Friday, January 12, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Has the NLD Delivered a Knockout Blow to U Win Htein’s Power?

Posted: 12 Jan 2018 06:32 AM PST

YANGON — National League for Democracy (NLD) executive committee member U Win Htein's house in Naypyidaw was shuttered on Friday morning, sparking unconfirmed rumors on social media that the party had suspended him from his duties, and even that he had resigned.

Sources close to U Win Htein told The Irrawaddy that the senior NLD official had submitted a letter of resignation to the party and was scheduled to travel to Australia for a vacation this weekend.

Speculation over U Win Htein's fate has mounted steadily since a lavish wedding celebration was held for his son, Hsan Win Htein, in Naypyidaw last week. The expensive wedding celebration has become a topic of conversation across the country.

U Win Htein, who has already obtained a visa to travel to Australia, denied that he had resigned when contacted by The Irrawaddy on Friday morning.

"It's all based on rumor. Where did you get that information?" he asked, before declining to take any further questions.

Win Htein's decision to travel abroad amid the outpouring of criticism over the wedding raised eyebrows among political analysts.

Senior NLD members U Nyan Win, Dr. Myo Nyunt and Monywa Aung Shin held a meeting at NLD headquarters in Yangon's Bahan Township on Friday. Reporters from several media organizations including The Irrawaddy visited the office to question NLD officials.

Asked about Win Htein's reported departure from the country, party spokesman Monywa Aung Shin said, "To be honest, we haven't heard anything yet. The situation is still very unclear."

Despite repeated questioning, Monywa Aung Shin would not be drawn on the issue of Win Htein's resignation, refusing to confirm or deny it. He said only that according to party procedure, those who fail to perform their duties or who breach the party's principles should be replaced by the most qualified candidate.

Contacted on Friday, NLD central executive committee member Dr. Myo Nyunt told The Irrawaddy he had no information on Win Htein.

A senior NLD official from Yangon division told The Irrawaddy tensions between Win Htein and other senior party officials had grown in recent years as Win Htein had abused his position and made controversial decisions without informing other committee members. In particular, the official said, Win Htein had given verbal orders that some NLD central committee members be fired.

His power appeared to have been waning recently. In August, even State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, to whom he was a close aide, advised Win Htein to take some time off for a medical examination in a hospital. However, The Irrawaddy has learned that there were no problems with Win Htein's health, and that the move was intended to warn Win Htein that he had crossed a line with Suu Kyi.

The State Counsellor's suggestion followed Win Htein's poor handling of a rumor that President Htin Kyaw would resign. Win Htein said publicly that the rumor was likely started by people linked to the military, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, or IT people.

The Army vigorously condemned the ruling party over the suggestion, describing it as a groundless accusation that harmed the dignity of the military.

It also said the accusation "could harm national unity, especially during a time when the government is committed to national reconciliation," adding that "we will make the necessary response."

The post Has the NLD Delivered a Knockout Blow to U Win Htein's Power? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UN Award Winner Fights for Myanmar’s Women

Posted: 12 Jan 2018 04:21 AM PST

Human rights advocate Cheery Zahau was honored with the UN Development Program's N-Peace Award for 2017 in the Untold Stories category. An ethnic Chin and secretary of the Chin Progressive Party, she has been a longtime advocate for human rights and gender equality and for women taking leadership roles in politics. Cheery spoke with The Irrawaddy's Nyein Nyein about her experiences and perspectives on women's rights and gender equality.

Why do you think you were honored with the N-Peace Award?

I was honored in the Untold Stories category. In 2016 I was contacted by the UNDP and they asked for my CV. There were about six or seven other women leaders as well as other nominees for [the category] Campaign for Action. There were about 10 people from Myanmar. I did not know that I was being awarded. I completely forgot about it. And in late 2017 my friends and colleagues shared with me the good news that they saw my profile and that I had won the award. When I checked, I was labeled as a reporter and it was corrected after I explained to them that I have never worked with any news agency. I am just a researcher and human rights activist. I have done research and documented it in about seven books. I can be referred to as an author, not a reporter.

How does the award help you with your current work?

This award acknowledged my previous contributions to the Women's League of Chinland [WLC], because the WLC is an umbrella organization of Chin women's groups. Now I am working at a political institution. Although it is not directly related to my current work, it is recognition for the research I have done on women in conflict areas. It shows that those who keep up their activism or movement for gender equality or social transformation won't be forgotten. They will be acknowledged at some point. Whichever field we choose, journalism or activism, if their efforts bring changes to the community, other people will recognize them for what they've done.

As a mother and as an activist, how do you manage the work-life balance? What are the challenges?

There are many challenges. As a mother, it becomes harder to work in this field. People might think it would be easy for mothers to work in the fields of human rights, democracy and politics. It is totally different. I didn't want to leave my child for work. I keep telling myself I must make it work even though I have a child because I worry about the perception that one can have a child but cannot work with a young baby.

How much legal or community support is there for working mothers?

On creating an environment that is convenient for working mothers, we do not have any push factors in Myanmar. In Myanmar, if you have a child, you leave your work until the child grows up. So after marriage we have to choose…. Either we have a baby and stay with them or we continue working. We do not have the space for women to work and take care of a baby at the same time. To achieve that we need much more campaigning and advocacy.

There are some who do both, taking care of a baby and working. But some cannot take a break, depending on the family and its economic status. For instance, I could not take a rest from work because I did not want to stop working. For people like me there is no support. Support is needed. So we are proving that there needs to be support, like childcare for working mothers. The companies, institutions and government departments that employ working mothers should understand these needs even if we don't have formal legislation.

How much change have you seen in the mindset of those who cannot accept the concept of women's rights?

If we talk about women's rights, of course there are misunderstandings. But what we are talking about is gender equality. Gender equality is not about only women, who would take all the advantages from men. It is about encouraging women to be on equal terms with men, to have the same job status. It is the same for men; if they are being left out, the men must get equal terms.

Generally speaking, people understand the concept, because if we have gender equality it helps create a happy family life and spreads happiness all around. In terms of the economy, the state could also benefit from having both men and women working. One good thing about gender equality is that both women and men can earn an income because they can both have jobs. It helps the economic development of the family because having both the husband and wife working obviously helps the family, as well as the state.

As an ethnic Chin, what is your take on government and civil society support for indigenous women? What are the needs?

In the Chin community, we have small Chin women's groups and they are providing community awareness training all the time. When we include gender equality topics at those trainings, we see less resistance [from the male participants]. People become more aware of the importance of having equality, and that is a good sign.

As for economic status and community development, our Chin State sill needs a lot more infrastructure including roads, schools, hospitals and access to water and electricity. Unless we have these basic infrastructure needs fulfilled, it will remain hard to provide women with jobs and economic development. People live by farming and they survive on the crops they harvest from the farms. It is not an economy yet. For that to change, the government has more work to do to fulfill basic needs. So we have been pushing more for that.

The post UN Award Winner Fights for Myanmar's Women appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Encouraged by Investigation into Inn Din Killings

Posted: 12 Jan 2018 04:13 AM PST

YANGON — State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday said she was encouraged by the Tatmadaw's investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslims at Inn Din village in Rakhine State's Maungdaw Township and its plan to take action against those who committed the crime.

"There were killings in Inn Din village, and it is a step forward that the Tatmadaw has investigated and said that those responsible will be held accountable. At last, a country has to assume responsibility for its own rule of law," Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said during a joint press conference with the Japanese foreign minister in Naypyitaw.

Local authorities unearthed 10 bodies near a graveyard in Inn Din village in southern Maungdaw Township on Dec. 19, and the Tatmadaw subsequently launched an investigation into the killings.

The Tatmadaw investigation team admitted on Wednesday that security personnel were involved in the killing of the 10 Rohingya who it says were allegedly affiliated with Muslim militants belonging to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which launched a series of attacks against security outposts in northern Maungdaw last year.

The executions occurred on Sept. 2 and were carried out by three villagers using knives and four security force personnel armed with guns, according to the Tatmadaw statement, which noted that the incident was a violation of the rules of engagement.

This represents a significant departure from the military's previous position that the security forces committed no wrongdoing during their "clearance operations" in Rakhine State.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that she was encouraged that the Myanmar Army was starting to take responsibility for its actions, as it will help prevent such extrajudicial killings in the future.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono pledged continued support for Myanmar's democratization and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government. The Japanese government will provide humanitarian assistance for the integration of the two communal groups in Rakhine State, he said.

"To achieve development in Rakhine State, it is critically important to solve the root-causes of the problems facing all the people in Rakhine State," Kono said.

He announced a Japanese government plan to provide 800 billion yen for Myanmar's democratization process, Yangon urbanization, and improving transportation and electricity networks in the next five years. The Japanese government will also provide cooperation and assistance in the fields of health, education and agriculture, he added.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that she discussed with her Japanese counterpart development of Rakhine State, the repatriation of Muslim refugees, and possible areas of cooperation with the Japanese government to help stabilize the situation in Rakhine State.

The Japanese foreign minister also held separate talks with Myanmar Army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and will visit northern Rakhine State.

The post Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Encouraged by Investigation into Inn Din Killings appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Chin State to Revive Buran Trees to Boost Tourism

Posted: 12 Jan 2018 01:46 AM PST

MANDALAY — The Chin State government is planning to revive the Buran trees (Rhododendron arboreum), the state flower of Chin State, in order to promote tourism in the region.

The Burans are small evergreen trees with bright red flowers. The Chin State government and locals say the number of these trees in the area has declined due to negligence, human error and deforestation.

"They have been neglected for many years. There isn't a culture of valuing these trees and locals have cut them down for wood and their flowers for many years," said Salai Isaac Khen, the state minister of municipal works, electricity and industry.

The minister said the Chin hills were once covered with the Buran trees, especially in the Kanpetlet, Tedim, Mindat and Falam regions. The decision to plant more trees follows a noticeable decline.

When the Buran flowers blossom, the Chin hills become picturesque, attracting visitors. Since the Burans are unique to this region in Myanmar, visitors flood Chin State from November until March, especially Mt. Victoria in Kanpetlet Township, to see the flowers, birds and butterflies.

Apart from the Buran trees, the Chin State government is also planting more cherry trees, primarily in the Kanpetlet region, with a plan to hold flower festivals in the future.

"We intend to hold both Buran and cherry blossom festivals in the near future to promote tourism in our state," said Salai Isaac Khen.

"Tourism is the best way to develop our state, so we are promoting that while also conserving nature," he added.

Chin State is the country's most impoverished state. Many of the natural areas remain untouched, due to poor transportation and infrastructure. The state government hopes the natural beauty will attract adventurers and tourists.

The heart-shaped Rih Lake in Falam Township and Mount Victoria are two of the popular tourist sites in the area currently.

Chin State can often only be reached after monsoon season, as many roads are destroyed after heavy rain and landslides.

According to government officials, 50 percent of the state budget is now being used to reconstruct and reinforce the roads, to make them operational in all seasons.

"To develop tourism in our state, transportation plays a key role. It is improving, and hopefully our region will be more developed in the next five years," Salai Isaac Khen said.

"In addition, to have sustainable tourism, we need to educate locals and the visitors in regards to responsible tourism. We need to teach them not to pick flowers, chop trees, or litter. To develop the area, we need everyone's cooperation," he added.

According to government officials, visitors to Mount Victoria tripled last year. As a consequence, many Buran tree branches were broken when visitors took them for their flowers. Local government officials will issues requests and warnings in the future.

The post Chin State to Revive Buran Trees to Boost Tourism appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rakhine Chief Minister Says ARSA Threat Continues

Posted: 12 Jan 2018 01:37 AM PST

SITTWE — Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu claimed that Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militants are a continuing threat in the restive state.

"There may be around 30 of them who have infiltrated three areas of Rakhine state," he said, speaking to reporters on Wednesday.

The regional government will tighten security measures as necessary in response, added the chief minister.

ARSA has claimed responsibility for a recent attack on a civilian vehicle carrying patients to a hospital in Maungdaw Township near the village of Turaing on Jan. 5. Official accounts said Rohingya Muslims then ambushed the vehicle and six Myanmar Army soldiers were injured.

ARSA released a statement in which it said it had no choice but to fight state-sponsored terrorism against the Rohingya.

U Zaw Htay, the spokesperson for the President's Office, told The Irrawaddy that the government will not make public statements on security matters in Rakhine, but that there had been reports of ARSA activities in the area.

U Zaw Htay has previously said that the government has "no policy to negotiate with terrorists."

"We have ordered that they be responded to in line with the law. If they launch further attacks, they will face what they deserve," he said.

More than 650,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine State to Bangladesh since August, when ARSA militants staged deadly attacks on security posts, prompting violent clearance operations by the Tatmadaw.

The Rohingya are not listed in Myanmar's 135 official ethnic groups, and the majority of the country believes they are 'Bengali,' illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Yangon-based political analyst U Maung Maung Soe mentioned various routes that ARSA could send its members to infiltrate Rakhine State, warning that there could be possible support in Rohingya villages along the way.

There are around 15 Rohingya villages in Maungdaw and the government should have exerted its executive power on those villages because there may be ARSA supporters in those villages, U Maung Maung Soe suggested.

The Myanmar government and the Tatmadaw have labeled ARSA a terrorist group since it launched attacks on dozens of border police outposts on Aug. 25, 2017.

The President's Office has also urged the international community to view ARSA as a terrorist organization and to neither support it politically nor financially.

"The government is trying to solve the problem out there. If you support ARSA, our effort there will be hindered," said U Zaw Htay.

On Jan. 8, the US Embassy released a statement condemning the ARSA attack on Myanmar security forces in Rakhine State.

"This act of violence only serves to further undermine peace and security in northern Rakhine State and the region," read the statement.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Rakhine Chief Minister Says ARSA Threat Continues appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Two Bago Regional Government Ministers Resign

Posted: 11 Jan 2018 11:12 PM PST

YANGON — Two Bago regional government ministers resigned on Wednesday, bringing the total number of ministers who have quit since the New Year to four.

The resignations of U Kyaw Min San, Bago Region's minister for resources, environmental conservation and forestry, and Municipal and Social Affairs Minister U Maung Maung Lwin were voluntary, according to an announcement by the President's Office on Thursday. However, U Kyaw Min San, who is a member of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), indicated the party was behind the move.

"My party asked me to resign from my post, so I did. But I am not being investigated," he told The Irrawaddy.

On Wednesday, the President's Office approved the resignation of Irrawaddy Region Chief Minister Mahn Johnny and the regional minister for agriculture, livestock, resources and environmental conservation, U Ba Hein, who said he was stepping down due to poor health.

Mahn Johnny, a former political prisoner and long-serving member of the NLD, is set to meet the press on Monday to explain his resignation. The same day, the regional parliament is scheduled to approve a candidate to replace him, nominated by President U Htin Kyaw.

Mahn Johnny will remain a member of the NLD's central executive committee and a lawmaker for Kyonpyaw Township in the regional parliament, party spokesman Monywa Aung Shin told reporters in Naypyitaw on Thursday.

The NLD government is reshuffling key players in order to enhance its capacity and will make further changes as necessary, Monywa Aung Shin said.

"The government takes three things into consideration in making changes: performance; complaints about corruption and social problems; and health," said Monywa Aung Shin, adding that the party had received about 30 complaints over the past few months.

The head of the ruling party's complaint committee, Dr. Myo Nyunt, told reporters in August that the panel had received around 400 complaints against its lawmakers and ministers since the party took office in April 2016.

The post Two Bago Regional Government Ministers Resign appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Japan PM Rejects South Korean Call for New Steps to Help ‘Comfort Women’

Posted: 11 Jan 2018 10:27 PM PST

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday rejected South Korea's call for more steps to help "comfort women," a euphemism for women forced to work in Japan's wartime military brothels, and urged Seoul to honor a 2015 pact on the divisive topic.

Japan and South Korea share a bitter history that includes Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the peninsula and the "comfort women" issue is especially touchy. The US allies are key to efforts to rein in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

South Korea said this week that the 2015 agreement, struck by President Moon Jae-in’s conservative predecessor, had failed to meet the victims' needs and resolve the feud.

The 2015 agreement was "a promise between the two nations. Keeping this promise is an international and universal principle. We cannot accept South Korea's unilateral demands for additional measures," Abe told reporters.

"We have been sincere in executing every promise we made. We want to continue to strongly ask South Korea to do the same."

Seoul is not seeking to renegotiate the agreement, which the two sides had said would "finally and irreversibly" end the feud if both sides stuck to it. Under the deal, Japan apologized again and promised 1 billion yen ($8.99 million) for a fund to help the women.

But South Korea has urged Tokyo to take added steps, including a fresh apology.

Japanese media reports have said Abe may not attend the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, next month because of the feud, although the government's top spokesman said on Thursday that it had not been decided.

The post Japan PM Rejects South Korean Call for New Steps to Help 'Comfort Women' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Magnitude 6 Earthquake Hits Central Bago Region

Posted: 11 Jan 2018 10:21 PM PST

YANGON — A strong magnitude 6.0 earthquake and a series of aftershocks hit Myanmar's central Bago Region early Friday morning, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

There have been no reports as yet of casualties or damage.

The quake's epicenter was near Pyu city and struck at 12:56 a.m. local time.

Ko Tun Lin Kyaw, a seismologist with the Meteorology Department, said people in Yangon, Naypyitaw, Pyu, Pyay and Taungoo felt the quake.

He said there were at least four aftershocks, three measuring a magnitude 5.3 and one a magnitude 4.7.

The Meteorology Department later reported an additional aftershock and said the last one, a magnitude 4.6, struck at 10:46 a.m.

"It was a shallow quake and so most people near the area felt it," said Ko Tun Lin Kyaw.

He said people near the epicenter should be cautious about staying in old buildings and placing heavy objects such as televisions in high places.

The post Magnitude 6 Earthquake Hits Central Bago Region appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Admission Soldiers Killed Rohingya ‘An Important Step’: US envoy

Posted: 11 Jan 2018 08:33 PM PST

YANGON — Myanmar's admission that soldiers were involved in the murder of 10 Muslims in September was an important step and the United States hoped it would be followed by more transparency and accountability, the US ambassador said on Thursday.

The European Union and representatives of Muslim nations renewed calls for a broader international investigation into violence in the western state of Rakhine, after the military said on Wednesday its soldiers had killed 10 captured Rohingya Muslim "terrorists" at the beginning of September.

It was a rare acknowledgment of wrongdoing by the Myanmar military during the operation it launched in northern Rakhine in response to Rohingya militant attacks on Aug. 25. Since then, more than 650,000 Muslim villagers have fled to Bangladesh.

"The military's acknowledgment that the security forces were involved in the killing of these 10 individuals is an important step," Ambassador Scot Marciel said in a forum on media freedom with journalism students and reporters in the main city Yangon.

"We hope it is followed up by more transparency and by holding those responsible accountable. I would stress this should be done, not as a favor to the international community, but because it's good for the health of Myanmar's democracy."

The United States has previously said the sweeping military counteroffensive amounted to "ethnic cleansing." Myanmar denies that, saying its forces were carrying out legitimate "clearance operations" against insurgents.

Mass Grave

The military announced on Dec. 18 that a mass grave containing 10 bodies had been found at the coastal village of Inn Din, about 50 km (30 miles) north of the state capital Sittwe. The army appointed a senior officer to investigate.

A statement from the office of the commander-in-chief on Wednesday said the military's investigation had found that members of the security forces had killed the 10.

The military said legal action would be taken against members of the security forces who violated their rules of engagement in killing the 10 suspected insurgents, and against ethnic Rakhine Buddhist villagers who were also involved.

It said the 10 had been captured after security forces had come under attack from around 200 insurgents.

The captives should have been handed over to police, the army statement said, but with militants mounting continuous attacks and destroying two military vehicles, "there were no conditions to transfer the 10 Bengali terrorists to the police station and so it was decided to kill them."

Myanmar's civilian leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has no control over the military, but has faced fierce international criticism for failing to do more to protect the Rohingya.

Asked about Wednesday's statement from the military, her spokesman Zaw Htay said Myanmar was committed to following the rule of law and took allegations of abuses seriously.

"The government is not issuing blanket denials of accusations of human rights violations issued by the international community," he said. "We need to get strong and reliable evidence so that we can investigate and take action according to the law."

Calls for Independent Investigation

The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation said the admission substantiated allegations made by human rights groups and the United Nations of ethnic cleansing against "the most persecuted Rohingya people."

The EU and Norway said in a statement issued in Yangon that the killings at Inn Din "confirm the urgent need for a thorough and credible investigation into all violent incidents in northern Rakhine State to ensure the accountability of those found responsible for committing atrocities."

Myanmar's armed forces have for decades been accused by human rights groups and Western governments of abuses in the country's myriad ethnic conflicts, but it has been rare for soldiers to be held accountable.

An admission by a top general in July 2016 that soldiers had killed five villagers during an interrogation in northern Shan State was seen at the time as unprecedented. Seven soldiers were subsequently jailed for five years with hard labor.

The post Myanmar Admission Soldiers Killed Rohingya 'An Important Step': US envoy appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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