The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Over 100 Muslims Linked to Arakan Violence Released
- Kyaukphyu Residents Talk Downsides of Development
- Burma Seeks 20,000 Police Officers to Bolster Election Security
- Outside Lashio, a Cemetery For Fallen Govt Soldiers
- Union Parliament Passes ‘Interfaith Marriage’ Bill
- Several Injured During Land Dispute at a Gold Mine in Central Burma
- It’s Official: Election Day Set for Nov. 8
- Govt Cancels Controversial Development Near Shwedagon
- Malaysia’s Najib Considers Legal Action Over WSJ Report
- In Burma, Ethnic Loyalties Could Crimp Suu Kyi’s Party
- Thai Military Court to Release 14 Students Ahead of Trial
- Two Burmese Men Go On Trial for Murder of British Tourists
| Over 100 Muslims Linked to Arakan Violence Released Posted: 08 Jul 2015 09:00 AM PDT  Police stand guard in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State, in this June 2012 photo, after communal violence saw houses torched and residents driven from their homes. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — Local prison authorities in Arakan State's Buthidaung Township say more than 100 "Bengalis" were released this week after serving the duration of their sentences in connection with violence between Buddhists and Muslims that wracked the state in 2012. Min Maw, Buthidaung Prison's deputy director, was not available for comment on Wednesday afternoon but fellow prison staffer Win Kyaw confirmed the release of 124 inmates when asked by The Irrawaddy, calling the former prisoners "Bengalis," the government's official term for minority Rohingya Muslims. The president of the Arakan National Party's Buthidaung chapter, Htun Aung Thein, told The Irrawaddy that he had heard of the prisoners' release, but could not cite a specific figure and knew only that it was a large number of inmates. "That is the first time I know of," he said, referring to the large batch of convicts tied to the 2012 violence who were released this week. Buthidaung Police Officer Myat Htwe said the number of Rohingya released could be slightly higher. "As I understand it, around 127 Bengali prisoners were released from their Buthidaung cells. The township police office may know exactly. I don't know how many Bengalis were jailed in 2012." The Irrawaddy phoned the Buthidaung Township police office on Wednesday but Officer Ye Min Oo said the prison could not provide an exact figure because the prisoners were previously transferred from a penitentiary in Maungdaw Township, also in Arakan State. Twin bouts of violence in 2012 killed more than 100 people and displaced 140,000, most of them Muslims who continue to live in squalid displacement camps outside the Arakan State capital Sittwe and elsewhere in the state. The first wave of violence in June was sparked by the rape and murder of an Arakanese Buddhist woman by three Muslim men. Of the trio, one reportedly committed suicide in his jail cell while the other two men were sentenced to death. While an accurate figure of the total number of arrests made in connection with the violence is difficult to ascertain, nearly 200 Muslims are believed to have been imprisoned and Rohingya NGOs contend that far fewer Buddhists were jailed in comparison. The post Over 100 Muslims Linked to Arakan Violence Released appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Kyaukphyu Residents Talk Downsides of Development Posted: 08 Jul 2015 08:51 AM PDT  The Shwe gas pipelines run from an offshore site in the Bay of Bengal to Kyaukphyu in Burma's Arakan State and eventually on to China. (Photo: Ko Soe / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Residents from about 60 villages have gathered in Kyaukphyu, Arakan State, this week to discuss challenges facing the coastal township, with a planned special economic zone (SEZ), electrification of the region and compensation for damaged farmlands among the issues discussed. The two-day conference convened on Tuesday at a monastery in Liekhamaw village, near the site of the contentious Shwe oil and gas pipelines project, and is being attended by more than 100 people, according to Tun Lwin, who helped organize the meet-up and serves as coordinator of the Kyuakphyu Social Network. Tun Lwin said the Shwe project, rural development activities and errors revealed in recently released lists of eligible voters in the township were also discussed by participants. Conference attendees on Wednesday hope to reach a consensus position on the issues and plan to send a document outlining their views to the management committee of the Kyaukphyu SEZ. Announcement of a tender winner to develop the site has been delayed for months amid local complaints about a lack of transparency from officials evaluating potential bidders. Tun Kyi, secretary general of the Association for Rural Development in Kyaukphyu, said some Kyaukphyu residents impacted by the construction of a deep-sea port and related infrastructure on Maday island were still waiting to receive compensation after their farmlands were damaged by the project. About 115 acres of despoiled farmland remain uncompensated, he said. "I told the other villagers at the meeting about what we Maday island villagers have faced with this government development project," Tun Kyi said. Kyaukphyu resident Htun Htun Naing told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that only 24 villages in the district were supplied with electricity while more than 240 villages remained off the grid. The lack of electrification is a contentious issue for residents of Kyaukphyu, which is the terrestrial starting point of the dual Shwe pipelines that have served to supply China with oil and gas while providing few benefits for local populations. Township electrical engineer Zaw Zaw put the number of on-grid villages slightly higher, at 26, but acknowledged that the vast majority of villages were without electricity. He said inadequate road links were the biggest obstacle to further electrification. Local resentment for development projects has long simmered in Kyaukphyu, where the South Korean firm Daewoo began work on the 500-mile Shwe pipelines in 2010. The SEZ has proven the latest potential flashpoint, with a planned coal power plant for the development in activists' sights. On May 6, Arakan State Chief Minister Maung Maung Ohn promised locals at a Kyaukphyu town hall meeting that their concerns would be heard. "The plant will not be built if the local people are against it," he said. "No plans will be carried out without local people's approval. The people have to decide whether to accept it or not and decide if it is beneficial to them." The Shwe gas project, meanwhile, is one of Burma's biggest and most controversial developments, comprising parallel gas and oil pipelines that connect the Bay of Bengal with Yunnan province in China. Daewoo owns a 51 percent share in offshore gas extraction and sales for the project, as per a 2000 agreement with state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE). The post Kyaukphyu Residents Talk Downsides of Development appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Burma Seeks 20,000 Police Officers to Bolster Election Security Posted: 08 Jul 2015 08:32 AM PDT  Officers of the Myanmar Police Force stand at attention during a training session provided by the European Union in February 2015. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Myanmar Police Force (MPF) is seeking to recruit more than 20,000 special police officers to bolster security at polling stations nationwide during the forthcoming general election scheduled for Nov. 8. The MPF is currently recruiting candidates for the special election squad in wards and villages nationwide. "We are recruiting for the short-tem, for the election period, since we do not have enough policemen under the existing organizational structure designed by the [Home Affairs] Ministry," said Police Col. Maung Soe from the MPF. "We will give them training first. We will use them for security at polling stations. For the time being, we plan to outfit them with the same police uniform." In Dawei, Tenasserim Division, the township police force has explained the elections recruitment drive to ward and village administrators and recruitment has begun, but so far no one has applied for the post. Local authorities are seeking 50 election police officers to post at Dawei's 10 polling stations. Job advertisements for the special election police are being posted at respective township General Administration Department offices. Those who are selected to serve on the special police force will be deployed from October to December and are entitled to a basic salary of 120,000 kyats (US$100) per month plus a daily allowance of 1,000 kyats. Men from age 18 to 60 who are physically fit and are not "too short" nor "too fat" are eligible to apply. Apart from the physical requirements, applicants must have the trust of concerned ward residents and self-confidence, and cannot be involved in party politics. Tun Kyaw Maung reported from Dawei. The post Burma Seeks 20,000 Police Officers to Bolster Election Security appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Outside Lashio, a Cemetery For Fallen Govt Soldiers Posted: 08 Jul 2015 07:50 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. In a country plagued by nearly six decades of civil conflict, and where the government army has traditionally cast itself as the nation's premier institution, it is surprisingly rare for the Burma Army to build cemeteries for its fallen soldiers. However, a month after intense fighting between the Burma Army and Kokang rebels from the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) broke out in February, a gravesite for government troops was established near the town of Lashio in northern Shan State. The Irrawaddy paid a recent visit to the cemetery which hosts the graves of some 200 soldiers who died between February and April this year, at the height of the conflict in the Kokang Special Region along the border with China, which displaced tens of thousands of civilians. The soldiers were first cremated and their remains buried in graves denoted by simple, white headstones detailing each soldier's name, rank, battalion and date of death. Situated in an isolated area outside Lashio, no one appeared to be tasked with the austere cemetery's upkeep. There was no signboard, memorial or other information at the site referring to the conflict or how the soldiers died. Several senior government figures have paid their respects at the cemetery during visits to northern Shan State. Nang Wah Nu, an ethnic Shan lawmaker with the Shan Nationalities Development Party, accompanied Union Parliament Speaker Shwe Mann on a trip to Lashio in May. She described the sobering sight of around 30 soldiers being treated for wounds in an army hospital. "I became dizzy when I saw those wounded soldiers. I didn't dare to look too closely. I even thought about our Shan army and the treatment of their soldiers wounded in fighting," she said. Nang Wah Nu also visited the cemetery alongside the parliamentary speaker. "I heard that the tombs were just for soldiers who died while coming from Kokang to get treatment in Lashio. Some others died in the hospital. They could not pick up those who were killed on the frontline," she told The Irrawaddy. Government figures suggest at least 200 deaths in the conflict, including Burmese and rebel soldiers, although independent estimates put the death toll much higher. A report by Jane's Defence Weekly issued in May cited an intelligence report indicating that an estimated 800 Burma Army troops were killed between February and mid-May. The Burmese military framed the Kokang conflict as a fight with an outside adversary and won a degree of public support, including on social media. Many Burmese, including Buddhist monks from the nationalist group Ma Ba Tha, voiced their support for the military and offered donations—rare approval for an army widely loathed after decades of repressive rule. The MNDAA announced a unilateral ceasefire effective June 11, citing concerns that ongoing hostilities could potentially delay Burma's national election, which is scheduled to take place on November 8. The post Outside Lashio, a Cemetery For Fallen Govt Soldiers appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Union Parliament Passes ‘Interfaith Marriage’ Bill Posted: 08 Jul 2015 03:47 AM PDT  A session in Burma's Union Parliament in Naypyidaw in 2012. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's Union Parliament on Tuesday passed a controversial bill that critics say would create unnecessary restrictions for marrying outside of one's faith. If signed by the President, the Buddhist Women's Special Marriage Act—popularly called the Interfaith Marriage Bill—would require Buddhist women to seek permission from local authorities before marrying a man of another faith. The bill is one of four in a legislative package proposed by the Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha, an acronym for the Association for Protection of Race and Religion. A highly criticized Population Control Law was the first of the four to be signed into law in May. The bills sped through the legislature with little resistance, though the package was heavily criticized beyond the nation's chambers. Rights advocates and international observers have lambasted the proposed laws for limiting women's freedoms and creating restrictions that could be used to target ethnic minorities. Parliament was overwhelmingly positive on Tuesday, passing the bill with 524 votes in favor, 44 against and eight abstentions. Just before Tuesday's vote, however, Lower House lawmaker Zar Ta Lan, a member of the Chin National Democratic Party, appealed to her peers to reject the bill. Zar Ta Lan argued that enacting it could violate several international human rights treaties to which Burma is party, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In a last-minute address to the chambers, Zar Ta Lan said that "the [Interfaith Marriage] Law is meant to discriminate against ethnic [minorities'] belief in different religions." A joint bill committee was quick to defend the legislation, claiming it was little more than an upgrade to the Buddhist Women Special Marriage and Inheritance Act, passed in 1954. The post Union Parliament Passes 'Interfaith Marriage' Bill appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Several Injured During Land Dispute at a Gold Mine in Central Burma Posted: 08 Jul 2015 02:48 AM PDT
 Small-scale miners at work in Hpakant. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) A land dispute at the site of a gold mine in Yay Htwat village in Mandalay Division's Thabeikkyin Township turned violent on Monday, leaving small-scale miners and police injured, including a 50-year-old man who was allegedly shot in the knee, according to local eyewitnesses. Small-scale miners faced off with police who had come to intervene in a dispute over land between the miners and the firm behind a gold mining project in the village area, Myanmar Sithu Company. "Police arrived and the local miners became more angry and slingshots and stones were used. Later police opened fire to disperse the crowd and Chit Thae was shot in the knee," said Kyaw Win, a local witness. In total, around 20 local miners and eight police were injured in the clash, locals said. Chit Thae was admitted to Mandalay General Hospital while at least three policemen and six protesters were admitted to hospital in Thabeikkyin with minor injuries. Police are investigating the matter, a local officer told The Irrawaddy, and Myanmar Sithu Company plans to open a case at the Thabeikkyin police station. "We haven't detained anyone yet, but have to deploy heavy security in the area to restore the situation back to normal. The case is under investigation and the company is planning to file a case at our station," said the duty officer of Thabeikkyin police station. During the clash, three trucks and two cars were smashed while nearly a dozen motorbikes belonging to police and local officials, as well as an office building belonging to Myanmar Sithu Company, were set on fire, according to the police officer. The mining firm could not be reached for comment on Tuesday. Thabeikkyin Township, located over 90 km north of Mandalay, is home to some of the country's largest gold mines. Disputes between small-scale miners and mining companies have arisen in the past when firms prevented local miners from working in certain areas. Earlier this year, when Myanmar Sithu began the gold mining project in Thabeikkyin Township, locals from Yay Htwat complained that the project encompassed an area where independent local miners often searched for gold. In May, locals staged a protest in the area and urged divisional authorities and the company to abandon the project in their village. The post Several Injured During Land Dispute at a Gold Mine in Central Burma appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| It’s Official: Election Day Set for Nov. 8 Posted: 08 Jul 2015 02:29 AM PDT  A woman smiles in Rangoon on Nov. 5, 2010, as she takes part in an 'I Vote' campaign ahead of Burma's 2010 general election. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Burma's Union Election Commission (UEC) has announced that the much-anticipated general election will take place on Nov. 8 of this year, putting a date to a poll that democracy advocates hope will be the country's first credible nationwide election in more than two decades. The announcement was made on Wednesday at the UEC's headquarters in the capital Naypyidaw. The general election will put 1,171 seats up for grabs between the Union Parliament and regional legislatures. The ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which dominated Burma's last nationwide election in 2010—a poll widely viewed as fraudulent—is expected to face stiff competition from the National League for Democracy (NLD) and scores of ethnic political parties. The NLD has not officially committed to contesting the polls, and has said it would make that decision once the date of the election was announced. The post It's Official: Election Day Set for Nov. 8 appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Govt Cancels Controversial Development Near Shwedagon Posted: 08 Jul 2015 02:16 AM PDT  A scale model of Dagon City 1, near the Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon's north. (Photo: Courtesy of Marga Landmark) RANGOON — Following months of public outcry, the government announced on state television Tuesday night that five planned developments in Rangoon will be cancelled. The mixed-use project, which is backed by international investors and includes the high-profile Dagon City luxury condominium building, was slated to be built in the shadow of the city's most sacred site, the Shwedagon Pagoda. Critics of the project claimed that such a major undertaking so close to the pagoda could cause structural damage, calling for a full stop to construction that was already underway for some of the structures. In a rare response to public criticism, the government of President Thein Sein ordered a "complete shutdown" of the project, announcing that a cancellation agreement had been reached with the developers. The announcement said the decision was reached after "people and experts" expressed concern that the project could affect the stability and strength of the sacred monument, and that both the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) and the Ministry of Defense—the original owner of the 71-acre property—recommended cancellation. "The government also does not want to damage the religious edifices and cultural heritages including the Shwedagon Pagoda for development and held negotiations with the companies to cancel the projects," the statement said. The announcement also said that the government will continue negotiations with investors to insure that they are fairly compensated for their losses. President's Office Director Zaw Htay told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the affected developers—Shwetaung Development, Adventure Myanmar Tours and Incentives, Thukha Yadana and Marga Landmark Development—will likely be offered different properties further from the site. Situated in Rangoon's Dagon Township, the proposed development complex included a five-star hotel, serviced and residential apartments and a shopping complex. Construction began last year on the best known component of the project, Dagon City 1, a US$300 million joint venture between the international firm Marga Landmark and local partner Thukha Yadana. Work has been stalled since January, however, amid a reassessment of the project's design and its proximity to the Shwedagon. Criticism of Dagon City and the four other related projects intensified in the months since, leading to the formation of the Society to Protect the Shwedagon, an advocacy group established by the Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha. The society, comprising both monks and laypeople, launched a petition campaign and threatened nationwide protests if the government did not step in to halt the projects. The director of Thukha Yadana, Thaung Htike Min, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the company has accepted the government's cancellation plan and will continue negotiations with the investment commission. "Our international partner [Marga Landmark] also understands the situation the government is facing now, so they have agreed to cancel this project," Thaung Htike Min said. "All investors had negotiations [about cancellation] with the MIC before the statement was released, and there will be more discussions." Tuesday's announcement was welcomed by some of the city's development experts, some of whom had previously advocated for preserving the city's culture and architectural heritage while promoting urban development. Thant Myint-U, the founder of Yangon Heritage Trust, said the cancellation was "very good news," calling the decision a "victory for conservation" and a chance for developers to restructure their vision for the city. "The Shwedagon Pagoda should not only be protected, it should be at the very center of any vision for Yangon's future," he said. "The city urgently needs private as well as public investment, but new development should be in its proper place, ideally along new mass transit hubs, and not anywhere in the immediate vicinity of the Shwedagon." The post Govt Cancels Controversial Development Near Shwedagon appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Malaysia’s Najib Considers Legal Action Over WSJ Report Posted: 07 Jul 2015 11:55 PM PDT  Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks to the media at a mosque outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 5, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has instructed his lawyers to consider action against the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), which reported that investigators probing debt-laden state fund 1MDB had traced nearly US$700 million to bank accounts in his name. Law firm Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak said in a statement on Wednesday that since last week's article involved several parties, they were instructed to consider what kind of action to take, "in the event evidence shows a conspiracy against our client." "Once our client has obtained all necessary facts and the position of WSJ is ascertained, we have strict instructions to immediately exhaust legal avenues and remedies," it said. The Wall Street Journal did not respond immediately to a request from Reuters to comment. The prime minister was expected to hold a regular cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the first since the WSJ report sparked a political crisis that has contributed to a fall in the ringgit currency to a 16-year low against the dollar. Opposition lawmakers have asked cabinet ministers to seek an explanation of the allegations from Najib and ask him to go on leave until the probe is completed. Members of Najib's party, the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), have closed ranks behind the prime minister, who had already been on the back foot over alleged mismanagement of 1MDB and his handling of the economy. Najib has denied taking any money from 1MDB or any other entity for personal gain. 1MDB has described the allegations as "unsubstantiated," saying it never provided funds to the prime minister. Reuters has not independently verified the WSJ report. Accounts Frozen A task force investigating 1MDB said on Tuesday it had frozen half a dozen bank accounts in relation to the allegations, suggesting that it was taking the report seriously, but did not specify whose accounts they were or the banks. The team, which includes Malaysia's Attorney-General, the central bank governor, the Inspector-General of police and the head of the anti-corruption commission, also took possession of documents related to 17 accounts from two banks to help with investigations. 1MDB, a property-to-energy group whose advisory board is chaired by Najib, has debts of around $11 billion. Even before the WSJ report it was the subject of separate investigations by the central bank, auditor general, police and the parliament's Public Accounts Committee. The Wall Street Journal report, citing documents from a government investigation, said there were five deposits into Najib's account. It said the two largest transactions, worth $620 million and $61 million, were made in 2013 from a company registered in the British Virgin Islands via the Singapore branch of a Swiss private bank. Singapore's central bank said on Wednesday it was in contact with financial institutions in relation to Malaysia's probe and would provide assistance. The post Malaysia's Najib Considers Legal Action Over WSJ Report appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| In Burma, Ethnic Loyalties Could Crimp Suu Kyi’s Party Posted: 07 Jul 2015 11:12 PM PDT  Aung San Suu Kyi receives a traditional headband from local ethnic Karenni women at a rally in Loikaw, Karenni State, on Nov. 8, 2014. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) TAUNGGYI, Shan State — Political parties representing Burma's ethnic minorities could pick up a sizeable number of seats in a general election later this year, presenting a stumbling block for the ambitions of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her party. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) is looking to become a dominant force in Parliament after the November elections, taking over the reins of a military-initiated reform process that is now seen as stalled. Burma does not have opinion polls, but analysts widely believe the NLD will prevail over the ruling, pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) of President Thein Sein in the country's heartland, home to the majority Bamar ethnic group. But on the fringes, parties representing many of the country's 134 minorities are expected to romp home, potentially creating a third force that could stifle the NLD's ambitions to take the reins of reform. Any constitutional change can only be initiated with the approval of at least three-fourths of the 664-member Parliament, while about 30 percent of the seats are from the seven ethnic minority states. "Assuming the election is a fair fight, the ethnic parties will prevail in the ethnic areas," said Simon Billinness, executive director of the US Campaign for Burma, who recently met with ethnic leaders. "If ethnic parties were to win many seats in Parliament, that would significantly increase their bargaining power." Both the NLD and the USDP are dominated by Bamar, a community widely resented by the country's minorities. Among the scores of ethnic parties likely to play a role in the poll is the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), commonly known as the White Tiger Party. Representing the Shan minority—who are estimated to make up less than 10 percent of the population—the SNDP is confident of a thundering victory in and around Shan State, a conflict-scarred and hilly region in the east of Burma that borders China, Laos and Thailand. While there is deep distrust of the military and the USDP, there is little enthusiasm for Suu Kyi, who is seen first and foremost as another Bamar leader. "Shan people will support a Shan party because of nationalism," SNDP Chairman Sai Ai Pao said in an interview in Taunggyi, the capital of Shan state. "All ethnic nationals are like this." A 25 percent share of Parliament's seats is reserved for members of the military, giving them an effective veto on constitutional reform, and undermining the clout of Suu Kyi's NLD or the ethnic parties no matter how much they win. But a big win for the ethnic parties could also prove a headache for Suu Kyi's party when the new Parliament picks a president, with at least the NLD and the military-aligned USDP likely to put up candidates. A bloc of 21 ethnic parties has already been formed, and those that win seats will likely agree on a presidential candidate, Sai Ai Pao said. At the heart of negotiations over which presidential candidate to support will likely be the long-standing demand of ethnic parties to devolve power from the center to regions that have been plagued by insurgencies for decades. Suu Kyi's NLD in principle favors a move to some form of federalism, but party spokesman Nyan Win told Reuters that—despite its criticisms of the military—the Shan minority's party "is not our friend." The White Tiger and some other ethnic parties have in the past been comfortable dealing with junta stalwarts, and they took part in a 2010 election that was boycotted by the NLD, which saw it as rigged by the military. For the ruling USDP, dealing with ethnic parties on their devolution demand is not out of the question. Party General Secretary Htay Oo said the USDP shared the military's concern that granting more autonomy to ethnic minority-dominated regions could lead to instability. "But as for our level of concern, it's not as high as theirs," he said, referring to the NLD. The post In Burma, Ethnic Loyalties Could Crimp Suu Kyi's Party appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Thai Military Court to Release 14 Students Ahead of Trial Posted: 07 Jul 2015 10:31 PM PDT  A member of an activist group holds a picture of one of the 14 students held for holding anti-coup protests at a rally outside the military court in Bangkok on July 7, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) BANGKOK — A military court in Thailand said Tuesday it will release 14 student activists from detention but they will still face sedition charges—and the prospect of years in prison—for defying the junta's ban on political gatherings. The university students, 13 men and one woman, have been detained since their arrest on June 26 in Bangkok after leading a series of peaceful anti-coup rallies in the capital and elsewhere. The case sparked international calls for their release and criticism of the military junta's use of military courts to try civilians and its strict controls on freedom of speech and assembly. University professors and students joined dozens of protesters to show support for the students outside the court, across from the Grand Palace in Bangkok's historic quarter. Amid mounting pressure, the court denied a request from police to extend the students' pre-trial detention for 12 more days, said defense lawyer Krisadang Nutcharut. They were expected to be released Wednesday morning. Under Thai law, people can be held a maximum of 48 days without formal charges. "The court agreed with our request to release them on grounds that they have no intention to run away," Kritsadang told reporters outside the courthouse. Journalists were not allowed to attend the hearing. "They can now go back to their studies." In a June 25 rally, the students wrapped Bangkok's Democracy Monument in black cloth and called for the junta to "get out." In May, they conducted peaceful rallies in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen to mark the coup's first anniversary. They face charges of sedition and violating the junta's ban on political gatherings of more than five people, which carry penalties of up to seven and a half years in prison. No date has been set for their trial. Since overthrowing an elected government in May 2014, the nation's military rulers have jailed opponents who dared to speak out against them. They have censored the media, forbidden open political debate and ordered that security-related offenses be handled by military courts. Commenting on the court's decision, a government spokesman warned the students to behave. "Even though they will be released, it doesn't mean the case is concluded," said deputy government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd. He urged the students not to "create chaos in society" or to "hold activities like in the past." The military has spoken of holding national elections but has not said exactly when they could take place, and its latest constitutional draft would curb the powers of elected political leaders. Human Rights Watch said in a statement that the students' arrests "demonstrate the military junta's unwillingness to ease its oppressive rule." The UN human rights office has called for the students' release and urged the government to review its use of laws that limit freedom of expression and assembly. The European Union has called the arrests "a disturbing development" and said civilians should not be tried in military courts. The students' case is the latest dilemma for the government, which has come under fire for the country's long-ignored human trafficking violations and illegal activity in the lucrative fishing industry that could lead to an EU ban on imports from Thailand. The post Thai Military Court to Release 14 Students Ahead of Trial appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Two Burmese Men Go On Trial for Murder of British Tourists Posted: 07 Jul 2015 10:20 PM PDT  Migrant workers Zaw Lin (R) and Win Zaw Htun (L) arrive at the Koh Samui Provincial Court, in Koh Samui, Thailand, July 8, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) KOH SAMUI, Thailand — Two men from Burma accused of murdering two British holidaymakers in Thailand went on trial on Wednesday in a case that caused outrage in Britain and raised questions about the competence of the Thai police and the treatment of migrant laborers. British tourists David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were murdered last year on Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, a popular tourist destination in southern Thailand. Thai police said in October that Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, two migrant workers from Burma, had initially confessed to the killings. The confessions followed weeks of speculation and pressure on police to solve the murders. The pair, who deny charges of murder, rape and robbery, could face the death penalty if found guilty. Police said DNA found on the two victims matched the suspects but the two men later retracted their confessions, saying they had made them while being tortured. Defense lawyers said on Wednesday there appeared to be discrepancies between DNA evidence held by Thai police and DNA samples tested by British police. British police joined the investigation after Prime Minister David Cameron raised concerns with Thai counterpart Prayuth Chan-ocha. Rights groups say the trial is a test case for Thailand's treatment of the 2.5 million migrant laborers, many from poor neighboring countries, on which it relies. Others fear the pair are being used as scapegoats and will not receive a fair trial in a country where the poor and disenfranchised are rarely afforded justice. Andy Hall, a Thailand-based migrant activist working with the defense team, said the accused had not been given access to important evidence. Witheridge was found raped and beaten to death on a beach in the early hours of Sept. 15, while Miller was beaten about the head and left to drown, post-mortem examinations showed. The first witness called by the prosecution was Police Lieutenant Jakkapan Kaewkao, the second police officer at the scene, who said Miller and Witheridge were found 12 meters apart on the beach and described injuries on their bodies. The victims' families have traveled to Koh Samui, a nearby island where the trial is being held, and said they hoped to gain a better understanding of how the pair died "in such idyllic surroundings in such a horrible way." The killings hurt Thailand's image as a tourist haven when the sector was struggling to recover after months of political unrest in 2014 kept some tourists away. Many migrants take jobs Thais don't want in labor-intensive industries like agriculture, construction, and fishing. Others work as domestic helpers or cleaners in restaurants and hotels. A verdict is expected in October. The post Two Burmese Men Go On Trial for Murder of British Tourists appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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