The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Min Aung Hlaing Asks Soldiers in Arakan Not to Be ‘Extreme’
• Arakanese Activist Sentenced to Two Years Hard Labor
• State-Backed Monks’ Council Decries Ma Ba Tha as ‘Unlawful’
• Detained Laborers Sentenced for Contempt of Court
• No New Irrigation Dams During Govt’s Term
• Top Bureaucrat, Former Censor-in-Chief Resigns
• Banks Reminded to Accept Foreign Currency in ‘All’ Conditions

Min Aung Hlaing Asks Soldiers in Arakan Not to Be ‘Extreme’ Posted: 13 Jul 2016 07:27 AM PDT Min Aung Hlaing delivers a speech at a military cantonment in Sittwe on Tuesday. (Photo: Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing / Facebook) Burma Army Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing requested soldiers stationed in Arakan State not to practice "extreme activities" while upholding their culture and religion. He made the comments in a speech delivered on Wednesday to soldiers and their families at a military cantonment in the Arakan State capital of Sittwe. Min Aung Hlaing has been conducting a relief tour of several flood-hit areas in Arakan State. In his speech, the armed forces chief cited previous official figures that Burma's population is 87 percent Buddhist, six percent Christian and four percent Muslim, alongside smaller religious communities. These figures, still in official use, have not been updated according to the 2014 census, whose breakdown on religious demographics has been repeatedly delayed due to concerns over social unrest, and is now scheduled for release later this month. "People should not resort to extreme activities in upholding their respective religions and cultures, but must do so in a 'just' way," said Min Aung Hlaing. In his speech, later posted on his official Facebook page, Min Aung Hlaing said that it was necessary to "reestablish unity" among ethnic groups, which was "broken" after Burma lost its independence during the British colonial era. He blamed "discriminatory" policies from colonial rulers for creating "disunity, division and misunderstanding" leading to ethnic armed conflict and "disagreements" over politics, religion and national identity. These factors lay behind current "internal instability," he said, prompting the need to "rebuild unity among ethnic races based on facts." Anti-Muslim violence in Arakan State in 2012 and 2013 displaced around 140,000 people, the large majority belonging to the Rohingya Muslim minority, the majority of whom are denied Burmese citizenship. Many Rohingya remain confined to camps, with restrictions placed on their movement and access to healthcare and education. Buddhist and Muslim communities remain segregated across substantial areas of the state. Earlier this month, Arakan State saw protests by the local Arakanese Buddhist majority, which has rejected the government's attempt to adopt less polarizing terminology to refer to Buddhist and Muslim communities in the state. The post Min Aung Hlaing Asks Soldiers in Arakan Not to Be 'Extreme' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Arakanese Activist Sentenced to Two Years Hard Labor Posted: 13 Jul 2016 06:01 AM PDT Maung Aye's wife and child meet him in his cell at the Kyaukphyu police station on Wednesday. (Photo: Tun Tun Naing / Kyaukphyu) RANGOON — Arakanese social activist Maung Aye was sentenced to two years hard labor in a Kyaukphyu courthouse on Wednesday for suspected links to the Arakan Army (AA), according to his lawyer, Tin Myint. Maung Aye, who is also the chair of the Kyaukpyu Rural Development Association in Arakan State, was originally arrested by the Kyaukphyu-based Office of the Chief of Military Security Affairs, better known by its Burmese acronym, Sa Ya Pa. He was taken from his house in Leik Kha Maw village along with other two men, Htun Tha Phyu and Zaw Win Maung, and detained for over five months in a Kyaukphyu cell. Sa Ya Pa pressed charges under Burma's Unlawful Association Act, Section 17(1), a statute created during British rule which has since been used to prosecute members or suspected members of ethnic armed groups. During Wednesday's sentencing, Htun Tha Phyu and Zaw Win Maung were handed jail terms of three years each, after both identified themselves in front of Judge Nant Tha Nwe Nwe Win as AA soldiers, reporting their batch number within the organization and their station in northern Arakan State. "Aye Maung's plea [to the judge] was that he did not know them as AA soldiers. He is a social activist. That's why he was helping them find jobs," said Tin Myint, who added that he is preparing an appeal on Maung Aye's behalf. In recent months, dozens of residents have been detained by local authorities in Taungup, Kyauktaw, Mrauk U and Sittwe townships after being suspected of having ties to the AA, an armed group which formed in 2009 and has been excluded by Burma's military from engaging in the country's peace process unless it disarms. The Irrawaddy contacted the Arakan State Police Department in the capital of Sittwe on Wednesday to learn more about these arrests, but police Maj Aung Win Sein declined to comment on the situation. "We can't give [information] to you, because we don't know [about them] exactly," he said, explaining that these were local cases and concerned the police in each township. Police in Kyauktaw claim that 38 people have been imprisoned in different locations for reportedly violating the Unlawful Association Act; The Irrawaddy asked a police official whether these individuals had all acknowledged ties to the AA in court. "I'm not sure whether they admitted to being in the AA or not," he said, "but the judge has already punished them." The penalties imposed on individuals charged under Section 17(1) in Arakan State have varied; those convicted of being low ranking members of the AA are typically jailed for three years, while those charged as high ranking officials are reportedly sentenced to prison terms of five years and charged under an additional Section 17(2) statute. As of June, more than 2,000 people displaced by fighting between the AA and the Burma Army in Arakan State have sought shelter in temporary camps in Kyauktaw, Ponnegyun, Rathedaung and Mrauk U townships. The post Arakanese Activist Sentenced to Two Years Hard Labor appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

State-Backed Monks’ Council Decries Ma Ba Tha as ‘Unlawful’ Posted: 13 Jul 2016 05:56 AM PDT Members of the Ma Ba Tha leadership hold a meeting on July 7 after being criticized by Rangoon's Chief Minister as being "unnecessary" in Burma. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's leading state-backed cleric organization, Ma Ha Na, has announced that the ultranationalist group Ma Ba Tha is not a "lawful monks' association" as "it was not formed in accordance with the country's monastic rules." In a public statement made on Tuesday night, Ma Ha Na—short for the Sangha Maha Nayaka, a government-appointed council of monks which oversees Buddhist monastic discipline in the country—also denied Ma Ba Tha's claim last week that it was formed as an "offshoot" of a 2013 conference of Buddhist clerics attended by multiple orders within the Sangha. "We have had five All-Order Sangha meetings so far since 1980. In none of those meetings, was the name 'Ma Ba Tha' mentioned, nor was there the recognition and formation of Ma Ba Tha," the statement said. Burma has nine major Sangha Orders, and Ma Ha Na is made up of 47 senior monks from within those orders. Signed by the 14 senior monks, including the chairman of the organization, the announcement added that there should be only one Sangha organization in the country—Ma Ha Na—in accordance with the Sangha charter. Wirathu, a leading Ma Ba Tha monk known for engaging in anti-Muslim hate speech, responded to Ma Ha Na's announcement with his own statement on Wednesday portraying Ma Ba Tha as the "last bastion of Theravada Buddhism." "I don't feel anything special regarding their statement, as senior monks within Ma Ha Na are part of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and they were just following the government's wishes," he said. Wirathu also declared that, as a "typical nationalist," he would continue "protecting race and religion" until his death. Sopaka, another high-ranking Buddhist monk within Ma Ba Tha, told The Irrawaddy that he had no further comment regarding Ma Ha Na's announcement, simply admitting that "what Ma Ha Na said was true." Founded in 2014, Ma Ba Tha is led by Buddhist monks and is infamous for its hardline anti-Muslim stance. Its name comes from the Burmese acronym for its full title, the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion; since its formation, the organization has built a network across the country. The state Sangha organization's Tuesday night announcement came one week after Rangoon Division Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein publically described Ma Ba Tha as "not necessary" in Burma. His criticism sparked condemnation from Ma Ba Tha, which demanded that the country's President Htin Kyaw and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi take action against the minister for his criticism, threatening to stage nationwide protests if their July 14 deadline was not met. Yet Ma Ba Tha's leaders called off the protest on Tuesday, saying that they no longer took Phyo Min Thein's comments seriously. Htin Lin Oo, a former NLD member who was sentenced two years in prison in 2015 for criticizing Ma Ba Tha, told The Irrawaddy that he believed the Ma Ha Na's denouncement of the group could serve to reduce the religious intolerance that he feels has become more prominent in Burma since Ma Ba Tha's formation. "I don't like Ma Ba Tha. As a Buddhist, I am very sad to see Buddhist monks' involvement in laymen's affairs," Htin Lin Oo said, referring to Ma Ba Tha's lobbying which led to the passing of four controversial laws placing restrictions on religious conversion, interfaith marriage, polygamy and childbirth. These "Protection of Race and Religion" measures have been condemned by rights groups as discriminating against women and religious minorities. "Buddhist monks have to be free of any racial bias," he added, referring to how, in Burma, religious discrimination and persecution is known to cross ethnic lines. The post State-Backed Monks' Council Decries Ma Ba Tha as 'Unlawful' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Detained Laborers Sentenced for Contempt of Court Posted: 13 Jul 2016 04:36 AM PDT Police forcibly detain labor rights protestors in Tatkon Township on Wednesday. (Photo: Thiha / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — A Court in Tatkon Township of Naypyidaw Union Territory has sentenced detained labor demonstrators and student activists on Wednesday with a one-month imprisonment or a 5,000 kyats (US$4.20) fine for contempt of court. Fifteen laborers and students—who were arrested in Takton Township in May for staging a march from an industrial zone in Sagaing Division to Naypyidaw to meet the president—refused to respond during the previous court hearings, prompting the contempt charges. The laborers and student activists said they would choose imprisonment over paying the small fine. "We don't believe in the judiciary so we didn't hire a lawyer or listen to the court. If they want us to go to prison, let that be," said Hnin Aung, one of the labor demonstrators. The workers and students are currently facing suits under articles 143, 145 and 157 of Burma's penal code, for participating in an unlawful assembly, disobeying police and disturbing public order. The next court hearing will be on July 27. About 100 workers from a plywood factory in the Sagaing Industrial Zone marched to the capital Naypyidaw in late April, following failed negotiations with Myanmar Veneer Plywood Private Ltd. over the dismissal of more than 100 factory employees in February. They hoped to meet President Htin Kyaw, whom they hoped would provide them redress. They were arrested just outside of the city of Naypyidaw on May 18. Twenty-three of them were handed over to police and administrators in Sagaing Division, and later released. The rest, including student activists who came to support them in their march, were jailed in Yamethin Township in Mandalay Division, because there was insufficient space to detain them all in Naypyidaw's Tatkon Township. Fifty-one were eventually charged. The jailed laborers and the students say that many of them have suffered from influenza and diarrhea, with inadequate medical treatment on hand. "There are doctors and a prison clinic, but the doctors can't be there when the inmates need them most. They only have basic medicines and have no incentive to provide good care," said Kaung Zaw Hein, a student activist. "Moreover, if a sick person needs care at an outside hospital, many steps are required. We discovered that two men passed away in the past week while awaiting approval from the jail authorities to visit the public hospital," he said. According to the jailed student activists, there are about five hundred inmates at the prison in Yamethin, and "most" are suffering from influenza due to heavy rain and dampness. The post Detained Laborers Sentenced for Contempt of Court appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

No New Irrigation Dams During Govt’s Term Posted: 13 Jul 2016 02:03 AM PDT Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Dr Tun Win (Photo: The Irrawaddy) NAYPYIDAW — No new irrigation dams will be built during the tenure of the current government, and spending on existing facilities will be halved, says Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Tun Win. Burma now has more than 100 irrigation dams, and the ministry has questioned the benefits they provide to agricultural production and farmer's welfare. It announced on Friday that it would also dismantle about 200 river-water pumping stations. "A large sum of money has been spent on building [irrigation] dams since 1988, but a look at whether they have really benefitted farmers, or whether paddy yields have increased, reveals that the cultivation of rice paddy through irrigation, as before, still makes up only 10 per cent of total cultivation," said the deputy minister. "The remaining 90 per cent has to depend on unpredictable rainfall. It has become clear that building [irrigation] dams contributes nothing to national development," he added. Rice exports to China, which reached 1.5 million tons in 1992 when there were not many dams in the country, stood at around the same amount in 2015, the deputy minister pointed out. The government has decided to halve maintenance spending for dams down from 24 billion kyats (US$20.3 million) for the 2016-17 fiscal year because only 2 million acres of irrigated farmland are in use, while the acreage of monsoon paddy is as high as 15 million acres. Additionally, farmland has previously been supplied with irrigated water only during the hot season (March to May). In some instances, water has been stored in dams just for the benefit of officials conducting inspections. "Water was stored in dams for hot season use and for official visits, although farmers needed the water also for paddy during the rainy season [June to September]. It is unacceptable that water was stored in dams just for official inspections," the deputy minister said. He said that farmers dared not ask for water during the rainy season even though droughts sometimes occur at that time. "We have instructed authorities to release water from dams whenever farmers need it. It is no long just 'time' for change. The change has already started," he said, referencing the National League for Democracy's (NLD) campaign slogan for the November 2015 general election. "The cultivation of hybrid paddy strains will also be stopped because [the seeds] were imported from China at high prices, even though there is no international market for hybrid paddy and local consumers do not like it. Research will be conducted to produce seeds at home," the deputy minister said. Translated from Burmese by Myint Win Thein The post No New Irrigation Dams During Govt's Term appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Top Bureaucrat, Former Censor-in-Chief Resigns Posted: 13 Jul 2016 12:28 AM PDT Ministry of Information Permanent Secretary Tint Swe delivers the opening address at the 4th Ethnic Media Conference in Mrauk-U, Arakan State, Feb 14, 2016. (Photo: Moe Myint/ The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Tint Swe, permanent secretary and spokesman of the Ministry of Information, submitted his resignation on Friday, citing family and social obligations. The 51-year-old former army major previously served as the chief censor at the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division under the military regime, and as the director general of the MoI's Information and Communication Department, until he was promoted to being the top bureaucrat in the ministry in April 2015. The Press Scrutiny and Registration Division was notorious in Burma for its rigid imposition of censorship, which blocked all political and cultural content deemed inappropriate, until the lifting of pre-publication censorship on print media in 2012. The official letter from the ministry approving his resignation has yet not been received, the outgoing bureaucrat said. Any civil servant over the age of 50 with 25 years of service is eligible for a pension on resigning. Tint Swe, who served the government (and military) for 33 years, said, "I did the best I could for the ministry. And I hope the ministry will be better off with my successor, because I am sure there are many qualified people who are better than me." The position of permanent secretary was created for each ministry under the previous administration of President Thein Sein, with the mandate of "supervising and coordinating" operations within their respective ministry. Under the Thein Sein government, the Ministry of Information announced a reorientation towards "public service media." But challenges remain, Tint Swe said, with the state newspapers and broadcasters largely continuing in their role as official "state media." Tint Twe is also an established columnist, and intends to keep writing after spending more time with his family. "I may work for the development of the media, in a way that would benefit the country," he added. The post Top Bureaucrat, Former Censor-in-Chief Resigns appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Banks Reminded to Accept Foreign Currency in ‘All’ Conditions Posted: 12 Jul 2016 10:27 PM PDT A man holds his ID card and a crisp US banknote at the exchange office of a local bank in Rangoon in April 2012. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — The Central Bank of Myanmar is encouraging patrons to lodge complaints if they have been turned away by banks for trying to exchange US dollars that are not in mint condition, according to an official from the Foreign Exchange Management Department. Until recently, currency exchange points would only accept US bank notes if the bills were new and uncreased. In 2012, the Central Bank instructed both private banks and exchange counters to accept dollars in any condition, yet four years later, customers continue to see worn-out or "tainted" notes rejected. "We've already announced that money changers must accept all notes but at different rates, but there are complaints circulating that some changers don't accept [all] notes," said Win Thaw, director-general of the foreign exchange department. "We encourage them to send letters of complaint to the Central Bank of Myanmar with good evidence, and we will take action […] but we have not received any complaints so far," he added. Some foreign visitors, said Sabei Aung, managing director of Nature Dream Travel and Tour Agency, have complained to her about Burma's practice of rejecting notes based on their condition, pointing out that this does not, to her knowledge, occur in other countries. "[Money changers] only want crisp dollar notes. Foreign visitors say that it annoys them that this country is practicing this awful habit. They accept that if notes are old, rates are lower, but they don't understand why [money changers] can refuse to accept them," she said. "If the government can make those money changers follow the rules, it will support our tourism industry to develop more too," Sabei Aung added. Soe Thein, executive director of Asia Green Development Bank, questioned whether the Central Bank itself would accept these notes sold back to them as well. Sometimes, he alleged, staff at the Central Bank had been known to turn away what they deemed as "old notes." "We want them to accept those notes, too," Soe Thein said. Prior to 2011, when Burma experienced an increase in international visitors due to the shift toward a nominally civilian government, exchanging Burmese kyat into any foreign currency was illegal, with few exceptions. Due to US sanctions, much external trade in dollars was done through Singapore, where crisp, new dollar bills were demanded. The government had offered tourists its own rate of exchange—six kyats to the dollar, drastically below the dollar's value in Burma—but the system was abandoned after the kyat was floated in March 2012; the exchange rate now hovers at around 1,180 kyats for one US dollar. The post Banks Reminded to Accept Foreign Currency in 'All' Conditions appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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