Thursday, July 12, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Northern EAOs Keen to Keep Talking to Government

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 09:11 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW – The leaders of ethnic armed groups based along the northeastern China-Myanmar border expressed their position for continuing talks with the government through the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee's (FPNCC's) political paper, during their meetings with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday.

The state counselor held a meeting with the senior leaders of four ethnic armed organizations — the United Wa State Army, Mongla's National Democratic Alliance Army, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Shan State Progressive Party — on Thursday after Army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing met them for informal talks a day earlier.

She also had another meeting with the remaining three members of the FPNCC — the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, Arakan Army, and Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army. These three groups also met the deputy army chief, Vice-Senior General Soe Win, on Wednesday.

The seven members of the FPNCC are in Naypyitaw this week to participate in the opening of the third session of the 21st-Century Panglong Union Peace Conference (UPC), which began on Wednesday. Some of the leaders also took part in a cluster-based discussion group for EAOs on Thursday.

The government and Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, met the FPNCC members separately and categorized the two groups as above. This is the same principle both the NLD administration and the Army have applied to meet the alliance, because they do not recognize the FPNCC, which is led by the UWSA and was established about a year and a half ago in Pangseng. When the FPNCC members visited Naypyitaw last May, the state counselor and the Army chief met them separately.

General Sumlut Gun Maw, the vice chairman of the Kachin Independence Organization, the political wing of the KIA, told reporters on Thursday after the talks that it was just "an informal" session and "we told them we want continuous discussion based on the FPNCC's principles," which the UWSA shared with the government last year.

He said, "It is too early to say whether we will sign the NCA or not," adding that this decision will have to be made later.

UWSA spokesman Kyauk Kaw Ann, who led the Pangseng alliance in this week's mission to Naypyitaw, shared views of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and she in turn outlined the central government's official view, according to Gen. Gun Maw, the KIO leader.

General Say Htin, the patron of the SSPP, told The Irrawaddy that Thursday's informal meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was "very good." But he did not provide any further details.

These sideline meetings during the UPC are intended to build trust and understanding, according to a member of the Peace Commission, who was at the July 11 meeting between the Army chief and the ethnic groups.

The post Northern EAOs Keen to Keep Talking to Government appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Eight Tourist Attractions That You Must See in Yangon

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 08:20 AM PDT

Yangon is often the first stop for foreigners visiting Myanmar. It is the former capital, the most populous city, and the largest commercial hub in the country. As a developing urban center it is changing quickly and becoming a more international city day by day, but it is still rich in culture and offers sightseers adventure, traditional themes, colonial buildings and a host of other interesting things to see and do.

Here are some suggested places to visit while in Myanmar's No. 1 city.

A night view of Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon/Irrawaddy

Shwedagone Pagoda

It's said that you haven't really been to Yangon unless you visit the world famous Shwedagon Pagoda. The golden pagoda, built more than 2,600 years ago, is the most famous temple in Myanmar. It has four main stairway entrances with each one leading you to the pagoda's platform. When you reach the upper level, your breath will be taken away and you will feel absolutely peaceful.

Early in the morning or in the evening at around 6pm are the perfect times to visit. Please note that revealing clothes are prohibited and that shoes aren't allowed to be worn in the pagoda area. The pagoda is open daily from 4am to 10pm and foreigners need to pay an entrance fee of kyat 10000.

The Secretariat Building draws a crowd last Martyrs Day in Yangon/Irrawaddy

Yangon Secretariat

The 120-year-old Ministers' Office, also known as the Secretariat Building, is one of the most iconic buildings in Yangon. This historic building sits in the middle of the city and it is the place where General Aung San and another six cabinet ministers were assassinated on July 19, 1947.

The Secretariat Building has been closed for several years and is currently undergoing renovations although members of the public can still take a one-hour guided tour, from Monday to Friday. You can spend your afternoon studying this important place in the history of Myanmar although bookings are required. The designated visiting times are 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm on weekdays and at 9:30am on Saturdays. Tours can be booked at www.thesecretariat.com and +959 456 883 044.

The beautifully restored U Thant House/Irrawaddy

U Thant House

U Thant was a Myanmar diplomat who served as the third Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971. During his tenure, he helped defuse the Cuban missile crisis, which had brought the United States and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war. He also helped end a civil war in the Congo.

He and his family lived in the two-story colonial-style house from 1951-57 when he was secretary to then Burmese Prime Minster U Nu, before leaving the country to serve as Burma's Permanent Representative to the UN in New York in 1957.

In 2012, Thant Myint-U, a historian and chairman of the Yangon Heritage Trust (YHT) and also a grandson of U Thant, renovated the house for it to be used as a museum in honor of his grandfather, as well as a centre for public events, such as lectures and seminars on issues related to the former UN secretary-general's life and work.

The home now stands as a beautifully restored place where you can learn more about U Thant and buy the books written by him as well. The house is open to the public on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. The U Thant House is located at 31 Pan Wah Lane, Kamayut Township, in Yangon.

A heritage-listed colonial building in downtown Yangon. /Aung Kyaw Htet

Downtown Heritage Walking tour

There are still many colonial buildings in downtown Yangon that evoke the city's adventurous past. To learn more about downtown Yangon and its many historic buildings, you can stroll around by yourself or take a tour, such as the ones offered by the Yangon Heritage Trust, with a guide who will explain the history of the buildings and its streets. The tour is available only on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and it's USD$30 per person. The morning tour begins at 9am and the afternoon one at 4pm although please note that the tours are currently suspended and will resume in September. You can still make a reservation at www.yangonheritagetrust.org.

The entrance to the National Museum Yangon./Aung Kyaw Htet

National Museum

The National Museum of Myanmar, which has been open since 1952, is a place where you can learn about Myanmar's history, art, and culture. It's a huge 5-storey building that houses ancient artifacts, works of art, inscriptions and historic memorabilia, related to the history, culture and civilization of Myanmar. The museum has a total of 14 galleries. Entrance fees are US$5 for foreigners and Kyat 500 for locals. It's located at No. 66/74 on Pyay Road, Dagon Township in Yangon.

A Yangon water bus pulls in at Botahtaung Jetty in Yangon./Irrawaddy

Yangon Water Bus

The Yangon Water Bus is a new transportation option that started up last October. The "bus" services a 7 jetties: Bohtataung Terminal (Bohtataung Pagoda compound), Nan Thi Da Terminal (Pansodan Street), Lan Thit Jetty (Lan Thit Street), Kyee Myindaing Terminal (Kyee Myaing Kanar Road, near Zay Gyee Street), Hlaing Terminal (Hlaing Station Road, next to Shwe Padauk Fish Market), Punn Hlaing (Punn Hlaing Golf Estate) and Insein Terminal (Aung Zay Ya Bridge). The whole route takes about 3 hours to complete. There are different schedules that you can check at the Yangon Water Bus website (www.yangonwaterbus.com) before you go to one of its stops. The ticket price for a local is Kyat 300 and for a foreigner Kyat 1200. Along the way, you can see nice views of the Yangon riverside and even catch up with sunset in Yangon on the evening schedule. I strongly recommend you give this one a try while in Yangon.

Htauk Kyant War Cemetery at Mingaladon Township./Irrawaddy

Htaukkyan War Cemetery

The Htauk Kyant War Cemetery is a cemetery for the Allied soldiers who lost their lives in Myanmar during the First and Second World Wars. The cemetery was built in 1951 and houses graves transferred from four battlefield cemeteries at Akyab (Sittwe), Mandalay, Meiktila and Bahmaw. The cemetery is located in Mingaladon Township, Pyay Road in Yangon and can be reached by bus or taxi. It takes about one hour from Yangon and it's open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.

Grilled meat vendor in Chinatown. /Aung Kyaw Htet

Evening Food Tours

Chinatown is the best choice for an evening food tour of Yangon because you can get an experience of how local people live and eat, try a lot of street food, and a taste of Yangon's nightlife. 19th Street in particular offers an assortment of restaurants, beer shops, cheap small bars, stalls and barbecues that are a feature of this street. So, go to Chinatown and explore the local foods, grab some brews and enjoy the Yangon night!

Another eating option is Boyar Nyunt Street. It is not very far from Chinatown and the main difference is that Boyar Nyunt has more restaurants offering international cuisines such as Japanese, fast-food, Western and Korean. There are also bars there. So, you can have a proper dinner, a drink and then easily move on to your next stop in the area.

The post Eight Tourist Attractions That You Must See in Yangon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

ANP’s Criticism of Government in Peace Conference Speech Sparks Controversy

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 07:45 AM PDT

YANGON – Controversial comments by Arakan National Party (ANP) vice chairwoman Daw Aye Nu Sein during her speech on the first day of the third session of the 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference in Naypyitaw on Wednesday have stirred debate among political analysts and netizens, and prompted the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) bloc of political parties, of which the ANP is a member, to declare that the speech did not reflect its views.

The controversy found its first expression in a gesture of displeasure by State Counselor Daw Aug San Suu Kyi, who was in the audience for the speech. The three speakers who preceded the ANP vice chairwoman on the stage were all applauded by the country's de facto leader. However, the State Counselor did not applaud the ANP official's 10-minute keynote speech — a fact that was noted by political analysts and activists. The incident immediately went viral on Facebook, as broadcasters live-streamed the daylong event.

Some criticized Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for refusing to acknowledge a political speech that was critical of her, and questioned how national reunification and reconciliation are possible in such circumstances.

The National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government has convened two previous sessions of the 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference in recent years. Wednesday's event marked the beginning of the third installment. As representatives of elected political blocs, both the ruling NLD and the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party have made speeches announcing party policies and preferences without consulting other representatives or agreeing on a common statement.

At the third session, the Arakan National Party (ANP) representative similarly presented its policies, highlighting the violence in northern Rakhine State last year in which tens of thousands of non-Muslim people were displaced in Maungdaw District while 700,000 Rohingya were driven out to neighboring Bangladesh by army clearance operations. Daw Aye Nu Sein also discussed the ruling party's failure, while attempting to address the crisis, to consult the local Arakanese party, which holds seats in the Rakhine State Parliament. She accused Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government of turning Rakhine affairs into international issues.

The UN has described the widespread killings of and rights abuses against the Rohingya community by the military as "ethnic cleansing," and some international rights groups have called for Myanmar military commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to be referred to the International Criminal Court to face allegations of crimes against humanity.

On Wednesday evening, the UPDJC released a brief statement in which it said the ANP's speech did not reflect the perspectives of the political bloc and that the address had been delivered without proper consultation with other parties. It also cited its own perspectives on the issues raised and said the content of the speech was irrelevant in regards to the current peace effort.

Daw Aye Nu Sein explained that she had participated in the Union peace conference regularly, but the UPDJC had never before asked the ANP to censor a keynote speech or instructed it to gather other political parties' opinions. On previous occasions, she said, the NLD and USDP had themselves ignored the perspectives of other parties, without the UPDJC raising any objection.

"It is in the nature of political culture that there will be different perspectives, and we accept this. Though we have learned of the one-sided announcements in the state-owned newspapers today and feel very upset; without doubt, there is bias," she said.

Arakanese lawmaker U Pe Than, who is also attending the Naypyitaw peace conference, complained that his party was not informed in advance about the conference agenda. Moreover, he said, it was not realistic to expect a speech to be agreed upon in a short time by 23 ethnic political parties, all of whom have different opinions. He said if the government preferred collective papers, it should have organized a roundtable discussion for political parties before the peace conference.

"They accuse us of stating policies, but we have to question why the UPDJC failed to do so. Why else would they allow a political party to take its turn on the agenda? This is contradictory, and everything has been misinterpreted. Basically, this is a result of the UPDJC's weakness."

Since peace negotiations started in 2011, fighting between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations in Kachin and Shan states has resulted in more than 150,000 people becoming internally displaced. Eight armed groups signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the previous Thein Sein administration, while the New Mon State Party (MNSP) and Lahu Democratic Union inked the NCA as part of the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led peace process earlier this year.

The United Wa State Army (UWSA), National Democratic Alliance Army-Mongla and NSCN-K all signed ceasefire agreements with the former ruling military junta. They have all expressed their willingness to engage in political dialogue but have declined to sign the NCA.

The post ANP's Criticism of Government in Peace Conference Speech Sparks Controversy appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Transparency Concerns Raised About 7 Dam Projects in Southern Myanmar

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 06:04 AM PDT

YANGON — Local residents are concerned about the lack of transparency surrounding seven proposed dam projects backed by international companies in southern Myanmar, some of which have already resulted in forced displacement, land confiscation and loss of crops without compensation, according to a report by the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG).

The seven projects are expected to have total capacity of 2,265 megawatts. Along with the local company Asia World, the major investors are from Thailand, Japan and Norway. Many of the proposed projects are designed primarily to export electricity to Thailand or China. Construction on three of the projects is expected to begin in 2021 and be completed in 2022, the report said.

"We have no clue about the projects. The [National League for Democracy-led] government hasn't provided any information. There has been no public consultation with local people," Saw Tha Phoe, a coordinator at Karen Rivers Watch, told The Irrawaddy.

According to the report, the proposed dam projects are: Thauk Yay Hkat (1) in Thandtaung Township (120 MW); Hatgyi in Hlaingbwe Township (1,380 MW); Thawkahtar (160 MW) in Kyaukkyi Township; Bilin in Bilin Township (280 MW); Pata in Kawkareik Township (5 MW); Mehkatha in Kyain Seikgyi Township (120 MW); and Tanintharyi in Hteekhee Township (200 MW).

Some companies have started building roads and moving equipment to the dam sites and urged local people to move. Some residents have already been displaced from proposed project sites.

KHRG said Thai and Japanese companies have implemented initial construction and brought in transport equipment for some of the proposed dam projects, destroying villages and farms in Ler Muh Lah Township, Tanintharyi Region.

"People have been displaced from their villages without having a chance to discuss compensation,'' Saw Tha Phoe said.

KHRG said villagers from five of 10 investigated dam sites have reported cases of land confiscation and property damage. In all of these cases, villagers reported that compensation was not provided for land confiscation, or extensive damage to crops and natural fauna.

"Public consultations were not conducted, and rural ethnic communities were not able to negotiate for compensation," KHRG said.

According to the report, some of the projects were proposed after the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Myanmar Military signed a bilateral ceasefire in 2012. All of the projects are located in KNU-controlled areas in Karen State, Mon State and Tanintharyi Region.

"Some projects were approved under the previous government. Some were approved under the current government," Saw Tha Phoe said.

According to KHRG, when the NLD-led government declared its support for hydropower development along the Salween River, military clashes erupted between the Tatmadaw and its aligned Border Guard forces on one side, and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) on the other.

Military confrontations have occurred around the proposed dam sites; from 2014 to 2016 more than 7,400 residents of 35 villages were displaced near the proposed Hatgyi Dam project on the Salween River. If the Hatgyi Dam project is implemented, more than 30,000 people could be displaced from 50 villages upstream of the site, KHRG said.

Of the 50 large hydropower projects implemented in Myanmar to date, 42 are located in ethnic areas, according to KHRG.

The organization urged the government to ensure that implementation and planning of large-scale hydropower projects in ethnic areas is suspended until a comprehensive nationwide peace agreement is reached.

In March, more than 1,700 people living near the proposed Hatgyi Dam on the Salween River gathered to protest against the construction of dams on Myanmar's biggest rivers, including the Salween, Irrawaddy and others.

Before the proposed projects officially begin, Saw Tha Phoe said, the companies involved should discuss with local communities the payment of adequate compensation. The coordinator also urged the government to disclose all related information in order to demonstrate accountability.

The post Transparency Concerns Raised About 7 Dam Projects in Southern Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Military Chief’s Comment on Tatmadaw ‘Representing’ the People Draws Backlash Online

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 05:30 AM PDT

YANGON — Military commander-in-chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing's claim that the military (or Tatmadaw) represents all Myanmar nationals in his speech to the Union Peace Conference has drawn a strong negative response from the public on social media.

Addressing hundreds of delegates from the government, ethnic armed groups, political parties and Parliament on the first day of the conference on Wednesday, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said that neither the ethnic armed groups nor the country's political parties can claim to represent the entire population of 52 million. He added that political parties only represent their own supporters.

"Our Tatmadaw, being the people's Tatmadaw born of ethnic people, is an organization representing the state and the people," he said, asserting the legitimacy of the Tatmadaw and its positions on national issues.

The senior-general's remarks went viral on social media and quickly met with objections. Many netizens began posting "The Tatmadaw doesn't represent me" on their Facebook accounts.

Human rights activist Ko Moe Thway, who wrote "The Myanmar Army doesn't represent me" on Wednesday night, said he could not agree with the military chief's words.

"[The senior general's] statement could be misinterpreted to mean that the military reflects the public's voice. That's why I wrote [my comment]," he said.

"The armed services is a profession, like other occupations in which people choose to work; it doesn't need to be elected [by the people]," the activist said. The incumbent National League for Democracy-led government was elected by an overwhelming majority in the 2015 general election, whereas the Tatmadaw is an agency of the Ministry of Defense, just like agencies under other ministries of the Union government, he said, adding that the commander-in-chief was comparing apples and oranges.

Ko Moe Thway added that the military chief's comments would have been legitimate if he had said that the Tatmadaw "comprises" rather than "represents" many different ethnicities.

Daw Myint Myint Khin Pe, co-founder of the Free Funeral Services Society (FFSS)—which is known for its free funeral services for the poor, as well as its education initiatives and free health care services—also posted "the Tatmadaw doesn't represent me."

"I just made it clear that the Tatmadaw doesn't represent us, and what he said in his speech doesn't reflect us," she said.

U Nyan Win, a member of the NLD's central executive committee, objected to the senior general's comments that political parties only represent those who support them.

"I would say it is totally wrong," U Nyan Win told reporters in Naypyitaw. He did not comment on Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing's comment that the military represents all Myanmar nationals.

Buddhist monk U Issariya, who played a leading role in the 2007 Saffron Revolution, also posted "the Myanmar Tatmadaw doesn't represent me" on social media on Thursday.

He said that the Tatmadaw doesn't represent the people — rather, it represents a group of people.

The post Military Chief's Comment on Tatmadaw 'Representing' the People Draws Backlash Online appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Wa Delegate Faints Before Meeting With State Counselor, Rushed to Hospital

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 04:51 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The vice chairman of the United Wa State Army (UWSA), Bao Yu Yi, was rushed to hospital after he fainted before a meeting with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday in Naypyitaw.

The vice chairman and his team arrived in the capital along with representatives from other ethnic armed groups on Tuesday to attend the third session of the Union Peace Conference, which is now underway.

UWSA spokesman U Nyi Rang blamed the fainting on heat stroke.

"He's fine now but feeling tired," he said.

Due to Bao Yu Yi's hospitalization, UWSA's liaison officer, Zhao Guo An, joined the meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi instead.

"The climate here is quite different from our Wa region, and the food as well," said U Nyi Rang.

Bao Yu Yi, 65, appeared to be feeling weak on arriving in Naypyitaw and needed assistance walking at Wednesday’s opening ceremonies for the conference.

The post Wa Delegate Faints Before Meeting With State Counselor, Rushed to Hospital appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

NDAA ‘Will Sign the NCA at the Appropriate Time’

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 03:20 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The third session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference kicked off in Naypyitaw on Wednesday and will continue through Monday. The National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), also known as the Mongla Group or Shan State Special Region 4, one of the armed ethnic groups that have signed bilateral ceasefire agreements with the government, is attending the conference. U Kyi Myint, the general secretary of the NDAA, talked to Irrawaddy reporter Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint about the prospects for peace in Myanmar.

How has the Mongla Group prepared for the third session of the Panglong Conference?

We have come to attend the conference at the invitation of the government. We have come as a 22-member delegation led by Vice Chairman Hsan Per.

The objective of the Panglong Conference is to bring about national reconciliation and peace. We strongly support that objective.

We signed a ceasefire agreement with the government in June 1989. Almost 30 years have passed. The guns have been silent since then. And we're constantly engaged in developing our region. Why don't you come and see Mongla? We're enjoying the full benefits of peace.

Previously there were only dirt roads; now the roads are paved. And thatched houses have been replaced by high-rise buildings. Previously there were only monastic schools. Now we have modern schools and hospitals. Besides the 50-bed government hospital, we also have our own hospital. Things have changed a lot.

People can live an easy life now, unlike in the past. They are very sorry to see war refugees in other parts of the country. They pray for them.

So, we have come in the hope that the peace conference will bring about peace for the whole country.

The Mongla Group is an ally of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which is a bloc of non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) led by the United Wa State Army (UWSA). Will the Mongla hold talks with the FPNCC? 

The government invited us separately. The government has not yet accepted the FPNCC. All the ethnic groups based along the border are attending [the conference] with the assistance of the Chinese government.

In fact, neither we nor the UWSA have security problems. There are ethnicities living across the border. There are Kachin, Bamar, Ta'ang, Shan, and Akha, as well as Chinese people. Clashes that happen inside the country have an impact on them. China gives us a lot of support. We accept that peace is important for the country and that's why we've come here.

The UWSA, Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) and Mongla do not oppose peace, or the NCA. Both we and the Wa signed truces in 1989. It has been around 30 years, and there has not been a single clash or territorial dispute. We don't oppose the NCA.

But now the government says that while the previous agreement was signed in the presence of a few people, the new one [the NCA] will be signed in the presence of the international community, the Parliament, State leaders, military leaders and political parties, so it will last longer and be better. We and the Wa both accept it. We will sign when the time it appropriate. We can't shun that path. Nobody can fight for their whole life.

In the past, both the Wa region and our own lagged behind in development. Now things have changed a lot. Some towns and districts in the country do not even match up to us.

If that is the case, what are the prospects of you signing the NCA?

I can't predict the outcome, but we are negotiating.

Will the Mongla choose to sign the NCA or seek an alternative approach as the FPNCC has suggested?

The FPNCC was formed to hold political negotiations. But whether or not to sign the ceasefire is up to each group. Basically, there are three groups within the FPNCC: Those that have signed the truce, those that are constantly fighting [against government troops], and those who fight periodically.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach. So, we focus mainly on political dialogue. The rest will depend on discussions between us. The FPNCC was formed to persuade the groups still involved in fighting to join the peace process. It does not encourage them to continue fighting.

Critics say the Wa and Mongla support the Northern Alliance. What is your response? 

That is mainly because of the Kokang Group [also known as the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army-MNDAA]. The daughter of [Kokang leader] U Pheung Kya-shin is the wife of our chairman, U Sai Lin. So, they are relatives. We have sheltered the [Kokang] people who have fled [clashes between the Myanmar Army and MNDAA].

We have negotiated with the Tatmadaw about sheltering them. But there are certain things we don't allow the Kokang to do [in NDAA areas], such as conducting military exercises, recruiting, and taking arms [from us] to fight [with the Myanmar Army]. The Wa have made the same request to them. We've urged the MNDAA to take the path of peace.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post NDAA 'Will Sign the NCA at the Appropriate Time' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Wild Boars’ Story Shows Happy Endings Do Happen

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 03:11 AM PDT

Thailand has done a fantastic job in rescuing the "Wild Boars" — 12 young soccer players and their coach, who were trapped deep in a cave in Northern Thailand.

It was amazing to see how Thai authorities moved quickly to mobilize army, navy and air force personnel, government officials and volunteers to help find the missing children.

When the forces assembled at the cave, the coordination, teamwork and spirit were impressive and the international community watched breathlessly to see how the Thais would organize and begin the rescue operation while maintaining their customary smiles and resilience.

In effect, we were enthralled by two simultaneous contests – one was the World Cup and the other the race against time to save the lives of the young soccer players. In the end, even FIFA could not ignore the drama and has invited the kids to the World Cup Final. To get assistance from abroad, the Thais opened their doors to foreign experts and renowned cave divers to come and join a squad of Thai Navy Seals.

Over 1,000 troops and doctors and nurses and volunteers quickly set up camp at the cave and helicopters flew in from nearby to rush the rescued boys to the hospital in Chiang Rai.

Closely watching the rescue operation from next door, Myanmar citizens could only wonder what would have been the fate of the kids if a similar emergency had happened in our country?

The contribution from Myanmar was unusual as the popular Shan monk known as Maing Hpone Sayadaw visited the Tham Luang cave complex three times to hold religious rites.

The day after his second visit, the rain that had been pouring down in the area for days stopped and the missing group was located. Many Thais believe the monk's intervention prompted the hiatus in the rain. But it was the divers and Navy Seals who did the dangerous job of rescuing the boys.

Aside from the Shan monk, we discovered that the wonderful 25-year-old-coach Ekkapol Chanthawong, better known by his nickname "Ake," is from Shan State. He has been credited with keeping the boys alive while the cave ordeal riveted the world.

Ekkapol Chanthawong (left) / Thai Navy SEALs /Facebook

In the dark and surrounded by floodwaters, Ake told the boys not to move around too much to conserve energy, and taught them meditation techniques to keep them calm. Ake spent most of the past decade as a monk in a Buddhist monastery. He then left the monastery to care for his ailing grandmother in Mae Sai, northern Thailand, and was later hired by the Wild Boars football team's head coach to train the boys in daily practice sessions. In Mae Sai–Tachilek, many children live such cross-border lives with some ending up studying in Thai schools. Of course, some of the children leave Myanmar due to the poverty and ongoing armed conflict.

This includes the ambitious but gentle 14-year-old Wa student Adun Sam-on, a.k.a Aik Lu, who was among the 12 children. He was the one who communicated with the British divers who first reached the group on July 2.

Go Shin Maung of Mae Sai Grace Church, which Aik Lu has called home for most of his life, told The Irrawaddy that he was born in Thailand to ethnic Wa parents from Myanmar's Wa Self-Administered Region. Aik Lu's parents left him in northern Thailand so that he could get a better education.

Aik Lu speaks English, Thai, Burmese and Chinese, which he learned at the church, is an all-around athlete and also plays the violin, piano and guitar. He also helps take care of his friends and teachers as well.

While the children were in the cave, some Thai media played a key role in calming the public, telling them it was not the time to blame anyone, especially the coach. Doctors and psychiatrists went to see family members to counsel them.

Inside the cave, with the water level rising, a rescue operation to extract the children was ordered earlier than planned. Everyone worked together, regardless of race or religion, as the goal was to save the lives of the young soccer players and return them home.

Much credit must go to the provincial governor, Narongsak Osotthanakorn, who demonstrated leadership skills in directing and coordinating the rescue mission.

During the operation, he told his staff, "Anyone who cannot make enough sacrifices can go home and stay with their families. You can sign out and leave straight away. I will not report any of you. For those who want to work, you must be ready…"

The 17-day rescue operation was a life and death situation — hopes rose and faded day by day. It may be quite convenient to follow and watch this news on TV but in reality the operation was carried out in difficult conditions: rising water, changing weather and a large and complex cave system.

When we learned that Saman Gunan, a 38-year-old Thai Navy Seal, had died in the cave during the rescue effort, everyone feared that the boys would not come out alive. But hope lingered.

When D-Day arrived, the media was relocated as the Thais began the final rescue. The 12 boys wore full-face scuba masks and were attached to divers as they traversed the underwater parts of the cave. The Navy Seal chief appeared to confirm reports that the boys had been sedated for the journey, telling the press briefing: "Along the way some may have slept."


The Thai government released a video clip to confirm that the 12 young soccer players and their coach rescued from the Tham Luang cave were all in good health.

Luck was on the Wild Boars' side. The emergency ended like a Hollywood movie, with the kids the winners and everyone getting to share in the happiness and joy. The world wanted to connect with the boys and to share in an inspiring story at this time of political divisiveness and uncertainty in the world. Great characters, it seemed, were in all the right places to defeat the odds.  

Narongsak, who has become a national hero following the successful rescue, called the boys "a symbol of unity among mankind". He added: "Everyone worked together, regardless of race and religion, as the goal was the rescue of the youth soccer team and returning them home safely."

It was mission impossible with a happy ending.

The Irrawaddy dispatched a group of reporters to Mae Sai to broadcast live reports and stories from there to its readers in Myanmar and beyond. 

The post Wild Boars' Story Shows Happy Endings Do Happen appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Advocacy Groups Seek Gender Equality Policy

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 02:40 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Women's advocacy groups urged delegates attending the third session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference this week to push for a gender equality policy regarding women's representations across all sectors.

As many key federal principles related to equality for ethnic minorities, autonomy and the Constitution have been kept out of discussion during this round of talks, the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee decided that gender equality issues would help keep the process going forward.

During interviews with dozens of delegates at the peace conference that commenced on Wednesday, some people expressed their disappointment, as gender equality is the only issue under the political sector discussions, while others acknowledged that it is essential.

Some male politicians expressed that gender equality is not a key issue. But others who are involved in the ongoing peace negotiations and legislature acknowledged its importance.

"We hope a gender equality policy is agreed upon and approved after this session," said Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, adding but it won't be completed at once and will need further discussion. Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win is the vice chairman of the Karen National Union, a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. He has been involved in peace negotiations since they began in 2011.

"I think a gender equality policy could be incorporated into the Constitution," said Naw Pan Thinzar Myo, the Karen ethnic affairs minister of Yangon Region. She told The Irrawaddy that women can contribute in many sectors including development and peace negotiations but that a supportive environment is needed for that to occur.

"When women are allowed the space to contribute, they can do more," she said. "The more women who participate, the closer we will be to attaining peace."

Gender equality is a discussion that is a long time coming, some say.

"It is late now to be discussing this issue in our country," said Hket Htain Nan, a former lawmaker who is participating in the conference as a political parties delegate. He is the chairman of the Unity and Democracy Party of Kachin State.

In a joint statement released on Tuesday, the Alliance for Gender Inclusion in the Peace Process (AGIPP) and Women's League of Burma (WLB) said a gender equality policy must be in place in the future democratic federal Union.

It stated that delegates of all sectors: political, economic, social, land, and environment and security, need to include in discussions at least a 30 percent quota system; that the election system must guarantee gender equality in the Constitution; and that effective policies must be in place to protect women and children who face gender-based violence in conflict zones.

It also urged for policies that guarantee accountability and discourage gender discrimination.

"There are many people who think that gender equality is not important, but it is incredibly important, as there is extreme inequality in reality," said Htang Kai Naung of the Kachin State Women's Network, which is a member of AGIPP.

"Women have been discriminated against either because of tradition or religious beliefs," she added. "Only when women are allowed to participate in the current peace process, in which the principles for a future Constitution are being set, will the legislation provide better protection and support for them."

Members of society need to accept this and more men should help raise the issue, added Htang Kai Naung.

The post Advocacy Groups Seek Gender Equality Policy appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Noted Myanmar Environmentalist Dies

Posted: 12 Jul 2018 01:50 AM PDT

YANGON — U Ohn, a devoted environmentalist, died on Wednesday of natural causes at the age of 91 at his residence in Yangon's Mayangone Township, according to his family members.

"He was doing well on Tuesday night but didn't wake up the next morning. I am proud of him as a distinguished environmentalist. We've lost a scholar," Ma Khin Thuzar Tint, granddaughter of U Ohn, told The Irrawaddy.

U Ohn was born in 1927 in a rural village in Sagaing Region. He studied forestry from 1952 to 1956 at Wales University in England.

He served as a director in the Forestry Department from 1957 to 1988, and also worked as a forester in a greening project at Mt. Popa in Mandalay Region.

"He designed plans for the long-term conservation of Mt. Popa starting in 1980. He educated the locals about the importance of forests," said U Aung Hein, acting secretary of the Mt. Popa-Lovers' Group, a local non-profit organization engaged in the conservation of the mountain.

"He appointed hunters and those who earn their livelihoods by selling firewood to the forestry department to take care of Mt. Popa. He urged locals to grow perennial trees."

"And now we're enjoying the benefits. Otherwise, the forests would be gone because of the expansion of farmland and residential areas. As Popa has forests, it receives higher rainfall than other areas even though it is located in the arid zone in central Myanmar," he added.

He served as a forestry adviser from 1988 to 1993 and studied forest research, environmental conservation, and national park governance in the United States, Europe, India, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Singapore.

He took the lead role in the establishment of Popa, Alaungdaw Kathapa, Chatthin, and Hlawga national parks and wildlife sanctuaries under the National Park and Nature Conservation program of the United Nations Development Program.

He retired from the Forest Resource Environmental Development Association (FREDA) in 2015 because of his health, but he remained an honorary patron, according to officials of the association.

Founded in 1996, FREDA is a non-profit and non-governmental organization in the forestry sector of Myanmar. It comprises more than 400 members including foresters, botanists, agronomists, zoologists, veterinary scientists, hydro-geologists, engineers, timber businessmen, journalists, artists and more.

U Ohn won the Minamata award presented by Japan in 2005 due to his afforestation efforts at Mt. Popa from 1982 to 1986 and restoration of 2,500 acres of mangrove forests in the Irrawaddy Delta between 1997 and 2007.

He is the first person to win an environmental award in Myanmar. His funeral will be held on Friday at Yayway Cemetery.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Noted Myanmar Environmentalist Dies appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai Court Dismisses Charges Against Myanmar Workers in Landmark Case

Posted: 11 Jul 2018 10:32 PM PDT

MUMBAI — A court in Bangkok on Wednesday dismissed criminal defamation charges against workers from Myanmar who had accused a chicken farm of abuses, in a landmark ruling seen as a rare victory for migrant workers’ rights in Thailand.

The case was triggered by a complaint that 14 workers filed to Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in 2016 about forced overtime, being paid under the minimum wage, confiscation of passports, and limited freedom of movement.

The workers were charged in October in a first-of-its-kind criminal defamation case, which prompted campaigners to urge better protection for migrant laborers who complain about working conditions.

On Wednesday, a judge said he believed that the workers filed the NHRC complaint against the Thammakaset chicken farm in “good faith," and without false information.

“This is a very good verdict for all migrant workers in the country,” said Nakhon Chompuchat, a lawyer for the defendants.

“It says workers need not be afraid to speak up against violations by their employers. The workers are very happy,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

If convicted, the workers faced up to one year in prison and fines.

Their former employer, Thammakaset farm, which supplied the Thai food conglomerate Betagro, denied the charges from the outset and launched a lawsuit against the workers, saying the complaint has damaged its reputation.

Betagro, which sells to companies around the globe, later said it had cut ties with the farm.

The farm owner has denied any wrongdoing, and said that employees voluntarily worked nights to rack up bonuses and chose to sleep next to the chicken warehouse.

On Wednesday, the owner said he could not immediately comment on the verdict and did not answer subsequent phone calls.

Thailand has been at the center of a slew of slavery and human trafficking cases, including in its seafood sector, with migrants from Myanmar thought to suffer much of the worst exploitation, according to rights groups.

In the face of mounting global scrutiny of supply chains, Thailand has strengthened laws to crack down on labor exploitation, but activists say it is still widespread.

Wednesday’s verdict will help bolster the rights of migrant workers in the country, said Sutharee Wannasiri at the advocacy group Fortify Rights.

“The Thai court today sent a strong message to businesses that the authorities guarantee the right of alleged human rights victims to submit complaints … without fear of retaliation,” she said.

“Migrant workers’ contributions are vital to Thailand’s economic development. It is important that the Thai government adopts policies that protect their rights,” she said in a statement.

Earlier this year, the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights said that Thai businesses must act to prevent rights violations, and the government must better protect migrant workers.

The verdict should encourage companies “to work collaboratively with critical voices and address legitimate grievances of migrant workers,” said Surya Deva of City University of Hong Kong who participated in the UN group.

The post Thai Court Dismisses Charges Against Myanmar Workers in Landmark Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai Boys Wave to the World in First Video Since Their Rescue

Posted: 11 Jul 2018 09:46 PM PDT

CHIANG RAI, Thailand — The first video of the Thai boys rescued from a flooded cave after 17 days was released on Wednesday, showing them smiling and waving from their hospital beds, looking thin but fine after an ordeal that has gripped the world.

The last group of the 12-member “Wild Boars” soccer team and their coach was brought out of the Tham Luang cave, near the border with Myanmar, on Tuesday night, safely ending a dangerous rescue and evoking international relief and joy.

Rescue mission chief Narongsak Osottanakorn told a news conference the boys were just being children when they got lost and no one was to blame.

“We don’t see the children as at fault or as heroes. They are children being children, it was an accident,” Narongsak said.

A video of the boys in hospital was shown at the news conference. Some of them, wearing surgical masks, lay on their beds. Some sat and made the “peace sign” gesture for the camera.

None of the boys was heard speaking in the clips shown at the news conference.

The 12 boys and their soccer coach lost an average of 2 kg (4.4 lbs.) during their ordeal but were generally in good condition and showed no signs of stress, a senior health official said earlier.

After being brought out of the cave, one by one beginning on Sunday, they were taken by helicopter to a hospital in the town of Chiang Rai, about 70 km (45 miles) away, to stay in quarantine.

The boys would have to stay in the hospital for up to 10 days, hospital director Chaiwetch Thanapaisal told the news conference. They would then need to recuperate at home for 30 days, he said.

Parents of the first eight boys freed have been able to visit them but had to wear protective suits and stand 2 meters (7 feet) away as a precaution. Authorities are worried about the possibility of infections picked up in the cave.

Thongchai Lertwilairattanapong, a health department inspector, earlier told reporters one from the last group rescued on Tuesday had a lung infection and they were all given vaccinations for rabies and tetanus.

"Not Heroes"

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha asked that the boys be given time to recover.

“The important thing is … personal space,” Prayuth told reporters. “The best way is not to bother them and let them study.”

The group ventured into the vast cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai after soccer practice on June 23 and were trapped when a rainy season downpour flooded tunnels.

They were lost for nine days before British rescue divers discovered them on July 2, sitting on a ledge in a half-flooded chamber.

Getting them out – which involved teaching boys as young as 11 who were not strong swimmers to dive through narrow, submerged passages – proved a monumental challenge.

A former member of Thailand’s navy SEAL unit died during a mission in the cave on Friday.

Narongsak, giving details of the rescue, said falling oxygen levels inside the cave complex had added a sense of urgency.

The commander of the navy SEAL unit that oversaw the rescue, Rear Admiral Apakorn Yuukongkaew, hailed the international effort.

“We are not heroes. This mission was successful because of cooperation from everyone,” he said. “For SEALs, this is what we were trained for. The navy has a motto: ‘We don’t abandon the people.'

Official help came from Britain, the United States, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, China and Australia, a government document showed. There were volunteers from Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Canada, Ukraine and Finland.

Narongsak said about half of the 13 foreign divers on the crack team of 18 who rescued the boys were British. The other five on the team were Thai navy SEAL divers.

"So Strong"

The rescue has dominated front-page headlines in Thailand and beyond for days.

“Hooyah! Mission accomplished,” read one headline, echoing the rallying cry of the SEAL unit.

The hashtag #Hooyah was hugely popular on social media with people showing their support for the hundreds of rescuers, including divers from around the world, who helped to get the boys out.

The fate of the boys has even resonated as far as Russia, where soccer’s World Cup is reaching its final stages. Players from France and England welcomed news of the rescue and sent their best wishes to the “Wild Boars” on Twitter.

“This victory goes to the heroes of the day, well done boys, you are so strong,” French midfielder Paul Pogba tweeted after his team beat Belgium 1-0 on Tuesday to reach the final.

Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker, whose team faces Croatia in the second semi-final later on Wednesday, said he wanted to send shirts to the boys.

“Amazing news that all of the Thai kids are out of the cave safely!” Walker tweeted.

A Google search on Tuesday for the words “Thai cave rescue” revealed 359 million results.

The post Thai Boys Wave to the World in First Video Since Their Rescue appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

US Firms Doing Business in China Mostly Oppose Tariffs, Survey Shows

Posted: 11 Jul 2018 09:39 PM PDT

SHANGHAI — Most US businesses operating in China oppose the use of tariffs in retaliation for the challenges they face, from an uneven playing field to poor protection of intellectual property rights, a survey showed on Thursday.

Almost 69 percent of the 434 respondents to the annual China Business Climate Survey of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai opposed tariffs, while just 8.5 percent backed them, the body said.

“Resolving these challenges in an equitable manner is essential for the United States and China to have a healthy long-term commercial relationship that brings benefits to both our peoples,” it said in a statement on the survey results.

The survey, conducted between April 10 and May 10, reflects the mix of key concerns and realities for American businesses in China at a time of heightened uncertainty as the Trump administration raises the ante in its trade war with Beijing.

US President Donald Trump has accused China of unfair trade practices that give its firms an advantage, while hobbling American companies and creating an outsized trade deficit for the United States.

On Tuesday, the office of the US Trade Representative said it would impose 10 percent tariffs on an extra $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, from food products to tobacco, chemicals, coal, steel and aluminum.

The survey showed that while US companies continue to face challenges in China, 34 percent of respondents felt Chinese government policies toward foreign companies had improved, up from 28 percent last year.

The number of companies that felt policies had worsened for foreign firms fell to 23 percent from 33 percent, although 60 percent of respondents felt China’s regulatory environment lacked transparency, on par with last year.

Insufficient intellectual property rights protection and the need to get licenses were the top two regulatory challenges, although slightly fewer companies found both to be a hindrance in the 2018 poll, compared with that of 2017.

To force greater market access, 42 percent of respondents favored investment reciprocity, up from 40 percent last year. But the number opposing it also grew, to 16 percent, from 9 percent last year. The number of those unsure rose to 44 percent from 31 percent.

“Despite the relative optimism our members feel guarded about the future,” AmCham said in its statement.

Concerns such as government favoritism for domestic firms and pressure on US ones in strategically important sectors to transfer technology were “stoking demand for reciprocity in the US-China trading relationship, even if our members generally oppose the use of retaliatory trade tariffs,” it added.

The biggest operational challenge of all was rising costs, an issue confronting more than 95 percent of respondents, the poll showed. More than 85 percent of respondents saw domestic competition as a challenge.

The proportion of companies expecting to be profitable was basically flat, at about 77 percent, but firms signaled they were pulling back slightly on investment.

The survey showed 53 percent of companies increased investment in 2017, down from 55 percent the year before, highlighting a trend of reduced investment growth since a 2012 peak, when 74 percent of respondents said they had boosted investment in China.

The post US Firms Doing Business in China Mostly Oppose Tariffs, Survey Shows appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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