Monday, December 3, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

U Than Shwe Shows His Hand 

Posted: 03 Dec 2018 06:40 AM PST

Dictators never really retire.

Former strongman Senior General Than Shwe is officially retired, but he still exerts an influence. He reads, follows daily news and holds gatherings with his staff, military leaders and top government officials including State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

He also receives local and international businessmen including Chinese and Thais, who regularly pay their respects to him at his residence in Naypyitaw.

News of the former military strongman's recent meeting with ethnic Pa-O leaders at his home shouldn't come as a surprise; he recently expressed concern over the outbreak of clashes in Shan State, where renewed fighting between insurgent factions continues to escalate. (When in power, he also expressed concern to visiting diplomats about the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, where he was greatly concerned about migration and refugee problems.)

Two ethnic Shan insurgent groups—the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS)—are currently fighting each other in northern Shan State.

A few days ago, the former commander-in-chief urged Pa-O leaders to devote themselves to building roads and educating their children. U Than Shwe's wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing is an ethnic Pa-O from southern Myanmar.

Under the current government, the peace process is falling apart. When he headed the previous regime, U Than Shwe ordered ethnic armed organizations to transform into a Border Guard Force. But in 2011, the government led by President U Thein Sein shelved the plan and instead held talks with the groups.

It is not known whether U Than Shwe still has any direct control over the armed forces, but he appears to continue to exert an influence over several different factions.

In late 2016, he met with ethnic Karen leader General Saw Mutu Say Poe, a leader of the Karen National Union, a powerful ethnic insurgent group in the southeast.

U Than Shwe has also received officials from an important foreign ally: China. He held a surprise meeting with Song Tao, then head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China, on his second official trip to Myanmar in August 2017. The meeting was held at U Than Shwe's residence, a testimony to China's reach and influence in the country.

U Than Shwe is reviled internationally, but is highly regarded among his subordinates and some observers. His "grand strategy" still receives praise among top generals and those close to him.

He held an election in 2010 under the 2008 Constitution and left the throne to his trusted lieutenants, including General Thein Sein, who subsequently became president and handed over the position of commander-in-chief of the Myanmar military to Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who is 20 years his junior.

Moreover, U Than Shwe's decision to maintain friendships with China and India were lauded, as Myanmar and its population suffered under the weight of Western sanctions in previous decades. In 2010, U Than Shwe made his last high-profile visits to these countries before handing over power to the "civilian government." He pulled off a peaceful exit strategy that impressed many of his followers and some observers.

UN and Asean diplomats who have met him describe him as intelligent and well informed about regional events; one diplomat who spoke to him without an interpreter said of the former junta chief: "Never underestimate him."

His decision to relocate the capital to central Myanmar was controversial but seemed to be motivated by strategic reasoning. For better or worse, Naypyitaw has become a gathering place for visiting foreign officials—including U.S. President Barack Obama in 2014—and a venue for national and international conferences. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi recently bought more than 90 acres of land there for the charitable organization she founded in honor of her late mother, the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation. It will open a vocational training school and establish a forest on the land.

She has confided to close aides that she plans to retire in Naypyitaw, rather than in Yangon. Several politicians including former President U Htin Kyaw and his wife have also built homes in the city.

Meetings with Suu Kyi

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi met U Than Shwe when he was serving as supreme leader of the ruling junta in an unsuccessful effort to negotiate a political settlement. But very few details have emerged regarding the nature of the deal they were attempting to reach, or precisely why it failed.

Since his retirement they have held several unpublicized meetings. The first is believed to have taken place in the first week of December 2015 shortly after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won the general election in a landslide. U Than Shwe said he would support her "as best he can" if she genuinely worked for the development of the country, according to news reports. The reported meeting led to speculation that constitutional amendments were imminent, but that did not eventuate.

Written by the country's former military rulers, the Constitution prevents Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president, because her children hold foreign citizenship. To get around this, the NLD invented a new role, state counselor (equivalent to the post of prime minister) as the de facto top leader's position. It is rumored in Naypyitaw that U Than Shwe tacitly approved of the creation of the position.

The two are also believed to have held several meetings at U Than Shwe's residence shortly before U Htin Kyaw resigned as president in March 2018. As on earlier occasions, these meetings were unofficial, but it is believed the Constitution was discussed, along with the impending change in the head of state.

Shortly thereafter, U Win Myint assumed the presidency, while Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remained state counselor.

Song Tao (left), a senior Communist Party of China official, shakes hands with former dictator U Than Shwe in Naypyitaw on Aug. 11, 2016. / Chinese state media

As a former psychological warfare officer and instructor at the Central Political College in Yangon—and a keen chess player—U Than Shwe is known as a calm, cool-minded general, in sharp contrast to the short-tempered General Ne Win. One of his subordinates, a former regional commander, recalled being summoned from a frontier zone to U Than Shwe's residence. The strongman didn't show up at the appointed time and kept the officer waiting for hours. During his nerve-wracking wait, the regional commander wondered whether he was facing a demotion or a promotion. When U Than Shwe finally emerged, he said little and told him to go back to the frontier. Relieved, the officer returned to his command without ever knowing why he was asked to come in the first place.

It is still too early to say whether U Than Shwe's recent meetings with stakeholders and ethnic leaders are related to the approaching 2020 general election. He is known to have distanced himself from the Union Solidarity Development Party he helped to create, along with its top leaders.

The senior general never announced a plan for his retirement, but The Irrawaddy has learned that he still seeks to play a role in politics.

In August, a number of former generals submitted applications to form a political party, the National Political Party. To this end, ex-ministers U Soe Maung and U Lun Maung have applied to the Union Election Commission. Interestingly, U Soe Maung is known to be close to both U Than Shwe and Thura Shwe Mann, a former Lower House speaker. Thura Shwe Mann was the No. 3 general under the previous regime, but is also a close ally of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

It is not known whether U Than Shwe is happy with the performance of the USDP—probably not. In August 2015, factional disputes erupted within the party, and Thura Shwe Mann and several other senior leaders were removed as tensions mounted ahead of the elections that November.

Security forces surrounded the headquarters of the USDP compound and U Shwe Mann was placed under semi house arrest for weeks. The "grand strategist" U Than Shwe didn't foresee this development and is known to have been upset by the infighting.

And while it is still too early to say whether U Soe Maung received U Than Shwe's blessing to form the new political party, it is certainly possible.

Still relatively healthy in his 80s (he mostly eats rice soup for dinner and avoids heavy meals), U Than Shwe continues to shape events behind the scenes. As the country's problems mount, it is no surprise that military generals continue to look to him for direction, even if he doesn't talk much. But his belief that the military still has a role to play in national politics continues to echo among his subordinates.

The post U Than Shwe Shows His Hand  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Parliament Approves Loan from China for Purchase of Chinese Trains

Posted: 03 Dec 2018 05:08 AM PST

YANGON— Myanmar's parliament has approved the government's plan to borrow 80 million yuan ($11.6 million) from China to be used for the purchase of railway carriages from the lender.

A total of 28 carriages—14 ordinary and 14 first class—will be purchased for use on the Yangon-Mandalay railroad. According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, more than 1,000 commuters use the route daily, with one carriage earning as much as 3 million kyats ($1,900) a day.

Transport and Communications Minister U Thant Zin Maung told the Union Parliament last month that they aim to improve train services by providing better safety and greater convenience for commuters as well as increasing Myanma Railways revenue, with the use of new carriages.

Lawmakers discussed the ministry's plan to accept the interest-free loan on Nov. 15. Member of Parliament Daw Cho Cho of Oktwin Township, Bago Region 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.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Finance U Maung Maung Win said on Monday that what Daw Cho Cho brought up is totally right.

"The relevant ministry needs to make sure no grievance to the country [occurs] in making contracts as the follow-up of loans," he said.

The post Parliament Approves Loan from China for Purchase of Chinese Trains appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Parliament to Debate $95-Million S. Korean Loan for Gov’t Data Center

Posted: 03 Dec 2018 05:00 AM PST

YANGON—The government has sought Parliament's approval for a nearly US$95-million (150.7 billion kyats) loan from South Korea to build a centralized e-governance data center.

Minister of Transportation and Communications U Thant Sin Maung explained to the Union Parliament on Monday the government's plan to establish the e-Government Integrated Data Center (eGIDC) in Naypyitaw and a backup center in Thanlyin Township near Yangon.

The minister said that if approved by Parliament, the three-year project, which is worth more than $104 million, would be implemented by the ministry's Department of Information Technology and Cyber Security from January next year. The project would be financed through a $93.799 million loan from South Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund (which is managed by the country's Exim Bank) and $10.467 million from the Myanmar government's budget.

U Thant Sin Maung told Parliament that the data center would provide the public with access to online services, speed up information flow and keep government data safer.

"As connectivity in Myanmar increases, we have seen online services flourish in the country. A data center could help the government with cost-effectiveness and cybersecurity," he said.

Five years after the liberalization of the telecommunications market in 2013, Myanmar has a mobile density (or penetration) rate of 105 per cent, while 80 percent of people access the Internet via smartphones, according to mobile operator Telenor's "Digital Myanmar 2018" report. The figures are low compared with other countries in the region. The report said that only 50 percent of the population owns a SIM card, with 90 percent of SIM card owners using 3G or 4G networks.

The minister said on Monday that Korean experts working with the Department of Information Technology and Cyber Security last year conducted a feasibility study on the eGIDC project. He added that the loan period is 40 years with a 0.01 percent interest rate. "But if the implementation company is an SME or a medium or large-sized company from South Korea, there will be zero interest on the loan," he said.

Parliament will vote on whether to approve the loan after lawmakers debate it next week.

The post Parliament to Debate $95-Million S. Korean Loan for Gov't Data Center appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lost Idol: New Wave of Myanmar Youth Activists Look Beyond Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Posted: 03 Dec 2018 04:13 AM PST

YANGON — Myanmar youth activist and television host Thinzar Shun Lei Yi would once have called herself one of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s greatest fans. Now, she is one of her most vocal critics.

The 27-year-old belongs to a small but high-profile group of liberal activists, many former die-hard Daw Aung San Suu Kyi supporters, who are growing increasingly disillusioned with the administration they voted into power with sky-high hopes three years ago.

“I lost my idol. I’m confused, frustrated and lost,” said Thinzar Shun Lei Yi, who hosts an “Under 30” talk show on a popular local website.

“Most of the activists and youths are now thinking: ‘What is next,’ ‘What will happen?’ ‘What can we do?’ At this stage, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is going her own way and nobody can intervene, and she won’t listen to civil society organizations,” she said.

While Daw Aung San Suu Kyi continues to inspire devotion among many ordinary Burmese, the emergence of a dissenting youth movement — driven by anger over her handling of ethnic minorities, including the Muslim Rohingya, as well as curbs on the media and civil society — presents a new challenge for her administration.

At stake is the future of Myanmar’s transition towards democracy after years of military rule. With a general election looming in 2020, the country’s first civilian government in decades is confronted by growing divisions among activists who once coalesced around her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

NLD spokesman U Myo Nyunt said the party was trying to win over young people, increasing the budget for education and supporting vocational training programs.

“The youth and the people expected a lot from our government,” he said. “We couldn’t live up to their expectations, we admit. But we are doing our best.”

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi took power in 2016 after a landslide election win, vowing to continue democratic reforms and end the country’s long-running civil wars.

Since then, the administration has come under pressure over its response to a military crackdown against the Rohingya minority that the United Nations has described as “ethnic cleansing” with “genocidal intent,” as well as faltering peace talks with ethnic armed groups and a stagnating economy.

Free speech

Activists say the civilian government has also become increasingly authoritarian, failing to use its overwhelming parliamentary majority to scrap colonial-era laws used to stifle dissent, while tightening restrictions on civil society.

In recent months, they have staged several protests, including an anti-war march in the commercial capital of Yangon in May that ended in scuffles. A total of 17 people were charged with unlawful protest, including Thinzar Shun Lei Yi. Their trial is ongoing.

“Sensitive issues are banned, and protesters arrested and beaten,” she said. “The National League of Democracy, the party using the name of democracy, must respect democracy and human rights.”

According to free speech organization Athan, which means “Voice” in Burmese, 44 journalists and 142 activists have faced trial since Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s government took power.

They include Reuters reporters Ko Wa Lone, 32, and Ko Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, who were sentenced to seven years in prison in September after being convicted of breaking the colonial era Official Secrets Act.

The journalists are appealing their conviction to the country’s High Court, citing evidence of a police setup and lack of proof of a crime. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said in September their jailing had nothing to do with freedom of expression. The government says Myanmar’s courts are independent.

Athan’s founder, poet and activist Maung Saung Kha, was among the protesters charged alongside Thinzar Shun Lei Yi in May. Four months later, in September, they both helped organize another demonstration, this time for free speech.

Facing the crowd, Maung Saung Kha — who is still an NLD member — donned the orange shirt traditionally worn by his party’s lawmakers and draped a green jacket resembling military garb over it. Armed with a copy of the state-run daily newspaper The Mirror, he began beating journalists gathered nearby.

“The government has failed to use its power to protect people’s rights,” he told Reuters.

Myo Nyunt, the party spokesman, said the government was cooperating with non-governmental organizations, but their activities needed to be examined case-by-case.

“If it is not related to security or not a divisive issue among ethnics, we accept them,” he said. “We are going forward to democracy, so we acknowledge the role of NGOs. But we have concerns that NGOs are being influenced by sponsors instead of being independent.”

“Acknowledge Rohingya”

While she has no control over the military, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has faced international criticism for failing to defend the Rohingya, more than 730,000 of whom fled a sweeping army crackdown in western Rakhine State in 2017, according to UN agencies. The crackdown was launched in response to insurgent Rohingya attacks on security forces.

Myanmar denies almost all the allegations of atrocities made by refugees, saying the army was carrying out a legitimate campaign against terrorists.

While many among Myanmar’s Buddhist majority revile the Rohingya, the young activists offer a rare sympathetic voice.

“We acknowledge Rohingya. We totally denounce the fact that they are referred to as ‘Bengali,'” said Maung Saung Kha, referring to a term commonly used in Myanmar to imply the Rohingya are interlopers from Bangladesh, despite a long history in the country.

“We haven’t seen any acknowledgement or punishment for the things that happened,” he said. “The refugees will not come back as long as these people think of them as less than humans, and that it is not a crime to kill them.”

Khin Sandar, another young activist facing unlawful protest charges, spent months campaigning for the NLD ahead of the 2015 election but lost faith in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi over her handling of the Rakhine crisis.

Her family was affected in a wave of communal violence in 2012, when not only Rohingya but members of the Kaman Muslim minority, who also face discrimination but unlike the Rohingya are considered Myanmar citizens, were driven from their homes. They live in crowded internal displacement camps outside the Rakhine State capital Sittwe and are subjected to severe restrictions on movement.

In a speech after last year’s violence, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said all residents of Rakhine “have access to education and healthcare services without discrimination.”

“My own nephew and nieces are still living in the Sittwe camps and they don’t have those rights,” said Khin Sandar. “I was shocked. How can she say that in her speech?” Afterwards, she said, she quit her job as researcher for an NLD lawmaker.

While the youth activists represent only a small segment of Myanmar society, they are increasingly influential in the grassroots activism scene, while their protests and public comments have attracted significant attention from media and from their vast social media followings.

Mostly in their 20s and 30s, they highlight the gulf between Myanmar’s young population — the median age is 27 — and its ageing leadership, comprised of mostly men in their 60s and 70s.

“Myanmar is a very conservative country. These young people, especially from Yangon, are now challenging that,” said Myat Thu, a political analyst from the Yangon School of Political Science.

“In order to have a revolution of ideas, not many people need to know. They will spread it gradually.”

The post Lost Idol: New Wave of Myanmar Youth Activists Look Beyond Daw Aung San Suu Kyi appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Yangon Strives to Rid City of Illegal Wildlife Trade

Posted: 03 Dec 2018 03:30 AM PST

The Yangon Region Forest Department is working with international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) to designate Yangon as the first city in Southeast Asia free of the illegal wildlife trade. Director U Thein Toe recently sat down with The Irrawaddy's Thazin Hlaing to discuss what steps the department was taking to fight the illegal wildlife trade in Myanmar’s commercial capital.

The Forest Department has educated souvenir shops about preventing wildlife trade in Yangon. Has it taken action against any violators?

We haven't for the time being. But to prevent elephant poaching, we are cooperating with partner INGOs such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Wildlife Society Organization as well as the Myanmar Timber Enterprise, Forestry Police and Myanmar Police Force. Combined teams of those officials including ward and village administrators conduct regular patrols in the forests. As the Protection of Biodiversity and Conservation Areas Law has been enacted, we have plans to make Yangon free of the illegal wildlife trade.

Is Yangon the first in Myanmar to declare a no-illegal wildlife trade zone?

We have been working on it. Other cities will also follow suit. The law is in effect across the country.

What will the difficulties be? Do you think the idea is feasible?

Yangon is the city that receives the most international travelers to Myanmar. Travelers come to Yangon both by air and by ship. So there is more illegal wildlife trade compared to other cities. We want to ban the making of souvenirs and handicrafts with animal parts that are smuggled into Yangon from various parts of the country.

Since last year, we have educated souvenir shops that usually sell souvenirs made of animal parts at Bogyoke Market as well as Shwedagon Pagoda to stop selling them. And we have also done the same with restaurants that sell wildlife meat. And we assume we have educated them enough to stop selling them. And as a new law has been enacted, we have issued a warning that we will take harsh action against violations.

 What action will be taken?

The law sets a minimum imprisonment of three years and a maximum imprisonment of 10 years for hunting and illegally trading wildlife protected under by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to which Myanmar is a signatory. So if someone is found guilty, he will be imprisoned.

Fines can also be imposed. But it depends on the thinking and decision of the judge. The advantage of this law is that it fully protects endangered wildlife species that are listed by CITES.

What are the fully protected wildlife species?

For example, elephants, tigers, bears and pangolins. Among bird species, peacocks and hornbills are fully protected. And among reptiles, pythons and so on are fully protected.

How many souvenir shops and restaurants sell wildlife parts and meat in Yangon?

Souvenir shops at Shwedagon Pagoda and Bogyoke Market sell souvenirs made of wildlife parts, and the rest are restaurants. There are a certain number of them in town. I don't want to disclose details.

What things are found most on the market?

Barking deer, sambar and snake meat are usually eaten. And lucky charms and handicrafts made of elephant tusks, tiger teeth and boar tusks are sold. Selling those things amounts to illegal wildlife trade. Even toys made of animal parts are part of the illegal wildlife trade.

What is the cause of the extinction of wildlife and flora?

The main cause is humans. Because they are rare things, rich foreigners buy them at high prices to consume or make medicine and cosmetics from them. So they are hunted to the brink of extinction.

Previously, wild elephants were poached for their tusks. But now they are hunted also for their trunks, hide and meat. So every part of an elephant is sold on the illegal market now. This is due to the demand from the neighboring country [China].

Are all animal parts sold on the market in Yangon illegal? Is some part of the business legal?

There is a law regarding this. Some people have private elephants. If those elephants die of disease or old age, the owners have to inform the nearest forest department, whose vet will check the cause of death and issue a death certificate along with a documentary photo. Owners are allowed to keep the parts from their dead elephants in that case.

Some ethnic people wear wildlife parts as ornaments as a part of their traditional garb. In that case, they can also wear them by registering them. If people’s ancestors have registered their own wildlife, the following generations have the right to own their parts. But trading them to a third party is not allowed.

So you mean all the things that are not registered with the government are illegal?

Yes they are.

So is anything officially registered in Yangon?

There are hardly any privately owned elephants in Yangon. And ethnic people almost never wear their traditional garb in Yangon. So nothing is registered.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Yangon Strives to Rid City of Illegal Wildlife Trade appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Investment Potential in Irrawaddy Region Pushed by Chief Minister

Posted: 03 Dec 2018 12:52 AM PST

PATHEIN—Irrawaddy Region's chief minister has promised to provide his best support for investors in the region.

Speaking at the Irrawaddy Region Investment Fair held on Friday and Saturday to attract local and foreign investors, Irrawaddy Region's chief minister U Hla Moe Aung invited local and foreign investors to invest there, saying that there are a wide variety of investment opportunities in the region ranging from the deep sea port, oil refinery, oil and mineral mining, agriculture and livestock, property development and hotels and tourism.

"The regional investment commission will simplify the procedures for local and foreign investors in line with the Myanmar Investment Law [in order] to boost investment in the region. In particular, we will give priority to livestock and agriculture," said the chief minister.

The investment fair was jointly organized by Japan International Cooperation Agency and the regional government and took place on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

Over 350 people, including potential investors from Asia and Europe, local businessmen, foreign diplomats and economists, attended the fair.

The regional government, through its investment commission, clarified potential business opportunities in the region during the fair. Since the commission's formation in July 2017, it has approved foreign investments worth $12.25 million, according to the regional government.

Meanwhile, local businesspeople invested nearly $33 million in 16 businesses during the same period, and over 3,100 jobs were created.

Several countries, including Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, France, India, Malaysia and Luxembourg are investing in the region through 12 garment factories, an offshore supply base, oil and gas exploration and electricity among others.

"I believe that such expos will contribute to the national economic development," said U Tint Swe, executive director of MRPL oil and gas company which operates in Irrawaddy Region.

"But there is a problem with transportation in Irrawaddy. Pathein is just some 100 miles away from Yangon but the roads are not good. Similarly, the roads from Pathein to the project sites are also not good. If transportation improves rapidly, the region will develop more swiftly," he told The Irrawaddy.

The fair was attended by Myanmar's commerce minister, officials of the Myanmar Investment Commission, and the government's team of economic advisors.

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Anti-Graft Investigator Says Father of Suspect in Comedian’s Murder Bribed Officials

Posted: 02 Dec 2018 11:50 PM PST

YANGON — An investigator for the Anti-Corruption Commission told a court on Friday that the father of a suspect in the murder of comedian Ko Aung Yell Htwe bribed the former attorney general of Yangon Region through his wife to get the case dropped.

The commission has accused the former attorney general, U Han Htoo, and other law enforcement officers of taking bribes from U Maung Maung Latt, a friend of the father of Than Htut Aung, one of the murder suspects. It filed related lawsuits in September against U Han Htoo, Yangon East District Court Judge U Aung Kyi, Yangon Region law officer U Thein Zaw, Yangon East District law officer U Ko Ko Lay, Yangon East District deputy law officer Daw Thit Thit Khin, and police Lieutenant Chit Ko Ko.

"U Maung Maung Latt gave a plastic bag containing 15 million kyats [$9,548], a package of bird's nest and a Thai-made cake to Daw Khin Khin Kywe [U Han Htoo’s wife], and it was found that she accepted it," U Moe Naing, the commission investigator, told the Yangon Region High Court.

He said U Maung Maung Latt was a personal friend of the former attorney general as well as a business partner of U Khin Maung Lay, the father of Than Htut Aung.

U Khin Maung Lay first approached Daw Thit Thit Khin and tried to meet U Han Htoo through his staff, the investigator testified. But failing to meet the then-attorney general, he left a shirt and a bottle of Blue Label whisky with the staff to have them passed on to U Han Htoo.

U Moe Naing  said U Khin Maung Lay then asked U Maung Maung Latt to help with his son's murder case. He said U Maung Maung Latt called Daw Khin Khin Kywe and at her home passed along more cash and gifts from U Khin Maung Lay.

"U Han Htoo was attending a ceremony to commemorate Anti-Narcotics Day and was not at home. So U Maung Maung Latt only met Daw Khin Khin Kywe and asked her to help with Than Htut Aung's case. Daw Khin Khin Kywe said she would do so if it was possible within the legal framework. Then U Maung Maung Latt left U Han Htoo's house," said U Moe Naing.

He said U Khin Maung Lay gave more bribes, paid for by his company, to the other law enforcement officers through Daw Thit Thit Khin.

The commission says it has sufficient evidence to prove that the six civil servants accepted more than 70 million kyats ($44,560) from U Khin Maung Lay.

If found guilty, they could face between 10 and 15 years in prison.

The next hearing is scheduled for Friday, when U Moe Naing will continue his testimony.

Ko Aung Yell Htwe, a popular comedian on Facebook, was beaten and kicked by a group of men at One Entertainment Park in Yangon’s Thuwunna Township during a New Year's celebration on Dec. 31. He underwent surgery at Yangon People's Hospital for his injuries but died on Jan. 2.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Chinese Company Behind Controversial Copper Mine Eyes Additional 100k Acres

Posted: 02 Dec 2018 10:38 PM PST

MANDALAY–Local concerns over the environmental impacts and potential for land confiscation in the Latpadaung copper mining area are rising again with the submission of an application by a Chinese mining company to carry out a land inspection of a potential copper mining site in the Yinmarbin area of Monywa Township, Sagaing Region.

Myanmar Yang Tse Copper Limited, a subsidiary of Beijing-based Wanbao Mining Limited, which is mining copper in the controversial Latpadaung copper mining zone of Sarlingyi in Monywa Township, is seeking permission to do a preliminary ground inspection for another copper mine in the area around Sarlingyi, Yinmabin and Kani townships, which would span over 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares) of land.

According to regional government officials, the application for permission was submitted to the regional government office on Nov. 29 and is yet to be granted.

"The company and some government officials met at the end of November when the company requested the inspection. This is still under consideration of the government team and no permission has yet been granted for such an inspection," U Kam Za Mon, regional minister for agriculture, livestock and irrigation, told The Irrawaddy on Sunday.

The company is about to invest between 6 and 10 million US dollars for the inspection project on over 100,000 acres of land around Kani, Yinmabin and Sarlingyi, however, the project schedule is still unknown.

"Even if permission to do the inspection was granted, it would not mean they can do mining in that area. We also have high concerns, as many of the problems of the mining currently ongoing in Latpadaung are still unsolvable," he added.

However, rumors that Myanmar Yang Tse Copper Limited is already bringing in its machinery ahead of the inspection has spread concern among the locals who have already witnessed environmental devastation and forced relocated in the copper mining area of Letpadaung.

"Some locals from Yinmabin and Kani reported to us that the company has come to their area with the tools and machines to begin the inspection. The locals are worrying that their region will turn out like Latpadaung," said U Tun Tun Win, a local lawmaker of Kani Township.

In the area Myanmar Yang Tse Copper Limited has been eyeing for a new copper mine, there are at least 30 villages and thousands of acres of farmland. There are also two extinct volcanoes in Kani Township which is covered by the inspection area.

"As local parliamentarians, we also do not want another environment-threatening project in our area. We are now collecting data and voices from the locals and will submit them to the parliament, [in order] not to allow such mining in the region," said Daw Aung Mary, a local parliamentarian from Yinmabin Township.

The first Letpadaung copper mining project, a joint venture between the Myanmar military-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL) and the Chinese firm Wanbao, was launched in 2010.

About 7,800 acres (3,200 hectares) of land in Salingyi Township were confiscated for the project, which has been dogged by serious protests by locals over poor compensation and environmental safeguards since 2012.

The post Chinese Company Behind Controversial Copper Mine Eyes Additional 100k Acres appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Wanted in India, Fiery Islamic Preacher says He Has Not Broken Any Law

Posted: 02 Dec 2018 08:29 PM PST

KANGAR, Malaysia–Controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, wanted in his home country of India, said he has not broken any Indian law and was being targeted by the “enemies of Islam,” in a rare public speech in Malaysia where he has sought refuge.

Naik, 53, is facing charges of money laundering and hate speech in India, where authorities last year said he has been “promoting enmity and hatred between different religious groups in India through public speeches and lectures.”

The preacher has been living in Malaysia, where he has permanent residency, since India started investigating him, but he has kept a low profile over the past year amid criticism that he is a threat to peace in multi-ethnic Malaysia.

Naik said in a late Saturday speech in Kangar, capital of the north Malaysian state of Perlis, that he had never broken any Indian law.

“But because I was spreading peace, I was giving solution for humanity, all the people who don’t like peace to prevail, they don’t like me,” he said, adding he was being targeted because of his work to spread Islam.

“This doesn’t go down [well with] the enemies of Islam. Be it western countries or the country I was born in, India.”

Naik has been controversial because of his puritan brand of Islam–recommending the death penalty for homosexuals and those who abandon Islam as their faith, according to media reports.

In a clip on Youtube, Naik says that if Osama bin Laden “is terrorizing America the terrorist, the biggest terrorist, I am with him.”

Bangladesh suspended a television channel that featured his preachings after media reported that militants who attacked a Dhaka cafe killing 22 people last year were admirers of him.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

Britain banned Naik from entering in 2010.

About 1,000 people turned up for Naik’s speech, along with the state’s chief minister, crown prince and religious officials.

The preacher was known to be close to officials in the previous Malaysian administration, which was unexpectedly defeated in a May general election.

New Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in July said as long as Naik was not creating any problems in Malaysia, he would not be deported. Indian media has reported that India has sought his extradition.

In Kangar, Naik described himself as a fundamentalist for following the fundamental teachings of Islam.

“I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim,” he said

A doctor by training, Naik will be delivering more lectures at universities and a mosque on the speaking tour. His wife, Farhat Naik, will address women in separate speeches.

The post Wanted in India, Fiery Islamic Preacher says He Has Not Broken Any Law appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Asia Cheers Sino-US Trade Truce, Oil Bounces

Posted: 02 Dec 2018 08:24 PM PST

SYDNEY — Asian shares looked set to rally on Monday after US and Chinese leaders brokered a truce in their trade conflict, a relief for the global economic outlook and a tonic for emerging markets.

Trade-exposed currencies led the early gains, with the Australian dollar notching a four-month peak, while the dollar slipped against the yuan.

E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 climbed 1.8 percent, while the Sydney market added 1 percent. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.27 percent, though most bourses had yet to start.

Nikkei futures pointed to opening gains of around 1.2 percent.

“Markets are opening with a knee-jerk boost to risk appetite but time will tell how enduring the optimism proves to be,” said ANZ economist Jo Masters. “There are already very different official takes on what was achieved at the meeting.”

“But for now, both sides can claim a win,” she added. “Perhaps not insignificantly, it provides a window to export the soybean crop from key Republican states, at least.”

China and the United States agreed to halt additional tariffs in a deal that keeps their trade war from escalating as the two sides try again to bridge their differences with fresh talks aimed at reaching a deal within 90 days.

The White House said on Saturday that President Donald Trump told Chinese President Xi Jinping during high-stakes talks in Argentina that he would not boost tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 percent on Jan. 1 as previously announced.

“Deeply contentious thornier structural issues such as forced technology transfer remain unresolved,” cautioned Westpac FX analyst Robert Rennie.

“This US-China agreement is thus better characterized as a ‘mini-breakthrough’ that puts a momentary pause on trade tensions rather than a comprehensive policy deal.”

Investors chose to see the glass as half full and lifted the Aussie dollar 0.6 percent to $0.7355. It firmed 0.8 percent on the safe-haven yen to 83.70.

The US dollar eased on a basket of currencies to 97.136 , but also firmed on the yen to 113.79. The euro added 0.1 percent to $1.1330.

The dollar had come under pressure last week when comments by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell were interpreted by markets as hinting at a slower pace of rate hikes.

Powell was scheduled to testify on Wednesday to a congressional Joint Economic Committee. But the hearing is expected to be postponed to Thursday because major exchanges will be closed on Wednesday in honor of former US President George HW Bush, who died on Saturday at the age of 94.

Treasuries rallied hard late on Friday to leave 10-year yields down at 2.99 percent.

The progress on Sino-US trade and an easier dollar could provide some support to commodity prices.

Oil suffered its weakest month in more than 10 years in November, losing more than 20 percent as global supply outstripped demand.

Speculation is high the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia would agree some form of production cut at a meeting in Vienna on Thursday.

Brent futures rose $1.21 to trade at $60.67 a barrel, while US crude gained $1.31 to $52.24.

The post Asia Cheers Sino-US Trade Truce, Oil Bounces appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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