The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Arrest over Facebook Post a Case of Mistaken Identity, Defendant Says
• Ye Htut Calls on US to ‘Unconditionally Lift’ Remaining Sanctions
• Tay Za-Owned Hotel Barred from Hosting Political Trainings
• Ethnic Leaders Draft Policy to Reflect ‘Common Vision’ in Future Peace Talks
• Jade Trade: Official Export Earnings Down for 2015
• Lower House Tables Motion Calling for an End to Shan State Clashes
• Four Civilians Killed in Car Crash While Fleeing Fighting in Shan State
• Free Funeral Services Society Announces Organic Farming Initiative
• New Sewage Treatment Plants Planned for Rangoon
• Fair Share: Toward an Equitable Resource Revenue System
• Strongmen to Predominate at Obama’s SE Asia Summit
• Indian Students Protest in Thousands as Government Cracks Down on Dissent
• SKorea Urges ‘Extraordinary’ New Sanctions on NKorea

Arrest over Facebook Post a Case of Mistaken Identity, Defendant Says Posted: 16 Feb 2016 05:11 AM PST Hla Phone at Mayangone Township Court on Monday. (Photo: Pyay Kyaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — An individual arrested last week over a Facebook post that allegedly defames the government and the military has said he is not the suspect in question—a user under the name of Kyat Pha Gyi. In the latest case of defamation involving social media, Hla Phone of Rangoon's Mayangone Township was arrested on Feb. 10 for allegedly sharing a post online deemed critical of the military and the outgoing government. He appeared before Mayangone Township Court on Monday. "I am not Kyat Pha Gyi. I was wrongly arrested," the 38-year old told the media on Monday. The defendant is reportedly a sailor and is being charged for defamation under Article 66(d) of Burma's Telecommunications Law, the same law under which several cases have been prosecuted in recent months. National League for Democracy supporter Chaw Sandi Tun was sentenced to six months' jail in December over a Facebook post that likened military uniforms to women's apparel. Last month, Kachin aid worker Patrick Khum Jaa Lee also received a six month sentence for allegedly sharing a photo of a man dressed in traditional Kachin attire stomping on an image of Burma Army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. Another Facebook user was criticized by Burmese netizens earlier this month after he posted comments threatening violence if a constitutional clause barring Aung San Suu Kyi from the presidency was amended. In Hla Phone's case, a complaint was filed by Lt-Col Soe Win Maw of Rangoon Command. The complaint states that "Kyat Pha Gyi's account has been defaming the army chief, the military and the president by posting photoshopped pictures and text," according to Rangoon Western District Police Office, where the complaint was made. Kyat Pha Gyi's Facebook account is still active and on Tuesday—nearly a week after Hla Phone's arrest—a new post appeared reading: "I was sorry for Ko Hla Phone who has been mistaken […] as Kyat Pha Gyi. Please pray for him." At the end of the post, the account user disclosed his name: "Kyaw Kyaw Min a.k.a. Kyat Pha Gyi." The defendant's lawyer Robert San Aung said if the plaintiff can provide evidence, the trial will go ahead. "If not, they have to release him," he told the media after Monday's court appearance. The post Arrest over Facebook Post a Case of Mistaken Identity, Defendant Says appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ye Htut Calls on US to ‘Unconditionally Lift’ Remaining Sanctions Posted: 16 Feb 2016 04:30 AM PST Ye Htut, Minister of Information, speaks to the media after a meeting in Union Parliament in Naypyidaw, August 18, 2015. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) Burma's Minister of Information Ye Htut on Tuesday called on the US to lift remaining sanctions on Burma following the country's successful elections. Speaking to Voice of America on the sidelines of a US-ASEAN Summit in California, Ye Htut said: "At a time when [Burma] has reached another stage in the transition process, proven by the election results, the best way that the US can help Burmese citizens is by unconditionally lifting all economic sanctions against [Burma]." Ye Htut is accompanying Vice President Nyan Tun at the Feb. 15-16 summit hosted by US President Barack Obama. President Thein Sein pulled out of the dialogue at the eleventh hour due, according to Ye Htut, to the country's delicate transition period. Asked by VOA about the Burmese delegation's agenda at the summit, Ye Htut reportedly said they would request the continued assistance of the US and ASEAN governments as a new government prepares to take over on April 1. The US lifted some sanctions against the former pariah state after Thein Sein's administration took power in 2011. However, some restrictions remain, including an arms embargo and a blacklist preventing US firms from doing business with targeted individuals. The post Ye Htut Calls on US to 'Unconditionally Lift' Remaining Sanctions appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tay Za-Owned Hotel Barred from Hosting Political Trainings Posted: 16 Feb 2016 04:19 AM PST National League for Democracy chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi meets with her party's recently elected representatives from Upper Burma at May Hall in Pyinmana, Naypyidaw, on Dec. 5, 2015. (Photo: Facebook / NLD Chairperson) RANGOON — A hotel owned by Burmese business tycoon Tay Za in the country's capital has been warned by the Naypyidaw Council against sponsoring trainings for political parties. The notification letter, signed by Col. Min Naung of the council and addressed to Htoo Construction Development Group, stated that 10 companies had in the past been given approval to build hotels in Naypyidaw's Dekkhinathiri Township with loans provided by the state-owned Myanma Economic Bank with a 15-year repayment option. Until these loans are paid back in full to the Naypyidaw Development Committee, the capital's municipal body, the hotels remain state-owned and therefore prohibited from holding meetings for political parties, the letter said. Among the 10 hotels, the Tay Za-owned Shwe San Eain Hotel reportedly sponsored two trainings in December for incoming National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmakers, backed by the Asia Green Development Bank, also owned by Tay Za. Ma Thandar, a Lower House lawmaker with the NLD, who attended one of the party's training sessions in Rangoon, confirmed that a session was held at the Shwe San Eain Hotel ahead of the new Parliament. Myo Yan Naung Thein, secretary of the NLD central research management team, which helps to arrange the trainings, posted to his Facebook page on Tuesday that he asked Tay Za to help provide training space and that the government was trying to stop NLD trainings. Chit Khine, owner of the Hilton Myanmar Hotel, also included on the list, said that he has agreed to follow the rules stipulated by the Naypyidaw Council. "There was no punishment mentioned in the letter to us, just restrictions," he said. The NLD has accepted donations from so-called "cronies" in the past, including at a fundraiser event held to mark the second anniversary of the founding of its Rangoon education network, for which Tay Za's Htoo Group of Companies contributed funds. Tay Za remains on a US blacklist preventing American companies from doing business with him. NLD party members, including chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, have denied there is any ethical dilemma involved in accepting money, saying that it is a matter of convenience. The post Tay Za-Owned Hotel Barred from Hosting Political Trainings appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ethnic Leaders Draft Policy to Reflect ‘Common Vision’ in Future Peace Talks Posted: 16 Feb 2016 03:03 AM PST Ethnic representatives gather to discuss security issues and Burma's peace process at a workshop in northern Thailand on February 16, 2016. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy) CHIANG MAI, THAILAND — Ethnic representatives from the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) and various domestic and international advisors gathered to discuss security issues and Burma's peace process in northern Thailand's Chiang Mai this week. Titled "Security, Defense and Current Political Situation Workshop," the three-day event was organized by the Ethnic Nationalities Affairs Centre (ENAC), an organization focused on providing training and drafting policy that will support Burma's peace process. Khu Oo Reh, the general secretary of the UNFC—a coalition of 11 ethnic armed groups (EAOs)—said on Tuesday that the workshop was held in preparation to present collective policies on each sector at a future political dialogue. Khu Oo Reh is also the secretary of ENAC's board of directors. The leaders in the workshop explored different approaches to security sector reform (SSR) and disarmament, disintegration and reintegration (DDR) processes from other countries, such as Nepal and Northern Ireland. "The discussion helps us to think best [about] how to transform and integrate the armed groups during Burma's transition period, but not by copying [the others'] ways," said Khu Oo Reh. Eight armed groups signed the government's so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) in October 2015, including UNFC members the Chin National Front and the Pa-O National Liberation Organization. The two groups' membership of the alliance was subsequently suspended. "We will share our draft policies with the EAOs to get approval and recommendations from them before the political dialogue [continues], so that we will have a common vision when the time comes for the talks," said Khu Oo Reh. The alliance has said they are also ready to work with the new National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government, but an official channel for talks between the UNFC and the NLD has yet to form. Since its formation in 2013, ENAC has been providing a series of workshops and trainings for civil society and EAO leadership on issues concerning politics, economics, land rights, humanitarian aid, resource governance and security. Leaders participating in this week's workshop emphasized the need for such policy talks, noting that Burma's public has been denied the opportunity to participate in decisions regarding education, health, investment and the environment due to the lack of a federal system. Sai Nyunt Lwin, general secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and a member of ENAC's board of directors, said that future policy briefings would have to be shared with local civil society groups. Awareness of the peace process, he said, is the most significant issue after that of the government's transfer of power. "Peace building is not only talking about signing the ceasefire with the various armed groups. It also has to be creating peace, stability and rule of law in the country," he told The Irrawaddy. The post Ethnic Leaders Draft Policy to Reflect 'Common Vision' in Future Peace Talks appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Jade Trade: Official Export Earnings Down for 2015 Posted: 16 Feb 2016 02:44 AM PST A buyer checks a jade stone near a mine dump at a Hpakant jade mine in Kachin State, November 29, 2015. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Revenue derived from Burma's official jade exports declined in the first nine months of the 2015-16 fiscal year, as the lucrative industry continues to draw fire over safety, ethical and environmental concerns. According to figures from the Ministry of Commerce, US$567 million in revenue was derived from jade exports from April to December last year, compared to $1.4 billion for the 2014-15 fiscal year. Seaborne trade accounted for $262 million, while $305 million was attributed to overland trade. On the apparent drop in official export figures—albeit with three months of the fiscal year yet to be tallied—Win Myint, director of the Ministry of Commerce's trade promotion department, said the government was "really only stimulating the jade market within Burma." The last jade emporium, held exclusively for domestic traders, took place in December in Naypyidaw, with over 6,800 lots on display. While the precious stone is sold officially at separate emporiums for domestic and international buyers, the majority of Burma's jade is smuggled illegally over the border with China. The extent of illegal earnings is not captured in official data but a report by Global Witness in October last year estimated that up to $31 billion in jade left the country in 2014. The watchdog's investigation found that much of the profit from the illicit trade was linked to government and military elites. The industry was also tarnished by a series of deadly landslides in Kachin State's Hpakant in 2015, the worst of which killed over 100 local prospectors in November. Many so-called hand-pickers are drawn to Hpakant Township from around the country to sift through huge piles of waste discarded by mining companies in search of valuable stone. Jade remains one of Burma's key export items, with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan among the leading target countries. As quoted in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar on Tuesday, an unnamed commerce ministry official said total exports were still expected to hit $1 billion by the close of the current fiscal year. Tun Hla Aung, secretary of the Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association, said the Chinese government was more strictly monitoring large overseas bank transfers, limiting Chinese traders' ability to acquire funds to purchase jade. Min Thu, assistant director of the Myanmar Gems Enterprise, concurred that "many Chinese jade traders couldn't get loans from banks to make jade purchases." The post Jade Trade: Official Export Earnings Down for 2015 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lower House Tables Motion Calling for an End to Shan State Clashes Posted: 16 Feb 2016 02:07 AM PST MPs attend a parliamentary session in Naypyidaw on Feb. 4, 2016. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) Sai Tun Aung, a Lower House lawmaker for Kyaukme Township representing the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), submitted a proposal on Tuesday calling for an end to fighting in Shan State. "I urge the national government, the Shan State government and all concerned bodies to end clashes in the Palaung Self-Administered Zone and Kyaukme Township as soon as possible and to take care of suffering war victims, as the lives of citizens, teachers and students are at grave risk," Sai Tun Aung told fellow MPs. His proposal was seconded by Nan Kham Aye of Namtu Township, also from the SNLD. The motion was put to a vote and approved by the Parliament's Lower House for further discussion. Renewed clashes broke out between the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) on Feb. 7 in northern Shan State, displacing over 3,000 civilians. "There are over 600 people caught in clashes in Nyaung Maung and Nyaung Bin Hla villages [in Kyaukme Township]. They have phoned many times to plead for rescue. But we are not able to get there," Sai Maung Than, the leader of a volunteer group helping displaced villagers, told The Irrawaddy. "At a time when we should be promoting the educational standards of our citizens, teachers and students trapped in these war zones have to flee," said Nan Kham Aye. Lower House Speaker Win Myint said the proposal will be discussed at a session on Wednesday. The Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N) has offered to mediate a resolution between the two ethnic armed groups. Further clashes were reported on Monday. The post Lower House Tables Motion Calling for an End to Shan State Clashes appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Four Civilians Killed in Car Crash While Fleeing Fighting in Shan State Posted: 16 Feb 2016 12:30 AM PST Victims are carried from the scene of a car accident in Kyaukme Township after fleeing conflict in northern Shan State on February 15, 2016. (Photo: Aung Nay Myo / Facebook) KYAUKME, Shan State — Four people were reportedly killed and 11 injured in a car accident as civilians fled armed conflict in northern Shan State's Kyaukme Township on Monday. The accident occurred near Khaung Khar village, as civilians fled ongoing armed conflict between the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) near Tauk San village, where clashes broke out last week. On Monday, the fighting reached neighboring Kyauk Phyu village. A relative caring for one of the injured in a Kyaukme public hospital said the deceased included an elderly woman, a novice Buddhist monk, and two other men. "Those four died on the spot," she said. In the "Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot" for February 9-15, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that over 3,000 people have been displaced by conflict in the region. The figures included 2,500 from the Tauk San area, and 800 from nearby Namkham Township. Fighting between Shan and Ta'ang forces began in late November and has intensified since February 7. The post Four Civilians Killed in Car Crash While Fleeing Fighting in Shan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Free Funeral Services Society Announces Organic Farming Initiative Posted: 16 Feb 2016 12:25 AM PST Actor Kyaw Thu, chairman of Rangoon's Free Funeral Services Society, helps carry a coffin on March 21, 2011 during the 100,000th funeral service organised by the society. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Famed civil society organization Free Funeral Services Society (FFSS) announced that it will expand its mandate to provide trainings in organic farming in an effort to improve food quality in Burma. Myint Myint Khin Pe, co-founder of FFSS, told The Irrawaddy that the organization will open an institute to provide trainings in agricultural practices. The workshops are expected to begin later this year. Founded in 2001, FFSS is based in Rangoon and was originally established to provide funeral services free of charge to the poor. The organization is also known for its education initiatives, waste collection and free health care services offered through its affiliate, the Thukha Charity Clinic. "Many food products in our country are harmful to our health. Even at our Thukha Clinic, the number of patients is increasing because of those unhygienic foods. We would like to do this to be able to produce chemical free and hygienic foods and thus promote public health," Myint Myint Khin Pe said. She said the organic farming institute will be established on 17 acres of land in Pegu Division, 13 acres of which were given to the organization by a donor. FFSS will also arrange accommodation for those who must travel long distances to study at the institute. FFSS announced through social media that they hope to attract many volunteers through the new institute and encourage philanthropy among youth. The post Free Funeral Services Society Announces Organic Farming Initiative appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Sewage Treatment Plants Planned for Rangoon Posted: 16 Feb 2016 12:15 AM PST Two men attempt to clean a roadside drain. The drains in Rangoon often get clogged with trash, contributing to flooding during monsoon season. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Rangoon's municipal body is planning to build a number of sewage treatment plants throughout the city with the assistance of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), state-run media reported on Tuesday. The new plants are expected to cater for almost 50 percent of the commercial capital's population, according to an official from the Yangon City Development Committee, quoted by the Global New Light of Myanmar. No commencement date or deadlines were specified. The YCDC official told the state-run daily that Rangoon's current sewage system is "no longer able to treat sewage water" and that only six townships currently have septic tank systems. The post New Sewage Treatment Plants Planned for Rangoon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Fair Share: Toward an Equitable Resource Revenue System Posted: 16 Feb 2016 12:05 AM PST Trucks are seen at a jade dump at a Hpakant jade mine in Kachin State, November 26, 2015. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) Myanmar's government currently collects much of the trillions of kyat generated by oil, gas, gemstones and other minerals each year, primarily through its state-owned economic enterprises (SEEs). In the face of such centralized control over revenue, many ethnic groups have long asserted their right to make decisions over resource management in their states. In fact, combatants in areas of active conflict and leaders from several ethnic minority parties—particularly those associated with Kachin, Rakhine and Shan states—have openly called for greater resource revenue sharing. These appeals are only expected to get louder as the NLD forms a new government. In its election manifesto, the party promised to "work to ensure a fair distribution across the country of the profits from natural resource extraction, in accordance with the principles of a federal union." This statement implies at least two things: First, that the party intends to transform Myanmar into a federation, where states and regions have true sovereignty over some government responsibilities; and second, that it intends to enact a natural resource revenue sharing system. A resource revenue sharing system will undoubtedly be on the table during evolving discussions on federalism. However, as we have seen in other countries, these systems come with considerable risks. In the most extreme cases, such as Peru, they can actually exacerbate conflict, encouraging local leaders to use violence to compel greater transfers from the central government or gain control over mine sites. While these experiences are atypical, natural resource revenue sharing often leads to financial waste, local inflation, boom-bust cycles and poor public investment decisions. Myanmar is particularly susceptible to these risks as overall resource revenues officially recorded in the budget remain small—due to smuggling, underreporting, weak tax collection, and revenue retention by SEEs, among other causes. This means that there are limits to how much revenue sharing can help affected communities without the government first putting effort into capturing a bigger share of profits for the state. How much money is at stake today? According to conservative estimates from Myanmar's first Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) report, the government collected nearly 2.6 trillion kyat in oil and gas tax and non-tax revenue and another 442 billion kyat in mining revenues in fiscal year 2013/14. Together, oil, gas and mineral revenues made up 47.5 percent of government revenues (excluding the significant sums that SEEs retain for themselves) in the same year. However, official revenue figures vastly underestimate the true size of the non-renewable resource sector. EITI figures only cover a portion of jade sales. And illegal mining and smuggling of minerals, especially jade, has been well documented. Some independent estimates put the true size of the mineral sector at more than 10 times official figures. Currently, the 42 percent of resource revenues that are not retained by SEEs in their own so-called "Other Accounts" are pooled with other fiscal revenues in the Union budget. Some are then distributed directly to state and regional governments, which are responsible for financing local infrastructure, agriculture and some cultural institutions. As part of the government's effort to decentralize fiscal responsibilities, the amount of the overall budget allocated to all states and regions has increased in recent years, from 3.4 percent in 2013/14 to 7.6 percent in 2014/15 to 8.7 percent in 2015/16. The government now says that it is using population, poverty and regional GDP indicators to determine how much it gives each state or region from this pool of money. Research from the Natural Resource Governance Institute's (NRGI) new report "Sharing the Wealth: A Roadmap for Distributing Myanmar's Natural Resource Revenues," generally corroborates this claim, but with qualifications. Our research indicates that, in practice, the Union sends more money per capita to regions and states that have greater development needs, are conflict-affected, and whose politicians are more assertive. This year, for instance, Chin, Kayah, Tanintharyi and Kachin received the highest per capita allocations, while Ayeyarwady, Bago, Mandalay, and Yangon received the lowest. But just because more money is going to states and regions does not mean that there is more accountability or that social services and infrastructure are improved relative to other parts of the country. Nor does this fiscal decentralization address local demands for greater autonomy over natural resource revenues. Most state and regional officials still report to Union authorities in Naypyitaw. Furthermore, state and regional governments still have low capacity to develop and implement budgets effectively. This means that state and regional spending is not necessarily efficient or linked to a coherent economic development plan. While true federalism—partial sovereignty for states and regions—would require constitutional reform, there are three steps the new government can take now to "ensure a fair distribution across the country of the profits from natural resource extraction." First, the government can start building national consensus on a natural resource revenue sharing formula. This way, all parties would have clarity on the issues and feel a sense of ownership over natural resource governance. This is the principle means through which resource revenue sharing can help stop violent conflicts. Indonesia spent nearly two years negotiating a resource revenue sharing deal with conflict-affected Aceh before coming to an agreement. The ongoing Union Peace Dialogue could be one forum for discussion of how a revenue sharing system could be administered. This discussion would not be a substitute for formal parliamentary and public discussions, but could support government efforts to build peace. Second, the government could further decentralize by making state and regional politicians and officials accountable to local residents. It could also delegate resource management and expenditure responsibilities to these officials slowly, so they have time to learn how to perform these new roles. This can be done even without constitutional change. The Colombian and South African experiences offer some lessons for how decentralization can be achieved in unitary states (though neither case is an unmitigated success). Third, the government could improve the transparency and oversight of natural resource revenues by cracking down on smuggling and illegal mining and publishing project-level information on all extractive projects. Without this information, state and regional governments cannot verify the value of minerals being extracted on their land and therefore cannot trust that they would receive their due under any revenue sharing formula. Myanmar could look to Bolivia and Mongolia, which lead the way when it comes to extractive sector transparency. For instance, the Bolivian government publishes, in a clear and understandable format, online data on transfers to and between subnational authorities and on hydrocarbon production by province, field and company. Natural resource revenue sharing can be a key component of peace-building and decentralization in Myanmar. Mineral-rich Kachin, Mandalay, Sagaing and Shan, and onshore oil-rich Magway and Bago would undoubtedly benefit. Governments in other states and regions with pipelines that transport offshore gas may also profit. But unless done properly, resource revenue sharing can help perpetuate conflicts that have gone on for far too long. Andrew Bauer is a senior economic analyst at the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI). The post Fair Share: Toward an Equitable Resource Revenue System appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Strongmen to Predominate at Obama’s SE Asia Summit Posted: 15 Feb 2016 10:55 PM PST US President Barack Obama makes opening remarks at the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Rancho Mirage, California, February 15, 2016. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque / Reuters) NEW DELHI — A coup leader with a penchant for song. A sultan with a taste for the high life. A ruthless prime minister with 31 years on the job. A former furniture salesman. A communist politburo veteran. A prime minister trying to shake off a US$700 million financial scandal. When President Barack Obama welcomes Southeast Asian leaders for a shirt-sleeves summit set to begin Monday in California, he'll have some interesting dining companions. US officials say the unprecedented gathering, running through Tuesday, is the culmination of Obama's seven-year effort to engage with the Asia-Pacific, a strategic push that China views as an attempt to contain its rise. For the first time, the American president has invited to the United States all the leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a diverse and democratically challenged 10-nation grouping. The meeting place is the sprawling Sunnylands estate where Obama hosted an ice-breaking summit with China's President Xi Jinping in 2013. During two days of discussions and a working dinner, the leaders plan to discuss economic cooperation and trade, and security issues. Hours before the summit was to get underway, Obama, an avid golfer, headed for the estate's nine-hole course, which is considered one of the finest in the country. ASEAN was founded in the 1960s as an anti-communist bloc. It now straddles all of Southeast Asia and has become a fulcrum of US outreach in Asia. That includes its push for adherence to international law in the South China Sea, where disputes between China and its neighbors have stoked tensions. But the US faces an uphill battle to forge unity among ASEAN's members, which includes poor nations such as Cambodia and Laos that are heavily influenced by China and are not party to the dispute. Others members such as Vietnam and the Philippines have been strongly critical of China after confrontations near contested islands. James Clapper, the director of US national intelligence, told Congress last week that ASEAN cohesion is challenged by "varying threat perceptions of China's regional ambitions and assertiveness in the South China Sea." Another challenge for the US lies in promoting a "rules-based order" in a region with a very mixed record on democracy and rule of law. Several of the invitees have not come to power through free and fair elections. They include Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who took power in a May 2014 coup, has cracked down on critics and dissidents and repeatedly pushed back the date for new elections. In the meantime, he has penned the lyrics to a tune called, "Returning Happiness to the People," often played on state-controlled media. Hun Sen from neighboring Cambodia is making his first official US visit as leader, although he's been prime minister since 1985. He has used a combination of guile and brute force to stay in power, including a violent coup in 1997. In recent months he has intensified pressure on the political opposition. Daniel Russel, the top US diplomat for East Asia, defended the invitations, saying the US is not going overboard by rolling out the red carpet for "problematic leaders." He said discussions at Sunnylands will be an opportunity to promote US values and respect for human rights. "Hun Sen isn't going to hear it from his subordinates. Gen. Prayuth isn't going to hear it from his colleagues, but they will and do hear from [Secretary of State] John Kerry, from Barack Obama," Russel told reporters. "It's important for there to be real communication here." Human Rights Watch, however, said inviting unelected leaders represents "an unearned diplomatic reward." In a pre-summit report surveying the record of ASEAN members, it concluded most "have an extraordinarily poor human rights record." Among the 10 nations, only Indonesia and the Philippines are widely regarded as being open democracies. Vietnam and Laos have communist governments that prohibit political dissent, while tiny oil-rich Brunei is governed by the vastly wealthy Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world's few remaining hereditary leaders. In 2014, Bolkiah introduced Shariah criminal law that calls for punishing adultery, abortions and same-sex relationships with flogging and stoning, an action that prompted a Hollywood boycott of the Beverly Hills Hotel, which he owns. Also attending is Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who has been dogged by a scandal over a state investment fund and accusations of a lavish lifestyle. From neighboring Indonesia comes President Joko Widodo, a more down-at-heels leader who rose from being a furniture seller to running the world's fourth-most populated country. Four of the invitees are "lame ducks" with little time left in office, like Obama. At least one of them, from Myanmar, is skipping the summit and sending a deputy instead. Still, Ernie Bower, a Southeast Asia expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the summit will demonstrate the importance of Southeast Asia to the US and set a precedent the next president can follow. "It will send a resounding message to Asian capitals that the United States is committed to this," he said. The post Strongmen to Predominate at Obama's SE Asia Summit appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Indian Students Protest in Thousands as Government Cracks Down on Dissent Posted: 15 Feb 2016 09:32 PM PST Police stop demonstrators during a protest against the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) outside the university campus in New Delhi, India, February 15, 2016. (Photo: Anindito Mukherjee / Reuters) NEW DELHI — India's biggest nationwide student protests in a quarter of a century spread across campuses on Monday after the arrest of a student accused of sedition, in the latest battle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over freedom of expression. Outrage over the arrest of the left-wing student leader, who had organized a rally to mark the anniversary of the execution of a Kashmiri separatist, has led to demonstrations in at least 18 universities. In the largest protest, thousands of students and academics at New Delhi's prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) boycotted classes and erected barricades for a fourth day in an escalating conflict with the authorities. "The government does not want students to have a say," said Rahila Parween, vice-president of the Delhi unit of the All India Students' Federation, a left-wing student union. "It wants to dictate what students think, understand and say." The incident marks another flare-up in an ideological confrontation between Modi's nationalist government and left-wing and liberal groups that is prompting critics to compare it with Indira Gandhi's imposition of a state of emergency in the 1970s to crush dissent. Members of Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the student leader, Kanhaiya Kumar, of "anti-India" sentiment. One BJP lawmaker said the university, which has a tradition of left-wing politics, should be shut down. "I can assure you that every action we take is to protect our country. Any anti-India activity will not be tolerated," BJP President Amit Shah, one of Modi's closest allies, said at party headquarters. Protests spread when Kumar was arrested last week for sedition, after giving a speech questioning the hanging in 2013 of Mohammad Afzal Guru over his role in the 2001 attack on parliament. Activists have long questioned Guru's conviction, and India's Supreme Court has described the evidence against him as circumstantial. Scuffles erupted outside a New Delhi courthouse between lawyers and students where Kumar, 28, was to appear before a judge on Monday. Anti-India Sentiment A leader of the student group that is aligned with the BJP said freedom of expression should not be misused to justify acts that could harm the country. "You cannot be an Indian if you celebrate the death anniversary of a terrorist," said Saurabh Sharma, joint secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (All India Student Council). Home Minister Rajnath Singh has, meanwhile, faced ridicule for citing a fake tweet to say that the JNU demonstration had been backed by Hafiz Saeed, a Pakistani militant accused by India of being behind the 2008 attack on Mumbai in which 166 people died. Delhi police circulated the fake tweet at the weekend in a warning to students "not to get carried away by such seditious and anti-national rhetoric." A spokesman did not answer calls to his mobile phone on Monday seeking comment. "The crackdown signals an utter lack of judgment in the government, where ministers manage to manufacture a national crisis out of what were always, at best, minor affectations in student politics," Pratap Bhanu Mehta, a leading political commentator, wrote in the Indian Express newspaper. Since Modi rose to power in May 2014, people in India have been attacked by Hindus enraged at reports of cows—sacred in their religion—being slaughtered, smuggled or consumed. There has been a series of attacks on churches, while writers have returned awards in protest over the government's silence over a series of murders of secular scholars. At least 18 university campuses witnessed protests on Monday. Students in the eastern city of Kolkata burnt an effigy of Modi and left-wing groups in the neighboring state of Odisha planned state-wide demonstrations. Analysts said the student protests were the most widespread in India since the self-immolation of a young Indian in 1990 after the government ruled in favor of providing affirmative action to the lower castes in higher education. "We are witnessing liberal India, particularly young people who are usually more idealistic, fighting back," said Satish Misra, a political analyst at the Observer Research Foundation. The post Indian Students Protest in Thousands as Government Cracks Down on Dissent appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

SKorea Urges ‘Extraordinary’ New Sanctions on NKorea Posted: 15 Feb 2016 08:48 PM PST North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a banquet for contributors of the recent rocket launch. (Photo: KCNA / Reuters) UNITED NATIONS — South Korea's UN ambassador urged the UN Security Council on Monday to adopt "extraordinary" measures in response to North Korea's recent nuclear test and rocket launch to avoid falling prey to its "nuclear blackmail." Ambassador Oh Joon told a council meeting that members must approve "a robust and comprehensive" sanctions resolution to make clear to the North "that it will no longer tolerate its nuclear weapons development." Pyongyang started off the new year with what it claims was its first hydrogen bomb test and followed that up with the launch of a satellite on a rocket condemned by much of the world as a test of banned missile technology. The ambassador called the test and launch "a clear threat to international peace and security and a blatant challenge to the international community." Over the past 10 years, North Korea has conducted four nuclear tests and launched six long-range missiles—all in violation of Security Council resolutions and Pyongyang's international obligations, Oh told a council meeting on respecting the principles of the UN Charter. "If we go on business-as-usual vis-a-vis the DPRK's repeated nuclear tests and advancement of missile capabilities, the entire world could fall prey to the DPRK's nuclear blackmail," he said, using the initials of the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "Extraordinary threat requires an extraordinary response," Oh said. The United States and China are negotiating the text of a new resolution and the council pledged after the Feb. 7 rocket launch to "expeditiously" adopt a new resolution with "significant" new sanctions. The US and its allies want sanctions that go beyond the North's nuclear and missile programs, but China, Pyongyang's neighbor and supporter on the council, is reluctant to impose measures that could cause the country's economy to collapse. The post SKorea Urges 'Extraordinary' New Sanctions on NKorea appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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