Democratic Voice of Burma

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• Ban Ki-Moon flip-flops on Rohingya identity
• Bullet Points: 13 November 2014
• Arakan leader criticises Ban’s ‘Rohingya’ comments
• Japan to lend Burma US$250 million
• India’s PM Modi : ‘Look East Policy’ now ‘Act East Policy’
• Obama touches down in Naypyidaw
• Students oppose National Education Bill

Ban Ki-Moon flip-flops on Rohingya identity Posted: 13 Nov 2014 08:50 AM PST UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon met with a select group of local reporters today at the 25th ASEAN Summit in Naypyidaw, where he toned down earlier statements supporting the UN's recognition of the term "Rohingya," a move that appears to have been calculated to avoid a backlash from the Burmese government and media. Addressing the government's "Action Plan" for Arakan State, he said he was confident that the government "can be successful in addressing the complex problems in Rakhine [Arakan] so that all communities can look forward to a safe, dignified and hopeful future," adding that  "The UN stands ready to help in these efforts." A leaked draft of the controversial Rakhine Action Plan, which was seen by the media at the end of September, contained clauses that, if implemented, could potentially see hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas and other Muslims face indefinite detention and eventual expulsion from Burma if they fail to meet stringent requirements qualifying them for Burmese citizenship. Related Stories Arakan leader criticises Ban’s ‘Rohingya’ comments Obama touches down in Naypyidaw UN sec-gen urges Rohingya rights On Wednesday, the Secretary-General unambiguously declared that "the United Nations uses that word [Rohingya] based on the rights of minorities," implicitly criticising government policy forcing them to identify as "Bengalis" if they desire citizenship rights currently denied to them under Burma's 1982 citizenship law. But in an apparent about-face on Thursday, Ban said that "focusing on the issue of terminology will not solve the problem," claiming that "these problems can only be solved through political solutions and both humanitarian and development assistance to those who are suffering and in need." His statement on Thursday took ethnic Arakanese grievances into account, observing that "both communities [in Arakan State] have suffered violations of their rights," clarifying that "the UN is concerned about the well being of all peoples." "It is time to alleviate the fears of the two communities: by that I mean both the Rakhine community and what you call the Rohingyas or Bengalis, and to address their grievances and uphold their human rights," he said. "Failure to do so, as we have seen in other parts of the world, can magnify inter-communal tensions and sow the seeds for future instability." His earlier show of support for Rohingya rights to self-identification was met by vociferous questioning from Burmese reporters at the conference, who dedicated the majority of a question-and-answer session following his address to the subject. On Thursday, Presidential spokesman Zaw Htay posted an exchange on his Facebook page between a Burmese reporter and the Secretary-General at the Wednesday conference, in which he was asked for his opinion on a proposal to "DNA test" Rohingyas to determine if the name "Bengali" was "scientific." Maung Maung Ohn, the Chief Minister of Arakan State, penned Ban a refutation letter on Thursday asserting that "lending the stature of your office to this highly volatile debate…  can have a lasting detrimental impact on our ability to do the work needed on the ground to bring the communities together." Although Ban's wavering on the question of Rohingya identity sets a questionable precedent for the UN's acceptance of the erosion of basic rights in Burma, the organisation does not accept the Rakhine Action Plan's more worrying components. "The UN is aware of the draft plan which includes some controversial elements and challenges," Stephane Dujarric, the Secretary-General's spokesman, told DVB. "Concerns have been raised and the UN will continue making efforts to have the authorities ensure that any framework for Rakhine will abide by international norms and standards."

Bullet Points: 13 November 2014 Posted: 13 Nov 2014 04:12 AM PST On tonight's edition: Naypyidaw hosts international summit Arakan Govt hits out at UN Japan pledges development loan You can watch the English headlines every weeknight on DVB TV after the 7 o'clock news.

Arakan leader criticises Ban’s ‘Rohingya’ comments Posted: 13 Nov 2014 02:21 AM PST In a statement issued on Thursday, the Chief Minister of Arakan State, Maung Maung Ohn, criticised UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon for his use of the term Rohingya at a press conference the day before at the 25th ASEAN Summit in Naypyidaw. "While I can understand your intentional and desire to promote the rights of the minorities, lending the stature of your office to this highly volatile debate in such a public manner can have lasting detrimental impact on our ability to do the work needed on the ground to bring the communities together," he warned Ban in a letter. "I am concerned that your statement yesterday could further inflame local sentiment and undo previous gains we have achieved, which is very unfortunate given the timing and opportunities presented to us," he said. The Burmese government has long refused to acknowledge the term "Rohingya". In official parlance, they are referred to as "Bengalis", which most self-identified Rohingya feel is derogatory as it implies origins in neighbouring Bangladesh despite the presence of their ancestors in Burma for generations. Related Stories Ban Ki-Moon flip-flops on Rohingya identity Obama touches down in Naypyidaw UN sec-gen urges Rohingya rights Maung Maung Ohn, formerly Burma's deputy minister of border affairs, was appointed to Arakan State's highest office in June, replacing Hla Maung Tin, an ethnic Arakanese. "The international community's insistence on the use of the term "Rohingya" has alienated the Rakhine population and further fueled their distrust of all the United Nations agencies and international organizations such as MSF that are providing much needed assistance inside Rakhine [Arakan] state," Maung Maung Ohn said. In March, aid organisation Medicins Sans Frontières (MSF) was forced to suspend operations in the state following accusations of bias towards Rohingyas in its aid delivery. Later that month, a host of UN agencies and other aid providers were evacuated from the state capital, Sittwe, after riots that targeted their offices and homes. Although the organisation received preliminary authorisation to resume its activities in July, it has not yet been allowed to do so, raising fears that the current spotlight on Rohingya issues will prompt continued restrictions on humanitarian access. "We have not received the final formal authorisation to [resume operations] at this time, despite assurances, and would strongly encourage the authorities to provide this in the very near future, enabling us to resume our medical activities without further delay,” said Reshma Adatia, MSF operations advisor for Myanmar in Amsterdam. Most of the roughly one million Rohingyas that live in Arakan State have no citizenship rights under Burma's draconian 1982 Citizenship Law. A pilot program launched by the government under the "Rakhine Action Plan" for the development of the state offers some Rohingyas the possibility attaining "naturalised," second-class citizenship, but they would be forced to renounce their Rohingya identity in order to be deemed eligible. US President Barack Obama, who is currently in Naypyidaw, expressed his concern on the government's mistreatment of "of the Rohingya and other Muslim communities" to the Irrawaddy magazine just before his visit, claiming that, despite some improvements, "there has been a slowdown and backsliding in reforms". "One of the main messages that I'll deliver on this visit is that the government of Myanmar has a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all people in the country, and that the fundamental human rights and freedoms of all people should be respected," Obama said.

Japan to lend Burma US$250 million Posted: 12 Nov 2014 11:37 PM PST Burmese government officials were quoted in Xinhua as saying that Japan has pledged to lend Burma 25.8 billion yen (US$285 million) for development projects. The Xinhua article also said that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe revealed the loan to his Burmese counterpart Thein Sein during their meeting in Naypyidaw on Wednesday, one of several diplomatic engagements taking place in Naypyidaw as part of the ASEAN Summit. Abe also attended the Asean-Japan Summit and Mekong-Japan Summit in Naypyidaw on Wednesday, and on Thursday he plans to join the East Asian Summit and ASEAN+3 meeting. The ASEAN-Japan summit on 12 November focused on promoting trade and tourism. During the summit, the group held talks on establishing an ASEAN-Japan free trade zone and developing regional transportation networks that connect with Burma's Thilawa Special Economic Zone port. Related Stories Obama touches down in Naypyidaw MPs urge Malaysia to protect Burmese nationals World looks to Burma as ASEAN summit begins During Abe’s meeting with Thein Sein, the two leaders discussed health; education; construction; human resources, small and medium-sized industry development; the Thilawa and Dawei industrial zones; electric power; and the development and stability of Rakhine State, according to Burmese state-owned newspapers. During their meeting, Abe said that Japan supports Burma's democratic transition and the peace process, and that Japan hopes Burma will conclude a nationwide ceasefire in the near future.

India’s PM Modi : ‘Look East Policy’ now ‘Act East Policy’ Posted: 12 Nov 2014 09:48 PM PST The 12th India- ASEAN summit was held on 12 November between heads of state and government ministers, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh. Joint counter-terrorism measures were discussed in accordance with the 2003 joint statement, as well as plans to increase ASEAN-Indian bilateral trade to US$100 billion by 2015. They also discussed commitment to the India-Myanmar-Thailand highway and to extend Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam highway links. The leaders also reportedly held talks on food security, dialogue relations, future cooperation, and laying out a plan of action on the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Security. Modi has regularly tweeted about developments at the summit in Naypyidaw along with pictures of his meetings with the heads of other states. Related Stories The reality on the ground: Dawei SEZ India set to import 100,000 tonnes of rice from Burma Can Burma move to the next level? Modi has emphasised his government's commitment to regional cooperation and remarked that India's "Look East” policy is now an “Act East” policy. While pushing for rapid progress in bilateral relations between regional players at the summit, the Indian premier took the opportunity to pitch "Make in India "- an initiative introduced by his government which aims to transform India into a global manufacturing hub – an idea which reportedly which found an eager audience in Thai Premier Prayuth Chan-O-cha and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak. Modi also met with Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Burmese pro-democracy leader fondly remarked at the meeting that "India is her second home" as she spent a considerable amount of time in the country and attended college at New Delhi during her mother’s tenure as the ambassador to India. The PM's spokesperson from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Syed Akbaruddin ,told Indian media that Modi presented Suu Kyi with a copy of Mahatma Gandhi's commentary on the sacred Indian book, the Bhagavad Gita, while referring to her as “a symbol of democracy”.

Obama touches down in Naypyidaw Posted: 12 Nov 2014 08:40 PM PST US President Barack Obama arrived in Burma on Wednesday night. He will attend the East Asia Summit as well as US-ASEAN talks. His comments on the state of political and economic change in Burma are eagerly anticipated.

Students oppose National Education Bill Posted: 12 Nov 2014 08:02 PM PST Some 500 students from across Burma held an emergency meeting in Rangoon on Tuesday and Wednesday to oppose the National Education Bill passed recently by President Thein Sein despite widespread objections from student and teaching bodies. Ye Yint Kyaw, spokesperson and organiser of the event, hosted at the charity group Free Funeral Service Society (FFSS) headquarters in Rangoon, said, "We organised the event to point out and discuss oversights, the pros and cons of the National Education Bill, and to inform students of these issues." The meeting was joined by more than 500 students from across the country including Kachin and Karenni states. The meeting was also attended by 88 Generation Peace and Open Society leader Min Ko Naing. Organisers reported that local police interrupted the conference at one point to question whether the hosts had acquired official permission to stage the meeting, and took names and details of those involved. Related Stories DVB Debate: What's missing from Burma's education system? Monywa students protest Education Bill Access to education 'minimal' in Arakan camps: official Kyaw Thu, a former actor and film director who runs the FFSS, said: "Curtailing an event like this is akin to restricting youths from their future – young people must be allowed the freedom to think and organise. "Hosting the event was not in violation of the law. Imposing too many restrictions will lead students to vent their anger in other ways. If they choose the wrong path, there could be suffering in our country."

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