The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Boat Accident Kills Six in Arakan State
- Kofi Annan: Commission Will Not Do ‘Human Rights Investigation’ in Arakan State
- Thai Palace: King’s Kidneys Still Not Functioning Properly
- Residence of Burma’s First President to Become Heritage Site
- Gold Prices Again Reach Record High
- Is it Time for the US to Lift Sanctions?
- Govt Forms Committee to Rid Burma of Least Developed Country Status
- Asia Leaders Tiptoe Around South China Sea Tensions
- Ethnic Activists Voice Alarm Over Salween Dams
- DKBA Splinter Group: ‘They Want to Wipe Us Out’
| Boat Accident Kills Six in Arakan State Posted: 08 Sep 2016 08:39 AM PDT  Local rescue team searching for the body of a missing woman (Photo: Rakhine Gazette) RANGOON – Six women died when a passenger boat capsized on the Nat Kan river in northern Arakan State's Taungup Township, according to police inspector U Win Hlaing. On Wednesday morning, boat owner U Shwe Owe picked up ten women and nine men from Taungup market in Yay Kaung Phyu village on Sagu Island, Ramree Township. Usually boat operators will not attempt to navigate the larger channels during the rainy season due to the presence of rougher, bigger waves and will instead use smaller, calmer waterways. U Shwe Owe travelled across the larger waterway, however, and his boat was struck by a large wave, which, it is believed, caused it to capsize. Police said three bodies had been retrieved from the water on Wednesday and on Thursday morning they found two more. One woman is still missing, and is presumed dead by police. Two more are currently receiving medical treatment at Taungup hospital. Two of the women and the nine men on board were not harmed. Boat owner U Shwe Owe is believed to be on the run and police have been making enquiries regarding his whereabouts in villages near the Nat Kan river. The police have filed cases for causing death by negligence and careless driving, under articles 304 (a) and 280 of the Criminal Code, respectively. Police inspector U Win Hlaing said survivors had reported that the vessel did not provide life jackets for passengers. He added that a lack of safety knowledge in that region is not uncommon and that a majority of boat owners do not follow safety guidelines. The Arakanese social activist U Kyaw Zeya, who lives in Taungup, said that it is common practice in the region for boat operators to drink liquor during the rainy season, as they believe it prevents them from catching a cold while on the water. The police inspector could not verify whether U Kyaw Zeya's assertions applied in the case of U Shwe Owe. Wednesday's incident was the third boating accident in Arakan State this year. On June 1, the first day that Burmese schools resumed after a long holiday, seven children died when a boat filled beyond capacity capsized near Poe Shwe Pyin village outside of the town of Ponnagyun. On August 19 a boat carrying 17 schoolchildren between villages in Rathedaung Township sank, killing four girls aged between 11 and 14. Linking the three tragedies is the fact that none of the boats had life jackets on board. The Arakan State government has warned ferry businessmen to include life jackets on their boats or risk having their licenses revoked. However, many in society say this approach will not work. Activist U Kyaw Zeya believes this "talk and no action" is not enough to save the lives of local Arakanese. He urged the Arakan State government to push local staff to strictly supervise boat owners and provide awareness on the ground. "'Time for change' is not enough," he said "To bring about change on the ground is the responsibility of the government; lower level staff must work harder." Home to an expanse of creeks, rivers and coastline, Arakan State's transportation system is dominated by ferries, speedboats, and shipping routes. On March 13, 2015, the government-owned Aung Ta Kon (3) ship, running between Sittwe and Kyaukphyu, sank near the Naungdawgyi Sea in Myebon Township. The boat was overloaded with various goods and around 300 passengers. According to local publications, at least 160 people died in the accident; only 72 dead bodies were discovered. The Arakan State government has since suspended the route. The post Boat Accident Kills Six in Arakan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Kofi Annan: Commission Will Not Do ‘Human Rights Investigation’ in Arakan State Posted: 08 Sep 2016 08:27 AM PDT  Arakan Advisory Commission Chairman Kofi Annan speaks to the media during a press conference in Rangoon on Thursday at the end of his recent Burma trip. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Kofi Annan, chair of the Arakan State Advisory Commission, told media in a Thursday press conference in Rangoon that the commission's purpose is not to investigate rights abuses, but to write an "impartial report." "We are not here to do a human rights investigation or to write a human rights report…I hope our recommendations will be helpful as we intend to reduce tension and support development," said Mr. Annan. The former UN general secretary explained that the objective of the advisory commission is to provide recommendations for the Burmese government in accordance with international standards, to facilitate a lasting solution to conflict in Arakan State. The commission will work "rigorously" and "impartially" to create these recommendations. The focus will be on conflict resolution, humanitarian assistance, reconciliation and development, Mr. Annan added. Since the outbreak of anti-Muslim violence in 2012, which led to the displacement of 140,000, the region has received international attention. Questions at Thursday's press conference were limited, with only ten questions accepted from among hundreds of reporters from both local and international media houses. A reporter asked Mr. Annan how he planned to work successfully without the support and collaboration of many local Buddhist Arakanese; his arrival and departure in Arakan State were both met with protests, and an Arakanese political party—the Arakan National Party—proposed in Parliament that Kofi Annan and other international representatives be removed from the commission, a move which was voted down on Tuesday. Mr. Annan replied that demonstrations represented a type of communication and he was not surprised by it, as protests are not a strange occurrence in a democratic society. On Thursday, Kofi Annan also met with both Burma's President U Htin Kyaw and the Burma Army commander-in-chief, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. Both figures, along with the Union Parliament, gave a green light to the commission to pursue their work. "I can assure you the commission is independent," he said, adding that the group would "consider the interests" of all groups in Arakan State. On his first trip to the state, from Sept. 6-7, Mr. Annan met with the speaker of the regional parliament, the chief minister, community leaders, civil society organizations and religious leaders. He visited both Buddhist Arakanese and Rohingya Muslim displaced people's camps. The trip, he said, was "productive." Annan recalled being asked by locals for improved access to education and employment, and greater freedom of movement. Understanding the history of the region, he said, will be useful for the commission to understand the situation on the ground. One participant in the press conference questioned Mr. Annan about whether he had witnessed any oppression of the Muslim community during his time in Arakan State. "Personally, I did not see it there," he said. The Arakan State government had planned the busy agenda for the visit, commission member Al Haj Aye Lwin explained, and more time was needed in order to accurately comment on whether such anti-Muslim repression was taking place. In his opening speech, Mr. Annan used the term "Rohingya" to refer one of the Muslim communities in Arakan State. While it is the name with which the group self-identifies, local Arakanese and large sections of the wider Burmese public, reject the term "Rohingya" and instead call the group "Bengali," suggesting that they are migrants from Bangladesh; in addition, the Rohingya are not included among the 135 ethnic groups officially recognized by the Burmese government. Earlier this year, Burma's State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi asked her international counterparts to avoid using the term "Rohingya," saying that it contributes to instability in the state. A reporter asked Mr. Annan if there had been any further pledge from the State Counselor to avoid using the term; he replied that she had not instructed him on which terminology to use. "The words 'Rohingya' and 'Bengali' are both emotive," he said. Issues regarding the Arakan State-Bangladesh border will need to be looked into by the commission in order to make recommendations, Annan also said. Both Burma and Bangladesh will need to collaboarate, he added, suggesting that he hoped that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees would likely be involved in the process. The post Kofi Annan: Commission Will Not Do 'Human Rights Investigation' in Arakan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Thai Palace: King’s Kidneys Still Not Functioning Properly Posted: 08 Sep 2016 05:25 AM PDT  A well-wisher holds a picture of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Siriraj hospital (Photo: Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters) BANGKOK — King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s kidneys are still not functioning properly, but infections plaguing the 88-year-old monarch have eased, Thailand’s royal palace announced Wednesday. An announcement said the king is receiving continuous renal replacement therapy, a treatment for critically ill patients with acute kidney failure. It said that he is still producing insufficient urine. The medical bulletin said an infection which the palace described last week as "severe" had decreased and there was less liquid in his lungs. The king, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, has been hospitalized for much of the past decade. Because Bhumibol has been king since 1946, there is great concern about his eventual succession by 64-year-old Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, who has not earned the same respect as his father. While he is a constitutional monarch with no formal political role, Bhumibol has generally been regarded as Thailand’s unifying figure. However, as his health has deteriorated, his participation in public affairs has sharply declined in recent years. Concern about succession has been entwined with Thailand’s political turmoil in the past decade, as royalists have sought to ensure that they control the process instead of certain politicians whose fealty to the monarchy they doubt. On the first day of trading after the initial announcement last Friday of the king’s kidney dysfunction, the Thai stock market saw a major drop, reflecting the general uncertainty. The post Thai Palace: King's Kidneys Still Not Functioning Properly appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Residence of Burma’s First President to Become Heritage Site Posted: 08 Sep 2016 05:18 AM PDT  Yawnghwe Cultural Museum. (Photo: Ko Soe / The Irrawaddy) NAYPYIDAW — The residence of Burma's first president, Sao Shwe Thaike, will be turned into a heritage tourist site, according to hotels and tourism minister U Ohn Maung. Sao Shwe Thaike, an ethnic Shan, was the last saopha—or hereditary prince—of Shan State's Yawnghwe (Nyaung Shwe). He became President of the Union of Burma in 1948 following the country's independence from Britain and served as head of state until 1952. The idea of turning his residence—known as Yawnghwe Haw—into a heritage site is still in a conceptual stage, said the minister in a Lower House session on Wednesday. According to the minister, upon completion of the upgrades, the Haw will be open to visitors from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. two nights a week, with a night bazaar nearby. "The development of heritage tourism will generate increased income and more job opportunities for locals. But it is not easy to develop a heritage tourism site. We need the advice of local and foreign experts and the support of locals," said the minister. The plan also includes guiding foreign visitors around the Haw, illuminating it twice weekly and forming a committee to conserve the building with the admission fees collected, according to the minister. In July, Yawnghwe Township Lower House lawmaker Nay Myo led a group of departmental personnel to clear bushes in the Haw precinct. The Haw was handed over to the Culture Department in 1972 and opened to the public as the Saopha Museum. In 2003, its name was changed to Yawnghwe Cultural Museum. In 2005, UNESCO granted funds for a project to renovate the items on display at the museum, but the Culture Ministry rejected the funds and the renovation could not be carried out. In July 2014, the Culture Ministry handed the museum over to the Shan State government. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Residence of Burma's First President to Become Heritage Site appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Gold Prices Again Reach Record High Posted: 08 Sep 2016 04:52 AM PDT  A gold shop in downtown Rangoon. (Photo: Pyay Kyaw) RANGOON — Both Burma's recent gold prices and the US dollar exchange rate have recently risen, and industry observers predict it will continue to increase. On Sept. 7, gold reached a record high of 872,000 kyats (US$714) per tical, a traditional Burmese weight measurement of 16.33 grams (or just over half of an ounce), an increase from 840,000 kyats ($688) during the previous week. "It was the highest record in the gold market, because global gold prices jumped at least $20 per ounce this week," said U Kyaw Win, chairman of Myanmar Gold Entrepreneurs Association. As of Sept. 8, the global gold price had reached US$1,346 per ounce, up from US$1,320 per ounce last week. "Dollar exchange rates and gold prices are directly impacting the market. As long as the global gold price is increasing, the local price will follow," U Kyaw Win said. U Kyaw Win said that although the gold price had reached a record high, the market had not been harmed, and demand remained stable. "I'm not concerned for the local market…the demand is still good," he said. After a sharp increase in 2012 when the global prices reached arpund $1,900 per ounce, the local price floated at around 680,000 kyats per tical until late May of this year; it has since increased each month. On Sept. 8, the local gold price decreased slightly to 867,500 kyats per tical, while the US dollar exchange rate reached 1,215 kyats per dollar. "The dollar exchange rate is still increasing from 1,190 kyats per dollar last week to 1,215 kyats this week," a currency exchange specialist in Rangoon said on Thursday. However, economist U Khin Maung Nyo pointed out that the rising gold price would be able to compensate for the country's recent high inflation rate, limiting the effect on small businesses. "At least, this high gold price can cover for the high inflation rate. Now the inflation rate has reached 12.12 percent, but it's not worrying," he said. "Exporters will be happy while importers will not be…customers will suffer from the high commodity prices," he said. Burma's Central Bank publicized an inflation rate of 12.14 percent in late August, surpassing the predictions of the World Bank and worrying business leaders that inflation in the country could be on an upward spiral, dampening local demand for goods. As of Sept. 8, the Central Bank said that the inflation rate was 12.12 percent. The post Gold Prices Again Reach Record High appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Is it Time for the US to Lift Sanctions? Posted: 08 Sep 2016 02:53 AM PDT  US Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Burma's Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing during his visit in May 2016. (Photo: State Department / Public Domain) Burma's road to democratization is still incomplete but has made some progress. No one should doubt the length of the journey before greater civilian control is seen in the country. The army holds the key—keeping one quarter of seats in the parliament and controlling the ministries of home affairs, defense, and border affairs—but has recently shown some willingness to work with the elected government headed by Burma's de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In recent months, the Burmese have seen the new government struggle to transform the old system, but Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's huge popular mandate has proved key in consolidating power. But a mountain of challenges remains. The recent 21st Century Panglong peace conference ended on a positive note, for the most part, but achieving stability and peace in ethnic regions will take decades. War continues in Burma's north—several ethnic armies continue to engage along front lines, and armed conflict between ethnic armies is common. Displaced communities seeking shelter, food and peace remain in limbo. But perhaps there is some hope if peace process stakeholders and the public share a common vision, towards a federal democratic union. The fundamental changes seen in the country in recent years are no longer cosmetic, but real. The country is opening up and the people enjoy more democracy and freedom than before.  Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy. This has contributed to renewed expectations—including from former ruling generals and their cronies—that the US will further ease sanctions in the wake of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to Washington DC next week. After meeting with congressional staffers, Ben Rhodes, US President Obama's deputy national security adviser, said that Obama was now considering reducing sanctions or removing them altogether. Since the country launched political and economic reforms in 2011, the US has eased restrictions on trade, investment and financial institutions in Burma in successive stages, and has normalized diplomatic relations. In May, the US removed state-owned banks from its targeted sanctions, which were renewed for another year. The US Department of the Treasury maintains its roster of "Specially Designated Nationals" (SDN), which includes several of Burma's most prominent tycoons and members of the military elite, with whom US companies and individuals are still barred from doing business. When US Secretary of State John Kerry visited Burma in May and met with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he suggested that a further relaxation of sanctions would not occur until the military allowed the fundamentally flawed 2008 Constitution—which enshrines their frontline role in politics—to be amended. Kerry said at the news conference, "The key to the lifting of the sanctions is really the progress that is made within [Burma] in continuing to move down the road of democratization […] it's very difficult to complete that journey—in fact, impossible to complete that journey with the current constitution. It needs to be changed." In mid August, a proposal for a parliamentary debate over whether the government should pressure the US for the removal of remaining sanctions was shot down in the Lower House. As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi continues to engage in tough negotiations with the military, it is safe to assume that her party wants to maintain some sanctions as a bargaining chip—to ensure that, one day, the military will be under civilian control, unlike the current situation: that of two lions sharing one cave. "Many of the Burmese on the US sanctions list are criminal suspects and human rights abusers," said John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "The US should assist Burma in promoting genuine economic development, not help those who made ill-gotten gains during military rule," he said. The China Factor Many ordinary Burmese would likely welcome a further easing of US sanctions on trade, investment and commerce, allowing more US investment and companies to move in. More importantly, one can assume that many Burmese would welcome the US's continued active engagement in Burma. Why? To put it simply: so as to counter the influence of Burma's powerful neighbor—China. Beijing took a bold step in inviting then opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to visit China before the general election last year. Last month, China's President Xi Jinping welcomed back Burma's State Counselor, promising among other things to help Burma's peace process. China's stepping up of diplomatic engagement with Burmese stakeholders, seen over the last year, demonstrates that Beijing is more than ready to work with the new government: taking measures to boost trade and investment and offering more aid, furthering its strategic interests in its southern neighbor while doing so. The Burmese don't want to see a government heavily reliant on China, but a government that makes friends in the West and forms alliances in the region and beyond, allowing Burma to become an active regional player. Several Burmese political observers share the view that it is time to rebalance the China relationship and realize Burma's geopolitical potential. In this changing environment, the US can play a supportive role in sustaining political momentum, backing ongoing reform, deepening diplomatic relations, and aiding the economic, health, education and other sectors where Burma needs both short- and long-term assistance. While following this strategy, removing some military-linked cronies from the SDN list would not surprise or upset many Burmese. It has been conjectured that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will even request that US officials remove some individuals from the list. However, there is an ongoing debate in Burma over whether removing all US sanctions would cause bumps in the road ahead for the new civilian government. There is also opposition to growing US interest in military-to-military engagement with Burma's armed forces. Moreover, ethnic minority leaders and activists have expressed concern over anticipated military-to-military engagement between the US and Burma. In Washington DC, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will meet with President Obama and with prominent congressmen and figures who supported Burma's democracy movement over the last couple of decades, including through sanctions. There have been unconfirmed reports that a meeting with the US defense secretary is also scheduled. The US military has shown interest in deepening contact with the Burmese armed forces, for instance talking of offering Burma non-lethal security assistance such as International Military Education and Training. Burmese military officers have been invited to observe the annual Cobra Gold regional military exercise involving the US and various Southeast Asian nations. In mid 2014, deputy of the US Pacific Command Lt-Gen Anthony Crutchfield addressed Burmese officers at the National Defense College in Naypyidaw, speaking of human rights and the need for civilian control of the military. The same year, the Burmese defense minister attended the US-Asean Defense Forum in Hawaii. In Burma, US diplomats and visiting American officials often hold separate meetings with Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. "What if ethnic groups are attacked with US-provided technology?" prominent Shan political leader Khun Htun Oo said to The Irrawaddy in Aug. 2014. No matter how hard Washington attempts to assure critics that military engagement in Burma would not involve the training of combat forces or the exchange of weapon systems, but would instead focus on promoting respect for human rights and "professionalism," many remained unconvinced. How Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Barack Obama and the US Congress will handle the issue of sanctions remains to be seen. But many activists, ethnic women's rights groups and civilian lawmakers would see any kind of substantive military engagement as premature. Indeed, the purpose of keeping sanctions is to advance democratic reform in Burma—ensuring that progress is irreversible, and that the military fully withdraws from politics in the future. The post Is it Time for the US to Lift Sanctions? appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Govt Forms Committee to Rid Burma of Least Developed Country Status Posted: 08 Sep 2016 02:12 AM PDT  A child waiter at a teashop in Yangon. (Photo: J Paing / The Irrawaddy) NAYPYIDAW — The government has formed an implementation committee to rid Burma of its least developed country (LDC) status, Deputy Minister for Planning and Finance U Maung Maung Win told the Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday. The implementation committee chaired by Vice President Henry Van Thio was formed in late April, just weeks after the National League for Democracy (NLD) government took office after winning a landslide victory in the November 2015 general election. There are certain advantages to a least developed country label. Those performing at the bottom of socioeconomic evaluations have access to preferential trade arrangements, duty-free imports, interest-free financial aid, official development assistance and debt forgiveness. Although Burma applied for and received LDC status in 1987 under the reign of dictator Ne Win's Burma Socialist Program Party, any potential benefits were largely eclipsed by economic sanctions imposed shortly after. To graduate from the status, LDCs must surpass thresholds for two of three indicators: per capita gross national income, economic vulnerabilities, and a human resource weakness index based on child mortality, health, nutrition and education. Countries are re-evaluated every three years and must exceed the criteria in two consecutive reviews. The United Nations (UN) conducted its triennial review in 2015 and Burma was unable to surpass the graduation requirements, exceeding only the Human Asset Index (HAI) 66-or-above threshold with a score of 72.7. The country's per capita gross national income stood at US$1,063—below the $1,242 threshold, according to the deputy minister. Burma's next review will take place in 2018. Only five countries have graduated to "developing country" status since the UN ranked the first group in 1971. Samoa was the last country to have been promoted, in 2014. Currently, 48 countries are on the LDC list; among them are three Asean members—Cambodia, Laos and Burma. The post Govt Forms Committee to Rid Burma of Least Developed Country Status appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Asia Leaders Tiptoe Around South China Sea Tensions Posted: 08 Sep 2016 02:07 AM PDT  Leaders pose for photo during Asean-China summit in Vientiane, Laos (photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) VIENTIANE, Laos — Asian leaders played down tensions over the South China Sea in a carefully worded summit statement on Thursday, but even before it was issued Beijing voiced frustration with countries outside the region “interfering” in tussles over the strategic waterway. The heads of 10 Southeast Asian nations, as well as US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang among six other leaders, “reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in and over-flight in the South China Sea”. But the draft of a statement to be issued in Vientiane, Laos, tiptoed around the regional strains caused by competing claims to areas of the strategically important sea. “Several leaders remained seriously concerned over recent developments in the South China Sea,” said the draft. The statement, seen by Reuters, made no reference to a July ruling by a court in The Hague that declared illegal some of China’s artificial islands in the sea and invalidated its claims to almost the entire waterway. Obama said on Thursday the ruling had helped clarify maritime rights. “I recognize this raises tensions but I also look forward to discussing how we can constructively move forward together to lower tensions,” he said at a summit meeting. Officials said that talks on Wednesday between leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China’s Li had gone smoothly. But in a statement later from China’s Foreign Ministry, Li was paraphrased as saying China was willing to work with Southeast Asian countries in “dispelling interference … and properly handling the South China Sea issue”. He did not elaborate, but such wording is typically used by Chinese leaders to refer to not allowing countries from outside the region with no direct involvement in the dispute, like the United States, from getting involved. China claims much of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of trade moves annually. Taiwan and four Asean members—Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei—also have claims, making it a hot spot of regional tension. The other Asean nations are Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, Singapore and Thailand. Leaders from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States also attended the summit. China has over the past year alarmed other claimants, and outside powers such as the United States and Japan, by re-claiming land on several disputed reefs through dredging, and building airfields and port facilities. Shattering an illusion of cordiality at the summit in Laos on Wednesday, US ally the Philippines released photographs and a map showing what it said was an increased number of Chinese vessels near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, which China seized after a standoff in 2012. Its defense ministry expressed “grave concern” that Chinese boats were preparing to build structures at the shoal. Cleared the Air The Philippines’ move came after a dispute with the United States, its former colonial power. Ties turned frosty when new President Rodrigo Duterte insulted US counterpart Barack Obama on Monday, prompting the cancellation of a meeting between them. The two leaders made some steps towards clearing the air late on Wednesday, however, chatting briefly, and exchanging pleasantries as they prepared to take their seats at a leaders’ dinner. The United States has been a staunch ally of the Philippines and China has repeatedly blamed Washington for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea. Washington says it has no position on the territorial disputes but wants to ensure freedom of navigation. To press that point, it has conducted patrols near Chinese-held islands. Although the Scarborough Shoal is merely a few rocks poking above the sea, it is important to the Philippines because of the fish stocks in the area. Manila says China’s blockade of the shoal is a violation of international law. The dispute has become more significant since the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in July that no country had sovereign rights over activity at Scarborough Shoal. China has refused to recognize the ruling by the court in The Hague. Li made no direct mention of Scarborough Shoal in the comments provided by the foreign ministry, but Beijing said on Wednesday there had been no new activity there and “some people” were spreading information that was “hyping the situation”. China’s embassy in Manila said there has been no dredging or building at the shoal and China has maintained a coastguard presence there for law enforcement patrols. A statement by Asean on Wednesday listed eight points related to the South China Sea, but made no mention of the arbitration ruling. The bloc traditionally shies away from taking a position on thorny diplomatic issues, especially where China is concerned, because of its influence in the region and the need to balance ties with the United States. “Both China and the United States are among the most important partners of Asean, and Asean does not want to have to choose between those partners,” the secretary general of the bloc, Le Luong Minh, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday. 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| Ethnic Activists Voice Alarm Over Salween Dams Posted: 08 Sep 2016 01:48 AM PDT  The press conference in Rangoon on Wednesday staged by ethnic activists opposed to the Salween dams. (Nang Seng Nom /The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Ethnic Shan, Mon and Karenni environmental activists have voiced strong concern over alleged government plans to push ahead with hydropower dams on the Salween River, which they believe would destroy the livelihoods of ethnic communities. At a press conference in Rangoon on Wednesday, Shan environmentalist Sai Khur Hseng of the Sapawa organization claimed that U Htein Lin, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Electricity and Energy, said during a closed-door meeting in Naypyidaw in August that to fulfill Burma's energy needs, planned dams should proceed on the Salween [also known a the Thanlwin] River. "This discussion has not been made public yet," said Sai Khur Hseng; this was the reason the press conference had been called. The undammed Salween is one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the world, flowing from the Tibetan plateau through largely mountainous territory in China, Burma and Thailand, before draining into the Andaman Sea off Burma. Steep-sided and unnavigable over long stretches, its basin is home to some 7 million people and extensive biodiversity. There are currently six dams planned for the Salween River, which have yet to be green-lit, according to the activists. Four are planned for Shan State—in Kunlong, Nong Pha, Mongton and Manntaung—one for Karenni State, in Yawthit, and another for Karen State, in Hatgyi. Last month the Shan State government ordered the suspension of the planned hydropower dams in the state, pending a government investigation. However, Sai Khur Hseng said that, under Burma's largely centralized form of governance, the Shan State government does not have the authority to halt dam projects. The Union government has the power to override the state government "against the wishes of local people," activists said. China and Thailand are both invested in the Shan State dam projects. Under the current terms, they would receive up to 90 percent of the power generated, with only 10 percent going to Burma, according to Sai Khur Hseng. The area around the dam planned in Mongton has seen on-and-off fighting between the Burma Army and the Shan State Army-South. The activists warned that proceeding with the dam could escalate the conflict and upset the fragile peace process. The ethnic Shan armed group is opposed to the dam because it is "against the wishes" of Shan locals. The proposed dam is also located near territory controlled by the United Wa State Army, Burma's most powerful non-state armed group. The proposed Nong Pha dam—deemed a high priority project, with Chinese backing—is located by territory held by the Shan State Army-North, which has been in active conflict with the Burma Army over the last year. The activists claimed that the Burma Army has recently deployed more troops in the area around the proposed Nong Pha dam; renewed fighting could break out at any moment. The Australia-based Snowy Mountains Engineering Corp conducted environmental and social impact assessments around the Mongton dam, claiming that locals were broadly accepting of the project. Shan environmental activists have since claimed that this was based on inadequate consultation, and that locals were actually strongly opposed to the dam. "China understands the consequences of building dams because they have earthquakes. China is not building many more dams in their country […] but they come to build them in our country," said Sai Khur Hseng. Mi Ah Chai of the Mon Youth Progressive Organization (MYPO) expressed worry at the press conference over the harm the proposed Hatgyi dam in Karen State could inflict on local livelihoods. A MYPO report titled "In the Balance," updated this year, highlights how local Mon rely on the Salween River for their survival: growing vegetables, fishing and sending produce to markets by boat. The Mon youth group is concerned that the dam could substantially alter the flow and course of the river, and destroy its ecosystem. "Our report showed how important the Salween River is for the Mon people," said Mi Ah Chai. "Something is wrong when our country only gets 10 percent [of the output] from the project, with other countries getting 90 percent. Our country also needs electric power," she said. The post Ethnic Activists Voice Alarm Over Salween Dams appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| DKBA Splinter Group: ‘They Want to Wipe Us Out’ Posted: 08 Sep 2016 12:23 AM PDT  Maj Saw San Aung was photographed while speaking at a remote base in the area of Myaing Gyi Nyu Township, Karen State. (Photo: Supplied) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — As Burma's Union Peace Conference began in Naypyidaw in late August, fighting resumed in Karen State's Myaing Gyi Nyu and Mae Tha Waw between a splinter group of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and the Burma Army-backed Border Guard Force (BGF). The DKBA splinter group, named after its late commander Maj Na Ma Kyar, claimed the Burma Army used the BGF to chase them because their leader, Maj Saw San Aung, is on the BGF wanted list. Irrawaddy reporter Saw Yan Naing spoke to Maj Saw San Aung about the fighting. What is the cause of the ongoing clashes in your area of Karen State? Basically, they [BGF] want to wipe out our troops in the area around Myaing Gyi Nyu Township. They want to eliminate our roots. We attacked them on Sept. 2 but they have continued to chase and attack us since then. Why do you think they want to wipe out your troops? The Burma Army issued an arrest warrant for me and several of my colleagues, including Lt Kyaw Thet. They recognize us as their enemy. Currently, our circumstances are like a delicate fallen leaf; whether we fall on something sharp or something sharp falls on us, we are torn. Actually, we previously proposed to the government that we would like to participate in the peace negotiation process. We sent letters to peace negotiators and to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. But they didn’t respond so we don't know whether they received our letters or if we will have the chance to participate in the next Panglong conference. Now we are being attacked and our leader Maj Na Ma Kyar has been killed. As you are outnumbered, if the BGF continue to chase and attack your group, how long do you think you can resist their advances with the troops you have? We believe we can resist the BGF as we have had many experiences like this before. We can resist for months and years by using guerrilla tactics. Although we are outnumbered, they won't be able to wipe out our troops. They had to use an elephant mahout to stab Maj Na Ma Kyar; they couldn’t kill him in battle. There are reports that the Burma Army assists the BGF in clashes. How many of them have you witnessed assisting the BGF? It is true. They even sent troops from the Light Infantry Division 44 today [Wednesday]. According to our source, they sent two batches of troops from Thaton to Hpa-an for reinforcement in our region. Each batch had at least 100 soldiers and they also sent 20 trucks. Some carried soldiers and some were empty. They are fighting us almost every day. Your troop is one of Karen State's armed groups. Why don't other Karen armed organizations such as the Karen National Union (KNU) or the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), who have had peace talks with Burma Army, mediate the dispute between you and the BGF? So far, they haven’t mediated the dispute; perhaps they think it will be a burden on them. Or perhaps they do not dare to mediate as the Burma Army has issued an arrest warrant against me. Actually, they should do something for their fellow Karen—like us. They could talk to the government, Tatmadaw [Burma Army], State Counselor, or even concerned Karen armed groups like the BGF to settle the dispute. But we are not seeing them take any responsibility. How many of you are on the Burma Army’s wanted list? First, they issued an arrest warrant for me in 2014, later they issued warrants on several people including Lt Kyaw Thet and Maj Na Ma Kyar [who died recently]. Why has the fighting continued after the death of Maj Na Ma Kyar? Actually, it is a trick of the Burma Army. It is not real fighting between us and the BGF. The Burma Army created the dispute between us in order to wipe out our troops. They have masterminded the current fighting. The post DKBA Splinter Group: 'They Want to Wipe Us Out’ appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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