Democratic Voice of Burma

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• Storm rocks Rangoon
• Suu Kyi asks KNU to focus on constitutional reform
• Infrastructure, skilled workforce are keys to Burmese economic growth
• Burma Business Weekly
• Displaced Kachin must leave but can’t go home
• Korean child psychologist to be next Special Rapporteur
• Thai, Burmese labour officials pledge to protect migrant workers
• Shan leader abducted by Army in Kengtung
• Myitsone marchers on the home straight
• Rights groups call on Obama to renew sanctions

Storm rocks Rangoon Posted: 10 May 2014 12:28 AM PDT Electricity poles, trees, billboards and rooftops were just some of the victims of strong winds and rain that swept through Rangoon on Thursday night. Telephone lines and electrical wires were torn down by the storm in Thanylin, some 25km south of the former capital, with areas around Kyeik-khauk Pagoda particularly affected. Power was cut for at least a day in some districts. Reparations were taking place on Friday with electrical wires and poles being given priority. No casualties have been reported. Related Stories DVB reporter expelled from Burma Fresh drinking water for drought-ridden Dala Govt cracks down on contraband

Suu Kyi asks KNU to focus on constitutional reform Posted: 09 May 2014 11:07 PM PDT National League for Democracy (NLD) Chairperson Aung San Suu Kyi has urged the Karen National Union (KNU) to join with her in pushing for constitutional amendments. Speaking at Suu Kyi's lakeside home in Rangoon on 9 May, the Burmese opposition leader addressed a delegation of KNU representatives headed by Vice-chairperson Zipporah Sein. According to Pado Saw Thamein Tun, a KNU delegate who attended the meeting, Suu Kyi asked the KNU leadership to focus its efforts on amending the 2008 Constitution and enforcing rule of law in Burma. Suu Kyi allegedly referred to the ongoing peace talks between the KNU, other ethnic armed groups and the Burmese government, saying that constitutional reform would bolster the peace process. Related Stories Shan leader abducted by Army in Kengtung Magwe activists march for press freedom DVB Debate: When does the government have the right to take land? "She asked that we focus on rule of law issues," said Pado Saw Thamein Tun, "and reiterated that the Constitution would need to be amended in order to allow true political dialogue to take place; otherwise we would face constraints. "She went on to advise us to focus on dialogue during the peace talks rather than the development programs," he said. Zipporah Sein has been leading a KNU team recently on a tour of ethnic groups and stakeholders in the peace process, including a visit to the Panghsang headquarters of the United Wa State Army and discussions with ethnic Karens in the Irrawaddy Delta. The Karen delegation also met leaders from the 88 Generation group and sat for talks with Khun Htun Oo of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy. The KNU said it had reached agreements at both meetings to work together to achieve a nationwide ceasefire and to collaborate on proposing amendments to the Constitution.

Infrastructure, skilled workforce are keys to Burmese economic growth Posted: 09 May 2014 10:07 PM PDT Despite an influx of foreign investment and large resource base, Burma’s exponential growth in gross domestic product (GDP) could be held back by inadequate basic infrastructure and a lack of skilled workers, says a Rangoon-based business and market entry adviser. Jean-Pierre Verbiest, an economic and finance expert at West Indochina, said Burma, officially known as Myanmar, is still in the early stages of developing its independent power producer policy framework and creating energy regulators. According to the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Asian Development Bank, the problem could improve in two to three years, he told the CLSA Asean Forum 2014. “The constraints to Burmese growth are a lack of necessary infrastructure, especially in the energy sector, and skilled workers,” he said. “The difficulty in finding skilled and manager-level workers in Burma is because there are not that many of them. However, Burma still has one of the lowest wage costs, which is ideal for labour-intensive industries.” Related Stories World Bank Blundering through Burma Burma’s workers rally for rights on May Day Govt pay hike affecting consumer prices in Chin State According to the Japan External Trade Organisation, Japanese investors have expressed interest in establishing satellite factories for labour-intensive industries to supply raw materials to Thailand. That is likely to happen once the Eastern and Southern Economic corridors that link the main production hubs in Thailand with Burma are completed, said Setsuo Iuchi, Jetro’s president and chief representative for ASEAN and South Asia. According to West Indochina, Burma’s economy grew by about 5 percent in the 10 years prior to reform. In 2011, when reform began, gross domestic product grew by 7-8 percent; last year it rose by 7.5 percent. “Its 2014, GDP is set to grow by about 9 percent and will continue to be about 8-9 percent for the next 20-30 years due to the inflow of foreign investment, especially in the oil and gas sector, as new projects continue to come online,” said Mr Verbiest. Similarly, the telecommunications sector will attract a lot of investment in the next 18 months as the country aims to have 80 percent mobile phone coverage. “Burma is starting its development when technology is cheap and widely available, so it could develop slightly faster than Vietnam did in the ’90s,” said Luc de Waegh, founder and managing partner of West Indochina. Other than oil and gas and telecoms, its growth areas are consumer goods, packaging, market research and law. In the tourism sector, the number of visitors is likely to reach 10 million per year in the next 10 years, up from 2 million now.   This article was originally published in the Bangkok Post on 10 May 2014.

Burma Business Weekly Posted: 09 May 2014 03:01 AM PDT   China still Burma's top trading partner China continues to rank as the top trading partner with more than US$7 billion worth of transactions in the previous fiscal year, according to the Ministry of Economics and Commerce. Burmese exports to China were listed at $2.9 billion, with imports totaling more than $4 billion. China accounts for nearly 30 percent of Burma's trade; Thailand is second with a total value of $5.5 billion. In 2013-14, Burma's main exports to China and other nations were rice, corn, mung beans, pigeon peas, sesame, rubber, fishery products, teak, hardwood, raw metal, natural gas, jade and garments.   Philippines and Burma discuss aviation Aviation officials from the two countries will meet in late May to discuss an air services agreement, ABS-CBN News reported on Friday. The Philippine ambassador to Burma told reporters that the talks could result in the first ever direct flight between the two Southeast Asian nations. Burma's President Thein Sein travelled to Manila last year, where he penned several pacts with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, including a visa-free travel agreement for citizens of the two countries.   Vehicle import tax creates $800m in revenue Burma's Internal Revenue Department has revealed statistics showing that more than US$800 million of revenue was generated over the past two years from vehicle import tax after the government relaxed import regulations. According to the data, more than 280,000 vehicles were imported to Burma, indicating an average of $3,000 was charged for each. Vehicle owners also pay $2,000- $3,000 registration fees, which increased the price of automobiles in Burma — two to five times higher than neighbouring countries. Less than one percent of people in Burma currently own a car.   Burma's corruption remains investors' biggest concern Corruption is the top concern for businesses and investors in Burma, according to a survey commissioned by the UN, OECD and UMFCCI. About 20 percent of over 3,000 firms identified corruption as a “very severe obstacle” to their operations. Sixty percent said they had to pay bribes for registration, licences or permits. About half of the firms said they paid $500 in extra fees while about a dozen said extra fees exceeded $10,000. Access to skilled labour and technology were identified as the second and third biggest obstacles.   Myeik to Bangkok flights take off Myanmar Union Express Charter Airline has launched flights between Mergui [Myeik] in southern Burma to Thai capital Bangkok starting from 8 May. Myeik is now the fourth most popular port of departure for Bangkok-bound flights from Burma after Rangoon, Mandalay and Naypyidaw. Round-trip tickets are being priced at US$140, and the service is running around twice a week.   Austria offers support on hydropower Austria has pledged to provide Burma with technical support on hydropower generation, said Vienna's visiting Transport, Innovation and Technology Minister Doris Bures upon signing MoUs with Burma's Naypyidaw's Electric Power and Transportation ministries on Thursday. DVB has learnt the assistance on the electricity sector will mainly focused on a high-technology project to generate hydropower on the Irrawaddy River without disrupting its flow.   China's Exim to lend Burma $300m for road upgrade Burma's National Planning and Economic Development Ministry is reviewing terms for a US$300 million loan from China's Exim Bank, according to a senior ministry official. The loan is intended to fund nationwide road upgrades. Interest rates and repayment deadlines are still under negotiation. Burma's government came under fire over the past year for receiving a $100 million loan from Exim to build up the cooperatives sector, which critics say came with excessively high interest rates.   Govt cracks down on contraband Burma's Mobile Team announced this weekend it had seized over one billion kyat (US$1 million) worth of smuggled goods between August 2013 and the beginning of May this year from seven ports in Rangoon. The squad's deputy-director, Myint Oo, said over 70 percent of all contraband, much of it foreign liquor, was confiscated following tips from members of the public. The official said that 48 raids were conducted by mobile teams during the last nine months at warehouses and onboard ships coming in to dock, 12 were instigated by tips from members of the public. Those particular raids yielded no less than 700 million kyat worth of illegal goods.   Chinese firm claims Hpa-an locals support cement factory project Myanmar Jidong Cement Company, a subsidiary of Chinese multinational giant Tangshan Jidong, one of the world's largest manufacturers of cement, has countered claims that local communities in Karen State capital Hpa-an are opposed to their building a factory in the area, saying it has the support of the people, and that it intends building the facility as soon as it has approval from the Karen State government and the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC). In an article on 29 April, DVB reported that plans for a cement factory near Hpa-an had met with "stark opposition" and that the majority of locals had refused to sign an agreement indicating approval for the plant, which if constructed could produce 5,000 tons of cement a day, the company says. Read more: https://www.dvb.no/news/chinese-firm-claims-hpa-an-locals-support-cement-factory-project-myanmar-burma-karen/40311

Displaced Kachin must leave but can’t go home Posted: 09 May 2014 02:49 AM PDT Kachin refugees sheltering in the Lagat Yang camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) have begun to relocate amid pressure from the Burmese Army, a camp administrator told DVB. The Lagat Yang camp in Mansi Township, Kachin State, is home to hundreds of families forced to flee their homes because of fighting between the Burmese Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). Camp sources have for weeks been reporting steady pressure from the Burmese military, urging the refugees to return to their villages, which soldiers insist are now safe. The camp's coordinator, La Sang, told DVB that after continued pressure, some of the IDPs returned to their homes to examine damages and prepare for a permanent return, but most of them quickly returned to the camp because fighting resumed. "We have been living in [Lagat Yang] for over a year," said La Sang, "we're just beginning to settle in now and it would be difficult to go back to our villages as we have to tidy up and rebuild homes." He said that though they tried to convince authorities to let them stay, they are still being instructed to leave. Most of the IDPs do not feel that it is safe to return and are considering other relocation sites. A church in nearby Man Win Gyi has arranged accommodation for some of the displaced. Others are said to be headed towards China. Related Stories Shan leader abducted by Army in Kengtung Battles, mortars, roadside bombings reported in Kachin, N. Shan states 14 Kachin refugees arrested by Burmese Army La Sang said that about 440 Lagat Yang residents — around 92 families — began vacating the camp on 7 May. Twenty of those families were bound for China. On 3 May, Burmese soldiers detained fourteen new arrivals to the camp on the grounds that they were not registered as residents. They have all since been released and are among those relocating to Man Win Gyi. Approximately 227 families — about 800 people — had been living in the Lagat Yang IDP camp since fighting broke out between the Burmese Army and the KIA in Mansi Township in November 2013. Last year's conflict caused thousands to flee the Nam Lin Pa IDP camp and nearby villages, hundreds settling at Lagat Yang. In early April of this year, additional installment of Burmese troops in the area — assigned to accompany census enumerators — eventually led to territorial conflicts. Several sources have reported that frontline shellfire landed within the camp's boundaries, causing many of the refugees to flee again. Some fled to nearby Man Win Gyi, while many made a run for the Chinese border. Of those, many have since returned to the Lagat Yang camp. Several hundred IDPs remain in Lagat Yang, originating from various villages and other refugee camps in Bhamo District.

Korean child psychologist to be next Special Rapporteur Posted: 08 May 2014 09:02 PM PDT A child psychologist from South Korea, Yanghee Lee, has been appointed to take over from Tomas Ojea Quintana as United Nations Special Rapporteur to Burma as from 1 June, DVB has learned. Lee was selected on Thursday from a list of candidates that included career diplomats, former Suu Kyi lawyer Jared Genser, and British activist-academic Guy Horton. Although a participant in ASEAN fora, Lee would appear to have little experience in dealing with Burma or its government. She was first elected to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2003 and later became chairperson. Lee's background is in child psychology and education, and she is a BSc graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Shortlisted candidate Guy Horton said, "Congratulations are due to Ms Lee on the appointment. She is taking over a very difficult situation. It should be noted that Mr Quintana has called for an investigation into crimes against humanity in Rakhine [Arakan] State, and I hope she will take that forward." The Korean inherits a position fraught with controversy. Quintana frequently faced criticism from Naypyidaw and from Burma's Buddhist majority for his stance toward the Rohingya Muslims. Leaving the position, Quintana wrote in March that Burma's nascent democracy faces immense challenges in the coming years, some with the capacity to "jeopardise" progress made since the country's transition from military dictatorship to quasi-civilian leadership in 2011. "In assessing the reforms that have been initiated so far," he wrote, "the Special Rapporteur stresses that this can only be viewed as the start of a long process of reform that will be required to address the deep seated human rights issues in Myanmar [Burma]." Related Stories Aid in Arakan at 'bare minimum' UN envoy remains 'convinced' of Maungdaw killings Quintana slams Maungdaw investigation Quintana noted that throughout his six years on the UN mandate, he has seen significant changes in Burma that have brought important improvements to the human rights situation, including the release of over 1,100 prisoners of conscience, the opening up of space for freedom of expression, the development of political freedoms, the holding of free and fair by-elections, and important progress in securing an end to fighting in the ethnic border areas. He said he believes that there is limited space for backtracking, though the democratic transition is still in its early stages and remains fragile. "A change of mind-set still needs to take place within all levels of Government to allow civil society, political parties and a free media to flourish beyond the limited freedoms that have currently been granted," he concluded. "The energy and enthusiasm of the younger generation and of women needs to be allowed to come through which will, in turn, reinvigorate the reform process and ensure that Myanmar [Burma] secures a successful transition. As part of this transition, addressing the past will also become increasingly important. "A critical step will be to secure ceasefire and political agreements with ethnic minority groups, so that Myanmar can finally transform itself into a peaceful multi-ethnic and multi-religious society."

Thai, Burmese labour officials pledge to protect migrant workers Posted: 08 May 2014 07:51 PM PDT Burmese and Thai labour officials held a high-level meeting on 7 May in Bangkok where they agreed to cooperate and provide full labour rights to Burmese migrants, with additional pledges to protect the estimated one to two million Burmese in Thailand from elements such as extortion and employment scams. According to Min Hlaing, the chairman of the Myanmar Overseas Employment Services Association (MOESA), the meeting mainly focused on rights protection for Burmese migrant workers, specifically the formation of labour bodies in both countries to monitor and prevent abuses. "It was roundly agreed that establishing labour bodies in both countries to supervise procedures will prevent abuses such as scams and extortion while also providing assistance with migrants' issues and protecting their rights," he said. Related Stories May Day migrant protesters demand equal rights Burmese migrants assume false identities to work in Thailand Thai police bust Burmese migrant smuggling ring The MOESA chairman said that Burmese officials raised the issue of renewing migrants' passports and work permits after their four-year visa terms have expired in order to protect them from arrest while they wait for new documents. Thai officials in response said that "one-stop service" centres had been opened in border towns to issue fresh documentation to migrants. However, they noted that few Burmese workers had used the service, and they urged the Burmese government to help persuade migrants to adhere to the procedure. It is estimated that of the hundreds of thousands of Burmese migrants whose four-year visas have now expired, only around 6,000 have sought fresh documents. Thai and Burmese officials also discussed updating the existing MoU on employment cooperation which was agreed last year. The meeting was attended by a 12-person delegation from Burma which included Labour Minister Htin Aung, Labour Ministry Director- General Myo Aung, Burma's ambassador to Thailand Aung Myint, and the Burmese embassy's Labour Attaché Thein Naing. Their Thai counterparts were led by Labour Ministry Permanent Secretary Jirasak Sukhonthachart.

Shan leader abducted by Army in Kengtung Posted: 08 May 2014 03:51 AM PDT A leader of a major Shan political party was allegedly arrested and tortured by the Burmese Army in Kengtung, party officials said on Wednesday. Sai Jan, Namt Lin Mai village chairman for the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), is said to have been apprehended by Burmese troops from his home on 5 May. According to Sai Lon, the SNLD eastern Salween chairman, the troops had no warrant and were not accompanied by government officials. "We learned that Sai Jan was arrested at his home while he was sitting with a friend," said Sai Lon, who explained that while the friend had managed to escape, Sai Jan was abducted and kept in detention overnight. According to Sai Lon, he was returned to his house at around 11am the following morning, with his "hands tied around his back and his face black and blue”. The soldiers then searched his house and left with Sai Jan, who is now assumed to be in custody at the Kengtung military headquarters. Related Stories Suu Kyi asks KNU to focus on constitutional reform Displaced Kachin must leave but can’t go home 14 Kachin refugees arrested by Burmese Army Sai Lon said that party officials went to the Kengtung Police station on Wednesday morning to inquire about the incident, but police denied any knowledge of the arrest. Sai Lek, spokesperson for the SNLD, said the party denounced the behaviour of the Burmese Army, warning that such incidents could lead to distrust among the country's many ethnic groups, who are currently negotiating a nationwide peace accord with the central government after decades of war and unrest. "We assume [Sai Jan] is innocent, and even if he wasn't, arrests should be conducted in accordance with the law," he said. "We denounce the arrest of Sai Jan without a police warrant or the company of local authorities." The Shan State Army-South reported a similar incident this week, claiming that Burmese Army troops entered their liaison office in Kengtung without prior notice or warrant, and proceeded to search the building and surrounds, though no one was abducted in that incident.

Myitsone marchers on the home straight Posted: 08 May 2014 03:45 AM PDT After two months of walking across the country, a group of campaigners dubbed the 'Myitsone marchers' reached Sagaing Division's Katha district on Tuesday. The activists are calling for the complete suspension of the Myitsone hydroelectric dam project, which was halted in 2011 by President Thein Sein's government after public opposition to the development. The group started their walk in Rangoon on 14 March, which coincided with International Rivers' Day, and have travelled 1,000 kilometres on foot, taking them almost across the entire length of central Burma. Despite the hardship of the journey, the activists said they have been welcomed in towns and villages along the way. "We faced a lot of struggles on the way," said one of the Myitsone marchers. "We even had to cook for ourselves in some villages, but we improvised means to get us through. We also received healthcare assistance from organisations such as the NLD [National League for Democracy] and local villagers." Forty-three activists began the marathon hike by splitting into four groups – each taking different routes to Myitsone. The Myitsone marchers are now on the home straight as they have about 300km of further hiking until they reach the Irrawaddy river confluence – and the home of the Myitsone Dam. Related Stories Farmers charged with defamation after invoking curse on govt Swimming against the current Plough protestors charged with sedition

Rights groups call on Obama to renew sanctions Posted: 08 May 2014 02:52 AM PDT A coalition of 29 human rights groups issued a statement on Tuesday urging US President Barack Obama to continue the country's policy of "national emergency" with respect to Burma, which is set to expire later this month. A number of sanctioning tools remain at the disposal of the US State Department and Treasury, although most American sanctions against Burmese entities were lifted in mid-2012. If Washington were to allow remaining sanctions to expire, it would follow in the footsteps of the European Union, which lifted all sanctions last year except for a longstanding arms embargo. In a letter to US President Barack Obama, the organisations – led by the Washington-based US Campaign for Burma – claimed the "concerns and rationale for continuing the national emergency persist and have even worsened," citing the arrest of new political prisoners, the denial of aid to Rohingya Muslims, and escalating violence in northern Burma. The letter also cited the "obstruction of political reform," including a failure to amend the Constitution and lingering military ties with North Korea as reasons for maintaining the status quo. The organisations urged the president to maintain the national emergency, which they deemed "imperative for supporting the reform process in Burma." Breaking ranks with other Western countries, the US has chosen to maintain a limited arsenal of financial sanctions against Burma as political and economic reforms have progressed. "Sanctions were widely lifted under the belief that the Burmese government was planning to adhere to a measured path of human rights and democratic reforms," Rachel Wagley, US Campaign for Burma's policy director, told DVB. "This belief has proven demonstrably false, and now the international community is left with little recourse as the human rights situation grows increasingly dire, attacks escalate in ethnic areas, and Parliament works to enact new discriminatory laws." Related Stories US calls on Burma to intervene in Rohingya crisis US accuses Burma of continuing military ties to N Korea US lauds Burma's improving human rights record A longstanding Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, published by the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), remains in force, and American companies are largely barred from doing business with SDN-listed entities, with a few exceptions. Last February, OFAC issued General Licence 19, which allows US entities to conduct transactions through four Burmese commercial banks owned by listed "cronies" otherwise subject to targeted sanctions. While a number of entities have been added to the list over the past two years – primarily for military links with North Korea – the SDN list has come under intense criticism from critics of the US sanctions regime, who claim that enforcement is overly bureaucratic and counterproductive, with unclear criteria for why entities are listed. Many of the individuals still on the list are prominent tycoons with which US interests have had extensive contact, including Win Aung, the chairman of Burma's Chamber of Commerce, which hosted a delegation from its American counterpart last year. Following the suspension of most financial sanctions in mid-2012, President Obama signed Executive Order 13619 into law, which provides the State Department and Treasury with the right to stop asset transfers between Americans and Burmese entities that "[threaten] the peace, security, or stability of Burma" or commit human rights abuses. In theory, the order provides the US government with the legal framework to hold American companies accountable if they are complicit in human rights abuses or criminal activity on a case-by-case basis, outside of the blanket proscriptions already stipulated by the SDN list. Entities found to be in violation of the Order are supposed to be added to the SDN list, but this has not always happened in a timely fashion. Last year, a joint statement by many of the same rights groups behind the call to maintain sanctions criticised the Obama administration for "tout[ing] the importance of updating the SDN list… while simultaneously failing to update it." While most import and export restrictions on Burma were lifted for good in 2013, some provisions of the 2008 Burma JADE (Junta's Anti-Democracy Efforts) act remain in force, particularly a ban on the importation of Burmese rubies and jade due to their close associations with human rights violations and organised crime. Last month, the Burma Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2014 was introduced to congressional committee, which could block further security assistance funds to the Burmese military unless it submits to civilian oversight and improves its human rights record, among other stipulations.

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