The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- After Rioters Destroy Mosque, Muslims Are Wracked With Fear
- NCA Signatories Discuss Peace Agenda in Chiang Mai
- Cinemas Built to Resurrect Stagnating Film Industry
- Spat Breaks Out Between Arakanese Armed Groups
- Govt Allows 14 Items for Re-Export
- Looking Back At Gen Aung San’s Address to a Thai Delegation
- Wa Military Leader Arrested For Drug Trafficking
- Thai PM Supports Delayed Burmese Refugee Return
- NLD Lawmaker’s House Burglarized, Mother-in-Law Stabbed
- Tourism Industry Observer: ‘The Government’s Tourism Statistics Are Misleading’
- Despite Criticism, Suu Kyi Offers Hope to Rohingya
- UN Rapporteur Meets Muslim and Buddhist Communities in Sittwe
- Seven Indonesian Sailors Kidnapped in Philippines: Foreign Minister
| After Rioters Destroy Mosque, Muslims Are Wracked With Fear Posted: 24 Jun 2016 08:51 AM PDT      THUYE THAMAIN, Pegu Division — At first, Ohn Lwin, police chief of Thuye Thamain village in Pegu Division, said the situation was stable. But when he saw nearly 20 Muslims running inside his police station at 4 p.m. on Friday, he realized he had been wrong. They had sought refuge in the police station the night before after Buddhist rioters destroyed a mosque and a house belonging to a Muslim family. But by Friday afternoon, they had rushed back to the police station, a sign that the Muslim villagers were still afraid of the rioters. "Rumors are circulating that a mob is coming again. So we don't dare stay at home. That's why we are heading back to the police station," a local man told The Irrawaddy. Some women were crying when they reached the police station, fear written on their faces. Win Shwe, a Muslim community leader, said: "You see the situation now. It's not stable." The police said there had been no violence on Friday, just rumors. Some Muslims who had run into the station admitted that they did not see anyone trying to attack them; they fled because they had heard rumors of attacks. One police officer recalled that he told some locals: "I will shoot you guys. Don't make problems!" Situated in Waw Township of Pegu Divison, Thuye Thamain is a small village with a Buddhist majority comprised of 1,500 households while the Muslim population is around 250. The tensions between the communities reached a flashpoint on Thursday when a fight broke out between a Buddhist and a Muslim. The altercation drew a mob, leading some local Buddhists to destroy the Muslim individual's house, which also served as a storefront for construction equipment and hardware. The violence then snowballed into a riot, with Buddhists targeting other Muslim households in the village, as well as a mosque and a warehouse. The police said no one was injured, and that they were conducting an investigation into the two families who had the initial dispute. The police chief Ohn Lwin said "No one has been detained yet," adding that his police force has been able to maintain stability. Win Shwe, the Muslim leader, was upset with the police inaction. While talking to an Irrawaddy reporter, he exclaimed, "Those two guys! I recognize them," pointing at two men he claimed participated in destroying the mosque. "You see, they are still driving around on motorbikes!" The post After Rioters Destroy Mosque, Muslims Are Wracked With Fear appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| NCA Signatories Discuss Peace Agenda in Chiang Mai Posted: 24 Jun 2016 08:45 AM PDT  Leaders and representatives of eight ethnic armed organizations that signed the NCA held a two-day meeting in Chiang Mai. (Photo: Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Representatives of eight non-state ethnic armed groups who signed last year's nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the previous government held a two-day meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand to review their peace program agenda, according to ethnic leaders. Leaders of the eight ethnic groups, including Saw Mutu Say Poe, chairman of the Karen National Union (KNU) and Lt-Gen Yawd Serk, chairman of Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), joined representatives from the respective groups at the meeting. No official statement was made and the leaders would not speak to media, but participants said that the eight groups reviewed their peace agenda and terms of reference for the Union-level Joint Monitoring Committee of the NCA. "We [the eight groups] have a peace process steering team [PPST] to represent us and lead peace talks. So, they are reviewing our work thus far," said one participant who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Khun Okkar, an ethnic Pa-O leader and spokesperson for the groups, said that a meeting with State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will take place in Naypyidaw on June 28 to discuss an upcoming peace conference and that representatives from each of the eight NCA signatory groups have been selected to attend. Additionally, ethnic Chin, Kachin and Shan leaders will hold a meeting in Thailand next week to discuss the upcoming "21st Century Panglong Conference," which will be modeled after an original interethnic summit in Panglong, Shan State, in 1947; Chin, Kachin and Shan representatives were once signatories—along with Suu Kyi's father, independence leader Aung San—to the original 1947 Panglong Agreement, which promised equal rights to Burma's ethnic minorities. Some current leaders have expressed their willingness to continue dialogue with the government and the Burma Army, saying that it appears to be the only option to resolve ongoing conflict between the military and Burma's ethnic armed groups, who have been fighting for federal reform and greater autonomy. One ethnic leader said, "We know that there are weaknesses in the NCA, but it is impossible to rewrite a new one to replace it. We will keep discussing it to see if we can sort it out and improve it." When asked about the Burma Army's suggestion that ethnic armed organizations disarm, demobilize and reintegrate—a process known internationally as DDR—the ethnic leader said there was no pressure to implement these steps in the near future, as they still needed to hear Suu Kyi's stand on the process. When asked why the Burma Army had excluded groups like the Arakan Army (AA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) from peace talks, the source speculated that the Burma Army remains angry after suffering heavy attacks by the MNDAA last February; it is believed that the AA and TNLA assisted the MNDAA in the conflict. In February of 2015, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar reported that 47 Burma Army soldiers died during those battles. The post NCA Signatories Discuss Peace Agenda in Chiang Mai appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Cinemas Built to Resurrect Stagnating Film Industry Posted: 24 Jun 2016 08:05 AM PDT  The Thwin Theater on Bogyoke Aung San Road in downtown Rangoon in 2014. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — A private cinema developer will build 100 cinemas in Burma within the next two years to encourage the country's stagnating film industry, the Information Ministry said. Representatives from local cinema developer Maze Co. Ltd., chaired by former actor Lwin Moe, met with information minister Pe Myint on Thursday. They outlined the company's business plan to build cinemas throughout the country, the ministry's permanent secretary Tint Swe—who was also present at the meeting—told The Irrawaddy. Tint Swe said that in Burma, the disappearance of theater venues has contributed to the film industry's downfall—a sentiment with which many industry insiders agree. Despite the industry's golden era from the 1950s until the 1970s, Burma's once-grand cinema halls were sold off to the private sector and torn down for other purposes or were privatized in the 1990s as part of the government's economic policy. "Establishing more cinemas is a critical factor in redeveloping the country's film industry," Tint Swe said. The number of theaters nationwide has declined to just 49 from its peak of more than 200, according to the information ministry's Motion Picture Development Branch (MPDB). Tint Swe said that only 27 cinema halls throughout the country are ministry-owned theaters. "To revitalize the cinema culture in Myanmar, there must be enough platforms to showcase films," he said. The company sought assistance from the Ministry of Information to act as a negotiator between the development company and other ministries if the land where the company wants to build a theater is government-owned, he explained. But he clarified that the ministry will not be involved in other business aspects. The Irrawaddy could not reach cinema development company chairman Lwin Moe at the time of reporting, and the projected timeline and start date for the venture are yet to be announced by the company. Tint Swe also said that the information ministry is preparing to hand over ministry-owned cinemas to respective regional governments for further management and that there is no plan to privatize in the future. The post Cinemas Built to Resurrect Stagnating Film Industry appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Spat Breaks Out Between Arakanese Armed Groups Posted: 24 Jun 2016 06:19 AM PDT  ALP leaders visit Arakan Army camps in Laiza, Kachin State in 2014 (Photo: Arakan Army / Facebook) RANGOON — Arakan Army spokesman Lt-Col Kyaw Han claims his forces have detained an Arakan Liberation Army (ALA) Column 9 soldier who stole their military armor, weapons and other supplies in Chin State near the borders with India and Bangladesh on Tuesday. The Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the political wing of the ALA, released a statement on Thursday saying that the Arakan Army had ambushed their forces and one soldier had been arrested while another is missing in action. The ALA is one of the signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the previous government, but the Arakan Army was excluded from the peace process. The ALA stated that armed clashes between the two armed groups, both of which are ethnic Arakanese forces, were a shameful matter within the Arakan community; the ALP believes they will be able to solve the problem without further casualties. ALP Joint Secretary Khaing Aung Soe Than said the incident occurred near Phone Nyat Wa and Mike Wa villages in Paletwa Township, where ethnic Chin and Khamee live. The Arakan Army's Kyaw Han rejected the ALA assertions and argued that ALA troops had been stealing from local residents. Moreover, he claimed ALA soldiers had disturbed villagers who had worked for the Arakan Army carrying supplies, adding that several villagers and Arakan Army soldiers had collaborated to hunt down the ALA soldiers. Of the ALA, Kyaw Han said, "We are not foes, but this incident could harm reconciliation efforts." Rumors are spreading on social media that two ALA soldiers were killed in Wednesday's fighting. But Kyaw Han said there was no fighting between the Arakan Army and ALA, and there were no injuries on either side. Now the Arakan Army is calling on ALA leaders to return the reportedly stolen goods, although details on such items were not forthcoming. "We didn't kill anyone. Our comrades didn't pull the trigger," Kyaw Han said. "Trying to disrupt our logistics is like cooperating with the enemy [the Burma Army]." The ALP's Khaing Aung Soe Than defended his soldiers, arguing that they had not stolen anything. "[This is] an untrue accusation. How could we rob the Arakan Army?" he said. "That's funny. Impossible." The post Spat Breaks Out Between Arakanese Armed Groups appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Govt Allows 14 Items for Re-Export Posted: 24 Jun 2016 05:22 AM PDT  A worker unloads rice from a boat on a jetty on the Rangoon River, October 23, 2015. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — The Ministry of Commerce has allowed re-export items that were previously restricted in a government effort to boost export volume three-fold this year. Exporters will be permitted to re-export 14 previously restricted commodities including car tires, edible oil, cosmetics, foodstuff and clothes to China, through the Muse border trade post in Shan State, as well as by sea. The list excludes arms and drugs, and will be dependent on domestic supply and demand, according to the ministry. "In the past, the government restricted certain re-export items due to low demand in the market, but we have reconsidered as we're expanding our export market," said Myint Cho, director of the Ministry of Commerce. Agricultural products and fuels are especially high in demand, he added. Re-exportation will help reduce the trade deficit, increase taxation and help small and medium enterprises expand their businesses, said Myint Cho, adding that Burma currently exports fewer items than other counties, and is able to increase both market and export volume in line with the government's wishes. Maung Aung, senior economist at the Ministry of Commerce, said the main reason for allowing re-export items is to increase trade volume and promote exports while the trade deficit continues to grow. "The government has an export oriented policy now. By doing so, they will be able to reach their export volume goals. But we also have to consider engaging in value-added processes," said Maung Aung. Burma's main exports are commodities like rice, timber, jade and gems, oil and gas, and beans and pulses. According to the ministry, the total trade volume reached US$25.7 billion between April 2015 and March of this year. Import volume hovered around $15.5 billion, while export volume reached only $10.2 billion. The fiscal year ended on March 31. The post Govt Allows 14 Items for Re-Export appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Looking Back At Gen Aung San’s Address to a Thai Delegation Posted: 24 Jun 2016 04:02 AM PDT  Gen Aung San in his military uniform. (Photo: public domain) As Aung San Suu Kyi conducts her first tour of Thailand as Burma's State Counselor, The Irrawaddy looks back at an address to a Thai delegation given by her father, Gen Aung San in 1947. The speech was delivered at the luncheon party given in honor of the Thai delegation at the Orient Club in Rangoon on April 17, 1947. Thailand was still often referred to as Siam at that time. Ladies and Gentlemen, Our thanks are due to the Siamese delegation for honouring us with a visit. The delegation is led by no less a person than Phya Anuman Ratchathan, Director of Fine Arts of University of Chulalornkorn. Anuman holds a high place in the world of literature and arts in Siam, besides being a historian of international fame. An author of voluminous works, his "History of Faiths of Siam and Neighbouring Countries" has been regarded as an authority on the subject of comparative religion. It is a matter for gratification that a leading exponent of Siamese art and culture has come to this country and it is hoped that the contacts made would have important results in the national life of our two countries. Our country before the war has had the privilege of welcoming goodwill missions from our eastern neighbour. And although our own preoccupation with our affairs had prevented our The national heroes that excite our utmost admiration are Alaungpaya and Phya Naret. Both the Shwedagon and the Wat Arun are the objects of our common veneration, while the mighty Irrawaddy and the lordly Menam Chao Phaya with their myriad streams of life-giving waters will always command a sense of eternal gratitude and affection both in the Burman and the Siamese. These common institutions, traditions and aspirations are significant, for they have helped to overcome one difference that exists between us—the difference in language. But this difficulty is overcome for practical purposes in the course of a short stay in Siam. For the Siamese spoken word is partial to the foreigner. The one overriding factor however that had in the past kept, and that should in the future always keep, our two peoples united is of course our spiritual affinity. It is the religious bond that binds Burma and Siam so closely. As you know, Buddhism is the prevailing faith—the State religion—in Siam. Siam takes pride, and quite rightly so, in her orthodoxy; and after Burma, As regards to our future, our mutual interests and our past experience require that we should stand together. There must be no occasion for any misunderstanding between us, and no effort should be spared to foster still better and closer relations between our two countries. We believe that such close friendship can be maintained only by constant and intimate contact. With this end in view, and for the mutual benefit of our two countries, we propose to appoint a diplomatic In conclusion, I wish to thank Phya Anuman Ratchathan and the distinguished members of the Siamese delegation again for giving us this opportunity of showing our high esteem for them, on the auspicious occasion of our Burmese New Year, our fraternal greetings to the Siamese people. The post Looking Back At Gen Aung San's Address to a Thai Delegation appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Wa Military Leader Arrested For Drug Trafficking Posted: 24 Jun 2016 03:11 AM PDT  Wa leader Tat Ma Har, also known as Ma Ma (seated left), at a press conference at a narcotics control office in Chiang Mai, Thailand on Thursday. (Photo: Manager Online) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Ma Ma, a leader of the Wa National Organization (WNO), the political wing of an ethnic Wa armed group, was arrested by Thai narcotics police in Chiang Mai, Thailand this week. Thai police officials from the Office of Narcotics Control Board held a press conference at their Chiang Mai branch office on Thursday, saying they arrested the Wa leader with 10 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 7.5 kilograms of raw opium and 26,400 methamphetamine pills. The police also seized 6.8 million baht (Nearly US$200,000) in cash during the arrest, which took place on Tuesday this week in Tambon Pa Daet in Chiang Mai. Thai police identified the Wa leader as Ma Ma. The Wa leader, who is known in Burmese media as Tat Ma Har, serves as vice-chairman of the WNO, a member organization of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of nine ethnic armed groups who are engaging in peace talks with the Burmese government, but have not signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). The NCA is a peace pact that was signed last year under the former government of President Thein Sein and includes eight ethnic armed groups as signatories. The arrest resulted from an insider report that Ma Ma and his cohorts were part of a major drug trafficking ring. The drugs were smuggled from Burma to Thailand for distribution to customers, according to a Thai media outlet, Manager Online. The WNO has long been involved in the illicit drug trade, and one of its past leaders, Mahasang, was also arrested in Chiang Mai and died in prison. The WNO's military wing, the Wa National Army (WNA), operates in northern Shan State and near the Thai-Burma border. When contacted by The Irrawaddy on Friday, two UNFC leaders declined to give comments. Observers, however, said the UNFC may have no connection with the drug trade run by members of the WNO. The UNFC’s relationship with the WNO is simply for political purposes, said observers, who chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue. In early June, the UNFC leaders met with a Burmese government peace delegation, led by Dr. Tin Myo Win, in Chiang Mai where they were invited to participate in both a political framework development meeting and the Union peace conference—branded by the new government as the "21st Century Panglong Conference"—which is scheduled to take place in late July. The first Panglong Conference, convened by Gen Aung San in 1947, resulted in an agreement between the leaders of some of Burma's major ethnic groups, guaranteeing autonomy for "frontier areas" in exchange for joining the soon-to-be independent Union of Burma. The UNFC leaders have expressed willingness to participate in the "21st Century Panglong Conference" but have not made a final decision The post Wa Military Leader Arrested For Drug Trafficking appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Thai PM Supports Delayed Burmese Refugee Return Posted: 24 Jun 2016 02:48 AM PDT  Mae Lae camp in Thailand, home to Burmese refugees, including many from Karen State. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) Burma should be given more time to prepare to take back refugees, said Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, a former commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army. Speaking ahead of Burma's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi’s three-day visit to Thailand, which began on Thursday, Gen Prayut said talks between Thailand and Burma over refugee matters began during the previous administration and the government believes that, when Burma is ready, it will take the refugees back. "[Burma] is willing to take back the refugees but we have to give them more time to prepare for such considerations as securing land to accommodate those who return. We understand each other," the Thai prime minister said. There are currently about 100,000 Burmese refugees in nine camps and shelters in Thailand, he said. In the meantime, Gen Prayut said Thailand would continue to take care of the refugees on humanitarian grounds although this will inevitably result in an increased burden on the country. To handle these refugees, Thailand is considering adopting the same approach as it did with the return of Hmong refugees from Tham Krabok to Laos several years ago, said the prime minister. "At this time, as a representative of the [Burmese] government, Ms Suu Kyi will be received on a government-to-government basis," he said. Suu Kyi previously visited Thailand as a pro-democracy activist in 2012, he said. Burma's de facto leader will meet Gen Prayut at Government House on Friday. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said Suu Kyi, who is also Burma's foreign minister, has cancelled a visit to a Burmese refugee camp at Ban Tham Hin in Ratchaburi province on Saturday after a potential for bad weather raised safety concerns. Maj Gen Piyaphan Pingmuang, deputy spokesman of the National Police Office, said yesterday the Thai police were ready to ensure Suu Kyi's safety throughout her visit. Ahead of the meeting between Gen Prayut and Suu Kyi, the Migrant Worker Rights Network (MWRN) issued a statement expressing concerns regarding the Thai government’s "poorly" planned, short-term migration policy. The Thai government has been accused of being too focused on the seafood industry and fishing boats despite the fact that systematic migrant exploitation exists across the country and in most industrial sectors. The European Union has threatened the government with a potential seafood ban to Europe if it does not mend its ways in the fishing industry. The migrant group recommended a national development plan with a long-term migration policy to be developed in line with economic and human security principles. In addition, a migration authority should be established under the Prime Minister’s Office to develop Thailand’s migration policy and issues relating to migrant workers. Thailand should ensure proper enforcement to prevent corruption and ensure compliance with human rights, labor rights and social protection laws in labor matters, the group said. The post Thai PM Supports Delayed Burmese Refugee Return appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| NLD Lawmaker’s House Burglarized, Mother-in-Law Stabbed Posted: 23 Jun 2016 11:44 PM PDT  Bo Bo Oo, a National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker representing Rangoon's Sanchaung Township. (Photo: Bo Bo Oo / Facebook) RANGOON — A National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker's house in Rangoon's Sanchaung Township was broken into early Friday morning and his mother-in-law was stabbed. Bo Bo Oo, a Lower House representative from Sanchaung Township, said his house was burglarized and his mother-in-law, 73-year-old Khin Than Nwe, was stabbed three times in the back and hand after she saw the offender entering the house through a window. Sanchaung Township Police told The Irrawaddy that Friday at 2:45 am, the offender attempted to break into the house on Aung Chan Tha (6) Street in Aung Chan Tha ward, and Khin Than Nwe was stabbed although nothing was stolen. "We are now trying to catch the offender," said a policeman, adding that the case was now open under the Penal Code's section 459 which punishes anyone who "whilst house-breaking causes grievous hurt to any person or attempts to cause death" with up to ten years imprisonment. The break-in comes soon after the Rangoon government has widened its crackdown on crime under its 100-day plan. Rangoon chief minister Phyo Min Thein said during a regional government meeting last month that the government is set to bring the full strength of the police force in order to ensure public safety. The post NLD Lawmaker's House Burglarized, Mother-in-Law Stabbed appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Tourism Industry Observer: ‘The Government’s Tourism Statistics Are Misleading’ Posted: 23 Jun 2016 11:18 PM PDT  Sabei Aung, chairwoman of Nature Dream Travel and Tours (Photo: Sabei Aung / Facebook) RANGOON — In 2015, Burma's former quasi-civilian government announced that the country had received more than 4 million visitors; however, industry observer Sabei Aung, chairwoman of Nature Dream Travel and Tours, criticized the statistics as misleading. The Irrawaddy spoke with Sabei Aung about her take on the current state of the travel industry. The government said Burma received more than 4.5 million foreign travelers last year, but you say those figures are impossible. Why? I'm referring to figures collected by the Pacific Asia Travel Association. They stated the number of foreign travelers who came into the country was slightly more than 1.3 million. There is a huge gap between the two figures. Of the government's stated 4.5 million visitors, 3.4 million crossed the border by land. There is a gap because the association does not count visitors who came across land borders as real tourists. The association assumes those figures are wrong. The government expects to receive 7 million foreign visitors in 2020, but the association estimates that the number may only reach 2 million. We are suffering from misinformation released by ministries from the previous era. Can those huge gaps between the actual figures and government-released figures affect the entire tourism industry? Investors will be affected. After 2010, international investors came to learn about the market but they found that the data was wrong. Singaporean investors came in, but European investors backed out. Also, hotels have mushroomed domestically but hoteliers have built hotels with their own money and loans. Those hotels do not receive enough guests and suffer huge losses. The incorrect data mislead local businessmen as well. How many foreign visitors do you estimate Myanmar may receive this year? The number will be less than 1.4 million. But I only count those who come on a tourist visas, visit tourist destinations, stay at least 24 hours and stay overnight in the country. Everyone knows that 3.4 million visitors crossing the borders is totally impossible. There is not sufficient infrastructure, like airlines or hotels, at the border. Even the major cities with large numbers of hotels only received 1.3 million visitors. So the figure of 3.4 million cross-border travelers is not realistic. We went to border areas but did not see many tourists. So you mean the supply for flights and hotel rooms exceeds the demand? Yes, it does. The supply is high and demand is low now. This is proven by the continuous promotions run by hotel and tour operators. Some operators and tour guides have had to close their businesses for the time being. Do you think the new government can handle the legacy left by the previous government? The new government has been in office less than 100 days. We want to wait and see because the new hotels and tourism minister has been in this industry for 30-40 years and his hotel business has a good reputation. I think he is a good man but I'm worried that he might easily believe what other people say. He is the only person who has changed in the tourism ministry; the rest of the team remains the same. The ministry is now talking about disbanding tourism associations. I am afraid that doing so would impact the industry. I am against disbanding the associations and in favor of collaboration. Tourism associations still have cronies who look out for their self-interests and we will still have to work with them. The minister needs to handle this shrewdly and ensure unity. Do you believe the current government can be implement the previous government's tourism master plan? The entire industry is working together to implement the tourism master plan. Supporting groups have hired experts to analyze the industry on ground; the problem is whether these experts are qualified to do so. I doubt it. Are they really qualified to survey anything on the ground? Here, some experts don't even know industry terminology. How can we believe them? There are many people working solely for self-interests. What advice do you have for the new government as a first priority? The new government needs to change policies and people at the same time. The new minister should see who works hard and keep them, and he should approach working with tourism associations carefully. The post Tourism Industry Observer: 'The Government's Tourism Statistics Are Misleading' appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Despite Criticism, Suu Kyi Offers Hope to Rohingya Posted: 23 Jun 2016 11:00 PM PDT  Boys stand among debris after fire destroyed shelters at a camp for internally displaced Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State on May 3, 2016. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / REUTERS) If we see each other as humans and show mutual respect, then it is easy to solve problems. But when one side looks at the other as if they are sub-human, it is almost impossible to come up with a solution. This is what is happening in Arakan State, where the UN has accused Burma of human rights violations. The Rohingya are Muslims and are also perceived as having darker skin than the local ethnic Arakanese Buddhists, who believe that the Rohingya are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. They call them "Bengali," despite their own wish to be identified as "Rohingya." This has left the government and the UN powerless to bring the two communities together. Their ancestors may have come from Bangladesh a long time ago, but most of the Rohingya were born in the region, and some—although by no means a majority—even have ID cards. They want to return to their homes after staying more than four years in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, but that is still impossible. If we see them as human beings, we should give them citizenship, and let them return to their homes with dignity. Then, not only would this problem be addressed, it would improve the image of our country and that of the government.  Lawi Weng is a Senior Reporter for The Irrawaddy English edition. Zaw Htay, deputy spokesman for the President's Office, admitted that the previous government violated the human rights of the Rohingya who are living in IDP camps, but because the new government is undergoing reforms, he asked that the UN and the international community be less rigid when addressing this issue. Suu Kyi revealed her new stance when she said her government would only use the term "Muslim community in Arakan State," and avoid both "Rohingya" or "Bengali" when referring to the group. This was intended to improve the image of the government, and could be seen as an attempt to address the conflict within the community. But both Arakanese and Rohingya have voiced their anger over this new term, showing how difficult it is to deal with the issue. Over the last few years, nearly every time conflict broke out on the ground, I went to Arakan State. My last trip was in 2014. While I was in Ohn Daw Gyi IDP camp, a middle-aged man brought me inside a small hut because he wanted me to help his father, who was in such poor health that he could not walk and had to lie on the ground. The old man thought I was a doctor, and he wanted me to give him an examination to see what was wrong. I told him I was a journalist, not a doctor. This experience showed me how bad the healthcare situation is in the camps. I could not sleep well whenever I returned home from the camps in the region, and I sometimes felt that I did not want to go back there. They are all human beings. Why do they have to live in such poverty as if they are sub-human? If everyone could see them as humans, we could solve this problem. Suu Kyi may understand this; she may provide some human rights protection for the Rohingya. But her new stance did not get support from the Arakanese people. And many on the Rohingya side do not like the new term her government has introduced either. In the meantime, the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights Yanghee Lee visited Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, on Wednesday. The Rohingya have high expectations whenever she visits because they view her as a person who will stand up for their human rights; in this regard, the Rohingya trust her more than Suu Kyi. Burma has experienced political reform, and we finally have a civilian-led government. But the military still has influence and power, so the situation is not yet ideal. The Rohingya should have a little more faith in Suu Kyi and see that she, like Yanghee Lee, is someone who could help them. Lawi Weng is a senior reporter for The Irrawaddy. The post Despite Criticism, Suu Kyi Offers Hope to Rohingya appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| UN Rapporteur Meets Muslim and Buddhist Communities in Sittwe Posted: 23 Jun 2016 10:50 PM PDT  UN rapporteur on human rights in Burma Yanghee Lee meets with Muslim residents of Sittwe's Aung Mingalar ward on Tuesday. (Photo: Phoe Thiha / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Yanghee Lee, the United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, met on Thursday with Muslim community leaders of Aung Mingalar quarter in Sittwe, the Arakan State capital. Aung Mingalar is the last Muslim enclave in Sittwe, after most of the town's sizeable Muslim population fled sectarian violence in 2012. However, it functions effectively as an internment camp, with access in and out restricted by heavily armed police, and the total segregation of the Muslim community from the town's Buddhist majority. The meeting took place at the Ma Dar Hsa Arabic School at 10 a.m. and lasted around 10 minutes. A dozen community leaders attended. Yanghee Lee asked the Muslim residents, many of whom identity strongly as Rohingya, for their views on the new, purportedly "neutral" term for the Rohingya—"Muslim community in Arakan State"—floated by the government at a recent session of the UN Human Rights Council. She also sought their thoughts on the government's recently resumed citizenship verification drive targeted at stateless Muslims in Arakan State. The Muslim community leaders responded that they did not accept the government's new term for them, and said they still hoped to gain official recognition from the government as Rohingya, according to Zaw Zaw, a Rohingya resident who was present at the meeting. Muslim residents also expressed distrust towards the government's citizenship verification drive. This has involved the handing out of "national verification cards" to those who will later be assessed for citizenship eligibility under the 1982 Citizenship Law, which discriminates heavily against the Rohingya as a "non-recognized" ethnic group in Burma. Yanghee Lee then asked which they considered to be a greater priority: gaining citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law, by whatever means, or continuing to fight for the official recognition of their identity as Rohingya. "We told her that if the Rohingya are designated as one of the [officially recognized] ethnic minorities of Burma, we will automatically become citizens," said Zaw Zaw. He said that Yanghee Lee also enquired about their current situation and their experiences over the last four years. The Muslim community leaders stressed that material conditions had improved for them, but the high level of police surveillance had not changed. "[Beforehand] we were not allowed to go to markets but now we can go everyday with police guards. That's a small change", said Zaw Zaw. The Muslim residents of Aung Mingalar were not entirely satisfied with the meeting, however, because the UN rapporteur did not make any commitments towards them on behalf of the UN and merely took notes, according to Zaw Zaw. According to state government sources, Yanghee Lee visited only one other place in Sittwe, Ming Gan quarter, where Buddhist Arakanese displaced by the 2012 violence have been settled. Arakan State government spokesman Min Aung confirmed that Yanghee Lee did not visit any further displaced communities or camps around Sittwe. He said she would return to Rangoon on Thursday evening. Yesterday, according to state government sources, she visited Pa Nyar Wa camp in Kyauktaw Township, which is sheltering members of non-Muslim ethnic minority groups—including the Mro and Daingnet—displaced by fighting in recent months between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army. State government spokesman Min Aung expressed his thanks towards the local Arakanese community for not staging any protest rallies, as they had done in previous years. Thar Pwint, a local Arakanese resident, said, "This is not the time to protest against Yanghee Lee. This is the time to protest against the government. Yanghee Lee is not our guest. She is the guest of the Union government." He expressed suspicion over the timing of the deployment of the government's new term—"Muslim community in Arakan State"—to coincide with the UN rapporteur's visit, suggesting it was a move to placate the international community. He objected to the term strongly, because it suggested that "Bengali" Muslims "originated in Arakan State." This reflects a widely held view among Arakanese Buddhists, and the Burmese public more generally, that the Rohingya are illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Yanghee Lee intended to consult with civil society groups and political parties drawn from the Arakanese Buddhist majority, but they refused to meet with her. The Arakan National Party, which holds the largest number of seats in the Arakan State parliament, released a statement to that effect on Wednesday. According to local sources, Arakanese nationalist groups in the state are planning to stage demonstrations against the government's recent use of "Muslim community in Arakan State." The post UN Rapporteur Meets Muslim and Buddhist Communities in Sittwe appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Seven Indonesian Sailors Kidnapped in Philippines: Foreign Minister Posted: 23 Jun 2016 10:31 PM PDT  Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi makes a statement at the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta, Indonesia on March 21, 2016. (Photo: Darren Whiteside / Reuters) JAKARTA, Indonesia — Seven Indonesian sailors have been taken hostage in the Sulu Sea in the southern Philippines, Indonesia’s foreign minister said on Friday, the latest in a string of abductions in the waters between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. Indonesian authorities have voiced concerns that piracy in the Sulu Sea area, a major sea traffic lane for the world’s top thermal coal exporter, could reach levels previously seen in Somalia. Analysts say $40 billion worth of cargo passes through those waters a year, including supertankers from the Indian Ocean that cannot use the crowded Malacca Strait. "We got confirmation [on Thursday] of an incident of kidnapping involving Indonesian crew of a ship," Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters. She said the hijackings were carried out by two different armed groups in attacks on a tugboat towing a coal-carrying barge. Six of the 13 crew on board were freed, Marsudi said, and were on their way back to Indonesia. "We absolutely do not tolerate this. The government will try all options to free the hostages," Marsudi said. Up to 18 Indonesians and Malaysians were kidnapped in three attacks on tugboats earlier this year in Philippine waters by groups suspected of ties to the Abu Sayyaf militant network. All 14 Indonesian citizens were later released. The Philippine military has said the militants have been targeting foreign crew of slow-moving tugboats because they can no longer penetrate resorts and coastal towns in Malaysia’s eastern Sabah state due to increased security. The rise of sea hijackings prompted Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia to agree last month to carry out coordinated patrols to secure the region’s busy waterways. However, coordinated patrols are yet to get underway. Abu Sayyaf, known for amassing tens of millions of dollars from kidnappings, has beheaded two Canadian nationals in recent weeks after ransom deadlines passed. The group is still holding Malaysian seamen and Japanese, Dutch, Norwegian, and Philippine citizens. The post Seven Indonesian Sailors Kidnapped in Philippines: Foreign Minister appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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