Wednesday, May 3, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Media Experts Say Access to Information ‘More Difficult’ Under Current Govt

Posted: 03 May 2017 07:44 AM PDT

RANGOON — Members of the Burmese media on Wednesday urged the government to avoid complacency in trying to advance press freedom in the country after it climbed 12 places on a recently released Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) index, but dropped 3.66 points in comparison to 2016.

Myanmar Press Council member U Thiha Saw told army and government officials, media groups, and international organizations during a conference at the Chatrium Hotel in Rangoon on World Press Freedom Day that Burma had "a long way to go" before reaching a level of press freedom that could be respected globally.

"Although Burma is 131 in the world press freedom rankings, there have been many prosecutions, like those under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, in the new government's tenure," he said, referring to the National League for Democracy (NLD) administration that was elected at the end of 2015. Press freedom in the country, he added, has "improved little."

Out of the other Asean countries, Burma ranked third behind Indonesia and the Philippines.

At the conference, reporters asked information minister U Pe Myint about media restrictions implemented in the past year, including a ban on international organizations attending certain government conferences.

The minister said poor logistical arrangements had been interpreted as media restrictions, and argued that freedom of expression has improved since the era of the previous military-backed administration.

Myanmar Journalist Network (MJN) member U Than Htay encouraged the NLD government to strive for a higher standard in giving the public access to information.

"The Myanmar Journalist Network demands the government protect the journalists who were threatened on the ground while obtaining news with the framework of the law, and to investigate the unresolved murder case of Monywa-based journalist Ko Soe Moe Tun."

Myanmar Press Council member U Thiha Saw said that access to information has proven more difficult under the NLD government than under the previous U Thein Sein administration.

Using Article 66(d), 56 cases of defamation have been filed since the NLD came to power just over a year ago. Among those charged are 12 journalists. Under former President Thein Sein's government, there were only seven such cases put forward.

MJN representative U Than Htay claimed that some journalists have been declined bail and kept in prison. The MJN is also concerned the Burma Army has been closely watching the media and filing lawsuits against journalists who are critical of the military.

U Than Htay said that the MJN suggested the new government bring three crucial changes to the public and media: full access to information, freedom of expression, and protect the right to information.

"This will not be a good democratic country without press freedom," he said.

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Deputy Defense Minister: Perks Over for Military Businesses

Posted: 03 May 2017 05:56 AM PDT

NAYPYIDAW — The military's two major conglomerates, bolstered by past monopolies over industries ranging from cigarettes to cement, are no longer being treated preferentially, said Deputy Defense Minister Maj-Gen Myint Nwe.

The Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd (MEHL), established in 1990, and its sister company, Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), founded seven years later, have a sprawling business empire encompassing trade, services, and military supplies.

These vast trade interests are sustained through lawfully competing with other private companies, and the conglomerates pay taxes, the major general told a press conference in Naypyidaw on Tuesday.

From the fiscal years of 1990-91 to 2015-16, he said the firms paid 8.9 billion kyats (US$70.191 million) in tax and an advance tax of $1,000 plus 3.082 million euros (4.559 billion kyats) for the 2016-17 fiscal year.

Established under the 1950 Special Company Act with a capital of 56.098 million kyats, MEHL had shares worth 161 billion kyats ($119.4 billion) altogether on March 24, 2017, according to Maj-Gen Myint Nwe. The shares are owned by serving and former soldiers, and war veterans' organizations.

"MEHL was formed officially in line with the rules and regulations, and it pays taxes," said the deputy defense minister.

The Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development under the former President U Thein Sein administration allowed MEHL to turn itself into a public company in March 2016—just before the National League for Democracy (NLD) assumed office.

"We have transferred the shares to war veterans' organizations to transform MEHL into a public company," said Maj-Gen Myint Nwe, adding that the shares will not be sold to the public.

Chairman U Khin Aye of the Lower House Economic and Financial Development Committee said MEHL's businesses were "barely transparent" and did not pay taxes in the past.

Accepting that MEHL now paid taxes, he emphasized the need for greater transparency in the conglomerate, including the disclosure of its share ownerships and business activities.

"MEHL used to evade tax. It is not a bad thing that it is paying it now, but I don't like that the establishment runs businesses. I'm concerned that other government institutions will also want to follow suit," said U Khin Aye, who is also the lawmaker representing Nattalin Township in Pegu Division.

"Our committee is also interested to find out how those businesses are doing."

MEHL was founded with the aim of helping soldiers, war veterans and their families, as well as the people, and the economic development of the country, said the deputy defense minister.

It is made up of 48 companies that mainly produce automobiles, corrugated iron sheets, cement, electricity, LED bulbs, textiles, rubber, plastic household goods, consumer goods, cigarettes, beer, sugar, and processes fish and prawns, he added.

MEC produces basic supplies for the Burma Army, he said, adding that it was established with a view to reducing military costs, and helping the families of military personnel.

"MEC competes with other private businesses in line with the law," said the major general. "It also pays taxes. It doesn't [enjoy] advantages over other businesses."

The Irrawaddy asked the deputy defense minister if the Burma Army was investigating allegations of human rights violations in northern Arakan State.

"Regarding the Arakan issue, an investigation led by Lt-Gen Aye Win has been formed. If there are human rights violations, our commander-in-chief of defense services will take harsh actions. The Tatmadaw [Burma Army] does not accept human rights violations," he said.

He dismissed rumors that the army suffered more than 400 casualties in clashes with the Kokang rebels and said the Tatmadaw True News Information Team was releasing the news "people should know" through the army-run Myawaddy newspaper, the defense ministry and the Facebook page of Burma Army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko

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NLD Govt Must Live up to Its Manifesto on Press Freedom

Posted: 03 May 2017 05:31 AM PDT

To truly honor the principles of press freedom, Burma must be free from restrictive laws like Article 66(d), state- and military-owned media, and joint-ventured media between the state and cronies. The government is responsible for creating an atmosphere where independent media can thrive professionally, ethically and commercially with laws guaranteeing the right to information.

With these aspirations yet to be realized, neither journalists nor citizens can freely honor World Press Freedom Day, which falls on May 3.

We journalists wake up every morning fearing that bad "luck" will strike us—if influential players in the government or military or other powerful institutions have assumed that our stories published the day before "defamed" them.

During the current National League for Democracy (NLD) government's first year of leadership, Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law has been used to initiate 56 defamation cases for "inappropriate" posts on social media.

Of these 56 incidents, 12 journalists were charged and many of them are still awaiting trial.

The article, enacted in 2013 under the previous government, bans the use of a telecommunications network to "extort, threaten, obstruct, defame, disturb, inappropriately influence or intimidate." The 56 cases filed since NLD government took power greatly outnumber those filed under the previous quasi-civilian government—just seven.

That is not what we expected to see under the country's first civilian-led administration headed by de-facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The act has become an instrument misused by those in power, who turn to 66(d) rather than more standard defamation charges described in penal codes.

The chief minister of Rangoon Division and NLD member U Phyo Min Thein filed charges against Eleven Media CEO and its editor, Dr. Than Htut Aung and Wai Phyo, as having violated Article 66(d) after the CEO wrote a story describing an unconfirmed bribery case concerning the chief minister.

A military official charged NLD member U Myo Yan Naung Thein under the same statute after he shared Facebook posts deemed defamatory to the military commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. He was sentenced to six months in jail.

We are likely to see more charges against individuals or journalists under Article 66(d) unless the NLD government or the NLD-dominated Parliaments repeal or amend this law for the sake of protecting freedom of expression.

State Media Continues

In December, just one month after the 2015 election, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told Radio Free Asia (RFA), "State-owned newspapers are not working in accordance with democratic practices. But we will not change them overnight. We will discuss it, but we don't want [it] to take too long. It will improve the country."

Over the past year, however, we haven't heard any further discussion on this issue within the NLD government.

Today, three state-owned newspapers—two in Burmese and one in English—continue to be published without much variation from the editorial stances taken adopted under the military regime. The objective of such outlets is to cover the activities of the government and to reflect its policies.

"Radio and television stations in the US and UK, like the VOA and BBC, are state funded. But they are independent. They can work freely within their charters. It is important to work independently with freedom," Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also said in the same RFA interview.

But in Burma, all broadcast media—including TV channels and radio stations—are still controlled by the ruling government, the military, and cronies. We haven't seen any clear plan detailing how to transform them into a public service.

This situation concerning the media is likely related to the country's complicated political landscape, particularly concerning the role of the powerful army.

Perhaps the government's decision to keep state-run media was an attempt to counter the presence of military-run media like Myawaddy TV and Myawaddy Daily newspaper in Burmese.

But no matter the reason, state-owned newspapers cannot co-exist with democratic principles—Daw Aung San Suu Kyi clearly said that these publications are not helping the country's democratization process.

When it comes to advancing our right to information, it does not feel like much has changed under this government. Some high-ranking officials in the government and key members of the NLD are patronizing and rude when they talk to journalists. Such attitudes need to be changed. Those in power should realize that independent media contributes to good governance, anti-corruption and development.

The NLD manifesto released in 2015 clearly states: "The news media is the eyes and ears of the people. We will ensure that the media has the right to stand independently in accordance with self-regulation of matters relating to ethics and dignity, and the right to gather and disseminate news."

What the NLD government must do is implement necessary measures to achieve what the party stated in this manifesto. We journalists, as well as all citizens, are anxiously waiting for that time to come, which will further our progress in the path toward democratization.

Kyaw Zwa Moe is the editor of The Irrawaddy's English edition.

 

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28 Burmese Expats to Regain Citizenship

Posted: 03 May 2017 05:23 AM PDT

NAYPYIDAW — Twenty-eight Burmese expatriates will be granted Burmese citizenship soon, said permanent secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population U Myint Kyaing.

The former administration under ex-President U Thein Sein invited Burmese expatriates back to join state-building efforts after he assumed office in 2011.

Dual citizenship is prohibited in Burma, according to the 1982 Citizenship Law. Tens of thousands of Burmese exiles, who fled the country for various reasons under the military regime, effectively lost their Burmese citizenship while living abroad after being granted residency or citizenship in foreign countries.

Under the former government, Burmese expats had to apply for visas to return to Burma. Later, U Thein Sein formed a committee to review and approve citizenship applications from Burmese expatriates.

Burma's de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has formed a similar committee, which she chairs as foreign minister.

"We have received 55 applications since the new government took office and approved 22 of them. We have also approved six applications submitted to the previous government, which it had not finished reviewing. So, a total of 28 Burmese expats will be granted Burmese citizenship at this time," said U Myint Kyaing, at a press conference in Naypyidaw on Tuesday.

A total of 188 Burmese expats applied for the citizenship under U Thein Sein's government, which granted citizenship to 143 of the applicants.

Of the remaining 45, 16 were not eligible, 12 did not submit complete documents, 11 committed "unpardonable" offenses, and six applied during the power transfer and the previous government could not review them.

Of the 55 people who submitted applications under the new government to date, 33 have yet to be reviewed.

"We mainly check if the applicants are blacklisted or if they have committed significant crimes. If not, they are eligible for citizenship," said U Myint Kyaing.

The NLD government will relax restrictions on those who were blacklisted by previous governments for their political beliefs, said Labor, Immigration and Population Minister U Thein Swe when he announced the ministry's 100-day plan in May, 2016.

Under previous governments, ministries and universities also blacklisted those who did not return from their state-funded studies in foreign countries. They will also benefit from the rule change, the minister said.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko

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One Civilian Killed, Several injured in Shan State’s Namkham Township

Posted: 03 May 2017 04:45 AM PDT

An artillery shell killed an elderly woman on Tuesday morning in Nang Hom village of northern Shan State's Namkham Township after clashes between the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Burma Army, according to local community leaders.

"One 80-year-old woman was killed on the spot when a 120-millimeter artillery shell fell onto her house at 11:30 a.m.," Nyi Kyaw Sein, an ethnic Palaung (Ta'ang) community leader from Pha Lan village, told The Irrawaddy.

Locals suspect the shell came from a Burma Army base in nearby Sakhan Tit village.

TNLA spokesperson Tar Aike Kyaw confirmed that one person had been hit by shelling in the region.

Seven local people were also allegedly shot by Burma Army soldiers as they walked back to Man Lon village from nearby tea plantations at around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Nyi Kyaw Sein.

He said three women were seriously wounded and admitted to a public hospital in Namkham town yesterday.

Burma Army soldiers allegedly accosted the villagers and told them not to move. Out of fear, they ran, and were subsequently gunned down.

Clashes have been ongoing between the Burma Army and TNLA troops in Namhkham Township since April 29, according to local villagers.

Tuesday saw fighting in Kaung Kay and Pan San villages with the Burma Army using three helicopters to support troops and damage buildings, according to Tar Aike Kyaw. Two members of the TNLA were wounded, he said.

According to the TNLA spokesperson, the Burma Army's Infantry Division 88 suffered heavy casualties on Tuesday, though he was not confident of exact numbers.

Fighting broke out in Kaung Wine village on Wednesday, he added.

The post One Civilian Killed, Several injured in Shan State's Namkham Township appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma Army Seizes More Than 400 Tons of Sawn Logs

Posted: 03 May 2017 01:12 AM PDT

RANGOON — The Burma Army seized 15 trucks and 402 tons of unattended teak and kino (gum) sawn logs in Nansang Township, southern Shan State, on April 29.

The military has transported the seized wood and vehicles to a "safe place," according to U Zaw Min, deputy director general of the forestry department, which falls under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation.

"The sawn logs were seized in a place where ethnic armed groups are active," he told The Irrawaddy.

Eleven 12-wheeled and three 10-wheeled trucks, a heavy-duty truck, and a crane were seized along with the logs, he said.

The Border Guard Force (BGF)—pro-government militias comprising soldiers who formerly fought for armed rebel groups—and the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) are active in the area.

U Zaw Min, however, could not specify which group held the territory where the logs were seized.

"All the vehicles are unlicensed, and there is no mark of ownership on the sawn logs," he said. "We can only say they are ownerless. If the vehicles had licenses, we would be able to hunt for further clues and find the owner."

He added that the Burma Army would transfer the logs to the forest department, which would then transfer them to the Myanmar Timber Enterprise. The enterprise will sell the logs at an auction and the proceeds will go into the government's funds, he explained.

The government's standard procedure for seized vehicles is also to auction them off and use the funds.

A military column on patrol found the logs and vehicles on the evening of April 29 and arrested a man who was near the trucks before handing him over to the township police station, according to a statement from the commander-in-chief's office on May 1.

"The forest department will manage the teak according to the law. We can't give any more details at the moment," said a police officer of the station.

Teak is smuggled mainly into China from Nansang, said U Zaw Min, and a ton of teak goes for between 5 million and 8 million kyats.

"Chainsaws have been brought into our country in large quantities from China," he said. "It takes hours to cut a tree with a crosscut saw, but with a chainsaw, you can cut the entire tree into pieces within half an hour."

The forest department, he added, is too short on staff and weapons to take a hard line on smugglers.

The department charges smugglers according to the 1992 Forest Law, but some courts fine the smugglers instead of jailing them, said U Zaw Min, adding the maximum fine is just 30,000 kyats.

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Burma Army Reveals Ambition to Own Submarine

Posted: 03 May 2017 12:58 AM PDT

NAYPYIDAW — Deputy Defense Minister Maj-Gen Myint Nwe has announced the Burma Army's ambition to own a submarine.

"Our neighbors have submarines and we want them as well but it will depend on the state budget. The military leadership is considering it," said the major general at a press conference.

During a visit to Russia in 2013, Burma Army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing expressed interest in purchasing two Kilo-class submarines, relics of the last years of the Soviet era. The same year, reports surfaced that some 20 Burmese naval officers received submarine training in Pakistan.

Burma Navy officials also studied onboard Indian submarines in 2006, said the major general.

Burma's Navy is presently equipped only to deal with coastal engagements, and is incapable of more sophisticated territorial defense. As fleet expansion continues, Burma may take more concrete steps towards subsurface capability.

"Submarines are necessary armed units for a navy," said the major general.

The major general cannot say definitively whether the Burma Navy will acquire a submarine. The proposal will first undergo a parliamentary review committee.

The committee reviews military proposals regarding the procurement of weapons and equipment as well as budgetary measures, but the military does not go into complete detail for the committee for reasons pertaining to information security, he added.

Since 2011, the Burma Air Force has put 49 fighter jets and helicopters into commission. Between fiscal years 2011-16, the Navy put 22 ships into service.

The major general said the country's defense budget usually amounts to between 13 and 15 percent of the Union budget.

In the 1990s, the Burma Army established military academies and turned out many junior officers, but focused primarily on quantity. But since 2011, the army has placed a greater emphasis on quality and set higher matriculation examination grade standards for joining military academies, the major general said.

The post Burma Army Reveals Ambition to Own Submarine appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma, EU at Odds Over UN Fact-finding Mission

Posted: 02 May 2017 10:36 PM PDT

BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Union clashed on Tuesday with visiting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, by publicly supporting an international mission to look into alleged human rights abuses by the country's security forces against Rohingya Muslims.

The EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini, speaking at a news conference with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, said an agreed resolution of the UN Human Rights Council would help clear up uncertainty about allegations of killings, torture and rape against Rohingya.

On the basis of that resolution, the top UN human rights body will send an international fact-finding mission to Burma despite Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's reservations.

"The fact-finding mission is focusing on establishing the truth about the past," Mogherini said, noting a rare area of disagreement between the 28-nation EU and Burma. "We believe that this can contribute to establishing the facts."

The UN Human Rights Council adopted the resolution, which was brought by the European Union and supported by countries including the United States, without a vote in March. China and India distanced themselves from the UN resolution.

Asked about the move, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace laureate, said: "We are disassociating ourselves from the resolution because we don't think the resolution is in keeping with what is actually happening on the ground."

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of Burma's civilian government and also its foreign minister, said she would only accept recommendations from a separate advisory commission led by former UN chief Kofi Annan. Any other input would "divide" communities, she added, without giving further details.

The violent persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Burma and their efforts to flee the Southeast Asian country, often falling victim to predatory human-trafficking networks, has become an international concern, documented by Reuters in Pulitzer Prize-winning reports.

A UN report issued last month, based on interviews with 220 Rohingya among 75,000 who have fled to Bangladesh since October, said Burma's security forces have committed mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya in a campaign that "very likely" amounts to crimes against humanity and possibly ethnic cleansing.

Activists have welcomed what they called a "landmark decision" by the 47-member UN Human Rights Council, and have called on the Burma government to cooperate.

The post Burma, EU at Odds Over UN Fact-finding Mission appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China’s Silk Road Push in Thailand may Founder on Mekong River Row

Posted: 02 May 2017 10:22 PM PDT

KHON PI LONG, Thailand — China’s plan to blast open more of the Mekong River for bigger cargo ships could founder on a remote outcrop of half-submerged rocks that Thai protesters have vowed to protect against Beijing’s economic expansion in Southeast Asia.

Dynamiting the Pi Long rapids and other sections of the Mekong between Thailand and Laos will harm the environment and bring trade advantages only to China, the protesters say.

"This will be the death of the Mekong," said Niwat Roykaew, chairman of the Rak Chiang Khong Conservation Group, which is campaigning against the project. "You’ll never be able to revive it."

Niwat said blasting the Mekong will destroy fish breeding grounds, disrupt migrating birds and cause increased water flow that will erode riverside farmland.

Such opposition reflects a wider challenge to China's ambitious "One Belt, One Road" project to build a modern-day Silk Road through Asia to Europe.

Second Harbour Consultants, a subsidiary of state-owned behemoth China Communications Construction Corp (CCCC) said it was surveying the Mekong for a report that China, Laos, Burma and Thailand would use to decide whether blasting should go ahead.

It added that it was not tasked with the blasting work, which would need to be tendered.

The company said in an e-mail it had held meetings with local people "to communicate, build confidence and clear doubts."

China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Clearing the Mekong for bigger ships is not officially a part of One Belt, One Road, a project announced in 2013; China blasted sections of the river in Laos several years earlier.

But some Chinese engineers involved in the survey speak of it as a part of the broader plan, and it is consistent with Beijing’s Silk Road objectives.

Even in its Southeast Asian backyard, where it has sympathetic governments and ancient historical ties, China sometimes struggles to convince ordinary people that One Belt One Road will benefit them.

Thailand, Laos and Burma have approved the survey work, which is funded by China, but further studies and approvals are needed before blasting.

Keeping a Low Profile

The Mekong River originates in the Tibetan plateau and cascades through China and five Southeast Asian countries.

China has built a series of dams along its stretch of the river that Thai campaigners say has impacted the water flow and made the regional giant hard to trust.

Chinese flags now flutter from company speedboats, while CCCC Second Harbour has met with Thai protesters three times since December in a bid to avert opposition to their work.

A unit of the conglomerate faced violent protests in January in Sri Lanka, where people objected to plans for an industrial zone in the south.

Chinese engineers on the Mekong said they were worried that Thai protesters would board the rickety cargo ship where they slept, prompting them to moor it on the Laotian side of the Mekong each night.

"We are afraid for our team’s safety," one engineer told Reuters, declining to be named because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.

"We keep a low profile here," he added. "We want to do this project well and benefit Thailand, Burma, Laos, China, these four countries. This is not just for China."

China wants to remove rocks and sandbanks to allow ships of up to 500 tons to sail from its landlocked province of Yunnan to the sleepy Laotian town of Luang Prabang.

That would expedite the shipping of Chinese freight deep into northern Laos, said Paul Chambers, an expert in international relations at Thailand’s Naresuan University.

"Luang Prabang may seem sleepy, but northern Laos … represents a hub of Chinese influence," he said.

Locals Remain Wary

Despite reassurances from CCCC Second Harbour, some locals still believed the engineers were marking out areas for blasting, said Niwat, who represented campaigners in meetings with the Chinese company.

His group draped a large white banner reading "Mekong Not For Sale" on the bank overlooking the Pi Long rapids, whose name in Thai means "lost ghosts."

"At the moment we’re only thinking about the economy and the earning figures without considering the unimaginable value of the eco-system to humanity," he said.

The military seized power in Thailand in 2014 and banned gatherings of five or more people.

But Narongsak Osotthanakorn, governor of Chiang Rai – the Thai province where the Mekong is currently being surveyed – said people could "protest freely" against the Chinese plan.

Narongsak said the survey was the first stage in a process that would include an environmental study, public hearings and negotiations between China, Thailand, Burma and Laos.

While he wouldn't say whether or not he supported blasting, Narongsak said local people had much to gain from increased river trade. "I think no country would be happy to lose the benefits," he said.

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Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week (May 3)

Posted: 02 May 2017 08:10 PM PDT

Peace & Love: East & West 2017 Art Exchange

This art exhibition will feature the works of artists from several countries around the world.

May 7-11. New Treasure Art Gallery. No.84/A, Thanlwin Street, Golden Hill Avenue, Golden Valley, Bahan Tsp.

K-Pop Festival in Myanmar

This festival features the famous Korean bands EXO, TRAX, NCT 127, and MATILDA.

May 6, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thuwunnabhumi Event Park, Thingangyun Tsp. Tickets between 50,000 and 300,000 kyats at 1876, shop.com.mm, and flymya.com.

Embassy of Musical Mastery

Young Russian soloists, laureates of international competition will perform: Alexey Morozov (flute) and Alexey Melnikov (piano).

May 8, 6:30 pm. National Theater. Ywama Kyaung Street. Free Admission.

BKK Night Market

Clothing, accessories and food will be sold at this beach themed market held next to Botahtaung Harbor.

May 5-7, 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Vintage Luxury Yacht Hotel, Botahtung Jetty.

 

Book Launch and Exhibition: Catching the Light by Birgit Neiser

The photographs in this exhibition are a selection of images from the newly published book Catching the Light, featuring documentary photos and text by the German photographer Birgit Neiser.

May 4-14. Myanmar Deitta, 3rd floor, No. 49, 44th Street.

French (Love) Friday: Chasing the Monsoon

The final French (Love) Friday before the rainy season. Burmese band The Vision plays blues, rock and indie songs in Burmese, English and French.

May 5, 8 p.m. Institut Français de Birmanie, Pyay Road. Entry fee is 8,000 kyats and includes two beers.

Black Out Party

DJs will perform all night.

May 6, 10 p.m. DJ's Bar, Inya Lake Hotel, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road.

Bollywood Party

Club Rizzoli presents the Bollywood Party the first Saturday of every month, offering Bollywood beats and drink specials.

May 6, 6:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Happy hour from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Club Rizzoli, No. 40 Natmauk Road, Tamwe Tsp.

Solo Exhibition

Kauknwe Kanaung's solo exhibition features 15 oil paintings.

May 1-28. Eternal Art Gallery, Yuzana Garden Housing.

Travelers

Nyein Chan Su's solo exhibition features some 50 paintings on the theme of people in political transition.

May 6-10. Studio Square. Pearl Condo. Kabar Aye Pagoda Road.

 

The post Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week (May 3) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Booming Town of Mae Sot

Posted: 02 May 2017 05:30 PM PDT

MAE SOT, Thailand — Over the past decade, Mae Sot, a border town in western Thailand, has undergone a dramatic transformation.

Supermarkets, shopping malls, hotels, and a new airport have sprung up, as construction projects widen its roads, all with the aim of turning this once quiet town into a special economic zone.

The developments began emerging five years ago, said U Moe Joe, a long-time Burmese migrant rights activist who has been supporting the Burmese workers in Mae Sot for 14 years.

The Irrawaddy visited the town to find newly opened shopping malls, including one from the Thai department store chain Robinson, as well as supermarket Tesco Lotus, a new airport, and numerous other hotels and buildings either under construction or just opened.

Burmese migrant workers constructed these buildings, said U Moe Joe. Mae Sot connects to Burma's Myawaddy town, a major trading hub for Thai and Burmese goods. The Thai border town is also host to Burmese and ethnic organizations in opposition to the Burmese government, as well as migrant workers.

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