AllSBNews: The Irrawaddy Magazine

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Government Quickly Distances Itself from Facebook Bans on Military
Myanmar Govt Rejects UN Report on Military Human Rights Violations
Investigation into Land Allegedly Owned by U Thein Sein, Ex-Ministers Suspended
Govt Refuses to Allow Shan Coalition to Hold Meeting in Taunggyi
State Counselor Tells Education Minister to Improve Library Access
Record Arrests in Drug Bust in Kyaukse Township
Restrictions on NGOs in Rohingya Camps Trouble Aid Workers
Lawmaker Resigns, Citing Lack of Trust in Regional Govt
‘Scanning’ the Imagination of a Veteran Artist
Experience an Aussie Dining ‘Sensation’ at Sule Shangri-La
Japan says North Korea Still Poses a Dire Threat to its Security
Mahathir Takes Aim at Country Garden’s Giant Development in Southern Malaysia
Rising Carbon Levels Threaten Diets of Hundreds of Millions of Poor
Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Government Quickly Distances Itself from Facebook Bans on Military

Posted: 28 Aug 2018 08:18 AM PDT

YANGON—The government moved quickly on Monday to deny that it had any role in or advance knowledge of Facebook's decision to ban the pages and accounts of several senior Myanmar military officials including Army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Speaking to reporters in Naypyitaw late on Monday evening, President's Office spokesperson U Zaw Htay said that soon after Facebook made the announcement, he received calls from military officials, including a number of lieutenant-generals, asking if he had any information about the account closures.

Amid heavy condemnation for failing to combat hate speech against Rohingya and other Muslims, the social media giant on Monday announced it was removing 18 Facebook accounts, one Instagram account and 52 Facebook pages of military individuals and organizations "to prevent the spread of hate and misinformation" on the platforms.

Military commander-in-chief Sen-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and Myawady TV — the military's propaganda television network — were among those whose pages and accounts were banned.

"Neither the government nor [the government's] social media monitoring team played a part in [the decision by Facebook]," U Zaw Htay said.

"We are concerned that misunderstandings that the government played a role in the decision will hinder the government's efforts on national reconciliation," he said.

The government has asked Facebook to more fully explain the bans.

Facebook's action came hours after the UN Human Rights Council's fact-finding mission on Myanmar released its report, which found that the actions of Myanmar's military leadership against the Rohingya had "genocidal intent".

"We want to prevent them from using our service to further inflame ethnic and religious tensions," Facebook said in its announcement. The pages and accounts' content violated its Community Standards, it added.

Former Lieutenant-General U Thaung Aye, a Lower House lawmaker for the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), described Facebook's move as "one-sided", given that the military had launched several investigations into accusations of human-rights violations and taken action against the perpetrators.

"The Tatmadaw [Myanmar's military] is a really strong institution in our country. Those [Facebook] accounts were used by this institution to report its good activities. Myawady TV is also a news agency reporting in line with the [media] policy for all people… To me, it is like insulting the sovereignty of our country. The government should respond decisively," he said.

Veteran journalist and Myanmar analyst Bertil Lintner said the Army chief would likely be much more upset about being excluded from Facebook than at the prospect of being brought before the International Criminal Court, because the ban is something that really impacts him directly.

Followed by millions of the Army chief's supporters and other members of the public, the removed accounts and pages were the military's main channels of communication with the people.

Some believed the Facebook ban would make it more difficult for observers to monitor the military, the military chief and the activities and interactions among its supporters. However, U Myint Kyaw, a member of the Myanmar Press Council, downplayed the move's impact, pointing out that the military already has its own websites.

He added that one positive impact of the ban is that it would remove a platform for lobbying by certain groups who were trying to influence people.

In his view, Facebook's removal of the military's accounts and pages was a political move aimed at an organization, rather than an attempt to curb hate speech and disinformation in Myanmar.

"The impact won't be significant. But it could harm their dignity. And if the military assumes the government was behind it — as there were meetings between Facebook and the Myanmar government before — it won't be good for military-government relations," he said.

Ma Mon Mon Myat, a doctoral student at the Institute of Religion, Culture and Peace at Payap University, said Facebook's removal of the blue checkmark verifying Sen-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing's account was intended as an act of "naming and shaming". She said that taking such action against an individual for being accused of human rights abuses in a UN report was childish, despite its stated aim of targeting hate speech.

However, she added that she welcomed the closure of other propaganda accounts with millions of followers that were spreading hate speech and contributed to the promotion of disinformation in the country.

Yangon regional lawmaker Ko Nay Phone Latt, a free-speech advocate who has campaigned against online hate speech, pointed out that it was a weakness that Facebook has been used as the primary official channel for news releases and public communications, adding that the government should also consider the need to strengthen the country's independent media.

He didn't think Facebook's removal of military accounts would reduce the spread of hate in the country.

"Indeed, hate speech mainly spreads via fake accounts and pages, rather than verified accounts. Without monitoring those accounts systematically and taking action against them, [hate speech] won't be reduced," he said.

Moe Moe contributed additional reporting from Naypyitaw.

The post Government Quickly Distances Itself from Facebook Bans on Military appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Govt Rejects UN Report on Military Human Rights Violations

Posted: 28 Aug 2018 06:07 AM PDT

YANGON—A spokesperson of the Myanmar government has rejected the UN fact-finding mission's report which calls for genocide charges against the country's military leadership for attacking Muslim Rohingya and which also blames the country's de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for failing to intervene.

The UN Human Rights Council released its 'Report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar' on Monday. The council set up the mission in March 2017 based on its resolution "to establish the facts and circumstances of the alleged recent human rights violations by military and security forces, and abuses, in Myanmar, in particular in Rakhine State.'

A member of the mission Christopher Sidoti told media on Monday the mission has concluded that criminal investigation and prosecution is warranted, and should focus on top Tatmadaw (Myanmar's military) generals in relation to three categories of crimes under international law: genocide, crime against humanity and war crimes.

"The Security Council should act to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court or to establish a special ad hoc tribunal on Myanmar," he said.

The report names the Myanmar Army's commander-in-chief, Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, and five other generals who should face justice.

A few hours after the report was launched on Monday, U Zaw Htay, the spokesperson of Myanmar President Office told media that the government had "a clear view" on the fact finding mission's report.

"Precisely speaking, Myanmar didn't accept the UNHRC's resolution, so we reject the mission's actions to implement the resolution," he said.

The spokesperson said Myanmar has dissociated itself from the UNHRC's resolution (since last year) and rejected the formation of fact finding mission.

"When the mission asked for permission to visit Myanmar, we didn't allow it and we replied we wouldn't collaborate as we didn't agree with the resolution," he said.

The report said the mission had requested in-country access four times from September last year through to March 2018 but received no official response.

"This report was shared with the government prior to its public release. No response was received," the report stated.

On Monday, the mission's chairman Marzuki Darusman told media that the single most significant factor had been addressed in the report.

"There's the role of Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing and the only way forward is to call for [his] resignation and stepping down immediately," he said.

Radhika Coomaraswamy, also a member of the mission said, "We are deeply disappointed with the State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as [she has] not used her position or her moral authority to stand up, prevent or condemn the unfolding events in Rakhine State."

Regarding the events in Rakhine State, the report names military leaders to be prosecuted, namely Tatmadaw Commander-in-Chief, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, as well as Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Vice Senior-General Soe Win; Commander, Bureau of Special Operations-3, Lieutenant-General Aung Kyaw Zaw; Commander, Western Regional Military Command, Major-General Maung Maung Soe; Commander, 33^rdLight Infantry Division, Brigadier-General Aung Aung, Commander; and 99^th Light Infantry Division, Brigadier-General Than Oo," says the report.

This is not the first call for their prosecution. In June this year, the same individuals were named in Amnesty International's report which also stated that the senior leaders along with their subordinates should be tried for crimes against humanity for the military's actions against the Rohingya community in northern Rakhine State last year.

The post Myanmar Govt Rejects UN Report on Military Human Rights Violations appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Investigation into Land Allegedly Owned by U Thein Sein, Ex-Ministers Suspended

Posted: 28 Aug 2018 05:35 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — An investigation into the ownership of some 900 acres (364 hectares) of land allegedly acquired illegally by former President U Thein Sein and his cabinet members in administrative capital Naypyitaw has been suspended due to legal barriers.

A task force was formed by the Naypyitaw Council to launch an investigation after 169 local farmers filed a complaint that 16 individuals including former President U Thein Sein and ex-ministers acquired lands near the village of Za Laung in Ottarathiri Township without going through the proper channels.

Under the Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Lands Management Law, the government can inspect if lands are being used or remain inactive four years after land use permits are issued. If inactive, the government can confiscate unused lands four years after permits are issued.

According to the documents seen by the task force, those lands were applied for in 2016. So, it has only been two years and it is impossible to investigate, said Upper House lawmaker U Maung Maung Swe, who is leading the task force.

The task force has therefore suggested to the Naypyitaw Council that the government's confiscated land review committee could launch an investigation, he told The Irrawaddy.

The land, located near milepost 211 on the Yangon-Mandalay Expressway, was previously owned by the Forest Department and had been used by local farmers for decades.

Ex-ministers acquired those lands in 2010, and the previous government created the Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Lands Management Law in 2012 to legitimize their acquisition of those lands, claimed U Tin Min Naing, a representative of local farmers.

"We asked the Naypyitaw Council chairman on August 21 to assign the Naypyitaw confiscated land review committee to inspect those lands," U Maung Maung Swe told The Irrawaddy.

President U Thein Sein applied for and got land-use permits, known as Form-7, said U Tin Min Naing. According to the procedure, the former president should also have applied for other forms at the concerned ward administration office to make sure there was no objection to his acquisition of those lands. But U Thein Sein got Form-7 without following the procedure, said U Tin Min Naing.

In June 2010, people living on those lands, now a mango plantation zone, were asked to leave from, apparently ordered by the former president.

Local farmers claimed that parts of their farmland along with crops and water wells were bulldozed when U Thein Sein fenced off his would-be mango plantation.

"Our farms were destroyed for no reason. About 15 acres of my land were confiscated. I had 0.5 acres of paddy fields and got a compensation of 250,000 kyats. But I didn't get compensation for land used for growing crops," said local farmer U Min Tun.

The land was permitted for growing mangos, agarwood and rubber, and a minimum 50 acres of land had to be bought at a price of 50,000 kyats ($33.25) per acre at that time, said a source close to the accused ex-ministers.

He claimed that the farmers had been compensated twice — once by the Forest Department and again by the former ministers.

"Farmers now want to get more as land prices near the expressway have increased with time," he said.

"My 20 acres of land were confiscated. I got compensation for three acres of paddy fields—1.5 million kyats. But, I didn't receive compensation for lands used for growing other crops," said U Zaw Lin.

According to locals, military officials from the ranks of captain to general as well as former government officials transferred from the military own those lands.

According to U Tin Min Naing, others who have acquired those lands are ex-ministers U Hla Tun, U Kyaw Kyaw Win, U Tin Naing Thein, U Thein Tun, U Kyaw Has, Major General Aung Than Htut, Attorney General U Aye Maung, Major General Ye Aung, Major General Ko Ko, Major General Kyaw Swe, Major General Kyaw Htay Win, Major General Htay Oo and current Labor Minister U Thein Swe.

"Farmers have not received compensation from U Soe Naing, U Maung Maung Swe, Major General Kyaw Htay Win, Major general Htay Oo, Captain Pyae Sone, Major General Ko Ko, Major General Kyaw Swe, former Home Affairs minister U Maung Oo and Major General Aung Than Htut," he said.

"Farmers want the land returned. They will only take compensation if they can't get the land back," he added.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Investigation into Land Allegedly Owned by U Thein Sein, Ex-Ministers Suspended appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt Refuses to Allow Shan Coalition to Hold Meeting in Taunggyi

Posted: 28 Aug 2018 05:14 AM PDT

MON STATE — The Myanmar government has denied the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) permission to hold a scheduled two-day meeting in Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State, Shan sources said.

The CSSU is a coalition of civil society organizations, political parties and two armed groups, the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and the Shan State Progressive Party. The organization holds periodic meetings as a forum for all ethnic Shan leaders to discuss politics, economic and social issues, security, and issues relating to land and the environment.

A director of the government's National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) informed the chairman of the CSSU yesterday by phone that the government would not allow the September meeting to proceed. The NRPC conducts peace negotiations with ethnic armed groups on behalf of the government.

"They would not give us permission for our meeting, but they did not give a reason. Why?," CSSU Chairman Sai Aik Pao said.

He said he was told the NRPC would send a letter soon explaining the decision.

The CSSU last week sent a letter to the NRPC requesting permission to hold the meeting. Planned for Sept. 3 and 4 in Taunggyi, the aim of the meeting was to support the peace process in the country, according to the coalition.

"We had already arranged a hotel for the meeting. We're really disappointed. We have no idea why they did not give us permission. We all are ethnic brothers," he said.

This is the second time the government has taken action to block a CSSU meeting. Thai authorities refused to allow a CSSU meeting to proceed in Chiang Mai last July after the Myanmar government objected to it.

Still smarting from the break-up of the meeting in Thailand, the CSSU leaders decided to hold an event in Taunggyi in September, expecting that the National League for Democracy-led government would consent to it.

The CSSU has only been given permission to hold one of the three meetings it has sought permission to hold since the NLD came to power. Sai Aik Pao said it was actually more difficult to deal with the current government than with the former government under U Thein Sein.

Many ethnic Shan leaders expressed disappointment at the decision. Some said the Myanmar government was using its power to suppress ethnic rights.

Sao Khun Sai, a political adviser to the RCSS based in Chiang Mai, said the Myanmar government gave out favors to certain groups and withheld them from others it did not like, including the Shan.

He said such actions by the government were at odds with its goal of achieving peace. He urged the government to treat all parties equally for the sake of unity.

The RCSS is a signatory to the government-brokered Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. Sao Khun Sai said that the group signed the agreement in the belief that the Myanmar government and army would not use armed force or state power to solve political conflicts.

However, in this case the Myanmar government had used its authority to prevent the CSSU from holding the meeting, he said. Rather than taking steps to encourage ethnic Shan to strengthen ties with the Union, it seems as if the government is trying to push ethnic Shan to secede from it, he said.

The post Govt Refuses to Allow Shan Coalition to Hold Meeting in Taunggyi appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

State Counselor Tells Education Minister to Improve Library Access

Posted: 28 Aug 2018 05:04 AM PDT

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi told the education minister to ensure that students always have access to libraries during a literature talk with 22 university students in Yangon on Tuesday afternoon.

This is the second literature talk she has held with university students this month. The first was in Mandalay on Aug. 11.

"Dr. Myo Thein Gyi," she said, addressing the education minister, "please make sure the libraries are not locked." She made the comment after students told her about how difficult it was for them to use libraries when they needed to, as the important books are often locked away.

The state counselor said the culture of using libraries for reading and research has been slowly fading in Myanmar's education system and in society. She said that people in Myanmar are full of enthusiasm about reading, but lack sufficient books to read. She cited her experience with the Daw Khin Kyi Foundation, established in her mother's name. Since 2012, the foundation has created libraries and distributed books.

"Books are getting rare for the public to read, it is not that they have less appetite to read," she said, adding that everyone must participate to create an environment in which books for both children and adults are available. She said children should be nurtured to love reading from early childhood.

Since the National League for Democracy came to power, it has organized a number of literature discussions for adults and kids in most towns. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi added that the government had also opened mobile libraries in 11 townships so far.

The university students, whose majors included education, medicine, information technology, architecture, foreign languages and international relations, shared their thoughts on literature and how it had influenced their lives.

The state counselor encouraged the participants to develop their analytical and critical thinking skills.

Earlier this month she urged youth to read more literature and spend less time playing games on mobile phones.

Tuesday's talk was an active one, with the participants having arrived well prepared to discuss certain talking points.

Comparing the event with previous public talks held since 2017, a commenter wrote under a live stream of Tuesday's discussion that, "This discussion has been the best."

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been holding talks with different groups in various locations on a range of topics including peace, youth affairs, business and literature since January 2017. She held a business talk with various economic stakeholders in Naypyitaw on Aug. 27.

As this discussion concerned literature, thoughts on poetry, novels and the role of literature in Myanmar's education system dominated.

In her introductory remarks, the state counselor said the aim of holding such literary discussions is to develop "soft power" as a tool for changing minds and attitudes. She cited the influence of Korean dramas around the world — including in Myanmar — as an example of this type of soft power. She added that it was a discussion about soft power with the information minister that led her to organize the literature talk.

The post State Counselor Tells Education Minister to Improve Library Access appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Record Arrests in Drug Bust in Kyaukse Township

Posted: 28 Aug 2018 03:53 AM PDT

MANDALAY — Kyaukse police arrested 82 alleged drug users on Monday in a record high number of arrests for drugs in Kyaukse Township, Mandalay Region.

As part of 'Operation Eagle,' an anti-narcotic and anti-crime operation being carried out in Mandalay Region, police stormed Lattpan Village located about two miles north of Kyaukse, and arrested 74 men and 2 women, and seized a minivan and 43 motorcycles.

"We've arrested a total of 76 suspects from Lattpan village and 6 more from other areas in Kyaukse, together with some amount of drugs," said the duty officer of Kyaukse Township police office.

The police said the suspects who were found at Lattpan and Tho Tan villages had traveled there to use drugs and most of them are from Mandalay.

"Only twelve of them are from Kyaukse and the rest are from Mandalay. They are still being questioned and we will file a lawsuit against them under anti-narcotics law," said a police representative.

On Tuesday morning, police arrested a drug dealer with 2,000 yaba (methamphetamine) tablets and are currently searching for other related persons.

The seized drugs found as part of ‘Operation Eagle.' / U Ko Ko Lwin / The Irrawaddy

"The arrest of all 83 is the highest record for Kyaukse Township so the small detention building in Kyaukse Township police station could not accommodate them," said the police officer. "We divided them into groups and sent them to police stations in Myittha, Sintgaing and Tada-U townships to keep them before we send them to Obo Prison to face the lawsuit from there."

According to the locals, Lattpan and Tho Tan villages are famous for their drug houses where users from nearby regions gather to use drugs. However, until now the police had not been able to take any action due to the risk of violence.

"Those villages are legendary for their drug houses where thugs are operating and nobody dares to approach the area. The police couldn't even approach them. There were attempts by police to storm into the area, however, they didn't arrest anyone because the news would usually get out and the drug dealers and users would run away before the police arrived," said U Ko Ko Lwin, a local member of political group 88 Generation Peace and Open Society.

He said there have been many police officers who took bribes from drug dealers and thugs and neglected addressing the drug abuses in the town.

However, movements in anti-corruption that have seen punishments for members of the Kyaukse police force who took bribes from timber smugglers have alarmed corrupt police officers.

"Thanks to President U Win Myint's instructions on anti-corruption and anti-narcotics, corruption among police officers seems to be reducing and [the police] are working more efficiently, especially on the anti-narcotics movement," said U Ko Ko Lwin.

"We hope drug abuse cases in our town will decline and soon completely vanish," he added.

The post Record Arrests in Drug Bust in Kyaukse Township appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Restrictions on NGOs in Rohingya Camps Trouble Aid Workers

Posted: 28 Aug 2018 03:37 AM PDT

DHAKA — Reported restrictions imposed by the NGO Affairs Bureau on the operations of 41 non-governmental organizations working in Rohingya camps in Bangladesh upsets aid workers as they fear their work will be hindered without reason.

The list of NGOs was not made public but a few were listed in various dailies since Aug. 17, stating that their operations in Ukhiya and Teknaf were "banned."

NGO Affairs Bureau director-general KM Abdus Salam said the restricted 41 NGOs would be allowed to finish their ongoing projects.

"We will be strict with these NGOs when they apply for new projects," Salam said.

Abdus Salam declined to disclose the names of the NGOs or explain the reason for the restrictions.

Currently, 86 local and 36 international NGOs are implementing various projects along with 11 UN agencies at various Rohingya camps in Bangladesh.

Authorities in Cox's Bazar, however, said they only heard about the restrictions from newspapers and that they were in the dark.

Cox's Bazar deputy commissioner Kamal Hossain on Sunday said that he had heard about the ban from the media but that he had received no instructions regarding it.

"I do not know how or why the decision was made," said refugee relief and repatriation commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam, the lead officer coordinating refugee and Rohingya issues in Cox's Bazar.

According to media reports, the 41 NGOs were operating food, sanitation and health services in the camps, where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya are living in grim conditions.

On March 6, the NGO Affairs Bureau set a framework for the local and international aid organizations to bring "transparency and accountabilities" to their activities.

In the framework, the NGOs were asked to provide all information to the Cox's Bazar district administration and the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission regarding development activities, project implementation, funding and employees.

The bureau also asked the organizations to focus on humanitarian activities and to not work after dark unless providing medical or emergency services.

The instruction also forbade any NGO workers from becoming involved with anti-state, anti-government or anti-repatriation activities.

Help Cox's Bazar executive director Abul Kashem said, "We had been following all instructions as prescribed and are not involved with any kind of crime. I am shocked."

"I do not know why our name is listed. This is damaging for our local organization. We are currently implementing five projects," he added.

Dhaka Ahsania Mission management reported that it was also surprised to see its name in newspaper reports. It is still continuing operations while in communication with local administrative officials.

"We have received no letter or instruction from concerned authorities. We want to work as a development partner of the government," said Ahsania Mission spokesperson Saiful Islam.

The list was prepared by recommendations from an intelligence agency, NGO workers said.

In early 2018, 12 NGOs including Gonoshasthaya Kendra, Dhaka Ahsania Mission and the Teknaf-based Society for Health Extension and Development (SHED) were barred from operating in the camps.

"We have now been given clearance although we were not told the reason behind the restriction,' said SHED executive director Muhammad Umra.

An intelligence report by the district special branch of police in Cox's Bazar in June stated that many local and international NGOs and UN agencies were indirectly discouraging the Rohingya from returning to Myanmar.

"If there are specific allegations, they should be prosecuted independently. Otherwise, NGOs should not be restricted," said human rights activist Nur Khan Liton.

Amid the confusion, 46 local and international NGOs working in Rohingya camps in a joint statement on Monday called on the Bangladesh government to "widen humanitarian space to further enable operations of NGOs delivering life-saving assistance to refugees and their host communities."

The groups also urged the government to reduce delays in granting permission for humanitarian projects, in registering NGOs and in granting visas for humanitarian workers.

"We remain committed to work with the Government of Bangladesh and the rest of the humanitarian community in country. At the same time, following the will of refugees we assist, we urge the Government of Myanmar to create conditions for their safe, dignified, voluntary and sustainable return," the joint statement read.

The post Restrictions on NGOs in Rohingya Camps Trouble Aid Workers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lawmaker Resigns, Citing Lack of Trust in Regional Govt

Posted: 28 Aug 2018 01:43 AM PDT

PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Region — An outspoken lawmaker of the Irrawaddy Region Parliament has handed in her resignation, citing her lack of trust in the regional legislature and government.

Daw Myint Myint San, who represents Wakema Township Constituency 2 in the regional Parliament, submitted her resignation through a third party, confirmed the speaker of the regional Parliament U Aung Kyaw Khaing.

"I heard that she is still performing her duties as a lawmaker despite her resignation. So, we've not yet decided what to do," the speaker told The Irrawaddy.

The lawmaker applied for leave and did not attend the entire 12^th regular session of the regional legislature from July 25 to August 3, according to the candidacy scrutiny committee of the regional Parliament.

The Irrawaddy was unable to contact Daw Myint Myint San. U Aung Kyaw Khaing said he would ask her about her resignation when the parliamentary session resumes next month. But he did not mention what he would do if the lawmaker does not attend.

"She is an active and shrewd lawmaker," he praised.

According to parliamentary law and by-laws, a lawmaker can resign of her own volition.

"Daw Myint Myint San has served as a lawmaker since 2012 and she is an example to us. We don't want her to resign," Daw Ni Ni Moe, a lawmaker representing Nyaungdon Township Constituency (1), told The Irrawaddy.

Daw Myint Myint San was arrested by the military regime in 2009 due to her political activities. She spent nearly three years behind bars in Insein Jail in Yangon and Katha Jail in Kachin State.

After she was released from prison in 2011, she contested the by-election for the National League for Democracy party and won a seat in the Lower House of the national legislature to represent Irrawaddy Region's Wakema Township.

Daw Myint Myint San also served as a member of the ethnic affairs committee, and the judicial, legal affairs and government's guarantees, pledges and undertakings vetting committee of the regional Parliament.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Lawmaker Resigns, Citing Lack of Trust in Regional Govt appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘Scanning’ the Imagination of a Veteran Artist

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 11:15 PM PDT

YANGON — Artist Lynn Wunna's 10th solo exhibition showcases abstract paintings he says are the products of the depths of his imagination.

"It's a record of my constantly changing mind. I have read—or 'scanned'—my mind, so I named the exhibition 'Scanning,'" the artist said.

Lynn Wunna made his name with a series of paintings drawing on Myanmar's cultural traditions, so this exhibition is something of a departure and will give the viewing public a chance to see a different side of him.

The exhibition, which will be on display at OK Art Gallery through Wednesday, features over 50 abstract paintings and two installations.

"Shake It" and "White Cave", the two installations, represent peace of mind, spiritual purity and freedom, he said.

Born in 1973, Lynn Wunna studied under Bagyi Aung Soe, widely regarded as the father of modern art in Myanmar. He held his debut solo show more than 20 years ago.

The post 'Scanning' the Imagination of a Veteran Artist appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Experience an Aussie Dining ‘Sensation’ at Sule Shangri-La

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 10:25 PM PDT

YANGON — Sule Shangri-La is offering an "Australian Sensation" buffet prepared by Australian guest chef Mike Tafe of Mulwarra Export. The dinner buffet is available at their all-day dining venue, Café Sule, for one week only.

Modern Australia is a multicultural "melting pot" of influences and as such does not have a "traditional" cuisine of its own in the usual sense of the word.

But in addition to indigenous ingredients and the familiar Anglo-Australian fare, the country's cooking now draws on its rich migrant history, which over the years has seen waves of immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and elsewhere. Dishes can be found featuring premium Australian beef, lamb, goat meat, veal, Wagyu beef, seafood, game meat, pork and specialty cheeses.

The "Australian Sensation" buffet offers diners a chance to savor a smorgasbord of these famous Australian premium ingredients, drawing on this multicultural background.

Seafood, beef, lamb, pork and vegetable dishes are served up grilled, fried, steamed and boiled, followed by a variety of desserts.

The opening night of the 'Australian Sensation' buffet at Cafe Sule, Sule Shangri-La. / Supplied

What I liked most about the buffet was the Mulwarra beef tenderloin; every bite of this medium-grilled steak was tender.

Another favorite was the roasted lamb leg. Some Myanmar people may find that lamb tastes and smells a bit too gamey, but in the hands of a chef as talented as Tafe this is not an issue; the pinkish meat was extremely tender.

Kitchen staff are on standby near the counter, ready to carve you a choice piece of roast lamb on request and serve it up with its own sauce.

Customers can choose the mashed potatoes or potato wedges to eat with the steak and roasted lamb leg—both were awesome.

Mulwarra grilled salmon was another really good choice.

The buffet costs US$39 net per person, including three dishes (all made from Australian Premium Products).

The last stop is the dessert counter. A wide range of desserts is on offer including cakes, crepes, pudding, ice cream, cookies and more. Don't forget to try at least one; Sule Shangri-La is famous for its desserts.

A wide range of desserts is available. / Supplied

The buffet is only available for dinner, from Aug. 24-30.

Mulwarra Export is Australia's leading supplier of premium Australian beef, lamb, veal, Wagyu beef, venison, seafood, game meat, charcuterie, poultry, goat meat, pork and specialty cheese to the international five-star hotel market. Chef Mike has traveled all over Southeast Asia, North Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and is known for making the best use of the very best of Australian products.

The post Experience an Aussie Dining 'Sensation' at Sule Shangri-La appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Japan says North Korea Still Poses a Dire Threat to its Security

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 10:24 PM PDT

TOKYO—Japan said on Tuesday North Korea still posed a dire threat to its security despite a halt to ballistic missile tests and a pledge by leader Kim Jong Un to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.

“North Korea’s military activities pose the most serious and pressing threat our nation has faced,” said an annual white paper published on Tuesday by Japan’s Ministry of Defense.

The document outlines security concerns about nuclear-armed North Korea, China’s growing military might and territorial ambitions, and Russia’s intent to rebuild its power that paint a picture of Japan surrounded by potential adversaries in East Asia.

The latest security assessment also comes after US President Donald Trump abruptly cancelled a planned fourth trip by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Pyongyang this week as part of a fresh bid to push North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles following the unprecedented summit between Trump and Kim in Singapore in June.

Trump hailed his meeting with Kim as a success and agreed to halt joint military exercises with South Korea. The North Korean leader reiterated an earlier pledge to work towards removing nuclear weapons from the Korean peninsula.

However, negotiations have since ground to a halt with Washington demanding tangible steps and Pyongyang asking for US concessions first.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said since the Singapore meeting that his country would not change its military stance towards its belligerent neighbor until it saw concrete, irreversible and verifiable steps towards disarmament.

“We need to keep a careful watch on North Korea to see what concrete action it takes to abandon its nuclear weapons and missiles,” the Japanese defense paper said.

It noted that North Korea had conducted three nuclear tests and fired 40 ballistic missiles since the start of 2016, some of which have passed over Japan.

North Korea has derided Abe’s government as a “cult” bent on derailing Pyongyang’s diplomatic outreach in recent state media comments. State-run newspapers, which once slammed Trump, have recently switched to praising the US leader.

Japan said last month it planned to buy two Aegis Ashore air defense radar tracking stations from the United States to bolster its defense against North Korean missiles. The equipment, which will be deployed along with interceptor missile batteries, could also be turned against any potential threat from China from 2023 onwards.

“As Chinese power grows, its military strength is rapidly burgeoning,” the white paper said.

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Mahathir Takes Aim at Country Garden’s Giant Development in Southern Malaysia

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 10:14 PM PDT

FOREST CITY/KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Monday declared that foreigners will not be granted visas to live in the giant Forest City real estate project on the country’s southern tip, a major threat to the marketing strategy for the development. It is not his first broadside against the plan by Chinese developer Country Garden Holdings Co to create a new city that was envisaged to eventually house 700,000 people on reclaimed land near Singapore, but it could be his most damaging. The company has been targeting foreigners more than Malaysians for sales of the apartments.

A top official at the project told Reuters last week that in the weeks immediately after 93-year-old Mahathir came back into power, through a shock election victory in May, demand for the apartments had weakened, and that the uncertainty remained a concern.

Mahathir’s latest comments are likely to exacerbate those concerns.

“One thing is certain, that city that is going to be built cannot be sold to foreigners,” Mahathir said at a news conference on Monday in Kuala Lumpur in response to a question from Reuters. “We are not going to give visas for people to come and live here.”

Mahathir, who was Malaysia’s leader from 1981-2003, said the government’s objection was “because it was built for foreigners, not built for Malaysians. Most Malaysians are unable to buy those flats.”

Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd, the joint venture between Country Garden and the Johor state government that is developing Forest City, said in a statement it is in touch with Mahathir’s office as it seeks clarification. It said it believed Mahathir’s comments “may have been taken out of context in certain media reports” as they do not correspond with the content of a meeting between the prime minister and Country Garden Holdings Chairman Yeung Kwok Keung.

In that meeting on August 16, Mahathir “reiterated that he welcomes foreign investments which could create employment opportunities, promote technology transfer and innovations that could benefit Malaysia’s economic growth and job creation,” Country Garden Pacificview said.

It also said that it has complied with all Malaysian laws and regulations concerning approvals to sell to foreign purchasers.

Shares in Hong Kong-listed Country Garden, which rose as much as 3.9 percent on Monday morning, trimmed their gains to 2.5 percent after Mahathir’s comments.

Country Garden Chinese buyers now make up about two-thirds of the owners of the Forest City apartments that have been sold so far, with 20 percent from Malaysia and the rest from 22 other countries including Indonesia, Vietnam and South Korea.

Mahathir had capitalized on popular disquiet about Chinese investment pouring into Malaysia during his election campaign. He even suggested in a speech last December that he hoped Forest City would become an actual forest with baboons and monkeys as residents, according to local media reports.

Since becoming prime minister he has put the brakes on a number of China-backed projects, including the $20 billion East Coast Rail Link project and a natural gas pipeline project in Sabah. Plans for a high-speed rail link from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, which was expected to be a big boost to the Forest City project, have also been suspended.

“Ghost Town" Questions

Forest City’s sales have picked back up in recent weeks, and the developer has been seeking to change the project’s image. Country Garden is trying to make it appear more Malaysian and less Chinese, according to the official, Ng Zhu Hann, who is head of strategy for Country Garden Forest City.

Country Garden is also willing to acknowledge for the first time that if demand does falter it will have to slow down the building of the development. It is eventually intended to be a $100 billion city, with apartment blocks, houses, office towers, hotels and shopping centers on four man-made islands.

“If the demand is there, we will build. If it’s not there, we will slow down,” Ng said in an interview at the gleaming Phoenix Hotel, one of the finished new structures on the first of the reclaimed islands. “So there’s no worry of a ghost town, oversupply – If the demand is not there, we won’t be building.”

Mahathir’s victory is the second big threat that the development – which is a partnership between Country Garden and the Sultan of Johor – has faced in the past couple of years. Beijing’s moves to stem capital outflows imposed after the yuan plummeted in late 2016 hurt mainland Chinese demand for the apartments.

“Chinese Stigma"

Ng said what he called the “Chinese Stigma” is the biggest hurdle facing the project.

“What the Malaysian government does not want is a Chinese enterprise coming to Malaysia, taking government contracts, affecting the project opportunities of local developers, making the money and going back,” Ng said.

This has prompted a change in hiring strategy as Forest City seeks to recruit more Malaysians like Ng into senior management positions.

“My predecessor was a Chinese. In the past, our management had only one Malaysian, which was head of legal. This (my) position is usually held by a Chinese, but now I’m here,” said Ng, who is ethnic Chinese but from Malaysia.

Ng said that the political uncertainty had hurt investor sentiment.

“It’s not that people don’t want to invest, but people are now: ‘Let’s wait and see. What if they change their policy again?’ Political stability is one, policy stability is another.”

After Mahathir’s comments, Ng defended the local nature of the project.

"There are many Malaysians in this project," Ng told Reuters. "1,100 out of 1,545 of the total workforce are Malaysians.”

Skyscrapers Above Mangroves

At the end of a thirty-minute drive from the crossing from Singapore through palm oil plantations and jungle, the once sleepy town of Gelang Patah known for its mangroves and fishing villages now has a skyline of skyscrapers.

This futuristic development is only half of the first of four man-made islands envisioned for the development – only 2.7 square kilometers of the planned reclamation of 20 square kilometers.

Work to build more high rise residential towers, town houses and commercial buildings is continuing full steam, with dozens of heavy duty trucks carrying sand and materials while cranes dot a skyline that is growing taller and denser as high-rise apartments rapidly approach completion.

Forest City is barely inhabited, with only a handful of staff living at its service apartments and guests at its hotel.

But earlier this month, an international school opened its doors to the first 60 students – mostly from China and also from South Korea – to its 22-acre campus planted with “vertical gardens,” an Olympic-size pool and three yoga studios.

They will be knocking about the Shattuck St Mary’s school campus designed to accommodate 1,000 students as construction roars on in the backdrop.

Liang Ri Sheng, 44, who runs an electrical services company in Guangzhou, said he hopes Forest City will be the gateway for his son to an international life, riding on the strength of China’s Belt and Road regional infrastructure push.

“It will give both eastern and western exposure for my son. I think it’s good for my son’s growth and development,” Liang told Reuters. He was speaking before Mahathir’s latest remarks.

His family will be one of the first 482 to get the keys to their new homes by September.

Another buyer, Jackie Chan (not related to the actor of the same name), who bought an apartment in Forest City last year for around $140,000, said he hadn’t expected such a twist.

“When I bought it I was betting on long-term appreciation and didn't expect there would be such a policy risk. But I'm not aiming for their immigration visa so there's no impact for me. The investment amount is small so I'm just going to keep it as a vacation home,” said Chan, who lives in Hong Kong.

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Rising Carbon Levels Threaten Diets of Hundreds of Millions of Poor

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 10:01 PM PDT

NEW YORK — Rising carbon emissions could make vital food crops from wheat to rice less nutritious and endanger the health of hundreds of millions of the world’s poorest, scientists said on Monday.

Certain staple crops grown in open fields with elevated carbon dioxide levels had up to 17 percent lower levels of protein, iron and zinc compared to those grown amid less of the gas, according to a study in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Global emissions of carbon dioxide, largely from fossil-fuel use, are at record highs and the primary cause of global average temperature rise, which countries are seeking to curb to avoid the most devastating effects.

Nearly 200 countries reached an agreement two years ago in Paris to curb emissions.

The research found that by 2050, nearly 300 million people could lack enough zinc or protein and 1.4 billion women and children will be vulnerable to iron deficiency – all linked to carbon emissions – fuelling the risk of disease and early death.

While carbon emissions and global warming disrupt food production through extreme weather such as drought and floods, these findings warn of a direct yet mostly invisible impact on people’s diets, said Matthew Smith, an author of the study. “It’s more hidden … most people wouldn’t necessarily notice if they lost 5 percent of iron or zinc from their wheat, but it could have broad ranging health effects,” said the research associate at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.

The main theory behind the link is that carbon dioxide makes plants grow faster and create fewer micro-nutrients, he added.

By mid-century, areas at highest risk of growing less nutritious food are some of the world’s poorest – India, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia – which rely on grains most vulnerable to the effects of carbon, such as wheat and rice.

People with zinc deficiencies, especially children, can have impaired immune systems and are more susceptible to get and die from malaria and respiratory infections, Smith said.

Iron deficiency raises rates of maternal and newborn deaths and lowers cognitive abilities, while a lack of protein is linked to stunting, wasting and low birth weight, he said.

“Climate change is not good for health,” Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“It’s more evidence that something really needs to be done to reduce carbon emissions.”

Global energy-related carbon emissions rose to a record high of 32.5 gigatons last year, after three years of being flat, due to higher energy demand and the slowing of energy efficiency improvements, according to the International Energy Agency.

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Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 27 Aug 2018 07:03 PM PDT