Monday, January 28, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

U Thant House, Unicef to Bring Late Diplomat’s Message of Tolerance to Young People

Posted: 28 Jan 2019 05:54 AM PST

The U Thant House museum on Sunday announced that it would work with Unicef on educational activities aimed at promoting peace in Myanmar as part of this year’s commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the birth of the late diplomat and UN secretary general.

Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore and U Thant House chairman Dr. Thant Myint-U announced that they will focus on educating youth and developing a program to help visiting children and young people learn about the issues most important to U Thant, including peace and tolerance, sustainable development and environmental protection.

"U Thant believed strongly in peace, education, tolerance, and an end to all forms of discrimination. He believed strongly in what he called 'individual human dignity'. I hope his ideas might help us in thinking about Myanmar's future in fresh and creative ways," said Dr. Thant Myint-U, who is a grandson of U Thant.

He added, "We're very excited about working together with Unicef. Our education program is already attracting lots of students and teachers and I'm sure we'll be able to do much more with Unicef's support."

Funded by the government of Sweden, the education program at U Thant House already serves more than 1,300 students.

Dr. Thant Myint-U said he wanted youth to learn more about U Thant's projects; specifically, what kind of projects he was involved in, as well as the history behind them and their purpose.

"I think U Thant would be happy about this education program too," he said.

Discussing the vision of U Thant House, Sofia Busch, the museum's executive director, said, "Work is underway to improve U Thant House as a place for learning—not only about U Thant, but also about the issues he worked for that are still relevant today. New elements will be added to the exhibition, inviting more active engagement by visitors."

Currently, many of the students who visit the museum are from international schools, but administrators plan to bring in more students from government schools.

"When we educate the students, we will [include] educational games, an activity booklet, 'Passport to One World', and some quizzes…to attract them and to create a fun learning [atmosphere]," Busch added.

As part of the celebration, Fore delivered the fourth annual U Thant Memorial Lecture at U Thant House in Yangon.

In her lecture, “Building a Peaceful Future by Investing in Children and Young People”, she emphasized that, "We must work with governments and those who can influence them, and call on them to replace the arsenals of conflict with U Thant's defenses of peace."

She encouraged the government and businesses alike to invest in education for all children in all states and regions.

"There is no better pathway to peace than … supporting young people to shape better futures for themselves, no matter who they are or what they've endured," she said.

U Thant House also plans to collaborate with local artists to make installations that can help visualize global challenges in a concrete and engaging way.

On Jan. 27, the museum began exhibiting for visitors some of its collection of U Thant's personal belongings, such as his hat, notebook, passport and so on.

"That was all collected by my mother, and we have more items but left them in New York. We would like to bring more things, but U Thant House doesn't have a lot of space," Dr. Thant Myint-U said.

Busch added that, "To honor U Thant's work for the environment, we also plan to transform the garden into an experiential learning landscape about Myanmar's biodiversity and environmental challenges.

"People admire U Thant as peacemaker, environmentalist, intellectual, thinker. The message that we want to send is everyone can be like U Thant," she said.

U Thant was born on Jan. 22, 1909. His former residence at 31 Panwa Lane in Yangon is today a museum and discussion center. Run by the U Thant House Trust since 2014, it was established as a non-government organization to continue to work in U Thant's spirit. It is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The post U Thant House, Unicef to Bring Late Diplomat's Message of Tolerance to Young People appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Military Column Detains Villagers, Loot Valuables in N. Rakhine

Posted: 28 Jan 2019 05:23 AM PST

YANGON – A military column raided an entire village and looted gold, jewelry, cash and dozens of mobile phones from the villagers of Tha Mee Hla Village in Rathedaung Township in northern Rakhine State on Saturday, according to Arakanese lawmakers.

Rathedaung Township representative, Lower House lawmaker Daw Khin Saw Wai said that she was initially informed by a villager over the phone on Saturday. Considering how serious the allegations were, she asked regional lawmaker U Than Naing to get firsthand accounts from the victims on Sunday morning. U Than Naing then went to the village to confirm the incident.

"Firstly, I thought it's hard to believe because we never expect such kind of treatment from the army," said Daw Khin Saw Wai.

U Than Naing posted on social media on Sunday stating that he found only 10 homes in the village spared of bullets out of a total 84 homes. Some homes were struck by artillery fire and had bullet holes. He wrote that a seven-year-old child had been wounded by an artillery explosion near his home and had to be immediately transported to Sittwe General Hospital for medical treatment. Another two women from Tha Mee Hla were also wounded by artillery shells.

As of Monday evening the wounded child was being transported to Yangon for treatment at Yangon General Hospital.

U Than Naing reiterated the ordeals of the villagers, explaining that military troops had looted their gold, jewelry and other belongings. Tha Mee Hla villager Daw Aung Win told him that army soldiers looted about 0.22 pounds of jewelry while the entire population of the village were held at the local school building without food or water from Saturday morning until the evening.

As soon as he heard the villagers' reports, he made a number of attempts to call Rakhine State Border Affairs Minister Col. Htein Lin and the National League for Democracy (NLD)-appointed Chief Minister of Rakhine State U Nyi Pu on Sunday but his attempts were ignored.

U Than Naing said that he could understand the battles between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar Military in northern Rakhine but that "they should not have cruelly looted the savings of 64 homes."

When The Irrawaddy attempted to contact Rakhine State's Border Affairs Minister Col. Phone Tint on Monday the calls went unanswered.

Both Daw Khin Saw Wai and U Than Naing told The Irrawaddy that they will officially lodge complaints with evidence to the relevant authorities, including the commander-in-chief's office. Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief office's spokesperson Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun has denied the allegations, saying there was no raid by the military on the ground.

In an interview with The Irrawaddy's Sittwe correspondent, U Than Naing criticized the official military response, saying "their responses are incorrect. They should not deny on this. Denial is their normal reaction. It truly happened there and I even posted some pictures of the incident."

He said that he was currently traveling from Rathedaung to Sittwe in order to relate the incident to his party headquarters and will officially complain through the party to the higher authorities. He claims there hadn't even been any serious fighting between government troops and the AA rebels near Tha Mee Hla village.

The soldiers raided and shot into the village after the column was attacked with a series of remotely detonated mines. He was told that some army soldiers could have been wounded but he was unable to independently identify the casualties.

U Than Naing explained that the army column confiscated about 60 mobile phones from the villagers and returned only 16 devices as of Sunday. Daw Khin Saw Wai said the villagers later identified the army column as the 99th Light Infantry Division.

On its official Facebook page, pro-military organization Thayninga Institute for Strategic Studies, headed by Naing Swe Oo, a former military medical doctor, accused the villagers of detonating five remotely controlled mines on a military column while soldiers were conducting clearance operations near the village. He said there were no casualties in the army column.

He claimed that as the incident occurred close to the village, the army did not make counter attacks and a border police unit entered the village and arrested some suspicious villagers there. He acknowledged that border police confiscated some mobile phones without elaborating on the number and went on to accuse villagers of leaking information to the AA rebels. He bluntly denied that soldiers looted any of the villagers' belongings.

He said, "Acting as informants of the insurgents is violating existing laws and action could be taken."

Some Arakanese have been using Facebook to criticize the actions of the military soldiers: "Are they fighting or robbing there?" one person has commented.

The AA issued battle updates in their website on Sunday which confirmed the clash near Tha Mee Hla Village in Rathedaung Township and it accused government troops of committing rights violations against civilians. It says soldiers detained the villagers at the school and beat up some of the men. Two villagers were arrested but set free on later Saturday evening.

The AA says they have already documented rights abuses committed by military troops in northern Rakhine State and will officially lodge complaints to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in April.

The post Military Column Detains Villagers, Loot Valuables in N. Rakhine appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thousands of IDPs Sign Petition Urging Shan Groups to Stop Fighting

Posted: 28 Jan 2019 03:49 AM PST

Over 3,000 ethnic Shan IDPs in Hsipaw, northern Shan State have signed a petition calling on two rival Shan armed groups to stop fighting and enter peace negotiations, according to local sources. The IDPs sent the petition to the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD)'s office in Hsipaw town on Jan. 22. It is the second such petition sent to the groups this month.

Sai Lao Hseng, secretary of the SNLD office in Hsipaw, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that "Local people often have to run away from fighting. In their villages, they cannot work to earn enough money to eat. They want to go back to their villages as soon as they can. Therefore, they signed a petition asking the two armed groups to stop fighting, and to enter peace negotiations."

Fighting between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), the two Shan armed groups, escalated recently in Hsipaw Township over a territorial dispute. Previously, the RCSS had fought only against the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan State, but fighting broke out between the RCSS and SSPP last year over disputed territory.

Some local Shan were killed and some wounded, included children, in fighting in the township in December. At least two clashes have broken out this month in Hsipaw Township between the two armed groups, leaving local people feeling unsafe in their homes.

"We want them to sit down together at the negotiating table, because our people have been suffering a lot," Sai Lao Hseng said.

There are five IDPs camps in Hsipaw catering to over 1,000 people. Some IDPs are sheltering at Buddhist monasteries. Sai Lao Hseng went to some IDP centers on Monday to distribute supplies along with a group of local donors from Kyaukme Township.

Sai Lao Hseng said it saddened him to see the conditions in the camps. "I only visit the camps occasionally. I cannot bear to see the condition of the IDPs in the camps," he said. "When you look at their faces, you feel bad for them."

The Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) is the main group working to broker peace between the two armed Shan groups. Other Shan organizations including the SNLD are working with the CSSU to help find a political solution to the conflict in Shan State.

On Jan. 11, more than 4,000 IDPs signed the first petition calling for peace between the groups, according to the SNLD. The signatures were first sent the SNLD's headquarters in Yangon, and from there to the two Shan armed groups.

Sai Leik, a senior leader of the SNLD who has worked to try to bring the two Shan groups to the negotiating table, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that his party had sent the signatures to the two armed groups but had yet to receive a reply.

"We sent them to the two armed groups. The first time we sent over 4,000 signatures. We sent over 3,000 the second time," Sai Leik said.

According to the SNLD, neither armed group has responded with even so much as a phone call. Nor have they offered proposed dates for a meeting. The CSSU wants the two groups to meet in early February.

"We want them to stop fighting each other. Mainly, we are worried about the children and elderly people who are IDPs," Sai Leik said.

The children need to study, but they cannot go to school, as they have to stay at the IDP camps, he said.

The SNLD leader added that the group wants the EAOs to resolve their territorial dispute in order to stop fighting.

For a long time the RCSS's base has been in southern Shan State. After signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015, the group tried to move its troops to northern Shan State. To do this, it needed to take territory around Namtu Township, but this territory is claimed by the SSPP, leading the groups to attack each other.

The post Thousands of IDPs Sign Petition Urging Shan Groups to Stop Fighting appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

2018 Tourist Numbers Rise Slightly, Chinese Up 38%

Posted: 28 Jan 2019 03:48 AM PST

YANGON—Chinese arrivals in Myanmar increased by 38 percent last year compared to 2017, and topped the list of travelers to Myanmar, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, Daw Khin Than Win, told The Irrawaddy.

The increase is attributable to the issuing of a visa-on-arrival for Chinese passport holders, she said.

On Oct. 1 last year, the Myanmar government launched a one-year pilot project that grants visa exemptions to travelers from Japan, South Korea, Macao and Hong Kong, and issues on-arrival visas for Chinese travelers at a cost of $50.

The number of travelers from other Asian countries also increased as a result, said Daw Khin Than Win.

Myanmar received a total of 3.55 million foreign travelers in 2018, a sharp increase from 3.44 million in 2017, she said.

In 2018, Myanmar received 297,400 Chinese travelers through airports and sea ports. It was followed by Thailand with 291,231, and Japan with just 104,376 visitors. These figures do not include travelers who came into Myanmar through the land borders with border passes.

Meanwhile, the Union of Myanmar Travel Association reported a 50 percent decline in the number of travelers from western countries in 2018 compared to previous years primarily due to the Rakhine crisis.

Some local tour companies have been struggling due to the decline, said joint secretary of the association U Thet Khaing.

Chinese travelers at Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay. / Ministry of Information

The government should take measures to attract more western travelers, he said. We have asked [the government] to relax regulations on western travelers," he told The Irrawaddy.

"The Asian market is growing. Many Chinese people go on foreign trips today. Some European countries are even carrying out promotions targeting Chinese travelers. We should also try," he said.

Some companies can only cater for English-speaking travelers, and find it hard to serve Chinese customers. "It is not a problem for big tour companies, but it is difficult for smaller ones to hire Chinese-speaking guides," he added.

Despite the increase in the number of Asian tourists, tour companies have reported a decline in revenues.

"Travelers from Europe tend to stay two to three weeks in Myanmar, while Asian travelers only stay a maximum of one week. Their spending power is different. That's why there is a sharp decline in revenues," he said.

"Asian travelers visit fewer places and spend less than those from western countries, so those engaged in tourism businesses do not earn as much as they did," said Daw Thandar Oo, a tour guide of 20 years.

However, she is optimistic that Myanmar will be able to win western travelers back if tour operators can develop more diverse packages which include activities like hiking, camping, homestays and so on in addition to the existing cultural tours to pagodas and temples, which Myanmar has marketed over the past 25 years.

The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism expects to receive 4.5 million foreign travelers in 2019. There are around 2,500 tour operators, big and small, in operation in Myanmar, and around 10 percent of them did not renew their licenses in 2018.

The post 2018 Tourist Numbers Rise Slightly, Chinese Up 38% appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Opens Major Investment Summit in Naypyitaw

Posted: 28 Jan 2019 03:33 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — The Myanmar government opened a two-day investment summit in Naypyitaw on Monday aimed at drumming up interest in the country, showcasing some 120 projects worth more than $3 billion combined.

The Invest Myanmar Summit 2019, the country’s first, is part of the government's efforts to counteract a significant decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Myanmar over the last two fiscal years.

A collaboration between the government and business community, the event aims to provide an opportunity for businesses to meet and for local and international investors to discuss the country’s investment potential.

More than 1,600 local and foreign delegates are expected to attend and 40 companies are exhibiting.

In her opening address, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she was confident the summit would highlight the opportunities available to both local and foreign investors.

"The summit will provide you with the opportunity to explain Myanmar's exciting and ever evolving investment market," she told those in the audience with projects to sell.

The summit is an important part of the Myanmar Investment Promotion Plan (MIPP), which aims to attract more than $200 billion in investment from responsible and quality businesses over the next 20 years.

The MIPP was launched in October by the Myanmar Investment Commission and outlines four strategic periods for attracting FDI. It aims to attract an average of $8.5 billion a year by 2026, $12.3 billion by 2031 and $17.6 billion by 2036.

The government believes FDI is a key driver of economic development and is committed to developing an open, fair and clear investment policy, according to the MIPP. It wants to foster long-term growth by focusing investment in four areas: export-oriented industries; domestic market-oriented industries, resource-based industries and knowledge-based industries.

The countries and territories being targeted during this week’s summit include China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, India, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Given Myanmar’s strategic location between India and China and its access to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said, the country can help connect regional markets to international trade routes.

"With our advantageous geographical location, relatively low labor costs, and the enormous potential of our people, it's the best time for grasping the opportunity that will arise as the global pendulum swings from West to East," she said.

Ten of Myanmar’s states and regions are participating in the event: Karen, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan, Yangon, Sagaing, Mandalay, Irrawaddy and Tanintharyi. The industries being targeted include manufacturing, garments, electricity and energy, tourism, education, food processing and fisheries, health care, infrastructure and property.

Following the opening ceremony on Monday, Myanmar’s Great Wall Foodstuff and Hong Kong International Sugar Engineering inked a memorandum of understanding for a $200 million investment in a sugar mill and biomass plant in Katha Township, Sagaing Region. The plans call for the mill to produce 10,000 tons of sugar a day and for the plant to churn out 60 MW of electricity.

The Myanmar Investment Commission said the slowdown in investment in Myanmar was due to ongoing concern about the country’s political stability, weak macroeconomics, residual investment restrictions and uncertain investment approval procedures. It said there was a lack of skilled labor and investment promotion and that infrastructure, the financial sector and the business regulatory systems were underdeveloped.

The government projects Myanmar’s gross domestic product to reach 106 trillion kyats by 2021, 152.17 trillion kyats by 2026, 218.47 trillion kyats by 2013 and 313.64 trillion kyats by 2036.

The MIPP also hopes to make improvements to the business environment that will raise Myanmar's rank in the World Bank's ease-of-doing-business index into the top 100 by 2020 and the top 40 by 2035. Myanmar's 2018 ranking was 171 while Laos ranked 141, Cambodia 135 and the Philippines 113.

The post Myanmar Opens Major Investment Summit in Naypyitaw appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

KNU Rejects Military’s Claims It Extorts Civilians, Denies Launching Attacks

Posted: 28 Jan 2019 02:57 AM PST

CHIANG MAI, Thailand—The Karen National Union (KNU) has denied allegations by the Myanmar military that it is extorting money from civilians, and rejected the Army's characterization of clashes between it and government troops as an effort to expand its area of control. Separately, the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) issued its own rebuttal of the military's recent claims against EAOs, saying it did not accept the terms of the military's four-month truce.

The Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) included its complaints against the KNU in a statement released Friday in which it accused ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) of burdening the public by continuing to recruit and extort civilians and expand their territories. In addition to the KNU, it mentioned all of the EAOs based in northeast Myanmar, including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Ta'ang Nationalities Liberation Army, Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army North, Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army South and Pa-Oh National Liberation Organization. It accused them of destabilizing the region and violating the terms of the truce.

It said these activities were occurring not only within the five military commands covered by the military's four-month truce in the north and northeast, but also in three commands close to KNU-controlled areas in the south.

Specifically, the Tatmadaw said the KNU was extorting money from civilians in areas under the military's Southeast and Coastal Commands, and had launched mine attacks against vehicles carrying government troops under the Southern Command, near an area controlled by the KNU's Brigade No. 5 last week. The Tatmadaw urged the KNU to strictly follow the principles of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

Separately, KIO leader General Gun Maw responded to the Tatmadaw's claims in an open letter to all EAOs published on Sunday. He urged any EAOs that agreed to the terms of the Tatmadaw's truce to abide by it, but added, "For the KIO, we agree with nothing [proposed by the government or Tatmadaw], even after our last informal talks with the NRPC on Jan. 21. We [only] agreed to hold further talks."

The KNU released a statement on Saturday saying that the organization was fighting for equality and self-determination, and had long enjoyed the support of its people. It said the group obtains financial "support from the public in the areas [it] controls in accordance with set regulations to manage the security and development of the people in their areas."

Thus, the KNU said, "The Tatmadaw's accusation of extortion against the KNU is a violation of Article 5 (b) and (f) under Chapter 3" of the NCA. Article 5 (b) prohibits signatories from assaulting or insulting each other either directly or indirectly. Article 5 (f) requires signatories to refrain from aggressive propaganda and false or defamatory statements or speech that could undermine the dignity of the organizations.

The group suggested that more thorough discussions were needed to reach a common understanding of the NCA's principles, in order to avoid further allegations and finger pointing. It said Article 25 (a) of the NCA clearly allows the EAOs to implement security and development arrangements in their respective ceasefire areas, and says these will have to be implemented through further negotiations between the signatories. The KNU has pushed for those negotiations to be held, but the Tatmadaw and the government have declined to do so, citing the need to discuss demarcation issues.

The KNU said the anti-vehicle mine attacks were the result of a failure to hold negotiations to avoid further military engagements, despite the fact that the KNU has proposed negotiations on troop deployments in the area since September 2012.

KNU general secretary Padoh Saw Tadoh Moo said in remarks posted on the group's Facebook page that the current clashes were due to troops on both sides engaging in movements without providing prior notification.

He said, "We think troops in these areas are concerned whenever the other side crosses a set boundary, and it leads to clashes. We must resolve this issue. It arises because we have different interpretations of the NCA and are not yet able to hold talks on avoiding troop engagements."

The KNU general secretary said the group welcomed the Tatmadaw's formation of a Negotiation Team and said it would meet the team soon, following the commemoration on Jan. 31 of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Karen revolutionary movement.

The KNU announced a temporary withdrawal from the formal peace process in October last year, but has held informal talks with the government's Peace Commission twice since then, in November 2018 and mid-January. At the most recent talks, it agreed to hold further meetings with government and military leaders.

The post KNU Rejects Military's Claims It Extorts Civilians, Denies Launching Attacks appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

U Wirathu Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Unauthorized School

Posted: 28 Jan 2019 02:27 AM PST

MANDALAY—Firebrand nationalist monk U Wirathu held a groundbreaking ceremony for a school building on Saturday morning in Patheingyi Township, Mandalay Region, despite the regional government's refusal to give permission for the project.

The monk who is infamous for his racial and religious hate speeches said he applied to the regional government for permission to build a permanent school in June 2017, but the regional government has yet to reply.

There are over 150 students attending tenth and eleventh grades at the school, and the monk wishes to build a four-story school building to replace the current makeshift classrooms.

U Wirathu talks to the audience at the groundbreaking ceremony. / De Hlaing Winn / The Irrawaddy

"It is time [Mandalay Region Chief Minister] U Zaw Myint Maung makes a black-and-white decision. If [the planned school] is against the law, he should make an official announcement by stating clearly which law it violates," said U Wirathu, who is a staunch opponent of the ruling National League for Democracy.

"If it is in line with the law, he should announce officially when exactly it would be allowed, and how long we have to wait," said the monk, calling the ban an "authoritarian act and abuse of power."

U Wirathu, Buddhist monks, and members of the committee to establish the school named "Mahawthada National Private High School" attended the groundbreaking ceremony. The school will be built on an 8-acre plot of land in the village of Kyauk Chaw in Patheingyi Township.

The district general administration department sent a warning notice on Friday afternoon, and officials came in person on Friday evening and asked the monk not to continue with his school project.

Monks put stakes into the ground at the groundbreaking ceremony. / De Hlaing Winn / The Irrawaddy

The site for the planned school, according to the general administration department, is under the management of the government.

"We requested the monk not to do unlawful things. We sent a letter and also met him in person and asked him not to continue. He can do nothing before the [regional] government grants permission. We have barred him on behalf of the government," said district administrator U Aung Mon Latt.

The school compound has been walled, the gate has been built, and an artesian has been dug, according to the monk.

The school will only teach the official curriculum designed by the government, and will not teach politics or religion, said U Wirathu.

"The school is totally free from politics and nationalism. It is purely a philanthropic school. We absolutely guarantee that," U Wirathu told The Irrawaddy.

The gate of the Mahawthada National Private High School. / De Hlaing Winn / The Irrawaddy

However, he admitted that those on the school organizing committee are members of various political parties and agencies.

The monk believes that the government has banned the school because of the involvement of political parties in the school organizing committee and also because the school will be built under his backing.

"I am very happy to go to prison if I am arrested under 505 (b) [of the Penal Code which is a law against defamation of the State] for building a school," said U Wirathu.

The post U Wirathu Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Unauthorized School appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Missing Myanmar Border Guard Officer Found in Bangladesh Still Waiting Return

Posted: 28 Jan 2019 01:09 AM PST

DHAKA — Bangladesh had yet to return as of Saturday a Myanmar Border Guard Police officer who went missing last week and was found two days later wandering around intoxicated in Bangladesh.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) says Constable Aung Bo Bo Thein, 28, with Myanmar’s No. 5 Border Guard Police branch, was “rescued” in the Banhatirachhara region of Bandarban District on Thursday morning. It says the constable had gone missing while on duty on Tuesday and was found “drunk” and wandering “aimlessly” about 3.5 km from the border.

“We are ready to hand him over as soon as we finish the formalities,” BGB Ramu Region commander Brigadier General Ainul Morshed Khan Pathan said Saturday, adding that he was already in contact with his counterparts in Myanmar about the officer.

Brig. Gen. Ainul did not elaborate on what those formalities were. A BGB official in Dhaka, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with the media, said the handover was still waiting for approval from the Foreign Ministry.

A Foreign Ministry official told Dhaka-based daily the New Age on Friday that the agency was waiting for a formal request for the constable’s return from Myanmar.

The neighbors have handed over border guard officers before.

In June 2015 Myanmar handed over a BGB officer it had abducted a few days earlier during a firefight between border guard patrols from each country along the Naf River, which marks part of the border between the two countries. In July of the same year the BGB said it had rescued a Myanmar soldier who was believed to have been abducted by the Arakan Army, a separatist rebel group in Myanmar.

Since August 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingya have fled western Myanmar for Bangladesh, following a military crackdown in Rakhine State triggered by militant attacks on police posts in the area.

According to rights activist Nur Khan Liton, who has helped record the Rohingya refugees’ testimonies, some of the refugees claim that the rescued constable had participated in some of the Myanmar security forces’ alleged rights abuses.

“At least two Rohingya victims told us that this private was posted in the Taugbazar area of Buthidaung [Township] with the [Border Guard Police] and that his team members were involved in the massive attacks, killings, torture and arson against Rohingya in the past,' said Nur Khan.

He urged the Bangladeshi government to interrogate the constable about Myanmar’s alleged ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya and arrange to have his testimony recorded at the International Criminal Court for use in any future prosecution of the country’s leaders.

Bangladesh shares a 271-km border with Myanmar, more than half of which is unprotected, according to the BGB.

The post Missing Myanmar Border Guard Officer Found in Bangladesh Still Waiting Return appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Where are the Assassins?

Posted: 28 Jan 2019 12:37 AM PST

Tuesday marks two years since National League for Democracy legal adviser U Ko Ni was gunned down at Yangon International Airport. While four suspects have been brought to trial, suspected mastermind Aung Win Khaing remains at large, and several key witnesses have yet to testify despite the court having held more than 100 hearings so far. Observers were already expressing frustration at the lack of progress in the case in March 17, 2017, when The Irrawaddy first published the article below.

Assassins and schemers behind the killing of prominent lawyer U Ko Ni are still at large one-and-a-half months after the crime was committed.

Will they be apprehended soon? That's what we are all waiting for.

On Friday, four suspects appeared in court in Rangoon for the first time: ex-lieutenant Aung Win Zaw—brother of Aung Win Khaing—ex-captain Zeya Phyo, gunman Kyi Lin, and a new suspect in the case: Aung Win Tun.

Ex-lieutenant colonel Aung Win Khaing, an alleged key perpetrator in the plot to kill the National League for Democracy legal adviser, is still at large after he curiously disappeared in Burma's capital Naypyidaw.

The public suspects that in this high-profile murder, there are bigger fish at large than Aung Win Khaing. There is considerable disquiet that the Home Affairs Ministry, which is responsible for the case, has yet to bring a key culprit to court and disclose the true picture of the case.

At a ceremony in Rangoon on Saturday to mark 40 days since U Ko Ni was shot dead at Yangon International Airport on Jan. 29, patron of the ruling NLD party U Tin Oo said he was surprised that important suspects were yet to be arrested. He urged the authorities to apprehend them as soon as possible.

Like him, the public is impatiently waiting for the truth, while the victim's family is waiting for justice. There are almost endless unanswered questions surrounding the case:

Why did Aung Win Khaing flee to Naypyidaw, the city with the most surveillance in Burma, instead of a distant hideout like other criminals?
What is behind the fact that all key suspects are ex-military officials?

Are any other high-profile individuals or organizations involved in the case?

How could the alleged assassins afford to spend nearly US$100,000 on the assassination?

Why is it taking so long for the police to apprehend Aung Win Khaing?

All are valid questions and people are trying hard to connect the dots.

Many people are convinced that U Ko Ni was targeted because of his strong criticism of the military-drafted 2008 Constitution and had consistently advocated for the amendment of the undemocratic charter.

Among the many questions, the biggest for a lot of people is why all key plotters in the case are ex-military officials.

A former military colonel named Lin Zaw Htun, currently a lawmaker for the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), was questioned by police over his friendship with two of the suspects, ex-army men Aung Win Khaing and Zeya Phyo.

Some members of the general public worry that current influential elements in the institution, or associates linked to it, are involved in the case.

This theory is only set to keep growing as long as the police and the Ministry of Home Affairs fail to thoroughly explain the case and bring the culprits to justice.

No one has dared to publicly give voice to this suspicion yet. Meanwhile, the military has denied the theory before it came to light in public.

The armed forces' chief of general staff Gen Mya Tun Oo said in a press conference on Feb. 28 that the military, known as the Tatmadaw, was not responsible when asked if he knew of any organizations behind the assassination.

His answer indicated that top military officials have the impression that people suspect that the Tatmadaw—or high-ranking officials in the establishment—might be involved in the murder, perhaps due to the involvement of ex-military persons.

Gen Mya Tun Oo rejected accusations around Lin Zaw Htun that implicated the Tatmadaw: "Even if he [Lin Zaw Htun] is involved, it has nothing to do with the Tatmadaw. He has resigned from the army. The Tatmadaw is not involved, even if he is found of guilty."

But suspicion remains over Lin Zaw Htun's close friendship with the two key suspects Aung Win Khaing and Zeya Phyo.

Significantly, it has been reported that Lin Zaw Htun served as personal security officer for the commander-in-chief of the military, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. Lin Zaw Htun retired from the army in 2015 to run for office under the USDP.

The positions on the case of the military-controlled Home Affairs Ministry and the military itself differ from the ruling NLD party and its leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's State Counselor.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attended the ceremony in Rangoon last month to mark one month since the incident and described U Ko Ni and driver U Nay Win, who died trying to apprehend the gunman Kyi Lin, as martyrs.

At the Feb. 28 press conference a day before, Minister of Home Affairs Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe downplayed the significance of the suspects as ex-military officials and said that the assassins were motivated by "extreme nationalism" and "personal grudges."

His responses became the subject of ridicule in day-to-day conversations and on social media—which the military leaders must have noticed.

The ex-military officials' involvement in the murder has definitely done nothing to improve the image of a military already accused of human rights abuses in Kachin, Shan, and Arakan states.

There is only one way for the military and home affairs ministry to control this damage—to seriously try to bring all key suspects into court as soon as possible. Otherwise, conspiracy theories will continue to spread and grow.

This important murder case should not simply disappear in the same way Aung Win Khaing slipped away in Naypyidaw.

The post Where are the Assassins? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Gov’t Plans To Set Up Coast Guard under Civilian Control

Posted: 27 Jan 2019 11:20 PM PST

NAYPYITAW—The Myanmar government is planning to establish a coast guard under the control of the civilian government, not the military, according to Union Minister for Transport and Communications U Thant Sin Maung.

The ministry held a meeting in December on establishing a coast guard to protect national security and fight drug and arms smuggling, as well as human trafficking, the minister told reporters in Naypyitaw on Saturday.

"The coast guard is necessary for our country. Most countries have one. So, we will hold extensive discussions on how to structure it, what training to provide and how to fund it, and present [our recommendations] to the President's Office," the minister said.

"The President's Office wishes to establish it as a civilian department," he said.

The Navy has the manpower and equipment required to form a coast guard right away, but it would be hard for it to handle certain tasks, such as inspecting commercial ships. The coast guard will therefore be formed with personnel from various departments including Immigration, Customs, Fire Services and Marine Administration, he said.

The Defense Ministry will cooperate on establishing the force, said the minister, adding that officials from the ministry attended the meeting in December.

When contacted by The Irrawaddy, Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) spokesperson Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun suggested that the Defense Ministry's participation in the meeting could be taken as a sign that the Tatmadaw approves of the plan. He declined to comment further, however.

"We need a coast guard. There are problems with smuggling and immigration. We need it. But I don't know much about the structure and scope of duties," said U Aung Thu Nyein, a director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy.

He suggested the coast guard be established as part of the police force, with participation from the Army and various civilian departments.

According to Article 338 of the 2008 Constitution, all armed forces in the Union shall be under the command of the Defense Services chief.

Asked by The Irrawaddy about the Tatmadaw chief's constitutional mandate, U Thant Sin Maung said: "This shouldn't be a problem. We just need [the Tatmadaw's] approval. For example, the Forest Department and the Immigration Department are equipped with arms. There are civilian agencies that need to use arms," he said.

"[Establishing a coast guard] is a formidable task that calls for collaboration among various departments. Besides vessels, we also need technicians," he added.

Responsibility for maritime security is currently shared by the Myanmar Navy and the Maritime Police Force.

The post Gov't Plans To Set Up Coast Guard under Civilian Control appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Philippines Vows to Crush ‘Terrorists’ After Church Bombs Kill 20

Posted: 27 Jan 2019 08:27 PM PST

MANILA — The Philippines vowed to destroy those behind twin bombings that killed 20 people during a Sunday church service in the country’s restive south, six days after a referendum on autonomy for the mainly Muslim region returned an overwhelming “yes” vote.

The attack wounded more than 100 people and was one of the deadliest in recent years in a region long plagued by instability. It came amid hope and excitement about the ratification of a devolution plan that aims to bring development, jobs and peace to one of Asia’s poorest and most volatile places.

The first explosion went off inside the cathedral on Jolo Island, in Sulu Province, and was followed by a second blast outside, which was detonated as security forces raced to the scene, officials said.

“The enemies of the state have boldly challenged the capability of the government to secure the safety of the citizenry in that region,” said Salvador Panelo, spokesman of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

“The armed forces of the Philippines will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals.”

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack via the militant group’s Amaq news agency, describing it as twin suicide bombings that it said killed 120 people.

Police are investigating but suspect it was the work of Abu Sayyaf, a domestic militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and is notorious for its bombings and brutality.

“They want to show force and sow chaos,” national police chief Oscar Albayalde told DZMM radio, suggesting Abu Sayyaf was the prime suspect.

Civilians bore the brunt of the attack, which also killed five soldiers. Police lowered the death toll from 27 to 20 after discovering duplications in initial records.

Jolo is a stronghold of the group, which runs a lucrative piracy and kidnapping operation that successive governments have failed to break up. The group, which operates in the waters and islands of western Mindanao, has beheaded numerous foreign captives when ransom demands were not met.

Images of the inside of the Jolo church showed several rows of wooden pews destroyed, with debris strewn across a blackened floor.

Speaking in Panama, Pope Francis condemned what he called a “terrorist attack” and during a prayer for the dead and wounded said: “May the Lord, prince of peace, convert the hearts of the violent ones.”

‘Dastardly act’

The attack followed Friday’s announcement that the region, a mainly Muslim part of the predominantly Catholic Philippines, had ratified the creation of an autonomous area called Bangsamoro, with 85 percent of voters behind it.

Although Sulu was among only a few areas that rejected autonomy, it will still be part of the new entity when it is fully formed in 2022.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the attack a “dastardly act” and urged the local population to cooperate and “deny terrorism any victory.”

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon called those responsible “mass murderers” and “extremist criminals.”

“We will not allow them to spoil the preference of the people for peace,” he added.

The referendum came amid concerns about the presence of extremists in the Philippines and the possibility that foreign radicals will join those of Indonesia and Malaysia in gravitating to Mindanao to capitalize on porous borders, jungles and mountains, and an abundance of arms.

The Philippine military in mid-2017 encountered its biggest and longest battle since World War Two when an alliance of extremists loyal to Islamic State, among them foreigners and children, overran Marawi City and tried to establish a caliphate.

Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf faction leader anointed as Islamic State’s Southeast Asian “emir” and wanted by the United States, was killed during that battle.

The post Philippines Vows to Crush ‘Terrorists’ After Church Bombs Kill 20 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Australia Says No Proof Writer’s Detention in China Related to Canadian Arrests

Posted: 27 Jan 2019 08:09 PM PST

SINGAPORE—There is no proof that Beijing’s detention of a Chinese-born Australian writer is related to the arrest of Canadians in China, Australian Defense Minister Christopher Pyne said on Monday.

Yang Hengjun was detained in southern China earlier this month and taken to Beijing where China has said he was held under “coercive measures,” a euphemism for detention, as he is being investigated on suspicion of “endangering state security.”

“In terms of the detention of Mr. Yang, I don't see any evidence that the detention of Mr. Yang is linked to decisions made by the Australian government in recent times. Nor do I see it being linked to the detention of the two Canadians, Pyne told a security forum in Singapore.

Pyne held talks in Beijing last week aimed at repairing ties with Australia’s largest trading partner that have been strained since 2017, when it accused China of meddling in its affairs.

Pyne said he had spoken to Chinese authorities during his trip to “ensure that he (Yang) has been well cared for, treated fairly and transparently.”

Tensions have risen in recent weeks between China and some Western countries after two Canadians, a diplomat on unpaid leave and a consultant, were arrested in China on suspicion of endangering state security.

Australia joined international condemnation of the arrest of the Canadians, but Yang has long been in the sights of Chinese authorities. He has criticized what he described as Chinese interference in Australia.

Yang’s lawyer, Mo Shaoping, told Reuters that his client was suspected of “espionage,” and was being held under “residential surveillance at a designated location.”

The post Australia Says No Proof Writer’s Detention in China Related to Canadian Arrests appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Stiletto Races and Hula Hoops at Pride Festival in Myanmar

Posted: 27 Jan 2019 08:08 PM PST

YANGON — Contestants ran a stiletto race and swirled hula hoops at a park in Myanmar’s biggest city on Sunday in the Drag Olympics as a highlight of the Yangon Pride festival.

The attendance of an estimated 2,000 people at Thakin Mya Park was a sign of change in a predominantly Buddhist country where traditionalism is strong and homosexuality is a crime under a law inherited from British colonialists, organizers said.

It was the fifth time that the festival has been held, but only the second year it has happened in a public place.

“When we started this, people did not really dare to come to this kind of festival,” said Hla Mat Tun, a co-director of the festival from the &Proud group. “Now you see a lot of young people. Young people are more proud and out and encouraged and empowered.”

But he said lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people continued to face harassment and that social change was needed as well as changes to Myanmar’s laws.

Activists complain that progress has not been as swift as they would have hoped under Myanmar’s transition to democracy. The government has also faced heavy international criticism after a 2017 army crackdown led hundreds of thousands of minority Rohingya Muslims to flee to neighboring Bangladesh.

Cheered on by the crowd, nine contestants took part in the Drag Olympics, which also involved a handbag flinging contest before the judges picked a winner.

The post Stiletto Races and Hula Hoops at Pride Festival in Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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