Monday, June 4, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

USPD Lawmaker Questions Transparency of Private Power Deals

Posted: 04 Jun 2018 08:05 AM PDT

Naypyitaw—The opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has criticized the Ministry of Electricity and Energy for implementing four power projects worth US$5 billion in total without holding tenders.

During a Lower House session on Monday, USDP lawmaker U Maung Myint questioned the responsibility, accountability and transparency of the ministry, which he said is implementing four gas-fired power projects in Taninthayi, Irrawaddy and Yangon regions and in Rakhine State without inviting tender offers as required by the President's Office's Instruction 1/2017.

"If the ministry were to say it didn't invite tender offers, but sought the approval of the Economic Committee and the Cabinet [to award the contracts], I'd say that the government is violating its own order and instruction," U Maung Myint said.

Electricity and Energy Minister U Win Khaing told the parliament that initial permissions were granted on Jan. 30 to Total Gas & Power Business Service S.A.S and Siemens A.G to implement a liquefied natural gas power project in Taninthayi's Kanpauk, Zhefu Holding Co Ltd and Supreme Trading Co Ltd in Irrawaddy's Mi Laung Kyeing, TTCL Public Co Ltd in Yangon's Ahlon Township and Supreme Trading and Sinohydro Corporation in Rakhine State's Kyaukphyu.

According to the decision of the Economic Committee on June 11, 2017, the government can give permission for government-private partnership projects proposed by private investors depending on the level of benefit to the country and the concerned region. In such cases, the government needs not hold a tender for the project, and can award permission to the investor that proposed the project, U Win Khaing explained.

"With the state budget, we will be able to produce only around 100 megawatts per year. Because what needs to be done was not done in the past, we are now forced to produce 3,000 megawatts at once," he said, implying the previous USDP-led government was to blame for the country's power shortfall.

Successive governments said they would generate 41,000 megawatts from mega hydropower projects, but they were just paper claims, the minister said.

Current production is only 3,000 megawatts and the ministry has to explore every possible means to produce an additional 3,000 megawatts in the next three years, he added.

"When I know as the electricity and energy minister that our country will run out of gas in the next three years, I cannot just sit and do nothing. Currently, 10 gas-fired power plants provide over 1,400 megawatts. If we run out of gas in the next three years and those 1,400 megawatts are removed from the [power supply] system, you can imagine what will happen," U Win Khaing said.

Outside parliament, the Minkin Township lawmaker repeated his accusation that it was a violation of the instruction from the President's Office to implement those projects with only the approval of the Economic Committee.

He claimed that the wife of U Kyaw Win, the former planning and finance minister who resigned over a corruption scandal, worked for Supreme Trading, which was given the go-ahead to implement two power projects.

"Supreme is a citizen's company. And I personally know its chairman, U Sein Myint. That company got two projects. The wife of U Kyaw Win, who was sacked, works for Supreme. That's why it got the licenses," U Maung Myint told reporters after the parliament session.

He cited the example of the selection of a telecoms operator under the U Thein Sein government in which tender offers were invited and an international consultant was hired to select the bid winners.

U Win Khaing, however, defended the selection process, saying over 20 local and international companies had submitted over 20 proposals to generate power from LNG, and the electricity company had considered the backgrounds of the firms, their origins, the location and land acquisition processes for the projects, and the viability of connecting them to the national grid as well as the availability of LNG.

Successive governments had signed memorandums of understanding, memorandums of agreement and joint venture agreements with local and international investors in water-powered projects, the richest source of electricity in Myanmar. There were a total of 30 agreements signed for 50 projects projected to generate 41.8 megawatts, but they were only on paper, the minister said.

"We have not awarded them contracts. We have just issued notices to proceed (NTP) for those four projects so that they could conduct EIAs (environmental impact assessments), and social impact assessments (SIA). If I didn't do that, I would be held responsible for what happens in the next three years," he said.

Yangon consumes around 1,275 megawatts of electricity, Mandalay 430 megawatts and other regions and states 1,495 megawatts, totaling around 3,200 megawatts. Meanwhile, around six million households have yet to be connected to the national grid.

The post USPD Lawmaker Questions Transparency of Private Power Deals appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Yangon Parliament, Cabinet Still At Odds Over Draft Budget

Posted: 04 Jun 2018 08:01 AM PDT

YANGON — The Yangon Region Parliament failed to pass a draft 2018-19 budget Monday as debate over the proposed purchase of 10 Ford vehicles and a multi-million dollar investment in Yangon City Bank continued.

Over the objections of the Parliament’s Finance, Planning and Economy Committee, both controversial items were included in the revised draft budget submitted to the legislature on Monday.

Yangon Region Minister for Planning and Finance U Myint Thaung insisted the new vehicles were necessary because the three vehicles currently in use were not enough the serve the region’s nine ministers.

He said the current vehicles cost between $757 and $1,328 a year to maintain and that a car broke down recently while ferrying Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein to Twante Township.

U Myint Thaung urged lawmakers to approve the $700,000 purchase both for the safety of the ministers and for the convenience of visiting dignitaries, whom the vehicles would also serve.

Daw Sandar Min, a lawmaker for the National League for Democracy who chairs the Finance, Planning and Economy Committee, said the committee objected to the purchase.

"We want the ministers to have safe rides, too. But none of the ministers currently take buses or taxies. Many ministers also have their own vehicles," she said.

Daw Sandar Min said lawmakers should not approve the purchase of the vehicles in light of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s call for financial austerity and the consolidation of some Union ministries to save money.

U Myint Thaung also asked Parliament to approve a 6.8 billion kyats ($5.05 million) investment in Yangon City Bank, which is run by the Yangon City Development Committee, so it could qualify to conduct foreign banking operations.

He said the bank needed to qualify for foreign banking operations in order to participate in a planned project with GIZ, Germany’s foreign aid agency, to provide low-interest loans to small and medium enterprises in Yangon. The money, he added, would come from the bank’s own revenues.

Daw Sandar Min said the investment was unnecessary because there were other government-owned banks that already conduct foreign banking operations.

Because lawmakers refused to approve the draft budget, the Parliament speaker said he would report back to the chief minister, who with his cabinet will decide whether to keep the controversial items in place, take them out, or adjust them.

Lawmaker U Tint Lwin, who chairs the Yangon Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, told The Irrawaddy that he hoped the chief minister would announce his decision in the coming days.

He said that if the cabined continued to insist on buying new vehicles for the ministers, it could at least consider buying fewer of them.

Once the draft budget is passed, it will be sent to the Union Finance Commission, with whose approval in will be turned into a bill.

The post Yangon Parliament, Cabinet Still At Odds Over Draft Budget appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Public Needs Left Out of Draft Budget, Yangon Finance Minister Admits 

Posted: 04 Jun 2018 07:41 AM PDT

YANGON — Yangon Minister for Planning and Finance U Myint Thaung admitted on Monday that the regional government had neglected to fully fund items identified as basic public needs while drafting its proposed budget for fiscal 2018-19.

The minister made the comment while submitting the regional government's revised budget proposals.

The revised budget was rejected by the regional Parliament's Finance, Planning and Economic Committee on Monday due to members' objections to two controversial spending plans; one to purchase a fleet of Ford vehicles for regional ministers' use, and the other to invest in a regional bank.

U Myint Thaung said that while drafting budget proposals for fiscal 2018-19, the regional government had intended to adopt a "participatory budgeting" process that involved elected representatives and regional committee members directly in decision-making. To that end, government officials held two meetings in April with lawmakers and committee members in order to ensure that the draft budget incorporated needs-based assessments from the city's respective townships, the minister added.

"When we matched funds allocated for governmental departments' needs and township development plans presented by the lawmakers, I admit that the prioritized projects designed to meet public needs were left out," he told the lawmakers.

He vowed not to repeat the same mistake next year and assured them that lessons had been learned from this year's process.

During debates last week, regional lawmakers expressed vigorous opposition to the Yangon regional government's proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The MPs raised concerns about billions of kyats earmarked for "unacceptable and unnecessary" programs and demanded that priority be given to the needs of the general public.

Under the revised draft submitted on Monday, some items had been removed or changed to accommodate some of the MPs' township development proposals. Some government departments' proposed spending plans had also been trimmed.

For example, a 5.1-billion-kyat (USD3.8 million) plan to build staff housing for the Engineering Department in Insein was changed and now calls for three city halls to be built in Insein, Shwe Pyi Tha and Hlaing Thar Yar townships, he said. Similarly, the General Administration Department (GAD)'s request for funds to buy 21 double-cab cars was reduced to 14 cars, the minister said.

However, U Myint Thaung insisted that the purchase of 10 Ford vehicles for officials' use and another plan to invest billions of kyats in Yangon City Bank would go ahead.

The minister said the purchase of the Ford sedans is needed to ensure the safe transportation of regional ministers and their important guests, including state and international leaders invited to attend Yangon government functions.

The regional government currently has just three vehicles for ministers' use, he said.

The post Public Needs Left Out of Draft Budget, Yangon Finance Minister Admits  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt Rights Body Says Two Kachin Men Found Dead Were KIA Fighters

Posted: 04 Jun 2018 05:31 AM PDT

YANGON — The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) has concluded that two Kachin men whose bodies were found in March were rebel fighters and killed in battle with the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, contradicting claims by locals that they were arrested and executed.

According to the NGO Fortify Rights, Hpaugan Yaw, 65, and Nhkum Naw San, 35 — residents of the Maing Hkawng IDP camp in Kachin State’s Mansi Township — were last seen on Jan. 31 in the custody of Tatmadaw soldiers. Their bodies were found in a grave on March 8 by local residents.

In a statement delivered to the state’s Lower House of Parliament on May 21, the MNHRC said the two men were members of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and were killed during fighting with the Tatmadaw. Local lawmakers had asked the commission to look into the deaths.

According to the MNHRC, the Defense Ministry claimed that Tatmadaw soldiers were patrolling in Mansi on Jan. 31 when they were attacked my four KIA fighters while inspecting a hut and returned fire, killing the two men.

The commission said the Tatmadaw reported that its soldiers found military equipment, bullets and a phone at the scene and buried the two fighters, one of whom was wearing military-style green fatigues and the other the uniform of the KIA.

According to the MNHRC, Tatmadaw Colonel Myint Hein met with relatives of the dead men to explain that they were killed in battle, showing them photos of the dead bodies to make his point, and that the relatives said they believed him.

The Tatmadaw’s account, and the commission’s statement, contradicts reports from locals, who claim the two men were arrested while tending their water buffalo.

A leader of the Maing Hkawng IDP camp said he and two fellow camp leaders met with the MNHRC in Yangon on May 22 to share evidence that the men were not killed in battle and to urge the commission to visit Mansi to conduct its own investigation.

"What we saw on the ground and from the two dead bodies contradict the MNHRC statement in many ways. It wrote the statement based only on one side, the army’s side," said the man, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal from the Tatmadaw.

"They said yes to an investigation, and they may do it this month," he added.

Two local women claim to have seen Tatmadaw soldiers take the two men into custody on Jan. 31.

Once the bodies were found on March 8, soldiers prevented locals from gathering at the site for several hours.

After a group of local authorities, police, community leaders and relatives of the victims did arrive and were allowed access, Nhkum Naw San was found in a KIA uniform and Hpaugan Yaw was dressed as a civilian, said Naw Mai, another leader of the IDP camp.

"Both of them were civilians, but they [the Tatmadaw] put a KIA uniform on Nhkum Naw San’s dead body," he claimed.

A medical report obtained by The Irrawaddy says Nhkum Naw San died from a bullet to the head and that Hpaugan Yaw, who had a broken skull and jaw, may have died from torture.

A relative of the dead men, Kaw Awng, has filed a complaint with local police accusing the Tatmadaw of murder. The Tatmadaw then filed its own case against Kaw Awng, accusing her of unlawful association with the KIA.

The post Govt Rights Body Says Two Kachin Men Found Dead Were KIA Fighters appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Eight Arrested, Drug Houses Torn Down in Raid by Mandalay Police

Posted: 04 Jun 2018 03:40 AM PDT

MANDALAY — Mandalay police arrested eight men, seized a small amount of heroin and destroyed a number of drug houses during a raid on a notorious drug-dealing location in Patheingyi Township on Friday.

The raid, conducted by a joint force comprising anti-narcotics and regional police, followed the appearance of a video clip, widely circulated on social media, showing drug dealers apparently operating freely out of several locations in Zee Oak village.

After the raid, 12 locations used as drug houses were ripped down, police said.

According to Police Colonel U Myo Aung, chief of Mandalay District Police, the posting of the video online limited the number of arrests made during the raid. "It appears the drug smugglers were alerted to our impending raid. News of the drug houses was spread over social media, so we have only made eight arrests and seized a small amount of heroin so far," he said.

According to police, Zee Oak village is known as a hub for drug dealing, but the higher-level drug dealers have proved elusive.

Mandalay police arrested eight men and destroyed a number of drug houses during a raid on a notorious drug-dealing location in Patheingyi Township on Friday. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

"We have raided the area several times, but the main drug dealers and drug users always escape," said Col U Myo Aung. "We suspect someone is tipping suspects off about the police raids."

"The drug dealers typically return to the area at some point after the crackdowns. When we show up, they disappear. This pattern repeats and we have not been able to arrest large numbers of them," he said.

Two drug dealers and six drug users who were arrested in Friday's crackdown are in police custody and have been charged under the anti-narcotics law.

The post Eight Arrested, Drug Houses Torn Down in Raid by Mandalay Police appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Perfect Place to Chill with a Hot Coffee

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 11:30 PM PDT

YANGON — The rainy season is upon us, which means you can finally phase out your spring clothes and replace them with a few stylish sweaters. And you'll also need a cozy place to hang out, whether it's alone or with friends.

There are many places in Yangon that fit the bill: galleries, indoor events, art exhibitions and concerts, to name a few. But if you're just not in the mood for any of these things, you can chill at a good coffee shop with a cup of coffee; the perfect drink for this 'sweater weather.'

At this time of year it rains in Yangon almost every day. Recently a friend and I agreed to meet and catch up on the weekend, and we discovered that a new Gloria Jean's outlet opened a few weeks ago.

A barista makes a coffee at Gloria Jean's Coffee Myanmar.

The Australian coffee-shop chain Gloria Jean's (GJC) opened its sixth outlet in Yangon on May 17 at The Time Link on Yangon's Dhammazedi Road near Dhammazedi Point.

The Time Link is a new building and not many shops have opened there yet. When we went, it was around 6 p.m. and the coffee shop was totally quiet; we were the only customers. Possibly people just aren't aware of the new location yet.

There is seating both inside and out, overlooking the street. We chose to sit inside because my friend and I wanted some chitchat time to ourselves.

GJC Myanmar now has a total of eight outlets nationwide, at Myanmar Plaza, Yangon Domestic Airport Terminal 3, Junction City, Star City, the mini-rest stop at Mile 76 on the Yangon-Naypyitaw Highway, Junction Square, Time Link on Dhammazedi, and The Move Mingalar Mandalay.

A hot chocolate with dark chocolate cake.

As a coffee lover, I was already a fan of GJC, having spent a lot of time hanging out at the Myanmar Plaza outlet. I like the strong flavor of their coffee, and their berry smoothies are perfect for sunny days. Unfortunately, my friend isn't a coffee drinker, so she ordered a hot chocolate and I ordered my favorite hot cappuccino.

To help you order your drink, there is a size chart illustrating the small, regular and large beverages. We both ordered regulars, which were quite generous.

We needed something sweet to go with our drinks, and ordered the dark chocolate slice cake. The drinks and cake were around 5,000 kyats each, including tax.

We didn't need to wait long; the coffees and cake arrived in a short time, preceded by their delicious aroma. It's funny how your day seems to improve with that first sip of coffee.

Outdoor seating at Gloria Jean's Myanmar's Time Link outlet.

The cappuccino was creamy but still strong; personally I love my cappuccino without sugar, because I like to savor that strong, bitter, original coffee flavor. And the cake was amazing. Both the food and drink had strong, rich flavors — kind of bittersweet — but left me wanting more. My friend also enjoyed her hot chocolate, which she said was quite sweet.

I loved watching the rain fall outside the shop and we talked about a lot of things. Good coffee at a new cozy place in town — it made for a really a great weekend.

After visiting the new shop, I interviewed the CEO of Gloria Jean's (Myanmar), George Latt, and asked about the company's story in Myanmar. "Gloria Jean's Coffees Myanmar opened its first outlet in 2016," Latt explained. "It received such a welcoming reception from coffee drinkers in Myanmar, who were relatively unfamiliar with the Australian brand due to the dominance of American franchises in the region."

He added that GJC uses only single origin and specialty blends imported directly from the company's roasting facility in Australia. "GJC outlets across the globe use the very same ingredients to ensure the quality and consistency they serve to customers," Latt said.

Guests enjoy their evening at Gloria Jean's.

Another thing I love about Gloria Jeans is that sometimes they offer traditional Myanmar foods such as mote hin khar, coconut noodles and Shan noodles, and they are all good. But The Time Link outlet is still new and doesn't have those items yet. "One of the great things about the Gloria Jean's franchises is that we allow localization of food offerings. We take our food innovation seriously," Latt said. "We love to make our customers feel right at home at GJC. Expat customers also represent a significant segment of our customer base. Everyone now and then appreciates having the option to choose local favorites like this. So our stores will continue to feature local items."

The GJC staff is friendly and helpful thanks in part to extensive training before the opening of each outlet. "Our training manual covers everything from learning to be a barista to customer service, quality control, and outlet management. 'Serving with heart' features a whole chapter, so you know we take serving our customers with heart very seriously," Latt said. As a developing market, there are a lot of coffee shops, bars, and restaurants opening in Yangon and the famous American coffee chain Starbucks is due to arrive in Yangon very soon. So, the coffee shop business might be getting even more competitive but Latt said he welcomed the challenge. "In the bigger picture, Starbucks' entry only fuels the growth of the coffee drinking culture in Myanmar, which is great. At the same time, we embrace competition because it puts pressure on everyone in the market to step up their game and do better than each other, which means it is to the benefit of customers at the end of the day."

He added that, "One of our strengths is the quality and taste of our coffee, which many of our customers here have developed a preference for. We also listen to our customers and have identified areas to improve on." Gloria Jean's Coffees opened its first store in Australia in 1996 and has become one of the biggest coffee brands in its home market. Today, it has coffee houses in more than 40 countries with a total of more than 1,000 locations.

The post The Perfect Place to Chill with a Hot Coffee appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

50 Percent of Inmates Who Sat for Matriculation Exam Passed

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 10:25 PM PDT

MANDALAY — About 50 percent of the prison inmates across the country who sat for the matriculation exam in the 2017-18 academic year passed, some with flying colors.

According to the prison department, which is under Ministry of Home Affairs, 106 inmates sat for the matriculation exam from Insein Prison in Yangon, Obo Prison in Mandalay, Hpa-An Prison in Karen State, Sittwe Prison in Rakhine State, Myaungmya Prison in Irrawaddy Region, Myeik Prison in Tanintharyi Region, Taungoo and Thayet prisons in Bago Region and Shwebo Prison in Sagaing Region.

From Insein Prison, 19 inmates out of 34 passed the exam, along with 27 out of 55 inmates from Obo Prison – 21 of them with honors.

"Four inmates received three distinctions, another four earned two distinctions and 13 others passed the exam with one distinction," said U Cho Win Tun, the superintendent of Obo Prison.

The superintendent said Obo Prison is applying for a permit from the prison department to hold a celebration to honor the inmates and their teachers for all of the efforts they put into this year's exam.

"If they want to continue to university, we will cooperate with the Ministry of Education to participate in distance education, as they still have to serve their prison terms," said U Cho Win Tun. "Hopefully, there will be a presidential pardon for them, as there was in the past year, especially for those who received honors."

In the 2016-17 academic year, five inmates from Obo Prison who matriculated with honors were released under a presidential pardon.

"We will try to give them further education as much as we can. In the past, the inmates who passed with honors were released, as they were not serving life sentences. Their release also depends on what type of crimes they've committed," said U Min Tun Soe, a Naypyitaw-based Prisons Department Deputy Director.

"However, it also depends on the decision of government officials, the president and commitments from the inmates," he added.

Starting in the 2012-13 academic year, Insein Prison began allowing inmates to take the matriculation exams. Inmates from other prisons who wanted to take them had to take them at Insein Prison.

As there were a large number of inmates from Obo Prison who also wanted to sit the exam, its exam center was open in the 2016-17 academic year. Following that year, most prisons across the country were allowed to open exam centers for any inmate who wanted to attempt the exam.

The post 50 Percent of Inmates Who Sat for Matriculation Exam Passed appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Says Willing to Take Back All Rohingya Refugees

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 10:03 PM PDT

SINGAPORE — Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country’s National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday.

He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in the Myanmar’s Rakhine State — most Rohingya live in the state’s north — could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect framework of the United Nations.

The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 UN World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and accepted a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment.

“If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them,” Thaung Tun said. “Can this be called ethnic cleansing?

“There is no war going on, so it’s not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly.”

Since August, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, UN and other aid organizations have said.

The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as “a textbook example of ethnic cleansing,” an accusation Myanmar rejects.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years.

Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate “the violation of human rights and related issues” in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts.

Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was “incomplete and misleading.”

“Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis,” he said. “There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Arakanese, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less.”

He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.

The post Myanmar Says Willing to Take Back All Rohingya Refugees appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Afghan Archaeologist Killed Near Buddhist Site, Giant Copper Reserve

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 09:55 PM PDT

KABUL — A roadside bomb killed an Afghan archaeologist near an ancient Buddhist excavation site, also home to the country’s largest copper reserve, raising concerns about increasing threats to government-backed projects, officials said on Sunday.

Security threats by insurgents have forced European and US archaeologists to pull out of the Mes Aynak site in recent years, leaving Afghan experts to pursue the work on their own and try to prevent rampant illegal mining.

Saturday’s attack wounded four employees of the Cultural Ministry near the excavation site, 40 km south of the capital, home to the remains of 5,000-year-old temples, residential areas, markets and a fortress.

No group has claimed responsibility. Taliban militants, seeking to reimpose strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster, blew up two ancient giant Buddha statues in Bamiyan province in March that year because they were deemed un-Islamic.

“We never thought such action would be taken against us, because we are neither military nor high-ranking government officials,” said archaeologist Mohammad Rabi Saber, a colleague of the victims. “But after this incident, a kind of fear has spread among the archaeology staff members.”

In 2008, a Chinese company, Metallurgical Corporation of China, was awarded a contract to recover copper from Mes Aynak but a series of protests to protect the Buddhist site stalled the project.

Afghan and international archaeologists began uncovering thousands of statues, manuscripts, coins and monuments at Mes Aynak in 2009. The government has said that all antiques from Mes Aynak will be excavated before mining begins.

The archaeologist who was killed, Abdul Wahab Ferozi, oversaw the repairs of more than 3,000 antiques from Mes Aynak that were handed to the National Museum in Kabul.

Police said Ferozi was on his way to the site when a remote-controlled bomb exploded near his car.

“We are trying the identify who planted the bomb. No insurgent group has claimed responsibility so far,” said Hashmat Stanakzai, spokesman for Kabul police.

At least 183 Afghan civilians were killed and 337 wounded in clashes and attacks nationwide in May, the Civilian Protection Advocacy Group, an independent monitor group, reported on Saturday.

Many local and international companies are reevaluating their hiring strategy because of the rising violence.

The post Afghan Archaeologist Killed Near Buddhist Site, Giant Copper Reserve appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Singapore Hotel Where Top Brass, Dealers and Spies Rub Shoulders

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 09:48 PM PDT

SINGAPORE — For the region’s military officers, diplomats, weapons manufacturers and spies, there are few livelier places than the lobby of Singapore’s Shangri-La hotel around mid-year.

Here, beneath pillared ceilings and chandeliers, they gather for an annual informal bash – called the Shangri-La Dialogue – organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

This year’s chapter was held at the weekend and the chatter was particularly lively given the strategic shifts shaking Asia, from North Korea to rapidly-evolving rivalry between India and China.

In the ballroom, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined his vision for a “rules based order” for the region before US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis championed the “Indo-Pacific region” – both evolving constructs that Chinese officials eye as containment.

But in the lobby, the hushed talk was decidedly spicier, particularly given the looming appearance of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump for their historic summit in Singapore later this month.

Retired Western and Asian intelligence figures spend the best part of three days loitering here; a civilian-suited Vietnamese military officer introduces himself to a US naval counterpart while a cadre of Chinese PLA staff walk briskly past. A Laotian military representative practices his golf swing as a gaggle of barefoot teenagers pad past from the swimming pool, toweling themselves down and apparently oblivious to the swirl of strategic tension.

Outside, heavily armed Singaporean police guard the hotel’s driveway.

While the IISS scholars organized a variety of panels covering regional flashpoints and trends and diplomats arranged formal bilateral meetings for their defense ministers, the side rooms, bars and cafes are even busier as more discreet business is done and information traded.

“It is a very good event,” said Major General Sahibzada Isfandiyar Pataudi, a retired Pakistani military intelligence official, as he relaxed at a Friday night reception.

“Because it is informal, all kinds of people can talk freely and exchange views and ideas, so you can get beyond official talking points. This is very valuable in a military context and, of course, in a changing region.”

Regional military attaches say the event is a legendary recruitment spot, as officers and diplomats are tapped by business or academia – and sometimes more shadowy enterprises. One delegate said Singapore’s status as a leading financial hub helps.

For journalists, the meeting is a great opportunity to prowl the corridors to meet defense officials and senior military officers who are rarely approachable in their home countries – or at more cloistered formal diplomatic events.

The Shangri-La meetings to which the journalists are invited are lively and scores of senior officials speak on major events and are willing to be questioned.

According to rumor, operatives from various friendly Western and Asian intelligence agencies hold a parallel gathering in another hotel, to exchange information. That has never been verified.

As well as the IISS, the sponsors of the Shangri-La Dialogue include major Western defense firms, including Boeing, Airbus, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon – in part a reflection of gradually rising regional defense budgets.

Gene Cunningham, Boeing’s Vice President Global Sales, Defense, Space and Security, said the informal nature of the event was important in a large, diverse region where people may view “the same set of facts differently."

“This is not a trade show, this is not an air show,” he said.

“These types of events are important to help everyone baseline as opposed to misunderstand, or misinterpret, where defense and security needs are headed. That’s why we see this as an extremely important event.”

The post The Singapore Hotel Where Top Brass, Dealers and Spies Rub Shoulders appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Philippines Duterte Tells UN Human Rights Expert: ‘Go to Hell’

Posted: 03 Jun 2018 09:39 PM PDT

MANILA — Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has told a UN human rights expert who said the country’s judicial independence was under threat to 'go to hell,' warning against interference in domestic affairs.

The Philippine Supreme Court voted last month to remove Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, whom Duterte had called an “enemy” for voting against controversial government proposals, citing violations in the way she was appointed.

Her dismissal is sending a chilling message to other Supreme Court judges and members of the judiciary, Diego García-Sayán, special UN rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, said on Friday.

“Tell him not to interfere with the affairs of my country. He can go to hell,” Duterte told a news conference late Saturday night, prior to leaving for an official visit to South Korea.

The outspoken Philippine leader is known for defying international pressure and his diatribes against critics.

In particular, he has railed against former US President Barack Obama and UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, Agnes Callamard, for criticizing the bloody war on drugs, his signature public safety project.

Sereno, the first chief justice to be removed by her peers, had voted against several of the Duterte’s proposals including the extension of martial rule in the volatile southern Philippines.

The post Philippines Duterte Tells UN Human Rights Expert: 'Go to Hell' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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