Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Athletes, Organizers Prepare For Burma’s SEA Games

Posted: 27 Aug 2013 09:30 AM PDT

A view of the 30,000-seat Wunna Theikdi Stadium in Naypyidaw, the main sports venue for the 27th SEA Games. (Photo: Jpaing / The Irrawaddy)

NAYPYIDAW — In a new 30,000-seat football stadium here in Naypyidaw, Burmese athletes warm up and begin exercising in the early morning hours, to prepare for the upcoming 27th Southeast Asian Games.

The athletes have been busy training every day to get ready for the biennial regional sports competition scheduled in December. This year's SEA Games will be the first to be hosted in Burma in four decades.

At the Wanna Theikdi Stadium, Kay Khine Lwin, a track and field athlete who will compete in the 100, 200 and perhaps 400-meter races, cools down after her workout."I want gold medals," the 35-year-old says. "So I'm preparing to be the best. But the competition will be tough, as my competitors from Vietnam and Thailand are well-trained."

But being the host country will have advantages, she adds. "We have a better chance than our competitors to win," she says. "It is our home and our people will cheer for us."

Kay Khine Lwin has won several medals, including gold, in past SEA Games in Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos and Indonesia. But she says she worries about the prospects for Burmese competitors as they lack access to experienced and knowledgeable trainers, who can guide them to success in regional competitions.

A little more than 100 days remain until the opening of the Games on Dec. 11. Burma previously hosted the SEA Games in 1961 and 1969, both times in Rangoon, which was then the country's capital. The last event was organized seven years after a military coup ushered in a decades-long dictatorship under Gen Ne Win.

Burma subsequently skipped its turn to host the SEA Games several times due to its international isolation during military rule. With the start of reforms in the past two years under President Thein Sein's nominally-civilian government has come international acceptance, and Burma is finally able to host the regional competition again.

The 27th Sea Games will feature 35 different sporting events. The opening and closing ceremonies, and most competitions are held in the capital Naypyidaw. A number of events, including some football games, wrestling, hockey and weight lifting, will also be held in Rangoon and Mandalay. Ngwe Saung Beach will host a sailing competition.

Naypyidaw was built — at great expense and with forced labor — by the former military regime, which moved the seat of government there in 2005, and the upcoming SEA Games has provided authorities with an opportunity to go on a building spree in the young capital.

In the past year, construction firms have erected the massive Wunna Theikdi Stadium, which includes a swimming pool and an indoor stadium, the Zeyar Thiri Football Stadium and a range of other sports facilities, such as an outdoor cycling track, an equestrian field and the Royal Myanmar Golf Course.

The Games' opening and closing ceremonies will be held at Wunna Theikdi Stadium, the country's biggest stadium. It was built by the Max Myanmar Group owned by Burmese tycoon Zaw Zaw. His firm also built Zeyar Thiri Stadium and Mandalay's Thiri Football Stadium for the December events.

Khin Maung Kywe, Max Myanmar Group's construction director, said he was proud of the new Wanna Theikdi Stadium, which he said meets international standards with 30,000 seats, 500 VIP seats and CCTV cameras.

He said the SEA Games would promote a positive image of Burma's culture, traditions and natural beauty, and would provide a boost for the economy and tourism.

"In the past, we did not have good infrastructure or good stadiums for sports," he said. "Now we have good stadiums and players can practice well. Even after the SEA Games, Burmese athletes can gain experience and keep practicing [at the facilities]. I hope Burma will produce more good athletes."

The idea to organize the SEA Games came in May 1958, with an aim to promote friendship among Southeast Asian nations. Thailand was the first country to host the Games.

Burma's has chosen the slogan 'Green, Clean and Friendship' for this year's event. But the country has tested its friendship with other competing nations after it allegedly cherry-picked sports that it plays best in order to improve its chances of obtaining medals.

"It's ridiculous…whatever sports they want in, they get and the ones they've chosen carry too many medals," Charoen Wattanasin of Thailand's Olympic Committee told Reuters in a reaction in February.

Burmese organizers dropped popular regional sports such as tennis, beach volleyball and gymnastics, and included lesser-known traditional sports such kempo and vovinam (two martial arts forms popular in Cambodia, Burma, Laos and Vietnam) and chinlone. The latter is a traditional Burmese version of cane ball that is unknown elsewhere in the region.

At Wanna Theikdi Indoor Stadium, Aung Din, an advisor to the Ministry of Sports and Burma's National Olympic Committee, watched a group of karate athletes train."Burma's athletics are now in the international spotlight," he says. "It's the highest stage we have ever had."

However, he was concerned about a supposed tendency among some Burmese athletes and fans to react aggressively to disappointment, especially during football games.

"Sports are supposed to build better friendships and close relations between players. But some have the mindset that they need to win. It's a one-sided desire. It's our people's weakness. It also harms the image of the government and leaders," he said.

"Some fans get angry, shouting and becoming violent when their team loses. They break things in the stadium. We need to have the mindset of gentlemen."

Rangoon’s Day Clubs Attract Youths, Aggravate Authorities

Posted: 27 Aug 2013 05:49 AM PDT

Young women dance in a Rangoon nightclub. (Photo: Pat Brown / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Young couples and groups of youths are having drinks and dancing in a dimly lit venue in Tamwe Township, while cheery music plays. It is the middle of the day, but the high school and university students are gathered in the dozens to socialize, dance or watch a movie at one Rangoon's many popular day clubs.

Unlike their peers in other Asian countries or Western nations, Burma's youths indulge in parties during the day as they find it hard, if not impossible, to leave their family homes after dark.

Many sneak out of classrooms or skip college lectures in order to get loose with their friends, dance to the latest hits or watch a new Hollywood movie. Some girls swap their school clothing for new dresses once they enter a day club—slipping into the restroom and coming out wearing the latest fashion.

"I have found it difficult to get out of my house at night, so I happen to come here whenever I know my friends are organizing some sort of party," Yamin Khin, a 20-year-old student, told The Irrawaddy. "I feel like I'm free when I'm in the club."

Myo Myat Hein, another university student, said he visited day clubs once a month, adding that he preferred the venues because they seemed less dangerous than nighttime entertainment spots.

The day clubs have become increasingly popular in Rangoon, as they do not impose age restrictions and are open from 10 am to 5 pm every day. The venues charge around US$5 per customer and have promotion plans targeted at the city's youths.

In Tamwe Township, DJ Club and Pearl Condo are popular venues. Sky World and Pioneer Club in Kyimyindaing Township are often busy during the day, while many youths in in Mingala Taungnyunt Township frequent
Cloud 9.

Authorities routinely crack down on day clubs, night clubs and massage parlors in Burma's biggest city. Though they are not officially permitted, the bigger day clubs openly distribute flyers and posters and advertise online to promote DJ appearances and events, with one event called "Kissing Time" being very popular among Burma's youths.

Some Rangoon officials have expressed concern over the popularity of day clubs and the number of venues that have opened. Last week, authorities announced a complete ban on day clubs.
"We had a meeting last week about day clubs as there were public complaints about them," said Aung Kyaw Soe, the spokesman for Rangoon Division's administrative department. "We have issued an order to ban them since then."
He added that action would be taken against those who  did not follow the order, though he did not elaborate about the punishment.
Some parents are welcoming the move, fearing that day clubs are having a harmful influence on their sons and daughters.

"Day clubs are particularly aimed at attracting young people at student level," said Khin Khin Myint, whose daughter studies at Rangoon's Technological University. "I am very worried that parents send their children to university to become educated people, but then they end up being in the club because they are persuaded to go there by their friends."

Lin Lin, a DJ at the Pioneer Club located inside the International Hotel, said he understood some of the concerns of parents, but argued that the clubs simply provided a daytime environment for youths to meet their friends.

"It is true that most of the customers are students, but organizing a day party is not like committing a big crime," he said, adding that he did support restrictions that would prevent minors from entering the clubs. "It is just for fun. I know parents are worried about their children, but I don't think it is dangerous for them as long as they know how to behave."

Burmese Airlines ‘Upset’ with Reported ANA Deal

Posted: 27 Aug 2013 05:42 AM PDT

An Asian Wings prop plane is pictured on the tarmac. (Photo: asianwingsair.com)

Reports that Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) is planning to buy a 49 percent stake in Asian Wings Airways—a tiny, little-known airline believed to be owned by US-sanctioned businessman Tay Za—has riled other Burmese domestic airlines, according to industry insiders.

The deal, reported by the Nikkei business daily, is contrary to a "gentlemen's agreement" among Burmese carriers, said one airline executive who asked to remain anonymous. He said that Burma's airlines had agreed not to partner with foreign companies.

Adding to the controversy surrounding the agreement is the fact that Tay Za, who is believed to have established Asian Wings with Sun Far Travels and Tours in 2010, is still on a US sanctions for his alleged role in helping to supply arms to Burma's former military regime—a charge that he denies.

According to media reports, Asian Wings fleet consists of just three turboprop ATR 72 regional aircraft and one domestic-use Airbus A321. Under the deal with ANA, the airline will begin flights to Chiang Mai, Thailand, in October, the reports said.

In a statement, ANA Holdings said that "ANA Group will invest US $25 million for AWA [Asian Wings Airways] as part of its stated strategy of expanding into new international markets.”

The statement also noted that the deal "represents the first investment in a Myanmar-based commercial carrier by a foreign airline.”

Asian Wings is not subject to US sanctions.

Burma’s Parliament Considers Banning Non-Citizens From Politics

Posted: 27 Aug 2013 05:33 AM PDT

A session of Union Parliament in Burma's capital, Naypyidaw. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Burma's Parliament is considering a constitutional amendment that would prohibit non-citizens from forming political parties, running for office or voting in elections—a move that would make it even more difficult for the Rohingya Muslim minority to participate in politics.

The amendment was proposed in a session of the Upper House on Monday by a lawmaker from the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP), Dr. Aye Maung. He represents a constituency in west Burma's Arakan State, where the Rohingyas—who are largely denied citizenship by the 1982 Citizenship Law—have faced widespread discrimination and violence over the past year.

In addition to preventing the political participation of the Rohingyas, the proposed amendment could pose a problem for political dissidents who lived abroad for decades under the former military regime and are now returning to Burma as the country transitions from nearly half a century of dictatorship.

Lawmakers have agreed to continue discussing the proposal.

"This amendment is needed because it is wrong to let some people who are not citizens get involved with political parties or vote," Ba Shein, another RNDP lawmaker, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday. "Other countries have similar laws—those who are not citizens yet need to wait to be one, and then they have a chance to vote."

The current 2008 Constitution, written by the former military regime, allows people to form political parties, run for office and vote in elections if they possess a temporary ID card.

Burma's former military government handed some of the Rohingya Muslim population in northern Arakan State's Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships temporary ID, so-called white cards, so they could vote in a constitutional referendum in 2008 as well as the national elections in 2010. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) hoped to gain the votes of the Muslim minority at the time.

The USDP secured power during the votes, which were widely seen as rigged by the regime, with allegations of widespread voter fraud and intimidation.

"What they [the government] did in the past was not right, according to the law," Ba Shein said of the regime's decision to seek Rohingya votes during the election.

Banyar Aung Moe, a lawmaker from the All Mon Region Democracy Party, said his party also supported the proposed amendment. "No-one can vote if they are not citizens," he said. "They [the USDP] took a lot of votes in 2010. They would not have received such a large share of votes without doing this."

Speaking in opposition to the proposal is Shwe Maung, a Muslim USDP lawmaker who represents Arakan State's Maungdaw Township, where many Rohingyas live.

"If this amendment is approved, it will be a rights abuse," he said. "Those who have temporary cards—or white cards—or who are considering applying for citizenship, they will be citizens in the future. They must have a chance to vote or participate in political parties."

Burma's state-run Myanma Alin newspaper reported on Tuesday that public opinion would be sought over the proposed amendment.

About 60 percent of the estimated 800,000 Rohingya in Arakan State received temporary national registration cards, also known as white cards, to vote in the 2010 elections.

The former regime's Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), which became the USDP before the elections, also forced millions of people to become party members to create an appearance of support. The Rohingyas were among those forced to join.

Rohingyas are regarded by Arakanese Buddhists and others in Burma as illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh, and the government officially refers to them as stateless "Bengalis," although many Rohingya families have lived in the country for generations.

For decades the Rohingya have faced widespread discrimination, but violence flared up last year in two bouts of clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in the state. About 150,000 people were displaced and about 200 killed in communal violence in June and October 2012. Most of the victims were Rohingya who have since been forced to stay in squalid camps for internally displaced persons. Government-imposed restrictions on their movement have prevented them from accessing health care and other basic services.

The persecution of the Rohingya has been seen as a stain on the reform efforts of Burma's quasi-civilian government.

China, India Boost Military Ties as Border Tensions Ease

Posted: 27 Aug 2013 03:14 AM PDT

Indian and Chinese government officials and military personnel are pictured at a checkpoint on the Sino-Indian border (Photo: Subir Bhaumik / The Irrawaddy)

KOLKATA, India — After months of much border tension caused by alleged Chinese troop "incursions" across the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India and China are now on course to resume joint military exercises and sign a treaty to reduce chances of conflict.

The Indian army alleges that Chinese troops have crossed the LAC, which refers to the two countries' hazily delineated Himalayan border, at least 600 times in the past three years—sometimes staying put for weeks.

This summer, the two armies were involved in a face-off for 21 days at Depsang Bulge in eastern Ladakh, facing China-controlled Aksai Chin, through which Beijing is building a strategic highway connecting its restive Xinjiang and Tibet regions.

But India's threat to cancel the May 9 Beijing visit of its External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid led to a Chinese pullout from Depsang and Prime Minister Li Keqiang's visit to India soon after was accompanied by his offer of a "handshake across the Himalayas."

Since then, the two Asian giants have worked out a border pact that aims to control tensions and are now preparing to resume military exercises that began in 2007-08 but were called off soon thereafter over border tensions and spats over visas.

After a gap of five years, the Indian and Chinese armies will resume their 'Hand-in-Hand' (HiH) counter-terrorism exercise this November. This will be the third HiH exercise involving the world's two largest land armies.

It will be held in China's Chengdu Military Area Command, which controls Tibet and almost the whole of the disputed border between the two countries.

"It will be a 10-day exercise between November 4-14, with a company each of Indian and Chinese troops," said an Indian official.

The first HiH exercise was held in Kunming (China) and Belgaum (India), but the military cooperation was later suspended.

"The exercises are largely symbolic because only about 100-150 soldiers from each side participate. But it is a useful confidence-building exercise," said former Maj-Gen Gaganjit
Singh, who commanded a division along the two countries' 4,057-km Himalayan border.

The decision to resume the HiH exercises was taken during Indian Defense Minister A.K. Anthony's visit to China last month.

India is also set to sign the Border Defense Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) with China, aimed at preventing tensions on the desolate frontier that has not yet been demarcated. The agreement will be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Beijing in October, after he returns from a trip to the United States in September.

The BDCA lays down Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) between the two armies, which includes provisions prohibiting troops from tailing patrols of the other nation's military, a practice that has led to past face-offs, and stipulating that soldiers are not to open fire under any circumstances.

China proposed the agreement in January this year but India objected to a clause in it that called for a freeze on the building of military infrastructure on the border.

India says China has already beefed up its forces and New Delhi is seeking to catch up. Facing Indian opposition, China has dropped that clause and paved the way for the agreement.

"This proves both leaderships are serious about controlling border tensions and going ahead with other positive aspects of the relationship," says Binoda Mishra of the Kolkata-based Center for Studies in International Relations and Development (CSIRD).

The next round of the K2K (Kolkata-Kunming) summit to boost sub-regional cooperation between Indian and Chinese frontier provinces will also take place in Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta) on Nov. 21-22. More than 50 Chinese companies will join the summit to explore investment possibilities in eastern India as Delhi pushes Beijing to prioritize mutual investments and trade to help India trim its widening adverse trade balance.

The K2K summit is also pushing for a "land corridor" between Kunming and Kolkata that would pass through neighboring Bangladesh and Burma on a route once known as the Southern Silk Road.

China has proposed to develop the area around this highway, which was used for a four-nation car rally earlier this year, into an economic corridor—a proposal that India has committed to exploring.

"If this happens, it can turn the frontier regions of all these four countries into areas of growth from the conflict zones they have long been," says Ren Jia, who heads the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences in Kunming.

‘Ne Win Manipulated Educational Affairs’

Posted: 26 Aug 2013 10:56 PM PDT

Than Oo is a prominent scholar and education researcher who served as an adviser to the Education Ministry in 1988. (Photo: Yan Paing / The Irrawaddy)

When Burma's former regime was crafting its education policy and determining how to mold the young minds of the nation, Than Oo was there to offer advice. A former high school principle and teachers' training college principle, Than Oo was an adviser to the Education Ministry in 1988, the same year student-led protests swept the nation. During his career, the US university-educated scholar also served as chairman of the country's Education Research Bureau, director-general of the Basic Education Department, and chairman of Wisdom Light, a group formed by U Thant, the late former secretary general of the United Nations. Today, as chairman of the Myanmar Academy of Arts and Sciences, he is cooperating with Burma's quasi-civilian government to review the national education sector and identify areas for reform. In an exclusive interview with The Irrawaddy, he criticizes former dictator Ne Win's education policies and offers thoughts on the current reform process.

Question: Rangoon University is reinstating undergraduate courses, but only 15 students are allowed to enroll for each subject. Don't you think that number is too small?

Answer: University authorities seem concerned about the possibility of future student movements, because almost every student movement in the past originated from Rangoon University. I think that's why they accepted only 15 students for each course. They may accept more students in the future, depending on the situation.

Q: Is the country's basic education system in need of an upgrade?

A: It's wrong to use the term "basic education." I submitted a bill on "general education" during the days of the Union Revolutionary Council [a supreme governing body under Ne Win], but Ne Win changed the term to "basic education," without understanding the meaning of the term clearly. Internationally, education from Grade 1 to Grade 12 is general education. The purpose of general education, in a word, is to produce good citizens. University education is when students specialize in a desired subject. … An educated person is someone who understands cause and effect, good and bad, right and wrong. We need educated people, not just literate people.

Q: What's your opinion of teaching methods that are promoted domestically and abroad?

A: Both the United States and Japan are many steps ahead of Burma in the education sector. We cannot copy everything these countries do, but we should pay attention. …We need more teaching materials. Schools in the United States and Japan have complete teaching materials—we just have chalk and blackboards. We can't even arrange for a chair and desk for each student. Some areas in our country don't have schools—we need to build schools. …At this point, we can't even think about installing projectors in the classroom. First let's check kindergarten textbooks, which are tattered and torn. And even if someone wants to donate books, we don't have cupboards to keep them.

Q: Autonomy will reportedly be granted soon for universities. What are your thoughts?

A: President Thein Sein said universities must be autonomous in the near future. That's really reasonable. …There must be academic freedom among students and teachers. Nobody should repress them. That [autonomy] is the main feature of a university. Universities abroad are run this way.

Q: You worked during several eras of Burmese history—from the post-independence era of the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League, to the Burmese Way to Socialism and the so-called State Law and Order Restoration Council of the military regime. Which era was best for academic freedom?

A: The post-independence time, from 1948 to 1962, was best. … As you know, during the era of the Burmese Way to Socialism from 1962 to 1988, and during the military regime's time from 1988 to 2010, academic freedom and the academic atmosphere of the country's education system was degraded.

Q: Do you think the present government can raise education standards to former post-independence levels?

A: They have to try really hard. In the past there were issues like a three-month academic year, a six-month academic year, and students being allowed to pass exams even though they weren't qualified because there was a fear of student-led uprisings.

Q: Can you talk more about your experience as an educator under the military regime?

A: A lot of universities were opened to prevent the gathering of many students [at a single university]. Universities were moved to the outskirts of towns to prevent students from demonstrating. Dormitories were abolished, also to prevent student gatherings. … Students had to spend hours on buses to get to class, and they did not have enough time to study or read books in the libraries.

Q: What was the education standard under former dictator Ne Win?

A: He [Ne Win] made mistakes and manipulated educational affairs, pretending that he understood everything. He was the one who separated the studies of arts and sciences. Before, it was only at university level that arts and sciences were separated. Starting from the days of Ne Win, when arts and science subjects were separated, fewer students studied arts subjects in high school. It was his mistake.

Q: Ne Win didn't seek advice from scholars to shape education policy?

A: No. Ne Win opposed three main things. First, he was anti-politics, but he took part in politics. Second, he was anti-intellectual. Third, he was anti-democracy. It's my impression that nothing could be implemented during his time, and the country became poor while the people tried to carry out his orders.

Ne Win was even pessimistic about Min Thu Wun's [U Wun] work to create a Burmese dictionary. He often compared U Wun to a loaf of broad that had not been baked properly. This upset U Wun, who confided in me. … I told him not to get discouraged by the words of Ne Win, who knew nothing, and to only suffer if an intellect like Saya Zawgyi [Thein Han, a distinguished writer and scholar] criticized him. …When Dr Hla Han became education minister, he told Ne Win that he was not skilled in educational affairs and urged Ne Win to appoint someone else. Dr Hla Han sought help from Dr Nyi Nyi [former deputy minister of education] and me, appointing us to important positions. But Ne Win was very influential over us, and we couldn't implement anything as we wished.

Q: Now that you have retired from the Education Ministry, some organizations are seeking your assistance to develop Burma's education system. Do you have plans to cooperate with them?

A: I will, of course, cooperate if it's in the interest of our country. … Last year, I went to Budapest, Hungary, to attend a meeting there and discuss education with [George] Soros, an American tycoon who runs OSI [the Open Society Institute, now the Open Society Foundations]. I have been cooperating with OSI to review the education sector in Burma. Whenever the NLD [the National League for Democracy] holds educational meetings, I also attend if they invite me. … I help them because it is for the good of our country.

Japan’s ANA To Buy 49 Pct In Burma’s Asian Wings Airways

Posted: 26 Aug 2013 10:16 PM PDT

Inside the domestic terminal at Rangoon's international airport. (Photo: Simon Roughneen / The Irrawaddy)

TOKYO — Japan’s ANA Holdings Inc will buy a 49 percent stake in Burma carrier Asian Wings Airways as part of a strategy to expand overseas by investing in airline related businesses, an industry source familiar with the agreement said.

ANA will pay US$30.45 million for the stake, the Nikkei business daily reported earlier. The two carriers may announce the deal later Tuesday, the source said on condition he was not identified.

Rangoon-based Asian Wings, which began flying in 2011, operates three turboprop ATR 72 regional aircraft and one Airbus A321 on domestic flights in Burma. The airline plans to begin international service in October with a flight between Rangoon and Chiang Mai, Thailand, the Nikkei said.

A spokesman for the Japanese carrier declined to comment on the reports, saying it had not announced the acquisition. ANA resumed flights between Tokyo and Rangoon last October after a 12-year hiatus.

ANA last year raised $1.6 billion in a share offering to fund purchases in airline related businesses focused in Asia. The company this year established an investment firm in Singapore to coordinate its acquisitions.

ANA acquired Pan Am Holdings from fund American Capital Ltd for $139 million in July, giving it ownership of Pan Am International Flight Academy, a pilot training school.

In addition to leasing aircraft to Asian Wings, ANA may also provide training to its pilots, the Nikkei said.

Order Restored After Fresh Burma Religious Unrest

Posted: 26 Aug 2013 10:43 PM PDT

Security officials gather on Sunday, after members of a 1,000-strong Buddhist mob torched dozens of homes and shops in Htan Gone village, Sagaing Division, in this photo published by Ye Htut, the deputy minister of information. (Photo: Ye Htut / Facebook)

HTAN KONE – Authorities restored order in Burma's northern Sagaing Division on Sunday after a Buddhist mob set fire to nearly two dozen Muslim-owned buildings and attacked rescue workers in the latest widening of sectarian violence in the former military-run state.

About 1,000 Buddhists, some carrying sticks and swords, attacked Muslim villagers in remote Htan Kone late on Saturday, destroying at least 20 homes and shops, according to witnesses and a government statement.

Police and soldiers arrived later and fired into the air to disperse the crowd, they said.

The violence in the rugged region about 665 km (410 miles) from the commercial capital, Rangoon, shows how far anti-Muslim anger has spread in the Buddhist-dominated country following spasms of unrest in northeastern Lashio in May, central Meikhtila in March and western Arakan State last year.

The Ministry of Information said the unrest followed the attempted rape of a Buddhist woman by a Muslim man on Saturday. After the man was detained, about 150 villagers and three Buddhist monks gathered at the police station, demanding he be handed over to them, it said.

When the police refused, the mob rioted, destroying Muslim homes, throwing rocks at police and attacking firemen before authorities restored order by 3:30 am on Sunday, the ministry said.

Police sergeant Win Nyi told Reuters 12 people from the mob had been arrested. A Reuters photographer in Htan Kone said the village was tense on Sunday evening but the violence had subsided.

Witnesses said some Muslims fled to neighboring villages or sheltered in a Muslim school.

Saya Soe, 32, a Muslim villager, said houses were already burning by the time police and soldiers arrived. "The mobs stopped and went away only after midnight when the security forces fired four or five shots into the sky."

Another Muslim resident, Azit Paing, said the cause of the unrest appears to have been an argument between a young Muslim man and a Buddhist woman, but he denied the man attempted to rape the woman.

Clashes between Buddhists and Muslims have threatened to undermine political and economic reforms the government initiated two years ago after half a century of military rule.

More than 200 people have been killed since June last year and 140,000 displaced. The vast majority of victims have been Muslim.

Tomás Ojea Quintana, a UN special rapporteur on human rights, said a 200-strong mob attacked his car during an Aug. 22 visit to the central Burma town of Meikhtila, where a wave of anti-Muslim riots in March killed at least 43 people, destroyed hundreds of homes and displaced thousands.

Presidential spokesman Ye Htut denied Ojea Quintana had been attacked and said the UN envoy mistook the crowd's intentions.

United, Chelsea Draw 0-0 in Premier League

Posted: 26 Aug 2013 10:39 PM PDT

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, left, is challenged by Chelsea's Ramires during their English Premier League football match at Old Trafford in Manchester, northern England, on Aug. 26, 2013. (Photo: Reuters / Phil Noble)

MANCHESTER, England — Wayne Rooney's headline-grabbing presence couldn't inspire Manchester United to victory over Chelsea on Monday as the title rivals played out a dull 0-0 draw in the Premier League's first blockbuster match of the season.

David Moyes marked his first home game in charge of United with the bold selection of Rooney against a club that has twice lodged unsuccessful offers to sign the England striker this summer.

That selection added extra spice to a game that is always eagerly anticipated but, despite a standout performance from Rooney in his first start of the season, neither team created a clear-cut chance in a disappointing stalemate at Old Trafford.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho opted surprisingly to start with no recognized striker, only bringing on Fernando Torres after the 60 minutes, and was happy to leave with a point that keeps his team unbeaten after three matches in his second spell in charge. Chelsea is top of the early standings on seven points.

"I think for us, after two home victories, to come to the champions in their first match at home and get a point, I think it's fine, it's positive," Mourinho said.

Continuing the traditions of his predecessor Alex Ferguson, Moyes fielded an attacking lineup that contained three strikers—including Rooney—but his team lacked the attacking spark that lifted it to a season-opening 4-1 win at Swansea last weekend.

Danny Welbeck wasted the home side's best chance, scooping over from 10 yards out in the second half, but United found Chelsea center backs John Terry and Gary Cahill an impenetrable barrier. It was United's first 0-0 league draw at Old Trafford since 2009.

"I thought if anyone created the chances, it was us," Moyes said. "It was a tight game and we just didn't have the final cross or the final pass tonight. But I thought we played very well."

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Mourinho in the technical area and opposite an overbearing stand bearing Ferguson's name, Moyes was given yet more indications of the size of his daunting task at United.

His decision to start with Rooney, however, showed he will be his own man at United and he was treated to an impressive display from a striker who was serenaded with chants from both sets of fans.

While United supporters belted out "Rooney, Rooney" throughout, Chelsea's traveling contingent replied with: "We'll see you next week" and "Sign him up."

It must have been a strange evening for Rooney, who indicated to United toward the end of last season that he wanted to leave and has been relentlessly—and openly—pursued by Mourinho. He coped well, though.

Neat and tidy throughout in his role behind Robin van Persie, he linked up play well, tracked back, showed a good range of passing and had two shots saved by Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech. In the final moments, Rooney attempted a bicycle kick from eight yards out but he failed to connect.

"He's been great in training and anybody who was watching might have seen a slightly leaner-looking Wayne," Moyes said. "I thought he worked back, he tackled, he chased … I think Wayne has a positive mind at the moment.

"I think his performance tonight said enough."

Robin van Persie has replaced Rooney as the leading striker at United but he had a quiet night up against Terry and Cahill, with a 23rd-minute shot into the side-netting the Dutchman's only real chance.

At the other end, Oscar had two low efforts easily saved by United goalkeeper David de Gea in the first half but Chelsea's counter-attacks were sporadic and ineffective.

Despite fielding a plethora of playmakers and attacking midfielders, Mourinho—strongly linked with the United job before Moyes replaced Alex Ferguson—tellingly chose not to start Juan Mata, who has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge.

The Spain international—one of the league's top performers last season—was on the bench with compatriot Torres, who was introduced on the hour to finally give Chelsea an attacking outlet. But it was United looking slightly more dangerous, Welbeck scooping over the bar when well-placed after receiving Rooney's disguised pass.

Errors remained frequent, though. One five-second passage of play summed the game up, when Torres passed straight to Patrice Evra, who then slid the ball out of play trying to find Van Persie.

In one of the many subplots surrounding the game, John Terry and Rio Ferdinand played against each other for the first time since Terry allegedly racially abused Ferdinand's brother, Anton, in a league match in October 2011. The pair shook hands before kickoff.

Thousands of Filipinos Protest Against Corruption

Posted: 26 Aug 2013 10:34 PM PDT

Demonstrators wear masks depicting pigs during a protest against official corruption at Luneta park in Metro Manila on Aug. 26, 2013, to demand the abolition of a misused fund for legislators' pet projects. (Photo: Reuters / Erik De Castro)

MANILA — Tens of thousands of Filipinos protested in a Manila park Monday, demanding the scrapping of a corruption-tainted development fund that allows lawmakers to allocate government money for projects in their districts.

A government audit released Aug. 16 found that US$141 million of the fund allocated over three years under the previous administration was released to questionable aid groups and ghost projects.

The scandal centered on a powerful businesswoman who allegedly collaborated with lawmakers in channeling some of the funds. She has gone into hiding after she was charged with illegal detention of a whistle-blower. Local media reports of her lavish lifestyle have angered many ordinary taxpayers in the Southeast Asian country where nearly 28 percent of the 97 million people live on a little over a dollar a day.

That prompted calls on social media for Monday's protest in Rizal Park, where more than 100,000 turned out including students, workers, priests and nuns. Police said about 70,000 protesters were at the peak of the rally, which also featured group singing, family picnics and a religious mass before a peaceful dispersal.

Similar protests were held in a dozen other cities across the country, and in New York and other cities where there are concentrations of Filipinos.

Some Manila protesters carried placards saying "Senators, you should be ashamed of yourselves." Others wore pig face masks or shirts calling for the abolition of the fund.

Archbishop of Manila Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle told the cheering crowd that all Filipinos should act in an honorable way. The rally coincides with National Heroes Day.

"Let us also listen to the voice of God, especially in our conscience," Tagle said.

Actress Mae Paner, who wore a pig's snout, a wig and a barrel around her body, said she was joining millions of Filipinos who "want to abolish the pork barrel system in our country."

"We need real change, especially the people who are suffering," said Erika Estacio, a University of the Philippines student. She said if the government's budget was spent properly, her brother who left recently for a better-paying job in Qatar need not have been separated from his 5-year-old daughter.

Impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona, convicted last year by senators for failing to declare $2.4 million in bank accounts, joined the rally but left after being heckled by protesters.

Critics said President Benigno Aquino III's promise Friday to reform the system was not enough, and that all pork barrel funds must be abolished.

Aquino, who has made fighting corruption a centerpiece of his administration, said he has abolished the Priority Development Assistance Fund and will replace it with a system that plugs loopholes that allow for misuse. He said there was nothing "intrinsically wrong" with the system but it has been abused by "a few greedy individuals." He vowed to prosecute those who misuse the fund.

Aquino reiterated his promise during a National Heroes' Day speech.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said money for the abolished fund will now go to specific projects of government agencies.

Under the PDAF system, lump sums were earmarked in the government budget for projects proposed by each lawmaker a year—200 million pesos ($4.6 million) for each senator and 70 million pesos ($1.6 million) for each House of Representatives member. The projects and beneficiaries were identified by the lawmakers after the budget was passed by Congress.

Lacierda said under the new system, no lump sum will be earmarked for legislators, no funds will be channeled to non-government organizations, and the public can monitor the release of the funds through the government's website.

Indonesian Clerics Call for Ban of Miss World

Posted: 26 Aug 2013 10:21 PM PDT

Senior High School students wait for transport to take them home in Padang, West Sumatra province, Indonesia, in 2009. (Photo: Reuters)

JAKARTA — One of Indonesia's most influential Islamic groups is urging the government to cancel the Miss World pageant scheduled for next month, saying the exposure of skin by women in a competition violates Muslim teachings, an official said Monday.

A top-level meeting of clerics was held earlier this month by the Indonesian Ulema Council to respond to protests from some groups over Indonesia's hosting of the event, even after organizers agreed to cut the bikini competition and instead outfit contestants in more conservative sarongs, council chairman Amidan Shaberah said.

"Our position is clear, we reject Indonesia being the host of Miss World," Shaberah said. "Because exposing their bodies in a contest is against Islamic teachings."

The council is an influential Islamic body that often issues fatwas, or edicts, including controversial rulings against smoking and yoga. Though not legally binding, many devoted Muslims follow such decrees because ignoring them is considered a sin.

Shaberah said the council will not officially demand that the government cancel the event, but will instead recommend that it be stopped. The pageant is scheduled to be held partly on the resort island of Bali, with the final round on Sept. 28 near the capital, Jakarta.

"We are not Sharia police, we are not law enforcers," Shaberah said, referring to authorities who enforce Islamic law. "But we suggest the government cancel it."

Adjie S. Soeratmadjie of RCTI, the official broadcaster and local organizer of the event, said the concerns were being heard and that some adjustments were being made to make the pageant more appropriate for Indonesian culture and more like other beauty contests held in the country.

"We understand the position" of the council, Soeratmadjie said. "But the show must go on … we call on the protesters to avoid anarchy and we are sure authorities can maintain security."

He added that Miss Israel had dropped out of the competition, but declined to give the reason. Indonesia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations.

Last week, the hardline Islamic Defenders Front pledged to stage protests across the country to prevent Indonesia from hosting the competition.

"The Miss World pageant is only an excuse to exhibit women's body parts," said its leader, Riziek Shihab. "We are obliged to disband it if the government allows it to be held in any region of Indonesia."

The front has a long record of vandalizing nightspots, hurling stones at Western embassies and attacking rival religious groups. Lady Gaga was forced to cancel her sold-out Indonesia show last year after threats from the group, which branded her a "devil worshipper."

The chairwoman of the Miss World Organization, Julia Morley, earlier confirmed that none of the contestants would wear a bikini.

The pageant began in the 1950s, and the first winner was crowned in a two-piece bathing suit.

Most Muslims in Indonesia, a secular country of 240 million people and the world's most populous Islamic country, are moderate, but a small extremist fringe has become more vocal in recent years.

Cambodian Opposition: Probe Vote Or Face Protests

Posted: 26 Aug 2013 10:01 PM PDT

Sam Rainsy, president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, makes a point as he addresses reporters at his party's headquarters in Phnom Penh earlier this month. (Photo: Reuters / Pring Samrang)

PHNOM PENH — Cambodia opposition leader Sam Rainsy told thousands of supporters on Monday that his party will stage massive protests around the country unless an independent committee begins investigating alleged irregularities in last month’s election.

The rally of more than 10,000 people in the capital Phnom Penh took place as time is beginning to run out for a compromise over the results of the July 28 polls, which are being challenged by Sam Rainsy’s Cambodia National Rescue Party.

Official results give Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People Party 68 National Assembly seats against 55 for the Cambodia National Rescue Party. Sam Rainsy says his party would have won 63 seats if the election was fair.

The state National Election Committee is expected to ratify the results by Sept. 8. Sam Rainsy said the protests would be held before the ratification unless an independent committee to scrutinize the election process is established.

Hun Sen moved troops and armored vehicles into the capital after the opposition first threatened protests several weeks ago, sparking fears of violent clashes. Hun Sen has been in power for 28 years and shown a heavy hand in dealing with his opponents.

The two parties and the election committee have agreed in principle to set up such a body, but have failed to have a working meeting.

The opposition rally was a test of strength, and a chance for Sam Rainsy to rally his supporters, after not staging a major rally in the capital for almost three weeks. Although Hun Sen is in a position to impose his will, a compromise would be in his interests to give his regime legitimacy, especially among Western nations that have raised questions about the fairness of the polls.

Even the 55 seats conceded by the ruling party represents a substantial increase on the 29 seats it held in the last assembly.

While it is virtually impossible that Hun Sen would allow his party’s election victory to be reversed, he could make some concessions to lure the opposition into fulfilling their legislative duties.

These could include an arrangement for opposition leader Sam Rainsy to get an assembly seat. He was barred from running because he was too late to register, because he was in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail term on what he says were political-inspired charges. Hun Sen arranged a pardon for him shortly before the election.

As Monday’s crowd chanted "Win, win," Sam Rainsy told them to look to the nonviolent tactics of India’s pacifist hero Mahatma Gandhi as a model. Civil servants could protest by not going to work, he suggested.

"Please, brothers and sisters, remember that our position is for nonviolence and peace," he said.

"We will not wait for the day that they will announce the results, we will do our protesting before that," Sam Rainsy told the crowd, adding that plans to demonstrate would be set aside if an independent committee for finding "justice" was established.

The opposition’s main complaint alleges the voter registration process failed to properly list possibly more than 1 million people, who were therefore unable to vote. Several nonpartisan poll-watching groups support that claim.

The official popular vote count shows the Cambodian People’s Party receiving 3,235,969 votes and the Cambodia National Rescue Party 2,946,176, with six other parties failing to take enough votes to win any assembly seats.

Hun Sen has said his party might fill all the assembly seats itself if the opposition boycotts the opening of parliament. The opposition says it would be illegal to do so.
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