The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Sacked Yadana Pipeline Workers Seek Compensation from Total
• China Worried as Burma Fighting Pushes Refugees Across Border
• Thousands Gather in Karen State to Mark Passing of Venerated Monk
• Govt Plans to Nominate Mrauk-U for World Heritage Listing
• March Goes on as Education Talks set to Resume
• ‘Evidence of Illegal Activity’ by Chinese, Canadian Firms at Monywa: Amnesty
• Fighting Flares Between Burma Army, Kokang Rebels in Shan State
• Hundreds of Villagers Still Displaced in Hpakant
• ‘It Is Not That White Card Holders Automatically Become Citizens’
• Small Rebel Army in Burma Resists Ceasefire Talks
• Malaysia’s Anwar Found Guilty in Sodomy Case
• Japan OKs New Aid Policy Seeking to Gain More Global Clout 
• Amid ‘Challenging’ Times, Thailand and US Start Scaled Down Drills

Sacked Yadana Pipeline Workers Seek Compensation from Total Posted: 10 Feb 2015 06:08 AM PST Former workers on the Yadana gas pipeline in Kanbauk, Tenasserim Division on Tuesday, demanding reinstatement or an increase in Total Myanmar's compensation offer. (Photo: Tint Lwin / Dawei Watch) RANGOON — Over 200 people in Tenasserim Division have staged a protest against Total E&P Myanmar, the local subsidiary of global oil giant Total SA, after the mass termination of Yadana gas pipeline workers at the beginning of the year. A total of 115 skilled and manual employees working on the project for two local firms, including 104 employees of United Engineering and 11 from T&E International, were dismissed on Jan. 1. Workers and their families assembled in Kanbauk village on Tuesday to demand their reinstatement or an increase in the compensation offers already tabled by Total E&P. Khin Zaw, head of administration and human resources at United Engineering, told The Irrawaddy that the workers were terminated after the company failed to win another contract for civil construction and logistical support with Total E&P. In a statement released on Tuesday, workers petitioned Total E&P directly, asking to either be allowed to return to work on their previous salaries for new contractors, or allowed to collect outstanding entitlements the workers claim they are owed. "If it's impossible to appoint us back, it is necessary to urgently resolve the situation and agree to our demands," the statement said. On Friday, Total E&P agreed to provide leave benefits, annual bonuses and incentive payments for reaching health, safety and environment performance targets after a hearing by the Yebyu Township Arbitration Council, a jurisdiction established by the 2012 Settlement of Labor Disputes Law. Workers said that the offer falls short of their expectations, and are asking for additional termination bonuses in the event that they are unable to secure employment with the new contractors. One of the protesters told The Irrawaddy that many of the employees were long-term members of the local workforce, with some of the retrenched workers employed at the Yadana site for 10-15 years. "They said they are going to give termination compensation but we workers do not accept it," said Nyunt Hnin, one of the protest leaders. "Our main purpose is to get our job back. If we can get gratuities for our years of service, then, we will accept termination compensation. If not, we won't accept it." The workforce intends to appeal the township decision at a session of the Tenasserim Division Arbitration Council on Feb. 13, with Nyunt Hnin stating that the group will pursue a further appeal in Naypyidaw if the next hearing refuses to mandate a payment of termination compensation by Total E&P. "We are still monitoring the situation and don't know what to do yet," said Khin Zaw. "We don't know if Total will agree to the rest of the demands set out by workers." Workers at Total E&P's Yadana pipeline project have been subjected to other mass terminations in recent years, according the workers' statement. In 2009, 81 workers were dismissed without compensation, while in 2014, 69 workers were sacked and received outstanding entitlements after negotiating with the company. The Yadana gas field and pipeline project, of which Total owns a 31.2% stake, has been plagued by controversy since it began development in 1995. A 2010 report by EarthRights International—drawn from the testimony of local residents, refugees from the area and expatriate employees—documented reports of the Burma Army engaging in extrajudicial killings, forced labor recruitment and land confiscation at the project site. Xavier Preel, the General Manager of Total E&P Myanmar, was in Naypyidaw on Tuesday and unavailable for comment. The post Sacked Yadana Pipeline Workers Seek Compensation from Total appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Worried as Burma Fighting Pushes Refugees Across Border Posted: 10 Feb 2015 05:57 AM PST In August 2009, tens of thousands of Kokang refugees cross the Chinese border into Nansan in Zhenkang County in Yunnan Province, China. (Photo: Reuters) BEIJING — China’s expressed concern on Tuesday about renewed fighting between ethnic rebels and Burmese government forces which forced civilians to cross the border to seek refuge in China. The fighting flared up in the Kokang region of northeast Burma's Shan State between rebels from a group called the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the army. "From yesterday until today, some Myanmar border residents, because of safety considerations, entered China. They have been looked after," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing, without giving a number. The rebels were formerly part of the Communist Party of Burma (CPB), a China-backed guerrilla force that battled the Burma government until the group fell apart in 1989. Hua said China would pay close attention to how the situation developed and it would maintain peace and stability on the border. "We also believe that the Myanmar side should work hard for this," she added. "We hope that relevant parties in northern Myanmar can resolve their differences via continuing to uphold peaceful talks and prevent the clashes from escalating and affecting border stability, especially from affecting security and order on the Chinese side." The MNDAA signed a ceasefire agreement with the government in 1989, the first of about a dozen factions that formed after the CPB disintegrated. Despite such ceasefire agreements, clashes between government troops and guerrilla groups do break out from time to time. The state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said the fighting began on Monday between the army and "renegade troops of Kokang". "They took over a police outpost. There were some casualties on both sides," a Burmese military officer based in the northeast told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "We’re planning to get it back after reinforcing our troops." In December, Burmese state media accused the group of killing seven soldiers and wounding 20. Fighting between the rebels and the army in 2009 pushed tens of thousands of refugees into southwestern China, angering the government in Beijing. Additional reporting by Aung Hla Tun in Rangoon. The post China Worried as Burma Fighting Pushes Refugees Across Border appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thousands Gather in Karen State to Mark Passing of Venerated Monk Posted: 10 Feb 2015 05:45 AM PST Thousands of people gathered in Eindu Village, Karen State, this week to attend the funeral rites and a large fair organized to mark the passing of a venerated local monk. (Photo: Timo Jaworr / The Irrawaddy) EINDU VILLAGE, Karen State — Thousands of people gathered in the small village of Eindu, located not far from the Karen State capital Hpa-an, this week to attend the Buddhist funeral rites and a large fair to mark the passing of a venerated local monk. Abbot Rzeinna died at the age of 84 on Nov. 10 after having spent 64 years in monkhood. The body of the ethnic Pa-O monk was kept for three months before cremation, in keeping with Buddhist customs in Burma. Members of local communities attended the week-long event in great numbers. Many donated money to pay for the cremation ceremony and free food and drinks, and to organize a fair and traditional zat pwe dance and musical performances. Following the abbot's cremation fireworks were set off, to the delight of the crowd. The fair also included a traditional Burmese martial arts competition, known locally as lethwei. The post Thousands Gather in Karen State to Mark Passing of Venerated Monk appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt Plans to Nominate Mrauk-U for World Heritage Listing Posted: 10 Feb 2015 03:56 AM PST A view of a Buddhist temple at the old Arakanese capital of Mrauk-U, Arakan State. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's government and Arakan State authorities have begun taking measures to better preserve the remains of the old Arakanese capital of Mrauk-U in order to prepare the site for nomination for the Unesco World Heritage List, a senior official said on Tuesday. Kyaw Oo Lwin, director general of the Ministry of Culture's Archeology Department, told The Irrawaddy that his department had been working with state authorities since late last year to carry out digital mapping and improve preservation of Buddhist temples and palace grounds. He said the steps were part of a government plan to nominate the site with the help of Unesco officials and other foreign experts. "To become Unesco World Heritage listed, we need to take at least four and a half years [to prepare] before we can apply for inclusion on the list. This is the minimum period. That's why we're now starting to collect data and survey information on the ground," he said. From the 15th century to the late 1800s, Mrauk-U was the seat of Arakanese kings, who at the height of their power controlled an area covering large parts of eastern Bengal, modern-day Arakan State and the western part of Lower Burma. Much of the city's remains are well-preserved and some 380 historic temples are scattered between the lush hills of northern Arakan. Kyaw Oo Lwin said it was important for the Unesco nomination process to describe and preserve how local communities have been living among and with the monuments in Mrauk-U. "We have to… collect the numbers of temples, old sites. And not only these things but we also will have to survey the living [culture] of residents in this area too," he said. Kyaw Oo Lwin said the Arakan State government had committed about US$670,000 to the nomination process this year and another $500,000 next year, adding that the central government could offer little in the way of funding support for the process. If successfully listed, Mrauk-U would become the third World Heritage site in Burma. The listing would mobilize international funding and support for protection, management and research at the site. It would also boost the country's expanding tourism industry, a sector that the government has identified as a key driver of future economic growth. In June last year, Unesco accepted the first inscription of a Burmese heritage site, the Pyu Ancient Cities in Prome, on the World Heritage List. In October, Unesco organized a first workshop to prepare World Heritage nomination for the ancient temple complex of Bagan in central Burma, a process that will be completed in the coming years. Mrauk-U is located on the Kaladan River in northern Arakan State, some 60 kilometer inland from the state capital Sittwe. The site used to draw tens of thousands of tourists annually, until inter-communal violence between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims erupted in mid-2012, displacing tens of thousands of people, mostly Muslims, in Sittwe and surrounding townships, including Mrauk-U Township. Following the violence, authorities closed down the old city for foreign tourist and although the ban was lifted after several months the area has seen only a trickle of tourist visitors since. The post Govt Plans to Nominate Mrauk-U for World Heritage Listing appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

March Goes on as Education Talks set to Resume Posted: 10 Feb 2015 03:03 AM PST Student demonstrators enter Bago Division on Monday, Feb. 9, 2015. (Photo: Kaung Myat Min / The Irrawaddy) Student demonstrators enter Bago Division on Monday, Feb. 9, 2015. (Photo: Kaung Myat Min / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Talks look set to resume on Wednesday between student protesters and the government, as students vowed to continue demonstrations that have spread to various parts of the country. On Monday, education reform advocates met with Deputy Education Minister Thant Shin to forge a path forward after quadripartite talks were cancelled by the government last week. Attendees of the meeting decided to reschedule the talk to take place on Wednesday at the Rangoon Division Parliament building. The quadripartite discussions—which are meant to bring student leaders, advocates, ministers and lawmakers to the negotiating table—were a hard-won achievement of the student movement, promised after protests against a new education policy sprung up across the country. An initial meeting on Feb. 1 yielded positive results as stakeholders agreed on an agenda and methodology, committing to reconvene in Naypyidaw on Feb. 3. The second meeting, however, was cancelled by the government, which questioned the legitimacy of student delegates as representative of the larger body of demonstrators. Protests continued amid controversy between politicians and activists, and despite increased security. Thein Lwin, a member of the National Network for Education Reform (NNER), was dismissed as a central executive committee of the National League for Democracy on Monday because of his ties to the student movement, while protests gathered steam in the former capital and outer regions of Burma. Home Affairs Minister Lt-Gen Ko Ko later denounced the activists as pawns of political hardliners. The government on Tuesday reiterated a call for students to stop protesting with an announcement published in state media urging parents to "recall school children away from student protesters." Aung Hmine San of the Action Committee for Democratic Education (ACDE) said that the students will not bow to pressure, but that those who wish to take leave from the demonstrations for yearly exams are supported by the movement. This, he argued, was all the more reason for discussions to get underway quickly. "I don't want a bad conscience, and I don't want parents to worry, so I want to hold these meetings," said Aung Hmine San. "When their parents call them, we take them to their parents." Thein Lwin and Aung Hmine San both attended Monday's meeting with the deputy minister, reaching an agreement to resume discussions immediately, with two moderators from the government and two representing the students. The government agreed to allow equal representation among stakeholders. Media be will be allowed to attend opening remarks and a closing press conference, but discussions will take place behind closed doors. The student protest movement has gained considerable traction since they began in late 2014. Protestors say the current education law restricts local autonomy in favor of centralized control over education and restricts the formation of student and teachers unions. A core group of hundreds of demonstrators set off from Mandalay on Jan. 20, planning to march to Rangoon. There are now several separate student protest groups that plan to converge in Burma's former capital. The post March Goes on as Education Talks set to Resume appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘Evidence of Illegal Activity’ by Chinese, Canadian Firms at Monywa: Amnesty Posted: 10 Feb 2015 12:58 AM PST Police and villagers face off at the Letpadaung project site late last year. (Photo: Amnesty International) RANGOON — Amnesty International has called for an investigation into two international firms over their conduct in three adjoining copper mine projects, including the controversial Letpadaung mine, the site of repeated clashes between villagers and police forces in recent months. A new report from Amnesty has documented forcible evictions, health impacts and the excessive use of police force in quelling protests. The report also suggested that Canadian company Ivanhoe Mines deliberately circumvented economic sanctions in divesting its stake in the Sabetaung and Kyisintaung copper mines, while accusing Chinese company Wanbao, a subsidiary of China's state-owned defense manufacturer Norinco, of directly engaging in evictions and crop destruction in collusion with authorities. "Since its inception and throughout its various changes in ownership the Monywa project has been characterised by serious human rights abuses and a lack of transparency," said the report, released on Tuesday. "Thousands of people have been forcibly evicted by the government with the knowledge, and in some cases the participation of foreign companies." Ivanhoe Mines, currently known as Turquoise Hill Resources, acquired a stake in the Monywa mines in 1996 and announced its decision to divest from the project a decade later through an independent trust. United States diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks revealed that Ivanhoe was an active participant in discussions around the sale of its Monywa assets after the trust was established, with Tay Za, a tycoon with close connections to the former Burmese military junta, enlisted to help broker a deal on the sale between Ivanhoe, Wanbao and the military-backed Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL). An investigation of the circumstances surrounding Ivanhoe's divestment from Monywa has led Amnesty to conclude the trust was registered in the British Virgin Islands, potentially implicating Ivanhoe in a breach of economic sanctions leveled against UMEHL. The Letpadaung mine, a joint venture between UMEHL and Wanbao, has been an ongoing source of conflict between local farmers, authorities and project workers for more than two years. White phosphorous incendiary rounds were used against protesting villagers in Nov. 2012, resulting in severe burns and lifelong injuries to more than 100 people. A group of villagers and activists demanding a halt to the mines briefly abducted three Wanbao contractors in May 2014 before releasing them unharmed 24 hours later. A series of protests in December last year over Letpadaung workers fencing farmland led to the shooting death of Khin Win, a 56-year-old villager, during a police confrontation. "The Letpadaung mine is increasingly being perceived as a test case of the government's commitment to its own reform process," said Meghna Abraham, Amnesty's deputy director of global thematic issues, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday. "Despite considerable national and international criticism of the brutal attack on monks and protesters in November 2012, the government has not taken the crucial steps that are necessary to correct past abuses linked to Letpadaung and prevent further abuses." Amnesty has called for an investigation by the Chinese and Canadian governments into the conduct of Ivanhoe Mines and Wanbao in Burma, an investigation of whether Ivanhoe breached economic sanctions in Canada and the UK, and an immediate halt to the construction of the Letpadaung mine until human rights concerns are addressed. Additional reporting by Saw Yan Naing in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The post 'Evidence of Illegal Activity' by Chinese, Canadian Firms at Monywa: Amnesty appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Fighting Flares Between Burma Army, Kokang Rebels in Shan State Posted: 10 Feb 2015 12:51 AM PST Ethnic rebels in northern Shan State say a jet fighter was used in attacks by the Burma Army on Monday. (Photo: Facebook / Ye Moe) Fighting that first erupted between an ethnic Kokang armed rebel group and government troops on Monday morning continued in the northern Shan State town of Laukkai on Tuesday. Reports in state-run media blamed the Kokang, an ethnic minority primarily settled in the area between the Salween River and China border, for the clashes in Laukkai and an ambush on a Burma Army outpost in Mawhtike town. Those reports said the fighting had caused public alarm in the area, which is part of a self-administered zone granted to the Kokang in the Constitution. "While the State is making all-out efforts for reaching a nationwide ceasefire, the renegade groups of Kokang have ambushed the troops of the Tatmadaw [Burma Army]," reported The Global New Light of Myanmar. Htun Myat Lin, a spokesperson for the ethnic Kokang Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), said at least four rebel soldiers were injured in Monday's clashes but he denied Kokang involvement in any ambush, saying instead that Burma Army troops had fired the first shots. "We have also been attacked by air strikes—three times at around 3:30 pm yesterday and two times an hour ago today," he said on Tuesday, adding that three Burma Army troops were killed in Monday's fighting. Tensions have been rising in the areas since clashes broke out in the town of Kunlong in December. The latest violence is believed to be a struggle for territory in the volatile region. "We were forced to leave our homeland in 2009 and now we are back for our lands," Htun Myat Lin told The Irrawaddy. A local resident of the nearby town of Hopan told The Irrawaddy that gunfire was heard last night until 2:00 am, while an allied ethnic group confirmed that the clashes continued on Tuesday morning. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the local resident said: "The gunfire from Chin Shwe Haw [Township] was heard from 7:30 pm to 2:00 am last night. Travel to Chin Shwe Haw, some three miles away from Hopan, and also the route to Laukkai, is now blocked and I heard people in the area are fleeing for Mandalay and the China border." Mai Aik Kyaw, a communications officer for the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that fighting first flared on Monday morning, pitting TNLA and allied Kokang troops against the government's Light Infantry Battalion No. 125, with hostilities ongoing. The TNLA has allied with the MNDAA, according to Mai Aik Kyaw, in an effort to retake the self-administered zone, which the MNDAA controlled until 2009. A post on the TNLA headquarters’ Facebook page said fighters of the Arakan Army had joined the TNLA and MNDAA. State media reported that clashes broke out at least three times on Monday in Nyankhwan and Taukshwe villages, located northwest and southwest of Laukkai, respectively. More government troops have been deployed to Laukkai, according to both local residents and the TNLA. "The Tatmadaw reinforced with many more troops yesterday and I heard battalions under Military Operations Command No. 16 are on their way," said Mai Aik Kyaw, while also echoing the MNDAA spokesman's claim that a fighter jet was involved in the government's offensive. A video obtained by The Irrawaddy purportedly shows an airstrike being carried out by a Burma Army helicopter gunship in the region in recent days. The TNLA, which has not signed a bilateral ceasefire with the government, has been involved in frequent clashes with government troops in northern Shan State including separate fighting in Namatu Township over the last 10 days. The MNDAA also lacks a ceasefire with the government, and has entered into alliances with several other ethnic armed groups in the area, including the TNLA and the Kachin Independence Army, both of which remain openly at war with the Burma Army. The Kokang rebel group is a member of both the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), and the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordinating Team (NCCT), but the government has balked at the group's efforts to win a seat at the negotiating table in peace talks aimed at achieving a nationwide ceasefire. The post Fighting Flares Between Burma Army, Kokang Rebels in Shan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Hundreds of Villagers Still Displaced in Hpakant Posted: 10 Feb 2015 12:40 AM PST Displaced children wait for a meal delivered by aid workers in Hpakant Township, Kachin State, February 2015. (Photo: 88GPOS / Facebook) RANGOON — Hundreds of villagers remain in isolated displacement camps in Kachin State's Hpakant Township, nearly one month after they fled their homes amid conflict between rebel and government troops, aid workers said. Sources providing aid to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) told The Irrawaddy that while many of the 2,000 villagers originally displaced by the violence had returned home, about 700 are still living in makeshift camps because they fear further conflict. "The problem is most people don't want to go back," said Mya Aye, a member of the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society (88GPOS), which has been visiting the area and providing some basic assistance. Fighting broke out between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) on Jan. 15 near Aung Bar Lay village in jade-rich Hpakant. Around 2,000 villagers were believed to have been displaced by the conflict, including students and schoolteachers, who fled to churches and monasteries in other villages. Local sources said that most of the displaced took shelter in Kan Si village, near Aung Bar Lay. The conflict appeared to be triggered by an incident on Jan. 14, when the KIA apprehended a state minister and three police officers overseeing construction of a road. The minister was released the same day, while the officers remained in rebel custody until Jan. 19. Mya Aye said that the 88GPOS representatives were in Hpakant as recently as Feb. 5 on a delivery mission, during which they went to Kan Si, Lone Khin and Aung Bar Lay villages. Both Kan Si and Aung Bar Lay are currently under the control of the Burma Army, he said, causing trepidation among IDPs in Lone Khin and surrounding areas about returning to their homes. Some of the areas near Aung Bar Lay remain under rebel control. While many have returned home from the IDP camps, local sources described their circumstances as equally dire, claiming that they are "trapped" by mobility restrictions. "Refugees and trapped villagers are facing difficulties since they can't work for a living and they can't travel freely outside," said Tin Soe, chairman of the Hpakant chapter of the National League for Democracy. Mya Aye said that villagers are not allowed to travel freely through San Khar gate, which lies between government-controlled territories and Hpakant. "The people from Hpakant and Lone Khin are not allowed to travel inside Kan Si and Aung Bar Lay without approval from the [Burma] Army," he said, while those inside the two government-run villages are not allowed to leave without special approval. Sar Gyi, a spokesperson for the Kachin Development Networking Group (KDNG), said that travel restrictions are not only preventing villagers from working, but also limiting available aid. "All aid groups coming to give supplies to trapped villagers should be allowed to access the area freely," he said, "and villagers shouldn't be held as hostages during this conflict." Clashes between government troops and the KIA have flared intermittently since a ceasefire broke down in mid-2011, with an estimated 100,000 people having been displaced by the violence. The KIA is one of the only major ethnic armed groups in Burma that has not reached a bilateral pact with the government, even as negotiators continue their push for an inclusive, nationwide agreement to conclude the country's myriad other insurgencies. Kachin State is among the world's last remaining sources of jade, and is also rich in other gems, minerals and valuable timber. Resource extraction has long been both a major cause and source of revenue for conflict in the remote ethnic state bordering China. The post Hundreds of Villagers Still Displaced in Hpakant appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘It Is Not That White Card Holders Automatically Become Citizens’ Posted: 09 Feb 2015 04:00 PM PST Minister of Immigration and Population Khin Yi in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Feb. 5, 2015. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy) Burma's Union Parliament recently passed a controversial law granting temporary identity card holders the right to vote in a referendum on constitutional amendments later this year. The move has prompted criticism and protests, given that these individuals, also known as "white card holders," do not hold Burmese citizenship. The number of white card holders is unknown, with estimates ranging from 700,000 to 1.5 million, most of whom are Rohingya Muslims. Minister of Immigration and Population Khin Yi talked about the issue with The Irrawaddy in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last week, and also addressed questions on remaining difficulties for exiled dissidents seeking to re-enter Burma and national census data due to be released later this year. Question: With Parliament allowing white card holders to vote in the constitutional referendum, does that mean they have been given the rights of citizenship? Answer: It is not exactly accurate to say that they have become citizens, because the Temporary Identity Certificates [white cards] are provided by the Immigration Ministry in accordance with the incumbent law. People find it easy to call them 'white card holders' as it is on a white piece of paper. [Burmese citizens are issued pink national ID cards]. We provided them with this card because they are not yet verified citizens of the country. They must apply for citizenship and we scrutinize them in accordance with our rules and then we decide whether they can be citizens or not. It is not that white card holders automatically become citizens. Q: Is the right to vote in accordance with the 1982 Citizenship Law? A: Our ministry is not involved in the issue of the right to vote or not. Parliament decided on this. We provide these cards to people undergoing the [citizenship] scrutinizing process. There are many white card holders—including Bengali, Indians, Pakistanis, Gurkha—across the country. They are between 700,000 and 800,000 on our lists. We carefully gave them these cards as they still need to go through the national verification process. Q:White card holders face travel restrictions, for instance in Arakan State. Is this Immigration Ministry policy? A: The travel issue depends solely on local authorities. The authorities restrict the travel, for instance, in Arakan State. They can ask for permission to travel; it is not that they are not allowed to. There are many people travelling in this way for medical treatment or schooling. Q:What is the ministry doing in terms of national verification for white card holders? A: We do the national verification twice a year, starting with township-level verifications and ending with national-level verification. I act as chairman of the committee, in which the members are officials from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs and Defense. We, step by step, scrutinize their applications and grant citizenship in accordance with the 1982 Citizenship Law. Q: Some people complain that their National Registration Cards were seized and replaced with white cards. What are you doing to resolve this issue? A: This has not happened during our [administrative] term. It was in 1990 when their NRCs were seized, as there were reports of people obtaining fake cards. We have now allowed them to reapply for citizenship. When they apply, we issue them the appropriate documents [identifying them as] associate citizen, naturalized citizen or white cards. Q:What is your view on criticisms that Parliament took up the white card issue just as student protests against the National Education Law have begun to heat up? A: I have read such criticism on social media and on the Internet. I don't think it is related. The debate on white cards has long existed in Parliament before the students' protest. Q: There are still reports of obstacles and difficulties for once-exiled Burmese dissidents who now hold foreign passports but want to come back to Burma. Why is that? A: Our President U Thein Sein has invited all Burma-born foreign passport holders to return to the country in the spirit of national reconciliation. According to our laws, former Burmese [who no longer hold citizenship] could not be citizens of Myanmar again as they have obtained the citizenship of a foreign country. We do not allow dual citizenship. But one hole here is that the president can accept them in accordance with Section 8(b) of the 1982 Citizenship Law, in which they can become a citizen of Burma if it is the interest of the country. [The provision Khin Yi refers to is in fact Section 8(a)]. There are also three ministries involved: the ministries of Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs and us. The ministries have to do scrutinizing on the issuance of certificate of identity and checking for a criminal background. If they do not have criminal cases and are not on a blacklist, it is no problem for them in terms of getting a visa or reapplying for citizenship. We have accepted about 100 out of 185 applications reapplying for citizenship. Some dissidents think that after they submit the citizenship application, it is done and they never contact us again. But it is not and it takes time. Q: The provisional results of the census were released in August, but what about the full results, including data on ethnic populations in Burma? Will the official list of 135 ethnicities remain or will it be amended? For example, ethnic Zomi in Chin State are not listed among the 135 recognized groups. A: Compiling of the results is not finished yet. We are still in the process of data analysis. The draft list will come out at the end of May. But the ethnicity list will not be finalized. We don't know yet. We have recorded whatever they said regarding ethnicity. If they said they are Zomi, it was recorded as such. And after we have the list of the ethnicities, it will be brought before ethnic representatives of each group for discussion. We will not publicize the results until the list is consulted with the ethnic leaders, as we do not want misunderstandings. Q: When you met Dr. Cynthia Maung in 2013, you talked about the issuance of birth certificates for the children of Burmese migrant workers born on the Thailand-Burma border. What is the latest on this effort? A: Honestly, it remains an obligation. We have been busy with the national census and the peace process, so we have not started yet on the issues discussed with Sayama Cynthia. Our ministry cannot do it alone; the health ministry and other related ministries must cooperate. We have not got the solution or a detailed policy yet, but we will do it for sure. Q: Does that mean it will be address only after the successful completion of the peace process? A: No, it does not. This is about the acceptance of our ethnics as citizens. We have not been able to focus yet on this as we have been concentrating on solving other issues, such as the Arakan State issue and the peace talks, which are not yet resolved. The post 'It Is Not That White Card Holders Automatically Become Citizens' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Small Rebel Army in Burma Resists Ceasefire Talks Posted: 09 Feb 2015 09:30 PM PST TNLA chairman Tar Aik Bong speaking at the Ta'ang Revolution Day event. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) MAR WONG, Shan State — It's one of Burma's smallest ethnic insurgencies, just a few thousand fighters scattered between isolated villages in the mist-shrouded mountains of northern Shan State. But as President Thein Sein struggles to reach a nationwide peace agreement by the year's end, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) has turned into one of his biggest obstacles. The rebels have so far refused to negotiate the terms of a ceasefire, citing the lack of discussion about their aspirations, such as greater control over natural resources for the half-million ethnic Ta'ang people. When they last agreed to hand over weapons in exchange for a "self-administered zone," nearly a decade ago, the insurgents say, they saw little or no real benefits for their people. "In fact," said Main Aik Kyo, a rebel army spokesman, "things only got worse." Soldiers and pro-government militias continued to harass local residents, he and others say. They also stepped up involvement in the illegal narcotics trade in the opium-growing region. The widespread availability of drugs has led to alarming addiction rates. One village head said half of all Ta'ang men are now hooked on drugs, some as young as 13. Myanmar stunned the world by opening politically and economically in 2011 following elections that most rights groups say were neither free nor fair. Though the new president started steering the country from a half-century of dictatorship toward democracy, early much-lauded reforms have since either stalled or started rolling back. That's upped the stakes of getting ceasefire deals with all 17 ethnic armies, one of Thein Sein's biggest pledges. Many ethnic armies have been fighting since the country gained independence from the British in 1948, and experts say continued civil unrest is slowing development in one of the region's poorest countries. The TNLA, one of four rebel groups still holding out, claims to have 4,000 troops. Though those estimates are believed to be inflated, a celebration last month in the isolated village of Mar Wong, nestled deep in the jungle-clad mountains, showed that support among villagers is as strong as ever. Hundreds turned out, making long, treacherous journeys along steep, windy roads. Huddling beneath blankets to protect themselves from icy winds, they cheered as 650 troops goose-stepped with guns or while waving green and red flags. "We have to keep fighting for our freedom, for our political rights," said Thar Phone Kyaw, the TNLA general secretary, adding no ceasefire agreement will be signed without assurances they will get the "federal union" promised to them by Burma's independence leader Gen. Aung San more than 60 years ago. That would give them greater control over their natural resources, including a say in issues surrounding an oil pipeline to China that has displaced people and destroyed livelihoods. It would also allow them to control their own troops' movement and help end the spiraling scourge of drugs. Ta'ang men and women in traditional attire applauded and took pictures with their smart phones as the rebels set fire to a huge haul of opium, heroin and methamphetamine tablets. Children and novice Buddhist monks covered their noses and mouths as the dark smoke rose from pile. The rebels also displayed weapons and ammunition allegedly confiscated from Burma soldiers during recent confrontations. Though the TNLA only started fighting again four years ago, the grievances of the Ta'ang date back to the early 1960s, when Gen. Ne Win seized power in a bloody coup, imposing policies that actively promoted the Bamar, or Burman, ethnic majority to positions of power. Ethnic groups, representing 40 percent of the population, found themselves victims of military abuses and discrimination in areas spanning from health and education to road construction and access to electricity. The post Small Rebel Army in Burma Resists Ceasefire Talks appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Malaysia’s Anwar Found Guilty in Sodomy Case Posted: 09 Feb 2015 09:48 PM PST Malaysia’s opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim speaks to the media ahead of the verdict in his final appeal against a conviction for sodomy in Kuala Lumpur Feb. 4, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s highest court found opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim guilty on charges of sodomy on Tuesday in a case that his supporters say was politically motivated, and will likely end a career marked by controversy. The Federal Court’s judgment upholds a ruling by the Court of Appeal in March last year, which found the 67-year-old guilty of sodomizing a former political aide. He is expected to be sentenced later on Tuesday. Hundreds of Anwar supporters, surrounded by dozens of police, gathered outside the court in Kuala Lumpur waving party flags and shouting "Down with Barisan Nasional". The ruling may spark protests after opposition gains in a 2013 general election raised the possibility of a genuine challenge for the Barisan Nasional coalition that has ruled since 1957. The conviction disqualifies Anwar from political office and contesting the next election that must be held by 2018. Human Rights Watch decried what it called Anwar’s "selective persecution". Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government has rejected any suggestion of interference in the case. "Malaysia has an independent judiciary, and there have been many rulings against senior government figures," a government statement, issued after the ruling, said. "The police report against Anwar Ibrahim was brought by a private individual—Anwar’s employee and personal assistant—not by the government." Anwar was accompanied by his wife and children in the courtroom. In the mid-1990s, Anwar was the ruling UMNO party’s rising star before he fell out with then premier Mahathir Mohamad. He was sacked in 1998 and then campaigned against corruption and nepotism and led a nationwide "reformasi" (reform) protest movement. Since then, the former deputy prime minister has been beset by legal problems and spent several years in prison after being convicted of corruption and an earlier sodomy charge. But the charismatic Anwar, who heads a three-party opposition alliance, has remained the greatest threat to Malaysia’s political establishment. His lawyers appealed against a conviction last March of sodomizing a male political aide, and a sentence of five years in prison. Sodomy is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia. Anwar denied the charge and said it was politically motivated. Some ruling party members and analysts have played down fear of upheaval if the ruling goes against Anwar. "Anwar’s political image is not anywhere near close to what it was in the ’90s," said Wan Saiful Wan Jan, of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs. "The country has moved on." Anwar’s jailing could herald the disintegration of the three-party alliance he leads. It is paralyzed with infighting and a meeting on Sunday to iron out differences and find a possible successor to Anwar was inconclusive. The post Malaysia’s Anwar Found Guilty in Sodomy Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Japan OKs New Aid Policy Seeking to Gain More Global Clout  Posted: 09 Feb 2015 08:56 PM PST Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a Northern Territories Day rally to call on Russia to return a group of islands, known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kuriles in Russia, in Tokyo Feb. 7, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) TOKYO — Seeking more assertive diplomatic and national security role internationally, Japan’s Cabinet on Tuesday adopted new guidelines for international aid that for the first time clearly state that it will allow provisions for foreign armed forces, although limited to non-military purposes. And the guidelines say Japan should prioritize aid to Southeast Asia to strengthen cooperation amid China’s growing presence in the region. It says Japan should spend aid money more effectively to serve its national interests amid limited budgets and sporadic efforts to boost Japan’s economy. Japan for instance plans to continue assistance for Caribbean island countries, many of them supporters of Japan’s campaign for commercial whaling, a Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity, because he made the comment before the official release of the guidelines. The changes, the first in 12 years, are in line with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push to bolster Japan’s international role in diplomacy and national security. "Taking into consideration that armed forces are increasingly playing major roles in post-conflict reconstruction and disaster relief efforts, we specified our policy regarding non-military projects," Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters. The guidelines say Japan’s pacifist aid policy remains unchanged and that each provision will be scrutinized carefully, although it raised concerns about whether Japan can ensure that the money is not funneled into military use. Japan will also expand humanitarian assistance to countries fighting against terrorism, like the US$200 million non-military contribution Abe pledged last month to six Middle Eastern countries fighting against Islamic State militants. Days later, the militant group demanded Japan pay the same amount in ransom for two Japanese citizens in a hostage crisis that ended with the beheading of both. Abe’s Cabinet last year eased a self-imposed ban on military exports, and adopted a new interpretation of Japan’s war-renouncing Constitution to allow Japan to defend its top ally U.S. or other nations in case of a foreign attack. Parliamentary approval of necessary legislation is still needed for the change to take effect. Japan currently can use force only for its own self-defense. With regional and global security environments turning more severe, the guidelines said no single nation can defend its own peace and stability by itself. "Development assistance is one of most effective tools [in diplomacy] and is significant as ‘an investment for the future," the guidelines said. Last year, Japan signed deals with the Philippines and Vietnam to provide coast guard vessels to help their patrolling in waters disputed with China. Japan’s Official Development Assistance budget peaked in 1997 at 1.17 trillion yen ($10 billion), but dropped to 550 billion yen ($4.7 billion) by last year, according to government figures. The post Japan OKs New Aid Policy Seeking to Gain More Global Clout  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Amid ‘Challenging’ Times, Thailand and US Start Scaled Down Drills Posted: 09 Feb 2015 08:44 PM PST   Thai soldiers carry national flags as they participate in the opening ceremony for Cobra Gold at a military academy in Nakhon Nayok province, east of Bangkok, on Feb. 9, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) NAKHON NAYOK, Thailand — The United States said on Monday its relationship with longtime ally Thailand was going through a "challenging" period as the two sides began a major military exercise, scaled down over Washington's concerns about the junta leadership. Cobra Gold, the largest military exercise in the Asia-Pacific, has been held annually in Thailand for more than three decades, but the United States scaled the drill back this year after sanctioning Bangkok for last year's coup. "We can't deny that this period is a challenging one and has necessitated a modified Cobra Gold as Thailand manages its return to democracy," US charge d'affaires Patrick Murphy told the Cobra Gold opening ceremony at a military academy in Nakhon Nayok, east of Bangkok. The Thai army took control last May saying it needed to restore order after months of political unrest that killed nearly 30 people. The United States responded by freezing US$4.7 million of security-related aid and cancelling some security cooperation. Comments by a visiting US envoy last month, including that Thailand immediately lift martial law, which has been in place since May, further strained ties. Senior Thai ministers responded by telling the United States not to meddle in Thailand's political affairs. Last week Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former army chief, said a general election would take place in 2016 but stopped short of giving a specific date. His military government has said martial law will remain in place indefinitely. Washington has sent 3,600 troops for this year's exercise, down from 4,300 last year, the US Embassy in Bangkok said in an emailed statement. "Cobra Gold is a symbol of long-standing and continuous military cooperation," said Gen. Wuttinun Leelayudth, Thailand's deputy supreme commander, told attendees. "The training shows transparency in terms of these relationships." The exercise comes as Thailand seeks to counterbalance its ties with Washington by cozying up to regional superpower China, which says it supports the Thai military government. Ian Storey, senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore specializing in Asian security issues, said that cancelling the exercise could have had major security implications in the region. "Cancelling them would have created an opportunity for Beijing to strengthen its strategic ties to Bangkok, and that is clearly something that is not in Washington's interests in the context of US-China competition in Southeast Asia," he said. More than 10,000 troops from 24 countries are taking part in the multinational exercise including Japan, South Korea and Indonesia. China and India will participate in humanitarian exercises, said Wuttinun.   The post Amid 'Challenging' Times, Thailand and US Start Scaled Down Drills appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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