The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- United States Urged to Renew Burma Sanctions
- Nationalists Reluctant to Pressure Govt Over Defamation Case
- Security Tightened as More Explosions Rattle Hpakant
- New US Ambassador Flags Many Old Problems for Burma
- Religion Minister Seeks to Mollify Christians and Buddhists in Karen
- After Burma Protests, China Says Companies Should Respect Laws
- Tough-Talking Philippine Mayor Looks Set to Be New President
- North Korea Expels 3 BBC Journalists, Complains of Coverage
- Arakan Army Chief: ‘The Entire Arakan People Support Us’
- Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week (May 9)
| United States Urged to Renew Burma Sanctions Posted: 10 May 2016 07:43 AM PDT  US President Barack Obama and NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi after their meeting at her residence in Rangoon on Nov. 14, 2014. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque / Reuters) US President Barack Obama should renew the country's sanctions on Burma in light of ongoing abuses against minority groups, two international human rights groups said on Monday. "While some clamber for normalized US relations with Burma, international crimes against minorities persist and the unreformed military maintains significant political power," Tom Andrews, a former US congressman and president of the Washington-based group United to End Genocide, said in a joint press release with Fortify Rights, which is based in Bangkok. In a new 34-page report—"Supporting Human Rights in Myanmar: Why the US Should Maintain Existing Sanctions Authority"—the two advocacy organizations drew particular attention to Burma's continued persecution of ethnic and religious minorities, saying that "more than 140,000 Rohingya and other Muslims [are still confined] to more than 40 squalid internment camps in [Arakan] State, while another one million Muslims in the country face severe restrictions, particularly on freedom of movement." The report, based on 43 interviews with eyewitnesses and survivors of human rights violations and with officials from the United Nations as well as "others" in Rangoon Division and Arakan and Kachin states, expressed concern over the Burma Army's continued abuse, torture and killing of civilians in conflicts that continue to flare in the north. It also criticized the often destructive impacts of Burma's lucrative jade trade, centered in Kachin State, which reportedly generated approximately US$31 billion in 2014. A US ban on jade imports would also be lifted later this month if existing sanctions are not renewed. Fortify Rights and United to End Genocide want US sanctions to hold fast for at least another year to prevent backsliding on Burma's much-lauded reforms of the last several years. "The current sanctions regime is deliberately limited and creates incentives for human rights abusers to clean up their act," said Matthew Smith, executive director of Fortify Rights. "These measures are sensible and should remain in place. Known human rights abusers shouldn't profit from improved bilateral relations." The United States first imposed sanctions on Burma in 1997, when the former pariah state was still firmly under the military's thumb. It was not until 2011 that the United States made moves toward restoring diplomatic ties with Burma, after former President Thein Sein's quasi-civilian government came to power. While this eased broad economic sanctions affecting many sectors, scores of influential Burmese businesses and individuals remain "blacklisted." The human rights groups appeared largely to be hoping to coax actors within the military to "clean up their act" in pushing for renewed sanctions—such as by ending "violations of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international criminal law" by the Burma Army, and holding its personnel to account, regardless of rank—but the civilian National League for Democracy (NLD) government was also offered recommendations on improving Burma's human rights record. For instance, the report called for the new government to "end all discrimination in law, policy and practice against ethnic and religious minorities, including Rohingya Muslims and Kachin Christian minorities," referring by name to the 1982 Citizenship Law that has effectively withheld citizenship from most of the country's Rohingya, who were also excluded from Burma's otherwise widely praised November election. "President Obama should renew the sanctions authority without delay and make clear that promoting human rights in [Burma] will remain a priority in US foreign policy," Andrews said in the press statement. Obama has until May 20 to renew existing sanctions or allow them to expire. The post United States Urged to Renew Burma Sanctions appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Nationalists Reluctant to Pressure Govt Over Defamation Case Posted: 10 May 2016 07:34 AM PDT  A monk attends a protest along with other Buddhist nationalists in front of the US Embassy in Rangoon on April 28, 2016. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — A prominent nationalist Buddhist monk has said the Ma Ba Tha movement has no plans to pressure Burma's government over the recent arrest of a nationalist provocateur on defamation charges, but he warned that authorities should tread carefully when dealing with the movement. Thopaka, a monk who is the spokesperson for Ma Ba Tha's headquarters in Rangoon's Insein Township, said the movement would closely follow the case against Nay Myo Wai, the chairman of the Peace and Diversity Party. Ma Ba Tha, a Burmese acronym for the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion, is a radical Buddhist nationalist group that is actively hostile toward Burma's Muslim minorities. "We support Nay Myo Wai's nationalist activities, but will wait and see how his case will be handled," he said when asked whether the movement would help the staunch supporter of their nationalist cause. Thopaka warned the National League for Democracy (NLD) to deal carefully with the nationalist forces or else there could be "dangers, condemnations and protests. This would not be good for the new government, nor for the country." Nay Myo Wai was apprehended on May 3 after a complaint was filed by a member of the Myanmar Teachers' Federation. The complainant alleges that Facebook posts by Nay Myo Wai had defamed President Htin Kyaw, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's commander-in-chief, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. Ashin Thaddama, another prominent Ma Ba Tha monk, better known as Myanan Sayadaw, said the reasons for the arrest were "not well-founded," and he suggested that someone had created a fake Facebook account in Nay Myo Wai's name to cause him trouble. "We will have a meeting about this soon," he said. "We want to see this case set right." Nay Myo Wai, whose party is closely aligned with Ma Ba Tha, is known for his active social media presence, which usually involves attacks and racist slurs aimed at Burma's Muslim minority. His arrest is a rare case of government action against the nationalist movement, which enjoyed tacit support from President Thein Sein's Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) administration, whose term lasted from 2011 to March 2016. The NLD questioned Ma Ba Tha's motives in the run-up to last year's election, when the monks publicly backed Thein Sein for another term. But the NLD has been reluctant to directly challenge Ma Ba Tha, as the monks have considerable public support among the Buddhist majority, nor has the party come to defense of the country's Muslims. A few days after Ma Ba Tha helped organize a protest on April 28 against the US Embassy's use of the term Rohingya, it was reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had advised the embassy to stop using the word. The NLD government, much like its predecessor, has made clear it will not acknowledge the stateless Muslim minority's use of the term. Aye Aye Soe, a spokesperson at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, told Myanmar Now on Monday that Suu Kyi, who is also Burma's foreign minister, had personally relayed the message to the new US Ambassador Scot Marciel when he came to present his credentials on April 27. "The minister just said that [use of] the term would exacerbate the issue and should be avoided," she said, adding that the ministry did not send an official request to the US Embassy on the matter. Thopaka said Ma Ba Tha was content with the NLD's diplomatic initiative, as the movement opposes the international community's stance that the Muslim minority in Arakan State should be allowed to self-identify as Rohingya. "We welcome this step, though this is not an official announcement," he said. Win Ko Ko Latt, leader of Myanmar National Network, which organized the protest in front of the US Embassy, said, however, that his group was preparing to stage demonstrations to demand that the NLD officially reject the term Rohingya. He said an application had been submitted to authorities for a protest in Mandalay on Friday, adding more events could follow in Irrawaddy, Sagaing and Magwe divisions, as well as Mon State. "Our members in a number of towns are prepared to stage more and more protests if the government does not reveal its position on this issue through state-owned media," Win Ko Ko Latt said. This story originally appeared on Myanmar Now. The post Nationalists Reluctant to Pressure Govt Over Defamation Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Security Tightened as More Explosions Rattle Hpakant Posted: 10 May 2016 05:26 AM PDT  Travelers cross a river by boat near the road leading to Hpakant town, Kachin State, in 2014. (Photo: Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Two bomb blasts at a police station in Kachin State's Hpakant Township razed a pair of homes that were located on the compound on Monday night, according to local sources. Shwe Thein, a resident of Hpakant and member of the National League for Democracy (NLD), told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the two houses, in the Sai Taung quarter of Hpakant town, burned to the ground following the explosions, which he described as "very loud." "Families of police [personnel] were staying at those two longhouses," said Shwe Thein, adding that no one from the families was wounded. A police officer in the town of Hpakant who did not give his name confirmed that there had been a fire at the police station, but he did not provide a cause for the blaze. Shwe Thein said police, working with Burma Army personnel, had tightened security in the town, where several explosions were reported over the weekend. "Bomb blasts occurred at two places last night," he said, adding that the other took place at Longkin village, near Hpakant town. Elsewhere in Hpakant Township, fighting broke out on Saturday, when the Burma Army conquered two hilltop posts that had been held by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), according to the ethnic armed group. It was not immediately clear whether there was a link between those hostilities and the recent spate of explosions. According to local sources, members of the KIA set up a blockade on the main road into Hpakant on Monday, only allowing vehicles leaving the town to pass. On a Facebook page generally regarded as representating the armed group, the KIA said its blockade was not intended to harm or threaten motorists, but was rather to keep travelers out of harm's way amid the current instability. In retaliation for the weekend attack on its hilltop posts, that same Facebook page said a roadside landmine planted by the KIA had killed and wounded government troops in two trucks traveling to reinforce Burma Army positions on Monday. The post Security Tightened as More Explosions Rattle Hpakant appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| New US Ambassador Flags Many Old Problems for Burma Posted: 10 May 2016 02:47 AM PDT  Scot Marciel, the new US ambassador to Burma, speaks to reporters and civil society leaders in Rangoon on Tuesday. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Recognition of the daunting challenges still facing a democratically emboldened Burma was a focal point of the first public remarks on Tuesday by new US Ambassador Scot Marciel, whose country counts the Southeast Asian nation's political transition among its foreign policy successes. Ongoing conflict between the Burma Army and ethnic rebel groups, simmering religious tensions and a Constitution that entrenches the military's role in politics were among the concerns that Washington would continue to expect progress on in the years ahead, said Marciel, speaking to media and civil society groups in Rangoon. "A lot has changed," he said, referring to this year's historic transfer of power from the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) to the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi. "But our goal, the United States' goal, remains the same: We want to see a peaceful, prosperous, democratic Myanmar. One whose people live in harmony and enjoy full rights." On those fronts, Washington feels there is room for improvement over the NLD's expectations-laden term, which began last month, though the American ambassador made a point to stress that it was not for the United States to determine "internal" matters such as how best to end decades of civil war in Burma's frontier regions. Marciel, who took up his post last month, commended early NLD efforts to release political prisoners and rescind legislation used by the former USDP government and military regime that preceded it to imprison peaceful protestors and dissidents. "They get it, they're doing it," he said of his confidence in a shared commitment by the United States and NLD government to improve Burma's human rights situation. For decades at odds over Burma's abysmal human rights record under the former military regime, Washington and Naypyidaw began a thawing of their icy bilateral relationship in 2011, after then President Thein Sein embarked on a series of liberalizing political reforms. The following year saw Marciel's predecessor, Derek Mitchell, installed as the first American ambassador to Burma since 1990. Economic sanctions against Burma were also eased in 2012 and by 2014, the US Commerce Department was actively encouraging American companies to invest in the frontier market of 51 million people. Barack Obama became the first sitting US president to visit Burma in November 2012, and he returned two years later to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit hosted by Burma. Successive, bipartisan iterations of US political leadership for years held up Suu Kyi as a cause célèbre, the face of Burma's pro-democracy movement over more than a decade under house arrest. In 2008 she was awarded the US Congressional Gold Medal while locked up in her lakeside home in Rangoon, and four years later was finally presented with the American legislature's highest civilian honor during a trip to Washington. Despite the change of government to a Suu Kyi-led administration, relations between the two countries are still not fully normalized. More than 100 Burmese nationals and corporate entities remain on a Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) blacklist that prevents US companies from doing business with them. The list was created to target members of the former military regime and so-called cronies accused of close ties to the junta. A US ban on gems imports from Burma remains in place, as does one on American sales of military hardware to the former pariah state. On Tuesday, Marciel said the United States would again review remaining sanctions, but added that he did not know what the outcome of that review might be. Competing pressures over what to do about the punitive measures has pitted US business interests against some human rights defenders, with two members of the latter issuing a call on Tuesday for a renewal of sanctions by Obama, who must make a decision on the matter by May 20. While US-Burma ties look likely to deepen over the NLD's five-year term, last month there were also signs that the long-estranged nations are not destined to forever and always see eye to eye. Hundreds of Buddhist nationalist protestors assembled outside the US Embassy in Rangoon on April 28, indignant over a statement from the American mission less than a week earlier that used the word "Rohingya" to describe victims of a deadly boat capsizing in Arakan State. The term is highly contentious in Burma, where many do not recognize the right of the persecuted Muslim minority to self-identify and instead label them "Bengalis," implying that they are illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh. Burma's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Suu Kyi, later asked the US Embassy to refrain from using the term, a move criticized in a New York Times editorial on Tuesday as "cowardly." The stateless Rohingya are not among 135 ethnic groups recognized by law as officially indigenous to Burma. Marciel did not use the word on Tuesday, instead speaking of a need to address existing restrictions on "some communities," presumably referring to curbs on travel, education and other basic rights faced by most Rohingya in Arakan State. However, "They get to choose what they want to be called," he said when asked about the embassy's position in the aftermath of the Foreign Affairs Ministry's request. "That's a fundamental international practice and we respect that. That's been our approach and it will continue to be our approach." There were hints, though, that the US Embassy may be less publically vocal in expressing concerns it has with how things are trending in Burma under the new government. "The question we really ask ourselves is, 'What can we do that's useful?' And if public statements are useful, great. And if private conversations are useful in a particular situation, that's the better approach," he said, noting the "great respect" he had for the pedigree of many NLD members as long-standing human rights advocates. "I think we can have a different kind of conversation in some ways with those people, and continue to raise issues and concerns where we have them. But exactly how we do that will vary depending on the circumstances." Marciel was previously the deputy assistant secretary to the US State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and prior to that served as the American ambassador to Indonesia. The post New US Ambassador Flags Many Old Problems for Burma appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Religion Minister Seeks to Mollify Christians and Buddhists in Karen Posted: 09 May 2016 11:59 PM PDT  Supporters of the monk U Thuzana pay respects at a pagoda he ordered constructed near a church in Karen State. (Photo: Saw William Kyaw / Facebook) Religious Affairs and Culture Minister Aung Ko on Monday visited a church compound in Kondawgyi village, Karen State where a Buddhist monk built a pagoda in a move that incited tensions between Christians and Buddhists. The minister also went to a Buddhist ordination hall built by U Thuzana, the monk who has built several pagodas on Christian church grounds. "The Christians in the village said that they did not hate the Buddhists, and felt like they were brothers with their fellow Buddhist villagers," said Min Tin Win, minister for religious affairs in Karen State, who accompanied Aung Ko on his trip. "They did not hate the people who built the pagoda." In an attempt to diffuse the tensions, the Anglican bishop of the local diocese came to the church and 'donated' the land around the pagoda to U Thuzana. "This was an unexpected solution, but it looks like it worked," Min Tin Win added. U Thuzana has built pagodas throughout Karen State, where he intended to build a strong Buddhist community. He is an influential figure within the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), an ethnic armed organization, made up primarily of Buddhists, that splintered from the predominantly Christian-led Karen National Union (KNU). Minister Aung Ko attempted to meet U Thuzana according to Min Tin Win, but the monk had gone to Bangkok for medical treatment. The post Religion Minister Seeks to Mollify Christians and Buddhists in Karen appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| After Burma Protests, China Says Companies Should Respect Laws Posted: 09 May 2016 11:06 PM PDT  Local farmers protesting the Letpadaung copper mining project in Sagaing Division's Salingyi Township on Thursday. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy) China has consistently demanded its companies operating abroad respect local laws, China's Foreign Ministry said on Monday after hundreds of villagers in Burma protested against the resumption of operations at a Chinese-backed copper mine. The protests have gathered momentum since last Wednesday when some people broke through police barriers protecting the mine, operated by Myanmar Wanbao, a unit of a Chinese weapons maker, in one of the first tests for the new government's ability to deal with public anger. Myanmar Wanbao runs the Letpadaung mine in a joint venture with a conglomerate controlled by the Myanmar military, Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd. Villagers say their land has been unlawfully confiscated to expand the mine. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, asked about the protests, said China and Myanmar are traditional friends whose cooperation accords with the interests of both countries. "The Chinese government has consistently demanded that Chinese companies investing abroad respect the laws and rules of the host nation, and fulfil their responsibility and obligation to society, including paying attention to protecting the environment," Lu told a daily news briefing in Beijing. "China is willing to work hard with Myanmar to properly implement these mutually beneficial cooperation projects, to promote local socio-economic development, to better benefit both countries and their peoples," he added. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Burma last month, where he said China was confident it could resolve business disagreements with Burma through friendly talks, amid pressure from China to resume a stalled US$3.6-billion dam project. Lu said China was confident it could continue to have win-win cooperation with the country. After big protests in 2012 and 2013 against the mine, when riot police raided a protest camp injuring more than 100 people, then opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi led an inquiry that recommended compensating the residents and minimizing environmental damage. Suu Kyi led her party to a sweeping election victory last year and now oversees the government. Work at the mine, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of the city of Mandalay, was suspended after the 2012/13 protests. The company has recently tried to show it can reduce the impact of mining and improve livelihoods. China has made a big push to assert its business and political interests since Suu Kyi's party took over in April. In 2012, police threw white phosphorus grenades at protesters, inflicting serious burns on scores. In 2014, a protester was shot dead. The post After Burma Protests, China Says Companies Should Respect Laws appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Tough-Talking Philippine Mayor Looks Set to Be New President Posted: 09 May 2016 11:00 PM PDT  Philippine presidential candidate and Davao city mayor Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte (center). (Photo: Romeo Ranoco / Reuters) MANILA — A brash and tough-talking mayor who has pledged to kill suspected criminals and end crime within six months emerged Tuesday as the winner in presidential elections after securing an unassailable lead in an unofficial vote count. The son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was trailing narrowly behind an establishment candidate in the vice presidential race. Rodrigo Duterte, the mayor of southern Davao city, had secured more than 14.4 million votes, according to a count of 87 percent of precincts nationwide from Monday's elections. The closest of his four main rivals, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, had 8.6 million votes. "We can call it now because the gap got so big relative to the maximum the No. 2 can get" of the remaining votes, said William Yu of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. The group is accredited by the Commission on Elections to conduct the unofficial "quick count." A victory by Duterte would amount to a massive political shift in the Philippines. Starting as an outsider, Duterte built his popularity with radical pledges to eliminate poverty and end corruption and crime. He has a reputation for fighting crime as mayor of Davao for 22 years, but has been accused of ordering extrajudicial killings to achieve that. On the last day of campaigning Saturday, he made clear he intends to continue his hard-line approach. "All of you who are into drugs, you sons of bitches, I will really kill you," Duterte, 71, a former prosecutor, told a rally. "I have no patience, I have no middle ground, either you kill me or I will kill you idiots." Statements such as that have won him the nickname "Duterte Harry," a reference to the Clint Eastwood movie character "Dirty Harry" who had little regard for rules. He has also been compared to Donald Trump, the US Republican presumptive presidential nominee. Duterte is known for jokes about sex and rape, talking often about his Viagra-fueled sexual escapades, and for undiplomatic remarks about Australia, the United States and China, all key players in the country's politics. He has threatened to dismiss the Philippine Congress and form a revolutionary government if he is confronted with uncooperative legislators. Outgoing President Benigno Aquino III tried to discourage Filipinos from voting for Duterte over fears the mayor may endanger the country's hard-fought democracy and squander economic gains of the last six years, when the Philippine economy grew at an average of 6.2 percent, one of the best rates in Asia. But on election day, with opinion polls giving him the best chance to win, Duterte reached out to his opponents. "Let us be friends," he said at a news conference after voting in Davao. "Let us begin the process of healing." Among the other presidential candidates, Sen. Grace Poe had 8.1 million votes and Vice President Jejomar Binay had 4.8 million, according to the partial unofficial results. Poe conceded defeat early Tuesday. In the vice presidential race, Rep. Leni Robredo was leading narrowly with 13.31 million votes, ahead of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who had 13.16 million votes. Marcos Jr. is the son of the former dictator who ruled the Philippines from 1972 until he was ousted in 1986 in a "people power" revolt. Vice presidents are elected separately from presidents in the Philippines. Aquino, whose parents were democracy champions who helped topple the senior Marcos, also campaigned against Marcos Jr., who has never clearly apologized for economic plunder and widespread human rights abuses under his father. Aquino warned that Duterte could be a dictator in the making and urged voters not to support him. Filipinos have been hypersensitive to potential threats to democracy since they ousted the elder Marcos. Aside from the presidential and vice presidential races, more than 45,000 candidates contested 18,000 national, congressional and local positions in elections that have traditionally been tainted by violence and accusations of cheating. About 55 million Filipinos registered to vote at 36,000 polling places across the archipelago of more than 7,100 islands, including in a small fishing village in a Philippine-occupied island in the disputed South China Sea. Weary of poverty, poor public services, crime, corruption and insurgencies in the hinterlands, voters in the nation of 100 million people looked for radical change at the top. Duterte tapped into that discontent, pledging to end crime in half a year, even though police said it was impossible. The other candidates stuck to less audacious reforms. He has not articulated an overall foreign policy, but has described himself as a socialist wary of the US-Philippine security alliance. He has worried members of the armed forces by saying that communist rebels could play a role in his government. When the Australian and US ambassadors criticized a joke he made about wanting to be the first to have raped an Australian missionary who was gang-raped and killed by inmates in a 1989 jail riot, he told them to shut up. He said he would talk with China about territorial disputes in the South China Sea but if nothing happened, he would sail to an artificial island newly created by China and plant the Philippine flag there. China, he said, could shoot him and turn him into a national hero. All of Duterte's opponents have accused him of making remarks that threaten the rule of law and democracy. Analysts predicted that a Duterte win would weaken the Philippine peso, given his uncertain economic platform. The jitters have affected the Philippine stock market, which fell Friday—the last day of trading before Monday's election holiday—for the 10th time in 11 days. "The market is obviously emotional and the stronger emotion is usually fear rather than hope," said Jose Vistan, research head at AB Capital Securities Inc. "A big chunk of the reason why we're behaving the way we are is obviously because of the elections." "Duterte is completely out of the system, he's out of the box," said political science professor Richard Heydarian of De La Salle University in Manila, adding that in the mayor's portrayal of social problems, "there is a gap between the rhetoric and reality but it's working, it's creating panic among a lot of people and rallying them behind Duterte." The post Tough-Talking Philippine Mayor Looks Set to Be New President appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| North Korea Expels 3 BBC Journalists, Complains of Coverage Posted: 09 May 2016 10:55 PM PDT  BBC journalist Rupert Wingfield-Hayes (center) is surrounded by reporters upon his arrival at Beijing Capital International Airport after being expelled from North Korea, in Beijing, China, May 9, 2016. (Photo: Kim Kyung-Hoon / Reuters) BEIJING — North Korea on Monday expelled three BBC journalists it had detained days earlier for allegedly "insulting the dignity" of the authoritarian country, sending them off on a flight to Beijing. Correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes and his team had been scheduled to leave Friday after accompanying a group of Nobel laureates on a North Korea trip. Instead, the journalists were stopped at the Pyongyang airport, detained and questioned. O Ryong Il, secretary-general of the North's National Peace Committee, said Wingfield-Hayes' news coverage distorted facts and "spoke ill of the system and the leadership of the country." He said Wingfield-Hayes wrote an apology, was being expelled Monday and would never be admitted into the country again. The BBC said Wingfield-Hayes' producer Maria Byrne and cameraman Matthew Goddard were also detained and expelled. The three arrived in Beijing on a flight Monday evening. Wingfield-Hayes said only that he was glad to be out and would have a statement later. His colleagues did not speak. "We are very disappointed that our reporter Rupert Wingfield-Hayes and his team have been deported from North Korea after the government took offense at material he had filed," the BBC said in a statement. "Four BBC staff, who were invited to cover the Workers' Party Congress, remain in North Korea and we expect them to be allowed to continue their reporting." North Korea did not reveal which of the team's reports it was upset with, but in one of the segments, North Korean officials are seen arguing with Wingfield-Hayes over video shot in front of a statue of national founder Kim Il Sung. "They clearly felt that we said stuff that was not respectful to the great leader," Wingfield-Hayes said in the segment. He said they were ordered to delete the footage or they would not be allowed to leave the university campus where they were filming. Another segment included a tour of a modern-looking hospital that Wingfield-Hayes expressed doubts about. "The children we're shown look remarkably well, and there isn't a doctor in sight. … Everything we see looks like a setup," he said. More than 100 foreign journalists are in the capital for North Korea's first party congress in 36 years, though they have largely been prevented from actually covering the proceedings and the more than 3,400 delegates. Officials have kept the foreign media busy with trips around Pyongyang to show them the places it most wants them to see—a maternity hospital with seemingly state-of-the-art equipment, a wire-making factory where managers say salaries and production are both going up, and the humble birthplace of national founder Kim Il Sung, which has been converted into a sort of museum-park with a large "funfair" right next door. About 30 of the journalists finally got a peek at the congress on Monday, for about 10 minutes. The post North Korea Expels 3 BBC Journalists, Complains of Coverage appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Arakan Army Chief: ‘The Entire Arakan People Support Us’ Posted: 09 May 2016 06:16 PM PDT  Arakan Army leader Brig-Gen Tun Myat Naing. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) Founded in 2009 in northern Kachin State, far from their homeland, the Arakan Army (AA) were trained and supported by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and joined the KIA and the Myanmar Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), in skirmishes with the Burma Army in the country's northeast last year. In March 2015, the first clashes between the AA and the Burma Army were recorded in Arakan State itself. This quickly receded, but clashes resumed in December 2015, acquiring a new intensity and prolonging into the term of the new government. The violence has spread beyond Kyauktaw Township to Buthidaung, Mrauk-U, Rathedaung and Ponnagyun townships of central and northern Arakan State. More than 1,700 local residents have been displaced this year by the fighting. Although lawmakers of the Arakan National Party (ANP), the dominant ethnic party in the state, have called for the AA's involvement in Burma's peace process, the Arakanese armed group were excluded from signing the so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in October last year and remain outside of formal peace negotiations. The Burma Army publicly vowed to "eliminate" the AA in January. Amid escalating clashes, Arakanese lawmakers last week urged the government to take steps to bring the clashes in Arakan State to an end. Burma's defence minister responded by calling on the Arakan Army to disarm and accused them of deliberately compromising the new government. The Irrawaddy interviewed Brig-Gen Tun Myat Naing, the Arakan Army chief, about the causes of the ongoing clashes and prospects for peace in Arakan State. What is the current situation of the conflict in Arakan State? It is quite tense, although clashes are currently few and far between. But with lots of troop movement and activity, clashes could recur at any time. Is it true that the AA has opened fire to provoke fresh clashes? Yes, we did fire first. But it was not us who acted provocatively. [The Burma Army] came into areas covered by our outposts with military operations commands 5, 15 and 9, together with all the battalions under the Sittwe Regional Operations Command. So, if we had not run into the [Burma Army] column that we did, we would have run into another column. They came in large numbers and we saw them first, because it's our area. We heard that a 'federal army' backed AA in the fight. Why did they take part and who are the allies of the AA? We have several allies, among the Kachin, the Ta'ang [also known as Palaung] and the Karen, including the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA). We enjoy cooperation across multiple regions. I don't want to comment on which exact groups are backing us. Mainly, it is the AA's operation [in Arakan State]. Clashes have grown intense recently in Arakan State. What is the military objective of the AA? Our military objective is to perform the duties of a regular army—to protect the security of Arakan State and the Arakan people. Our military objective is that there must be an Arakan Army in Arakan State. We will fight like other armies. We will rise against slavery. Do you think the hopes of the Arakan people are the same as those of the AA? I absolutely believe that. That is why we have gained the support of the Arakan people and are able to join hands with them. For seven years now we have tried to realize [our hopes]. Our ancestors had tried before us. This is our historic duty and it is the path the Arakan people have to walk. Our hopes are the same [as theirs]. We are fulfilling the needs of the [Arakan] people, standing by them. We don't look to our own interests but to those of our people. Thousands of Arakanese people have been displaced by recent clashes. How are relations between the AA and the people in light of this? No matter how much they have suffered, the Arakan people embrace, support and welcome the Arakan Army. This is a daily sight. The bad consequences of war are unavoidable. There will be displaced persons and civil society organizations have to take care of them to the best of their ability. The United League of Arakan [ULA], our political wing, records problems faced by victims of the war, including human rights violations and extrajudicial killings in conflict zones. We will take action in cooperation with international organizations. You said the Arakan people support the AA. Have the AA actively mobilized people to gain their support? We don't need to waste our time and effort [in this way]. The entire Arakan people support us because they have been denied their fundamental rights over decades. We work in line with the needs and desires of the entire Arakan people. A roadmap has been adopted for the Arakan people, which we call the 'Rakhita Roadmap,' referring to those who love, value and protect their own race. We will restore our robbed dignity. It is not strange that the Arakan people support the AA while a political solution still cannot be found. Recently, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has talked about holding a 'Panglong-style' conference. How would the AA attend the conference? What is the political ambition of the AA? We welcome all good political efforts, although we have to wait and see before taking proper action. We welcome the people's government. We had pinned our hopes on it before it came to power, and we are willing to solve political problems together with the government. Our political ambition is that we, the Arakan people, must be able to determine our own future through self-determination. On May 4, Defense Minister Lt-Gen Sein Win said in the Lower House of Parliament that the AA is acting against democracy. The military also rejected the [parliamentary] proposal to halt the clashes and invite the AA to political dialogue. What happened on May 4 has thrown the hope for a federal union into uncertainty. Regarding the clashes, [the Burma Army] holds a grudge against us and even said that they would annihilate us. We have to defend ourselves as they conduct military operations. The people's representatives put forward the wishes of people in the Parliament to find a solution toward achieving peace, but it was rejected. It is now clear who is 'warlike.' Creating war means creating problems for the government. We have no reason to trouble the government, which is seeking a political solution toward building a federal union. Anyone with half a brain can guess which group is creating political trouble. The defense minister stated that your relatives are now serving in government and urged you to disarm. What do you say to that? We are fighting because it is necessary for our people. It is nothing to do with who our relatives might be. National concerns and interests are foremost in our beliefs. [Editor's Note: The current speaker of the Arakan State legislature, San Kyaw Hla of the ANP, is the father-in-law of Tun Myat Naing.] The Burma Army and the news agencies they control have called the AA 'insurgents' and have not recognized them as an ethnic armed group. Any comment? The word Tatmadaw is found in the Arakanese dictionary. Tat means fence in the Arakanese language. It is our own word and we haven't loaned it from anyone. Whatever we are called, we will do what we have to do, in accordance with our political beliefs. We don't want to argue over terminology. Have you made any preparations for the peace process to be led by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi? I have made preparations, including for the worst outcomes, because I don't think it will succeed easily. All the ethnic groups have negotiated so many times to find a political solution. What is your message to displaced persons in Arakan State? We are trying to fulfill the hopes of the people. They must not be downhearted. I feel very sorry that they have to suffer but it is unavoidable in a war. We will work together with international and ethnic friends to assist them. I am happy that civil society organizations are also trying to help. I think it would be better if more systematic teamwork could be established to protect the rights of those victims. The post Arakan Army Chief: 'The Entire Arakan People Support Us' appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week (May 9) Posted: 09 May 2016 06:04 PM PDT
Arts
Anyeint is a traditional Burmese performance featuring dance and comedy. Held at the National Theater, tickets range from 10,000-30,000 kyats and are available at Man Thiri Studio, Nobody Fashion Shop in Yankin Center and Dagon Center, and Sein Pan Video Production at No. 236, 36th Street (Upper Block). Where: National Theater, Myoma Kyaung Street, Dagon Tsp. When: Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14, 7pm
Five artists showcase their work at 65 Gallery. The exhibition features 27 paintings with prices between $400 and $2,000. Where: Gallery 65, 65 Yaw Min Gyi St, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 01 246317 When: Saturday, May 7 to Wednesday, May 11, 9am to 5pm
Ko Maung Kyaw displays his fifth solo exhibition at Lokanat Galleries, showcasing 56 paintings including acrylics, oil paintings and watercolors, and ranging in price from $300 to $500. Where: Lokanat Galleries, 62 Pansodan St, 1st Floor, Kyauktada Tsp., Tel. 095-1382-269 When: Monday, May 9 to Friday, May 13
More than 80 works from over 13 artists will be sold at prices ranging from $150 to $1,500. Where: Ayerwon Art Gallery at No. 903 – 904, U Ba Kyi Street, 58 Ward, Dagon Seikkan Tsp. Tel: 09-45005 7167 When: Saturday May 7 to Wednesday May 18
Saw Tar will showcase 25 paintings at Lokanat Galleries, with prices between $450 and $3,000. Where: Lokanat Galleries, 62 Pansodan St, 1st Floor, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel. 095-1382-269
Organized by the U Thu Kha Foundation, this exhibit features 45 works with prices between $300 and $30,000 at the New Treasure Art Gallery. The proceeds will be donated to areas that face water shortages. Where: New Treasure Art Gallery, No. 84/A, Thanlwin Street, Golden Hill Avenue, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 01-526776, 503712 When: Saturday May 14 to Thursday, May 19
Think Art Gallery will display 71 photos of Aung San Suu Kyi on the campaign trail last fall. Prices for the photos range from 50,000-100,000 kyats and will be donated to those in need, to commemorate Suu Kyi's 71st birthday. Where: Think Art Gallery, No. 23, Nawady Street, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 095143266 When: Friday May 13 to Sunday May 15 Circus
This show aims to bring a compilation of circus, dance and theater never seen before in Burma. A succession of bizarre stories filled with fantastic characters highlights a poetic journey. The company is composed of students from the prestigious National Centre for Circus Arts in France. The show will last one hour and tickets are 5,000 kyats for adults and 3,000 kyats for children under 16. Where: National Theater on Myoma Kyaung Road, Dagon Tsp When: Thursday May 12, 7pm Puppetry
Apex-Earth puppetry returns to Rangoon as they prepare for the One Asean tour. The show will focus on the hand, string and rod versions of Asean puppetry. The puppet exchange officially begins on Thursday, May 12 at 7pm, and concludes with a showcase of the work in progress on Sunday, May 15 at 2:30pm. A great opportunity to learn about puppetry from Asean countries. Where: Laurel Academy, Thayawaddy Lane, Saya San Road, Bahan Tsp When: Thursday May 12 to Sunday May 15 Concerts
The Mezzotono show is an a capella performance of traditional and modern Italian songs, including pop, jazz, bossa nova and classical. Five singers use their voices to reproduce the sounds of different instruments, adding a fresh twist to the arrangements. Mezzotono are representatives of Italian music worldwide, having performed in 32 countries and four continents to date. The post Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week (May 9) appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
The Irrawaddy picks 10 interesting events happening in Rangoon this week.
Hninzi Yinkwin Foundation's Anyeint
ASKKY 5 Art Exhibition
Ko Maung Kyaw's 'Free Breeze' Exhibition
Ayerwon Art Gallery's '11th True Image' Art Exhibition
Saw Tar's 'Damsels and I' Exhibition
'Water for Life' Art Show
Saw Poe Khwar's 'Suu's 71' Photo Exhibition
Sans Queue Ni Tete Circus 
Apex-Earth Yangon 2016
Mezzotono's 'Mad in Italy' A Capella Concert| You are subscribed to email updates from The Irrawaddy. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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