Friday, November 16, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

RCSS and Gov’t Peace Negotiators Hold Informal Meetings in Chiang Mai

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 06:32 AM PST

CHIANG MAI, Thailand—Government peace negotiators and representatives of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) met informally in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand on Friday as part of a series of informal peace talks led by the government with four major ethnic armed organizations this weekend aimed at finding ways to move forward with the peace process.

The government negotiators will meet the Karen National Union (KNU) on Saturday. They will also separately meet the non-signatories Kachin Independent Army (KIA) and the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) on Sunday.

The RCSS had stopped participating in meetings with the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC), an implementation body of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) this month, following the KNU's decision not to take part in the formal peace negotiations.

After Friday's talk, both sides (the RCSS and the government) told reporters that their discussions focused on seeking different approaches in order to be able to move forward the process within the NCA path.

U Zaw Htay, director general of the State Counselor's Office told reporters in Chiang Mai after the 80-minute meeting that their talk focused on finding the best possible approach to reducing conflict.

Both sides said they had thorough discussions on the aspects of the NCA that are not possible to implement.

U Zaw Htay said, "Our discussion focused on preventing conflict from being escalated and losing trust. We do not want any trouble on our NCA path."

Sai Ngern, secretary of the RCSS also said they had good results from these informal discussions.

He said they raised their concerns and desires based on their statement released on Nov. 12 and discussed how to overcome those obstacles as well as the single-army issue and non-secession.

The RCSS's statement on Monday said they are sticking to the NCA while being committed to non-secession. On the issues of a single army, the RCSS said they would find a way through the informal talks.

It demanded a meeting with Tatmadaw (Myanmar army) leaders in order to have a mutual understanding on the JMC and only after that they would decide whether they will continue participation in JMC meetings. It was discussed in Friday's talk, but Sai Ngern did not elaborate on the details of it, saying further informal meetings would be conducted.

The RCSS had also pushed for a change to the JMC structure, mechanisms and terms of references and for the consideration of a role for international experts in the JMC.

The government delegation is led by U Khin Zaw Oo, secretary of the Peace Commission, accompanied by commission members U Aung Soe, U Zaw Htay, U Kyaw Lin Oo, and advisor U Hla Maung Shwe.

RCSS chairman Gen. Yawd Serk led the talk, accompanied by the RCSS deputy commander-in-chief Brig-Gen Pao Khay, secretary Col. Sai Ngern and the spokesman Lt-Col Sai Meng.

U Zaw Htay told The Irrawaddy they would have open discussions with the three other groups over the weekend because "we accept there are problems which need to be solved."

He expects the informal talks this weekend will yield a solution which is acceptable by both sides.

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Lack of Constructive Ideas on Display at Pence, Suu Kyi Meeting

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 06:24 AM PST

Remarks about Rohingya refugees by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on the sidelines of this week's ASEAN summit in Singapore have caused a stir in Myanmar.

Delivering the Trump administration's most high-profile criticism to date of the persecution of Rohingya Muslims, Pence said at a press briefing attended by the two that state violence against the group was "without excuse".

"I'm anxious to hear about the progress that you're making, holding those accountable who are responsible for the violence that displaced so many hundreds of thousands and created such suffering, including the loss of life," he said.

Some in Myanmar bristled at the vice president's remarks, viewing them as patronizing, and took offense at the sight of a foreigner lecturing their leader about an issue their country is grappling with. On the other hand, at least one aspect of his comments was met with amusement here.

The "punch line" for many in Myanmar came when Pence expressed concern about freedom of the press in Myanmar, raising the issue of the arrest of two Reuters journalists last year.

"In America, we believe in our democratic institutions and ideals, including a free and independent press," Pence said.

Given the fondness of the current occupant of the White House for mocking and insulting journalists—not to mention his condemnation of those who would hold him accountable as "enemies of the people" and their reporting as "fake news"—Pence's comments are hard to swallow.

People took to Facebook and other social media to drop a line or two on what they thought of the vice president's comments. Some suggested that rather than Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, his preaching on "democratic institutions and ideals" would best be aimed at his own boss.

Unsurprisingly, they applauded Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for standing up to Pence: "In a way, we can say that we understand our country better than any other country does and I'm sure you will say the same of yours, that you understand your country better than anybody else does," she said. "So, we are in a better position to explain to you what is happening and how we see things panning out."

However, she was not free from criticism herself. Some were astonished by the directness of her comments; others said she had been undiplomatic. Rather than adopting Pence's confrontational tone, they said, she should have explained that Myanmar is going through a difficult time, especially with regard to the Rohingya, and asked for greater collaboration from the U.S. to tackle the issue. By failing to do so, some said, she missed an opportunity.

The brief exchange between the leaders could have been very different if Pence had come up with a more positive approach, rather than informing the State Counselor that "I'm anxious to hear about the progress you are making—holding those accountable who are responsible for the violence.'

Instead of waiting to hear on the progress of efforts to facilitate the Rohingya's voluntary return, the U.S. should collaborate more not only with Myanmar but also with Bangladesh, the UNHCR and the UNDP to help speed the repatriation process, which is experiencing hiccups. Only this approach can make a positive difference.

As for Myanmar's leadership, caution is required with every step—especially at this time when the international community has very little sympathy for Naypyitaw over the Rohingya issue. As an example of this, one need only look at the last-minute warnings from the UN and rights groups regarding the repatriation process, which came despite the government's repeated announcements that it is ready to welcome those who return voluntarily.

At the same time, as "we understand our country better than any other country does," Myanmar should keep searching for ways to facilitate repatriation that are in line with the country's existing laws. The process must be implemented in tandem with Kofi Annan's Advisory Commission's other recommendations, which call for a roadmap for the development of the whole of Rakhine State. Successful implementation of those 88 recommendations would probably be the only way for Myanmar to earn international trust on the issue.

This would be more likely to happen if the majority of the international community showed understanding and took a helpful approach toward Myanmar, as some other countries have. For Myanmar itself, it would be wiser to seek more supporters, rather than risk further alienation by resorting to harsh words.

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Minister Claims Refugee Returnees Intimidated by ARSA

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 04:44 AM PST

YANGON—Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement U Win Myat Aye has claimed the Rohingya who want to return to Myanmar are being discouraged by threats from affiliates of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

In an exclusive interview published in state-run newspapers on Friday, the minister, who is also chairman of the committee of acceptance and resettlement of returnees, said those who wish to come back from the refugee camps in Bangladesh directly contacted officials on the Myanmar side through Viber to say they have been prevented from doing so, and even prevented from filling out forms required for their repatriation.

"Among those in the camps over there who want to return, some were tortured and killed in some cases," the minister said, adding that the threats discouraged those who want to voluntarily return to Myanmar.

Last year, nearly 700,000 Rohingya fled to nearby Bangladesh after security forces' clearance operations in the area following ARSA attacks on police outposts there. The government denounced ARSA as a terrorist group, while the UN has called the Myanmar military's operations "ethnic cleansing."

In October, Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed to start the repatriation process for the first group of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar this week. Myanmar has prepared to accept 150 people per day at the repatriation center in Maungdaw Township, northern Rakhine State, starting from Thursday, yet no refugees opted to come back.

Minister U Win Myat Aye, accompanied by his deputy U Soe Aung, Minister of Immigration and Population U Thein Swe, and Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu, were waiting for refugees at the Taungpyo Letwei repatriation center.

At a press conference held late on Thursday in Naypyitaw regarding repatriation, the Myanmar government said the process has been opened and they will accept anyone who is ready to come back voluntarily.

Hundreds of Rohingya protested in the refugee camp of Unchiprang in Teknaf, in Bangladesh, from where the first batch of the Rohingya families were supposed to leave on Thursday. They demanded justice and a guarantee of security and citizenship.

Speaking on Thursday to reporters in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, U Win Myat Aye said the government understands the concerns of the refugees, adding that they can guarantee the safety of the returnees if they abide the country's existing laws.

U Win Myat Aye, who also chairs the government's Implementation Committee for Recommendations on Rakhine State, added that the government is working on a citizenship verification process as well as providing freedom of movement as their priorities.

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Three Bombs Found in Taunggyi amid Fire Balloon Festival

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 04:03 AM PST

MANDALAY—At least three bombs packed in attache cases were found Friday in Taunggyi, southern Shan State, where the annual fire balloon festival is currently being held.

A local politician told The Irrawaddy he saw bomb squad officers checking one case that was found in front of Taunggyi's Central Market.

"Police cleared the area and the bomb squad defused it. Later, they took away another two attache cases after defusing them," Ko Toe said.

Locals said they had heard reports that police had evacuated six other locations including Ocean shopping mall following bomb scares.

However, the duty officer at Taunggyi Police Station would only confirm the discovery of three bombs in front of the market. He said the other reports were just rumors and refused to provide further information.  

Taunggyi is currently hosting its annual Fire Balloon Festival, a unique event that draws thousands of visitors to the town. Locals and visitors expressed concern that the festival would be canceled due to the bomb scares.

The area surrounding Taunggyi includes some of the main operating areas of the Pa-O and Shan ethnic armed groups.

However, local residents were doubtful that the ethnic armed groups were responsible for placing the bombs, as most of the visitors to the festival are ethnic people living in the region.

"We don't believe the culprits are from the ethnic armed groups. [Whoever did it] may have been trying to affect the festival and the peace and stability of our town," said U Than Win, a town elder and festival committee member.

 

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Myanmar Shoppers Spend $90,000 in 1 Hour During Alibaba’s ‘11.11’ Online Sale

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 03:07 AM PST

YANGON—The local unit of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group sold over $90,000 worth of goods in the first hour of its first-ever online sale aimed at Myanmar shoppers on Sunday.

The local version of Alibaba's global "11.11" online sale was conducted by Myanmar's biggest online shopping platform, SHOP.com.mm. SHOP said in a statement that over 1,500 orders were placed in the first hour, most of them via mobile phones. The company offered discounts on 50,000 items, and over 150,000 users accessed its shopping app.

Major brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, Honor, Ponds, Vaseline, ERKE, Adidas, Nike, Maybelline were discounted by up to 90 percent. The company also offered additional discounts of up to 22 percent for holders of VISA, CB VISA and AGD VISA cards. The site also offered a 0-percent commission to sellers.

Alibaba group expects online shopping in Myanmar to grow rapidly, driven by accelerating expansion of Internet penetration and mobile use in the country.

SHOP.com is owned by Daraz Group, which was obtained by Alibaba in May. Daraz, a leading South Asian e-commerce company, also has operations in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The SHOP.com website and its apps have been upgraded to include personalization features and data privacy protection. The 11.11 online sale was SHOP.com's first such project since its acquisition by Alibaba.

Alibaba has announced that it aims to become the most trusted online shopping platform for both buyers and sellers through the use of the latest world-class technologies. It said it would make an effort to raise awareness about e-commerce among Myanmar citizens.

According to Telenor's "Digital Myanmar 2018" report, the country has a mobile density (or penetration) rate of 105 per cent, while 80 percent of people access the Internet via smartphones. But the majority of the population is still not familiar with online shopping via card payment systems.

The widely used Myanmar Payment Union is not yet e-commerce enabled, but SHOP said it was looking for other payment options in Myanmar.

Regarding Sunday's sale, SHOP co-managing director Frans Maas said, "11.11 is yet another historic mark in the development of the e-commerce industry in Myanmar."

He added: "Never have so many people been buying and selling online in one day, and the response of both our sellers and customers has been very enthusiastic."

Designated by the company as the "World's Biggest Sale Day," 11.11 is Alibaba's major promotional activity. Last year the company posted sales of $25.4 billion on that day worldwide. The figure was up from $5.8 billion in 2013, $9.3 billion in 2014 and $14.3 billion in 2015.

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MMA Star Aung La N Sang to Help Fight Illegal Wildlife Trade

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 02:46 AM PST

YANGON—Aung La N Sang, the most celebrated cage fighter in Myanmar's history, has been appointed by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Myanmar as its ambassador for fighting wildlife crime.

"The fight to protect wildlife and stop wildlife crime in our country is a fight that is close to my heart," said the Kachin mixed martial arts fighter.

"Elephants, tigers, pangolins, bears, turtles and Burmese pythons…. they should be in the wild, in the forest, the mountain, the ocean, not in the market, said the One Championship middleweight and light-heavyweight world champion.

Aung La also welcomes the Yangon government's ban on wildlife sales in the commercial capital, calling it "great news for wildlife."

The 33-year-old fighter, known to his audience as "The Burmese Python," was honored with a Male Athlete of the Year award at the One Championship Global Martial Arts Awards held in Singapore earlier this month.

His fight with Japanese fighter Ken Hasegawa also won the Bout of the Year award.

"The Government alone or our organization alone is not capable of fighting wildlife crime. It is important that the public participates with awareness, so we need to seek the support of celebrities. We have ambassadors in other sectors, and now we are reinforced with Ko Aung La. He is interested in doing this and accepted willingly so we appointed him," said Ko Ye Min Thwin of WWF-Myanmar.

He said that huge challenges lie in fighting wildlife crimes as Myanmar neighbors China which is home to the world's biggest black market for wildlife trade.

The Myanmar authorities destroyed hundreds of seized elephant tusks, pangolin scales and other animal parts, worth a total of $1.3 million on the black market, in the capital city of Naypyitaw in the first week of October.

There are over 40 protected areas in Myanmar and 19 more have been earmarked for designation as protected areas. Those areas include natural parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserves.

From April 2016 through September this year, police handled 140 cases of wildlife smuggling and took action against 284 criminals.

Meanwhile, 108 elephants were poached from 2010 through September this year, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation.

"In 2017, an elephant was killed almost every week. The elephant population in Myanmar is now less than 2,000," said U Nyi Nyi Kyaw, director of the government's forestry department.

Besides poaching, there have been reports of smuggling entire elephants, he said. The forestry department, in cooperation with home affairs ministry, has increased patrols in Yangon, Bago and Irrawaddy regions where poaching rings are rampant.

The trading of wildlife has been criminalized in Myanmar since 1994 but there have been problems with law enforcement. In May this year, Myanmar's national legislature passed the Protection of Biodiversity and Conservation Areas Law.

The law carries a minimum of three to a maximum of ten year's imprisonment plus a fine for hunting and illegal trade of wildlife protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The post MMA Star Aung La N Sang to Help Fight Illegal Wildlife Trade appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lawmaker Urges Scrutiny of Railway Purchase from China

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 01:51 AM PST

NAYPYITAW—A lawmaker sounded a warning on Thursday about the government's plan to purchase railway carriages from China using loans from Beijing, saying steps must be taken to ensure that the price of the carriages is fair.

Lawmakers in the Lower House on Thursday discussed the Ministry of Transport and Communications' plan to accept a no-interest loan of 80 million yuan (about 18.5 billion kyats) from China in order to buy the carriages. Lawmaker Daw Cho Cho of Oktwin Township urged officials to scrutinize the cost carefully.

"Though the loan is interest-free, we are obliged to purchase the carriages from the lender, so it is important that the products are of good quality, reasonably priced, and will not cost us far more than similar products from other countries. Because we will have to repay the loan, with or without interest," Daw Cho Cho said.

The loan would be disbursed over five years. Myanmar would have to begin repayment five years after the last of the money is received. Repayment would be in installments of 10 percent, 8 million yuan, a year for the following 10 years. So the total repayment period would be 20 years.

Daw Cho Cho stressed that the carriages should be new, and not refurbished models. According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, a total of 28 carriages—14 ordinary and 14 first class—will be purchased for use on the Yangon-Mandalay railroad.

More than 1,000 commuters use the route daily, with one carriage earning as much as 3 million kyats a day, Transport and Communications Minister U Thant Zin Maung told the Union Parliament on Monday.

"New carriages mean better safety and greater convenience for commuters. This will enhance the image of Myanma Railways [MR] while increasing revenue," he said.

U Mya Sein, a Lower House lawmaker for Dagon Seikkan Township, called for a tender process to be launched in line with normal procedures.

Other lawmakers stressed the need for MR to improve its services.

A former MR official told The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity that such deals are a good way for Myanmar to import new transport technologies, as China is a world leader in railway systems.

The Myanmar Railways Strategy 2018 jointly drafted by the Asian Development Bank and the Myanmar government, calls for the purchase of 60 new locomotives, 500 new passenger carriages and 800 freight carriages by 2027.

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Stunning Landscapes from Across the Globe Now Exhibiting at The Secretariat

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 01:26 AM PST

YANGON—An exhibition of photographs of epic landscapes and breathtaking scenes of nature from across the globe by a local photographer is now on display at The Secretariat in downtown Yangon.

Our World Through My Lens is photographer U Ye Naing Wynn's first solo exhibition. He has captured some of the world's most beautiful natural landscapes during his travels to different continents across the globe. From dramatic mountain peaks in Argentina to colossal waterfalls and dancing northern lights in Iceland, the photographer appears to have used extreme patience and persistence in waiting for the prime moment to capture the perfect shot.

The photography exhibition is taking place at The Secretariat until Monday. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy

"The primary aim of this exhibition is to bring awareness to the Myanmar people that the world has lots of beauty and diversity; it's not just a small bubble that we live in. We should look beyond our own horizons and embrace everything," said U Ye Naing Wynn.

A viewer takes in scenes from Iceland at ‘One World Through My Lens’ photography exhibition. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy

The exhibition is a dramatic display of 30 colorful back-lit photographs lighting up the space in the southern wing of the historic Secretariat. All photographs are for sale and proceeds from the sales will go to two worthy causes: Wildlife Conservation Society Myanmar and an orphanage charity Yellow Generation Wave.

Photographer U Ye Naing Wynn meets people on the opening day of his exhibition ‘One World Through My Lens’ on Friday. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy

As part of the exhibition organized in conjunction with Black Knight Media, there will be two days of workshops over Saturday and Sunday Nov. 17 and 18 which will be open to the public and feature some of the biggest names in Myanmar's photography and art scene including U Zaw Min Yu, U Aung Pyae Soe and U Pyay Way.

Landscapes from across the world are captured at the photography exhibition. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy

The exhibition is open daily from 9am to 5pm until Monday Nov. 19. Workshop events take place between 2pm and 4pm on both days. Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge.

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Boat of Refugees Destined for Malaysia Brought Ashore Near Yangon

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 01:16 AM PST

YANGON— More than 100 Rohingya Muslims found aboard an overcrowded boat destined for Malaysia early on Friday morning are being held in a cyclone shelter in Thante village in Yangon's Kyauktan Township, according to a regional lawmaker.

Local authorities found a boat carrying 106 Rohingya—including 25 children, 50 men and 31 women—near Thante village, inland from the Gulf of Martaban, at around 4am, according to Daw Thet Thet Mu, Yangon regional lawmaker of Kyauktan.

The lawmaker said a few passengers on the boat who can speak Burmese explained they had fled from a refugee camp in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State in a bid to reach Malaysia.

The refugees were lured by a broker who said he could get them to Malaysia where they could make substantial earnings. Suffering from food shortages and financial hardships in their camp in Sittwe, they decided to take the opportunity and set out on the voyage as a group of 107.

When local authorities in Kyauktan found them, they had been on the boat for 20 days during which time one woman had died on the boat.

"They have no food. They carry nothing with them," said Daw Thet Thet Mu. The locals of Kyauktan cooked for the refugees and distributed food at the shelter this morning, she said.

Local police did not immediately respond to telephone calls from The Irrawaddy.

The lawmaker said Yangon Region's minister for security and border affairs was at the shelter and told her they will deal with the refugees in accordance with the law.

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New Zealand to Support Suu Kyi in Finding Resolutions to Rakhine Issues

Posted: 16 Nov 2018 12:11 AM PST

YANGON—New Zealand's prime minister offered to assist Myanmar's state counselor's efforts in finding resolutions to the Rohingya crisis during a bilateral meeting held during the ASEAN Summit in Singapore this week. The support came amid mounting international pressure—including the recent revoking of a human rights award from Amnesty International—on the Myanmar leader over her handling of the Rohingya issue. 

 At the ASEAN and East Asia Summit on Wednesday, the pair had a brief meeting just before the state counselor's met US Vice President Mike Pence who issued the United States' strongest rebuke against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi yet.

 New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern said her country shares the international community's concern on Rakhine State's security and development and the ongoing Rohingya repatriation process but also raised New Zealand's willingness to assist and to help find a resolution. 

 "We, of course, share the concern of the international community around what has happened in Rakhine State, and the ongoing displacement of the Rohingya," Ardern said.

 She said New Zealand would raise human rights concerns continually but is always willing to help Myanmar.

 More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar for neighboring Bangladesh since last August, as a result of the Myanmar military's clearance operations which followed attacks by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on military and security outposts in northern Rakhine State.

 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government has faced accusations of whitewashing war crimes committed by the military in Rakhine, Shan and Kachin states, according to the UN fact-finding report released in August this year. 

 The report said the state counselor has not used her de facto position as head of government, nor her moral authority, to stem or prevent the unfolding events or seek alternative avenues to meet her responsibility to protect the civilian population.

 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also faced strong condemnation during the ASEAN Summit during which she met with a number of country leaders who brought up the military's persecution under the government she leads. Just one day into the summit, Amnesty International officially withdrew her Ambassador of Conscience award, the highest honor awarded by the rights group, for what their statement said is a shameful betrayal of the values she once stood for.

 Malaysia's prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was "trying to defend the indefensible," and that he was very disappointed by her failure to defend the Rohingya. In a meeting which followed that with New Zealand's prime minister, US vice president Mike Pence told Daw Aung Suu Kyi that the persecution by Myanmar's military was "without excuse." 

 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi responded, "We can say that we understand our country better than any other country does. And I'm sure you will say the same of yours, that you understand your own country better than anybody else does."

On Thursday, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi held a meeting with China's premier Li Keqiang who said his country will continue to support the Myanmar government's efforts to protect domestic stability and their approach in resolving the Rohingya issue. 

 On the same day, Bangladesh and Myanmar were to start the repatriation process of the first batch of verified displaced persons. Instead, a group of Rohingya held a protest saying they would refuse to return to Myanmar without being granted official citizenship. The Myanmar government has said no refugees have returned yet but that the repatriation process is still open. 

 According to New Zealand media reports, Ardern said she did not face any defense from the state counselor during the meeting and that they shared concerns over the Rohingya crisis. 

"There's no doubt that the situation is complex, incredibly complex,” Ardern is quoted in a New Zealand media report. "But for international actors, it's all about making a position on those human rights issues heard and then seeing what we can do to facilitate support.” 

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People’s Party to Align with Ethnic Political Parties

Posted: 15 Nov 2018 11:30 PM PST

NAYPYITAW — U Ko Ko Gyi, one of the leaders of the newly established People's Party, said the party will align itself with ethnic political parties as its partnership policy.

The politician submitted a list of the party's central executive committee to the Union Election Commission in Naypyitaw on Thursday. According to him, the party has 23 members on its central executive committee and a strong membership of some 10,000.

"We will maintain friendly alliances with ethnic political parties that we established some 30 years ago. We are also ready to cooperate with other like-minded parties that share the same views with us on democracy and federalism," said U Ko Ko Gyi.

Dr. Aye Maung, an ethnic Arakanese leader, also said during his trial for high treason and other charges in Sittwe on Monday that he would like to establish alliances with other ethnic parties and Bamar parties like U Ko Ko Gyi's in order to form a coalition government in the 2020 general elections.

The idea of forming a coalition government has grown following the Nov. 3 by-election in which ethnic parties and the opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) won three seats each, although the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) secured seven.

"It is still just an idea. No discussions have been held yet. The fact that democratic groups might form an alliance should be welcomed. It will happen, I think. But the two major parties assume that they can cover the whole country, so they don't have clear policies regarding party alliances," said spokesperson U Sai Nyunt Lwin of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy.

Vice chairman of the Lisu National Development Party U La Mar Lay said the party does not want to establish alliances with political parties outside of ethnic regions. But the party is willing to cooperate with a government led by any party for regional and national development, he added.

"We believe that it is impossible to forge alliances because we are a small party. Some have urged us to partner with them, stating that they would give us rights. But it is impossible as the election draws near. Each party has their own greed and we have our own greed," he said.

The People's Party still has not considered which particular parties it will partner with but it has firmly decided to work together with like-minded parties, U Ko Ko Gyi told The Irrawaddy.

A third party alliance is likely to materialize but is unlikely to be viable, according to political observers.

"I don't think a third force alone can win the 2020 election. It will have to partner with either the NLD or USDP. Thinking about it the other way, if either of these two main parties partners with ethnic parties, they will be able to elect the president in the 2020 election," said former Hsipaw Township Lower House lawmaker and political analyst U Ye Htun.

"Currently, no other party besides the NLD and the USDP with its close ties to the military will be able to elect the president. The USDP will be able to elect the president if it wins 26 percent of the vote and the NLD will need to secure 51 percent of the vote to do so," he added, referring to the 25 percent of seats reserved for the military party in Parliament under the military-drafted Constitution.

Critics say public support for the NLD government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is declining, as the party failed to realize its campaign promises and bring about tangible changes more than two years into its administration.

"Ensuring equality for ethnic people and establishing a federal Union is the most fundamental part of nation-building. We have to try to walk the walk and not just talk the talk," said U Ko Ko Gyi.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Music for Activists: Photos of Dead, Missing Thais Inspire Album

Posted: 15 Nov 2018 08:36 PM PST

BANGKOK — Photographs of dead and missing Thai rights activists have spurred a Canadian composer to create a music album and invite string quartets around the world to perform to draw attention to the violence campaigners face.

More than 59 land and environmental activists have been killed or have disappeared in Thailand over the last 20 years, according to advocacy group Protection International.

British photographer Luke Duggleby visited their families to collect their portraits, then took pictures of those photographs in the place where the activists were last seen.

His photo exhibit of 37 activists has been shown across Europe and in Thailand over the last two years.

Frank Horvat, who read about the exhibit in 2016, said he was so moved, that in just a month he composed “The Thailand HRDs”, comprising a two-minute movement for each photograph, using musical pitches or letters from the name of each victim.

“This music is not intended to be purely melancholic but have a tinge of defiance so that these deaths do not mark an end, but a continuation of the fight for justice,” Horvat said.

New York City-based Mivos Quartet performed Horvat’s composition in August in Toronto and the album is due to be released on Friday.

It will “hopefully spur listeners to find their inner activist and fight for what they feel is important in this world,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

A global campaign entitled “Music for Human Rights Defenders” or #music4HRDs, invites string quartets to videotape themselves playing a movement from the album and posting it on social media.

The aim is to bring the classical music community together to support activists, and raise awareness of an issue that has received little attention in the West, said Horvat.

In Thailand, evictions of villagers and indigenous people from forests and farmland have risen to make way for mines, power plants and national parks.

Laws governing forest management and land acquisition do not offer adequate protection for the poor, leaving them vulnerable to violence while defending their homes and land, said Pranom Somwong at Protection International in Thailand.

Among those featured in the photographs is Charoen Wat-aksorn, who led a campaign against a coal-powered plant. He was shot dead in 2004 after testifying to a parliamentary committee.

“Very few perpetrators have been held accountable for these and other killings and disappearances,” Pranom told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“If we don’t hold them accountable, it will keep happening.”

The post Music for Activists: Photos of Dead, Missing Thais Inspire Album appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

ANALYSIS: Trump’s Summit No-show Draws Asian Nations Closer Together

Posted: 15 Nov 2018 08:30 PM PST

SINGAPORE — US President Donald Trump didn’t make it to this week’s summit of Asian nations in Singapore, but his influence was still keenly felt among the leaders who gathered in the city.

One prime minister warned that the trade war between Washington and Beijing could trigger a “domino effect” of protectionist steps by other countries. Another fretted that the international order could splinter into rival blocs.

“The most important and talked-about … leader, President Trump, is the only one that did not turn up,” said Malcolm Cook, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

And yet, in Trump’s absence, countries from South to East Asia pressed on with forging multilateral ties on trade and investment among themselves, including with China.

China’s representative at the meetings, Premier Li Keqiang, egged them on.

“Now the world is facing rising protectionism. It is all the more important for us to come together and respond to the complex world situation to uphold multilateralism and free trade,” Li said on Thursday.

The US president’s lack of engagement with Asian nations came just days after a trip to France for World War One commemorations at which he appeared isolated from NATO allies.

Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said Trump was inadvertently bringing Asian nations together.

“Not necessarily by design, but because he is not being a consistent and reassuring presence, and because his policies have tended to fracture the natural order that Asia is dependent upon,” he said. “Asians are trying to figure out what else they can do without relying on America too much.”

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Two Powers: Two Strategies

As well as the summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asian nations in Singapore, Trump will also skip the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Papua New Guinea at the end of the week.

At APEC on Friday, President Xi Jinping will showcase China’s Belt and Road initiative to Pacific leaders, several of whom are expected to sign up to the infrastructure investment drive.

Xi’s multi-billion-dollar plan, which aims to bolster a sprawling network of land and sea links with Asian neighbors and far beyond, is viewed with suspicion in Western capitals as an attempt to assert Chinese influence.

Trump attended both the ASEAN and APEC meetings in 2017, and his decision to stay away this year has raised questions about Washington’s commitment to a regional strategy to counter China.

Vice President Mike Pence, who represented Trump in Singapore, told the meeting that United States’ commitment to the Indo-Pacific is “steadfast and enduring.”

Asia presents the Trump administration with some of its most pressing foreign policy challenges, including its strategic rivalry with China and efforts to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program.

Washington has touted what it calls an “Indo-Pacific” strategy aimed at greater regional cooperation, notably with India, Australia and Japan, to counter China’s influence, including in the disputed South China Sea, where it conducts naval patrols to challenge what it sees as Beijing’s excessive territorial claims.

Pence said on Thursday – without naming China – that there was no place for “empire and aggression” in the Indo-Pacific.

His comments follow a major speech in October in which he flagged a tougher approach by Washington toward Beijing, accusing China of “malign” efforts to undermine Trump and reckless military actions in the South China Sea.

A US State Department spokesman said: “We welcome contributions by China to regional development, so long as it adheres to the highest standards the people of the region demand. We are concerned by China’s use of coercion, influence operations, and implied military threats to persuade other states to heed China’s strategic agenda.”

Shortly before Pence spoke in Singapore, the US Navy announced that two of its aircraft carriers with around 150 fighter jets were conducting warfare drills in the Philippine Sea, a show of force in waters south of China and within striking distance of North Korea.

Taking Sides

Pence told reporters in Singapore that he had been struck in conversations with world leaders by “the connection that President Trump has made” with them through his vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

However, analysts say that countries across Asia are waiting for the United States to put substance behind its Indo-Pacific rhetoric, and Trump’s absence from the summits only served to heighten concerns among Southeast Asian states that Washington no longer has their back.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday it was “very desirable” for ASEAN not to have to take sides with world powers, but there may come a time when it would “have to choose one or the other.”

Some Southeast Asian nations may be quietly impressed by the United States’ robust approach to Beijing on trade, intellectual property issues and the South China Sea, but others have made it clear they already see China’s rise as inevitable.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, asked on Thursday about the US Navy drills, noted that China already occupies contested South China Sea islands and added: “Why do you have to create frictions … that will prompt a response from China?”

But Cook said Southeast Asian states’ hedging and unwillingness to publicly criticize Chinese aggression have contributed to Washington’s posture shift in Asia.

“This change is certainly not all because of Trump,” he said. “The choices of Southeast Asian states in the end bear some responsibility.”

 

The post ANALYSIS: Trump’s Summit No-show Draws Asian Nations Closer Together appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Offers Myanmar Support over Rohingya Issue after US Rebuke

Posted: 15 Nov 2018 08:26 PM PST

BEIJING — China supports the Myanmar government’s efforts to protect domestic stability and approach to resolving the Rohingya issue, Premier Li Keqiang told the country’s leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, after US Vice President Mike Pence offered a strong rebuke.

Pence on Wednesday voiced Washington’s strongest condemnation yet of Myanmar’s treatment of Rohingya Muslims, telling Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that “persecution” by her country’s army was “without excuse."

Meeting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian summit in Singapore, Li said China attaches great importance to its ties with Myanmar and would build on their tradition of friendship, China’s Foreign Ministry said late on Thursday.

“The Chinese side supports Myanmar’s efforts in maintaining its domestic stability, and supports Myanmar and Bangladesh appropriately resolving the Rakhine State issue via dialogue and consultation,” the ministry cited Li as saying.

China is “willing to provide the relevant parties with necessary support in this regard," he added, without elaborating.

More than 700,000 Rohingya refugees crossed into Bangladesh from western Myanmar’s Rakhine State, UN agencies say, after Rohingya insurgent attacks on Myanmar security forces in August 2017 triggered a sweeping military crackdown.

The two countries agreed on Oct. 30 to begin returning refugees to Myanmar in mid-November. The UN refugee agency has said conditions in Rakhine are “not yet conducive for returns."

China has close relations with Myanmar, and backs what Myanmar officials have called a legitimate counter-insurgency operation in Rakhine.

China’s statement cited Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as expressing thanks to China for the many times it has extended help to Myanmar, especially the constant understanding and support for the Myanmar peace process and the Rakhine issue.

A plan to begin repatriating hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees to Myanmar stalled on Thursday, amid protests by refugees at camps in Bangladesh and recriminations between the officials in both countries.

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Wreaths of Remembrance Laid at Yangon War Cemetery

Posted: 15 Nov 2018 08:24 PM PST

Wreaths of red poppies have been laid for November, the month of remembrance, at a little-known war memorial cemetery in Sanchaung, Yangon in commemoration of 1,381 soldiers who lost their lives here fighting for the Allies during the first and second world wars.

The cemetery, located down a small lane near the Hanthawaddy Roundabout on Pyay Road, commemorates the lives of soldiers from various countries who fought with the Allies, including a small number of Myanmar soldiers. Among them, 86 of those buried remain unidentified.

The Yangon War Cemetery is one of two memorial gardens in Myanmar that is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The other, Taukkyan War Cemetery, lies 25 kilometers north of Yangon and has 6,374 graves.

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