| Survey to Highlight Ongoing Decline in Irrawaddy Dolphin Population Posted: 26 Jan 2016 05:33 AM PST  A dolphin near Sint Gu jetty in Mandalay Division. (Photo: Teza Hlaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON— As man-made threats contribute to the yearly decline of Burma's Irrawaddy dolphin population, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Myanmar is set to survey the species' remaining numbers in early February. Numbers have been falling since the annual ten-day inquiry began in 2002. It is conducted in a section of the Irrawaddy River starting in Mandalay and ending in Kachin State's Bhamo, where most dolphins have been spotted, according to WCS Myanmar. The survey team is concerned by the continued drop in the dolphin population, which is estimated to be 7,000 worldwide, but up to 90 percent of which are critically endangered and living in the coastal waters of Bangladesh. The other ten percent are spread throughout South and Southeast Asia. Kyaw Hla Thein, a project coordinator with WCS's dolphin conservation team, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the water mammal's numbers have fallen in recent years: in 2012, there were 86 river dolphins recorded in Burma—this dropped to 58 in 2015. He explained that environmental degradation caused by mining operations remains a hazard to dolphins' survival; it fills rivers with extra sediment and can release poisonous mercury into the habitat. Fishing practices such as "gillnetting" drown river dolphins, which become entangled in mesh nets placed across rivers to catch smaller fish. Another danger facing the Irrawaddy's dolphins is the increasingly common fishing tactic of releasing an electrical current into water in order to shock or kill fish in the vicinity, also known as electro-fishing. "Among all these threats, electro-fishing still remains the worst," Kyaw Hla Thein said. Although electro-fishing is illegal in Burma and violators face a three-year jail sentence, Kyaw Hla Thein said that authorities still face difficulties in arresting offenders, who have "become hard to control." "Unlike in previous years, [they] are now going around in groups on the river, with upgraded electro-fishing equipment," he said of those who are violating the law. In coordination with the Department of Fisheries, in 2005, WCS Myanmar designated an Irrawaddy Dolphin Protected Area (ADPA) in Sagaing Division, from the towns of Mingun to Kyauk Myaung, where most dolphins are found. But as recently as late 2014, two dolphins were found dead on the bank of Irrawaddy River in Mingun due to electric shock. Han Win, a deputy officer in the Department of Fisheries, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that while his department is responsible for apprehending illegal fishing groups, he felt the practice of electro-fishing could not be properly controlled without the cooperation of other authorized parties. "To be honest, law enforcement is very weak. But the fisheries department can not do it alone," he said. "Cooperation from the police department and local authorities is also required in order to arrest illegal fishing groups." Han Win also suggested that more public awareness programs could reduce the current threats facing the dolphins, as well as to educate people on the value of Irrawaddy dolphins and the importance of conservation. Some fishermen from central and northern Burma are known to have fostered a mutually beneficial relationship with the Irrawaddy dolphins which predates the use of electro-fishing, but is now endangered by it. Also referred to as "cooperative fishing," fishermen and dolphins work together by communicating through a series of sounds and physical signals. The dolphins then herd the catch into fishing nets, taking the escaped fish as a reward. The post Survey to Highlight Ongoing Decline in Irrawaddy Dolphin Population appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Karenni Groups Fear Calls for Inclusion Will Fall on Deaf NLD Ears Posted: 26 Jan 2016 05:02 AM PST  Karenni women in traditional dress waiting for Aung San Suu Kyi at Loikaw in Karenni State, November 2014. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — In December, some 40 ethnic Karenni organizations, including armed factions and political parties, penned a letter to National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi calling for Karenni voices to be adequately represented in the state's new government. As new MPs prepare to take up their seats in Union Parliament next week, Karenni civil society groups say their concerns have yet to be acknowledged. Khun Bedu, a central committee member of the Union of Karenni State Youth, said the letter welcomed the NLD's thumping election win but also urged party members to include ethnic voices in the new local government. "When the Kayah [Karenni] State government is formed, ethnic MPs as well as Burman MPs living in Kayah will participate in the process. But if mostly ethnic groups are included, there could be better communication with ethnic armed groups," Khun Bedu told The Irrawaddy. "What we want is to include more local ethnic voices. People actually living here have a better understanding of the state." Solomon, deputy-chair of the All Nationals' Democracy Party (Kayah State), said that the letter also urged the NLD to appoint a local as chief minister. He acknowledged that the shape of the new Karenni State government would not be known until next month but that Suu Kyi had promised a national government based on a principle of national reconciliation, including ethnic representation. The NLD has stated its intention to appoint members from within the party to the top executive posts in Burma's states and divisions. The All Nationals' Democracy Party (Kayah State), which failed to win a seat of 26 contested on Nov. 8, has yet to be contacted by the NLD, according to the ethnic party. The NLD won six Lower House, nine Upper House and 11 regional seats in Karenni State. The post Karenni Groups Fear Calls for Inclusion Will Fall on Deaf NLD Ears appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Singapore Looks to Bring Burma Closer Through Tourism Posted: 26 Jan 2016 03:46 AM PST  Burmese nationals wait to cast overseas advance votes in Singapore ahead of Burma's general election, October 17, 2015. (Photo: Edgar Su / Reuters) RANGOON — Given the rising number of Burmese travelers to Singapore, the city-state is looking to tourism to strengthen its relationship with the former pariah state. According to figures from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), there were more than 112,000 Burmese visitors to Singapore in 2014, while the number of Burmese leisure visitors to the country had increased by approximately 50 percent over the past 5 years. "Some of the key things that visitors from Myanmar [Burma] look for when they travel are activities to do with family, opportunities for personal improvement, relaxation and the ease of getting around the destination. Singapore offers these, and hence it is an attractive destination for Myanmar people," said Sherleen Seah, STB's area director for Thailand and Burma, at a press conference on Tuesday. She added that Singapore offers a wide range of family-friendly activities suitable for all ages and that more than 50 percent of Burmese travelers are looking for these sorts of experiences, compared to only 20 percent who travel for business purposes. Yet unlike several other Asean nations, Singapore has yet to agree to a visa waiver for Burmese nationals, posing a hurdle to smooth travel for many would-be visitors. "We can apply online for a Singapore visa, but this costs money, and if we go to an embassy, it can take up to a week [to finish the process]. If Singapore were to waive visa requirements, as Thailand has, more Burmese travelers would go there," said frequent traveler Thet Aung, though some industry experts doubt that obtaining a visa is truly an issue. STB also noted that, on average, Burmese leisure travelers visit Singapore for 8 to 9 days, much longer than the global average. "We don't have specific figures for how many Myanmar travelers we expect for this year, but we will try to promote more travel to Singapore," Seah said. In an attempt to provide more information on Singapore to potential travelers, STB recently launched the YourSingapore group on Facebook, and it has plans to roll out more content in the future with the aim of bringing Burma and Singapore closer together. STB will also ask key public figures to share their Singapore experiences with Burmese people. Aung Myat Kyaw, vice chairman of the Myanmar Tourism Federation, pointed out some of the reasons that Burmese and Singaporean travelers venture to the others' country. "Burmese travelers mostly go to Singapore for leisure, while Singaporeans mostly come here [to Burma] for business, though we still receive more visitors from Thailand," he said. "We're promoting tourism not only to Singapore but to other countries in the region as well." Burma greeted some 4.68 million tourists in 2015, according to figures from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. The post Singapore Looks to Bring Burma Closer Through Tourism appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| DKBA Splinter Group, Govt Army and Allied BGF Clash in Karen State Posted: 26 Jan 2016 03:18 AM PST  A member of the government-allied Karen Border Guard Force patrols the Asia Highway amid conflict in 2015. (Photo: Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Fighting flared again on Tuesday in Kawkareik Township, Karen State, where Karen rebels accuse a joint force comprising the Burma Army and Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) of burning down at least 10 houses in the village of Pyar Pin a day earlier. Clashes broke out after 1 pm local time, according to Col. Nai Maung Zaw from the government-allied Karen BGF, who said he could still hear gunfire while speaking to The Irrawaddy over the phone on Tuesday afternoon. Conflict first erupted on Saturday in the same area, pitting a splinter faction of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) against the joint pro-government force. The Karen BGF colonel said no soldiers from his side were wounded in the fighting, but acknowledged that troops from the joint force did burn down some huts in Pyar Pin village on Monday. "We did not burn down the houses of civilians. We burned some huts where their [the DKBA splinter faction] leaders stayed. They spread propaganda saying we burned down civilians' homes," said Nai Maung Zaw. The breakaway DKBA faction goes by the identical acronym, but beginning this year reverted to the DKBA's original name, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, after its leadership was purged from the "Benevolent" incarnation of DKBA last year. The "Benevolent" DKBA is led by Gen. Saw Lah Pwe, who expelled Col. Saw Kyaw Thet and Col. Saw San Aung from the ranks of his army following fighting between DKBA and government troops along the Asia Highway last year. Saw Lah Pwe's DKBA replaced "Buddhist" with "Benevolent" in 2012 to reflect the armed group's secular nature. The breakaway faction involved in conflict with the government this week is believed to number some 100 men, who were formerly part of the DKBA's Klo Htoo Wah tactical group. The group fired artillery shells into a base of Burma Army Light Infantry 97 in Kawkareik Township's Kaw Moo village on Tuesday, according to a member of the group. A statement from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army on Monday said no one from its ranks was wounded in Saturday's flare-up, but claimed two members of the Karen BGF were injured in the fighting. "Their troop members were wounded in the fighting. Therefore, they were angry and then they burned down about 10 houses in the village where we were fighting," said Capt. Ye Htet from the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. The post DKBA Splinter Group, Govt Army and Allied BGF Clash in Karen State appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Presidential Post Still an Open Question Posted: 26 Jan 2016 03:11 AM PST  Tin Oo, patron of the National League for Democracy (NLD), attends a public talk on amending the constitution in Rangoon, November 10, 2013. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — While reports emerged last week of the National League for Democracy (NLD)'s potential appointees to speakership positions in Parliament, the party's plans for president have been kept out of the media spotlight. NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, constitutionally barred from the country's top post as her two sons are foreign nationals, has stated that the position would be filled by an individual from within the party. In other, widely-publicized comments, the pro-democracy figurehead also pledged she would be "above the president" when the NLD takes power. The potential candidate would need to be highly respected, not only among NLD members and the general public, but also by the country's powerful military. With that in mind, few would seem more qualified than former army commander-in-chief and NLD patron Tin Oo. The 89-year-old co-founded the NLD in 1988 and spent years under house arrest due to his political activities. He has currency with Burmese citizens and was a frequent presence by Suu Kyi's side during campaigns around the country in the lead-up to the November general election. But the retired general has publically disavowed any presidential ambitions. "I wouldn't even if I was asked… I am 89 now," he told The Irrawaddy last year. "A person who is around 90 is deteriorating either physically or mentally. It is not easy [to serve as president]." Despite his comments, some observers remain reluctant to rule him out, asking: how would he react if Suu Kyi endorsed him for the position? It's understandable that a man of Tin Oo's age would be reluctant to assume the country's highest office, but given Suu Kyi's vow to lead the country, regardless of her official position, the presidential role may be slightly less burdensome. Before November's election, Suu Kyi's personal physician, Tin Myo Win, was among those touted for the role. This notion gathered steam on Monday when it emerged the doctor was a member of the NLD's small delegation, led by Suu Kyi, that met with Burma Army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw. Htin Kyaw, a senior party member, and his wife Su Su Lwin, the daughter of the late U Lwin, one of the NLD's founders, have both separately been tipped for the position, which will be voted on in the new Parliament, which opens on Feb. 1. Khin Zaw Win, founding director of the Tampadipa Institute think tank, said whoever becomes president will only be in office a short while. "[Suu Kyi's] ultimate goal is to become the president of Burma. So surely she will try to fix Article 59(f) of the Constitution," he said, referring to the clause that bars the NLD leader from the job. "So the president-elect will be temporary." Indeed, Suu Kyi has, for several years, made no secret of her political goals. "I want to run for president and I'm quite frank about it," she said during a World Economic Forum symposium in Naypyidaw in 2013. To amend Article 59(f) in Parliament, Suu Kyi would need the support of military lawmakers who command a quarter of legislative seats and an effective constitutional veto, as major amendments require approval of more than 75 percent of MPs. It's evident that Suu Kyi has endeavored to cultivate a healthy relationship with the military, emphasizing national reconciliation and collaboration. She has met with the commander-in-chief on two occasions since the election and also with ex-dictator Than Shwe at his residence in the country's capital. From the slivers of information made available, the high-level meetings have thus far proceeded smoothly. But Khin Zaw Win warned that building relations with the country's military should not be the sole objective on the NLD chairwoman's radar. "Rather than striking a deal with the army, she should also reach out to the ethnics. How would they feel if she gives too much attention to the military?" he said. Khin Zaw Win also warned that the quest for the presidency should not overshadow other important matters of governance, such as addressing administrative issues and the peace process. "U Thein Sein has failed to fix the administrative problems. His policies were good on the table but when implemented, they didn't work due to administrative problems at lower levels," he said. "As the head of the incoming government, she has to be aware of it." The post Presidential Post Still an Open Question appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| At Least a Dozen Missing in Latest Hpakant Landslide Posted: 25 Jan 2016 10:50 PM PST  Rescue workers on Nov. 24, 2015, look for bodies of miners killed by a landslide at a Hpakant jade mine in Kachin State three days earlier. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) MANDALAY — At least a dozen gems prospectors are missing after a fresh landslide on Monday in Kachin State's Hpakant jade mining region, the latest in a series of deadly incidents. According to a local on the scene, two piles of mining waste located between Suttaung and Shansu villages collapsed on Monday afternoon while prospectors were sifting through soil in search of jade overlooked by the large companies that mine the area. "About 100 prospectors were searching the gems residues there and suddenly the waste pile of Triple Three Company collapsed, and later another pile of Aung Hein Min [company] collapsed," said Aung Lin, a local prospector who survived the collapse. "We were a bit far from the collapsing area and we were able to run away to save our lives. But we can't help others, and could only watch the collapse bury them alive," he added. According to local police, the number of missing people could not be confirmed on Tuesday morning and rescuers' efforts to exhume the bodies are ongoing. "We are still collecting the data and can't confirm the exact number yet. But we believe more than a dozen are missing," said a police officer from the Lon Kin police station. According to law enforcement authorities, rescuers are attempting to dig out bodies but face the risk of more debris collapsing as a result. "They are trying to exhume the bodies but the waste pile keeps collapsing so that it is now very dangerous for rescue works. We believe the rescue works will take about two or three days," said the officer. Deadly landslides are common among the jade mines of Hpakant Township. Locals complain that the frequency of incidences has increased in recent months, however, amid a flurry of excavation from big companies, many Chinese, that reportedly fear their window for exploiting the region's rich jade deposits could close when a new government takes power in April. At least six deadly landslides have occurred in the region since mid-December. They were preceded by a massive collapse on Nov. 21 that killed at least 113 people, the deadliest incident in years. The post At Least a Dozen Missing in Latest Hpakant Landslide appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Shan Delegation Tours Switzerland to Study Federal System Posted: 25 Jan 2016 10:30 PM PST  Yawd Serk, head of the Restoration Council of Shan State, poses for a photograph in Switzerland. (Photo: Yawd Muang Sanloi / Facebook) A delegation of ethnic Shan representatives toured Switzerland this month for an intensive study on federalism, according to a source close to the group. Lt-Gen Yawd Serk, the leader of an ethnic armed organization in southern Shan State, and journalist Khuensai Jaiyen, who is a senior member of the peace support group Pyidaungsu Institute, were among the high-profile members of the delegation. The source, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Irrawaddy that the group of Shan leaders and young intellectuals were "learning about federalism," but could not elaborate further. Yawd Serk is the commander of the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), the armed wing of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS). His troops number about 7,000, and the group was one of eight non-state forces to sign a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government in October. Khuensai Jaiyen joined the delegation on behalf of the Pyidaungsu Institute, an organization funded largely by the Euro-Burma Office (EBO). The EBO is directed by Harn Yawnghwe, the son of Shan royalty and an influential yet divisive figure in the peace process. The delegation was said to have toured Murten, a municipality in the See district of Fribourg. It is unclear whether the visit was brokered by the EBO. The post Shan Delegation Tours Switzerland to Study Federal System appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Probe Clears Malaysian PM, Says $681 Million Transfer A Saudi Gift Posted: 25 Jan 2016 09:26 PM PST  Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak inspects the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) youth during the annual assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, December 10, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's attorney general said on Tuesday that $681 million transferred into Prime Minister Najib Razak's personal bank account was a gift from the royal family in Saudi Arabia and there were no criminal offenses or corruption involved. The involvement of the Saudi royal family is an unexpected twist in a scandal over the mysterious funds transfer and the troubles of indebted state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), whose advisory board Najib chairs. "I am satisfied with the findings that the funds were not a form of graft or bribery," Attorney General Mohamed Apandi Ali told a hastily called news conference, where a statement was issued that said Najib had returned $620 million to the Saudi royal family because it had not been utilised. "There was no reason given as to why the donation was made to PM Najib, that is between him and the Saudi family," Apandi said. He said no criminal offense was committed by Najib in relation to three investigations submitted by Malaysia's anti-graft agency and that no further action would be taken. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had earlier said the funds were a political donation from an unidentified Middle Eastern benefactor. The attorney general said in a statement that he would return to the MACC papers pertaining to the three separate investigations with instructions to close all three cases. Najib, who has weathered months of calls from opposition leaders and establishment figures to resign, has denied any wrongdoing and says he did not take any money for personal gain. The scandal has shaken investors in Southeast Asia's third-biggest economy and rocked public confidence in the coalition led by Najib's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) party, which has held power since independence in 1957. However, Najib still enjoys the backing of most of UMNO's powerful division chiefs. Even his fiercest internal critics, such as influential former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, accept that he cannot be unseated. The post Probe Clears Malaysian PM, Says $681 Million Transfer A Saudi Gift appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| China Releases, Deports Swede Detained over Rights Group Posted: 25 Jan 2016 08:57 PM PST  Human rights protesters hold up placards as they wait for China's President Xi Jinping to pass on the Mall during his ceremonial welcome, in London, Britain, October 20, 2015. (Photo: Peter Nicholls / Reuters) BEIJING — The Chinese government has released and deported a Swedish man it accused of training and funding unlicensed lawyers in the country, leading to an extraordinary taped confession broadcast on state television. Swedish embassy spokesman Sebastian Magnusson confirmed Tuesday that Peter Dahlin had left China but was unable to provide further details. Dahlin, co-founder of China Urgent Action Working Group, was featured in a 10-minute segment on state broadcaster CCTV last week in which he confessed to helping unlicensed lawyers take on cases against the government "in clear violation of the law." He was arrested Jan. 3 on his way to Beijing's international airport, becoming the first foreigner to become entangled in a wide-ranging crackdown on the country's increasingly assertive legal rights movement. The Swedish embassy issued a statement Friday in which it expressed "deep concern" over the cases against Dahlin and another detained Swedish national, Gui Minhai. "Many unanswered questions remain in both cases and we continue to request clarification of what our citizens are being accused of and the formal status of their arrests," the statement said. In its broadcast, CCTV described how Dahlin established an activist organization in Hong Kong with the help of employees from the human rights-focused Fengrui Law Firm in Beijing, whose lawyers have been charged with subverting state power. Dahlin's group called the confession "apparently forced" and rejected accusations that it manufactured or escalated conflicts inside China. The group says it has been working since 2009 to help advance the rule of law by organizing training programs by lawyers for rights defenders focusing on land rights and administrative law. It also releases practical guides on the Chinese legal system. Under president and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, China's authoritarian government has aggressively pursued those attempting to use the legal system to assert basic rights, framing their advocacy as a challenge to state security. That campaign appears to have intensified over the past year. Hundreds of lawyers have been rounded up and accused of stirring up hostility toward the government and manufacturing cases to enrich themselves. Dahlin's group was not legally permitted to operate in mainland China. CCTV said it accepted foreign funding and paid lawyers and petitioners within China, who in turn provided negative information in order to tarnish the country's image. In the CCTV program, Dahlin said the people his group supported had "gone on to do acts in clear violation of the law." He apologized for hurting "the Chinese government and Chinese people." The official Xinhua News Agency cited witnesses as saying Dahlin had been planted by "Western anti-China forces" to gather negative information about China and fan opposition to the ruling party. Gui, the other detained Swede, is a Hong Kong-based publisher of sensitive books banned on the mainland who disappeared in October from his apartment in Pattaya, a Thai beach resort. He also reappeared last week on CCTV, saying he returned to China to turn himself in for an old crime. His friends insist Gui was forcibly taken away. Chinese authorities have since 2013 frequently used televised confessions of dissidents and activists on state TV to sway public opinion against them ahead of their trials. At least 18 such confessions have been made by high-profile activists, bloggers and journalists. The confessions have brought calls from journalists' and human rights organizations for sanctions against CCTV, which has been pushing hard to build its brand internationally to compete with CNN and the BBC. "By knowingly peddling lies and statements [that] were presumably obtained under duress, CCTV and Xinhua [news agency] become mass propaganda weapons and cease de facto to be news media," Benjamin Ismail, the head of Paris-based Reporters Without Borders' Asia-Pacific desk said in a statement Thursday. The post China Releases, Deports Swede Detained over Rights Group appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
