The Irrawaddy Magazine

---

• Through the Lens: Rangoon’s Colonial Era Cantonment
• No DNA Link to Weapon in Koh Tao Murder Case: Lawyer
• From Tonzang to Tedim: Travels Through Mountainous Chin State
• Bangladesh Favors Japan for Port and Power Plant, in Blow to China
• South Korean Attacker of US Ambassador Jailed for 12 Years
• Watch What You Eat Over the Holidays, China Tells Officials
• Japan Rivers Burst Their Banks Triggering Further Floods, 25 Missing

Through the Lens: Rangoon’s Colonial Era Cantonment Posted: 11 Sep 2015 05:24 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. RANGOON — Some of Rangoon's best kept secrets lay hidden only a thirty minute stroll from the city centre. The precinct known locally as the army cantonment remains largely off limits to the public, with a small contingent of soldiers still on duty to discourage the curious—not always with great success. Up until early this year, the area had been earmarked for development as part of stage 2 of the controversial Dagon city development. Due largely to its proximity to the revered Shwedagon Pagoda, the project has since been discontinued after considerable public pressure. Overgrown with shady trees and ample undergrowth, the area remains a fascinating place to stroll and explore. Originally developed by the British army and still home to at least one ancient artillery piece, within its boundaries can be found numerous buildings designated for army use, such as soldiers' barracks, administrative buildings and the old War Office itself. The cantonment was also once the home of a Burmese Army communication's battalion. An enormous, rusting 70s era satellite dish still points skyward near the former War Office complex. The British built the now disused Daw Khin Kyi Hospital, named after the wife of revered independence leader General Aung San, close to the southern entrance of the site on Elan Pya Pya Street. At the highest point of the site sits the Signal Pagoda, so named after British colonial rulers, perhaps lacking in sensitivity to local religious beliefs, adopted the Pagoda's stupa to hoist signal flags for shipping on the Rangoon River. The pagoda itself predates the nearby iconic Shwedagon. At the height of the Second World War, the area surrounding the Shwedagon Pagoda was considered by the local population to be a safe haven from intensive Japanese bombing of Rangoon. It was during this period that the British built underground water storage tanks to sustain the war effort and the local population. Sitting almost at the base of the Pagoda itself, these massive concrete water facilities remain intact but disused. What the future holds for this cool, quiet inner city sanctuary remains to be seen, but for now, it makes an ideal destination for those with an interest in Burmese history—or even just a love of peace and quiet and a cool breeze away from the hustle and bustle of Burma's commercial capital. The post Through the Lens: Rangoon's Colonial Era Cantonment appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

No DNA Link to Weapon in Koh Tao Murder Case: Lawyer Posted: 11 Sep 2015 04:45 AM PDT Burmese migrant workers Zaw Lin, right, and Wai Phyo arrive at the Koh Samui Provincial Court in Thailand on July 8. (Photo: Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters) BANGKOK — Independent forensics tests on a garden hoe Thai police believe was used to kill two British backpackers on a holiday island show no matches to the DNA of two Burmese migrant workers accused of their murder, their lawyer said on Friday. The killings last year of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, raised questions about Thailand’s safety for tourists, the competence of its police and its treatment of migrant workers. Lawyers for the accused Burmese men, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun (also known as Wai Phyo), both 22, have made alleged police incompetence and mishandling of evidence central to their defence and sought help from Thailand’s foremost forensics expert, Pornthip Rojanasunand, to scrutinise evidence. Defence lawyer Nakhon Chompuchart said the court on Friday heard testimony from Pornthip’s team confirming DNA was found on the hoe police said was the murder weapon, but it did not match that of his clients, or Maung Maung, a friend of the accused and a prosecution witness. “(Pornthip’s institute) compared the DNA samples obtained from police of both the suspects and Maung Maung. There was no match,” Nakhon said outside the court on Koh Samui, a neighbouring island to Koh Tao, where the Britons were killed. Police have given conflicting statements about the DNA, saying some was lost or “used up”, then later denying that and saying the DNA samples were accounted for. The court in July ordered a reexamination of the police evidence by the justice ministry’s central forensic institute, led by Pornthip, who has clashed with police numerous times before when her examinations exposed flaws in their cases. The bodies of Miller and Witheridge were found a year ago on a beach on Koh Tao, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand popular with backpackers and divers. Post-mortem examinations showed both suffered severe head wounds and Witheridge was raped. Police said in October the accused men had admitted to killing the backpackers. But they later retracted their confessions saying they had made under duress. The post No DNA Link to Weapon in Koh Tao Murder Case: Lawyer appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

From Tonzang to Tedim: Travels Through Mountainous Chin State Posted: 11 Sep 2015 04:45 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. TONZANG, Chin State — Just outside the Chin State town of Tonzang, on the way to Kale, our car was forced to make another stop. Up ahead, a landslide had blocked the road. For Taung Paw Thar, meaning: those who live in the mountains, transportation difficulties—including blocked, destroyed or otherwise impassable roads—are a common occurrence. Rule number one when traveling in Chin State: always fill your stomach in anticipation of long delays on the road. It was my last day in this remote, northwestern state which has been ravaged by severe floods since late July and early August. After taking lunch at a nearby house while workers cleared the way, four hours later we were back on the road. We arrived in Kale, Sagaing Division, at 7 pm that night, with time to reflect on theprevious days spent visiting the flood-wracked regions of western Burma. On our first day in Chin State, we tried to reach Tonzang, but flooding, landslides and ongoing rain meant we were forced to stop several times. There is an expression in Burma: "Don't drive if you're drunk and if you drive don't drink." In my experience, drivers in Chin State don't strictly follow this maxim. Faced with delays on the road, some drivers' simply say "time to relax," turnup the music and produce a bottle of whiskey. Drinking may also have the effect of boosting drivers' confidence to traverse the state's often perilous mountain roads. Chin State is Burma's poorest and least densely populated and this year locals have been forced to grapple with the impact of extreme weather, with floods and landslides affecting at least 20,000 people and destroying hundreds of homes. Traveling through the state, evidence of recent landslides is frequent. Most areas impacted are located close to rivers or small streams where increased water flow dislodged large sections of soil. Many dwellings in the mountainous region start at over 4,000 feet above sea level and locals are still anxious as to whether landslides will hit their villages. Some have elected to move to valley areas where they feel safer. High Prices, Limited Opportunities With poor transportation, the cost of commodities in Chin State is high—a fact exacerbated by the recent flooding. The price of a 50 kg bag of rice is 50,000 kyat, a bottle of drinking water is 1,000 kyat, a bottle of Myanmar beer, 2,500 kyat. Many civil servants are reluctant to be posted in the state, but the government has offered the inducement of increased salaries. However, one civil servant in Tonzang told The Irrawaddy that although he received additional money in his first year, in his second, his wage was lowered. A police officer in Tonzang said that when he first heard he had to serve in the town, he had no idea where it was. "I didn't wantto tell my wife that I had to come to Tonzang because she would worry for me," he said. Chin people however are more willing to serve in government-backed jobs in a region where unemployment is high. School teachers can earn around 200,000 kyat per month. Some ethnic Chin seek work in Malaysia or other countries in the region and send money back home to their families—a crucial lifeline of support. Tonzang, with a population of around 8,000 people,is typical of many towns in the isolated region. There is no phone line or electricity; only one guesthouse and a solitary restaurant. Six villages in Tonzang Township were hit hard by floods and landslides. Perhaps the worst-affected was Hakha Lay, which has been abandoned as the danger of landslides still looms. In Nat San village, one police officer was killed in flooding which destroyed a 170-foot long colonial-era bridge on the border with India. As one of many bridges damaged or destroyed along the border, trade with the state's neighbors in India has suffered—another reason why the price of commodities has risen. Politics and Religion  All is quiet in Tedim on Sunday, with its predominately Christian population busy visiting their local church. Food was impossible to come by in the small town, with most shops shuttered for the day. Locals, young and old, file to church holding bibles from the early morning. They reappeared after prayers and sermons with bright faces, some breaking into Christian songs as evening begins to fall. There are many different languages spoken across the state, which is officially home to 53 ethnic minority Chin subgroups. But the Christian religion binds many together, although their modes of worship and beliefs differ. Churches in both Tedim and Tonzang townships often bear small signboards with messages such as "In God We Trust" or "We Must Be Born Again." Flooding and landslides across much of the state have also raised concerns over preparations for Burma's upcoming general election, with some Chin politicians speculating whether the election should be postponed. Cheery Zahau, an ethnic Chin human rights activist who is contesting a Lower House seat for the Chin Progressive Party, told The Irrawaddy earlier this month that candidates would face difficulties campaigning in the state, with some almost impossible to access. At least six small ethnic parties will compete for seats in Chin State, alongside major parties the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Laang Siam, a member of Tedim'selection commission,whose Burmese name is San Htoo, said the Chin parties would have been a more formidable electoral force if they had formed a coalition. But there were issues over personal interest, he said, adding that the language barrier between different candidates may also have worked against any coalition force. Dal Lian, a resident in Tonzang, said he would vote for the NLD as it was the only party he believed would work for his town. He didn't trust the ethnic Chin parties to follow through on their promises. "They speak very sweetly," he said."But after they win, they may not look after us." The post From Tonzang to Tedim: Travels Through Mountainous Chin State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bangladesh Favors Japan for Port and Power Plant, in Blow to China Posted: 10 Sep 2015 10:00 PM PDT Ships are seen anchored in Karnafuli river before cyclone Mahasen approaches in Chittagong May 16, 2013. (Photo: Reuters) NEW DELHI/DHAKA — Bangladesh may shelve an $8 billion deepwater port project it has been negotiating with China, a government minister said on Thursday, as it looks to pursue a nearby facility financed by the Japanese instead. Such a decision would be a setback for Chinese President Xi Jinping's  "One Belt One Road" initiative to build a network of ports and expressways and help expand trade, investment and influence in the region. Dhaka has cleared Japan's proposal to finance and build a seaport in Matarbari, located some 25 km from Sonadia, where Beijing had offered to construct the country's first deep water port, Planning Minister Mustafa Kamal said. He told Reuters that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had offered 80 percent financing on easy terms to build four coal-fired power plants of 600 MW each and a port complex in Matarbari. That offer prompted a review of whether the Sonadia project was needed at all. "Matarbari is designed in such a way that it will be comprehensive, with power plants, an LNG terminal and a port," he said in a telephone interview. "Matarbari is sufficient, we may have to give up the other port project," he said, adding that the government was still reviewing the proposals. Generous Rates Two Japanese companies, Sumitomo Corp and Marubeni Corporation, have bid to participate in the power plant construction project. A Sumitomo spokesman said the project was in the early stages, and "nothing has been decided." Marubeni declined to comment, while JICA said a loan agreement had been signed with Bangladesh for the power plant and that the project was in the procurement stage. Shamsul Alam, senior secretary of Bangladesh's Planning Commission, said JICA, the main conduit for Japan's overseas development aid, had offered $3.7 billion at an interest rate of 0.1 percent over 30 years with an initial 10-year grace period to build the $4.6 billion port and power complex in Matarbari. "We are going ahead with the Matarbari seaport and power plants as JICA is financing the project," Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan told Reuters. But he said that there was no plan to sideline China and Beijing remained a key player in the country's efforts to build new roads and bridges. Japan and India have been vying for influence over smaller nations in South Asia that sit astride vital shipping lanes, amid concerns about Chinese naval forays into the region. State-owned China Harbor Engineering Company was the front runner for the contract to build the Sonadia port, and last year the two sides were expected to seal an agreement during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Beijing. But officials in Dhaka said financing was an issue, as Beijing was willing to offer only partial support for what would be Bangladesh's biggest foreign investment. China Communications Construction Company, parent of China Harbour Engineering, was not immediately available to respond to emails and calls outside office hours. Financial Clout Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist at IHS, said Japan had beaten out China by offering Dhaka financing for the construction of the port as well as an industrial corridor with rail, road and electricity infrastructure. "This has made the Japanese bid very attractive for Bangladesh from a long-term economic development perspective." Last week, Indonesia cancelled a multi-billion contract to build the country's first high-speed railway which China and Japan had been battling over, each sweetening the terms of their deal up to the deadline. Henry Tillman, editor of China Investment Research which tracks China outbound investments said: "It wasn't just Bangladesh this week. It's the second occurrence of this happening, where Japan has substantially bested China on interest rate terms on a major infrastructure project, in the last fortnight." Beijing's bid to build the port in Sonadia in the Bay of Bengal caused disquiet in India, because it would extend a network of Chinese port projects including in arch-foe Pakistan to the west and Sri Lanka off its toe. New Delhi sees Chinese development of commercial ports in the Indian Ocean as a first step towards greater Chinese naval forays. Last year it was alarmed when Chinese attack submarines docked at a port facility built by China in Colombo. "There are [also] significant geopolitical issues at stake, since the strategic location of the new port project in the Bay of Bengal may have raised concerns amongst other international powers had China been heavily involved in developing [it]," said Biswas. The post Bangladesh Favors Japan for Port and Power Plant, in Blow to China appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

South Korean Attacker of US Ambassador Jailed for 12 Years Posted: 10 Sep 2015 09:55 PM PDT US ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert waves as he leaves a hospital in Seoul, March 10, 2015. (Photo: Kim Hong-Ji / Reuters) SEOUL — A South Korean man who slashed the US ambassador in the face with a fruit knife was jailed for 12 years on Friday after being found guilty of attempted murder. Kim Ki-jong, 55, who attacked Ambassador Mark Lippert in March at a forum discussing Korean reunification, was also found guilty of assault of a foreign envoy. He was acquitted of a third charge of violating the National Security Act. Lippert suffered a deep gash to his face that required 80 stitches and injuries to his wrist, putting him in hospital for five days. Kim has said the attack was a protest against joint military drills by US and South Korean troops. Prosecutors last week sought a 15-year prison term for Kim, whose seven trips to North Korea had raised questions about a possible Pyongyang connection. Kim has denied any connections to the North. The North's official media said the attack was "deserved punishment" for Lippert but denied any role in it. North and South Korea are technically still at war after the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. South Korea and major ally the United States hold regular joint military exercises, which North Korea condemns as preparations for war. The attack prompted an outpouring of public support in South Korea for Lippert, whose outgoing and approachable style has made him popular since he took up his post in November.   The post South Korean Attacker of US Ambassador Jailed for 12 Years appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Watch What You Eat Over the Holidays, China Tells Officials Posted: 10 Sep 2015 09:46 PM PDT A screen shows Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivering the government work report during the opening of the annual full session of the National People's Congress in Beijing, March 5, 2015. (Photo: Jason Lee / Reuters) BEIJING — Chinese officials have to watch what they eat and where they go over two upcoming holidays to make sure they don't break frugality rules, and regret after the fact will not be accepted as an excuse, China's top graft-buster said on Friday. Since President Xi Jinping's appointment in 2013, the government has cracked down on official corruption and extravagance in China, where the flaunting of personal and often illicit wealth and wasteful public spending have led to widespread criticism of the party. Gift giving is particularly popular over holidays, such as mooncakes at the Mid-Autumn Festival later this month. The first week of October is the National Day holiday. In a letter written to more than 300,000 officials at central government departments and state-owned industries, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said that cadres needed to be aware they represented the Communist Party. "Having a 'clean' holiday starts with you; steadfastly do not eat what you are not supposed to eat, steadfastly decline gifts you're not supposed to accept and steadfastly don't go to places you're not supposed to," reads the letter, excerpts of which were released by the graft watchdog. Since the corruption crackdown began, Chinese media has been filled with stories of officials downing bottles of expensive imported liquor, carousing with prostitutes at private clubs, or playing golf at exclusive courses, often using public money. Serious cases are prosecuted, but less serious ones generally result in a slap on the wrist, like a demotion. The party is using such a novel and "homely" way as this letter to drive home its point to make sure officials understand potential corruption problems must be nipped in the bud before they become more serious, the watchdog said. "Everyone feels regret when we see officials expressing penitence during the course of an investigation, but there is no drug to cure regret in this world. Once something has happened, it’s too late for regrets," an unidentified watchdog official was quoted as saying. The anti-graft campaign has over the past two years or so dragged down sales of high-end products from the fiery sorghum-based liquor, baijiu, to mooncakes, both traditional popular gifts for smoothing business and official ties. The post Watch What You Eat Over the Holidays, China Tells Officials appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Japan Rivers Burst Their Banks Triggering Further Floods, 25 Missing Posted: 10 Sep 2015 09:40 PM PDT A local resident riding a bicycle through a residential area flooded by the Kinugawa river in Joso, Ibaraki prefecture, Japan, September 11, 2015. (Photo: Issei Kato / Reuters) JOSO, Japan — Floods that swept houses off their foundations and crushed others under landslides spread across Japan on Friday as more rivers burst their banks, leaving at least 25 people missing and forcing more than 100,000 to flee. A severe rain warning remained in effect for parts of northern Japan but floodwaters were retreating in the city of Joso after toppling trees and washing houses away, sometimes with their owners still inside. One 63-year-old woman was killed after her house was crushed by a landslide and another when her car was swept away. At least 27 people were injured, eight seriously. Two eight-year-old children were believed to be among the missing, NHK national television said. Helicopters crisscrossed skies over the largely rural city of Osaki, some 350 km north of Tokyo, where the brown waters of the Shibui river inundated rice fields and houses as rescuers in rubber boats ferried people to safety. Some parts of Japan had received more than twice the usual September amount of rain in 48 hours by noon on Thursday, sparking some of the worst flooding in more than 60 years. Japan has put heavy emphasis on disaster prevention since a 2011 earthquake and tsunami killed nearly 20,000 people and authorities are keen to avoid the kind of criticism they faced then for what was seen as a sluggish response. The government set up an emergency centre, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a meeting of ministers that the "unprecedented" rain had created an emergency. "The central government, police, fire officials and military are all working as one," chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference. "We are doing everything in our power to rescue those in need as soon as possible." Some 51 helicopters and nearly 6,000 rescuers worked into the night on Thursday to pluck stranded people from houses as floodwaters raged below. More than 100 were temporarily trapped on the second floor of a shopping centre in Joso. Toyota Motor Corp said it had suspended production at three plants in northeastern Japan on Friday morning, but that there had been no damage at any of the facilities. A spokeswoman said they would make a decision at noon on whether to resume production from Friday evening.   The post Japan Rivers Burst Their Banks Triggering Further Floods, 25 Missing appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Irrawaddy. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

National News

---

• Saffron monks fire back at U Wirathu
• Defence lawyer probes Ma Ha Na on monastery ownership
• Sacked telecoms minister to contest his hometown seat
• After long campaign, Yangon park renamed to honour nationalist monk
• Myanmar third-worst for deforestation rate, says UN
• Kokang groups reject direct peace talks
• Government pulls back on cooking oil allegations
• Government suspends bus fare reform proposal
• Yangon lawyers defer judgement on ribbons
• Yangon traffic control system expected by end of the year

Saffron monks fire back at U Wirathu Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:06 PM PDT Monks active in the 2007 protests dubbed the "Saffron Revolution" have publicly rebutted allegations levelled against them by anti-Muslim firebrand U Wirathu in a clash of the clerics in Mandalay.

Defence lawyer probes Ma Ha Na on monastery ownership Posted: 10 Sep 2015 08:02 PM PDT A court has rejected the latest attempt by the defence to raise questions about the legal grounds of the trial of a prominent Buddhist cleric and his associates.

Sacked telecoms minister to contest his hometown seat Posted: 10 Sep 2015 07:58 PM PDT Former telecoms minister U Thein Tun – fired by U Thein Sein's government in 2013 on the eve of a major corruption investigation – is making a comeback bid.

After long campaign, Yangon park renamed to honour nationalist monk Posted: 10 Sep 2015 07:53 PM PDT After years of campaigning, a park in central Yangon once again bears the name of U Ottama, a leading nationalist monk from Rakhine State who was repeatedly jailed under British colonial rule.

Myanmar third-worst for deforestation rate, says UN Posted: 10 Sep 2015 07:49 PM PDT Myanmar's forests are in trouble. Two recent reports reveal the rapid loss of tree cover over the past five years has been so severe Myanmar ranks among the worst for deforestation in the world.

Kokang groups reject direct peace talks Posted: 10 Sep 2015 07:45 PM PDT Kokang, Palaung and Rakhine groups fighting in Shan State insist they should be included in the nationwide ceasefire agreement.

Government pulls back on cooking oil allegations Posted: 10 Sep 2015 07:43 PM PDT The Yangon Region government's consumer complaints assessment committee has retracted a statement alleging a cooking oil brand was selling substandard products.

Government suspends bus fare reform proposal Posted: 10 Sep 2015 07:42 PM PDT The Yangon Region government has backtracked on a bus fare reform plan, putting it on hold indefinitely after earlier giving it the green light.

Yangon lawyers defer judgement on ribbons Posted: 10 Sep 2015 07:41 PM PDT The newly launched yellow ribbon campaign against the militarisation of the judicial system has already hit a snag, just one day in: Yangon lawyers are not particularly supportive.

Yangon traffic control system expected by end of the year Posted: 10 Sep 2015 07:35 PM PDT A new traffic control system that aims to reduce congestion while also cracking down on drivers who break traffic laws is now in the works.

You are subscribed to email updates from National News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

The Irrawaddy Magazine

---

• Han Tin Swe’s First Solo Exhibition to Open Friday in Rangoon
• Lucky Numbers in the Quest for Peace
• Tour Operator Claims Wings Clipped by Burma Govt
• Burma Signs Trade Finance Agreement with ADB
• Battle for Singapore’s ‘Sandwich Class’ Vote Offers Underdog a Chance
• Two Pakistani Media Workers Shot Dead in Karachi in 24 Hours
• A Loose Cannon in the Indonesian Cabinet
• Almost $20b in Dirty Money Left Burma in Five Decades: Researchers

Han Tin Swe’s First Solo Exhibition to Open Friday in Rangoon Posted: 10 Sep 2015 06:01 AM PDT Click to view slideshow. RANGOON — Han Tin Swe's first solo exhibition features over fifty works spanning more than thirty productive years on the Burmese art scene. Now in his mid-fifties, Han Tin Swe's large acrylic and water color paintings on canvas exhibit vibrant primary colors combined with strong design elements. Featuring the artist's early and more recent work, the exhibition showcases his artistic development and shifting style. Some works exhibit poster-like qualities whilst broader nontraditional landscapes bring together many of his favourite Burmese motifs: rivers, buffaloes, trees, a clear love of elephants and occasional Burmese traditional figures. His strong sense of balance, composition and design take the eye in creative and original directions, whilst invoking his own distinctive interpretations of Burmese culture and everyday life. The exhibition opens on Friday, Sept. 11 and runs until Sept. 16 at Pansodan Scene Gallery, 144 Pansodan Street, Rangoon. The post Han Tin Swe's First Solo Exhibition to Open Friday in Rangoon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lucky Numbers in the Quest for Peace Posted: 10 Sep 2015 05:32 AM PDT Karen National Union chairman Mutu Sae Poe addresses a high-level meeting in Naypyidaw on Wednesday as President Thein Sein looks on. (Photo: Reuters) The latest high-level meeting on an elusive nationwide ceasefire began in Naypyidaw at 9 am on September 9. In attendance were nine government representatives and nine ethnic leaders. For a country where generals' edicts were often intimately tied to numerology and astrology, such numerical alignment is seldom dismissed as a mere triviality. The number nine, or Konawin in Burmese, and eleven, are important figures for those coveting success in their endeavors. A pertinent example is former dictator Gen Ne Win, who in 1987 abruptly ordered the introduction of 45 and 90 kyat banknotes—both amounts divisible by nine. "Nine is a lucky number," said well-known Burmese astrologist San Zarni Bo. "Anything done relating to the number nine would bring success," he said, explaining that the digit could signal something that was "everlasting." Number 11 was equally significant, the astrologist said, and known as the "master number." Is Burma's long and winding peace process itself influenced by the pull of superstition in numbers? Initially, only eight ethnic leaders were scheduled to represent ethnic armed groups at the meeting with the President in Burma's capital on Wednesday. But the ethnics' spokesperson Pu Zing Cung said an additional member was added from the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team, the ethnics' original negotiating bloc, in case any reviews to the ceasefire text were discussed or implemented. Any revisions to the text seemed unlikely, however, as the government had stated it would not countenance further changes to the document provisionally agreed on in March. During the negotiations on Wednesday, President Thein Sein proposed the date of September 29 to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). Seen through a numerologists' lens, the numbers two and nine add up to the portentous total of 11. Looking back to the beginning of the peace process, President Thein Sein first called for ethnic armed groups to take part in a national-level dialogue on August 18, 2011. This was followed by the formation of the government's "Union Peacemaking Central Committee," comprised of 11 members. While this may all be unintentional, the peace process has certainly not been without more obvious references to symbolism—a past signing date pushed by the president was Burma's Union Day on February 12. Hardheaded reality may now be more the order of the day, however, with the government desperate to officially conclude the agreement before the country's general election in November. Will They or Won't They? According to negotiators on both sides, Wednesday's meeting was a "success" and a deal is close. President Thein Sein pledged political and military guarantees for those groups outside the 15 accepted by Naypyidaw as signatories. Even one of the so-called hardline groups, the Kachin Independence Organization, has reportedly signaled its approval of the agreement. The group's vice-chairman, General N'Ban La, who is also chair of the United Nationalities Federal Council, attended the high-level dialogue for the first time. Since KIO leaders first became actively involved in the talks, the tardy process took on a more significant edge—particularly since the group's own 17-year ceasefire had broken down in June 2011, leading to serious fighting with government troops which remains ongoing. However, as prominent Kachin peace advocate Ja Nan points out, the peace process actually dates back to the 1980s, where various deals were struck with ethnic armed groups, some successful, others not. "Looking back at Burma's peace process, we should not just look at the period of this government," said Ja Nan, who is also a consultant to the ethnic groups, in a recent interview. The current process has deep roots and equally deeply-rooted ethnic grievances at its core. President's Office Director Zaw Htay wrote in an article for Burmese language newspaper "Democracy Today" on Thursday that to conclude the ceasefire is to guarantee political dialogue and the silencing of the guns. But the same government interlocutors who call for the signing of a ceasefire as soon as possible are simultaneously reluctant to accede to the ethnics' demand for an all-inclusive NCA—the key stumbling block remaining. Three groups outside the ceasefire process, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army issued a joint-statement on Thursday condemning ongoing army offensives, but maintaining their backing for an all-inclusive agreement. Even as negotiators met in Naypyidaw Wednesday, reports emerged of separate clashes this week in Shan and Kachin States involving the Shan State Army-South, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and the Kachin Independence Army. Fighting is also recurrent in the Kokang Special Region involving the Burma Army and the Kokang group Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army. But in the peace negotiators' parlance, the process is always "moving forward" and talks "will continue," just as San Zarni Bo predicted last year. If negotiators listen to their superstitious side, perhaps a nationwide ceasefire may be signed on October 9. Provided it is signed at all. The post Lucky Numbers in the Quest for Peace appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tour Operator Claims Wings Clipped by Burma Govt Posted: 10 Sep 2015 05:23 AM PDT Aye Kyaw, managing director of Rubyland Tourism Services, at his office in Rangoon. (Photo: Kyaw Hsu Mon / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Aye Kyaw continues to do his job, facilitating clients' travel to, from and around Burma. The irony, for the managing director of Rubyland Tourism Services, is that last week he learned that he's been barred by the government from leaving the country himself. Tension is mounting between Aye Kyaw, the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism and other industry leaders, with the Rangoon-based tour operator saying he's being "made an example of," after he criticized the poor state of Burma's education system at a tourism forum overseas. In May, Aye Kyaw attended a training in Indonesia on tourism management and hospitality. The event was joined by one other member of the Union of Myanmar Travel Association (UMTA) and Ministry of Hotels and Tourism personnel. Aye Kyaw, attending in his capacity as a UMTA member, told The Irrawaddy that the two ministry officials on hand apparently did not take kindly to his negative remarks on Burma's education system, setting in motion his precipitous fall from grace within the country's booming tourism industry. A letter from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism dated June 16 accuses Aye Kyaw of acting "selfishly" at the May training, in a manner unbecoming of a UMTA representative. Aye Kyaw's remarks "harmed the dignity of the country," the ministry said in the letter, which was headed with a call to action for its recipients, the UMTA and Myanmar Tourism Federation (MTF), urging them to "make an example" of him. The UMTA abided on July 16, removing Aye Kyaw from its executive committee. The MTF followed suit in a notification obtained by The Irrawaddy and dated Aug. 3, stating that Aye Kyaw had been placed on a "black list" four days earlier. The notification cited his behavior in Indonesia and noted his unceremonious exit from the UMTA executive committee, but did not elaborate on the implications of the blacklisting. And while he has known for more than a month of his dismissal from the UMTA, it was not until last Saturday that he discovered he has been banned from traveling outside the country, with immigration officials at Rangoon International Airport putting the kibosh on his planned trip to India. Aye Kyaw stands by his comments. "It's true that I've spoken critically about our country's education system and how it's been in a bad state since the Ne Win government came to power. But now the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has reported me to the Ministry of Immigration, and I've been barred from traveling," he said. "What I said in Indonesia is true: Our education system is still bad. But the ministry has blamed me for this and has also convinced the MTF to blacklist me." But Aung Myat Kyaw, chairman of UMTA, told reporters on Wednesday that Aye Kyaw was terminated from his position for failing to abide by the association's rules. "We've received complaints from the Ministry of Tourism that U Aye Kyaw has not been performing up to standards, and so it [UMTA] decided to take action against U Aye Kyaw and to use him as an example," he said. Aung Myat Kyaw added that the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism had sent Aye Kyaw a voice recording of what he said during the training session, as well as a report by the ministry officials who were in attendance. The UMTA chairman said the association had also Aye Kyaw a letter in an attempt to resolve the problem before terminating Aye Kyaw's executive committee membership, but he allegedly did not respond. Attempts to reach a spokesperson from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism were unsuccessful. While the blacklisting appears to have grounded the 65-year-old tourism industry veteran for now, Aye Kyaw said his company continues to operate without impediment, and according to Aung Myat Kyaw, his former executive committee seat has been left open for a replacement from Rubyland. "We told Aye Kyaw to submit another name for the position of board of directors for his company in order for it to remain a member of the UMTA," Aung Myat Kyaw said. The spat looks likely to escalate further, however, with Aye Kyaw filing a criminal complaint against the UMTA, which he has accused of embezzling some 14 million kyats in connection with an Asean tourism forum in Naypyidaw earlier this year. The UMTA denies any wrongdoing, with association secretary Tin Tun Aung saying it can provide evidence disproving the allegations. In the meantime, Aye Kyaw said he has another reason for needing to travel, this time reflective of the sorry state of Burma's health care system: "Because I've had a heart attack in the past, I go to Thailand to check up on my health. But I can't even look out for my health now because I've been banned from leaving Burma." The post Tour Operator Claims Wings Clipped by Burma Govt appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma Signs Trade Finance Agreement with ADB Posted: 10 Sep 2015 02:16 AM PDT A CB Bank ATM in downtown Rangoon. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON – Burma's government signed a framework agreement with the Asian Development Bank on Wednesday that will allow the latter to introduce its Trade Finance Program (TFP) to the country. In a statement issued by the Manila-based institution on Wednesday, Maung Maung Thein, Burma's deputy finance minister, welcomed the program which he said will enhance "the capacity of partner banks to provide trade finance to Myanmar's importing and exporting clients." The agreement was signed by Maung Maung Thein and James Nugent, Director General of the Southeast Asia Department in the Asian Development Bank (ADB), on Wednesday in Naypyidaw. According to the ADB statement, under the agreement the group will assist local banks by providing credit facilities and technical assistance and guaranteeing "trade finance instruments, such as letters of credit" issued by the banks. The agreement also aims to assist local banks in developing relationships with their international counterparts and better utilizing trade finance tools. "Trade finance promotes trade and investment, and assists domestic Myanmar businesses to enter and compete in international markets," James Nugent said in the statement. Maung Maung Lay, vice-chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, welcomed the agreement on Thursday, saying it could provide a welcome boost to many of the country's struggling small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). "Trade finance is very important for SMEs here. Even when they have plans and projects, without finance they have problems starting work. If banks and international institutions can support them, it will encourage their development," he said. In June, ADB organized a workshop in Rangoon in collaboration with the Myanmar Banks Association to address what it said was a lack of finance directed to SMEs, inhibiting their growth. "The sector has been hampered by a lack of access to finance, partly because of restrictive collateral requirements, but also because of a lack of capacity among local banks to assess and manage operational and credit risks for smaller businesses," it said in a statement at the time. SMEs still struggle to obtain loans from private banks in Burma, said Maung Maung Lay. "That's why trade finance is very important for this sector's development." In 2014, ADB approved US$246.4 million worth of loans, grants and technical assistance to Burma, according to a factsheet released by the group in April. The post Burma Signs Trade Finance Agreement with ADB appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Battle for Singapore’s ‘Sandwich Class’ Vote Offers Underdog a Chance Posted: 09 Sep 2015 09:05 PM PDT Singaporeans attend an election campaign rally by the opposition Workers’ Party on Sunday. (Photo: Edgar Su / Reuters) SINGAPORE — The Workers’ Party of Singapore was once written off as too left wing for a country that had built its success on unabashed capitalism: to many, even its symbol of a bright yellow hammer on a red background looked just a sickle short of communism. But now, as this wealthy city-state heads into an election on Friday, the “WP” could be about to give the People’s Action Party (PAP) its stiffest competition yet in 50 years of uninterrupted and virtually unchallenged rule. That could put pressure on the newly elected government to focus more on social welfare and to restrict the flow of foreign workers, who it says are needed to underpin growth as the population greys and the workforce shrinks. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s party will win the lion’s share of parliament’s 89 seats, no one doubts that. For one thing, the WP is only fielding candidates for 28 seats. Still, the Workers’ Party is hoping that its parliament tally will jump into double figures from just seven now after a shift to the centre, where it appeals to a “sandwich class” of swing voters feeling squeezed by high prices and competition for jobs as growth slows. A WP campaign rally on a field beside public housing blocks this week had the air of a genteel evening get-together rather than a meeting of opposition hotheads. Grey-haired men and women on foldable chairs chatted as young office workers munched on snacks, college students huddled and giggled, and mothers chased toddlers running amok. The PAP itself has inched to the left to avoid losing the support of such people, dishing out more on healthcare, the elderly and low paid since its share of the popular vote tumbled to a record low of 60.1 percent in the 2011 election. It is under Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang that the Workers’ Party has picked on the PAP’s most exposed flank. “The Workers’ Party will represent you in a manner befitting a rational, responsible and respectable political party,” Low told the rally in a measured speech that might have made his more combative predecessors blanche. “We believe that parliament is not a place for MPs to roar at one another, it is a platform for dignified and civilised discussions.” The WP says its stronger voice in parliament—in 2011 six of its members were elected and one more won in a by-election two years later—has already forced the government to become more welfarist and curb the flow of foreign workers, whom many blame for taking jobs, depressing wages and pushing up prices. “It is impossible for a party to do checks on itself,” said a man in his 50s at the rally who gave his family name as Goh. “The changes in policies in the past few years took place largely due to the presence of opposition. We can’t put all the eggs in one basket, and we need to send more blue eggs into parliament,” he said, referring to the Workers’ Party signature blue-collar colour. Besides calling for a more diverse legislature, the Workers’ Party campaigns for minimum wages and making healthcare and public housing more affordable. That resonates with the “sandwich class”, which sprang up as Singapore’s growth-at-all-costs narrative wore thin. “Singapore is still a good place to live, but the cost of living is very high and it is hard for us in the sandwich class to catch up,” said 37-year-old Elena Foo, who joined the Workers’ Party rally but was still undecided on her vote. Founded in 1957, the WP has seen a string of illustrious leaders, including J.B. Jeyaretnam, the first opposition politician in post-independence Singapore to win a parliament seat and a fierce critic of its steely co-founder, Lee Kuan Yew. In the 1980s and 1990s, its leaders faced crippling legal challenges from the ruling party, including one that led to Jeyaretnam’s bankruptcy. Under Low, however, the party has moved away from its combustible old days and now woos a middle ground where voters are more worried about bread-and-butter issues than principles such as freedom of speech and right of assembly. “The WP has astutely stayed focused on the swing voters: the middle 50 percent who used to vote PAP still want the PAP in government, but also want more opposition as a check and balance,” said Cherian George, author of “Singapore: The Air-Conditioned Nation” and an associate professor at the department of journalism at Hong Kong Baptist University. “This has clearly paid off. Opposition parties that are more strident may appeal to hardcore anti-PAP segments, but come across to crucial swing voters as too extreme.” The post Battle for Singapore’s 'Sandwich Class' Vote Offers Underdog a Chance appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Two Pakistani Media Workers Shot Dead in Karachi in 24 Hours Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:50 PM PDT Relatives mourn the death of Pakistani journalist Aftab Alam, who was killed by unidentified gunmen, outside a hospital morgue in Karachi on Wednesday. (Photo: Akhtar Soomro / Reuters) KARACHI — Gunmen in Pakistan shot dead a journalist on Wednesday, police said, less than 24 hours after a technician working for the country’s most popular news channel was killed in a similar attack. It was unclear who was behind the shootings in the southern port city of Karachi, or if they were linked. Police said bullet casings in the attack on the technician matched those from the recent murders of four policemen. “Journalists are being continuously targeted,” said Amin Yousaf of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists. “It’s time authorities do something instead of just giving lip-service to the issue.” Pakistan ranks among the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, with 14 recorded deaths in 2014, the International Federation of Journalists has said. Militant violence and crime are common in the financial hub of Karachi, which is home to 20 million people, the country’s stock exchange and central bank. The military launched a crackdown two years ago on armed gangs and suspected militants in Karachi, but a recent spate of attacks has raised questions about its effectiveness. Police said Aftab Alam, the journalist killed on Wednesday, was on his way to pick up his children from school when he was attacked. “As Aftab Alam came out of his house, two men on motorbikes fired shots at him and escaped from the scene,” Feroz Shah, a senior police officer told Reuters. A former business reporter at news channel Geo News, Alam was unemployed at the time of his death. Last year, Hamid Mir, the anchor of a top Geo political talk show, was shot and injured in Karachi, just weeks after television anchor Raza Rumi survived an attack in the eastern city of Lahore in which his driver died. The Taliban, holed up in mountains on the Afghan border, have made repeated threats against reporters for portraying the insurgency in a negative light. But the security forces and political parties have also been linked to the murders of some journalists. The post Two Pakistani Media Workers Shot Dead in Karachi in 24 Hours appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

A Loose Cannon in the Indonesian Cabinet Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:41 PM PDT Indonesia's President Joko Widodo listens to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's speech at the 17th ASEAN-Japan Summit in Naypyidaw, November 12, 2014. (Photo: Damir Sagolj / Reuters) JAKARTA — As Indonesian President Joko Widodo was preparing on Wednesday to present a grand package of measures aimed at restoring investors' faith in the competence of his government, one of his ministers stepped in and spoilt it all. Rizal Ramli, who told Reuters this week that perhaps he is too outspoken, suddenly announced in parliament that fuel pipeline and storage projects worth US$7.4 billion had been dropped because they were no longer a priority. Within hours, the cabinet secretary had contradicted him, reinforcing an impression that Widodo's ministers are out of tune with each other and unable to sound united on policy. Ramli, 60, is no faint-heart: as a student, he was jailed for leading a rally against authoritarian leader Suharto. "Wherever I go I change the system. I'm a transformer," he said in an interview on Sunday at his house in South Jakarta, where a large bust of Albert Einstein sits at the entrance. "But there are so many people who don't like me because I'm too candid. I say what is on my mind," he said. Widodo brought Ramli in as one of six new cabinet ministers last month, hoping to streamline a muddled policymaking process after disappointing many who saw his election last year as a chance to break from a succession of feckless governments. But Ramli has only caused more confusion since he took the portfolios of maritime affairs and resources. First, he drew a rare rebuke from Widodo, who told him to voice his concerns privately after he had openly criticized Vice President Jusuf Kalla. He also denounced plans by national airline PT Garuda Indonesia Tbk to buy 30 Airbus jets with $44.5 billion in loans: the state-owned enterprises minister told him to back off. Then, this week, he threw into doubt the president's signature $73 billion plan to give the country an additional 35,000 megawatts of power capacity within five years, saying that less than half of the target could be achieved by 2019. The oil minister, who reports to Ramli, subsequently said there would be no change to the programme. Again, on this issue, he locked horns with the vice president. Warfare Within "Ramli likes making a racket," vice presidential spokesman Husain Abdullah said. "Rather than helping the government, he makes things more complicated." Ramli, who holds a doctorate from Boston University and was twice a minister under a former president, is known for strident and often nationalistic views on the economy—though he insists that he is no enemy of the financial markets. Seen as close to Luhut Pandjaitan, one of Widodo's key advisers, he was handed one of the most powerful positions in the cabinet that bundled under him the ministries of energy, transport and tourism. Explaining himself in parliament on Wednesday, Ramli said that his "noise" was not intended to unsettle investors, who in fact prefer openness to a pretence of harmony that disguises corruption, collusion and nepotism. However, the Jakarta-based Concord Consulting Group said the outspoken minister had brought open warfare into the heart of Widodo's administration that may be difficult to root out. "Unless he is prepared to lose a great deal of face, the president is unlikely to dump a senior minister he appointed only a few weeks ago," it said. The post A Loose Cannon in the Indonesian Cabinet appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Almost $20b in Dirty Money Left Burma in Five Decades: Researchers Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:30 PM PDT A man counts US dollars and Burmese kyats at a money changer in Rangoon on March 21, 2012. (Photo: Reuters) KUALA LUMPUR — Almost US$20 billion in dirty money linked to corruption, crime and tax evasion has left Burma in the past five decades, slashing government revenue and driving a thriving underground economy, a money-laundering watchdog said on Wednesday. Fraudulent invoicing of trade deals and physical smuggling of drugs, timber, gems and other goods pose big challenges to Burma, which will hold its first general election next month since the end of military rule, US-based Global Financial Integrity said in a report. Illicit financial inflows have accelerated in the past few years as the economy has opened up, and over the past five decades were four times as big as outflows, it said. "Myanmar [Burma] must be one of the most porous countries in the world," GFI economist Joseph Spanjers, the report's co-author, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "It is a serious challenge for the country as tax losses due to illicit flows are robbing it of crucial public funds." Long isolation and trade restrictions during the nearly 50-year-long reign of a military government until 2011 and attempts to regulate currency exchange rates have combined to drive a substantial part of Burma's economy underground, GFI said. The Southeast Asian country, one of the poorest in the region, is not alone in grappling with the negative impacts of illicit financial flows. GFI estimates almost $1 trillion in dirty money leaves poor nations each year, an outflow that has grabbed the attention of anti-poverty groups and world leaders because, by cutting tax revenue needed to fund areas such as health and education, it has a corrosive impact on development. Illicit financial flows from Burma totaled $18.7 billion from 1960 to 2013, averaging 6.5 percent of the country's annual economic output, GFI said. In the same period $77.7 billion of illicit money entered Burma, an inflow typical of countries where smuggling is a major part of the economy. Total illicit financial flows were the equivalent of up to 172 percent of health expenditure and up to 73 percent of education spending, the researchers found, showing how both movements of money deprive the government of crucial tax revenue. Burma's tax collection rates are among the lowest in the world at 7 percent of economic output. GFI said its figures for illicit flows of money are likely to underestimate the amounts relating to drug trafficking and trade in goods subject to international sanctions. The underground economy accounted for an average of about 55 percent of economic output during the period covered in the report, one of the highest in the world, GFI said. Spanjers said the fact that about 30 percent of the tax loss happened in the last four years of the study was troubling. In 2013 alone, unregulated financial inflows totaled some $10 billion, more than 20 percent of GDP. "It indicates that some individuals have been taking advantage of increased economic openness for personal gain, at the expense of the rest of the country," he said. GFI said it was crucial that Burma improve its financial transparency, as well as data collection and quality, including moving toward real-time world market pricing to curtail trade mis-invoicing. The government was unavailable for comment. The post Almost $20b in Dirty Money Left Burma in Five Decades: Researchers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Irrawaddy. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

National News

---

• Speaker heads online to launch campaign
• Smaller parties fight to be heard as campaign season get under way
• Candidate calls for fair fight in capital
• Ex-government official drops complaint against NLD leader
• USDP nominees snub commission’s campaign rules meeting
• Peace talks end without signing date
• Ten reported dead in latest clashes
• Facebook rules get local to tackle abuse
• Yellow ribbons seek an end to militarised judiciary
• Abandoned children find new homes

Speaker heads online to launch campaign Posted: 10 Sep 2015 07:30 AM PDT Less than a month after being ousted as party chair in a dramatic coup last month, Thura U Shwe Mann launched his election campaign quietly yesterday, posting a note to his constituents on Facebook.

Smaller parties fight to be heard as campaign season get under way Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:23 PM PDT The massive gulf in resources between the big two – the National League for Democracy and Union Solidarity and Development Party – and the rest of the election pack has been on full display since campaigning began in Mandalay on September 8.

Candidate calls for fair fight in capital Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:22 PM PDT A National Unity Party candidate has urged commission officials to ensure a level election playing field in Nay Pyi Taw, alleging that some candidates in previous votes faced tougher scrutiny than others.

Ex-government official drops complaint against NLD leader Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:20 PM PDT An independent candidate for Nay Pyi Taw has withdrawn a complaint against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. U Kyaw Win, who accused the National League for Democracy leader of pre-empting campaign season, is at the centre of his own vote-buying controversy.

USDP nominees snub commission’s campaign rules meeting Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:18 PM PDT Seven government and military-linked election candidates registered in Nay Pyi Taw failed to turn up to an election commission meeting held to explain campaign rules.

Peace talks end without signing date Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:14 PM PDT President U Thein Sein and ethnic negotiators were yesterday unable to set a date for signing the nationwide ceasefire accord.

Ten reported dead in latest clashes Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:13 PM PDT Renewed fighting in Shan State is reported to have claimed at least 10 lives even as the government and leaders of armed ethnic groups met in Nay Pyi Taw in their latest attempt to hammer out a nationwide ceasefire accord.

Facebook rules get local to tackle abuse Posted: 09 Sep 2015 08:06 PM PDT Facebook itself popped into Myanmar users' newsfeeds yesterday with localised illustrations and reminders on how to act online, as part of a push to promote translated community standards that ban behaviours such as bullying and hate speech.

Yellow ribbons seek an end to militarised judiciary Posted: 09 Sep 2015 07:48 PM PDT Inspired by a similar movement in the health sector, Myanmar's judiciary is campaigning against the militarisation of the legal system.

Abandoned children find new homes Posted: 09 Sep 2015 07:44 PM PDT The Yangon-based Alinthit Ootiyar (Leading New Light) group has urged anyone who finds an abandoned child to inform the organisation, which will help place the youngster in a foster home or monastic school.

You are subscribed to email updates from National News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States