolphins in Hong Kong, the government plans to designate more marine parks expeditiously,” it added.

Government efforts to compensate for infrastructure projects with conservation sites, such as the Brothers Marine Park (BMP), have not brought back the dolphins, however, one environmentalist said.

The “effectiveness of the Brothers Marine Park is highly in doubt,” as a result of the construction work, said Taison Chang, chairman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society.

The post Bridge to China Brings Threat for Hong Kong’s Native Pink Dolphin appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Police Insisted on Meeting, Gave Documents: Reuters Reporter

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:23 PM PDT

YANGON — A Reuters reporter accused of obtaining secret state documents in Myanmar told a court on Monday a policeman had called him on the day he was arrested and insisted on a meeting, at which the officer abruptly handed some papers to him and a colleague.

In the first detailed account to the court from either of the journalists of the night they were arrested, Wa Lone told the judge that Police Lance Corporal Naing Lin had called him at least twice on Dec. 12 and said they needed to meet that day, even though it was already after office hours.

“After 5 p.m., when I was about to leave the office, Naing Lin called me and told me that I must come that evening. He told me that if I don’t come now, I might not be able to meet him because he is about to transfer to another region,” Wa Lone said.

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, are on trial for allegedly breaching the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, in a case seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar. Both have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they face up to 14 years in prison.

The circumstances of their arrest have emerged as one of the most contentious parts of the case. While the prosecution says that the two reporters were detained during a routine traffic stop, the defense has argued they were framed by police.

Wa Lone said Kyaw Soe Oo had accompanied him to the meeting with Naing Lin. When the two met Naing Lin and another policeman at a restaurant on the outskirts of Yangon, the officer handed them rolled up documents and told them to photograph the papers. They did not take pictures, instead telling Naing Lin it was too dark, he said.

“The documents had nothing to do with our conversation. He just suddenly took them out. I didn’t ask him to,” Wa Lone said.

Soon afterwards, Naing Lin left abruptly, and the two reporters were arrested upon leaving the restaurant, before they looked at the documents, Wa Lone told the court.

In his testimony two months ago, Naing Lin confirmed he met the journalists, but denied giving them anything. He insisted he did not call Wa Lone and that it was the reporter who initiated the meeting. He also said he was alone.

A prosecution witness, however, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing, told the court in April that hours before the reporters were arrested a senior officer had ordered Naing Lin to plant the documents on Wa Lone to “trap” the reporter.

Other police witnesses have previously told the court the reporters were arrested at a random security checkpoint, by officers who were unaware they were journalists, and found to be holding secret documents in their hands.

Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay has declined to comment throughout the proceedings, saying Myanmar’s courts are independent and the case would be conducted according to the law. He did not answer calls seeking comment on Monday.

Lead prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung declined to comment.

Global Criticism

At the time of their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in the village of Inn Din in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The killings took place during a military crackdown that United Nations agencies say led to more than 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh.

“I tried to meet them (police) to get information on what happened in Inn Din. I didn’t meet them to get any documents,” Wa Lone said in his testimony.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo’s case has attracted global attention, with many governments and rights groups calling for the reporters’ release. Some diplomats and activists say it is a test of progress towards full democracy under the administration of Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a country where the military still wields considerable influence.

On Monday, with his pregnant wife, family members and several diplomats present in the courtroom, Wa Lone detailed his training as an investigative journalist. He emphasized he has covered Myanmar’s ethnic conflicts fairly and consistently sought input from all sides, including the government and security forces.

Kyaw Soe Oo is expected to testify on Tuesday.

The trial is expected to last several more weeks. The defense will call witnesses, who will testify and be cross-examined by prosecutors. Both sides will then make their final arguments and the judge is expected to deliver a verdict as early as next month.

The post Myanmar Police Insisted on Meeting, Gave Documents: Reuters Reporter appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Overloading Poor Nations With Debt, Top US Official Says

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:16 PM PDT

JOHANNESBURG — China is saddling poor nations with unsustainable debt through large-scale infrastructure projects that are not economically viable, the head of the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) said on Monday.

The criticism of Beijing — targeted by President Donald Trump in a trade war that has sent ripples through economies around the world — comes as Washington seeks to ramp up development finance in the face of China’s global ambitions.

Unveiled in 2013, President Xi Jinping’s “Belt and Road” initiative aims to build an infrastructure network connecting China by land and sea to Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

China has pledged $126 billion for the plan, which has been praised by its supporters as a source of vital financing for infrastructure-starved partners in the developing world.

But in an interview with Reuters in Johannesburg, OPIC CEO Ray Washburne warned that the Chinese strategy created a debt trap for many poor nations.

“Just look at any project in these countries and they’re overbuilding the size,” he said. “We try to have countries realize that they’re indebting themselves to the Chinese.”

Washburne is not the first to warn of growing debt linked to Chinese infrastructure projects.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde in April cautioned China’s Belt and Road partners against considering the financing as “a free lunch.”

Sri Lanka formally handed over commercial activities in its main southern port in the town of Hambantota to a Chinese company in December as part of a plan to convert $6 billion of loans that Sri Lanka owes China into equity.

US officials have warned that a strategic port in the tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti could be next, a prospect the government there has denied.

Washburne also voiced concern over a $360 million expansion of the airport in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, currently being carried out with financing from the Exim Bank of China.

“The local economy isn’t benefiting from that. It’s a much too large airport. They’ll have too much debt on it. At some point, someone’s got to pay. Pay or the Chinese take control,” he said.

Keeping Pace

Lawmakers in the United States are advancing a new law, the BUILD Act, through Congress that Washburne says should bolster private US investment in developing nations by doubling OPIC’s access to US Treasury credit to $60 billion.

About a quarter of the active portfolio of OPIC, a government agency that helps US businesses invest in emerging markets, is currently focused on Africa and it typically invests around $1 billion annually on the continent.

“With the right quality projects, it could double here,” Washburne said, adding that many investments would focus on the kinds of infrastructure projects Chinese firms are currently dominating.

“The Chinese are in with ports and railroads and highways, things that we need to be in as a competitor.”

OPIC this month launched an Africa-focused initiative that will earmark more than $1 billion over the next three years for projects supporting transportation, information and communications technology and value chains.

“Instead of giving them a fish, we want to teach them how to fish,” Washburne said. “They’ll have to stand on their own two feet. So we’re not in making loans or doing projects that don’t make economic sense.”

The post China Overloading Poor Nations With Debt, Top US Official Says appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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