The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Thailand Vigil Offers Foil to Naypyidaw’s Ceasefire Exhortations
• Of Pomp and Peace
• Clashes Subside in Shan State Following SSA-N Retreat
• Business Bodies Uniform in Praise for Ceasefire, Literally
• Myitsone Dam, Kachin Conflict under Spotlight in New Film
• Man Arrested for Facebook Post Denied Bail, Moved to Insein Prison
• Asia’s Developing Nations Pessimistic on Equality for Women: Survey
• Malaysia Arrests Man for Hacking US Security Data to Supply Targets for Islamic State
• With Fuel Blocked at Border, Nepal Plans Talks with India
• Japan Businesses Support Bringing in Low-Skilled Foreign Labor

Thailand Vigil Offers Foil to Naypyidaw’s Ceasefire Exhortations Posted: 16 Oct 2015 06:43 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. CHIANG MAI, Thailand — The ethnic Shan community in this northern Thai city gathered on Thursday evening to pray and light candles for hundreds of people affected by recent fighting in central Shan State. Eighteen Shan community-based grooups organized the event at the Buddhist temple Wat Ku Tao, to call attention to a situation affecting at least six villages across four townships in Burma. More than 1,500 villagers have been displaced since the Burma Army launched an offensive against the militant wing of the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), on Oct. 6. Three pregnant women displaced by the fighting were recently forced to give birth in the jungle and another had her baby in a cave. The vigil was held the same day that a so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement was signed by the government and leaders of eight rebel armed groups. The accord has been widely criticized for failing to represent the majority of the country's armed groups—almost two-thirds have refused to sign it, or been shut out of the deal. Nang Charm Tong, a spokesperson for Thursday's vigil, questioned the sincerity of government claims to be working toward peace, given the recent fighting taking place even as Naypyidaw has touted the nationwide ceasefire as a milestone in efforts to end decades of civil war. "We want to expose what is happening on the ground," she said. "There is no peace for our people, it is very clear. They [the Burma Army] are continuing their attacks in ceasefire areas. It's outrageous." She highlighted a recent incident in which the Burma Army opened fire on villagers at a gold mine in eastern Shan State, killing one man and injuring five others. Some of the villagers displaced by fighting this month are being cared for at a Buddhist temple, or have sought shelter with relatives. Others are hiding in the jungle. Fighting that came before crops could be harvested is likely to worsen food security for hundreds of affected families. In their statement, the Shan community-based organizations accused the Burma Army of "indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, and the forced displacement of civilians," calling the attacks "a systematic military operation over the past few years by Naypyidaw to seize territory from the SSPP/SSA." There have been more than 200 clashes with the Burma Army since the SSPP and SSA-N inked a ceasefire with the Burmese government in 2012. The post Thailand Vigil Offers Foil to Naypyidaw's Ceasefire Exhortations appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Of Pomp and Peace Posted: 16 Oct 2015 05:15 AM PDT Signatories to the nationwide ceasefire agreement, including President Thein Sein, center, at the Myanmar Convention Center in Naypyidaw on Thursday. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) If nothing else, it was certainly a ceremonial moment, as eight rebel armed groups signed a so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government in Naypyidaw on Thursday. But peace hasn't come to the country yet and won't, it can be assumed, arrive any time soon. So far only eight out of 15 armed groups involved in the numerous rounds of negotiations have committed to signing, leaving serious doubts about the peace process in this ethnically diverse country. Burma Army offensives and troop deployments continue in some ethnic regions and, in addition, the ceasefire outcome that played out on Thursday could sow further division among ethnic armed groups. The list of initial signatories is thus: the Karen National Union (KNU); Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA); KNU/KNLA Karen Peace Council; Arakan Liberation Party; Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO); Chin National Front (CNF); Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS-SSA-S); and All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF). Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy. But major ethnic armed groups including the powerful Kachin Independence Army (KIA) did not sign, despite having already agreed to the text of the agreement. On the ground in recent weeks, heavy fighting has escalated between government troops and the Kachin rebels. Moreover, the New Mon State Party, Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) and Karenni National Progressive Party are also among those refusing to sign, though they too have taken part in all previous negotiations and, in principle, agree with the text of the ceasefire agreement as well. These are major stakeholders in Burma's civil war, compared with some of the smaller ethnic armed groups that have just signed on to the "nationwide" peace accord. They have said they opted not sign the pact since it was not inclusive, leaving out some ethnic armies in Burma's northeast. Deep mistrust remains, though non-signatories will still have observer status, allowing them to continue to take part, to a degree, in a political dialogue that must commence within 90 days. Meanwhile, a split within the armed groups is evident. Zipporah Sein, a senior KNU leader, turned down an invitation by the government's chief peace broker, Aung Min, to attend the signing ceremony. Zipporah Sein, who was among those pushing for a more inclusive accord, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that she did not want to attend a peace deal ceremony as fighting continued in Kachin and Shan states. "I'm not courageous enough to attend the ceremony and celebrate the signing while fighting is still going on and even escalating," she said. "If I attended the ceremony, I would feel like I was going to celebrate the ongoing offensives." Truth. Peace is still elusive in Burma, despite the lavish event in Naypyidaw this week, which purportedly showed the government's willingness to engage with ethnic armed groups at the negotiating table, rather than on the field of battle. But as leaders from the government and ethnic armed groups joined diplomats for the gathering in Naypyidaw, reports on the ground in Shan State suggested that more than 1,000 villagers from six villages had fled their homes after more than a week of clashes between the Burma Army and the SSA-N. Just before signing the agreement, Karen rebels based in the country's southeast issued a request for the withdrawal of government frontline troops and an end to escalating deployments. In addition, there is fear that some Karen troops known to oppose the ceasefire agreement will soon face a major offensive by government forces. In Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, where several rounds of ceasefire talks have been held, the ethnic Shan community in exile held a candlelit prayer vigil for those killed in ongoing attacks in their homeland. Mighty China's Influence and That of the West Since the beginning of the ceasefire talks, the United Nations and several foreign countries have been involved in the process. They include China, Japan, the European Union and the United States. Since Day One, some ethnic groups have wanted international observers and Western powers to have a seat at the table to observe the negotiations. China, however, is known to have expressed concern with the presence of Western countries and donors, particularly against the backdrop of Burma's desire to improve relations with Washington. In September 2011, President Thein Sein's government suspended the China-funded Myitsone mega-dam project in northern Burma—a shrewd move signaling a desire to improve relations with the West. This decision has hurt China and strained relations with Beijing. In the years since, Burma has not escaped China's geopolitical orbit entirely, but it clearly has wanted to rebalance its foreign relations. High-level Burmese government sources involved in ceasefire negotiations have persistently leaked news that Beijing opposes a role for Japan and Western powers in ceasefire negotiations. Interestingly, prior to the ceasefire agreement being signed, a peace negotiator on the Burmese government side told Reuters that China has been trying to undermine the peace process. This should serve as music to the ears of US and other Western powers seeking to pull Burma away from China's orbit. Suspicions in this Sino-Western tug of war cut both ways, but after four years of political and economic reforms, the question remains: Is the Burmese government "pro-West"? If so, for what reason? The fact is that China remains an influential player in Burma and will continue to play a Big Brother role no matter who is involved in the peace process. More importantly, China has also reportedly supplied Burma's most powerful ethnic militia, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), with large quantities of military hardware. Since 2013, Chinese authorities have been approaching Kachin rebels in northern Shan State to lease land there, without reaching any agreement to date. The Chinese are attempting to secure a long-term lease of about 200,000 acres of land from the KIA in northern Shan State. It is believed that China wants this land for its proxy armies, including the ethnic Kokang rebels officially known as the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). These ethnic armies are currently in active conflict with Burmese forces, and hostilities between the Burma Army and MNDAA earlier this year became a major headache for Beijing when tens of thousands of civilians fled the fighting into China. Whatever political and militaristic machinations are taking place behind the scenes, both China and the West outwardly said all the right things on Thursday following the signing. "The United States commends all sides for their ongoing efforts to bring an end to the longest-running civil conflict in the world. The signing of the text of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) by the government and eight ethnic armed groups is a critical first step in a long process of building a sustainable and just peace in Burma," the US State Department spokesman said, while noting that several ethnic armed groups had abstained. The United States "remain[s] committed to the historic process of peace building and national reconciliation in Burma in the months and years to come," the 350-word statement conclude. Beijing kept things more brief: "China supports and welcomes the important progress made in Myanmar's domestic peace process," a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a regular press briefing. At Thursday's ceremony, the Chinese presence was felt but several Western diplomats were on hand as well. It's safe to say that Burma's fragile peace process will remain messy business at home and abroad as major powers jump in to exert their influence. The post Of Pomp and Peace appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Clashes Subside in Shan State Following SSA-N Retreat Posted: 16 Oct 2015 04:54 AM PDT Villagers displaced by the Burma Army offensive against the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) outside the Hai Pa temple. (Photo: Shan Human Rights Foundation) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — A week of clashes between the military and the Shan State Army-North appears to have ended after the ethnic armed group vacated a strategic river port in Mong Hsu Township. Lt-Col Sai Hla, a spokesman for the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), said that attacks on the group's locations appear from Oct. 6-14 had been motivated by the Burma Army's desire to occupy Tar San Pu village, an important escape route for SSA-N forces. Despite telling The Irrawaddy on Monday that the village was a vital strategic base, Sai Hla said on Friday the SSA-N had made a tactical decision to retreat. "We decided to withdraw because we don't want our people to get harmed, and we are concerned that the clashes might escalate," he said. The conflict has displaced more than 1,500 people around Mong Hsu and Kyethi townships, according to local civil society groups. Four pregnant women are reported to have given birth while fleeing the clashes. "One of them gave birth in a cave, while the three others had to give birth in the jungle without proper facilities, without midwives and clean medical equipment," said Sai Khur Hseng, a spokesman for the Shan Human Rights Founcation. "They need proper shelter and nutrition." On Thursday, 18 Shan community groups released a joint-statement expressing their concerns for health of displaced villagers and called for an immediate end to the Burma Army's offensive. Displaced villagers are short of food and in need of urgent aid, said relief volunteer Sai Zhan Aung, who is assisting a group of 700 people who took refuge in Mong Hsu's Hai Pa village. "Most of them are elderly people, women and children," he told The Irrawaddy. "Though private donors are providing supplies, it is not enough. They are in urgent need of shelter, clothes and medicine." Sai Hla has warned that clashes may resume if the build-up of Burma Army soldiers—estimated at over 10 battalions—decides to press on other SSA-N positions. "There is the possibility that the clashes may intensify because we have seen government troops continuously bringing in soldiers, arms and supplies into our areas," he said. The government signed its long awaited "nationwide" ceasefire agreement in Naypyidaw on Thursday, alongside representatives of eight armed insurgent groups. The Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), the political wing of the SSA-N, declined to participate in the accord.   The post Clashes Subside in Shan State Following SSA-N Retreat appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Business Bodies Uniform in Praise for Ceasefire, Literally Posted: 16 Oct 2015 04:34 AM PDT Bulletins commending a nationwide ceasefire agreement printed in Myanma Alinn on Oct. 16, 2015. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's business community sent a strange and redundant message on Friday, when the country's chief business associations published adjacent, identical ads in state media commending a ceasefire agreement between the government and armed rebels. The nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA)—which includes only eight of the country's more than twenty armed groups—was signed on Thursday in Naypyidaw after two years of volatile negotiations. A full page, front and back, of Burmese language daily Myanma Alinn featured paid bulletins from the country's largest business alliance, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) and ten of its 70 sister associations weighing in on the historic occasion. Distinguishable only by their logos in the top left corner of each bulletin, ten ads—all but the one published by the UMFCCI—touted the exact same message: We hope and believe that this [NCA] will advance toward the successful commencement of political dialogue and we also hope and believe that the remaining ethnic groups will sign the NCA… We, on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, are deeply grateful to the Union Government led by the President, Union Peace-making Central Committee, Union Peace-making Work Committee, division and state governments, eight ethnic armed groups, and officials of the Myanmar Peace Center, who have taken the lead role in the successful signing of the NCA and we hereby express our heartfelt congratulations to them. A larger bulletin from the UMFCCI was worded slightly differently. Dr. Maung Maung Lay, vice chairman of the federation, said that as a large organization that works with the government, the UMFCCI had a duty to express gratitude. He also denied suspicions that the associations were in any way pressured to make the statements, a speculation that arose among some readers. "As we are the biggest business association, we work with the government and we appreciate their achievements," Maung Maung Lay told The Irrawaddy on Friday. "We weren't forced to announce that in the newspaper." As for why the other ads were all identical in form and content, Dr. Maung Maung Lay speculated that the other associations might have just been "too lazy" to draft their own messages. Though perhaps, he said, they didn't want to confuse readers if there were inconsistencies in their approach, choosing "the easy way to announce that." Dr. Soe Tun, joint secretary of the Myanmar Rice Federation, also denied any pressure to push a certain message. He said that all of the country's business associations have the same goal of achieving a stable and peaceful environment whereby borders can be developed and businesses can benefit farmers and workers. "In the rice industry, for instance," Dr. Soe Tun said, "there are many farmers who have been displaced around the conflict areas. So now they can go back to their homes." If successful, the ceasefire agreement would surely a boon for business, as it could lead to more development and access to places and populations that were previously isolated and impoverished. A front-page story in Friday's English-language state daily, The Global New Light of Myanmar, said that ceasefire areas would be prioritized for development projects, highlighting the "importance" of special economic zones, garment manufacturing and agro-business jobs. The ten associations that ran announcements in Myanma Alinn are the Myanmar Rice Federation, Union of Myanmar Travel Association, Union of Myanmar Beans and Pulses Traders Association, Myanmar Livestock Federation, Myanmar Fisheries Federation, Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association, Myanmar Oil Traders Association, Myanmar Medicines and Pharmaceutical Association, Myanmar Industrial Association and the Myanmar Rice Producers Association. The post Business Bodies Uniform in Praise for Ceasefire, Literally appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myitsone Dam, Kachin Conflict under Spotlight in New Film Posted: 16 Oct 2015 03:45 AM PDT Boys play on the riverbank of Myitsone in Kachin State, December 2014. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — A new documentary film premiering in Rangoon this weekend offers a view into the social upheaval and dislocation caused by the Myitsone Dam project in Kachin State. Produced over four years, including months embedded in the now largely abandoned Tang Hpre village in the dam's catchment area, Dams, Drugs and Democracy charts community opposition to the dam before and after President Thein Sein announced the controversial megaproject's suspension in 2011. Filmmakers follow a group of Tang Hpre residents as they are moved to the Aung Myint Thar resettlement village, constructed by Myitsone project partner Asia World. Villagers say that the homes built by the company, which remains listed on the US Treasury sanctions list as a result of its links to the narcotics trade, are poorly constructed and will not last more than a few years. "I had to build our concrete foundations," said Seng Hkawng, 33, who was one of hundreds to be relocated from Tang Hpre after being given a 100,000 kyat (US$78) ex gratia payment. "The roof blew off during the last rainy season. There's nowhere to find firewood. The builders had no sense of responsibility." Elsewhere, the documentary chronicles the introduction of heroin into the local community, as land near Tang Hpre is leased to local gold mining firms and an influx of workers leads to the spread of drug use. As the majority stakeholder in the dam, a subsidiary of China Power Investment Corp., lobbies for the resumption of construction, the film follows the 2014 protest led by Ye Htut Kaung, which marched from Rangoon to Kachin State in opposition to the project. "The people who put us in prison are the ones that will be seen as criminals in the eyes of history," the activist told filmmakers. Shortly after the march, Ye Htut Kaung was arrested and imprisoned for 12 months under the Peaceful Assembly Act. Set against the renewed conflict between the Burmese government and the Kachin Independence Organization, which has been ongoing for four years, villagers interviewed in the film said their lives had been turned upside down by the Myitsone project. "Whenever someone gets into a high position in this country, they only care about their own lives and their own family," Share Gum Ja, who moved to Tang Hpre in 2002, told filmmakers. The 65-year-old is now living on his own in the village after the death of his wife and mother and in defiance of a ban on former residents returning to their homes. "They don't bother with us, unless they have something to take from us, or if they want to force us to work for them." When construction on the Myitsone Dam was suspended in 2011, President Thein Sein deferred an ultimate decision on the project until after the 2015 general election. The ultimate fate of the dam remains unclear. The film will be screened on Friday evening to a sold out crowd at Myanmar Deitta on 44th Street, Botahtaung Township. A repeat screening at the same venue will be held for registered attendees on Sunday at 3pm. More information about Dams, Drugs & Democracy can be found at the film's website.  The post Myitsone Dam, Kachin Conflict under Spotlight in New Film appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Man Arrested for Facebook Post Denied Bail, Moved to Insein Prison Posted: 16 Oct 2015 01:19 AM PDT Peace activist May Sabe Phyu stands outside Rangoon’s Insein prison, where her husband is in detention awaiting trial over a Facebook post viewed as defaming the Burma Army. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The husband of renowned activist May Sabe Phyu, who was detained this week over a Facebook post viewed as defamatory to the Burma Army, has been denied bail and transferred to Rangoon's Insein prison, his wife said on Friday as she waited for a visit with the detainee. Patrick Khum Jaa Lee, 43, was apprehended by plainclothes police on Wednesday at his home in Rangoon's Hlaing Township, where he lives with his wife, a high-profile peace and gender equality activist. May Sabe Phyu arrived in Rangoon on Friday morning after being informed of her husband's arrest while she was on business in Ireland. The internationally renowned activist promptly returned to Burma to attend to her husband's case. Khum Jaa Lee was arrested on defamation charges related to sharing a photo of a man wearing a Kachin-style longyi stepping on a portrait of Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.  A Lt-Col for the Burma Army filed a suit against him under the 2013 Telecommunications Law, which carries penalties of up to three years in prison. His wife was granted a 30 minute meeting with him on Friday, the first family contact he has had since his arrest. Speaking to The Irrawaddy just after her visit, May Sabe Phyu said her husband was forced to sign a confession and fears the case was fabricated. She said her husband's Facebook account appeared to have been hacked, and he maintained that he did not share the post in question. According to May Sabe Phyu, the defendant said interrogators forced him to sign a document several pages in length and containing photographic printouts, but he was only shown the first page and asked to sign it. May Sabe Phyu also voiced concern about her husband's health in the notorious lock-up, as he suffers from severe asthma and was likely without his inhaler. "I think it's too harsh," she said of the government's decision to detain him in response to the Facebook post. The controversial photo was widely shared by other social media users, prompting questions over why Khum Jaa Lee may have been expressly targeted by authorities. "While the government and the international community are trumpeting Burma's progress toward democracy, what is happening now indicates that freedom of expression is still a sensitive issue," his wife said, making a public plea for him to remain honest throughout his detention. "I want to warn him to make sure he sticks to the truth, even if he faces forced interrogation," May Sabe Phyu said. Patrick Khum Jaa Lee is at least the third person to be arrested after sharing a Facebook post deemed to defame the Burma Army. On Tuesday, a young woman was detained and brought to trial after sharing a satirical post on social media comparing Burma Army uniforms to a feminine longyi donned by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Earlier this year, a photographer was similarly arrested for sharing a photo deemed insulting to the military. He was released after three days of interrogation. The international community has rushed to the defense of the two detainees currently on trial. On Friday, US State Department spokesperson John Kirby told reporters in Washington he was "disappointed" by Khum Jaa Lee's arrest, and called for the immediate release of both detainees. Kirby said use of the law to restrict freedom of expression contradicts the Burmese government's stated commitment to democratic reform and human rights. "Freedom of speech, including speech that discusses the military and other government institutions, is integral to a democratic society. And we call on authorities to release these individuals immediately and unconditionally," Kirby said. A similar request was made in a statement by Amnesty International on Thursday evening, demanding an immediate pardon and referring to Burmese authorities as "dangerously thin-skinned and vindictive." "They might claim that the country has turned a corner on human rights, but this is yet another chilling reminder that the same repressive practices continue," Laura Haigh, Amnesty's Burma researcher, said in the statement. The post Man Arrested for Facebook Post Denied Bail, Moved to Insein Prison appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Asia’s Developing Nations Pessimistic on Equality for Women: Survey Posted: 15 Oct 2015 10:59 PM PDT A Vietnamese woman of Dao ethnic tribe harvests rice on a terraced rice paddy field during the harvest season in Tu Le, northwest of Hanoi, October 3, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) BANGKOK — People in Asia's developing countries believe the next generation of women will face a tough time combating gender inequality, according to a survey released on Friday. The survey across Asia by credit card company MasterCard asked 8,700 people if they thought gender equality would become worse, remain the same or get better in the future. Poorer countries, such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Burma were most pessimistic about advances in women's equality, while respondents in richer nations such Australia and Singapore expected progress. The "next generation well-being" index, based on the survey of 17 developed and emerging market countries, used a scale with 0 being completely negative, 50 neutral and 100 maximum positive. Among the developing countries index scores were highest in Malaysia (54.4), the Philippines (36.5) and Thailand (27.1), and lowest in Burma (11.6), Indonesia (9.5) and Vietnam (1.9). By comparison, the seven developed countries surveyed collectively scored 62.6, with Taiwan (84.3), Australia (71.0) and Singapore (64.8) most optimistic about gender equality improving in the future. The scores in wealthier nations show "women are looking to consolidate the gains their mothers fought for," said Pauline Tweedie, the deputy country representative in Thailand for the Asia Foundation, a non-governmental development organization. "It's not surprising that they think it will continue to improve because they've seen improvements in the past. That would also explain why Malaysia is so high," said Tweedie. "Conversely, when you look at developing countries, women still haven't realized those gains yet, so they're not necessarily positive about the future." MasterCard also asked the respondents, who ranged in age from 18 to 64, about financial inequality, work-life balance and natural disasters. The emerging market countries in Asia—which are the hardest hit by climate change-related impacts—felt pollution and natural disasters would get worse, scoring 27.2, compared to a relatively neutral 52.8 in developed countries. The post Asia's Developing Nations Pessimistic on Equality for Women: Survey appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Malaysia Arrests Man for Hacking US Security Data to Supply Targets for Islamic State Posted: 15 Oct 2015 10:39 PM PDT Iraqi security forces hold an Islamist State flag which they pulled down at the University of Anbar, in Anbar province, July 26, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia has arrested a man on charges of hacking into the personal information of more than a thousand US security officials and handing the database to the Islamic State militant group in Syria so it could target the individuals. The 20-year-old from Kosovo, who entered Malaysia in August 2014 to study computer science and forensics at a private institute in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, will be extradited to the United States, police said in a statement on Thursday night. "Early investigation found the suspect communicated with one of the right hand man (leader) of IS terrorist group in Syria to hack a few servers containing information and details of US securities personnel and team," Malaysian police said. "The details were then transferred to the operation unit of the IS group for further action." The US Justice Department said the man, Ardit Ferizi, a citizen of Kosovo and a known hacker, had been charged with hacking the personal information of 1,351 US military personnel and federal employees and supporting Islamic State. Ferizi, believed to be the leader of a Kosovar internet hacking group called Kosova Hacker's Security (KHS), hacked the computer system of a US company and stole the personal identification information (PII) of thousands of individuals, the department said in a statement on its website on Thursday. Between June and August 2015 Ferizi allegedly provided the PII to an Islamic State member, who in turn posted a tweet titled "NEW: US Military AND Government HACKED by the Islamic State Hacking Division!" which contained a hyperlink to a 30-page document. The document said in part: "we are in your emails and computer systems, watching and recording your every move, we have your names and addresses." It said that information would be passed on to Islamic State fighters "who soon with the permission of Allah will strike at your necks in your own lands!" The US Justice Department statement said: "This posting was intended to provide ISIL (Islamic State) supporters in the United States and elsewhere with the PII belonging to the listed government employees for the purpose of encouraging terrorist attacks against those individuals." Although Muslim-majority Malaysia has not seen any significant militant attacks, it has arrested more than 100 citizens this year on suspicion of links to Islamic State. Authorities are cracking down on people with Islamic State links and have so far identified several Malaysians who have gone to Syria and Iraq to join the group. In August, police arrested 10 Malaysians suspected of links to Islamic State, among them six members of Malaysia's security forces. The post Malaysia Arrests Man for Hacking US Security Data to Supply Targets for Islamic State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

With Fuel Blocked at Border, Nepal Plans Talks with India Posted: 15 Oct 2015 10:29 PM PDT Passengers take a ride on an overcrowded bus as limited public transportation operates in Kathmandu during the ongoing oil and fuel crisis. (Photo: Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters) BIRGANJ, Nepal — The line of parked cargo trucks stretches at least 30 kilometers from the Nepalese border. Some have been waiting on the Indian side for 45 days. On the other side, hundreds of ethnic Madhesis are protesting against Nepal’s new constitution. With them blocking the road, Indian truck drivers say they’re stuck The border impasse—now in its third week—has halted the majority of shipments into Nepal and left the Himalayan nation hobbled by a shortage of fuel and goods. Nepal said Thursday one of its newly appointed deputy premiers, Kamal Thapa, was invited to go to New Delhi on Saturday for talks to resolve the stalemate. Nepal has accused India of imposing an economic blockade to support the Madhesis, who have strong links with India, in their demand for more constitutional representation. But India insists the problem is Nepal’s, and that Indian truck drivers won’t resume their deliveries because they are afraid to cross into the middle of a protest camp. There, the Madhesis have erected tents and set tires alight. On Wednesday, some 1,500 were rallying at the camp, and no Indian or Nepalese police or border guards were patrolling anywhere nearby. “You cannot fight for your rights without suffering any pain,” 57-year-old protester Prem Babu Patel said. “There is no fuel, very little food and the prices for everything have shot up…but we have to fight to get our rights as Nepalis.” Several checkpoints dot the 1,700-kilometer border, but most shipments into Nepal go through this checkpoint at the northern edge of the Indian state of Bihar. Indian Oil Corp.—which supplies all of Nepal’s fuel—has said only 6,000 tons of gasoline and diesel had been delivered in the first half of October—not even a quarter of the usual two-week supply of about 30,000 tons. The company has yet to assess its losses. The largest Madhesi group, called the United Democratic Madhesi Front, has vowed to continue agitating until the government agrees to their demands. They have argued that the new constitution unfairly divides Nepal into seven states with borders that through the Madhesis’ ancestral homeland in the southern plains. The Madhesis, along with several other small ethnic groups, also want the states to be larger and to be given more autonomy over local matters. The post With Fuel Blocked at Border, Nepal Plans Talks with India appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Japan Businesses Support Bringing in Low-Skilled Foreign Labor Posted: 15 Oct 2015 10:09 PM PDT An elderly man at work inside a Tokyo factory. (Photo: Yuya Shino / Reuters) TOKYO — Three-quarters of Japanese companies support opening up the country to more foreign workers in low-skilled jobs to cope with a rapidly worsening labor shortage, a Reuters poll shows—a stark contrast to deep-seated government reluctance to do so. Japan, one of the world’s fastest ageing nations, is grappling with an acute lack of workers, especially in industries such as construction, farming and care for the elderly—a shortage that could hamper Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic revival plans. But Abe’s government, rather than taking significant steps to allow in more of the sort of foreign workers who could address those shortages, has focused on relaxing requirements for highly skilled foreigners and has promoted policies that encourage the participation of women and the elderly in the workforce. The Reuters Corporate Survey, conducted Sept. 30-Oct. 9, showed 76 percent of Japanese firms are in favor of bringing in low-skilled foreign labor, on the presumption that the workers would be treated fairly in terms of benefits. “In labor-intensive industries, the lack of workers has become a big bottleneck to growth,” responded a corporate manager at a transport firm. Among those in favor, 68 percent said they supported the idea to some extent, while 8 percent were very much in support. Close to a fifth said they didn’t really support the idea while 5 percent were completely against it. With one-quarter of Japan’s population already over 65 years of age, the job market is tight. The unemployment rate hit an 18-year low of 3.3 percent in July and one measure of job availability has risen to levels not seen since the early 1990s. But foreign workers accounted for only 1 percent of Japan’s total labor force in 2012, government data shows. The shortage of workers is most acute in the construction industry, leaving companies struggling to meet demand for new projects tied to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and reconstruction work in areas in northern Japan destroyed by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Topping the list of concerns for those against more low-skilled foreign labor were language and cultural issues. There were also doubts that firms would be able to lower labor costs with less-expensive foreign workers. But written comments from those in favor showed many managers thought that taking in more low-skilled foreign labor was inevitable and it was time to debate rules and mechanisms to facilitate the change. “If we don’t legally approve foreign workers to some degree, then the number of illegal workers will only increase and there’ll be a deterioration in public order,” a manager at a chemicals company wrote. The monthly survey, conducted for Reuters by Nikkei Research, polled 515 big and medium sized firms and around 260 companies answered questions on foreign workers. Corporate managers respond on condition of anonymity. The post Japan Businesses Support Bringing in Low-Skilled Foreign Labor appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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