The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Siamese King’s Tomb in Mandalay Sealed, Pending Government Approval of Restoration Work
• Visually Impaired Association Trains Rangoon Bus Workers
• Anti-Rohingya Nationalist Group Plans Posters, Protests
• Burma Army Files Lawsuit Against Local Media Outlet
• Ethnic Armed Groups To Meet Before Panglong
• Muslims Flee Village After Rioting, Perpetrators Remain Free
• Confiscated Land Returned To Rightful Owners
• Gambira Moved to Insein Prison to Face Additional Charges
• Rangoon Authorities Ban Press Conference on Burma Army Torture
• Wa National Organization Denies Involvement in Drug Trade
• China Touts New Bank’s Greater Understanding of Developing World

Siamese King’s Tomb in Mandalay Sealed, Pending Government Approval of Restoration Work Posted: 27 Jun 2016 08:05 AM PDT Siamese King Uthumphon's tomb on Lin Zin hill in Mandalay Division. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — The consecration ceremony planned for a tomb believed to house the remains of 18th century Thai King Uthumphon in Amarapura Township near Mandalay was postponed after the Mandalay City Municipal Department (MCDC) ordered the area sealed on Friday. The Mandalay municipal committee responsible for research on and restoration of the tomb said they sealed it because the work—which was carried out by a local team and supported by the Thai Royal Treasury—was illegal and broke Burmese archaeological laws. "After reviewing the process, we did not find any agreement between the two governments," said Nyo Myint Tun, director general of the Mandalay divisional department of archaeology and museums, at a press conference in Mandalay on Saturday. "We told them to halt the restoration work while we verified the remains found in the tomb. But they continued working and broke the law. On top of that, they went forward with planning the re-consecration ceremony without informing MCDC or the regional government—so we decided to seal the area until further notice," Nyo Myint Tun added. Although the excavation and restoration work at the Lin Zin hill site started in 2013, the committee said they have no records confirming that both the Thai and Burmese governments officially approved it, said MCDC official Thet Naing Tun. According to Mandalay Chief Minister Zaw Myint Maung, the letter of cooperation between the two governments was initially sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Religious Affairs and to the State Counselor's Office in Naypyidaw. "The ministries will contact the Thai government and in the meantime, the restoration process will stop until the two governments formally agree on it," said the chief minister. "If not, there will be many relationship problems between the two countries in future." Concurrently, the influential Burmese abbot Sitagu Sayadaw, who supported and instructed the restoration team, met with high ranking Thai Buddhist monks and officials from the Thai Royal Treasury. He reportedly explained the reasons for the delay and requested that the Thai government help by responding to MCDC's proposal for government cooperation. "We don't understand why this restoration project became illegal. We have been working since 2013 with agreement from MCDC and the regional government. However, now that they want us to halt, we will wait for their approval," said "Tampawaddy" Win Maung, who leads the restoration. The post Siamese King's Tomb in Mandalay Sealed, Pending Government Approval of Restoration Work appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Visually Impaired Association Trains Rangoon Bus Workers Posted: 27 Jun 2016 07:56 AM PDT Two students practice a math exercise at the Kawechan School for the Blind in Rangoon. (Photo: Tin Htet Paing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's national association for visually impaired people held a training workshop on Friday for the Rangoon Division Motor Vehicles Supervisory Committee—known locally by the Burmese language acronym Ma Hta Tha—to address barriers faced by blind and visually impaired people in the city's antiquated transportation system. The Myanmar National Association of the Blind (MNAB) on Friday delivered the one-day workshop to 140 bus conductors and drivers operating under Ma Hta Tha, according to the association's director, Hkawn Nu. It was the second interaction between MNAB and Ma Hta Tha, the first being in December last year, said Hkawn Nu. "We explained to the trainees why visually impaired persons need to travel and how to help them use public transport," she told The Irrawaddy on Monday. "We showed them how to take blind persons into buses from bus stops, how to help them get off at the right bus stops and how to communicate with them effectively without unnecessary burden, among other things," Hkawn Nu. Authorities and policymakers should also be aware that difficulties regarding access to public transportation harm the visually impaired population, she said. "The concept of keeping blind persons inside houses and not letting them go outside is still prevalent in our society," she said. "Such attitudes need to be changed." Hla Aung, chairperson of Ma Hta Tha, told The Irrawaddy that the committee is keen to encourage such training for bus conductors and drivers "After the first training [last December], we observed some positive improvement in our staff helping visually impaired passengers," he said. However, he explained that the committee's employees need more frequent practical trainings so that they are able to more skillfully provide services to these passengers. According to the 2014 national census, out of Burma's population of around 51.5 million, 4.6 percent suffer from at least one type of disability, and 2.5 percent suffer from visual impairment. A new law on the rights of persons with disabilities was enacted in June 2015, abolishing the 1958 Disabled Persons Employment Act. The post Visually Impaired Association Trains Rangoon Bus Workers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Anti-Rohingya Nationalist Group Plans Posters, Protests Posted: 27 Jun 2016 06:32 AM PDT The abbot of Khaung Laung Kyaung Monastery speaks at a meeting of anti-Rohingya nationalists on Sunday (Photo: Than Htun / Facebook) RANGOON — Around 300 Arakanese nationalists, monks and civil society organizations in Sittwe, Arakan State, convened a meeting on Sunday in a monastery leading to a decision to launch a "poster campaign for every Arakanese House" throughout the state. The campaign intends to air their dissatisfaction with the government's use of the term "the Muslim community in Arakan State" to refer to the Rohingya minority. Arakan National Party (ANP) Secretary Htun Aung Kyaw confirmed the meeting agenda, which, he said, focused on four things: sending a letter to the union government calling on it to refer to the Rohingya as "Bengali," a widely-used term implies that they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh; using "the Arakan Race" to refer to themselves instead of "Buddhists from Arakan State;" creating a poster campaign throughout the entire state, as well as organizing a massive protest. Than Htun, a nationalist who is actively involved in anti-Rohingya campaigns, said the group gathered because they were upset with the government's new terminology, which was used by Burma's representative at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. Than Htun urged the current government to use the previous government's term "Bengali," and said they were preparing to write a letter to State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other lawmakers that will be sent within one week. Of the poster campaign discussed at the meeting, he said, "I couldn't say exactly when that will start. Maybe this week." According to another participant, the main outcome of the meeting was to write, "We don't accept 'Muslims from Arakan State'" on posters and put them up in front of every Buddhist house in Sittwe, the Arakan State capital. He told The Irrawaddy that a recently formed committee held a meeting on Monday and has decided to hold protests in several townships in Arakan State. The Rohingya are a Muslim minority in Arakan State, many of whom have been forced out of their homes due to violence and have been living in camps for internally displaced persons since 2012. The post Anti-Rohingya Nationalist Group Plans Posters, Protests appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma Army Files Lawsuit Against Local Media Outlet Posted: 27 Jun 2016 06:07 AM PDT Screenshot of a story on the Burmese 7 Day Daily newspaper website, which prompted a Burma Army lawsuit against the local media outlet. RANGOON — The Burma Army has filed a lawsuit against local media outlet 7 Day Daily for publishing a story in April which included former general Shwe Mann's message to graduates of the Defense Services Academy, claiming the story could lead to the disintegration of the military. The 7 Day Daily newspaper printed comments in which Shwe Mann urged his colleagues to work for the country's new elected democratic government. Shwe Mann, who served as the third highest-ranking general in the country's former military regime—and as the joint chief of staff of Burma's army, navy and air force—posted the message on his Facebook page on April 23. "The government chosen and entrusted by the people is now serving the duties with responsibility and accountability," wrote Shwe Mann, now a close ally of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and head of the Union Parliament's Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission. "It is the right time for our brothers to cooperate [with the National League for Democracy's 2015 election victory] with much rejoicing." Two days later, the army's information department responded to the statement, calling it an attempt to divide the armed forces and saying that it ignored the fact that the military had repeatedly promised—and fulfilled its pledge—to cooperate with the government both before and after the 2015 general election. The information department said Shwe Mann's statement made it appear as though the military had not cooperated. 7 Day Daily's deputy editor-in-chief Ahr Mahn told The Irrawaddy that the military filed the case on Saturday against editor-in-chief Thaung Su Nyein and journalist Min Hein Kyaw, who reported the story. They filed the case under Section 131 of Burma's Penal Code, which punishes anyone who abets mutiny or attempts to seduce an officer from his allegiance or duty, with up to ten years imprisonment. "The police have not yet officially informed us. But today, they started questioning us," Ahr Mahn said, adding that the armed forces had opened the case because they claimed the story could destroy military unity. "The military issued the critical press release in response to Shwe Mann's message," said Myint Kyaw of the Myanmar Journalist Network (MJN). "But, they filed the case against the media that reported on what Shwe Mann said. It is not natural." The Myanmar Press Council released a statement on Monday stating that it wanted the case to be settled through negotiations. The post Burma Army Files Lawsuit Against Local Media Outlet appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ethnic Armed Groups To Meet Before Panglong Posted: 27 Jun 2016 06:02 AM PDT Gen Gun Maw of the KIO attends a nationwide ceasefire meeting in Rangoon last year. CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Ethnic armed organizations plan to hold a summit in mid-July in the conflict-torn region of Mai Ja Yang in Kachin State, near the border with China, in order to discuss the upcoming 21st Century Panglong conference, according to sources close to the groups. Khuensai Jaiyen, an advisor to the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), told The Irrawaddy that RCSS leader Lt-Gen Yawd Serk met Gen Gun Maw of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in early June and that they had agreed to hold an ethnic summit in Mai Ja Yang. They have reportedly invited all ethnic armed organizations—those that signed Burma's nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) and those that did not. The NCA was signed between eight ethnic armed groups and Thein Sein's government in 2015. "The RCSS and the KIO are still trying to set a date for the summit. They will invite all ethnic armed groups. In order to make it happen, the Burma Army also needs to give the green light, as well as Chinese authorities," said Jaiyen. The meeting is expected to take place after July 12, according to sources. Jaiyen said the summit would be convened to discuss how a new Panglong Conference should be adjusted under the current political climate in Burma. The first Panglong Conference was held in 1947 and resulted in an agreement among Shan, Kachin, Chin and Burman leaders in preparation for independence from Britain. Ethnic armed groups who have not signed the NCA include members of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)—which the KIO chairs—and will be also invited, said Jaiyen. Khun Okkar, a spokesperson for the eight ethnic armed groups who signed the NCA last year, told The Irrawaddy that the RCSS and the KIO are still working to fix a date for the summit. "It is confirmed that the summit will happen," said Khun Okkar, without elaborating. The idea for the summit came from ethnic leaders from groups such as the KIO, the RCSS, the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) and the Chin National Front (CNF)—groups that see themselves as successors of the signatories of the 1947’s Panglong Agreement, which is why they have agreed to hold the event, explained Jaiyen. The summit will be held in Mai Ja Yang because it is logistically easier for ethnic organizations such as the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and its allies to attend the meeting, he added. The post Ethnic Armed Groups To Meet Before Panglong appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Muslims Flee Village After Rioting, Perpetrators Remain Free Posted: 27 Jun 2016 05:54 AM PDT The mosque destroyed in sectarian rioting on Thursday in Thuye Thamain village, Waw Township, Pegu Division. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — About 200 Muslim residents have fled Thuye Thamain village of Waw Township in Pegu Division out of fear for their safety, with only a small number of Muslim men remaining to take care of their property, according to local sources. As was reported by The Irrawaddy, Muslims in the village sought refuge in the local police station after an altercation between a Buddhist and a Muslim resident on Thursday drew a mob that proceeded to destroy a mosque, a storehouse and the home of a Muslim family. Police have yet to take serious action against those said to be involved in the rioting. On Sunday, some locals were brought in but released after some brief questioning. While visiting the village on Friday, Irrawaddy reporters witnessed the alleged perpetrators driving around freely on motorbikes, passing close to police officers and stopping to observe the work of the reporters. The Irrawaddy journalists also saw several men near the village's river jetty brandishing sticks and shouting threats at Muslims who were making their way toward the police station for sanctuary. This has only heightened the insecurity felt by local Muslims, prompting them to flee the village, despite claims made by local police that the situation was now "stable." Win Shwe, a Muslim community leader, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that some had left by boat and others by motorbike, beginning on Friday. Many intended to stay with relatives in other villages in Pegu Division. The Muslim community, already small, is now significantly diminished in Thuye Thamain—a village formerly of around 1,500 Buddhist households and 37 Muslim households. "Only men remained in the village to take care of their property," said Win Shwe. He said that his own family had left already, and only he had stayed behind. "I am worried about them [local Buddhists] coming to take my property from my house. Therefore, I have to stay. There are other men similar too me," he said. Ohn Lwin, a police chief for the village, said, "The situation is already stable. Violence only happened on Thursday. It has been fine since then. But, there were people who fled from the village." The Pegu Division government has yet to give orders to detain those involved in the rioting, according to the local police. Some police officers were not happy about it, but they said they could not do anything. Officers by the station were heard commenting on how it would have been "easy" to arrest those responsible. The Irrawaddy attempted to talk to locals from the Buddhist majority about the incident, but they claimed to know nothing or refrained from commenting. The post Muslims Flee Village After Rioting, Perpetrators Remain Free appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Confiscated Land Returned To Rightful Owners Posted: 27 Jun 2016 04:17 AM PDT Henry Van Thio at a land returning ceremony in Maubin on Saturday. (Photo: Salai Thant Zin / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — More than 6,000 acres of land confiscated over the past decades were returned to their rightful owners on Saturday in Irrawaddy Division, marking the first attempt to do so by the new government after forming a national-level land dispute committee in early May. During a ceremony, 3,166 acres seized by Yuzana Company in Pantanaw Township were returned to 252 farmers while 3,268 acres taken by the Ministry of Industry in Pyapon Township were returned to 72 owners. Yuzana, run by Htay Myint, is a Burmese conglomerate blacklisted by the United States, and has also seized 270,000 acres of farmland in the remote Hukawng region of Kachin State for agriculture ventures, including cassava and sugarcane plantations. In early May, more than 8,000 villagers from the area sent an open letter to the new government calling on it to resolve a massive land confiscation dispute with the company. On Saturday, Vice President Henry Van Thio, who is also the chairman of the Central Review Committee on Confiscated Farm Lands and Other Lands, said during the ceremony that the government was making systematic efforts to ensure transparency in returning confiscated lands to farmers. "However, in some cases, farmers should wait a certain amount of time as the work needs to be carried out in conformity with the existing rules and regulations of the land laws," he said. Van Thio added that private companies and government departments had been granted permission to confiscate land, including farmland, under the pretext of urbanization and industrialization. According to findings of the Farmers Affairs Committee in the Upper House of Parliament, as many as 2 million acres of land across Burma could be considered "confiscated." In May, Burma's President Htin Kyaw formed the Central Review Committee on Confiscated Farmlands and Other Lands, chaired by Henry Van Thio, an ethnic Chin who is one of Burma's two vice presidents. The committee is couched within the executive branch and is distinct from existing parliamentary committees with similar portfolios. It is tasked with monitoring state and divisional governments' handling of land disputes and enabling the return of land to dispossessed farmers from government ministries, state-owned enterprises and private companies. At the time this new executive committee was announced, the President's Office urged that further land acquisition be postponed until disputes were settled in accordance with the law. Additional reporting by Salai Thant Zin in Pantanaw. The post Confiscated Land Returned To Rightful Owners appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Gambira Moved to Insein Prison to Face Additional Charges Posted: 27 Jun 2016 04:00 AM PDT Former Buddhist monk Gambira was recently moved to Yangon's Insein prison to face additional criminal charges. (Photo: Reuters) MANDALAY — Rangoon authorities moved Nyi Nyi Lwin, a former monk better known as U Gambira, from Mandalay's Obo prison to Rangoon's Insein prison on Sunday to face additional criminal charges. Gambira's family was informed that he now faces charges for allegedly trespassing and breaking into Rangoon monasteries that authorities had sealed after the 2007 Saffron Revolution. He is currently being held at Insein prison and the court date has not been set, said Daw Yae, his mother. A court in Mandalay Division's Maha Aung Myay Township sentenced the former monk in April to six months in prison with hard labor for allegedly crossing the Thai-Burma border without an official visa—charges that human rights groups labeled as politically motivated. While detained, Gambira petitioned unsuccessfully for bail, citing mental health issues that resulted from severe torture while imprisoned by the former military regime for his involvement in the 2007 pro-democracy uprising led by Buddhist clergy.  He is still receiving medical care for these issues. "We do not understand why authorities still want to keep him in prison and are unearthing cases from 2012 just days before his release," his mother added. His six-month sentence, after time already served while detained and facing charges, would have ended July 1. During the 2007 uprising, local authorities cracked down on thousands of protestors; hundreds of monks were arrested and several monasteries were raided and sealed off. In 2012, shortly after a mass pardon leading to his release, U Gambira allegedly broke into some of these sealed monasteries, attempting to stay in them and stating that Buddhist monks should be permitted to live in their monasteries. "This action defames the image of the new government and affects national tranquility because we have doubts now that the police and Ministry of Home Affairs are changing," said lawyer Robert San Aung who will assist Gambira during the upcoming trials. "Resurrecting old, unjust cases from the era of the quasi-civilian government is suspicious. We need to ask if the new government has the authority to govern fully under the rule of law, or if the police and home affairs ministry are creating distrust between the government and the people," he added. The post Gambira Moved to Insein Prison to Face Additional Charges appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon Authorities Ban Press Conference on Burma Army Torture Posted: 27 Jun 2016 02:05 AM PDT The cover of the Ta'ang Women's Organization's new report, "Trained to Kill," which alleges widespread torture of local communities by the Burma Army in northern Shan State. (Photo: TWO / Facebook) RANGOON — The Rangoon division government has forced the cancellation of a press conference organized for Monday by the Ta'ang Women's Organization (TWO) for the launch of a report on human rights abuses by the Burma Army in northern Shan State, according to the TWO. The TWO is drawn from the Ta'ang ethnic minority, also known as the Palaung, who are concentrated in northern Shan State. In recent months this area has seen fighting between a Ta'ang ethnic armed group, The Ta'ang National Liberation Army, and the Burma Army along with a Shan ethnic armed group, the Shan State Army-South. The conflict has displaced several thousand people, and all three armies have been accused of rights violations, including abducting, torturing and murdering civilians. The TWO has issued a statement saying this was the second time in the course of a week that they had been forced to cancel a press conference in Rangoon, after local authorities instructed hotels not to let them hold one. The first instance was on Friday at the Orchid Hotel. Monday's conference was to be held at the Excel Treasure Hotel. TWO Joint Secretary De De Poe Jaing told the Irrawaddy, "An Orchid Hotel staff member told us that the Rangoon Division government did not allow them to do it. Then, the manager from Excel said the hotel needed 'permission' to hold a conference." "We had agreed already with the hotel [Excel] that, if the police came, we would deal with it. But, the hotel manager called me back and told me that we could not hold the press conference," said De De Poe Jaing. De De Poe Jaing said both hotels had been under pressure from the authorities—the Excel hotel even said Special Branch, a plain-clothed branch of the police that relies on a network of local informers, had come to the hotel and told them not to allow the conference. TWO's new report, entitled "Trained to Torture," compiles accounts from ethnic Palaung victims of torture by the Burma Army from 2012-2016. "We collected data about rights abuses and have accused the Burma Army of torturing local people [in Shan State] over the course of five years. The report has targeted the Burma Army directly. This could be why they did not let us hold the press conference," De De Poe Jaing said. TWO said in their statement after the cancellation that there should be no restrictions on freedom of expression and information as the country undergoes political reforms, and people should have the right to report on and expose human rights abuses. "These reforms have been unable to touch the Burma Army. We feel the Burma Army still has influence over government," she said. "We feel now that the new government is no better than the former government, and may be even worse," she added, suggesting that they would have been able to hold the press conference in Rangoon under the previous administration. The post Rangoon Authorities Ban Press Conference on Burma Army Torture appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Wa National Organization Denies Involvement in Drug Trade Posted: 27 Jun 2016 12:42 AM PDT Wa leader Ta Ma Ha, 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 — The Wa National Organization (WNO), the political wing of an ethnic Wa armed group, has announced that it had no involvement in the actions of one of its former leaders, Ta Ma Ha (also known as Ma Ma) who was arrested in Chiang Mai for drug trafficking last week. Ta Ma Ha, the vice-chairman of the WNO, was arrested in Chiang Mai with 10 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 7.5 kilograms of raw opium and 26,400 methamphetamine pills on June 21. Thai police officials from the Office of Narcotics Control Board also said they seized 6.8 million baht (nearly US$200,000) in cash during the arrest. In a statement released by the WNO on Sunday, the organization said it has no "links" with the drug seizure and the drugs did not originate from territories under its control, claiming they came from Chiang Dao town in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. The WNO also said Ta Ma Ha has had no contact with the organization for five months, and due to this they temporarily suspended him from his position of vice chairman during an emergency meeting on May 2-3. Maj Ta Aik Nyunt, general secretary of the WNO, told The Irrawaddy on Monday, "We dismissed him [Ta Ma Ha] and removed him from all of his positions because he violated our rules [against drug trafficking]." "He often visited Chiang Mai and didn’t inform us. He just said he was visiting his relatives. He didn’t tell us about his recent trip," said Ta Aik Nyunt. The statement said the WNO enforces a ban on illicit drug trading and has been working on anti-drug trafficking campaigns in its territories with its ethnic allies as well as Thai anti-drug trafficking forces. It also said the WNO has a policy to warn, suspend and dismiss its members who abuse power, violate the ethics of the organization or engage in any activities that would damage their image. The WNO is a member of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of nine ethnic armed organizations who are engaging in talks with the Burmese government but have not signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), a peace deal signed last year under the former government of President Thein Sein. The WNO's Ta Aik Nyunt also said he had not received any comments from the UNFC, but his organization plans to apologize for its former vice-chairman's actions. "We will apologize to them because [the arrest] also damaged their image. We feel sad and are sorry for what he [Ta Ma Ha] did," said Ta Aik Nyunt. One of the WNO’s previous leaders, Mahasang, was also arrested in Chiang Mai for participating in the illicit drug trade and died in prison. The WNO's military wing, the Wa National Army, operates in northern Shan State and near the Thai-Burma border. The post Wa National Organization Denies Involvement in Drug Trade appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Touts New Bank’s Greater Understanding of Developing World Posted: 26 Jun 2016 10:20 PM PDT Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Jin Liqun at a news conference in Beijing January 17, 2016. (Photo: Kim Kyung-Hoon / REUTERS) BEIJING, China — The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will be different from institutions like the World Bank because it has a greater understanding of the developing world’s needs, officials said on Sunday at its first annual meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the bank two years ago and it began operations in January, with 57 founding member countries and $100 billion in committed capital, which it plans to invest in projects across the region. The AIIB, which intends to invest $1.2 billion this year, has said it is aiming to meet international standards of governance, though some members say there is still work to be done. Speaking on the final day of the bank’s inaugural annual meeting, Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said the AIIB needed to establish its niche. "The AIIB needs to establish its comparative advantage relative to existing multilateral development banks like the World Bank," Lou said. "…Compared with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and other multilateral development banks, the AIIB’s advantage lies in its keener understanding of the successful experience and lessons of developing countries’ years of development." The AIIB’s board approved its first four deals worth $509 million on Friday, with three projects co-financed with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the United Kingdom Department for International Development and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The co-financed projects are a slum renovation in Indonesia and highway construction in Pakistan and Tajikistan. A power grid upgrade project in Bangladesh will be solely AIIB financed. AIIB President Jin Liqun said it was the focus on infrastructure that specifically marked out the bank as different and that they were committed to the concept of international best practice. "The question is, how do you define international best practice? I will not agree to anything which could be considered international best practice unless this kind best practice incorporates the development experience of China and many countries in Asia and elsewhere over the last three or four decades," Jin said. "So our bank would like to have the development experience, the so-called international best practice, reflecting the experience of China, India (and) so many countries in Asia. So we should have a different model of development." The AIIB is also looking to expand its numbers this year and will take applications for new members through the end of September. The post China Touts New Bank’s Greater Understanding of Developing World appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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National News

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• Residents flee, police move in after mob violence targets Muslims in Bago village
• Bonfires lit around Myanmar to mark UN day against drug abuse, trafficking
• Thai officials, Myanmar migrant workers fired after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s state visit
• Registration provision for drug users on chopping block
• Education needed to improve and protect the country: former Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann
• Rights groups demand better torture investigation committee
• Pneumococcal vaccination to start July 1
• Aussie embassy accepting election ballots
• Residents push protected status for Yay Pyan
• Capital’s markets to get an upgrade

Residents flee, police move in after mob violence targets Muslims in Bago village Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT A Muslim man is being held in protective custody and more than 44 villagers have reportedly fled after communal violence struck Bago Region over the weekend, the first such outburst under the current government.

Bonfires lit around Myanmar to mark UN day against drug abuse, trafficking Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT Police torched over US$20 million worth of illegal narcotics in Yangon yesterday in a bonfire, with similar ceremonies held in Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay and Taunggyi.

Thai officials, Myanmar migrant workers fired after Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s state visit Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT The Thai government has sacked six officials in the town that State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visited last week.

Registration provision for drug users on chopping block Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT The government will push to remove provisions of the country's anti-narcotics law that require drug users to register with authorities and stipulates prison time for those who fail to do so, according to Colonel Zaw Win Tun of the Myanmar Police Force.

Education needed to improve and protect the country: former Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT An educated population can protect the country as much as its armed forces, the former speaker of parliament told students on June 25. Thura U Shwe Mann, who is now chair of a parliamentary legislative review commission, was speaking to high school graduates in Zeyathiri township, Nay Pyi Taw.

Rights groups demand better torture investigation committee Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT Community groups recognised International Day in Support of Victims of Torture yesterday by demanding new support programs for former political prisoners and more aggressive investigations of alleged human rights violations.

Pneumococcal vaccination to start July 1 Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT Starting next week, children under five will be given a new defence mechanism against leading killer pneumonia.

Aussie embassy accepting election ballots Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT The Australian embassy in Yangon will be open this week for its citizens to vote in their country's upcoming federal election.

Residents push protected status for Yay Pyan Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT Save our mountain, local residents are saying in Pyin Oo Lwin. An environmental conservation group has enlisted villagers and local authorities in a bid to keep Yay Pyan Mountain lush, green and untouched.

Capital’s markets to get an upgrade Posted: 26 Jun 2016 02:30 PM PDT It's time to clean up the capital's markets, officials say. As part of its 100-day initiative, Nay Pyi Taw Development Committee is planning to bring more discipline to the 10,600-plus shops that thrive in the city's 37 markets.

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Shan Herald Agency for News

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• Stop All Mining Operations, Say Civic Groups
• SHANLAND’S GRIEVANCES
• New government, old drug policy?

Stop All Mining Operations, Say Civic Groups Posted: 27 Jun 2016 03:29 AM PDT A coalition of 35 civil society organizations in Burma has issued a statement calling for the National League for Democracy-led government to suspend all mining operations in the country. Coal mining site located in Namma area in northern Shan State's Hsipaw Township. The statement was released on Friday after representatives from Kachin, Kuki, Karen, Karenni, Chin, Ta'ang, Mon, Arakan and Shan states and divisions concluded a three-day conference in Kachin State capital Myitkyina. "The current concessions on mining and the new mining concessions must be suspended," reads the statement. Sai Khur Hseng of the Shan Sapawa Environmental Organization and the spokesperson of the newly formed Myanmar Mining Watch Network (MMWN) said that the ruling government, when it sets its new policy, must not neglect people's losses and damage caused by mining operations. "Civilians whose lands were destroyed by mining activity have never been fully compensated," he said. "In response, civilians from every part of the country have formed this network to demand the government stop mining operations." Sai Khur Hseng told Shan Herald that many villagers' lands had been forcibly confiscated and damaged due to gold mining in Tar Lue, a village in eastern Shan State's Tachileik Township. "Over 300 acres of villagers' lands have been destroyed by mining waste," he explained. "One villager was even shot dead and several people were injured." On 9 December 2015, SHANreported that Burmese soldiers, who in October 2014 shot dead a villager named Loong Sarm, had never been brought into justice. "A process of justice must be applied to solve the issues of those who have lost their lives or been injured due to mining," said Myanmar Mining Watch Network (MMWN). According to Sai Hor Hseng, a spokesperson for the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF), mining activities have impacted both human beings and the environment. He said that those people who live near mining operations are often afflicted with diseases and ailments.   MMWN said it urges the state government to recognize and follow the recommendations of the local civic community. Numerous mining operations are currently ongoing in Shan State, including: coal mining in Mong Kok, Hsipaw, Nam Zarng, Panglong and Mongkerng; and gold mines at Mong Len in Tachileik, and Ti Gyit in Panglong Township. Burma's unsafe mining practices were highlighted last November when at least 116 people were killed in a landslide at the Hpakant jade mine in northern Kachin State. The new Aung San Suu Kyi-led government has vowed to investigate that incident and others where people's lives and the environment have been affected. BY: Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

SHANLAND’S GRIEVANCES Posted: 26 Jun 2016 11:28 PM PDT A presentation by the Shan Representatives At the Multi-Nationalities Seminar Held at the Rangoon City Hall (September 29, 1957) U Htoon Myint FOREWORD FOR SHANLAND'S GRIEVANCES This translation is a result of second thoughts which occurred after the completion of the preceding booklet – the Secession Issue: To part or together. As the latter's commentary on Shan grievances was too brief and generalized, making it difficult for outsiders to understand fully why the Shans are "on strike", I decided this further translation was needed. All thanks are due to my friends who took such time as trouble to edit my miserable English. Khuensai Jaiyen July 9, 1982 Re-edited:27 June 2016 *The presentation was prepared by U Htoon Myint Taunggyi—Translator* Mr. Chairman, Venerable Monks, honored citizens, esteemed Members of Parliament and representatives from fellow nationalities, I offer you my respects and sincere thanks. I am especially honored and heartened because, firstly, I have the opportunity to present our grievances at this historic seminar, and secondly because I have the opportunity to meet fellow representatives from various States and to enter into close discussion with them. I believe that the rest of the representatives will feel as honored and heartened as I do. At the same time, I recall the first meeting between us ten years ago. It was at the historic conference attended by the late General Aung San and leaders of various nationalities in Panglong that ended successfully on February 12, 1947. We first met then to secure an enduring unity. I sincerely hope this meeting will further cement the unity that was established there. Mr. Chairman and representatives from nationalities of common suffering, before we unfold the facts surrounding our present grievances, allow me to present a brief past history of Shanland. PAST HISTORY Regrettably, a review of the past finds that the people of Shanland have throughout history been "other people's slaves." During the reign of the Burmese emperors, the Shan princes and princelings were forced to pay tribute in the form of gold and silver garlands and beautiful maidens. Their people consequently became servants and slaves. The Burmese enlisted their services both in wars involving territorial disputes, and in wars of expansion, such as the invasions of Siam, Manipur, etc. Shanland followed Burma into the British Colonial Empire in the wake of King Thibaw's forced exile. And when I 1942 Burma was occupied by Japanese fascists, Shanland too was occupied. It was when Shans allied themselves with Burmese comrades to struggle against Japanese fascism that we began to see political awakening in Shanland. There arose among the Shan people an unprecedented aversion to a life of enslavement, a longing for freedom and an urge to determine their own destiny. However, for a people anxious to achieve freedom, their organization was still weak. In searching for allies, they chose the people of Burma, who were in the same situation. During their over 100-year-long subjuagion by the British the two countries had developed a closeness with respect to economy, religion, culture and tradition. British colonialists had tried to distance the Shans, Kachins, etc. from the Burmese, but nevertheless, the realization had dawned on us that freedom could only be won by unity between the Hill Peoples and the Burmese, rather than by fighting separately. Leaders of the various national groups therefore met in February 1947 at the Shan town of Panglong to forge unity. One of the Hill Peoples' worries then was whether the Burmese would turn out to be worse than the British colonialists in terms of political, administrative, economic, cultural and racial discrimination. Frankly, they were not looking forward to the kind of freedom where the Burmese merely replaced the British as Shans' masters. For this reason, Bogyoke Aung San had to patiently spend time persuading the various national representatives of the need for unity. The Anti Fascist People's Freedom League (AFPFL) headed by him and other progressive Burmese leaders then agreed to the following points: 1.       The present cooperation shall not affect future cooperation or separation. 2.       Despite agreement to join the Union, the Shans shall reserve the right to secede if the when they choose. 3.       The Shans can still join the Union even thought they shall choose to defer their decision to do so until after the convening of the Constituent Assembly. 4.       Full autonomy for internal affairs. 5.       No prejudice against the customs and traditions of the Shans. The non-Burmese recognized that nobody could be more magnanimous than this, and they warmly welcomed this fresh stand. They naively trusted Aung San at his word. They thought that other Burmese leaders would also uphold the same lofty ideals. However, today's grievances in the States prove that our naïve faith in the Burmese leaders was an unpardonable mistake. The non-Burmese then signed the Panglong Agreement, having joined together to cooperate in overthrowing the British colonialists. Here I would like to point out the following main points in the Agreement: 5.Full autonomy in internal administration for the Frontier Areas is accepted in principle. 7.Citizens of the Frontier Areas shall enjoy rights and privileges which are regarded as fundamental in democratic countries. 8.The arrangements in the Agreement are without prejudice to the financial autonomy now vested in the Federated Shan States. Concerning the rights of secession, Bogkyoke Aung San said clearly: "The right of secession must be given, but it is our duty to prove our sincerity so that they don't wish to leave." He had also warned Burmese residents in the Shan States to refrain from the practice of bullying: "Burmese citizens in Shanland, live in fraternity with the Shans! Don't go in for bullying. Those who are intent upon it shall have to answer to me before anything else!" Such were his clear words. During the drafting of the Constitution, Shan representatives had vehemently opposed the inclusion of Section 202 in the Chapter dealing with the Right of Secession: "The right of secession shall not be exercised within ten years from the date on which this Constitution comes into operation." We opposed it because it was contradictory to the Principle of Federation and in violation of the minority rights. But Bogyoke Aung San, after explaining both the international and domestic situation at that time, asked to be allowed to implement at least two Five-year Union Development Plans. Only after these plans had been given a chance to work should we be allowed to secede at will if we were still dissatisfied. His words so moved the Shans that they finally agreed to the 10-year condition. So it was that Shanland joined Burma, and now both have been free from the British colonialist yoke for ten years. It is therefore time to assess what has been gained and what has been lost during the period. I shall do this by making a comparison with the British era with respect to two issues: 1.       Whether or not we have enjoyed equality, and 2.       Whether or not the Shan State has totally and freely enjoyed the right of self-determination. POLITICAL GRIEVANCES First of all, allow me to point out the irregularity in the composition of the Chamber of Nationalities, which has caused the Shans to suffer a loss of their democratic rights. As we all know, there exists in the Union Parliament two component houses, namely the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house) and the Chamber of Nationalities (the Upper House). As members of the Lower House are being selected on a population quota basis, the Burmese naturally enjoy a majority of seats. Such being the case, were there only a single House in the Legislature, the minorities would obviously be at the mercy of the Burmese majority. Therefore, in order to safeguard their rights, another House, the Chamber of Nationalities had to be created. This is a very equitable arrangement. However, let us now see whether the Upper House has lived up to our expectations. A look at the composition of the Upper House reveals a conspicuous irregularity: according to Section 154 (2), Shan members in the Upper House can be elected by the ruling princes only from among themselves. At the same time, they are being denied the right to become members of the Lower House. 152 (2).                 All the representatives from the Shan State in the Chamber of Nationalities shall be elected by the Saophas of the Shan State from among themselves. The Saophas shall not be eligible for membership of the Chamber of Deputies. (Translator's Appendage) In the Chamber of Nationalities, the Shan State is allotted 25 seats. But the problem is that the representatives cannot be elected by the people. Only the princes enjoy the right to choose from among themselves. This proves that: 1.       The people of the Shan State do not have the right to choose their own representatives in the Upper House. This is a loss of their democratic rights. 2.       At the same time, the princes are denied the right to be elected to the lower house, which is also a loss of democratic rights on their part. Ideally, both the Shan people and the Saophas should democratically elect their representatives to the Upper House, while the Saophas themselves should be allowed to become elected members of the Lower House. Next, I would like to discuss the appointment of the State Chief Minister. According to Section 160, the Prime Minister only appoints the State Chief Minister, called the Minister for the Shan State, after consultation with the State legislature, called the Shan State Council. Section 180. A member of the Union Government to be known as the Minister for the Shan state shall be appointed by the President on nomination of the Frime Minister acting in consultation with the Shan State Council from among the Members of Parliament representing the Shan State. The Minister so appointed shall also be the Head of the Shan State for the purposes of this Constitution. (Translator's Appendage) On the surface, there is nothing wrong with the said Section. The Prime minister should indeed consult the respective State council before appointment. However, it should also provide who holds the real power to elect the Chief Minister. In a democracy, this power should normally belong to the State Council concerned. In practice, if the person elected by the State Council concerned happens to be pro-the Prime Minister in office or pro-AFPFL, the Prime Minister accepts him readily and jubilantly. On the other hand, if he does not happen to be a supporter of the Prime Minister in office or the AFPFL, the Prime Minister not only refuses to accept him but forcibly dismisses him. The first Chief Minister elected by a majority vote in the Shan State Council was U Htoon Myint Langkhurh, but he was not accepted by U Nu and finally ended up in a different portfolio. As both of them are still alive, I am sure they can certify the fact. (Translator's Note: According to Ohn Pe Taunggyi, Htoon Myint was threatened with outright dismissal, as empowered by Section 56 (3): "The President shall, on the advice of the Prime Minister, accept the resignation or terminate the appointment of any member of the Union Government.") To what extent the Prime Minister ruthlessly meddles in the appointment of Chief Ministers, we have only to ask the Chins. The present Minister for Chin Affairs, U Zahre Lyan can surely testify to this. What really happens is that the name of the Chief Minister elect has to be submitted to the Prime Minister for consideration, and he is appointed only if he is acceptable to the Prime Minister. He is removed if he does not suit the Prime minister's fancy. In this manner, the Prime Minister's personal wish prevails over that of the majority in the State concerned. This is firstly a blatant violation of the democratic tradition. Secondly it is an intimidation of the whole State Council concerned, since it forces them to acquiesce to the Prime Minister's wishes. Allow me to explain this further. If the State Council is dominated by an anti-AFPFL majority, the Chief Minister elect logically will come from that party, which is clearly what the Prime minister is unlikely to accept. The proper way to have a pro-AFPFL Chief Minister is, of course, to have a pro-AFPFL dominated State Council. And the only way to have this it to campaign for more AFPFL votes during the polls. Unfortunately the Prime Minister's conduct is rendering meaningless the State's right of self-determination. It is interference in the States internal affairs. This will become more evident as I proceed to present further how it really is in practice. MILITARY RULE Allow me now to present how the Mainland Government, by using different strategies, is trying to undermine the whole Shan State administrative apparatus. For instance, martial law was introduced in the Shan State in 1952, thereby collapsing State administration. The Mainland Government then, citing the Kuomintang invasion of the Shan State, sent more troops than was needed into the Shan State. At first the Shan people were beholden by what they regarded as the Mainland's goodwill. They offered their services to the front lines in very possible way so the Burma Army could successfully launch its operations. However, under the pretext of anti-Kuomintang war efforts, the Mainland Government engaged in unwelcome interference. Areas far from KMT troops such a Yawnghwe, Kalaw, Taunggyi, Mongpawn, Loilem, Laikha and Mong Keung were also designated Militarized Zones and placed under military rule. However, the Mainland Central Government's politico-military ploy could not be disguised for long. Nobody can deny that fascistic bullying, tortures and injustices were committed by members of the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) who were taking advantage of martial law. The military, unbidden, rode roughshod into local administrative affairs, making unwarranted arrests and suppressing the population. As a result, the whole Shan State is now sickened by the sight of the Burma Army because of their despotic practices. The AFPFL Central Government, instead of checking their mistakes, continued to make another ploy: In 1955, martial law was revoked, but in practice, nothing has changed as far as the people are concerned, although martial law was withdrawn, the Army was not. The people therefore remain under their boots. This is how the hopelessly arrogant AFPFL Government, by misusing the Burma Army as a tool, has been shamelessly interfering in Shan affairs. And this is only a summary of life under martial law. DEMOCRACY Allow me to take this opportunity to further present the features and standard of democracy prevailing in Shan State. There is no need to explain in depth and breadth the principles of democracy, with have been familiar to the world for centuries, but, it would be helpful to bring to light their general essence for our purpose. Everybody will agree that the democratic system rests entirely on the rights of human beings to think, express themselves and propagate freely. So let us examine here what systems have been dominating in our Shanland, one of the bright stars in the Union, which is supposed to have been founded on democratic principles. It will not be necessary to explain in length how Shanland has been, since pre-independence days, enjoying the status of the State. Administrative power was in the hands of the ruling princes. The whole Shanland was at the mercy of their customary law, better known as Section 10. Exercising the power provided by Section 10, the ruling princes could persecute and arrest any person at will. This was generally considered the worst evil that could befall any person. However, when the Japanese occupation resulted in the let-up of Section 10, the degree of suffering in fact increased. We were subject to the usual fascist treatment: slapping of faces and ears, confiscation of property, rapes, etc. It was only natural that the people stood up to oppose them. By 1945, thanks to the unity forged with the Burmese people, we were able to expel the Japanese fascists and celebrate our victory. These sufferings under two successive regimes taught the Shans to try and find a way out. The result was the successful overthrow of British colonialism in unity with the Burmese. The Shan people actually believed that they would soon be enjoying the fruits of democracy in the independent Union era. However, our dreams have not been fulfilled, ever though ten years have elapsed. According to the Constitution, our State was granted free and total administrative power. But in practice, we are being subjected to the AFPFL socialists' intrusions in our affairs. -          They provided cash and arms to organizations under their control in order to sow discord among the people of Shan State. In short, they themselves have been practicing the Divide-and-Rule policy. -          The military is being used to oppressing and suppressing people. Martial law was introduced in 1952 and lifted in 1955. But in reality, the troops were not withdrawn, In fact, even more troops are being imported into Shanland, and the people have continued to suffer under the military. Therefore, regardless of the fact that they say they do not want to meddle in our State affairs, in practice they cannot deny their shameless interference. As the Burmese saying goes: "The mouth says God, but the hands are spread out." A plain example can be seen from their disposal of the Pa-O National Organization (PNO). -          The PNO President, Heng Maung, disappeared after being summoned by the Burmese authorities. There has been no trace of him since. -          Just about the same time, U Pyu, U Kyaw Sein and U Htun Yee were unjustly arrested and kept in captivity under the notorious Section 5. -          And just before the 1956 Parliamentary Elections, U Aung Tha, a Pa-O candidate and four of his colleagues were "invited by our captain" and strangely murdered. Up to this day, the Government has failed to expose the culprits. These barbarous acts have stuck in the Shan people's hearts like hammered nails. I would like to assure you that they will neither be forgotten nor forgiven. If one compares this behavior to Japanese atrocities, the Burmese clearly are enjoying a comfortable lead. Peaceful villagers are tortured, murdered and relocated on mere suspicion of being in touch with rebels. In this way they forcibly moved people from the villages of Hoteung and Tawngnawk in Laikha to Loilem. They also threatened to burn down other villages that refused to obey their orders. Villagers in the eastern Shan State are being press-ganged as porters and laborers like during the Japanese occupation. They even had to take their rations with them from their homes. For months, they have to risk their lives at the front-lines to follow army orders. And their reward for all their services is kicking and beating from the soldiers. Some ferrymen in the Taping Ferry in the Namlwe were reported to have been kicked down from their vessels into the rushing torrents. Mules and horses are also  seized for army use without compensation. The owners have even been forced to hire grooms for them. Nowadays, the appropriation of private automobiles is continually making headlines in the papers, and has been causing discontent among the Shan auto community. Most outrageous for the Shan people are the overwhelming number of reports of rape cases in the east. One of the blackest events in the Union's history must be the news of the death of a holy nun after being gang-raped. And on top of all this, instances of Shan girls being sold in the cities by Burmese soldiers are being witnessed. One of the most distasteful acts is the enticement of Burmese soldiers with monetary rewards to marry Shan girls. This is certainly an act of deliberated racial degradation. Considering this political and racial oppression, I would venture to state that Shanland is displaying the unenviable characteristics of a colonized country. ECONOMIC GRIEVANCES Mr. Chairman after presenting these political issues, allow me to present how we are suffering and being exploited economically. Every national group knows that the Shan State is the richest in the Union, both economically and in terms of natural resources. Our main economic endeavors are mining, forestry and agriculture. That we have been enjoying these endeavors only in name –that we have been consuming only the bones and not the meat itself – I would like to explain under separate headings. MINING Prior to explaining the mining issue, I would like to acquaint you with the abundance of Shan subterranean resources. The following is the average annual value of minerals extracted during the period 1935-1940 from Burma (i.e. Shan State). Serial                      Mineral                  Amount                                  Value 1                              Silver                      6 mil.ounces 2                              Lead                       77,000 tons                           Totaling 4.3 mil 3                              Zinc                         60,000 tons                           pounds sterling 4                              Wolfram                                10% of worlds needs or      60 mil. Rupees &35% of empire needs GEOLOGICAL REPORTS A study of Indian geological reports made by Dr.Coggin and Sondhi in 1933 reveals Northern Shan's incredible mining potential…As for Southern Shan's remarkable resources, they can be studied from the reports made by a G.V. Hobson… Unfortunately, the Shan State government does not enjoy the right to dig its own wealth. According to the Constitution's Third Schedule, List 1&2, states are not authorized to extract and develop these treasure troves. The right belongs exclusively to the Central Government. This explains how powerless the States are in terms of economy. We would especially like to emphasize how helpless the States are in practice. It should be more understandable if we compare the current situation with the colonial period. According to the 19thReport: Year                                                       Profit (in Rupees) 1936                                                       10.5 mil 1937                                                       16.5 mil 1938                                                       8.7 mil 1939                                                       6.9 mil                                                 Total      42.6 mil (av 10.85 mil) The profits were shared among the foreign companies. The Shan people did not receive any part of them. Now that we are independent, Shans should naturally be sharing the profits. However, contrary to reason, they  are not. The only beneficiaries are the foreign companies and the AFPFL Government who are partners in the joint-venture. During the colonial period, the Federated Shan States government at least received 99% of the taxes from the Namtu-Bawdwin Mines, if not the profits. But after independence, the Shan people and their Government are being totally deprived of both the profits and the taxes. It is the same with other mining enterprises. The Shans enjoy neither the profits not the taxes. The profits go to the Ministerial Resources Development Corporation (MRDC) and some Burmese capitalists, while the taxes go to the Central Government. This is the reason why even though the land is rich, the people are still deep in poverty. Some would of course argue that I have ignored the State Subsidies, but I hope you will allow me to answer this in the appropriate section. FORESTRY Prior  to explaining about forestry, allow me to acquaint you with the abundance of the Shan forests, according to statistics from 1938-39, the Shan forests cover an area of 19,036 square miles  and the Shan Government received 1.1 million from the logging and timber business. However, as in mining, the Shan Government now has no right, according to the Constitution, to engage in logging and timber production. Only the Central Government holds this special privilege. During colonial days, the profits from logging and timber went to the foreign companies, though the Shan Government got the taxes. In contrast, after independence, the profits are going to the State Timber Bureau (of the Central Government), while the taxes are going to the Central Government. The Shan people and their Government are being deprived of both benefits. As a consequence, despite Shanland's verdant landscape, its people are living in want. Here also, some may argue about the State Subsidies, but again, the hope you will allow me to explain this later in the appropriate chapter. AGRICULTURE After mining and forestry, allow me to present the subject of agriculture. Even though I have placed it last, I would like to point out that it is not of lesser importance. Agriculture comprises the growing of rice, wheat, gram-pea, peanuts, potatoes, onions, coffee, tea, cheroot-leaves and the cultivation of orchards of pineapples, oranges, etc. 80% of the population make their living mainly from agriculture. According to the Constitution, the Shan people and their Government are free to engage in this field. Yet, without warning, one million acres of Shan arable land were handed over to Israeli capitalists in March 1956, in accordance with the terms of agreement of the Burma-Israeli Economic Accord. One million acres is roughly half of the total arable land of the Shan State. The Central Government, on such an issue of importance, had simply forgotten to consult with or ask for consent from the Shan people and its government beforehand. This is a deliberate undermining of the Shan people's rights, and a direct violation of the provisions in the Constitution which say, in effect, that land must be cultivated only by citizens of the Union. Consequently, Shan students, workers, peasants and patriotic individuals have strongly protested against this agreement. However, the AFPFL Government simply ignored the protests and forged ahead. This is clearly a veiled insult to the States. Therefore, when it comes to economic matters, who can guarantee that the AFPFL government will not continue to abuse us as they did over the Burma-Israeil affair? I am making this presentation at this seminar so that all the participants can deliberate these issues thoroughly. STATE SUBSIDIES Mr. Chairman and groups of common suffering, I would now like to explain about the State Subsidies that I referred to earlier. Subsidies, as the name implies, do not mean liabilities or bounden duties, but donations according to the prevailing goodwill of the Central Government. Even the name itself is overbearing and self-complimentary. To make my point clear, I would like to bring to light the financial arrangement between the Shan Government and the Mainland Government during the 1940-41 fiscal year. During that year, the Shan government received from the Mainland Government the following percentages of various taxes: 1.       Import-export sea customs…7% 2.       Salt, sugar, cash and cigarettes…6.7% 3.       Gasoline, kerosene and matches imported from Burma..100% 4.       Namtu Silver mines…99% 5.       Government and Railway Department Personnel income..100% 6.       Government lottery sales in Federated Shan States…40% 7.       Alcoholic liquor imported from Burma…100% 8.       Exported lacquer…93.1% 9.       Exported cutch…2% 10.   Railway profits…7% 11.   Postal and Telegraph…7% 12.   Profit from Coinage Department (from India to Burma)..5% The total revenue for the Shan Government was approximately 5,888,000 rupees. In the same year, the Shan Government, as a liability, paid the Mainland Government the following percentages: 1.       Total port customs expenditure…6.2% 2.       Total expenditure incurred from salt, sugar and match taxation…6.2% 3.       Railway Departments loss…7% 4.       Postal and Telegraph Department's loss…7% 5.       Total debts of Railway, Postal and Telegraph Departments to India..7% 6.       Total debts to India…6.8% 7.       Assistance to missionary activities under Defense Department…6.8% 8.       Expenses incurred during census (according to population quota)…6.8% 9.       Payment for coining to India…5% 10.   Total retirement pay to India…6.6% 11.   Defense expenditure…6.8% The total payment for that year was 2,382,000 rupees. One discovers here that the financial relationship between Shan and Burma even during those days was not that between the DONATOR and the DONATED, but in terms of liability to pay and to receive. It is unfortunate that after we have become Free, we have to use th4e word "subsidy", a discrimination even in terms of terminology. This is not yet all. The Post-Independence financial relationship between the two Governments, instead of being on a fair quota basis, has become decidedly disadvantageous for the Shans. The so-called subsidies from the Central Government are far less than the total per capita dues, as can be observed for the following statistics: Fiscal     Total Revenue                   Total payment   Net        Revenue              Subsidy                                Deficit Year       due                                        due                 (population basis)            (population basis) 1951-52                33,128,960           19,883,360           13,245,600           10,277,780           2,967,820 1953-53                68,142,560           30,920,800           37,221,760           14,460,000           22,761,760 1954-55                59,729,440           29,109,040           30,822,400           14,460,000           16,362,400 The above statistics are calculated from the Government's Revenue. Now let us calculate from the Government's Expenditure. According to the 1952-53 Fiscal Year Budget statistics: Heading               Mainland pop. 14,717,097 Shan pop. 1,617,000                                 Expense               Expense               Expense               Expense                                 Estimates            per capita            Estimates            per capita Forestry               7,663,000             0.52                        704,340 0.44 Local Ad               21,113,000           1.43                        1,241,250             0.77 Justice                  7,629,000             0.52                        115,400 0.07 Police                    66,974,000           4.55                        931,000 0.58 Education            52,263,000           3.55                        2,303,700             1.42 Medical                                11,396,000           0.57                        1,468,700             0.91 Pub Health          16,356,000           1.11                        636,850 0.39 Agri                        6,693,000             0.45                        586,900 0.36 Veterinary          1,045,000             0.07                        293,600 0.16 Indust&Tech      1,887,000             0.13                        26,600                   0.02 Civil Wks              32,789,000           2.23                        3,871,200             2.39 Stationery &Printing             4,537,000             0.30                        39.000                   0.02 Total                      230,345,000        15.63                     12,218,540           7.55 (Translator's note: The population figures are from 1941 census) Due to the lack of a fair quota basis, the Shan annual budgets have been imbalanced, as can be seen here: 1956-57 Fiscal Year State Budget Statistics State                     State Revenue                  Subsidies             Normal Expenditure                                                                                 From Central Shan                      4,127,340                             12,500,000           17,211,000 Kachin                   3,904,230                             7,500,000             12,069,000 Kayah                    506,390                 2,000,000             2,938,000 Karen                    2,008,430                             3,800,000             6,916,000 If the budgets that fail to cover even normal expenditures are to be continued, how can one be expected to work on the progress and prosperity of one's State? Considering the facts that I have presented: --The Shan people being deprived of the benefits from economic enterprises in their State; --The inequality between the Central and the State Governments on the allocation of national revenue; and --The failure of State budgets even to cover normal expenditure; I wish to suggest that the Shan state has the economic characteristics of a colonized country. CONCLUSION Mr. Chairman and all nationalities of common suffering, we have seen that Shanland bears that political and economic characteristic of colony, and that its plight is even worse than it was during the British colonial era. These grievances have caused the voices of discontent and the cries for secession to become louder and louder. Therefore, on behalf of the Shan people, I would like to request the nationalities, who share our suffering and the representatives of the oppressed Burmese people in this momentous meeting, to help consider how we can save luckless Shanland and work for its progress and prosperity. TOWARDS THE UNITY OF ALL NATIONAL GROUPS! END OF TEXT IMPORTANT DATES FOLLOWING THIS BOOKLET September 28, 1958        First military takeover April 24,1959                      Princes forced to relinquish power February, 1960                  Return to Parliamentary rule after General Elections February 24, 1961            "Equal Shanland in the Union", written by Htoon Myint Taunggyi, which formed a basis for the Constitutional Amendment Proposal, better known as  the Shan Proposal. June, 8-16, 1961                The Inter-States Convention where the Amendment Proposal was read and approved.                                                 The Main points were: 1.       To make Burma a state 2.       To grant equal power to the two Houses of Parliament 3.       All States should be allowed to send an equal number of representatives to the Upper House, ie.e, the Chamber of Nationalities 4.       To reserve the following matters for the Central our Union Government and let the States have power in the remaining matters: Foreign Affairs Defense Finance Coinage and paper currency Post and Telegraph Rail ways, airways and waterways Union Judiciary (Federal Judiciary) Sea Customs duty 5.       To distribute the revenue collected by the Federal or Union Government among all the States in fair proportion. March 1,1962                     Multi-Nationalities Convention held at the Burma Broadcasting Service on Prome Road, Rangoon, to discuss the "Shan Proposal" March 2, 1962                    Second takeover by the military which unilaterally declared the Constitution null and void. TURMOIL IN THE BLUE HILLS Lakes, woodlands and mountains blend in harmony That is where Shan State has lain from time of yore Renowned for its lovely dames and superb scenery But now the peace has left and misery flows. In every nook and corner uniforms spell danger Harsh orders mingle with the boom of guns Pushed and pulled around, the Shan people suffer Ever since Shan State and Burma became one. All sorts of tragedies reign upon the blue hills Endless tears stream down from desperate eyes Nothing else but cries, mourns, wails and shrills Could answer to the evil force that terrorizes. For Shan State there awaits a sinister destiny For her sons and daughters an eventual doom There is no solution to this unenviable calamity Save the mercy of the so-called socialist grooms. (Poo Loiban) in Tai Youth Magazine

New government, old drug policy? Posted: 26 Jun 2016 07:39 PM PDT A new civilian government headed by the National League for Democracy's (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi and President Htin Kyaw, took office in March of this year, bringing to an end more than half a century of direct military rule.  The NLD government, which doesn't control the crucial defense, border affairs and home affairs ministries, has indicated that it will prioritize several longstanding issues, namely national reconciliation, peace and the establishment of a "democratic federal union". [1] Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burma's State Counselor and the leader of the ruling party the National League for Democracy (NLD). Since taking office, Aung San Suu Kyi, who serves as State Counselor, a newly created position that is considered to be above the president, and her cabinet colleagues have said very little publicly about the drug issue in general or the new government's drug policies.   The issue is of major significance as Burma is the world's second largest producer of opium and also a major producer of methamphetamines (known as Yaba in Thailand or Yama in Burma). Although much of Burma's drug production is exported to the rest of Asia, a large amount is destined for the country's domestic market, where the devastating results can clearly be seen.  Northern Burma, in particular Shan and Kachin States, have for a number year been beset by a serious and widespread drug crisis fueled by an abundance of cheap and readily available heroin and amphetamines. Though hard data remains scarce and unreliable, anecdotal evidence suggests that large numbers of young people in northern Burma, particularly those from ethnic minorities, are dying every year due to drug overdoses and drug related illnesses such as Hepatitis C and HIV. Despite the urgency of the problem, existing treatment programs, particularly in ethnic areas, remain woefully inadequate.  A result of years of government inaction and chronic underfunding of the country's health system.  Furthermore the current legal regulations, in particular the 1993 Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Law which heavily penalize users for having small amounts of drugs, are widely considered to have undermined efforts to treat drug users.  Leaving many users languishing in decrepit prisons serving long sentences, where drugs can be found in abundance. Opium and its refined form, heroin, have a long history in Burma and in Shan State,  which by some estimates is thought to be currently producing 95% of South East Asia's opium supply.  In 1999, the then ruling military regime declared a 15-year master plan to make Burma opium-free.  As many regime critics predicted at the time, this ambitious plan was unsuccessful.  Rather than going down over this period overall opium production is widely believed to have increased, perhaps by as much as 50%.  According to estimates from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) between the years 2006 and 2013, Burma's share of the world market of illicit opium increased from 5 to 25 percent[1]. In October 2012, the government of then President Thein Sein, announced that it was extending the deadline to eradicate opium to 2019.  Whether Aung San Suu Kyi's new government will continue to aim for this deadline, or ignore it altogether remains to be seen. The Burmese government's drug policy has for many years been shaped by the military which until very recently dominated the day to day running of the country.  These policies have been described by one expert, Tom Kramer, of the Transnational Institute (TNI), an Amsterdam based NGO, as "repressive and outdated, with an ineffective focus on arresting drug users and eradicating poppy fields"[2] Those like Kramer, who advocate for a change in direction of Burma's policies, have emphasized that the government should prioritize policies aimed at providing more treatment for users and increase harm reduction methods such as needle exchanges that are aimed at reducing the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C amongst intravenous drug users. They have also called for a shift from the poppy eradication efforts to alternative forms of development that would lessen small scale farmers reliance on poppy production over time. Despite the fact that the government is now headed by a civilian government, any proposed change in the country's drug policy that the NLD may want to bring about will ultimately be heavily determined by the military, whose continued over the Ministry of Home Affairs and thus the police, is enshrined in the constitution. Further complicating matters, the military and many of its militia allies have been themselves repeatedly implicated in the drug trade. As British scholar Patrick Meehan recently wrote, in an essay published by the East Asia Forum, this has been particularly clear in Shan State. "Taxing farmers, traders and traffickers became a means through which army units stationed across Shan State financed themselves in accordance with demands from central command that they 'live off the land', rather than rely on the central supply system." The US State Department's International Narcotics Control Strategy Report signaled out the previous military regime in 2007 for its "failure to investigate and prosecute senior military officials for drug-related corruption." Today some nine years later there is little evidence that the government's appetite to probe these kinds of allegations has changed in any meaningful way. Opium growers call for change in policy: Opium poppy cultivation in the Golden Triangle stabilized in 2015 at high levels. Photo: UNODC As Burma has opened politically over the past few years, some opium farmers in Burma have organized to advocate for their rights and joined international efforts at decriminalization.  Speaking at a UN summit on the drug issue earlier this year, Dr Nang Pann Ei Kham, a coordinator from the Drug Policy Advocacy Group, read out a statement on behalf of Burmese opium farmers who are calling for a change in Burma's drug policy.   The following is an excerpt from Dr Nang Pann Ei Kham's speech delivered on behalf of Burmese opium farmers. "We grow crops because of financial need, most of us are poor and strive for survival, we are struggling against financial barriers and problems. We use opium as a medicine and it is part of our traditional livelihood. We believe it protects us from evil and brings good luck. We demand respect for our traditional lifestyle and are not criminals. We are now threatened with forced eradication which would cause us to fall into debt as we sell our crops before growing them. We require services that are currently lacking. Very few of us have so far benefited from AD programs [Alternative Development]. These should be designed with our help. We want the UNGASS [UN General Assembly Special Session] to result in an end to the treatment of farmers as criminals. Please improve development programs with our support and to support us". Dr Nang Pann Ei Kham's comments were well received by the co-chair of the session she was speaking on Peruvian President Humala who noted the similarities with his own country.  "Just like coca in our country, opium is not used traditionally only for drugs but for many other purposes", Humala said in response to Dr Nang Pann Ei Kham's speech. The current drug situation in Shan state: - UN estimates Many in the international community rely on figures provided by the UNODC for opium poppy cultivation in Burma and the media often report on the UNODC's drug estimates figures, though there continues to be questions about how reliable and accurate these figures are.  According to the UNODC Burma's opium crop in 2015 "remained stable for the third consecutive year".  The UNODC estimates that Burma had 55,500 hectares of poppies under cultivation in 2015, most of this is said to be in Shan State.  According to the UNODC in 2015 Shan State continued to be the main area for Burma's opium and heroin trade, being host to an estimated 91 per cent of the Golden Triangle's opium production[1]. UNODC obtains much of the information needed to make its estimates on opium production and other drug related data from the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC), a practice that has its critics who question the reliability of the figures that UNODC cites. For example a 2010 report published by the Palaung Women's Organization (PWO) took the UNODC to task for its data collection methods.   "PWO assessments have documented that the actual area of opium cultivation in Northern Shan State is much higher than the area given by the UNODC in their recent opium surveys. During the 2008-9 season, the acreage found by PWO for only two townships out of the total of 23 townships in Northern Shan State was nearly three times the total recorded by UNODC for all the 23 townships," reads the PWO report Poisoned Hills[1]. The UNODC's latest report also published figures provided by the Burmese government on the government's poppy eradication efforts and opium seizures, something it does every year.  The government's figures claim that 13,450 hectares of poppies were destroyed in the 2015 season.  But as UNODC acknowledged in its report the UN agency did "not monitor or validate the results of the eradication campaign or seizures carried out by GOUM [Government of the Union of Myanmar]".  Leaving many questions about the reliability of the government's self reported figures. Recent Army raid in Shan State on treatment center: Burma Army raided a Shan drug treatment center in Zerngtai village, Muse Township on March 20, 2016. Just days after the NLD government took office in March, army soldiers in Shan State raided a long running drug rehabilitation center in Muse Township near the Chinese border.  The raid on the respected drug treatment center, raises many questions about the ability of such centers to operate independently and give drug addicts the treatment they need.   Under the auspice of arresting those involved in the drug trade, soldiers detained 72 people, most of whom were patients at the facility, according to interviews conducted by SHAN. According to a volunteer at the center which is located in Zerngtai village, more than 50 soldiers from the Burma Army's Division 88 were involved in the raid.  Those arrested included Sai Chit Ngwe, head of the rehabilitation center who is also the headman of a nearby village known as Village 19.  Another person detained at the center was Sai Sarm Bee, the headman of village tract No. 3 and Sai Ai Aung, the headman of Zerngtai village tract. "This center is a rehabilitation center. The people living here were brought to treat their illness", said a volunteer at the center. "We do not produce any drugs. We only make paper", he said:  a reference to Ghost Money used in traditional Chinese funerals. Despite conflict in Shan State drugs readily available and cheap: Drug dealers and users were arrested  in northern Shan State's Lashio Township on May 4, 2016. People in Shan state report that despite the onset of heavy fighting over the past year, heroin and amphetamines continue to be easily available in much of the state.  The fighting between ethnic armed groups and government forces, and also between ethnic armed groups, has displaced thousands of refugees over the past year, and disrupted trade and other economic activities.  Despite the upheaval in much of northern Shan State the price of drugs on the street does not appear to have changed significantly and in some areas has in fact decreased in price. Though prices and quality of drugs across the state vary significantly; low quality methamphetamine pills can be usually bought for as little as 1,500 Kyats ($ 1.27) with better quality pills available, at slightly higher prices of between 2,500 to 3,000 Kyats ($2.12- 2.55). Heroin is often easier to obtain in villages and towns than opium which has compelled many long term opium users to switch to heroin.  Much of the heroin available in Shan State and northern Burma overall is far from pure and has been diluted by drug sellers with chemicals.  Long time heroin users also say that heroin bought on the streets these days is far weaker than in the past, likely a result of dealers and distributors attempts to increase their profits. Download PDF file: Drug report for June 2016

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