Democratic Voice of Burma |
- Mon villagers rally against mountain quarry
- Peace talks have been “extremely positive”: Hla Maung Shwe
- Refugee kids get creative
| Mon villagers rally against mountain quarry Posted: 16 Mar 2014 12:46 AM PDT Villagers in Mon State's Paung Township rallied against a proposed plan by a Burmese private company, Amberto Mining, to quarry Kalarma Mountain. Residents from six villages in Ohntabin village-tract have petitioned the local authority, asserting that they rely on mountain streams for drinking water and to generate hydropower. They fear that quarrying the mountain will destroy their livelihoods. Local villager Ange Lay said the company had already proposed plans to the local Forestry Department. "We learnt the company have already submitted their application to the Forestry Department but it is likely the officials will wait for local residents to negotiate with the company before issuing them a permit," said Ange Lay, adding the company has been trying to push the deal ahead. He said over 100 villagers including Buddhist monks have signed a letter addressed to the Paung township authorities, voicing their objection to the proposal. Township administrator Han Thaung said he has no authority to decide on the mountain's fate. "People think I am the one who invited the company so they're addressing the complaint to me, but in fact I have nothing to do with it; I was not even informed of any details about the project. So how am I supposed to make a decision on this?" Han Thaung said. "The company is in conversation with with state-level authorities so hopefully they [state-authorities] will see to the situation," he added. Tin Hla of activist group Human Rights Promoters and Defenders Network said that quarrying the mountain would lead to negative social and environmental impacts, as there are several villages, monasteries, rubber plantations and forests at the foot of the mountain. He reminded the company of existing environmental protection laws. "The Amberto Company claimed the mountain is formed with quarry rock but research shows it is actually decorative-rock protected under article-45 of the regulations by the Ministry of Mines," said Tin Hla.
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| Peace talks have been “extremely positive”: Hla Maung Shwe Posted: 15 Mar 2014 11:28 PM PDT The Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), representing 17 ethnic armed groups, met with the government's International Peace Making Working Committee (IPMWC) in Rangoon last weekend. There they reached an agreement to form a joint-committee to draft the nationwide ceasefire agreement based on frameworks prepared by each side. DVB reporter Aye Naing interviewed Hla Maung Shwe of the Myanmar Peace Centre — mediators in the peace talks. Q: What was the outcome of the meeting? A: Both groups are looking to push ahead the nationwide ceasefire to facilitate political dialogue, and for that, the NCCT and the IPMWC are to work together to resolve disputes in the frameworks and achieve a single pact. Q: What kind of individuals will take part in the committee? Will they be high decision-makers? A: Members from both sides will be provided equal roles – specifying chapters; verifying and poising disputed definitions; and working out details for the political dialogue. We have informed the NCCT that the nine members to be appointed by the IPMWC will be three each from the Tatmadaw [Burmese Armed Forces], the Parliament and the government. The NCCT will nominate their members in an upcoming meeting planned for 19 and 20 March. Q: There will be seven chapters in the nationwide ceasefire draft. What is the ETA on its completion? A: The main issue we are facing in the talks is each side wants to use their own respective frameworks as the model for the final ceasefire agreement. We see a lot of mutual points in the two frameworks, so the plan is to specify these mutual points under relevant chapters and to settle the disputes – I think this should be pretty much done after about two or three meetings. Q: Does this mean the talks between the government and ethnic armed groups in Hpa-an planned for later this month will be postponed again? A: The Hpa-an talks will see the final discussion between the armed groups and the government before signing the nationwide ceasefire agreement in Naypyidaw. The meetings in between are basically steps leading up to the final discussion in Hpa-an – but yes, it is likely, under current circumstances, that it will be postponed until April. Q: Is there anything else you would like to add? A: Only that I feel last weekend's meeting was extremely positive.
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| Posted: 15 Mar 2014 08:38 PM PDT According to The Border Consortium there are about 150,000 people living in refugee camps on the Thai border, the most of whom are members of ethnic minority groups such as the Karen. Intermittent fighting between armed ethnic organisations such as the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Burmese government has continued since the early 60s. The world's longest running civil war has meant multiple generations have now grown up in camps where basic needs are provided for by the slightest of margins. As the nationwide ceasefire pact between the government and armed ethnic groups such as the KNU inches closer, growing job opportunities along Burma's eastern border may lure refugees home. In the meantime boys and girls living out their childhoods in refugee camps look for a creative release — to enrich their lives otherwise so focused on the fulfilment of basic needs such as food and clean water. Photography programs such as MyStory have allowed children to do just that, by training kids in photography, conducting and displaying their work. Here we have a selection of work by the youth of the Thai-Burma border Click here for to see more from the MyStory project.
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