The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Environmental Activists Protest Proposed Site of Shan State Parliament
• Burma’s Trade Volume Dips, Amid Concerns Over Exports
• Suu Kyi’s Rushed Peace Conference Worries Ethnic Leaders
• Lawmakers Demand Revamp of Anti-Corruption Measures
• Floods Hit Pegu Division

Environmental Activists Protest Proposed Site of Shan State Parliament Posted: 11 Aug 2016 07:22 AM PDT Trees marked with red Xs at the proposed site of a new parliamentary building in Taunggyi, capital of Shan State. (Photo: Living Earth Green Network) Environmental activists have launched a campaign to stop the government from cutting down more than 80 trees in order to build a new parliamentary building in Shan State's capital Taunggyi. The budget for the new state parliamentary building was approved last year, because the current structure was too small to house the 136 state lawmakers. The plan had not been officially released but Taunggyi-based environmentalist Cherry Kyaw, who chairs the local Living Earth Green Network, said she had heard about it from confidential sources. "The area is being measured and almost all the trees are being marked with red Xs, both the aged-trees and the young ones," she said. The activists said they object to building on the site because it has become a "landmark area" in Taunggyi. "We don't want any trees cut, big or small. It will completely destroy the environment. This is the only place where large numbers of trees are being conserved. We cannot accept losing our environment," she told The Irrawaddy. "Taunggyi residents are not objecting to the construction of a new parliamentary building, but they should choose another venue," Cherry Kyaw added. The campaigners will collect signatures from Thursday until Sunday and then send a letter to President Htin Kyaw, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, the Union and the state and division parliaments, the office of the Shan State government and the state minister for environmental conservation, forestry and natural resources. Nang San San Aye, a Shan State lawmaker from Hsipaw Township and one of four lawmakers appointed to the tender selection committee for the new parliamentary building, said no decision had been made regarding the location and no permission had been granted to a construction company so far. She said when the committee received proposals for four different locations for the building in June, the committee suggested choosing one of the other locations and leaving the trees in place. The post Environmental Activists Protest Proposed Site of Shan State Parliament appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma’s Trade Volume Dips, Amid Concerns Over Exports Posted: 11 Aug 2016 07:15 AM PDT Agricultural workers rest by bags of rice that are waiting to be transported from a local mill in Kyaiklat, Irrawaddy Division, May 24, 2012. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — Burma's total trade volume has dipped in the first four months of this fiscal year since April compared to the same period last year, alongside a reduction in its trade deficit, while government plans to boost exports face strong economic headwinds. These headwinds—which industry leaders speculate may frustrate export growth and widen the deficit in the short-term—include very low oil and gas prices, a ban on raw timber exports, attempts to reduce raw jade sales (to promote value-added processing), and shortfalls in agricultural production caused by extreme weather, particularly flooding. The total trade volume between April and the end of July was worth US$8.071 billion, with $3.275 billion in exports and $4.79 billion in imports, leaving a deficit of $1.5 billion, according to figures from the Ministry of Commerce. During the same period last year, the total trade volume reached $8.8 billion, with $3.336 billion in exports and $5.486 billion in imports, leaving a deficit of $2.15 billion. Ministry of Commerce director Myint Cho cited the effects of catastrophic floods in July and August of last year, which laid waste to a proportion of Burma's paddy fields, in lowering exports. He expected a future rise in imports as foreign investment projects heighten demand for certain materials. While the government continues to express worry over the trade deficit, Commerce Minister Than Myint has announced plans to triple exports during the term of the current government up to 2020. In pursuit of this goal, he said the government would target the agricultural sector, small and medium enterprises, and re-export items (goods imported into Burma and re-sold to third countries). Myat Thin Aung, chairman of the Hlaing Tharyar industrial zone in Rangoon, said that unpredictable weather patterns in Burma may hamper efforts to boost agricultural production, citing the flooding of last year, which has been repeated on a less devastating scale during the current rainy season. He believed adverse weather would further the trade deficit, given the longtime centrality of the agriculture in Burma's economy. He also cited low oil and gas prices, the ban on timber exports and efforts to reduce raw jade exports as drivers of the deficit. Oil and gas, jade and agriculture products are Burma's major export items, while its chief imports are home appliances and raw industrial materials—now servicing record levels of foreign investment. "The export volume will definitely decline this year, so I expect the trade deficit will be bigger than last year," Myat Thin Aung said. The Ministry of Commerce said it anticipates a total trade volume of $32 billion this fiscal year up till March 31, 2017, although this forecast may be downgraded if current flooding worsens and Burma is hit by more extreme weather. Much of the increase is expected to consist of imports, as foreign investment continues to enter Burma. Last year, according to the ministry's figures, the total trade volume reached $26 billion, with a deficit of $5 billion. Burma's total trade volume increased steadily year on year after political and economic reforms were launched under former President Thein Sein in 2011. However, in 2015, the last year of Thein Sein's term, the trade volume leveled off, leaving some observers concerned. The post Burma's Trade Volume Dips, Amid Concerns Over Exports appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Suu Kyi’s Rushed Peace Conference Worries Ethnic Leaders Posted: 11 Aug 2016 05:56 AM PDT Ethnic representatives during the seventh round of official talks on a nationwide ceasefire with government negotiators in Rangoon, March 2015. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi's announcement that the Union Peace Conference would take place on August 31 has given rise to lingering questions, concerns and hesitation among ethnic armed organizations. Ethnic leaders have said there should be proper preparation before the conference and that Suu Kyi should clarify the agenda and which representatives would be in attendance. Some have stated that it is too early to hold a national level conference, and that Suu Kyi needs to hold further negotiations with ethnic leaders. Nai Hong Sar, a spokesperson for United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)—an alliance of nine ethnic armed organizations—told The Irrawaddy that there are numerous questions the group wants to raise prior to the conference. The UNFC has not yet decided whether it will join the conference. "We want to know whether all of the ethnic groups will be included and whether she [Suu Kyi] has thought about the groups that didn’t sign the NCA—not only us [the UNFC], but also the Wa and Mongla groups. We will attend if we are clear on these points," said Nai Hong Sar. It is unclear at this point whether non-signatories to the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) will be able to join the conference and in what capacity. Ethnic sources have said that non-signatories would be able to observe the conference but not participate in discussions. Nai Hong Sar said the decision to join would be reached after a two-day meeting between UNFC representatives and a government peace negotiation team, beginning in Rangoon on Friday. "We asked for all-inclusion and a tripartite meeting. We will discuss the framework review. If they can clarify and settle these points, we will participate. If not, we will need to think about it," said Nai Hong Sar. Khu Marko Ban, an author and longtime observer of ethnic politics and the democratization process, said there are many preparations to undertake before a major conference can take place. "I don't know for sure how [Suu Kyi] will hold the '21st Century Panglong Conference,' but it should reflect the spirit of the 1947 Panglong Agreement because that is the lifeblood of the country," said Khu Marko Ban. The Panglong Agreement was signed by the soon-to-be indepedent government—led by Suu Kyi’s late father Gen Aung San—and ethnic Shan, Kachin, and Chin leaders in 1947 and it granted autonomy to some of the country's main ethnic minority groups. Less than a year after its signing, Gen Aung San was assassinated and the agreement was never realized, plunging the country into decades of civil war. Khu Marko Ban stated that the conference would be misleading if it followed the peace process laid out by the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee, which was founded under the former quasi-civilian government. "Stakeholders should talk and make plans before the conference. It should not just be based on the UPDJC arrangement, which some worry just drags ethnic leaders along without properly including them," he added. Some ethnic leaders said they were concerned that acceleration without first laying sufficient ground work would threaten the safety of civilians in warn-torn areas of the various ethnic states. They also claimed that Suu Kyi was following a peace process based on the NCA, an agreement designed by the former government. "She hasn't even modified the peace process," said an ethnic leader who asked to remain anonymous. Suu Kyi’s peace process is viewed by ethnic armed group leaders as a top-down approach, as she didn’t seek consultation or approval from them before scheduling the Union Peace Conference. Her announcement leaves many ethnic armed group leaders—especially NCA non-signatories—hesitant to join the conference, while others worry that they will be left behind if they do not join. The post Suu Kyi’s Rushed Peace Conference Worries Ethnic Leaders appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lawmakers Demand Revamp of Anti-Corruption Measures Posted: 11 Aug 2016 03:04 AM PDT Burma's Lower House of Parliament in Naypyidaw. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — After a two-day debate in the Lower House of Parliament on an anti-corruption proposal, the house speaker ordered the Bill Committee on Wednesday to review Burma's anti-graft law. The proposal urging the cabinet to take a stronger line on deep-rooted corruption in the country was submitted on August 2 by Than Win, who represents Rangoon's North Okkalapa Township. Thirty-two lawmakers registered to debate it. Burma's current anti-graft law, enacted in August 2013 under the government of former President Thein Sein, mandated a new commission, which was formed six months later with 15 members appointed by Thein Sein. Mya Win, a former major-general in the Burma Army, was appointed chairman, prompting objections from opposition lawmakers of the National League for Democracy (NLD). During the two-day debate in the Lower House, lawmakers highlighted how corruption had flourished under decades of military rule. A military representative called for a mechanism to monitor politicians and their family members to ensure against abuses of authority. Nay Myo Tun, representing Rangoon's Htantapin Township, said that, despite the enactment of well-intentioned legislation, the commission had not made significant ground in reducing corruption. He suggested the government form a new commission. "Since the anti-graft law says that the commission's term is the same as that of the President," he said, "we now need a new commission under the elected popular government that could implement the provisions of the law in the public interest." He also highlighted the importance of government employees respecting the anti-corruption law and of lawmakers holding authorities to account. According to an annual index published by the Berlin-based graft monitor Transparency International, Burma is perceived as among the world's most corrupt countries, ranking 147 out of 168 in 2015. Myint Lwin, who represents Rangoon's Twante Township, cited a succession of oppressive military regimes as the root cause, saying that only "clean government with clean leaders" could end corrupt practices. Lawmaker Myint Tun from Sagaing Division said that corruption allows businesses to avoid taxes, encourages illegal trade and widens the gap between rich and poor. He commented on the profound impact corruption has on Burma's economy, politics and society: "It is also one of the most challenging realities for the new government. It harms the country's reform process and its dignity the most." He downplayed the link between corruption and low pay for government employees, saying it was related more to the sheer abundance of opportunities for bribery and other forms of corruption. He mentioned complex and excessive bureaucracy as another driver. Alongside a need for the government to review policies and regulations, Myint Tun called for strengthening the media's right to information, which would allow the media to contribute to holding officials to account—making it harder for them to get away with past practices. A lawmaker from Arakan State said that if national leaders failed to reduce corruption during the current "transitional" period, the public would lose faith in the government and may disengage from politics. Lawmaker Thet Thet Khine from Rangoon focused on the effect corruption has on the country's economic development, undermining confidence among investors and fostering social instability driven by wealth disparities. "Deep-rooted corruption will not be cured by a quick fix. It needs strategic long-term policy," she said. Anti-corruption commission chairperson Mya Win responded that the body needed more skilled investigators in order to take effective action in corruption cases. "Corruption happens because there are people who give bribes and people who receive bribes," he said, referencing the complicity of much of Burma's citizenry in an entrenched culture of graft. "Both sides need to change their attitude." He also conceded that some provisions of the anti-graft law should be changed. House Speaker Win Myint said that it was not enough to merely urge the cabinet to tackle corruption more robustly: to obtain a corruption-free society, the government, the parliament, the media and the general public should investigate instances of corruption and file complaints with the commission accompanied by evidence. The anti-corruption commission recently announced that it had so far received more than 2,000 complaints about corruption, but it had investigated and taken action on only around 500. Chairman Mya Win explained at the parliamentary session that the remaining complaints were not accompanied by legitimate evidence, or were related to events prior to the formation of the commission. The ruling NLD vowed to establish a "corruption-free society" in its 2015 election manifesto, although analysts have predicted that the new government would face difficulties in reforming Burma's bureaucracy, where corrupt officials retain considerable power. In April, in the opening days of the NLD government, Aung San Suu Kyi in her capacity as President's Office minister ordered all civil servants not to accept any gifts worth more than 25,000 kyats (US$21), an amount 10 times lower than the threshold set by the previous government. This was interpreted as a foretaste of stronger anti-graft measures to come. Expectations have been raised. The post Lawmakers Demand Revamp of Anti-Corruption Measures appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Floods Hit Pegu Division Posted: 11 Aug 2016 02:58 AM PDT Vice President Henry Van Thio meets flood victims in Pyay District on August 10. (Photo: Kaung Myat Min / The Irrawaddy) Pegu Division has become the latest region hit by flooding in Burma, with more than 50,000 people affected, according to the office of the divisional government. As of Tuesday, 177 relief camps had been opened in six townships in the division. Monyo Township was hit the hardest—with 18,000 people forced to flee to relief camps—followed by Padaung Township, citing 15,000 victims. "There are 37 village tracts and five wards in Monyo Township and only two of the village tracts are not flooded. The river has stopped rising, but because the embankment broke, it is likely that water will continue to flow into the town," said Aye Win, a lawmaker representing Monyo Township in the divisional parliament. More than 130 houses were wiped out by flooding near Monyo's Myit Makha village, said Aye Win. The Pegu divisional government has supplied about 1,000 bags of rice and cash for victims in Monyo Township through the township's General Administration Department. But supplies will not last beyond August 12 and the situation will worsen if the floodwaters do not recede. In Tharrawaddy Township, some flood victims have had difficulty getting to relief camps from their homes. "We have been assisting victims, but donors from the Ayeyarwady Foundation only arrived today," said Saw Sarte, a priest at Tharrawaddy Church, which has been sheltering 325 flood victims from Tharrawaddy Township. "We had to bring them from their homes by boat and then by car to get here," said the priest. The post Floods Hit Pegu Division appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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