The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Elite Business Community Welcomes Peace Conference
• Lt-Gen Mya Tun Oo Appointed Burmese Military’s Chief of General Staff
• Volunteers in Bagan Trained in Earthquake Recovery
• Peace Talks Must Focus on Rights
• Govt Justifies International Involvement in Arakan Issue
• Three Armed Groups Barred from Peace Conference
• Broadcaster Apologizes to Military for Outdated Plane Crash Story

Elite Business Community Welcomes Peace Conference Posted: 29 Aug 2016 06:16 AM PDT A view of the border-crossing connecting Mae Sot in Thailand to Myawaddy in Burma, in May 2014. (Photo: Facebook / Zaw Thu Ra) RANGOON — Burmese business leaders have welcomed the "21st Century Panglong" peace conference, expecting that a successful peace settlement would increase foreign investment in Burma, open up border areas and tempt back migrant workers from abroad. The five-day peace conference, beginning in Naypyidaw on Wednesday, will host 1,600 people on its opening day; thereafter, 750 delegates representing the government, the military, ethnic armed groups and political parties will engage in discussions covering the thematic areas of politics, security, economics, land, the environment and social issues. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be attending. Earlier this month, at a meeting with ethnic armed groups, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that, without peace, economic performance in Burma would not be sustained in the long run. U Chit Khine, the presumed billionaire and chairman of the Eden Group, one of Burma's largest conglomerates, said the peace conference would bring "hope" for the Burmese business community that more foreign investment would come to the country. "Foreign investors are waiting to see what will happen with the peace process here. They could bring many job opportunities and create a new business environment in border areas that are still far away from peace," he said. Much of Burma's borderlands are controlled by non-state ethnic armed groups, who have often struck their own deals with foreign investors, and continue to control overland trade with neighboring countries, notably China, Thailand and India. U Chit Khine said that, "if there is peace," industrial zones could be developed along the Thai-Burma border, "creating job opportunities." He added that Burma's Investment Commission had already invited investment in new industrial zones planned in Hpa-an and Myawaddy of Karen State, the latter on the border with Thailand. However, the projects have yet to move ahead because investors are still waiting for peace to be secured. "There are huge populations in the border areas. If investors can build factories to produce value added products, trade will be bigger and regions will develop fast," U Chit Khine said. "There is a big potential market in the border areas if conflict ends," he said. U Khin Shwe, chairman of Zaykabar—one of Burma's largest construction companies—said he hoped to see development in Mon and Karen states and Tenasserim Division if peace with ethnic armed groups is achieved. "If the government can create business opportunities for them [ethnic armed groups], they will agree to peace. It would be of mutual interest. There will not be development without peace in those remote areas," he said. He pointed out that several million people from Burma are working in Thailand, due to a lack of job opportunities at home. If investment comes to their areas, they would be willing to come back. U Khin Shwe cautioned that natural resources in current conflict areas would require "careful management" by the government. "If there is no peace, there is no development," he said. U Nyo Myint, senior managing director of the Kanbawza (KBZ) Group of Companies, another of Burma's biggest conglomerates, also welcomed the "Panglong" peace conference, which he believed could bring new opportunities to residents of "remote" areas of Burma suffering from "internal conflict" involving non-state armed groups. "For example, the banking industry: we [KBZ] can't open branches in some conflict areas. People can't pursue business without banks, so how can business develop?" he said. "As part of a new economic strategy, business should be developed not only in urban areas, but also in remote areas. That's why we want peace, and welcome this conference," he said. The post Elite Business Community Welcomes Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lt-Gen Mya Tun Oo Appointed Burmese Military’s Chief of General Staff Posted: 29 Aug 2016 05:15 AM PDT Mya Tun Oo pictured in 2014. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) An announcement by the Burmese military on Friday saw Lt-Gen Mya Tun Oo as the third most powerful official in the armed forces after being promoted to a general and appointed Chief of General Staff. Born on May 5, 1961, Mya Tun Oo went to the Defense Services Academy (DSA) in 1980 and is a graduate of 25th intake of the DSA. The 55-year-old has been widely tipped as the next chief of Burma's military. Burmese military observer Ko Ye of Tagaung Institute said Mya Tun Oo's rapid promotions over the last six years are "quite rare" in the army. In 2010, he was a brigadier general and the rector of the DSA before rising through the ranks. In 2011, he was appointed commander of newly minted Eastern Central Command in Kho Lam, Shan State. The next year, he was promoted to the rank of major general.  Then, he served in the positions of army chief of staff, the chief of military security affairs, and chief of Bureau of Special Operations 6 which oversees military operations in Chin and Arakan States and Magwe Division. Finally, he was promoted to the rank of a general on August 26 and the chief of general staff for the army, navy and air force. Current Burma Army commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing turned 60 this year, but Mya Tun Oo said at a recent press conference that the commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief of the military are permitted to serve until age 65, according to the military council. In accordance with these regulations, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing may retire around 2020. Commander-in-Chief of the air force, Gen Khin Aung Myint, concurrently served as Chief of General Staff after General Hla Htay Win retired from the position to join the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) ahead of the 2015 general election. In other promotions on Friday, the Burmese military promoted Maj-Gen Win Min Tun to lead the Eastern Command, Maj-Gen Than Hlaing to take over the Eastern Central Command, Brig-Gen Lin Aung to head the Coastal Region Command, Maj-Gen Maung Maung Soe to serve as the commander of the Western Command, and Brig-Gen Thet Pone to take on the Northwestern Command. The post Lt-Gen Mya Tun Oo Appointed Burmese Military's Chief of General Staff appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Volunteers in Bagan Trained in Earthquake Recovery Posted: 29 Aug 2016 04:30 AM PDT An Aerial view of Sulamani Temple after an earthquake last week. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — Bagan's Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library will collaborate with Unesco experts to train volunteers to collect data and clean debris from pagodas damaged in a recent earthquake. The department said experts from Unesco will be in Bagan on September 4 and training will begin the following day. "Volunteer leaders will be trained on how to document damages, collect and clean debris without affecting the structures, and how to verify and handle broken pieces of the ancient temples," said Aung Aung Kyaw, director of the department. Volunteer leaders from local travel and tour groups, Buddhist monks, rescue teams from local fire brigades and soldiers will attend the training. According to the department's official figures on Monday, 397 pagodas and temples were affected by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Burma last week. "There are five teams—led by the department and under Unesco's guidance—currently working on the ground, recording and documenting the damages," he said. However, the department said they still need more volunteers to speed up the process of documenting, cleaning and collecting broken artifacts before rain worsens the situation. At the same time, the department and Unesco are concerned about rushing the process and allowing too much access to the damaged pagodas. "Since these pagodas are valuable to our country's history and culture, we need to be extremely careful when collecting debris. If we rush, we won't have another chance to conserve these precious broken pieces," said Aung Aung Kyaw. In the days following the earthquake, locals rushed to Bagan to see the damage and some were disappointed when local authorities prohibited visitors. At some of the more damaged pagodas—like Sulamani—some Buddhist monks and visitors were seen arguing with security. "We would like to apologize for the inconvenience but the restriction is for safety reasons. We also don't yet know the extent of the damage and want to ensure that artifacts aren't taken by opportunists," said Aung Aung Kyaw. "We would like to request that visitors understand the cultural and historical significance of the area while we do our best to restore public access as soon as possible," he added. The post Volunteers in Bagan Trained in Earthquake Recovery appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Peace Talks Must Focus on Rights Posted: 29 Aug 2016 04:25 AM PDT UN Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Yanghee Lee, speaks during a press conference in Rangoon, Burma on, July 1, 2016. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) This Wednesday Myanmar will hold the "21st Century Panglong Conference" – the latest step in the country's long peace process. It will be a moment imbued with symbolism. In 1947, Aung San Suu Kyi's father, General Aung San, led the Burma delegation at the first Panglong Conference which reached a breakthrough agreement with three groups and is still etched in the popular memory of the country today. A lot is at stake with this Panglong Conference. As with the peace process generally in Myanmar, this is the opportunity to transform the country, into a state the people of Myanmar have wanted for several decades. But to do so it must be fully inclusive. Getting all of the Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) to the table is a major challenge in itself. There remain three groups, still in active combat, that were excluded from discussions on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and how they will participate in the Panglong Conference is still confusing. There has been much focus on the inclusion of these groups and this is important, especially given human rights violations which are particularly prevalent in areas of continuing conflict. But inclusivity is more than just about political players as it is also about all stakeholders. Experiences in other countries have shown time and time again the need for women to play an equal part, for grassroots organizations and civil society to have a strong voice and for information to be freely available for the people to follow developments. These are the ingredients for a sustainable, inclusive process which can propel the country forward and into the prosperous future for all. Unfortunately, during my recent visit to Myanmar I saw signs that the peace process risked neglecting these fundamental aspects. Myanmar has only a couple of days before the Panglong Conference and quick changes should be made to ensure these vital aspects are addressed. Studies have shown the involvement of women in the peace process increases the likelihood of an enduring agreement. While the NCA contained several important provisions on issues related to women – Myanmar in general has not performed well so far on this score, with women comprising only 16 percent of the senior delegation negotiating the NCA. Unfortunately, so far there are few signs of this improving as the new government has not confirmed the commitment made by the previous one to guarantee at least 30 percent women representation. Governments come and go, all with their own priorities and agendas. As civil society organizations (CSOs), as well as grassroots organizations, are at the front line seeing and experiencing the actual situation of a community, they have the institutional knowledge of the historical context of problems and various methods to address them. Often they are the only ones that address important issues of both marginalized and mainstream society that governments either avoid, or fail to address, or sometimes do not have the capacity or will to address the very important human rights issues at hand. Therefore, it is imperative that an environment be established for a vibrant civil society to thrive. CSOs in Myanmar have played a vital role in conflict areas, supporting, empowering and aiding populations and, as such, have a unique insight and must be involved in all aspects of the peace process. During my recent visit to Myanmar, the CSOs told me there is a reluctance to allow them to be involved in peace process issues deemed "political" despite the fact that many of these areas have a direct link to human rights concerns. I have been assured civil society will have a central role in the process and there will be a "Civil Society Organizations Peace Forum" but this process is not totally clear. It is vital that CSOs be allowed input on all areas. On the other hand, it had been announced that political parties which failed to win seats at the recent elections will be part of the CSO forum, and not the conference itself. CSOs and political parties are fundamentally different organizations. Blurring the lines in this way will undermine the important role that both have to play. Youth, as the future of the country, must also play a role and I was disappointed to hear comments from senior individuals that the outcomes of the recent ethnic youth summit will not be considered in the process. But the young people themselves must also remember the importance of inclusivity, not just among armed groups but within all communities. Underlying the decades of conflict are basic human rights issues linked to discrimination and minority rights, land rights and a host of others. Addressing these issues in the peace process will be key to building a new Myanmar. But the extent to which these key issues will feature in discussions also remains unclear. So far, with Panglong just around the corner, there is little clarity on the exact process that will be followed. There has been a failure to inform the public and, more importantly, affected communities. The Panglong Conference will just be a first step, but it is an important one. As such, it is vital that human rights concerns are fully integrated, not just in discussions but also in the process – the build-up and make-up of the conference. Myanmar has an opportunity to showcase how a peace process should be done and that fixing these vital areas before the 21st Century Panglong Conference is both possible and would pay dividends in future progress. This article first appeared in the Bangkok Post on August 26, 2016. Yanghee Lee is the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burma. The post Peace Talks Must Focus on Rights appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt Justifies International Involvement in Arakan Issue Posted: 29 Aug 2016 03:14 AM PDT Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan addresses a news conference at the United Nations in Geneva in August 2012. (Photo: Reuters) Amid criticism of former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan's appointment to chairman of the new Arakan State Advisory Committee, the deputy-director general of the State Counselor's Office said the choice was made in response to international pressure. Deputy director-general U Zaw Htay told reporters at a press conference on the government's 100-day plan in Naypyidaw on Friday that the decision to include international representatives followed outside pressure, after previous local commissions failed to resolve the Arakan State issue. The nine-member team includes three international representatives, including Kofi Annan, and six from Burma—including two Buddhist Arakanese members, two Rangoon-based Muslim members and two government representatives. "The commission must include impartial, respected and experienced people. We planned to form the commission with three international representatives and six local representatives. The three international representatives we have selected are very seasoned," U Zaw Htay told reporters. Burma's main opposition party—the Union and Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)—and nationalist forces have criticized the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government's decision to involve international representatives in the Arakan State issue, stating that the move "neglects national security." The USDP released a statement that criticized "bringing an internal issue into the international spotlight." U Zaw Htay said the Arakan State crisis was not merely an internal issue, adding that the international community was already involved through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). "No matter how unwilling we are to accept it, international pressure does exist. International involvement could clearly be seen in the previous boat people crisis," said U Zaw Htay. He said the government understands the concerns of political parties over the formation of the advisory commission but that they should not worry given that its mandate only allows for recommendations, submitted to the government via State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The State Counselor's Office and the Kofi Annan Foundation have yet to sign a memorandum of understanding to form the advisory commission. A draft MoU has been submitted to the attorney general's office to seek further advice, U Zaw Htay said. "We have heard what [critics] say about Kofi Annan. But we appointed him not because he is the former UN secretary-general. He adopted the Millennium Development Goals, won a Nobel Peace Prize and helped resolve many conflicts—including issues in Syria," he said. The Arakan National Party (ANP) previously demanded the cancellation of the committee, stating that the non-Burmese members would not be able to understand the background of the current situation in Arakan State. The region saw significant violence in 2012 and 2013, largely affecting the stateless Muslim Rohingya community. The ANP does not recognize the self-identifying Rohingya minority and instead refers to them as interlopers from Bangladesh. Regarding the issue of citizenship and the Rohingya, U Zaw Htay said that decisions going forward would be made in accordance with the contentious 1982 Citizenship Law—which defines eligibility in racial terms and renders stateless most Rohingya. "The government does not necessarily have to follow the commission's recommendations. It is the government's choice. The issue is not an international issue but draws huge international interest and therefore is politically sensitive," he said. The post Govt Justifies International Involvement in Arakan Issue appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Three Armed Groups Barred from Peace Conference Posted: 29 Aug 2016 03:07 AM PDT Soldiers from the Burma Army's 33rd Division patrol Laukkai in the Kokang Self-Administered Zone of northern Shan State, during intense fighting with the MNDAA in February. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Arakan Army (AA), ethnic armed groups that have fought alongside each other in northern Shan State, will be barred from attending the Union Peace Conference. The Burmese military had demanded, as a precondition to their joining formal peace negotiations, that these armed groups release a statement committing to give up arms, at some unspecified point in the future. The three groups agreed to issue a statement, but insisted that the wording be changed from "the path of taking up arms" to "armed conflict," in terms of what they would commit to giving up. Deputy director-general of the State Counselor's Office U Zaw Htay confirmed that the government would not be extending invitations to the three groups to attend the Union Peace Conference—now branded the "21st Century Panglong Conference"—because "an agreement has not yet been reached." He said the government would "keep the doors open," but with the conference scheduled to begin on Wednesday, their absence seems certain. It also appears that the government, headed by the National League for Democracy, which has pushed an "inclusive" line on the conference, would not be able to invite the groups without the consent of the military. The Burmese military has told the media that their request to the three armed groups was motivated chiefly by the high-intensity fighting they experienced with the MNDAA—and their allies the TNLA and the AA—in the Kokang region of northern Shan state in early 2015. The Burma Army sustained heavy causalities over three months of fighting. The Burmese military has since viewed these three groups as a graver threat to national sovereignty than other ethnic armed groups in Burma, who have not been asked to make any commitments to disarm prior to joining peace negotiations, and most of whom have bilateral ceasefire agreements with the Burmese government. Lt-Col Tar Phone Kyaw of the TNLA told The Irrawaddy: "We want to attend the 21st Century Panglong Conference. But, we can't attend because the government has not invited us." The five-day peace conference, starting on Wednesday, will be repeated every six months under current plans, implying a long and complex process. The (military-controlled) Ministry of Home Affairs will oversee heightened security during the conference—higher than was seen during the 2013 Southeast Asian Games held in Burma—according to U Zaw Htay. "Since we have received a threatening message from ISIS […] the Home Affairs Ministry will provide close-range security," U Zaw Htay told a press conference in Naypyidaw on Friday. The Straits Times reported on Aug. 2 that Burma's State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, alongside top politicians and officials in Malaysia, was on a "hit list" purportedly from the Islamist terrorist group ISIS that was sent to Malaysian police the day before. "We are planning to accommodate [participants] at six hotels in Naypyidaw, where full security will be provided, alongside health services," said U Zaw Htay. Of the six hotels, U Zaw Htay would only name the Kempinski and the Shwe San Ein. Transportation would be provided for all participants, he said. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Three Armed Groups Barred from Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Broadcaster Apologizes to Military for Outdated Plane Crash Story Posted: 29 Aug 2016 01:54 AM PDT MNTV's online apology "to the public and the military" after the outdated news broadcast. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Myanmar National TV (MNTV) has apologized after old news about a Burmese military fighter jet crash two years ago was broadcast on a news bulletin on Sunday evening, drawing strong public criticism from the military. MNTV is a free-to-air channel under Shwe Than Lwin Media Co. Ltd, chaired by U Kyaw Win, who is believed to have enjoyed close business ties with the former government and the ex-military regime. The plane crash happened on June 11, 2014. The military's True News Information Team said that, by broadcasting the outdated news without stating when the crash happened—and by using an unverified Internet source whose intent was unknown—the news story "could lead to misunderstanding among the public." "On behalf of the Defense Services, we strongly condemn [the broadcast] and call upon officials to take necessary action," read the statement. Shortly afterwards, MNTV issued an apology on the air and via its official Facebook page. "We broadcast old news from 2014 about the MIG-29 UB fighter jet crash […] from an incorrect source. We deeply apologize to the public and the military," the apology read. The source was the Central News Bureau, a local news agency based on Facebook, which has also apologized via the MNTV's Facebook page, stating that they had sent MNTV the story prematurely, while the news was still awaiting confirmation. "The editorial team published it in a rush, as breaking news, without any ill intention. For this fault, we apologize to the military," CNB said. In May, a private broadcaster affiliated with state-owned Myanmar Radio and Television 4 (MRTV-4) apologized for "misusing" the word "Tatmadaw," which the Burmese military claims for itself alone, in describing the insurgent Arakan Army as the "Rakhine Tatmadaw"—fighting against "government forces"—which the military felt harmed their own "image and dignity." The post Broadcaster Apologizes to Military for Outdated Plane Crash Story appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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