Tuesday, August 11, 2015

National News

National News

Govt proposes TNLA ceasefire talks

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

The government and an ethnic Palaung army fighting in the Kokang region could soon hold ceasefire talks, a development that could help break an impasse over the nationwide peace deal.

Thai trips expected to rise as visa-free deal comes into effect

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

Visa-free travel to Thailand comes into effect today, sparking a likely spike in visitor numbers, travel agents say. Following an agreement reached last month, Myanmar passport holders can now pop over to Bangkok or Phuket for a two-week trip without queuing for a visa at the Thai embassy in Yangon or showing evidence of funding.

Small parties struggle to match their electoral ambitions

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

Flooding , funding shortfalls and personnel problems have bedevilled the efforts of small parties to field a full slate of candidates in the November 8 election, it has emerged. Though the Union Election Commission (UEC) extended the deadline for the submission of candidate lists from August 8 to August 14, some smaller parties have effectively abandoned their attempt to run in many constituencies they had planned to contest.

Landslides could force Hakha City to move

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

The Chin State government is considering relocating the majority of the state capital after landslides caused by heavy monsoon rain ripped through the city last month.

Flood death toll tops 100

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

The death toll from severe flooding across Myanmar has topped 100, state media reported yesterday, with nearly 1 million people affected as fears intensify for the country's crucial rice bowl region.

Flood-hit farmers fear loan losses

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

As floodwaters recede from parts of Magwe Region, farmers are facing new problems – paying back loans they took out before the growing season. Such loans from the state-run Myanma Agricultural Development Bank (MADB) are usually repaid from the proceeds of the crop. But in many cases in the flood-hit regions, the crops have been destroyed, leaving farmers deep in debt.

Health officials fight potential for cholera

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

Health workers are battling the spectre of cholera in the regions devastated by floods. So far, they say, the several known outbreaks of diarrhoea do not constitute an epidemic. But relief workers are moving rapidly to distribute medicines and carrying out crash public health education programs on the scene to alert people to the risk of dirty water and contaminated food.

Overlooked residents in Magwe appeal for more aid

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

As the government, NGOs and civil society rally to help flooding victims in the nation's afflicted midsection, would-be rescuers are pleading for more aid to be directed to one of the most inaccessible disaster zones. In Yenangyaung township, Magwe Region, more than 20,000 people have been devastated by flooding, with thousands huddled in relief camps desperately in need of supplies, local administrators say.

Rice destined for flood-hit areas

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

A local trading firm has donated 85 bags of rice valued at K2 million to Myanmar Red Cross Society for distribution to families affected by recent flooding. Lucky Family Trading handed over the rice on August 8 at MRCS headquarters in Botahtaung township.

Online future for highway bus tickets

Posted: 10 Aug 2015 02:30 PM PDT

The scrum for bus tickets in the lead-up to popular holidays like water festival could soon be a thing of the past, as more companies – and, they hope, customers – head online to make bookings. The country's increasing interconnectedness, particularly in Yangon, is allowing people to save time they would have spent buying tickets in person by instead using their laptop or smartphone.
Posted by at No comments:

Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

Questions for peacemakers

Posted: 11 Aug 2015 04:12 AM PDT

Thanks to you on both sides of the fence, the final Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) draft is now agreed by all on 7 August. The only question remains is whether there'll be a signing of it.
newspictures_2013_feb_tiger-as-editor
The Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) plan is as follows, according to insider sources:
  • Each EAO will hold meetings to consider the question
  • They will then hold another summit to jointly reconsider it
  • The top leaders of what are known collectively as the Big Five (Kachin Independence Organization, Karen National Union , Karenni National Progressive Party, New Mon State Party and Shan State Progress Party) are expected to meet the President and the Commander-in-Chief afterward
What will happen after the Big Seven meeting is of course still open to further questions— and arguments.
Some of which are:
Government
·       Signing before the end of August (C-in-C will be traveling abroad, Election campaigns begin in September)
·       Signing before elections
·       Three of the EAOs, (Arakan National Council, Wa National Organization, Lahu Democratic Union) haven't exchanged fire with the Burma Army. No fire, so no ceasefire necessary
·       As for the other 3 (Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and Ta-ang National Liberation Army): AA is part of KIO, MNDAA guilty of "violation of sovereignty", and TNLA needs to sign bilateral ceasefire first		EAOs 
·       We need time to hold a summit; it is not easy to organize one
·       Signing during the current government's tenure.
·       They are our people
·       If the 3 are left behind the NCA will be meaningless. Government needs to show more magnanimity
Then there are questions and arguments from the government's side too.
EAOs
·       President Thein Sein doesn't deserve credit for the peace process
·       We don't trust C-in-C Min Aung Hlaing
·       (Wa, Mong La) we don't need to sign the NCA. We will only join the peace process after the NCA is signed.
·       We want to hold another summit before sending the Big Five to Naypyitaw
·       The Big Five want to meet the President and C-in-C 		Government
Who else is?
Who then do you trust?
·       If you don't, others will also use it as an excuse to skip the NCA
·       Since each EAO will have already met and decided whether to sign or not by that time, is another summit necessary?
·       Is there going to be the signing of NCA afterward?
Of course, there are more questions. But these should be enough for the present.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)