Wednesday, June 28, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Defending Lawi Weng

Posted: 28 Jun 2017 07:49 AM PDT

At The Irrawaddy's office, it is not uncommon for Lawi Weng to bring local snacks or homemade liquor to generously share among colleagues after returning from reporting trips to Myanmar's remote regions.

More importantly, he brings updates from the ground to our news desk in Yangon, along with an easy smile, upbeat attitude, and sense of humor.

This week, he and two other reporters from Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) were arrested by the military in northern Shan State after reporting on a drugs-burning ceremony in an area controlled by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). For nearly three full days, we did not know where they were being held—as of Wednesday afternoon, it was revealed that they are in Hsipaw prison, charged under Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Association Act.

We had approved the trip to northern Shan State, which was intended to explore local drug eradication efforts. Lawi Weng also wanted to find out more about reports alleging abuse against Palaung (Ta'ang) villagers who had accused army and local militia troops of human rights violations in the area; one incident he had been looking to investigate—a beating—took place in June 2015 in Kutkai Township, but the video footage only recently went viral on social media.

In the area of Man Lan, several miles away from where Lawi and other reporters were stationed, fighting resumed over the last week between the TNLA and the Tatmadaw.

During this time, BBC's Burmese service reported that hundreds of villagers were kept in a local monastery for days under army supervision as clashes continued. There have been allegations of abuse, with some of the villagers having since taking refuge in the northern Shan State city of Lashio.

Lawi Weng did not go to the scene of these events, but had heard the news of the outbreak of conflict and was advised it was unsafe to travel to the area.

After attending the drug-burning ceremony, Lawi Weng and the other reporters left. This time he was heading to Kutkai, but he did not reach his destination. He and two other reporters were taken to an unknown location and detained.

We are now being told "they were treated well," but will be charged with violating colonial-era laws for "unlawful association" with the TNLA.

It has been frustrating to witness authorities' lack of communication or assurance of the safety of our reporters, and it is absurd that security forces are using outdated laws to silence and punish journalists who have committed no crime.

This must be categorized as an unlawful arrest and detention; under media laws in Myanmar, reporters are allowed to gather news in conflict zones.

The arrest of Lawi Weng and the DVB reporters, as well as the recent imprisonment of editors under the infamous Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, and the death of activist-turned-reporter Ko Par Gyi, have demonstrated that Myanmar remains an unsafe place for journalists to work.

Some colleagues have described the current events as reminiscent of the era in which the country was controlled by the State Law and Order Restoration Council, in which the notorious intelligence apparatus liberally jailed members of the public for perceived threats against the military regime.

The return of a climate of fear is very disturbing, particularly after the National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the 2015 election. I can't help but recall Lawi's optimism on Election Day in Yangon. No, he was not thinking that he would eventually be locked up under this government.

Once a reporter in exile like many of us, Lawi Weng took a considerable risk in going back to his homeland to report on stories inside the country and particularly in the ethnic regions.

Donors and diplomats were eager to embrace the "changes" that unfolded under the former quasi-civilian U Thein Sein-led administration, and encouraged The Irrawaddy and other exiled media to return to Yangon and to set up offices. Our presence in Myanmar, they said, was proof that the country was making progress. We were happy to go back home, but we never ceased being cautious.

Yet now our senior reporter is in detention, and we feel the need to confront these individuals, organizations and governments with this reality. Calls to free Lawi Weng are growing in momentum, and we hope that the same entities that were pleased by our return to Myanmar will now also tirelessly advocate for Lawi's immediate release, so that he can be allowed to return to his work.

We hope that this detention, however unjust, will strengthen both his spirit and his hunger for reporting. Many untold stories are waiting.

Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy.

The post Defending Lawi Weng appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ministry Requests Monthly Reports on Coal-powered Cement Plant in Mon State

Posted: 28 Jun 2017 05:08 AM PDT

YANGON — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has instructed the Mon State government to submit monthly environmental impact assessment reports regarding a 500-ton cement factory in Mon State's Kyaikmayaw Township that is powered by a coal-fired power plant.

Union minister of natural resources and environmental conservation U Ohn Win left the instruction for the divisional ministry after he inspected the factory on Saturday.

The US$400 million cement factory is run by Mawlamyine Cement Limited (MCL) – a joint venture between Thai firm Siam Cement Group (SCG) and Pacific Link Cement Industries.

The factory started commercial operations in April despite local opposition. On Feb. 18, about 7,000 locals from seven villages near the factory staged a protest against the coal-fired power plant. In April last year, locals sent a petition with 3,780 signatures to the President's Office, demanding the termination of the project.

"We are not demanding that the factory is shut down, but we don't want coal. Unless and until they switch from coal to a different fuel, we will continue to protest," said U Shwe Win, a member of a local community group named after Mt. Pyataung from which raw materials for the cement factory come.

Under the agreement with the Myanmar Investment Commission, the factory will operate for 50 years from the start of commercial operations.

Locals said they accepted the cement factory project because they hoped that it would create jobs and spur regional development, but they did not know that it would be powered by coal.

Locals told The Irrawaddy that they only found out when the factory began trial operations in 2015 and staged demonstrations consequently.

Minister U Min Kyi Win said the Mon State government would purchase equipment worth 75 million kyats to measure air, water and noise pollution.

Kyaikmayaw Township lawmaker Min Aung Mun in Mon State Parliament said that MCL had distributed 3,500 tons of cement to Yangon and it also distributed to Mawlamyine in Mon State.

The Irrawaddy was unable to reach MCL executive officer U Zaw Lin Oo for comment.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Ministry Requests Monthly Reports on Coal-powered Cement Plant in Mon State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Land Compensation Funds for Kyaukphyu Township are Seemingly Misplaced

Posted: 28 Jun 2017 04:15 AM PDT

YANGON – Lawmaker U Phoe San of the Arakan National Party asked the Rakhine State government whether authorities would provide the remaining compensation to farmers from Pyine Sae Kay village in Kyaukphyu Township who released their land in 2014 for a water reservoir at a parliamentary session on Monday. But those funds have seemingly been misplaced.

The Rakhine State government's 2016-17 fiscal year statistics show that 65 million kyats (US$48,000) were allocated for land compensation for the reservoir project.

The former quasi-civilian government oversaw the project, which will provide water for the forthcoming Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone.

Before implementing the project, the government initially agreed to compensate farmers 1.8 million kyats per acre of land. The farmers said the compensation was significantly lower than market price for land in the region. The Myanmar Kyaukphyu Special Economic Holding Public Company Ltd. (MKSH) negotiated between the government and the farmers.

The farmers agreed to accept 3.8 million kyats per acre, but the rate varied slightly among landowners. The government and MKSH paid about 29.4 million kyats to nine farmers in 2014, according to government statistics. The government would not elaborate on the amount contributed by MKSH.

Lawmaker U Phoe San pointed out that as the state fund for compensation for the reservoir was set at 65 million kyats, but nearly 35.5 million kyats were unaccounted for. He asked the state government to take action.

U Kyaw Lwin, the divisional minister of mining, agriculture and livestock, said in Parliament on Monday that MKSH had withdrawn 28 million kyats of this fund from the government and deposited it at a local bank, a claim that MKSH member U Kyaw Soe denied on Wednesday.

U Kyaw Soe said MKSH never withdrew money from the government. Instead, the company fronted 28 million kyats for seized land, 18.5 million kyats of which were later repaid by the state government.

"Something is very wrong with this case. We don't know where the remaining money is and we must address this. MKSH has not received any cash transfer from the government," said U Kyaw Soe, adding that MKSH planned to meet with cabinet ministers in state capital Sittwe this week and invited lawmakers to join.

Lawmaker U Phoe San argued that compensation should have gone directly to the farmers and not have been dispensed to MKSH regardless.

The Irrawaddy called several Rakhine State cabinet members but all declined to comment on the controversial state budget.

It is also unclear how the government calculated land used for the project. Landowner U Than Tun from Pyine Sae Kay village said he was not compensated for pastures or arable hillsides that the authorities had labeled as vacant land.

"We were only compensated for five acres of paddy fields," he said, referring to land owned by nine different farmers.

MKSH vice chairman U Kyauk Taung said villagers had willingly accepted "reasonable compensation" before the project was implemented.

MKSH member U Kyaw Soe said the company spent some 220 million kyats on the reservoir and that the 65 million kyats was a separate issue that the company was not involved with.

"We will sue whoever is behind this as it harms our dignity," said U Kyaw Soe.

The post Land Compensation Funds for Kyaukphyu Township are Seemingly Misplaced appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

BREAKING: Three Myanmar Journalists Charged, Remanded to Hsipaw Prison

Posted: 28 Jun 2017 03:38 AM PDT

HSIPAW, Shan State — Three Myanmar journalists detained by Myanmar's military while reporting in northern Shan State were charged under Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Association Act on Wednesday and were remanded to Hsipaw Prison, according to local police.

Tatmadaw Adjutant Thet Naing Oo from Light Infantry Battalion No. 503 filed the lawsuit against the three journalists on Wednesday and the court date is set for July 11, Hsipaw Township police officer Myint Win told The Irrawaddy.

The three journalists were handed over to police at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, he said, after being held by the military since Monday afternoon.

The military arrested seven people, including three reporters—The Irrawaddy's Lawi Weng, also known as U Thein Zaw, as well as U Aye Nai and U Pyae Bone Naing from Democratic Voice of Burma—on the road between Namhsan and Lashio townships in northern Shan State on Monday after reporting in areas controlled by ethnic armed group the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).

The Tatmadaw filed the case to take action against the reporters for having contact with the TNLA, as the group was designated an unlawful association by the Shan State parliament, according to Myint Win.

"The reporter failed to seek permission, or report to local authorities," the case allegedly said.

Violators of Article 17(1) face two to three years in prison and a possible fine for being a member of an "unlawful association," making contributions to such an association or assisting in its operations.

Lawi Weng told The Irrawaddy in Hsipaw, through the police officer, that his health was good and he was taking routine medicine for existing heart problems. Lawi Weng was previously treated for kidney failure.

A DVB reporter in Hsipaw said his colleagues were in good health but could not confirm their treatment by authorities as he also only spoke to them via a police officer.

The identities and situation of the four other people arrested remains unknown. Until Wednesday afternoon—the third day of detention—the whereabouts of the three journalists were also unknown.

The reporters had traveled to a TNLA-controlled area to report on a drug eradication event marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The Shan State parliament voted to brand the TNLA, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and the Arakan Army (AA), as "terrorist organizations" last December.

More than 100 civil society organizations objected to the branding, arguing the label would further complicate the path to reconciliation.

The military-appointed defence minister proposed the branding to the Union Parliament in December, but the parliament voted against it.

Reporting by Zaw Zaw, San Yamin Aung, and Tun Tun.

The post BREAKING: Three Myanmar Journalists Charged, Remanded to Hsipaw Prison appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lawmaker Urges Tatmadaw Not to Block Shipments of Rice, Fuel to Tanai

Posted: 28 Jun 2017 02:24 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — A Tanai Township lawmaker asked the Tatmadaw to stop blocking commodities from being transported to Kachin State's Tanai Township at the Lower House on Tuesday.

"Since April of last year, the Tatmadaw has been inspecting rice shipments to Tanai Township. In November, a Tatmadaw battalion in Hpakant Township banned them. Since then, rice can only be transported with their approval," lawmaker U Lin Lin Oo told Parliament.

The lawmaker said he had sent a request to the army chief on June 12 asking him to stop the Tatmadaw troops based in the village of Dunbawng in Hpakant Township from blocking rice and fuel transport on Ledo Road.

Deputy Defense Minister Maj-Gen Myint Nwe told Parliament that the Myitkyina District General Administration Department had calculated and reported that more rice and fuel were being sent into Tanai than necessary. He claimed that the surpluses were being brought into areas controlled by the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and its armed wing the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) through various means.

The defense minister said he had informed the Kachin State government that rice and fuel should only serve local demand and not KIO/KIA interests.

"We allow the transportation of rice and fuel into Tanai based on calculations from the Tanai Township General Administration Department. We have only blocked surpluses for security concerns," he said.

The lawmaker said the military has blocked the transport of commodities for seven months and that commodities for the month of May had not even arrived in June – making food prices unstable.

"I'd like to know if [the ban] is the army chief's idea and if the Union government has approved it. If not, Parliament should consider this," said lawmaker U Lin Lin Oo.

The deputy minister stated that Kachin State Chief Minister Dr. Khet Aung and the commander of Northern Command Maj-Gen Nyi Nyi Swe were cooperating for regional security.

U Zaw Win, a lawmaker in the Kachin State Parliament, told The Irrawaddy that the state Parliament had approved his proposal on May 29 to allow the unfettered transportation of rice and fuel to Tanai Township, but that the Kachin State government could do nothing in reality.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Lawmaker Urges Tatmadaw Not to Block Shipments of Rice, Fuel to Tanai appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Religion Minister Rejects Nationalists’ Criticism, Intends to ‘Purify’ Buddhism in Myanmar

Posted: 28 Jun 2017 12:58 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Myanmar's religious affairs minister U Aung Ko rejected calls for his resignation from nationalists, including monks, accusing him of favoring Islam over Buddhism in the country and said he intended to "purify" Buddhism.

"My position is not appointed by [the protesters], but by the leader democratically elected by the people. I've no reason to resign at their demand," the Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture told reporters, adding that the accusations of protesters were "baseless" and he would file lawsuits in the future.

Hundreds of nationalists and monks along with thousands of their supporters staged a protest against the minister in Naypyitaw last month. On Sunday, they again gathered in Myanmar's two biggest cities Yangon and Mandalay, claiming the government had ignored the list of demands that they laid out at the Naypyitaw demonstration.

The minister said he would purify Buddhism, and his ministry was now drafting plans to take action against those claiming to act in the name of Buddhism but not following the religion's doctrine, with the approval of the government and the State Buddhist Sangha Authority known by its Burmese acronym Ma Ha Na.

"People and [Buddhist] monks have pointed out that it is high time Buddhism be purified," he said. "We'll take action with the authority of executive and Dhamma authorities for healthy perpetuation of the religion," he added.

His comments came after the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government forbade ultranationalist Buddhist monk U Wirathu from giving sermons for a year in March and banned the name and signage of the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion—better known by its acronym Ma Ba Tha—in May.

U Tint Lwin, one of the organizers of recent protests, said nationalists were planning to stage a sit-in in front of Yangon City Hall.

"This is not a personal attack," he said. "We are demanding [U Aung Ko]'s resignation because he has done nothing for [the Buddhist] race and religion."

"He has not made any response [to our demands] and he is acting like an authoritarian. This is disrespectful to the people. We're not insulting the government, we are just pointing out the fault of the ministry," said nationalist U Tint Lwin.

Nationalists have accused the minister, and the NLD government, of preferential treatment of Muslim communities for allowing numerous ceremonies to mark the birth of Prophet Muhammad across Myanmar in January, when they were previously only held in Yangon and Mandalay.

The minister said permission for such celebrations was granted by concerned township administrators, not his ministry; but he had passed on the remarks that celebrations should be limited to the President's Office and the home affairs ministry.

Nationalist protesters shut down a number of the celebrations, he added.

The minister also accused groups of paying protestors and challenged organizers to rally 100,000 to take to the streets to call for amendment of the military-drafted 2008 Constitution.

He said he "would resign and donate my possessions to the state," if they succeeded.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Religion Minister Rejects Nationalists' Criticism, Intends to 'Purify' Buddhism in Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

US Upgrades Myanmar From Human Trafficking Blacklist

Posted: 28 Jun 2017 12:49 AM PDT

YANGON — Myanmar was upgraded from a list of countries with the worst human trafficking records on Tuesday to a watch list of nations that are trying to meet US minimum standards.

The US State Department removed Myanmar from the blacklist of the US annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report to the Tier 2 watch list of countries making significant efforts to combat human trafficking and forced labor.

On the watch list, Myanmar joins Laos and Thailand, which urged US officials on Wednesday to visit the country and see first hand its efforts to stop human trafficking.

Cambodia and Vietnam remained in Tier 2, meaning the countries do not full comply with US minimum standards but were making "significant efforts" to do so. Malaysia was promoted to Tier 2.

China, however, was downgraded to Tier 3, a rating that can trigger sanctions limiting access to US and international aid, though US presidents frequently waive such action.

For the previous three years, China was on the Tier 2 watch list. China was last in the lowest ranking, or Tier 3, in 2013.

The report described Myanmar's "continued progress" to stop the recruitment and use of child soldiers, but it said the country does not do enough to penalize military officials who have engaged in such recruitment.

It recognized an increase in personnel dedicated to anti-trafficking law enforcement units, and the first trafficking prosecutions of government officials since the enactment of the 2005 Anti-Trafficking in Persons Law.

People from predominantly ethnic minority areas—including the estimated 103,000 persons displaced by conflict in Kachin and northern Shan states and the estimated 120,000 displaced persons in Rakhine State— are at increased risk of trafficking, according to the report.

"Rohingya individuals are particularly vulnerable to labor trafficking in Rakhine State, including forced labor perpetrated by government authorities," it read, noting that the estimated 70,000 Rohingya who fled an army crackdown in Rakhine to neighboring Bangladesh in 2016 and early 2017 are particularly vulnerable to trafficking.

The State Department also removed Iraq and Myanmar from a list of countries that recruit and use child soldiers.

The post US Upgrades Myanmar From Human Trafficking Blacklist appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Prominent Peace Negotiator Dies at 83

Posted: 28 Jun 2017 12:43 AM PDT

Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum, a peace negotiator between Myanmar's military and ethnic armed group the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), passed away at the age of 83 on Monday.

"According to his daughter, he was bedridden for almost four years, and was not able to speak all those years because of age-related brain problems," KIO central executive committee member Dr. La Ja told The Irrawaddy, confirming that he passed away in Yangon.

Rev. Dr. Lahtaw Saboi Jum founded the Ethnic Nationalities Mediators Fellowship together with other ethnic and spiritual leaders to broker negotiations between the government and different ethnic armed groups.

He was engaged in peace negotiations between the KIO and the government since 1980, and was an important player in brokering a ceasefire agreement between the two in 1994.

He also intervened when the military regime pressured the KIO into becoming a government militia, known as a Border Guard Force, in 2009.

In 2000, he established the Nyein Foundation to engage in peace and development works across the country. Currently, his daughter leads the foundation.

"Peace is a goal we must all reach for and try to achieve, so we are very sorry that a person who tried for peace has died. I hope the foundation he laid will help fulfill his unfulfilled wishes," said Dr. La Ja.

He was among the first six ethnic Kachin persons to attend the Myanmar Institute of Theology in 1950. From 1993 to 2000, he served as general secretary of the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC).

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Prominent Peace Negotiator Dies at 83 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Aung La ‘Burmese Python’ Nsang Set for Myanmar Showdown

Posted: 27 Jun 2017 07:08 PM PDT

Mixed martial artist Aung La "The Burmese Python" Nsang has returned from the US to his home country, Myanmar, in order to prepare for arguably the biggest fight of his career.

The 32-year-old Kachin fighter will battle middleweight champion Vitaly Bigdash for his ONE Championship belt in Yangon's Thuwunna Indoor Stadium on June 30.

Born in Kachin State capital Myitkyina, Aung La moved south to attend Yangon International School before heading to Michigan, in the US, in his late teens, when a friend introduced him to mixed martial arts (MMA).

His impressive rise in the sport rolled into a four-fight win streak, which Bigdash stopped—along with Aung La's first shot at a ONE world title—in a cage fight in January 2016. Now the pair meet again, but with a home crowd behind him, the "Burmese Python" is more confident of a victory than ever.

As the father of a two-year-old son, how has newfound parenthood affected your fight game?

It makes you want to be more dedicated and more professional. It makes you more focused. You are not just doing it for your own wellbeing but you're also doing it for your son's livelihood and future. It puts more fire in you. It's made me a better fighter, for sure.

 Who are your idols in MMA?

I watch a lot of fights and competitors. I don't idolize them, but I just take notes and pointers from different fighters. I respect Lyoto Machida for his timing, and the older guys like Robbie Lawler because of their heart. I also met Robbie Lawler in one of my fights. He's a good person. Most of the MMA fighters and champions are good people. It takes a certain character to be able to stick with a sport like this, still love it, and continue to grow with it. Most of the guys that fight MMA are pretty decent people.

Do you have a dream opponent?

I would like to fight [Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight] Uriah Hall. I fought him when I was a little younger, but I would like to fight him again. We will see.

What's your best attribute in the cage?

My toughness, my never-quit attitude. I have a good finishing rate when I fight because I have a good sense of when the finish is coming, and when I feel like the finish is coming, I go for it.

Do you have an age in mind when you will retire?

When my passion and fire for fighting has gone and my body starts slowing down. We don't know yet—maybe late 30s. But right now, I feel stronger and faster than I have ever been. My mind is sharper and my technique is getting better.

This is just the beginning for me. I know our age is a lot higher compared to lethwei fighters, but it takes a lot more time to develop the skills because MMA is all martial arts. I feel like I'm in my prime. I can't think that I'm going to stop right now. I just turned 32 a month ago—it's not young. I'm toward the end of my career, but I'm not going to say when I'm going to retire because there is a lot more fight left in me.

Have you considered joining the likes of boxers Manny Pacquiao and Vitali Klitschko by going into politics in your home country after fighting?

Probably not, because I'm not a politician: it's not my art or my craft. Why try to do something that you're not good at? Everybody has political duties but that's not my calling. It's better to follow what your calling is because that's where you won't feel burnt out.

As a politician, it's important to give everything you have. Just like an MMA fighter, you have to be able to put everything into it. Like, Manny Pacquiao, he has an interest in politics. If you have passion, it's okay to pursue it. On my side, politics gives me a headache sometimes.

 Your opponent Bigdash cost you an opportunity to win the title and broke your four-fight win streak.  How has that motivated you for this rematch?

It takes me to the next level. I spent a lot of resources for this fight, making sure I have a good dietician and sparring partners. I took time off teaching classes and the business side of the gym because I know the level of fighter Bigdash is.

This fight has elevated my game and me as a fighter. Because of the training I went through and the fight I had with him, I'll be able to fight better. I'm excited because the last fight I wasn't in shape for a five rounder. The fight was against myself but this fight it's all going to be against him.

What are his strengths and weaknesses?

Physically, he's very strong. He has very good kicks and takedowns. He's a well-rounded fighter. As far as the weakness goes, I think I can capitalize on my boxing.

Will you get the knock out?

That's what I plan to do. I'm looking to finish him—second, third round. I will look for the finish; I don't care if I die. I will look for the finish. It's going to be an exciting fight.

Do you have a message for your fans in Myanmar?

Thank you for all the support and love that you have shown me. It's very undeserving and more than I could have ever imagined. It's an honor for me to represent my people. I just want to encourage everybody to pursue your dreams and work hard toward your passion.

The post Aung La 'Burmese Python' Nsang Set for Myanmar Showdown appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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