Tuesday, November 28, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Pope Francis Preaches Unity on Visit to Myanmar

Posted: 28 Nov 2017 06:09 AM PST

YANGON — Pope Francis said religious differences need not be a source of division and distrust during his speech in Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw on Tuesday.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church arrived in Myanmar on Monday for a four-day visit, becoming the first pontiff to visit the Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian country where Christians make up less than 6.2 percent of the population and Muslim account for less than 5 percent.

"Religious differences need not to be a source of division and distrust, but rather a force for unity, forgiveness, tolerance and wise nation building," he said in a speech delivered to government cabinet members, officials and guests from different faiths in Naypyitaw after his meeting with the country's President U Htin Kyaw and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday afternoon.

"I would like my visit to embrace the entire population of Myanmar and to offer a word of encouragement to all those who are working to build a just, reconciled and inclusive social order," said the pope.

The papal visit to Myanmar coincides with international pressure on the country over human rights abuses against the Rohingya Muslim minority. More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled to neighboring Bangladesh after army security clearance operations in late August and allegations of killings, rape and arson. Last week, Myanmar and Bangladesh reached an agreement for a repatriation process.

Pope Francis was warned, including by Myanmar's Cardinal Charles Bo, to avoid using the term "Rohingya" during his visit so as not to upset the host country or trigger a backlash, as the government, military and a majority of the people reject the term and instead refer to the Rohingya as Bengali, implying they are immigrants from Bangladesh. During his speech the pope avoided the term and did not mention the plight of the Rohingya.

Pope Francis also expressed his appreciation for the peace efforts of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government through the Panglong Peace Conference "in an attempt to end violence, to build trust and to ensure respect for the rights of all who call this land [Myanmar] their home."

"As the nation now works to restore peace, the healing of those wounds must be a paramount political and spiritual priority," he said.

In her greeting speech to the pope on Tuesday at the same event, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said Myanmar was trying to achieve mutual understanding and harmony among the different communities in Rakhine State.

"Papal understanding on peace, national reconciliation and social harmony that me and all Myanmar people have been longing for brings strength and hope for Myanmar," said she.

The pope will hold a mass for the Catholic faithful in Yangon on Wednesday. He will leave Myanmar for Bangladesh on Thursday to visit Rohingya refugee there.

Prior to his meetings with the president and state counselor, Pope Francis on Monday received Myanmar military Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who has been internationally condemned for alleged human rights abuses against the Rohingya by his troops.

On Tuesday, the Pope met 17 representatives of several faiths including Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and Hindus at the Archbishop's House in Yangon.

U Aye Lwin, a Muslim representative who joined the meeting, told The Irrawaddy that the pope focused on unity and peace and did not talk about Myanmar specifically.

"He said diversity has its value and dignity. Harmonizing the diversity is peace, urging us to seriously value diversity as it leads to peace and loving kindness," said U Aye Lwin, paraphrasing the pope.

The Muslim representative said the papal visit was "symbolic" and will help the country cope with the challenges it is facing.

The post Pope Francis Preaches Unity on Visit to Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Hundreds Displaced in Recent Myanmar Army, AA Clashes in Need of Assistance

Posted: 28 Nov 2017 04:44 AM PST

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Hundreds of displaced people from Paletwa Township, Chin State, are stranded at Shin Let Wa village near the Kaladan River and in need of support, while reports of others fleeing to India continue.

Since early this month, more than 330 ethnic Chin, Rakhine and Bamar people from Paletwa Township fled their homes due to clashes between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army, according to relief workers.

The Indian Express reported last Friday that more than 1,200 people from Myanmar had sought shelter in Lawngtlai District, Mizoram, northeast India, after crossing the Myanmar-India border.

Until this week, the sound of gunfights could be heard near the border, said Paletwa resident U Kyaw Khin, who is also a member of the Paletwa Township social relief team.

U Kyaw Khin, who went to meet the displaced people in Shin Let Wa last Thursday, said: "The refugees are still stranded on the bank of the Kaladan River. They are sleeping in the school and healthcare buildings."

They need healthcare, U Kyaw Khin said, as one woman had recently given birth without the assistance of trained medics. Relief groups and the Chin State government have donated medical supplies, but there are not enough healthcare workers in the area to properly treat the displaced.

The route between the inland Paletwa and the border to India has been closed at Kalet Chaung tributary since Nov. 4 by the Arakan Army (AA). On Nov. 5, the AA warned locals to avoid using the waterways on the Kaladan River and nearby tributaries as "the Myanmar Army had intensified offensives in AA-controlled areas."

"We could not make contact with or visit the villages near the border since Nov. 4," added U Kyaw Khin.

People who continued using the waterway were sandwiched between the fighting. Two died and three were injured in the second week of November. A college student who was travelling by boat was fatally shot on Nov. 8 and a 60-year-old woman was also shot and killed on a boat on Nov. 11.

The AA has also suffered casualties. Last week, its spokesman said two of its members were killed and four were wounded in the latest round of clashes between the Myanmar Army and its troops in Paletwa and Buthidaung townships.

The clashes between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army in Buthidaung Township in northern Rakhine State have added to the burden placed on local villagers. The area has been restive since Myanmar Army clearance operations following a militant attack in late August, which caused more than 620,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to neighboring Bangladesh.

Some 30,000 Arakanese villagers and its subgroups were also displaced, but many have returned to their villages with the help of the government, according to U Tun Aung Thein, a Rakhine State lawmaker from Buthidaung.

U Tun Aung Thein said the majority of those recently displaced to India were likely from Paletwa and not Buthidaung.

Paletwa villagers were also displaced in 2015 when the AA and Tatmadaw forces engaged.

The post Hundreds Displaced in Recent Myanmar Army, AA Clashes in Need of Assistance appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Give and Go: Foundation Connects Donors with Poor Mon Schools

Posted: 28 Nov 2017 04:38 AM PST

YE TOWNSHIP, Mon State — Students waved their hands and sang along to a popular tune being played by a band of visiting Mon musicians. From the study hall, more students shouted in glee as the song came to end, clapping their hands to show their gratitude to the singers. It was a happy day at the only high school in Ye Township.

"Our mission today was to see Mon students enjoy music, and we want to encourage you to study hard too." Nai Sapie, a popular Mon singer, told the students. "The day we have more educated people, that will be the day we get our freedom," he said, referring to the political situation in Mon State.

Like most Mon state schools, Arn Din high school lacks both resources and financial backers. But, it was a bit different today as members of the Mon community visited to make donations to support the education of Mon children.

Ah Ar is the name of local charitable group led by a monk named Aot Jae, who came to distribute white boards for the high school in Arn Din village.

Aot Jae brought the Mon singers along with him, as he donated a dozen white boards to the school, while the Mon troupe provided entertainment for the students.

In addition to the white boards, Aot Jae also handed out small black boards to the students. It is the third year he has made such donations.

"I have donated small black boards to about 8,000 students. The white boards are for the schools," he said, adding that he had already spent 4.5 million kyats on such equipment this year.

Aot Jae is a former Mon activist who was sentenced to a 15-year term. He was released in 2010 after serving two years of his sentence when former President Thein Sein issued a nationwide amnesty for political prisoners.

Aot Jae travelled to Thailand, Malaysia, and the U.S., where members of local ethnic Mon communities donated money. It is this money he has used to support Mon schools in Myanmar.

He explained the meaning behind "Ah Ar," the name of his organization, which he said translates as "Give it and go." He said that when he meets Mon people who want to donate money for education or other purposes he urges the to accompany him. "As soon as they tell me that, we go to the school that needs the donation," he said.

The funds have also been used to build schools and to buy food for Mon rebels undergoing military training.

"It depends on the type of help the donors want to provide," he said.

In addition to the donors, the Mon singers expressed an eagerness to come along with him on the trip out of respect for Aot Jae and his good works.

"Education is the first priority for our Mon children. We need to look at other developed countries, education is their first priority," Aot Jae said.

Today, the high school in Arn Din village removed their old black boards and replaced them with them with the dozen new white boards donated by Ah Ar. Each white board costs 50,000 kyats.

There are 300 students at the school from primary level through to 10th grade. The school is part of the Ministry of Education system but overseen by the Mon National School Department, which in turn is under the control of the New Mon State Party. The party reached a ceasefire agreement with the central government in 1992 but still controls parts of the state. Since 1972 it has run its own schools under the Mon National Education Department. In all, it operates, 156 schools, employing 800 teachers and serving 17,000 students.

"We are very glad you have come to support our school. This will be a big help," Nai Majoor, a school teacher in Arn Din told Aot Jae.

He said there were 18 teachers at the school who earned monthly salaries of 90,000 kyats. The salary was low, but Nai Majoor said that it was okay because the teachers felt they were serving the Mon community.

The post Give and Go: Foundation Connects Donors with Poor Mon Schools appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Karen Minister Envisions Development Through Coal Power

Posted: 28 Nov 2017 04:10 AM PST

Karen State, 283 kilometers southeast of Yangon, has been devastated by years of fighting between ethnic Karen armed groups and the government army. Peace was restored to the region in 2012. The state is home to more than 1.5 million people and relies mainly on border trade with neighboring Thailand. But only two foreign companies, employing about 880 people, have started up since the end of the Thein Sein administration in 2010.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) government has been in power for almost two years, but economic growth in the state remains slow. To attract foreign investment, the state government is attempting to address power shortages by building a coal-fired power plant. The Irrawaddy interviewed Nan Khin Htwe Myint, chief minister of Karen State, at her office over the weekend about her commitment to economic reform. "Don't even think about development without electricity," she said.

The NLD government has been in power for two years. What significant improvements have there been since you took office?

We have precise policies for the transportation, electricity and agriculture sectors. To deal with our state's electricity requirements pragmatically, we want a coal-fired plant to provide power quickly and are still contacting [companies] to set up hydropower projects as a long-term solution for electrification. Some interested investors have also come to observe the situation on the ground.

I think the state government can implement [the project] in early 2018 because we have completed 90 percent of the paperwork and are just awaiting a final decision from the Union government.

When will you start work on your first project?

The coal-fired plant will start in early 2018.

Will the plant be able to power the entire state?

It can supply the whole state, all seven townships.

Which sector provides the state with the most revenue, for example agriculture or trade?

At the moment we basically export about $80,000 [worth of goods] to Thailand and import nearly $2 million every day. We have only three, maximum five, types of products for export to Thailand, but the traders import about 45 to 50 [types of] products.

If I am not wrong, we earned 300 million kyats [about $220,000] in revenue last year. The agriculture sector is not very satisfied with us, so I can say border trade is the main source of income for the state.

Do you have any plans for the state's economic reform?

I think we can transform seven townships if we really have electricity in the coming years. For example, the Myawaddy, Kwakareik and Hpa-An regions could be designated economic zones. Thandaung and some regions of Hpapun are dominated by agriculture. So we want to improve the agriculture sector, for example by cultivating coffee that grows like a tree and bamboo plantation as well. We can lease land to interested companies in the forest and on vacant land.

I do believe that if we can overcome the region's power shortage then factories and industrial zones will arrive automatically, and I hope they can offer lots of jobs to locals, especially those who are working abroad. But the Kyain Seik Gyi region still needs to remove landmine if we are keen to expend the agriculture sector there.

What are the main challenges facing your state government at the moment?

One of the major challenges is simply manipulation of uneducated people. For instance, most locals have no idea about coal-fired plants. They would agree with the government's plans to carry it out, but a group of people is purportedly undermining our ambitions, probably for political reasons and business interest, probably companies from the neighboring country who sell electricity to our state, and also maybe some political parties that want to disrupt our success. It has become a big obstacle for us at the moment.

What type of coal is the plant going to burn? Will it be lignite or something else?

I don't know about technical issues as I mainly focus on policy guidelines. I think the relevant ministries can explain the specifics. As far as I know, our state possesses lignite coal.

Where is that coal located?

There are at least three coal-rich sites in our state. We can get coal in the Kyauk Khet region of Myawaddy Township, Hpa Pun and Kyain Seik Gye. But the rest of them are not legally approved for mining projects as the regions were [restricted] for years. Peace has been restored to those regions now, so we can legally allow mining projects. The explosive power of Karen State's coal is much higher than that of Shan coal. Certainly there is sufficient lignite for the company in the state, but the company will import from abroad, maybe from Indonesia.

Does that mean the government would allow coal mining in those regions?

Of course we must allow it because we have coal resource in the state. It will be very helpful for Karen State. If the price and quality of imported coal and domestic coal are the same, then we prefer to use the local product.

Have experts told you about the advantages and disadvantages of generating electricity from coal?

We studied [coal plants] ourselves instead of consulting with experts because we observed them with our own eyes [referring a visit to the Tijit coal plant]. We must have a business perspective if we want economic growth. It's impossible to have economic development without electricity.

Coal is a quick path to bringing economic growth to the state if we can sell the electricity to others. And we can get a share of the revenue from it when our state becomes a federal state; as you know, ethnic people are demanding democratic federal union.

Has the Toyo Thai Power company explained the potential advantages and disadvantages of the clean coal technology that will be used at the plant?

From what I have learned about clean coal technology, it cannot prevent harm to the environment 100 percent. Any kind of project has negative impacts on our environment. But we have to understand that our country has done worse things before this clean coal project.

Can you give some examples of the worst cases?

For example, the cement factory that currently operates in Karen State; it produces 900 tons of cement but emits a lot of carbon because it uses limestone. A new cement factory — capacitive 4,000 tons — can pollute too, but it's not much if we compare it with the old one because it uses the latest technology.

We went to see the Tijit coal-fired plant in Shan State and it had been upgraded in recent years. We learned that the situation in Shan is better even though the coal plant is not applying the latest technology. We will try to have a clean-coal plant and have already instructed the company to meet Japan's standards on clean coal. And we will also allow interested experts to check the quality of the coal plant if there are any accusations about the plant in the future.

The previous government was planning to build the Hatgyi hydropower project on the Salween River but delayed it for several reasons. What is the status of that project now?

That place is located in an area controlled by the Karen National Union Brigade No. 5, and we haven't reached an agreement regarding the hydro project. It seems they are not willing to do it even though they have signed off on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the government. Because the issue is controversial I don't want to go into details. We are looking for some areas for hydropower projects that are located in peaceful regions and have found four or five places. They are studying the details. But we can't get many megawatts from them; they might be 15-20 megawatt mini-hydro projects.

What is the situation of foreign direct investment in Karen State and which country dominates in that sector?

China and Thailand are the main investors here. Mostly they are interested in investing in electrification projects such as hydropower, coal-fired plants, solar panels and wind turbines. But very few companies have come to inquire about wind turbine projects. Solar power projects do not meet our requirements because sunlight is available for only seven months a year. If they distribute electricity in practice, one unit could cost around 400 kyats. So it was canceled. On the other hand, foreign companies are not interested in investing in small-scale megawatt projects, such as 30 or 40 [megawatts]. So we have only a big [coal plant project] with Japan. You know the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) and Nippon Foundation helped us a lot with the peace process; they even provided structures for displaced people.

The Hong Kong-owned Fulltex Sweater factory currently operates with 800 employees in our state. That's the only big foreign company here. Another one, an underwear company, is from Thailand; it has only 80 workers.  We have some small businesses like candle and concrete blocks producers. Nothing special here; that's it.

The post Karen Minister Envisions Development Through Coal Power appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

ANP Chairman Aye Maung Resigns

Posted: 28 Nov 2017 04:03 AM PST

YANGON – Arakan National Party (ANP) chairman Aye Maung submitted his resignation letter to the party's central executive committee on Monday, citing mounting internal discord.

The party officially confirmed his resignation on Tuesday.

The letter, which went viral on Facebook Tuesday morning, accuses committee members of disunity and party supporters of attacking him during past party conferences and on social media.

Commenting on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with the media, a committee member told The Irrawaddy that the resignation was expected as the chairman had expressed uncertainty about his future with the party during a committee meeting in October. Since then some party members have speculated that Aye Maung was likely to found a new political party with some core ANP members.

An Arakanese Lower House lawmaker, Daw Khin Saw Wai, of the ANP, disputed the reports of forewarning, claiming the chairman had not discussed his resignation with committee members in advance. As for the impact of Aye Maung's departure, she said it would depend on how much popular support he retains.

"How many people will follow him? Will he get strong public support as he leaves the ANP?" asked Daw Khin Saw Wai.

She said she would stay with the ANP if the chairman were to form a new party.

In his resignation letter, Aye Maung complained that some of his colleagues had started working against him despite his seven years with the party, adding that similar internal strife had allowed the Arakanese Kingdom to be defeated by Burma.

He also blamed committee members of causing internal friction when two candidates from the ANP challenged each other for the Rakhine State Parliament's deputy speaker seat in June, following the death of deputy speaker Phoe Min from gastric cancer.

The letter also states that the committee's decision to dismiss Sittwe Township Secretary Aung Than Wai for the misuse of party funds was "wrongly addressed" and resulted in "disintegration" among both party members and ANP supporters in rural areas.

"I feel that I am responsible for all these consequences as chairman of the party. Thus, I would like to request to quit as chairman and as a party member in line with Section 65" of the party's rules and regulations, the letter says.

The letter also urges responsible ANP members to open the books on the party's election expenses and on its contributions to Arakanese people displaced by attacks in northern Rakhine State by militant Muslim groups in recent years.

The Irrawaddy was unable to reach Aye Maung or ANP central executive committee member for comment on Tuesday.

The post ANP Chairman Aye Maung Resigns appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Parliamentary Committee to Urge Govt to Privatize Failing State-owned Factories

Posted: 28 Nov 2017 01:54 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — The Lower House Investment and Industrial Development Committee, which has been inspecting 24 state-owned factories operating at a loss, is set to submit its preliminary report in December that will urge the government to privatize these factories.

"We've decided that the factories should be privatized in different ways depending on the conditions of each factory. For example, they may be transformed into public-private partnerships or joint ventures or run on a profit-sharing basis," U Aung Kyaw Kyaw Oo, a lawmaker from Yangon's Hlaing Township and a member of the parliamentary committee, told The Irrawaddy.

There are difficulties in assessing the causes of the loss at each factory, and it has been difficult to obtain accurate and reliable data, he added.

The committee formed two teams comprised of officials from the Ministry of Planning and Finance, the Ministry of Industry and representatives of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) to assess the profits and losses of these factories set up by the military regime.

"We don't have much capacity to write technical, economic and financial reports for each factory. So, we only assessed policies. We will highlight some interesting figures from each factory in the report," he told The Irrawaddy.

"We'll submit the preliminary report by the end of this month. This is just initial report and we'll submit recommendations later. We will inform the public after presenting the report," Banks and Monetary Affairs Development Committee chairwoman Daw Khin San Hlaing told The Irrawaddy.

Among the factories operating at a loss are steel plants in Mandalay Region's Myingyan and Shan State's Pangpet, paper mills in Irrawaddy Region's Thabaung Township, and heavy industry in Bago Region's Thagara, as well as textile factories.

U Than Lwin, advisor to one of Myanmar's largest conglomerates Kanbawza Group, suggested that the government should not privatize all of the factories but continue operating some – such as the Burma Pharmaceutical Industry (BPI) – at a loss for the public good.

Though mismanagement is to blame for the losses at certain factories, the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government should not overgeneralize the situation and privatize them all, he added.

"Looking at public health, operating BPI at a loss is a good thing, done with good intentions," U Than Lwin said.

"But on the other hand, establishing steel factories concerns government policy. If it continues operating this, it should at least break even," he added, calling on the government to only keep operating factories at a loss if they benefit the public welfare.

Union Industry Minister U Khin Maung Cho told reporters in Naypyitaw on Nov. 9 that the NLD-led government has been able to make one of textile factories in Myingyan Township of Mandalay Region that was operating at a loss profitable after 18 months of overhaul and partnership with a private company.

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Pope Stresses Unity in Diversity, Avoids Mentioning ‘Rohingya’

Posted: 28 Nov 2017 01:47 AM PST

YANGON — Pope Francis met leaders of several faiths in majority-Buddhist Myanmar on Tuesday, stressing the importance of "unity in diversity" but making no mention of the Muslim Rohingya who have fled en masse to Bangladesh after a military crackdown.

The pope held private talks with Myanmar's military chief in Yangon on Monday, the first day of a visit fraught with tension after the United States accused the Southeast Asian nation of "ethnic cleansing" against its Muslim Rohingya people.

The leader of the Roman Catholic church will also travel to Bangladesh, where more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to escape what Amnesty International has dubbed "crimes against humanity."

Myanmar's army has denied accusations of murder, rape, torture and forced displacement that have been made against it.

"Unity is always a product of diversity," Francis told leaders of the Buddhist, Islamic, Hindu, Jewish and Christian faiths in Yangon, according to Vatican officials who gave a briefing on the 40-minute meeting.

"Everyone has their values, their riches as well as their differences, as each religion has its riches, its traditions, its riches to share. And this can only happen if we live in peace, and peace is constructed in a chorus of differences."

Aye Lwin, a prominent Muslim leader who was at the meeting, told Reuters he had asked the pope to appeal to Myanmar's political leaders "to rescue the religion that we cherish, which could be hijacked by a hidden agenda."

Only about 700,000 of Myanmar's 51 million people are Roman Catholic. Thousands of them have travelled from far and wide to see him and more than 150,000 people have registered for a mass that Francis will say in Yangon on Wednesday.

Tension Over the Word 'Rohingya'

The pope was later flying to the capital, Naypyitaw, where he will meet government leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate and democracy champion who has faced criticism from around the globe because she has expressed doubts about the reports of rights abuses against the Rohingya and failed to condemn the military.

Francis' trip is so delicate that some papal advisers have warned him against even saying the word "Rohingya," lest he set off a diplomatic incident that could turn the country's military and government against minority Christians.

The pope is due to deliver a speech after meeting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Rohingya exodus from Rakhine state to Bangladesh began after Aug. 25, when Rohingya militants attacked security posts and the Myanmar army launched a counter-offensive.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week called the military operation "ethnic cleansing" and threatened targeted sanctions for "horrendous atrocities."

Myanmar's government has denied most of the accusations made against it, and the army says its own investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing by troops.

Myanmar does not recognize the Rohingya as citizens nor as members of a distinct ethnic group with their own identity, and it even rejects the term "Rohingya" and its use.

Many people in Myanmar instead refer to members of the Muslim minority in Rakhine state as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Francis is expected to meet a group of Rohingya refugees in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on the second leg of his trip.

Vatican sources say some in the Holy See believe the trip was decided too hastily after full diplomatic ties were established in May during a visit by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The pope has already used the word Rohingya in two appeals from the Vatican this year.

A hardline group of Buddhist monks, previously known as Ma Ba Tha, said on Monday it welcomed the pope's visit but warned, without elaborating, of "a response" if he spoke openly about the Rohingya.

The post Pope Stresses Unity in Diversity, Avoids Mentioning 'Rohingya' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ex-Political Prisoner Makes Art From Plastic Refuse

Posted: 28 Nov 2017 01:21 AM PST

San Zaw Htway, a former political prisoner cum artist known for his collages made from recycled plastic bags, has been diagnosed with advanced liver cancer brought on by the dire prison conditions he endured as a political prisoner and poor healthcare after his release. The Irrawaddy revisits a profile about the artist published in the October 2014 edition of the Irrawaddy Magazine to help raise awareness about his condition and elicit support for him. For those who would like to help San Zaw Htway, please make a donation here.

RANGOON — Give him plastic bags of any color, and this former political prisoner will turn them into a work of art.

Instead of acrylic paint and brushes, San Zaw Htway opts to work with not only plastic bags, but also cardboard, instant coffee packets and other recycled goods. He taught himself to make painting-like collages with these materials while he was serving time under the former military regime.

"They're all I need," boasted the 40-year-old, pointing to scissors and adhesive containers littered across the floor of his studio in Rangoon. In one corner of the second-floor studio sits of a pile of smoothed plastic wrappings that otherwise would have been destined for a garbage can.

The article ‘From Plastic, Ex-political Prisoner Makes Art’ as it appeared in The Irrawaddy Magazine’s October 2014 issue.

Since his release from prison in 2012, San Zaw Htway has held five solo shows in Burma, in addition to teaching his collage techniques to orphans and children living with HIV.

Now his work is gaining international attention. He has been shortlisted for the 2014 Artraker Award, which recognizes artists who are making a difference in highly challenging environments. The works of 12 candidates from 10 countries, including Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, will be exhibited from Sept. 18-25 at London's a/political gallery.

"Being shortlisted means a lot to me because recycled collage art is still not well embraced in Burma," said San Zaw Htway at his home, while preparing for his trip to the capital of England.

A collage by San Zaw Htway./ The Irrawaddy

"Despite my access to paint and brushes now, I still stick to recycled collage art because it's environmentally sustainable and I want the art trend to develop in Burma," he added.

Painting was a childhood hobby for San Zaw Htway. When he was sentenced to 36 years in prison for his anti-government political activities in 1999, he was only a college freshman majoring in history. He spent 13 years in prison, during which time he was put in solitary confinement and he went on hunger strikes.

Burmese prisons are notorious for their squalid conditions and restrictions on prisoners' rights, with even reading and writing prohibited. San Zaw Htaw said he saw art as a way to defy prison authorities. "I intentionally did it to show them that they can't control everything in our lives," he said. "But the problem was how to make it happen, since painting materials were not allowed."

The student activist decided to make collages with materials within his reach. When his family sent him foods wrapped in plastic bags, he turned the bags into a canvas on which he plastered colorful cuttings from instant coffee packets and shampoo sachets. He scavenged prison garbage cans for plastic sheets in colors that caught his eye. He washed them, smoothed them out and applied them onto the makeshift canvas with the help of a smuggled scissor and glue.

A collage by San Zaw Htway./ The Irrawaddy

Working late at night under the faint glow of a light bulb that dangled on the ceiling of the corridor outside his cell, he was careful to hide his work from prison authorities, taking days to finish a single collage. He produced portraits of Burmese democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi and collages of peacocks, the emblem of Burmese student and democracy movements. Some of his works reflected his longing for freedom, including "Blue Moon on the Highway," one the three collages that have been chosen for the exhibition in London.

"I was lying awake one night in 2009 and I heard the occasional swishes of buses on the highway outside the prison. I felt a surge of longing to be on one of those buses, so I poured out my feeling onto the collage," he said.

Htein Lin, a prominent Burmese contemporary artist and another former political prisoner, said San Zaw Htway's nomination for the Artraker Award and his participation in the exhibition would be a source of pride for Burmese artists and their country.

A collage by San Zaw Htway./ The Irrawaddy

"I like his recycled artwork, not only for its promotion of environmental sustainability, but also for its reflection of an important message behind all forms of prison artwork: You can lock up our bodies, but not our emotions and our creativity," he said.

Apart from being a collage artist, San Zaw Htway is a counselor for former political prisoners and their families. Earlier this year he joined a training program—organized by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) with support from Johns Hopkins University—and now he offers counseling sessions five days per week.

"As a former political prisoner myself, I know very well to what extent we and our families have been mentally affected by what we faced for years. Counseling is one of the best ways to cure their traumas," he said.

When asked how he felt to be participating in the exhibition in London, he said he was happy.

"My prison experience has taught me that no matter how dire the situation is, there is a way to achieve what you want to do," he said. "That is my message to anyone who sees my art."

The post Ex-Political Prisoner Makes Art From Plastic Refuse appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Indonesia Extends Bali Airport Closure Due to Agung Eruption

Posted: 27 Nov 2017 08:38 PM PST

JAKARTA/AMED, Indonesia — Indonesia's transportation ministry said on Tuesday it will extend the closure of Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport for a further 24 hours because of ash from the eruption of the island's Mount Agung volcano.

A report from local aviation navigation authorities showed that "aircraft flight channels are covered with volcanic ash" the ministry said in a statement.

Bali airport, about 60 km (37 miles) from the volcano, will be closed until 7 a.m. local time on November 29, it said.

Ten alternative airports have been prepared for airlines to divert inbound flights, including in neighboring provinces.

A separate notice showed Lombok airport had been reopened, after an earlier closure overnight due to the eruption.

Agung rises majestically over eastern Bali to a height of just over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet).

On Monday, authorities ordered 100,000 residents living near the volcano to evacuate immediately, warning that the first major eruption in 54 years could be "imminent." An 8-10 km (5-6 miles) exclusion zone has been imposed around the summit.

Agung's last eruption in 1963 killed more than 1,000 people and razed several villages by hurling out pyroclastic material, hot ash, lava and lahar.

On Tuesday, life continued largely as normal in villages surrounding Agung, with residents setting up traditional markets and offering prayers as the volcano continued to spew tall columns of ash and smoke from its crater.

Many residents evacuated in September when the alert was last raised to the highest level have returned to their homes and farms due to worries over their livelihood and livestock.

Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre (PVMBG), which is using drones, satellite imagery and other equipment, said predictions were difficult in the absence of instrumental recordings from the last eruption 54 years ago.

It warned that if a similar eruption occurred, it could send rocks bigger than fist-size up to 8 km (5 miles) from the summit and volcanic gas a distance of 10 km (6 miles) within three minutes.

Recordings now show the northeast area of Agung's peak has swollen in recent weeks "indicating there is fairly strong pressure toward the surface," PVMBG said.

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Myanmar 2050: Visions of the Future Inspire Art Exhibition

Posted: 27 Nov 2017 08:32 PM PST

When it comes to popularity, there is no doubt that State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's status is unrivalled in Myanmar. Dubbed the national icon of modern Myanmar, she is still as active and elegant as ever despite her advanced years.

Many of her supporters do not like to see or hear any perceived criticism of her and, therefore, there is reason to believe they would get angry at a representation of the State Counselor with a wrinkled face and white hair.

This portrait, however, is not Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at present, but in 2050, when she would be 105, and is one of the paintings being shown at the ongoing 'Myanmar 2050' art exhibition in Yangon.

"Remain Unchanged," a painting of a female traditional dancer by Ni Po Oo, reflects his belief that Myanmar's traditional culture will live on.

"I have depicted the facial wrinkles that she will get when she is 105. Though she will have wrinkles because of her age, take a look at her shiny eyes. This means she is always ready [to work] for her country," said artist Hla Tun.

The exhibition features the paintings and sculptures of a total of 35 artists who have envisioned Myanmar in 2050.

Myat Kyawt created a sculpture made of kitchen utensils. "This sculpture represents Myanmar's diversity as I envision Myanmar as a more united and dynamic country by 2050," he said.

Myat Kyawt created a sculpture made of kitchen utensils to represent Myanmar's diversity and latent dynamism.

Myint San Myint's creations include a 10,000-kyat banknote with the picture of Gen Aung San, who is widely regarded as Myanmar's independence hero, and a 5,000-kyat banknote with the picture of his daughter, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

"It has been a long time that our banknotes have had no images of humans," Myint San Myint said.

Ni Po Oo depicted the figure of a female traditional dancer, which he entitled 'Remain Unchanged.'

"Despite scientific and technological advancement, I believe that Myanmar's traditional culture will live on," he said.

The exhibition will be on display at the River Gallery on 37th Street in Yangon's Kyauktada Township until Sunday.

Myint San Myint envisioned a 5,000-kyat banknote carrying the image of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

The post Myanmar 2050: Visions of the Future Inspire Art Exhibition appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Pope Meets Myanmar’s Military Chief in Shadow of Rohingya Crisis

Posted: 27 Nov 2017 08:25 PM PST

YANGON — Pope Francis held talks on Monday with Myanmar's military chief at the start of a delicate visit to a majority-Buddhist country that the United States has accused of "ethnic cleansing" against its Muslim Rohingya people.

The leader of the Roman Catholic church will also visit Bangladesh, where more than 620,000 Rohingya have fled to escape what Amnesty International has called "crimes against humanity."

Myanmar's army has denied accusations of murder, rape, torture and forced displacement that have been made against it.

The pope's first meeting in Yangon was with military commander Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in St. Mary's Cathedral in the heart of the Southeast Asian nation's largest city.

"They discussed the great responsibility of authorities of the country in this time of transition," Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said after the 15 minutes of talks, which were followed by an exchange of gifts.

Francis presented the general with a commemorative medal of his visit, and Min Aung Hlaing gave the pope a harp in the shape of a boat and an ornate rice bowl, Burke said.

The army chief told the pope that "there's no religious discrimination in Myanmar and there's the freedom of religion," according to a statement on the Facebook page of Min Aung Hlaing. "Every soldier's goal is to build a stable and peaceful country," the army chief was paraphrased as saying in the statement.

Members of ethnic minority groups in traditional dress welcomed Francis at Yangon airport, and children presented him with flowers as he stepped off his plane.

He waved through an open window at dozens of children waving Vatican and Myanmar flags and wearing T-shirts with the motto of the trip – "love and peace" – as he set off in a car.

Only about 700,000 of Myanmar's 51 million people are Roman Catholic. Thousands of them travelled by train and bus to Yangon, and they joined crowds at several roadside points along the way from the airport to catch a glimpse of the pope.

More than 150,000 people have registered for a mass that Francis will say in Yangon on Wednesday, according to Catholic Myanmar Church spokesman Mariano Soe Naing.

"We come here to see the Holy Father. It happens once in hundreds of years," said Win Min Set, a community leader who brought a group of 1,800 Catholics from the south and west of the country.

"He is very knowledgeable when it comes to political affairs. He will handle the issue smartly," he said, referring to the sensitivity of the pope’s discussions about the Rohingya.

Large numbers of riot police were mobilized in Yangon but there were no signs of any protests.

Sensitivity Over Word 'Rohingya'

The trip is so delicate that some papal advisers have warned Francis against even saying the word "Rohingya," lest he set off a diplomatic incident that could turn the country's military and government against minority Christians.

The Rohingya exodus from Rakhine state to Bangladesh's southern tip began at the end of August, when Rohingya militants attacked security posts and the Myanmar Army launched a counter-offensive.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week called the military operation "ethnic cleansing" and threatened targeted sanctions for "horrendous atrocities."

Myanmar's government has denied most of the accusations made against it, and the army says its own investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing by troops.

Myanmar does not recognize the Rohingya as citizens nor as members of a distinct ethnic group with their own identity, and it even rejects the term "Rohingya" and its use.

Many people in Myanmar instead refer to members of the Muslim minority in Rakhine state as illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

Francis is expected to meet a group of Rohingya refugees in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, on the second leg of his trip.

The most tense moments of his Myanmar visit were expected to be the private meeting with the army chief and, separately, with civilian leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday.

Vatican sources say some in the Holy See believe the trip was decided too hastily after full diplomatic ties were established in May during a visit by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The state counselor's reputation as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been tarnished because she has expressed doubts about the reports of rights abuses against the Rohingya and failed to condemn the military.

The pope has already used the word Rohingya in two appeals from the Vatican this year.

Asked if he would say it in Myanmar, Burke said Francis was taking the advice he had been given seriously, but added: "We will find out together during the trip … it is not a forbidden word."

A hardline group of Buddhist monks, previously known as Ma Ba Tha, said it welcomed the pope's visit but warned, without elaborating, of "a response" if he spoke openly about the Rohingya.

"I hope he doesn’t touch on sensitive issues that Myanmar people couldn’t accept," said Tawparka, a spokesman for the group, who goes by a single name. "There’s no problem if he talks about Islam, but it's unacceptable if he speaks about Rohingya and extreme terrorists."

The post Pope Meets Myanmar's Military Chief in Shadow of Rohingya Crisis appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 27 Nov 2017 06:44 PM PST

Youth Development Festival | Dec. 1-3

This festival features literature, arts, sports, IT and science activities as well as book sales, seminars and musical performances.

Dec. 1-3, 9 am to 5 pm. Yangon University Campus.

 

India-Myanmar Charity Bazaar | Dec. 2

There will be Indian food, games, handicrafts and exciting raffle gifts like airline tickets, hotel stay vouchers, jewelry, cruises and more.

Dec. 2, 11 am to 5 pm. Indian House, No.35, Than Ta Man Road (Near the American Center, Yangon), Dagon Tsp. Tickets 5,000 kyats at the Embassy of India, Coriander Leaf, and Marina Restaurant.

 

Cocktail Cruise | Dec. 1

Tuk Tuk Thai Cafe, Gekko, Union Bar & Grill, & Parami Pizza take to the Yangon River for a night of live jazz, cocktails and finger food.

Dec. 1, 6:30 pm to 9 pm. Botahtaung Jetty. Tickets 45,000+ per person at the above-mentioned restaurants.

 

Musical Charity | Dec. 1

Celebrated singers will perform for charity.

Dec. 1, 6:30 pm. National Theater, Myoma Kyaung Street. Tickets 10,000 to 50,000 kyats at 09-77009157, 09-455573442.

Photo Exhibition: Cultural Heritage of Myanmar | Nov. 30 to Dec. 2

This exhibition will showcase more than 100 photos contested in the 'Cultural Heritage of Myanmar' photo contest organized by the Italian Embassy and Italian Trade Agency.

Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, Myanmar Deitta Gallery, No. 49, 3rd Floor, 44th Street, Botahtaung Tsp.

 

Pre-Christmas Sales | Dec. 1-3

Special sales and entertainment programs ahead of Christmas at Myanmar Plaza.

Dec. 1-3. Myanmar Plaza, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road.

My World My Fan My Show: Ye Lay | Dec. 2

Singer Ye Lay will sing for his fans at People's Park.

Dec. 2, 6 pm. People's Park. Tickets 9,000 to 30,000 kyats at City Mart shopping centers (Yankin & Myaynigon) and 09-770950004.

 

Umbrellas: Exhibition | Nov. 25 to Dec. 4

Thiha showcases his watercolor works depicting umbrellas used in Myanmar society.

Nov. 25-Dec. 4. Lokanat Galleries, 62 Pansodan St, 1st Floor, Kyauktada Tsp.

 

Aung Naing Maung: 13th Solo | Nov. 25-29

This exhibition showcases portraits of Myanmar's political celebrities and paintings depicting Myanmar traditions.

Nov. 25-29. 43 Art Gallery, 43rd Street, Botahtaung Tsp.

 

Fundraising Art Exhibition for San Zaw Htwe | Dec. 1-3

Former political prisoner-turned-artist San Zaw Htwe is suffering from serious liver cancer, and faces financial difficulties. Sixteen artists are organizing an art exhibition to raise funds for his medical expenses.

Dec. 1-3. Pansodan Scene, at the corner of Pansodan Street and Maha Bandoola Street.

The post Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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