The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Photo of the week (Jan 24, 2014)
• Burma Govt Rejects ‘Unacceptable’ UN Statement on Rohingya Killings
• For Progress on Peace, Women Are Key
• Tatmadaw ‘Fearless and Blameless,’ Proclaims a Presidential Possibility
• Ethnic Rebels Move Closer to Ceasefire—With Strings Attached
• Lower House Approves Human Rights Commission Bill
• BarCamp Organizers Hope for Another Record Turnout in Burma
• China Tries Three Anti-Graft Activists in Two Days
• Indian Woman Says Gang-Raped on Orders of Village Court

Photo of the week (Jan 24, 2014) Posted: 24 Jan 2014 05:46 AM PST a The post Photo of the week (Jan 24, 2014) appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burma Govt Rejects ‘Unacceptable’ UN Statement on Rohingya Killings Posted: 24 Jan 2014 05:28 AM PST Chief Minister of Arakan State Hla Maung Tin leads a delegation, including UN representatives, on a visit to Du Chee Yar Tan village on Wednesday, in this photo posted on the website of Burma's Ministry of Information. (Photo: MoI) RANGOON — A Burmese government spokesman has said a statement by the United Nations claiming it had credible information that at least 48 Rohingya Muslims were killed in northern Arakan State this month was "unacceptable." In the statement released Thursday in New York, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called for an investigation into the alleged deaths in Du Chee Yar Tan village, Maungdaw Township, reports of which Burmese authorities have strongly denied. Ye Htut, spokesman for the office of President Thein Sein, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that the UN statement could worsen the situation in western Burma, and would lead to a loss of trust in the UN. "It was sad to see a statement issued by the UN, not using information from their local office staff, but quoting unreliable information and issuing the statement. These accusations are unacceptable," he told The Irrawaddy. "By acting like this, it will mean the local people will have more concerns, doubts and less trust in the UN." The Burmese government on Wednesday took representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, local members of Parliament and religious leaders to visit Du Chee Yar Tan. Ye Htut insisted that the delegation found nothing wrong in the village during the trip and insisted that representatives were able to talk to local people, including Muslim leaders. He suggested the reports of killings were designed to damage the Burma government's reputation. "I believe that these rumors were spread at the same time we were having the Asean meeting, and as well as while the UN envoy [to Burma] Mr. Vijay Nambiar visited the country," said Ye Htut, referring to a meeting of regional foreign ministers that took place in Bagan on Jan. 17. "Those who spread the rumor instigate to make tension where there is peace already in the village," said Ye Htut. Violence between Arakanese Buddhists and stateless Rohingya Muslims has broken out sporadically in Arakan State since mid-2012, leading to scores dead and at least 140,000 displaced, mostly Muslims. International rights groups say the violence, which has also hit non-Rohingya Muslims in other parts of the country, threatens to undermine the progress of reforms in Burma. The latest killings allegedly took place both in the run up to, and following, the disappearance of a police officer on Jan. 13. That incident allegedly provoked a violent attack on Rohingya villagers by security forces and Arakanese Buddhists. "The United Nations has received credible information that, on 9 January, eight Rohingya Muslim men were attacked and killed in Du Chee Yar Tan village by local [Arakanese]," the UN statement said. "This was followed by a clash on 13 January in the same village in which a police sergeant was captured and killed by the Rohingya villagers. Following this, on the same evening at least 40 Rohingya Muslim men, women and children were killed in Du Chee Yar Tan village by police and local [Arakanese]." "I deplore the loss of life in Du Chee Yar Tan and call on the authorities to carry out a full, prompt and impartial investigation and ensure that victims and their families receive justice," Pillay was quoted saying in the statement. "My Office stands ready to support this process." Pillay asked authorities to respond "quickly and decisively" to the reports, and to ensure that the rights of 10 Rohingya men who reportedly remain detained are respected. The statement said the UN had shared its information on the incident with the Burma government The state-owned New Light of Myanmar on Thursday reported that only the disappearance of the police officer, and his firearm, was being investigated. The newspaper gave an account of the events that said a mob of 500 Rohingya confronted police and captured the officer. The police later returned to make arrests, but there were no reprisals, the report said. But the Burma government is facing increasing pressure over the allegations and continued restrictions on access to the area in question. The embassies of the United States and Britain have already called for a transparent investigation, as has the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Tomás Ojea Quintana. On Thursday, Valerie Amos, the UN's under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, also called on the government "to immediately launch an impartial investigation into these events and to respect the rights of those arrested and detained in connection with this incident." On Friday, medical NGO Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which works in Arakan State, issued a statement saying it had treated Rohingya injured during the incident. MSF Myanmar Head of Mission Peter-Paul de Groote was quoted saying that "MSF has treated at least 22 patients, including several wounded, that are believed to be victims of the violence that erupted in Du Char Yar Tan village, in southern Maungdaw Township on January 14. "MSF continues to be concerned by reports that there may be unmet medical needs among the affected population and stands ready to support local health authorities in providing medical care to those in need. We continue to request the Government of Myanmar to enable safe access to the affected population for humanitarian personnel and ensure the security of the civilian population in need of assistance." Speaking at a press conference in Naypyidaw on Thursday, Shwe Mann, the Lower House speaker in Burma's Parliament said he had not received any reports about the incident in Maungdaw, and therefore could not discuss the possibility of a parliamentary investigation. "We did not get any report from the ground. We do not know about it. If we get a report from the ground, we could discuss this issue in Parliament," he said. The post Burma Govt Rejects 'Unacceptable' UN Statement on Rohingya Killings appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

For Progress on Peace, Women Are Key Posted: 24 Jan 2014 04:41 AM PST Melanne Verveer, the former US ambassador-at-large for global women's issues, says women have been kept out of the peace process in Myanmar. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) YANGON — How does Myanmar stack up with other countries in terms of women's rights? To get a sense, The Irrawaddy's Zarni Mann and Samantha Michaels sat down with Melanne Verveer, the former US ambassador-at-large for global women's issues, during her visit to Yangon last month. In her work as ambassador from 2009-13, she coordinated foreign policy issues and activities related to the advancement of women around the world. Before that, she served as chief of staff to then-First Lady Hillary Clinton during the Bill Clinton administration, and today she directs the Washington-based Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security, which looks at women's participation in resolving conflicts and shaping political transitions. Question: What role do you believe women should have in Myanmar's peace process? Answer: This country will not be able to achieve the kind of future that everybody wants for it, especially what the people here want for themselves, unless ethnic hostilities are addressed. The ceasefires, the work of the Myanmar Peace Center and other processes in place have really kept out the women in terms of their representation from ethnic communities.… The women are among the most affected. They know what's happening on the ground, whether it's in Shan State, Kachin State or [Kayin] State, wherever. They have the expertise and the knowledge of what needs to be part of the discussion, and if they're not part of the discussion the real issues that need to be addressed will not get addressed. Q: How would you compare the women's struggle in Myanmar with the women's struggle in the United States? A: It's very hard to compare because the differences are so great in many ways—customs wise, history wise. Women here have been isolated for 30 years, this country has been isolated. In my country, if you look at the corporate sector in the United States, you will still find many women going into the sector and being stuck, not getting promoted. So it [discrimination] is manifested in different ways, but there are still many barriers. Q: What is the hardest barrier? A: The hardest barrier is the mindsets. I'll tell you a quick story: There was a woman in Afghanistan who was the first female mayor in the country. She was a widow with children, and the men asked, "What can she do? This is not the job for a woman!" She did such an extraordinary job that they are now her biggest supporters, but they call her Mr. Mayor because they cannot believe a woman could be such a good mayor. Breaking these stereotypes and modeling a different kind of responsible leadership is what we need more of … The more women get into these kinds of positions, the more they can break those barriers. Q: More globally, how have other countries tried to empower women? A: South Africa came out of apartheid, Rwanda experienced a terrible genocide and Liberia had a civil war that went on a long time. In all those places, women were instrumental in creating what came out of the conflict and influencing their constitutions. There were quotas in South Africa and Rwanda. Today Rwanda has larger numbers of women in Parliament than any place in the world. Who would have thought that? You have to use mechanisms that present themselves as you're going through these transitions—amending constitutions or making decisions about what's going to happen in ethnic areas—to enable women to be in decision-making positions. I am tremendously impressed by the women here in Myanmar. So many women are rolling up their sleeves and working hard to create the conditions that will enable not just women to succeed, but the country to succeed, and all the people to succeed. Q: Many girls in Myanmar are forced to drop out of school so they can work, and parents don't want to invest in their education. What are your thoughts about this? A: [Former] Secretary [of State] Clinton always used to say that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not. Research shows that the most effective investment in a developing country is the education of a girl. When you educate the girl, you educate her family, you educate a community. In her first job, her income will be higher, she will provide better nutrition to her children—it has this widespread capacity to really lift up her and the community. Q: Whose job is it to ensure that women are integrated into the Myanmar peace process? A: There's an old saying in Indonesia that when they make pancakes they need heat at the top and heat at the bottom. That's what we need here. We need political will at the top, a recognition that women need to have this role and that it's critically important for the country. And we need heat at the bottom to ensure that the capacity of all the actors engaged—the many NGOs, people struggling at the grassroots level, people still dealing with violence—are able to organize in a way that begins to move things forward. Many countries—France, the United States, many European countries—have in our own governments adopted national action plans on women, peace and security. That means that in our bilateral efforts with another government we commit to saying that we want to support the women's perspective in peacemaking. We've committed to that, and so I think we need to bring more of that to bear. I was talking about this with Ambassador [Derek] Mitchell, who is trying to do what he can, representing the United States policy view, that is encouraging of greater efforts to support women through development in the [Myanmar] ethnic areas. Q: We're talking a lot about empowering women, but what about men? Where do they fit in? A: When you raise up women, you don't put down men. You raise up both. A bird can't fly with one wing. And it's the two wings that are going to enable Myanmar to fly. This Q&A first appeared as part of the cover story in the January 2014 print issue of The Irrawaddy magazine. Coverage of the Women's Forum Myanmar was supported in part by the French Embassy in Yangon. The post For Progress on Peace, Women Are Key appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Tatmadaw ‘Fearless and Blameless,’ Proclaims a Presidential Possibility Posted: 24 Jan 2014 04:06 AM PST With a deficit in trust between the government and Burma's ethnic minority groups, the latter's leaders were wary as they gathered in Karen State this week. One of the chief concerns at the conference, held in Law Khee Lar, was remarks reportedly made by Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in November. Speaking to a group of officers in Naypyidaw, the commander-in-chief reportedly defended the army's operations in Kachin State and cast blame for violence there on ethnic Kachin rebels, while also saying his troops were "afraid of no one." The comments came to light earlier this month after local Burmese daily True News printed the speech in full, with the newspaper saying it had obtained a transcript of the remarks. The senior general went on to say the armed forces, known as the Tatmadaw, would "forever follow the policy laid down by Snr-Gen Than Shwe," Burma's former military supremo who stepped down from the top post in 2011. The former general retired, but only after he had hand-selected Lt-Gen Thein Sein to succeed him in 2011 as the nominally civilian leader of a changing Burma. The provocative comments, said to have been leaked from the War Office, were made at a closed-door meeting on Nov. 29 and did not appear in state-run newspapers. Min Aung Hlaing served under Than Shwe when he was regional commander in Shan State in the 1980s, and there is little doubt that he is a faithful follower of his former boss. Like other senior leaders of Burma's nominally civilian government and military, he regularly pays his respects at the retired general's residence in Naypyidaw. Min Aung Hlaing's comments raised eyebrows—and earned some ire—among ethnic groups who came together this week in Law Khee Lar, along the Thai-Burmese border. Min Aung Hlaing has met before with Karen leaders of the Karen National Union in Naypyidaw, but he hasn't yet had face time with the leaders of any of the other major ethnic armed groups. Aung Zaw is founder and editor of the Irrawaddy magazine. He can be reached at aungzaw@irrawaddy.org. Some observers have suggested that the fighting in Kachin State, the fiercest of which took place in late 2012 and carried on into 2013, caused Min Aung Hlaing to lose standing among top commanders due to the heavy casualties suffered by the Tatmadaw. At the same time, his order to use air power to attack Kachin troops also made him unpopular among ethnic groups, particularly within Kachin State. Min Aung Hlaing first caught the attention of most observers in August 2009, when the then major general oversaw a military offensive against the ethnic Kokang armed group known as the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army. A graduate of the 19th intake of the elite Defense Services Academy, he has spent most of his military career in border regions, particularly in Shan and Karenni states. Now, observers and diplomats are wondering whether this tough-talking general will soon enter the political fray. In November, Brig-Gen Wai Lin, a Lower House MP who leads military lawmakers in Parliament, told The Irrawaddy that he expected Min Aung Hlaing to be a leading candidate for the presidency. Wai Lin said military parliamentarians want to nominate Min Aung Hlaing for president following national elections in 2015. The plan is possible because the country's president is elected by Parliament, where military officers hold a quarter of the seats. Is the senior general interested in the post? He is a presidential aspirant "with the blessing of Than Shwe," some say, but Min Aung Hlaing has not disclosed his intentions publically. Notably, Min Aung Hlaing's public profile appears to be on the rise, with the senior general frequently appearing at state-sponsored ceremonies and splashed across front pages of the various state-run newspapers. Whether or not he was given a green light to go public is another question. Some senior army officers recently told The Irrawaddy that he has been turning some of his duties over to Gen. Soe Win, deputy commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Rumors of Min Aung Hlaing's impending retirement abound, and others predict the senior general will continue to lead a very public life. "In Burma, if you are not a competent fighter in the armed forces, you are asked to go to a civilian post," said a Western diplomat in Rangoon, implying that the heavy casualty count in Kachin State may be a factor in Min Aung Hlaing's future professional trajectory. "It means Min Aung Hlaing could become president." With that in mind, ethnic leaders and dissidents are no doubt worried about the precedent that could be set if the country's young experiment with democracy sees another "former" general ascend to the presidency. As ever in Burma, uncertainty prevails and all the players—particularly ethnic groups—are formulating back-up plans and reviewing political strategies. Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. The post Tatmadaw 'Fearless and Blameless,' Proclaims a Presidential Possibility appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Ethnic Rebels Move Closer to Ceasefire—With Strings Attached Posted: 24 Jan 2014 03:30 AM PST KNLA soldiers patrol for security in Law Khee Lar. (Photo: Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy) LAW KHEE LAR, Karen State — Nearly all of Burma's ethnic armed groups have said they will sign a nationwide ceasefire agreement proposed by the government so long as political dialogue begins immediately during the signing conference. On the fourth day of a meeting in rebel-held territory of Karen State, leaders of ethnic armed groups said Thursday they would accept the nationwide ceasefire agreement proposed by the government's peace negotiation team. Negotiations are still ongoing, with ethnic leaders expected to finalize their draft document of the ceasefire accord this week. But while the government team led by Minister Aung Min has pushed them to sign the agreement first and later prioritize political dialogue, ethnic leaders are calling for inclusive political dialogue to start immediately. "We have agreed to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement and hold political dialogue at once," said Gen. Gun Maw, deputy chief of staff of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO). "We will combine these two things—we won't separate the nationwide ceasefire agreement and political dialogue," he told The Irrawaddy. He said that after months of debate, ethnic leaders had agreed they would sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement because the latest draft from the government includes concrete provisions guaranteeing the rights of ethnic minorities to time-bound political dialogue and a more federal system that would grant greater power to ethnic minority states. An estimated 40 percent of Burma's 60 million or so population is an ethnic minority. Since Burma achieved independence from the British in 1948, ethnic rebel groups have been engaged in armed struggles against the central government—which is dominated by the ethnic Burman majority group—for greater autonomy. There are at least 17 ethnic armed groups with an estimated 100,000 soldiers nationwide. The meeting this week in the Karen State town of Law Khee Lar, which is territory held by the Karen National Union (KNU), began on Monday. In mid-February, ethnic armed groups are expected to meet again in Shan State, in territory belonging to the ethnic Mongla armed group. This meeting will only include top leaders of the armed groups. Khunsai Jaiyen, a spokesman of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the political wing of the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), said the United Wa State Army (UWSA), an ally of the Mongla army, would get involved in the Shan State meeting, as would the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA). Both groups were not able to attend the Karen State meetings this week. "They couldn't come to attend due to travel inconveniences," Khunsai Jaiyen said. "But if we hold it in the Mongla area, they can join the meeting. They said not to forget them. They asked to be included in the last decisive stage." Further talks between ethnic rebel groups and the government peace team are scheduled to begin Feb. 20 in the Karen State capital of Pa-an. The post Ethnic Rebels Move Closer to Ceasefire—With Strings Attached appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Lower House Approves Human Rights Commission Bill Posted: 24 Jan 2014 03:11 AM PST   A shot of Parliament in Naypyidaw on March 30, 2011. (Photo: Reuters) The Lower House of Burma's Parliament on Thursday approved the controversial Myanmar National Human Rights Commission Bill (NHRC), which governs the appointment process for the commission as well as procedures for handling reports of rights abuses. The Upper House and Lower House have made over 40 changes to the bill since it was introduced in Parliament last July. Lawmakers in the combined Union Parliament are expected to vote on the bill in upcoming weeks to determine whether it is passed into law. Following pressure from activists, the latest draft calls for stronger involvement of civil society organizations in the commission. "The [Lower House] Parliament has agreed to our suggestions for the bill, and it is in accordance with all the facts we discussed with civil society groups last year," Sandar Min, a Lower House lawmaker representing the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), told The Irrawaddy on Thursday. The bill, if passed into law, governs the process for appointing new members to the commission after the next elections in 2015. One sticking point in previous drafts concerned the selection committee. Some lawmakers opposed a provision that would have required the selection committee to include a member of the Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation, which is affiliated with the government and not an independent NGO. In the draft approved by the Lower House, the nine-member selection committee would include two members from NGOs or civil society organizations, and the Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation would not be represented. The selection committee would also include lawmakers, the union chief justice, the attorney general, the minister of home affairs and the minister of social welfare. The Lower House MPs also reduced the minimum number of members on the NHRC, from nine members in the original draft to seven members. The maximum number of members is 15. Another change was the addition of a time limit for the commission to respond to complaints about rights abuses. "The NRC [NHRC] must respond to complaints within 30 days," Sandar Min said. Previously there was no deadline written into the bill. "And the NRC must help provide legal support for the victims when complaints are received." The key obligations and authority of the commission have not been altered in the bill, said Sitt Myaing, secretary of the NHRC, which currently includes retired professors and public servants. The commission was formed at the order of President Thein Sein in September 2011. Since then it has offered workshops on human rights, conducted outreach to communities, and monitored standards in prisons in Lower Burma. It has also responded to complaints of rights abuses from the public, although critics say response times are slow and a majority of inquiries have never been addressed. The NHRC secretary said relevant authorities replied to 350 cases of about 1,400 complaints between September 2011 and October 2013. Most complaints concern old land disputes, with many cases dating back 20 years and related to government departments. Sitt Myaint said few complaints had been raised from war-torn areas. The post Lower House Approves Human Rights Commission Bill appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

BarCamp Organizers Hope for Another Record Turnout in Burma Posted: 24 Jan 2014 12:23 AM PST A participant gives a presentation at BarCamp Yangon 2013. (Photo: BarCamp / Facebook) RANGOON — The fifth BarCamp Yangon, a forum about technology and the Internet that encourages participant involvement, is set to take place next month, and organizers are hopeful that the crowd this year will exceed the large turnouts seen in previous years. The past four versions of the event in Rangoon have set records for the numbers of people participating in a BarCamp—a concept that originated in the United States but has spread worldwide. BarCamp is an international network of so-called "unconferences" that began as a meeting mainly of web developers in California's Palo Alto. The user-generated events are primarily focused around technology and web, but take in other topics too. "BarCamps in Yangon have set the record as the world's largest BarCamp, it's had the biggest number of attendees since 2010, and this year, we hope to break the record again," Min Oo, a member of the BarCamp Yangon 2014 organizing team, and joint secretary of Myanmar Computer Professionals Association, told a press conference to launch the event on Thursday. BarCamps normally have between 100 and 800 attendees, but the first BarCamp in Rangoon in 2010 drew about 3,000 people. The numbers have increased every year since, and the 2013 BarCamp in Burma's former capital was attended by more than 6,300 people. The two-day event will be held on Feb. 1-2 at the Myanmar ICT Park on the campus of Hlaing University. It will be divided into four main zones: Technology, Creative, Entrepreneur, and General, organizers said. "At first, we mainly focused on technology, but at last year's BarCamp, new types of creations, poetry and other categories covering over 80 topics were presented," said Htoo Myint Naung, also a member of the BarCamp Yangon 2014 organizing team. He said that 4,000 people are already registered to attend the event. As of late 2013, Zaw Min Oo, a director at local company Barons Tele-Link Services Co Ltd., said that out of the total population of Myanmar—estimated to be about 60 million—only about 10 million people are using mobile communications, and fewer than 3 million people have Internet access. The post BarCamp Organizers Hope for Another Record Turnout in Burma appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

China Tries Three Anti-Graft Activists in Two Days Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:29 PM PST Zhang Xuezhong (Center), a lawyer for Chinese dissident Zhao Changqing, argues with plain-clothed policemen as he refuses to show them his identification card when he was stopped and questioned by them on his way to court to attend Zhao's trial in Beijing Jan. 23, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) BEIJING — Two Chinese activists who agitated for officials to disclose assets argued their innocence on Thursday, the second day in a series of prosecutions of anti-corruption campaigners highlighting the government's resolve to crush any challenges. The trial of Zhao Changqing, a veteran Chinese dissident, was adjourned after he dismissed his two lawyers in a move that would help delay his case, one of his lawyers, Zhang Xuezhong, told Reuters by telephone. China's government has waged a 10-month drive against the "New Citizens' Movement" of which Zhao was a member. The group advocates working within the system to press for change, including urging officials to reveal their assets. Zhao initiated dinner gatherings in Beijing where citizens discussed the disclosure campaign. He is charged with "gathering a crowd to disturb public order," an offence punishable by up to five years in prison. Zhao told a Beijing courtroom that he was not guilty of any crime, Zhang said. "He said that all his actions, including promoting the asset disclosure of officials, promoting equal access to education in China and pursuing the realization of constitutional democracy are completely legitimate and legal, and in keeping with the basic principles of modern civilization," Zhang said. "He felt that the court was being totally unjust and that their allegations were unfair." Zhao would get 15 days to select two new lawyers. "Only in this way can he avoid a hasty court trial that would be wrapped up before the Chinese New Year," Zhang said. "If you delay the time a little, there's always the opportunity that there might be a change." Zhao has been jailed three times for pro-democracy activities, including a three-month sentence for his involvement in the June 4, 1989, protests in Tiananmen Square. The campaign against the movement exposes the ambivalence in Beijing's bid to root out pervasive corruption, even as President Xi Jinping leads a new campaign to tackle graft. China has detained at least 20 activists involved in pressing for asset disclosure, although not all are from the New Citizens' Movement. Another activist, Hou Xin, stood trial in Beijing on Thursday afternoon. Hou was one of four activists who unfurled a banner in Beijing last year urging officials to disclose their assets. Hou, who has been released on bail, is also charged with "gathering a crowd to disturb public order", her lawyer, Ding Xikui, told Reuters. "She defended herself, [saying] she believes she's innocent," Ding said. "She expressed her views—that this is a normal and legitimate expression and not a crime." Prominent rights advocate Xu Zhiyong, who founded the New Citizens' Movement, went on trial on Wednesday, but his lawyer said he refused to offer any defense and called the court unjust. US Concerned Diplomats said they were shut out of Zhao's trial, which was surrounded by heavy security. Police hauled a dozen petitioners away from the courthouse and fended off foreign reporters. Gary Locke, US ambassador to China, said in a statement he was concerned that the trial of Xu and other activists was "retribution for their public campaigns to expose official corruption and for the peaceful expression of their views." "The United States government calls on Chinese authorities to release Xu and other political prisoners immediately," Locke added. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang, asked about the foreign criticism of the trial, repeated that Xu was being tried in accordance with the law, and that China "resolutely opposed" foreign criticism. The Global Times, a popular tabloid owned by Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily, said China should not be "overly sensitive" about the West's special attention to dissidents and support. "But the Chinese people will never allow the attitudes of external forces to guide the country's attitude in its internal affairs," it said in a comment. On its microblog account, the Beijing No.1 Intermediate Court said Wang Gongquan, a venture capitalist and close friend of Xu's who was arrested last October, had confessed to "planning and inciting a mob to disturb public order" together with Xu. But Zhang Qingfang, Xu's lawyer, said the posting was a "complete distortion of facts". Five more activists will stand trial in Beijing and the southern city of Guangzhou on Friday and Monday. Three went on trial in December and face more than 10 years in prison if convicted. On Wednesday, Xu attempted to read a closing statement to the court, but was cut short by the judge. In the statement, he defended the New Citizens' Movement. "More than 137 countries and territories around the world currently have systems in place for officials to declare assets, so why can't China? What exactly is it these 'public servants' fear so much?" he wrote. The post China Tries Three Anti-Graft Activists in Two Days appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Indian Woman Says Gang-Raped on Orders of Village Court Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:17 PM PST Students in Ahmedabad, India, hold candles as they pray during a candlelight vigil for a woman who in December 2012 was gang-raped on a bus. This week police announced another 20-year-old woman in West Bengal was gang-raped as punishment by a village court for allegedly falling in love with someone from another community. (Photo: Reuters) KOLKATA — A 20-year-old woman in eastern India was gang-raped by 13 men on the orders of a village court as punishment for having a relationship with a man from a different community, a senior police officer said on Thursday. The woman, who is now recovering in hospital, told police she was assaulted by the men on the night of Jan. 20 in Birbhum district in West Bengal. Police said her male companion was tied up in the village square, while the assault on the woman happened in a mud house. "We arrested all the 13 men, including the village chief who ordered the gang rape. The accused have been produced in court which remanded them to jail custody," Birbhum's superintendent of police, C. Sudhakar, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. India toughened laws on sex crimes in March last year following the fatal gang rape of a physiotherapist on a moving bus in Delhi in December 2012. The case led to nationwide protests for better security and has helped sparked national debate about gender inequalities in India. The issue was highlighted in local media again last week after a 51-year-old Danish tourist was gang-raped in central Delhi by at least five men whom she had asked for directions. The West Bengal victim's family told media that she was assaulted because the court believed she had violated the rules of her tribe by falling in love with a man from another community. The couple were ordered to pay a fine of 25,000 rupees ($400), said the victim's mother, adding that the village head then ordered the rape of her daughter. Human rights groups say diktats issued by kangaroo courts are not uncommon in rural regions. In northern parts of India, illegal village councils known as "Khap Panchayats" act as de-facto courts settling rural disputes on everything from land and cattle to matrimony and murder. But such councils are coming under growing scrutiny as their punitive edicts grow more regressive—ranging from banning women from wearing western clothing and using mobile phones to supporting child marriage and sanctioning the lynching of young couples in so-called "honor killings." The assault comes after a spate of high profile rapes in West Bengal which have brought Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee under fire for not doing enough to stop violence against women. West Bengal recorded the highest number of gender crimes in the country at 30,942 in 2012, or 12.7 percent of India's total recorded crimes against women. These crimes include rape, kidnapping and sexual harassment and molestation. Earlier this month, West Bengal's capital, Kolkata, witnessed public protests against police who have been accused of failing to act on the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl who was later murdered. Writing and additional reporting by Nita Bhalla. The post Indian Woman Says Gang-Raped on Orders of Village Court appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

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