AllSBNews: The Irrawaddy Magazine

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Artist Creates Paintings In a Bottle
Rakhine Developer Defies Gov’t Order to Halt New Town Project
Analysis: ARSA Conspicuous in Its Silence
New Mon Party to Register with Election Commission
Dozens of Jade Miners Detained in Kachin After Wage Dispute Turns Violent
Ne Win’s Grandsons Charged With Assaulting Bus Driver
Tatmadaw Continues Attacks in Kachin State
Gap Apologizes for Selling T-shirt With ‘Incorrect Map’ of China
Malaysia’s Mahathir Vows to Investigate Toppled Government
US Criticizes China for Shielding Myanmar from UN Action
Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 15 May 2018 08:18 AM PDT

BAGAN — Bagan is full of artwork and is the heart of Myanmar. Most visitors come to see the ancient pagodas and the stucco murals inside, and maybe visit the traditional lacquerware workshops.

But another rare art form in Bagan is bottle painting, the art of painting the insides of glass bottles with images of people, animals and landscapes. It’s not easy, but Yaw Na Than loves to do it.

The 50-year-old artist is the only bottle painter left in Bagan and has turned his house into an eponymously named gallery to cut down on costs.

"In recent years I had my own gallery [outside of home], Yaw Na Than, but I couldn’t afford to keep renting the space because I don't have much income," he told The Irrawaddy during an interview in Bagan. "And I want to paint on canvas and try to have an exhibition, so I need more time."

Yaw Na Than paints the outlines of an image inside a bottle. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

His thatch home is in Nyaung-U, near Shwesikhone Pagoda. It’s a little hard to find, but locals are happy to point the way.

A tiny signboard bearing his name sits at the entrance along with some of his work. Inside, a small table is cluttered with brushes, paint cups and bottles.

"It takes about a week to do those small bottles because bottle painting is done with oil paints. So you have to wait for each layer to dry, and it takes patience. I need to paint each layer carefully," Yaw Na Than said.

He likes to paint scenes of playing children, monks and nuns, and the Bagan landscape. It’s very impressive. The artist’s effort, skill and imagination are all obvious in his work.

Most of his customers are foreigners. The smallest bottles sell for 10,000 kyats ($7.43) each. Larger bottles hang on the wall bearing the portraits of Vincent Van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Mahatma Gandhi and the Dalai Lama.

"Those are $100 each because they’re more difficulty, take more time and need more concentration. Van Gogh bottles are the best sellers," he said.

"I need to print those portraits first,” he explained. “Then I stick them to the bottle with glue so I have an outline of the portrait. Then I start painting the bottle layer by layer."

Bottle paintings are displayed at Yaw Na Than’s home gallery. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

Yaw Na Than said he can paint any image inside the bottles. But the bigger the bottle, the more time it takes. And the greater the detail, the higher the price.

"Foreigners mostly buy the smaller ones because they’re easy to carry and aren’t heavy," he said.

To paint the insides of the bottles, he needs to bend the tips of his brushes. It’s painstaking work and defies mass production. Yaw Na Than believes that’s one of the reasons it’s not very popular.

"We’re losing peoples’ interest because we don't have many products and customers have few choices. We can't make the process very fast because it’s handmade. I paint to earn an income, but I paint what I love to draw," he said.

Yaw Na Than holds a large bottle painting. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

"That's not only me. Lacquerware makers and sand painting artists are also losing peoples’ interest. Visitors are more interested in temporary tattoos in Bagan and artists are switching to that because it’s important for them to make a living."

Yaw Na Than has also recently stopped painting bottles to focus on canvas and on organizing a solo exhibition.

"Being an artist, I want to exhibit, and I have a sponsor. That's why I’m spending more time drawing on canvas right now," he said.

The working title of his planned exhibit, to feature images of Van Gogh, is “Time and Life.”

Yaw Na Than paints a bottle at home. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

"I am combining my main character, Van Gogh, with traditional Myanmar elements, characters and people. I have finished a total of eight paintings and am still working on the project. The exhibit will have a total of 15 or 20 paintings," Yaw Na Than said.

He said the show will open soon in Yangon.

But as the only bottle painter left in Bagan, Yaw Na Than said he would also love the chance to pass on his 20 years of experience in the fine art to a new generation.

A small bottle painting. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

"Once, a French art group asked me to teach them but I refused because I would love to teach our Burmese people first. But the youth are not really interested to learn. They just want to know the process and come to me to paint the pictures they ask for," he said.

The post Artist Creates Paintings In a Bottle appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rakhine Developer Defies Gov’t Order to Halt New Town Project

Posted: 15 May 2018 08:16 AM PDT

YANGON – A local developer led by influential businessman U Kyauk Taung is proceeding with a major construction project in southern Rakhine State in defiance of an order by the Union government to halt the work.

Htarwara Aung Myay, a public company, is developing a new town on hundred acres of land in Taungup Township.

Nay La Thit Sar, a construction company owned by U Kyauk Tuang, is participating in the urban development project on the basis of permission granted by the previous Rakhine State chief minister, U Hla Maung Tin. The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) member held the office during the administration of former Myanmar President U Thein Sein.

U Kyauk Taung established Htarwara Aung Myay along with about 52 prominent local people, including many township leaders. The company has acquired hundreds of acres of land located on the town's outskirts.

The 450 acres include mangrove forest, farmland, unused land and pasture, according to U Kyauk Taung. The developer intends to build housing, a park, a football stadium, a market and and a wedding complex on the site. It has invested about 2 billion kyats and completed about 30 percent of the construction work, including roads, bridges, a water-supply system and a connection to the national power grid. U Kyauk Taung has estimated the entire project will require investment of about 10 billion kyats.

He admitted to The Irrawaddy that his company was ordered to stop construction by the Union government.

A poster advertises Htarwara Aung Myay Co.’s new town project in southern Rakhine's Taungup Township.(Photos : Moe Myint/ The Irrawaddy )

However, The Irrawaddy has independently verified that construction continued at the site in Taungup Township in early May. Although the company has yet to be granted Union government approval to use the land, company posters advertising the project could be seen at several road junctions in the town.

In March, National League for Democracy (NLD) Lower House lawmaker Daw Ni Ni May Myint asked the chamber whether it was normal for a public company to launch a project as large in scope as a new town without approval. Such projects usually require authorization by the Union government, she said. Dr. Aung Thu, the Union minister for agriculture, livestock and irrigation, replied that public companies are not allowed to launch such projects without government approval.

On May 3, the company requested permission from township authorities, including the municipal committee and some lawmakers, to hold a coordination meeting in the town. The company's project director and shareholders said at the meeting that they had selected about 310 acres on which to build the new town.

The information on the size of the project contradicted a previous statement by the chairman, however.

Both the NLD lawmaker and the head of the municipal committee, U San Nge, told The Irrawaddy that Htarwara Aung Myay company bought from the farmers about 179 acres of farmland. According to company documents, it bought 123 acres of vacant land, and 6 acres of mangrove forest. The farmers were paid just 2.5 million kyats per acre of land.

A Htarwara Aung Myay Co. truck carries away soil as part of construction activity related to the project on May 4.(Photos : Moe Myint/ The Irrawaddy )

U Kyauk Taung declined to clarify the dimensions of the purchased land during a phone interview on Monday. He said the farmers agreed to allow free use of the pasture land, which is referred to as "wasteland" in company documents. The Irrawaddy independently verified that some hills on this land had been flattened to make way for the development.

U San Ngwe said U Kyauk Taung has close ties with the USDP and actively supported it during the campaign for the 2015 general election. Expecting a USDP victory in Taungup, the company brought in heavy machinery and began constructing roads, filling in land and building structures without waiting for Union government approval. The USDP ultimately lost the constituency to an NLD candidate in the election, and the NLD-led government ordered a review of the project.

"The new government found that the project was in breach of legal requirements and ordered that it be halted," U San Ngwe said.

According to him, township authorities and the government's land scrutinization body discovered that Htarwara Aung Myay had grabbed the approximately 130 acres of pasture land without compensating the farmers.

U Kyauk Taung defended his actions, saying they were in accordance with local tradition. "If we buy land from farmers, they must also give the hills surrounding the farmland to the buyer. This is the traditional way of doing things in our region. If you came to our region, you would see that this is our tradition."

He said that in a previous purchase of about 264 acres in Taungup for a university project under the previous USDP-led government, he bought a large amount of hilly land for a pittance. He had followed a similar process in purchasing land for the new town, he said.

"That land is not fit for cultivation. I have been buying land here [in Taungup] for all government departments whenever they ask. When any government asks me to build something, I make it happen," U Kyauk Taung said.

The municipal committee confirmed that some 130 acres of the project's land was pasture land confiscated by the company as "wasteland and vacant land". U San Ngwe said that, generally, farmers in Rakhine do not apply for separate ownership documents for such land from the government, as it was recognized as customary land by the community.

Moreover, the company was only approved to fill mangrove forest land; other lands are still awaiting La Na (39) forms. These are official land-use permits approving use for other purposes. In addition, the committee had found that the actual amount of land being used by the developer did not match the company's initial proposal. It has recommended that the site's dimensions be reassessed.

Children ride bikes near the new town development in Taungup Township.(Photos : Moe Myint/ The Irrawaddy )

Moreover, the company has already built brick housing units on Taungup's outskirts on land for which it does not have land permits. It plans to sell 40 x 60 square-foot homes for 15 million kyats. Some residents of Wae Gyi village told The Irrawaddy that real estate prices have climbed dramatically in recent years as the developer has put out word of the planned new town.

U Kyauk Taung said the housing development was a a "simple" project, adding that no units had yet been sold.

Despite more than 100 acres of land being taken from their owners without compensation, neither the township's land securitization committee nor land rights activists have received any official complaints from the farmers. One activist told The Irrawaddy that almost every wealthy resident and community leader in Taungup Township was involved, directly or indirectly, in the new town project. Therefore, poor farmers dare not oppose U Kyauk Taung, who is also a vice chairman of Myanmar Kyaukphyu Special Economic Holding Public Company Ltd (MKSH).

U Kyauk Taung acknowledged that his project was under investigation by the Bureau of Special Investigation after questions were raised in the Lower House. He complained that his company had donated about 15 acres of land to house a new 100-bed hospital in the new town. He said buildings had already been built on the site, and added that 7 acres of land had been sold on to the Housing Department at their original price during the former government's term.

He failed to mention that his company won a bid to build the hospital on the site.

Municipal committee chair U San Ngwe said the body had already submitted its findings on the project to the Rakhine State cabinet. Legally, the company needs a recommendation from the township municipal committee before submitting its proposal to the state government, with final approval then required by the Union government. Newly appointed State Municipal Affairs Minister U Win Myint confirmed that the state Cabinet had received the Taungup municipal committee's report, and said it would be discussed at a Cabinet meeting in the coming weeks.

"If they neglect to follow the procedures, the project is likely to be rejected," U Win Myint said.

The post Rakhine Developer Defies Gov't Order to Halt New Town Project appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Analysis: ARSA Conspicuous in Its Silence

Posted: 15 May 2018 05:19 AM PDT

YANGON — On Jan. 31, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army posted a press statement on Twitter with the heading, "Notice to other armed groups, dacoit (bandit) groups, human trafficking groups, drug trafficking groups and some other groups commissioned by the Burmese terrorist government operating in disguise as ARSA."

In its statement, the Muslim armed group, which earlier claimed responsibility for attacking 30 police outposts in northern Rakhine State in August last year, warned members of the abovementioned groups not to tarnish ARSA's image in the eyes of the international community by disguising themselves as belonging to the Rohingya group.

ARSA's attacks in August triggered clearance operations in the area by the Myanmar military that caused nearly 700,000 Rohingya to flee to nearby Bangladesh.

Since that post, the group — denounced by the Myanmar government as a "terrorist organization" — has been silent on Twitter, their sole public relations platform.

Yangon-based political analyst U Maung Maung Soe said ARSA's silence was probably a reflection of the upper hand they had gained on the issue internationally.

He explained that ARSA is predominantly an instrument for Rohingya lobbyists at home and abroad to draw international attention to their movement.

"Now the issue is on the UN's agenda. So ARSA has kept a low profile since the Rohingya exodus attracted huge international attention. If they kept promoting the armed group, it could draw criticism," he said.

Despite the group's silence, the Rohingya issue has continued to attract international attention. The EU and US have imposed sanctions against certain Myanmar military leaders. Recently, the UN Security Council dispatched a team to Bangladesh and Myanmar to investigate the issue. The delegation urged Naypyitaw to allow the safe return of the Rohingya.

U Maung Maung Soe's comments on ARSA's silence were echoed by another Yangon-based analyst, David Scott Mathieson.

In his recent Asia Times article "The Curious Disappearance of Myanmar's Rohingya Rebels", he writes: "Clumsy or revealing messaging could undermine its calls for an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into the military's abuses, or, as some have suggested, a possible UN intervention as seen in former Yugoslavia's Kosovo that carves out a Rohingya homeland in Rakhine's Maungdaw district."

Mathieson observes that, while the rebel group's initial statements espoused jihadist rhetoric, "much of its late 2017 statements were appeals to international organizations for assistance."

He adds that ARSA's aims and objectives — including "indigenous native ethnic status for Rohingyas, issuance of citizenship identity cards, allowances for 'bona fide Rohingyas' to return to Rakhine from diaspora communities worldwide, and the granting of full human rights, the ability to form political parties, employment in civil service jobs and return of confiscated land" — were in line with many international calls for the protection of the rights of Rohingya.

Mathieson continues that "ARSA's social media silence coincides with an emerging narrative that ARSA never existed. Rohingya and Western rights activists are now spreading a narrative that purports the August 25, 2017 attacks were a so-called 'false flag' operation by the Myanmar security forces to justify its brutally disproportionate 'area clearance' operations."

"That's raising questions about the degree of cooperation or collusion between the armed group and outside 'peaceful' activists and whether the rebel group's deafening new silence on its once active Twitter account is more of a collective than individual decision," he said.

Another reason ARSA stopped tweeting, Mathieson says, is that "the insurgent outfit is regrouping and training in neighboring Bangladesh in preparation for a fresh round of assaults it doesn't want to tip off through public communications."

U Maung Maung Soe warned that ARSA may resurface once the international community's concern over the Rohingya issue fades.

Daw Pyone Kathy Naing, a Lower House lawmaker and member of the International Relations Parliamentary Committee, warned that despite its current silence, the armed group could make a return at any time.

"ARSA is a key actor in the issue and their silence is quite weird. Myanmar and other regional countries should not lose track of it."

The post Analysis: ARSA Conspicuous in Its Silence appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Mon Party to Register with Election Commission

Posted: 15 May 2018 04:59 AM PDT

A new Mon party under the name the Mon National Representative Party will soon register with the Union Election Commission (UEC), according to the party organizing committee.

In preparation to secure votes in the upcoming 2020 election, Mon politicians, monks, legal experts, civil society groups, youth and women's rights activists have come together to try to form a strong party.

Participants at the second Mon Political Conference held from May 12-14 in the Mon State capital Moulmein shared their support for the new party.

Since their first conference in January, stakeholders have drafted a comprehensive party constitution and invited the three existing Mon parties – the Mon National Party (MNP), the All Mon Region Democracy Party (AMDP) and the Women's Party (Mon) – to join them.

Mi Sandar Nan, the spokesperson of the party organizing committee, said the committee "would submit the registration of the Mon National Representative Party to the UEC after a meeting between organizers in next two weeks."

So far, the party leaders, chairman or secretary have not been appointed, she said, adding that the 21-member committee would need to discuss leadership further.

Nai Hong Sar, the vice chairman of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), who joined the conference this week, said: "Mon political parties should not be split while Myanmar does not have self-determination or genuine federalism."

The party organizing committee has a 27-member advisory board to which the NMSP – a recent signatory to the nationwide ceasefire agreement – is a member.

The NMPS will remain in its role as a Mon ethnic armed organization and not engage in political activities at this point, said Mi Sandar Nan, adding that the armed group has shared its recommendations regarding the new party though.

"We have to unite now because if not, we will lose votes," Nai Hong Sar said. "Some say it's better to have more parties in a multi-party system, but it doesn't matter in the current situation. Once Mon representatives take political leadership and can lead the Mon State government, it will be okay to have numerous Mon political parties."

"Since 2012, we tried to help two parties – AMDP and MNP – to merge, but they did not. Because of that, we did not do well in the 2015 general election," said U Viara Vansa, a prominent monk who is the chair of the Mon Political Conference.

The monk told The Irrawaddy, "We then tried again for them to merge in 2016 and they still did not. Therefore, the public warned them to come together within a specific timeframe and stated that if they did not, a new party would be formed to truly represent all Mon people. So we have come to this decision."

Despite these efforts, the existing Mon political parties have not participated in the two Mon Political Conferences held to date.

Nyan Soe Win contributed to this report from Moulmein.

The post New Mon Party to Register with Election Commission appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Dozens of Jade Miners Detained in Kachin After Wage Dispute Turns Violent

Posted: 15 May 2018 04:39 AM PDT

MANDALAY — A police officer in the Lone Khin jade mining region of Kachin State said 50 miners were detained on Tuesday after a dispute over unpaid wages with their employer, Yadana Shwe Eaik, turned violent the night before.

According to witnesses, more than 100 mine workers gathered on Monday afternoon at the company’s offices to demand their wages and when tempers flared they destroyed some of Yadana’s heavy machinery and set fire to a building.

"The workers said they did not received their daily wages and salaries yet, and the arguments turned into a protest in the evening. The police were there negotiating between the workers and the company, and the company promised it would pay the daily wages and salaries on Tuesday," said Ko Thein Han, a witness.

"We don't know what sparked the chaos. Some angry men threw stones and destroyed the heavy machinery. Later, the recreation building for the workers was set on fire and the flames spread to the garage and nearby buildings," he added.

Witnesses said dozens of workers rushed into the garage once it caught fire to steal the jade stored inside but were eventually dispersed by police who fired warning rounds into the air.

“We got away from there when the situation started to get bad. We heard the gunfire from afar and later learned that police opened fire to drive away the workers who tried to steal the jade from the burning garage," said Ko Aung Moe, a mine worker.

"The fire ended at about 11 p.m. and police are searching for the suspects who stole jade from the burning garage,” he added.

A local police officer, who asked that his name not be used because he was not authorized to speak with the media, said 50 mine workers were detained on Tuesday and would be sued on several counts, including vandalism, arson, theft, unlawful gathering and insulting police.

He said three civilians received minor injuries during the violence and that police were investigating reports that one man had died.

"We still don't know about the dead person. Since the investigation is ongoing with the detained workers and the company staff, I cannot provide any more information," the officer said.

He said police estimated the value of the stolen jade and property damage at about 114 million kyats ($84,700).

Company representatives could not be reached for comment.

Locals said security remained tight on Tuesday as police continued to search for more suspected thieves. They said wage disputes between the area’s jade mine workers and their employers were common but added that Monday night’s violence was rare.

The post Dozens of Jade Miners Detained in Kachin After Wage Dispute Turns Violent appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ne Win’s Grandsons Charged With Assaulting Bus Driver

Posted: 15 May 2018 04:09 AM PDT

YANGON — Two grandsons of former military dictator Ne Win are to appear in court on May 25 on charges of assaulting a man who worked as a driver for a company they own.

U Aung Myat, who was formerly employed as a bus driver by Omni Focus YBS Co., claims he was beaten by Kyaw Ne Win and Zwae Ne Win after the bus he was driving was involved in a minor accident with another one of their company's vehicles, adding that he was unfairly dismissed from his job.

The brothers deny the claims and have opened their own case against U Aung Myat alleging careless driving.

U Aung Myat told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the brothers kicked him while wearing boots, and hit him on the head during the assault.

"Prior to the incident I was involved in a minor accident. I was driving out of a repair shop when another car drove in at the same time. The accident left the other car with a broken window," he said. The vehicle he was driving was also damaged.

After the incident, he and his friend drove back inside the auto shop to have the damage to their vehicle repaired. While they were waiting, he said, Kyaw Ne Win and Zwae Ne Win arrived by car.

U Aung Myat said Kyaw Ne Win, Zwae Ne Win and their driver began beating him and his friend. Kyaw Ne Win kicked him while wearing boots, leaving him with injured ribs on his left side, he said.

"I felt pain and was unable to breathe properly after he kicked me. I couldn't even talk for a while," U Aung Myat said.

U Aung Myat made a complaint against the two brothers at a police station in Hlaing Tharyar Township on May 11, accusing them of assault. The court accepted the case for investigation.

The plaintiff claims Zwae Ne Win also punched him near his ear, while Kyaw Ne Win gripped him by the neck.

Kyaw Ne Win dared him to attempt to take legal action against the pair, he said.

"I told them [the collision] was an accident, and that I had not intended to do it, but they hit me while I was speaking," U Aung Myat said.

As a result of the incident, U Aung Myat said, Kyaw Ne Win and Zwae Ne Win had him fired from Omni Focus YBS. They also confiscated his driving license and refused to pay him salary he was owed, he alleged.

Kyaw Ne Win denied U Aung Myat's claims against him and his brother, telling Burmese-language newspaper 7Day Daily in an article published on Monday that he will fight for justice.

Police charged the brothers with violating Article 202 of the criminal code. The brothers opened their own case against U Aung Myat accusing him of violating Article 277 by driving carelessly.

All three are due to appear in court on May 25, according to U Aung Myat.

"As an employer, he should not beat a worker like this. He could have docked my pay or [taken proper steps to] dismiss me from the company," he said. Such a physical assault is illegal, he said.

Relatives of Ne Win, including his grandsons, have been in trouble with the law in the past, and have drawn accusations of using their grandfather's name to shield them from prosecution.

The post Ne Win's Grandsons Charged With Assaulting Bus Driver appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tatmadaw Continues Attacks in Kachin State

Posted: 15 May 2018 01:08 AM PDT

YANGON — The Myanmar Army launched three air attacks on Battalion 6 under the Kachin Independence Army (KIA)'s Brigade 2 on Monday morning, said Major Awng Ja, the Battalion 6 commander.

"[The military] dropped bombs around the hill where Battalion 6 is stationed. Clashes are quite fierce," the major told The Irrawaddy.

The attacks caused neither civilian casualties nor damaged villages, he added.

Monday was the third day of attacks carried out by the Myanmar Army, or Tatmadaw, against Battalion 6. The government troops are also currently launching attacks on KIA outposts elsewhere in Kachin State, said U Hsan Awng of the Kachin Peace-talk Creation Group (PCG).

"[The military] has been attacking several [KIA] battalions," he told The Irrawaddy.

The Irrawaddy was not able to obtain comments from the Defense Ministry regarding the attacks.

The commander of the Northern Command Major-General Teza Kyaw in a meeting with local and foreign media on Friday said the Tatmadaw has to carry out attacks for regional stability in Kachin State as well as in response to ambushes by the KIA on Tatmadaw troops.

"In fact, we are only carrying out counterattacks against the KIA," said Maj-Gen Teza Kyaw.

Clashes are likely to continue in Hpakant and Tanai, as the Tatmadaw has brought in reinforcements, said KIA Major Awng Ja.

"Their troops are growing, and we therefore try to avoid clashes as much as possible. But clashes could break out anytime if their troops advance," said the major.

"We would like to mediate, but the Tatmadaw doesn't seem to want to. So, we will wait and see. Only when both sides are willing can we mediate. We've asked both sides to negotiate repeatedly, but have received no reply. So, we wait," said U Hsan Awng of the PCG.

The Tatmadaw launched attacks on gold and amber mines that it said were being illegally operated by the KIA in Kachin State's Tanai in June 2017.

Clashes stopped for a while after KIA Battalion 14 retreated from its headquarters in Hukawng Valley in Tanai on March 14. But on April 6, KIA Battalion 6 attacked the Tatmadaw soldiers providing security in Hpakant, which was followed by military attacks in a number of places including Tanai and Hpakant, forcing thousands of people from their homes.

With the assistance of China, a Tatmadaw delegation led by Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung and a KIA delegation led by its chairman General N'Ban La met in Yunnan Province on Feb. 1. No agreement was reached at the meeting.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Tatmadaw Continues Attacks in Kachin State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Gap Apologizes for Selling T-shirt With ‘Incorrect Map’ of China

Posted: 14 May 2018 10:08 PM PDT

SHANGHAI — US retailer Gap Inc apologized on Monday for selling a t-shirt which it said had an incorrect map of China, adding it would implement “rigorous reviews” to prevent a repeat mistake.

The apology came after a person posted pictures of the t-shirt on Chinese social media network Weibo, saying that Chinese territories, including south Tibet, the island of Taiwan and the South China Sea, were omitted from the map. The user said the photo of the t-shirt was taken at an outlet store in Canada.

“Gap Inc. respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. We’ve learned that a Gap brand t-shirt sold in some overseas markets failed to reflect the correct map of China. We sincerely apologize for this unintentional error,” it said in a statement posted on its Weibo account on Monday evening.

It added that the products had been pulled from the Chinese market and destroyed.

Gap’s apology comes as China has been ramping up efforts to police language used to describe Chinese-claimed territories such as Taiwan. Other US companies which have issued apologies for similar incidents include Delta Air Lines and Marriott International Inc.

Earlier this month, the White House sharply criticized China’s efforts to force foreign airlines to change how they described Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau on their websites as “Orwellian nonsense.”

The post Gap Apologizes for Selling T-shirt With 'Incorrect Map' of China appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Malaysia’s Mahathir Vows to Investigate Toppled Government

Posted: 14 May 2018 10:02 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad vowed on Monday to investigate faults that may have been committed by the government toppled in last week’s general election, and said all ministries had been instructed not to destroy any documents.

Mahathir announced that he would appoint a new anti-corruption commission chief and replace the attorney-general who had cleared former Prime Minister Najib Razak of wrongdoing in a multi-billion-dollar scandal linked to the 1MDB state fund.

He also told a news conference that his government had a rough idea of the whereabouts of Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, who is accused of links to a plot to siphon billions of dollars from the fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Najib set up 1MDB in 2009 and previously served as chairman of its advisory board. He and the fund have denied wrongdoing.

Asked about other possible crimes, Mahathir said: “We cannot do everything at the same time at one go.”

“We have to take time. There are many faults committed by the previous government, but we cannot do everything in one day, so you have to be patient.”

Mahathir, who was Malaysia’s prime minister from 1981 to 2003, led his four-party alliance to victory against Barisan Nasional in last week’s general election, ousting a coalition that had ruled the Southeast Asian nation for six decades.

Moody’s Downbeat

Malaysia’s stock market fell sharply after opening on Monday, the first day of trading since Mahathir’s stunning triumph in the May 9 election. But it later recovered to close the day slightly higher.

Some analysts are concerned over populist promises that Mahathir’s alliance made during the election campaign, including plans to remove a goods and services tax, scrap toll fees, reinstate fuel subsidies and review Chinese investment deals.

Ratings agency Moody’s said on Monday that there was “little clarity” on the new government’s economic policy agenda and that if it fulfilled its campaign promises without adjustments it would be credit negative for the economy.

The main share index was initially dragged lower by falls in financial, telecom and airline shares, especially those with links to the former government, but closed to end the day 0.21 percent higher.

Shares in AirAsia Group Bhd fell as much as 10 percent after its chief Tony Fernandes apologized for endorsing former Prime Minister Najib Razak in the election.

The ringgit currency hit a four-month low of 3.9850 per dollar but stabilized off those lows.

Mahathir said last week that there was enough evidence to investigate Najib’s links to the 1MDB scandal and that authorities had moved to prevent his predecessor from leaving the country.

News broke in 2015 that about $700 million allegedly stolen from 1MDB had made its way into Najib’s personal bank accounts. Najib has said the deposit was a donation by an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family that had been largely returned.

Earlier, state news agency Bernama and other media reported that a former official of the anti-graft agency, MACC, had lodged a report against Najib on suspicion of blocking probes in cases involving 1MDB and a government pension fund.

Mahathir said he would appoint a new MACC chief on Tuesday.

The attorney-general who cleared Najib of wrongdoing in the 1MDB affair, Mohamed Apandi Ali, would be put on leave and replaced by the solicitor-general, he said.

Mohamed Apandi did not respond to a request for comment.

The government has also transferred the top bureaucrat in the finance ministry while the chairman of the state palm oil plantation agency, Felda, has resigned.

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US Criticizes China for Shielding Myanmar from UN Action

Posted: 14 May 2018 09:54 PM PDT

UNITED NATIONS — The United States indirectly criticized China on Monday for shielding Myanmar from strong UN Security Council action over a military crackdown against mainly Rohingya Muslims that the US and other countries have denounced as ethnic cleansing.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley did not mention China by name, but China proposed substantial amendments to a British-drafted Security Council statement on Myanmar last week. The 15-member council eventually agreed on a weaker statement.

The Security Council met on Monday to discuss a visit by envoys to Myanmar and Bangladesh two weeks ago.

Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in August last year sparked a military operation that sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to camps in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh.

“Some members of the council have kept us from taking action for cynical and self-interested reasons,” Haley said. “Some undermined the unity of the council demonstrated during the trip with unhelpful edits that only weakened the council’s message.”

Speaking before Haley, China’s UN Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu told the Security Council that Myanmar and Bangladesh should be encouraged to solve the crisis bilaterally to make sure it doesn’t “drag on or become more complicated.”

“The council should continue to encourage Myanmar and Bangladesh to increase consultations and cooperation for the early implementation of the bilateral arrangement,” he said.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years but differences between the two sides remain and implementation of the plan has been slow.

Diplomats said Russia has also backed China in council discussions on Myanmar.

Speaking after Haley, Russia’s deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said the unity of the council on the issue was important and he hoped some members “will not fall prey to the temptation of using this situation to pursue their narrow, domestic political aims.”

Fleeing refugees have reported killings, rapes and arson on a large scale. Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing and has said its operations in Rakhine were a legitimate response to attacks on security forces by Rohingya insurgents.

“The government of Myanmar has stated time and again that no violation of human rights will be condoned,” Myanmar’s UN Ambassador Hau Do Suan told council on Monday. “Allegations supported by evidence will be investigated and action taken in accordance with the law.”

The United States and Canada have imposed unilateral sanctions against a general in Myanmar’s military for his role in the crackdown and the European Union is preparing individual sanctions.

Haley, who did not travel to Myanmar and Bangladesh, said that the Security Council had “unique tools to encourage Burma to take real steps towards resolving this crisis,” though she did not elaborate.

“We should move quickly to adopt a resolution that institutes real steps to resolve this enormous and growing humanitarian and human rights crisis,” Haley said.

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Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 14 May 2018 09:21 PM PDT

Cute Baby and Smart Kids Fair

There will be playgrounds, sports events, and fun fairs for kids, baby accessories on sale, and international schools offering discounted enrollment rates.

May 17 to 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tatmadaw Exhibition Center, U Wisara Road.

Journey of the Blood Jade

The exhibition features photos about jade mining in Kachin State's Hpakant Township and the plight of jade mine workers.

May 16 to 18, 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Yangon Gallery, People's Square.

Us & Beyond

The exhibition features diverse works by members of the Thuma Collective.

May 19 to June 2. Myanmar Deitta Gallery, No.49, 44th St. (3rd floor).

Study in Japan

Opportunities to study at language schools, colleges and universities in Japan will be explained.

May 19, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ES4E College, corner of Waizayanta Road and Lay Dauk Kan Road, Thingangyun Township. Tel: 09-443367613.