Thursday, December 27, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

President Urged to Rid School Curriculum of ‘Discriminatory’ Language
Best Places in Yangon to Ring In the New Year
The Overlooked Mother
First Female Military Pilots Take to the Skies
Most Popular Stories of 2018
Nationalism Undermines Myanmar’s Transition to Democracy
In Rare Move, Indian State to Return Unused Land to Farmers
China to Try Canadian Citizen on Drugs Charges: News Report
Alleged Leader of Chinese Consulate Attack in Pakistan Reported Killed

President Urged to Rid School Curriculum of ‘Discriminatory’ Language

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 04:56 AM PST

YANGON — More than 100 civil society groups wrote an open letter to President U Win Myint on Wednesday to complain about racism and religious discrimination in the elementary curriculum of both government and private schools.

The letter, signed by 121 groups and 10 individuals, says the civics education taught in elementary schools includes discriminatory phrases such as: "Mixed blood is a hateful wrongdoing, and the race will be extinct."

The letter was also copied to the State Counselor’s Office, the Ministry of Education and parliamentary speakers.

"Those lessons seem to attempt to indoctrinate the innocent minds of children with discriminatory practices,” it says.

Daw Kathleen Thein, who chairs the Inngyin May Hindu Women's Network, which signed the letter, said she and her friends were informed of the language by some Buddhist parents who were shocked to overheard their children reciting the lessons.

She said they learned that such phrases have been taught in the schools since the early 2010s.

"Civic education should teach children to respect different races and religions and to help each other. But now they are putting wrong thinking to young children," Daw Kathleen Thein said. "It is very concerning that the children may mistake other religions for their enemy."

The groups said in their letter that Myanmar’s past and present communal conflicts were the result of many years of a divide and rule government policy, exacerbated by the discriminatory practices of past regimes. They said they expected a government elected by the people to abolish such divisive policies and practices.

"We would like to request the government and Parliament to review the current school curriculum and practices, and make changes that will teach respect for differences and that will contribute to the promotion of peaceful coexistence," their letter says.

Contacted on Thursday, Deputy Education Minister U Win Maw Tun told The Irrawaddy that he was not aware of the letter. But if the ministry’s official curriculum did contain such language, he said, the National Curriculum Committee would be asked to review it.

The post President Urged to Rid School Curriculum of ‘Discriminatory’ Language appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Best Places in Yangon to Ring In the New Year

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 03:52 AM PST

YANGON—With 2018 almost over, the beginning of a new year is just within reach. Most of us want to leave the bad habits of 2018 behind us and are ready to take on the new year with a fresh body and mind.

For Yangonites, it's time to plan how and where to celebrate the party of the year, the New Year's Eve party and 2019 countdown. The Irrawaddy has compiled this list of the best places to celebrate New Year's Eve and the massive midnight countdown.

Myanmar Premium Countdown 2019—EDM Festival

This event is currently the most popular event among youths because it is an EDM Festival and will feature sets from top international DJs including Vini Vici, Marlo, Kayzo, Dyro and many others. The event will celebrate the New Year with fun and activities as well as music and, yes, it includes an amazing fireworks show. The festival will be held at Thuwunnabhumi Event Park from 4 p.m. until midnight. Ticket prices are 35,000 kyats for general admission and 80,000 kyats for VIP tickets. Prices on the door may change so grab your tickets now and end the year with a bang.

A-Lan Bazaar and Myanmar Countdown 2019

Myanmar Countdown 2019 is an annual event organized by the Forever Group and entry is free for everyone. Many famous singers including Sai Sai Kham Hlaing, Ni Ni Khin Zaw, Eint Chit, Lin Lin and some upcoming stars will perform at the event which takes place from 4 p.m. until midnight. This year there will be a bazaar with food vendors and clothing and accessories vendors. The event will be held at Minder Grounds in Yangon.

New Year's Eve at Hard Rock Café Yangon

The Hard Rock Café Yangon will host a New Year's Eve party to celebrate your 2018 successes and make a toast to all the fantastic new things that 2019 will bring into your life. The party starts at 7:30 p.m. and there will be a live music band and DJ until 2 a.m. Special food and beverage packages can be ordered and the entry fee is 10,000 kyats per person and includes a glass of beer per person. There will be a dress competition too so put on your best rock star outfit and win a prize.

The fireworks display at last year’s Myanmar Premium New Year’s Eve 2018 Countdown EDM festival in Yangon on December 31, 2017. / Myanmar Premium

New Year's Eve Countdown Party 2018 at The Strand Pool

The Strand Hotel Yangon will host a New Year’s Eve countdown party at their beautiful outdoor swimming pool area. The event will include a selection of free-flow cocktails, canapés, local beers, house wines, soft drinks and a glass of champagne for all attendees. DJ Ana Red will play music on the night. The entrance for this event costs $50 net per person and it will take place from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m.
For reservations, call 01 243377-9.

Be-Dazzled! New Year's Eve Grand Party at Sedona Hotel Yangon

Sedona Hotel will celebrate the ringing in of the new year with a lavish New Year's Eve party which this year is titled Be Dazzled. The party will showcase international entertainment with tango, jazz, Broadway and Hollywood performances as well as some of the most famous local performers headlined by Ni Ni Khin Zaw and the music band Oxygen. The special dinner buffet set for the Be-Dazzled party will include French oysters, lobsters, Alaska crab legs, abalone, suckling pig and roasted whole lamb leg. The party will have a lucky draw and other exciting surprises. The hotel's website has more information on tickets and other details.

Countdown Underneath the Stars at Novotel Yangon's Pool Bar

Novotel Yangon Max will welcome a better year with guests at their beautiful outdoor pool bar. It's time to celebrate and party with friends and just forget about every bad thing. The entrance fee is 20,000 kyats per person and includes a free flow of beer with bottle packages also available. The party will take place from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. For reservation and more information, call 09 251185975.

Heineken Present New Year's Eve Countdown Party at FUSE

This party is for the people who love clubbing. Yangon's most famous club FUSE is hosting a New Year's Eve countdown party presented by Heineken. The headliner will be a world-famous DJ soon to be announced as well as artists like Hane, Kendrick, The Budbears and Kitty as support. Walk-in fees for regular access is 25,000 kyats and 35,000 kyats for VIP access. Bottle packages are available. Call 09440007788 for table reservations. The club opens as usual from 9:30 p.m.

The post Best Places in Yangon to Ring In the New Year appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Overlooked Mother

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 02:47 AM PST

Daw Khin Kyi, the widow of Myanmar's national hero Gen. Aung San and mother of Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, died on this day three decades ago in Yangon after suffering a severe stroke. She was 76. On the 30^th anniversary of her death, The Irrawaddy revisits a story first published in July 2006 about the woman who was a source of inspiration behind the political ideals and acumen of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

People who are acquainted with the name Aung San know of Aung San Suu Kyi. Equally, people for whom Suu Kyi is a famous name also know of Aung San. Aung San and Suu Kyi, father and daughter, share symbolic resemblances when it comes to Burma's politics.

While the late Aung San is held as a symbol of the country's independence, Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi, who celebrated her 61st birthday on June 19, is regarded as a symbol of democracy. But this heritage could hardly have come directly from her father—she was just two years old when Gen Aung San, Burma's founding father, was assassinated by political rivals in 1947.

"My father died when I was too young to remember him," Suu Kyi wrote in a preface to her biography Aung San of Burma, published in 1984. So, who was Suu Kyi's mentor and who inspired her to become a national leader of her father's stature?

The answer can only be her mother, the late Khin Kyi, who was regarded as one of Burma's most influential women of her time, although she never achieved the fame of her husband and daughter.

"Daw Khin Kyi made her children, from their earliest years, aware of their father's heritage," wrote M Than E in an article, A Flowering of the Spirit: Memories of Suu and Her Family, which was published in Suu Kyi's book Freedom From Fear. M Than E, once a famous singer and retired senior staff member of the UN's secretariat, is a close friend of Aung San's family.

Some other close friends believe as well as being a conscientious mother, Khin Kyi was her daughter's political and cultural mentor. "In front of her mother, Daw Suu looked like an innocent child, not knowing anything, including politics and things like that," said the celebrated poet Tin Moe, who had meetings with Khin Kyi and Suu Kyi in the 1980s.

Khin Kyi was very well informed and knew a lot about Burma's politics, although she rarely paraded her knowledge, said the poet.

When she talked about politics, she was very diplomatic—Suu Kyi must have learned a great deal about Burma's politics from her mother, he added.

Tin Moe was often invited in the early 1980s to visit Khin Kyi at her lakeside home in Rangoon. Suu Kyi would be there, visiting from her home in London, and Khin Kyi would chat with them while gardening or sitting in the kitchen.

Although Khin Kyi never shared the fame of her husband and daughter, she was a successful woman in her field. She was a member of parliament from 1947-1952, became chairperson of the Women's Association of Burma in the 1950s and a leading light in other social organizations.

In 1960 she became Burma's first and only woman ambassador, representing her country in India and also taking special responsibility for Nepal. Her teenage daughter wasn't neglected in this busy time—Suu Kyi studied diligently, took riding and piano lessons and dallied with such social skills as flower arrangement.

Khin Kyi's achievements were rewarded with honors from the US, Yugoslavia and Thailand, while at home the Rangoon government awarded her the Maha Thiri Thudhamma prize, given for services to Burmese social and religious life.

Suu Kyi was the child of a happy union. Her father fell deeply in love with the senior staff nurse who treated him during his World War II campaigns and they married in 1942. Khin Kyi was the name of the beautiful young nurse.

Suu Kyi wrote of the romance in her biography of her father: "[Khin Kyi] handled Aung San with firmness, tenderness, and good humor. The formidable commander-in-chief was thoroughly captivated.

"Aung San had married a woman who had not only the courage and warmth he needed in his life's-companion but also the steadfastness and dignity to uphold his ideals after he was gone."

These ideals were clearly instilled in her daughter by Khin Kyi.

The respected 87-year-old author and poet Dagon Tayar noted a significant parallel in the thinking of father and daughter—"Whatever Ko Aung San said, he had one condition: 'if Burma restores independence.' Like her father, Daw Suu always has one condition: if Burma restores democracy." In a phone conversation from his home in Shan State, Dagon Tayar summed up Khin Kyi's character in one word: "integrity."

Suu Kyi decided to enter Burmese politics in 1988 when students initiated a nationwide pro-democracy movement against the authoritarian regime. She was then living in London but visiting Rangoon to look after her ailing mother. She decided instinctively that not only her mother needed her—so did Burma.

Khin Kyi had only months to live—she died in December 1988—but the poet Tin Moe believes Suu Kyi consulted her before taking up politics and obtained her mother's approval. A huge crowd of mourners, estimated to number 200,000, gathered to pay their last respects at Khin Kyi's funeral.

One large gap remains in this family story—a biography of Khin Kyi. Tin Moe says the ever-modest Khin Kyi turned down a biography proposal by one of Burma's most popular writers. Perhaps the time has come for Suu Kyi to attempt the task—she is, after all, the person most qualified to profile a woman who so shaped her life and who has been overlooked by posterity.

A biography of Khin Kyi by her daughter would not only provide a fascinating version of the Aung San family story but also throw much light on the politics of post-colonial Burma.

The post The Overlooked Mother appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

First Female Military Pilots Take to the Skies

Posted: 27 Dec 2018 01:40 AM PST

NAYPYITAW—The first-ever female pilots in the history of Myanmar military are already performing their duties shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts, said Myanmar Army chief, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

Six female pilots are now operating helicopters and transportation planes, and will be assigned to operate fighters and jet aircrafts in the future as they gain experience, said the army chief in his address at the graduation of the fifth intake of female cadets of the Defense Services Officers Training School in Yangon's Hmawbi Township on Wednesday.

The Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) has been turning out graduate female cadets to promote the role of female military officers in the establishment, said the army chief.

The military officer training course for women was established in 2013, and each batch accepted between 75 and 100 cadets. Six female pilots who were interested in serving in the air force were chosen from the graduates of the 2017 batch, military spokesperson Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun told The Irrawaddy.

"They were given training last year. They completed training this year. They are all graduate cadets. For the time being, we have no plan to dispatch them to train abroad. They are now operating aircrafts and helicopters. They will have to undergo advanced training to operate fighters and jet aircrafts," said Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun.

The military officer training course for women has received high numbers of applications every year, and only bachelor degree holders are eligible for the course while master degree holders are preferred.

The female officers who completed the course are assigned to administrative positions and the non-armed corps, according to sources of the military.

The Myanmar Army stopped recruiting women for non-medical roles in 1961.

"Myanmar women have proven that they are capable in both business and politics. They lag behind just because of [disadvantages of] a [political] system. We should welcome [the fact] that even an organization like the Tatmadaw has consideration for women's participation and the empowerment of women," said Lower House lawmaker Daw Mya Mya Myo.

In January 2014, the Myanmar Army for the first time dispatched its female military officers who had been serving in medical roles as military representatives in the national legislature. Consequently, it has also appointed fresh graduates of the officer training course to parliamentary positions over the past years.

The Tatmadaw is continuously turning out female officers so that they can participate in national defense, said the army chief.

The UN and international forums are regularly discussing promoting the roles of women and Myanmar also attaches great importance to women's empowerment as women are taking greater roles in international armed forces and shouldering important duties, he said.

The post First Female Military Pilots Take to the Skies appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

COMMENTARY

Is the President Truly Above the Commander-in-Chief?

Executive power in Myanmar is divided between the civilian government and armed forces. As many political observers put it, there are two lions sharing a cave. But which is king?

Chinese Whispers in Yangon as Myanmar Weighs Rohingya Deal With UN

Beijing urges government not to sign MOU in bid to lure Myanmar away from the West

Is Capital Punishment for Rapists the Answer?

Women’s rights advocates are calling for legislation that better protects vulnerable women from rape — even the death penalty.

Myanmar Seeks Advanced Weapons from Russia, but China Remains the Key Player

While Myanmar seeks to diversify its military suppliers, it will continue to seek diplomatic cover first and foremost from China.

How Prepared Is Myanmar To Counter Terror Attacks?

The question facing our leaders should no longer be if, but when, terrorists will strike

Incoming President Needs More Power to Implement Government's Plans

U Htin Kyaw performed his ceremonial role competently; his successor should be given latitude to address the country's problems

FEATURES

From ‘Beauty Queen’ to Beach Bum? Ngapali Loses its Sparkle

At a meeting in Ngapali last weekend, government officials and business owners debated the beach’s fall from grace. Some blame unchecked development by the rich and powerful.

A Quick Guide to Inle Lake and Nyaung Shwe

Popular tourist spot offers a wealth of things to do … or just a nice place to chill

Dissent in the Naga Hills as India-Myanmar Border Follies Linger

A slow but definite dissent is brewing against both New Delhi and Naypyitaw in the remote Naga hills.

Rock Star Paints to Escape Reality

Local rock star Kyar Pauk showcases his art at his first solo exhibition.

Nyaung Shwe's Relaxed Night life offers the Perfect Coda to a Day on the Lake

Good eats,funky drinks and funky pubs make for a surprisingly fun night out

EDITORIAL

Facebook Slow to React to Violence, Hate Speech in Myanmar

Facebook can no longer turn a blind eye to the misuse of its network. Otherwise, it will be accused of being complicit in Myanmar’s ongoing crisis.

Police Incompetence on Full Display at Anti-War Protest

The Home Affairs Ministry must explain why civilian thugs were allowed to attack a peaceful demonstration in Yangon

A nation cursed by the legacy of colonialism

As we reflect on 70 years of independence, we can see that the origins of many of the nation's most persistent problems – ethnic division, conflict and a lack of democracy – date to the period of British rule

The Govt's New Year's Resolution Should be a Cabinet Reshuffle

The people of Myanmar need not only a clean government but effective ministries with the right people in the right places to move the country forward.

Charges Against Reporters Meant to Muzzle Press

Monday’s court decision to charge two Reuters reporters is a clear sign that press freedom in Myanmar is dangerously on the wane. The free press has been warned.

CULTURE

FELA's Paintings of Myanmar's Way of Life Find an Audience after His Death

Just months after his passing, works by the artist — who struggled financially all his life — fetch high prices at Yangon exhibition

Exhibit Offers Up a Taste of Myanmar’s 'Golden Age' of Film

The new exhibit aims to inspire a new generation of artists by screening a few classics from Myanmar cinema stretching back to the 1950s over the next few weeks.

Yangoods Launches New Design Collaboration with Movie Star

A collaboration between the popular local brand and award-winning actress Phway Phway showcases the unique style of both.

Pao Mon: Mon Kitchen

This social enterprise in Mon State serves up delicious local dishes.

Rising Burmese Talent: Singer-Songwriter Youn Ni Ko

Youn Ni Ko, a young Burmese singer-songwriter who grew up in Cyprus, refuses to be confined to a single genre.

ANALYSIS

What Lies Behind the NLD’s Protest Law Amendments?

The NLD’s bill to amend the country’s protest law is the most controversial legislation the party has tried to pass since coming to power. What does it really want?

'Debt Trap' Alert Rises in Myanmar as More Belt and Road Projects Scrapped

The projects, which encompass a seaport, three-part highway, high-speed railway and New Yangon City, have the potential to give China a stranglehold of debt over Myanmar.

Myanmar Still Living with Legacy of 1988 Military Coup

The events of Sept. 18, 1988, and their bloody aftermath established a military presence in Myanmar's political life that, three decades later, shows no signs of going away.

Who Will Benefit from the Coming Shake-up?

The widely expected cabinet reshuffle has serious implications for the government, the economy and the peace process.

History Suggests Int'l Targeting of Tatmadaw over Rohingya Is Misguided

In the past, outside pressure has only caused the military to dig in deeper; and there is little support for Rohingya within the country.

IN PERSON

UN Award Winner Fights for Myanmar's Women

Cheery Zahau, a winner of the UN's N-Peace Awards for 2017, says gender equality is not only good for women, but for the whole country.

After Bumpy 2017, Tourism Sector Looks for Clear Skies

The Irrawaddy spoke with two sector operators about the troubles the Rakhine crisis has caused the country’s tourism sector, and how to get out of the rough patch.

The Kachin Journalist Breaking Stereotypes

"It was my dream to start up a local publication that reflects local needs, reports on the huge human rights violations and raises people’s concerns," said Seng Mai Maran.

New, Improved Deal on China-Backed Kyaukphyu SEZ Due Soon: Deputy Minister

U Set Aung said Myanmar’s new deal with the SEZ’s Chinese developer would include safeguards against a debt trap and that efforts to reform the overall economy were on track.

Librarian-Scholar Took the Road Less Traveled By

Renowned in Myanmar as a pioneer of library science, and honored abroad for his contributions to scholarship, U Thaw Kaung looks back on a life among books.

ARTS

The Naked Truth: Exhibition of Paintings, Photos Explores the Human Form

Painter Harn Lay, photographer Sai Kyaw Khaing challenge social mores with their nude studies

Young Artist Feels Sorry for Your Shoes

"People wear and use them daily, yet no one really values them. They take you wherever you want to go. I just want to make people aware of their value," said Nyan Ye Naing.

Painting the Practice of Victim-Blaming in a New Light

Artist Chuu Wai Nyein's drive to depict women's challenges and strengths began with an assault on a family member.

Modernist Painter Juxtaposes Sublime With the Scary

Ne Tun is known for combining traditional Myanmar art with modernist aesthetics. For his latest show he has brought together another unlikely pairing — love and horror.

Artist Creates Paintings In a Bottle

Bagan’s last remaining bottle painter would love to pass the delicate craft on to a new generation. But he says tastes are changing.

SPECIALS

Our Fight For Press Freedom

In these beleaguered times for journalism, The Irrawaddy will continue battling for a free press.

Our Coverage of the 3rd Union Peace Conference

The Irrawaddy offers readers a collection of its stories on the five-day conference, which wrapped up in Naypyitaw on Monday.

A Look Back at the Murder Trial of U Ko Ni

The Irrawaddy has compiled several of its past stories, editorials and commentaries on the NLD lawyer's murder trial, a year on from his assassination.

A Rich History Along the India-Myanmar Border

The Irrawaddy sent reporters to the India-Myanmar border. We share these photos of the region's cultural diversity and economic vibrancy.

TIMELINE: Eight Decades of Myanmar-Japan Relations at a Glance

Myanmar's ties with Japan have been close since Gen. Aung San met with a visiting Japanese military officer in 1940. Here are the key events that have shaped bilateral relations since then.

DATELINE

How Can the NLD Salvage Myanmar’s Diplomatic Affairs?

Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe, political analyst Yan Myo Thein and human rights activist Cheery Zahau discuss how Myanmar might improve its foreign relations.

Poor Prospects for Peace in Face of Military Might

The Irrawaddy discusses the latest developments in Myanmar’s peace process and the obstacles impeding progress.

How Will Myanmar's Political Landscape Change With a Newly-elected President

The Irrawaddy discusses prospects for peace and progress in Myanmar with a newly-elected president at the helm.

The Weakening Kyat-Dollar Exchange Rate

This week, Dateline Irrawaddy discusses how the Central Bank of Myanmar should handle the weakening exchange rate and its effect on the country.

UNSC Should Understand the Complexity and Multitude of Issues Facing Myanmar

A UN Security Council delegation visits northern Rakhine for the first time since military clearance operations forced 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.

WOMEN

Latest Rape, Murder in Yangon Heightens Security Fears

Women's rights advocates say the case draws attention to the need to make the city's streets safer for women.

Ministry Rebuked for Blaming Rape on How Women Dress

Public reaction was fast and sharp to a suggestion from the Ministry of Home Affairs that parents urge their daughters to dress modestly to discourage rapists.

Govt Preps Policy to Cope with Falling Population Growth

Minister U Thein Swe said the policy will take into consideration the country's optimum population size based on its natural resources, economy, geography, culture and military needs.

Women's Participation Will Bolster Chances for Peace: Report

Report says increased participation of women in politics could further cement peace agreements and bolster post-conflict rehabilitation.

Women Journalists Say Access to Information More Challenging Under NLD

'Women in News' summit also calls attention to lack of safeguards against harassment of female reporters in the field and in the newsroom

LIFESTYLE

Staycation Culture Booms in Myanmar

Hotels cater to locals who want to get away for a luxury vacation without the added stress of travel, planning and preparation.

Eight Tourist Attractions That You Must See in Yangon

From history to adventure to food, Myanmar's main city offers visitors a unique experience

Wa Restaurant Brings Food From the Mountains to the Big City

Never tried the spicy, herb-infused offerings from northern Shan state? Now's your chance

The Irrawaddy's Guide to Yangon Nightspots

Looking for something to do after dark? Here are a handful of the trendiest and most popular venues around town

Myanmar Roller Skaters to Display Skills at ASEAN Championships

Skate association to send delegation to Vietnam despite lack of official funding, recognition

The post Most Popular Stories of 2018 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Nationalism Undermines Myanmar’s Transition to Democracy

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 11:28 PM PST

Political scientist Benedict Anderson observes in his book "Imagined Communities" that nationalism has "roots in fear and hatred of the Other, and affinities with racism." As some political parties and local institutions revitalize nationalism, Myanmar's democratic transition has not progressed far as expected.

Racism and extreme religious beliefs have regenerated nationalism in Myanmar after it was concealed inside a closed society under authoritarian rule for almost six decades. During the so-called democratic transition under former president U Thein Sein's government, nationalism was officially endorsed.

The new NLD government has been carefully trying to control nationalist groups in order to avoid racial discrimination and religious conflict in the country. One year after the NLD took office, the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee ordered the disbanding of Myanmar's largest nationalist association Ma Ba Tha, which is the Burmese acronym for The Association of Safeguarding Race, Faith and Religion.

Without government support, nationalist groups are not as powerful as they were under U Thein Sein's government. Their activities mostly revolve around showing and encouraging strong support for the military through various patriotic and pro-military campaigns that arise around the country.

The key leader of the opposition party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), recently raised the idea that "safeguarding race" is the crucial responsibility of women. It can be seen that the USDP is promoting nationalism in the name of race in the women's community. During a women's conference organized by the party this month, USDP party chairman U Than Htay also made a statement that the USDP government was the one that made interfaith marriage law available for Buddhist women.

Despite claiming that the USDP is working to promote women's rights, the party appears not to be applying gender equality in its own practices. There are only three women members of parliament representing the USDP despite more than 40 percent of party members being women. The party's spokesperson told media that they intend to appoint women in ministerial positions if the party is elected to government in the next elections in 2020.

Women representatives in other political parties are often numbered as low as five or less. Meanwhile, a study conducted by the Asia Foundation and Phan Tee Eain "Women's Political Participation in Myanmar" shows the NLD has 134 women members of parliament.

Misuse of women's rights in nationalism

Renewed nationalism arose around the time in 2012 when the rape of a young Buddhist women in Rakhine State spurred an outbreak of communal violence in Rakhine State.

Since the 2012 conflicts in Rakhine State, about 200 people have been killed, countless numbers have been injured and more than 70,000 have been left homeless.

The rise of nationalism spurred conflicts in 14 different cities. A wave of violence in 2013 left 43 people dead, 86 injured and more than 1,300 buildings—mostly mosques, schools and the homes of Muslims—were destroyed.

In a recent interview with the BBC, USDP chairman U Than Htay said patriotism needs to be revitalized by using examples of nationalist monks and anti-colonial movements that arose during colonial rule.

"Political awakening took place in Myanmar since before the country gained independence and while struggling for independence. There were [groups like] We Burman Association and GCBA (General Council of Burmese Association). How was patriotism revitalized? It was revitalized by Race, Faith and Religion. With that spirit, we escaped from [colonial rule]. It is unforgettable history for a [Myanmar] citizen," U Than Htay told BBC.

Ma Ba Tha was formed during U Thein Sein's government term and promoted "official nationalism" across the country. Benedict Anderson describes official nationalism as taking the form of "compulsory state-controlled primary education, state-organized propaganda, official rewriting of history, militarism and endless affirmations of the identity of dynasty and nation."

To spread islamophobia within Myanmar's Buddhist community, ultranationalist monks from Ma Ba Tha organized 969, an anti-Muslim campaign which urged the Buddhist community to boycott Muslim businesses. U Thein Sein's government failed to take any action against the instigators of these nationalistic campaigns.

The controversial interfaith marriage law was proposed during a Buddhist convention in Yangon, attended by more than 1,500 monks and nuns in 2013. The proposal focused mainly on marriage between Buddhist women and men of other faiths. It demands that any man who wishes to marry a Buddhist woman must first convert to Buddhism.

The nationalist monks organized a signature campaign and collected more than 2 million signatures which were submitted to the parliament. The interfaith marriage law was passed under U Thein Sein's government before the 2015 elections.

The USDP's recent women's conference discussed how "to safeguard race in the women community and to promote women rights according to tradition and culture." In fact, the party has tried to misuse the term "women's rights" to promote nationalism among women, resuming a colonial-era concept that safeguarding race is the crucial responsibility of women.

Nationalism divides nations and undermines democracy and human rights. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is often portrayed in nationalist campaigns as a leader who is unable to safeguard Myanmar's race, faith and religion because she married a foreigner.

Myanmar politics and women's participation

The interfaith marriage law doesn't meet democratic standards because it is drafted only for Buddhist women and overlooks gender equality. The creating of the law excluded women's voices and it drafted with nationalistic intentions of "safeguarding race" rather than protecting women's rights.

The Women's Political Participation in Myanmar paper states that women are being excluded from male-dominated discussions on policy.

It attributes the low level of women's political participation to "a lack of experience and certain skills; a lack of confidence; restrictions on women's travel; a broad social perception that politics is both dangerous and a man's realm; traditional norms that ascribe authority to men; and resistance to female leadership."

Although the number of women MPs has more than doubled since the 2015 elections, there is only one woman in the government cabinet—Daw Aung San Suu Kyi—and only two of the 14 chief ministers of the states and regions are women.

Myanmar's transition between nationalism and liberal democracy

Myanmar is now accused of committing "ethnic cleansing and genocide" against a particular group of people recognized as "Bengali" in the local community and as "Rohingya" in the international community. The Rohingya refugee crisis is one of the most pressing of contemporary refugee crises. With nearly a million stateless Rohingya people, the Kutupalong refugee camp in neighbouring Bangladesh has become the world's largest.

Religious conflict between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State occurred often in history. The latest attack initiated by the Muslim militant group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) provoked the military to carry out clearance operations which in turn caused over 700,000 Rohingya to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. Myanmar has faced enormous international pressure over the refugee exodus since then.

The international community has questioned the moral authority of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi over her silence on the Rohingya crisis and she has been stripped of many awards. At the same time, she has faced criticism from local nationalist groups over the repatriation process for Rohingya refugees returning from Bangladesh.

The State Counselor's political image has rapidly declined in both the local and international community and it is proving very hard for the head of state to maintain a neutral stance between nationalists and international human rights campaigners. The decline of her popularity has a large impact on support for the NLD party. Many people predict that the party won't be able to win another landslide victory in the 2020 elections.

Racial and religious conflict caused by ultranationalism takes Myanmar backwards on the road to democracy. Narrow-minded nationalism undermines democracy, human rights and gender equality. Rivalry between nationalism and liberal democracy in the country creates a hindrance for Myanmar political reform.

Whether Myanmar will continue on the path of a democratic transition or turn back to authoritarian rule, we need to wait and see the results of the upcoming elections in 2020.

Mon Mon Myat is a freelance writer/journalist and a graduate student of the PhD program in peace building at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The post Nationalism Undermines Myanmar's Transition to Democracy appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

In Rare Move, Indian State to Return Unused Land to Farmers

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 09:56 PM PST

MUMBAI—Farmers in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh are getting back land that was taken from them more than a decade ago by the government because it was not used, a rare move in a country riven by conflict over land.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of the Congress Party, which won a state election earlier this month with pledges to honor land rights, said he has asked officials to return about 2,000 hectares (7.7 square miles) in Bastar District.

"The process of returning the land will start soon," Baghel said in a statement earlier this week, without giving details.

Return of land is rare in India, where conflicts have risen as highways and factories are built in one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

About 660 disputes over land have stalled hundreds of projects and forced millions of people from their farms across India, according to research organization Land Conflict Watch.

Chhattisgarh, under the earlier Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, agreed in 2005 to allocate land for a Tata Steel factory in Bastar. Farmers protested giving up their land.

Tata Steel, among the world’s top producers, pulled out of the project in 2016, citing delays.

Authorities said then the land would go into a land bank for other developments to generate jobs in one of India’s poorest states.

"The farmers who lost their land have suffered for years and struggled to make a living," said Kishore Narayan, a lawyer with advocacy Human Rights Law Network in Chhattisgarh.

"We hope that the state will look into all cases of lands lying idle and return them," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on Wednesday.

India has enacted numerous laws to protect the rights of farmers.

A 2013 federal land acquisition law, passed by the Congress government, made consent of farmers mandatory, and introduced adequate compensation and resettlement for those affected.

Any unutilized land is to be returned to owners after five years, or go into the state land bank.

In 2016, the Supreme Court ordered West Bengal state to return land that had been acquired for a Tata Motors factory but was not used, after a decade-long fight by farmers.

Last year, South Korean steelmaker POSCO asked Odisha state to take back land allotted to it for a long-delayed steel project and return it to villagers, although authorities said the land will revert to the state.

Also last year, the Supreme Court heard a petition by an advocacy group, which said about 80 percent of land acquired for large industrial zones was lying idle.

Land rights have come to the fore in recent state elections, and could hurt Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist BJP party in an upcoming national election, as farmers make up a big voting bloc, analysts say.

The post In Rare Move, Indian State to Return Unused Land to Farmers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China to Try Canadian Citizen on Drugs Charges: News Report

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 08:47 PM PST

BEIJING — A Chinese court will try a Canadian citizen on drugs charges on Saturday, a government-run news portal said, in a case that could further test already difficult relations between Beijing and Ottawa.

The two countries have sparred over the fate of two Canadian citizens detained in China on suspicion of endangering state security, and over Canada’s arrest of a high-ranking Chinese executive at the request of the United States.

The high court in the northeastern province of Liaoning said on Wednesday a man it identified as Robert Lloyd Schellenberg would be tried on drugs smuggling charges in Dalian on Saturday.

A Dalian government news portal said late on Wednesday Schellenberg was a Canadian citizen and that this was an appeal hearing after he was found by an earlier ruling to have smuggled “an enormous amount of drugs” into China.

There was no immediate response from the Canadian government.

Drugs offences are routinely punished severely in China.

China executed a Briton caught smuggling heroin in 2009, prompting a British outcry over what it said was the lack of any mental health assessment.

Canada has pressed for the release of the two Canadians who China detained earlier this month.

The two were detained after Canadian police arrested Huawei Technologies Co Ltd’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Dec. 1. Neither country has drawn a direct connection between the cases.

China has demanded Canada free Meng, who is fighting extradition to the United States.

Canada arrested Meng at the request of the United States, which is engaged in a trade war with China. Meng faces extradition to the United States to face fraud charges that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years jail for each charge.

The post China to Try Canadian Citizen on Drugs Charges: News Report appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Alleged Leader of Chinese Consulate Attack in Pakistan Reported Killed

Posted: 26 Dec 2018 08:47 PM PST

QUETTA, Pakistan—One of the alleged masterminds of an attack by a Pakistani separatist group on the Chinese consulate in Karachi last month has been killed along with five associates, the insurgent group said on Wednesday.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which opposes projects linked to China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative in resource-rich Baluchistan, issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the death of Aslam Baloch, one of its leaders.

"The important BLA commander Aslam Baloch, along with five associates in the organization were martyred in an enemy attack on Monday," Jiand Baloch, a spokesman for the separatist group said in a statement that gave no further details.

Pakistan’s Samaa Television reported that Aslam was killed along with a number of his commanders in a suicide attack in Aino Maina in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, across the border from Baluchistan.

There was no claim of responsibility for the killings and a spokesman for the Pakistani foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Last month, three attackers stormed the Chinese consulate in Karachi, killing four people. Security forces killed the three attackers who were carrying explosives.

Pakistan has long accused its old rival India of supporting insurgents in Baluchistan. India denies helping Baluchistan insurgents and accuses Pakistan of nurturing Islamist militants throughout the region.

China has funded development of a deepwater port at Gwadar in south Baluchistan, and is also investing in other projects as part of the giant China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Baluchistan, on the borders of Afghanistan and Iran, has rich mineral and natural gas reserves but is Pakistan’s poorest province.

Separatists have for decades campaigned against what they see as the unfair exploitation of resources, in particular natural gas and minerals.

The post Alleged Leader of Chinese Consulate Attack in Pakistan Reported Killed appeared first on The Irrawaddy.