Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

UN Secretary-General Calls for Greater Rohingya Rights Protections

Posted: 12 Nov 2014 05:58 AM PST

Ban Ki-moon addressing the 6th Asean-UN Summit in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. (Photo: Kyaw Hsu Mon / The Irrawaddy)

Ban Ki-moon addressing the 6th Asean-UN Summit in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. (Photo: Kyaw Hsu Mon / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON/NAYPYIDAW — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has used a press conference in Naypyidaw on Wednesday to call for greater protections for ethnic minorities in Burma.

While his earlier address to the 6th Asean-UN Summit praised the steps taken by the Burmese government to foster a democratic transition in the country, the UN chief told journalists that he had raised human rights issues in a meeting with the Vice President** and senior government leaders.

"I encouraged Myanmar leaders to uphold human rights, take a strong stance against incitement, and ensure humanitarian access to Rohingya living in vulnerable conditions," he said.

Ban says he will reiterate this message when he meets with President Thein Sein Thursday morning.

Reiterating concerns expressed by Ban in an earlier report to the UN General Assembly's Third Committee, the Secretary-General said that the plight of stateless Rohingya in Arakan State was of the utmost concern, adding that concerns remains over the government's unilateral efforts to offer conditional citizenship to some members of the Muslim minority

"Myanmar authorities are carrying out a verification exercise in Rakhine [Arakan] to process the granting of citizenship to people in Rakhine. While the process is being carried out in accordance with national law, it should also be in line with international standards and guidelines,he said.

Ban also said the UN would stick to using the term Rohingya, despite objections by the Burmese government and Arakanese Buddhist community.

"The affected population—referred to as Bengalis by the government of Myanmar but known as Rohingya in the United Nations and in much of the international community—the United Nations uses that word based on the rights of minorities. I also urge the authorities to avoid measures that could entrench the current segregation between communities… Efforts must be made to foster interfaith dialogue and harmony to bring communities closer together, he said.

Asked about the case of shot journalist Par Gyi, Ban said that he would make representations to the Burmese government about the necessity of protecting freedom of expression during the country's transition period.

"Myanmar is making progress in strengthening its democratic institutions and achieving rapid economic development and national reconciliation," he said. "In the course of that, when they have a political reform process, I have been asking leaders to fully guarantee freedom of expression and freedom of assembly."

The United Nations cautiously welcomed the adoption of a human rights declaration by member countries in the aftermath of the 21st Asean Summit in Phnom Penh in 2012.

Navi Pillay, the then-High Commissioner for Human Rights, has expressed concern that the declaration fell short of international standards.

Addressing the opening of the 6th Asean-UN Summit in Naypyidaw earlier on Wednesday, the Secretary-General praised the Burmese government's reform efforts while restating the UN's call for regional partners in protecting human rights.

"I congratulate Myanmar on its achievements, including ambitious reforms aimed at improving the lives of its people," he said. "As the country prepares for a general election in 2015, it will face a critical benchmark. The government and people of Myanmar can count on the support of the United Nations as they continue the process of democratisation, development, and national reconciliation."

"Discrimination against minorities and vulnerable groups and violence against women are serious challenges in the region… We rely on the support of member states and regional organisations to enact this ambitious agenda," he added.

The post UN Secretary-General Calls for Greater Rohingya Rights Protections appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Exclusive: The Irrawaddy Interviews US President Barack Obama

Posted: 12 Nov 2014 12:48 AM PST

US President Barack Obama arrives in Burma on Wednesday. (Photo: Reuters)

US President Barack Obama arrives in Burma on Wednesday. (Photo: Reuters)

On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama arrives in Burma for his second diplomatic visit in as many years. In advance of the Asean and East Asia summits in Naypyidaw, Obama answered questions from The Irrawaddy correspondent Lalit K Jha about his visit, the reforms of the past three years and the future of Burma's democratic transition.

Question: In a recent speech to the US Military Academy at West Point, you told your audience that the United States has made a partner of Burma without firing a shot. Do you consider Burma a foreign policy success of your administration?

Answer: I was proud to become the first US president to visit your country two years ago, and I was deeply touched by the hospitality that people extended to me on my visit. I very much look forward to returning for this second visit. This time, I'm coming with other leaders from across the region because Myanmar [Burma] is hosting the East Asia Summit and the Asean Summit. It is no easy task to host summits like this, and I commend the government and the people of Burma for all their work and preparation to make these summits a success. These meetings are a reflection of Myanmar's progress in recent years and a sign of the greater role that your country can play in Southeast Asia.

Since my visit two years ago, I also welcomed President Thein Sein to the White House last year, which was the first such visit by a leader of your country to the United States in almost half a century. In Rangoon, I was honored to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other brave activists who have risked their lives to champion democracy in Burma. And over the past two years, our countries have forged greater ties and trade. My engagement is rooted in the message that I sent to governments when I first became president—if you begin to take the hard steps toward greater openness and reform, the United States will extend a hand of friendship and assist in those reforms. I've always been clear-eyed about how difficult this transition would be. But as president, I'm determined that the United States will remain a partner with those who seek greater freedom, prosperity and dignity.

In my speech at the US Military Academy at West Point this year, I said that if these reform efforts succeed, the United States will have gained a new partner. Burma is still at the beginning of a long and hard journey of renewal and reconciliation. On the one hand, since my last visit there has been some progress, including economic reforms and welcomed political steps, including the release of additional political prisoners, a process of constitutional reform, and ceasefire agreements toward ending the many conflicts that have plagued your country.

On the other hand, progress has not come as fast as many had hoped when the transition began four years ago. In some areas there has been a slowdown in reforms, and even some steps backward. Former political prisoners continue to face restrictions. Members of the media have been arrested, and journalist Aung Kyaw Naing was tragically and senselessly murdered. We also continue to be deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Rakhine [Arakan] State and the treatment of the Rohingya and other Muslim communities, who continue to endure discrimination and abuse. 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. That's the only way reforms can stay on track. That's the only way that this country is going to realize greater prosperity and its rightful place in the region and the world. That would be a success, above all, for the people of Myanmar, and that would be good for the United States and the world.

Q: The United States and Western nations have pinned high hopes on next year's election. At the same time, on the ground opposition and civil society organizations are pushing to amend the military-drafted Constitution before the election takes place. Do you see the 2015 elections as likely to be free and fair? How will the United States ensure there is truly a free and fair election? If the 2015 elections mirror the experience of the 2010 elections, how will this affect the relationship between the United States and Burma?

A: In Naypyidaw and Rangoon I will meet with leaders in government, Parliament and civil society, and next year's election will be a main focus of my discussions. The United States is watching the electoral process very closely. I am not going to prejudge the outcome of an election that has not happened yet. What I will say is that this election will be an important milestone, and the people of your country—and the international community—want it to be credible so that it advances the cause of reform. This election will be critical to establishing a representative democracy that reflects the aspirations of all the people of Burma. And of course it will shape how the United States engages with the country going forward.

The future of your country must be shaped by the people of your country. We believe that you should have the freedom to choose your own leaders. It is not the place of the United States or any other nation to tell you how to decide your future. But together with the international community, the United States is doing our part to help make next year's election successful. We are working with political parties, civil society and the government of Burma to support inclusive, transparent, and credible elections. We are providing significant assistance to help civil society groups engage and educate voters, strengthen the ability of democratic political parties to represent the interests of citizens, and increase Parliament's legislative capacities. We are encouraging the government of Burma to develop a transparent accreditation process for all election observers, domestic and international, and we will support efforts to administer the election fairly, including domestic election observers.

On my visit, I'll be interested in hearing from leaders and citizens about how they see preparations for the election coming along. We also know that one election won't complete a democratic transition, which is why we've also supported the process of constitutional reform that is underway. On the issue of constitutional reform, we believe, as we have stated before, that constitutional reform should reflect the will of the people of Burma. It should enable credible, transparent and inclusive elections, address the rights of members of ethnic minorities and relations between the national government and ethnic majority regions, and increase civilian control of the military. Because as important as elections are, elections alone don't make a democracy. What's needed are the institutions of democracy, including rule of law. These will be indispensable ingredients in Burma's long-term progress.

Q: Burma has seen continued ethnic conflict, allegations of widespread human rights violations, continued imprisonment of a large number of political leaders and restrictions on freedom of the press. Villages have been evicted in Shan and Kachin states and the army has continued its attacks in Kachin, Shan, and Karen states, despite the ceasefires negotiated and signed with ethnic armed organizations there. What is your reaction to that? What will be your message to the leaders of Burma when you meet them this time?

A: My message will be that the United States welcomes the progress made in Burma toward a nationwide ceasefire and an inclusive political dialogue process, and we are encouraged by the commitment of the government and ethnic groups to continue working toward a durable peace. To succeed, a ceasefire should lead to national reconciliation that strengthens the country and ensures that all ethnic groups can participate in determining their own destiny. Genuine political reconciliation would be a tremendous achievement for all the people of Burma, and the United States is engaging all parties to encourage a transparent, inclusive, and legitimate peace process. This will continue to be a difficult and complex undertaking. Building trust after so many years of conflict will take time, and it requires good faith and strength of will on all sides. Skirmishes and other violations of ceasefire agreements put this important effort at risk.

As I said already, even as there has been some progress on the political and economic fronts, in other areas there has been a slowdown and backsliding in reforms. In addition to restrictions on freedom of the press, we continue to see violations of basic human rights and abuses in the country's ethnic areas, including reports of extrajudicial killings, rape and forced labor. These kinds of abuses represent the painful history that so many people in Burma want to move beyond. Their desire for a different future is why the United States continues our engagement and our support for reform and why we will continue to speak out against violence. Abuses and human rights violations like this have absolutely no place in the new Burma that so many people are working to build.

My message to the government, as I said, will be that it has a responsibility to ensure the well-being of all the people in the country, and that the fundamental human rights and freedoms of all people are respected. This is one of the most basic duties of any government. Victims deserve justice, and the perpetrators of crimes and abuses must be held to account in a credible and transparent manner. At the same time, every person has a role to play in Burma's renewal. For example, much of the violence against the Rohingya and other Muslim communities in Rakhine State is being committed by local residents, but the government has a responsibility to work with the people to improve the humanitarian situation, and to address the underlying challenges. That's why, when I spoke at the University of Yangon two years ago, I spoke directly to the people of the country about the importance of tolerance and the inherent dignity we all share as human beings. All of us in our own lives have to be vigilant aside bias and prejudice. Burma, like all nations, will be stronger and more successful if it draws on the strength of all of its people. Its remarkable diversity should be seen as a strength, not a threat.

Q: On Friday, you will meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. From your perspective, what role does she have in the future of Burma?

A: I was honored to be the first president to welcome Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to the White House several years ago. As I've said before, she is an icon of democracy who has inspired people around the world, including me, through her example and her writings. I've always admired her courage, dignity and commitment to her country. I was deeply moved by the opportunity to meet with her two years ago at her home, where she displayed such resolve through so many difficult years.

I am looking forward to meeting with her again while I am in Burma. We consult with her very closely on a range of issues regarding the transition and Burma's future, and we will continue doing that. On this visit, I'm especially interested in hearing her thoughts about the constitutional reform process, next year's election and how the international community, including the United States, can help ensure that the vote is inclusive, transparent, and credible. She has been a tremendous voice for justice and freedom, and I expect that she will continue to play a key role in her country for many years to come.

Q: Where would you like to see Burma 10 years from now? What role do you see for Burma in the Asia-Pacific region?

A: Not long ago, few would have imagined the progress and reforms we're seeing in Burma today. If the reform process continues and there are meaningful steps on national reconciliation, then a decade from now the 50 million people of Burma could see a more prosperous, more democratic nation. There is still a long way to go, and there is no guarantee of success. But the goal of our engagement is to encourage, support, and help shape the reforms so that the people of Burma realize the future they deserve, and so Burma assumes its rightful place as a leader in a stable, prosperous, progressive Southeast Asia.

It is our hope—a hope that is the foundation of US policy—that Burma develops democratic institutions that are accountable and responsive so that all the people of Burma can shape the future of their country. We want to see a Burma where there are no more political prisoners, where political parties can operate freely and compete in fair elections, and where journalists can pursue truth free from fear and persecution. We want to be a partner in the development and economic progress that allows parents to provide for their children and provides more opportunities for young people, like those I'll meet with in Yangon. Indeed, I'm confident that if reform progresses, the opportunities for increased US. investment, trade and people-to-people exchanges will only grow.

We also want to see a Burma that plays an active, constructive role in Asean and in the broader Asia Pacific community by contributing to regional security and prosperity, and that benefits from its engagement with the world through trade, investment, and the exchange of new ideas. We are very mindful of the tremendous challenges ahead. But we are committed to helping the people of Burma along the difficult path of transition from six decades of authoritarian rule to a democracy and growing economy that lifts people out of poverty. Your future is important to me personally, and to my country. We want you to succeed.

The post Exclusive: The Irrawaddy Interviews US President Barack Obama appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Son of Blacklisted MP to Join G-20 Summit

Posted: 12 Nov 2014 04:38 AM PST

Senior USDP member and former Burmese junta general Aung Thaung addresses the media during a press conference. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

Senior USDP member and former Burmese junta general Aung Thaung addresses the media during a press conference. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — The son of a senior ruling party politician who was recently blacklisted by the United States will join President Thein Sein on an official business delegation to Australia later this week.

A prominent businessman and son of Lower House MP Aung Thaung, Nay Aung will attend the G-20 Leaders' Summit in Brisbane, Australia from Nov. 15-16, according to the President's Office in Naypyidaw.

Nay Aung's conglomerate International Group of Entrepreneurs (IGE) Pte. Ltd. was among 24 corporate entities and industry representatives selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend the summit. Burma's delegation will represent a wide breadth of enterprises including gas, oil, mining, banking and consultancy.

The delegation will meet with Australian and other international business giants to discuss strengthening bilateral trade, resource exploration and investment protocols. Attendees are also expected to discuss enhancement of exploration and extraction technologies in Burma.

Nay Aung and his brother, Pye Aung, own a number of businesses dealing in gas, oil, mining, timber and finance. They are believed to have benefited greatly from their father's close ties with former Snr-Gen Than Shwe by receiving lucrative pre-reform business concessions.

Nay Aung is also a 90 percent shareholder in United Amara Bank, which suffered some brief but ultimately benign fallout when Aung Thaung was blacklisted by the US government on Oct. 31.

The US Department of the Treasury said that Aung Thaung, a current MP and former industry minister under the previous military junta, was added to the Specially Designated Nationals list for "undermining the positive political and economic transition in Burma," which the department said amounted to "perpetuating violence, oppression, and corruption."

Well-informed Burma analysts were quick to observe that Aung Thaung was also long suspected of involvement with a Buddhist nationalist movement accused of inciting anti-Muslim violence.

Sanctions against Aung Thaung prohibit US citizens from doing business with him without express permission. The restrictions do not extend to his family members or their businesses.

While the President's Office confirmed that Nay Aung is among members of the G-20 delegation, a representative of IGE declined comment. Another member of the delegation told The Irrawaddy that he and other attendees are concerned that the sanctions against Nay Aung's father could affect his access to the summit.

The G-20 is a group of the world's 20 biggest economies, providing a network for global finance across governments and central banks. The G-20 economies account for about two-thirds of the world's population and approximately 85 percent of gross world product.

The post Son of Blacklisted MP to Join G-20 Summit appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Obama Confronts Shortcomings in Burma Reforms

Posted: 12 Nov 2014 05:17 AM PST

US President Barack Obama meets with Burma's President Thein Sein in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on May 20, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

US President Barack Obama meets with Burma's President Thein Sein in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on May 20, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

BEIJING — As President Barack Obama arrives in Burma's remote capital, he is confronting a nation backsliding in its pledges to enact economic and political reforms that were rewarded with US sanctions relief and made the long-isolated country a darling of Obama's efforts to stake out a legacy in Asia.

The optimism over Burma's unexpected shift from military rule has subsided as reforms slow. The country's pro-democracy hero Aung San Suu Kyi remains ineligible for next year's presidential elections because of constitutional rules designed to block her. And Burma's minority Rohingya Muslims face escalated attacks and persecution in the largely Buddhist nation.

"There's no certainty about the future," said Derek Mitchell, the US ambassador to Burma. "There's nothing inevitable about this all succeeding."

Obama was due to arrive Wednesday night in the capital of Naypidaw, his second stop on an eight-day Asia-Pacific swing that opened in China and ends later this week in Australia. The president was first attending a pair of regional summits, then holding talks in the capital with Burma's President Thein Sein before traveling on to Rangoon to meet with Suu Kyi.

White House officials say Obama has always been realistic about the challenges ahead in Burma, a country that in many cases lacks the infrastructure and capacity to enact the reforms its leaders have promised. However, human rights advocates and other critics of the administration's policy toward Burma say the United States gave up its leverage by too quickly rewarding the government for reforms it has not yet fulfilled.

Michael Green, an Asia analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the White House put reforms in Burma "on the scoreboard and they dropped it and now they're scrambling."

For Obama, the pursuit of democracy in Burma has become a centerpiece of his efforts to deepen US engagement in Asia. In 2012, he became the first sitting US president to visit the country, a daylong stop that included an emotional meeting with Suu Kyi at the residence where she spent more than a decade under house arrest. The president's advisers still recall the thick crowds that lined the streets to watch Obama's motorcade speed through the streets, defying rules that had limited large public gatherings.

It's unlikely Obama would be returning to Burma ahead of next year's election if the country weren't hosting the two regional summits. Still, White House aides say the timing of the trip gives Obama an opportunity to make an in-person appeal for progress.

"The United States can best move that forward by engagement," said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser. "If we disengage, frankly, I think that there's a vacuum that could potentially be filled by bad actors."

The post Obama Confronts Shortcomings in Burma Reforms appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Land Disputes Leading Cause of Human Rights Complaints

Posted: 12 Nov 2014 05:00 AM PST

Farmers in Rangoon's Mingaladon Township protest against land seizures in 2012. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

Farmers in Rangoon's Mingaladon Township protest against land seizures in 2012. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) has said that nearly 45 percent of the total complaints it has received this year stem from land disputes, the highest proportion of such complaints since the commission was founded three years ago.

From January to the end of August this year, 547 of a total 1,220 complaints received by the MNHRC were land disputes. Officials said that the disputes are related to the 2012 Farmlands Act, which requires farmers to seek permission to cultivate their land from their township.

"According to the new Farmlands Act, all farms are to be registered," said Sit Myaing, secretary of the MNHRC. "Some people can't register their farms because they are not eligible under the Act. Most of the cases are the result of people who sold their land, then they want it back when the price of the land increases—so they complain to the commission."

Aung Kyaw Kyaw, interim Upper Myanmar advisor of the Myanmar Farmer Association, told The Irrawaddy that traditional landowners and slash-and-burn cultivation farmers in ethnic states faced difficulties in registering their farms under the Farmlands Act.

Section 12 of the Farmlands Law prevents farmers from changing crops without permission from township authorities, allowing farmland to lay fallow and mortgaging land outside of banking institutions owned or officially approved by the government.

The law empowers the Central Farmland Management Body (FMB) to levy fines and evict farmers for failing to meet the conditions of Section 12. Penalties for farmers failing to comply with an order from the FMB include a fine of up to 500,000 kyats (US$500) and a maximum jail term of two years.

Po Phyu, a lawyer and advocate for farmers with land dispute problems, told The Irrawaddy that farmers who wanted to register their farms had to continuously cultivate the land, but that they ironically need to first seek government approval.

"The 2012 Farmlands Act cannot solve these problems fully, and it makes existing problems more confusing," he said.

From 2011 to 2014, a total of 7,113 complaints have been lodged with the MNHRC, of which 1,497 were land disputes. While these cases have figured prominently since the commission's inception, more than a third of total land dispute complaints were filed in the first eight months of this year.

Sit Myaing said that most land disputes in 2014 have been arbitrations between local farmers, while complaints originating from military or business land seizures were more prominent in 2011-12, and were rarely presented to the commission this year.

He added that the creation in 2012 of a parliamentary committee to address these kinds of land seizures have led to complaints from landowners being directed away from the MNHRC and directly to the committee.

"The parliament organized the Farmlands Investigation Committee, which is tasked with solving farmland disputes and either giving money for compensation or returning land to farmers."

The MNHRC was established in September 2011 and reports directly to President Thein Sein. Its membership is determined by the government and nearly all members are retired government officials.

Their mandate is to acquire information about violations of the fundamental rights of citizens under the Constitution of Burma, to investigate them and to convey the findings to relevant government departments and bodies for necessary action.

Of the 7,113 complaints received since the MNHRC's inception, 1,900 have been referred directly to the government, and a further 1,100 complainants received reply letters instructing them on how to seek redress with specific government departments. Over 3,700 complaints have been lodged and ultimately dismissed as falling outside the purview of the commission.

After land disputes, the largest number of complaints received by the commission relate to the judicial system, followed by the financial sector and the police.

The post Land Disputes Leading Cause of Human Rights Complaints appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Burmese Puppet Troupe Triumphs at International Festival

Posted: 12 Nov 2014 04:53 AM PST

Khin Maung Htwe and fellow members of the Burmese marionette troupe Htwe Oo Myanmar celebrate their Best Puppet Animation award at the Harmony World Puppet Carnival in Bangkok. (Photo: Facebook / Htwe Oo Myanmar)

Khin Maung Htwe and fellow members of the Burmese marionette troupe Htwe Oo Myanmar celebrate their Best Puppet Animation award at the Harmony World Puppet Carnival in Bangkok. (Photo: Facebook / Htwe Oo Myanmar)

RANGOON — The Burmese marionette troupe Htwe Oo Myanmar has been honored with the Best Puppet Animation award at the Harmony World Puppet Carnival in Thailand, one of world's most renowned puppet festivals.

The group was presented the award along with 12 other award winners among more than 160 puppet troupes on Monday, at the closing ceremony of the carnival, which was held in Bangkok from Nov. 1-10.

"I didn't expect to win the Best Animation award," Khin Maung Htwe, director of Rangoon-based Htwe Oo Myanmar, told The Irrawaddy. "I am really happy and I feel great for our country, Burma's puppetry and also for my group for winning an award on the world's largest puppet stage.

"It is the award that is given for the puppet that looks alive, like the cartoon characters in animation films," he added.

Khin Maung Htwe said he was pleased with the troupe's handling of its preparations for the competition.

"The judges said our puppets are as natural as if they were alive," he said.

He said his group's one-hour performance included a variety of traditional Burmese choreographed dances and the telling of an abridged version of the Jataka tales, which are stories of the Buddha's former lives.

The triumphant puppeteers were also awarded a cash prize of US$1,000.

The annual Harmony World Puppet Carnival was first held in Prague, Czech Republic, in 2008. It was held in Indonesia last year.

Participation in this year's event was the largest to date, with puppeteers from more than 70 countries attending. The event included puppet shows of traditional, new, innovative and experimental puppetry, workshops, seminars, exhibitions and roundtable discussions.

Khin Maung Htwe said his troupe won despite being handicapped: While other groups received support and funding from their country and other organizations, Htwe Oo Myanmar had to fund themselves, he said, forcing them to forego music played live by musicians in favor of recorded accompaniment.

"I hope Burmese puppetry can achieve more success in future," Khin Maung Htwe said, "but we need support from the country."

Six members from the troupe attended the carnival, returning to Burma on Tuesday.

Myanmar puppetry, known as yoke thay, has a rich history that dates back more than 500 years.

The post Burmese Puppet Troupe Triumphs at International Festival appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Asean to Pressure China to Stick to Diplomacy on Maritime Disputes

Posted: 12 Nov 2014 03:41 AM PST

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations pose for a photo at the 25th Asean Summit in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy)

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations pose for a photo at the 25th Asean Summit in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy)

NAYPYIDAW — Southeast Asian leaders will welcome China's Prime Minister Le Keqiang with fanfare on Wednesday but behind closed doors will push their giant neighbor to take a less bellicose approach to overlapping claims in the South China Sea.

Burma hosts summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) followed by the East Asia Forum, which US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will attend.

China, Taiwan and four Asean nations have competing claims in the sea where concern is growing about an escalation in disputes even as the claimants work to establish a code of conduct to resolve them, Le Luong Minh, Asean secretary-general, told Reuters in Burma's capital.

"We are seeing a widening gap between the political commitments and the actual actions, the real situation at sea," he said.

In May, China sent an oil drilling rig to waters claimed by Vietnam leading to weeks of cat-and-mouse maneuvers by both sides. Vietnam and the Philippines have sought closer US ties to counter what they see as China's aggression.

Philippines President Benigno Aquino has said he would address what was a pressing security issue in Burma, but indicated some progress on Tuesday during a "meeting of minds" with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at an Asia-Pacific summit in Beijing.

The 10 Asean members held a plenary session on Wednesday but officials declined to comment afterwards.

China should focus on resolving disputes through international law and dialogue, US deputy national security advisor for strategic communications Ben Rhodes said on Tuesday.

"There cannot be a situation where a bigger nation is simply allowed to bully smaller nations," he told reporters in Beijing, where Obama attended the summit.

Singapore sees the maritime disputes as one of the region's biggest threats to security, Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam told reporters.

Singapore will push for progress on a code of conduct that will reduce the potential for disruption to trade, he said.

Obama will use talks with Burma's President Thein Sein to push for changes to the apartheid-like living conditions of the country's ethnic Rohingya minority, as well as democratic reform.

Burma's military-drafted Constitution bars opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president. Obama will meet Suu Kyi in the city of Rangoon on Friday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Suu Kyi in Naypyidaw on Wednesday, a member of the Indian delegation told Reuters.

The post Asean to Pressure China to Stick to Diplomacy on Maritime Disputes appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Ethnic Groups Seek US Support in Peace Process

Posted: 12 Nov 2014 03:20 AM PST

Ethnic rebel leaders and government officials hold talks in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, in October 2013. (Photo: Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy)

Ethnic rebel leaders and government officials hold talks in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, in October 2013. (Photo: Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy)

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Civil society organizations raised concerns on Wednesday over Burma's ongoing peace process amid a growing chorus of ethnic minority voices clamoring for US President Barack Obama to address the issue during his visit to the country this week.

At a public forum at Chiang Mai University in northern Thailand, ethnic Shan, Kachin and Karen rights groups accused the Burmese government of exploiting its ceasefires with rebel armed groups by militarizing ethnic minority territories in order to secure resource-rich lands and bolster security around commercial interests.

Paul Sein Twa, director of the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN), said ceasefires with Burma's ethnic Karen armed groups had thus far proven to be opportunities for the Burma Army to safely deploy more troops in Karen State. The aim has been to protect business projects, he said, pointing in particular to the Hat Gyi dam, a hydropower venture that is planned on the Salween River in Karen State.

"Ceasefire means militarization. We want ceasefire to mean demilitarization," said Paul Sein Twa, who added that militarization would also open the door to future foreign investment in ethnic territories.

The military has a track record of occupying territory and bases previously held by ethnic rebels after launching attacks against ethnic minorities, he said, with the militarization leading to human rights abuses against local civilian populations.

"We call for a complete end to civil war and militarization. Civilians are not safe from militarization. It is important that Obama address security issues [when meeting with Burmese government officials] for the sake of civilians," said Paul Sein Twa.

Obama arrived in Naypyidaw on Wednesday to attend the Asean and East Asia summits, and is also set to meet with President Thein Sein, several regional heads of state and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Paul Sein Twa said recent renewed fighting between the Karen rebel group known as the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and government troops had forced more than 2,000 civilians from their homes, many of whom are still hiding in the jungle or on the Thai-Burma border.

"They [civilians] even fear that the conflict might reignite after Obama's trip to Burma, so they dare not return home," said Paul Sein Twa.

Although the government has reached ceasefire agreements with more than a dozen ethnic armed groups and aims to have a nationwide ceasefire accord signed, fighting continues to flare up. Clashes between the Burma Army and a handful of rebel groups has been reported in Kachin, Shan, Karen and Mon states this year alone.

Nang Kwarn Lake, spokesperson for the Shan Human Rights Foundation, agreed that commercial interests were motivating the Burma Army's behavior, which he said belied the central government's ostensible peace overtures.

"Ongoing militarization is linked to trade as the government wants to control natural resource-rich territories in ethnic areas," she said.

"The government is not sincere in the current peace process. If the government is really sincere about the peace process, they should pull back their troops in ethnic areas," she added.

Meanwhile, ethnic Kachin civil society groups earlier this week called on the US government to play a greater role in conflict resolution and post-conflict solutions in Burma.

In a letter addressed to Obama, a group of 28 civil society organizations from Burma and abroad urged his administration to "consider" several points during his second visit to the country.

Tuesday's letter asked the Obama administration to urge the Burmese government to redraft a controversial Constitution written by the military in 2008. It also requested that the United States take an actively participatory role in Burma's peace process and ensure that international actors proceed sensitively with both aid and resettlement activities related to civilians displaced by conflict.

"We think that redrafting the Constitution is the best way to bring about change, instead of making changes bit-by-bit," said Khon Ja, a renowned activist and director of Kachin Peace Network, one of the letter's signatory groups.

Once that hurdle is cleared, she said, it will enable the implementation of a federalist system, the core demand of many of Burma's insurgencies. Khon Ja said that KPN would like to see the United States participate in future peace negotiations and witness the signing of a nationwide ceasefire agreement.

The letter also pushed for "unconditional support" from the international community for local aid efforts involved in supplying and resettling internally displaced persons (IDPs).

According to UN estimates, more than 100,000 civilians have been displaced in Kachin and northern Shan states since a 17-year ceasefire broke down between the government and Kachin rebels in 2011. The Kachin organizations estimated that there are an additional 20,000 IDPs who remain unrecognized by the UN. Many of the displaced are still living in remote camps where they have often been denied access to aid.

Khon Ja urged Obama and his administration to broaden the scope of their engagement with Burma from political to humanitarian interests.

Obama's second visit to Burma comes amid claims that the country's reform process, which began in 2011 with the installation of a nominally civilian government, has stalled. Efforts to end decades of civil war and to ensure free and fair elections have roundly disappointed international observers, while analysts have also said Burma is backsliding on press freedom.

In an open letter to Obama on Nov. 3, an alliance of 11 ethnic armed groups known as the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) said that on-and-off fighting between ethnic armed groups and the government army in Kachin and northern Shan State, as well as recent renewed fighting in eastern Burma's Karen State, were contributing to delays in signing a nationwide ceasefire agreement.

The post Ethnic Groups Seek US Support in Peace Process appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Stalled Reforms, South China Sea to Dominate Burma’s Asean Party

Posted: 11 Nov 2014 04:30 PM PST

Cars pass under a sign that reads,

Cars pass under a sign that reads, "We, Myanmar, warmly welcome leaders and representatives," in Naypyidaw on Tuesday. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy)

NAYPYIDAW — World leaders will descend on the surreal capital of Burma this week, an unthinkable event when it was run by a brutal military junta for almost half a century.

Shortly after winning a one-sided election four years ago, the army veterans stunned the world, ushering in a wave of liberal change that convinced the United States and other Western powers that Burma was no longer the pariah it once was.

But this week's coming out party for the purpose-built city of Naypyidaw, secretly raised from rice paddies by the junta, comes amid mounting concern that the reforms that opened Burma to international engagement have gone into reverse.

The military still holds substantial political power, a peace process to end conflict with ethnic minorities is stalled, and the persecuted Muslim Rohingya minority faces a humanitarian crisis in western Arakan State.

US President Barack Obama is expected to tackle those issues in a meeting with Burma's President Thein Sein during the summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the East Asia Forum on Nov. 12 and 13.

"We have real concerns, and we have expressed them repeatedly about circumstances in Rakhine [Arakan] State, and the transition to democracy, which is a challenging one," Obama's national security adviser Susan Rice said on Friday.

"And we will raise those concerns very directly."

China's Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will also visit the eerily quiet city where Burma's leaders and powerful retired generals have isolated themselves from the largest city and former capital, Rangoon.

Competing territorial claims between China and four Asean nations will form an undercurrent of tension at the meetings.

Maritime spats peaked this year in May, when China sent a giant oil drilling rig to waters claimed by Vietnam. The move sparked deadly anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam, which along with the Philippines has sought closer US ties to counter what they see as China's aggression.

Philippines President Benigno Aquino will address that this week, a member of his delegation told Reuters, describing it as the "most pressing security issue facing our region today."

For all the blunt backroom talk, the Asean grouping is reluctant to antagonize China and a draft of the chairman's concluding statement, obtained by Reuters, shows little change since foreign ministers met in August.

"We expressed our concerns over recent developments in the South China Sea, which have increased tensions," the draft said, urging all parties to "exercise self-restraint, refrain from the use or threat of force, and avoid actions which could undermine peace and stability."

The South China Sea row is so divisive that a summit in Cambodia in 2012 failed to issue a final communique. Despite being a relative novice to the international stage, Burma has so far managed to avoid such an embarrassing breakdown.

The post Stalled Reforms, South China Sea to Dominate Burma's Asean Party appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

At Least 11 Women Die After Sterilization in India

Posted: 11 Nov 2014 09:09 PM PST

Surrogate mothers pose for a photograph in Anand town, about 44 miles south of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, in 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

Surrogate mothers pose for a photograph in Anand town, about 44 miles south of the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, in 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

NEW DELHI — At least 11 Indian women are dead and 20 others seriously ill Wednesday after undergoing free sterilization operations, highlighting the risks women face in reproductive health in a country struggling with high population growth and widespread poverty.

A total of 83 women, all villagers under the age of 32, had the operations Saturday as part of the free sterilization campaign and were sent home that evening. But dozens later became ill and were rushed in ambulances to private hospitals in Bilaspur, a city in central Chhattisgarh state.

By Wednesday morning, at least 11 women had died, District Magistrate Siddharth Komal Pardeshi told Press Trust of India.

The apparent cause of death was either blood poisoning or hemorrhagic shock, which occurs when a person has lost too much blood, state deputy health director Amar Singh said, though the preliminary results from autopsies were expected to be released Wednesday.

About 20 others were in critical care, and the central government was rushing a team of doctors to Bilaspur to help with their treatment.

"Their condition is very serious. Blood pressure is low," said Dr. Ramesh Murty at CIMS hospital, one of the facilities where the sick women were taken. "We are now concentrating on treating them, not on what caused this."

India's government—long concerned about pervasive poverty among its rapidly growing 1.3 billion population—performs millions of free sterilizations to both women and men who want to avoid the risk and cost of having a baby. The vast majority of patients, however, are poor women—paid a one-time incentive fee to undergo the surgery of about US$10-$20, or the equivalent of about a week's pay for a poor person in India. About 180 million people in the country still live on less than $1.25 a day.

India has one of the world's highest rates of sterilization among women, with about 37 percent undergoing such operations compared with 29 percent in China, according to 2006 statistics reported by the United Nations. During 2011-12, the government said 4.6 million Indian women were sterilized.

Activists blame the incentive payments, as well as sterilization quotas set by the government, for leading health authorities to pressure patients into surgery rather than advising them on other forms of contraception.

"These women have become victims because of the target-based approach to population control," said Brinda Karat of the All India Democratic Women's Association, who has demanded that the state's health minister resign.

India has one of the world's worst records on maternal health care, with 200 women dying during pregnancy or childbirth for every 100,000 patients, compared with China's 37 deaths for every 100,000 women who give birth. Its infant mortality rate—63 of every 1,000 newborns die—also makes it one of the worst places on Earth to be born. By comparison, China records about 15 infant deaths for every 1,000 births.

The women who underwent surgery on Saturday were each paid about $10, and all 83 surgeries were performed within six hours, the state's chief medical officer, Dr. S.K. Mandal, told The Associated Press by telephone.

"That is not usual," he said, but declined to comment further until the autopsies had determined exactly what went wrong.

The state suspended four government doctors, including the surgeon who oversaw the operations and the district's chief medical officer.

"It appears the incident occurred due to negligence" by doctors, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh said, before urging patience for the autopsy results. He also said the victims' families would each receive a compensation payment of about $6,600.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Burma, where he was on an official visit, that he had spoken with Singh and urged a thorough investigation.

Meanwhile, the state's surgeons held an emergency meeting Tuesday night to discuss whether to continue with the state's sterilization schedule, with a target of 180,000 for the year ending in March set by the central government, Mandal said. They also were discussing surgery practices and guidelines, he said.

The World Health Organization advises that a patient be monitored for 48 hours after undergoing laparoscopic, or "keyhole," sterilization surgeries like those conducted in Bilaspur. The procedure is one of the most commonly performed, minimally invasive surgeries, and is usually done under local anesthetic.

A spokeswoman for the federal Health Ministry declined to confirm whether the central government was setting sterilization quotas. India's central government had said it stopped setting targets for sterilizing women in the 1990s.

India was one of the first countries to introduce family planning as a government program in the 1960s, when the country's population was less than half what it is today at about 450 million. But outrage erupted in the 1970s after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed a policy of forcibly sterilizing men who had already fathered two children. Opponents at the time said the program also targeted unmarried and poor men, with doctors given bonuses for operating on low-income patients. Since then, vasectomies have been relatively unpopular in India, with only about 1 percent of men opting for the procedure.

The post At Least 11 Women Die After Sterilization in India appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

China Seeks Greater Role in Afghanistan With Peace Talk Push

Posted: 11 Nov 2014 09:04 PM PST

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C, R) with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (C, L) attend a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Photo: Reuters)Beijing October 28, 2014.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C, R) with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (C, L) attend a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Photo: Reuters)Beijing October 28, 2014.

KABUL — China has proposed setting up a forum to restart stalled peace talks between Afghanistan and Taliban insurgents, the latest sign Beijing wants more of a say in its troubled neighbor’s affairs as it frets about its own Islamist militant threat.

Documents seen by Reuters show that China put forward a proposal for a "peace and reconciliation forum" that Afghan officials said would gather representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the Taliban command.

The Chinese plan, discussed at a recent meeting of nations taking part in the "Istanbul Process" on Afghanistan’s future, comes as U.S.-led combat troops prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan after 13 years of war.

Despite the military’s efforts to rout the Taliban and al Qaeda, militants remain a major force, launching regular attacks on military and civilian targets, and previous attempts to bring them into the political mainstream have failed.

There is little to suggest so far that China will succeed where others have not, but its willingness to revive a bid to broker peace previously attempted by the United States indicates its role in Afghanistan is growing.

China’s proposal has not yet been formally announced because Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wants more time to see whether the Taliban and Pakistan are willing to join in, according to his aides.

"This was a very, very important first step," said Daoud Sultanzoy, a former presidential candidate and now adviser to Ghani. "Once all the pieces are in place … at a mature and opportune time there will be declarations."

China says it is not seeking to fill a void left by the U.S. year-end withdrawal, and it already has a footprint in Afghanistan with financial support for counter-narcotics training and agreements to exploit oil and copper reserves.

Washington will also continue to be a major donor to Afghanistan and thousands of soldiers are expected to remain there in training and counter-terrorism roles.

China and Afghanistan are linked only by a tiny and barely passable mountain corridor, but Beijing’s bigger security worry is that Uighur militants, who want a separate state in western China’s Xinjiang region, will exploit the security vacuum left after the bulk of NATO forces withdraw to step up their fight.

Hundreds of Uighur fighters are believed to be holed up in lawless tribal areas straddling Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Senior diplomats in Afghanistan said China’s proposal took participants by surprise at a recent conference in Beijing attended by Ghani, who was making his first official trip overseas as leader.

'Role of Facilitator'

One of the envoys sent Reuters a copy of the draft on condition of anonymity.

"From the Chinese side it is a very positive attitude and they would invite the Taliban to China if Afghanistan agreed to it," said an Afghan official who traveled with Ghani. "They are offering to take the role of facilitator."

Afghanistan blames much of its instability on Pakistan, accusing it of sheltering militants, and wants Islamabad to commit openly to a peace process.

Afghan officials say they want a more public show of support from Pakistan, and are hopeful that the involvement of China, a close ally of Islamabad, will help bring it.

"China was invited to play the pivotal role that it can because China has a lot at stake for its own stability. Also China has a tremendous amount of clout when it comes to Pakistan," Sultanzoy said.

The Chinese government did not respond to a request for comment. However, the Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan stressed support for a peace process at a seminar in Kabul this week, taking the opportunity to remind Ghani of his promises in Beijing to fight militants threatening China.

Pakistan said it was ready to work with Beijing and others, but wanted details of the process to be clarified.

A peace deal is seen as the Afghan government’s best hope for survival after the U.S.-led combat mission that ousted the Taliban in 2001 ends, because its own forces will struggle to defend territory.

Analysts said China may have a better chance of succeeding in restarting the peace process than the United States, because of its close ties with Pakistan.

"There’s no guarantee things will change, but it’s certainly worth a try … the relationship between China and Pakistan is much less tense than the U.S.-Pakistani relationship," said Thomas Ruttig of the Afghanistan Analysts Network.

A spokesman for the Taliban offered no comment for this article, saying the group’s political leadership would need to discuss the matter first.

The post China Seeks Greater Role in Afghanistan With Peace Talk Push appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Obama’s Bid for New China Ties Can’t Quell Tension 

Posted: 11 Nov 2014 09:00 PM PST

China's President Xi Jinping (2nd L) walks next to U.S. President Barack Obama (3rd L) as they inspect the honor guards during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, November 12, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

China’s President Xi Jinping (2nd L) walks next to U.S. President Barack Obama (3rd L) as they inspect the honor guards during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, November 12, 2014. (Photo: Reuters)

BEIJING — When Xi Jinping took the reins of a booming China two years ago, President Barack Obama saw an opportunity to remake America’s relationship with the Asian power. But even after Obama’s unusually robust efforts to forge personal ties with Xi, the two leaders are meeting in Beijing amid significant tensions, both old and new.

While Obama and Xi tackled sensitive matters like cybersecurity and human rights privately, they sought to accentuate areas of agreement in their public remarks. The countries jointly announced new goals for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, signaling that the world’s largest economies were united in the need to tackle climate change. U.S. officials said the two leaders were also likely to announce progress on deals to avert military confrontations in Pacific, where their aircraft have come into close contact.

As Obama and Xi opened talks Wednesday, the U.S. president said cooperation between their nations "can make important contributions to security and progress in the region and around the world."

Since assuming the presidency in 2012, Xi has consolidated power, deepened China’s provocative maritime disputes with its neighbors and stands accused of continuing cyberattacks against the United States. U.S. officials have new concerns over the potential for a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong and are warily watching Beijing strengthen ties with Moscow as the West distances itself from Russia.

For its part, Beijing remains skeptical of Obama’s intentions in Asia, seeing his efforts to bolster U.S. economic ties in the region as a way of countering China’s rise. Obama’s domestic political weakness, particularly following the Democrats’ defeats in last week’s midterm elections, has also sparked questions in China about whether the U.S. president can deliver on potential international agreements.

Arriving on Wednesday at the Great Hall of the People, Obama walked with Xi to a platform in the center of the room, where a military band played the U.S. and Chinese national anthems and the two leaders inspected an honor guard lined up against a massive mural of the Great Wall. A group of waiting schoolchildren bearing flags from both countries and flowers cheered for the leaders when given their cue.

After their morning meetings, the leaders were to take questions from reporters, a surprising last-minute addition to the schedule given China’s tight media controls.

In the lead-up to the Obama-Xi meetings, U.S. officials sought to refocus attention on areas of U.S. agreement with the Chinese, including a climate pact that was the result of months of secret discussions between the two countries.

As part of the new agreement, Obama announced that the U.S. would move much faster in cutting pollution, with a goal to reduce emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent by 2025, compared with 2005 levels. Xi, whose country’s emissions are still growing as it builds new coal plants, didn’t commit to cut emissions by a specific amount. Rather, he set a target for China’s emissions to peak by 2030, or earlier if possible.

The U.S. and China also announced a reciprocal accord to extend visa lengths for their citizens. And Obama announced that the U.S. and China had reached an understanding that would allow negotiations to move forward on a deal with the World Trade Organization to reduce tariffs on high-tech goods.

But despite the White House’s public focus on cooperation, analysts say Xi’s approach to running China is likely to lead to more tensions ahead.

"I think that consensus is growing that there’s going to be more viscosity, more tension with China over the next few years," said Michael Green, an Asia analyst at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. He added that Xi has proved to be "less accommodating" and "tougher than expected" in his dealings with the U.S.

That’s hardly the landscape Obama envisioned when he began trying to cultivate Xi as partner. Obama had developed little personal rapport with Xi’s predecessor, the older and more formal Hu Jintao. But in Xi, U.S. officials saw a potentially new kind of leader, with closer ties to the U.S. than other Chinese officials—he spent time in Iowa as an exchange student—and an ease with public appearances that eluded Hu.

In an unusual move, Obama last summer invited Xi to a two-day retreat at Sunnylands, a sweeping estate in the southern California desert. Away from the glare of their capitals, the leaders held eight hours of wide-ranging talks, toasted each other with Chinese liquor and sealed their new relationship with a 50-minute stroll through the manicured grounds.

Both sides considered the summit a success. Yet the months that followed have seen increased tensions, from the U.S. levying cyberspying charges against five Chinese officials to a recent series of close calls between U.S. and Chinese aircraft in the Pacific.

Xi is still reciprocating Obama’s California hospitality with a state visit in the Chinese capital. Following meetings Tuesday with regional leaders at an Asia-Pacific economic summit, Obama and Xi met for a private dinner at Zhong Nan Hai, the imperial gardens near Tiananmen Square that serve as the center of power for China’s government and the Communist Party of China. In the spirit of the Sunnylands summit, the two men ditched their ties for dinner as they sought to project a more casual and comfortable atmosphere.

The post Obama's Bid for New China Ties Can't Quell Tension  appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)