Monday, July 24, 2017

Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

BURMA ARMY DISRUPTION OF SHAN CONFERENCE: Intentionally creating distrustful atmosphere?

Posted: 24 Jul 2017 03:10 AM PDT

When the Shan's Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) has to withhold its meeting that was planned to take place from 20 to 22 July by the Burmese military attaché Brigadier General Khin Zaw, through the Thai military, it was said to be because of the planned meeting would involve the illegal organizations and also it would be infringing the country's election law that could disrupt the peace process, many were at a loss what he really meant to say by such kind of accusations.

While by mentioning illegal organizations he might have Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) in mind as it hasn't signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) yet but in the process of negotiation with the government's Peace Commission (PC), under the banner of United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), and also has state-level and union-level ceasefire agreements in place since 2012. Besides, the SSPP even have several liaison offices to coordinate in military matters with the Burma Army, also known as the Military or Tatmadaw, in government's control towns in Shan State.

Thus, the argument that SSPP is an illegal organization holds no water and is not convincing.
"I have my doubts [about the Tatmadaw's sincerity] when they accuse us of endangering the peace process," General Yawd Serk who heads the CSSU said on July 21 at a press conference in the northern Thai capital. "If this is the case, they should contact our office," according to the recent report in Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN).

"The military attaché says that the meeting was to include a non-NCA signatory group. This group is the SSPP. However, it should be noted that the SSPP regularly attends meetings within the UNFC [United Nationalities Federal Council, a coalition of ethnic armed groups who declined to sign the NCA with the government in October 2015].

"So how can this be hindering the peace process if the UNFC regularly meets with the Tatmadaw and the government?"

Regarding the statement of Khin Zaw that the CSSU meeting would be against the election law no one really has a clue by what he means. But if he meant it is against the NCA then he is totally wrong, as the meeting is held in accordance with the NCA guidelines. CSSU was scheduled to discuss about the five topics of Political Affairs, Security Matters, Economic Affairs, Social Issues, and Land and Natural Resources Management, to achieve a common goal and later table it in a wider representative audience within Shan State. And as all know, earlier the Tatmadaw has rejected the venue of Taunggyi or Panglong proposed by the CSSU by saying that the planned gathering should be held in a remote region of Shan State, where the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) – a signatory of the NCA – is in control but not suitable, as there are no facilities to hold such a massive gathering estimated to be more than 600 participants.

Following the cancellation of the meeting the CSSU in Chiang Mai a seven-point statement in Burmese was issued, which pointed out that although the Burmese military attaché argument holds no water that the CSSU meeting would disrupt the peace process, for the benefit of the two countries relationship it has opted not to hold the meeting. Furthermore, the statement said that it would inform and coordinate with the government's National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) and PC in the peace process. It also urges the government bases its actions with broad-mindedness and careful consideration and that if there are any doubts, clarification should be requested.

Background on Military-Shan interaction

Now let us look at on how it has come to this by going back a little into the past to determine why the Tatmadaw's mindset has been so obsessed with anti-Shan, anti-federalism tendencies, in addition to be so scared that the Shan would achieve unity.

·        The 1962 military coup that has its roots in the Shan spearheaded Federal Proposal to amend the 1948 Union of Burma Constitution was and still is seen by the Bamar military class as clipping the wings of the Bamar political supremacy and monopoly, while the non-Bamar ethnic nationalities are convinced that it is designed to make Burma Proper a Bamar State so that a level playing field of political arrangement, within the mold of ethnic-territorial-based federal union could be achieved.
·        It should be noted that the Panglong Agreement of 1947, the Union of Burma Constitution 1947, and Federal Amendment Proposal of the ethnic nationalities agreed in 1961 are the basis of achieving a justified and equal federal union from the view point of the ethnic nationalities.
·        The Bamar military following the anti-federalism advocacy of the then Bamar political elite headed by Ba Swe and Kyaw Nyein tried to whitewash all the historical treaties and legacies to rewrite the history to its advantage, which in turn led to the full blown ethnic resistance countrywide.
·        In February 2005, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) chairman Hkun Htun Oo and seven other Shan leaders, including Sao Hsur Ten, leader of the SSPP/SSA, were arrested, convicted of high treason and sentenced to jail terms ranging from 79 to 106 years. On February 7 they were discussing to work out common positions among the Shan people on how to go about with the the then ongoing National Convention tasked with drawing a new constitution, under the military government,  in Nyaung Nabin and were arrested with the accusation of endangering the existence of union.
·        In March 2016, the CSSU meeting in Rangoon was also disrupted by local authorities possibly on the orders of the Tatmadaw.
·        Repeated requests of the CSSU to allow Shan National dialogue to be conducted either in Taunggyi or Panglong towns, prior to the second 21st Century Panglong Conference held from May 24 to 29, was rejected by the Tatmadaw until today.
·        On 2017 July 19, CSSU planned meeting in Chiang Mai from July 20 to 22 has to be cancelled, due to the disruption of the Burmese military attaché  to the Thai government.

Possible reasons and way out of distrustful atmosphere

While there could be many reasons to hinder the Shan National Dialogue by the Tatmadaw,  speculations like the Military not really believing in federalism and giving only lip service; having Military and Bamar supremacy aim as its strategic goals; Seeing the Shan as a main culprit in ethnonationalism and separatism; and suppressing and getting the Shan checkmated would ensure Bamar political edge and also control the other restless non-Bamar ethnic nationalities are rife, if impossible to verify.

But the historical backdrop and the indications that followed in chain have proven the Tatmadaw's anti-Shan and anti-federalism tendencies. Again, all these points to the lack of  Military's commitment and political will to really work for the political settlement through the formation of a federal union that is embedded in equality, rights of self-determination, universal human rights and democracy.

It is clear that distrust has to be eliminated and trust-building nurtured, if we are to move forward. But what exactly is the distrust between the Military and the Shan?

The Shan are distrustful that the Military won't be sincere to resolve the conflict through political dialogue and its commitment on a genuine federalism, while the Military never is convinced that the Shan would not opt for a total independence that would break up the union.

When the issue of non-secession was discussed and the Shan rejected the inclusion of the clause in the Union (Pyidaungsu) Accord during the second 21CPC, the SNLD made it clear that it is for the solution of a voluntary participation of the union, as agreed in Panglong Agreement of 1947 and nothing has changed.

On the government non-secession demand the SNLD made a press conference on June 1, 2017, at its headquarter, where Party spokesman Sai Nyunt Lwin said: "We never demand secession from the union. We are already there to cooperate," adding, "this is to clearly dispel accusation and rumors that we are not demanding secession."

All this come about as SNLD rejected the non-secession clause demanded by the government to be included in the Union Accord.

Sai Nyunt Lwin made his point by arguing that no such words that could hold back participation of the EAOs that are still negotiating and about to negotiate be used during this period, as this would discourage them from joining the peace conference.

"If we want to secede from the union, we only need to do one thing. We would disregard the treaty (Panglong Agreement) signed in 1947. Until we haven't done that, it is going to be normal as it used to be," he stressed as a matter of fact.

Now the Military would need to show that it also meant business by halting the ongoing offensives in Kachin and Shan States, while making assurance that it is really for the genuine federal union by withdrawing its commitment to protect the military-drafted constitution, which is neither democratic nor federal in any sense of the words.

In sum, it is the turn of the Military to agree and support the State-level Shan National Dialogue and not disrupting it, if it is really following the NCA guidelines. This would be the start in dismantling distrust from the point of the Shan organizations. After this all the other measures to build trust on the ground by halting offensives and cooperation in peace talks for the all agreeable political system could be worked out.


Thus, until the distrust elimination measures are first taken by the Military, there is no hope for trust-building to take place, as the saying "you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs"  hasn't been there for nothing.  

Did Aung San Lead at Panglong - or Follow?

Posted: 23 Jul 2017 08:34 PM PDT

LONDON -Visitors to Yangon, Myanmar will quickly find that one name carries more weight than any other: Aung San. Cutting west to east across the city is Aung San Road. Downtown, there's Aung San Market, a sprawling space with merchants hawking everything from fresh vegetables to jade trinkets. If you want to top your day off with a Myanmar National League soccer game, try Aung San Stadium.



Major General Aung San is revered by Myanmar's Bamar majority as the Bamar nationalist leader who guided the country from British colony to independent state after World War II. Some of that sentiment, like the affection Americans have for John F. Kennedy or the veneration that Israelis share for Yitzhak Rabin, are rooted in a life cut tragically short by an assassin's bullet. In fact, it was 70 years ago this week, as Aung San presided over a meeting of his Executive Council, that an armed gang led by a rival politician stormed into the building and killed Aung San, a bodyguard, and six government ministers.

The anniversary, which Myanmar commemorates as Martyrs' Day, signifies a dream deferred. If only Aung San had survived, many believe, the promise of a strong, unified nation would have been achieved, with lasting peace between the ethnic Bamar majority and the roughly 135 ethnic minorities that have been part of this land for more than a millennia - instead of the near-perpetual war that many of them have fought against the state since 1947. It's a story that suits the Bamar majority, but one many ethnic minorities - the very groups necessary to make Myanmar a truly unified nation - vigorously contest.

At the heart of this legend is Aung San's role in a 1947 conference between the Bamar majority and ethnic minorities, known as the Panglong Conference, which produced a blueprint for a unified Burma. Until three months ago, I had no reason to doubt Aung San's leadership role in Panglong. Now I'm not so sure. As Aung San's daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, leads Myanmar today, reportedly pursuing a new "21st Century Panglong, getting this history right is the key to understanding what's really at stake in Myanmar - and how to move forward.

For the Bamar, Aung San has long represented the highest aspirations of nationhood. And because the Bamar have dominated the state and represented the country to the world, it is their identity and their historical narratives that color Western understanding.

As I've written before, the present conflict goes back to 1886, and - like many modern conflicts rooted in decisions made during this period - starts with the British.  When Britain conquered the Burmese monarchy, British leaders feared empowering the majority of the population that were ethnic Bamar, choosing instead to put ethnic minorities in important colonial positions. During World War II, ethnic minorities fought with Britain while Aung San led the Bamar who sided with Japan, switching sides aft the last minute when the allied victory seemed assured. As I described in a column last April:

[F]or their loyalty, the hill tribes expected British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to make them independent territories. But when Clement Attlee and the Labor Party won the 1945 British general election instead, Attlee not only turned his back on ethnic minorities, but invited the leading Burmese general to meet with him in London - where he offered to give Burma, led by Burmans [the Bamar ethnic group], complete independence. That general's name was Aung San.

In the Bamar version of the story, upon returning home, Aung San wisely and benevolently recognized the interests of the ethnic minorities, leading him to convene the February 1947 Panglong Conference with Shan, Karen, Chin, Kachin, and Karenni ethnic minority leaders. There, he negotiated an agreement that would lead to the creation of the Union of Burma, which the ethnic groups could opt out of after 10 years if they felt mistreated. This paved the way for the creation of a true nation, but Aung San's untimely assassination as he prepared to take over from the British voided the promise of Panglong and led to the conflict with ethnic minorities that bedevils the country today.

It's a story line that I and many others have taken on faith and supported for many years. As I wrote in April:

Aung San brought several of the hill tribes together in the Shan town of Panglong in February, 1947, where he negotiated a power-sharing agreement. But it was not meant to be: Aung San was assassinated, derailing Panglong and leading most of the hill tribes to declare war against the Burman majority.

After that column ran, I received an email from my friend Harn Yawnghwe, the respected son of the revered Sao Shwe Thaik, the long-time Shan leader and first president of the Union of Burma, who ruled from 1948 through 1952. His short note startled me. "Aung San did not bring the hill tribes together at Panglong in 1947," he wrote. "After World War II, ethnic leaders were restive. They knew the British might abandon them, especially after the July 1945 elections. It was my father who organized an ethnic leaders conference in Panglong in February 1947 to see if they could work together to preserve their status."

In 1947, Attlee called Aung San to London for talks on the future of Burma - without inviting any of the ethnic minorities.  According to Harn Yawnghwe, his father, leading the Supreme Council of the United Hill Peoples, cabled Attlee in London to make clear that Aung San did not represent the minorities. His intervention led to the inclusion of an article in the January 27, 1947 agreement between Aung San and Attlee, stating the objective "to achieve the early unification of the Frontier Areas and Ministerial Burma with the free consent of the inhabitants of those areas." In other words, as Harn Yawnghwe's note to me made clear, Aung San had nothing to do with organizing the Panglong Conference - instead, he was forced to rush to the ethnic leaders' conference already occurring at Panglong to fulfill his vision for independence.

If true - and I have little reason to believe Yawnghwe isn't being truthful - it's the equivalent of learning that John F. Kennedy wasn't primarily responsible for saving the crew of PT-109 after it was sunk by a Japanese destroyer in 1943, as legend goes, but instead played a supporting role.

Why does this matter? One, because it dramatically changes our understanding of Aung San and his legacy. Two, because it shows how the lessons today's peacemakers have learned from Panglong may not be the right ones.

Two months ago, Aung San's daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, convened the second round of her "21st Century Panglong" peace talks with ethnic groups. Thus far, like Suu Kyi's leadership, the conference has seen more pomp than purpose. "It was organized as if the leaders of the groups were treated like lower segments," one attendee from a non-governmental organization told me, "and the NLD [Suu Kyi's party] and others got the red carpet while the ethnic groups didn't even know where they should sit."

Perhaps the real lesson of the 1947 Panglong Conference is this: make yourself heard or you'll be left out of the equation. Only when the ethnic groups made it clear to Attlee that Aung San didn't represent them did the U.K. change course, forcing Aung San to the negotiating table. Maybe it's time for the ethnic leaders of today to send a similar message to the United States and others: Aung San Suu Kyi does not represent us. And maybe it's time the United States insist more forcefully that Suu Kyi - and Myanmar's true source of power, the military - heed the interests of minority groups. Foreign investment from the United States and other Western powers matters to a military deeply entrenched in Myanmar's economy; that gives us leverage. Our investment and aid should come with conditions.

In Myanmar's Mon State, across the Thanlwin River, a steel bridge connects Mon State with Belugyun Island. In April, thousands of local people came out in protest. Why? Myanmar's Lower House had approved legislation from Suu Kyi's party naming the bridge after Aung San. "The protesters said they wanted their ethnic Mon culture and heritage to be respected in the naming of the bridge," one article explained, "and they meant no disrespect to General Aung San."

Today, as the Bamar celebrate the legacy and achievements of their fallen hero, it's worth remembering that there are many hundreds of other values, stories, and interests in this ancient land. Whether Myanmar can ever become a unified nation - and I'm not optimistic - will depend on whether the ethnic minorities have the same rights as the Bamar.

Only then will Myanmar build not just stadiums, markets, and roads in memory of a distant past, but real bridges to the future, ones that everyone is allowed to cross - as equal citizens.

Stanley A. Weiss, a global mining executive and founder of Washington-based Business Executives for National Security. His memoir, "Being Dead is Bad for Business," is available  online and a collection of his selected writings, titled "Where Have You Gone, Harry Truman?" will be published by Disruption Books on July 31.

By Stanley A. Weiss
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Saturday, July 22, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘Development of a Country Depends Greatly on Leadership’

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 09:23 PM PDT

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! July 19 is Myanmar's historic Martyrs' Day and this year marks the 70th anniversary of the day when nine martyrs including independence hero Gen Aung San were assassinated. It is said that Gen Aung San chose his cabinet and colleagues based on their capacity, capability, expertise, experience and virtue. On the occasion of Martyrs' Day, I've invited two grandsons of martyrs U Ba Win and U Razak to discuss how exemplary those leaders were. Ko Khaing Win, the grandson of U Ba Win, who was the elder brother of Gen Aung San, and Dr. Myat Htoo Razak, the grandson of U Razak, join me for this discussion. I'm Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

Ko Khaing Win, it is said that those leaders of the past had vision and capability. But before talking about their characteristics, can you tell me about your childhood memories and the relations between Gen Aung San and your grandfather, according to your elders?

Khaing Win: What I remember is my grandfather teaching Gen Aung San. My grandfather was 14 years older than him, so he was like a big brother or father figure to him.

He taught his two brothers, Gen Aung San and U Aung Than, in Yenangyaung Township, where he was a schoolteacher at the time. Although they were brothers, my grandfather was a strict teacher. He taught them English and asked them to read English newspapers and write down what they read every morning.

KZM: Ko Myat Htoo, we heard that Gen Aung San chose U Razak [as a cabinet member] on his merit. He was a local leader in Mandalay and had a range of experience, including serving as the headmaster of National High School. What impression did he leave you with?

Myat Htoo: As his grandson, I've known him largely through his books and speeches. My grandmother didn't talk much about him because it made her sad. But I can imagine how much he was respected, especially when I go to Mandalay. I came to understand more about my grandfather after I read the book Students' Account of Their Teacher U Razak by the Mandalay Association. He was a strong patriot and decided to fight for independence and to improve the country by promoting education and patriotism. He told his students that weapons alone would not defeat the British and that independence must be claimed in meeting rooms. Like Saya U Ba Win, he was a teacher who promoted patriotism. At the same time, he not only taught from school textbooks but also about social and moral obligations. Looking at the actions of his students, I can imagine the kind of teacher my grandfather was. I respect him as a leader in the country rather than as my grandfather.

KZM: It is notable that both U Ba Win and U Razak were teachers. U Ba Win also served as the trade minister and one of his biographies said that as businessmen approached ministers to get permits, U Ba Win never looked at the names of the applicants seeking business licenses. He was concerned that he would be biased in favor of his friends. It seems like honesty was an important virtue at that time. What more do you know about your grandfather?

KW: Yes, as Ko Kyaw Zwa has said, my grandmother told me that merchants approached him after he became the trade minister. But before that, he told his wife not to interfere with his job and made it clear that he would not receive any of his students if they came to visit him for business purposes. My grandmother told me that one of his students, who was a businessman, came with our family when we moved from Yenangyaung to Yangon, despite my grandfather's refusal. He was a regular guest at our house in Yenangyaung and my grandmother and family members didn't want to upset him, so they let him go along. My grandfather was in the front car and realized that he had joined them after they were already on the way. He railed at him and bluntly told him to go back to Yenangyaung. He was a leader who was not afraid to offend, and who did not take personal ties into consideration when it came to the interests of the country.

KZM: They were very disciplined. It seems like all of the ex-ministers from previous eras could learn from them regarding corruption. Ko Myat Htoo, Gen Aung San didn't accept religious meddling in politics. Society was largely secular and there were no radical religious views. U Razak was a Muslim, but he was portrayed as a leader in the community and the country. There were also Christians among the assassinated martyrs. What is your assessment of those leaders in that regard, as we are witnessing radical religious movements 70 years after their assassination? What should we take from them?

MH: They focused on independence and the development of the country. In the nation-building process, they chose people who could benefit the country regardless of race, religion or faith. They, especially U Razak, had close ties with Buddhist monks in Mandalay. He learned Pali and taught the monks as well. At the same time, he maintained friendly ties with Muslims and Christians without discrimination. His mother, Daw Nyein Hla, was a Buddhist and all of his siblings were Buddhists. He said he believed in Islam because his Islamic father asked him to do so, and he wanted Muslims to be united. But according to his books, he viewed state affairs as the top priority before religion. He was a visionary leader in that regard. Now, religious extremism is high not only in Myanmar but around the world. Considering this, it is clear that U Razak was a man who could focus on state affairs rather than religion. My personal view is that if those leaders were alive today, they would certainly find ways to prevent extremism.

KZM: It is fair to say that Myanmar's strong and visionary leadership was lost after their assassination. So, people always long for them. There is talk that Myanmar's history would have been different if they had not been assassinated. We have undergone many dark eras. Ko Khaing Win, what do you think Myanmar would be like today if those leaders had not died?

KW: Many have imagined how Myanmar would be doing if they were alive. They wonder if Myanmar would be like Singapore. Some compare Gen Aung San with Lee Kuan Yew, saying that he was a brave, decisive, and selfless leader, and that his colleagues were also far-sighted. Development of a country depends greatly on leadership. It is critical. When a country is rich, it might not need good leadership, but for developing countries, good leadership is necessary.

KZM: Yes, it is especially true for a country that is at a crossroads. Please continue.

KW: It is critical that those holding political power have vision. I believe the country will improve when it has many leaders who consider the future of the country from various aspects rather than focusing on their electoral victories.

KZM: Yes, it will also depend on how good their economic and foreign policies are, aside from the separation of religion and politics. It is important that they have the right policies as they navigate the 50 million people on the ship that is Myanmar. Ko Myat Htoo, what should leaders, including military leaders—as Gen Aung San founded the military—learn from the martyrs for the sake of the people and the country?

MH: Leaders need to consider the interests of the people and the future of the country. When we say the vision of the leaders, it is not only about their vision. The whole country needs to share that vision. When we talk about martyrs, we usually refer to those nine martyrs, but more than 30 million people made sacrifices [to regain independence]. The people recognize those nine martyrs among many others. There were other leaders like Pyawbwe U Mya who didn't die, although they were at the cabinet meeting, and therefore, were not recognized as martyrs. In rebuilding the state, there are many leaders who go unrecognized. In the military, there may be military leaders who are not popular, but who want to transform the army into people's army. I want leaders in the economic, education, legislation, health and development sectors to work together to find ways to improve the country.

KZM: Ko Khaing Win, Ko Myat Htoo, thank you for sharing!

The post Dateline Irrawaddy: 'Development of a Country Depends Greatly on Leadership' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

This Week in Parliament (July 17-21)

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 09:06 PM PDT

There was no parliamentary session on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Thursday (July 20)

The Lower House approved the draft law to amend the anti-corruption law. The draft law has also been approved by the Upper House, and will be put forward to the Union Parliament for enactment. The law enacted in 2013 under U Thein Sein government has been amended twice so far.

In the Upper House, Union minister for resources and forestry U Ohn Win, in response to a question by lawmaker U Bwe Khem of Chin State (3), said that the government would undertake a 10-year national afforestation plan, which would contribute to the revival of forests in Chin State.

Deputy Minister for Planning and Finance U Maung Maung Win put forward a draft of the new Myanmar Companies Law to the Upper House. The draft law combines elements of the Myanmar Companies Act of 1914 and the Special Companies Act of 1950, reworked in hopes of attracting foreign investment, he said.

Friday (July 21)

President U Htin Kyaw has put forward a list of nominees to the Union Parliament on Friday for three vice governor positions and five director positions in the Central Bank of Myanmar, which will soon be vacant when existing terms expire.

The post This Week in Parliament (July 17-21) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (July 22)

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 08:53 PM PDT

Myeik Islands to Offer More Hotel Rooms

Nine local and foreign companies with permission to build hotel accommodation on twelve islands of the Myeik Archipelago will be in a position to offer rooms to visitors in the coming high season, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported.

The archipelago has more than 800 islands and is an area of world-class outstanding natural beauty that was little visited during the decades when Myanmar was under military rule.

The permissions were granted by the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC). Businesses setting up in the region need permission from the MIC and also from relevant ministries, according to U Hsan Myint, deputy director-general of the MIC.

The new hotels will be ready before the coming high season on Nyaung Oo Phee Island, Wa Ale Island, Hlainggu Island, Ngakhinnyogyi Island, 115 Island, Phoni Island, Balar Island and Thahtay Island, according to U Hlwan Moe of the Kawthaung District Directorate of Hotels and Tourism.

A total of some 200 rooms will be available, he said.

Plans for Myeik Archipelago are being developed in collaboration with the Tanintharyi Region Development Committee and include a provision that "only one kind of business" will be allowed on each island, to protect the natural environment, said U Ohn Myint, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.

The majority of visitors to the region are currently from Thailand, according to U Hlwan Moe. Of 300,000 foreigners who visited the region last year, 250,000 were from Thailand, he told the paper.

Logistics Firm Opens Base in Thilawa

Japanese firm Yusen Logistics has opened a 68,000 square-foot logistics center in the Thilawa Special Economic Zone with an eye to contribute to cross-border trade between Myanmar and Thailand.

The base features temperature-controlled storage areas and an assembled vehicle storage yard, and it offers pre-delivery inspections and customs procedures, according to the American Shipper website.

"This logistics center will be a cornerstone of our logistics business in Myanmar and an important part of our global network, including the connection to surrounding countries," said Kenji Mizushima, president of Yusen Logistics.

Yusen Logistics operates around the globe with services in air, sea and land transportation networks.

The announcement follows the opening of another logistics facility at the Thilawa SEZ in June by Nittsu Logistics Myanmar.

Micro-lenders to Receive Cash Boost

A Luxembourg-based provider of financial services to social businesses will extend loans to three microfinance operations in Myanmar, a trade website reported.

The Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Foundation (GCAMF) will provide loans on a phased basis over three years to Proximity Finance (US$2.9 million), BRAC Myanmar ($1.6 million) and VisionFund Myanmar ($1.3 million).

Proximity Finance is a microfinance program of Proximity Designs, a nonprofit that works to reduce poverty. As of December 2015, Proximity Finance reported a total of approximately 48,000 rural customers and a loan portfolio of $8.4 million, according to the report.

BRAC Myanmar is an affiliate of Bangladesh-based Building Resources Across Communities (BRAC), while VisionFund Myanmar is a unit of the US-based non-governmental organization World Vision, with operations reportedly in almost 100 countries.

GCAMF was founded in Luxembourg in 2008 by Credit Agricole SA, a French retail bank, and Grameen Trust, a nonprofit microfinance organization affiliated with the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. The fund is active in countries in Africa, Asia and Europe.

Myanmar Rice to Help Ease Shortage in Sri Lanka

A shortage of rice in Sri Lanka due to drought followed by floods will be eased by a deal to import rice from Myanmar and Pakistan, according to a news report.

A total of 55,000 MT of rice will be made quickly available to Sri Lanka after a government team visited Myanmar and Pakistan earlier this month.

"After the successful tour, it is clear there will be no more rice shortages in the domestic markets—or even any likelihood of it," Sri Lanka's industry and commerce minister Rishad Bathiudeen said. The minister added that "some elements" were trying to create an artificial shortage in the Sri Lankan market, according to the report.

Myanmar was ready to supply 30,000 MT immediately and Pakistan had agreed to provide 25,000 MT without delay, the report stated. The rice samples tested in Pakistan were already milled and in good quality. Myanmar rice was of good quality also but needed to be milled before shipping, the report added.

Sri Lanka has also entered deals to secure rice from Thailand and India, according to another report, but some imports from Thailand might be held back because of higher prices quoted there.

A severe drought followed by floods has slashed agricultural production in Sri Lanka this year, leaving some 900,000 people facing food insecurity, the United Nations said in June.

Production of rice, the country's staple food, was forecast to drop almost 40 percent to 2.7 million tons in 2017, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) said, according to Reuters. Outputs of other crops such as pulses, chilies and onions, were also expected to be hit.

KBZ Expands Capacity on Satellites

The KBZ group of companies has expanded its capacity on two satellites, the AsiaSat 4 and AsiaSat 7, to meet growing demand from clients in its banking, finance and oil and gas sectors for faster and more efficient broadband services, AsiaSat reported.

The Myanmar conglomerate and bank launched services on AsiaSat in 2016, and has since expanded its high-speed broadband network which connects 300 remote sites across its bank branch network and ATM services, and also serves communications for remote oil and gas exploration sites.

With the expanded capacity, KBZ will be offering advanced broadband services, enabling it to expand into the hospitality sector, according to AsiaSat.

It added that the new AsiaSat 9 is being planned and will enable further improved services by KBZ for broadband services across the country.

Japan Invests in Myanmar Human Resources

Employees of telecoms operator Myanmar Posts & Telecommunications (MPT) will start long-term skills training with the Japanese firm KDDI, which, along with Sumitumo, is a partner with MPT.

Initially, four MPT employees (two working in business management and two in a technical field) will join KDDI for one year starting this month.

The training will include three months of Japanese language study and basic lectures, and technical trainees will undergo practical training in network design and development, maintenance and operations, and information systems.

Business management trainees will study in the sales, marketing and new services planning departments. After completing the program, the trainees will return to Myanmar and use the techniques, know-how, and business skills acquired in Japan.

In a separate human resources initiative, the Tokyo-based Japan Productivity Center and the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) have launched a project to establish a National Productivity Organization to promote enhanced productivity in Myanmar.

The project will seek to introduce Japanese practical Kaizen methods (these translate roughly into a philosophy of constant, continual improvement) into Myanmar businesses.

Senior project staff are currently being sought and more information is available on the UMFCCI website.

The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (July 22) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UN Envoy ‘Strongly Urges’ Myanmar to Accept Fact-Finding Mission

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 08:08 PM PDT

RANGOON – UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee told reporters on Friday that she would "strongly urge the government" to allow an international independent body to investigate allegations of rights abuses particularly in Rakhine State, and in conflict regions in Myanmar at large.

The comment was made during a press conference in Yangon after Lee wrapped up a 12-day visit to Myanmar. She went to Yangon and Naypyitaw and toured conflict-torn Rakhine State, but noted that in Shan State, she was only allowed to visit the northern city of Lashio, and the capital of Hpa-an in Karen State. On her trip, Lee met with internally displaced people as well as with civil society organizations, but noted that many of the places she had proposed visiting were denied access to her by the authorities.

"I regret Myanmar's decision to refuse the fact-finding mission," Lee said in reference to the UN body appointed by the Human Rights Council to investigate rights violations in conflict areas in Myanmar, the participants of which have seen their applications for visas refused. Reporters raised questions about why Lee felt the mission was necessary.

She noted that her own mandate—extended for one year—is separate from that of the fact-finding mission. But she pointed to evidence that requires an "independent international mechanism" in order to be verified, and the need "to collect data and just know…what really happened."

Of particular concern to the fact-finding mission are clearance operations carried out by security forces in northern Rakhine State in response to militant attacks on police outposts in October 2016; during this time, tens of thousands of self-identifying Rohingya Muslims were displaced to Bangladesh.

Lee expressed dismay that her visit was marked by many restrictions, with authorities providing "the excuse of short notice" in denying her access to sites, and her sources reportedly facing intimidation by special branch police officers.

Those who met with her, Lee said, were "photographed, questioned before and after meetings, and in one case, even followed." This, she added, was "unacceptable."

"I am disappointed to see the tactics applied by the previous government still being used," the Special Rapporteur said.

She acknowledged that the "general situation for the Rohingya has hardly improved" since her last visit in January, and that she continues to receive reports alleging violations by security forces. Lee lamented that she has also learned that some Rohingya who had collaborated with the authorities have been harmed or killed by unknown assailants.

During her visit to Rakhine State, Lee faced protests in Buthidaung Township, and in the capital Sittwe, as local Buddhist Rakhine said they felt she stood for the rights of the Rohingya community but portrayed the Rakhine as villains on the international stage. In her statement, she explained that members of the Rakhine community emphasized to her "that the Rakhine community as a whole should not be judged for the action of its most extreme members."

"I am here to report what I see and what I can clarify myself for the all people, not just one side," she said.

Reporters attend a press conference by Yanghee Lee on Friday. (Photo: Thet Htun Naing / The Irrawaddy)

Lee said her delegation had planned to meet with community members in northern Shan State, as well as three journalists currently detained in Hsipaw prison, accused by the Myanmar Army of violating the Unlawful Associations Act for gathering news by contacting the ethnic armed group the Ta'ang National Liberation Army. The authorities did not allow her to visit Hsipaw, she said, although it is a known tourist destination.

During her time in Myanmar, Lee met with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and officials from several Union ministries, but was unable to meet Tatmadaw commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, or the ministers of defense, home affairs, transportation and communication, or religion and culture. She did not comment on the content or outcomes of these meetings.

The State Counselor's Office issued an official response to Yanghee Lee's statement on Friday defending its "disassociation" with the Human Rights Council's resolution to appoint a fact-finding mission, and expressed "disappointment" with Lee's conclusions, claiming that her remarks contained "sweeping allegations and a number of factual errors." The Office stated that during meetings with Lee, representatives had explained to her "the steps that the government has taken to promote development and communal harmony."

On Tuesday, Myanmar National Security Advisor U Than Tun and Union Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe of the State Counselor's Office held a press conference at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, inviting dozens of foreign counterparts from Yangon-based embassies, including US Ambassador Scot Marciel. But the advisor declined to take questions from reporters and requested to leave the conference room before a discussion began between diplomats.

In his opening remark, U Thaung Tun said that the UN's fact-finding mission "would only aggravate" tension between Muslims and Buddhists in Rakhine State and described it as "less than constructive."

Yanghee Lee is scheduled to submit a report on the human rights situation in Myanmar to the Human Rights Council in Geneva in October.

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Friday, July 21, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Shan General: 2017 Not a ‘Year of Peace’

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 07:57 AM PDT

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Gen Yawd Serk, chairman of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), has said that 2017 may not be the "year of peace" that State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Htin Kyaw envisioned.

He made the remark at a Friday press conference regarding the military's objection to a meeting by the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU), a coalition of Shan political parties, ethnic armed groups and civil society groups, in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

"If the situation continues as it is, it cannot be," the general said, responding to The Irrawaddy's question on the "year of peace."

For the idea to succeed, Yawd Serk said, "first we need to be constructive. Our leaders have to build mutual trust. We must have a common understanding on every agreement we made, whether they are bilateral, Union level or the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). But we now have none of it."

President U Htin Kyaw said in his New Year speech that they have aimed for 2017 to be a peaceful year, which State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also stressed in her speech during the second session of the 21st Century Panglong peace conference in May.

But the peace process under President U Htin Kyaw is in limbo and faces deadlock, especially due to the Tatmadaw not following the NCA path, said Gen Yawd Serk. The RCSS is one of eight ethnic armed group signatories to the NCA, which was also signed by the government and the Tatmadaw in October 2015.

Despite signing the ceasefire agreements, Yawd Serk said the RCSS and Myanmar Army troops had experienced clashes. The RCSS complained about the clashes through the Shan State Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee, but there has been no intervention yet, he said.

The chairman also said they had contacted people at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and asked about the objection to the CSSU meeting issued by the military attaché from the Myanmar embassy. He said they were told that the government did not prevent the meeting from being held.

Regarding the case, he said, they would send formal letters to the State Counselor and to the commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Army, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

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Munitions and Drugs Seized From Two Loikaw Homes

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 07:10 AM PDT

MANDALAY – Munitions and drugs were seized in two homes in the Karenni State capital of Loikaw on Thursday, in connection with a large seizure of arms one day earlier in Mandalay Division.

According to the Loikaw police, the bust was related to a case in which 22 guns were seized in Mandalay Division's Tharzi Township on Wednesday.

"The accomplice, U Dah Rae, is on the run. His wife, Daw Oo Sar, was arrested and the case is under police custody," said a duty officer from the Loikaw District police office.

From U Dah Rae's home, police seized ammunition, a car, three grams of opium and 8,900,000 kyats in cash. From the home U Nay Soe Htwe Min—arrested in Mandalay on Wednesday—detonators, grenades, gunpowder and cash worth 140,000,000 kyats were seized.

According to the police, U Dah Rae is believed to have sold arms to the couple arrested for illegal possession of the guns in Mandalay Division, and he is allegedly a member of the Karenni State Liberation Front.

"We are investigating the case in order to take action against everyone who is involved in this illegal arms trade," said the police.

On Wednesday, U Nay Soe Htwe Min and Mya Hsu Hnin—his wife—were arrested in Tharzi Township, Mandalay Division during a routine search of their car at a toll gate. The couple was reportedly driving to Mandalay from Loikaw. According to their statements to the police, the guns were intended to be sold in Kale Township in Sagaing Division, near the Indo-Burma border town of Tamu.

 

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Voice Daily’s Editor, Columnist Charged Under Media Law

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 05:42 AM PDT

YANGON — The Voice Daily's chief editor and columnist have been charged under Article 25(b) of the Media Law for publishing a satirical article questioning the country's ongoing peace process.

The pair had previously been charged under controversial Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law over the same story after Lt-Col Lin Tun of the Myanmar Army filed a suit against them at the Bahan Township police station on May 17.

The Burmese language publication's chief editor U Kyaw Min Swe and paper's regular satire columnist Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing, also known by his pen name British Ko Ko Maung, were arrested on June 2. The columnist was acquitted of violating 66(d) on a June 16 court hearing and released, but the chief editor has remained in detention and continues to face charges under Article 66(d).

Columnist Ko Kyaw Zwa Naing was granted 2 million kyats bail under the Media Law charges, but chief editor U Kyaw Min Swe did not appeal for bail during Friday's court hearing. He had been refused bail at least four times since his arrest in June.

Legal adviser U Khin Maung Myint said as the same plaintiff had opened the second suit in the Bahan Township court, the 66(d) case must therefore be closed.

He said he would propose to the regional parliament that they drop the charges against the chief editor under Article 66(d).

"It is the first time that journalists are being sued under the Media Law. We can say the Media Law has come into practice," he added.

The Media Law was enacted in 2014 under ex-president U Thein Sein's government. Despite the law's suggestion that complaints and disputes over publications or broadcasts be settled or negotiated outside of the courts with the Myanmar Press council, very few cases have been resolved in this manner.

Article 25(b) of the Media Law prescribes fines ranging from 300,000 to 1 million kyats for violations of the statute. These can be applied if a journalist's writing style deliberately affects the reputation of a specific person or an organization, if a news outlet publishes others' intellectual property without permission, or if photos or voices are modified in "improper" ways.

Additional reporting by Tun Tun.

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More than 2,000 Locals Protest Cement Factory in Mon State

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 04:34 AM PDT

MOULMEIN, Mon State — More than 2,000 locals from villages in Kyaikmayaw and Moulmein townships staged a protest march in Moulmein on Friday against a cement factory's coal-fired power plant.

This is the second protest against the US$400 million, 500-ton cement factory, run by Mawlamyine Cement Limited (MCL) – a joint venture between Thai firm Siam Cement Group (SCG) and Pacific Link Cement Industries.

One of the protest leaders, Nai Ye Zaw, said that locals staged the protest because the President, the Mon State government and Parliament did not respond to their complaints about the cement factory.

"The factory was not built transparently and we haven't received a proper response regarding our complaints, so we are protesting," Nai Ye Zaw announced at the protest.

He said that a petition was sent to the president calling for use of a fuel other than coal at the factory, as well as the conservation of the environment and waterways.

Locals would not have accepted the cement factory project if the company had said openly that it was going to be powered by coal, said Nai Shwe Win, a member of a local community group named after Mt. Pyataung from which raw materials for the cement factory come.

"We only found out when vessels began transporting coal on the Attaran River in 2015," he said. "If we had known earlier, we would have protested then."

According to officials of Mon State's Myanmar Port Authority, nearly 200,000 tons of coal have been shipped from Moulmein Port to the plant along the Attaran River since 2015.

Fisherman U Aung Tin Oo from Kyaikmayaw Township complained that fishing has been largely disrupted due to engine noise and waves created by these coal-carrying ships.

Locals are gravely concerned that coal will have negative health impacts, and many have recently covered water wells in their homes out of fear that rainwater polluted by coal fumes would enter the wells," said Ma Ni Ni Aung from Kun Ngan Village.

The factory started commercial operation in April despite local opposition.

On Feb. 18, about 7,000 locals from seven villages near the factory staged a protest against the coal-fired power plant. In April last year, locals sent a petition with 3,780 signatures to the President's Office, demanding the termination of the project.

Protesters originally planned to stage a march toward the Mon State government and Parliament with up to 10,000 people, but the Mon State government only allowed 3,000 protesters to participate and would not permit the demonstration to take place in front of the divisional government or parliament.

The minister of natural resources and environmental conservation in June instructed the Mon State government to submit monthly environmental impact assessment reports on the MCL cement factory.

Under the agreement with the Myanmar Investment Commission, the factory will operate for 50 years from the start of commercial operations.

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AIDS-related Deaths Decrease Significantly in Myanmar: Report

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 02:21 AM PDT

YANGON — AIDS-related deaths in Myanmar have dropped 52 percent in the past six years, the sharpest decline in Asia and the Pacific, according to a UNAIDS report on the global HIV epidemic released on Thursday.

The report titled "Ending AIDS: Progress towards the 90-90-90 targets" was launched in Paris, France, and highlighted UN progress in the fight against HIV.

The UN report said the number of people living with HIV who were accessing life-saving antiretroviral therapy in Myanmar had increased four-fold since 2010, to 57 percent of an estimated 230,000 people in 2016.

Oussama Tawil, the new country director of UNAIDS Myanmar, said that "a massive scale-up in HIV treatment" and a "decentralization of services" to prevent HIV, even in remote areas through government-run clinics, contributed to a large decline in AIDS-related deaths in the country.

The UN plan, which aims to ensure that 90 percent of key populations have access to HIV prevention services, has also seen progress as annual new HIV infections in Myanmar have fallen by 26 percent since 2010.

Significant efforts have also been made to eliminate new infections among children, the report said, with 88 percent of women affected with HIV accessing services for the prevention of mother to child transmission.

Tawil told The Irrawaddy, "This decline is a strong indicator of the commitment and leadership of the health ministry, development partners and donors. But also, community and nongovernmental organizations have worked together and that has made an important impact."

According to the data from the government's five-year National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS for 2016-2020, HIV prevalence among key populations – people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, and sex workers – is high, at 28.5 percent, 11.6 percent and 14.6 percent, respectively.

A large burden of the epidemic is shared among big cities including Yangon and Waingmaw, Kachin State. The prevalence among people who inject drugs in Waingmaw is as high as 47 percent.

Tawil said that the incidence of drug use is high in many countries in the region including Myanmar, India, Nepal, Indonesia and Pakistan, adding that it is often the result of economic problems as well as the availability of drugs at low prices.

The UN report highlighted Myanmar's efforts to reduce the spread of HIV through drug use, including the government distribution of more than 300 sterile needles and syringes per person who injects drugs between 2014 and 2016.

"While we are now seeing positive results in the reduction of deaths and new infections, Myanmar momentum must be sustained to achieve its goal of ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat, by 2030," Tawil said.

He added that continued commitment and support from the government, donors, international and national nongovernmental organizations, community networks and HIV support groups is crucial in achieving the country's HIV response targets.

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New Companies Law Submitted to Parliament

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 02:12 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The Myanmar government submitted a draft of the new Myanmar Companies Law to the Upper House on Thursday.

The draft law combines elements of the Myanmar Companies Act of 1914 and the Special Companies Act of 1950, reworked in hopes of attracting foreign investment, said Deputy Minister for Planning and Finance U Maung Maung Win as he put forward the draft law to the Upper House.

The eight-part draft law includes 478 provisions in 32 sections, designed with input from the attorney general's office, concerned ministries and economic partners, said the deputy minister.

The deputy said the Companies Act needed to be updated to be compliant with the new Myanmar Investment Law – which replaced the Myanmar Citizens Investment Law and the Foreign Investment Law – that was signed into effect by President U Htin Kyaw in October 2016.

Dr. Myat Nyana Soe, secretary of the Upper House Bill Committee, told reporters: "There are a lot of restrictions on business operations under the existing Companies Act, which is why the country has difficulty attracting foreign investment.

"The new law will be very different from the old one. It will easier to set up companies and it will be possible to register them electronically," he added.

U Thein Naing, a Yangon-based businessman, told The Irrawaddy that the registration process used to be cumbersome but that he had heard that steps were being taken to improve it as of late.

The draft law is also expected to promote capital market in the country, and was designed with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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YBS Workers Protest Against Installation of Fare Boxes

Posted: 21 Jul 2017 12:50 AM PDT

YANGON — Around 400 bus drivers and conductors staged a protest on Thursday in Yangon's Shwepyithar Township against the Yangon Region Transport Authority (YRTA)'s plan to replace bus conductors with fare boxes on Yangon Bus Service (YBS) vehicles.

The protest followed the YRTA's statement on Monday about the installation of fare boxes on all YBS bus lines as of Thursday, which would mean that thousands of bus conductors would lose their jobs.

"[We staged the protest] not because we don't like the fare box system. We welcome this because it is convenient for passengers. But we don't want conductors to lose their jobs because of it," one of the protest leaders and bus driver U Kyaw Zin Htun told reporters.

"We want [authorities] to consider their livelihoods and keep a conductor [on each bus]," he said, adding that some buses currently have two conductors on board.

The Irrawaddy was not able to get a comment from YRTA.

Some 70 drivers and 300 bus conductors from nine bus lines joined the protest march in Shwepyithar Township, said driver Ko Aung Ko, one of the protestors.

"Rather than introducing fare boxes immediately, [authorities] could organize training for bus conductors about their manners, and [bus operators] could recruit those who complete the training, and ban them if they are rude to customers. We would accept this. But this sudden firing disrupts the livelihoods of families," said Ko Aung Ko.

YRTA officials will carry out checks on YBS buses to make sure they are not employing bus conductors. YRTA is also negotiating with bus line operators to move toward a cashless system.

Meanwhile, commuters have differing views about the cash boxes.

"Although the new system seems good, some commuters – like elderly people and pregnant women – need help. I think there is a need to keep qualified conductors on board," said a commuter.

Some commuters expressed concern that the sudden unemployment would contribute to an increase in crime.

YBS was launched in January, and at present, it operates around 80 bus lines.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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President Presents Nominees for Senior Positions in Central Bank

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 11:09 PM PDT

NAYPYITAW — President U Htin Kyaw has put forward a list of nominees to the Union Parliament on Friday for three vice governor positions and five director positions in the Central Bank of Myanmar, which will soon be vacant when existing terms expire.

The nominees for vice governor are U Soe Min, U Soe Thein, and U Bo Bo Nge. The nominees for director are U Kyaw Min Tun, U Myint Thein Tun, U Soe Paing, Daw Yi Yi Win and Daw Khin Aye Hla, according to Upper House Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than.

According to the speaker, those wishing to raise an objection to their appointment can do so in line with the Central Bank of Myanmar Law in Union Parliament on Wednesday.

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The Amber Hub of Myitkyina

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 07:50 PM PDT

MYITKYINA, Kachin State — Men and women with bags of honey-colored stones in cars and on motorbikes arrive at the Gems and Jewelry Trade Center in Myitkyina, Kachin State at around 7 a.m. This is the place that people searching for and selling amber come to make a deal.

In an open-air building, vendors sit in front of piles of raw amber, pouring water over the stones to make them appear shinier, while buyers rummage through them with small flashlights looking for quality pieces. The center launched four years ago and it has become the hub of the local market.

Forty-year-old Seng Pan, who owns an amber shop in Waingmaw Township, bought a pile of about 30 viss (1 viss equals approximately 1.6 kilograms) of raw Burmite amber worth 7 million kyats (about US$5,000) at the market. He told The Irrawaddy that while the cost of raw amber has increased, the price of fine and polished products has decreased over the last two years.

Recently, there has not been a consistent supply of quality, raw amber since mines in Tanai Township—where amber is primarily extracted in the state—have been closed due to military engagement between the Myanmar Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Seng Pan said.

Since clashes broke out in early June, gold and amber miners have fled the area and sought shelter in Tanai town, Hkamti in Sagaing Division, or their respective hometowns.

Myanmar Army helicopters dropped leaflets over the area in the second week of June, asking people in the mining region to leave by June 15 or be recognized as insurgents supporting the KIA. Military tensions between the two sides persist in the area.

Daw Moe Khine, 40-year-old Mogok native and amber trader, told The Irrawaddy that she used to buy amber from mines around the Tanai area to sell at the China-Myanmar border. Since the mines closed, she has gone to Myitkyina to observe how deals are made between buyers and sellers at the center.

"Trading in amber is a quick and easy way to make money, unlike jade," said Daw Moe Khine, explaining that amber is the less expensive of the two stones.

"Amber has become very popular. Many people believe that it is good for their health if they wear it," she added.

The discovery of a dinosaur tail embedded in a piece of amber by a Chinese paleontologist, which made headlines across the globe late last year, shined a light on the popularity of Myanmar amber, which is considered some of the highest quality in the world.

Traders and sellers at the market said that it was not unusual to find animal parts embedded in the raw Burmite, showing photos of amber with spider legs and other appendages inside, which traded for high prices. They said, however, that it is nearly impossible for ordinary traders to know if the feathers or animal parts inside the amber are fossils or not.

For 24-year-old Ko Zaw Aung, trading in amber is not as risky as jade.

"Even when you lose money from trading amber, it is not as much as with jade, he told The Irrawaddy. "But when you get cheated in trading jade, it is like holding onto a useless piece of rock."

The market in Myitkyina usually finishes around noon but a different building in the same compound continues to sell and trade polished amber rings, bracelets and necklaces throughout the day.

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National News

National News

Migrants take leap of faith away from fatherland

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 01:24 PM PDT

"We are not happy here. But, we can't live where we are happy" said Ma Khin Mar, 47 years old, when asked about how she feels living away from home.

Parliament pushes up age limit for Anti-Corruption Commission members

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 01:18 PM PDT

The age limit for Anti-Corruption Commission members has been increased from 70 years to 75 years, the Pyithu Hluttaw MPs said Thursday.

Society struggles with sexuality education amid ambivalence

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 01:07 PM PDT

Seventeen years after it was integrated into the school curriculum, teachers, students and parents alike remain ambivalent about teaching sexuality education in schools, but experts underscored the urgency to teach the subject among the young.

Squatter colonies mushroom in Htee Khee border area

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 01:02 PM PDT

More squatters are building houses to do business at the Htee Khee border crossing in Tanintharyi Region, and their number has jumped almost 20 times in the past year.

Thailand frees 125 Myanmar migrants from traffickers

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:59 PM PDT

The scourge of human trafficking in the region is just not abating.

Mandalay FDA shuts down four illegal bottled water factories in Meiktila

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:57 PM PDT

Mandalay's Department of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has shut down four bottled drinking water factories in Meiktila township which have been operating without the agency's certification.

Child rights draft seeks life sentence for rape

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:51 PM PDT

The new child rights draft law seeks a sentence of 20 years to life in prison for child rape cases, according to the draft released by Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on July 7.

Myanmar’s AIDS-related deaths decline 52% in 6 years

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:48 PM PDT

A new global report says that Myanmar's AIDS-related deaths have declined by 52 percent in six years.

Bus drivers, conductors protest loss of jobs at YBS

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:46 PM PDT

Nearly 200 bus conductors and bus drivers marched in Shwe Pyi Thar township on Thursday to protest against a plan to eliminate conductors' jobs by the Yangon Bus Service.

Five int’l school officials detained in Insein prison

Posted: 20 Jul 2017 12:44 PM PDT

Five officials of a company operating international schools in the country have been detained in Insein central prison in Yangon while being investigated for teaching the Myanmar language without the approval of the education ministry, a company lawyer said Thursday.
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