Monday, October 16, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Thousands of new Refugees Flee Violence, Hunger in Myanmar to Bangladesh

Posted: 16 Oct 2017 07:56 AM PDT

COX'S BAZAR/YANGON — Hungry, destitute and scared, thousands of new self-identifying Rohingya refugees crossed the border into Bangladesh from Myanmar early on Monday, Reuters witnesses said, fleeing hunger and attacks by Buddhist mobs that the United Nations has called ethnic cleansing.

Wading through waist-deep water with children strapped to their sides, the refugees told Reuters they had walked through bushes and forded monsoon-swollen streams for days.

A seemingly never-ending flow entered Bangladesh near the village of Palongkhali. Many were injured, with the elderly carried on makeshift stretchers, while women balanced household items, such as pots, rice sacks and clothing, on their heads.

"We couldn't step out of the house for the last month because the military were looting people," said Mohammad Shoaib, 29, who wore a yellow vest and balanced jute bags of food and aluminum pots on a bamboo pole. "They started firing on the village. So we escaped into another.

"Day by day, things kept getting worse, so we started moving towards Bangladesh. Before we left, I went back near my village to see my house, and the entire village was burnt down," Shoaib added.

They joined about 536,000 self-identifying Rohingya Muslims who have fled Myanmar since Aug. 25, when coordinated Rohingya insurgent attacks sparked a ferocious military response, with the fleeing people accusing security forces of arson, killings and rape.

Myanmar rejects accusations of ethnic cleansing and has labeled the militants from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army who launched the attacks as terrorists, who have killed civilians and burnt villages.

Not everyone made it to Bangladesh alive on Monday.

Several kilometers to the south of Palongkhali, a boat carrying scores of refugees sank at dawn, killing at least 12 and leaving 35 missing.

There were 21 survivors, Bangladesh authorities said.

"So far 12 bodies, including six children and four women, have been recovered," said police official Moinuddin Khan.

Bangladesh border guards told Reuters the boat sank because it was overloaded with refugees, who pay exorbitant fees to cross the Naf River, which forms a natural border with Myanmar in the Cox's Bazar region of Bangladesh.

The sinking came about a week after another boat capsized in the estuary on the river, which has become a graveyard for dozens of Muslim refugees.

Food, Aid Restricted

Refugees who survived the perilous journey said they were driven out by hunger because food markets in Myanmar's western Rakhine State have been shut and aid deliveries restricted. They also reported attacks by the military and Rakhine Buddhist mobs.

The influx will worsen the unprecedented humanitarian emergency unfolding in Cox's Bazar, where aid workers are battling to provide refugees with food, clean water and shelter.

On Monday, the Red Cross opened a field hospital as big as two football fields, with 60 beds, three wards, an operating theatre, a delivery suite with maternity ward and a psychosocial support unit.

Hundreds of thousands of self-identifying Rohingya had already been in Bangladesh after fleeing previous spasms of violence in Myanmar, where they have long been denied citizenship and faced curbs on their movements and access to basic services.

The United States and the European Union are considering targeted sanctions against Myanmar's military leaders, officials have told Reuters.

EU foreign ministers will discuss Myanmar on Monday, and their draft joint statement said the bloc "will suspend invitations to the commander-in-chief of the Myanmar/Burma armed forces and other senior military officers."

The powerful army chief, Min Aung Hlaing, told the United States ambassador in Myanmar last week that the exodus of Rohingya, whom he called non-native "Bengalis," was exaggerated.

But despite Myanmar's denials and assurances that aid was on its way to the north of violence-torn Rakhine State, thousands more starving people were desperate to leave.

"We fled from our home because we had nothing to eat in my village," said Jarhni Ahlong, a 28-year-old Rohingya man from the southern region of Buthidaung, who had been stranded on the Myanmar side of the Naf for a week, waiting to cross.

From the thousands gathered there awaiting an opportunity to escape, about 400 paid roughly US$50 each to flee on nine or 10 boats on Monday morning, he added.

"I think if we go to Bangladesh we can get food," he said

The post Thousands of new Refugees Flee Violence, Hunger in Myanmar to Bangladesh appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Military Warns State Counselor on Security After Weapons Haul

Posted: 16 Oct 2017 07:29 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The military leadership has warned State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi over her security arrangements and she has replied that she would take extra caution.

"As far as I'm concerned, the military has constantly warned about her security, and she has replied to the military that she would exercise caution," U Khin Maung Win, the chairman of the Lower House Judicial and Legal Affairs Committee told The Irrawaddy.

On Sunday evening, Phyo Ko Ko Tint San, ACE Company chairman and the son of sports minister under U Thein Sein's administration U Tint San, and two ACE employees were detained before boarding a Yangon-bound Myanmar National Airline flight for illegal possession of firearms and illicit drugs, leading to public concerns about the security of the country's political leaders.

Police found 12 WY tablets, 1.5 grams of methamphetamine, two pistols and 72 bullets in U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San's backpack, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Another five pistols and 804 bullets were found in U Phyo Ko Ko Tin San's room at Naypyitaw's ACE Hotel, and nine more pistols and 892 bullets were found in the room of one of the ACE staff members on Sunday evening.

"Tatmadaw also has the things [security apparatus] that we have. They have warned about her security. And Daw Suu also agrees to take caution with her movements," said U Khin Maung Win, who is also a lawmaker representing Yangon's Lanmadaw Township.

U Zaw Htay, the spokesperson of the government and closest government official of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that security has been increasingly tightened for her since 2016 after her name appeared on a hit list sent by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group to police in Malaysia.

"We've arranged considerable security for her since that time. I can't tell you certain things, but there are also undercover officers," he told The Irrawaddy.

Police Colonel Zaw Khin Aung, the chief of Naypyitaw Police Force, believes that the seizure of firearms is not directly related to security of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

"There is nothing to worry about. We take full responsibility for her safety," he told the reporters in Naypyitaw on Monday.

Upper House MP U Thein Swe, who has served as a security officer for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for many years, is worried about her safety because the State Counselor cares about work much more than her safety.

"I'm concerned about her safety because of the arms seizure. So, I want concerned authorities to give greater attention to her security. And I also want to urge them to take harsh legal actions against keeping arms without security duty. Only then, the security of the country will be safe," said U Thein Swe.

Though Daw Aung San Suu Kyi uses bullet-proof cars provided by the government when she goes outside on official duty, she only uses her own private car in other times, said U Thein Swe, suggesting that she should take caution all the time.

"Whatever reason she goes outside for public duty, she is the most important person of the country. There should be full security since she is the leader of the country. There should be 24-hour security for her, and she should accept it," said U Thein Swe.

"The number of arms was not that large as in the previous cases of Aye Ne Win and Kyaw Ne Win," said U Khin Maung Win, referring to the case in 2002 when the grandsons of military dictator General Ne Win were arrested for allegedly plotting a coup.

"It is fair to say that [Phyo Ko Ko Tint San] has intentionally stockpiled firearms. I don't mean he would assassinate a certain person. But why he has kept so many arms must be investigated," he added.

U Tint San, the father of U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San, is currently on a trip in China. According to sources close to him, he is a firearm fanatic and frequently posts photos of his arms on Facebook.

The post Military Warns State Counselor on Security After Weapons Haul appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

World Bank Withholds $200 Million Myanmar Loan

Posted: 16 Oct 2017 07:20 AM PDT

MANDALAY — The World Bank has delayed a US$200 million loan to Myanmar amid intensifying international pressure over the exodus of more than 500,000 self-identifying Rohingya from Rakhine State.

In a statement issued on Oct. 12, the World Bank said it was "deeply concerned by the violence, destruction and forced displacement of the Rohingya" and would withhold the loan until conditions improved.

Militant attacks on 30 police stations and an army base in northern Rakhine on Aug. 25 triggered an army crackdown that has caused the exodus. Meanwhile, about 30,000 Arakanese and Hindus were internally displaced by militant violence.

The World Bank stated it would continue "high-impact projects that support education, health services, electricity, rural roads and inclusion of all ethnic groups and religions, particularly in Rakhine state."

"We also assessed the conditions of our recently approved development policy loan and concluded that further progress is needed for the loan to be made effective," the statement added.

The loan is one of the 13 projects funded by the World Bank in Myanmar and was signed between the bank and the Myanmar government in August as direct financial support to the government's union budget to help address the macroeconomic stability and fiscal resilience.

The loan comes from the World Bank's fund for low-income countries, International Development Association (IDA). The loan includes a repayment period of 38 years, with a grace period of six years and a zero interest rate, according to the bank.

The post World Bank Withholds $200 Million Myanmar Loan appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Beijing Proudly Unveils Mega-Airport Due to Open in 2019

Posted: 16 Oct 2017 04:31 AM PDT

BEIJING — China's capital unveiled the "shining example" of its 80 billion yuan (US$12.14 billion) new airport on Monday, tipped to become one of the world's largest when it opens in October 2019 amid a massive infrastructure drive overseen by President Xi Jinping.

Representatives showed off the sprawling skeleton of "Beijing New Airport," which is made up of 1.6 million cubic metres of concrete, 52,000 tons of steel and spans a total 47 square kilometers (18 square miles), including runways.

It is expected to serve an initial 45 million passengers a year with an eventual capacity of 100 million, putting it on par with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

"Lined up together there's roughly 5 kilometers of gates," said project spokesman Zhu Wenxin. "It's a shining example of China's national production capacity."

Updates on the airport come as the ruling Communist Party is set to open its 19th congress later this week, a twice-a-decade leadership event where Xi will consolidate power and emphasize successful projects and policy from his first five years.

The project, which broke ground in 2014, is one of the region's largest infrastructure investments under Xi's rule, which has been plagued by fears of slowing economic growth, offset slightly by a construction spree.

China has sought to boost its profile as both an aviation hub and a manufacturer in recent years. The country's first home-grown passenger jet, the C919, lifted off on its maiden flight in May, edging into a multibillion-dollar market currently dominated by Boeing Co and Airbus SE.

Situated 67 kilometers south of Beijing, the airport technically falls in neighboring Hebei province, though it will eventually constitute its own development zone.

It will relieve pressure on Beijing's existing international airport, to the northeast of Beijing and currently the world's second largest by passenger volume, which opened a new terminal worth $3.6 billion in 2008 ahead of the Beijing Summer Olympics.

The existing airport will continue to operate major international flights, though a third smaller domestic airport in the city's south will close in coming years.

Two of China's three major airlines, China Eastern Airlines Corp and China Southern Airlines Co, will relocate to the airport on completion, accounting for roughly four-fifths of the new airport's total traffic.

The airport will be connected to Beijing by a high speed train with a top speed of 350 kilometer an hour, as well as an inter-city train and a major expressway.

Original plans for the airport were made by French airports operator Aeroports de Paris, though third-party improvements to the original version make the final design "wholly domestic," said Zhu.

"It's like a large flower, but made of steel," said one construction worker on the site, who declined to share his name because he was not authorized to speak to press.

The post Beijing Proudly Unveils Mega-Airport Due to Open in 2019 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Analysis: Why Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Shunned UN General Assembly 

Posted: 16 Oct 2017 04:19 AM PDT

When Aung San Suu Kyi decided to send her vice president U Henry Van Thio to deliver a speech at the UN in New York she was denounced for avoiding questions and criticism on the plight of self-identifying Rohingya and violence in Rakhine State.

Some insiders, however, say that the State Counselor had more pressing issues at home.

Since the crisis erupted, President U Htin Kyaw has been undergoing treatment in Bangkok. The generals wanted to declare a state of emergency in Rakhine State as clearance operations were launched.

If Daw Aung San Suu Kyi decided to go to New York while U Htin Kyaw was in a Bangkok hospital receiving treatment, U Myint Swe would be in charge and the army could declare a state of emergency in Rakhine State.

Since day one, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has objected to declaring a state of emergency in Rakhine State.

Vice president U Myint Swe is a former top general and served as Yangon chief minister under the U Thein Sein administration and was known as a military hardliner under the Snr-Gen Than Shwe regime.

After reading the precarious situation, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi decided not to go to New York and instead delivered a diplomatic briefing addressing Rakhine State in English. Simultaneously, rallies to support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi were held in some major cities to condemn mounting international pressure on the State Counselor.

U Htin Kyaw came back from medical treatment but Daw Aung San Suu Kyi cancelled her planned trip to Prague.

Instead, she went to Brunei to attend the Golden Jubilee gala of King Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah's succession to the throne. She was seen with several Asean leaders who have expressed concern on the situation in Rakhine State.

Malaysia decided to disassociate itself from a statement on Rakhine issued by the Filipino chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It said that the statement misrepresents the reality of the situation and omits references to Rohingya Muslims.

In any case, under the 2008 Constitution, the army can declare a state of emergency. But there is process.

Only the President can declare a state of emergency after consulting and coordinating with the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services and Home Affairs. This declaration must be submitted to the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) for approval as soon as possible, according to the Constitution.

It should be noted that under the current administration, regular NDSC meetings do not take place.

The commander-in-chief would have sovereign power, but he would have to seek NDSC approval to extend the emergency period to six months or more.

He also has to report to an emergency session of the Union Parliament. This scenario is likely if the country is perceived as facing a serious emergency situation or a formidable threat to sovereignty.

Among diplomats and observers, there are still rumors of a coup.

China, India and other of Myanmar's close neighbors watch the ongoing power play in Naypyitaw knowing that relations between State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing are at a low point.

The post Analysis: Why Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Shunned UN General Assembly  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Businesses in Nine Sectors Must Submit Environmental Plans: Govt

Posted: 15 Oct 2017 11:38 PM PDT

MAWLAMYINE, Mon State — Businesses in nine sectors marked as potentially harmful to the environment will be asked to submit environmental management plans (EMP), according to the Mon State government.

The National-level Environmental Conservation and Climate Change Central Committee decided in June that all firms in food and beverage production, cement production, textile dying, foundry, leather processing, pulp and paper production, and sugar production must submit EMPs for approval.

But progress has been sluggish on the matter, with Mon State minister for resources and environmental conservation Dr. Min Kyi Win saying, "We have yet to inform the concerned businesspeople."

The Directorate of Industrial Supervision and Inspection under the industry ministry licenses factories and workshops. But there is little cooperation between the natural resources and environmental conversation ministry and the industry ministry, said Dr. Min Kyi, which breeds irresponsible business operations.

He cited the state government's recent surprise checks on some factories in Mawlamyine in which the majority of the operations were found to be violating guidelines.

The environmental conservation department has issued guidelines to factories regarding environmental conservation. It will shut down factories that fail to implement the guidelines, said the department's deputy director U Soe Naing.

The department will ask factories to make any necessary changes over "a certain period of time" in order to avoid damaging the environment, he said.

"If they fail to fix [the issues] beyond that period, we'll take legal actions," U Soe Naing told The Irrawaddy.

He added that the ministry is too under-resourced to detect all industrial pollution and supervise factories and workshops.

After lawmakers in the state parliament raised questions about strong-smelling rubber processing plants on the Mawlamyine-Mudon highway in September, the Mon State chief minister suspended the plants' production until they submit EMPs to the state government.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Businesses in Nine Sectors Must Submit Environmental Plans: Govt appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Expels Former Justice Minister From Party for Graft

Posted: 15 Oct 2017 10:00 PM PDT

BEIJING — A former Chinese justice minister has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party following an investigation by the anti-corruption watchdog, the first time the government has announced that she was in trouble.

Wu Aiying, 65, was justice minister from 2005 until February this year, according to her official resume, and one of only a handful of senior female officials in China.

In a statement released late on Saturday following a four-day meeting of the party's Central Committee, the largest of its elite ruling bodies, Wu's name was listed as one of a number of officials to have been expelled from the party for graft.

While the other names listed, including former Chongqing city party boss, Sun Zhengcai, had been announced earlier, Wu's name had not been mentioned by the party in connection with any investigation.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection found that Wu had "serious discipline problems," the communique said using a euphemism for corruption, but gave no other details.

It was not possible to reach Wu or a representative for comment.

Wu had spent most her career working in the eastern province of Shandong, where she rose to become a deputy provincial party chief, before moving to Beijing in late 2003 to work at the Justice Ministry.

China's legal authorities have been one of the focuses of President Xi Jinping's crackdown on deep-rooted corruption, with powerful former domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang, and many of his allies and former associates, jailed.

It is not clear if Wu had any direct connection with Zhou.

The WeChat account of the state-run Beijing News, Political Matters, said that Wu was known to be a no-nonsense straight talker, once shouting at an underling when a mobile phone rang in the middle of a meeting.

The announcement about Wu comes a few days before the party opens a key, once-in-five-years Congress on Wednesday, which will see Xi strengthen his power and promote key allies and aides.

The post China Expels Former Justice Minister From Party for Graft appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UPDATE: Son of Former Minister Arrested for Guns, Drugs in Naypyitaw

Posted: 15 Oct 2017 08:41 PM PDT

NAYPYITAW—Police arrested the son of a former minister and two other men for illegal possession of firearms and illegal drugs at Naypyitaw International Airport on Sunday afternoon.

U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San, ACE Company chairman and the son of sports minister under U Thein Sein's administration U Tint San, and two ACE employees were detained before boarding a a Yangon-bound Myanmar National Airline flight.

Police found 12 WY tablets, 1.5 grammes of methamphetamine, two pistols and 72 bullets in U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San's backpack, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The airport's X-ray machine revealed pistols and bullets in their luggage, according to the Naypyitaw Police Force.  Naypyitaw Police Chief Zaw Khin Aung confirmed the arrest.

"They were arrested as they didn't have permission to hold guns. The other two men arrested are connected to U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San. We have found no evidence related to terrorism," he told The Irrawaddy.

Another five pistols and 804 bullets were found in U Phyo Ko Ko Tin San’s room at Naypyitaw's ACE Hotel on Sunday evening, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Another nine pistols and 892 bullets were found in the room of one of the ACE staff members.

U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San runs the ACE Construction Company owned by his father U Tint San, who was the sports minister from 2012 to 2016. The company constructed the parliament complex in Naypyitaw.

The post UPDATE: Son of Former Minister Arrested for Guns, Drugs in Naypyitaw appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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