Friday, September 26, 2014

Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma

Shake-up at Rights Commission doesn’t fix problem, say activists

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 04:18 AM PDT

Burmese President Thein Sein on Thursday announced reformation of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC), but renowned rights activists claim to have been left out of the decision-making process.

On the day of the announcement, two well-known rights groups that long worked in exile, Burma Partnership and Equality Myanmar, published a damning report on the Commission's activity.

The report blasted the Commission for doing "almost nothing" in parts of Burma where support for human rights is most urgently needed: conflict-torn Arakan, Kachin and Shan states. It also criticised the Commission's make-up, which is overwhelmingly government-affiliated and hence not independent.

"Currently, the assessments for candidates are not based on predetermined, objective and publicly available criteria that promotes the appointment of merit-based candidates," the report read.

Aung Myo Min, the director of Equality Myanmar, said he was unaware that the commission was being restructured, but that the changes made by the president this week turned out to be unsubstantial and were executed with the Commission's typical opacity.

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"We were absolutely not aware of the board making nominations and we had no knowledge of who was being appointed," said Aung Myo Min. "Just like before, we continue to stress this lack of transparency and communication with civil society groups."

What was created by presidential decree in 2011 as a 15-member body chaired by the junta's former UN liaison, Win Mra, now has 11 appointed members. The chairman has kept his position and four others have also remained.

While civil society groups, which have long been Burma's most effective rights defenders, say they have not been consulted about the reshuffle, the chairman told DVB that the changes were well considered and a year in the making.

"The board consulted concerned organisations for more than one year about the formation of the commission," said Win Mra, adding that the new nominees include government officials, parliamentarians and foreign professionals.

"Human rights is a rather broad subject, and this work cannot be done by the MNHRC alone. Everyone  needs to participate: civil society groups, the public, the government and the parliament," he said.

Win Mra said that the commission will conduct human rights education workshops in seven ethnic states before the end of this year.

Ironically, that's exactly the kind of work that Equality Myanmar and several other community-based organisations had already been doing for more than a decade.

 

Bullet Points: 26 September 2014

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 04:13 AM PDT

On today's edition of Bullet Points:

  • Seven years on from Saffron Revolution, generals remain excommunicated
  • Rangoon development plan suspended
  • Mandalay town buried
  • Chelsea to train up-and-coming Burmese footballers

You can watch Bullet Points every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news.

BUSINESS WEEKLY 26 SEPTEMBER 2014

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 03:31 AM PDT

 

Ups and downs

The Burmese kyat was selling on Friday at 995 to the US dollar, while buying at 990. The price of gold increased from 652,800 kyat per tical to 654,500. Fuel prices remain constant: petrol 820 kyat; diesel 950 kyat; octane 950 kyat per litre. High-quality Pawsanhmwe rice is still 1,300-1,700 kyat per basket, while low-quality Manawthukha rice is set at 900 kyat per basket at most Rangoon Markets.

 

Germany’s KfW and GIZ pledge €27 million for development

German development bank KfW and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) opened offices in Rangoon on Thursday, The New Light of Myanmar reported on Friday. GIZ will invest seven million euros in rural development in Burma, of which five million euros will be reserved for upgrading roads in Shan State. German bank KfW, will also invest 20 million euros on human resource development courses, along with development of rural sector, infrastructure and transport.

 

Govt gives green light for wine imports

The Burmese government will soon allow the import of foreign wine brands, according to an official. Trade and Commerce Minister Win Myint said that the ministry has already approved the import of foreign wine and is waiting for the Finance and Revenue Ministry to set duty rates. Import and sale of foreign alcohol is currently prohibited in Burma with the exception of certain venues including duty free shops at international airports and some hotels.

 

Nestlé to open factory in Burma

Swiss food giant Nestlé expects to begin distribution of its domestically produced goods by late 2016, the company announced in Rangoon last week. With an investment of US$25 million, Nestlé plans to establish a factory in the Dagon Seikkan Industrial Zone. The facility will initially manufacture coffee products and is expected to later expand into diary and chocolate. Nestlé will partner with Myanmar Distribution Group for domestic circulation. At present, Nestle products in Burma are imported from Thailand.

 

Burmese investment forum held in New York

The Myanmar Investment Outreach Forum was held in New York City on 24 September. Aimed at promoting Burma as an investment ground, the conference facilitated interactions between Burmese and American ministers, policymakers, businesspersons and representatives of multinationals across sectors such as finance, infrastructure, energy, tourism,logistics and manufacturing.

 

Rangoon train fees to be doubled

Myanmar Railways Enterprise says it plans to double the price of tickets on Rangoon trains. According to an official from Rangoon regional office, the current round-trip fee of 100 kyat (US$0.10) will soon become 200 kyat. He said that the hike was because Myanmar Railways was running at a loss. He said income was 8 million kyat daily but the cost of diesel alone was 9 million kyat every day.

 

Electricity for all by 2030, says govt

Burma's Ministry of Electric Power says that it has increased access to electricity by 33 percent during the first three years of Thein Sein government rule. Furthermore, according to Electricity Minister Khin Maung Soe, it is looking to ensure that every household in the country has electricity by 2030. Speaking this week at a workshop in Naypyidaw co-sponsored by the World Bank, he said that more than three million households now have access to the national grid.

 

CAOG Sarl to begin energy production

Luxembourg-based CAOG Sarl and local partner Apex Geo Services have signed a production sharing contract with state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise for oil exploration at the MOGE4 onshore block in Irrawaddy Division, awarded in October 2013. The contract requires that the companies perform environmental and social impact assessments and cooperate with the regional government for local development. MOGE will receive a US$2 million signing bonus for the agreement.

 

Burma set to export 60,000 tons of rice to Africa

Burma will export 60,000 tons of rice to Africa in October, announced Soe Tun, joint-secretary of the Myanmar Rice Federation. Entry into the African market was announced after Burmese rice exports to China, through the border checkpoints, were halted due to a security crackdown. Meanwhile, China's agriculture minister and Burmese exporters are engaged in discussions aimed at resolving the impasse.

 

Thai PM's visit to Burma will boost delayed Dawei port plan

Burma's stalled Dawei development project is expected to get a big boost when Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, visits the country next month. State visit is scheduled for 7 October, said a source. Although the prime minister has yet to specify the exact schedule, the visit is likely to be early in October, said Pisanu Suvanajata, Thai ambassador to Rangoon. A source at a working group on the Dawei project said Burma wants the initial phase to begin in November. Gen Prayut has also ordered agencies concerned, to support the project following recent visits by Burmese military leaders to Thailand.

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MPT connectivity suffering from lack of towers

Recently launched Myanmar Post and Telecommunication (MPT) SIM cards are facing connectivity issues in many parts of Burma due to lack of network towers. The 1,500 kyat (US$1.50) MPT SIM card holders from Chin, Karenni and Arakan states have reported that the network connectivity is very weak and available only in select regions of their states. Without adequate network towers in Burma, industry observers believe that new international providers Ooredo and Telenor will face similar problems.

 

Thilawa shares to go on market this year

Shares of the Thilawa Special Economic Zone in Rangoon Division will be sold through an over-the-counter stock market. Priced at US$10 each, buyers will be limited to 500 shares as demand is more than double the amount of stocks available.Eighteen foreign companies from countries including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the United States have already made investment proposals for phase one of the project.

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Burma's air traffic up 60% – but where are the passengers?

Burmese domestic airlines are operating 60 percent more aircraft in the three years since President Thein Sein came to power, but the number of passengers has increased only 14 percent, according to the Directorate of Air Transport. In 2011-12, there were just 29 planes in Burma's skies; this year there are 46. However, the number of passengers only increased from 1.5 million to 1.7 million. The domestic carriers are: Myanmar Airways, Air Bagan, Air Mandalay, Yangon Airways, Air Kanbawza, Asia Wings, Shwe Myanmar, Mann Yadanarpon and MAI.

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Mayor hits brakes on Rangoon expansion plan

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 02:31 AM PDT

Rangoon's divisional government has withdrawn a controversial proposal to extend the city limits, just ahead of a scheduled debate in the regional parliament on Friday.

Rangoon city Mayor Hla Myint announced to parliament that the plan will be "put on hold", and declined to answer questions from reporters.

On Monday, an emergency meeting of the Rangoon parliament discussed the divisive plan and the mayor agreed to bring the issue up for debate with regional MPs. During Monday's meeting, many lawmakers expressed concern that the plan, largely kept secret until the choice of a contractor was announced in late August, was being carried out without sufficient transparency.

Given the scale and immediate consequences of the project — an estimated US$8 billion to urbanise 30,000 acres of what is currently used as farmland, speculation leading to gargantuan price hikes on property – many regional MPs thought that the city should seek more input from lawmakers and keep them better informed.

The mayor agreed to put the issue on Friday's agenda and also vowed to conduct a fair and transparent contract bidding contest, as the appointment of an unknown company with alleged ties to the region's chief minister had caused a good deal of upset.

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Regional MP Nyo Nyo Thin welcomed postponement of the project.

"It appears that the government read our questions and considered our concern," she told DVB shortly after Friday's morning meeting. "It is delightful news."

Nyo Nyo Thin said that 17 questions were submitted by lawmakers for the parliament's consideration, and that the speaker was urged to exercise his power to delay the debate.

Some representatives, however, worried that the suspension could have a negative impact on the real estate market. Myi Kyi Mar of Kyimyindaing Township, one of the three that would be directly affected by the expansion, said that halting the project could level out the rapid price hikes and ultimately benefit buyers.

Ultimately though, she said, her constituency badly wants development.

"I don't care which company wins," she said. "I'm just happy because soon there will be development in our region."

109 child soldiers released

Posted: 26 Sep 2014 12:01 AM PDT

The Burmese military released a further one hundred and nine child soldiers on Thursday.

The mass amnesty came as the biggest single discharge of underage soldiers in Burmese army history.

Present at the release ceremony in Rangoon was UNICEF Burma representative, Bertrand Bainvel.

Speaking to DVB from London was Charu Lata Hogg, Asia programme manager with Child Soldiers International. 

 

Thai PM’s visit to Burma will boost delayed Dawei port plan

Posted: 25 Sep 2014 09:37 PM PDT

Burma's stalled Dawei development project is expected to get a big boost when Thai Prime Minister, Prayut Chan-o-cha, visits the country next month. State visit is scheduled for 7 October, said a source.

Dawei (also known as Tavoy) today is a sleepy town on the upper Andaman Sea. Development plans foresee a huge seaport, industrial zone and expanding city.

Although the prime minister has yet to specify the exact schedule, the visit is likely to be early in October, said Pisanu Suvanajata, Thai ambassador to Rangoon.

But an army source said Gen Prayut’s visit is planned for Oct 7, after he chairs the National Council for Peace and Order meeting at Ban Mangkasila in Saphan Khao.

“Burma is now in the process of reforming its economic system to modernise the country in line with international practice,” Mr Pisanu said."Several changes involve existing cooperation projects, such as the Dawei deep-sea port and the development of the industrial zone there.”

A source at a working group on the Dawei project said Burma wants the initial phase to begin in November. Gen Prayut has also ordered agencies concerned to support the project following recent visits by Burmese military leaders to Thailand.

Akom Termpittayapaisit, deputy transport minister and secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), said on Thursday that the government had assigned the NESDB to simplify the process of joint panels that will soon be set up to complete the project.

The Thai-Burma Joint High Level Committee, the Burma-Thai Joint Coordinating Committee and the operation task force will have stripped-down working procedures to speed up the work, he said.

Teerachai Chutiman, chairman of the Kanchanaburi Chamber of Commerce, said he supported stepped-up discussions between Thai and Burmese leaders.

The construction of a deep-sea port at Dawei, west of Bangkok on the Andaman Sea, is expected to stimulate the economy and trade between both countries, but has been stalled for more than a year amid the political crisis in Thailand.

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The project has been on hold since ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved parliament last December.

“We are closely monitoring the stance of both Thailand and Burma towards the Dawei project,” Mr Teerachai said, referring to business people in Kanchanaburi.

“We hope that if the project is completed, it will draw visitors and investors to travel to Kanchanaburi before travelling on to Dawei.”

The Phu Nam Ron border crossing in Kanchanaburi is the gateway providing the shortest travelling route from Bangkok to Dawei.

Thailand and Burma have a 50-50 stake in the Dawei special economic zone, which establishes a 75-year concession from the Burma government to develop trade and the deep-sea port. It replaces Italian-Thai Development Plc, which received the concession from Burma in November 2010.

Next month’s visit by Gen Prayut will reaffirm Thailand’s close economic ties with Burma, said Mr Pisanu, the ambassador.

Gen Prayut has set out a policy to foster a stronger relationship with Burma, he said.

Already, Nay Pyi Taw and Bangkok have closely cooperated on security issues. Scores of drug traffickers have been arrested along the border as a result of information sharing, Mr Pisanu said.

He said Thailand will also seek cooperation from the Burmese government to address the Rohingya migrant problem, saying Burma’s domestic policy on the minority group has posed a burden to Thailand.

Thousands of people have fled the country amid persecution.

Mr Pisanu said Gen Prayut has chosen Burma as his first overseas visit because it is currently the chair of Asean. The two countries also share a long border and have maintained good relations, he said, adding that Burma is enthusiastic about welcoming the Thai leader.

During his stay in Burma, Gen Prayut will pay a courtesy call on Burmese President Thein Sein in Nay Pyi Taw, Mr Pisanu said.

He also plans to meet Thai community members in Rangoon, where about 2,000 Thai nationals are staying.

Among them are Thai investors in small- and medium-sized companies, as well as members of large corporations to talk with them about the government’s development policy and other incentives.

Asked whether Gen Prayut would pay a visit to E Thi, a deaf-mute Burmese fortune teller who counts Thai generals and powerful politicians among her clientele, Mr Pisanu said the premier may not have enough time for that. He said, however, this will depend on his schedule.

Mr Pisanu said he has not yet been informed whether the itinerary will include a visit to Burma’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He said the visit is primarily to introduce himself to the Burmese leader and to promote good relations.

Most plans and blueprints produced so far for development of Dawei have focused on the advantages of the scheme for Thailand.

 

This article was first published in The Bangkok Post on 26 September 2014

38,000 squatter homes in Rangoon: Mayor pledges housing

Posted: 25 Sep 2014 08:09 PM PDT

Rangoon Mayor Hla Myint says there are some 38,000 squatter homes within the city boundaries these days – and most belong to economic migrants from the country and other towns in Burma.

"According to the data we've compiled, there are around 38,000 squatter homes in the 33 townships within Rangoon municipality," he said.

"We believe that a swift and effective way to deal with the situation is to introduce fair-cost housing projects and allow the squatters to buy flats on long-term and short-term mortgages rather than just leasing the land to them."

He said the city administration does not have enough land to lease to all the squatters and that the divisional authorities will seek advice from the union government to solve the problem.

Kyaw Myo, Rangoon Division MP representing Hlaing Tharyar Township, urged the local government to focus on the issue of homelessness before the end of its term.

"Regardless of how many large urban construction projects are planned, if we do not deal with housing at a grassroots level, and provide homes for those who do not have them, then we cannot claim to live in a developed society," said Kyaw Myo.

In February 2013, around 1,000 squatter homes appeared in Hlaing Tharyar's 5th ward overnight, leading to a confrontation between squatters and local authorities who attempted to remove them.

Similar confrontations took place on 14 January when security forces were sent in to remove squatters from setting up shelters on the alluvial islands located under the Pan Hlaing Bridge.

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