The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Rangoon MPs Approve New Regional Government Members
- NLD Issues ‘Guidelines’ on Gifts for Civil Servants
- NLD Religious Affairs Minister: Muslims Are Not Full Citizens
- Lower House Committee Endorses ‘State Counselor’ Bill
- For-Profit Stages Banned During Water Festival
- Suu Kyi Gives Up Two of Four Ministerial Posts
- Death by Overwork on Rise Among Japan’s Vulnerable Workers
- Traffic Clogged Jakarta to Suspend Rush Hour Car-Pooling
- Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘People Expect the NLD Will Solve All Their Problems’
| Rangoon MPs Approve New Regional Government Members Posted: 04 Apr 2016 06:46 AM PDT  The Rangoon regional parliament complex. (Photo: May Kha / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Rangoon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein's list of regional government nominees, including six ministers, was approved in the divisional parliament on Monday. The nominees include Planning and Finance Minister Myint Thaung; Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Energy Minister Han Tun; Electricity, Industry, and Transportation Minister Nilar Kyaw; Development Affairs Minister and mayor, Dr. Maung Maung Soe; and Social Affairs Minister Naing Ngan Lin. Rangoon regional lawmaker Moe Myint, from South Okkalapa constituency, told The Irrawaddy that Naing Ngan Lin is the only National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker; the others are retired civil servants and technocrats. Han Htoo and Khin Than Hla were also appointed to advocate general and auditor general of Rangoon Division, respectively. Nominated by the commander-in-chief, Col. Tin Aung Tun was reappointed as Security and Border Affairs Minister for Rangoon Division and two NLD lawmakers, Zaw Aye Maung and Naw Pan Thinzar Myo, were appointed Arakan and Karen ethnic affairs ministers, respectively, last week. Other state and regional parliaments also announced and approved their chief ministers' proposed list of cabinet members on Monday. The post Rangoon MPs Approve New Regional Government Members appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| NLD Issues ‘Guidelines’ on Gifts for Civil Servants Posted: 04 Apr 2016 06:39 AM PDT  Gift hampers are commonly given to senior government officials by their junior charges, ostensibly as a show of respect. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — In an act viewed as targeting rampant corruption in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi has ordered all civil servants not to accept any gift worth more than 25,000 kyats (US$21), an amount more than 10 times lower than the threshold allowed by the previous government. Signed by Suu Kyi in her capacity as President's Office minister, the "President's Office Guidelines on Accepting Gifts" were delivered to union ministries, and state and divisional governments across the country on Friday, according to a post on the office's Facebook page, which uploaded the document on Monday. The guidelines were made public three days after Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy-led government officially assumed power on Friday, with the party vowing to target graft in a country known for it. According to Transparency International's 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index, Burma ranked 156th out of 175 nations surveyed, on par with Cambodia and Zimbabwe. The document concedes that corruption in Burma runs deep, describing its eradication as a huge challenge for the new government. "However, corruption has to be effectively handled by all means as it can deteriorate society, economy and rule of law," the aims of the guidelines state. The nine-point guidelines ban civil servants from accepting gifts "from anyone or organization that would be benefit from their [civil servants' positions of] responsibility," including businesses seeking to win government tenders. The guidelines warn that government employees must not ask for gifts, directly or indirectly. As exceptions, the guidelines allow civil servants to accept gifts with a price tag of not more than 25,000 kyats, and restrict the gifts received from an individual or an organization in a year to not more than 100,000 kyats. Another exception allows civil servants to accept a gift not exceeding 100,000 kyats on holidays when the practice is common, such as the Buddhist celebration of Thadingyut or Christmas. It further restricts civil servants from accepting gifts "many times." From foreign governments, gifts worth not more than 400,000 kyats are acceptable, as is accepting money from these governments for travel or medical expenses, or scholarships. The last chapter of the guidelines states that "anyone has to report to his or her supervisor upon being offered a gift—whether accepted or not. "[D]eputy directors general of their offices will have to urgently report to the President's Office Minister [Suu Kyi] upon giving gifts to their bosses," the president and vice presidents. Thein Sein's government passed an Anticorruption Law in 2013 and established a new anti-graft commission as it attempted to shed the country's highly corrupt international image. The following year, he told government officials that they could accept gifts worth up to 300,000 kyats without it being considered corruption. Kyee Myint of the Myanmar Lawyers' Network said he welcomed the new guidelines but worried that the exceptions listed could offer loopholes that would undermine the anti-graft drive. "Instead, it should only say any civil servant must not accept or take anything. Any violation can be bribery," he said. In October 2013, The Irrawaddy looked at the sometimes ambiguous line between a tradition of generosity in Burma and blatant favor-seeking. The post NLD Issues 'Guidelines' on Gifts for Civil Servants appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| NLD Religious Affairs Minister: Muslims Are Not Full Citizens Posted: 04 Apr 2016 05:42 AM PDT  Aung Ko, Minister of Religious Affairs. (Photo: Thura U Aung Ko / Facebook) RANGOON — Muslim organizations both overseas and within Burma have condemned a statement made by Religious Affairs Minister Aung Ko that those who practice Islam are not full citizens of the country. In a Voice of America (VOA) interview conducted during his first days in the Cabinet position, the former military general and ex-Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) lawmaker was asked how the new government would treat religious minorities in Burma, as the previous regime has been accused by both local rights groups and the international community of having persecuted these populations. Aung Ko replied by denying any government abuse based on religion, adding that some groups had simply "misunderstood" the previous administration's "over support" for Buddhism. He said that in Burma, Buddhists were "full citizens," and that religious minorities, including Christians, Hindus and Muslims, had not been "deliberately oppressed." Perhaps his most controversial statement was that Muslims made up the majority of Burma's "associate citizens," implying that those who practice Islam are classified as partial citizens or foreigners. Muslim organizations have begun sending letters to the new National League for Democracy (NLD) government that appointed Aung Ko in the ministerial role, expressing anger at his statement. The All Myanmar Islamic Religious Organization said that while they welcome an elected NLD government, the comments in Aung Ko's VOA interview were "hurtful." Abu Tahay, chairman of the Union National Development Party (UNDP), an organization from Arakan State's largely Muslim Buthidaung Township, said that his party is preparing to contact the government soon, to ask that they refrain from using religion as a political tool. "Citizenship can not be based on religion. Therefore, it was not appropriate to talk like this," said Abu Tahay, who is also a leader within the Rohingya community, a Muslim group which has been denied citizenship by the former government, who labeled the Rohingya as migrants from neighboring Bangladesh. In an April 2 statement from the UK-based Burmese Muslim Association (BMA), spokespeople said they "strongly condemn [Aung Ko's] careless talk." They added that they had expected the NLD—which garnered widespread national support in the 2015 election—to adhere to principles of democracy, human rights, and equal rights on which they had campaigned. "We have asked the party to give an explanation for what [Aung Ko] said and whether these words came from the party or only from him," said the statement. The BMA referenced Burma's constitutions from 1947, 1974 and 2008, which recognize Islam as a religion practiced by citizens of the country. There is no mention of "associate citizenship" for Muslims in any of these documents, the group's statement pointed out. The post NLD Religious Affairs Minister: Muslims Are Not Full Citizens appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Lower House Committee Endorses ‘State Counselor’ Bill Posted: 04 Apr 2016 05:37 AM PDT  Lower House Speaker Win Myint seen at the Parliament on Feb. 4. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's Lower House Bill Committee on Monday recommended that a "State Counselor" bill be approved by Parliament without any amendments, putting legislation creating a powerful position for National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi one step closer to reality. Tun Tun Hein, chairman of the 15-member committee, took to the dais during Monday's parliamentary session to explain its findings on the draft bill, which was passed by the Upper House last week. He shared that during committee meetings, most members expressed favor for the bill, while two members voiced concerns about the proposal's constitutionality and speedy approval in the upper chamber. Steven, a lawmaker representing the formerly ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in Shan State's Kengtung Township, and fellow committee member Brig-Gen Maung Maung, a military appointee, opposed the bill in its current form. "Most members of the Bill Committee agreed that the bill should be endorsed without any amendments, as approved by the Upper House," Tun Tun Hein told lawmakers of the NLD-majority committee's findings. The bill, proposed by President Htin Kyaw, passed the NLD-dominated upper chamber by a vote of 137-70 on Friday. The bill includes five chapters and eight articles, and marks the party's first legislative initiative since Htin Kyaw was sworn in as president on Wednesday. The text of the legislation explicitly designates Suu Kyi as "state counselor," and has been widely interpreted as a move by the party leader to circumvent a Constitution that bars her from the presidency. In the role, she would be given a broad consultative mandate with both the legislative and executive branches. The secretary of the Upper House Bill Committee told lawmakers last week that the bill was drafted in order to implement the will of a public who voted in large majorities for the NLD and its popular leader Suu Kyi on Nov. 8. The bill has been criticized as unconstitutional by parliamentarians in opposition. Maung Maung of the Lower House Bill Committee repeated his concerns at Monday's session, asking the chamber's speaker to allow sufficient time to discuss the bill and emphasizing the importance of maintaining a separation between the legislative and executive powers of the state. "Rushing to approve a bill within such a short time may call into question democratic standards and the existence of transparency," he said. "We, military lawmakers, will show our support as long as the bill is approved in accordance with the Constitution," he continued. Lower House Speaker Win Myint announced that the bill would be discussed on Tuesday afternoon. The chamber leader, in responding to Maung Maung's concerns about the swift timetable, cited the need to push the legislation through ahead of a lengthy holiday break next week, when Burma celebrates the Buddhist New Year. The party hopes to have the legislation sent to Htin Kyaw for his signature ahead of the recess. The post Lower House Committee Endorses 'State Counselor' Bill appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| For-Profit Stages Banned During Water Festival Posted: 04 Apr 2016 05:31 AM PDT  People celebrate by getting sprayed with water as they celebrate Thingyan, the Burmese water festival in Rangoon, on April 15, 2013. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Rangoon's municipal government has banned all for-profit pavilions during Thingyan and is encouraging the public to celebrate the water festival, which begins next Tuesday, in a simple, traditional way. Rangoon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein announced the decision at a press conference on Saturday. "Thingyan should reflect Burmese tradition and culture," he said, highlighting that it should not focus on drinking alcohol, loud music or instigating trouble. He urged the public to collaborate with the police force to ensure a safe festival and added that in order to prevent unexpected riots, the public must follow the laws and respect human rights. Some critics say festivities in the past have gotten out of hand, with areas at the back of pavilions the scene at times of fornication, drug use and other illicit activities. Rangoon's Karen ethnic affairs minister Naw Pan Thin Zar Myo explained that the decision was made with the public in mind. It was intended to "prevent traffic, conserve water during El Nino season, and follow health warnings," he said. There were over 300 applications to construct pavilions along the Kabar Aye Pagoda and Kan roads this year. But Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) department officer Than Hote said only 16 private applications had been transferred to the government on April 1, because the new government had announced that it would not allow large pavilions to be set up on public land. The regional government said it would allow the central pavilions in four Rangoon districts, as well as uncensored versions of Thangyat [satirical songs that mock authority] during the festival. Thangyat was banned under military rule, and was allowed with censored text under the quasi-civilian government. There have been mixed reactions to the government's decision not to allow for-profit pavilions, because some companies have already received deposits from people who want to celebrate by dancing and throwing water from the stages. While many agree with the chief minister's decision, some teenagers and organizers complained on social media. One ticket holder said, "[the organizer] said they would arrange something else for ticket holders who had already paid, but I don't see that working." Si Thu, an organizer who helps arrange the construction of pavilions every year, didn't build any this year, because building them on public spaces was not allowed. "Some people rented private compounds on Pyay Road [the only road available to build large pavilions]," he said. "But the compound rental fee was about US$8,000-12,000 for the five days of Thingyan. Reporters Tun Tun and May Soe San contributed to this report. The post For-Profit Stages Banned During Water Festival appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Suu Kyi Gives Up Two of Four Ministerial Posts Posted: 04 Apr 2016 01:03 AM PDT  Burma's NLD party leader Aung San Suu Kyi and second Vice President Henry Van Thio attend the handover ceremony from outgoing President Thein Sein and Burma's new President Htin Kyaw at the presidential palace in Naypyidaw March 30, 2016. (Photo: Nyein Chan Naing / Reuters) RANGOON — National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi has renounced two of the four ministerial positions she took on last week. After a meeting of the Union Parliament on Monday, Upper House Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than announced that President Htin Kyaw had nominated Myo Thein Gyi and Pe Zin Tun for the posts of Minister of Education and Minister of Electric Power and Energy, respectively. Last week, the Union Parliament approved President Htin Kyaw's appointment of Suu Kyi to four Cabinet positions, heading the ministries of foreign affairs, the President's office and education, as well as that of electric power and energy. The reason behind the Lady's renunciation of the posts remains unknown. But on Friday, the NLD-dominated Upper House passed a bill designating Suu Kyi as "state counselor," an advisory role that is perceived as giving her more executive power, since she has been barred from the presidency. Currently, Myo Thein Gyi, 51, the nominee for the position of education minister, is the rector for the University of West Rangoon. Prior to the post, he held directorial roles in both basic and higher education departments in the education ministry. Pe Zin Tun, 60, whose name was put forward for the ministerial role for energy and electric power, has served as a permanent secretary within the Ministry of Energy since 2015. The Union Parliament also announced President Htin Kyaw's nomination of Tun Tun Oo for Attorney General and Maw Than as the Union Auditor General. Fifty-nine-year-old Tun Tun Oo was once a Maj-Gen in the military and is the current deputy attorney general. He is also a member of the Union Peacemaking Working Committee. Maw Than, 77, is the current director of the Central Bank of Burma and was once the rector of the Rangoon Institute of Economics. If there are no objections from lawmakers to the nominations, all four positions are expected to be approved in Parliament on Tuesday. The post Suu Kyi Gives Up Two of Four Ministerial Posts appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Death by Overwork on Rise Among Japan’s Vulnerable Workers Posted: 03 Apr 2016 11:14 PM PDT  Female job seekers take notes as they attend an orientation session at a company booth during a job fair held for fresh graduates in Tokyo on March 20, 2016. (Photo: Reuters) TOKYO — Japan is witnessing a record number of compensation claims related to death from overwork, or "karoshi," a phenomenon previously associated with the long-suffering "salary man" that is increasingly afflicting young and female employees. Labor demand, with 1.28 jobs per applicant, is the highest since 1991, which should help Prime Minister Shinzo Abe draw more people into the workforce to counter the effect of a shrinking population, but lax enforcement of labor laws means some businesses are simply squeezing more out of employees, sometimes with tragic consequences. Claims for compensation for karoshi rose to a record high of 1,456 in the year to end-March 2015, according to labor ministry data, with cases concentrated in health care, social services, shipping and construction, which are all facing chronic worker shortages. Hiroshi Kawahito, secretary general of the National Defense Counsel for Victims of Karoshi, said the real number was probably 10 times higher, as the government is reluctant to recognize such incidents. "The government hosts a lot of symposiums and makes posters about the problem, but this is propaganda," he said. "The real problem is reducing working hours, and the government is not doing enough." The labor ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Kawahito, a lawyer who has been dealing with karoshi since the 1980s, said 95 percent of his cases used to be middle-aged men in white-collar jobs, but now about 20 percent are women. Japan has no legal limits on working hours, but the labor ministry recognizes two types of karoshi: death from cardiovascular illness linked to overwork, and suicide following work-related mental stress. A cardiovascular death is likely to be considered karoshi if an employee worked 100 hours of overtime in the month beforehand, or 80 hours of overtime in two or more consecutive months in the previous six. A suicide could qualify if it follows an individual's working 160 hours or more of overtime in one month or more than 100 hours of overtime for three consecutive months. Work-related suicides are up 45 percent in the past four years among those 29 and younger, and up 39 percent among women, labor ministry data show. Two-Tier Workforce The problem has become more acute as Japan's workforce has divided into two distinct categories—regular employees, and those on temporary or non-standard contracts, frequently women and younger people. In 2015, non-regular employees made up 38 percent of the workforce, up from 20 percent in 1990, and 68 percent of them were women. Lawyers and academics say unscrupulous employers operate a "bait-and-switch" policy, advertising a full-time position with reasonable working hours, but later offering the successful applicant a non-regular contract with longer hours, sometimes overnight or weekends, with no overtime pay. Refusing overtime pay and break time are illegal, and the applicant could refuse the job, but activists say companies tell them they will be given regular contracts after six months or so. They say young applicants often accept due to lack of experience, while women trying to re-enter the workforce after childbirth often feel it would be difficult to get a foothold elsewhere. Emiko Teranishi, head of the Families Dealing with Karoshi support group, said she hears lots of complaints about hiring tactics, with some companies telling new hires that their salary includes 80 hours of overtime, and they must reimburse the company if they work less. "Some people don't even make minimum wage under this system," said Teranishi, whose own husband committed suicide after working long hours. Such abuses have become so common in the past 10 years that such companies have been dubbed "black" companies in the media. Hirokazu Ouchi, a professor at Chukyo University, wrote a book last year about such companies when he realized some of his students were being treated illegally at their part-time jobs. Ouchi said their hiring practices typically follow a similar pattern. "Companies will hire someone for two to three years, but they have no intention of investing the time or the money to nurture that employee," said Ouchi. He added that the labor ministry lacked the manpower to follow up on complaints. A ministry official working in corporate surveillance acknowledged that his department was somewhat short-staffed but the government was taking steps to recruit more every year. He declined to give his name as he is not authorized to speak to the media. Japan's working-age population has been falling since the mid-1990s, which would normally lead companies to improve working conditions to attract workers, but Ouchi said it was not happening because they can get away with bending the rules. "This is a way for companies to keep labor costs down, but it is also a path that leads to death by overwork," he said. The post Death by Overwork on Rise Among Japan's Vulnerable Workers appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Traffic Clogged Jakarta to Suspend Rush Hour Car-Pooling Posted: 03 Apr 2016 11:07 PM PDT  Rush hour traffic is seen next to a construction site for a light railway in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Feb. 11, 2016. (Photo: Reuters) JAKARTA — Lines of people from women holding babies to school-age children, with a hand held up to show they're for hire, are a ubiquitous sight on the Indonesian capital's busiest roads during rush hour. But not this week. Traffic-clogged Jakarta plans to suspend its peak-time rule of three people to one car from Tuesday. And the passengers for hire, known as jockeys, who helped drivers cheat the traffic controls, will be out of a job. By lifting the 3-in-1 rule, city authorities will be testing what happens to congestion. If there's no difference to the number of cars on the road, they'll know that a system in place for more than a decade is broken. Abandoning the policy will be bad news for the poor in a city where maddening traffic produces numerous novel ways to eke out a living. Apart from jockeys, there are self-appointed U-turn police and parking wardens who are tipped by drivers despite sometimes hindering more than helping. "I want the authorities to extend the 3-in-1," said Muhammad Asmin, a 27-year-old who dropped out of school to become a jockey more than a decade ago to earn money for his family. "It is good for us, the poor, even if it's not working," said Asmin, who earns up to US$15 a day by hopping in and out of cars. Jakarta is the world's most congested city, according to a study of how often vehicles brake during a commute. Officials estimate Jakarta's traffic jams cause economic losses of about $3 billion a year. The 3-in-1 rule was introduced in 2003 and the jockeys appeared soon after. Since then, the traffic has only gotten worse, mainly because more Indonesians can afford cars, which has overwhelmed a road network that has hardly grown. The car-pooling policy has a particularly bad image since it's widely regarded as ineffective and also involves children, who take huge risks by getting into the vehicles of strangers. "We have been blamed for worsening the gridlock but the government didn't provide sufficient jobs for us," said Alfa Wahyudi, a 21-year-old who came to Jakarta from Borneo six months ago. "Don't blame our presence if the government is unable to provide us jobs." The convenience of traveling on a 3-in-1 road is such that some drivers have arrangements with two or three regular jockeys. Repeated crackdowns on the jockeys, who quickly scatter into side streets at the sight of police, failed to wipe out the profession. If caught, they are taken to a detention center for a couple of weeks and asked to sign a letter promising not to work as a jockey again. But many say they return to the roadside as soon as they can. Wulandri, who was twice caught and sent to a detention center, said it was no deterrent compared with the $10 she could easily make in a day. As the mother of a 1-year-old boy, she was popular with drivers because it meant they could get two passengers for the price of one. "I purposely brought my child because usually a single driver does not have to pay for two jockeys and they are often sorry for the woman who was carrying a baby," said Wulandri, who goes by one name. The post Traffic Clogged Jakarta to Suspend Rush Hour Car-Pooling appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘People Expect the NLD Will Solve All Their Problems’ Posted: 03 Apr 2016 06:03 PM PDT  This week on the panel, The Irrawaddy news crew members Thalun Zaung Htet and Lawi Weng join the discussion. Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. This week we'll discuss people's expectations for the new government. The Irrawaddy news crew members Ko Thalun Zaung Htet and Ko Lawi Weng will join me for the discussion. I'm The Irrawaddy's Burmese editor, Ye Ni. We now have a new democratic government elected by the people for the first time in 54 years, spanning 1962 to 2016. The new democratic government will have to take on the burden of curing the country's political, economic and social sectors, which deteriorated during that period. People have voted for the National League for Democracy [NLD] and we've now seen a NLD government and Parliament. Ko Thalun, do you believe the NLD government and the Parliament will be able to rebuild the country's political, economic and social sectors? Thalun Zaung Htet: Since the military staged a coup in 1962, Burmese people have not had a civilian government. The military regime ruled in successive periods. It held an election in 2010 while Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners were still behind bars. The 2010 election was not a fair poll and was riddled with massive electoral fraud. The Union Solidarity and Development Party [USDP] won the election and U Thein Sein's government came to power. The 2012 by-election was relatively free and fair since it was not a poll to elect the government. In the 2015 election, people from all walks of life voted for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's party and the NLD therefore won in a landslide—around 80 percent of the vote. As a result, they have now formed the first elected government in 54 years and the president is U Htin Kyaw. People want to see Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as president, but she is barred from the presidency by the 2008 Constitution drafted by the military. So far, people's wishes have not yet been fulfilled as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi still can't be president. But a government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has taken power. Talking of people's expectations, people have high expectations for the NLD government. People have high expectations that the NLD government, led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, will be able to solve all the problems. People from every walk of life, from trishaw drivers and squatters to the educated and affluent, as well as civil servants, voted NLD. They voted for the NLD because they want to see big changes for the country. They have been deeply desirous of changes. People have high expectations for the new government, and believe completely that it will be able to solve all their problems. YN: In response to speculation that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will handle four ministries, some say that it is too much for her, even though she has taken on the task with good intentions. People are concerned about her health; whether she will be able to cope with the stress, given her age and the formidable duties. What is your view, Ko Thalun Zaung Htet? TZH: There were 36 ministers and almost 100 deputy ministers in the U Thein Sein government. Their salaries were a large burden on the country. Now, the NLD government has reduced the number of ministries to 21 and ministers to 18, with a minister managing more than one ministry. This saves a large chunk of budget, which is very good for the country. The lean government is a good sign for the country. On the other hand, people at home and abroad doubt whether Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be able to manage four ministries at the same time as she will take the helm of Foreign Affairs, Education, Electric Power and Energy ministries, [as well as the President's Office ministerial post], all of which are important for the country and are in need of fundamental reforms. So, everyone is concerned. But Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has reportedly said she would manage those ministries temporarily because she has not yet found the right people. Most of the cabinet members are U Shwe Mann's allies, for example U Thein Swe, the former transport minister and the minister of the Prime Minister's Office [under the junta government]. He has a bad reputation for corruption. He allegedly has ties with Asia World Co. So, this raised people's eyebrows. The new government is elected by the people but it does not look impressive to the people. There is also criticism of the government as being the administration formed jointly by U Shwe Mann. It is undeniable that the government is not 100 percent impressive. We'll wait and see if the government will be lean, effective and corruption-free and spend minimum budget, as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said. YN: Ko Lawi Weng, you are an ethnic Mon. The ethnic issue is the top priority on the NLD's election manifesto. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has included ethnic persons in the government and the Parliament to show her resolve to handle the ethnic issue. She has even set up an Ethnic Affairs Ministry, a completely new ministry. She has shown her consideration for ethnicities. But what the ethnicities actually want is federalism. What do you think Ko Lawi Weng? LW: As to the ethnic issue, I would like to talk about two points—ethnic political parties and ethnic armed groups. In the case of Arakan [State], the Arakan National Party [ANP] wants to get the Arakan State chief minister position. It said it would cooperate with the NLD only if it gets the Arakan State chief minister position, and would stand as opposition if not. There has been lots of criticism about the ANP and some even say the ANP does not want to cooperate at all. The chief minister position has been announced and it is now certain that the ANP will not get that position. Let's take a look at the reason why Daw Suu did not give that post to the ANP. Arakan State is important because of the Rohingya-Bengali issue. That issue has marred the image of the country on the international stage. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi seemingly wants to address the problem to somehow revive the country's image by appointing her party member as chief minister. If she gives the chief minister position to the ANP, she would have to negotiate with the ANP first to handle the Rohingya-Bengali issue. That's why Daw Aung San Suu Kyi did not give ANP that position, I think. In the case of Shan [State], U Khun Tun Oo's Shan Nationalities League for Democracy [SNLD] also wanted to get the state chief minister position, but Daw Aung San Suu Kyi did not give it. Why? There are various ethnic armed groups in Shan State. The SNLD supports SSPP [Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army-North] while the SNDP [Shan Nationalities Democratic Party] backs the RCSS [Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South]. The SNLD and SSPP are close, both are based in northern Shan State. Palaung are currently clashing with the Restoration Council of Shan State [RCSS] and Palaung would of course not like a Shan taking the chief minister post. There are [ethnic armed] groups like the Wa, Kokang and Mongla in Shan State. It would be quite problematic if a Shan were appointed chief minister. Daw Aung Suu Kyi would know the consequences, and that's why she did not give SNLD the chief minister position, I think. What's more, ethnic groups are also engaged in armed clashes with the military there. YN: So, Ko Lawi, you mean in settling the conflicts in Arakan and Shan states, the NLD has given consideration to national reconciliation and therefore has not chosen anyone from the warring sides, and only appointed NLD members who are neutral. LW: So that the problems can be solved more easily. As the NLD has appointed its party member in Shan State, Palaung or Wa have nothing to say. Ethnic issues in Shan State are quite problematic. The NLD's appointees are rather neutral, also for the military. That's why Daw Suu has chosen her party members. YN: What is your view of ethnic affairs minister Nai Thet Lwin, who is also an ethnic Mon? LW: Daw Suu is very smart to have appointed Nai Thet Lwin as ethnic affairs minister. Nai Thet Lwin has never contested an election but he has a reputation in the Mon National Party because of his support for the party and Mon social organizations. He is a reputable person, but not a key political player in the Mon National Party. He is under no one's influence. Except for his cordial relations with the leadership of the New Mon State Party, [an ethnic armed group], he is under no one's influence. No one is pulling his strings. Daw Suu sees this point and has therefore appointed Nai Thet Lwin, I think. YN: A new democratic government has now emerged as hoped for by the majority of the people. But there will be many challenges for the new government to tackle in rebuilding the country and a society that has deteriorated. But we should not be dismayed at this. I would like to conclude this discussion with the saying, 'Rome was not built in a day.' The post Dateline Irrawaddy: 'People Expect the NLD Will Solve All Their Problems' appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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