The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• DKBA Splinter Group Confirms Leader’s Death 
• Panglong Vox Pops: Part 2
• Armed Conflict Continues on Highway in Karen State
• Peace Conference Participants Voice Expectations
• E-Visa Holders Permitted to Enter Burma Overland
• 21st Century Panglong Conference Kicks Off in Naypyidaw
• NLD Struggles to Fix Administrative Branches: Shwe Mann
• Opinion: One Political Prisoner is One Too Many
• Chiang Mai at Risk From Zika Virus
• UN Chief Addresses Rohginya Issue Ahead of Peace Talks

DKBA Splinter Group Confirms Leader’s Death  Posted: 31 Aug 2016 07:42 AM PDT Soldiers of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army in 2015, prior to the faction under Lt. Na Ma Kyar splintering from the group. (Photo: Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy) Lt. Na Ma Kyar, the commander of a splinter group of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) that is named after him, has been killed, the splinter group confirmed on Tuesday. The Na Ma Kyar group on Tuesday released the statement along with a photo of the late Lt. Na Ma Kyar with cuts to his throat, saying that the details of his death would be explained later at a press conference. A local resident close to the Na Ma Kyar group, who did not wish to be named, said that Lt. Na Ma Kyar was killed in Karen State's Kawkareik Township by one of five elephant mahouts he had kidnapped for ransom. "First, they freed one mahout and asked him to bring the ransom. But he didn't come back. Then they freed another two, who also didn't come back. So they attempted to arrest new mahouts. One mahout stabbed [Lt. Na Ma Kyar] with a knife out of fear, almost severing his neck," he told The Irrawaddy. However, there have also been allegations that the Burma Army, together with allied Karen militia the Border Guard Force, had killed Lt. Na Ma Kyar and invented the story of him being killed by a mahout as a cover. Other rumors have asserted that three Na Ma Kyar group members lost their lives while trying to rescue Lt. Na Ma Kyar from Burma Army captivity. The Na Ma Kyar group statement also claimed that the Burma Army and Border Guard Force troops were attacking them from two sides in Kawkareik Township, and that clashes may intensify. The Na Ma Kyar splinter group is based in a remote part of Karen State's Kawkareik Township. It has exerted control—and collected road tolls—along parts of the Asian Highway, which was built to ease trade and transit between Burma and Thailand via the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border. The group was forced out of its positions on the strategic highway by a joint Burma Army-Border Guard Force attack prior to the official "opening" of the highway in February of this year. Earlier this month, Border Guard Force troops clashed with the Na Ma Kyar splinter group, injuring four civilians. On May 11, the Burma Army and the Border Guard Force launched a joint attack on the house of Lt. Na Ma Kyar in Pyabin Village of Kawkareik Township, but Lt. Na Ma Kyar escaped. In February, clashes between the same groups displaced hundreds of civilians in the area. The post DKBA Splinter Group Confirms Leader's Death  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Panglong Vox Pops: Part 2 Posted: 31 Aug 2016 05:54 AM PDT State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speaks on Wednesday at the 21st Century Panglong Conference in Naypyidaw. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) The Irrawaddy asks members of civil society, government, political parties and others for their thoughts on the 21st Century Panglong Conference, which began on Wednesday in Naypyidaw. Peace negotiations with ethnic armed groups proceed in an environment of high expectations, mixed with considerable skepticism in some quarters. Nai Ngwe Thein: vice chair of the Mon National Party What do you expect from the Panglong conference? Frankly speaking, the 21st Century Panglong Conference is just a gathering of people, where key decisions won't be made. A democratic federal union is still miles away because, according to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, every step has to be made according to the 2008 Constitution. Unless and until the constitution is changed, the problems won't be solved. The military maintains its grip on important ministries, and at lower levels. This makes it difficult for Burma to achieve peace. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi can only preach; she can't give orders. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? Political dialogue must be held first, and efforts must be made to achieve a ceasefire. If you sign [a ceasefire] with one ethnic armed group and fight another one, you will never get peace. John Caesar: secretary of the Karen Literature and Culture Association What do you expect from the Panglong conference? Our Karen group is not invited to the 21st Century Panglong Conference. Why were we left out? I understand that smaller ethnic groups won't be invited because it's a national level conference, but we are not a small ethnic group. I don't have high expectations of the conference, because it is not a once-and-for-all thing. Without amending the 2008 Constitution, the conference will not be able to contribute toward a genuine federal Union. What's more, since it does not include all groups, it won't reflect the voices and fundamental rights of all people of the nation. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? For the entire country to enjoy peace, the distribution of power is of utmost importance. As long as centralization lasts, there won't be internal peace. It is necessary that federalism be genuine. But to amend the 2008 Constitution is the main imperative. Sai Aung Myint Oo (Photo: Facebook) Sai Aung Myo Oo: Shan Youth Organization What do you expect from the Panglong conference? They [the government] said they won't make decisions but will work out a framework. We can't expect much. They will find a solution within five years. The coming conference is just the opening phase for adopting a framework. I am glad that most of the stakeholders are included and it is good that many academics are involved. But then we can't expect much since certain groups are not invited. And I am really sad that there are ongoing clashes in Kachin and Shan states. Kai Rein: Kachin National Development Foundation What do you expect from the Panglong conference? I have no expectations towards the conference because of ongoing clashes in our Kachin State. We heard that each ethnic armed group would be given only ten minutes [to speak], and the opening and closing [remarks] would be made by the government. It seems that the government is acting according to the 2008 Constitution. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? If a ceasefire can be agreed, there is hope for peace. I am speechless since the government organized it in a one-sided manner. Salai Issac Khen (Photo: Facebook) Salai Issac Khen: Chin State municipal, industry and electricity minister What do you expect from the Panglong conference? I hope [the conference] can find solutions to political and ethnic issues for the future of Burma. Of course, the challenges are huge. We are working with belief and hope. Not everything is going smoothly. We need patience and tolerance. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? To achieve genuine peace, patience is needed. Everyone has his or her own views and it is important to learn from each other. It is also important that the definition of peace be the same between the two sides. Haji Aye Lwin: Muslim spiritual leader and founding member of Religions for Peace What do you expect from the Panglong conference? It is a result never seen before in Burma. Almost every stakeholder will gather, except some smaller groups, whose future participation can be achieved through negotiation. The two sides [the Burmese military and excluded groups the AA, MNDAA and TNLA] just need to reach an agreement over terminology. I have great expectations towards it. But the problems are acute. It is childish to criticize the National League for Democracy (NLD) led government over its performance in its first 100 days, as armchair critics have done. The civil war will not stop at once. It will take time. But it is now going in the right direction. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? I expect that with more and more negotiation, the gap between different views will narrow. The most important thing is mutual trust. To have trust, there must be justice. It is understandable that both sides will protect their own self interest, but there needs to be some give-and-take in building trust. Cheery Zahau (Photo: The Irrawaddy) Cheery Zahau: ethnic Chin women's rights activist What do you expect from the Panglong conference? As everyone knows, the conference will not result in a decision; it is just a starting point for discussion. There won't be any breakthroughs. Some politicians argue that the NLD government initiated the process, but, in fact, it is part of the process begun in 2011 by the U Thein Sein administration. No matter what government comes into power, the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement mandates the conference. People need to be aware of this. I have no big expectations towards the conference, since stakeholders will just exchange their views and not make a decision. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? To achieve genuine peace, it is necessary that all groups, holding a variety views, are included whether or not they have won [seats in] the election, or whether or not they are welcomed. For example, in the first Union peace conference in January this year, only eight ethnic armed groups were involved—and now UNFC [United Nationalities Federal Council] members will attend the coming conference. So, there is greater participation. Yet, in spite of increased participation by ethnic armed groups, the participation of political parties has decreased a lot, because of government criteria that allow only parties that have representation in parliament to join the conference. Peace is not about having representatives in parliament; it is about discussing all the different views and all the problems. Ye Htut (Photo: The Irrawaddy) Ye Htut: former Minister of Information What do you expect from the Panglong conference? You can't expect a lot from the conference other than bringing the NCA non-signatories to the negotiating table in the first round. The 1947 Panglong Conference only discussed whether hilly regions were willing to regain independence together with the mainland [Ministerial Burma]. The 21st Century Panglong is much wider than that. Everyone needs to understand this. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? For the country to achieve peace, [the government] needs to create a political landscape in which [ethnic armed groups] are convinced that they can claim ethnic rights through the ballot box. And ethnic armed groups should be determined to lay down arms. In the time of the previous government, the Myanmar Peace Center was hasty in making some decisions because it wanted to show that it could achieve outcomes in a short time period. Such mistakes should be avoided this time. People and the media need to know that the coming conference will not work out a solution in three days, as with the 1947 conference. Muay Noom Hom (Photo: Facebook) Muay Noom Hom: spokesperson for the Shan Women's Action Network What do you expect from the Panglong conference? Clashes are still going on. To be frank, they are holding the conference just to show the international community, because the international community thinks highly of her [Daw Aung San Suu Kyi]. But she has never spoken of the situation of the people on the ground. Unless there are equal rights, self-determination and autonomy, genuine peace will not be established. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? Peace means no war and no fear. [The government] needs to secure the fundamental rights of citizens, including to security, education, health and livelihoods. Aye Min: chair of the Dawei Nationalities Party What do you expect from the Panglong conference? I don't hold much expectation towards the conference because many more discussions—at least ten rounds—need to be held. Around 70 parties that did not win seats in the general election last year cannot participate in the conference. Since most of them are ethnic parties, the voices of ethnic people won't be reflected in the conference. We have things to discuss on behalf of our ethnic people. Because the government has imposed restrictions, we can't express our concerns. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? An important issue in peace [negotiations] is the division of territory, because some groups are having territorial disputes. Nyi Pu Lay (Photo: Facebook) Nyi Pu Lay: award-winning author and Mandalay resident What do you expect from the Panglong conference? I've never seen peace in my whole life. Every ethnic region has suffered due to armed conflict. Panglong is the conference that could fulfill our wishes and bring peace to the ethnic regions. Although it will take time, I believe Panglong will be the first step toward peace, where all parties can participate. What do you think is the most important element required for peace in the country? To achieve peace, all-inclusiveness is vital. If there's some exclusion, the peace achieved will not be sustainable. Restoring peace is very important for the country, especially for the ethnic people, because their regions have been left under-developed for many years due to the absence of peace and stability. The post Panglong Vox Pops: Part 2 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Armed Conflict Continues on Highway in Karen State Posted: 31 Aug 2016 05:42 AM PDT Border Guard Force groups monitor a section of the Asian Highway in July 2015. (Photo: Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy) Fresh clashes have been reported on a stretch of the Asian Highway running through southern Karen State on Tuesday, following the death of the leader of a splinter group of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA). Maj. Na Ma Kyar, who led the splinter group named after him, was killed on Monday. He was on a Burma Army wanted list. Clashes broke out on Tuesday after a joint force of the Burma Army and an allied Karen militia, the Border Guard Force (BGF), approached the Na Ma Kyar group's base. The Na Ma Kyar group is based in a remote part of Karen State's Kawkareik Township. It has exerted control, and collected road tolls, along parts of the Asian Highway, which was built to ease trade and transit between Burma and Thailand via the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the splinter group warned that fighting would escalate if the joint Burma Army-BGF force kept chasing its troops. Another senior officer in the DKBA splinter group, Maj. Saw San Aung, is also on the Burma Army wanted list. The DKBA, to which the Na Ma Kyar group formerly belonged, was one of eight ethnic armed groups that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the previous government in October of last year. Saw Alex Htoo, deputy director of the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network, told The Irrawaddy that armed conflict would continue as the Burma Army and BGF attempted to gain full control of the strategic highway. "The Burma Army and the BGF have been trying to wipe out [the Na Ma Kyar group] since 2014. There will continue to be conflict unless they make a settlement to accommodate shared interests," said Saw Alex Htoo. According to local rights groups, more than 1,000 local villagers were forced to flee their homes in July of last year due to armed conflict in the area around the Asian Highway in Karen State. Many of the displaced villagers still cannot return home due to the risk of landmines and continued instability. The Asian Highway, lauded by governments as part of an "east-west economic corridor" in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region, has been criticized by rights groups for contributing to increased militarization in an already conflict-prone region. Besides the Burma Army, the BGF and the Na Ma Kyar group, other groups that exert control over sections of the highway, collecting taxes and toll fees, include the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, the Karen National Union and smaller breakaway Karen groups such as the KNU/KNLA–Peace Council. The post Armed Conflict Continues on Highway in Karen State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Peace Conference Participants Voice Expectations Posted: 31 Aug 2016 05:36 AM PDT The Union Peace Conference Opening ceremony on Wednesday morning at the Myanmar International Convention Center-2 in Naypyidaw. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) Zipporah Sein: vice chairperson of Karen National Union                Since it is the first conference, we have high hopes that peace and a federal Union can be built. We have yet to deepen trust with the government mainly because there are still clashes. Much needs to be done before trust can be forged. I want the peace conference to be all-inclusive and I'm sorry that three groups—the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army—are not included. Everyone anticipates peace so we must continue our efforts. Ko Ko Gyi: 88 Generation Peace and Open Society The peace process is a national process and we can't expect the government to finish it during its term. Peace is the process of the country, not the process of a government. The results might depend on the extent of inclusion and patience in discussions. Civil war broke out because of politics and it persists because of a lack of trust. If nationwide peace is to be built, everyone should avoid terms, usages and behaviors that could cause misunderstandings, and nurture a culture of forgiveness. In successive periods in the past, peace was only between the government and the ethnic armed groups—the people were not informed at all about the peace process. Only when all people can actively take part will peace be complete and sustainable. Kwel Htoo Win: general secretary of the Karen National Union The conference is the first step towards long-awaited political dialogue. The objective of the Union Peace Conference is to start an inclusive peace process for all. Only eight ethnic armed groups attended the first national-level peace conference, but now 17 ethnic armed groups are attending. And eight non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement—seven members of the UNFC and the Mongla Group—attended the framework review. There has been progress. Our entire country wants peace. All of the groups involved in the conflict want peace. And concerned stakeholders have to find an answer. Previously, violence was used to find the answer. If a solution is sought through political dialogue now, this is a good step for the people. And we will try with absolute faith. La Phai Seng Raw: Kachin social worker  The 1947 Panglong Conference made very encouraging pledges [to ethnic groups]. Because those pledges weren't fulfilled, we had a civil war. If this conference can guarantee equality, which we could not achieve in the past, there will be greater opportunities for ethnicities to build the Union together peacefully and we won't need to send our offspring to the frontline. Mai Nleeng Kee: central committee member of the Chin National Front We have high expectations. We want to build a federal Union and end the civil war. Mainly, I am desirous of internal peace. Peace concerns women. Every mother wants peace. The entire nation want peace. The key to achieving peace is to end the civil war and ensure that no one is displaced by war. Khin Ma Ma Myo: director of the Myanmar Institute of Gender Studies Burma will have a peaceful future only when the democratic federal Union can be built. I came here because I think it is the initial and the most appropriate step towards a democratic federal Union, which the people want. Salai Lian H. Sakhong: ethnic Chin scholar The Panglong Agreement still can't be fully implemented. As a result, we have faced 60 years of civil war. This conference will be the first step toward ending civil war and achieving the unfulfilled goals set by Gen Aung San and ethnic leaders in 1947. I am an ethnic Chin and the Chin people were signatories to the 1947 Panglong Agreement, which formed the Union. We will never betray the Union, but always be loyal to it. We are trying to rebuild the Union with the Panglong Spirit. We want to have a peace that is built and shared among all people, otherwise it will not last long. The post Peace Conference Participants Voice Expectations appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

E-Visa Holders Permitted to Enter Burma Overland Posted: 31 Aug 2016 05:31 AM PDT The border crossing into Myawaddy, in Karen State, from Mae Sot, Thailand. (Photo: Kyaw Hsu Mon / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's Ministry of Immigration and Population will allow tourists from 100 countries holding electronic visas to enter Burma through three cities on the Thai border, starting on Sept. 1. The electronic visa application was introduced in 2014 and allowed tourists holding "e-visas" to enter the country only via airports in Rangoon, Mandalay or Naypyidaw; the business e-visa was introduced the following year with the same restrictions. The immigration and population ministry announced on its website on Wednesday that the application process and policies for e-visas will remain the same, but that the allowance for overland entry is applicable to both tourist and business e-visa holders. "Now all tourists and business e-visa holders from 100 countries can pass through three cities, following an agreement with Thai government and our government," Myint Kyaing, permanent secretary of Ministry of Immigration and Population told the Irrawaddy. The three cities able to process e-visa holders entering Burma overland include Myawaddy in Karen State, which sits opposite Thailand's Mae Sot; Tachileik in Shan State, across from Mae Sai in Thailand; and Kawthaung in Tenasserim Division, from Thailand's Ranong. "We hope these additional enhancements will offer our valued guests even more flexibility and convenience when visiting Myanmar in the near future," the ministry said. E-visa applicants are required to fill out an online visa form, verify that all the information entered is correct and make an online credit card payment. Applicants then receive a visa approval letter via email and are then eligible to have their passport stamped upon arrival by presenting a print-out of the electronic approval letter. "Not all tourists can pass through the e-visa system, only those eligible," Myint Kyaing said. As Burma's tourist arrivals have been increasing, reaching nearly 4.7 million in 2015, more than 60 percent of tourists came through overland border crossings, according to the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism figures. U Maung Maung, managing director of World Quest International, said the new move—agreed to by the Burmese and Thai governments—is welcomed. "I hope more tourists will come here from Thailand, and international tourist arrivals will be expected to increase," he said. "I don't think there will be a negative impact as a result of this new process," he added. Tourist arrivals initially increased when Burma transitioned from a military government to a quasi-civilian administration in 2011, when the number of tourists entering the country was only 800,000. By 2014, this rose to over 3 million, according to official statistics. The post E-Visa Holders Permitted to Enter Burma Overland appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

21st Century Panglong Conference Kicks Off in Naypyidaw Posted: 31 Aug 2016 04:29 AM PDT Attendees of the Union Peace Conference—also being heralded as the 21st Century Panglong Conference—pictured on the event's opening day in Naypyidaw. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) NAYPYIDAW — The 21st Century Panglong conference began on Wednesday in Burma's capital of Naypyidaw, with an emphasis on unity in building a federal union. Over 1,000 attendees filled the conference hall at the Myanmar International Convention Centre 2. The grand opening of the five-day conference has been discussed as the first step toward national reconciliation and political dialogue, and was joined by the stakeholders from the government, Parliament, the Burma Army, 17 ethnic armed organizations, foreign diplomats and the United Nations general secretary Ban Ki-moon. For the remainder of the conference, 750 stakeholders will be discussing specific issues in relation to politics, security, economics, land and the environment. Key leaders from the government present at the event included State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, parliamentary house speakers Win Myint and Mann Win Khaing Than, and Burma Army commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. Key ethnic leaders included Karen National Union chairman Saw Mutu Say Poe and Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) vice chairman Gen N'Ban La. National League for Democracy patron U Tin Oo and UN secretary Ban Ki-moon addressed attendees with opening speeches highlighting the importance of Burma's peace process. In her own 15-minute speech, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi revisited her peace negotiation team's work over the past three months. Acknowledging those displaced by conflict in Burma, the State Counselor emphasized the need to "not to forget the IDPs" in her speech, a statement echoed by many of those who spoke at the event, calling for an end to civil war in the country. "Now our ethnic people in unstable areas are wondering what the outcomes of the conference will be. Their hopes have been dimmed for a long time. We surely can't ignore their suffering," Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said. The KIA's N'Ban La said thanked the government for remembering the suffering of the displaced; over 100,000 ethnic Kachin remain internally displaced due to renewed fighting with the Burma Army in recent years. He went on to explain his understanding of federalism as "living in harmony" in a "democratic union" without "separation." One stakeholder who did not mention federalism was army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, who, in his speech remained firm on adhering to the Tatmadaw's six-point principles in the peace process, which he described as having been "drafted based on [past] experiences" and which should be followed by "both sides." Daw Aung San Suu Kyi highlighted the work of civil society organizations for their peacebuilding efforts. Specifically, she thanked Burma's youth for holding a recent campaign in support of the 21st Century Panglong conference. The State Counselor emphasized public participation as key to achieving peace in the country. "Any peace process can't be successful without public support," she said. "Peace is not something that leaders can delegate from above, and it is not born in peace conference rooms. Active participation and support from the public is required." The stakeholders and the conference attendees shared their expectations from the five-day peace talks with The Irrawaddy. Myo Win, vice chair of the All Burma Students Democratic Front, echoed the State Counselor's sentiments on peacebuilding: "We need participation from the public and to think of it as everyone's responsibility." Laphai Seng Raw, a prominent Kachin social activist who is taking part in the conference as a stakeholder, told The Irrawaddy that she hoped the 2016 Panglong would "continue finding solutions for historically unresolved issues, such as equality and rights to autonomy, which were failed to be implemented after the [original] 1947 Panglong." Other members of civil society organizations and women's groups in particular were present at the conference as observers, despite not being invited as stakeholders. The post 21st Century Panglong Conference Kicks Off in Naypyidaw appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

NLD Struggles to Fix Administrative Branches: Shwe Mann Posted: 31 Aug 2016 02:08 AM PDT Shwe Mann at a Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission meeting in April. (Photo: Shwe Mann / Facebook) NAYPYIDAW — The new National League for Democracy government is struggling to fix the government's administrative branches, according to U Shwe Mann, chairman of Parliament's Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission. At a press conference, Shwe Mann told the media that peace efforts amid ongoing conflict in northern Burma, issues in Arakan State and overhauling Burma's administrative machinery are proving more difficult than expected. "The government is working hard. It is struggling with a very difficult situation,” he said. As a consequence of the failure to allow for a proper market economy in successive eras, the new government faces difficulties in the economic sector. It has yet to achieve its goals as it has had to address political, economic and social reforms simultaneously, he added. "The government has started economic reform but it hasn’t gotten very far," he said. U Shwe Mann's said he was "determined to work for the well-being of the people and progress of the country in good faith as hard as I can from the position I hold." Concerning his attitude towards the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) after having been purged from it, he said he would treat it with loving kindness, goodwill and indifference. However, he said that a political party that fails to work in the interests of the people will not last long. "I am not thinking about party politics at the moment. However, we are ready to help and work with any government formed by any party if it works in the interests of the people and the country," he said. In addition, he said the commission that he leads gives advice to the Union Parliament and the Union Government "in the interests of the people and the country." The commission is not a decision-making body but one that helps government officials make decisions. However, one NLD spokesperson told the Irrawaddy that U Shwe Mann could give advice to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi directly. "He can give advice to the state counselor through a direct channel created for him,"  the spokesperson said. It was reported that one of the reasons for the press conference was to refute social media accusations that the commission was working in the personal interest of one individual [Aung San Suu Kyi]. Translated from Burmese by Myint Win Thein. The post NLD Struggles to Fix Administrative Branches: Shwe Mann appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Opinion: One Political Prisoner is One Too Many Posted: 31 Aug 2016 02:02 AM PDT Student protesters grip the bars of a prison vehicle as they are transported to a court in Letpadan of Pegu Division in March 2015. (Photo: Reuters) There are many reasons to be optimistic about the future of Burma. Elections in November 2015 brought the first democratic government in decades. Last year, dozens of political prisoners were granted amnesty and released. Laws restricting core political freedoms such as speech, association and assembly have been relaxed. However, a great deal of work remains to be done, both by the Burmese government and by the international community. It is imperative that the international community continue, by all means available, to encourage respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the new Burma. In the immediate term, the international community must continue to press for the release of all remaining political prisoners. While the November elections were a milestone for Burma, we should not be overconfident about how much power these democratically elected officials actually have. Their control over Parliament, and the government at large, is constrained by the military-drafted 2008 Constitution. Only 75 percent of the members of the Union Parliament, our national legislative body, are democratically elected. The other 25 percent of the members are military officials appointed by the Commander-in-Chief. Seats are also reserved for military personnel in the divisional and state legislative bodies. This constitutional requirement cannot be amended unless more than 75 percent of the members of parliament agree; for the 25 percent reservation to be eliminated, some members representing the defense services will have to vote to strip themselves of power. The constitution also mandates that the elected President must choose high-ranking military officers to head the defense, home affairs and border affairs ministries. The Commander-in-Chief—Burma's top military officer, who stands apart from the President—nominates these officers. These ministries control all law enforcement mechanisms other than the judiciary; the police force falls within the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Defense controls the Border Guards. Furthermore, the large cadre of government officials, required in the administration of any modern nation, is comprised of individuals who have secured their livelihoods on the basis of loyalty to the military regime. Many, if not most, of the management-level civil servants are former military officers. Some of these individuals see their positions as payment for service to the military. Reconciling a new, democratic government with autocrat-supporting civil servants is a challenge faced by every country in transition, with varying degrees of success. There are no easy answers to this problem. For example, the summary termination of thousands of government employees during the "de-Ba'athification" of Iraq both caused widespread unemployment and left the government unable to provide basic services. On the other hand, keeping current civil servants in power may mean that the policy decisions made by elected leaders are thwarted by the people who should be enacting them. Even assuming that these officials wish to cooperate with a civilian-led government, the management and working styles of civilian activists and ex-military personnel may not gel. After the democratically elected government assumed power in April of this year, they announced the release of political prisoners as a top priority. My organization, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners–Burma, has confirmed that charges have been dropped for 163 activists who were awaiting trial, 115 of whom were released from pre-trial detention; and 70 convicted political prisoners have been released. However, between those prisoners who were not released and the new arrests and convictions over the past three months, there are currently 285 political prisoners in Burma. This is simply unacceptable. Political prisoners still exist, in part, because laws that restrict speech, assembly, and association—freedoms vital to a free society—are still on the books in Burma. Though laws requiring associations to register with the government have been relaxed, they have not been completely repealed. Speech remains restricted as well, with laws purporting to regulate telecommunications instead prohibiting "act[s] detrimental to the security of the State or prevalence of law and order or community peace and tranquility or national solidarity or national economy or national culture." This broad, vague prohibition has been used to jail activists for expressing an opinion using electronic technology. Freedom of assembly is restricted by laws requiring protestors to receive official permission before staging a protest. These restrictions on political activities are anathema to a free society; reform is necessary, and until such reforms are undertaken, the arrest and trial of individuals under these laws must be halted. Everyone loves a success story, but, while it has seen great progress, Burma is not yet a success. Many challenges remain. The constitution still vests great power in the military. Laws still exist allowing security forces to detain protestors and activists. People are still jailed for their beliefs. One political prisoner in detention is one political prisoner too many; Burma has 285 too many political prisoners. It is simply too soon to ease the pressure on entrenched elements of the old government. Most of these challenges are not immediately solvable. It will take a long time to unwind the military's influence over the bureaucracy, and an extraordinary solution will be necessary to remove the military's influence over Parliament. However, the ongoing situation for political prisoners can be resolved with a stroke of the pen. The international community must press for this immediate change that could improve the lives of many and promise continued progress towards a free Burma. Bo Kyi is a former political prisoner and one of the founders of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners–Burma, which has been advocating for the release of all political prisoners in Burma since 2000. The post Opinion: One Political Prisoner is One Too Many appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Chiang Mai at Risk From Zika Virus Posted: 31 Aug 2016 01:49 AM PDT A worker sprays insecticide for mosquitos at a village near the Thai capital Bangkok in January. (Photo: Reuters) The northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, whose metropolitan area contains almost a million people, is at risk from the Zika virus, according to provincial authorities. Chiang Mai-based City News reported that provincial governor Pawin Chamniprasart has designated a control zone for the Zika virus in the San Sai Luang District of Chiang Mai Province, in order to contain the spread, after several cases were identified in the district. Seven people have reportedly been infected so far in the province, which is also at risk of a dengue outbreak. The mosquito-borne Zika virus has been known to occur largely in tropical regions of Africa and Asia, and is related to dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever. A widespread Zika epidemic began in Brazil early last year, spreading to other parts of South and North America and to some Pacific islands. It has since been detected in Southeast Asia, in Singapore and Thailand. The symptoms of Zika infection are generally mild, although in pregnant women in can cause brain malformations and other defects in unborn children. There are no vaccines or specific treatments. The post Chiang Mai at Risk From Zika Virus appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UN Chief Addresses Rohginya Issue Ahead of Peace Talks Posted: 30 Aug 2016 08:34 PM PDT Un Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses Burma's Union Parliament. (Photo: Reuters) NAYPYIDAW — United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Burma to improve living conditions for its Rohingya Muslim minority on Tuesday, ahead of peace talks between leader Aung San Suu Kyi and many of the country’s ethnic armed rebel groups. Burma’s 1.1 million Rohingya will not be represented at the conference starting on Wednesday, but the fact Ban raised their plight—and used the term for the group that is divisive in Burma—may add to international pressure on Suu Kyi to address the issue. “The government has assured me about its commitment to address the roots of the problem,” Ban told a news conference in the capital Naypyidaw. “Like all people everywhere, they need and deserve a future, hope and dignity. This is not just a question of the Rohingya community’s right to self-identity.” Ban Ki-moon and Aung San Suu Kyi met reporters as the Nobel Peace Prize laureate launched a push to end decades of fighting between Burma’s military and ethnic rebels. Aung San Suu Kyi has made the peace process a priority for her administration, which faces sky-high expectations at home and abroad after sweeping to power in an election last November to end more than half a century of military-backed rule. Tensions between Buddhists and Muslims in western Burma, however, are not being tackled as part of that process. Many in the Buddhist majority country regard the largely stateless Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and they are not among the 135 ethnic groups recognized by law. Aung San Suu Kyi has asked foreign diplomats and leaders not to use the term “Rohingya” because in her view it is inflammatory. Some 120,000 Rohingya remain displaced in squalid “internally displaced persons” (IDP) camps since fighting erupted in Rakhine state between Buddhists and Muslims in 2012. Thousands have fled persecution and poverty. “I conveyed the concern of the international community about tens of thousands of people who have been living in very poor conditions in IDP camps for over four years,” said Ban Ki-moon. He added that if they had lived in the country for generations, all people in Burma should enjoy the same legal status and citizenship as everyone else. Many Rohingya families have lived in Burma for that long. Last week Aung San Suu Kyi picked former UN chief Kofi Annan to lead a commission to stop human rights abuses in Rakhine. Peace Conference Few concrete proposals are to emerge from this week’s talks, with delegates expecting to meet every six months to discuss issues ranging from security, political representation and culture to sharing the fruits of Burma’s mineral riches. The gathering has been compared to the Panglong Conference, a meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi’s father, Burma’s national hero General Aung San, and ethnic minorities in 1947 that led to the formation of the Union of Burma after independence from Britain. “The 21st Century Panglong conference is a promising first step,” said Ban Ki-moon. “I congratulate all participants for their patience, determination and spirit of compromise.” The fact that Aung San Suu Kyi has been able to bring the vast majority of the rebels to the negotiating table only five months after taking power is a sign of progress, experts say. Powerful armed groups from regions bordering China, who refused to sign a ceasefire last October under the previous military-backed government, are now set to take part, partly owing to China’s tacit support for the talks. As Burma’s economy opens up, China is vying for influence with the United States. President Xi Jinping pledged his country would play a “constructive role” in the peace process when Suu Kyi visited China this month. Suu Kyi is travelling to Washington in September where she is likely to face questions on the treatment of the Rohingya. Burma has been torn by fighting between the military, which seized power in the 1962 coup, and ethnic armed groups almost without a break since the end of the Second World War. Casting a shadow over the talks is a recent flare-up in fighting in northernmost Kachin State and clashes in northeastern Shan State, which is home to several large groups operating close to borders with China and Thailand. The still-powerful military has also strongly opposed talks with three groups that fought it in the remote Kokang area last year unless they disarm. The groups have said they cannot, citing continued pressure from the army. It was unclear whether they would be allowed to attend the summit. Ethnic delegates have complained about what they saw as an arbitrary schedule set by the government. Aung San Suu Kyi, who said little at Tuesday’s joint appearance with Ban Ki-moon, has not consulted the groups about the date of the conference or the specific agenda, diplomats familiar with the situation said. “I will do my best to let all ethnic leaders attend tomorrow’s conference,” said Suu Kyi. “It’s their own decision whether they attend or not.” The post UN Chief Addresses Rohginya Issue Ahead of Peace Talks appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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