Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma


Federalism debate fractures Burma’s armed ethnic groups

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 08:14 AM PDT

Burma's armed ethnic groups have fallen out over how to develop a federal union in the former military dictatorship, resulting in two rival conferences to discuss plans to end decades of civil conflict.

Inside sources say that a split has emerged between "hard-liners" and those who favour compromising with the government to amend the military-drafted 2008 constitution, which currently grants Naypyidaw control over ethnic minority territories.

The dispute has contributed to a major rift in Burma's ethnic movement, culminating in Burma's leading ethnic umbrella group, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), severing ties with the multi-ethnic Working Group for Ethnic Coordination (WGEC), which was set up to coordinate negotiations with Naypyidaw, in June.

The UNFC is currently hosting an ethnic nationalities conference in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, to discuss federalism and strategies for political dialogue. Meanwhile, the WGEC is planning a similar event in mid-August, which analysts say might "cause confusion" among the ethnic populations.

Some ethnic representatives are reportedly concerned that the working group's donor, the Brussels-based Euro-Burma Office (EBO), which coordinates with the controversial Myanmar Peace Support Initiative, wants them to join the government under the current constitution. UNFC spokesperson, Khun Okkar, confirmed to DVB that they were "cautious" about the EBO's agenda.

"We haven't heard of the EBO directly pressuring ethnic groups – the EBO has no political mandate – however, they can indirectly pressure them … such as by discreetly advising them to work within the government's framework to change the constitution," he said.

The UNFC has consistently called for the 2008 constitution to be re-written outside of parliament and for the government to agree on a timeframe for political dialogue. But the government has demanded that ethnic groups make amendments within Burma's existing legal framework, which would require the support of 75 percent of the military-dominated legislature.

"It is our challenge, but we must struggle to change the 2008 constitution," the UNFC's technical team leader, Mahn Mahn, told DVB. "If you go inside the parliament you cannot change or establish a new constitution."

But Harn Yawnghwe, Director of the EBO, insists that ethnic groups have to take a more pragmatic approach. "Everybody wants a federal union, but if you look at it realistically this government has a mandate only until 2015," he said. "There is no way you can get agreement on a complete federal union before 2015, but there are steps you can begin to take in that direction."

"You are negotiating with a government, which is in power because of this constitution. So there's no way of getting around accepting this government if you want to talk to them, and there's no way of getting around accepting this constitution if you want to talk to them."

The WGEC and the UNFC fell out in recent months over who should lead political negotiations with the government. The former wanted to establish a multi-ethnic negotiating team, while the latter says it already has one. Both groups say the other has no mandate to lead discussions.

There is also growing internal discord within ethnic groups, including the Karen, Kachin and Chins. According to Yawnghwe, exiled political activists have largely sided with the UNFC, while members inside Burma have backed the working group.

But he attributed the rift to "rumours" and "confusion" over the negotiating process. He added that ethnic groups should press the government to agree to "transitional measures" before 2015 and obtain guarantees that talks will continue after the next general election.

"As a bargaining power, armed groups can say – and I agree with them – that there's no way they'll give up their arms until 2015, because there's no guarantee that anything will happen, but after 2015 they can start thinking about how to demobilise and integrate into the army."

Both the WGEC, which first met in February 2012, and the UNFC have worked together to develop a common framework for negotiating the peace process. It includes plans to hold a second Panglong conference in 2014, where mechanisms for constitutional reform and self-determination will be discussed.

However, no definitive timeframe has been decided between the two groups, or the government, and Khun Okkar insists that constitutional change must be formally agreed upon before the next general election.

"It would be a loss for us if the current government only adopted the framework, but never reached a decision – we cannot let that happen," said Khun Okkar. "So we must have a decision that favours our approach before 2015."

The first Panglong agreement – negotiated in 1947 by Burma's nationalist hero, Aung San – guaranteed ethnic minorities political autonomy and paved the way for the country's independence. Its provisions are largely seen as prerequisites to ending Burma's myriad ethnic conflicts, which have plagued the country for decades.

"We believe that without any political agreement, even if we sign a nationwide ceasefire it will have no meaning," said Mahn Mahn.

President Thein Sein recently reiterated his commitment to signing a national peace accord within "a matter of weeks". Some representatives from the government's negotiating team, including its leader Aung Min, have said that constitutional change and federalism are not completely off the agenda.

"Everything will be open for discussion at the national dialogue," said the chairperson of the government-backed Myanmar Peace Centre, Min Zaw Oo.

But many have questioned the government's sincerity, amid reports that land grabs and mass displacement are on the rise in Burma's border regions. The Burmese army has yet to withdraw troops from minority areas and ethnic leaders say most of the government's promises remain unfulfilled.

Activists slam Chinese pipeline as project goes operational

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 04:41 AM PDT

As natural gas began flowing from Burma's western coast to energy-hungry China earlier this week, activists from NGOs claim that local populations are still being sidelined by the project's developers.

The watchdog group Myanmar-China Pipeline Watch Committee is calling on the Burmese government to renegotiate the contract in order to provide the state with a higher percentage of the pipeline's profits.

During a press conference in Mandalay on Sunday, the activists called on the government to provide citizens who have had their land appropriated by the project with proper compensation.

The committee also asked for increased transparency with regards to the use of the profits from the project, and they encouraged the government to direct the funds towards development in rural areas.

The activists added that they were concerned about the pipeline’s environmental and safety record.

China has signaled that their officials will be keeping a close eye on their southern neighbor as the pipeline goes operational and Burma continues to reach each to western countries after decades of international isolation.

Earlier this month, the Burmese government forced the controversial Chinese-backed copper mine in Latpadaung to hand over a larger share of it profits to the Burmese state.

The renegotiated contract came after extensive protests from local population, who claimed that thousands of acres of their land had been commandeered by the mine without compensation.

 

‘Student army’ to join uprising’s anniversary ceremonies in Rangoon

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 04:28 AM PDT

Members from the All-Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) are planning to travel to Rangoon next month to attend the 25th anniversary of the 8888 uprising.

The commemoration of the nationwide uprisings and general strike that kicked off in 1988 will include exile activists and members of the rebel army for the first time.

The ABSDF's spokesperson Sunny said the group was planning to stage a presentation about its 25 years of armed struggle along with a discussion about the group's political objectives.

The spokesperson says that although the group has yet to achieve its key goals, including national reconciliation and the promulgation of a new constitution, the ABSDF remains committed to working toward their objectives amid the ongoing reform process in Burma.

"Changes happening today can be regarded as an inception – from here, we are working to create better opportunities to place the country on the right path to move forward," said Sunny.

Students formed the ABSDF after a series of military engineered crackdowns killed more than 3,000 people during a general uprising against Ne Win's dictatorship in 1988.

During its peak in the 1990s, the student army had thousands of regular members and waged a guerrilla campaign against government forces largely from the mountains of Karen and Kachin state.

The ABSDF has been linked with the ethnic resistant movements since its formation in 1988; however, the group has only fraction of the membership it once enjoyed in the early 1990s.

In May, ABSDF representatives held preliminary talks with government peace negotiators in Rangoon, where they discussed a potential ceasefire and commencing a political dialogue between Naypyidaw and the rebel group.

Monsoon rains inundate eastern Karen state

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 01:48 AM PDT

Thousands of residents in Karen state have been relocated to shelters as fresh flooding continues to inundate Burma's eastern borderlands.

According to locals living in Myawaddy along the Thai border, five residential areas in the town have been swamped by the Moei River's rising tide.

More than 10,000 of the town's residents have been evacuated from their homes and are now being provided with shelter at Buddhist monasteries located on higher ground, reported the Karen National Union (KNU)'s Major Saw Leh Mu who is stationed at a liaison office in Myawaddy.

"Ward-5 is now no longer accessible with small cars. Houses located on the low ground have been inundated, which is forcing residents to grab their belongings and flee," said Saw Leh Mu.

Homes near the river's banks were reportedly swept away, while wards 2 and 5 that are located on low-lying ground have experienced heavy flooding as monsoon rains continue to soak the area.

According to officials, the flooding has effectively halted trade that flows from the eastern border into inland Burma.

On the opposite side of the river in Thailand's Mae Sot, the overflowing Moei River has forced the personnel at Mae Tao clinic to begin relocating their patients and evacuating their facilities.

"The water has been rising for the past two days – we have had flooding in the past but not at this level," said Gay Paw, who works at the clinic.

Currently, all of Mae Sot's schools have been closed along with the markets and factories located near to the river.

According to reports from Thai agencies, the flooding in the area is the worst in ten years.

In Karen state's capital Hpa-an to the west of Myawaddy, residents in the town's wards 1 and 2 have also been forced to flee their homes and take shelter at local monasteries as the Salween River's waters flood the city, while officials briefly evacuated the local hospital in nearby Hlaingbwe town.

In Burma, the seasonal monsoon, which is responsible for a vast majority of the flooding in the region, typically kicks off in late May and dries up by the end of October.

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Group Calls for Overhaul of Repressive, Antiquated Prostitution Law

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 08:53 AM PDT

Burmese girls prepare for work at a massage parlor in the Chinese border town of Jiegao. (Photo: Getty Images)

RANGOON — A sex workers' rights group is calling on Burma's government to reform a 60-year-old prostitution law in order to decriminalize the practice, end harassment of sex workers and provide them with better health care access.

The Sex Workers in Myanmar Network (SWIM) called for an overhaul of the antiquated law during a two-day meeting in Rangoon, where some 80 sex workers from across Burma had gathered to learn about their rights, prevention of abuse and safe sex practices.

"Our current law has oppressed sex workers, not protected them. The government needs to reform this law," said Hnin Hnin Yu, SWIM's chairperson.

"We found that some sex workers were arrested at hotels after they provided sex services, or they were arrested on the street while officers pretended to be customers," she said.

Burma's Suppression of Prostitution Act 1949 provides punishments for sex work, soliciting or keeping brothels, making it one of most repressive laws on sex work in the region.

A 2012 UN study, said penalties for soliciting sex work in Burma "may include imprisonment for between one year and three years, and female sex workers may be detained in a 'prescribed center.'"

Burmese sex workers, the study found, "are subject to extortion, arrest and incarceration which is continual and systematic," adding that sex workers are also vulnerable to contracting HIV/Aids because of a "lack of access to safe workplaces and lack of access to services."

Burma has one of the highest HIV/Aids rates in Southeast Asia and SWIM called on the government to do more to protect sex workers' health and introduce better care for HIV-positive workers.

"Sex workers need medical treatment to protect their health and they have a right to be protected if they are being abused," said Hnin Hnin Yu.

Government health clinics only provide antiretroviral (ARV) medication to HIV-positive patients if they live in one place for an extended period of time, she said, explaining that HIV-positive sex workers often struggle to get treatment as their job requires them to frequently move to different parts of the country.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that less than 20 percent of HIV-positive sex workers in Burma are able receive ARV drugs.

SWIM was formed in 2011 and this week's workshop was co-sponsored by UNAIDS and Australian public health organization the Burnet Institute Myanmar. Several dozen civil society organizations also attended the event.

Hnin Hnin Yu urged the government and Burmese society to end discrimination of sex workers and recognize their rights, saying they are among the most vulnerable and poor women in the country.

"No one wants to be a sex worker unless they are hungry for food. Many women became sex workers because their families are going hungry," she said.

However, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Brig-Gen Kyaw Kyaw Tun told Parliament earlier this month that the government was not planning to amend the Suppression of Prostitution Act.

He said authorities had prosecuted people in 1,956 prostitution cases in 2011, 3,226 cases in 2012 and 640 cases so far this year.

The minister was replying to questions by lawmaker San Thar Min, who has been advocating for an overhaul of the repressive law.

San Thar Min told participants during the workshop on Tuesday that she would keep pushing for an amendment of the act. "I will continue to address this issue. The people have the right to gain protection and right to health care," she said.

Fiber Fix Brings Burma’s Internet Back Up to Speed

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 08:38 AM PDT

A map of the subsea Internet cable SEA-ME-WE-3 and its landing points around the world. Burma is No. 21. (Photo: Creative Commons)

A problem with the on-land fiber optic cable near the Irrawaddy delta city of Pyapon was to blame for recent severely slowed Internet connections that left Burmese netizens gasping for bits of digital air for more than a week.

According to Myo Swe, chief engineer of the Information and Technology Department at Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), repairs were completed early Tuesday evening. Over the next two days, MPT will carry out additional tests to ensure that the Internet is back up to its regular speed.

MPT is currently the sole provider of telecommunications services in Burma.

Previous announcements from MPT had stated that the undersea fiber optic cable known as SEA-ME-WE-3, Burma's only undersea Internet link, was damaged off the coast of Irrawaddy Division on July 21. But international Internet engineers contacted by The Irrawaddy over the last couple of days said no outages were seen on the international cable, and on Tuesday MPT confirmed that the problem was located in the ground fiber cable 2.5 miles from Pyapon.

The MPT official said the state-owned company did not know how the cable was damaged, but once damaged it was only able to transmit 40 percent of its usual capacity.   Technicians and engineers from MPT carried out all of the repair work.

China Unicom and MPT recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bring one more subsea Internet connection into Burma. Together they plan to build a link from the undersea fiber optic cable known as SEA-ME-WE-5 to Mandalay and up into China.

On the whole, Internet speeds in Burma remain relatively slow compared with connection rates worldwide. The Internet penetration rate for Burma in 2011 stood at less than 1 percent of the population, according to the OpenNet Initiative, although these rates perhaps do not fully account for all usage at local Internet cafes.

Burma’s Parliament Approves Anti-Corruption Bill

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 05:31 AM PDT

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

Burma's Parliament has approved an anti-corruption bill, almost a year after it was first proposed and reviewed by the legislature.

The bill was approved with a slight majority of votes during the legislature's session on Friday, despite some objections from President Thein Sein, with 291 votes in support and 211 votes against.

Once ratified, the law will require all officials in the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government to declare their assets, and those found to be corrupt will be charged by an anti-corruption commission. The law will also require members of the anti-corruption commission to declare their assets, a provision opposed by the president.

"I agree with the MPs suggestion that the commissioners must declare their assets," Thein Nyunt, a lawmaker from the Lower House representing the New National Democracy Party, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday.

The declaration of assets was a subject of great debate among lawmakers last year, when a member of the country's main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) raised the proposal.

Burma is widely considered to be one of the world's most corrupt countries. Despite public outcry over corruption, bribery is often employed as a tool for securing key project tenders or winning legal battles.

"Our country's law enforcement must be effective—it is a priority," said Khin Maung Swe, chairman of the National Democratic Force. "Action should be taken regardless of race, religion or rank."

He said graft had deep roots in the government but became worse after the 1962 military coup.

"It is important to change the people's mindset and create an environment where people can be freed from bribery," he said.

Last month, Burma's Vice President Sai Mauk Kham called for greater anti-corruption efforts during a workshop in Naypyidaw to promote transparency.

"Much needs to be done to actually implement the law," said Phone Myint Aung, a lawmaker from the Upper House.

According to the 2008 Constitution, lawmakers are not required to follow the president's recommendations when approving a bill.

Floods in Karen State Displace More Than 7,000

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 02:59 AM PDT

Hlaing Bwe town in Karen State was severely flooded on Monday. (Photo: Nandakyawthu Soe / Facebook)

Heavy rains have caused flooding along the Salween River in southern Burma's Karen State and more than 7,000 people have evacuated to higher ground, local officials said on Monday.

Authorities in Hpa-an and Myawaddy districts said the river had burst its banks and inundated large parts of Hpa-an, Hlaing Bwe, Kyar Inn Seik Kyi, Myawaddy, Paing Kyone and Kyondo townships.

About 30 relief camps have been set up on higher ground in order to provide shelter to 7,795 people whose homes have been flooded, according to officials.

Karen State Social Affairs Minister Chit Hlaing said water levels in the Salween had risen rapidly and passed danger levels this weekend. "The water level now is at over 850 cm and has gone beyond the danger mark," he told The Irrawaddy.

"We are currently taking care of flood victims with all our means. We have more than 10 million kyat [US$ 10,000] leftover funds from last year's donations. We provide each of them with a small amount of rice and egg rations. We have also opened clinics in the camps to care for their health," Chit Hlaing said.

From Saturday to Sunday, water levels in the Salween River rose rapidly, increasing with 49 cm in just 24 hours, government newspaper The New Light of Myanmar reported, adding that on Sunday water level were already 4 cm above danger levels.

The Meteorology and Hydrology Department warned that water levels would continue to rise until Tuesday, as heavy rains continue.

On Monday night, new 24-hour rainfall records were set in Kawkareik Township, Karen State, and in Monghsat Township, Shan State, which received 10.94 inches and 5.04 inches of rain, respectively, the newspaper reported.

The heavy rain and flooding have reportedly resulted in closure of some schools in Hpa-an Township and landslides along the roads through the Dawna mountain range, which connect the towns of Myawaddy and Kawkareik.

"We are now taking necessary measures to clear the road, which was blocked by landslides, while also taking care of food for flood victims in our area," said Tint Wai Thon, the administrator of Myawaddy District on the Burma-Thailand border, where nine camps have been established.

In the meantime, thousands of people in Thai border town Mae Sot, located opposite Myawaddy, have been evacuated due to flooding of the Thaung Yin (Moei) River.

Thai newspaper The Nation reported that flooding in Mae Sot district was the worst in 20 years. It said Burma-Thailand border trade in the area had been halted for four days, leading to a loss of business worth US$40 million.

Farmers’ Efforts to File Case against Ex-Aide of Military Strongman Denied

Posted: 29 Jul 2013 11:47 PM PDT

Maj-Gen Soe Shein, third left, holds the arm of Snr-Gen Than Shwe in Shanghai in 2010. (Photo: Reuters)

Local authorities in Naypyidaw's Lewe Township have yet to open a legal case against a general who allegedly threatened a group of farmers at gunpoint early this month, according to the would-be plaintiffs.

Maj-Gen Soe Shein—once the personal assistant to Burma's former military supremo Snr-Gen Than Shwe and currently serving at the Ministry of Defense—arrived at farmland in the village of Intaingtha in Lewe on July 5 and demanded that farmers there leave immediately.

"He aimed his pistol at us and said he would shoot if we didn't leave the farmland right away," Aung Than Oo, a farmer working at the time the general made the threat, told The Irrawaddy. "So, two of my workers and I got scared and ran. We even forgot to grab our rice packs."

The farmers later went to the local police station in Intaingtha but were denied the opportunity to file a case and were told to instead submit it directly to the township court, according to another farmer who accompanied them. The court also refused to take the complaint and asked the men to go to the township police station, where they faced another rejection, he said.

"We tried to file the case at the local police station for two days but were not successful," the farmer said. "We went to the court but were not allowed to do so because we didn't have any authorized letter. We even went to the office of the national police chief located in Naypyidaw, which didn't do anything and [authorities] only recommended that we go back to the Lewe police station."

Sandar Min, a member of the Lower House of Parliament from Naypyidaw's Zabuthiri Township, told The Irrawaddy that the farmers had come to see her after their attempt to file a case against Soe Shein had failed. The parliamentarian said she drafted a complaint letter and suggested that the accusers send it to Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of Burma's armed forces.

"Since they were denied by police stations, I asked them to submit a complaint letter to Min Aung Hlaing for further action," said Sandar Min, adding that if no action was taken within two weeks, she would continue to work on the case.

On July 11, Soe Shein told the Myanmar Times newspaper that he had repeatedly warned farmers not to cultivate his land.

"I'm always warning them not to [cultivate the land]," he told the Myanmar Times. "I own that land officially. But they kept doing it so we wanted to intimidate them a little bit."

Aung Than Oo contends that the land in dispute, where the farmers have worked for about 20 years, belongs to him and others. Personal aides of Soe Shein came and marked the land months ago and told the farmers cultivating it that the general would buy it, he said.

"They said they would give 150,000 kyat [US$150] per acre for my land and 300,000 [kyat] per acre for the land next to mine," recalled Aung Than Oo. "They also said we can ask for more when Soe Shein comes. So, we agreed and a date was set in June for selling our land but they never showed up on that day. Instead, they came later and planted plum trees on it without our knowledge."

He added that although farmers have worked the land for generations, they did not have any evidence to prove their ownership.

Burma’s Press Council to Submit Bill to Lower House

Posted: 29 Jul 2013 11:37 PM PDT

Journals for sale in Rangoon. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Burma's interim Press Council will try to bypass the government and submit its press bill directly to Parliament, following uneasy negotiations over the bill with the Ministry of Information.

Press Council member Zaw Thet Htwe said arrangements were being made to submit the bill during the current Parliament session with the help of an acting lawmaker.

The Press Council, an interim body comprised mostly of Burmese journalists and some government-appointed members, met last Wednesday in Naypyidaw with officials from the Ministry of Information and lawmakers from the Lower House's committee on sports, culture and public relations development. They discussed the bill, which aims to define reporters' rights, promote media ethics and boost overall press freedom for journalists and journal publishers.

"We mainly discussed the 17 points from the media bill, drafted by us, that the Ministry of Information disagrees with," Zaw Thet Htwe, a sports journalist, told The Irrawaddy. "Because the Ministry of Information doesn't agree with those points, it will not submit the bill to the Lower House. So we decided to submit the bill via a certain lawmaker or certain committee."

He declined to specify which lawmaker or committee would assist the Press Council, but said the 17 points under contention would soon be announced to the public.

Ye Htut, the deputy minister of information and President Thein Sein's spokesman, could not be reached for comment. In recent weeks he has said that 17 points of the Press Council's bill failed to meet international standards and that without amendments, the ministry would not be able to submit the bill to the Lower House for consideration.

Also on Wednesday, prior to the meeting with ministry officials, members of the Press council reportedly met with the Upper House's deputy speaker and lawmakers from the bill committee.

Parliament is also considering another media bill, known as the Printing and Publishing Enterprise Bill, which focuses on Burma's publishing industry. The bill was passed by the Lower House but has been criticized by press freedom watchdogs because it grants the ministry broad powers to issue and revoke publication licenses.

Press Council members have threatened to resign if the Upper House passes the publishing bill in its current form. In the meeting last week in Naypyidaw, they reportedly asked ministry officials to amend a provision in the bill that calls for the creation of a "registration officer" in the ministry who controls licensing.

Palaung Rebels Set for Peace Talks With Government

Posted: 29 Jul 2013 11:27 PM PDT

TNLA soldiers are seen on the frontlines in this photo posted on July 7, 2013. (Photo: TNLA / Facebook)

A rebel group representing the minority ethnic Palaung in northern Shan State says it will hold peace talks with the government this week.

The Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF), the political wing of a rebel armed group known as the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), will meet with the government's chief peace negotiator, Minister Aung Min from the President's Office, on Wednesday in Shan State's Muse Township.

"This is our first time meeting since we had informal talks in November 2012," Mai Aung Ko, a spokesman for the group, told The Irrawaddy on Monday, adding that PSLF general secretary Lt-Col Mai Phone Kyaw would lead the rebel group's delegation. "We expect to continue holding dialogues to work toward genuine peace."

The peace talks follow renewed clashes between the TNLA and government troops in northern Shan State last week.

The director of the government-affiliated Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), Min Zaw Oo, declined to comment on the upcoming talks with the PSLF. "We cannot say anything yet because our MPC has not yet released a press statement," he said.

A detailed agenda of the meeting has not yet been revealed, but drug eradication efforts will likely be raised. "We will discuss how to collaborate for the anti-opium campaign," Mai Aung Ko said.

The TNLA has been engaged in drug eradication efforts in the east Burma state by destroying opium fields. Burma is the world's second-largest producer of opium after Afghanistan.

The Palaung army is about 1,300 soldiers strong and has been engaged in guerilla warfare against the government for decades. It is believed to have an alliance with the rebel Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), which is connected to the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N).

Since early last year, hundreds of clashes have been reported between the TNLA and government troops. In June, clashes between both sides displaced several thousands of residents in Namkham, Mongtong and Kutkai townships.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, the PSLF and the TNLA said other leaders representing the Kachin, Karen, Mon, Shan and Wa ethnic minority groups would join the peace talks this week as observers. The statement said the chief minister of Shan State would attend the meeting, along with officials from rebel armed groups and the government military.

Burma Calling Out for Indonesia’s Telkom

Posted: 29 Jul 2013 11:21 PM PDT

A woman waits for customers at a "public call office" in Yangon on May 27, 2012. Just a few million out of Myanmar's 50-plus million population have mobile phones and access to an as-yet extremely limited system. (Photo: Reuters)

JAKARTA — Telekomunikasi Indonesia, Indonesia's biggest telecommunication company, has won a tender to manage Burma's international networks.

"The trust given by the Myanmar government is the result of our team's hard work on the ground in Myanmar. This will be an opportunity to show Telkom can be aligned with other big international operators," Arief Yahya, president director of Indonesia's state-controlled Telkom, said in a statement on Friday.

Telkom has been tasked with modernizing Burma's information and communications technology facilities following years of neglect during a period of military government that attracted international sanctions.

Arief said Burma, which is in the process of economic liberalization, would provide business opportunities, which Telkom was seeking to tap into by opening a representative office in the country.

"This proves Telkom's seriousness in getting a foothold in Myanmar's emerging market," Arief said.

In April, Telkom missed out on two telecom licenses after Burma's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology shortlisted 12 bidders. Telkom was not on the list.

Telkom's expansion into Burma follows a call by State Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan last year for companies under his watch to aggressively pursue opportunities in the fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations member.

Cement-maker Semen Indonesia is another company that has heeded the call, setting aside US$200 million to buy a plant.

Telkom, via Telekom Internasional, a subsidiary that handles the company's business overseas, has expanded into Hong Kong, East Timor, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore.

It has also set its sights on markets elsewhere in Asia, and in the Middle East.

In Hong Kong, Telkom offers "Kartu As 2 in 1," a customized SIM product launched via Telkom Internasional Hong Kong last October. The SIM card contains both Indonesian and Hong Kong numbers.

According to Hong Kong's 2011 census, there were 137,403 Indonesians, 1.9 percent of the population, living in the territory.

In East Timor, Telkom is investing $50 million to establish GSM and 3G telecommunications operations.

Last year the company secured a license to run telephony services for three years in the country.

Telkom is seeking a 60 percent market share in East Timor.

In Australia, Telkom is looking to enter the call center outsourcing business, while in Malaysia, it has established subsidiary Telekomunikasi Indonesia International.

The company was officially incorporated on July 2, according to Telkom's recent unaudited financial statement.

Telkom has long had a working relationship with Singapore's SingTel. The cooperation is an extension of the joint venture in Indonesia via Telkomsel, Indonesia's biggest mobile phone operator, which is 65 percent owned by Telkom and 35 percent by SingTel.

Telkom reported a profit increase of 13 percent, to Rp 10.1 trillion ($986 billion), in the first half as its business expanded and revenue climbed.

The Bandung-based company posted a 9.4 percent increase in revenue to Rp 40.2 trillion in the first semester.

Shares in Telkom fell 2.2 percent to Rp 11,400 in Monday trading in Jakarta.

This article was cross-posted from The Jakarta Globe.

Indonesians Angered over Hard-Line Ramadan Raids

Posted: 29 Jul 2013 10:49 PM PDT

A member of the Islamic Defenders Front hardline Muslim group stands guard while other members hold a mass prayer during a pro-Palestinian rally outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta. (Photo: Reuters)

JAKARTA — The head of Indonesia's largest Muslim organization called Monday for the disbanding of a hard-line Islamic group after a pregnant woman was killed in a car accident during illegal raids to curb prostitution during the holy month of Ramadan.

The Islamic Defenders Front, known by its Indonesia acronym FPI, has a long record of vandalizing nightspots, hurling stones at Western embassies and attacking rival religious groups.

"Their attitude does not reflect the teachings of Islam," said Aqil Siradj, chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia's largest Muslim organization. "We called on the government to disband the group that did this vandalizing."

He said he regretted that the government has remained silent as hard-line groups shuttered Christian churches, attacked their worshippers and torched Ahmadiyah and Shiites mosques, which they consider heretical.

The latest incident occurred July 18 in Central Java's Kendal town. About 50 FPI supporters attempted to raid an area they believed was allowing prostitution. While fleeing the scene to escape an angry mob of local residents after vandalizing businesses, one of their vehicles hit a couple on a motorbike, killing a pregnant woman and injuring her husband.

In a separate raid, supporters of the group vandalized a liquor store in Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi province in eastern Indonesia.

Even though arrests have been made in both cases, it has thrust Indonesia's weak law enforcement under the spotlight and sparked anger online and in local media, with many denouncing the group.

"My position is very clear, we will not forgive any form of intolerance," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in a rare condemnation last week. "This has to be prevented so that no other organization, including the FPI, engage in any more violence."

The hard-liner group responded by releasing a statement calling Yudhoyono a "loser" and a "disgrace to Muslims." Two days later amid growing pressure, its leader, Riziek Shihab, released an apology for the accident and pledged that the group would expel any member who engages in violence.

Prominent rights activist Hendardi from Setara Institute, a watchdog for interfaith tolerance, said Monday that the controversy raises further questions about the commitment of the National Police, whose leaders have repeatedly vowed to crack down on raids carried out by the group.

"It seems that the police are not serious and there's a reluctance to take legal action against FPI," said Hendardi, who like many Indonesians uses a single name.

An online petition calling for FPI to be disbanded had been signed by more than 41,000 people on Monday.

However, police spokesman Rianto said authorities were not authorized to do so.

Indonesia, home for 240 million people, has more Muslims than any other country in the world but is secular with a history of religious tolerance. In recent years, however, an extremist fringe has grown louder.

Black Waves of Oil Washing onto Thai Resort Beach

Posted: 29 Jul 2013 10:40 PM PDT

Thai soldiers in white biohazard suits take part in a clean-up operation at Ao Prao Beach on Koh Samet, Rayong, on July 29, 2013. (Photo: Reuters / Athit Perawongmetha)

BANGKOK — Streaks of crude oil marred the beach on a popular tourist island in Thailand's eastern sea despite attempts to clean up a spill from a leaking pipeline, officials said.

Tourists were warned to stay away as black waves left inky globs on Samet Island's once-serene white beaches Monday while hundreds of workers in white jumpsuits labored to scrape the sand clean and remove oil from the water.

Oily streaks about 300 meters wide marred the shore of Prao Bay on the island that is one of the most popular beach destinations for Thai and foreign tourists in the Gulf of Thailand, Rayong Deputy Gov. Supeepat Chongpanish said.

He said authorities closed the bay as 300 workers attempted to remove the oil from the white beach and the water.

"The top priorities right now are to get rid of the oil on the sand and the seawater, and to make sure the spill doesn't spread to other shores," Supeepat said. "This is a very beautiful, white, sandy beach, so we want to make the spill go away as soon as possible."

About 50 tons of oil spilled into the sea off Rayong province on Saturday morning from a leak in the pipeline operated by PTT Global Chemical Plc, a subsidiary of state-owned oil and gas company PTT Plc.

It is the fourth major oil spill in the country's history, Energy Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal said.

Provincial authorities declared the nearby area a disaster zone, and those affected will receive immediate assistance.

"The black waves started rolling in since last night and by the morning the beach was all tainted with oil," said Kevin Wikul, the assistant front desk officer at a resort in Prao Bay. He added that some guests requested early check-outs Monday.

The company said it detected a leak when crude oil from a tanker moored offshore was being transferred to the pipeline, 20 kilometers from a refinery in Map Ta Phut, one of the largest industrial estates in Southeast Asia.

The company said in a statement that it has flown in oil spill management experts and a plane from Singapore to remove the crude oil. Thai navy vessels also joined the cleanup efforts.

Authorities said it would take some time to assess the environmental damage.

"The spill is definitely having an impact on the environment, but we have not detected any deaths of marine animals yet at this point," provincial Gov. Wichit Chatphaisit said. "PTT will have to take responsibility for the damage this has caused."

He said pollution control department officials had expressed concern about the effects of the chemical used to clean up the spill.

PTTGC apologized and said the cleanup will likely be completed within three days.

"We acknowledge this incident has damaged our reputation and we will not let it happen again," CEO Anon Sirisaengtaksin told a news conference.

In 2009, another PTT subsidiary was involved in the Montara oil spill, one of Australia's worst oil disasters, in the Timor Sea off western Australia.

Cambodia Election Challenge Raises Fears

Posted: 29 Jul 2013 10:00 AM 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. His party on Monday rejected election results given by the government. (Photo: Reuters / Pring Samrang)

PHNOM PENH — Cambodia’s opposition leader rejected the results of a weekend election showing a win for the long-time ruling party, raising fears of post-poll instability and setting the stage for a new showdown with Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The challenge by opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who returned from exile last week to campaign for his Cambodia National Rescue Party, comes despite his party’s relative success in Sunday’s polling, in which the opposition made its biggest gains in years.

Provisional results from Sunday’s voting showed the opposition capturing 55 of the 123 seats in the National Assembly. Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party won 68 seats, or a majority of 55 percent.

Rainsy — who had earlier vowed mass protests if the voters’ will was denied — called for an independent investigation into allegations that as many as a million people may have been deprived of their right to vote, among other irregularities.

He said the challenge was not a bargaining chip to get into government but instead a sign that his party was "interested in rendering justice to the Cambodian people to ensure that the will of the Cambodian people not be distorted or reversed."

The rejection of the results raised the specter that Cambodia might return to a previous pattern of post-election instability that has several times led to political gridlock and turned violent.

If the opposition party boycotts the assembly, it may be impossible for Hun Sen to legally form a government.

Rainsy did not specifically threaten a boycott, but election experts pointed out that the constitution says a quorum of 120 assembly members is needed to open a parliamentary session, raising the possibility that an opposition boycott could leave the country without a fully functioning government.

Cambodia faced a similar situation most recently after its 2003 election, when Hun Sen’s party failed to win enough seats to legally form a government on its own. The deadlock was broken only after 11 months and violence in the streets. But Hun Sen faced a divided opposition then, while his opponents this time are united.

Other polls in recent decades have been followed by confrontations and violence.

After his party ran second in UN-sponsored elections of 1993 — the culmination of a process to end decades of civil war after the Khmer Rouge’s murderous 1970s regime — Hun Sen insisted on being named co-prime minister. He then ousted his partner in government four years later in a bloody coup.

Recent years’ elections have mostly had a peaceful aftermath because Hun Sen’s party, which controls most levers of power, won decisively over a divided opposition. But the strong showing of the more-united opposition this year may embolden Rainsy and his allies.

Hun Sen has not spoken publicly since the election. At 60, he has a reputation as a wily survivor, starting with his defection from the Khmer Rouge to Vietnam, which after invading to oust the radical regime installed him first as foreign minister and later as prime minister.

Rainsy, 64, has long been the thorn in Hun Sen’s side. He spent the Khmer Rouge years in France and served as finance minister in the government elected in 1993, but was kicked out from his party and his post for his outspoken anti-corruption stand.

He founded his own party in 1995, and two years later Rainsy narrowly escaped being killed in a grenade attack on a rally he was leading.

Rainsy said shortly after polls opened Sunday that his party would wait before deciding what to do about the alleged irregularities, but added that if it was clear the voters’ will was being denied, "definitely, there will be protests."

The opposition’s challenge could be mostly bluster. Hun Sen’s party dominates nearly all the state bureaucracy and the courts, which will almost certainly affirm the CPP victory. It was unclear what the opposition would do if its complaints were not sustained.

On Monday, the US called for a probe into irregularities into the election.

"We are concerned by numerous reported irregularities in the electoral process," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in Washington. "We have consistently called on the Royal Government of Cambodia to address systematic flaws — systemic flaws such as problems in the voter registry and unequal access to the media. We call for a transparent and full investigation of all credible reports of irregularities."

The United States and other countries had expressed doubts before the election about its fairness, but are unlikely to pursue the point with enthusiasm. They have accepted results of past elections with much more open intimidation and violence, and will likely regard this year’s results as a major step forward.

The opposition could nonetheless cause a lot of mischief by refusing to take its seats. Hun Sen could seek to open parliament through a legal loophole, though such a move would support charges of unfairness and autocratic behavior.

He could also simply try to wait out his opponent as head of a caretaker government. The position would be awkward, but also preserve the status quo, which leaves him in power.

Rainsy’s party and nonpartisan groups charged that the ruling party used the machinery of government and security to reward or pressure voters. They also said that voter registration procedures were badly flawed, possibly leaving more than 1 million people disenfranchised.

The combined opposition had held just 29 seats in the last assembly. It was a precarious foothold — they were kicked out on highly technical grounds by their ruling party colleagues just before campaigning began.

But with many younger voters participating in this election, the opposition apparently gained seats with their support, analysts said.

"The run-up to elections has shown the emergence of a young generation, which rather than prizing stability as their elders, conceived of the elections in terms of ‘change or no change," noted Astrid Norén-Nilsson, a Cambodia scholar from the University of Cambridge.

She added that Hun Sen will need to learn to work with the opposition. "Otherwise, there is a real possibility that a politically polarized population will raise the risk for social tension and social unrest."

National News

National News


In brief: MPs oppose president on anti-corruption law

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 02:24 AM PDT

The Pyindaungsu hluttaw has rejected five of the president's six proposed amendments to the anti-corruption law last week.

Election results stun Cambodians

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 02:09 AM PDT

The Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) has demanded a recount of major polling booths around the country after narrowly missing out on securing a victory on July 28.

Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News


Wa in Chiangmai “to listen, not to talk”

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 03:23 AM PDT

 
Xiao Hsarm Khun, Wa chief delegate to the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) held ethnic conference in Chiangmai, says he and his two representatives are there to learn and report back to the leadership.

"We are here to listen, not to talk," he told SHAN.

But it was the first time, he admitted, that Panghsang, the UWSA headquarters on the Chinese border head accepted an invitation from Thai-Burmese border based resistance movements. "Altogether, we received 4 invitations in the past," he said. "But at that time, I guess our leaders were still worried some people would not feel happy about the Wa reaching out to the West."

The first time he was here was in 2008, when he attended a UN Office of Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) sponsored tour in Chiangmai and Chiangrai, according to him.

The West, led by the United States, in the meanwhile, has dubbed the UWSA a drug trafficking organization.

The Ethnic Conference for Peace and National Reconciliation's first day was attended by some 120 delegates. Topics being and to be discussed include: Ongoing peace talks between the UNFC and Naypyitaw, Federal Democracy, Federal Armed Forces, Nationwide ceasefire, Amendment of the 2008 constitution and the 2015 general elections, among others.

A press conference has been scheduled for the final day afternoon at the conclusion of the meeting.

Weekly Diary, No.636 (22-28 July 2013)

Posted: 30 Jul 2013 03:23 AM PDT

  • CONGRATULATIONS, SENG RAW!
  • COMMITTEE TO STUDY AMENDMENT COMES!
  • DEAR UAM, WHICH 5 GROUPS AGREED TO SIGN?
  • 117TH FIGHT BETWEEN SSA, BA!
  • ETHNIC PROBLEM MAY BE OVERSHADOWED BY ROHINGYA ISSUE!
Cartoon
Tips for leaders of Myanmar: Yeah, how many will it take you?


Think Piece
Political solution (must be) in place first (not business). Even if we do succeed in business, we can then buy more weapons and recruit more troops. And the civil wars will spread even wider and longer. This is also something to keep in mind.

Nai Hong Sa, UNFC General Secretary, The Irrawaddy, 24 July 2012

There will be no peace in the country until and unless it has a new constitution.

Bertil Lintner, The Irrawaddy, 24 July 2013

Two theories:
  • The government and the Myanmar, each has its own agendas, which might not always match
  • The government and the Army have quite well worked out 'good cop, bad cop' roles

Ashley South, consultant with Norwegian-led Myanmar Peace Support Initiative, The Irrawaddy, 24 July 2015

The fear is that minority parties, desperate to avoid being wiped out, will take up the anti-Muslim theme for the sake of electoral gain.
The Economist, re-published by Bangkok Post, 28 July 2013

The World
25 July 2013
In line with Obama's Pivot to Asia policy, his administration is promoting another Asia-Pacific trade grouping, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). It is both new and still small with just 11 countries: Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam on the Asean side; and Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Mexico, Canada and the US on the non-Asean side. (Irrawaddy)

International Relations
22 July 2013

Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China, arrives in Rangoon as part of his 3 country tour to Kazakhstan, Myanmar and Thailand. He leaves for Thailand on 24 July. (Xinhua)

22 July 2013
EU Foreign Affairs Council concludes Comprehensive Framework for policy and support to Myanmar. (Text)

24 July 2013

Lahpai Seng Raw, 64, selected by Magsaysay Foundation as one of 5 recipients of its annual awards. (AP)

28 July 2013
On 19 June, Indonesion extremist group Forum Umat Islam met 2 representatives of Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) that claims 300 people under arms. (Economist/Bangkok Post)

Politics/ Inside Burma
18 July 2013
Parliament to form Constitution Review Committee. Deputy Speaker of Union Assembly is chairman and Deputer Speakers of both houses vice chairmen.
Mandate: To study constitution for possible amendments. Suggestions may be asked from anyone from ordinary citizens to government service personnel.
The committee must first draft TOR, members' rights, procedures and tenure of the Committee to be submitted to Parliament for endorsement. (Mizzima)

21 July 2013

Shwe Mann, Speaker; Aung San Suu Kyi, House chairperson for Rule of Law and Tranquility; and Aung Min, Vice Chairman of Union Peacemaking Work Committee, meet at Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) to discuss peace process. (Xinhua/Global Times) The meeting highlights ceasefire status, plans for holding political dialogue, legal and political affairs necessary for political dialogue, the role of the parliament and reports on peace affairs, according to U Aung Min. Australian FM Bob Carr on 10 July had promised AUS $5 million. (Eleven News Media) Suu Kyi not there in official capacity, only by permission from Shwe Mann. She spent 13 minutes in discussion, according to MPC's Hla Maung Shwe. (Irrawaddy)

25 July 2013
Union parliament adopts proposal to form 109 member Constitutional Review Joint Committee. (Xinhua/ Global Times)

25 July 2013
Second major cabinet reshuffle:
Zeya Aung               Energy
Maung Myint              Industry
Aye Myint                Labor, employment and Social welfare
Than Htay                Rail Transportation
Brig Gen Zaw Win       Police Chief
(Xinhua)

Ethnic Affairs
23 July 2013

So far the government have agreed only with 5 armed groups, U Aung Min told reporters. (Eleven News Media)

Shans/ Shan State
24-27 July 2013
Burma Centrum Nederland (BCN) and White Tiger Party hold workshop to discuss "centralized practice" by Shan State government, according to party township chairman Sao Yunpeng. (Mizzima)

Economy/ Business
23 July 2013
Despite EU's General System of Preferences (GSP), Burmese exports still need to meet quality standards, says Myanmar Fisheries Federation Vice Chairman Hnin Oo. Only fishery products and pulse and beans would enjoy this privilege, according to economist Hla Maung. (Mizzima)

24 July 2013
U Myint Aung, Ministry of Cooperatives, says the ministry will make loans about K 100,000 ($1,000) to rural families. If they are members of the cooperative system and are able to settle their loans, they would quality for another K500,000 ($5,000) in future. (Mizzima)

Human Rights
15 July 2013

U Kyaw Hla Aung, 74 year old Rohingya lawyer, held in police custody in Rakhine State. (Karen News)

18 July 2013
17 representatives from Farmers' Network holds 4 hour meeting with Agriculture, Livestock and Fishery Development Committee in Naypyitaw to outline their objection to the proposed "Farmers Enhancement Law", formerly called Farmers Protection Law. They are unhappy the draft law defines agribusinesses as farmers which would allow them to also sell their products to the government. (Myanmar Times)

22 July 2013
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) accuses police of arresting and torturing homosexuals in Mandalay last week. They were rounded up, stripped, beaten and forced to parade naked as if on a catwalk. (Telegraph)

23 July 2013
73 political prisoners released, including 29 Shan rebels and 26 Kachins from at least 6 prisons across the country. Thet Oo of Former Political Prisoners say an estimated 92 are still behind bars. (Irrawaddy)

24 July 2013
Meeting between Ministry of Information (MOI) officials and the Interim Press Council (IPC) ends in deadlock. The MOI had struck down 17 of the articles presented by the IPC on 9 July, including:
  • That the IPC be the only press council in the country
  • Changing the term 'Electronic Media' to 'Internet Media'
(DVB)

25 July 2013
The joint Letpadaung mine deal between Wanbao and military owned MEH has been revised, say government officials:
Government      51% of revenue
Wanbao          30%
MEH              19%
(AFP)

Environment
17 July 2013
CNPC announces that at 08:00 on 15 July, the inflow valve of the Kyaukphyu station was turned on and the natural gas began to flow upstream. With this the Sino-Myanmar gas pipeline entered the test operation stage. (Dong Fang Daily)

Drugs
22 July 2013
Taunggyi drug police seize heroin refinery together with drugs worth K87,000,000 ($87,000), according to Police officer Aung Soe Kyaing. (Mizzima)

War
22 July 2013
A bomb explodes meters away from U Wirathu as he delvers a mass sermon in Mandalay. Five slightly wounded, but he himself is unharmed. (Reuters)

23 July 2013
Battle between joint KIO-TNLA force and the Burma Army in Mongkoe area, Panghsai sub-township, Muse district, after the latter advanced on KIA positions. (Mizzima)

24 July 2013
Clash between Shan State Army and Burma Army in Mongkeung, marking 100th clash since Kengtung, 19 May 2012, and 117th since Taunggyi, 2 December 2011. (SHAN)