The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Photo of the Week (15.5.2015)
• Cartoonists Dig Into Natural Resource Governance
• ‘They Could Sue Me If They Think They Are Right’
• BBC Reporter Arraigned in Mandalay on Assault Allegation
• Activists Get 4-Plus Years for Embassy Protest of Letpadaung Killing
• Trafficked Fishermen Arrive in Rangoon from Indonesia
• ‘Great Doing Business with You, Sir.’
• KNPP to Withdraw Troops Amid Tension With Burma Army
• Burma Not Ready to Discuss Rohingya Exodus
• US Calls for ‘Regional Solution’ for Rohingya Migrants
• Parliament Mulls Extension of Martial Law in Kokang
• In Philippine Bay, Fear of China Trumps Fear of Brothels
• Papua New Guinea Shocked by Australian Diplomatic Move
• Thai Navy Tows Migrant Boat Towards Indonesia
• In Conversation with Myanmar’s First Cardinal

Photo of the Week (15.5.2015) Posted: 15 May 2015 08:43 AM PDT The post Photo of the Week (15.5.2015) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Cartoonists Dig Into Natural Resource Governance Posted: 15 May 2015 05:57 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. RANGOON — A three-day cartoon exhibition focusing on natural resource governance in Burma opened on Friday at the River Ayeyarwaddy gallery in downtown Rangoon. The exhibition, titled "For Who?," showcases 60 works from 20 well-known Burmese cartoonists including Shwe Min Thar, Mg Mg Aung, Awe Pi Kyal (APK), Maung Maung Fountain and ATH. "We organized this exhibition because we would like to highlight that although the country is rich in natural resources, people are still poor and also, although many development projects are here, locals haven't gained any development from them," said cartoonist Lailone from (Spectrum) (Sustainable Development Knowledge Network), which organized the exhibition. "So, who is profiting?" Cartoonist Awe Pi Kyal (APK) said that each of the featured cartoonists contributed three cartoons to the show, with his works exploring the interplay of resources, Burma's peace process and foreign countries seeking to exploit the natural bounty. "For the exhibition, it made us draw more about natural resources and it would be better if it spreads among the public," he said. Cartoonist Moe Htet Moe said that his three drawings were primarily inspired by deforestation. "The [exhibition] title is broad. It covered not only the trees, petroleum and others, but also included living resources: human [resources]," he said. "For people born here or who grew up here, we want to highlight whether they have the right to enjoy the benefits of the natural resources or not, and where have all of these [resources] gone and for whom? So I like this exhibition and drew to expose it." One of his works features an axe-wielding lumberjack, looking puzzled after felling a tree to reveal "Made in China" branding on its trunk. The River Ayeyarwaddy gallery is located at No. 134, 35th Street (middle block). The exhibition runs through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm. Additional reporting by Tin Htet Paing. The post Cartoonists Dig Into Natural Resource Governance appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘They Could Sue Me If They Think They Are Right’ Posted: 15 May 2015 05:45 AM PDT Yangon City Development Committee central council member Khin Hlaing in his office. (Photo: Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy) Elected to the Yangon City Development Committee's (YCDC) central council last year, Khin Hlaing has become an outspoken critic of five development projects in the vicinity of Shwedagon Pagoda. The 49-year-old businessman—who made an independent tilt for the Union Parliament in both the 2010 elections and 2012 by-elections, and intends to contest this year's general election—Khin Hlaing says that he has raised issues with the five developments in the interest of his constituents. The Irrawaddy sought comment from Marga Landmark, the majority partner in the Dagon City 1 development, regarding some of the matters discussed below with Khin Hlaing. For more information, see the editor's note at the end of this interview. There is no suggestion that Marga Landmark has behaved unlawfully with regard to its development application and subsequent site work. The YCDC granted permission on the proposed height of Dagon City 1 in Oct. 2013, and the project was granted approval by the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) in March 2014. The MIC retains ultimate power on the project's approval, with the YCDC relegated to an advisory role. The suspension order issued by MIC on Jan. 22 is understood to be temporary, and Marga has stated that it understands from the most recent coordination meeting on the developments, chaired by the MIC chairman, "that the purpose of the review is to continue to the projects, not to stop them." Why are you so outspoken in your opposition to this project? I'm against all five projects near Shwedagon Pagoda, not only Dagon City 1. I am not happy to see any high-rises near the pagoda, which I have lived in the vicinity of for 17 years. Generally, only a maximum 62-foot height is allowed near the pagoda. But for the buildings in some of the projects, which have premium views of the pagoda, the regulations said they had to remain under 190 feet. As a Buddhist, it's unacceptable. Plus, I'm elected to represent the western district. As a YCDC member elected by my people, I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. For example, there will be very serious traffic congestion if all the projects there are completed because of the size of them. The project has been public knowledge for more than a year. Why did you begin to speak against it so recently? I'm the first one to raise questions about these projects, which was during a council meeting joined by the mayor on Jan. 15, seven days after I became a council member. They said it was on the authority of the Rangoon Division government and the YCDC could only make recommendations on the project. On Jan. 22, the MIC ordered the suspension of the projects, which was followed by the YCDC Engineering Department issuing a suspension letter on Feb. 2. But we still saw advertisements for Dagon City 1 in local publications. I asked relevant authorities to hold ads for the project because it was under suspension and not approved. In March, the YCDC was assigned [by the MIC] to consider revisions to the master plans for the projects. You say the project has not been approved, but Marga has received permission for the project from the YCDC, MIC and divisional government. The YCDC didn't give permission for Dagon City 1 because we had no authority to withhold permission for something that had already been approved by the divisional government and MIC. We could only make comments and recommendations. To do so, we needed to view the drawing and structural designs. The High-Rise Inspection Committee [a department of the YCDC] told me they have just received them. But site preparations for Dagon City 1 had begun before the suspension. If you want to build something, you have to go through proper channels and you have to wait. If you want to build something in Rangoon, you have to consult with the YCDC, no matter from where and from whom you have received permission for your project. It was only when I intervened that they went back to step one, the master plan. I think the developer is taking the wrong step… [and] the YCDC is afraid of someone 'upstairs'. On May 9, Marga released a statement saying they were prepared to take legal action against an individual who they claim has made personal and defamatory comments with inaccurate information and prejudiced views on Dagon City 1. Do you believe this is referring to you, and are you concerned about the threat of legal action? It's up to them. If they think they are right, they could do. I don't know who they are. What I am doing is for the public. They could sue me, or anyone else, if they think they are right. For me, as a YCDC council member elected by the people, I have to say frankly what people should know. If I hide information that people should know, I would be guilty of cheating the people. I have evidence and I take responsibility for what I have said. I'm against all five projects but I mention Dagon City 1 because they are the most active developer, in terms of site preparation and selling rooms, while the other four developers remain silent. Editor's note: The May 8 edition of the Burmese-language Daily Eleven newspaper featured a report on the five developments that quoted critical remarks by Khin Hlaing. The following day, Marga released a press statement that referred to "an individual in his own capacity" attempting to cast doubt on the project and damaging the reputation of both the developer and Dagon City 1. The statement also suggested that critics of the project might be motivated by "private political or commercial agendas", and warned that the Marga board was prepared to take legal action against the individual. On May 11, The Irrawaddy asked Marga when it expected to commence legal action against the individual referred to in the statement, whether Khin Hlaing was the individual in question, and sought clarification as to what Marga believed were the political and commercial agendas being pursued by critics of Dagon City 1. A Marga spokesman declined to confirm the identity of the individual referred to in the statement and issued the following response: “The Board of Directors of Marga Landmark is prepared to take legal action against this individual who has repeatedly made very personal defaming comments with inaccurate information and prejudiced views on Dagon City One.” The post 'They Could Sue Me If They Think They Are Right' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

BBC Reporter Arraigned in Mandalay on Assault Allegation Posted: 15 May 2015 05:39 AM PDT   Police and protesters at the Mar. 27 protest in Mandalay. (Photo: Teza Hlaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — A Mandalay-based journalist from the BBC Burmese news service has been arraigned at Chanmyathazi Township court today on allegations of assaulting a policeman. The court accepted the case against 39-year-old reporter Nay Myo Lin, which was submitted by police after a complaint was filed by police Lance Corporal Ba Maw. He has been charged with Article 332 of Penal Code, for "voluntarily causing hurt to deter [a] public servant from his duty", which carries a punishment of three years' imprisonment or a fine. "As this article allows bail, I had to look for 10 lakh (US$916) and two guarantors," he said. "We have given our lawyer power to act on my behalf. The next trial will be scheduled for May 25." Nay Myo Lin is the husband of Zarni Mann, a Mandalay-based reporter for The Irrawaddy. He will be represented by lawyer Thein Than Oo. Police Inspector Win Bo told The Irrawaddy in March that one of his officers had filed a complaint at Chanmyathazi Police Station against Nay Myo Lin over a supposed Mar. 27 altercation between the complainant and the reporter. The alleged incident occurred while several dozen Mandalay-based students and activists were demonstrating for the release of students arrested during the Letpadan crackdown on Mar. 10. He told The Irrawaddy that he was innocent of the allegation. "Students were protesting on motorbikes," he said. "I arrived there during an altercation with the crowd. He just suddenly appeared in front of my motorbike. He startled me while I was taking photos, and I raised my hands, worrying that my bike might fall over. I don't know where he got a bruise, but he has accused me of hitting him." The post BBC Reporter Arraigned in Mandalay on Assault Allegation appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Activists Get 4-Plus Years for Embassy Protest of Letpadaung Killing Posted: 15 May 2015 04:28 AM PDT   Activist Nay Myo Zin speaks to reporters following his sentencing at the Dagon Township Court in Rangoon on Friday. (Photo: Sai Zaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Six activists who attempted to protest at the Chinese Embassy in Rangoon over a deadly police crackdown at the Letpadaung copper mine were sentenced on Friday to four years and four months in prison. Their lawyer Robert San Aung confirmed that the heavy sentences were handed down by the Dagon Township Court to three male activists—Nay Myo Zin, Tin Htut Paing and Than Swe—and three female activists—Naw Ohn Hla, Sein Htwe and San San Win, also known as Lay Lay. The sentences are the aggregate punishment for guilty verdicts on four different charges related to a demonstration on Dec. 29 in Rangoon against the Chinese firm Wanbao's copper mining project in Sagaing Division. The activists received sentences of one year for the Penal Code's Article 147, which covers rioting; one year for Article 353, pertaining to assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his or her duty; and two years under Article 505(b), for making statements causing undue public fear or alarm. The additional four months were tacked on for violating Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Law, which states that activists need government permission to hold a protest. Organizing a protest without permission can result in a maximum sentence of six months' imprisonment. Robert San Aung said the defendants would not appeal the verdict. "They don't have a desire to appeal and they don't trust in the appeals process," he told The Irrawaddy, adding that the judge's decision to mete out the maximum sentence for Article 505(b) was particularly harsh. Nearly 100 people participated in a march to the Chinese Embassy on Dec. 29. Protestors had intended to lay wreathes in front of the embassy as a tribute to Khin Win, a woman in her 50s who was shot dead by police during a protest on Dec. 22 that turned violent at Letpadaung, where the mine is deeply unpopular with locals. Police blockaded the marchers before they could reach the Chinese mission, and the two sides clashed after protesters attempted to breach the barricades. Several of the defendants, who were arrested in the days following the march, have done time previously for their activism. Naw Ohn Hla is a prominent advocate for land rights and political prisoners, and her group Democracy and Peace Women Network (DPWN) was winner of an N-Peace award last year. She was sentenced to two years in prison in 2013 for her participation in a Letpadaung mine protest, but only served four months thanks to a presidential pardon. Retired Burma Army Capt. Nay Myo Zin is also a well-known activist who has the dubious distinction of being the first dissident jailed on political charges under President Thein Sein's government. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2011, but was released as part of a presidential amnesty in 2012. They are the latest to join, or return to, the growing ranks of political prisoners in Burma. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), which tracks the matter, said on Tuesday that there were 157 political prisoners incarcerated in Burma, with 453 activists awaiting trial for political actions. Additional reporting by Thu Zar. The post Activists Get 4-Plus Years for Embassy Protest of Letpadaung Killing appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Trafficked Fishermen Arrive in Rangoon from Indonesia Posted: 15 May 2015 03:31 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. RANGOON — Before last night, Kwat Kwat had not seen her son for over a year. Waiting at the arrivals terminal of Rangoon International Airport on Thursday, the 47-year-old Irrawaddy Division villager awaited his arrival on a plane carrying 124 other trafficking victims—all of whom had been stranded in Indonesia and forced to work on Thai fishing boats, in some cases for up to a decade. Last year, a broker offered her son a salary of US$250 per month, without an upfront payment on travel costs, to work on boats off the coast of Thailand. With no prospects of employment in his home village, he jumped at the opportunity. Kwat Kwat lost contact with her son a few months he left, when he called to inform her he and his colleagues had been detained by authorities in Indonesia, and the broker who arranged her son's passage stopped answering her phone calls. "He went on a fishing boat to Thailand," she told The Irrawaddy. "A woman from Myaungmya took him away. He never sent any money back. He said he could travel there legally for free and pay back the cost of his travel from working. After three months, he told me that he was taken there illegally." 140 men have now returned out of a group of 535 Burmese nationals trafficked to Indonesia by Thai fishing boats. Fifteen men that arrived in Rangoon on Saturday have since returned to their homes. Those that arrived on Thursday evening will travel back to their homes over the weekend under the escort of divisional government representatives. In March, an explosive Associated Press investigation revealed that migrant workers from across Southeast Asia had been provided with false documentation and forced to work in the fishing industry based around the Maluku Islands in eastern Indonesia. Numerous workers reported instances of serious assaults and deaths at the hands of their boat captains, and laborers considered to be flight risks were locked in squalid cages. Those who were able to contact home did their best to warn others. Khin Than, a villager from Ngapudaw Township, Irrawaddy Division, said her 23-year-old son Myat Thu Win went to work on the fishing boats after a relative told him he would be able to work legally on the vessel, with a generous salary and no advance brokerage fees. It wasn't long before Myat Thu Win was mugged by the reality of his "employment". "Whenever my son called, he asked me to tell villagers not to come," she said. Before they could greet their families, the men who arrived at Rangoon Airport on Thursday night were spirited away by authorities to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement offices in Mayangone Township. The Irrawaddy was able to briefly speak to some of the men during their rushed exit. All described conditions on the Indonesian islands as harsh and unforgiving, with frequent bullying and abuse from their employers, and little or no payment for their work. "There were so many of us who have run away from fishing boats, said 33-year-old Yan Naing Win Htun, a native of Pegu Division who was trapped on Indonesia's Benjina Island for three years. "I'm extremely happy. We all wanted to come back but we couldn't." Myo Zar Lwin, from Rangoon, was trafficked in Sept. 2013 through southern Thailand's Rangong Province. "I only found out I was being sold when we arrived there," he told The Irrawaddy. He described his sense of working on the seas, which for many laborers included 20- to 22-hour shifts through the week, as being an experience where he was unable to determine whether he was dead or alive. The rest of the 535 men, who were screened by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and officials from Indonesia and Burma earlier this month to determine their Burmese citizenship, will return via Rangoon in the next few days. Flights for the men have been underwritten by the Brighter Future Foundation, the charitable arm of the local conglomerate Kanbawza (KBZ) Group. The men, who arrived last night in clothes sporting KBZ livery, were flown by Myanmar Airways International, an airline wholly owned by KBZ Group. Three more flights have been scheduled, at a reported cost to the foundation of $400,000. “We brought them back because we were sympathetic," said Nyo Myint, the KBZ Group senior managing director. "It's not due to an order by the government. Many workers still remain there for us to bring." In April the IOM estimated that there were up to 4,000 men trafficked from across Southeast Asia and forced to work in the fishing industry in the Maluku islands. Additional reporting from Kyaw Hsu Mon in Naypyidaw and May Sitt Paing in Rangoon. The post Trafficked Fishermen Arrive in Rangoon from Indonesia appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘Great Doing Business with You, Sir.’ Posted: 15 May 2015 03:22 AM PDT ‘Great Doing Business with You, Sir.’ The post ‘Great Doing Business with You, Sir.’ appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

KNPP to Withdraw Troops Amid Tension With Burma Army Posted: 15 May 2015 01:05 AM PDT   Fully armed Karenni National Progressive Party troops had been mobilized in Shadaw Township. (Photo: democracyforburma.files.wordpress.com) RANGOON — The Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) leadership has decided to withdraw its troops from Shadaw Township, Karenni State, which had been sent out to drum up popular support but instead provoked the Burma Army's ire. The KNPP Central Committee decided to pull back its soldiers in response to public concern, after tensions arose between local Burma Army troops and armed KNPP members who were mobilizing in the area. "Locals are concerned about the situation," Aung San Myint, the KNPP secretary, told The Irrawaddy. "So we discussed it at the Central Committee and will withdraw our troops to show our respect for the people." With the Karenni State government and the Burma Army objecting earlier this month to fully armed KNPP members mobilizing public support in Shadaw Township, the KNPP made an unsuccessful attempt on Wednesday to negotiate an agreement with the state's security and border affairs minister. With the talks breaking down, KNPP leaders decided to withdraw their troops. KNPP General Secretary Shwe Myo Thant quoted local authorities as saying at the meeting that the military had barred the KNPP troops out of fear that they might leave the state to assist the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in northeast Burma, where the government is currently battling the ethnic Kokang rebel group. Shwe Myo Thant told The Irrawaddy: "Fighting in Laukkai is still far from ending. [The government army put the ban in place] to prevent us from going to Laukkai [in Kokang Special Region]. They think we are applying military tactics. We explained to them that it was not like that, but they did not listen." The KNPP proposed that the 200 KNPP soldiers it had mobilized would be divided into three groups if the government did not want them to move about Shadaw Township in a large column. The government, however, demanded that KNPP members be unarmed, saying that only security personnel escorting senior KNPP leaders would be allowed to carry guns. The KNPP senior leadership is due to meet again soon to discuss the restrictions. Hla Maung Shwe, senior advisor with the government-affiliated Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), told The Irrawaddy: "I don't know whether or not [the government] bars [KNPP] for fear that they would go and support the Kokang. They want to go to dozens of villages to mobilize support and they also want to wear uniforms and carry arms. So, it is difficult for the government to allow them to do so, I think." The KNPP is a member of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) as well as a member of Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), which is currently negotiating a proposed nationwide ceasefire with the government. The Karenni armed group signed a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the government in June 2012. The post KNPP to Withdraw Troops Amid Tension With Burma Army appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma Not Ready to Discuss Rohingya Exodus Posted: 14 May 2015 10:58 PM PDT   A group of Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants, who arrived in Indonesia by boat this week, sit after arriving at a new shelter in Lhoksukon, Indonesia’s Aceh Province, May 13, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) Burma's deputy foreign minister Thant Kyaw told Voice of America (Burmese Service) on Thursday that the government was not prepared to discuss the flood of migrants from Bangladesh and Burma's Arakan State if it was framed as a Rohingya issue. He told VOA that ASEAN nations had expressed interest in holding discussions but, referring to the country's Rohingya minority, said that "It will be meaningless to discuss [the issue] since our country and our people do not accept them." He added that the government could examine whether the fleeing migrants are Burmese citizens. If they can demonstrate they belong to Burma, he said, the government is willing to consider the issue. Thousands of migrants are believed to be adrift in Southeast Asian seas, with no country willing to accept them—a situation the UN has warned could develop into a "massive humanitarian disaster." The post Burma Not Ready to Discuss Rohingya Exodus appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

US Calls for ‘Regional Solution’ for Rohingya Migrants Posted: 14 May 2015 10:40 PM PDT   A child, believed to be Rohingya, eats inside a shelter on May 12 after he was rescued along with hundreds of others from boats in Lhoksukon, Indonesia's Aceh province. (Photo: Reuters) WASHINGTON — The United States is coming under pressure from human rights groups and some in Congress to help Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants stranded at sea as Southeast Asian nations refuse to let them come to shore. Washington is stepping up its calls for governments to work together to save migrants stranded off the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, saying that lives are in danger. But it appears reluctant to provide direct US help in search and rescue. "This is a regional issue. It needs a regional solution in short order," State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke told reporters Thursday. In the last three years, more than 120,000 minority Rohingya Muslims have fled oppression in Buddhist-majority Burma, paying huge sums to human smugglers. But faced with a recent regional crackdown, 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. "These men, women, children and infants are refugees fleeing well-founded fear of persecution and their deaths may well constitute a mass atrocity in the heart of Asean," said Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley, referring to Southeast Asia's regional bloc. He called on the United States to implore its allies in the region to accept the refugees, and for the Washington to consider providing humanitarian assistance, including the use of reconnaissance imagery and the deployment of naval and air assets if necessary, to rescue those in danger. The United States frequently holds military drills on humanitarian assistance and disaster response in Southeast Asia, but Washington could be reluctant to get directly involved in this unfolding crisis because it lacks an answer to the underlying problem: Where will the migrants go? Although 1,600 have landed in Malaysia and Indonesia in the past week, no country appears willing to take any more, fearing it could result in an unstoppable flow. Malaysia on Thursday turned away two crammed migrant boats and Thailand kept at bay a large vessel with hundreds of hungry people. John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, said the United States could galvanize action by regional governments by calling a meeting itself, and should not wait for a Thailand-hosted gathering on the issue scheduled for May 29, as people are already dying at sea. Rathke said the United States is urging countries of the region "to work together to save lives at sea" and is coordinating with international organizations. US ambassadors are raising the issue with Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. He added that Burma needs urgently to improve the humanitarian situation in Arakan State, from where the Rohingya have fled in droves. The displacement of stateless Rohingya has been a black mark on Burma's transition from decades of military rule, a shift often touted as a US foreign policy success. Burma regards the Rohingya as illegal migrants from Bangladesh although many have lived in the country for generations. Tom Andrews, president of the US-based group United to End Genocide, said the United States has a moral responsibility to help. He described the root cause of the migration as a "march to genocide" against the Rohingya, a minority that has faced sectarian attacks and deepening discrimination. But he also faulted Indonesia and Malaysia for failing to rescue migrants and even towing boats back out to sea, saying: "This is a death sentence for perhaps several thousand people." The post US Calls for 'Regional Solution' for Rohingya Migrants appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Parliament Mulls Extension of Martial Law in Kokang Posted: 14 May 2015 09:56 PM PDT Burma Army troops patrol in the town of Laukkai, capital of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone, in February, 2015. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's Ministry of Defense proposed an extension of martial law in Shan State's war-torn Kokang, as "the situation in the region is not still back to normalcy." Defense Minister Lt-Gen Wai Lin submitted a proposal to the Union Parliament on Thursday recommending that lawmakers endorse a 90-day extension of the state of emergency declared on Feb. 17. "Politics, security, business, judiciary and management in the area have still not [returned to] normalcy, so that requires the extension [of the state of emergency]," he said, according to state-run newspaper The Mirror. The proposal was slated discussion on Friday, the report said. Fighting in Kokang Special Region, which erupted in early February, has been among the fiercest in Burma in years. At least 200 people have died since the start of the conflict, according to government figures, while tens of thousands of civilians are believed to have been displaced. The post Parliament Mulls Extension of Martial Law in Kokang appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

In Philippine Bay, Fear of China Trumps Fear of Brothels Posted: 14 May 2015 09:49 PM PDT Filipino and US marines land on shore as part of a Philippine-US joint military exercise in Ulugan Bay on the western coast of the Philippines in 2012. (Photo: Reuters) ULUGAN BAY, Philippines — Once opposed to the prospect of a major naval base inside this picturesque Philippine cove, fearing it would mean bars and brothels for visiting sailors, local residents now look forward to the arrival of American and other foreign warships. The reason is China, whose rapid creation of artificial islands in the disputed Spratly chain of the South China Sea is setting off alarm bells across the Philippines, a country with one of the weakest navies in the region. Nowhere is that concern more palpable than around Ulugan Bay, a large sheltered expanse of pristine blue water along the western Philippine coastline that lies 160 km (100 miles) from the Spratlys. "Before we were not so concerned about the South China Sea but now we feel the tension," said Jane Villarin, head of the village of Macarascas, one of several small townships dotted around the bay. "We are afraid China will one day come to our community because of this dispute." Developing the naval base is the Philippine military's top priority although funding bottlenecks have caused delays, armed forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang told Reuters on Monday after taking reporters to a Philippine-held island in the Spratlys, a trip that drew a sharp rebuke from China. The plan calls for transforming a small existing naval facility at Oyster Bay, a cove within Ulugan Bay on Palawan island, into a fully-fledged operating base within five years for Philippine naval frigates to berth. Catapang also said this week that warships from the United States, Japan, Australia and Vietnam would be welcome to make port calls. The US Navy could refuel and resupply at the base, he added, although the Philippine navy has said it would be hard to accommodate destroyers and aircraft carriers because of the bay's relatively shallow water. Washington has already asked for access to Philippine military bases in eight locations to rotate troops, aircraft and ships for training as the United States shifts more of its forces to Asia, Catapang said last month. Developing the mangrove-fringed bay into a major naval base could exacerbate tensions with China, which claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including the Spratlys. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also claim parts of the vital waterway. When Reuters visited the Ulugan Bay area this week, workers were busy cutting through Palawan's forest, building an access road to Oyster Bay, which is otherwise only accessible by boat. The 12-km (7.5-mile) long, two-lane paved road should be ready within a few months, the workers said. When road construction began in October 2013, residents told Reuters their concerns: bars and brothels would mushroom while fishing might be declared off-limits because of the naval activity. The Philippines once hosted a giant American naval facility at Subic Bay, northwest of Manila, until it was closed in 1992 following a Philippine Senate vote. What still rankles with some Filipinos were the brothels in nearby Olongapo City—around 500 establishments, according to one local nongovernmental organization. Environmental activists oppose the road to Oyster Bay, but local residents have their eyes on China, which last month defended its reclamation in the Spratlys, saying the new islands would provide civilian services such as weather forecasting and search and rescue facilities that would benefit other countries. The majority of people in Macarascas supported the naval expansion plan, said Villarin. Another Macarascas resident, Gerry Ginez, said a US naval presence was needed to help protect the Philippines. Carlos Quirante, head of the nearby village of Bahile, said he once opposed the base expansion, but could now feel tensions rising over China's island building. "If this will help national security, who are we to oppose the construction of a naval base? Patriotism should be above personal interest," he said. The post In Philippine Bay, Fear of China Trumps Fear of Brothels appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Papua New Guinea Shocked by Australian Diplomatic Move Posted: 14 May 2015 09:46 PM PDT In this file photo from 1997, a Papua New Guinean army major Walter Enamu calms his troops during a revolt against his government’s hiring of mercenaries to end a secessionist war on the island of Bougainville. (Photo: Reuters) SYDNEY — Papua New Guinea’s prime minister on Thursday said he was shocked by an announcement from former colonial ruler Australia that it might open a diplomatic mission in the restive island of Bougainville, where a referendum on independence is scheduled. Polls opened on Monday in the copper-rich Autonomous Region of Bougainville to elect a president ahead of a referendum on independence from Papua New Guinea. A result is expected on June 8. “There has been no consultation on this proposal and there is no agreement to proceed,” Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said after addressing business and academic leaders in Sydney to mark the end of Australian rule 40 years ago. “Bougainville is an integral part of Papua New Guinea.” Under a peace agreement signed after a nine-year civil war with the Papua New Guinea mainland ended in 1998, Bougainville has until June 2020 to hold the referendum. The conflict forced resources giant Rio Tinto to abandon its Panguna copper mine in Bougainville. At the time, the mine was the largest single source of export revenue in Papua New Guinea and comprised about 7 percent of the world’s copper production. Rio Tinto, through its majority-owned Bougainville Copper Co, has insisted it will consider prospects for a restart only when the island’s political and civil situation stabilises. O’Neill said he only learned about the proposal for a diplomatic post in Bougainville when reading papers issued by Australia this week outlining its fiscal 2016 national budget. “We were shocked to learn from the budget documents that Australia is planning on establishing a diplomatic post in Bougainville,” he said. A representative for Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the proposal was discussed in December and that Australia’s High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea formally advised the government before Tuesday’s release of the budget. The Australian government assumed responsibility for the southern half of modern-day Papua New Guinea in 1906 by agreeing to take control of what was then a British colony. During World War One, Australian forces expelled German administrators from the northern half and claimed the entire country an Australian territory. By the 1970s, control of Papua New Guinea was affording little strategic benefit to Australia and many Papua New Guineans yearned for independence, which came in September 1975. The post Papua New Guinea Shocked by Australian Diplomatic Move appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai Navy Tows Migrant Boat Towards Indonesia Posted: 14 May 2015 09:40 PM PDT   A group of Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants who arrived in Indonesia by boat this week move to a new shelter in Lhoksukon, Indonesia’s Aceh Province May 13, 2015. BANGKOK — A boat carrying around 400 migrants that the Thai navy has towed out to sea is heading toward Indonesia, a Thai government radio station reported on Friday. Indonesia's navy prevented a boat with hundreds of migrants on board from entering its waters, an Indonesian military spokesman said later on Friday. It was unclear if the boat rejected by the Indonesians was the same vessel towed out to sea by the Thai navy. Thousands of migrants adrift on similar boats in Southeast Asian seas have nowhere to go as governments seek to prevent them from landing, despite a request by the United Nations to rescue them. The UN has warned the situation could develop into a "massive humanitarian disaster." The wooden boat towed back out to sea by the Thai navy was found on Thursday near the southern Thai island of Koh Lipe in the Andaman Sea with hundreds of migrants packed on the deck, including children. Thai authorities fixed the boat's engine and supplied those on board with food, water and medicine before towing it back out to sea in the early hours of Friday morning, said Lieutenant Commander Veerapong Nakprasit, a naval officer based on Koh Lipe. "Those on the boat did not want to come to Thailand so we gave them food, medicine, fuel and water," Veerapong told Reuters. "We did our humanitarian duty. They wanted to go to a third country. They did not want to come to Thailand so we sent them on their way. This is not a push back because these people wanted to go." Veerapong said the boat was without a captain but that some of those on board had been trained by local Thai fishermen to navigate. "They trained for around three hours until they knew how to steer. They were really very good," he said, adding that a radar station on the island monitored the boat until it entered international waters. The post Thai Navy Tows Migrant Boat Towards Indonesia appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

In Conversation with Myanmar’s First Cardinal Posted: 14 May 2015 05:00 PM PDT Cardinal Charles Maung Bo in Yangon. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) Archbishop of Yangon Charles Maung Bo was named Myanmar's first Catholic cardinal by Pope Francis in January this year and was officially elevated by the pope in March in Rome. Cardinal Bo recently sat down with The Irrawaddy's Yan Pai to discuss the role of religious leaders in achieving peace and promoting tolerance in Myanmar. How do you feel about being named Myanmar's first Catholic cardinal? I did not expect to be chosen; cardinals are usually chosen from places like the Philippines and Italy where the majority of people are Catholic Christians. But the Pope of his own volition chose a cardinal from Myanmar, where the Catholic population is small. He did so with the intention of encouraging the international community to give assistance to poor, undeveloped and troubled countries. Though I am happy to be appointed as a cardinal, I also take it as an important responsibility. The sense of responsibility I feel, that I have to try and be an example for my country and my people, is stronger than the happiness the position has brought me. What do you plan to do to improve the future of the country? Firstly, we can't turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to difficulties, racial and religious conflicts, the wishes of the people and particularly the recent student protests Myanmar has faced in marching toward democracy. We have to make sure we all face [these issues] in good faith. Though the majority of Myanmar's population is Buddhist, it is a multi-faith country and I therefore want to offer my services to ensure peaceful co-existence between people of different faiths and peace between ethnic groups and the government. Are you now closely involved in settling conflicts between the government and ethnic groups? Generally, many members of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) believe in the same faith as me. So I have played a part in those cases as much as I can, together with Catholic priests there. I have decided to play a part whenever there is an opportunity. For example, I took part in many discussions on Rakhine issues and so did US Ambassador to Myanmar Derek Mitchell. I believe spiritual leaders have an important role to play in either racial or religious conflicts. Myanmar people have faith in their respective religions and listen to their respective religious leaders. I believe that it would have a great impact on people in the country if spiritual leaders met frequently and showed respect to each other. Therefore, I have put forward a plan to build an office where spiritual leaders of different faiths can meet. What is the government's response to the involvement of religious leaders in the Kachin conflict? Do they welcome it? We four Catholic Christian priests, Baptist bishops and local authorities in Kachin State meet frequently. But I don't understand why the army does not stop attacks while the government, the President, has ordered to stop the fighting with the KIA. I don't know who is behind the central government. Neither the army nor the president can make a firm decision. I have a suspicion that someone is secretly pulling the strings behind the president. Though it is said that we are moving toward a democracy and are enjoying freedoms, it is still difficult to find out who is pulling the strings from behind. What do you want to say to the people about peace as a cardinal? Conflicts have broken out and continued between ethnic groups and the government since independence. Ceasefires were reached in the early years when the military regime came to power. But ethnic armed groups still do not have trust in the central government. In addition, they have grievances. In my opinion, negotiation is the only solution. Therefore, I think credible political dialogue is critically important. Myanmar is bound to achieve peace if this happens. You said the role of religious leaders is important in solving religious conflicts. What do you want to say about some monks taking part in religious conflicts at times? Religion is meant to teach love and therefore does not accept violence. All religions have extremists. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, all have extremists. But they are a minority. We condemn anyone with extreme views who only cares about his religion and disregards other religions. Violence will never win and never has a good ending. It is unacceptable. Love will win finally. Therefore, religious leaders need to preach love and respect to others who do not believe in different religions. Buddhists account for 85 percent of the population in Myanmar and while most [monks] are preaching love, if there is counterproductive violence, then it is unacceptable, I would say. Do you think there is increased violence while the country is heading toward democracy, as you said? Previously, the military regime imposed strict censorship, from publications to communication. Now, as we begin to get a greater degree of freedom, people think they can do and say anything they please and it is democracy. So they say, write and swear as they please in dealing with people of different religions. For example, they write and swear as they please on Facebook and think it is democracy. As the entire system was paralyzed in Myanmar, it is difficult to heal in a short time. Therefore it is important that we have patience and treat each other like family members in moving toward democracy. We have heard that you will claim back nationalized missionary schools from the government. How is this going? It has been 50 years since missionary schools were nationalized. The educational standards of Myanmar began to fall after missionary schools were nationalized. Whether in education or the economy, decentralization is very important. If the government decentralized the education system, we would be able to improve educational standards through cooperation between academics, local and international donors and religious personalities. But if the government continues to keep its grip, the education system will be hopeless. It should denationalize the schools. It is now over 500 years since Christianity reached Myanmar. Looking back at history, princes were taught at those schools since the time of the monarchy. They did not take advantage; they only taught about morals and ethics. They did not persuade students to convert religion. So, the schools should be given back, I think. Last November, I said clearly that I would like to get them back if I had the chance. How about religious freedom under the current government? I have never faced direct disturbance and repression as regards religious freedom since the time of the government of the Burma Socialist Program Party. Even religious training has freedom. In my life, I have never been questioned if I have foreign contacts. But there is one thing. I feel we don't have equality in terms of rights. It is rare that the government donates to Christian churches. I have never received any money [from the government] to build a church or for a mission. It is very different. We don't even enjoy [government assistance] proportionally. I want the government to provide a certain amount even if it is not as large as the amount for Buddhists. Compared to countries like China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia, we have much greater religious rights in Myanmar. When a priest is appointed by Rome, he can be elevated freely in Myanmar. And we don't need to seek the approval of the government unlike those countries. Again, seminaries for priests can be opened freely in Myanmar. When you met Pope Francis, did he say something specific about Myanmar? At the elevation ceremony, Pope Francis said that although Catholic Christians are a religious minority in Myanmar, they should have the courage to speak up for the truth and denounce injustice and should be prepared to sacrifice their lives for the truth and for love if necessary. Is there anything else that you would like to say to the people of Myanmar? Myanmar is a multi-ethnic country and has the beauty of diversity, like a rainbow. I wish peace not only for Myanmar but for the entire world. Peace is a precondition for development. People in Myanmar are like family members and if they have a brotherly spirit toward each other regardless of religion, then peace will prevail. I believe the final victory is of love. This interview originally appeared in the May 2015 issue of The Irrawaddy magazine. The post In Conversation with Myanmar's First Cardinal appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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