The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Thousands Protest UNESCO Project at Mt. Hkakabo Razi
- Govt Says It Is Ready to Register, Resettle Muslim Refugees
- TIMELINE: 29 Years of the National League for Democracy
- Analysis: Rohingya Desire for Ethnicity Seen as Separatist Agenda: Former US Ambassador to Myanmar
- Aid Groups Call for Access to Rakhine Conflict Zone
- Mon State Govt to Protect Heritage Buildings in Mawlamyine
- Bad Weather Postpones Diplomatic Trip to Maungdaw
- Indian Troops in Firefight with Rebels Near Myanmar Border
| Thousands Protest UNESCO Project at Mt. Hkakabo Razi Posted: 28 Sep 2017 06:04 AM PDT Thousands of locals took to the streets in Kachin State's Putao, Machanbaw and Naungmon townships to protest an expansion project in Mt. Hkakabo Razi National Park headed by UNESCO. The UN agency for international cooperation in education, science and culture is working with the Myanmar government to designate the area as the country's first Natural World Heritage site. "We sent our demand letters twice to the Union government in March and around May, but we did not receive any reply. The natural resources and environment ministry had issued the announcement on July 28 this year [about the designation of Hkakabo Razi as a Natural World Heritage Site]," said M Yaw Shu, the chairman of the Rawang Literature and Culture Association in Putao. "Thus we marched today [Sept. 28] to express our views." "As the area is set to be a heritage site, it would be difficult for us to make a living on our land," he added. He said some 9,700 locals in Putao, 1,800 in Machanbaw and 1,200 in Naungmon joined for the marches in their respective towns on Thursday. Citing concerns of land loss, locals held signs written in Burmese and English, stating that they reject the UNESCO designation and "condemn the expansion project." U Zau Raw, of the Jinghpaw Literature and Cultural Affairs Committee in Machanbaw, said that many people "don't believe these projects will bring benefits for them." "Locals were displaced and struggling for survival in their daily lives because of the previous Mt. Hkakabo Razi National Park project in 1996," he added. Covering an area of 1,472 square miles, the Mt. Hkakabo Razi National Park was established in 1996 to conserve natural evergreen forests and wildlife; the mountain itself is 19,259 feet high. However, ethnic Rawang, Lisu, Kachin (Jinghpaw) and indigenous Tibetan communities also live within and around the landscape of Mt. Hkakabo Razi, a hotspot of biodiversity, home to rare species of birds and plants. After the area became a national park, logging, hunting and cultivation in the area were restricted. The Kachin Political Cooperation Committee (KPCC) published a statement on Sept. 18 condemning the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation's announcement that the national park would be expanded and designated as a Natural World Heritage Site. The KPCC also called on the government to stop the implementation of the process, which they described as going against the will of the locals. The Forest Department and UNESCO are now making it a priority to "safeguard natural heritage" in Myanmar. Since 2013, UNESCO has been providing the government with technical assistance for projects aiming to designate Mt. Hkakabo Razi as a Natural World Heritage Site. The Forest Department has said that there has been engagement with stakeholders in the project area, in order to raise awareness about the initiative. U Win Naing Thaw, a director of the Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division, said that this month, an advocacy group toured villages, explaining the UNESCO designation to villagers. However, U Zau Raw, of the Jinghpaw Literature and Cultural Affairs Committee in Machanbaw, said that "people don't have trust in the government," and that the authorities had tried to persuade people to support the UNESCO project during their tour. U Win Naing Thaw said that the government "would not go on with these projects without the locals' agreement." "I would like to request that the locals support our aims which not only benefit their livelihoods, but also preserve the precious property of the area and will make our future generations proud of the land," he explained. Scientists from Myanmar and abroad have estimated that the area is home to more than 6,000 plant species, 500 types of birds, 150 different kinds of mammals, and 50 species of fish, and of reptiles and amphibians. Among the tentative list of Natural World Heritage Sites in Myanmar, Mt. Hkakabo Razi has been given top priority; the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has already acknowledged all of the potential sites. The post Thousands Protest UNESCO Project at Mt. Hkakabo Razi appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Govt Says It Is Ready to Register, Resettle Muslim Refugees Posted: 28 Sep 2017 06:00 AM PDT YANGON — The government plans to begin registering and resettling Bangladesh's self-identifying Rohingya Muslim refugees in northern Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State "as soon as possible," according to Myanmar's social welfare and resettlement minister. The 2 billion-kyat plan involves registering refugees—according to the 1993 agreement between Myanmar and Bangladesh—in Taungpyo Letwe and Nga Khu Ya villages before resettling them in Dar Gyi Zar village in Maungdaw Township, U Win Myat Aye, also chair of the Implementation Committee for Recommendations on Rakhine State, told reporters on Wednesday. Some 480,000 self-identifying Rohingya Muslims have now fled across the border to Bangladesh after the Myanmar Army launched clearance operations in the wake of deadly attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on Aug. 25. Muslims fleeing northern Rakhine's Maungdaw, Rathedaung, and Buthidaung townships have brought with them tales of killings, rape, and arson by the security forces. Human rights observers have said satellite imagery shows half of the 400 self-identifying Rohingya villages in the three townships had been torched and the UN human rights chief has labelled the situation "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing." The Minister of the State Counselor's Office U Kyaw Tint Swe will travel to Bangladesh to negotiate with Bangladesh authorities over the refugees' repatriation, U Win Myat Aye said on Wednesday. U Myint Kyaing, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population, told The Irrawaddy that the government would issue national verification cards (NVCs) to those who are accepted to return to the country at the point of entry. The majority of the area's Muslims—most of whom self-identify as Rohingya—have long objected to the government's NVC project, with complaints dating back to the previous military-backed government, for not identifying them as "Rohingya." With regards to Muslim refugees returning to their original villages, Rakhine chief minister U Nyi Pu said on Wednesday the state government would clear and manage the land under the Article 18(d) of Myanmar's 2013 Natural Disaster Management Law which allow related government departments to carry out reconstruction of buildings damaged by natural disasters. The state government will later form a committee to redistribute the land in accordance with the law he said. Implementation committee chair U Win Myat Aye said the relevant ministries will implement the recommendations of Kofi Annan-led Advisory Commission on Rakhine State and a government investigation commission led by Vice President U Myint Swe, prioritizing putting stability, security and rule of law in place and acting depending on the situation on the ground. He added the committee will work to improve transportation in the region in the next three years and that electricity Rathedaung, Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships will be electrified by the end of 2018. Additional reporting by Htet Naing Zaw in Naypyitaw. The post Govt Says It Is Ready to Register, Resettle Muslim Refugees appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| TIMELINE: 29 Years of the National League for Democracy Posted: 28 Sep 2017 04:24 AM PDT September 1988 — National League for Democracy (NLD) is founded by people from various walks of life with an aim to accelerate the popular pro-democracy uprising toward a change in the political system.  1989 — After the NLD adopts a political policy to defy orders that they consider unjust to the people, its senior leaders Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Win Tin and U Tin Oo are arrested by the military. May 27, 1990 — The NLD wins a landslide victory in the 1990 general elections held by the military government, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), winning in 392 out of 447 constituencies. July 19, 1990 — The NLD issues the Gandhi Hall Declaration, calling for Parliament to be convened, and immediate discussions with representatives of SLORC, as well as the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners, and the lifting of restrictions on people. 1990 — SLORC does not transfer power to the NLD, and instead arrests, issues warrants for and revokes the positions of many elected lawmakers. October 14, 1991 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's efforts for democracy, human rights and peace are recognized with the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize. 1993 — Representatives of the NLD, together with representatives from nine other parties, attend the National Convention organized by SLORC to draft a constitution. September 20, 1994 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, general secretary of the NLD, at this time under house arrest, meets SLORC chairman Snr-Gen Than Shwe and Secretary-1 Maj-Gen Khin Nyunt at a government guesthouse.  July 10, 1995 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is released after six years of house arrest.  1995 — NLD boycotts the National Convention and issues a declaration, saying it assumed that the convention did not contribute to national reconciliation, the emergence of a multi-party democracy, and a constitution acceptable to the people. Then National Convention is postponed for an indefinite period. September 1996 — A mob wielding bricks and sticks attacks the motorcade of U Kyi Maung and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who had come to meet the public on U Chit Maung Street in Yangon's Bahan Township.  September 21, 2000 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and party members who are leaving for Mandalay are blocked by the military at Yangon Central Railway Station. More than 40 party members, including current President U Htin Kyaw, are detained. September 23, 2000 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest for a second time. January 22, 2002 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, meets Snr-Gen Than Shwe. Details of their meeting are not made public. May 6, 2003 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is released after 18 months of house arrest. May 30, 2003 — In Sagaing Region's Depayin, the motorcade of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is attacked by a mob wielding sticks and swords. Dozens of people are injured in the attack. May 31, 2003 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is put under house are st for a third time.  May 25, 2006 — Her house arrest is extended one more year. 2007 — NLD party members join the Saffron Revolution alongside Buddhist monks demanding democratic change and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release. 2008 — The NLD issues a statement criticizing the military regime for holding a national referendum only to ratify the Constitution instead of taking care of storm victims in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. September 23, 2008 — One of the founders of the NLD, U Win Tin, is released after 19 years in jail, and adopts plans to revive the party. September 24, 2009 — The NLD publishes the Shwegondaing Declaration, calling for the unconditional release of all political prisoners including U Tin Oo and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a review of the 2008 Constitution, the building a genuine Union with equal rights for ethnic minorities, and recognition of the 1990 election results by the military regime. 2009 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has her house arrest extended for 18 months for allowing US citizen John Yettaw into her residence after he swam across Inya Lake in an attempt to meet her. February 14, 2010 — Vice-Chairman of the NLD U Tin Oo, who was arrested in 2003, is released from house arrest. August 19, 2010 — The NLD boycotts the 2010 general elections, saying the proceedings are not free or fair. November 13, 2010 — Within days of the 2010 general elections, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is released from more than seven years of house arrest.  April 1, 2012 — NLD wins 43 out of 45 constituencies in the by-elections, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi becomes a Lower House lawmaker representing Yangon's Kawhmu Township.  2014 — The NLD conducts campaigns with the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society to collect signatures to amend Article 436 of 2008 Constitution, which requires the approval of more than 75 percent of parliamentarians to make constitutional changes.  November 2014 — US President Barack Obama meets Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in his first visit to Myanmar.  November 8, 2015 — The NLD wins a landslide victory in the 2015 general elections, winning 886 out of 1,150 seats in the Parliament. After the NLD's electoral victory, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi meets former Snr-Gen Than Shwe at his residence in Naypyitaw.  March 30, 2016 — The civilian government led by the NLD takes over the administration from the Union Solidarity and Development Party.  April 6, 2016 — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is barred by the 2008 Constitution from becoming the president, becomes State Counselor of Myanmar.  August 31, 2016 — The NLD government convenes the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference in Naypyitaw in an effort to end armed conflicts that have continued for more than 60 years.  August – September 2017 — A year after taking office, the NLD government is faced with a great set of challenges as Rakhine State sees militant attacks on security outposts, army clearance operations, and hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing to Bangladesh. September 27, 2017—NLD marks the 29th anniversary of its founding.  The post TIMELINE: 29 Years of the National League for Democracy appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Analysis: Rohingya Desire for Ethnicity Seen as Separatist Agenda: Former US Ambassador to Myanmar Posted: 28 Sep 2017 02:06 AM PDT YANGON — The former US ambassador to Myanmar said ethnic Arakanese and others in Myanmar see the self-identifying Rohingya's desire for recognized ethnicity in the country and the current militant activity in their name as a separatist agenda by other means that many in the West fail to understand. Derek Mitchell, who served as US ambassador to Burma from 2012 to 2016, told The Atlantic that while the international community saw the self-identifying Rohingya as innocent people who just want to call themselves a name and who are uniquely abused for it, the name suggests something much more to people in Myanmar. The northwestern part of Rakhine State in western Myanmar is now reeling from Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacks on 30 police outposts on Aug. 25 and subsequent violence affecting civilians. The Myanmar government declared the Muslim militant group a terrorist organization has since begun military "clearance operations" in the area, leading to Buddhist Arakanese and other Rakhine sub-ethnicities to flee their homes while more than 400,000 self-identifying Rohingya have sought shelter at refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. No other subject in Myanmar has gotten the same international attention as the persecution of the self-identifying Rohingya, who have been called to be recognized as an ethnicity of Myanmar. But the government, military and the majority of the country's people insist that they are "Bengali" and claim they are illegal migrants from neighboring Bangladesh brought to Rakhine State by the British in the early 1900s. Successive governments had restricted their basic rights, such as freedom of movement, as they do not hold citizenship status. The previous U Thein Sein government as well as the current National League for Democracy (NLD) administration said such rights would be granted only with citizenship, but most Muslims in the region refused to apply for it as the process did not acknowledge them ethnically as Rohingya. The story 'The Misunderstood Roots of Burma's Rohingya Crisis' in The Atlantic says where humanitarian groups and Western nations see the self-identifying Rohingya as the world's most persecuted minority, the government of Myanmar and an overwhelming majority of its people see a foreign group with a separatist agenda, fueled by Islam, and funded from overseas. It's this difference in perception that will make any resolution of the Rohingya issue extremely difficult. "It gets to this notion of ethnicity in the Myanmar mind that I think the West doesn't quite understand," Derek Mitchell was quoted as saying in the story. The former ambassador was in Myanmar when communal strife between Muslim and Buddhists hit Rakhine in 2012 and witnessed the following unrest across the country during his term. He told The Atlantic that activists and leaders in the [Rohingya] community are very protective of that name. They see it as protective of their identity and dignity after so many basic rights have been taken from them in recent years. "The name has also been essential to their international campaign for attention," Mitchell said to the magazine. The article also explained the government's concern about the acknowledgement of Rakhine's Muslims as members of the Rohingya ethnic group. The writer says if the government acknowledges Rakhine's Muslims as members of the Rohingya ethnic group, the Muslims would be allowed an autonomous area within the country and the Myanmar people fear a Rohingya autonomous area along the border with Bangladesh would come at the expense of Rakhine territory. The Burmese military, which has cracked down on Rohingya civilians, views this as a possible staging area for terrorism by groups like ARSA. This fear was also reflected in what the government said in the wake of the militants' attack last month. In the diplomatic briefing about the attacks, Myanmar's home affairs minister Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe said ARSA was trying to establish an "Islamic State" in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships. "They plan to take over the area as a Bengali-only land," said Police Brig-Gen Win Tun at the briefing, using the term for Rohingya Muslims that implies they are interlopers from Bangladesh. "This fear is very deeply felt and not understood in the West—and it comes from a real place rooted in Burma's history," Mitchell said to The Atlantic. That "real place" dates back to the aftermath of World War II, when the forebears of the Rohingya appealed to Pakistan, which at the time included what is now Bangladesh, to annex their territory. Pakistan did not do so. Subsequently, many of the Muslims took up arms and fought a separatist rebellion until the 1960s, though vestiges of the rebellion continued until the 1990s. "So when the [Arakanese] and others in Myanmar look at what's going on with the name Rohingya, the desire for recognition as an accepted ethnicity, now this militant activity in their name, and calls by some for international intervention, including a safe zone, they see that as a separatist agenda by other means," Mitchell was quoted as saying in the story. "And those caught in the middle are hundreds of thousands of innocent Rohingya," the former US ambassador to Myanmar said. The post Analysis: Rohingya Desire for Ethnicity Seen as Separatist Agenda: Former US Ambassador to Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Aid Groups Call for Access to Rakhine Conflict Zone Posted: 28 Sep 2017 01:44 AM PDT YANGON — International aid groups in Myanmar have urged the government to allow free access to Rakhine State, where an army offensive has sent 480,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh but hundreds of thousands remain cut off from food, shelter and medical care. The latest army campaign in the western state was launched in response to attacks by self-identifying Rohingya Muslim insurgents on security posts near the Bangladesh border on Aug. 25. The government has stopped international non-government groups (INGOs), as well as UN agencies, from working in the north of the state, citing insecurity. "INGOs in Myanmar are increasingly concerned about severe restrictions on humanitarian access and impediments to the delivery of critically needed humanitarian assistance throughout Rakhine State," aid groups said in a statement late on Wednesday. An unknown number of people are internally displaced, while hundreds of thousands lack food, shelter and medical services, said the groups, which include Care International, Oxfam and Save the Children. "We urge the government and authorities of Myanmar to ensure that all people in need in Rakhine Sate have full, free and unimpeded access to life-saving humanitarian assistance." The government has put the Myanmar Red Cross in charge of aid to the state, with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross. But the groups said they feared aid getting through would "not be sufficient to meet the enormous humanitarian needs". Relations between the government and aid agencies had been difficult for months, with some officials accusing groups of helping the insurgents. Aid groups dismissed the accusations, which they said had inflamed anger towards aid workers among Buddhists in the communally divided state. The groups said threats, allegations and misinformation had led to "genuine fears" among aid workers, and they called for an end to "misinformation and unfounded accusations" and for the government to ensure aid workers' safety. The United Nations has accused the army of ethnic cleansing to push Rohingya Muslims out of Myanmar, and rights groups have said the army has committed crimes against humanity and called for sanctions. The United States said the army response to the insurgent attacks was "disproportionate" and the crisis raised questions about Myanmar's transition to democracy after decades of military rule. The international community has called for unfettered humanitarian access to the area and for refugees to be allowed to return safely. Resettlement Plan Government leader Aung San Suu Kyi has faced scathing criticism and calls for her Nobel prize to be withdrawn. She denounced rights violations in an address last week and expressed concern about the suffering of everyone caught up in the conflict. She said the government was working to restore normalcy and any refugees verified as coming from Myanmar would be allowed to return. Myanmar is getting ready to "verify" refugees who want to return, the government minister charged with putting into effect recommendations to solve problems in Rakhine said. Myanmar would conduct a "national verification process" at two points on its border with Bangladesh under terms agreed during a previous repatriation effort in 1993, state media quoted Win Myat Aye, the minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement, as saying. "After the verification process, the refugees will be settled in Dargyizar village. These are our current plans," the minister said, referring to a self-identifying Rohingya village that was razed after Aug. 25, according to satellite imagery. It is unclear how many refugees would be willing to return. Previous government efforts to verify the status of Muslims in Rakhine were broadly rejected as under the process, Muslims would not be recognized as Rohingya, an ethnic identity they prefer but which Myanmar does not recognize. Most self-identifying Rohingya are stateless and regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The government would take control of fire-gutted land, Win Myat Aye said this week. Rights groups say about half of more than 400 self-identifying Rohingya villages were torched. Officials have announced plans for resettlement camps for those displaced by the conflict, while U.N. officials and diplomats are urging the government to let people rebuild homes. The post Aid Groups Call for Access to Rakhine Conflict Zone appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Mon State Govt to Protect Heritage Buildings in Mawlamyine Posted: 28 Sep 2017 01:37 AM PDT MAWLAMYINE, Mon State — In its efforts to conserve historic and colonial-era buildings in Mon State, the state government is working to form a conservation group by the end of this year modeled on the Yangon Heritage Trust, according to state lawmaker Daw Khaing Khaing Lei. At the request of Mon State chief minister Dr. Aye Zan, officials of Yangon Heritage Trust (YHT)—an advocacy group founded in 2012 for heritage protection in Yangon—inspected heritage buildings in state capital Mawlamyine on Tuesday, she said. "Our chief minister wants a group like YHT in Mon State to conserve heritage buildings in Mawlamyine. He has asked for technical assistance from YHT," said Daw Khaing Khaing Lei. The chief minister envisions a conservation group consisting of officials of concerned departments, experts and technicians, she added. On Tuesday, officials of YHT, accompanied by officials of state government and archaeologists observed a 19th Century Buddhist monastery financed by ethnic Mon shipping tycoon U Na Ouk, the 120-year-old Yadana Bon Myint Monastery built by King Mindon's consort Sein Tone, and the residence and tomb of the fourth daughter of King Thibaw, the last monarch of Myanmar. Other heritage sites include the first Baptist Church in Mawlamyine constructed in 1827 by Adoniram Judson, an American missionary who spent nearly 40 years in Myanmar in the early 19th Century, the forestry office of the Bombay Burma Co built in 1897, a cannon built in 1827 featuring the emblem of British King Edward, and a watchtower built in 1912. "There are a lot of Pyu, Myanmar and Mon artifacts here. Some of the colonial-era buildings are even older than those in Yangon. At U Na Ouk monastery, you can observe carvings, relief-work and sculptures in one place," said Daw Khaing Khaing Lei. At a meeting between Mon state ministers and YHT officials it was agreed the trust will submit recommendations to Mon State government by the end to this month, said its director Daw Moe Moe Lwin. "We'll decide where we should start from. As it is the local people who know their town best, they should also participate in the process. We'll submit a report to Mon State government about conservation plans," said Daw Moe Moe Lwin. Mawlamyine was the seat of power while Lower Myanmar was under colonial rule, and therefore has a lot of colonial-era heritage buildings. According to the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library, there are more than 100 heritage buildings in need of conservation in Mon State. The post Mon State Govt to Protect Heritage Buildings in Mawlamyine appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Bad Weather Postpones Diplomatic Trip to Maungdaw Posted: 28 Sep 2017 01:25 AM PDT YANGON – A government-sponsored day trip for international diplomats to Rakhine State's Maungdaw Township was postponed due to bad weather on Thursday. Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized for 48 diplomats—including the US and British ambassadors to Myanmar—and international and local journalists to learn about the recent discovery of Hindu corpses and visit five other locations in Maungdaw but the trip has now been postponed until Monday. Dozens of diplomats arrived at Yangon International Airport at about 5 a.m on Thursday and waited almost three hours in the VIP lounge. Deputy Director General of the International Organization and Economic Department U Min Thein asked foreign envoys whether they wanted to travel later on Thursday when the weather improves or postpone until another day. Most diplomats called for the visit to be rescheduled for Monday. US Ambassador to Myanmar Scot Marciel told The Irrawaddy the decision was reached by international diplomats due to the bad weather. U Min Thein said: "This is not our decision. We have explained the possible options to [the diplomats] and asked whether they want to wait until the weather is fine today or to postpone. They requested us to be scheduled next Monday." The trip is a significant step by the government after the State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gave a diplomatic briefing on Sept. 19 amid accusations of human rights violations against self-identifying Rohingya Muslims during Myanmar Army clearance operations in retaliation to deadly attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). According to the UN, more than 480,000 Muslims have fled to Bangladesh and are currently sheltering in refugee camps and host communities. The State Counselor, however, claimed that more than 50 percent of villages remained intact and invited the diplomatic community to learn more about the situation on the ground. Human Rights Watch, using satellite images, said said about 217 of more than 400 self-identifying Rohingya villages in the north of Rakhine State had been torched. "We can arrange for you to visit these areas, and to ask [remaining villagers] for yourself, why they have not fled, why they have chosen to remain in their villages, even at a time when everything around them seems to be in a state of turmoil," Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said in her address on Sept. 19. The Myanmar and Bangladesh authorities are discussing the repatriation of refugees in line with the 1993 agreement on Maungdaw Muslims who sought refuge in Bangladesh. According to Implementation Committee for the Recommendations on Rakhine State, the government has approved spending around 2 billion kyats for the repatriation process. The post Bad Weather Postpones Diplomatic Trip to Maungdaw appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Indian Troops in Firefight with Rebels Near Myanmar Border Posted: 27 Sep 2017 10:41 PM PDT NEW DELHI, India — Indian troops exchanged gunfire on Wednesday with separatist guerrillas in a remote northeastern region bordering Myanmar, killing or wounding several of the insurgents, army officials said. The army was carrying out an operation against the separatist group, which is believed to have 2,000 guerrillas battling for an independent Greater Nagaland state carved out of India. An army patrol retaliated swiftly upon coming under heavy fire from the rebels, the Indian Army's eastern command, headquartered in the city of Kolkata, said in a statement. "Heavy casualties reportedly inflicted on NSCN-K cadre," it said, using an acronym for the group, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang. "No casualties suffered by Indian security forces." Wednesday's operation was confined to the Indian side of the border, it added. In 2015, Indian special forces crossed into Myanmar to hunt down guerrillas of the group who had taken shelter in the neighboring country. That year the group launched a series of attacks on security forces in India's northeast, to scrap a ceasefire it had observed with New Delhi since 2001. In recent years, the militaries of India and Myanmar have built close ties, with each pledging not to allow insurgent groups to shelter in its territory. India has condemned attacks in August by Rohingya insurgents on security posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state that provoked a military crackdown, causing hundreds of thousands of Muslims to flee the country. The post Indian Troops in Firefight with Rebels Near Myanmar Border appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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