Friday, June 27, 2014

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Aid Coalition Highlights Need for Continued Kachin IDP Support

Posted: 27 Jun 2014 06:06 AM PDT

Kachin IDPs

Myint Myint Ohn Khin, minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement, delivers remarks at a press conference organized by NGOs providing aid to Kachin IDPs. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Nine NGOs providing humanitarian support for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Kachin and northern Shan states say limited funding and uncertainty over when—or even if ever—the displaced will have an opportunity to return home are still among the biggest challenges facing aid groups.

At a press conference in Rangoon on Friday, relief workers laid out the difficulties in ensuring that displaced populations in northern Burma are adequately provided for. A total of 120,000 IDPs are living in camps in both government- and ethnic Kachin rebel-controlled territories. Some have been displaced since fighting between the government and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) resumed in June 2011.

Despite peace talks aimed at reestablishing a ceasefire, the aid workers stressed that ongoing clashes, the presence of landmines and general uncertainty about the region's future made return impossible for the IDPs at present.

"The humanitarian assistance should continue in the IDPs camps until a safe return and resettlement takes place. This aid should be duly funded in order to guarantee the fulfilment of minimum humanitarian standards," said the nine groups, who have formed a Joint Strategy Team to more effectively coordinate aid.

Mary Tawn, the director of the Kachin aid group Wunpawng Ninghtoi (WPN), presented details of the team's humanitarian response, including information on food provisions and initiatives on hygiene, education and health care.

She stressed that it was important for humanitarian aid to continue flowing into the region, with groups only able to meet the total needs of 39 percent of the approximately 90,000 IDPs in territory controlled by the KIA.

Gum Sha Aung, the national humanitarian coordinator of the Metta Development Foundation, said ensuring the IDPs' rights in any future return program would need to be part of current peace talks, as would greater women's participation.

"The IDPs need to be directly involved in any discussion about return and resettlement, which ensures that they are fully informed of their rights and options," the Joint Strategy Team said.

Myint Myint Ohn Khin, Burma's minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement, also gave remarks at Friday's press conference.

"I want to encourage the local and national groups, who are collaborating in the humanitarian sector, to work without bias and to follow the basic principles of international humanitarian aid, such as impartiality, neutrality, independence, transparency and accountability," she said.

The minister urged greater cooperation between local NGOs and international aid groups working with IDPs in Kachin and northern Shan states.

"It is great to see the local NGOs and CSOs [civil society organizations] advocating for the rights of their people and engaging the international community on how best they can deliver humanitarian responses with respect to the local context," said an INGO participant, one of more than 100 aid workers from local and international organizations that attended the press conference on Friday.

The aid groups said 88,898 IDPs are sheltering at 148 camps in areas controlled by the Kachin rebel armed group and administered by its political wing, the Kachin Independence Organization. A total of US$35 million has been spent on humanitarian aid in these camps from June 2011 through May 2014.

"I will continue collaborating with the related ministries, state governments, UN agencies, and national and international NGOs on humanitarian support, until their socioeconomic lives are improved after a genuine peace prevails in Kachin and northern Shan States," said Myint Myint Ohn Khin, who is also a chairwoman of the Myanmar Women's Affairs Committee and the National Child Rights Committee.

"The local CSOs' participation is a great support for us and I want to add that all of your cooperation is welcomed," the minister added.

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Mon Civil Society Calls for State Govt Reforms, Role in Peace Process

Posted: 27 Jun 2014 04:53 AM PDT

civil society ethnic issues Myanmar

The Mon State Regional People’s Forum was held in Moulmein on Thursday and Friday. (Photo: Sawor Mon/ HURFOM)

RANGOON — The first of a series of regional civil society forums wrapped up in the Mon State capital Moulmein on Friday, where some 180 representatives from 75 organizations presented a list of recommendations to the central and state governments on issues such as democratization and political reforms, the peace process, human rights and socio-economic development.

Six Mon State lawmakers, including the state parliament speaker, attended the forum to listen to the recommendations, as did the state agriculture minister Myo Nyunt, according to the organizers.

"Each MP reacted to the discussed issues and we didn't really have differing opinions," said Min Min Nwe, a member of the forum's organizing committee. He added that the minister, who attended for a half day, told the forum that he would study their suggestions and bring them to the attention of the Mon State government.

However, like any other state and division in Burma, Mon State is run by a chief minister appointed by the president and local parties have limited influence. Under the military-drafted Constitution, the central government holds a great deal power over decisions made in any state and division.

Min Min New said the Mon State civil society organizations are aware of this situation and are requesting the central government to consider their recommendations.

"Some of the suggestions can be done only by the union government," he said. "We have strong hopes that the government will implement our suggestions, but I think it's unlikely in a country where there is still so much centralization [of power]."

The list of recommendations that was concluded by the forum participants—who represented various different ethnic groups in Mon state—focused on a range of issues.

A joint statement asked for "a system where the president is directly elected by the public. Amendments to the Constitution regarding the appointment of state and division ministers who should be elected from state and division parliament, and appointing district, township, quarter and village administration officials who are directly elected by the public."

Regarding Burma's ongoing peace process between the central government and ethnic armed groups, the organizations asked that the "Mon state government and parliament recognize and support civilian ceasefire monitoring projects by civil society, [and] to increase the role of civil society in the peace process."

They added that penalties on having contact with ethnic armed groups under the Unlawful Associations Act should be lifted.

The Mon Regional People's forum also recommended that investment projects in the state are carried out in an environmentally sustainable and socially equitable way, that revenues from natural resource exploitation are shared with the local government and communities, and that the projects create local jobs.

It called on the government to help resolve the shortage of funding and human resources for development of the Mon State education system on all levels, while adding that education should also be made available in local ethnic languages.

Civil society groups are planning to hold a Regional People's Forum in each state and division in Burma in the coming years, and plan to hold the next forum in Hpa-an, Karen State.

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Myitsone Will Harm China-Burma Relations: Ethnic Politicians

Posted: 27 Jun 2014 04:26 AM PDT

Myitsone

An aerial view of Myitsone, where the Maykha and Malikha rivers join to form the source of the Irrawaddy River (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

MANDALAY — Ethnic politicians from Burma have warned the Chinese government that resumption of the Myitsone dam project will harm relations between the two countries, as President Thein Sein travels to Beijing on Friday.

A delegation of ethnic politicians from the Arakan National Party (ANP) and the National Democratic Force (NDF) visited China early last week at the invitation of Chinese leaders to discuss Burmese minority affairs.

"An official from the Chinese Foreign Department hinted during the welcome address that resuming the Myitsone Dam project would strengthen relations between the two countries. We think that is ridiculous and warned them that the project would harm ties," Bawk Ja, chairperson of the NDF chapter in Kachin State, where the dam project is located, told The Irrawaddy.

She said the Chinese officials did not respond to the delegation's concerns about the Chinese-backed dam project on the Irrawaddy River. Instead, she said they told the delegation about another dam project on the Mekong River which they claimed had benefited local residents.

"Even though we offered a long explanation about the importance of the Irrawaddy River to Burma, it seems they wanted to convince us to agree with the Myitsone Project," she said.

Asked about minority affairs in Burma, the ethnic Arakan and Kachin politicians told the Chinese officials that they worried about the consequences of Chinese-backed projects in Arakan and Kachin states.

"The Arakan leaders said they were concerned for people who live where the Shwe gas pipeline passes through to China," Bawk Ja said.

She said she expected Thein Sein to discuss Myitsone during his visit to Beijing this weekend.

"They will talk about the dam, for sure," she said. "However, we want the president to not only look at how the government will benefit, but to also think about the people, the country and the future of our environment. The Chinese government should think about our country's well-being if they really want to strengthen ties."

Since a quasi-civilian government came to power in Burma about three years ago, Chinese leaders have frequently extended invitations to Burmese political parties, including the country's biggest opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD). Activists from the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society have also traveled there to meet with the leadership.

Thein Sein is currently making his third state visit to China. He is expected to meet for bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Myitsone dam has complicated China-Burma relations since 2011, when Thein Sein suspended the multi-billion-dollar project due to public protests. Anti-dam protesters said the project would have detrimental effects on their environment and livelihoods.

But villages have still been relocated to make way for the project, and China has been steadily pushing for a resumption of operations. The state-owned China Power Investment Corporation (CPI), which is backing the project along with the Burmese government, hopes that they will have an opportunity to restart the project after Thein Sein's term ends in 2015.

"We do not want suspension, but a complete termination of the dam project, which will seriously affect the river. If the Irrawaddy is affected, the delta—the region which provides most of the country's rice—will die as well," said Tin Thit, an environmental activist based in Mandalay.

"We would like to urge President Thein Sein, Chinese government and the CPI company to think about the future environmental destruction, and not to go against the desires of the people of Burma," he added.

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Ethnic Parties to Protest PR System

Posted: 27 Jun 2014 04:18 AM PDT

elections

An ethnic Shan woman casts her vote at a Naypyidaw polling station during Burma's October 2010 general election. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Burma's ethnic political parties plan to organize protests across the country to show their opposition to the proportional representation (PR) electoral system, which was approved by the Upper House of Parliament this month for use in the 2015 election.

The Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF), an alliance of 20 ethnic parties, plans to stage protests in each of the country's ethnic states, beginning in Shan State, according to NBF spokesman Saw Than Myint.

"We plan to protest in Kyauk Mae Township, northern Shan State, next week, and in other states and divisions next month," he told The Irrawaddy on Friday.

Saw Than Myint said ethnic parties were concerned that a change to the electoral system would confuse voters, particularly those in ethnic states who do not speak Burmese as a first language.

"We held an election in 2010. At that time, a lot of people did not understand the electoral system, so there were many rejected votes. If a new electoral system is introduced, it will be very difficult for ethnic people to understand it," he said.

He added that ethnic politicians would be more likely to boost their representation in Parliament under the current first-past-the-post (FPTP) system, in which candidates win seats by receiving the most votes in their own constituencies. By contrast, under a PR system, the number of seats won by a party is proportionate to the number of votes received.

A majority of lawmakers in the Upper House voted on June 11 to switch from the FPTP system to a PR system for the nomination of Upper House lawmakers in 2015. Eighty-five lawmakers, mostly from the military, the National League for Democracy (NLD) and ethnic parties, voted against the change.

After approving the decision, the Union Election Commission will work with Upper House lawmakers to draft regulations and bylaws for the new electoral system.

A proposal to adopt the PR system for the nomination of Lower House lawmakers will also be up for discussion soon in Parliament. "If they vote to approve it, ethnic parties will not be able to beat stronger parties," Saw Than Myint said.

The NBF has sent a letter to Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann with concerns about the PR system, according to Sai Hla Kyaw, general secretary of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, also known as the White Tiger Party. "U Thura Shwe Mann met with us on Wednesday," he told The Irrawaddy.

He said it was possible that the Lower House would decide to adopt a PR system in divisions, which are largely populated by the ethnic Bamar majority, while retaining the FPTP system in ethnic states.

If that happens, he said, "we will give some time and postpone the protests."

He added that although the Upper House had already decided to adopt a PR system, it would be difficult to create rules and regulations for the new system in time for the 2015 election.

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Burma to Launch Online Visa System for Tourists

Posted: 27 Jun 2014 03:54 AM PDT

tourism

Foreign tourists sightsee at Shwe Indein Pagoda near Shan State's Inle Lake. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Burma plans to launch an online application system for tourist visas later this year, according to the Ministry of Immigration and Population, which announced on Friday that it was opening a tender for the project.

As tourist arrivals in Burma continue to grow, the ministry has received complaints about the difficulties and delays in applying for visas at embassies, according to Maung Maung Than, director-general of the Department of Immigration and National Registration.

"We're considering the process of online visa applications, and we're confident we can get it operating by September," Maung Maung Than told The Irrawaddy, adding that non-tourist visas would not be available through the new system.

Visa fees will be paid online, he said, adding that the fees would be determined later by the operating company and the government.

According to a statement in state-run media, information and technology companies can submit proposals for the project until July 16.

Currently, tourists must apply for visas at embassies in their home countries. More processing time is required if an applicant lives in a country without a Burmese embassy. Long wait times are also common at the embassies in Thailand and China, which neighbor Burma and see a high number of applicants.

Tourists can stay in Burma for 28 days on a single visa. According to figures from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, more than 2 million tourists came to the country in 2013. The ministry expects more than 3 million tourists this year.

Burma's tourism sector saw the highest relative growth in Southeast Asia last year, with the number of foreign arrivals spiking 52 percent, according to a report by the UN World Tourism Organization. Despite the surging growth, Burma remains one of the region's least-visited countries after decades of military rule and poor development.

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Govt Reportedly Turned Down Myitkyina Visit Request of US Official

Posted: 27 Jun 2014 02:58 AM PDT

US Myanmar foreign policy

A woman carries her child at a camp for internally displaced persons in the suburbs of Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, on July 7, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

Burma's government is said to have turned down a request by United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski to visit the Kachin State capital Myitkyina.

The Irrawaddy has learned from sources in the Burmese capital Naypyidaw and from Kachin activists that Malinowski was told that he could visit the Kachin jade mining town of Hpakant, but not Myitkyina. Kachin activists said they had invited the assistant secretary to the Kachin capital.

Malinowski is on a visit to Burma from June 22-28 and leads a delegation of senior US officials from the Departments of State, Defense, and Treasury to the Mon State capital Moulmein, the Karen State capital Hpa-An, Karen State, and to Rangoon and Naypyidaw. The assistant secretary was scheduled to meet with government officials, ethnic leaders, civil society representatives and politicians, as well as senior Burma Army officers.

The US Embassy denied the reports that the delegation had requested to visit Myitkyina. "We did not request permission from the government to travel to Kachin state," an embassy spokesman told The Irrawaddy.

Malinowski "had a number of meetings on his schedule this trip that touched upon a host of issues, including ways for the US government to best support national reconciliation, and our engagement in supporting efforts by all parties to achieve a sustainable peace," the official said.

Kachin State and northern Shan State has been wracked by conflict between the Kachin Independence Army and the Burma Army since mid-2011, and some 120,000 Kachin civilians remain displaced. Despite several rounds of ceasefire talks, fighting continues and in recent months there have been reports of fierce clashes close to the Burma-China border that have displaced more civilians.

The Kachin rebels have asked for US involvement in the ceasefire talks, but this has reportedly been met with resistance from China, which is reluctant to see the US engagement with groups close to its border.

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Respected Karen Leader Tamla Baw Dead at 94

Posted: 27 Jun 2014 02:03 AM PDT

Tamla Baw

Gen. Tamla Baw, 94, died in the Thai border town of Mae Sariang on Thursday. (Photo: Burma Campaign UK)

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — The former chairman of the Karen National Union (KNU), a respected general who once fought alongside British troops in World War II's Burma theater, passed away on Thursday.

Gen. Tamla Baw, 94, died of natural causes in the border town of Mae Sariang, in Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province. Tamla Baw was one of the ethnic Karen people's most venerated leaders, for his commitment to fighting for the rights of Karen people and dedication to the cause of Karen armed resistance against the Burmese government. He is survived by his eight children, including daughter Zipporah Sein, the KNU's current vice chairwoman.

Tamla Baw served in the British Army against occupying Japanese forces before joining Burma's ethnic Karen minority in their struggle against the central government after the country gained independence in 1948.

Zipporah Sein told The Irrawaddy that her father was dedicated to the Karen's revolutionary cause and had often warned leaders of the KNU not to betray their ethnic brethren, many of whom gave their lives fighting for self-determination and equality.

"When he was alive, he told us that if we did not succeed in our goals of equal rights and self-determination, for which we have been fighting for over 60 years, it would be like we had betrayed our colleagues, soldiers and leaders who have sacrificed their lives for the revolution," Zipporah Sein said.

Born in 1920 in Moulmein, Mon State, Tamla Baw served as a British Army intelligence officer under Force 136. He also served as a lance corporal in the 2nd Burma Rifles unit.

Tamla Baw was arrested and briefly jailed by occupying Japanese forces in 1943, but managed to escape four months later and joined the British Army. Post-independence, he joined up with the KNU and involved himself in a number of conflicts in Taungoo, Pegu Division, beginning in 1949, before officially joining the KNU's militant wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), in 1969. He also served for a time as commander-in-chief of the KNLA.

Though his health deteriorated in his later years, Tamla Baw continued to follow Burma politics and often raised his concerns about disunity among the KNU's current leadership. He often advised KNU leaders to maintain a united front and avoid falling into a trap set up by the Burmese government, Zipporah Sein said. Those words were increasingly stressed in the years since the KNU has engaged with Burma's reformist government in peace negotiations.

"He [Tamla Baw] always worried that KNU leaders would fall to the enemy [the government]," she said. "He warned KNU leaders to stand firm and fight for equal rights for the Karen people. He worried a lot about us being cheated [by the government]."

Zipporah Sein said her father believed in self-determination, equal rights and the establishment of a federal system in Burma. Without these prerequisites, the late general said the Karen people and other ethnic minorities in Burma would likely never see their ethnic ambitions realized.

The London-based Burma Campaign UK released a statement on Thursday paying tribute to Tamla Baw's service in the British Army, and his principled fight for ethnic minorities' aspirations.

"He regularly reminded Burma Campaign UK of the special debt that the British owed the Karen people as allies during WWII. He never gave up hope that one day the British government would honour that debt and the promises made to the Karen to support their struggle for self-determination," the statement read.

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High Level of Corporate Secrecy in Oil and Gas Sector, Survey Finds

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 11:39 PM PDT

oil and gas corruption Myanmar

A map showing the winners of on and offshore oil and gas exploration blocks in Burma. (Image: Global Witness)

RANGOON — As resource-rich Burma gears up to join the global anti-corruption scheme for the oil, gas and mining sector, a survey by a London-based advocacy group found widespread corporate secrecy in the sector, which has long been plagued by corruption.

Of the 47 local and international companies which won major oil and gas blocks in October and March, only 13 responded to questions about their ownership, Global Witness said on Thursday. The Netherlands' Berlanga Holding B.V., Italy's Eni, Anglo-Dutch Shell and Thailand's PTTEP South Asia, a subsidiary of publicly traded PTTEP, are among those that did not respond, it said.

"Company secrecy threatens Myanmar's fragile progress towards a fairer and more open management of its resource wealth," Global Witness said in a statement. "Putting company ownership details into the public domain provides a crucial safeguard against corruption," it added.

The survey "is the first public review of company ownership (in the sector), and it provides a snapshot of the level of transparency to which companies are willing to commit," a Global Witness spokesman said.

Burma's oil and gas deposits, hydropower, timber and minerals were once accessible to only a handful of companies, many of them linked to or friendly with the powerful military.

Millions of dollars of revenue from past exploitation of natural resources have not been accounted for in publicly available state data. Some 85 percent of Burma's people live on less than $2.25 per day, according to the United Nations.

Under the military junta which ruled the country for half a century, there was little independent oversight of national revenue or spending, but the quasi-civilian government which came to power in 2011 vowed to change this.

Burma's application to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global standard under which governments and companies agree to report how much is paid for extracting natural resources, will be considered on July 1-2.

"Myanmar is coming out of decades of opaque business deals which have resulted in civil society being very suspicious of business, particularly in the extractives sector," said Vicky Bowman, a former British diplomat now leading the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business.

"The government is also applying to be a member of the EITI. For these reasons, it is important that companies in the Myanmar extractives sector make their ownership clear, so that citizens understand who is benefiting from the new investment," she added.

Need for Transparency

Only two Burmese private companies – Myanmar's Machinery & Solutions and Myanmar Petroleum E&P Co. Ltd – provided full details of their ultimate owners, Global Witness said.

Precious Stone Mining was one of the local companies awarded an onshore block in October 2013, partnering with Pakistan's Petroleum Exploration (PVT). Yet Precious Stone's spacious but sparsely furnished office in a Yangon apartment block attached to a shopping center had no pamphlets, posters, or information on its track record in the oil and gas sector.

When a Thomson Reuters Foundation reporter visited the office on Wednesday, the staff were unaware the company had won the contract and declined to answer questions.

Experts say foreign investors are required to have a local partner if they win shallow water or onshore blocks.

"There are only a handful of Myanmar companies with real oil and gas sector experience, and only a very few of these pass the due diligence tests of major Western companies," Bowman said.

"Since these few companies' capacity to take on new investment is already under strain, some foreign companies appear to have been willing to partner with local companies with little oil and gas experience, in order to bid. It is unclear how far (state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise) took past experience into account in awarding the blocks," Bowman added.

Global Witness is urging all oil and gas companies in Burma to reveal their ultimate owners and include this information in their reports to the EITI.

It also asked the government and parliament to introduce laws requiring such disclosure.

Transparency is not a high priority under existing laws. The Myanmar Companies Act is 100 years old and does not ask companies in Burma—generally private family enterprises—to make details of their ownership and activities public.

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Unesco to Offer Assistance With Bagan Conservation Work

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 11:27 PM PDT

Bagan Unesco

Bagan is an ancient city that flourished between the 9th and 13th century. Some 2,000 temples remain scattered among the arid hills of central Burma today. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Unesco has announced that it will conduct an inventory of heritage assets at Burma's ancient capital Bagan, asses the conditions of the temples and develop conservation guidelines for the site.

It will be the first time in two decades that international experts assist in conserving the Buddhist temple complex, after cooperation came to a halt during the former military regime.

"The project seeks to help Myanmar safeguard Bagan in line with international standards," Unesco said in a statement released Friday, adding that the Japanese-funded project would offer technical assistance for the conservation of built heritage.

A first workshop to start the project was held on June 9-10 at Bagan, involving the Department of Archaeology and National Museum, Ministry of Culture and Unesco.

"Leading international experts and national counterparts developed recommendations on how to proceed with updating the inventory," the statement said.

"In addition to recording the monuments, the experts stressed the importance of ensuring that the updated inventory also includes other important heritage features, such as archaeological assets, landscape elements, and the living heritage of Bagan."

The announcement comes a few days after Unesco accepted the first inscription of a Burmese heritage site, the Pyu Ancient Cities, on the World Heritage List. It began offering technical assistance at the Pyu sites in 2012.

Bagan, which contains about 2,500 Buddhist monuments constructed from the 10th to 14th century, is on a tentative list of sites proposed for inclusion on the World Heritage List, but Friday's statement made no mention of the progress towards enlisting Bagan.

In the 1990s, Burma's military government allowed hotels and golf courses to be built among the temples, causing its 1996 bid to enlist the ancient city as a Unesco heritage site to fall flat. Renovations of about 1,000 temples under the regime have also been criticized by archeologists, who said little attention was paid to historical accuracy.

President Thein Sein has restarted the Bagan listing process and it is likely that Unesco will begin a review of the World Heritage listing soon.

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Progress, Yes, but Not at Any Price

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 10:50 PM PDT

Students from the Inle Heritage Hospitality Vocational Training Center tend to vegetables at the Inthar Heritage House near Inle Lake in Shan State. (Photo: Inthar Heritage House)

Whenever I travel around Asia to attend forums and conferences, I hear people talking about my country as the region's last frontier. This makes me proud—but also a bit scared. Why? Because it makes me realize how little we know of the outside world, and how much we must learn to catch up. We lack so much, in terms of knowledge, experience, laws, infrastructure, and so many other things. But as we open up to the rest of the world, we can't just sit and wait for change to happen. We need to prepare ourselves and shape the future for generations to come.

When I look at big companies and the way they brand and market their goods and services, I envy them. I wouldn't want to copy everything they do, but some things are certainly worth emulating. If we want to succeed, we are going to have to improve the way we brand and market ourselves.

But this doesn't mean presenting a phony version of ourselves to the world. What we lack in experience and sophistication, we more than make up for in authenticity. If we trust and value our roots, and work as hard as the big companies do to make a name for ourselves, we are sure to make great strides in improving our lives and the lives of our children, and in bringing prosperity to Burma.

Yin Myo Su (Photo: Sai Zaw / The Irrawaddy)

Yin Myo Su

It shouldn't be that difficult to get the world's attention. After all, we are the second largest country in Southeast Asia, with a population of 60 million hardworking people. There is plenty of room for all kinds of companies, both big and small. With the right kind of investment, particularly in small and medium enterprises (SMEs)—which could provide 60-70 percent of employment in the country—our people could pursue their passions, improve their quality of life, and raise the standards of their education and health care. By starting with small, affordable projects, Burma could rebuild itself as a financially, intellectually and emotionally independent nation.

Five years ago, I decided to start some small pilot projects of my own in my native Shan State. As an ethnic Intha person, I wanted to do something to protect Inle Lake, the ancestral home of my people. Beautiful but threatened by environmental degradation—caused by deforestation, shrinking water catchment areas, poor waste management, intensive agriculture, a growing population, and rapid development of the tourism industry—the lake is being pushed to its limits.

Although the needs of the lake are big and challenging, I felt a good place to begin was by offering an alternative to unsustainable practices that endanger not only the lake itself, but also the culture that has grown up around it. That's why, in 2009, I founded the Inthar Heritage House (now the Inle Heritage Foundation) to bring business solutions and life skills to the local community.

Focused on both environmental awareness and the preservation and promotion of the local culture, the foundation seeks practical solutions to the problems facing Inle Lake and those who live around it. Last year, to further this aim, I set up the Inle Heritage Hospitality Vocational Training Center, which provides young adults in the Inle Lake community with the skills they need to participate in a healthy, sustainable local tourism industry. On May 30, with great encouragement from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, we held a graduation ceremony for the 42 students of the Class of 2014. A few days before that, we held a job fair at which all of our students found work for the coming season.

As part of their training, the students worked at the Inthar Heritage House Restaurant, our souvenir shop, and the Thahara Inle Heritage mockup hotel. As social businesses (that is, businesses that seek to achieve maximum social impact, rather than maximum profit), these projects strive to be self-sustaining and, in the long term, financially independent. At present, we host nearly 15,000 visitors a year, generating enough income to cover around 60 percent of the operating costs of our foundation and its projects.

While our way of doing business certainly has its challenges, we are also keenly aware of the danger of irresponsible development. It is difficult—both for the government and for our local communities—to preserve our precious heritage and achieve economic growth at the same time, but I am convinced it can be done.

Burma can be thought of as a beautiful young woman who is just coming out of a convent. She must have the right to make her own choices, even if it means she may make some mistakes. She can learn from those mistakes and move on. The only thing that truly matters is that she is able to follow a path of her own choosing.

The worst thing would be to worry so much that we do nothing to improve our lives. In business, we survive by taking chances, learning not only from our own mistakes, but also those of others. That way, when an opportunity presents itself, we have the confidence to take it. But beyond this, we must build trust in our communities and learn to cherish our heritage. Only then can our country hope to become a better place to live.

Yin Myo Su is the founder of Inthar Heritage House and Inle Heritage Hospitality Vocational Training Center on Inle Lake in Shan State. She is the winner of the 2013 Goldman Sachs & Fortune Global Women Leaders Award.

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Activists Remember Bravery of Student Leader

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 10:16 PM PDT

Salai Tin Maung Oo

Salai Tin Aye, a cousin of Salai Tin Maung Oo, recalls the late student leader during a ceremony in Rangoon on Thursday. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Thirty-eight years after student activist Salai Tin Maung Oo was hanged in prison after protesting against military rule, his colleagues in Rangoon honored him by awarding literary prizes in his name to political writers.

Salai Tin Maung Oo was a protest leader in the labor movement of June 1974 as well as the U Thant funeral movement of December that year, when Gen. Ne Win's military government was in power.

In 1976, the ethnic Chin student was arrested for his activism and sent to Rangoon's notorious Insein Prison, where he was hanged three months later on June 26, 1976, at the age of 24.

His last words were, "You can kill my body, but you can never kill my beliefs and what I stood for. I will never kneel down under military boots!"

At a remembrance ceremony in Rangoon on Thursday, 13 literary prizes were awarded to writers, poets and translators who have written about Burma's political history.

Among the honored works were a Burmese translation of Swedish journalist Bertil Lintner's "The Rise and Fall of the Communist Party of Burma," and Pascal Khoo Thwe's "From the Land of Green Ghosts." The late journalist Win Tin's Burmese translation of the novel "Queed" and Win Zaw Latt's own "88 Uprising Documentary" were also awarded prizes, as were works by writers Myay Hmone Lwin, Myo Ko Myo, Win Tint Tun and Aung Htun.

Salai Tin Maung Oo's friends remembered his courage during his two years of fighting against dictatorship. Some said his sacrifice highlighted a lack of rule of law under the military government.

"The longer our country lacks rule of law, the more the public will suffer," added Maung Maung Zeya, a colleague of the late student activist.

Ashin Dhama Thara, a Buddhist monk, praised Salai Tin Maung Oo as "the builder of the statute of democracy and human rights in Burma."

Win Zaw Latt, who wrote "88 Uprising Documentary" told The Irrawaddy that he felt "honored for being recognized for his work by the late democracy activist."

The first son of eight siblings, Salai Tin Maung Oo studied at the Rangoon Arts and Sciences University in 1971. He was also secretary at the Chin Literature and Culture Association from 1974-75. His close family now lives in Vancouver, Canada, after fleeing from the previous regime's suppression.

The post Activists Remember Bravery of Student Leader appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Thanlwin: A River Overlooked

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 05:28 PM PDT

China Looks to Gain by Joining Big US-led Pacific Naval Drills

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 10:09 PM PDT

Chinese participation in RIMPAC

US Commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam Captain Jeffrey W. James, right, walks off the PLA Navy guided missile destroyer Haikou (171) after a quick tour upon its arrival in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 24, 2014. (Photo: Reuters / Hugh Gentry)

WASHINGTON — A giant US-led naval exercise began off Hawaii on Thursday with China joining its Asia-Pacific rivals for the first time, but analysts doubted the drills will ease tensions over Chinese maritime claims and some said Beijing could use them to strengthen its navy.

Washington and its allies hope China's participation in the five-week Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises, involving 55 vessels, more than 200 aircraft and some 25,000 personnel from 22 countries, will build trust and help avert misunderstandings on the high seas that could escalate into crisis.

But analysts say the maneuvers may only help Beijing strengthen its growing naval capability by observing the forces of the United States and its allies.

Twenty-three nations had been expected to participate in RIMPAC this year. But Thailand will not take part, the Pentagon said on Thursday. Thailand is a long-time US treaty ally, but Washington has suspended some cooperation projects with the country since its May 22 military coup.

China has sent four ships for its debut at RIMPAC, which runs until Aug. 1.

The Chinese ships are the missile destroyer Haikou, the missile frigate Yueyang, the supply ship Qiandaohu and the hospital ship Peace Ark. Chinese forces include two helicopters, a commando unit and a diving unit, a total 1,100 personnel.

The Haikou has a sophisticated battle-management system similar to the Aegis system used on many US warships, which uses integrated radar and computer systems to track and destroy targets.

The Chinese ships rendezvoused off the US Pacific island of Guam with warships from the United States, Singapore and Brunei before sailing to Hawaii. Nine ships from the four countries conducted drills involving maneuvering, communications and live weapons fire while en route to Pearl Harbor, where they arrived on Tuesday.

US Navy chief Admiral Jonathan Greenert said last year RIMPAC allowed participating forces to practice high-end ballistic missile defense, surface and anti-submarine warfare in simulations and live-fire missile and torpedo exercises.

This year's exercises will include "cross-decking," where liaison officers from one country will be aboard the ship of another during the maneuvers, a US defense official said.

"It benefits both countries and helps communications. It’s a win-win situation," the official said.

US officials say exercises like RIMPAC help navies involved learn how to work together in a wide range of operations, including disaster relief and countering pirates.

China against Most

They say deeper US-China military ties help encourage transparency and clear lines of communication. But critics question whether including China in events like RIMPAC benefit China far more than they do the United States and its allies.

The exercises come at a time when tensions are high between Beijing and US allies such as Japan and the Philippines over China's pressing of territorial claims in the South and East China Seas and Vietnamese vessels have clashed with China over waters claimed by both nations.

Austin Strange, a researcher at the US Naval war College's China Maritime Studies Institute, said participation in the exercises was an opportunity for China's navy to demonstrate its increased capabilities and to get a closer look at other navies.

"RIMPAC and China's participation … is unlikely to directly impact peace in the Asia-Pacific region," he said. "Asia-Pacific stability rests more on the ways in which states communicate and pursue their national interests vis-à-vis other states in the region."

The Pentagon's emphasis on trust-building and trying to promote common views on regional security were "misplaced," said Oriana Mastro, an assistant professor of security studies at Washington's Georgetown University.

"We are not forging personal relationships of the duration and degree necessary to keep two countries from going to war," she said. "And in my opinion, dialogue will not successfully convince the Chinese to rethink what they consider to be national interests."

However, she said inviting China did help to counter Beijing's line that the United States is trying to "contain" China and fitted with Washington's assertion that it welcomes a greater Chinese global role, as long as it is constructive.

Roger Cliff, an analyst at Washington's Atlantic Council think tank, said Washington may also hope China will reciprocate by inviting the US Navy to participate in a PLA Navy exercise.

But he said China was likely to gain more from RIMPAC than it gave away.

"They will … learn from observing us and the other participants, and they will not only learn about our capabilities, they will also learn how to perform things more efficiently or effectively, whereas they probably don’t have much to teach us in that regard," he said.

"So they probably will learn more than we do."

The post China Looks to Gain by Joining Big US-led Pacific Naval Drills appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Cambodian PM Says 250,000 Workers Returned Home

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 10:01 PM PDT

Cambodian workers in Thailand

Cambodian workers ride on military trucks as they prepare to cross the Thai-Cambodia border at Aranyaprathet on June 15, 2014. (Photo: Reuters / Athit Perawongmetha)

PHNOM PENH — Cambodia's prime minister said Thursday that at least 250,000 of his countrymen who were migrant workers in Thailand returned home this month under circumstances that initially violated their human rights.

Hun Sen accused Thai authorities of abusing their rights when the exodus began in early June, but said that after complaints from Cambodian authorities, the workers were treated in a more humane way.

The Cambodians returned home after the military took power in Thailand in late May and announced a crackdown on illegal immigrants and those employing them.

The belief spread that all migrant workers, legal and illegal, were at risk of arrest, and rumors circulated that some had been beaten or even shot by Thai soldiers. Some left after being dismissed by their Thai employers, who faced possible legal penalties for hiring them.

Thai authorities deny deporting any workers who were legally employed. About 400,000 Cambodians were believed to have been working in Thailand, most illegally.

Both countries are now seeking the migrants' return to Thailand, which has a shortage of low-wage workers. Cambodia is one of Asia's poorest countries, and cannot employ such a large number of workers.

Hun Sen said the influx of returnees hit Cambodia like a "flash flood," with no advance warning given by Thailand, even though Thai authorities transported many of the Cambodians to the border.

After the crisis began, however, Thailand's new leader, army commander General Prayuth Chan-ocha, sent him two letters asserting that Thailand would not use force against the workers and would respect their rights, he said.

Hun Sen said his government would expedite the process of allowing Cambodian workers to apply to legally work in Thailand by reducing the fee for obtaining a passport to US$4 to cover the cost of a photo, and process it in within 20 days. They previously cost about $125.

"We do not want to see our Cambodian workers working in Thailand as illegal workers," he said.

Prayuth has highlighted the problem of unregistered foreign workers, saying they are taken advantage of by criminal gangs and cause social, health and security problems.

The post Cambodian PM Says 250,000 Workers Returned Home appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Malaysia Jet Most Likely on Autopilot When It Crashed, Australia Says

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 09:44 PM PDT

search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370

A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737-800 aircraft parks on tarmac of Kuala Lumpur International Airport outside Kuala Lumpur on June 14, 2014. (Photo: Reuters / Samsul Said)

SYDNEY — Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 was most likely on autopilot when it crashed into the Indian Ocean further south than previously thought, Australian officials said on Thursday, as they charted the next phase of a so far fruitless search.

The new analysis comes more than 100 days after the Boeing 777, carrying 239 passengers and crew, disappeared on March 8 shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing.

Investigators say what little evidence they have to work with suggests the plane was deliberately diverted thousands of kilometers from its scheduled route before eventually plunging into the Indian Ocean.

The search was narrowed in April after a series of acoustic pings thought to be from the plane's black box recorders were heard along a final arc where analysis of satellite data put its last location.

But a month later, officials conceded the wreckage was not in that concentrated area, some 1,600 km (1,000 miles) off the northwest coast of Australia, and the search area would have to be expanded.

"The new priority area is still focused on the seventh arc, where the aircraft last communicated with satellite. We are now shifting our attention to an area further south along the arc," Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss told reporters in Canberra.

Truss said the area was determined after a review of satellite data, early radar information and aircraft performance limits after the plane diverted across the Malaysian peninsula and headed south into one of the remotest areas of the planet.

"It is highly, highly likely that the aircraft was on autopilot otherwise it could not have followed the orderly path that has been identified through the satellite sightings," Truss said.

The next phase of the search is expected to start in August and take a year, covering some 60,000 sq km at a cost of US$56 million or more. The search is already the most expensive in aviation history.

The new priority search area is around 2,000 km west of Perth, a stretch of isolated ocean frequently lashed by storm force winds and massive swells.

In a 55-page report, the Australian Transport Safety Board outlined a how investigators had narrowed down the possible final resting place from thousands of possible routes, while noting the absence of communications and the steady flight path.

"Given these observations, the final stages of the unresponsive crew/hypoxia event type appeared to best fit the available evidence for the final period of MH370's flight when it was heading in a generally southerly direction," the ATSB report said.

Two vessels, one Chinese and one from Dutch engineering company Fugro, are currently mapping the sea floor along the arc, where depths exceed 5,000 meters in parts.

A tender to find a commercial operator to conduct the sea floor search closes on Monday.

Additional reporting by Matt Siegel.

The post Malaysia Jet Most Likely on Autopilot When It Crashed, Australia Says appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

‘The Corruption Charges Are a Pretext’

Posted: 26 Jun 2014 05:00 PM PDT

Hsan Hsint

From left to right, Irrawaddy editor Kyaw Zwa Moe speaks with journalist Sithu Aung Myint and political commentator Dr. Yan Myo Thein during an episode of "Dateline Irrawaddy."

In this week's "Dateline Irrawaddy" show—first aired on the Democratic Voice of Burma—panelists discuss President Thein Sein's decision to fire Religious Affairs Minister U Hsan Hsint, who has also been detained and charged with corruption.

Kyaw Zwa Moe: This week we are going to discuss the firing and detention of Religious Affairs Minister U Hsan Hsint, after government forces raided the Mahasantisukha Monastery and arrested five resident monks, and as there has still been no transparent trial. There might be corruption, as well as political and economic interests, implicated in the case. We are going to discuss this with our invited guests, Dr. Yan Myo Thein, a regular political commentator, and Ko Sithu Aung Myint, a political and social commentator. And I am Kyaw Zwa Moe, editor of the English edition of The Irrawaddy magazine.

Ko Sithu Aung Myint, the recent raid is the first time the government has used force like this since the 2007 Saffron Revolution. The entire country is appalled by the incident. There might be some reasons behind the case that people don't know. Do you have any idea what the root causes might be?

Sithu Aung Myint: The Venerable Penang Sayadaw initiated the construction of the monastery, and it was donated to him afterward. But then he left the country to continue his mission abroad, as he had been based at a monastery on the island of Penang way before 2007. General Khin Nyunt then transferred the administration of the monastery to the state Buddhist clergy, or Sangha, known as Maha Nayaka. In principal, the monastery is still owned by Penang Sayadaw, but the state clergy was managing it in his stead while he was away. Nevertheless, the state clergy refused to return the monastery when Penang Sayadaw came back as the political situation in the country improved. The state clergy, however, agreed to accept Penang Sayadaw as a guest if he wanted to stay at the monastery. When Penang Sayadaw was away for his mission, the raid went ahead in accordance with a decision by the 47-member supreme council of the state clergy, and implemented by the state clergy of Yangon Division. The state clergy of Yangon Division sent about 10 to 20 monks from each monastery to oversee the operation, and they were aided by the police. The Yangon Division government granted permission to conduct the operation. The whole thing turned out to be very ugly, and there were objections from both the local and international community. The government responded by taking action against U Hsan Hsint, who was the incumbent religious affairs minister at the time. We don't know what role U Hsan Hsint played in that operation, we only know what the government has explained to us.

KZM: We already know that much. Hsan Hsint, as the religious affairs minister, along with the state clergy and the police, were involved in the raid. Presidential spokesperson and Deputy Minister of Information U Ye Htut later said the government had no right to intervene in the affairs of monks and that the matter was solely up to the state clergy's decision. However, U Hsan Hsint was removed from his position within a few days and the five monks who were detained were released on bail. These are totally inconsistent. I believe there is disagreement, even within the government. What's your take?

SAM: When they explained the inconsistencies later, they said their policy was to implement the decision of the state clergy, but the president ordered a solution to the matter in a harmonious way. But the president's instructions were not followed, and the government took action in response. Since we haven't heard U Hsan Hsint's side of the story, we can't tell whether this is true or not.

KZM: The government does not hold public hearings. The Ministry of Home Affairs just said today that they have no plan to release more information. Ko Yan Myo Thein, do you think there are political motives at play?

Yan Myo Thein: I think the national government is mainly responsible for the incident. U Hsan Hsint and Presidential Advisor on Religious Affairs U Ant Maung are now out of the loop, although they were exposed to the public. I believe the national government systematically designed the whole thing. They may have political advantages to gain from the plot. As the nationwide signature campaign led by the National League for Democracy and other ethnic political parties to change Article 436 of the Constitution is gaining momentum, they devised this plot to counterbalance the movement. We don't see a greater effect coming from the plot yet, but I think they did this to counter the movements of the NLD and other political parties.

KZM: This kind of political trick has been used over the past two decades under the military regime. Is the case that simple? We need to question this because there are inconsistencies. According to Ko Yan Myo Thein, U Hsan Hsint looks like a scapegoat. What do you think, Ko Sithu Aung Myint?

SAM: I don't see it like that. U Thein Sein has handled problems in the government moderately during his three years of administration. He has never taken action so hastily before. If we take that into consideration, this is a really scary punishment. A cabinet minister was arrested and sent to prison right away. And his family members were put under house arrest, and their facilities that were provided by the government have been confiscated, according to the latest news. It is very clear that they are determined to investigate the case of U Hsan Hsint thoroughly and to punish him. Before the fall of U Khin Nyunt, General Tun Kyi and some others faced a similar fate. I think this is a manifestation of their internal conflicts.

KZM: The raid would be the immediate reason. There can still be many more. In the case of U Khin Nyunt, although internal conflicts did play a role, he was arrested and charged with corruption. We can see the same pattern in U Hsan Hsint's case. The charges against him are insubordination, breaching the Constitution, and corruption. Nonetheless, many retired generals and current members of government are also accused of corruption. What details have the authorities shared?

SAM: We haven't gotten the details yet. According to the information they released just after the arrest, the special bureau of investigation has been following U Hsan Hsint and they found that U Hsan Hsint donated 10 million kyats (US$10,000) to a pagoda out of the ministry's budget. Three million kyats were deposited back into the ministry's account, while the remaining 7 million were not reported. We don't know when it was deposited either, at that time or later. If we just look at the matter with common sense, all the ex-generals are millionaires in dollars. U Hsan Hsint himself has properties in Kabar Aye Villa, which is one of the most famous neighborhoods, among many other assets, and there are some assets owned by his son. Therefore, the amount of 10 million kyats is an absurd amount to implicate him with corruption. We can't substantiate the claim that he is being punished for corruption.

KZM: Like Ko Yan Myo Thein said, if there are political interests involved, what do U Thein Sein and his government stand to gain?

YMT: I don't think this is a manifestation of their internal conflicts, like Ko Sithu Aung Myint said. This feels like watching a play, where anyone in it can turn either into the villain or the protagonist.

KZM: So U Hsan Hsint is now in the role of villain?

YMT: U Hsan Hsint is now the villain, but the rest are continuing their roles, and the people are continuing to watch the play. I think the government's way of handling Mahasantisukha Monastery's affairs did not yield the results they wanted. That's why they are making U Hsan Hsint into a villain and having him take responsibility by himself. The corruption charges are a pretext to remove him. But the president and the government are mainly responsible for it. U Hsan Hsint's case should be heard in a public trial, as the Constitution does allow for such trials. They at least need to let the media cover the trial and let the defense of U Hsan Hsint be known to the people. If not, I believe there are many hidden agendas behind the case.

KZM: They are charging U Hsan Hsint with corruption, but the funny thing is that the candidate proposed by the president to replace him as a new religious affairs minister, U Soe Win, who currently holds the deputy minister position in the same ministry, is corrupt too, according to media coverage. An MP from the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), U Hla Swe, also mentioned that U Soe Win is corrupt to the bone. So as the government charges U Hsan Hsint with corruption, his replacement is no less corrupt. What more do you know about the case?

SAM: My take is that they planned that he would not be released easily. That's why they charged him with money-related crimes. Since the money is state owned, he will face a long imprisonment. I don't think his case is related to corruption, because if they scrutinize anyone in the government, nobody will be free of corruption. This is my view only.

YMT: For me, I haven't noticed any major operation against corruption during the three-year administration of U Thein Sein. The anti-corruption law is already enacted but there may be delays in issuing the regulations. However, there are many sections under the Penal Code that can be used to charge civil servants. We still don't see them pursuing the case against U Hsan Hsint. So I agree with Ko Sithu Aung Myint that corruption charges against U Hsan Hsint are just an excuse.

KZM: Corruption can be a future topic for us. Thank you, Ko Sithu Aung Myint and Dr. Yan Myo Thein, for joining us. We can roughly conclude that an open public trial is needed to make sure people know clearly the truth behind the removal of U Hsan Hsint and related episodes, not the government's drama.

The post 'The Corruption Charges Are a Pretext' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.
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