Thursday, October 12, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Wirathu to Visit Conflict-Torn Northern Rakhine

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 05:26 AM PDT

YANGON – Amid the ongoing self-identifying Rohingya crisis in northern Rakhine State, notorious inflammatory firebrand Buddhist monk Wirathu landed in state capital Sittwe on Wednesday and is scheduled to travel to conflict-riven Maungdaw Township.

Ethnic Arakanese Ko Phoe Thar who is assisting the relief efforts of Alodaw Pyae monastery and and assisting the visit of Wirathu told The Irrawaddy that the monk has already requested permission from local authorities to visit conflict-torn Maungdaw district and is waiting the government's response.

"We can't say exactly his schedule. Maybe he will contribute cash to displaced ethnic Arakanese people via Sittwe or maybe he will directly meet with villagers in Maungdaw. It's up to the decision of the authorities," said Ko Phoe Thar.

Sittwe residents posted on Facebook that Wirathu and local monks donated 1.8 million kyats to displaced people from Maungdaw who have sought refuge in some monasteries.

Tin Maung Swe, secretary of Rakhine State government office, said: "[Wirathu] went [to Maungdaw] previously and this time we will also allow. What else?"

The region has been locked down, with journalists and international aid agencies prohibited from entering the area, since militant attacks on Aug. 25.

The government has conducted a number of guided tours for diplomats, journalists, and UN officials while the UN and NGOs call for unfettered access to deliver life-saving aid to vulnerable communities.

A few Arakanese civil society groups publically criticized the visit of Wirathu, including coordinator of Kyaukphyu Rural Development Association (KRDA) U Tun Kyi, who pointed out that Mandalay Region, where Wirathu is based, has a number of problems with Chinese immigration and investment including the Letpadaung Copper Mine.

"Why did he deliberately pick up Rakhine to voice out nationalism, rather than Mandalay?" said U Tun Kyi.

He explained that Wirathu has visited Rakhine in the past, but did not improve the situation on the ground in Rakhine State.

U Tun Kyi said he was concerned that the current problem in Rakhine is one of nationality, but it could easily be changed into an issue of race and religion.

"Politics and religious should not be mixed. I don't like it indeed," said Tun Kyi.

Meanwhile, ethnic affairs expert U Maung Maung Soe urged the government to establish a coordination team which contains representatives of the Muslim community in Rakhine State in order to control administration works in border towns.

Self-identifying Rohingya Muslim Kyaw Hla Aung told The Irrawaddy over the phone on Thursday that the cabinet members of Rakhine State did not come to meet the Muslim community in Sittwe and they have no idea how to consult for the National League for Democracy (NLD) government regarding the Rohingya crisis in Maungdaw.

"We are not even allowed to leave the camp and know nothing about Maungdaw at this moment. So how can we make a suggestion to authorities?" said U Kyaw Hla Aung.

The interaction between the NLD-led Rakhine State government and the Muslim community is weak, he said.

"Even when they did show up here, we don't know the right person to share our ideas with. I assume they don't actually want to listen to our opinions", said U Kyaw Hla Aung.

U Kyaw Hla Aung remarked that Wirathu is travelling with his own plan to lend a hand for the Buddhist community while the Muslim community is contained in a camp.

According to UN estimations, more than half a million Muslims fled neighboring Bangladesh and are sheltering in makeshift camps. Both Myanmar and Bangladesh authorities have formed joint-committee for repatriation process but have not yet announced a precise timeframe for the implementation.

The post Wirathu to Visit Conflict-Torn Northern Rakhine appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

ALP Member Jailed for Defaming Myanmar Army

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 05:17 AM PDT

SITTWE, Rakhine State — A Rakhine court sentenced a member of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) to 18 months in prison on Thursday for allegedly defaming the Myanmar Army.

"My imprisonment is the imprisonment of the NCA [nationwide ceasefire agreement]," said Ko Khaing Myo Tun, deputy information officer of the ALP, who was found guilty of two defamation charges under the Article 505(b) and (c) of the Penal Code at Sittwe Township Court.

This broadly defined charge punishes those who spread or make statements that can "alarm the public" or "whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state." The charge was widely used to crush dissent under the former military regime.

"Because the whole country is moving forward to 21st Century Panglong with the NCA. The jailing of a representative like me who is moving forward with the NCA and 21st Century Panglong is like jailing the NCA," added Ko Khaing Myo Tun.

He was prosecuted by the military after the ALP's information department issued a statement on April 24, 2016 covering the clashes between the Arakan Army (AA) and the military on April 16 in Rakhine State.

The statement accused the military of torturing Rakhine locals and forcing them in to labor.  Tatmadaw troops also killed and ate poultry raised by locals, according to the statement.

General Staff Officer (Grade-1) Lt-Col Tint Naing Tun of Sittwe Regional Operations Command then filed a lawsuit with Sittwe Township Court against Ko Khaing Myo Tun, saying the statement was misleading and damaging to the military's reputation. He also said the statement was liable of spreading misinformation to cause public panic.

There were more than 40 court hearings for the case. Ko Khaing Myo Tun spent 14 months in detention facing trial. As the detention period is deducted from his jail term, he will be released in four months.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Funding Cuts Threaten Mae Tao Clinic

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 04:28 AM PDT

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) launched a fundraising campaign to help continue its services to some 250,000 people along the Thailand-Myanmar border who are at risk of losing access to essential healthcare and education because of funding cuts to organizations in the area.

The clinic has been providing free healthcare to the displaced and vulnerable people of Myanmar, including refugees and migrants along the border, for the last three decades since its inception in 1989.

Dr. Cynthia Maung, an ethnic Karen woman and the founder of the clinic, said, "Until there is an established health system in Burma, we need to protect and care for our communities, especially women and children. Even today, half of our patients come to Thailand for accessing health and protection services. They rely on us to help them. We cannot let them down."

A drop in funding available in the area came after political changes over the past five years in Myanmar.

"Our services programs are not yet completely shut down, but we have been reducing our costs and referring the emergency operations cases as much as we can," said Naw Annie Po Moo, the deputy director for the community operations of MTC.

Due to funding needs, she said, MTC's almost 500 staff salaries would be reduced by 20 percent starting October.

International governments and foundations as well as individual donors have supported the clinic. According to its 2016 annual report, the clinic received support from almost four dozen aid organisations and foundations, including The Global Fund (to fight aids, tuberculosis and malaria), USAID, UKaid, International Rescue Committee and Open Society Foundations.

The fundraising campaign aims to raise funds for its 2018 operational costs, to help continue running their programs: primary healthcare, education to children and child protection and training the medics to help the communities, including those internally displaced people.

"The targeted fund is not for all running costs, but it would help to keep some of our services," said Naw Annie Po Moo.

The MTC provide treatment to an average of 420 patients per day and annually they treat more than 110,000 outpatients—a tenth of them inpatients—and deliver more than 2,500 babies.

In addition, MTC provides social support and protection to more than 2,400 children living in its boarding houses. The clinic is raising funds to secure an initial US$300,000 for some of its operational costs.

Visit MTC's website or contact the clinic via its email info@maetaoclinic.org to contribute.

The post Funding Cuts Threaten Mae Tao Clinic appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UN Political Affairs Chief to Visit Myanmar

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 02:04 AM PDT

The UN's Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman will make an urgent five-day visit to Myanmar on Friday to address the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State, the UN announced on Wednesday.

"Following the Secretary-General's repeated calls for an end to the military operations and violence in northern Rakhine state; unfettered access for humanitarian support; and the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of refugees to their areas of origin, Mr. Feltman will be undertaking consultations with a view to addressing these urgent issues in close cooperation with Myanmar," said the announcement.

A UN spokesperson told The Irrawaddy that details of his visit and meetings were yet to be announced but it is understood discussions will focus on the cooperation of the Myanmar government.

His visit coincides with the recall of UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Renata Lok-Dessallien to the UN in New York. It was announced on Wednesday that she would end her duties in Myanmar by the end of October.

"The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator will use her remaining time until the end of the month to further the UN system's efforts to promote peace and security, human rights, as well as humanitarian and development assistance for all people in Myanmar," said the announcement.

The news of Lok-Dessallien's possible removal from her role first surfaced in June.

According to a BBC news report, she was being criticized internally and being accused of the suppressing internal discussion on the self-identifying Rohingya issue.

However, the spokesperson of the UN office in Myanmar refused to give comment on her recall.

The Canadian citizen began the job in January 2014 and was the first woman to take up the role. She previously worked as resident and humanitarian coordinator in Bhutan, Bangladesh, and China.

The post UN Political Affairs Chief to Visit Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Army Chief Denies Military Abuses in Rakhine

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 01:48 AM PDT

YANGON — The Myanmar Army chief rejected accusations of abuses by his troops during operations in northern Rakhine State in a meeting with the US ambassador on Wednesday, saying "no action goes beyond the legal framework."

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing told US ambassador Scot Marciel in Yangon "unlawful acts are not allowed" in response to the ambassador raising concerns over the exodus of more than 500,000 people to Bangladesh and reports of excessive use of force and genocide by the security forces in Rakhine, according to a briefing posted on the army chief's Facebook page.

Most of those who have fled since militants attacked police outposts on Aug. 25 are self-identifying Rohingya Muslims. Reports they have brought of killings, rape, and arson by security forces have stoked claims of ethnic cleansing in the international community.

"The task of shouldering the duty shall be within the framework of rules, laws and other directives issued by the state. No action goes beyond the legal framework," said the Myanmar Army commander-in-chief.

Despite the army's denial of crimes, the UN human rights office said on Wednesday that Myanmar security forces began its "clearance operations" before the Aug. 25 militant attacks, brutally driving out self-identifying Rohingya Muslims from the region, torching their homes, crops and villages to prevent them from returning, according to Reuters.

In a report based on 65 interviews with refugees who have arrived in Bangladesh in the past month, the UN human rights office said that the destruction by security forces, often joined by mobs of armed Arakanese Buddhists, of houses, fields, food stocks, crops, and livestock made the possibility of the self-identifying Rohingya returning to normal lives in northern Rakhine "almost impossible."

"Credible information indicates that the Myanmar security forces purposely destroyed the property of the Rohingyas, scorched their dwellings and entire villages in northern Rakhine State, not only to drive the population out in droves but also to prevent the fleeing Rohingya victims from returning to their homes," the report said.

During the Wednesday meeting, the ambassador said the US wants to make a constructive approach in order to reduce (international) pressure on Myanmar, according to the account of the meeting posted on Thursday.

"Local Bengalis were involved in the attacks under the leadership of ARSA [Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army]," said Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, using a term for the self-identifying Rohingya to imply they are interlopers from Bangladesh. "That is why they might have fled as they feel insecure."

"The native place of Bengalis is really Bengal. Therefore, they might have fled to the other country with the same language, race and culture as theirs by assuming that they would be safer there," the army chief said.

On Tuesday, nearly 2,000 self-identifying Rohingya from Buthidaung Township, an area relatively peaceful, gathered at the shores of the Bay of Bengal at A Lel Than Kyaw and Gawdu Thara villages to board ferries for Bangladesh despite the authorities' requests for them to return home and assurances for the provision of food and their safety.

The Muslims wanted to leave because of food shortages and the fact they could no longer make a living in the area, according to one of the crowd, Mahmoud Shobi. They were afraid to leave their villages in case of attacks by security forces and Arakanese, he said.

"We have been here for eight days. Some have already gone [to Bangladesh]. We can't farm and fish in our area. That's why we left," he told The Irrawaddy.

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Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement is a Forlorn Hope

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 10:41 PM PDT

The government plans to hold a ceremony to mark the two-year anniversary of landmark peace accord the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) in Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw on Sunday.

Three leaders—State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Army Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, and leader of the Karen National Union (KNU) Gen. Saw Mutu Sae Poe—will deliver the opening speeches.

For Khun Okka of the Pa-O National Liberation Organisation (PNLO), the anniversary celebration is an attempt to awaken a stalling and faltering peace process. The NCA has brought no quantifiable results, some like Khun Okka argue, only a complex stalemate. Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) member Sai Kyaw Nyunt has complained that the NCA has become even more complex and convoluted in the two years since groups first signed.

Only eight out of Myanmar's 21 ethnic armed groups signed the accord at its inception. We must ask the question: Why has the NCA failed to include all ethnic armed groups and why are they refusing to sign it?

The success of the NCA can be seen to hinge on four groups: The Myanmar Army, the civilian government, NCA-signatory ethnic armed groups, and non NCA-signatory armed groups.

The Myanmar Army (The Tatmadaw)

The Tatmadaw is the major linchpin in the peace process. Peace or conflict depends on how it reacts to the demands of ethnic groups.

The 2008 Constitution is heavily loaded in favor of the Tatmadaw by granting its members 25 percent of seats in the Union and state parliaments and leaving the military in charge of three key ministries.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself admitted she cannot control the Tatmadaw under the military-drafted 2008 Constitution when she met the New Mon State Party (NMSP) in early September.

The National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) is the country's most powerful body and is comprised of eleven members: From the military, the commander-in-chief, the deputy commander-in-chief, one vice-president, the defense minister, the home minister, the border affairs minister and from the civilian government, the president, the second vice president, the speakers of both houses of the Union parliament, and the foreign minister (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi).

With six members from the military against five from the civilian government, voting power remains with the Tatmadaw.

The Tatmadaw's blatant power hangs over Myanmar's peace process and unless it is willing to cease conflicts and expedite negotiations, the NCA will go nowhere and bring no benefits.

An example is the case of three armed groups—the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Arakan Army (AA), and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA)—who are excluded from the peace process by the Tatmadaw.

The Civilian Government

The government acts as negotiator between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups. Under the tenure of U Thein Sein's government, numerous negotiations took place but no quantifiable results were seen, except perhaps the, now stalling, NCA.

The process has now been taken over by the new government led by Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who has convened two conferences dubbed the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference. Despite the State Counselor's stated conviction to inclusiveness, a number of ethnic armed groups have been excluded from participating in the conferences.

The first session of her 21st Century Panglong peace conference ended with the United Wa State Army walking out on the second day of talks, claiming they had not been given permission to address the conference.

The second session of the conference ended without agreement on the contentious issue of non-secession from the Union, which participants claimed was contrary to the spirit of the 1947 Panglong Agreement and the promises made by Gen. Aung San.

The conference reached agreements on 37 points, 12 of which concerned politics.

The government declared these agreements a historic breakthrough, but there is still no clear timeline to fulfill agreements made at the conference.

NCA Signatories

The culmination of negotiations under former president U Thein Sein saw eight ethnic armed groups signing the NCA on 15 Oct, 2015.

The eight ethnic armed groups that signed the NCA are: the KNU, the PNLO, the Chin National Front (CNF), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (Peace Council) (KNU/KNLA PC), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA).

After signing the NCA, these groups were allowed to fully participate in both the first and second sessions of the Panglong conferences. They have attempted to expedite the peace process by active participation in the conferences and other dialogues with the government.

NCA Non-Signatories

Most ethnic armed organizations—including powerful outfits the UWSA and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)—refused to sign the NCA. According to Maj-Gen Gun Maw of the KIO, the reasons were threefold:

Firstly, the Tatmadaw set a precondition for three smaller ethnic armed organizations—the TNLA, the AA, and the MNDAA—to disarm before entering the talks. The KIO is alligned particularly with the TNLA and two of KIO's brigades—four and six—are stationed next to TNLA and MNDAA troops. The groups share territory and conduct joint operations against the Myanmar Army.

Secondly, the UNFC presented a nine-point proposal to the government while meeting at the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre in Yangon on March 3, 2017 which would need to be fulfilled before signing the NCA. The government and the bloc have so far agreed on half of the bloc's nine-point proposal, but the Tatmadaw has not agreed on UNFC concerns regarding ceasefire monitoring, a military code of conduct, demarcation, and troop relocation.

Thirdly, some EAOs, including the KIO, have said they expect a certain level of agreement with the government. They proposed a joint committee of the government, political parties, ethnic armed groups, and the military to oversee the peace process framework. The government and military rejected this request.

In an Aug. 24 statement, the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) emphasized adherence to its policy that any political negotiations with the government and the Tatmadaw must involve the FPNCC as a bloc, rather than separate talks with the seven groups. The government Peace Commission is planning to meet the UWSA and NDAA, without the rest of the bloc, soon.

The third session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference will be held soon, but it is still not clear who will be included.

Hopefully, the anniversary will remind all groups to evaluate the stalled NCA process and move forward. The country needs to stabilize conflicts and expedite the peace process as the image of the country is stained by the Rakhine State crisis.

Thus, these four major actors—the Tatmadaw, the Government, NCA signatories and Non-NCA signatories—must put concerted efforts to accelerate the momentum of the peace process. Absent of such efforts, the success of the NCA seems a forlorn hope and gaining peace in Myanmar will be elusive.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of a Kachin State-based analyst.

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Thailand Prepares to bid Farewell to ‘the People’s King’

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 10:31 PM PDT

BANGKOK — Thailand is putting the finishing touches this month to a lavish five-day funeral ceremony in a final goodbye to its late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who helped shape the Southeast Asian nation for decades after World War Two.

Many of the hundreds of thousands of black-clad mourners are expected to camp for days near Bangkok's Grand Palace to capture a good view of the ceremonies, which will be guarded by 78,000 police officers and culminate in the cremation on Oct. 26.

"October is a sad period," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who announced plans for a national election next year, told reporters in the capital on Tuesday. "I ask that politicians and political parties be peaceful and orderly."

Artisans have worked for ten months in Bangkok's ancient quarter to build an elaborate cremation site fashioned after a vision of heaven, where Thais believe dead royals return to live above Mount Meru, a golden mountain in Hindu mythology.

The funeral of King Bhumibol, who died on Oct. 13 last year after seven decades on the throne, is also a time of uncertainty for some Thais, said a Thailand-based analyst, who declined to be identified because of sensitivities around the monarchy.

"In many ways the king was Thailand and his death has left a huge vacuum in the Thai psyche," said the analyst, pointing to social and political upheavals in recent decades.

"What happens after his funeral? Where will Thailand head next? These are profound questions that must be answered."

Ancient Traditions

The late king was succeeded by his son, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, or Rama X, who has overseen sweeping changes to the royal household, including the running of palace finances.

Though steeped in ancient traditions, the funeral of King Bhumibol will permit more public participation than those of previous kings, said Thai monarchy expert Tongthong Chandransu.

"A strong bond has been formed between the people and the monarchy—the strongest compared to past reigns," Tongthong told Reuters. "So we can see more people participation in the royal funeral of this king."

Among the many royal objects restored for the funeral is a golden chariot that will carry the king's body in a giant ornate urn to the cremation site.

The urn will move to the Royal Crematorium before the cremation on the night of Oct. 26, which has been declared a national holiday.

More than 3,000 performers will join in a nightlong final tribute of music and puppet shows to end a year of mourning.

Thais devoted to the memory of the king have folded paper flowers for his cremation, making 10 million in Bangkok alone, city authorities said.

"This is our 'Mandela,' or our 'Princess Diana,' moment," said graphic designer and self-proclaimed royalist Apichai Klapiput.

"What the world will see is rivers of tears that show how much Thais love King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He was the people's king."

The post Thailand Prepares to bid Farewell to 'the People's King' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Rallies to State Counselor’s Defense Amid Award Stripping

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 07:31 PM PDT

YANGON —Myanmar's State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi does not find it surprising to be stripped of awards honoring her struggle to achieve democracy in the country over the past decades.

She told the Nikkei Asian Review in a recent interview: "Actually, nothing is surprising, because opinions change and world opinions change like any other opinion," considering reactions from western countries on her stance amid the Rakhine crisis.

But the majority of those in Myanmar who supported and believed in her—including members of parliament—see the wave of condemnation as humiliating to the leader they elected.

The 72-year-old Myanmar's de-facto leader who is barred from running for president under the military-drafted Constitution, is now under strong international censure for failing to criticize the military's actions against the self-identifying Rohingya and address accusations of ethnic cleansing in the conflict-marred state.

Amid mounting criticism on the issue, Britain has seemed to be the most active among many other countries. One of Britain's largest trade unions Unison has suspended an award given to her when she was placed under house arrest, while the London School of Economics' students union said it would be stripping her of her honorary presidency.

St Hugh's College of Oxford University, where she studied politics, philosophy and economics between 1964 and 1967, removed the painting of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as the college received the gift of a new painting. The portrait had been there since 1999.

Daw Zin Mar Aung with the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi portrait at Oxford University. (Photo: Zin Mar Aung/ Facebook)

Oxford City Council voted unanimously last week to strip her of the Freedom of the City award, as it was "no longer appropriate" for her to hold it.

A number of other British institutions also say they are reviewing whether to revoke honors bestowed upon her.

British Ambassador to Myanmar Andrew Patrick told The Irrawaddy via email, "The UK government is not involved in decisions taken by independent institutions, such as Oxford University and its colleges."

"She is our country's leader and people will feel bad about those acts. As a citizen, I feel bad too. But we need not to focus on that much and instead on what we can do for our democratic transition," Lower House lawmaker Daw Zin Mar Aung said.

She said the international community need to be mindful when making decisions on Myanmar based on wrong and incomplete information because it is not helpful for the country's fragile democratic transition.

"They need to know Myanmar is still in the young democratic transition which they have praised. But what the international governments and experts are forgetting is that they are pressuring Myanmar as if it is an established democratic country."

Yangon regional lawmaker Nay Phone Latt also agreed.

"Politically, it is really a difficult situation. The civilian government itself doesn't have full executive power under the current Constitution. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is also severely restricted under the circumstances. For us, we can understand her. But some international organizations seemingly don't really understand the conditions," he said.

"If they decide without getting enough information, it is unfair. If that is the case, the college's image would be harmed [in the future]," he added, referring to the removal of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's portrait at St Hugh's College of Oxford University.

Many Myanmar citizens changed their Facebook profiles to a picture of the removed portrait and photos of the State Counselor to show their support, writing "the pictures of the State Counselor in their heart couldn't be taken down'."

In response to international pressure, thousands have gathered in Myanmar's major cities to proclaim, "We stand with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi" in recent weeks.

People gather in downtown Yangon on Sept. 19 to show their solidarity with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as she makes a diplomatic address on Rakhine State. / Thet Htun Naing / The Irrawaddy

 Artist MPP Ye Myint who showcased paintings of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon and Mandalay, saw the acts of stripping the leader of her awards as "childish."

"I admired her since 1988 when she gave her public speech for the first time near Shwedagon Pagoda. The admiration never changed and kept growing," he said.

Hkun Okker, leading patron of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization, said some countries are stripping her of awards to protect their own interests, worrying about their own business activities with Muslim nations.

"It is their decision. Because they took back awards, it doesn't mean the State Counselor is wrong," he said.

Christian leader Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, who is Myanmar's first ever cardinal and archbishop of Yangon, said at a mass interfaith event in Yangon on Tuesday the country trusts in the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who has made many sacrifices for the country and democracy.

"It is not that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has begged for the Nobel Prize, but it is only international organizations that followed around Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and gave her awards. They can take all their awards back. And we'd rather like to return those awards with an extra refund," the cardinal said.

"But, there is something that they can't take away—the love of citizens toward Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. No one can grab their reliance on her. She has the hopes of millions of people in her hands…There is a need for the international community to understand and help this government. Condemning and blaming is meaningless."

Ethnic Karen Naw Susana Hla Hla Soe, a prominent women's rights activist who is now an Upper House lawmaker, echoed similar sentiments, saying no one asked for the prizes, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself.

"They gave their own and have now taken them back. It is too sloppy. But Aunty Suu won't respond to those. She will only be serious for the country," she said.

The post Myanmar Rallies to State Counselor's Defense Amid Award Stripping appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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