The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Kachin IDPs Face Hunger and Homelessness Amid Recent Conflict
- Book Review: Burma Storybook
- Irrawaddy Farmers Demand Return of Confiscated Land
- ‘Burma Storybook’: A Country’s Resilience Through Poetry
- Mandalay Cracks Down on Unauthorized Residents in Monasteries
- Myanmar Blacklists EBO Executive Director Harn Yawnghwe
- Dozens of Fishermen Missing, Three Bodies Recovered From Sea in Bangladesh
- ‘The Ones We Named Are All Dead Now’: Dolphins and Fishers Struggle to Survive in Myanmar
| Kachin IDPs Face Hunger and Homelessness Amid Recent Conflict Posted: 14 Jun 2017 08:18 AM PDT TANAI TOWNSHIP, Kachin State — Three days ago, Steven Naw Ring, 35, and his family fled their home in the mining village of Nan Kon in Tanai Township, Kachin State. Fighting had broken out between the Myanmar Army, also known as the Tatmadaw, and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), forcing the ethnic Kachin farmer to abandon not only his house but also most of his possessions, including his animals and important documents. Sitting on the concrete floor of the assembly hall at a Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) church in Tanai town, he told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday afternoon he wanted to go back, to collect some papers. About 500 people—most of whom were children and women, some nurturing newborn babies—huddled in groups on the floor. Families lined up to receive food donations; others were too exhausted, and slept. Around 950 the Kachin internally displaced people (IDPs) have sought shelter at Tanai's churches: 500 are with the KBC, 200 are in the care of the Catholic Church, 133 are in the Anglican Church, and 120 are staying at two Buddhist monasteries. But local sources estimate that thousands of villagers and migrants working in amber and gold mines have fled from 10 communities in KIA-controlled territory near the Kawng Ra, N'Ga Ga and Nambyu areas, since fighting broke out between the KIA and the Tatmadaw on June 6. Many of the migrant workers sheltered at Buddhist monasteries in the township, and some traveled to the Kachin State capital of Myitkyina on the journey back to their hometowns. However, local people have felt that they have nowhere else to go. "We are in a different condition from the migrant workers," said Steven Naw Ring, who sometimes works as a miner. "We have to abandon our properties, but they don't." Leaflets dropped from Myanmar Army helicopters over his village on June 8 warned residents to leave by June 15 or the army would recognize them as "insurgents" and take action against them when they launched military operations in the area. But local sources said Myanmar Army ground troops began attaching the KIA on June 9. The leaflets stated the Tatmadaw would attack the KIA as it had allowed mining in its territory and was destroying the environment. Mining in the area has not been a recent development, according to locals. Mining operations have been active since 2000 following a ceasefire agreement between the KIA and the Tatmadaw. Amber and gold mining is the main source of income for the KIA, migrant workers and locals in the area. The majority of Tanai's people and businesses rely on mining for an income. Tanai has become crowded with those who fled the mining areas in recent days. Guesthouses and restaurants are packed, while buses and taxis regularly shuttle people to Myitkyina. Pressure to Evict IDPs The Myanmar Army is pressuring Christian religious leaders to remove the Kachin people who fled the conflict, including Steven Naw Ring, sheltering at one of its churches, according to an IDP camp committee. Reverend Dabang Jedi, a KBC spokesperson for Tanai IDPs, told The Irrawaddy that a Burma Army colonel told the committee in a meeting on Tuesday to turn away the IDPs. "He has told us this at every meeting. He even told us yesterday to move out those IDPs from the town, then send them to stay at Kawng Ra village," said the reverend. Kawng Ra, about 10 miles from Tanai town, has experienced fighting for the last two days, according to the KBC. "We told him it was not safe to send them there," said reverend Dabang Jedi, adding that the Tatmadaw and local authorities heavily scrutinized IDPs who arrived in the town. KBC member Naw Seng recounted the colonel telling the committee that if they did not force the IDPs out of town, the army would hold it responsible for any future problems involving the IDPs. "They put a lot of pressure on our religious leaders to force IDPs out of the town," said Naw Seng. Tu Ja, a Kachin IDP camp leader from the Roman Catholic Church, said, "If it was possible, the army would not have IDP camps in Tanai. Maybe they do not want to take responsibility for the IDPs or they do not want to have IDPs camps in the country in the future. "In order to make them happy, we told them that those people were just temporary IDPs. But if in a year they can not go back to their villages, they will have to stay here," he added.  The KBC church has a ration of four bags of rice per day for about 500 people so far, according to the committee, and the Myanmar Army has not donated anything yet for IDPs. The committee added that only one representative of the government—the lawmaker from Tanai—helped the IDPs, donating four bags of rice, and the township authorities donated one bag and one basket of cooking oil. The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) donated 10 bags of rice, and a local company—Citizens Star—donated 10 bags of rice and some drinking water, according to the KBC. "We will help the IDPs as much as we can. But we do not know how much longer we will have rice to cook for them. We will ask others for donations, too," said reverend Dabang Jedi. Father La Sai from the Roman Catholic Church said children were suffering the most, as many of the older people had built up some resistance. "It was difficult for the IDPs to travel during the rainy season, especially the children, as they had to travel all day," he said. The government and the Myanmar Army did not prepare camps for people fleeing their homes in the mining areas, according to local sources, and the wave of IDPs came as a challenging shock to the KBC. Some local people fled their homes driven by the fear of a coming battle in which the roads would be blocked, preventing them from escaping to Tanai. KIA leaders also told Kachin people to leave the areas, as they said that they could not provide security, according to local sources. The Myanmar Army has tightened security in Tanai and is checking vehicles traveling on the township's roads. Local sources said the army is preparing to launch another military offensive against the KIA. The post Kachin IDPs Face Hunger and Homelessness Amid Recent Conflict appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Posted: 14 Jun 2017 05:16 AM PDT YANGON — Contemporary Myanmar poetry and its writers are little known to the world outside of a few English translations. But like their counterparts in other parts of the world, these poets are inspired by the society and politics of the country in which they live. Even in the darkest days of Myanmar literary censorship, which lasted for nearly 50 years, generations of poets continued to express their feelings in stanzas, pushing the country's literary arts forward. Given the heavy-handed restrictions on writing during that time, they skillfully relied on strong images and word play to tell the stories of their people and country. Apart from the poetry itself, it is fascinating to learn about those behind the art. What drove them to keep writing poems amid such difficulties? What is their philosophy for surviving a life riddled with hardship? How did the country's politics affect their creativity? What are their reflections on Myanmar today? Burma Storybook may have some answers. The 200-page book in English is about contemporary Myanmar, as seen through the eyes of 17 Myanmar poets. These figures range from leading figures to emerging ones—from a four-time political prisoner to writers who were in their teens and early twenties when formal censorship was abolished in 2012. The book is a part of an 80-minute long feature-length documentary project also called Burma Storybook, directed by Netherlands-based filmmakers Petr Lom and Corinne van Egeraat after their four-year long "adventure of exploring Burmese poetry."  Accompanied by pictures captured by internationally acclaimed photographer DanaLixenberg, the personal stories of the poets, written as first person biographical interviews, are a testament to the art of writing under a dictatorship. Now in a time of historical transition, they offer a unique perspective on Myanmar, covering the bumpy journey of the contemporary poetry movement, from literary censorship to greater freedom of expression. Plus, the book also includes some works by the poets in both Burmese and English, for those who are not familiar with their writing. Both the book and the documentary will be launched in Myanmar on Wednesday during the Human Rights Human Dignity International Film Festival in Yangon. The post Book Review: Burma Storybook appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Irrawaddy Farmers Demand Return of Confiscated Land Posted: 14 Jun 2017 02:43 AM PDT IRRAWADDY DIVISION — Farmers in Irrawaddy Division's Myaungmya Township demanded the divisional government return more than 200 acres of land confiscated, and subsequently abandoned, by Myanmar's military to its original owners, at a press conference on Tuesday. Light Infantry Battalion No. 93 of Myanmar's Tatmadaw confiscated 249 acres of cashew plantations from 32 local farmers in Myaungmya Township's Thazingongyi village in 1996 due to "security concerns" but declared it abandoned in 2016, farmer U Ko Aye told The Irrawaddy. "The general administration department and land records department still will not take action to return land to local farmers," he said. "We would like to ask the Irrawaddy divisional government to take effective action to return land to owners. Local farmers paid rent to the military and continued farming the land until 2009, when the military forbade them from accessing the cashew trees. They continued farming, rent free, in 2013. After failing to develop the land, the army in 2016 declared 209 acres, belonging to 20 individuals, abandoned, according to farmers. The battalion kept hold of the remaining 40 acres claimed by 12 farmers without giving an explanation. "Officials of the land records department said a 500-foot strip of land parallel to the airport would not be returned," said farmer U Aye Myint. "We asked government officials for which department that land was confiscated, but no one answered." "Government officials said my house needed to be demolished as it was in the area which would be confiscated. I will have no place to live," he said. The Irrawaddy was unable to obtain comment from the Myaungmya Township farmland management and land records department. "[The military] grabbed cropland unlawfully, and leased it out to farmers without any construction projects being implemented," said U Kyi Lwin, chairman of a local farmers' rights network. "But the so-called scrutiny process to return the land has taken a long time, which harms the farmers. So, we would like to question why the Irrawaddy divisional government cannot give the abandoned land back to the original owners," he said. More than 200,000 acres of land were confiscated by the military, administrative officials, government departments, and private companies for so-called "projects" in the division with the previous government returning more than 90,000 acres to original owners, according to the Land Confiscation Review Central Committee led by Vice President Henry Van Thio. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Irrawaddy Farmers Demand Return of Confiscated Land appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| ‘Burma Storybook’: A Country’s Resilience Through Poetry Posted: 14 Jun 2017 02:34 AM PDT YANGON — At a time when Myanmar is making international headlines for its fledgling civilian government and religious and ethnic tensions, a new documentary called "Burma Storybook" shines light on the country's unrecognized resilience through poetry. Directed by Czech-born Petr Lom and produced by Dutch filmmaker Corinne van Egeraat, the 80-minute documentary is due to have its Myanmar premiere as an opening film at the Human Rights Human Dignity International Film Festival in Yangon on Wednesday. Although it features the works of several Burmese poets—along with their brief portraits and expressions of struggle through poetry—the narrative of "Burma Storybook" focuses on 70-year-old dissident poet Maung Aung Pwint, who has spent many years of his life in prison. The filmmakers follow their characters from the end of 2013 to late 2015, taking a composed approach in what were dramatic times, as the country braced itself for its first free general election in decades. Petr, a Harvard-educated director with more than a decade of experience in documentary filmmaking, and his wife Corinne van Egeraat, a producer and independent filmmaker with a background in theater, talked to The Irrawaddy about their latest work. The duo, whose previous collaboration—Ana Ana—(Arabic for "I am me") was nominated for best film at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) in 2014, said they wanted to tell a universal story with a theme of injustice. They had learned that, historically, many poets in Myanmar were politically engaged, and it was this discovery more than an interest in poetry that inspired them to make the film.  "Our real goal is to make something timeless. We're not doing reportage and we don't want to make a story that would become out-dated very fast," said director Petr Lom. "Poetry is a storytelling tool and we wanted to make a film about how the country is emerging from the past. "We thought that poetry would be a very good way to do that," he added, stressing the challenge of transforming poetry into a film, especially when the poems are in a different language. Poems of several artists they met during the filming were either recited on camera or heard in voice-overs and ranged from a portrait of Myanmar to the story of a newly wed couple. "It's really beautiful to see how [they] can survive imprisonment—two people in our film spent a lot of time in jail—through art or by finding beauty in a very horrible place, and how their art or poetry helped them to heal from past suffering," said Corinne van Egeraat. The film mainly follows poet Maung Aung Pwint, who has been suffering from Parkinson's disease after spending several years behind bars, and his relationship with his wife, grandson, and a reunion with his long-lost son. Based largely at Maung Aung Pwint's home in Irrawaddy Division's Pathein, the documentary also visits Yangon, Shan State, and several other places, although locations in the film are not specified. "Burma Storybook" gives a glimpse into the world of contemporary Myanmar, touching on the issues of buses, trains, flooding, and the recent soar in Internet use that the country has experienced during its transition to becoming a more democratic nation. Mae Yway, a bisexual feminist covered in tattoos, features in the documentary as a striking representation of Myanmar's new generation of poets. She recites her poem on camera about the struggle of being a woman in a conservative and judgmental society, which contains the lines, "Hot pants or miniskirts, but never show your ass. Not all girls are pole dancers, honey. Don't you stigmatize."  The filmmakers tried to stress the values of artistic freedom and personal stories in addition to the theme of injustice so that more people could relate to the characters' stories, said Corrinne. Petr echoed the sentiment, saying that he dislikes the label "human rights filmmaker." "It tends to imply that you are making kind of angry films, or rights or advocacy films, which have very honorable purposes when you want to change things," he said. "It tends to make the filmmaking a little bit less important. It's kind of like the reason why some serious poets we met here don't like the 'political poet' label," he explained. As films made by foreigners often face challenges resonating with local audiences in Myanmar, the duo hoped the Burmese audience feels the film was made by a compatriot, as they tried to present how the country is healing from its traumatic political experience in a respectful way, they said. "That's basically our dream—that someone doesn't feel that it's [made by] an outsider and that they feel that those distinctions and matters are gone," said Petr.
Accompanying the film is a photography and poetry book featuring famous contemporary poets in Myanmar. The book offers a unique perspective of the country, recounting the poets' work and stories about writing under the dictatorship and strict censorship, the duo said, with the portrait photos taken by award-winning photographer Dana Lixenburg. The film had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in January and is now touring international film festivals. The post 'Burma Storybook': A Country's Resilience Through Poetry appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Mandalay Cracks Down on Unauthorized Residents in Monasteries Posted: 14 Jun 2017 12:34 AM PDT MANDALAY — Mandalay Division's state Buddhist Sangha authority known as Ma Ha Na will crackdown on unauthorized residents in the division's monasteries in an effort to drive out suspected drug dealers, gamblers, and illegal traders from operating on monastery premises. "The association requested occupants not connected to the monasteries to leave compounds by the end of July," said director of Mandalay Division's religious affairs department U Khin Maung Tint. "If they don't leave, the Ministry of Religious Affairs will use security forces to drive them out." In August last year, more than 40 illegally-imported vehicles were seized from a monastery in Mandalay's Chanmyathazi Township, according to the department. There have also been local reports of rape cases and illegal arms within monastery compounds in the past. "Senior monks of the association want to take these ugly moles from the face of the country's Buddha Sasana, so they instructed the ministry to take legal action if illegal occupants, or monks allowing them to stay, do not follow the warning," said U Khin Maung Tint. The director explained that only monasteries with unauthorized residents will be targeted in the crackdown, and that laymen and women who help in larger monastery's kitchens and offices will be allowed to stay. Monasteries, where Buddhist monks of all ages live, study, meditate, and preach, are technically not allowed to have women and laymen stay, according to the state Buddhist authority. Exceptions are made, however, for ill or disabled family members of monks, as well as young children who cannot be supported by their families. There are cases of laymen renting land from monasteries or gaining permission from the abbot to live there and operating betel shops, tea shops, and even car and motorcycle workshops, which are believed to sometimes host illegal activities. According to Mandalay's religious affairs department, there are 9,755 monasteries in the division and efforts to drive out unwanted residents were completed in 1981, 1990, and 2004. The post Mandalay Cracks Down on Unauthorized Residents in Monasteries appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Myanmar Blacklists EBO Executive Director Harn Yawnghwe Posted: 14 Jun 2017 12:26 AM PDT The Myanmar government blacklists influential figure Harn Yawnghwe, allegedly for his involvement in the country's peace process, denying him a visa extension. Harn Yawnghwe, who holds a Canadian passport, is the executive director of the Brussels-based Euro-Burma Office (EBO), an organization that provides funding to ethnic and civil society organizations. Khuensai Jaiyen, managing director of the Chiang Mai-based Pyidaungsu Institute for Peace and Dialogue, told The Irrawaddy that an official from the Myanmar Embassy in Canada informed the EBO director on June 1 that the embassy was not allowed to issue the visa. "He [Harn Yawnghwe] applied for the visa on April 24. He told me that no reason was given for the ban," Khuesai said. The official said the embassy did not know the reason but was instructed not to issue the visa, according to Khuesai, adding that there are any number of reasons for Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to deny visas. Two other EBO staff members are also blacklisted. Khuesai said there are rumors that Harn Yawnghwe is masterminding the peace process, led by Myanmar State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. This accusation has likely reached the ears of government officials in Naypyitaw. U Myint Kyaing, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population, told The Irrawaddy that his ministry is authorized to directly ban visas and place individuals on the blacklist with respective orders. "We ban visas only when a respective government body asks us to do so. You can ask people who are involved in peace process about [Harn Yawnghwe's] case. They know better," said U Myint Kyaing. On the country's blacklist there are currently 176 Myanmar nationals and some 3,600 foreigners who are banned from traveling to Myanmar, he added. "We will explain the reason behind a visa ban if an applicant seeks an explanation. We do not release it publicly in order not to damage the applicant's dignity," said U Myint Kyaing. Harn Yawnghwe is an ethnic Shan from Myanmar who has played a major role supporting and advising ethnic armed organizations both in exile and inside the country for decades. Due to his influential role in ethnic affairs, critics claim his involvement is controversial. Some criticize him for dividing the unity of ethnic armed groups. Established in 1997, the EBO has been one of the main donors to Myanmar's democracy movement. In 2011, it was permitted to open a branch office in the country. Harn Yawnghwe is also the son of Myanmar's first President Sao Shwe Thaike. The Irrawaddy’s reporter Htet Naing Zaw also contributed to this story. The post Myanmar Blacklists EBO Executive Director Harn Yawnghwe appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Dozens of Fishermen Missing, Three Bodies Recovered From Sea in Bangladesh Posted: 13 Jun 2017 10:32 PM PDT DHAKA, Bangladesh — Three bodies were recovered on Tuesday from the Bay of Bengal, where 86 fishermen remain missing after a cyclonic storm in the coastal district of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh, police said. The storm also wrecked makeshift camps at Kutupalong, Balukhali and Ledha that housed Rohingya refugees, more than 350,000 of whom have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar. No one from the camps was reported missing. The 86 fishermen went missing after the storm sank boats in the Bay of Bengal on Monday. Twenty-four fishermen were rescued. At least 500 houses were washed away by the tidal surge at Kutubdia Island of Cox's Bazaar on Tuesday, and hundreds of trees were uprooted, according to Khondakar Mohammad Rezaul Karim, a senior government official of the area. The latest disaster comes in the wake of Cyclone Mora, which battered the same region barely two weeks ago. Mora brought high winds, heavy rains and tidal surges left more than 50,000 homes damaged or destroyed in the districts of Cox's Bazar, Chittagong and Bandarban and affected around 3.3 million people. Early this month, Bangladesh's navy rescued more than 63 from the Bay of Bengal after cyclone that killed several people and left thousands homeless. The post Dozens of Fishermen Missing, Three Bodies Recovered From Sea in Bangladesh appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| ‘The Ones We Named Are All Dead Now’: Dolphins and Fishers Struggle to Survive in Myanmar Posted: 13 Jun 2017 09:41 PM PDT Drifting down the moonlit Irrawaddy River in Myanmar, gangs of fishermen drop car batteries into the water. Electrocution, or "shock," fishing is punishable by hefty fines and years in jail, but that hasn't deterred fishermen, who can stun entire schools of fish at once and rake in the profits. Come morning, traditional local fishermen rehearse their dance with the Irrawaddy river dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris). The fishermen rhythmically tap sticks on the side of their canoes and make chattering noises until smooth grey bodies break the surface. With a flick of a dolphin's flukes, the hunt is on. The dolphins herd fish into the outstretched nets of the awaiting fishermen. When the men pull in their nets, they throw fish back for their partners. "We used to name the dolphins, but the ones we named are all dead now," said U Nay Myo Aung, a tall and well-built 34-year-old cooperative fisherman and father of two sons living in Inndawang village. Aung is working with a travel agent and welcomes at least three groups of guests every month for dolphin tours. Cooperative Fishing – A Symbiotic Tradition This old, symbiotic relationship between human and animal is unique – but it may not last long. Thanks to shock fishing, cooperative fishermen say most of their catch is gone by morning. It takes them longer to find enough fish to feed their families, and the fishermen warn that shock fishing is directly killing the dolphins as well. "I see at least one or two dead dolphins every year," recalls U Htay Win, a farmer and self-proclaimed dolphin watcher for the past 15 years. On April 28th, Win spotted a dead dolphin washed ashore along the Myanmar River, allegedly due to electrocution. The dead dolphin was only three-and-a-half years old, according to Win. At 54 years of age, Win sports a "Save the Irrawaddy dolphins" T-shirt, an outfit he dons to welcome guests or patrol the river. He takes his boat out twice every day, once in the morning and once in the evening, checking for missing or injured dolphins. There are usually nine or ten dolphins in each group near the villages along this stretch of the Irrawaddy. He reports to the police whenever he sees fishers using shock fishing. "I realized that dolphins are our best friend while I was out fishing at a very young age. Sometimes if you fall asleep in your boat, the dolphins will come and try to wake you up!" said Win. He started doing dolphin protection work because he wants to thank the dolphins for taking care of him and his fellow fishers. Roughly sixty fishermen in six villages still cooperatively fish with the dolphins. Win learned the special whistle to attract the dolphins from an elderly person. Afraid this traditional knowledge would disappear, he started a 10-day workshop to teach the skill to others. Counting Dolphins Between 2002 and 2016, 42 dolphins were found dead in Myanmar, 29 of them in the Irrawaddy Dolphin Protected Area (ADPA). The ADPA spans 74 kilometers of the Irrawaddy River in the central dry zone of Myanmar, encompassing nearly a third of the dolphin's range in the river. Forty villages exist within the ADPA and most of these communities rely on fishing for sustenance. The ADPA was the first national aquatic protected area in Myanmar, established by the Department of Fisheries (DOF) in 2005. In 2012 the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) counted a total of just 86 dolphins in the ADPA. That number decreased to 64 in 2014 and dwindled the next year to a mere 58 individuals in the river. Last February the WCS team launched a ten-day annual survey that revealed a more promising uptick: 67-69 dolphins including four calves. "It's an encouraging sign that the dolphins are still breeding in the river," Alex Diment, WCS senior technical advisor to Myanmar, said. There are two different types of Irrawaddy dolphins – freshwater and marine populations. Their native range once extended from India and Bangladesh in the northwest to Southeast Asia and Indonesia. Coastal or marine populations in Myanmar occur in Rakhine State, the Irrawaddy Delta, and the Taninthari region. Only three rivers in the world now host freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins, one of which is the Irrawaddy in Myanmar. Three separate pods live in the river and all are critically endangered. The dolphins are often seen travelling in groups of two or three, along the river. They use echolocation to hunt and are known to spit streams of water to stun their prey. Besides electric fishing, the smiling dolphin – as they are affectionately called by locals – endures threats from gill and drag nets, logging, dredging, proposed dams, industrialization of coastal areas and mercury pollution from gold mining. WCS has partnered with the DOF since 2002 to implement a Management Plan for the ADPA to mitigate threats to the Irrawaddy River. Currently, the DOF deploys one patrol boat twice per month on weeklong trips. They help enforce rules against illegal shock fishing, conduct research, and develop conservation tools like tourism programs. They also depend on locals, like Win, to monitor the situation. Win says he reports to the police whenever he sees fishermen shock fishing. According to him, seven boats were arrested for using electronic fishing this year before the New Year festival in April. "They will each have to go [to] the prison for three years with a fine of 30,000 kyat [$2,000 USD]," he said. Ecotourism for Dolphins Myanmar has suffered a long history of oppression. First ruled by the British Empire in the 1800s and more recently by a military junta, the nation was considered a pariah state while under isolationist, military rule from 1962 to 2011. Restrictive visas and poor transport and lodging options rendered tourism virtually non-existent until recently. Under the new National League for Democracy (NLD) – currently serving as the governing party – Myanmar has opened itself up to globalized trade, resource extraction, access to international news, and tourism. Locals and government officials are hopeful that tourism will raise awareness of the artful tradition of cooperative fishing and in turn inspire marine and river conservation. Already, Myanmar's cooperative fishing with the Irrawaddy dolphin has garnered national and international attention and helped Myanmar's tourism industry. Cooperative fishing villages estimate they receive roughly 2,300 visitors per year. "I support the development of ecotourism in this area," Win said. "We all have to find a way to survive and make money, especially when the government won't give you [a] salary for doing dolphin protection-related work. Also, not everyone in Myanmar knows that there are dolphins in the Irrawady River, so I think the government needs to do a better job at educating the people." Tourism seeks to disincentivize shock fishing by making traditional fishing equally – or even more – lucrative. Aung welcomes the development of ecotourists because it helps generate income for his family. Per trip with a tourist group he can make up to 4,000 kyats ($30). Aung reports taking at least three groups every month and sees dolphins about sixty percent of the time. He believes the development of eco-tourism won't harm the dolphins, especially when compared to the detriments of shock fishing. "If well managed with significant local community involvement, tourism can bring income directly to local communities and fishermen, giving them a positive incentive to engage with dolphin conservation, and support measures to reduce threats, such as illegal fishing," Diment said. But in order for tourism to grow, hotels and restaurants must be built to accommodate rising influxes of people. Right now, most tourists sleep in local monasteries. Aung said he would consider doing tourism full time if possible, but in the meantime he continues to fish as well. Aung said that he's heard that the NLD government plans to make four villages, including his, official stations for Irrawaddy dolphin tours by 2018, including building more hotels. But such plans remain unconfirmed. And improved infrastructure can come with a price: there are reports of illegal sand mining for resort building. But the WCS has an initiative to work with local communities to provide small-scale infrastructure and training for community-based ecotourism projects that avoid harmful environmental repercussions. "Whether ecotourism can serve to protect the remaining Irrawaddy dolphins will depend on how the activities are managed and whether they demonstrate to local populations that dolphins are worth more alive than dead," Vicky Bowman, Director of Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business, said. She added that "there also needs to be adequate law enforcement to prevent gangs from electric fishing in addition to community pressure for protection." Done poorly, tourism could harm both dolphins and villagers. Tour boats that follow dolphins could increase their stress levels and drive away the fish they depend on. Commercial, large-scale tourism could also culturally misappropriate the traditional practices of cooperative fishermen. Experts stress the need for the involvement of local communities in developing ecotourism programs. "If income from tourism does not benefit local people, but rather is all going to others such as boat-tour companies, it's certainly a missed opportunity to positively influence behavior, and can even lead to mistrust and disengagement in the issues by those most affected," said Diment. Colonial Leftovers Myanmar has been launched into the modern world of global trade: as international stakeholders jockey for Myanmar's newly opened resources – oil extraction, mining, and ecotourism – preserving local knowledge, culture and traditions will be a feat. Myanmar's fast-paced development poses a serious threat to the future of its natural resources. Shipping ports are expanding, resort hotels are cropping up on the horizon, and marine gas exploration is barreling forward. "Various NGOs are now working to raise the profile of importance of Myanmar's marine biodiversity, the benefits (its) protection can afford coastal peoples and local livelihoods," Martin Callow, a former WCS technical advisor to Myanmar, said. "Connected to this is the important issue of addressing Myanmar's fisheries sector, arguably the biggest contemporary threat to Myanmar's marine biodiversity." The "Mighty Irrawaddy" River lies at the heart of this development and is often referred to as the lifeline of the nation since it provides transportation, potable water, irrigation, and subsistence fishing. Over 2,100 kilometers long, it's Myanmar's most important commercial waterway. The wide delta has the fifth highest sediment load of major rivers worldwide and its seasonal flooding leaves the riverbanks rich with loam for agriculture. But as climate change alters monsoon patterns, the Irrawaddy is especially prone to disastrous floods, landslides, and droughts. "Myanmar is facing many challenges at the moment…There are many priorities, with peace being the highest on almost anyone's agenda," Diment said. "Marine conservation is recognized as an issue, but with low capacity, poor infrastructure, limited staff, and populous and assertive neighboring countries, the challenges are significant." At the confluence of local knowledge and market development lies the Marine Spatial Planning Strategy (MSP). The MSP was produced by Myanmar's DOF and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation with guidance from WCS, the University of Exeter, and Pyoe Pin, a British Council's development program in Myanmar. The goal of the MSP is to provide policy-makers with a roadmap toward sustainable ocean management. It lays a framework for balancing the interests of shipping channels, military security zones, oil and gas extraction, fishing zones, and protected areas. "The marine spatial planning strategy does not explicitly address Irrawaddy dolphins, but it does provide Myanmar with a roadmap that can be used to identify threats and management solutions to Irrawaddy dolphins and other species going forward," Dr. Hedley Grantham, Lead for Spatial Planning for WCS's Conservation Science and Solutions Program, said. WCS and other NGOs also formed the Myanmar Fisheries Partnership to conserve fisheries so that villagers and dolphins can continue to rely on one another for a bountiful catch. According to a 2016 article published in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, Myanmar is home to the most small-scale fisheries in the world. But it also has a history of poorly managed fisheries, with shock fishing only one example of its regulatory challenges. Win says that he voted for the NLD government, but feels disappointed with their leadership. "Before, if you are caught while doing electronic fishing, you will have your boat and everything on your boat confiscated, three years in prison and a fine of $2,000. But now if you volunteer to hand the tools over, you will not go to prison," he said. "Also, the previous government [would] allow their officers doing patrols [to have] guns, but not anymore, therefore, it's a lot more dangerous for officers to do patrols now." Win applied for government funding for dolphin protection initiatives, but he's not confident that it will get approved. "Myanmar's fisheries continue to be poorly regulated, with a system of concessions that effectively discourages sustainable practices," Diment explained. "The laws date from the colonial era, and are urgently in need of reform." Conservation efforts like the MSP and the Fisheries Partnership may be building blocks for balancing Myanmar's resource independence and sustainable future. Time will tell if initiatives like MSP and eco-tourism programs will be enough to keep dolphins – and fishermen – smiling for generations to come. When asked if the Irrawaddy dolphins can be saved, U Htay Win said, "Of course." But they have to be kept free. "Animals need to be in the wild, and dolphins need to be able to swim freely." Additional reporting and interviews supplied by Ann Wang. This article was originally published in Mongabay. The post 'The Ones We Named Are All Dead Now': Dolphins and Fishers Struggle to Survive in Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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