Saturday, July 1, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (July 1)

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 11:47 PM PDT

India Hands Over Cargo Ships

India this week handed over six cargo vessels to Myanmar to support the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project, a bilateral project that will connect the two countries via a water route from Rakhine State's Sittwe to Paletwa in Chin State and a road from Paletwa to Zorinpui in Mizzoram State, India.

The ships were built in Dala, Dagon Seikan and Dawbon dockyards in Yangon.by Myanmar's Inland Waterways Transport at a cost of US$89 million, according to a statement by the Indian embassy in Yangon.

The vessels are 45 meters long and 9.5 meters wide and have a cargo capacity of 300 tons.

Work is continuing on the Kaladan project at Sittwe and Paletwa ports.

IFC Invests in Microfinance

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has committed a financing package of $13.5 million for Myanmar-based microfinance institutions.

The package includes a $1.5 million stake in Maha Agriculture Public Company and $6 million in loans each to Fullerton Finance (Myanmar) Company, in which the IFC already holds a 15 percent stake, and Early Dawn Microfinance Company.

The move is intended to support microfinance businesses to engage the largely untapped rural, low income market segment.

Demand for microcredit for small enterprises and poor households underserved by mainstream banks is estimated to exceed supply by three-fold, according to an IFC statement.

"Improving access to microfinance will help unlock the great potential of the rural sector and small enterprises by providing much needed financing to increase productivity and create jobs, incomes and prosperity for a significant number of workers in this country," said Vikram Kumar, IFC country manager for Myanmar.

The deals "fit with a strategic IFC focus in Myanmar to develop a sustainable and responsible commercial microfinance sector to serve urban and rural poor,'' the statement said.

It added that the IFC is mitigating lending risks through development of a central credit bureau, expected to be launched later this year following the issuance of a landmark IFC-supported credit reporting regulation in March.

"Going forward, IFC will introduce responsible business practices to microfinance institutions and promote financial-consumer protection through knowledge transfer activities with regulators and industry players,'' according to the statement.

The IFC is a member of the World Bank Group. It conducts investments that are intended to "leverage the power of the private sector to help end poverty and boost shared prosperity.''

Investment Firm Looks at Expansion

Private equity firm Delta Capital is close to finalizing another $50 million in investments after its first round raised the same amount, the company's founder and managing partner Nick Powell told DealStreet Asia.

By November it expects to have raised $150 million in total since the firm was founded in 2013 in Myanmar.

In the first round the firm invested in oil and gas, alcoholic beverage manufacturing, an internet service provider, a local business conglomerate and a domestic bottle manufacturer. For the second round the firm is looking to close investments in the consumer and ICT sectors.

Powell founded Delta Capital as a partnership between Hong Kong-based assets management company, SMC Capital and Serge Pun & Associates.

The fund-raising for the second fund has garnered interest from European family offices and wealthy Asian families, according to the report. The firm is also seeking to be the first Myanmar-focused private equity fund to get investments from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).

Rubber Plant Mooted for Mon State

Plans for a rubber manufacturing plant in Mon State have been discussed by Ministry of Industry and Thaton Township officials, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported.

The plan was discussed at the annual general meeting of the Thaton Township Rubber Planters and Producers Association on 23 June, according to the report.

Association Chairman Dr. Than Myo said the project is needed because of high level of international demand for high-quality rubber, while Myanmar has struggled to produce a quality product.

Most of Myanmar's rubber producers are small holder farmers using traditional farming methods.

Thaton Township is a rubber-growing hub with 40,000 acres under cultivation, although only half of that acreage produces rubber of sufficient quality for export to China, India, South Korea and Japan.

Myanmar has more than 1.6 million acres of rubber plantations and rubber latex is produced by over 700,000 acres of rubber land, according to the report. It added that most of Myanmar's rubber goes to China through cross-border trade stations, while other countries receive shipments by sea.

Trade With India on the Rise

Myanmar's trade with India grew by 6 percent from 2015 to 2016 to the same period the following year, according to a report.

The figure was given by India's minister of Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman, at the 6th Joint Trade Committee Meeting between India and Myanmar this week.

Myanmar's exports to India were $1.06 billion in 2016 to 2017, a growth of 8.43 percent over the previous year.

Imports from India were $1.11 billion, up by 3.79 percent.

Sitharaman told media that the bilateral trade potential between the two countries remains untapped and she sought Myanmar's cooperation in actively pursuing enhanced road, sea and air connectivity between the two countries.

She urged Myanmar to expedite work on the Kaladan Multimodal Transport Project in Rakhine State and to speed up completion of work on the waterway linking the port of Sittwe with the interior.

The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (July 1) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

This Week in Parliament (June 26 – June 30)

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 11:34 PM PDT

Monday (June 26)

In the Lower House, Daw Nan Kham Aye of Namtu Township asked the Union government to share five percent of the profits of the China-backed Shwe natural gas pipeline for the development of Shan State. Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr. Tun Lwin replied that State-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) has invested in the project through Chinese loans and is still paying the loans, and therefore has not received profits.

The Lower House recorded the proposal of Nyaungshwe (Yawnghwe) Township lawmaker U Win Myint Oo which urged the Union government to adopt inclusive plans for the sustainability of Inle Lake, which is a landmark in Shan State.

In the Upper House, in response to a question by Dr. Kyaw Than Htun of Mandalay Constituency (3) about Myanmar traditional herbal medicines sold across the country, Health Minister Dr. Myint Htwe replied that his ministry would standardize the botanical names of herbs and raw materials used in making traditional medicines to ensure their safety and effectiveness.

Tuesday (June 27)

Dekkhinathiri Township lawmaker U Thant Zin Tun asked the Lower House if the Naypyidaw Development Committee would take back inactive lands earmarked for projects and implement new villages and wards on them. Naypyidaw Council member U Aung Myin Tun replied that the council currently had no plans to build new wards or villages.

Tanai lawmaker U Lin Lin Oo urged the Myanmar Army to stop blocking commodities from being transported to his township in Kachin State. Deputy Defense Minister Maj-Gen Myint Nwe explained that more rice and fuel were being sent into Tanai than necessary, and that the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) was receiving the surplus and benefitting from imposing taxes on rice and fuel shipments.

In the Upper House, lawmaker Dr. Zaw Lin Htut of Mon State Constituency (9) asked what services and medicines the Ministry of Health and Sports were providing free of charge to people. Minister for Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe replied that while his ministry was providing free medicines depending on the budget, it was also implementing a national health plan (2017-2021) which aimed to provide basic health care services for citizens at a low cost across the country by the 2020-21 fiscal year.

Wednesday (June 28)

In Union Parliament, lawmakers urged the government to re-consider loans obtained from China because of the high interest rates involved. According to the mid-term debt management strategy report submitted by the Ministry of National Planning and Finance to the legislature, Myanmar owes a total of US$9 billion, of which 44 percent is obtained from China. The interest rate of China's loans is also the highest at 4.5 percent. Lawmakers urged the government to negotiate with the Chinese government to reduce the interest.

Thursday (June 29)

In the Lower House, lawmaker U Hla Htay Win urged the government to firmly reject a UN fact-finding mission and use of the word 'Rohingya.' Deputy Foreign Minister U Kyaw Tin replied that the Myanmar representative dissociated Myanmar from the UN resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in March, in which it was decided that a fact-finding mission would be sent to investigate human rights violations in Rakhine State and elsewhere throughout Myanmar, and that countries like India and China also disagreed with the resolution.

The Lower House also approved the proposal of Waw Township lawmaker U Tin Htwe to draw sports calendars at high schools, universities and colleges for the development of Myanmar's sports.

In the Upper House, Dr. Khun Thaung Win of Kachin State Constituency (11) asked about the government's plans for the building and land where the national convention was held to draft the 2008 Constitution in Nyaungnabin in Yangon's Hlegu Township. Deputy Construction Minister U Kyaw Lin replied that an industrial area, a research and development center, industrial training school, and residential and business buildings would be implemented on those lands.

Friday (June 30)

The Lower House recorded the proposal of Gangaw Township lawmaker Daw Yin Min Hlaing to introduce reforms to nursing for the improvement of health care service delivery.

In the Upper House, U Ye Htut of Sagaing Constituency (5) asked if the government would provide land rent and crop compensation for farmers who refused to accept compensation after their farmlands were fenced in by China's Wanbao Co. at the Letpadaung Copper Mine. Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Ohn Win said that the Sagaing Division government collected the name lists of farmers who refused to accept compensation and would closely supervise the Chinese company to see that compensation is provided as soon as possible.

The post This Week in Parliament (June 26 – June 30) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Dateline Irrawaddy: Lurking Pitfalls for NLD Politicians

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 09:52 PM PDT

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. On June 24-25, the National League for Democracy (NLD) held its central executive committee (CEC) meeting. NLD CEC member and lawmaker in the Upper House, U Aung Kyi Nyunt, said the NLD is facing three major dangers.

He said party members at different levels are facing the danger of being misguided, the NLD is facing the danger of being exploited, and another danger is that NLD party members are acting arrogantly.

So, this week, we'll discuss how serious this problem is, and what we can point out. Director Ko Thwin Lin Aung of civil society organization Genuine People's Servants and journalist Ko Thiha of NHK [Japanese acronym for the Japan Broadcasting Corporation] join me to discuss this. I'm Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

What U Aung Kyi Nyunt said at the NLD CEC meeting on June 24-25 made the headlines in the newspapers. Let's define what he said: by "misguided," does he mean NLD party members at different levels are being bought and put into the pockets of businessmen and cronies? By exploitation, does he mean other parties or political organizations are using [the NLD] for their own benefits? In terms of arrogance, we journalists as well as some other people have borne witness to it. So, Ko Thiha, how would you define those three?

Thiha: Being misguided is a problem facing various institutions. We can even find it in government mechanisms. Cronies especially, and those with strong financial backgrounds who have monopolized government projects in successive periods, are able to approach and persuade NLD leaders.  Yes, this is a danger.

But the danger for the time being is that government institutions are hampering the [NLD-initiated] reforms by obliquely inducing [ministers appointed by the NLD] to accept their bureaucratic mechanisms, which they are good at, and have been engaged in for many years.

At first, when the NLD came to power, there were signs that the government [bureaucratic] mechanism would change. But gradually, those signs disappeared and things have gone back to their previous state. In other words, I'm suspicious that heads of government departments who have engaged in a deep-seated bureaucratic system for ages are misguided [NLD] leaders. This is how I understand the word "misguided."

KZM: Ko Thwin Lin Aung, what is your assessment of those dangers?

Thwin Lin Aung: I'm quite happy that U Aung Kyi Nyunt has pointed these out, because they are the existing dangers. There is a Burmese saying that when something is too big, it is difficult to see it.

The danger is too big—too big that they don't see it. We really wanted to point that out. But sometimes, it is difficult for us to do so because of the level of success the NLD has achieved and its reputation as the people's party.

Under such circumstances, I'm quite happy that a CEC member of the party has pointed those out. On the other hand, the market economy we're practicing is capitalism. So, [the government] has to engage with capitalists. We can't hope for their fall like communists do.

When people in positions of political power engage with them, the risk of being bought is quite large. I'm glad that U Aung Kyi Nyunt has pointed this out. Again, the transition is not yet over, and there are certain groups that do not want the transition to take place.

There is also the danger of them taking advantage by criticizing the NLD. While there must be opposition, which is a norm in a democracy, the NLD should be careful to make sure that such opposition doesn't overstep the boundaries of check and balance. Another factor is success. The NLD achieved great success in the 2015 [election]. There may be [NLD party members] who are too proud of that success and unconsciously display arrogance. Yes, there are. We are seeing them, so I'm grateful to U Aung Kyi Nyunt that he has explicitly warned about it.

KZM: As far as I'm concerned, U Aung Kyi Nyunt is the only CEC member since last year who has boldly pointed out or—in other words—criticized his own party. We're seeing NLD party members acting haughtily every day, and people are highly tolerant of it—perhaps because it is their favorite party, and they have chosen it themselves. Ko Thiha, as a journalist you have interviewed NLD party members. Do you ever feel put out when you talk to senior or mid-level leaders of the NLD?

Thiha: The first problem we faced was that when the NLD started to form its government, people speculated about the president and chief minister positions. And there were problems when we engaged with those who were tipped as future ministers or the like, as they were pressured at the time. Some people didn't get the high positions they had expected. Some felt pressures because of the responsibility of their positions. And some were, you know, putting on airs. Some are under pressure as they are afraid that they would accidentally say or make mistakes in their high positions. Sometimes, as they practise restraint to avoid mistakes, it looks like they, especially party leaders, are haughty. And some act like 'I don't care whatever you say.' To put it bluntly, those people could not resist the sense of achievement. Again, it is also partly because they have not been honed properly for it. As they got something big all of a sudden, they don't feel at ease, and perhaps they had not prepared to be able to adapt to the new environment. Again, perhaps they don't have the idea of mending themselves even after they are confronted by criticism. Most of them are sensitive to criticism. And people have tolerated their faults all because of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. As much as the people have shown tolerance, those who criticize [the NLD] have drawn criticism themselves. So, those who are too proud of themselves have got out of control. This is what is happening.

KZM: There are ministers under the U Thein Sein government who were infamous for what they said. For example, minister U Ohn Myint said he had gone around the country and slapped people. But no incumbent minister is that bad under the new government. But as U Aung Kyi Nyunt has said, they acted with an 'I don't care' attitude in dealing with media. For instance, U Win Htein was known for calling a reporter an idiot six times in an interview, and this attitude has created hostility between him and the media. He could have chosen not to say it, but as he said it, it caused problems. What is your assessment? Are they unprofessional as a politician or haughty as U Aung Kyi Nyunt has said?

Thiha: Talking of U Win Htein, he is mentioned quite frequently in the media. NLD party members avoid the media for fear that they would say something mistaken. But, U Win Htein talks to all media. It is his good point. As every media outlet approaches him, and as he sometimes makes remarks recklessly, it was covered repeatedly in the media. This has happened time and again, but he still doesn't exercise restraint. Recently, he said again that he doesn't care what people say about of them. It is very bad. We don't think he said it on behalf of the party. But he said it at the party CEC meeting and this has raised question, and grabbed the headlines.

Yes, talking of slapping is far worse. If there were no leaders like Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Uncle U Tin Oo and U Win Tin in the NLD, such words would surely attract severe criticism. This is the difference between the previous government and current government. Under the previous government, people didn't like what the ministers said as well as the ruling party they represented, so they responded angrily. And under the new government, people are frustrated that they act like that despite there being leaders like Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. And it seems that the media also bears them acting like that. This is not a good development.

KZM: Ko Thwin Lin Aung, their standpoints might be right. But the problem is they are politicians and political leaders, and, as they are elected by the people and represent the people, they are the public figures, I think. To what extent would their actions impact the NLD?

TLA: I think there is an impact. What U Aung Kyi Nyunt has said has made headlines in every journal, and so it is like a white spot coming out of the dark black. This is how I see it.

KZM: His words are welcomed by many, as he spoke the truth.

TLA: What he pointed out is happening in reality, but no one mentioned it before him. So, as he was the first person to point it out, it has attracted particular attention from the people.

KZM: After the NLD-led government assumed office, some criticized Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as not being friendly toward the media. In fact, in any country, persons in top positions like the president or the State Counselor need not meet the media frequently. Ko Thiha, do you think they are not friendly to the media? Some say that people view Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as a mother rather than a leader. As you know, many call her mother Su. So, she is not friendly, but she is motherly. She treats us as if she were a mother.

Thiha: My view is that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had a lot of pressures after she has become the State Counselor. She is very busy. Perhaps she has a lot to think about because of her responsibilities. So, she is not ready to meet the media. She can't give doorstep interviews to the media while she is on the go like she did in the past. Previously she used to give doorstep interviews on the go. But now, she avoids it, and perhaps she exercises caution in response to the criticism of media. But I think she does this just for work purposes. Personally, she has not changed. If we ask her 'how are you aunty?' she would smile and say 'I'm good, how about you, son?' So there is no problem with her personal relations. However, compared to the past, I think she exercises greater caution in speaking to the media.

KZM: Ko Thwin Lin Aung, you mean if party members at different levels, senior levels, mid-levels, and perhaps the lower level, have such problems engaging with people, media, or the society at large, it will have an impact on the party. The next election will be held in 2020. If such things can not be controlled, it will have an impact. All the way, the NLD has been the most popular party in 1990, 2012, and 2015 elections. But after it came to power, people are feeling frustrated. And groups like the 88 Generation students are also planning to establish a political party. To what extent do you think these factors will result in a political shift? Maybe it is not a serious problem. But what if party leaders could not control the things pointed out by U Aung Kyi Nyunt?

TLA: I think it will have a considerable impact. Besides those things pointed out by U Aung Kyi Nyunt, there is a problem with the NLD's party policy. Parties have to take action according to their policies. And their policies should reflect the voices of the people. Sometimes the NLD is weak in that aspect, and I think they are overconfident because of the big success they have achieved. When their policy doesn't meet the needs of the people, rather than trying to adjust it, they are acting stubbornly, like 'our policy is not wrong, we are the people's party.' Such an attitude is quite problematic. This would lead to a big change of results in the 2020 election. As for the other people [trying to establish political parties], they are trying with goodwill. I think those who are concerned that people would be frustrated with the NLD and switch to [the USDP], which is unacceptable because of its history, are trying to fill the gap. They are doing so not because they view the NLD as an opponent, I believe.

KZM: U Aung Kyi Nyunt has pointed those things out as a visionary and dutiful party member. There are many people like him in the NLD. But very few in the party like Uncle U Tin Oo, the NLD patron, and U Win Tin talk and listen respectfully when dealing with people and the media. I think there is a need for NLD, as a leading party, to have and nurture such people. Thank you for your contributions!

The post Dateline Irrawaddy: Lurking Pitfalls for NLD Politicians appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Military’s Offensive Against the Media

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 08:23 PM PDT

We journalists are under attack. Press freedom is in jeopardy in Myanmar.

The last act of aggression happened on Monday when the military arrested The Irrawaddy's senior reporter Lawi Weng and two Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) reporters, Aye Nai and Pyae Bone Naing, also known as Pyae Phone Aung.

Now the military has charged them as having violated Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act as they ventured into territory controlled by the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, as part of a reporting trip.

The arrest and charges demonstrate that either Myanmar's military leaders don't understand the nature and purpose of the media, or that this was a deliberate act intended to frighten journalists away from covering sensitive issues that could lead to criticism of the armed forces.

If the military arrested Lawi Weng and two DVB reporters due to what they describe as a connection to ethnic armed rebels, they would have to arrest hundreds of journalists who work for independent media across the country.

I am sure that nearly all Myanmar journalists have made contact at least once with members of "unlawful" ethnic armed groups, as all publications across the country have covered the peace process—one of the most important issues facing the nation.

Heads of key institutions, including the army and those within the current government, must understand that journalists need to talk to people from all sides of a conflict in order to verify facts, to be able to provide accurate information, and to interpret complex situations and perspectives. If we were to not do this, we would be failing to provide comprehensive information to the public.

Since 2011, when ex-President Thein Sein took office and his administration started negotiations with ethnic armed organizations, we journalists also started covering issues concerning conflict more openly. We approached it with a sense of responsibility to help end seven decades of civil war.

Journalists from many publications in the country have traveled to conflict zones, including areas controlled by ethnic armed groups, to speak with rebel leaders, their soldiers, ethnic civil society groups, residents, and refugees.

We have repeatedly interviewed and had conversations with leaders and members of such groups whenever the previous and incumbent governments held meetings or conferences relating to peace and conflict in Naypyidaw, Yangon and elsewhere.

Over the past years, ethnic armed group leaders have flown to the capital or to Yangon from their headquarters to attend talks organized by both ex-President U Thein Sein's administration and the current Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led administration. The most significant event was the Union Peace Conference, also known as the 21st Century Panglong, held by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

A number of rebel leaders attended the conference and made speeches alongside the State Counselor and the commander-in-chief of the military.

The most recent media arrests by the military are damaging press freedom, a principle that is considered a pillar of the democracy that we are trying to create. In fact, the arrests are limiting greater freedoms that have been realized since the lifting of draconian censorship laws by military-backed ex-President U Thein Sein in 2012.

These days, I tend to say to international guests and journalists that Myanmar is not an enemy of the press, as it was under the military regimes of past decades. But the situation seems to be headed backward.

While the military appears to be solely responsible for the arrest of Lawi Weng and the DVB reporters, the government holds responsibility, too.

We understand that the powerful Myanmar Army did not need approval or a green light from the State Counselor or the President or the National League for Democracy government in order to arrest those journalists. But Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Htin Kyaw are the two highest leaders in the country. I believe that they both are responsible for ensuring the protection of citizens' basic and professional rights, particularly when these rights are abused or mishandled by a powerful institution like the military.

Lawi Weng has been working for The Irrawaddy since 2007. He was a journalist doing his job, as were Aye Nai and Pyae Bone Naing. Since their arrest on Monday, I have sent three letters to the State Counselor, the President and the Minister of Information concerning Lawi's detention. I have requested that they assist us in finding a way to release him, as he and the other reporters were simply doing their duties as journalists, gathering information in a sensitive area.

To be honest, I do not know if either the President or the State Counselor can help out in this matter. But at the very least, I am sure that they can raise the issue with Myanmar's top military leaders.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Htin Kyaw, the military can be held accountable by your government: they have to answer your questions.

The arrest of these journalists is damaging the norms of democracy you've promised to achieve under your government. The charges they are facing are an attack on press freedom, which is essential to rebuilding and restoring peace to Myanmar.

As state leaders, you are responsible for securing our professional rights to do our job for our country. Please do not let us down.

The post The Military's Offensive Against the Media appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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Friday, June 30, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Hundreds Protest Detainment of Journalists, Repressive Laws

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 07:20 AM PDT

YANGON — Several hundred Myanmar press members and civil society representatives protested in Yangon on Friday, calling for the release of detained journalists under the colonial-era Unlawful Associations Act and the repeal of the controversial online defamation law.

Members of the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (Myanmar) and other media representatives gathered in front of the Yangon City Hall after the recent arrests of four journalists—The Irrawaddy's Lawi Weng, also known as U Thein Zaw, and U Aye Nai and Ko Pyae Bone Naing (also known as Pyae Phone Aung) from Democratic Voice of Burma, as well as The Voice Daily's chief editor U Kyaw Min Swe, all of whom are facing charges filed by the Myanmar military.

The Irrawaddy's Lawi Weng and the two journalists from DVB were arrested by the army on the road between Namhsan and Lashio townships in northern Shan State on Monday, along with four other unidentified people. The three reporters had gathered information in areas controlled by ethnic armed group the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) for a story on a drug-burning ceremony. The trio were handed over to local police only on Wednesday and they are currently being charged with having violated Article 17(1) of the Unlawful Associations Act. Police remanded them to Hsipaw Prison.

The Voice Daily's U Kyaw Min Swe was charged with defamation under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law for publishing a satirical article in his newspaper, questioning the country's long-running armed struggle.

Ko Tha Lun Zaung Htet, a member of the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (Myanmar), said that the purpose of the campaign was to respond to the oppression of the press by the military, which has been using controversial laws to arrest journalists.

"Press members must have the right to do their job anywhere," Ko Tha Lun Zaung Htet said. "What is important [for journalists] is to report fairly with no bias…It makes no sense to arrest journalists for doing their job and gathering information."

Protesters in Yangon on Friday, demonstrating against repressive laws affecting the media and the arrest of journalists. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy)

Members of different civil society organizations and rights groups were also present at the campaign supporting the movement, including Equality Myanmar and the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society.

U Aung Myo Min, executive director of human rights advocacy group Equality Myanmar, said that authorities are using the Unlawful Associations Act, enacted under British rule, to threaten media freedom.

"If [the journalists] were simply carrying out their responsibilities, but not supporting the armed groups' operations, they should not be charged under Article 17(1)," U Aung Myo Min said.

The arrests, he explained, are "a threatening message" to "the whole media industry" implying that the military "can do whatever they want to journalists."

Friday's campaign also included a collection of public signatures demanding that Article 66(d) of the 2013 Telecommunications Law be repealed.

"Using Article 66(d) is a dangerous trend for all citizens," Ko Tha Lun Zaung Htet said, highlighting that everyone on social media is made vulnerable by this provision. "It should either be completely revoked or amended not to violate our citizenship rights."

According to the Research Team on the Telecommunications Law led by activist Maung Saungkha—a poet who was himself sentenced and jailed in 2016 under Article 66(d)—there have been a total of 71 lawsuits filed under the law since its enactment. Among these cases, nine involved the press, with 14 journalists facing trial.

The post Hundreds Protest Detainment of Journalists, Repressive Laws appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Fiancée Opens Up About Detained Irrawaddy Reporter

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 06:19 AM PDT

YANGON — The sudden arrest of her fiancé by the Myanmar Army shattered Loa Htaw's dreams. Before Monday—when the Tatmadaw arrested Irrawaddy senior reporter Lawi Weng, also known as U Thein Zaw, on his return from a reporting trip in northern Shan State—the 33-year old Mon woman was thinking about the wedding ring that Lawi had promised to purchase for her ahead of their nuptials in November.

Loa Htaw had recently bought fabric for the traditional Mon clothing that they would both wear for the big day. They had agreed to spend their married life together in Yangon and Mon State. It would mark an end to five years of long-distance love, with Lawi based in Yangon since 2012 and Lao Htaw in Thailand studying for her master's degree in Global Communication Studies at a university in Bangkok.

"I dreamt of building a very peaceful family with him after we were married. I want to have a son. We would go to monasteries and pagodas together," Lawi's fiancée told The Irrawaddy five days after his arrest.

Currently, her partner is in prison, along with two other reporters form the Democratic Voice of Burma, in Hsipaw, a provincial town in northern Shan State. The reporters are charged with violating the Unlawful Associations Act, with the Myanmar Army accusing them of connections with the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), a group labeled as "terrorists" by the Shan State parliament.

The reporters had covered the TNLA's drug burning ceremony on Monday to mark the UN's International Day against Drug Abuse and were detained shortly after. In the wake of the arrest, The Irrawaddy's Kyaw Phyo Tha had a conversation with Loa Htaw detailing her reaction to the arrest, her expectations and requests for her boyfriend's freedom and about Lawi Weng as a person as well.

What are your reactions to Lawi's arrest?

I have never thought he would go through something like this. We are unprepared to have that kind of situation, and when it happened I had no idea how to deal with it. But I really want to talk to him to ask what I can do for his release.

What do you mean by being 'unprepared?'

He didn't seem to think that he would face restrictions on the media under the new [National League for Democracy] government or by the military as well. So he sticks to reporting the truth and what he witnesses, and doesn't seem to worry about his own safety or wellbeing. Sometimes I worried about him while reading his stories, as most of them are about fighting between government troops and ethnic armed groups and the situations in conflict areas. When I raised my concerns to him, he just replied, 'No worries. We are now under a democratic government.'

Do you have any requests to make regarding his release?

 I want to make a request here to anyone concerned: Please release him. He is an innocent man who did his job as a journalist. As he mostly writes about conflict, it's natural that he needs to talk to his sources, whoever they are. If not, how can he write stories without verification? He needs to see what is happening out there as well. I believe 100 percent that he is innocent.

What are your worries at the moment?

I am worried he was forced by the army to confess before they handed him to the police. I don't want him spend time in jail. Based on my 17 years of experience knowing him, I swear he is not a guy who would do something bad. If he has to spend more time in jail, I'm afraid it will have impacts on his health—both physically and mentally. Plus, as he is an ethnic Mon, I'm worried that he wouldn't be seen as speaking properly at the court hearing, because his Burmese is not that good in that kind of situation, despite his knowledge of the language.

When did you two last talk?

I received a message about his safe arrival in Lashio at around 10 p.m. on Saturday. We talked on Friday night before his trip. I complained to him about his frequent travels. He said, 'I want to go there.' When I learned about his arrest on Monday afternoon, I called his phone but there was no answer, and then it was switched off.

How would you describe Lawi Weng's character?

 As a very caring person. Whenever he got back from trips, he always brought something for me. He said he had bought a piece of amber from his recent trip in Kachin State, to make me a pendant for a necklace. I haven't seen it yet as we didn't have a chance to meet. He is someone who knows me very well. As he is older than me, he is also like a brother who never fails to give me guidance or assistance when I am in need. I feel secure when I am with him.

What will you do now?

I will have to wait for his release. After my dad, he is the man who I respect, love and trust most in my life. I used to tease him, by asking which side he was on: journalism or me. But he never answered. I won't even mind, if he no longer needs me after his release.

The post Fiancée Opens Up About Detained Irrawaddy Reporter appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Soldier Photographs Reporters at Article 66(d) Hearing

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 05:49 AM PDT

YANGON — Journalists filed a complaint against a plain-clothed soldier on Friday who was photographing them outside the hearing of a newspaper editor being charged for publishing an article satirizing Myanmar's peace process.

The Protecting Committee for Myanmar Journalists (PCMJ) filed the complaint against Private Soe Myint Aung of Yangon Military Command at Bahan Police Station under a bill enacted this year that was drafted to restrict state surveillance.

Dozens of reporters were outside the fifth court hearing of The Voice Daily chief editor Ko Kyaw Min Swe on Friday who has been prosecuted by Lt-Col Lin Tun of Yangon Military Command under Article 66(d) of the controversial Telecommunications Act.

Most journalists were not allowed inside to witness the trial, in which Ko Kyaw Min Swe was denied bail for the fourth time.

Private Soe Myint Aung approached journalists, including PCMJ committee members, and used his mobile phone to photograph their faces, as they interviewed the chief editor's legal advisor U Khin Maung Myint under Shwe Gone Daing flyover after the hearing.

At first, the soldier refused to answer the journalists' questions concerning his name and organization, but then he answered "territorial security," according to the reporters. The Irrawaddy was also at the scene.

Soe Myint Aung then gave his service number and rank after calling an army officer for permission. The soldier was ordered by a high-ranking official to collect news of the hearing, he said. The plaintiff Lt-Col Lin Tun did not attend the hearing.

The journalists told Soe Myint Aung that by taking photos of individuals instead of a wider shot he was breaching the Protecting the Privacy and Security of Citizens law, which was enacted in March in order to curtail the state's intrusion on people's privacy with surveillance and the repressive security apparatus.

The journalists asked him to delete the photos, but said he only deleted some.

The PCMJ filed the complaint to police, saying its members were targeted. The police will reply to the complaint in 30 days, according to standard procedure.

Some reporters told The Irrawaddy they had been tracked since the beginning of the chief editor's trial.

"The army is closely watching how we gather news," said Ma Thuzar of 7 Day TV, who said she was photographed by Soe Myint Aung. "This is threatening the work and private lives of reporters. As far as I know, that kind of surveillance was carried out by 'Special Branch' officers previously—now the army does the work itself."

Press Council member U Myint Kyaw said surveillance activities should be conducted within the legal framework, adding that a throwback to the activities of the military regime era would now be illegal.

"People who are individually photographed without committing any crime are having their privacy breached. We can't accept such conduct," he said.

The post Soldier Photographs Reporters at Article 66(d) Hearing appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Five Inmates Escape from Mon State Labor Camp

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 04:58 AM PDT

MAWLAMYINE, Mon State — Police and government officials are searching for five male inmates who escaped from Inn Paung labor camp in Mon State's Paung Township on Wednesday after attacking a police lance corporal, a township police officer confirmed.

"[The inmates] threw stones and attacked the policeman with a hammer and ran away from the quarry at around 10 a.m.," police officer Tun Zaw Oo of Paung Township Police Station told The Irrawaddy, adding that the lance corporal who was attacked did not sustain major injuries.

Three of the prisoners are serving terms of 13, nine and eight years while two are serving terms of ten years, according to police records.

Officials from the Correction Department and village administrative bodies joined police in combing the area to search for the escapees, said the police officer.

"There are mountains at the back of the quarry and rubber plantations. We think they are hiding there," said the police officer.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Five Inmates Escape from Mon State Labor Camp appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thousands of Myanmar Migrants Return from Thailand

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 03:20 AM PDT

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Thousands of illegal migrant workers from Myanmar have been returning to the country amid a crackdown by Thai authorities.

The migrants have flocked to the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border and other border checkpoints along the Thaungyin River—known as the Moei River in Thailand—since Thai authorities began arresting illegal migrants on June 22, said U Moe Gyo, chairman of Mae Sot-based Myanmar Citizens Affairs' Committee.

"Thai authorities should not make immediate arrests after imposing new labor laws. Myanmar authorities should also open counters at the border checkpoints to warmly welcome back our citizens. Most of those who have fled from Thailand are now disheartened," U Moe Gyo told The Irrawaddy.

Locals from the Myanmar border town of Myawaddy told The Irrawaddy they had joined immigration officials, police and local authorities in welcoming back those migrants who crossed the border on Thursday.

Thailand's government has made a stream of arrests of illegal migrants since it introduced changes to its labors laws on June 20, pushing many to return to their native countries.

Under Thailand's previous labor laws, illegal migrants were imprisoned for 48 days and then deported to their native countries. But the new amendments carry the possibility of a five-year jail sentence and a fine, according to the migrants.

The majority of illegal migrants in Thailand are Myanmar; others are Cambodian and Laotian among other nationalities, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Thai media reports state thousands of illegal migrants have been arrested in a move heavily criticized by Thai businessmen and politicians, who argue that it has affected Thailand's productivity, said U Kyaw Thaung, chairman of the Myanmar Association in Thailand.

"It has caused controversy in Thailand. Some politicians have warned that it could result in the collapse of the Thai economy. Thai businessmen have asked the government to reconsider its move as it threatens the country's manufacturing industry," said the chairman.

U Kyaw Thaung said he hoped that a meeting between Thai and Myanmar labor officials on Friday in Naypyitaw would deliver good results for Myanmar illegal migrants in Thailand.

Rights groups in Thailand urged the Myanmar government to arrange for its citizens who are working in the country illegally to return through the border, stressing that many of them have already fled raids by Thai authorities and left their belongings behind.

The Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok also told Myanmar workers who are holding passports, pink cards or temporary passports to apply for work permits with their employers.

According to the embassy, there are about 4 million Myanmar migrants in Thailand and about 1.7 million of them have work permits.

The Thai government plans to deport all illegal migrants from the country by 2018.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Lawmaker Criticizes Govt on Rakhine Issue

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 01:48 AM PDT

Former chief of general staff for the Myanmar Army U Hla Htay Win criticized the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government for not doing enough to prevent international interference in Rakhine State on Thursday.

The ex-general, who is now a lawmaker in the Lower House, urged the NLD-led government to take action against a UN fact-finding mission appointed to investigate reports of extensive human rights abuses by Myanmar security forces in Rakhine State, among other places in Myanmar.

"My assessment is that what the government is doing is not enough. It should speak out and reject [the mission] as a necessity," he told reporters at the Lower House on Thursday.

He also said the government had failed to oppose use of the word "Rohingya" by the UN and the US Embassy in Myanmar.

The Myanmar government does not recognize Rakhine State's Muslim minority Rohingya among the country's official ethnic groups, and labels them as "Bengali" to suggest they are interlopers from Bangladesh.

Attacks on police border guard posts by Rohingya militants on Oct. 9 of last year flared tensions among Buddhist and Muslim communities in Rakhine State, which remain largely segregated since anti-Muslim violence in 2012 and 2013 displaced around 140,000 people.

Myanmar Army "clearance operations" in response to the attacks led to the displacement of 75,000 Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and allegations of torture, extrajudicial killings, and widespread sexual violence, prompting the UN Human Rights Council to assign a fact-finding mission to investigate.

Recently, the Myanmar Army and border police found evidence of training camps for suspected Muslim militants, including in the forests of Mayu mountain range of Rakhine State's southern Maungdaw Township last week.

There have also been reports of villagers fleeing their homes after an increasing number of killings in the area.

"We are facing threats in all aspects. We are facing a terrorist threat," said the ex-general. "Rakhine State is being portrayed as a national hotspot of international concern. Therefore there is a need for [the government] to exercise extra caution."

The ex-general is a central executive committee member of the opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and was elected to the Lower House in the 2015 general elections to represent Naypyitaw's Zayarthiri Township.

During the Lower House session on Thursday, he questioned what action the government had taken to stop the UN Fact-Finding Mission from coming to Myanmar, labeling it a "political trap" for Myanmar.

"There are difficulties for security agencies to do their jobs in line with the law, to protect the country from terrorism and to ensure national security due to the sensitivity surrounding the issue," he said.

Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Tin responded that his ministry had already told the UN that it would not accept the UN fact-finding mission.

The Myanmar government released a statement on March 24, rejecting the UN's resolution to form the mission at the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva.

"If they are going to send someone with regards to the fact-finding mission, then there's no reason for us to let them come," said U Kyaw Zeya, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, according to Reuters.

"Our missions worldwide are advised accordingly," he said, explaining that visas to enter Myanmar would not be issued to the mission's appointees or staff.

U Oo Hla Saw of the Arakan National Party (ANP), which won the largest number of seats in the Rakhine State Parliament, also criticized the government's response as weak.

"The government should have opposed strongly rather than saying it could not accept it. I think its response is too weak," U Oo Hla Saw told The Irrawaddy.

The post Lawmaker Criticizes Govt on Rakhine Issue appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Says it Will Refuse Entry to UN Fact-Finding Mission

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 10:45 PM PDT

YANGON — Myanmar will refuse entry to members of a UN probe focusing on allegations of killings, rape and torture by security forces in Rakhine State, an official said on Friday.

The government led by Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had already said it would not cooperate with a mission set up after a Human Rights Council resolution was adopted in March.

"If they are going to send someone with regards to the fact-finding mission, then there's no reason for us to let them come," said U Kyaw Zeya, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital, Naypyitaw.

"Our missions worldwide are advised accordingly," he said, explaining that visas to enter Myanmar would not be issued to the mission's appointees or staff.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who came to power last year amid a transition from military rule, leads Myanmar through the specially created position of "State Counselor", but is also minister of foreign affairs.

Although she does not oversee the military, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticized for failing to stand up for the more than 1 million stateless Rohingya Muslims in the western state of Rakhine.

She said during a trip to Sweden this month the UN mission "would have created greater hostility between the different communities."

The majority in Rakhine are ethnic Rakhine Buddhists who, like many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, see the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Some 75,000 Rohingya fled northwestern Rakhine state to Bangladesh late last year after the Myanmar army carried out a security operation in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents that killed nine border police.

A UN report in February, based on interviews with some of the Rohingya refugees, said the response involved mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya, and "very likely" amounted to crimes against humanity and possibly ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar, along with neighbors China and India, dissociated itself from the March resolution brought by the European Union, which called for a mission to look into the allegations in Rakhine as well as reports of abuses in ethnic conflicts in the north of the country.

Indira Jaising, an advocate from the Supreme Court of India, was appointed to lead the mission in May. The other two members are Harvard-trained Sri Lankan lawyer Radhika Coomaraswamy and Australian consultant Christopher Dominic.

Myanmar insists that a domestic investigation—headed by former lieutenant general and Vice President U Myint Swe—is sufficient to look into the allegations in Rakhine.

"Why do they try to use unwarranted pressure when the domestic mechanisms have not been exhausted?" said U Kyaw Zeya.

"It will not contribute to our efforts to solve the issues in a holistic manner," he said.

An advisory panel headed by former UN chief Kofi Annan is set to propose solutions for the broader issues in Rakhine but has not been asked to investigate human rights abuses.

The post Myanmar Says it Will Refuse Entry to UN Fact-Finding Mission appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Tripartite Power Struggle in the KIO

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 09:49 PM PDT

After major reshuffles in the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in January 2016, the power struggle among the senior leadership of the KIO is gradually becoming more visible.

The KIO reshuffled seven positions: Vice Chairman of the KIO, the Deputy Chairs 1 and 2 of the Kachin Independence Council (KIC), Vice Chiefs of Staff 1 and 2, General Staff Officer, and Foreign Affairs Liaison. The shakeup was implemented to create a new political landscape in what some skeptics believe to have been a silent coup by the hardline leader Gen N'Ban La.

Regrettably, disagreements between three senior generals—Gen N'Ban La, Lt-Gen Gam Shawng and Maj-Gen Gun Maw—have recently erupted. This raises a number of questions: What makes this power struggle more visible? What are the major controversies at hand? And, lastly, what will be the outcome for the organization?

Historical Savior: Gen N'Ban La

Gen N'Ban La holds two positions: the KIO's Vice Chair and the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). He is also a former chairperson in the ethnic coalition the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC).

Historically, Gen N'Ban La has been known for cracking down on military coups within the Kachin ranks. The first crackdown occurred in 2001. He ousted Lt-Gen Mali Zup Zau Mai, the then KIO chairman, who had attempted to disarm the KIA under a secret agreement with then Myanmar intelligence supremo Gen Khin Nyunt. After deposing Mali Zup Zau Mai, Gen Lamung Tu Jai was appointed to the chairmanship. Since that time, Gen N'Ban La has been hailed by the junior ranks as a savior and protector of the KIO/A.

A second suppression occurred on January 7, 2004 at Pajau, the old KIO/A headquarters by the Chinese border. Gen N'Ban La, then KIA Chief of Staff, cracked down on a handful of senior ranking officers who had attempted a military coup aimed at replacing him. The plan was to instate the KIO intelligence chief, Col Lasang Aung Wah, in his role.

The coup failed. It resulted in both a major split and in Lasang Aung Wah fleeing to National Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K) territory in Pangwah, taking about 100 KIA soldiers with him. Later he would form his own militia group, the Lasang Aung Wah, stationed in Gwi Htu, Waimaw Township. Since then, Gen N'Ban La deposed several senior ranking officers and has taken on many important roles in the KIO/A himself.

Notorious Drug-Eradicator: Lt-Gen Gam Shawng

Lt-Gen Gam Shawng also holds two powerful positions: Chief of Staff of the Kachin Independence Army and Deputy Chair of the Kachin Independence Council (KIC). His name was infamously recorded in history when he commanded that scores of drug users be shot in 1990, while serving as a Commanding Officer in the No. 6 Battalion in Hpakant.

He gradually garnered higher roles in the KIO/A, serving as Commander of the No. 1 Brigade, Chief of the KIO Representative Office (the Liaison Office in Myitkyina) and as General Secretary of the KIO central committee. He then took a position as Chief of Staff after La Sang Aung Wah's failed mutiny in 2004. During the decade of Lt-Gen Gam Shawng's leadership, the KIA has expanded three Brigades—Nos. 6, 7 and 8—and many battalions. The greatest success of the KIA thus far has been to found the military academy in which many potential young leaders, as well as cadets from different ethnic armed groups, are trained.

Popular Maj-Gen Gun Maw

Maj-Gen Gun Maw has arguably been the officer most quickly promoted within the KIO/A ranks. He is popular among the Kachin public, particularly with youth, and is a charismatic leader. He once led a KIO negotiating team and has earned trust both domestically and internationally for his diplomacy. The major success of his career was to initiate the program Education and Economic Development for Youth, in which the KIO provides young people with basic military training and courses on drug awareness, Kachin culture and ideology, democracy and federalism. Maj-Gen Gun Maw also initiated the founding of the Military Strategic Office, of which he was in charge as Colonel. After Vice Chief of Staff Brig-Gen Zau Nan died suddenly, Gun Maw was promoted from Colonel to Brig-Gen and took on the vacant position. In January 2016, he was reshuffled as Deputy Chair II of the KIC.

What Creates Power Struggles?

From external observation, there are three potential causes of the split between these generals.

First, it is likely that there is weak communication amongst the leadership. Gen N'Ban La, who served as a chairman in the UNFC, is known to not often reveal the detailed information or policies set by the ethnic bloc to the KIO's central committee. Due to his UNFC ties, he is known to reside largely in Thailand, contributing to a lower frequency of face-to-face meetings with other members of leadership in Kachin State. There have been reports of miscommunication regarding Gen N'Ban La's attendance at the second session of the 21st Century Panglong Conference in May. The KIO as an organization opted out of participating, but the Chinese special envoy Sun Guoxiang allegedly arranged for the Northern Alliance of ethnic armed groups to attend at the last minute—a delegation which Gen N'Ban La joined.

Another potential source of contention involves the evolving role of Maj-Gen Gun Maw. He was previously involved in several peace talks under the UNFC's delegation for political negotiation (DPN). In this regard, he held a high profile, but his role has diminished since the Myanmar Army rejected the UNFC's nine-point peace proposal.

Following this turn of events, Maj-Gen Gun Maw returned to the KIA's Laiza headquarters. As Gen N'Ban La further invests in peace talks led by the Northern Alliance, Gun Maw's opportunities to contribute to the peace process in turn become more limited.

It is possible that the three men each see one another as believing in different policy approaches and leadership styles, as well. To someone with the stance of Gen N'Ban La, Lt-Gen Gam Shawng could be perceived as being uncomfortably close with the Chinese. After Gam Shawng took a position as chief of the KIO's economic committee, he was approached by a number of Chinese businesspeople interested in extracting the Kachin region's natural resources. According to the economic department of the KIO, Ms. Ali Chye—a prominent Chinese tycoon—negotiated special permits with Lt-Gen Gam Shawng, reportedly bonding over shared religious beliefs.

While Gen N'Ban La has been criticized for his rigidity, the younger Maj-Gen Gun Maw's own popularity and embrace of more "youthful" tools of communication, like social media—including the posting of KIO updates on his personal Facebook page—could also be viewed as threatening to older, more traditional members within the organization.

These three generals each have their own patrons who back them in case of a power struggle. For Gen N'Ban La, this includes junior leaders who respect him for "saving" the KIO/A from attempted coups. Lt-Gen Gam Shawng enjoys the confidence of holding control of the full chain of command from the KIA military. Maj-Gen Gun Maw obtains support from both peers within the central committee and from the greater Kachin public.

Yet historically, internal power struggles lead to splits within organizations. This was witnessed when known druglord Zahkung Ting Ying formed the New Democratic Army-Kachin in 1989, and again in 1990 with Mahtu Naw, along with whom parts of the KIA's 4th Brigade broke away to form the Kachin Defense Army in northern Shan State, and finally, in 2004, when Lasang Aung Wah formed his 100-man militia at Gwi Htu. Observers, myself included, worry how the current fragmentation among the leadership will play out, and what its impact will be on the Kachin movement.

Healing the Fragmentation

It is believed that some Kachin religious leaders have intervened and have been advising the KIO on how to avoid a potential split. Internally, there appear to be two ways in which the KIO could act halt any fragmentation. In what could be described as a worst-case scenario, the organization could enact a statute limiting officers' careers by restricting the maximum serving age to 60 years. Once the ruling is in effect, generals over sixty years old would be forced to resign from their respective positions and hand over power to junior generals. This could serve as a mechanism for a peaceful transfer of power.

The seemingly best option is a face-to-face meeting in which the central committee members confront and address existing contentions. Moreover, the junior officials—particularly Brig-Gen Hkawng Lum (VCS-I), Brig-Gen Aung Seng La (VCS-II), Brig-Gen Zau Tawng (Gen Staff Officer), Col Brang Nan, Col Tawng La, Col Hkun Seng and Col Naw Hkan—would need to collectively step in and put forward solutions.

Absent such a timely intervention, the existing fragmentation among the senior generals could lead to unprecedented results, including the potential split of the KIO, which no Kachin wants.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of a Kachin State-based analyst.

The post The Tripartite Power Struggle in the KIO appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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National News

National News

Disability no longer handicap for college entrance: ministry

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 02:42 PM PDT

Restrictions on the disabled to pursue a college education will be removed and they will be eligible to apply to study in institutions of higher learning, said U Aung Aung Min, deputy director general of the department of higher education.

Yandnarbon night market to open at end of July

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 02:41 PM PDT

The Yandnarbon night market will be opened for business during the last week of July, according to U Ti Kyi Aung, general manager of the Myanmar Da Yi company, Ltd, which is managing it.

Students set up union at Sittwe Technological

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 02:40 PM PDT

The Technological University in Sittwe township, Rakhine State, held its first student union election to choose a chairman, vice chairman and general secretary on Monday.

Kawmhu squatters get ID cards

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 02:37 PM PDT

Smart cards have been issued to squatter families in Yangon Region's Kawhmu township, and over 900 other families were given smart cards that show they are not trespassing, said U Kyaw Thu Soe, administrator of the township.

Over 1000 Mandalay farmers protest land seizure, suits

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 02:35 PM PDT

More than 1000 farmers in the Mandalay Region staged a protest against what they described as unfair lawsuits filed against them pertaining to seized land.

No entry to UNHRC fact-finding mission in Rakhine

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 02:18 PM PDT

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not allow a UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) fact-finding mission into Rakhine State to probe allegations of human rights violations.

With Japan’s help, Myanmar sets up money-earning postboxes in three cities

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 02:15 PM PDT

Myanmar is replacing its aging postboxes with new ones offering advertisement space in three major cities with Japanese assistance to reform the Southeast Asian country's postal system.

Bidding for waste-to-energy plant soon

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 02:11 PM PDT

The next energy plant which can recycle all waste and rubbish produced in Yangon will be built after calling for tenders, according to Dr Aung Myint Maw, Assistant Chief Engineer, Pollution Control and Cleansing Department of Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC).

K20m in donations collected for family of maid in S’pore suicide

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 01:51 PM PDT

Public donations amounting to K20 million has been collected for the grandparents of Ma Zinmar Oo, a Myanmar national worked as a maid and committed suicide in Singapore two weeks ago.
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Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

2 villagers killed as hundreds flee clashes between Burma Army and TNLA

Posted: 30 Jun 2017 07:17 AM PDT

At least two villagers were killed by shelling and another 300 fled their homes amid fighting between Burmese armed forces and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan State.


According to TNLA's news and information department, two local people in Wan Penghoi Village, Kutkhai Township, were killed and another was seriously injured earlier this week when Burmese army battalion 45 launched artillery shells at TNLA positions near the village.

"Tar Aik Tae, 44, died at the scene," the TNLA reported. "His wife Yar Aye Am, 41, was taken to hospital and pronounced dead later. Tar Aik Sam, 53, was seriously injured."

A week of ongoing hostilities also forced villagers to flee their homes in Namhsan Township's Man Lan village.

"In Lashio Township, there are currently 141 evacuees sheltering in Khur Nong Mon temple; 87 people at Shwe Kyethi Thatanar temple; and 79 in Aung Yartharnar temple," resident Sai Seng told Shan Herald. He said that the temples were helping gather support for the evacuees, but rainy season conditions were exacerbating the problems.

The TNLA news reported that some villagers had been captured and detained by the Burmese army, according to a joint statement on June 27 by the Ta'ang Women's Organization and Ta'ang Youth Organization. The statement urged both sides to cease hostilities and release all detainees immediately.

Fighting between Burmese units and the TNLA has broken out regularly in various areas in northern Shan State, including Namhsan, Kyaukme, Kutkhai, Muse and Namkham.

The TNLA was excluded from the first round of peace talks, unofficially dubbed the 21stCentury Panglong Conference, or 21CPC, in 2016. However, the group did attend the second round of political dialogue, represented as a member of the newly formed Federal Political Negotiation Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which is headed by the United Wa State Army (UWSA).

Joint Monitoring Committee opens in southern Shan State

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 11:38 PM PDT

The Joint Monitoring Committee opened its first local-level office (JMC-L) in southern Shan State's Langkhur Township on Wednesday.

Representatives from local government, military officials and the State Level Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC-S) joined nationwide ceasefire groups the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) and Pa-Oh National Liberation Organization (PNLO) for the public launch.


The chairman of the JMC-L is to be commander-in-chief of Langkhur Township, while the RCSS/SSA serves as vice-chairman. The general secretary will be appointed from Langkhur military officials.

Sai Ba Han, a member of JMC-L, said that the office is supported by JMC-S, and will be available to serve the public and deal with their issues.

"These groups are NCA [Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement] signatories," he said. "The office has been opened to monitor the peace process. Anyone can file a complaint if they are threatened by any armed groups or any other matters."

He said that the new office will hold meetings with local people in order for them to understand the JMC-L work, adding that next month they plan to meet with local people in Maukmai Township.

National and regional Joint Monitoring Committees were formed after eight ethnic armed groups – the RCSS/SSA; the Karen National Union (KNU); the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA); the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Party-Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC); the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP); the Chin National Front (CNF); the PNLO; and the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) – signed the NCA with the Burmese government on 15 October 2015.

The Shan State JMC was established on January 1, 2016. However, to date only four meetings have been held. The first meeting took place on January 9, 2016, in southern Shan State's Kholam Township, where the headquarters of the Burmese military Central Eastern Command is based.

By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

600 villagers hold forest blessing ceremony to oppose coal mining in Nam Ma

Posted: 29 Jun 2017 08:26 AM PDT

On June 23, 2017, about 600 people from over 30 villages gathered in Nam Ma village tract, Hsipaw township, northern Shan State, to hold a religious ceremony to bless the forest and call for a stop to coal mining in the area.


The ceremony, led by fifteen monks, was held at the Ho Na Pa forest area, the main watershed for farmers in Nam Ma tract. Rituals began at 9 am, with monks conferring blessings on the surrounding forest, and villagers praying for the longevity of the forest and natural surroundings. Farmers from southern and eastern Shan State also attended.

Over 3,000 residents of Nam Ma tract and surrounding areas have suffered impacts from the coal mining for over ten years, including loss of farmlands, disruption of water supplies, and dust pollution.

Most of the mining is taking place near Na Koon village, using underground tunnels. In recent months, villagers have been alarmed to see cracks appearing in the earth nearby. On June 24, 2017, a 25-feet deep sinkhole suddenly appeared in a cornfield west of the mine. The next day, smoke suddenly began pouring out of one of the mining tunnels.

Another coal mining site in Nam Ma, at Pieng Hsai village, stopped operation in 2015, but the land has not been restored. The mining pit has filled with water, causing nearby land to subside.

The Shan State Farmers' Network (Nam Ma) is demanding a complete stop to the coal mining.
 "Stop Coal Mining in Nam Ma" a booklet by the Nam Ma Shan Farmers detailing impacts of the mining is available on (http://shanhumanrights.org/eng/index.php/shrf-archives/shrf-english-newsletter/323-stop-coal-mining-in-nam-ma).

Media release by Shan State Farmers' Network (Nam Ma)

Contact person:
Nang Lao         tel:       +95 (0) 94-482-088-58

Download PDF file here : Media release-Eng
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