Monday, September 17, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

KNU Concerned Group Backs Call for Military Leaders to Face ICC

Posted: 17 Sep 2018 06:34 AM PDT

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — The KNU Concerned Group, led by the former vice chairperson of the Karen National Union, has endorsed the report of the independent International Fact Finding Mission on Myanmar (IFFM) and its recommendations, including that Myanmar be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine states.

Minority ethnic groups including Kachin and Karen civil society organizations and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army have voiced support for the call by the United Nations Security Council to refer Myanmar to the ICC since the IFFM's report — which was released on Aug. 27 — was submitted to the 39th session of the UN Human Rights Council this month.

"The pattern of crimes committed against the ethnic Karen and other ethnic populations are part of the Myanmar Tatmadaw's strategy to terrorize, subjugate and ethnic cleanse, as happened to the Rohingya people in Rakhine state," the KNU Concerned Group's statement released on Sept. 14 reads.

Naw Zipporah Sein, the head of the KNU Concerned Group, said, "We have been suffering from the same pattern of human rights violations in the past, and at present, by the Tatmadaw. The perpetrators and violators are from the same institution, regardless of the time and region."

In the past, the Karen have lacked this kind of international support, including calls for the referral of Myanmar to the ICC. Naw Zipporah Sein said, "I support it because the incidents cited in the report are similar to what happened to us."

Her group's statement adds that the Tatmadaw's "widespread and systematic violations, including crimes against humanity and war crimes" have been committed against the ethnic Karen, Kachin, Shan, Karenni and others for decades. It cites their own experiences of having thousands of villages burnt down; hundreds of thousands of orchards and areas of farmland destroyed; thousands of people—including children and the elderly—killed; hundreds of women raped and killed; and many hundreds of thousands of people uprooted from their homes and displaced.

Since 2017 the KNU Concerned Group has analyzed current political trends and frequently shared its opinions with the public. Naw Zipporah Sein said the group comprises former KNU Central Committee members, adding that none of them has a current political role in the KNU.

She told The Irrawaddy, "The military controls everything, including the peace negotiations, and the military also commits these crimes. If they are willing to change, they must prove it."

While the KNU's top leadership has had a very close relationship with the chief of the Tatmadaw (or Myanmar military), the group has been engaged in frequent clashes this year with Tatmadaw troops, particularly in Papun district, in the area controlled by the KNU's Brigade Five.

The KNU Central Committee denies any affiliation with the KNU Concerned Group.

"This is the opinion of a group of people who use the KNU name and it is a typical move," said Padoh Saw Hla Tun, a secretary of the KNU.

"We have no comment, as they currently do not hold any leadership position in the KNU," he said.

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Thousands Protest Woman’s Abduction by Armed Group in Shan State

Posted: 17 Sep 2018 06:28 AM PDT

MANDALAY — Thousands of people protested in Shan State on Monday to demand that the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) release an ethnic Shan woman the armed group abducted last month.

About 10,000 locals walking down the main road of Namhkam Township carrying banners and photos of Nang Mo Hom and shouted slogans urging the TNLA to release her immediately.

"Even though there are calls from her relatives, locals and the NRPC [National Reconciliation and Peace Center], the TNLA shows no sign of releasing her. So we've gathered to express our feelings," said Namhkam resident Nang Thin Thin Aye, one of the demonstrators.

Monday’s protest was the second in Namhkam calling for Nang Mo Hom’s release this month.

"It’s not only for her release. We want to show that we are living in fear, that we don't know who is going to be kidnapped next and put on trial under their [the TNLA's] laws," Nang Thin Thin Aye said. "We just want the TNLA to release her. If she really broke the law, let her face trial in an official court, not theirs."

Protesters said Nang Mo Hom’s abduction has also fueled misconceptions between the area’s ethnic Shan and Ta’ang communities and that they wanted to stem any mistrust,

"Another reason we want the TNLA to act immediately is to ease tensions between ethnic Shan and Ta'ang people, who have lived peacefully in the past. If they release her now, there will be no tension and everything will be ok," Nang Thin Thin Aye said.

Nang Mo Hom, a mother of three, was abducted from her home in Namhkam Township on Aug. 17 at gunpoint by five TNLA soldiers. She has been held incommunicado since and her condition is unknown.

The Youth Network of Namhkam issued a statement following the abduction condemning the TNLA and demanding the woman’s release. It claims the TNLA had accused Nang Mo Hom of informing on two of its members who attempted to collect “taxes” in the area and were later shot and detained by the Myanmar army. Nang Mo Hom’s family denies that she was an informant.

The Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), a local political party, also called for her immediate released and wrote to the NRPC asking it to intervene.

On Sept. 10 the NRPC called for the immediate release of Nang Mo Hom. It said the abduction was unlawful and harmed the national peace process.

Earlier this month, the TNLA said Nang Mo Hom was on trial by the armed group for allegedly obstructing its troops from performing their duties, in violation of TNLA “laws.” It did not elaborate.

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European Film Festival to Bring More Real Life and Love to the Screens

Posted: 17 Sep 2018 05:28 AM PDT

YANGON—Myanmar's oldest international film event, the European Film Festival will be held for the 27th year on September 21 to 30 at Yangon's oldie-but-goodie Nay Pyi Taw Cinema and the newly-renovated Goethe Institute.

The festival is organized by the European Union in Myanmar in collaboration with Goethe Institute Myanmar for all film lovers in Yangon and it aims to promote cultural exchange between Myanmar and Europe while showcasing the diversity of European films.

The festival will showcase a total of seventeen contemporary films, each from a different country, including three non-member countries of the European Union, Norway, Switzerland and Israel.

Kristian Schmidt, Ambassador of the European Union to Myanmar, said "European films have their own, special nature and they are often ironic, unexpected, and seldom heroic. That is what makes their stories so interesting and the films relevant to everyone."

He added, "The film festival will screen 17 different cultures from a total 17 countries with their own languages. We hope that the audiences will get in touch with our cultural differences, we all have a shared humanity."

The film festival drew more than 10,000 visitors last year and the team hopes to see even more attendees this year.

"In 1990, the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization was making transformations and changes. I was one of the team members and we made a policy to collaborate with international film organizations and make more movements and learn techniques so we were able to bring the European Film Festival to Myanmar from that time until now," said Daw Swe Zin Htike, one of Myanmar's award-winning actresses and a member of the official censorship board.

"Films from Hollywood are commercial and they focus on entertaining people but films from Europe are mostly art-house films which show more about peoples' lives and feelings. Myanmar people are not very familiar with art-house films. That is one of the main reasons for bringing the European Film Festival to Myanmar," she said.

All the films for the festival have to be submitted to an official censorship board comprised of members of the Ministry of Information and the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization, in order to get permission to be screened at Nay Pyi Taw Cinema.

"We didn't cut any scenes from the films but in some cases which are not relevant to local people, we covered the subjects," said Daw Swe Zin Htike.

The films to be screened at the Goethe Institute do not need to be submitted to the censorship board and audiences will be able to see the uncensored versions.

The French film "Django" will be the opening film this year and it will be screened on Friday, September 21 at Nay Pyi Taw Cinema. It is based on the extraordinary life of jazz legend Django Reinhardt.

"Most of the European films are focusing on portraying the emotions of people so audiences might get bored in the first few scenes but it gets more and more exciting later on," said Franz Xaver Augustin, Director of the Goethe Institute Myanmar.

Another interesting film in the lineup is the Austrian film "Egon Schiele—Death and the Maiden" which is about a famous painter Egon Schiele who challenged social conventions with his art and lifestyle.

The Golden Globe Award-winning German film 'In the Fade' is also the must-watch one. Between 2000 and 2007 nine migrants were murdered in different Germany cities, most of them of Turkish descent. 'In the Fade' is not specifically based on one of these murders but has its own plot in Hamburg.

Another interesting film with an LGBT-theme is 'Boys,' from the Netherlands. The film shows the struggle teenagers have with their feelings, identity confusion and acceptance and is also a beautiful love story of two boys.

The festival will also showcase the documentary film about Grammy Award Winning Jazz artist Amy Winehouse who died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts award-winning director Asif Kapadia shows the heart-breaking journey of the young British Artist with extensive unseen footage.

All films are shown in their original language with English subtitles and tickets for the films are free but given on a first-come-first-serve basis at both venues one hour to 15 minutes before the scheduled screening.

For the full screening schedule, check their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/europeanfilmfestival.yangon.

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Military Chief’s Russian Social Media Account Removed, Reappears

Posted: 17 Sep 2018 03:51 AM PDT

YANGON — Just over two weeks after Myanmar’s military chief had found a new propaganda platform on VKontakte (VK), Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing was removed from Russia’s most popular social media network over the weekend.

It was the second time the country's top military leader was banned from a social networking site.

In late August, US-based social media giant Facebook announced that it had deleted the pages and accounts of 20 organizations and individuals — including Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing — that "committed or enabled serious human rights abuses in [Myanmar]." The network’s statement followed on the heels of a report by the UN’s human rights office that found those Facebook accounts and pages had contributed to human rights abuses, especially to last year’s Rohingya crisis in northern Rakhine State.

The senior-general migrated to VK less than 48 hours after his Facebook account was shut down.

His new page, named “Senior General Min Aung Hlaing,” was blocked on Saturday night. Visitors were greeted by a short message that said “This page has been blocked due to violation of the VK terms of service” but provided no further explanation.

Minutes later, however, a new VK page appeared under the same name with the military chief’s picture, but with none of the old posts. The first post on the new page was dated Saturday and was about his meeting with military officers in Kalaw Township, Shan State. On Monday, the new page had some 4,600 followers.

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing’s Facebook page had been relatively active and up to date compared with the pages of many of Myanmar’s politicians and government agencies, including the President’s Office and the State Counselor’s Office. It posted information about the military's chief activities and important statements in real time. When the senior general met a foreign dignitary about the Rohingya crisis, the page posted a lengthy defense of the military’s activities in Rakhine.

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NLD Must Act to Avoid Another Coup: USDP Spokesperson

Posted: 17 Sep 2018 03:47 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Amid growing concerns of an impending coup staged by the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) as a result of recent political circumstances, the opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has said that the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) has a responsibility to avert one.

"It depends on the policies and actions of the current government. It is [the NLD's] responsibility to implement the right policies and provide leadership to prevent a reverse in the transition period," USDP spokesperson U Nanda Hla Myint told The Irrawaddy.

The country is facing racial and religious conflicts and is under greater international pressure, he said. As well as an economic crisis, the rule of law has weakened with peace nowhere in sight, he added.

More than two years into the NLD's administration, people are starting to worry that the country's democratization will reverse, he said.

Unlike President U Thein Sein's administration, the NLD-led government lacks cooperation, said U Nanda Hla Myint.

"[The NLD-led government] consults no one and cooperates with no one. If it thinks highly of itself and acts without regard for the opinion of others, then the situation that people dread may reoccur any time," he said ahead of an International Democracy Day event, which fell on Saturday.

The Union Parliament on Saturday observed International Democracy Day with an event around the theme of "oversight."

U Aung Kyi Nyunt, a central executive committee member of the NLD, said: "Nothing has happened yet, and there is no point in finding someone to blame for a coup which has not yet happened. There is nothing to worry about."

Democracy is about cooperation according to the wishes of the majority, and not about the majority doing as they like whether it is right or wrong, said military representative of the Upper House of parliament Colonel Than Htike during the event to mark International Democracy Day.

"All have to cooperate to ensure right and fair democratic practices in order to bring about national development. This can't be done by an individual," he said.

Whether the country will reverse or not depends on the management of the government, said U Nanda Hla Myint, adding that the military-drafted 2008 Constitution states that the Tatmadaw has to protect the country if its sovereignty is at risk.

"It will mainly depend on cooperation, effort and the leadership of the government to avoid it. But if that happens [that the national sovereignty is threatened], the Tatmadaw, being the last fort, can't just stand by. If it stands by, it would be to blame in the country's history," he said.

The Tatmadaw has staged two coups—the first in 1962 by the late dictator General Ne Win, and the second by late General Saw Maung on the instruction of General Ne Win in 1988. In 2010, a general election was held in accordance with the military-drafted 2008 Constitution and power was transferred to their hand-picked president, ex-general U Thein Sein.

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Yangon Residents Dissatisfied with Municipal Services

Posted: 17 Sep 2018 03:09 AM PDT

YANGON — Yangon residents are not happy with the public utilities of the Yangon municipality, indicates a recent survey.

A local civil society group called Alin Say Taman or Herald of the Light Library and Resource Center conducted the survey in March this year, seeking public opinion on the performance of the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC).

The group released the survey report on Saturday, which indicated general dissatisfaction over the YCDC's public service delivery.

"We want to highlight the requirements of people and make sure that taxpayers get adequate service for their money," said Ma Ohmar, of the civil society group when explaining the purpose of the survey.

The random survey was carried out on 1,205 people aged above 18 in 33 townships in municipal areas of the commercial capital. People were not satisfied with garbage collection, drainage, roads or sidewalks in the city.

Herald of the Light Library and Resource Center launched its report on Sept. 15. / Thazin Hlaing / The Irrawaddy

Regarding the drainage system, 64 percent of respondents were not satisfied while 15 percent said drainage was good and 21 percent said they did not know.

Sixty-five percent of respondents said streets and sidewalks were not clean and tidy. Municipal garbage collection was graded as poor by 46 percent, fair by 17 percent, good by 11 percent and very good by 26 percent.

Seventy-nine percent of the respondents said they would pay more to get better services.

"I doubted that people would be willing to pay an additional 1,000 kyats for better garbage collection," said Daw Mya Nandar Thin, executive director of the New Myanmar Foundation, which took part in the survey.

"But not only residents from the downtown area, also residents from places like Hlaingtharyar and South Dagon said they were ready to pay up to 1,000 kyats more rather than live beside huge garbage piles," she said.

"People are not hesitant to pay higher service charges if the municipality provides good service," said Ma Lei Lei Swe, a resident of Bahan Township.

Alin Say Taman group was founded in 2008 and has since engaged in educating the public about democracy and elections. Earlier this year, it conducted campaigns to encourage public participation in designing the new municipal law of Yangon, which took effect as of June 28.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Myanmar to Sign UN Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty

Posted: 17 Sep 2018 01:35 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Military representatives to Myanmar's Parliament discussed in favor of signing the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) during the parliamentary session on Friday.

As lawmakers debated President U Win Myint's proposal to sign the TPNW, military representative to the Lower House Lieutenant-Colonel Zaw Tun Oo said the signing would clear up the doubts as to whether Myanmar is developing nuclear weapons.

Myanmar attracted global concern in the 2000s when the country's then military rulers maintained close relations with North Korea regarding arms sales, nuclear missile development and nuclear warhead technology.

The Washington-based Nuclear Threat Initiative said Myanmar had developed relations with North Korea in the hope of receiving missile and nuclear weapon technologies.

"If we sign the agreement, this will clear up the past accusations against our country and the Tatmadaw. Besides, this will also contribute to our country being able to use nuclear energy peacefully. So, I'd like to urge [the Parliament] to weigh the national interests," said the lieutenant-colonel.

Myanmar is sandwiched between two big nuclear-armed states, and in case of a nuclear threat, it can seek help from the international community after signing the treaty, he said.

Myanmar's Tatmadaw wants to have nuclear technologies, not to produce weapons of mass destruction but to use in the medical, science, technology, and energy sectors according to international norms, said the military representative.

Lawmakers also discussed in favor signing the treaty, saying that it would boost the country's image.

"By signing the treaty, Myanmar will be recognized by international countries as a responsible country," said Dr. San Maung Maung, Upper House lawmaker from Bago Region.

The treaty is not yet in force but will enter into force with ratification by more countries, said Union minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin.

The treaty includes a comprehensive set of prohibitions on participating in any nuclear weapon activities. These include undertakings not to develop, test, produce, acquire, possess, stockpile, use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.

The Union Parliament approved signing the treaty, and the Myanmar delegation will sign it at the ceremony to ratify international treaties from September 26-28 during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York, said the minister.

Though the treaty will not lead to the total elimination of nuclear weapons, it allows non-nuclear weapon states to put political pressure on countries with nuclear weapons, said U Kyaw Tin.

The treaty obliges State parties to provide adequate assistance to individuals affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons, as well as to take necessary and appropriate measures of environmental remediation in areas under its jurisdiction or control contaminated as a result of activities related to the testing or use of nuclear weapons.

The treaty was adopted in July 2017 during the UN General Assembly. Through August 23, 2018, 60 countries ratified it and 14 countries were approved.

Myanmar signed the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in 2012, Biological Weapons Convention in 2014, Chemical Weapons Convention in 2015, and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 2016.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Leader of Hpa-an Prison Break Shot by Police, Died in Hospital

Posted: 16 Sep 2018 11:22 PM PDT

Of 41 prisoners who escaped from Hpa-an Prison on Sunday morning, 14 have been recaptured, according to reports from police in the city of Hpa-an, the capital of Karen State.

"We cooperated with other friendship organizations including community leaders to arrest the escaped prisoners. We were able to arrest 14 people before 7 p.m.," said a report posted on the Hpa-an Township Police Facebook page on Sunday night.

The inmates of Hpa-an Prison, located in Taungkalay Village, were clearing bushes inside the prison grounds on Sunday morning. Some of the prisoners beat a truck driver, a member of the prison staff, who intended to load rubbish and cleared vegetation on the truck to be taken outside. Police reports say he was wounded in the attack and is receiving treatment in hospital.

The prisoners were able to drive out of the prison as soon as they seized the truck. They drove about 22.5 kilometers (14 miles) outside the village and ran into nearby jungle and other villages to hide.

Among the escapees, a number of them are serving long sentences, according to the police. The recaptured prisoners are serving sentences of six months to 13 years.

Meanwhile, police have requested that the public cooperates with them for the arrest of the escapees who are still on the run or in hiding. The police have published photos of the escaped prisoners online and have asked the public to inform them if they are seen.

The police have launched a search party and deployed a number of police vehicles in a major search operation launched yesterday in the area around Hpa-an Township, with Police Colonel Aung Myat Moe leading the operation.

Inmate Kyaw Main Hla, who lead the prison break, was shot yesterday during the police search operation and died later in hospital in Hpa-an. He had been serving a life sentence at the time of the escape.

"He was wounded and died in the hospital," said U Kyin Naing, a local police officer who participating in the manhunt.

U Kyin Naing said the police are still searching for the other escaped prisoners in the jungles around the nearby villages.

"We are investigating where they are hiding," he said.

The Myanmar Army, the local police force and the Karen Border Guard Force are meanwhile working together in the joint search operation to locate and recapture the escaped prisoners. Police are publishing ongoing reports on the manhunt operations online.

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The Strange Birds Behind the ’88 Coup

Posted: 16 Sep 2018 11:12 PM PDT

Thirty years ago Tuesday, a coup d’état saw the government of General Ne Win toppled and replaced by General Saw Maung and his deputy General Than Shwe — the man who would go on to orchestrate Myanmar’s transition to quasi-civilian rule. In this story, first published in the September 2013 edition of The Irrawaddy magazine, founder Aung Zaw looks at some of the colorful characters in the halls of power at the time.

Retired Gen. Kyaw Win is a keen observer. These days, he devotes what's left of his failing eyesight to his two passions: photography and bird-watching. But in the past, when he served as number two in Myanmar's once dreaded spy agency, he was regularly witness to far more intriguing things.

In April 1992, when Gen. Saw Maung, the leader of the military regime formed in 1988 to "restore order" after crushing pro-democracy protests in a bloody coup, was informed by then military intelligence chief and junta Secretary One Gen. Khin Nyunt that he had been "permitted to retire due to health reasons," Kyaw Win was there.

"Don't abandon us," the visibly shaken Saw Maung said to Khin Nyunt, fearing that he and his family were about to be placed under house arrest.

Long before Saw Maung lost his hold on power, he seemed to be losing his grip on reality. Kyaw Win recalled how Myanmar's top general once started engaging in a conversation with a Buddha image at a famous shrine in Upper Myanmar. After that, he began declaring himself the reincarnation of the 11th century warrior-king Kyansittha and claimed he could see into the future.

"He didn't sleep at all," Kyaw Win said of his former boss, who was clearly suffering from a nervous breakdown and had become dangerously paranoid (on one occasion, Kyaw Win said, the senior general brandished his revolver at some soldiers who had come to welcome him and his wife to a reception).

At one point, then Col. Kyaw Win saw Saw Maung summon regional commanders based in northern Myanmar to Mandalay to demand to know if they still supported him.

In fact, Saw Maung owed his powerful position to Gen. Ne Win, the dictator who had been forced to step down after massive protests calling for his ouster took place around the country. Saw Maung, who was then serving as commander in chief of the armed forces, was called to the former dictator's residence along with his deputy Gen. Than Shwe and Ne Win's trusted spy chief Khin Nyunt. Their orders were to stage a coup.

After the military seized power on Sept. 18, 1988, Saw Maung triumphantly declared that he had "saved the nation," but the sullen Than Shwe didn't utter a word.

From the beginning, Than Shwe was aloof from the other members of the junta, preferring the company of loyal subordinates. Among them was Kyaw Win, who had served under the taciturn general in Shan State in the early 1980s, and stayed close to him throughout the remainder of his military career.

During all their years together, however, Than Shwe never discussed politics with Kyaw Win. But in a sign that even early on he did not trust Khin Nyunt, he assigned Kyaw Win to act as the spy chief's deputy.

Reporting back on Khin Nyunt's words and actions was not difficult: All of the top leaders slept at the War Office from 1988 until the capital was moved to Naypyitaw in 2005. Kyaw Win and other trusted aides would often massage Than Shwe in his bed until he fell asleep. The powerful general also liked listening to their gossip and jokes, and sometimes, even after it seemed that he had already drifted off to sleep, he would laugh out loud at some amusing anecdote the officers were sharing among themselves.

Kyaw Win also knew that his boss had a deep-seated distrust of intellectuals and didn't like having educated people around him. Despite being a graduate of Yangon University, however, Kyaw Win seemed to have won his trust.

Another thing he knew about Than Shwe was that he regarded Myanmar, a nation wedged between the world's two most populous countries, India and China, as uniquely vulnerable. For this reason, he believed that it needed a special military budget to build a strong army and acquire nuclear weapons. With money from state-owned enterprises and the sale of natural gas, he moved the capital to central Myanmar and built tunnels and launched a nascent nuclear weapons program.

Meanwhile, Khin Nyunt and his feared Military Intelligence were busy running torture chambers and chasing after dissidents. This part of their operation was sanctioned by Than Shwe; but the dossiers they were collecting on corruption within the regime apparently wasn't.

In the early days, Than Shwe was regarded as quite clean. But from around the early 2000s, several ministers and powerful generals had begun seeking favors. Usually, they just paid visits to his home, where they could count on a friendly welcome if they came bearing gifts for his family. This has been called "kitchen politics"—currying favor with Myanmar's top family through the back door.

Kyaw Win's disapproval of this development made him and other aides who believed it was part of their job to "keep the businessmen at bay" less than popular with Than Shwe's wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing and other close relatives. But the senior leader continued to entrust him with important missions, such as maintaining contacts with intelligence agencies in neighboring countries and acting as a messenger between himself and opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was then under house arrest. His most important duty, however, was to continue monitoring Khin Nyunt.

Once regarded as a natural successor to Than Shwe, the spy chief never imagined that he would one day be removed from power, despite warnings from his subordinates that he was vulnerable to just such a fate.

The trouble came as powerful generals and commanders in the army's infantry units learned that they were secretly being investigated. Infantry and intelligence units were always at loggerheads, and it became clear that Khin Nyunt's intelligence unit was building a state within a state. For years, Than Shwe was urged to put the spy chief in his place—something he had probably wanted to do all along.

Of course, Kyaw Win played a role in Khin Nyunt's downfall, making sure that all of his reports on his immediate superior reached his real boss via Gen. Shwe Mann, the current speaker of Myanmar's Lower House of Parliament, who was then the joint chief of staff of army, navy and air force and the third most powerful member of the junta.

To neutralize Khin Nyunt, Than Shwe appointed him prime minister and asked him to hand his duties as spy chief over to Myint Swe, one of Than Shwe's loyal subordinates and now chief minister of Yangon Region.

But Khin Nyunt refused to play along, and later, Than Shwe learned that he had threatened at a cabinet meeting to expose corruption among military commanders and ministers.

In the end, Than Shwe didn't have to do a thing. "Do what you have to do," he said, and soon the problem was taken care of. The infantry commanders, who had a plan in place and had long waited to hear these words, moved swiftly. They arrested Khin Nyunt and threw everyone close to him into prison. Within hours, Khin Nyunt's spy network was dismantled.

That was in October 2004. When Khin Nyunt, who had been summoned to the office of the junta's number two Gen. Maung Aye shortly after getting off a plane in Yangon, was told to "go home," he replied sarcastically that he was "delighted" to do so. He knew he had no choice: All of the other senior junta members—except Than Shwe—were there. He was escorted back to his home, and after years as one of Myanmar's most feared men, he became just another prisoner of one of the world's most repressive regimes.

Although Than Shwe left the dirty business of dealing with Khin Nyunt to his subordinates, he was in full control of what came after. He reinforced his own power base, locked up more dissidents, and pushed ahead with drafting a constitution that would cement the military's role in Myanmar politics. Finally, after holding a rigged election in 2010 that delivered a landslide victory to the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), he stepped out of the limelight and remains comfortably retired in his fortress-like mansion in Naypyitaw.

During his tenure as Myanmar's supreme leader, Than Shwe also placed Ne Win under house arrest. Unlike Khin Nyunt, Than Shwe was not close to the former dictator. After Saw Maung, who died of heart failure in 1997, was forced to step down, Than Shwe never bothered to visit the mastermind behind the 1988 coup. Perhaps he had hated him all along.

Khin Nyunt, once dubbed Myanmar's "prince of evil" by the foreign media, was released from house arrest in early 2012, and now lives as a private citizen. When asked to account for some of the things he did when he was still in power, he insists he was just following orders. Those orders came, of course, from Than Shwe.

Kyaw Win witnessed all of this and more. Now more interested in his avian friends, however, he says he has nothing to say about the current role, if any, of his former boss in Myanmar's political affairs. But for those of us who have watched Than Shwe eliminate his rivals one by one over the past two decades, it's difficult to imagine that he isn't still keeping an eagle eye on everything from his safe, secluded perch, ready to swoop down on anyone who threatens his talon-like hold on power.

The post The Strange Birds Behind the ’88 Coup appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Provinces Braced for Heavy Rainfall as Typhoon Heads West

Posted: 16 Sep 2018 08:41 PM PDT

SHANGHAI — China’s southern regions faced more heavy rainfall on Monday as a devastating typhoon swept west, with key transport services already suspended and millions of residents forced to evacuate, the country’s weather bureau said.

Tropical cyclone Mangkhut made landfall in the southeast Chinese province of Guangdong on Sunday after causing devastation in the Philippines, where the death toll was expected to exceed 50.

The China Meteorological Administration said early on Monday rainfall from the typhoon, dubbed the “King of Storms," was expected to reach 100-160 millimeters (4-6 inches).

It said Mangkhut was located in Hengxian in Guangxi at 6 a.m. (2200 GMT Sunday) and had weakened to a “tropical storm." The storm was also due to hit the regions of Guizhou, Chongqing and Yunnan on Monday.

The meteorological administration said Mangkhut was one of the 10 biggest storms to hit southeast China since 1949, with wind speeds at around 162 km/h (100 mph).

Two people were reported to have been killed in Guangdong, China’s most populous province. More than 2.45 million residents were relocated, state media reported.

China’s emergency management ministry, which deals with natural disasters, said in a notice late on Sunday it had already sent 24,000 officers to vulnerable parts of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan.

Authorities throughout those regions had been urged to dismantle structures vulnerable to heavy winds, strengthen port facilities and suspend large outdoor gatherings, the meteorological administration said.

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Hong Kong, Southern China Mop Up After Super Typhoon

Posted: 16 Sep 2018 08:36 PM PDT

SHANGHAI — The financial hub of Hong Kong began clearing up on Monday after being battered by one of the strongest typhoons in recent years, with financial markets and offices operating as normal.

Super typhoon Mangkhut, with hurricane-force winds well over 200 kilometers per hour (124 miles/h), had barreled past the northern tip of the Philippines, killing at least 50 people. It then skirted south of Hong Kong and the neighboring gambling hub of Macau, before making landfall in China.

Parts of Hong Kong and Macau were severely flooded, though there were no immediate reports of any fatalities. Two people were reported killed in Guangdong, China’s most populous province and home to over 100 million residents, state media reported.

The China Meteorological Administration said the typhoon, dubbed “King of Storms," swept west to Guangxi province at 6 a.m. (2200 GMT on Sunday) and weakened to a “tropical storm." It forecast the storm to hit the regions of Guizhou, Chongqing and Yunnan on Monday.

The meteorological administration said Mangkhut was one of the 10 biggest storms to hit southeast China since 1949 – when records began – with wind speeds at around 162 km/h.

Across Hong Kong, authorities strived to clear roads of debris, including toppled trees and bamboo scaffolding. Some buildings, including the One Harbourfront office tower, had many windows smashed after a day in which some of the city’s skyscrapers had swayed with the ferocious gusts.

“Yesterday’s storm was very strong. Even for a person of my weight, I was about to be blown down by the wind which made me very scared,” said a 70-year-old resident surnamed Fung.

“It was very serious this time.”

Stock and financial markets opened as normal on Monday in Hong Kong and the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Some transport services remained suspended, though flights in the region were slowly resuming after a shutdown on Sunday, stranding many thousands of passengers.

In Macau, badly hit by a super typhoon last year, authorities were much more prepared this time, ordering casinos to close late on Saturday night as the storm approached.

Casinos were operational again early on Monday though authorities were still struggling to restore power to some of the 20,000 households that suffered power cuts.

Macau gambling stocks were down in early Monday trade.

The post Hong Kong, Southern China Mop Up After Super Typhoon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Youth, Journalists Demonstrate Against Jailing of Reuters Reporters

Posted: 16 Sep 2018 08:28 PM PDT

YANGON — At least 100 Myanmar youth activists and journalists called for the release of two jailed Reuters journalists on Sunday, warning that the seven-year prison terms handed to the pair this month threaten the public’s right to information.

Demonstrators including high school students gathered peacefully in the heart of Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, held signs and chanted slogans denouncing the guilty verdict against the two journalists. A small contingent of police looked on as the protesters released black balloons printed with the words “Free Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo."

Reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were convicted on Sept. 3 under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act in a case that was seen as a test of democratic freedoms in Myanmar.

Thar Lun Zaung Htet, a journalist involved in organizing the protest, said the verdict against reporters who were “just doing their job” would stifle reporting in Myanmar.

“Losing press freedom means our democratic transition is going backwards,” he said.

The verdict drew calls from senior United Nations officials, political figures including US Vice President Mike Pence and human rights advocates around the world for their immediate release.

Government spokesman Zaw Htay could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

The country’s leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said at a forum in Hanoi last week the case had nothing to do with freedom of expression. The reporters had been sentenced for handling official secrets and “were not jailed because they were journalists," the Nobel laureate said.

On Friday six Myanmar journalist organizations published a rare statement from groups within the country criticizing the country’s leader, saying they were “disappointed” with her comments.

The reporters, who plead not guilty, said they were handed rolled papers by police shortly before they were detained last December, and a police witness testified in court that they had been set up.

The reporters had been investigating the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys by security forces and local Buddhists amid a military response to insurgent attacks last August.

Some 700,000 Rohingya crossed from Myanmar into Bangladesh fleeing the crackdown, which UN-mandated investigators said last month was launched by senior Myanmar generals with “genocidal intent."

Signs held by the protesters on Sunday included the messages “Murder is not a state secret” and “revealing the truth is not a crime."

One organizer, Maung Saung Kha, performed a short play where he put on a military jacket over the orange traditional Burmese jacket worn by lawmakers of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. He then rolled up a copy of the state-run daily The Mirror and began hitting members of the press with it.

Activist Htet Khine Soe said the “injustice” of the case against the reporters had led him to design a T-shirt with an illustration of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo’s faces. The design was worn by some demonstrators and was also used on stickers placed around Yangon.

“We need to know what’s happening in the world. We need journalists for that,” he said. “Without that, we will be stupid people without ears and eyes.”

The post Myanmar Youth, Journalists Demonstrate Against Jailing of Reuters Reporters appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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