Democratic Voice of Burma

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• How can Burma halt the spread of religious violence?
• Last of the 30 Comrades dies
• Ministry bans building within Bagan, other heritage sites
• Japan views cooperation on Burma’s railways sector
• Farmers protest flooding caused by fishery dam
• I’m a politician, not a saint, says Suu Kyi

How can Burma halt the spread of religious violence? Posted: 28 Nov 2013 03:34 AM PST More than 200 people have died and 140,000 have been displaced in religious violence over the last year and a half. The violence started in Arakan state in June 2012 between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims. Although many Arakanese Buddhists lost their homes, the majority of the victims were Muslims. Then in Meikhtila last March, mobs of Buddhists torched Muslim homes, businesses and mosques in anti-Muslim violence that spread to other cities all over the country. Amid intensifying religious tensions in Burma, DVB Debate's final episode of the season discusses how to end religious violence. In one of the liveliest debates on the show so far, panelists and guests plea for more law enforcement against hate speech and discrimination. The three-person panel consists of: Buddhist monk from the Saffron Monks Network, Pandavimsa from Shwe Taung Monastery; High Court lawyer Kyaw Nyein; and Buddhist monk and leader of the anti-OIC protests in Rangoon, Parmaukkha of Magwe Monastery. Pandavimsa called for stronger law enforcement to deter rabble-rousers. "The weakness in law enforcement and administration gives the troublemakers their opportunities," he said. "The source of these problems is the incitement of racial hatred," said High Court Attorney Kyaw Nyein. He went on to say that ignorance of the law was not an excuse. Buddhist monk Parmaukka suggested lawmakers should work together to create suitable laws in order to end the violence. "If religious leaders and magistrates work together towards an agreement and submit a legal proposal to parliament, these conflicts will cease," he said. But Dave Mathieson from Human Rights Watch argued that proper enforcement of those laws would be more effective. "It’s not enough just to have a law – you actually have to have the law enforced," he said. Related Stories Religious intolerance, according to the Pali Canon DVB Debate: How prepared is Burma for the SEA Games? DVB Debate: How to tackle Burma's economy "You have to have the police force and the courts to actually enforce and punish people who create hatred and who perpetrate violence against different religions." Presenter Than Win Htut asks if the media could be blamed for escalating violence. Soe Thiha, a journalist from Pyi Myanmar Journal, said that government-run media use derogatory terms for Muslims like "Kalar" to report criminal stories, sparking more hatred. He said most independent media avoid these derogatory terms but agrees some journalists use them to gain popularity with the majority and admits some reporters are extreme nationalists. In the longer debate, Soe Naing from the Democracy and Human Rights Party said if the government accepts Muslims as citizens of the country the problem will be solved. Parmaukkha disagreed. "They are not accepted because Muslims don't respect Burma's laws and they sneak into the country as illegal migrants," he said. One of the leaders of the anti-OIC protests, he insisted the issue is not about human rights but about being true to the country. Parmaukkha brought up the issue of underage and forced marriage. "Some religions force underage women into marriage and forcibly convert them," he said. But Kyaw Nyein rebutted that underage marriage ended a long time ago in Burma, and said the creation of such misinformation has led to distrust between religious communities. "Misinformation such as blaming one religious group for all rape cases has led to this conflict, he said." This is the last DVB Debate until the new year. But you can watch the full episode and all the others from the season in Burmese at DVB Debate.com. And you can still join the debate by commenting on our website at dvb.no

Last of the 30 Comrades dies Posted: 28 Nov 2013 03:11 AM PST Ye Htut, the last remaining member of Burma's revered 30 Comrades, passed away peacefully at the Thuka Kabar Special Clinic in Rangoon on 27 November, aged 92. The 30 Comrades were trained in Japan to fight against British rule during World War II. Among them were Ne Win, who went on to be a military dictator; and Aung San, who was the architect of Burmese independence and father of Aung San Suu Kyi. Ye Htut was born in Rangoon's Tamwe township on 25 February 1922 to Bo Lwin and Saw Shin. His name at birth was Aung Thein. He graduated from Kandawlay Municipal School where he made a name for himself as a protest organiser and students' union leader between 1938-40. Recruited as one of the 30 Comrades, Ye Htut left for military training in Japan on 13 April 1941. He was appointed commander of the Burma Independence Army's 3rd Brigade, then 1st Brigade commander in the Burma Defence Army, before being made director of the General Administration Department of the Burmese Army in 1944-45. Related Stories Burma calls on UN to respect its sovereignty Ne Win's grandson urges govt to free more prisoners, including convicts Gen Aung San image to appear on Burmese banknotes After fighting the British and their allies, Ye Htut and the Burmese Army then took up arms against the Japanese occupiers. After the war, he became a member of the Leftist Unity Council and went underground with his unit in 1948. He was involved in armed struggle once again as a leading figure in the Burma Communist Party between 1951 and 1963. Ye Htut became an advisor to the Burma Socialist Programme Party in 1964, and was a member of the Constitution Drafting Commission in 1973. He was purged from office in 1974. During his long military career, Ye Htut was awarded the Medal for Gallantry (second class), the Medal for Revolution, the Medal for Independence, Mawgunwin (first class) and Naingngan Gonyi (first class).

Ministry bans building within Bagan, other heritage sites Posted: 28 Nov 2013 02:08 AM PST Burma's Ministry of Culture has warned that the unauthorised construction of buildings in any of 46 cultural heritage zones will be punished by law. An announcement by the ministry in state-run newspapers on Wednesday said that the construction of residential buildings, fences, hotels and roads or land plotting within the designated heritage zones would henceforth require permission from the ministry. The 46 cultural heritage zones include not only the famous historical temples of Bagan but other religious and historical sites around the country – in Mandalay, Rangoon, Magwe, Sagaing, Irrawaddy and Tenasserim divisions, and Karen, Arakan and Shan states. Related Stories Burma's ancient temple city faces modern danger Burma's 'tallest man' heads to Singapore for medical treatment Mobile libraries bring books to rural communities The cultural heritage zones have been recognised and demarcated since 1998. When asked why the ministry is only now announcing the conservation plan, the director of the Department of Historical Research, Zaw Zaw Tun, said, "We are making the announcement now because an increasing number of people are being tricked into buying plots within the cultural zones without realising that construction is prohibited." However, Min Naing, a representative of the Organisation for Conservation and Development of the Bagan Cultural Heritage Zone, said that hotels had been constructed in the heritage zone of Wet Kyi Inn near Bagan, while the authorities turned a blind eye. "An official regulation prohibits construction of structures higher than 29ft in the heritage zones, however hotels are being constructed in Watgyinn's ward-7 and the authorities are not doing a thing about it," said Min Naing, adding that there might be "another reason" why the authorities are letting it happen.

Japan views cooperation on Burma’s railways sector Posted: 27 Nov 2013 11:48 PM PST Japan and Burma are looking to build upon their historical relationship on railways cooperation with both premiers scheduled to discuss the topic at an upcoming Japan-ASEAN summit in December. Speaking at a ceremony to mark a donation of railroad equipment to Burma, Ichiro Maruyama, the deputy chief of mission at the Japanese embassy in Rangoon, said cooperation on Burma's railway sector will be one of the main points on the agenda when the two leaders meet in Japan next month. "President Thein Sein is travelling to Japan in December to attend the Japan-ASEAN summit," he said. "Discussions over cooperation in Burma's railways system will be a focal point of any bilateral meeting." Maruyama said that Japan's prime minister and transport minister also broached the subject during their visit to Burma earlier this year. Related Stories Japan on stand-by as ITD dumped from Dawei project Dawei SEZ on hold as Burma seeks to reassure Ital-Thai Karen language proposal gets green light in Tenasserim Burma's Transportation Minister Than Htay confirmed that Japan had signaled its intention to help on railways during their meeting in April. "Ever since then, the Japanese government, including the land, construction, transportation and travel ministers, plus the Japan International Cooperation Agency and Japanese businesspeople, have held regular meetings with the [Burmese] Ministry of Railway Transportation and the Myanmar Railway Enterprise," said Than Htay. Burma has been receiving loans and assistance from Japan to maintain its railway system since 1962. During that time, train engines, carriages, railway tracks and other machinery have been replaced. In 1982 and 1984, the Ministry of Railway Transportation received a loan of over ¥123 billion (US$1.2 billion) from the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund. The Japanese government has recently provided technology to repair the railroad between Rangoon and Pegu as a precursor to a project to improve safety on the railroad between Rangoon and Mandalay and other related services. Japan has also exported dozens of railway renovation materials to Burma, and has provided training to Burmese railways staff.   The news about the moves to enhance cooperation on the railways sector comes at a time of renewed Japanese interest in the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in southern Burma. Several Japanese companies have already committed to investments and factories at the Thilawa SEZ close to Rangoon, and speculation is high that Japan may take over as majority shareholder on the Dawei project in the wake of a joint-governmental decision by Bangkok and Naypyidaw to release Italian-Thai pcl from its contract as the main contractor at the SEZ.

Farmers protest flooding caused by fishery dam Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:27 PM PST Footage by Pyae Phyo More than 100 farmers in Irrawaddy division's Henzada township say they will take legal action against a local fishery company. The farmers claim that the firm's operations cause extensive flooding during the monsoon season every year. "It happens every year – we have to salvage the rice paddy and it is spoiled, so nobody will pay a decent price," said farmer Maung Naing from Tharsi. "And because the government's irrigation channel is blocked – all the water from the dam ends up inundating our farms." Myo Myint, a resident from Tharsi village-tract's Thabawa village, said complaints previously made by the locals regarding the fisheries were ignored, in no small part due to the fact that village and township administrators in the region are also fishery operators. Related Stories 23 farmers sued for 'trespassing' on their own land Military land grabs leave farmers in despair Magwe rice paddies destroyed by floodwaters "We have submitted lists every year to the township administrators detailing the destruction and the losses we have suffered, but they always deny receiving the list – this is probably because the chief township administrator himself is a fishery owner," he said. On 25 November, people from the three village-tracts of Tharsi, Kyaungwin and Thongwa marched to the township administration office holding placards espousing their six demands. Kyaw Thet Oo, a member of civic society organisation, Human Rights Defenders and Promoters, outlined the demands. "The farmers are calling for the necessary financial assistance; for the Suttaya Khanwegyi Dam fishery project to be shut down; to take legal action against village administrator and fishery operator Ngwe Thein for violation of operation regulations; to improve the drain system for better water flow; to take action against concerned government departments for failing to carry out timely measures; and to postpone the agricultural loan deadline for the farmers who lost their crops," he said. However, the township's authorities told DVB they are planning to build a new irrigation channel for the farms. In the meantime, the farmers continue to lose out as another monsoon season passes and spoilt crops are left behind.

I’m a politician, not a saint, says Suu Kyi Posted: 27 Nov 2013 08:12 PM PST Speaking at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Australia on Wednesday, Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi distanced herself once again from human rights while reiterating her political goals. “Let me assure you, I’m no saint,” she told the Sydney audience. "I look upon myself as a politician, not as an icon.” The National League for Democracy leader went on to say that those in her line of work did not always get a good rap. “Politicians are politicians, but I do believe that there is such a thing as an honest politician and I aspire to that,” she said. Asked what her plan for Burma was, Suu Kyi replied simply: “Unity.” Related Stories Constitution written to prevent me from being president, says Suu Kyi Suu Kyi arrives in Australia NLD request quadripartite talks on constitution And with regard to violence and conflict in her home country, the Nobel laureate said, “I do believe in confrontation – across the table.” Suu Kyi arrived in Sydney on Wednesday for a five-day trip to Australia which will include visits to Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, and talks with Prime Minister Tony Abbot and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Ahead of attending a session at the Lowy Institute, Suu Kyi spoke at Sydney Opera House where she also received two honorary degrees.

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