The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• ‘Up to the Task,’ Ethnic UEC Members Say of Ensuring Credible Election
• 12 Factories to Be Sued for Polluting Mandalay Lake
• Wa Rubber Industry Hit Hard by Price Collapse
• Retailers Seek Govt Clarification on Booze Imports
• Karenni State Needs in Spotlight at Ethnic Meet-Up in Loikaw
• Imprisoned at Sea
• 60 Burmese Migrants Freed From Slave-Like Conditions in Thailand: Rights Group
• Journalist Could Face Charge for Attending Unlawful Prayer Service
• Father of Koh Tao Accused Dies in Arakan State
• The Lonely Capital
• First Few Fishing Slaves Home in Burma; Hundreds Waiting
• Unity Needed in Karen Cause
• Malaysia Turns Away 800 Boat People; Thailand Spots Third Boat
• Malaysia Turns Away Boat With More Than 500 Migrants
• Pyongyang Pop and Flowers: Last Days of North Korea’s Defense Chief
• Japan WWII Kamikaze Base to Seek UNESCO Recognition

‘Up to the Task,’ Ethnic UEC Members Say of Ensuring Credible Election Posted: 14 May 2015 06:54 AM PDT   A woman casts her vote at a ballot station during by-elections in Rangoon on April 1, 2012. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — Members of Burma's Union Election Commission (UEC) who were recently appointed to represent some of the country's largest ethnic minority groups say they are committed to helping ensure that free and fair elections take place later this year in regions where ensuring credible polls is likely to be most difficult. The President's Office announced the appointment of eight new ethnic minority members to the UEC on April 3, a move ethnic political parties had long urged. Proponents of an expanded UEC argued that the absence of minority voices on the commission might imperil prospects for credible elections in Burma, where the population is thought to be about 40 percent comprised of more than 100 ethnic minority groups. Each of the seven states in Burma named after some of the country's most populous ethnic minority groups has been assigned at least one ethnic UEC member, with Shan State granted three seats on the commission. Nyunt Tin, an ethnic Mon, was the sole ethnic minority voice on the UEC prior to April 3, and will assume the new appointees' supervisory role for Mon State. Sai Kham Win, who served as a member of the Karenni State electoral subcommission since 2010 and as its chairman since late 2012, was appointed to serve as that state's UEC representative. "We will supervise the election preparations implemented in each respective state and region by collaborating with state, district, township and ward subcommissions there," he said. "If there are any difficulties or needs, we will report back to the UEC and resolve it." Like most of the country, Karenni State electoral officials are currently in the process of compiling lists of those eligible to vote, rosters Sai Kham Win said were nearly complete and would likely be made publically available in the first week of June. "I think there will not be many difficulties in Kayah [Karenni State] for election preparations because the constituencies there are smaller and the political parties that are going to contest there are also fewer," he said of his state, which is Burma's smallest and based on last year's census, second-least populous, tallying 286,738 people within its borders. "But after the voter lists' compilation, we will continue to conduct voter education. Given the situation there—there are many ethnic languages—we need locals who can speak ethnic languages for voter education and we have planned to collaborate with CSOs there for that. If so, I hope it will be fine for voter education," he said. He added that the state's electoral subcommissions planned to post at least one individual that speaks the dominant local language at each polling station. Two of the newly appointed ethnic UEC members, N Zaw Naw and Saw Ba Hlaing, were also part of the former UEC, which organized Burma's last general election in 2010. That poll was largely discredited amid widespread reports of voter fraud and polling irregularities. Saw Ba Hlaing, 69, said state governments were asked to nominate three people for appointment as ethnic UEC members, with the President's Office choosing from among the nominees. "It was the same in 2010," he said. "We had ethnic UEC members who supervised their respective states. I will represent Kayin [Karen] State and I will work to hold free and fair elections successfully." Saw Ba Hlaing said he too would be concentrating on compiling accurate voter lists in the near term, and planned to travel to Karen State soon to work with the local electoral subcommissions. "In 2010, there were weak points. It could be because we had no experience and it was the first time. But this time, taking lessons from the past, we will not let that happen again," he said. Dr. Maung Maung Kyi, who will supervise the elections in Arakan State, said he was concerned about voter list compilation in his state, where hundreds of thousands of so-called "white card holders" who case votes in previous elections were stripped of that right earlier this year. "The [former] white card holders are not being enumerated in the ongoing voter list compilation. But among the white card holders, people from foreign countries are included but also ethnic people who don't have an NRC [National Registration Certificate] are also included. We need to distinguish between them since in previous elections, they were all allowed to vote," he said, adding that he would work to ensure accurate voter lists that did not include ineligible voters, nor exclude those with a right to suffrage. The white cards, which indicated temporary citizenship, were held by a varied mix of ethnicities, most notably the country's persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority. White card holders were allowed to vote in 2010 and in a 2012 by-election. Maung Maung Kyi, 59, said that the state's Immigration Department was taking steps to verify the citizenship of former white card holders with legitimate claims to permanent citizenship. "After working with the UEC for over one month, I believe the commission is working honestly and also I will oversee things to ensure free and fair elections in accordance with the Constitution and rules and regulations of the UEC in my state," he added. Despite the ethnic UEC members' confidence, a host of challenges are anticipated in the lead-up to the vote and on Election Day itself. Swathes of some states are under the control of a variety of ethnic armed groups, including parts of Kachin, Shan and Karen states. Some of these areas have experienced relative stability in recent years thanks to ceasefires with the government, while in others conflict has flared, such as in northeastern Shan State. In 2010, the UEC ruled that instability made voting impossible in several ethnic constituencies. Kyaw Win Maung, chairman of the Karen State electoral subcommission, said cooperation with ethnic armed groups such as the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Democratic Karen Benevolence Army (DKBA) had improved since 2010, when some 90 villages in Karen rebel-controlled territory were unable to vote. The chairman said to date, however, his subcommission was still unable to secure cooperation in compiling the voter lists of about 60 villages. Efforts to do so were continuing, he added. In Arakan State, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have lost the right to vote. The government has said it will offer a citizenship verification process to allow them to win back the right to vote, but there has been little to indicate a systematic effort by the government is underway. Even if successful, the Rohingya's enfranchisement would likely set off another set of challenges including potential instability, with the region's ethnic Arakanese majority overwhelming opposed to granting the Rohingya suffrage. In addition to the linguistic obstacles highlighted by Sai Kham Win, the ethnic UEC member representing Karenni State, ethnic states pose other logistical challenges as well. Ethnic states are also likely to field more parties' candidates per race on average, since they are home to more ethnically diverse populations than the ethnic Bamar-dominated center of the country. The geography of the states is also on the whole more rugged and infrastructure is less developed than in the Bamar heartland, presenting challenges for both electoral officials and voters. Harki, supervising Chin State, and the three Shan State representatives Sai Nwan Tawng, Sai Tun Thein and Dr. Sai San Win round out the roster of ethnic UEC members appointed last month. The post 'Up to the Task,' Ethnic UEC Members Say of Ensuring Credible Election appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

12 Factories to Be Sued for Polluting Mandalay Lake Posted: 14 May 2015 06:41 AM PDT   Staff of Mandalay City Development Committee clearing dead fish from Mandalay's Taungthaman Lake on Saturday. (Photo: Teza Hlaing / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — Twelve factories in Mandalay's Industrial Zone 2 are being sued by the Department of Fisheries for violating wastewater management regulations and polluting Taungthaman Lake. A department official told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that the factories ran afoul of Burma's Fisheries Law, Act 38, by causing harm to livestock in freshwater areas. "The wastewater entering Taungthaman Lake from the drains of these factories is about 70 percent polluted. Since these factories have no proper wastewater management and caused pollution, we decided to sue them and hold them responsible," said Myo Aung, the director and chief officer of the fisheries department in Mandalay Division. Factories producing fertilizer, soap, powdered detergent, leather and refined sugar, as well as a bottle cleaning plant and an alcohol distillery, are among the accused. An investigation that began on May 4 is still ongoing, the official said. Some of the alleged polluters claimed they acted within regulations, lamenting that their business has suffered due to the allegations. "Even though we have followed the instructions of the MCDC [Mandalay City Development Committee, the municipal governing body], we were sued," Maung Aye, manager of the Kyar Min Gyi alcohol distillery, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday. His and 16 other factories in the industrial zone were forced to suspend operations earlier this month after large numbers of dead fish were found washed up on the shore of Taungthaman Lake. Fish farmers told authorities that business was suffering due to large amounts of pollution pouring out from the factories, prompting an investigation and a production hiatus. Htoo Htoo Aung, owner of the Myat Khaing Sugar Refinery, said the suspension has had an unfair and severe impact on local businesses. "It has been about two weeks now [since we stopped production], and our business is terribly affected," she said. "We are now struggling to maintain our customers, we just want the authorities to check properly and act fairly." Workers have also felt the strain of the suspension, which has put about 1,000 employees temporarily out of work. Ko Soe, a general worker at one of the affected factories, told The Irrawaddy that he and his family have suffered since the factory shut down. "We are now jobless," he said, "Our boss helps us with some wages but they cannot help us forever because they are also facing hardship. Now I'm planning to run a motorcycle taxi until work resumes, to feed my family." Taungthaman Lake is located just outside Mandalay in Amarapura, and is the site of the famed U Pein bridge, a 1.2-kilometer (0.75-mile) teak structure that draws in crowds of foreign and domestic tourists throughout the year. It is also the site of a proposed 16-hectare (40-acre) resort slated for completion in 2018 at a projected cost of US$27 million. The post 12 Factories to Be Sued for Polluting Mandalay Lake appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Wa Rubber Industry Hit Hard by Price Collapse Posted: 14 May 2015 05:01 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. RANGOON — A four-year decline in world rubber prices and difficulties in negotiating export hurdles has hit plantation owners hard in Wa territory, many of whom switched to the crop after the United Wa State Army (UWSA) began eradicating opium production in the areas under its control. One kilogram of crude smoke sheet rubber sold for US$1.19 on the Singapore Commodity Exchange in Apr. 2011. Weak global demand in the years since has led to a steep drop in value, with the average selling price sitting at $0.35 in March. In Wa territory, home to 81,000 hectares (200,000 acres) of rubber tree plantations, the decline has hurt earnings across the supply chain. Farmers are now earning 1 yuan ($0.16) per kilogram harvested, down from 8 yuan ($1.28) two years earlier. The work of local producers is further complicated by their reliance on the Chinese market, a result of the area's geographical and political isolation from the rest of Burma. Refining companies must seek a sponsor company on the other side of the border, who must in turn seek approval from their provincial government. Exporters are then liable for a 24 percent tax on the total sale value. Tax Sam Ka, an officer of the Teng Long Rubber Company, said that the approval process was often subject to long delays. "Our first problem is permission," he said. "When there is a good rubber price, we want to sell as soon as possible. When we have to wait, we can't get a good price. By the time they give permission, the price goes down." The company produces refined rubber in 33 kilogram blocks, which Tax Sam Ka said were sold for 35,000 yuan ($5600) in 2012. The price has since dropped to 9,000 yuan ($1440). Teng Long owns 3200 hectares (8000 acres) worth of rubber plantations and currently has 400 tons of export blocks sitting idle. In February, the company was presented with a chance to export 300 tons, but export permission has not yet been granted. Tax Sam Ka said that the company's 6000-strong workforce have had their salaries cut to reflect Teng Long's dwindling revenues. Previously, refinery employees could expect to earn between 1500-3000 yuan ($240-480) per month, an enviable salary in a country with average individual monthly income south of $100. "We even hired some outside rubber experts," he said. "We gave specialists at least 5000 yuan ($800) per month when rubber prices were good, which is something we cannot give now." The post Wa Rubber Industry Hit Hard by Price Collapse appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Retailers Seek Govt Clarification on Booze Imports Posted: 14 May 2015 04:47 AM PDT   While restrictions on the importation of wine were relaxed in March, retailers are still waiting for official approval to stock their shelves with foreign beer and liquor. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Myanmar Retailers Association (MRA) has complained to the government over the long delay in clarifying the legal status of alcohol importers. In February more than 300 stores under the umbrella of Burma's big chain retailers began a voluntary boycott of foreign beer, wine and liquor due to an unclear policy on the legality of foreign imports. Local retailers are waiting for a new policy on importations to be introduced by the Union government. "We want the government to allow legal alcohol imports, that's why we've stopped selling liquor for three months," said Win Win Tint, the chairwoman of the MRA and director of City Mart Holdings. Win Win Tint added the current uncertainty had opened up a space for the operation of profiteers working on the black market. Myo Min Aung, her deputy at the MRA, said they had also been forced to deal with accusations that the boycott in order to improve the bottom line of local producers, which he emphatically denied. "This is an opening period in our country, many foreigners are coming, and people have been asking us when we can sell imported alcohol again," he said. "The bigger chains stopping imported alcohol sales means that black market sales are getting bigger. It also means the government is encouraging the black market. If they approved foreign alcohol for legal import, the tax will come back to the country and consumers will receive authentic products." Some of the country's biggest foreign alcohol distributors, including City Mart Holdings, Premium Distribution and Quarto Distribution, faced a government crackdown over illegal imports in late 2013, and retailers are concerned about a repeat occurrence. Last year, retailers pressed the government to devise a proper system of import licenses, and were told that a decision would need to be made with regard to the impact of alcohol consumption in Burmese society. A month after the retailer boycott began, the Ministry of Commerce began issuing licenses for the importation of wine, but has so far refrained from providing similar licenses for beer and liquor products. Yan Naing Tun, the ministry's deputy director general, said a decision had yet to be reached on whether approvals would be granted. Though wine imports have received official approval, legal restrictions on importers are onerous. Imported wines must arrive in the country through marine and air trade via Rangoon, and overland cross-border trade is prohibited. Potential importers will be required to provide company registration materials, a list of countries from which they intend to import and a recommendation from the Food and Drugs Administration, and the target alcohol content of their imports. Retailers say the licenses themselves have been difficult to acquire because of the complexity of the application process and bureaucratic delays. The post Retailers Seek Govt Clarification on Booze Imports appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Karenni State Needs in Spotlight at Ethnic Meet-Up in Loikaw Posted: 14 May 2015 04:43 AM PDT   About 300 people from political parties, civil society and government gathered in the Karenni State capital Loikaw this week. (Photo: Facebook / Sein Win) RANGOON — Three political parties organized a first-of-its-kind ethnic conference in Karenni State this week, with about 300 people from political parties, civil society and government gathering in the state capital Loikaw to air grievances and discuss the country's political future. The three-day conference, which ended on Wednesday, addressed challenges faced by those living in Burma's smallest state, such as access to education and health care, inadequate electricity provision and poor transportation infrastructure. Also up for discussion was the ongoing peace process involving the government and Burma's ethnic armed groups, and nationwide elections due late this year. The conference was organized by the Kayan National Party, All Nationals' Democracy Party (Kayah State) and Kayah Unity Democracy Party, and included attendees from across Karenni State's seven townships. The three parties have pledged to ally in the upcoming national election, hoping to win more seats by cooperating rather than competing for votes. Saw Daniel, chairman of the Kayah Unity Democracy Party (KUDP), told The Irrawaddy: "We discussed the public's hardships. For example, in the electricity sector, the public has paid money to get electricity but in reality they cannot get it and the regional government is not accountable for it." The issue is a particularly sensitive one, according to Saw Daniel, because only one-third of Karenni State's residents have electricity despite the state being the site of the Lawpita hydropower dam, a major supplier of electricity countrywide. Kyaw Htin Aung, a member of the Union of Karenni State Youth (UKSY) central committee, told The Irrawaddy that an increase in the state's primary school dropout rate was also discussed. "When a child starts primary education, the child cannot understand Burmese and the teachers are not experts in our ethnic language, so primary school dropouts have increased," said Kyaw Htin Aung, adding that the problem stemmed the government's practice of hiring teachers from other states where the predominant spoken language is Burmese. Ahead of this week's gathering, UKSY took a survey of public opinion throughout Karenni State and submitted the results to the conference, offering a snapshot of state residents' views on 12 topics ranging from the public's understanding of the peace process within and beyond Karenni State to matters concerning the environment, education and economy. Saw Daniel said that recurring concerns included land confiscation, exploitive tax collection by both armed rebel groups and the government and a lack of doctors at the state's hospitals. "We will push the regional government to act on the information we received from this event," said Saw Daniel, who added that the trio of allied political parties would prioritize the outcomes of the conference if elected. The parties would also ensure that the issues are brought to the attention of relevant stakeholders during the political dialogue that is expected to follow the as yet unrealized signing of a nationwide ceasefire agreement, the KUDP chairman said. The post Karenni State Needs in Spotlight at Ethnic Meet-Up in Loikaw appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Imprisoned at Sea Posted: 14 May 2015 04:32 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. New photos of a fishing boat that arrived on Tuesday at Langkawi Island, in Malaysia's northern state of Kedah, reveal the cramped and squalid living conditions that migrants endured for three months at sea. Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshis comprise a majority of the migrants who have been forced to flee from Bangladesh and Myanmar to Malaysia and Indonesia in the wake of a crackdown by the Thai government on human trafficking. Though Thailand and Malaysia may establish camps to provide refuge for the hundreds of stateless migrants coming ashore, some boats are also being turned away and cast back out to sea. There are still reportedly around 7,000 people currently adrift on similar fishing boats in the Bay of Bengal. The post Imprisoned at Sea appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

60 Burmese Migrants Freed From Slave-Like Conditions in Thailand: Rights Group Posted: 14 May 2015 04:11 AM PDT   Burmese migrant workers being rescued from prawn processing facility in Mahachai, Thailand. (Photo: Myanmar Association in Thailand) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Scores of workers from Burma were rescued on Tuesday from a shrimp processing facility in Thailand after being locked inside for up to three years, according to a migrant rights group. The Myanmar Association in Thailand (MAT) said one of about 40 workers trapped inside was able to escape from the site, located in Samut Sakhon, a coastal Thai town near Bangkok commonly referred to as Mahachai. The escapee alerted MAT of the facility's whereabouts, and they returned with Thai authorities to free the other captive laborers, MAT secretary Khaing Gyi told The Irrawaddy. "One worker ran away through a back door and got in contact with us. In cooperation with Thai authorities, we raided the facility and rescued all the workers," Khaing Gyi said. About 60 people were removed from the site, among them about 40 workers and their family members, he said. The Thai-owned shrimp peeling facility was staffed with workers from Mon and Karen states, as well as Tenasserim Division. Some of the workers had been working at the site for about seven months, while others claim to have been trapped inside for upwards of three years, long after they had paid back debts owed to middlemen who work as employment brokers. Win Win Than, a pregnant worker who was among those freed on Tuesday, said she had not been allowed to leave since she arrived at the site two years ago. "I was never allowed to go out," she said. "At first the middleman said I had to give him 12,000 baht [US$360], but then he asked me for 20,000 when we got there. He was a Burmese national." Win Win Than said she and her coworkers began their shift at 5am each day and worked until about 8pm. The workers said they believed they had been issued legitimate work documents, but that the papers were still in the possession of either the broker or the company owner. MAT said the migrants earned only 50 to 200 baht per day, well below Thailand's minimum wage of 300 baht. Because they were unable to leave, they spent much of their earnings on food brought in by the broker at a 50 percent markup. The broker and the owner of the facility remain at large since the raid, MAT said. The Irrawaddy could not independently verify the allegations. The US State Department recently estimated that there could be as many as three million migrant laborers in Thailand, though the Thai Ministry of Labor put the number at about one million last year. Most migrants in Thailand are from Burma, Cambodia and Laos, and less than half have legal documents allowing them to work in the Kingdom with some basic protections. Many migrants arrive in Thailand with the help of a broker, who receives a fee to transport them across the border and find them legal employment. Brokers often deliver the service as promised, but many migrants find themselves in a position of indefinite exploitation with no avenue of recourse. Last year, Thailand was designated as a "Tier 3" country in the US State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons Report. The downgrade was due in part to human trafficking in the seafood industry and in the country's south, where recent years have seen a sharp rise in trafficking of people from western Burma and Bangladesh, mostly believed to be stateless Rohingya asylum seekers. The post 60 Burmese Migrants Freed From Slave-Like Conditions in Thailand: Rights Group appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Journalist Could Face Charge for Attending Unlawful Prayer Service Posted: 14 May 2015 03:37 AM PDT Shwe Hmone (L), a reporter for Thamaga News Journal, has been threatened with charges for her participation in a public prayer for detained media workers late last year. (Photo: Sai Zaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Journalist Shwe Hmone, a reporter for Thamaga News Journal, has been threatened with charges for her participation in a public prayer for detained media workers late last year. Shwe Hmone, 33, said Rangoon's Kyauktada Township Police sent a letter to the journal's chief reporter on Tuesday announcing that she is under investigation for violating Article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly Law. Article 19, a lesser-known sister clause to the controversial Article 18, stipulates punishment of three months in prison for violating a separate provision in the legislation requiring protestors to remain within the area police have designated for a protest. "This is nonsense," Shwe Hmone told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, claiming that the event in question was not a protest but a group prayer held at Sule Pagoda. To mark International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on Nov. 2 of last year, about 150 people gathered at the pagoda to pray for the wellbeing of journalists who had been subjected to violence and imprisonment. The event's organizers requested permission from local authorities, but were only permitted to gather at a sports field in Tamwe Township. "We didn't protest," Shwe Hmone said, "we just wanted to pray. We can't really do that at the monument, so we requested that they let us do it near Sule Pagoda. But they were seriously against it." Kyauktada Police declined to comment on the case against Shwe Hmone, though in November last year the township's Police Col. Win Tin told The Irrawaddy that about 20 people could face Article 19 charges for their participation in the event. While Burma's journalists have enjoyed some new freedoms in the years since the country began its transition from military to quasi-civilian rule in 2011, many have suggested that the government is backsliding. Pre-publication censorship was abolished in late 2012, though lawsuits against journalists and government warnings about certain content have arguably had a chilling effect on the fourth estate. At least 20 journalists were arrested in Burma since 2013, including one who was killed in the custody of the Burma Army. Twelve are currently serving prison sentences, among them five media workers sentenced to seven years with hard labor for violating a colonial-era state secrecy law. A violent crackdown on student demonstrators in Letpadan, Pegu Division, earlier this year ended with more than 120 arrests, two of them journalists who were released after two weeks in jail without charge. During the crackdown, police were seen indiscriminately assaulting students, monks, bystanders and reporters at the scene. Shwe Hmone said the pending charge against her indicates that the government could be targeting journalists as well as activists. "I think it's obvious that the government has a grudge against us," she said. "Some journalists have been sentenced to many years already, which made 2014 the most troublesome year the media." The post Journalist Could Face Charge for Attending Unlawful Prayer Service appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Father of Koh Tao Accused Dies in Arakan State Posted: 14 May 2015 02:45 AM PDT   Tun Tun Htike, who died on Thursday morning, speaks to reporters at Rangoon International Airport last November. (Photo: Sai Zaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON— The father of Win Zaw Htun, one of two Burmese suspects in the Koh Tao murder case, passed away early Thursday in Arakan State. Tun Tun Htike, who was in his 50s, was diagnosed with a brain tumor three months ago at Rangoon General Hospital. He had been receiving treatment at the Pun Hlaing Hospital. "We just heard the news that he passed away," said Tin Htoo Aung, chairman of the Arakan National Network. "He went back to Ka Pi Chaung village in Kyaukphyu as his son's trial was expected to take some time, and died there." He added that funeral rites and cremation will be performed today in accord with village custom. Win Zaw Htun (also known as Wai Phyo) and Zaw Lin, both migrant workers in their early 20s, stand accused of the Sept. 15 murder of two tourists on the island of Koh Tao. The pair remain in custody. Andy Hall, a labor rights activist involved in efforts to support the pair's defense team, said that Win Zaw Htun would be notified of his father's death during a visit at Koh Samui prison tomorrow. "We are organizing to notify Wai Phyo of this news tomorrow during our regular humanitarian visit program to the accused at the Koh Samui prison, as prison authorities advised us today that family or friends should be the ones to break the news to him during visiting times," Hall told The Irrawaddy by email. Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin initially confessed to the killings but the pair later renounced their statements, claiming they had been tortured while in custody. Thai police have denied the torture allegations. On Apr. 30, the Koh Samui District Court has allowed a reexamination of forensic material from the crime scene by Dr Pornthip Rojanasunan, a rights activist, media personality and the chief forensic pathologist at the Thai Ministry of Justice. Dr Pornthip has been critical of aspects of the initial police investigation. The Migrant Worker Rights Network last week launched an online fundraising campaign to help cover trial costs for the Koh Tao accused, which has so far raised over US$3160 out of a $15,800 goal. "We expect the case to cost at least $70000, our estimates for basic fair trial needs," said Hall. "[There has been] no news for some time from the Myanmar embassy or the Myanmar investigation team so we hope to see their increased engagement and support again soon. A lot of assistance was promised by the Myanmar government so we hope they will follow through on those promises." The men will return to court on Jul. 8 for an expected 18 day trial, which will conclude in September. A verdict in the case is expected in October. The post Father of Koh Tao Accused Dies in Arakan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Lonely Capital Posted: 14 May 2015 01:41 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. NAYPYIDAW — Since the fall of Bagan to Mongol invasions in the late 1200s, Myanmar has relocated its capital city at least 14 times. Before the British made Yangon the country's preeminent city in 1886, the capitals were always in the interior. For hundreds of years, the central dry zone was at the heart of Bamar culture and the location for the home of its royal rulers. So when thousands of civil servants were trucked a few hundred miles north from Yangon to the secret site of Naypyitaw on the lower edge of the dry zone in late 2005, they likely understood the symbolism. The new capital Naypyitaw, or "Abode of Kings," was about going back to the future. But almost 10 years later, the job feels unfinished in a city still situated uneasily in time and space. Sitting on former farmland devoid of historical landmarks, the city lacks a sense of tangible connection to the past. Monumental new buildings, manicured parks and zoned areas connected by vast roads empty of traffic suggest a future that still has not arrived. There are modern hotels, shopping malls, golf courses, parks and resorts. The internet works well. The air is fresh, the environment green. Some call it peaceful. Others find it lonely. The throngs of people that are the lifeblood of other Asian towns are nowhere to be seen. Our photographer wanders from here to there, looking for clues to the city's elusive heart. This article originally appeared in the May 2015 issue of The Irrawaddy magazine. The post The Lonely Capital appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

First Few Fishing Slaves Home in Burma; Hundreds Waiting Posted: 14 May 2015 01:40 AM PDT   Migrant workers from Burma work on a fishing boat at a port near Bangkok on Sept. 24, 2011. (Photo: Reuters) TUAL, Indonesia — When Kyaw Naing arrived at the tiny thatch-and-bamboo shack in Burma, it was empty and the door stood wide open. He was finally home, after five years of being forced to work as a slave on a fishing boat, but there was no one to greet him. His brother—and only living relative—was gone. Kyaw Naing, 30, who was kept at one point in a cage on the remote Indonesian island village of Benjina, is among eight migrant fishermen rescued for their safety during an Associated Press investigation into slavery in the seafood industry. Those men are now home, and hundreds more are waiting to be repatriated after the Indonesian government evacuated them to another island following the story's publication. The number of former slaves found has risen steadily in the past month to nearly 600, reflecting how widespread and deep-rooted the problem of forced labor is on the boats that bring them from Thailand. Before the first men left to go home this week, more than 360 were gathered on the island of Tual, including some who got word of the rescue and traveled hundreds of miles by boat to join the others. Another 230 Burmese and Cambodians have been identified and are waiting to leave Benjina, while hundreds of Thai nationals still have not been processed there. In addition, the AP recently found more foreign migrants desperate to go home during a visit to the provincial capital of Ambon. The International Organization for Migration suspects thousands of others are stranded on boats or surrounding islands. A rescue is what Kyaw Naing hoped for when he agreed to talk on camera through the rusty bars of his cage in November. He said he had been locked up by his Thai captain for asking to go home. "I was really upset because I didn't know when I was going to return. When I looked at the sea, all I saw was water—ocean all over. I was hopeless," he said. "I did the video and volunteered it to let the whole world know." Most of the men are from Burma, but some are from Cambodia, Laos and poor parts of Thailand. They were sold, tricked or even kidnapped in Thailand and brought to work in Indonesian waters for little or no pay. They were forced to work up to 24 hours a day with inadequate food and unclean water, and many reported being beaten and denied medical care. The AP linked their catch to the supply chains of some of America's biggest food sellers, such as Wal-Mart, Sysco and Kroger, and also to popular brands of canned pet food, including Fancy Feast, Meow Mix and Iams. The companies have all said they strongly condemn labor abuse and are taking steps to prevent it, such as working with human rights groups to hold subcontractors accountable. On Monday, 59 former slaves from Cambodia became the first to return home there. Sim Chhorn, 69, traveled to the airport from the central part of the county to meet her son. "I thought in this life, I would not see him again," she said with a quivering voice before their reunion. The hundreds of men still waiting at the port in Tual are now free to relax and laugh as they kick a rattan ball over a net in the traditional Burmese game of "chinlone." Some watch the sunset at dusk or lounge in hammocks listening to Burmese music. Others sit in the cool grass of an open field getting haircuts. But significant challenges remain, including the cost of feeding them, providing medical care and getting them home. Repatriation is expensive due to air travel. Australia has already donated more than US$1.6 million, while the United States paid $35,000 for the Cambodians' flights and has provided another $225,000 to support case workers, health care, food, water and shelter. Burma is planning chartered flights, the first of which is scheduled for Thursday, and the IOM has been coordinating efforts and providing other necessities. Much more is needed, especially since many of the fishermen were paid little or nothing and are going home penniless. Some have not been in contact with family for years and aren't sure if relatives have moved or even if they will find them alive. "The overall response so far is a good first step in tackling human trafficking in the fishing industry that has been allowed to run rampant for far too long," said Steve Hamilton, deputy chief of mission at the IOM in Indonesia. "But it is only a first step of many that need to follow." In the meantime, authorities in Indonesia and Thailand are working to punish those responsible. On Tuesday, Indonesian police announced the first arrests in the case. Two Indonesian employees of Pusaka Benjina Resources, one of the largest fishing companies in eastern Indonesia, and five Thai captains were taken into custody on charges of human trafficking. Authorities have vowed more arrests will follow, and the country's Human Rights Commission is investigating. Meanwhile, Jakarta police said Wednesday that a Fisheries Ministry official from Benjina who was slated to be a key witness had died of a heart attack. The Fisheries minister has launched an internal investigation, and other witnesses have been placed in protection. Thailand's prime minister's office has also said it is probing the Benjina case. "I am surprised and saddened," said Burma police Lt. Col. Khin Maung Hla, who visited the Indonesian islands last month to investigate the problem. "I think the Thai companies should be held responsible because they are the ones bringing these people overseas." However, Wiriya Sirichaiekawat, vice chair of the National Fisheries Association of Thailand, said that the problems are not representative of the entire Thai fishing industry. He added that he doesn't believe many of the men from Benjina were unpaid. "Maybe 1 percent," he said of the level of labor abuses aboard Thai boats in foreign waters. "Not all of them." Kyaw Naing insists he is still owed for years of work on his boat. Now that he's back home in Burma's Irrawaddy Delta, he realizes the chances of ever receiving any wages are slim. But for now, he has something better than money. After waiting for a while at the little hut, his older brother finally returned. Kyaw Naing immediately approached and knelt before him, offering respect according to the country's Buddhist tradition. There were no dramatic hugs or tears. But both men smiled as the younger brother told an edited version of his life on the high seas—minus the slavery and despair—and talked about his dream of opening a barber shop in Burma. "Whether he is rich or poor, I am so happy to see him again," said Kyaw Oo, who happily opened his family's 8-foot by 8-foot home to the brother he thought he'd lost. "After all these years, I wondered if he had forgotten me. Or does he still recognize me as a brother? Or is he dead or alive?" The post First Few Fishing Slaves Home in Burma; Hundreds Waiting appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Unity Needed in Karen Cause Posted: 13 May 2015 10:58 PM PDT Two young Karen children at Thailand's Mae La refugee camp in June 2012, awaiting a visit from National League for Democracy chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi. (Photo Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) Countless Karen have sacrificed their lives over the course of six decades of civil war. Leaders of the Karen National Union (KNU) once said that if the bodies of those who died in this battle were gathered together, their bones would stand as high as a mountain and their blood would flow like a river. The Karen pride themselves on their commitment and their patriotism, and yet there have been many setbacks in their struggle for greater autonomy. Their conflict with the Burmese majority has also seen divisions, factional battles and assassinations within Karen society. In 1995, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) split from the KNU, resentful that Buddhist Karens had not been allocated more senior positions in the organization's leadership. The resulting battle between the two forces led to massive losses on both sides, while the Burmese military made huge territorial gains. As always, it was the civilians caught in the conflict that suffered the most, the victims of gunshots, forced labor and flagrant human rights abuses. Once again, the Karen political leadership is facing down internal problems. The KNU Central Executive Committee is divided between those who want to move faster towards a nationwide ceasefire agreement and those who are urging caution. Its leadership has come under fire for its lack of transparency, the latest example being KNU Chairman Gen. Mutu Say Poe's early departure this week from a three-day civil society conference without informing attendees. Reliable sources within the KNU have told The Irrawaddy that top leaders seldom consult each other before taking decisions, and the organization is hampered by personal hostilities and overbearing egos. In this climate, proposals to reunite disparate Karen armed groups under the banner of the Kawthoolei Armed Forces appear increasingly remote. These rivalries and factional battles are a distraction. The KNU's primary grievances are with Naypyidaw and the Burma Army, and it is imperative that the Karen leadership discards its personal enmities and recommits to the cause of its people. It may well be time for some of the older generation, who have dominated the Central Executive Committee for decades, to make room for younger people with fresh ideas. There are many untapped sources of support for the Karen struggle, which could be exploited if such a generational change were to occur. Karen people overseas could be encouraged to return with their educational and entrepreneurial expertise. Millions of Karen are living abroad—each with their own capabilities, talents, intelligence, wealth and networks—and they should be presented with an overture to participate in a reinvigorated Karen cause. Above all, a dedication to professionalism and a commitment to unity is necessary, in order to secure the best possible outcome in the peace negotiations to come. The KNU, recognized as the main political body representing the Karen, must put aside its differences and work for the future of its people. The post Unity Needed in Karen Cause appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Malaysia Turns Away 800 Boat People; Thailand Spots Third Boat Posted: 13 May 2015 10:30 PM PDT   Indonesian medical personnel give assistance to a migrant, believed to be Rohingya, inside a shelter after they were rescued on Sunday from boats in Lhoksukon, Indonesia’s Aceh Province May 12, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) LANGKAWI, Malaysia — Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshis abandoned at sea by human traffickers had nowhere to go on Thursday as Malaysia turned away two boats crammed with migrants, and Thailand kept at bay a large vessel with hundreds of hungry people. "What do you expect us to do?" Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Jafaar said. "We have been very nice to the people who broke into our border. We have treated them humanely but they cannot be flooding our shores like this." "We have to send the right message that they are not welcome here," he told The Associated Press. Four days earlier, about 1,000 refugees landed on the shores of Langkawi, a popular resort island in northern Malaysia near Thailand. Another 600 have arrived surreptitiously in Indonesia. Thai Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha also made it clear that his government does not have resources to host refugees. "If we take them all in, then anyone who wants to come will come freely. I am asking if Thailand will be able to take care of them all. Where will the budget come from?" Prayuth said. "No one wants them. Everyone wants a transit country like us to take responsibility. Is it fair?" he said. Southeast Asia, which for years tried to quietly ignore the plight of Burma's 1.3 million Rohingya, finds itself caught in a spiraling humanitarian crisis that in many ways it helped create. In the last three years, more than 120,000 members of the Muslim minority, who are intensely persecuted in Buddhist-majority Burma, have boarded ships to flee to other countries, paying huge sums of money to human traffickers. But faced with a crackdown by security forces of various countries, the smugglers have abandoned the ships, leaving an estimated 6,000 refugees to fend for themselves, according to reliable aid workers and human rights groups. "This is a grave humanitarian crisis demanding an immediate response," said Matthew Smith, executive director of nonprofit human rights group Fortify Rights. "Lives are on the line." Despite appeals by the United Nations and aid groups, no government in the region—Thai, Indonesian or Malaysian—appears willing to take the refugees, fearing that accepting a few would result in an unstoppable flow of poor, uneducated migrants. Wan Junaidi said about 500 people on board a boat found Wednesday off the coast of northern Penang state were given provisions and then sent on their way. Another boat carrying about 300 migrants was turned away near Langkawi Island overnight, according to two Malaysian officials who declined to be identified because they weren't authorized to speak to the press. Meanwhile, Thai authorities also spotted a boat with migrants near Lipe island in Satun province on the sea border between Thailand and Malaysia. They have been given food and water, Capt. Chayut Navespootikorn, a senior naval official, told the AP. "To bring them into our country is not our policy," he said. "If they need fuel or food to go on [to a third country] we would help them with it." Malaysia, which is not a signatory of international conventions on refugees, is host to more than 150,000 refugees and asylum seekers, the majority whom are from Burma. More than 45,000 of them are Rohingya, according to the UN refugee agency, many more than almost any other country. But because they have no legal status, job opportunities are limited. They also have little or no access to basic services like education and health care, and are vulnerable to arrests and deportation. A small number are resettled to third countries. Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch Asia accused Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia of playing "a three-way game of human ping pong." At the same time, the three countries and others in Southeast Asia have for years bowed to the wishes of Burma at regional conferences, avoiding all discussions of state-sponsored discrimination against the Rohingya. Denied citizenship by national law, members of the Rohingya minority are effectively stateless. They have limited access to education or adequate health care and cannot move around freely. They have been attacked by the military and chased from their homes and land by extremist Buddhist mobs. Wan Junaidi, the deputy home minister, said it was time to put pressure on Burma, a former pariah-state, to address the Rohingya crisis. "You talk about democracy, but don't treat your citizens like trash, like criminals until they need to run away to our country," he said. Increasingly over the years, Rohingya boarding boats in the Bay of Bengal have been joined by people from neighboring Bangladesh, most of them seeking an escape from poverty. For those fleeing, the first stop until recently was Thailand, where migrants were held in jungle camps until their families could raise hefty ransoms so they could continue onward. Recent security crackdowns forced the smugglers to change tactics, instead holding people on large ships parked offshore. Initially they were shuttled to shore in groups on smaller boats after their "ransoms" were paid. But as agents and brokers on land got spooked by arrests—not just of traffickers but also police and politicians—they went into hiding. That created a bottleneck, with migrants stuck on boats for days and weeks. The post Malaysia Turns Away 800 Boat People; Thailand Spots Third Boat appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Malaysia Turns Away Boat With More Than 500 Migrants Posted: 13 May 2015 09:54 PM PDT   A boat that carried Rohingya migrants for three months is seen at Langkawi island, in Malaysia’s northern state of Kedah, Malaysia, May 12, 2015. There has been a surge in migrants from impoverished Bangladesh and Myanmar to Malaysia and Indonesia following a Thai government crackdown on traffickers. Many of the arrivals are Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar. REUTERS/Olivia Harris LANGKAWI, Malaysia — Thousands of Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi abandoned at sea had nowhere to turn Thursday as Malaysia turned away a boat crammed with more than 500 migrants, saying it could not afford to keep being nice. Indonesia and Thailand also appeared unwilling to provide refuge to men, women and children, despite appeals by the UN High Commission for Refugees, international aid agencies and rights activists, who warned lives were at risk. Fearing arrests, captains tied to trafficking networks have in recent days abandoned ships in the busy Malacca Strait and surrounding waters, leaving behind their human cargo, in many cases with little food or water, according to survivors. Around 1,600 have been rescued, but an estimated 6,000 remain stranded at sea. Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi said those on board the boat found Wednesday off the cost of northern Penang state—three days after more than a thousand refugees landed on nearby Langkawi island—were given provisions and then sent on their way. "What do you expect us to do?" he said. "We have been very nice to the people who broke into our border. We have treated them humanely but they cannot be flooding our shores like this." "We have to send the right message that they are not welcome here," he said. Southeast Asia, which for years tried to quietly ignore the plight of Burma's 1.3 million Rohingya, now finds itself caught in a spiraling humanitarian crisis that in many ways it helped create. In the last three years, more than 120,000 members of the Muslim minority have boarded ships to flee to other countries, according to the UN refugee agency. But no governments in the region appear willing to take them in, fearing that accepting a few would result in an unstoppable flow of poor, uneducated migrants. At the same time, they have for years bowed to the wishes of Burma at regional conferences, avoiding all discussions of state-sponsored discrimination against the Rohingya. Denied citizenship by national law, members of the Rohingya minority are effectively stateless. They have limited access to education or adequate health care and cannot move around freely. They have been attacked by the military and chased from their homes and land by extremist Buddhist mobs. With the crisis now reaching a crescendo, Thailand said it would hold an emergency meeting later this month in Bangkok to discuss the exodus and "root causes." Representatives from 15 countries, including the United States and Australia, are expected to attend. Thailand reiterated this week that its policy is to "help on" boat people, giving those who end up in their waters food, water and other provisions, and then sending them on their way. Indonesia, which took in 600 Rohingya and Bangaleshis on Sunday, later turned away a boat. But a foreign ministry spokesman denied Wednesday it had a "push back" policy, saying the Malaysian-bound vessel strayed into its waters by accident. "This is a grave humanitarian crisis demanding an immediate response," said Matthew Smith, executive director of nonprofit human rights group Fortify Rights. "Lives are on the line. Regional governments should act decisively to rescue and protect asylum seekers and trafficking survivors, not drive them back out to sea." Increasingly over the years, Rohingya boarding boats in the Bay of Bengal have been joined by people from neighboring Bangladesh, most of them seeking an escape from poverty. For those fleeing, the first stop until recently was Thailand, where migrants were held in jungle camps until their families could raise hefty ransoms so they could continue onward. Recent security crackdowns forced the smugglers to change tactics, instead holding people on large ships parked offshore. Initially they were shuttled to shore in groups on smaller boats after their "ransoms" were paid. But as agents and brokers on land got spooked by arrests—not just of traffickers but also police and politicians—they went into hiding. That created a bottleneck, with migrants stuck on boats for weeks. Malaysia, which is not a signatory of international conventions on refugees, is host to more than 150,000 refugees and asylum seekers, the majority who are from Burma. More than 45,000 of them are Rohingyas, according to the UN refugee agency. The post Malaysia Turns Away Boat With More Than 500 Migrants appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Pyongyang Pop and Flowers: Last Days of North Korea’s Defense Chief Posted: 13 May 2015 09:44 PM PDT   A group of people bow at the base of the giant bronze statue of the state founder and late "Great Leader" Kim-Il Sung in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang on February 26, 2008. (Photo: Reuters) SEOUL — North Korean defense minister Hyon Yong Chol settled into a concert hall seat on an evening in late April to watch Pyongyang's best-known pop act, the Moranbong Band, perform hits including "Glorious Motherland" and "My Country is the Best." It was most probably his last public appearance. According to intelligence gathered by South Korean spies and shared with lawmakers in Seoul, Hyon was charged the next day with treason and later gruesomely executed by anti-aircraft gun fire. If confirmed, it would be the latest in a string of purges under North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. As with past purges in the isolated, nuclear-capable country, there were no outward clues that Hyon, 66, was in any danger. According to reports in North Korean state media, his last days were packed with pomp, ceremony, and the exchange of bows and floral baskets in honor of the system that ultimately appears to have killed him. Born in rural North Hamgyong province in 1949, Hyon was educated at Pyongyang's prestigious military colleges and spent his entire career in the army. A member of the powerful National Defense Commission since September, Hyon became defense minister last June and had been on Kim Jong Il's funeral committee, a position signaling his proximity to the late leader. However, many of those on that committee have since been removed from power, reflecting the formation of a new power base around his son, Kim Jong Un. Hyon was a sociable man known to be committed to his work, according to South Korean media outlet Herald Corp, which quoted an intelligence source on Wednesday as saying he liked to drink and that his personal relationships were "going well." Moscow Flowers On April 13, Hyon led a delegation to a security conference in Moscow, weeks before Kim Jong Un was expected to visit Russia for a military parade in what would have been his first overseas trip since taking power in 2011. Ten days after he returned to Pyongyang, at the same time the NIS believes Hyon was executed, a Kremlin spokesman said Kim's visit was cancelled due to North Korean "internal affairs." During Hyon's visit, Russian diplomats and bureaucrats attended a birthday party in North Korea's sprawling Moscow embassy compound for deceased yet "Eternal President" Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current leader. With Hyon, they offered "floral baskets and bouquets" in his honor, according to North Korean state media. The next day, in his uniform laden with medals and reading glasses at the tip of his nose, Hyon delivered a characteristically belligerent speech at the conference, warning the United States of North Korea's capacity to unleash a "nuclear strike." Back in Pyongyang on April 22, Hyon again found flowers in his hand, this time presented by China's military envoy Zhang Ping, the doyen of Pyongyang's foreign military corps. The floral basket was for Kim Jong Un, celebrating the founding anniversary of the army of which Hyon was still in charge. Celebrations continued the following day, as Hyon hosted foreign military attaches and North Korean generals for a reception at the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces. On the April 25-26 weekend, Hyon and other military officials placed flowers before statues of North Korea's deceased leaders, bowing in "humblest reverence," state media said. State media reported he attended the Pyongyang pop concert on April 29. There has been no official word of him since. The post Pyongyang Pop and Flowers: Last Days of North Korea's Defense Chief appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Japan WWII Kamikaze Base to Seek UNESCO Recognition Posted: 13 May 2015 09:39 PM PDT     Participants look at a screen showing a picture of local female students seeing off a kamikaze suicide pilot on Apr. 12, 1945, during a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo on Wednesday. (Photo: Yuya Shino / Reuters) TOKYO — A Japanese city’s plan to seek UNESCO recognition for its collection of documents related to its role as a launching base for “kamikaze” suicide attacks in the desperate last months of World War II is raising questions over how such memories should be preserved. Kampei Shimoide, mayor of Minamikyushu, and others associated with the project said Wednesday they hope that registering the document collection as a UNESCO “Memory of the World” will help ensure it will convey the horrors and suffering of the war to future generations. Chiran, a tea-farming town that is part of today’s Minamikyushu, was the site of an Imperial Japanese Army base that launched hundreds of attack missions during the Battle of Okinawa in the war’s final months. The Chiran Peace Museum, which houses the document collection, was built as a memorial to the pilots. “The documents serve as a reminder of the extremes people are driven to in such desperate conditions,” said Mutsuo Kuwashiro, an adviser to the city government and curator of the Chiran Peace Museum. “We believe they are an invaluable record of the horror of war.” Seventy years after Japan’s defeat in August 1945, sensitivities over its wartime legacy remain acute, especially in neighboring China and South Korea. Many in Japan fear that memories of the suffering the country caused might be lost with the passing of the older generations. Others both in and outside Japan worry that war-related monuments and artifacts might be used to glorify the war. Among the items the Chiran Peace Museum is seeking to include in the “Memory of the World” registry are “hachimaki” headbands inscribed by families and friends, farewell messages and heartbreaking letters from the pilots, who took off on their bombing raids expecting to die, with their fighters carrying only enough fuel to reach their targets. “Take courage, forget the past, and find new ways to be happy in the future,” says one, written by 23-year-old pilot Toshio Anazawa to his fiance, Chieko, before he died. To formally apply for the UNESCO “Memory of the World” recognition, Minamikyushu must gain approval from Japan’s education ministry, but it is unclear whether that effort will succeed. M.G. Sheftall, a history professor at Japan’s Shizuoka University and an adviser for the project, said the group would drop the plan if any effort was made by the authorities to distort its message. “This project is being undertaken to make a contribution to lasting peace and humanity’s future,” he said. Among hundreds of items in the “Memory of the World” registry are documents related to the Guttenberg Bible and Victor Fleming’s 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz,” as well as the 1703 Census of Iceland. Separately, UNESCO is considering registration of 23 former industrial facilities dating back to Japan’s 1868-1910 Meiji era as World Cultural Heritage sites. That plan also has drawn criticism, because some sites used forced labor and prisoners of war. The post Japan WWII Kamikaze Base to Seek UNESCO Recognition appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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