The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Inflammatory Spokesman Zaw Htay Promoted Within President’s Office Leadership
• Rangoon Parliament Nixes Flyover Projects
• Kyat Value Grows in Wake of Govt Power Transfer
• KNU Prepares Land For Future IDP and Refugee Repatriation
• Suu Kyi Outlines Strategies To Free Political Prisoners
• ‘State Counselor’ Bill Signed, Creating Powerful Position for Suu Kyi
• Obama Congratulates Burma on Historic Democratic Milestone

Inflammatory Spokesman Zaw Htay Promoted Within President’s Office Leadership Posted: 07 Apr 2016 06:01 AM PDT Zaw Htay, better known by his Facebook account Hmuu Zaw, was promoted to Deputy Director General within the President's Office. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON – Former President Thein Sein's spokesperson Zaw Htay, better known by his Facebook account Hmuu Zaw, will serve another term in the President's Office but in the higher position of deputy director general, he said at a press conference in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. His critics describe him as a strong advocate of former head of state Thein Sein, under whom held a directorial role within the President's Office. Hmuu Zaw used his Facebook account to oppose National League for Democracy (NLD) supporters and he occasionally contributed articles to local media outlets that bolstered the ex-president and the Burma Army. Hmuu Zaw's reappointment—and promotion—in the new NLD-dominated government has become a hot topic online, with people criticizing his conduct over the past three years; particularly, inflammatory statements targeted at the Rohingya, a religious minority group whom the last government declared were interlopers from neighboring Bangladesh. When communal strife broke out between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in western Burma in 2012, Zaw Htay uploaded pictures—that he later deleted—that fueled tension between the two communities. Myanmar Press Council (MPC) member Myint Kyaw said the media always noticed Hmuu Zaw because his actions went "beyond those of a bureaucrat" and "often expressed his political support of Thein Sein." On Jan. 30, when the former president made his final trip to the Irrawaddy Delta as the head of State, Zaw Htay posted photos with a teaser that read, "The president with a clean record for life has left a good record during his term as well." Myint Kyaw said Hmuu Zaw's actions were those of a nationalist. "His previous actions were totally incongruous with his position," he said. "He posted nationalist sentiments that could have fomented civil unrest. The MPC member suggested that the Burmese government follow the lead of other international organizations that have standards for how their employees are permitted to behave online. He encouraged strict rules as to how government employees could use their social media accounts and warnings or punishments for employees who posted content that could negatively impact the government. There are currently no rules on the books as to what government employees should or should not post online. The post Inflammatory Spokesman Zaw Htay Promoted Within President's Office Leadership appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon Parliament Nixes Flyover Projects Posted: 07 Apr 2016 04:48 AM PDT The recently opened 8 Mile junction flyover in Mayangone Township. (Photo: Pyay Kyaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Rangoon's divisional parliament cancelled the former government's plans to build two new flyovers in the commercial capital during the 2016-2017 fiscal year. "We passed the planning bill for the 2016-17 fiscal year today and we only cancelled the two flyover construction projects in the bill," Nay Naing Oo, a Twante Township lawmaker, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday. The former government had included plans in the bill to construct two flyovers at the junction of Kaba Aye Pagoda Road and Parami Street and in North Okkalapa Township. Nay Naing Oo said that the flyover budget—over 31 billion kyats (US$26 million)—would have made up almost 70 percent of the total budget for the region. The divisional parliament voted to use the funds for development of townships outside of Rangoon's municipal areas. Only a handful of lawmakers voted to share funds within and outside these areas, said Kyaw Kyaw Htun, a lawmaker for Hlaing Township, according to state-run media, "so only the 12 townships outside the municipal areas will have access to funds, though townships within these areas could use funds as well, for example, for drainage and garbage collection." Rangoon Division has 45 townships, 12 of which are outside Rangoon's municipal areas, including Aung San Suu Kyi's constituency, Kawhmu Township. The post Rangoon Parliament Nixes Flyover Projects appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Kyat Value Grows in Wake of Govt Power Transfer Posted: 07 Apr 2016 04:43 AM PDT Stacks of Burmese kyat notes are prepared at a bank ahead of being transported in Rangoon. (Photo: Minzayar / Reuters) RANGOON — Since Burma's democratic handover of power on April 1, the country has seen a resurgence in the value of the kyat, observers say. Not even a week after a National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government took office, the Central Bank of Myanmar on April 7 reported an exchange rate of 1,192 kyats per US dollar, an improvement from the rate of 1,310 kyats per dollar earlier this year. "The kyat value is a little bit higher because many international investors are looking to invest here [in Burma], so some FDI [foreign direct investment] is coming, the supply of dollars is growing, and the US dollar has decreased in value," said Maung Aung, a senior economist at the Ministry of Commerce. Yet this is also a critical observation period for foreign investors, who are keeping a watch on what Burma's heralded transition might mean for businesses in the months ahead. "This is a wait-and-see period, so [foreign] demand is also lower," Myat Thin Aung, chairman of Rangoon's Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone, told The Irrawaddy. "Exporters won't immediately benefit from this situation because they won't earn as much from the shifting exchange rate. However, this will be good for importers, since they can sell more products at lower prices, and it will be good for consumers, too," he added. Both Maung Aung and Myat Thin Aung predict that the kyat exchange rate will stabilize between 1,000 and 1,100 kyats per dollar. "The kyat value shouldn't fall below 1,000 kyats per dollar, or else exporters will be seriously disadvantaged. The government needs to control the exchange rate very carefully," Maung Aung said. Burma's main exports are agriculture-based products, including rice, beans, corn and rubber, as well as wood products, timber, jade and oil and gas. The exchange rate reached a new high—1,307 kyats against the greenback, with black market traders offering 1,315 kyats per dollar—in December, when a new and controversial car import policy was announced. This was the highest rate since the aftermath of the 2007 Saffron Revolution, when the black market was offering around 1,400 kyats on the dollar. The post Kyat Value Grows in Wake of Govt Power Transfer appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

KNU Prepares Land For Future IDP and Refugee Repatriation Posted: 07 Apr 2016 04:37 AM PDT Refugees who fled Burma wait for the Thai authorities to conduct a census at Mae La refugee camp, near the Thai-Burma border in Mae Sot, Thailand on July 21, 2014. (Photo: Chaiwat Subprasom / Reuters) Burma's long-established ethnic Karen armed organization, the Karen National Union (KNU), has been preparing land and shelter for the possible return of civilians displaced internally and on the Thai-Burma border after more than six decades of civil war with government forces. The plan is underway in areas controlled by the KNU in southern and eastern Karen State, such as Kyainseikgyi Township and Hpa-an District, according to sources from the group. Maj Saw Zorro, head of the KNU's liaison office in the Burma border town of Myawaddy, told The Irrawaddy that the KNU has built 150 shelters in areas under the KNU's Brigade 7. The buildings are intended to house internally displaced persons (IDPs) when they are ready to return. "As far I know, 50 houses in Paikyu, 50 in Maw Poe Kay and 50 in Mae Taree have been built. They will build more houses. These are for IDPs, not for refugees [from Thailand]," said Maj Saw Zorro. He insisted that there is no timeframe established for IDPs and refugees to return to Karen State and that the choice remains voluntary. There are an estimated 120,000 Burmese refugees in Thailand, the majority of whom are ethnic Karen who fled due to military offensives in the eastern parts of the country. Many have been living on Thai soil for over two decades. Mahn Kennedy, secretary of the Dooplaya District under KNU's Brigade 6, told The Irrawaddy that the KNU local administration is prepared to grant more than 10,000 acres of land to refugees who want to come back in the future. "We are just getting some land ready for them to live on, if or when they return home. We don't go and bring them back," he said of the refugees. "And we don't know when they will return. But they can return home if they want. It very much depends on UN and the Burmese government too." He added that repatriation of refugees also is related to regional stability, particularly the implementation Burma's so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) by respective stakeholders such as the Burmese government, the KNU leaders, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other relevant NGOs. "We are demarcating some land for them in Kyainseikgyi Township—more than 10,000 acres. There is a land-grabbing problem. But we will make sure that we don't have problem with it when demarcating land," said Mahn Kennedy. In late March, NGOs including The Border Consortium (TBC), Karen Refugees Committee (KRC) as well as local Thai authorities and refugee community leaders visited the resettlement site in Kyainseikgyi to view the land and meet with local KNU officials. Saw Robert Htway, the head of the Karen Refugee Committee (KRC) also went to see the proposed site. "We just went to observe the conditions. The KNU told us that it is not time for repatriation yet. We don't know when it will happen. The site is just a place for us to go back and live when we return home," he explained. After the KNU signed ceasefire agreements with the former government administration—in both 2012 and 2015—hopes of and preparation for return were widely discussed among NGOs and Thai and Burmese authorities. Saw Say Say of KNU's headquarters in Mae Sot, on the Thai border, raised concerns over the safety of those who return, as there is not yet full implementation of the aforementioned ceasefire agreements. There is no guarantee for civilians to return home, he said, as there are reports of Burma Army troops currently being deployed near the proposed resettlement sites. Saw Say Say argues that withdrawal of Burma Army troops in some KNU strongholds should be mandatory before plans can be made for refugee repatriation. In early 2015, the KNU built a new "model village" named Lay Kay Kaw for IDPs in in Kawkareik Township, southeastern Karen State. It remains sparsely populated. The post KNU Prepares Land For Future IDP and Refugee Repatriation appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Suu Kyi Outlines Strategies To Free Political Prisoners Posted: 07 Apr 2016 03:58 AM PDT Student activists arrive at Kamayut Township Court in Rangoon for their trial in January 2016. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Immediately following her appointment as State Counselor, Aung San Suu Kyi announced plans to secure the release of political prisoners and detained activists "as soon as possible." On Thursday evening, the President's Office published the first announcement of the State Counselor's Office, signed by Aung San Suu Kyi, stating that the release of political prisoners, activists and students, is an urgent priority for the people's government. The announcement stated three strategies that the government could use to carry out these measures: Under both Article 204 (a) of the 2008 Constitution and Article 401 (a) of the criminal procedure code, the president is afforded the "power to grant a pardon" to detainees. Article 204 (b) of the Constitution suggests that the president can grant amnesty in accordance with the recommendation of the National Defense and Security Council, a powerful executive body which is effectively under army control. The final legal mechanism outlined is Article 494 of the criminal code which states that, with the approval of the court, the government can withdraw charges in ongoing cases through the legal officers of the township. "In this time of the Burmese New Year, we will release political prisoners and activists and students who are facing charges as soon as possible by using the first and third ways," the statement read. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), in Burma there are 100 political prisoners currently behind bars and over 400 awaiting trial, including students facing charges for protests where they demanded education reforms. The post Suu Kyi Outlines Strategies To Free Political Prisoners appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘State Counselor’ Bill Signed, Creating Powerful Position for Suu Kyi Posted: 07 Apr 2016 02:25 AM PDT Aung San Suu Kyi (right) and President Htin Kyaw (left) enter Parliament in March 2016. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — President Htin Kyaw signed into law the "State Counselor" bill on Wednesday, essentially granting National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi broad powers that could secure her position "above the president." The legislation, which passed Burma's Lower House on Tuesday, has stirred up controversy among some parliamentarians. In particular, the military bloc and members of the former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) made 13 recommendations to amend the bill. Military lawmakers claimed that the bill was unconstitutional, and they boycotted the proceedings by refusing to cast a ballot during the session. Brig-Gen Maung Maung said to reporters on Tuesday that military lawmakers refused to cast ballots because they saw the legislature's voting behavior as "democratic bullying," referring to the fact that the legislature is dominated by the NLD. However, the NLD-dominated Parliament responded to the claim by saying that the position was created out of political necessity—Aung San Suu Kyi's party overwhelmingly won the general election in November, but she is constitutionally barred from the presidency. Ko Ni, a lawyer, told The Irrawaddy that the legislation is intended to support the sort of principled leadership that Burma sorely needs. "Since Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from presidency, the NLD is trying to appoint her to the position of State Counselor by referring to provisions in the Constitution and in other laws that will provide her with de facto leadership," he said. "Good leadership is necessary, and this leadership must be provided by the person whom people truly trust in and rely on." The post 'State Counselor' Bill Signed, Creating Powerful Position for Suu Kyi appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Obama Congratulates Burma on Historic Democratic Milestone Posted: 07 Apr 2016 01:16 AM PDT US President Barack Obama and National League for Democracy chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi hold a press conference after their meeting at her residence in Yangon, November 14, 2014.(Photo: Kevin Lamarque / Reuters) RANGOON — President Obama congratulated his Burmese counterpart, President Htin Kyaw, in a phone call on Wednesday and applauded the National League for Democracy (NLD) leadership for reaching a historic milestone in democratic reform. The US President urged the new administration to continuing striving to make Burma more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous. During the conversation, Obama said the US is willing to provide future assistance to Burma and asked to remain informed of the country's future plans.  He advised Htin Kyaw to hold a frank discussion with the new US ambassador, Scot Marciel. Obama also spoke with National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, and commended her efforts over many years to achieve a peaceful transfer of power and advance national reconciliation. He wished Htin Kyaw and the people of Burma a happy water festival, just days ahead of the upcoming Thingyan celebrations. The Burmese President said he greatly appreciated the support. "I'm confident President Obama and the United States will continue to provide assistance to us," he said. "We want US investment in Burma, and we would like to cooperate in various sectors with USAID. With support from you, and our other friends, I believe Burma will achieve its goals soon." The post Obama Congratulates Burma on Historic Democratic Milestone appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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