Tuesday, January 15, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Calls Grow for Probe of Civil Service Board Following Fake Universities Scandal

Posted: 15 Jan 2019 07:53 AM PST

YANGON—Calls are mounting for an investigation into Myanmar's Union Civil Service Board (UCSB) in the wake of disclosures that it provided training and a master's degree program for high-ranking government officials via two unaccredited foreign universities.

The scandal broke last month after a Myanmar scholar doing a degree at Oxford University in England revealed on Facebook that Hawaii-based Akamai University and an affiliated institution, Malaysia's EDS Business School, were working with the UCSB, a government agency responsible for recruiting and training civil servants.

Neither university is recognized by the government of its home country.

The scholar, Ko Nay Yan Oo, posted videos of Akamai University showing two small rooms in a two-story building he described as being no bigger than "a grocery store". On a door of one of the rooms, a sheet of A4-sized paper could be seen bearing the name of the purported university. The posts were widely shared and many netizens questioned the motivation for the UCSB's decision to partner with the institutions.

Initially, the UCSB defended its relationships with the "universities". It posted on its website on Dec. 30 that both were accredited by the U.K.-based Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC)—an organization that has faced allegations of accrediting "degree mills".

Following heavy criticism from the public on social media, the UCSB said on Jan. 9 that after a review, it had ended its partnerships with the two institutions on Jan. 4, and vowed to collaborate with worthier universities in the future. But no further details, nor any explanation of how the relationships were formed, have yet emerged.

The move failed to satisfy the public and has led to demands for accountability and transparency from the board. Meanwhile, EDS Business School's official Facebook page, which once actively touted its partnership with the UCSB, has disappeared. The school's website is "under maintenance."

Ko Nay Yan Oo told The Irrawaddy that simply ending the cooperation was not enough.

"They must explain to people why they worked with those institutions. How much [public] money has been spent on those two universities? Public funds spent on those two universities have been wasted," he said.

Under their partnerships with the board, Akamai University and EDS Business School conducted several courses starting in 2017, according to data from UCSB.

They offered courses like "Strategic and Corporate Planning for a Public Sector Organization", "Competencies for Transformational Leadership for Civil Service", "Developing a Good to Great Culture for Civil Service" and "Effective Supervision and Team Leadership Methods for Civil Service" to directors of government departments, lecturers from the county's central institutes of civil service, and officials from the Civil Service Affairs Department and the Civil Service Selection and Training Department.

From May 8-13, 2017, leadership training was also given to officials from Union-level institutions and permanent secretaries from Union ministries. In 2018, a "Master of Leadership in Civil Service" program was launched.

Daw Cho Mar Myint, UCSB spokesperson and assistant secretary, told The Irrawaddy on Jan. 10: "The decision to stop collaborating with them was made by the chairman," referring to Dr. Win Thein—who himself received an honorary doctorate from Akamai University in 2014.

She added that the two-year master's program, which was attended by around two dozen directors and deputy director-generals, would also be scrapped.

Dr Win Thein, chairman of the Union Civil Service Board (UCSB), delivers a speech at the opening of the Civil Services Academy in Pyin Oo Lwin. / Global New Light of Myanmar

Asked if the decision to end the collaboration was prompted by the ongoing public criticism of the bogus university, the UCSB spokeswoman declined to comment.

Who is Dr Win Thein?

Before assuming the leadership of the UCSB, ex-military man Dr. Win Thein served as the principal of the Myanmar Mercantile Marine College. His Army background began with the Defense Services Academy (DSA)'s Intake 11, the same class as ex-general U Shwe Mann, considered the third most powerful man in Myanmar's former military regime.

U Win Thein also served as a member of the Union Parliament's Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission in 2012.

The UCSB has requested several budget increases in recent years. Under the 2017 Budget Law (for April 1, 2017 to March 30, 2018), it sought 9.3 billion kyats. For the six-month interim budget from April 1 to Sept. 30, 2018, it asked for 4.6 billion kyats.

In the latest budget law for fiscal 2018-19, it asked for 39 billion kyats—an amount larger than the requests from some ministries, including those of the State Counselor's Office, Hotels and Tourism, Religious Affairs and Culture, Commerce, Industry and Ethnic Affairs.

Regarding financial issues, including how much the UCSB spent on the two institutions' training courses, Daw Cho Mar Myint told The Irrawaddy that, "I have no authority to discuss the issue."

Ko Myo Min, founder of PS Business School, said it was shocking that a government agency would work with unaccredited foreign universities to offer training to government officials.

"The problem of fake degrees and degree mills happens all over the world… But here, [the government] has neglected to address it. If they are at fault, they need to admit and provide an explanation to the public. Just saying 'We have cut ties' is so reckless," he said.

Conflicts of Interest

Accreditation aside, Ko Nay Yan Oo saw a possible conflict of interest in UCSB's partnerships with the two bogus universities.

UCSB chairman Dr. Win Thein and his nephew Dr. Win Min Thein have longstanding ties with Akamai University and EDS Business School.

Dr. Win Min Thein founded a business institute, Yangon City Training Center, in 2012. In 2017 it was renamed Nanyeng International College. He also works as a visiting professor at the UCSB's central institutes of civil service. His father, U Min Thein, is a member of the Naypyitaw Development Committee.

Ko Nay Yan Oo said he had discovered that Dr. Win Min Thein first held discussions with Akamai University and EDS Business School about offering business management training in Myanmar in late 2013.

Akamai University appointed Dr. Win Min Thein an assistant professor in its Asia Program. In October 2014, Akamai University bestowed U Win Thein, who was then a member of the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission, with a Doctor of Philosophy Honoris Causa in Educational Leadership in Yangon.

According to Ko Nay Yan Oo, Dr. Win Min Thein and EDS Business School held discussions on the training programs in late 2016 in Yangon. Following this, U Win Thein was appointed as UCSB chair. He later approved the two universities to offer training with the UCSB.

In 2017, EDS Business School awarded Dr. Win Min Thein the Presidential Award for Distinguished Achievement.

Contacted by The Irrawaddy for comment on this story on Sunday, Dr. Win Min Thein initially agreed to be interviewed on Tuesday afternoon. However, his assistant canceled the interview at the last minute, saying Dr. Win Min Thein "was on a tight schedule."

A graduation ceremony is held at the Central Institute of Civil Service (Upper Myanmar) on Feb. 23, 2018. / Global New Light of Myanmar

Calling for an investigation into the scandal, Ko Nay Yan Oo said, "With the country transitioning to a democratic system in which good governance, people-centered administration and transparency are required, what the Union Civil Service Board has done is unacceptable."

He said he would submit complaints to the President's Office, State Counselor's Office and Anti-Corruption Commission calling for an investigation of the UCSB.

Upper House Lawmaker U Myo Win, a National League for Democracy member from Mon State who has a record of calling for civil service reform in Parliament, agreed with Ko Nay Yan Oo.

"Personally, I believe there must be responsibility and accountability for the [UCSB's] cooperation with unaccredited universities," he said.

The President's Office and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) are aware of the case. Responding to a reporter's question on the scandal at a press briefing in Naypyitaw last week, President's Office Spokesperson Zaw Htay said the UCSB had ended its partnerships with Akamai University and EDS Business School.

Contacted by The Irrawaddy last Friday, an ACC member said there was no immediate plan to launch an investigation into the case for the time being. "If there is a complaint over the case, we will have to review it first," commission spokesperson U Kyaw Soe told The Irrawaddy.

The post Calls Grow for Probe of Civil Service Board Following Fake Universities Scandal appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Home-Grown Tech Startup Taking on International Competitors

Posted: 15 Jan 2019 05:39 AM PST

YANGON—As recently as 2012, the internet in Myanmar was strictly censored, slow and very expensive. From 2013, the telecommunications market began to open up leading to a huge spike the number of internet users, most of whom access the internet via their smart phone and primarily use Facebook.

Since then, Yangon's tech scene has gone from strength to strength and diversified with successes in travel (GoP), accommodation (Ezstay) and employment (Chate Sat) startups exciting observers of the region's startup environment. Considering that less than a decade ago only about 1% of the population had access to the internet, this is significant.

Neh Thit, also known by its English name "New Day," is a local tech startup honing in on this proliferation of smartphone users and fast internet connectivity to provide easy-to-use technology that connects non-executive job seekers with employers. There are currently 50,000 job seekers and over 40 employers using the platform.

In its first year, the startup won an award for innovation from MIT and soon after, was given a vital six-digit grant under GSMA's Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund.

Neh Thit technology can be accessed by smartphone, tablet or computer.

In early November 2018, the entrepreneurs behind Neh Thit pitched their startup alongside eight competitors at the Yangon chapter of Seedstars, an international startup competition, and came out winners, going on to attend the Seedstars Asia Summit held in Bangkok in late November. They have been invited to compete at the Seedstars Summit in Switzerland this April where the competition will be fierce with the global winner taking $500,000 for their company.

Based out of Phandeeyar co-working space in downtown Yangon, the first version of Neh Thit was rolled out in 2017 by a team put together by US-native Conor Smith who, after a number of years living in Yangon, decided to act on complaints he often heard from employers on the difficulties of finding and keeping quality staff. Now a team of 12 permanent staff, and a number of freelancers and advisors who pitch in along the way, run Neh Thit.

"We are trying to help the community and generate income for low-level or entry-level workers," said Ko So Phay Oo, Neh Thit's head of operations who returned from Singapore after seven years to join the Neh Thit team. The team work on creating a win-win situation for both employee and workers.

Head of Operations Ko So Phay Oo at the Phadeeyar co-working space in Yangon on December 5, 2018. / Marie Starr / The Irrawaddy

The Neh Thit team have developed chatbot technology which allows job seekers to start a conversation through Facebook's Messenger or Viber. The conversation is automated and details are acquired from the user, including what field of work they are hoping to find employment in. The chatbot technology automatically creates a resume for them and presents a list of job opportunities suited to their experience and skills. They then choose and apply for whichever jobs they are most interested in.

"We are collecting hundreds of data points, both demographic and behavioral, on our job seekers, which enables us to build full profiles that go beyond traditional CVs. We then apply a matching algorithm to best offer job opportunities to job seekers, and optimally pre-select and pre-interview our candidates to deliver a win-win for both employers and candidates," CEO Conor Smith told The Irrawaddy via email.

Ko So Phay Oo says a strength of Neh Thit is how easy it is to use; that "there is no training necessary in using the technology—everyone knows how to use Facebook Messenger."

"In terms of internet connection, Myanmar is one of the fastest in Southeast Asia. We found that there are a lot of users who are really familiar with Facebook. But we found that only 5% of users are willing to download an application so we decided not to create an app just yet," he said.

Despite the high number of smartphone users and fast internet, introducing a non-traditional method of job-seeking was one of the challenges for the startup.

"We are not only trying to build a product, we are also introducing a new culture of using a web portal and chat technology to find a job or employee which is quite difficult to implement in a short time," he said.

Employers register on the Neh Thit website, choose a pricing plan and list the details of the jobs vacancies they have in their company.

"Our backend system uses HR technology that will automatically match resumes using our systems and inform the employer," said Ko So Phay Oo.

"We have found that we can't just offer matches without additional assistances. To increase success rates of our job seekers throughout the process, we also offer recruiting guidance tools via chat-based online course curriculum. This includes application readiness, interview prep, onboarding prep, etc. So far, we have had over 1,200 candidates successfully complete these modules," said Smith.

The company's first year was all about research, market observation and feasibility studies. The beta version of Neh Thit was launched in August 2018 and—as with all good startups—the team is constantly improving, modifying and adjusting their product while sticking to the concept.

Neh Thit now employs 12 staff members who work at Phandeeyar co-working space in Yangon. / Marie Starr / The Irrawaddy

The company is proud of their office structure where everyone is on the same level—customer service, digital marketing, business development, management and finance and accounting—all work together and the equal respect and responsibility among team members fosters a positive team spirit and plenty of motivation.

Neh Thit targets the entry- and mid-level workforce which is the mass market in Myanmar and includes non-executive jobs such as customer services, hospitality and sales and marketing. So far, they operate only in Yangon but they have plans to move to other urban centers in the future.

The Seedstars summit in April is set to be an exciting opportunity to network with other startups and will provide a chance to meet potential investors as well as to attend seminars and conferences alongside their counterparts from international emerging and established markets.

Going forward, Ko So Phay Oo says the company's ultimate goal is to have full coverage of employers and employees in Myanmar.

"We have made strong progress so far and we are excited about the momentum we have created, but there is still a very long way to go. We are still at the start of our journey, and we are driven to reach our long-term goal of creating an efficient jobs marketplace for non-executive employment opportunities across Myanmar,” said Smith.

The post Home-Grown Tech Startup Taking on International Competitors appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Four Arakanese Facing Charges for Murder of Army Intelligence

Posted: 15 Jan 2019 05:04 AM PST

YANGON—Four Arakanese men are being officially sued under Article 302 of the Penal Code in connection with the killing of a member of a military affairs unit Corp. Win Htike in Rakhine State's capital of Sittwe last September.

Defense lawyer for the four suspects, U Tun Aung Kyaw, confirmed that the court accepted the lawsuit on Monday. He explained that the victim's wife will act as a plaintiff in the case.

Two of the accused, Ko Aung Zaw Lin and Ko Khine Thaw, are Arakanese activists who are members of the Arakan Youth Conference (AYC), while Ko May Yu Tun is a member of the Arakan National Party (ANP). The three were arrested in October 2018 in different locations in Rakhine State but later granted bail, with police saying they hadn't found enough solid evidence to construct a case against them.

In November, the police arrested the fourth suspect in Yangon on suspicion of gunning down the military-affiliated officer who was a fellow member of the ANP. After a series of interrogations by Sittwe police over the course of two weeks, the suspect was beaten and allegedly forced to confess to the police accusations. The suspect Ko Ye Zaw received medical treatment in Sittwe General Hospital in December following the interrogations.

According to U Tun Aung Kyaw, the investigation officer has submitted evidence to the court which contains clothing worn by the victim, an empty bullet round and a handbag as well as some group photos of the three Arakanese activists. The police handed a list of 30 plaintiff witness names to the court.

"Well, I am pretty sure that all three Arakanese have nothing to do with this murder case. We truly believe that they are innocent and that they are being unfairly treated," said U Tun Aung Kyaw.

The lawyer claimed that Ko May Yu Tun was not even in the capital when military intelligence official was shot down at close range. Ko May Yu Tun was helping the 2018 by-election candidate for the ANP alongside an Arakanese Union lawmaker Daw Khin Saw Wai on the day of the incident.

The other two suspects, Ko Aung Zaw Lin and Ko Khin Thaw were socializing with friends at Sittwe strand on the night in question. U Tun Aung Kyaw claimed that the fourth suspect Ko Ye Zaw was also not in Sittwe, as he had already returned from Sittwe to Yangon on Sept. 19. He said that they have already provided travel itinerary to the authorities as a proof.

"I can't imagine how they are going to examine some group photos of three Arakanese as evidence in the court," said U Tun Aung Kyaw.

An Arakanese activist and Sittwe resident Ko Min Bar Chay who attended the initial court hearing of the four detainees on Monday also said that the process of the authorities is very questionable at this point as they granted bail for three of the suspects and then re-arrested them without further explanation.

Another defense lawyer Daw Aye Nu Sein confirmed that the three Arakanese were re-arrested on Monday and the next court sitting will take place on Wednesday.

The post Four Arakanese Facing Charges for Murder of Army Intelligence appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Why Is China In a Hurry to Revive the Myitsone Dam Projects?

Posted: 15 Jan 2019 04:58 AM PST

A statement from the Chinese government on Sunday has renewed concerns among ethnic Kachin over the stalled Myitsone dam project. In the statement, the Chinese Embassy in Yangon claimed that Kachin political leaders and social organizations had a "positive attitude" toward the dam. It added that "local people of Kachin State do not oppose the Myitsone hydropower project; it is some individuals and social organizations from outside that oppose the project."

Three Kachin political parties and community leader Rev. Hkalam Samson immediately issued a statement of their own to insist that China’s claims were false and misleading.

It is obvious that the people of Myanmar, and the Kachin in particular, have been opposed to the Myitsone dam projects even before it forced thousands of Kachin villagers to relocate.

Myitsone is hardly China’s only planned dam in Myanmar. It also hopes to build dams in Lasa on the Mali River and in Khaunglanghpu, Phizaw, Lakin and Pashe on the Nmai River. A dam on the Nmai in Chiphwi is already finished.

Source: International Rivers

The people of Myanmar are strongly opposed to the seven dams on the Irrawaddy and its tributaries because of the irreparable environmental damage they may cause, the potential for water shortages and unpredictable surges, and the knock-on social and economic damage facing the millions who depend on the waterways.

The sudden flurry of activity over the Myitsone begs the question: Why is China so keen to revive the project?

The reasons are many.

First, China wants to push the project forward in order to help meet the power demands of its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). As noted in the embassy's statement, China is planning to establish three “economic cooperation zones" on its borders with Kachin and Shan state as part of the BRI. Moreover, China is expanding road and rail links with the country as part of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC). It is also speeding up construction of an industrial park in Namjim, in northern Kachin. The Myitsone dam would go far in providing them all with a ready supply of electricity.

Second, with bilateral relations on the upswing, China wants to seize the moment. There is a saying: "Strike while the iron is hot." In a recent column, I wrote that State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi could make a bargaining chip of the steering committee she has just formed to coordinate BRI projects. China, on the other hand, is using its support for Myanmar in the face of mounding international pressure over the Rohingya crisis to try to revive the Myitsone project and push forward with others.

Beijing also promised to strengthen cooperation with the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, improve border management and control, and maintain border stability when Vice Senior General Soe Win paid an official visit to China in mid-November. China always protects Myanmar from scrutiny or punishment at the UN Security Council in accordance with its "paukphaw" brotherhood. It appears that China wants to seize this moment to restart the dams, while Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Tatmadaw need its help.

Third, China may be trying to draw attention to the Myitsone dam to distract from other investment opportunities it is pursuing. For example, Myanmar Yang Tse Copper, a subsidiary of Beijing-based Wanbao Mining, has reportedly sought permission to carry out ground inspections for a possible copper mine in a 100,000-acre area in Monywa, in Sagaing Region. China is also continuing to pursue the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone in Rakhine State despite warnings in Myanmar that it could pose a debt trap for the country. While implementing the CMEC, China may also have to confiscate land from locals and come in for complaints of paying insufficient compensation, as it did when it built the Shwe gas pipeline connecting Rakhine and China’s Yunnan Province.

Fourth, China wants to reduce its dependence on coal for its electricity supply. As the figures below show, China currently gets 64.7 percent of its electricity from coal and only 18.6 percent from hydropower.

Source: China Energy Portal

China is the world’s second largest coal importer after Japan. Its coal imports hit a record high in the summer of 2018. However, China is aware of the importance of reducing its dependence on coal, having faced protests by miners, average citizens and environmental activists both at home and abroad. For example, thousands of coal miners protested in China over unpaid wages in 2016 and thousands of locals have protested against coal mining in the Letpadaung region of Sagaing in recent years.

China will never give up on the Myitsone dam. It is currently building dams on the Namtu and Nam Teng rivers despite local opposition.

China may have yet more reasons for wanting to revive the Myitsone dam project than the ones listed here. Whatever they are, the people of Kachin State should not be made the scapegoats.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of an analyst based in Kachin State.

The post Why Is China In a Hurry to Revive the Myitsone Dam Projects? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Three Villagers Shot Dead in Fighting Between Gov’t, AA Troops in Rakhine

Posted: 15 Jan 2019 04:39 AM PST

 

YANGON—At least three villagers were reportedly killed in armed clashes between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army (AA) near Hpon Nyo Leik village in northern Rakhine's Buthidaung Township on Sunday, Muslim and Rakhine villagers said.

The village is home to nearly 8,000 Rohingya and several dozen Arakanese homes. The village with a mixed population of Rohingya and Arakanese was spared during the military's clearance operations in 2017, which drove more than 700,000 Muslims into neighboring Bangladesh.

Hpon Nyo Leik resident Nrul Islam told The Irrawaddy on Monday afternoon that Muslim villagers found three bodies on Monday morning near the site of Sunday's fighting. He said they were killed by gunfire. One of the victims was a 19-year-old Rohingya boy and the other two are believed to be Arakanese villagers from the Rakhine community.

Villagers wanted to perform funeral services for the victims, but Army (or Tatmadaw) troops claimed the three bodies on Monday afternoon. They later returned the Muslim boy's body. According to Nrul Islam, the two dead Arakanese were clad in plain clothes and had a black backpack each. Neither firearms nor ammunition were found among their belongings.

An Arakanese resident of the same village who asked not to be identified due to fears for his safety confirmed that some civilians had been killed, and that Muslim villagers had found some bodies in the morning.

He said that about 15 Arakanese residents of various villages were detained by Army officers on Sunday, the same day as the fighting between the AA and the Tatmadaw broke out. Thirteen of these villagers were released from Buthidaung-based Border Police Headquarters No. 13 on Tuesday morning. The detainees included seven Arakanese civilians from Pyin Chaung village; a villager from Tha Yet Pyin and an administrator—identified as U Maung Than Hlaing—from the same village; two villagers from Yae Kaung Chaung and one from Oo Yin Thar village. Cases against the villager and administrative official from Tha Yet Pyin are being opened under the Unlawful Association Law's Section 17 (a). Tha Yet Pyin is a neighboring village of Hpon Nyo Leik.

Video footage uploaded by Mayu Rashid on Facebook at 5:30 p.m. on Monday shows the dead body of a Rohingya man. A brief statement accompanying the post in Burmese says that one Rohingya man was shot dead by Army troops.

The video includes a narration in the Rohingya language. The Irrawaddy had the narration translated. It says that at least three Rohingya were believed to be missing following the clash. Both the translated narration and what can be gleaned from the footage suggest that the man killed was a resident of Hpon Nyo Leik village. According to the translator, the narrator adds that Rohingya villagers were asking Rohingya netizens to spread the video clip to show that Rohingya are being caught in the crossfire of two armed groups.

This video posted on Facebook on Monday evening shows the body of a dead Rohingya man from Hpon Nyo Leik village in northern Rakhine's Buthidaung Township, according to the Rohingya-language narration. According to The Irrawaddy's translation, the narrator also claims that at least another three Rohingya were believed to be missing following a clash between Tatmadaw and AA forces near the village.

Nrul Islam elaborated that as this month is paddy-harvesting season, many Rohingya villagers are working as casual labors in the region. But since armed fighting erupted between AA and government troops unexpectedly on Sunday, more than 30 villagers have gone missing. The Irrawaddy was not able to independently verify his claims.

Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun of the Commander-in-Chief's Office confirmed Sunday's clash to The Irrawaddy on Monday morning, acknowledging that there were fatalities on both sides.

"We've got five AA deaths; at the same time, there are some on our side," he said. He refused to give the exact number.

When The Irrawaddy called him on Monday and Tuesday afternoon to confirm the civilian deaths and arrests, he didn't answer the phone.

The AA's vice chief of staff, Major-General Nyo Tun Aung, denied to The Irrawaddy that anyone from his armed group was killed in the clash, and claimed that five Muslim villagers were reportedly killed by government troops. The Irrawaddy contacted some Muslim and Rakhine villagers from Hpon Nyo Leik and they said at least three were killed.

Early on Monday morning, armed skirmishes occurred in Rathedaung Township's Kyein Pyin village, which is about 6 miles from downtown. A Rathedaung resident said that even in the town, some residents were digging reinforced trenches as shelters from incoming artillery shells, in case the armed conflict reached downtown.

"When I was washing my face in the morning, a number of shells exploded on the outskirts of town. At first I thought it might be thunder," he said.

The recent fighting between the AA and government troops has prompted local people to flee their villages. The conflict area has broadened into five townships, and on Monday the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the number of IDPs had risen to 5,000 on Monday.

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KNPP Raises Tatmadaw Troop Movements in Karenni State with Peace Commission

Posted: 15 Jan 2019 02:48 AM PST

CHIANG MAI, Thailand—The Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) raised the issue of the Myanmar military's recent deployment of troops in areas under the party's control in Karenni State with the government's Peace Commission (PC) during informal talks in this northern Thai city on Monday.

The KNPP sees the deployments by the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) since late 2018 as being of concern not just to itself, but also to the security of the public.

The KNPP has held five rounds of informal talks with the government since last year. The talks are aimed at finding a path for the group to eventually sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

KNPP vice chairman Khu Oo Reh headed the party's delegation to the negotiations, which were led by PC secretary U Khin Zaw Oo.

KNPP spokesman Nei Neh Plo, who took part in the negotiations, said the KNPP discussed the situation on the ground, which has seen increased deployments of Tatmadaw troops in Karenni-controlled areas. Delegates also discussed ways of overcoming this obstacle to the KNPP's joining the path to the NCA.

Only when the disputes on the ground are solved and mutual trust improves will the two sides be able to move forward with negotiations, Nei Neh Plo said.

"Many incidents in late 2017 and in 2018 hindered the KNPP from moving forward to [enter] bilateral negotiations on the NCA. For instance, the case of the murders of four Karenni soldiers [in December 2017] and clashes with Tatmadaw troops, after they failed to inform us in advance of their movements in our areas. Thus, negotiations were set back and didn't advance," he said.

He added that recent decisions by NCA signatories had slowed the progress of the KNPP's efforts to join the NCA process. He cited the Karen National Union's temporary suspension of its participation in the formal peace process in October, and the Restoration Council of Shan State's decision to put off its participation in the mechanisms of the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee.

"Thus for the KNPP, signing the NCA seems to getting more distant, even if we wanted to join," Nei Neh Plo said.

The KNPP entered bilateral talks with the government after peace negotiations with the United Nationalities Federal Council's Delegation for Political Negotiation ended in early 2018.

U Zaw Htay, the director general of the Myanmar State Counselor's Office, told reporters on Monday after the informal talks that negotiations are ongoing to settle the problems on the ground in Karenni State, and to get the KNPP on the NCA path. He said the talks were a positive development.

"We still have to negotiate the date [for further talks] and how we move the process forward step by step. Our discussions were constructive and it was a good meeting. We hope the KNPP will sign the NCA soon, and we are moving forward based on that expectation," he said.

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120 Projects Worth $3B to Showcase at Invest Myanmar Summit 2019

Posted: 15 Jan 2019 01:03 AM PST

YANGON—More than 120 regional and private business projects worth a total of over $3 billion will be showcased at the upcoming Invest Myanmar Summit 2019 which aims to attract major investment from East Asia countries.

The summit is part of the government's effort to counteract a significant decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) seen in Myanmar over the last two fiscal years and it will be held on Jan. 28 and 29 at Myanmar Convention Centre 2 in Naypyitaw.

"With the projects on showcase, local and international investors at the summit will have a very clear picture of the prospects they can look forward to when investing in Myanmar, the industries they can invest in and types of projects open to them in each state and region," said U Zaw Min Win, president of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI).

Invest Myanmar Summit 2019 is a collaboration between the Myanmar government, region and states governments and the business community and aims to create a platform for businesses to meet. The summit will provide international and local investors with the opportunity to discover the investment potential in the country and potential investors will be supplied with relevant information.

The countries targeted during the summit will be China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, India, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

"I expect the summit will help our investment figures to increase this year. From initial discussions with international investors, Japan and Hong Kong investors are quite interested in investing more here," U Maung Maung Lay, vice president of UMFCCI, told The Irrawaddy.

According to the official summit website, ten states and regions will participate in the event—Karen, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan, Yangon, Sagaing, Mandalay, Irrawaddy and Tanintharyi. Industries to be targeted will be the manufacturing, garment, electricity and energy, tourism, education, food processing and fisheries, heath care, infrastructure and property.

During the summit, a centralized database of key projects called Project Bank will be launched. The database is expected to enable effective implementation of the Myanmar Sustainable Development Programme (MSDP) was drawn up with an ambition to align the country's numerous policies and institutions in order to achieve inclusive and transformational economic growth.

According to the event press release, one of the projects with good prospects is the development of Myotha Industrial Park City (MIPC) in Mandalay Region which currently holds the highest value in the Project Data Bank which is expected to create up to 33,700 jobs and target infrastructure, labor intensive-industries like food and wood processing, capital-intensive industries like pharmaceutical and renewable energy production, consumer services and producer services like banking and finance.

The key speakers at the summit will include State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, newly-appointed Union Minister of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations U Thaung Tun, Deputy Minister of Planning and Finance U Set Aung and a member of the National Economic Coordination Committee (NECC) U Min Ye Paing Hein.

Myanmar experienced a significant decline in FDI, from $9.5 billion in the 2015-2016 fiscal year to $6.6 billion in 2016-2017, after the 2017 Rohingya crisis in Rakhine State which tarnished the country's image and caused caution among western investors.

In October 2018, the Myanmar Investment commission (MIC) launched the Myanmar Investment Promotion Plan (MIPP), a major investment plan that aims to attract more than $200 billion in investment from responsible and quality businesses over the next 20 years.

According to U Aung Naing Oo, director general of the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA), the government's first priority in 2019 is to focus on the implementation of the MIPP.

Through the MIPP, the government aims for Myanmar to become a middle-income country by 2030 and will make economic reforms to ensure fair and transparent investment systems and institutional development for investment promotion. They intend to oversee infrastructure development, supportive business-associated systems, competitive industrial links and a higher quality of human resources.

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China Court Sentences Canadian to Death as Diplomatic Row Deepens

Posted: 14 Jan 2019 08:52 PM PST

BEIJING/OTTAWA — A Chinese court on Monday sentenced a Canadian man to be executed for drug smuggling, prompting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to accuse China of using the death penalty arbitrarily.

The ruling, and Trudeau’s reaction, could aggravate already sour relations between Beijing and Ottawa following the arrest of a Chinese executive in Canada and China’s subsequent detention of two Canadians.

The Dalian Intermediate People’s Court in China’s Liaoning Province re-tried Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who had appealed his original 15-year prison sentence, and decided on execution, the court said in a statement.

Schellenberg was told in court he had the right to appeal to Liaoning High Court within 10 days upon receiving the ruling, the intermediate court said in a second statement.

“It is of extreme concern to us as a government, as it should be to all our international friends and allies, that China has chosen to begin to arbitrarily apply [the] death penalty … as in this case,” Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa.

Late on Monday, Canada’s Foreign Ministry updated its travel advisory for China to warn citizens about “the risk of arbitrary enforcement of local laws.”

It added: “We continue to advise all Canadians travelling to China to exercise a high degree of caution.”

Schellenberg’s aunt, Lauri Nelson-Jones, said the family’s worst fears had been confirmed.

“Our thoughts are with Robert at this time. It is rather unimaginable what he must be feeling and thinking,” she said in a statement to Reuters. “It is a horrific, unfortunate, heartbreaking situation.”

In a second statement sent hours later, she said “the Schellenberg family requests that all Canadians stand with us and pray for the safe return of our loved one.”

China-Canada ties turned icy in early December after Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, was arrested in Vancouver on a U.S. extradition warrant.

China warned of unspecified consequences unless Meng was released, and detained Michael Kovrig, a Canadian diplomat on unpaid leave from the embassy in Beijing, and Michael Spavor, a Canadian consultant, on suspicion of endangering state security.

Beijing has not drawn a direct link between the detentions and the arrest of Meng, wanted by U.S. authorities for allegedly misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions. Western diplomats say the cases are a tit-for-tat reprisal.

Lu Shaye, China’s ambassador to Canada, suggested in a newspaper article last week the arrest of Kovrig and Spavor was “China’s self-defense,” but gave no details.

Earlier on Monday, Beijing dismissed Trudeau’s statement that Kovrig enjoyed some form of diplomatic immunity.

A foreign ministry spokeswoman said Trudeau should “earnestly study” the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic ties so as to “not become a laughing stock.”

Trudeau said Ottawa “will continue to engage strongly” with Beijing over Kovrig’s status and what he called China’s arbitrary use of justice.

222 kg of methamphetamine

Rights groups condemned the Schellenberg sentence while Guy St-Jacques, who was Canada’s ambassador in Beijing when Kovrig worked there, expressed concern at how quickly the courts had acted.

“The Canadian government will make representations in Beijing, but based on past experience I am not sure whether this will work,” he told the CBC. “We are in a very difficult place.”

William Nee of Amnesty International noted drug-related offences did not meet the threshold of the “most serious crimes” to which the death penalty must be restricted under international law.

Drug smuggling is routinely punished severely in China. Beijing has previously executed foreign nationals convicted of drug-related crimes. A Briton was executed in 2009.

The court said Schellenberg had conspired with others in an attempt to smuggle 222 kg of methamphetamine from China to Australia in 2014.

Chinese state television said in an earlier report that Schellenberg argued he was a tourist visiting China and was framed by criminals.

A lawyer for Schellenberg, Zhang Dongshuo, told Reuters his client would probably appeal against the death sentence.

Beijing considers the number of people executed in China to be a state secret. International human rights organizations estimate the annual figure at around 2,000.

The post China Court Sentences Canadian to Death as Diplomatic Row Deepens appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Malaysia Seizes Huge Crystal Meth Haul in Two Raids

Posted: 14 Jan 2019 08:17 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian police seized nearly 600 kg of drugs they believe was mostly crystal methamphetamine in a crackdown on two trafficking syndicates over the weekend, they said on Monday.

The seizures came just months after Malaysia reported a record bust of nearly 1.2 tons of crystal meth, or shabu as it is locally known, that was disguised as tea in a shipment from Myanmar.

Malaysian police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the bulk of the drugs seized on Saturday was found in a container truck in the northern state of Perak.

“We found 569.5 kg of what we believe is shabu in the container, valued at 28.47 million ringgit ($6.94 million),” Fuzi told reporters.

Police believe the container was bound for Port Klang, where the shipment was to be split between local distribution and export. Fuzi said they were investigating the source and destination country for export.

Three men aged between 39 and 49 were detained at three locations in Perak in connection with the seizure and have been remanded until Jan. 19 to aid investigations.

The post Malaysia Seizes Huge Crystal Meth Haul in Two Raids appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UN Calls for ‘Rapid and Unimpeded’ Aid Access to Myanmar’s Rakhine

Posted: 14 Jan 2019 08:14 PM PST

YANGON—The United Nations called on the Myanmar government on Monday to allow "rapid and unimpeded" humanitarian access to Rakhine State, where fighting between government troops and autonomy-seeking rebels has displaced thousands of people.

The Rakhine State government issued a notice last week blocking non-governmental organizations and UN agencies from travelling to rural areas in five townships in the northern and central parts of the state affected by the conflict.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and UN World Food Programme were exempted from the ban, it said.

Myanmar’s president urged the military to “crush” the rebels of the Arakan Army during a rare meeting with the commander-in-chief last week. The president, U Win Myint, is a loyalist of the de facto government leader, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Fighting has forced about 5,000 people to flee from their homes and take shelter in monasteries and communal areas across the region since early January, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

“We are seriously concerned about new restrictions on humanitarian access which leave thousands of women, children and men in affected areas of Rakhine without access to adequate assistance and protection," said Pierre Peron, a spokesman for UN office.

"We hope the government responds positively to our call for rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, and to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law," he said in an email.

The Rakhine State municipal affairs minister, whose name is also U Win Myint, told Reuters the restrictions on humanitarian access were put in place for "security reasons."

"We don't know how long it will last," he said, "Access will be granted again if there is no security concern."

Rakhine state has been roiled by successive rounds of violence in recent years.

In 2017, the region was the site of an extensive military crackdown, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents, that prompted about 730,000 Rohingya to flee westwards into neighboring Bangladesh.

The Arakan Army, the group behind the recent fighting, is demanding greater autonomy from the central government for Rakhine State, where the mostly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine people form the majority of the population.

Arakan Army fighters killed 13 policemen and wounded nine in attacks on four police posts in early January, state media reported.

An Arakan Army spokesman outside Myanmar told Reuters last week the group attacked the security forces in response to a broad military offensive in the north of Rakhine State that also targeted civilians.

Myanmar governments have battled various autonomy-seeking ethnic minority insurgent groups since shortly after independence from Britain in 1948, though some have struck ceasefire agreements.

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