The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• ‘Shwedagon’: New Paintings by Pe Nyunt Way
• Fighting Flares in Northeast as High-Level Peace Meeting Nears
• Journalists Reject UEC Order Limiting Reporters’ Scope
• Arakan Army Calls for Calm After Bangladesh Border Clash
• Burma Army Chief Meets Thai Top Brass in Bangkok
• Ruling Party Purge Confirms Doubts Over Democratic Reforms
• In Talks, Muslim Rebels Seek Independence in South Thailand
• Thailand Issues Arrest Warrant for Suspect in Second Blast
• Hong Kong Teen Protest Leader Joshua Wong Faces New Charges

‘Shwedagon’: New Paintings by Pe Nyunt Way Posted: 28 Aug 2015 06:25 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. RANGOON — In the shadow of the Shwedagon, Burma's foremost religion icon and staple of the Rangoon skyline, is a temporary art exhibition that explores a refreshingly modern view of the monument. "Shwedagon" showcases 20 paintings by renowned artist Pe Nyunt Way, breathing new life into classic views of the city. On view from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1 at the Yangon Gallery in People's Park, the show is part of monsoon Art Festival, celebrating interdisciplinary artistic genres through late October. Pe Nyunt Way's 9th solo exhibition demonstrates the artist's unique sensitivity to faith and religious value. While Buddhism is a common theme in Burmese contemporary art, it is rare to see religious images that center so acutely on the monument itself, depicting the pagoda as a character of sorts. Shown from near and far, between silhouetted monks in prayer, even seen lit up at night through a Bahan Township window, Pe Nyunt Way turns the Shwedagon into a fixture around which all urban narratives transpire. Buildings are torn down and built up around it, political movements build and dissipate at its feet, but the Shwedagon appears unfazed. "I focus on events, especially contemporary ones," the 63-year-old artist told The Irrawaddy before his opening reception on Friday. "Many things have happened at the Shwedagon, but I don't dare touch the past as I have never been through it." The site's contemporary history is rich enough, as his paintings show. In "Metta Sutta," Pe Nyunt Way depicts a massive crowd of monks and nuns reciting prayers at the foot of the monument on the eve of the Saffron Revolution in 2007. This is just one of the inimitable moments that live in his memory. Beyond portraying pivotal political moments, the 2004 Philip Morris Asean Art Awardee also documented urban change. His wide cityscapes show just how much the urban sky has changed in recent years as buildings rise higher and higher. "I just want to reflect on what is happening now, all that is related to people and the pagoda," he said. "So I just record them, as an artist." The post 'Shwedagon': New Paintings by Pe Nyunt Way appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Fighting Flares in Northeast as High-Level Peace Meeting Nears Posted: 28 Aug 2015 05:42 AM PDT Soldiers from the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) are pictured in northern Shan State. (Photo: Facebook / Pslf-Tnla) RANGOON — As peace negotiators continue to insist that a nationwide ceasefire is within reach, clashes reportedly broke out again this week in Shan and Kachin states ahead of a planned meeting between a handful of ethnic armed groups, President Thein Sein and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. The Ta'ang(Palaung) National Liberation Army (TNLA)said fighting with the Burma Army took placein anarea of the ethnic armed group'scontrol in NamhsanTownship, Shan State, with the TNLA claiming to have killed two government soldiers after coming under attackat the village of Nang Kay. Tar Bong Kyaw,TNLA general secretary, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that clashes had occurredalmost every daythis week amid an increased deployment of Burma Army troops in the area. "We have five brigades. They chased every one of our brigades and attacked our troops' bases. They even vowed to destroy our TNLA," said Tar Bong Kyaw, who claimed that Burma Army officers were telling ethnic Palaung community leaders in northern Shan State that they would "destroy" the TNLA in the same way that the government has largely crushed a rebellion of ethnic Kokang insurgents in the state's northeast. Fighting also took place this week northeast of Namhsanin Manton Township, the TNLA leader said. The military-owned Myawaddynews outlet reported that fighting broke out between the Burma Army and Kachin Independence Army(KIA) troops as well, on Wednesday in Kachin State's SumprabumTownship. Sai Oo, a colonel from the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), saidsouthern Shan State also saw conflict this week Tuesday between his group and government troops in Kunhing Township. The latest clashes come as five ethnic armed groups, including leaders from the so-called "Senior Delegation" of the 15-member Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), prepare to meet Thein Sein and Min Aung Hlaing, Burma's commander-in-chief, on Sept. 9 in Naypyidaw to discuss the protracted negotiations over a nationwide ceasefire agreement. Representatives from the Karen National Union (KNU), New Mon State Party, Karen National Progressive Party, Shan State Progressive Party and Kachin Independence Organization—the KIA's political wing—are expected to attend the meeting, including Naw Zipporah Sein, KNU vice chairman and head of the Special Delegation. She told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that the ethnic leaders will stick to their insistence that any peace deal be "all-inclusive," a reference to the government's unwillingness to allow three ethnic armed groups, including the TNLA, to sign the accord. The Arakan Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) are the other two groups excluded from the government's list of acceptable signatories. "There should be a political guarantee for the three groups," she said, referring to a proposed arrangement whereby the three groups would be given the option to eventually add their names to the nationwide ceasefire."If the Burma Army and the government do not want them to participate, or if the army continues fighting them, the signing of an NCA will not have meaning."   The post Fighting Flares in Northeast as High-Level Peace Meeting Nears appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Journalists Reject UEC Order Limiting Reporters’ Scope Posted: 28 Aug 2015 04:38 AM PDT A man reads a newspaper in Rangoon.(Reuters) RANGOON — Burma's election oversight body has proposed overreaching restrictions for reporters covering a Nov. 8 general election, journalists told The Irrawaddy, that would limit the number and movement of credentialed correspondents on the day of the vote. The Union Election Commission (UEC) sent a letter to the Interim Press Council earlier this month laying out guidelines for covering the polls. A copy of the letter obtained by The Irrawaddy states that registered news organizations can assign a maximum of three reporters to each township, and that those assigned must apply with the relevant sub-commission. Once an applicant has submitted proof of dispatch from a legally recognized media outlet, the sub-commission will issue them a press identification card authorizing them to report on the polls in the township in which they applied. Media professionals pointed out that attempts to monitor and limit the number of reporters in each locale could effectively restrict them to that area, as the location-specific credential might not be valid in a place beyond its point of issue. "It is unclear if reporters will be able to move to another township from the one they are registered in," said Thet Zin, editor-in-chief of the New Era weekly journal. Concerned that the small paper will not have enough reporters to thoroughly cover the polls if their positions are static, Thet Zin predicted that election reporting "will be difficult." This time it seems like the UEC is trying to control people's right to know. Kyaw Min Swe, secretary of the Interim Press Council, said that a meeting will be held on Sunday between the UEC and concerned journalists to discuss ambiguities in the instructions. While the UEC claims that the directive is meant to ensure that all journalists covering the election will be bound to the commission's media code of conduct with some degree of accountability, members of the press view the process as inherently flawed and susceptible to abuse. "There were no such rules limiting the number of journalists during the 2010 and 2012 elections," Kyaw Min Swe said, "but this time it seems like the UEC is trying to control people's right to know." The secretary said the issue will be discussed at length with the commission during their meeting on Sunday, voicing firmly that the media "won't follow this rule." When contacted by The Irrawaddy on Friday, the UEC declined to comment on the rationale behind the new rules or whether they were likely to be amended. The current regulations include an Aug. 5 deadline for reporters to register with local sub-commissions, so there is still some time to make changes. According to the Ministry of Information, 31 daily newspaper licenses have been granted since early 2013, following decades of strict censorship under Burma's former military regime. Of those, however, only 21 papers are currently in operation, reflecting severe financial strains in the burgeoning media industry. Of those 21 newspapers, seven are state-owned. About 400 weekly journals and 300 magazines are currently in circulation. The post Journalists Reject UEC Order Limiting Reporters' Scope appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Arakan Army Calls for Calm After Bangladesh Border Clash Posted: 28 Aug 2015 03:38 AM PDT Arakan Army troops on parade in Laiza, Kachin State, in April 2014. (Photo: Moe Myint / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Arakan Army has sought to reach out to the government of Bangladesh to prevent further skirmishes after fighting erupted between Bangladeshi border guards and the ethnic Arakanese rebels on Wednesday in western Burma. Arakan Army (AA) deputy commander-in-chief Lt-Col Nyo Tun Aung denied his group had encroached on a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) camp, telling The Irrawaddy on Thursday they respected the latter's right to patrol the border and hoped dialogue would help avert further clashes. According to an official AA statement, the two-hour long clash began at around 10 am on Wednesday, with both sides opening fire near the Boro Modak area of Thanci in Bandaran District, near the shared Burma-Bangladesh border. The Arakanese rebels claimed that at least one BGB soldier was killed. China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday that one injured BGB soldier had been rushed to a military hospital in Chittagong. The report also stated that Bangladesh had boosted its troop presence along the border. "We have already explained to the Bangladeshi government that the AA is not the enemy," said Nyo Tun Aung. "All indigenous ethnic groups in Burma are fighting for self-determination, democracy and equal rights…. The Bangladeshi government should, on humanitarian grounds, [show] empathy…" The AA has instructed its forces to avoid any fighting, except in self-defense, the group said. "We are trying to send a letter to the Bangladesh Prime Minister and we would like to say sorry for the conflict and that we would like to prevent this happening again in the future," Nyo Tun Aung said. The recent fighting is thought to have sparked after BGB soldiers confiscated several horses, used to carry supplies, belonging to the AA's political wing. The Arakan Army is also based in Laiza, Kachin State, where the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is headquartered, and has recently been engaged in fighting with government troops, along with the KIA and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army. In March, fighting broke out between the AA and the Burma Army near Kyauktaw Township in what was believed to be the first time in a decade that ethnic Arakanese armed rebels in the region had clashed with government troops. The post Arakan Army Calls for Calm After Bangladesh Border Clash appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma Army Chief Meets Thai Top Brass in Bangkok Posted: 27 Aug 2015 11:22 PM PDT Burma Army Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing meets with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha in Bangkok on Thursday. (Photo: Min Aung Hlaing / Facebook) Burma's army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing paid a visit to the Thai capital Bangkok on Thursday, meeting with top officials including Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and influential nonagenarian Prem Tinsulanonda, head of the country's Privy Council. During the commander-in-chief's meeting with former general turned prime minister Prayuth, the pair discussed relations between the two country's armed forces, recent flooding in Burma and progress on establishing special economic zones along the nations' shared border, according to state-run media. A post on Min Aung Hlaing's Facebook page said the army chief praised Prayuth for the "progress" Thailand had made under his leadership and expressed sympathy for the victims of a recent bomb blast at a Bangkok shrine which killed 20 people. Min Aung Hlaing's visit to Thailand came the day after Privy Council President Prem celebrated his 95th birthday on Wednesday alongside well-wishers from Thailand's top brass at his Bangkok residence. Burma's army chief met Prem on Thursday afternoon. The pair are known to be close, with reports emerging last year that Min Aung Hlaing had asked the ageing Prem to adopt him as his godson.In June last year, Min Aung Hlaing threw his support behind the Thai ruling junta, shortly after it took power in a military coup on May 22, stating on a visit to Bangkok that it was the army's duty to safeguard national sovereignty. The post Burma Army Chief Meets Thai Top Brass in Bangkok appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ruling Party Purge Confirms Doubts Over Democratic Reforms Posted: 27 Aug 2015 10:49 PM PDT Military lawmakers attend the first day of the final parliamentary session before the November general election, August 18.( JPaing / The Irrawaddy) The sudden removal of one of Myanmar's most powerful men sent shockwaves through the diplomatic community in the old capital of Yangon, where foreign embassies are still located. It seemed more like a midnight coup than an ordinary leadership reshuffle—security forces in the new capital, Naypyidaw, entered the headquarters of the de facto ruling party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, or USDP, late August 12. The following day, it was announced that Shwe Mann, the speaker of the Lower House of Myanmar's bicameral parliament, a former general and anticipated by some foreign observers to be the country's next president, had been ousted. Despite the drama, his removal reconfirmed the widely held belief that the country's military is not about to relinquish real power. The power shift in Naypyidaw is also unlikely to change the big powers' attitudes towards the military in Myanmar. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 8. Early next year, an electoral college consisting of elected parliamentarians along with army officers will select the head of state of a country. After decades under solid military rule, Myanmar is supposedly edging towards a more democratic order. For many Western pundits, Shwe Mann was the favorite for the post, regarded as a "bridge" between the junta that had ruled the country until elections were held in November 2010 and the quasi-civilian government that took over in March 2011 as well as the democratic forces headed by the main opposition leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Before becoming parliamentary speaker, Shwe Mann was considered the third most powerful man in the then-ruling junta. As a nominally civilian parliamentarian, he was often seen with Aung San Suu Kyi and began speaking in favor of reforms aimed at limiting the power of the military. Myanmar's constitution was drafted under military supervision and adopted in 2008 after a referendum dismissed by most observers as fraudulent. Under the constitution, the military holds 25 percent of all seats in the parliament and regional assemblies. Since major changes in the constitution's clauses require 75 percent approval, the military enjoys what amounts to veto power over any major changes in the country's power structure. Precisely what had made Shwe Mann popular among foreign diplomats, academics and think tanks became, in effect, the cause for his fall. A number of political reforms and seemingly liberal initiatives were introduced after the new government took over in 2011 such as the release of political prisoners, more press freedom, and the right of political parties to operate openly. Such steps were not taken because the military had little intention of giving up power. The strategy was to remain in power and, at the same time, improve the country's image and its strained relations with the West, which had imposed sanctions on the junta for its abysmal human-rights record. During that time, Myanmar had become heavily dependent on China. Internal military documents dated as far back as 2004 suggested that the country was losing its independence to its powerful northern neighbor. The solution was simple: make some reforms—and the West would reciprocate by welcoming Myanmar back into the international community. The United States in particular viewed the spread of Chinese influence in Myanmar with increasing concern. The reforms provided an opportunity for Washington to normalize relations with Naypyidaw. At the end of November 2011, then–Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveled to the nation, the first top-level US visit in half a century. A year later, President Barack Obama traveled to Myanmar. In May 2013, Thein Sein, became the first Myanmar president to visit the United States since 1966. Relations were on track as Myanmar distanced itself from China. The US was no doubt pleased. Before long, it became increasingly clear that Myanmar was not undergoing an organic democratic transition from military dictatorship to elected civilian rule. Newspapers and magazines were not closed, but critical journalists and editors were charged with "libel," "defamation" and even "trespassing." Student activists and people protesting against land seizures were thrown into jail. Some parliamentarians sought to change the constitution, but the military intervened to prevent that from happening. Just before his second visit to Myanmar in November 2014, Obama said that Myanmar’s transition from military rule had not been as fast as hoped, and the government was "backsliding" on some reforms. Observers began to question whether Myanmar was really "backsliding"—or if the initiatives towards more openness were limited from the start. Shwe Mann, evidently, stepped out of line by trying to go further. Long-time Myanmar observers see striking similarities between his ouster and a 2004 purge that saw the fall from grace of then prime minister and once powerful former intelligence chief Khin Nyunt. He was also a maverick. Like Shwe Mann, he amassed enormous political and economic power for himself and his family. Shwe Mann's two sons, Aung Thet Mann and Toe Naing Mann, are prominent businessmen involved in numerous deals that certainly will come under scrutiny. And one cannot help but wonder if Shwe Mann is really a "closet liberal" or an opportunist who, in the end, bet on the wrong horse by fraternizing with Aung San Suu Kyi. In the late 1980s, he saw combat against Karen rebels along Myanmar's eastern border, earning the honorific title thura, or brave hero. A cable from the US embassy in Yangon dated March 15, 2007, made public by WikiLeaks, stated that he had "utilized civilian porters, including women and children, on a massive scale during operations against Karen insurgents." The cable's headline read "Shwe Mann: Burma's Dictator-in-Waiting," and outlined his military career. He was also allegedly involved in the crushing of the 2007 so-called Saffron Revolution, a democracy movement led by Buddhist monks. In November 2008, Shwe Mann led a secret military delegation to North Korea, where he signed a memorandum of understanding on military cooperation. He visited an air base, a missile factory and other defense industries near Pyongyang. During his time in the army, Shwe Mann was a loyal officer, showing no sign of dissent. Ironically, he led the purge against Khin Nyunt and his henchmen in 2004. Now Shwe Mann's own followers in the USDP and elsewhere may face the same fate as the former intelligence chief. Apart from being parliamentary speaker, Shwe Mann also led the USDP, a post now held by Htay Oo, a former major general close to Thein Sein who, in turn, has the backing of the military. The party's General Secretary Maung Maung Thein and other Shwe Mann loyalists have also been removed. A "rejuvenated" USDP is poised to contest the November election. These internal purges are unlikely to have much impact on Myanmar's foreign relations. Washington may grumble, but no one there wants to push Myanmar back into China's embrace, and China is pragmatic enough to adjust to the new realities so as not to jeopardize its fragile relations with Naypyidaw. Of special importance are gas and oil pipelines that China has built from the Bay of Bengal through Myanmar to the southern Chinese province of Yunnan. In July, Naypyidaw ratified the agreement to set up the China-led Asia Infrastructure and Investment Bank, a relationship that China won’t upset by interfering with an internal power struggle in Myanmar. If anyone had doubts, it's clear that the military still calls the shots in Myanmar. This article originally appeared here on YaleGlobal Online on August 18, 2015. The post Ruling Party Purge Confirms Doubts Over Democratic Reforms appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

In Talks, Muslim Rebels Seek Independence in South Thailand Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:19 PM PDT Thai soldiers carry children out of an area where suspected Muslim separatists shot dead three Muslim men in the troubled southern province of Pattani, March 2011. (Photo: Surapan Boonthanom / Reuters) KUALA LUMPUR — Muslim militant leaders in talks with Thai authorities to end a deadly insurgency said Thursday they are seeking an independent state and are ready to negotiate a solution. Six insurgent groups, united in a coalition called the Pattani Consultative Council, participated in three days of informal peace talks ending Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “We want to stress that we did not drop our demand for independence. That will be the final aim for the Pattani struggle, but we are ready to sit at the negotiation table to find a solution that will give Muslims the right to determine their own future” in the predominantly Buddhist country, council representative Abu Hafez Al-Hakim told a news conference. He said the Pattani people will ultimately decide whether the solution will be an independent state or autonomy under the Thai government for the three southernmost provinces. More than 5,000 people have been killed in the insurgency since 2004. Malaysia, whose northern states border Thailand’s south, facilitated bringing the insurgents to the talks. Former Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government agreed in 2013 to launch formal peace talks with one militant group, but they never happened following a military coup. Pattani council chief Awang Jabat said the coalition wants the peace talks to be put on the national agenda to ensure continuity if a new government comes into power. During the talks in Kuala Lumpur, the coalition sought immunity for the negotiating team to ensure their freedom of travel in the provinces, he said. Meanwhile, the Thai government raised the issues of creating a safety zone and economic development among others. The government negotiators did not attend the news conference. It is unclear how much support the coalition has on the ground. It comprises of the National Revolutionary Front, the Pattani Islamic Mujahiddeen Movement, the Islamic Liberation Front of Pattani and three factions from the Pattani United Liberation Organization. Awang Jabat said the coalition invited all stakeholders into the process to unify their efforts for self-determination. They want to ensure Islamic laws and regulations are enforced and that the Muslim identity is preserved, in terms of language and Jawi writing. Jawi is the Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. He warned that there will be more violence until the right of self-determination for Muslims is guaranteed. The date for the next round of talks has not been decided. The post In Talks, Muslim Rebels Seek Independence in South Thailand appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thailand Issues Arrest Warrant for Suspect in Second Blast Posted: 27 Aug 2015 09:06 PM PDT People hold a giant Thai national flag for victims of the deadly blast near the Erawan shrine in Bangkok. (Photo: Chaiwat Subprasom / Reuters) BANGKOK — An arrest warrant has been issued for an unnamed suspect in a bomb blast at a Bangkok pier that took place a day after Thailand’s worst ever-bombing killed 20 people at a popular shrine, Thai police said on Friday. Police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said a court issued the warrant based on grainy video footage of a man in a blue shirt kicking a bag into the water near the pier on the night of Aug. 17, soon after the blast at Bangkok’s Hindu Erawan Shrine. “We issued an arrest warrant for the suspect in the Sathorn pier incident,” police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri told Reuters, referring to a pier near Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river. The suspect faces charges of unauthorized possession of explosives, exploding a bomb that could cause harm and attempted murder, according to the warrant. The pier explosion caused no casualties. Police have not definitively linked the two blasts and have offered few answers as to who could be behind the attacks. In the shrine bombing investigation, police are focusing on a man seen in blurry security camera footage. The footage shows a man in a yellow shirt and dark hair removing a backpack after entering the packed shrine and calmly walking away from the scene before the explosion. Last week police issued an arrest warrant for an “unidentified foreign man” seen in the video footage along with an image of the suspected bomber. Prawut said police were unlikely to issue a picture of the suspected pier bomber. “We’re unlikely to make a sketch of the suspect as his face is not clear,” he said. The Erawan shrine bombing has taken a toll on tourism and caused a 17 percent fall in tourist arrivals, Thailand’s tourism ministry said on Wednesday. Fourteen foreigners were among the 20 people killed in the attack at the famous Hindu shrine in Bangkok’s bustling commercial heart. The post Thailand Issues Arrest Warrant for Suspect in Second Blast appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Hong Kong Teen Protest Leader Joshua Wong Faces New Charges Posted: 27 Aug 2015 08:51 PM PDT Student leaders Joshua Wong, right, and Lester Shum arrive at the High Court in Hong Kong last December. (Photo: Tyrone Siu / Reuters) CATEGORIES: Asia HONG KONG — Hong Kong police charged teenage student leader Joshua Wong on Thursday for his role last year in storming government headquarters, which helped trigger 79 days of pro-democracy street occupations that gripped the Asian financial center. Wong, whose Scholarism group played a key role in the protests, reported to a police station where he was charged with inciting and participating in an illegal assembly. The charges came nearly a year after Wong and dozens of student activists stormed a fenced-off courtyard outside government headquarters during an evening rally to protest Beijing’s plan to restrict elections in the semiautonomous Chinese region. Police arrested Wong and other key leaders, which drove more people into the streets. Two days later, on Sept. 28, police fired volleys of tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowds, which only enraged the protesters further and kick-started what came to be known both as the Umbrella Movement and Occupy Central. Wong posted photos of his police charge sheets on his Facebook account. He is scheduled to appear in a magistrate’s court on Sept. 2. Two other student leaders, Alex Chow and Nathan Law, also face charges relating to illegal assembly over the same incident, according to local media reports. Chow is the former secretary general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, which also played a major role in the protests. Law is the current leader. Wong, 18, is also expected to appear in court on Friday to face two other charges of obstructing police at a separate, earlier protest in which he and others burned a cardboard copy of a Beijing policy document that asserted full authority over Hong Kong, a former British colony promised a high degree of control over its own affairs until 2047.   The post Hong Kong Teen Protest Leader Joshua Wong Faces New Charges appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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