Thursday, October 12, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Wirathu to Visit Conflict-Torn Northern Rakhine

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 05:26 AM PDT

YANGON – Amid the ongoing self-identifying Rohingya crisis in northern Rakhine State, notorious inflammatory firebrand Buddhist monk Wirathu landed in state capital Sittwe on Wednesday and is scheduled to travel to conflict-riven Maungdaw Township.

Ethnic Arakanese Ko Phoe Thar who is assisting the relief efforts of Alodaw Pyae monastery and and assisting the visit of Wirathu told The Irrawaddy that the monk has already requested permission from local authorities to visit conflict-torn Maungdaw district and is waiting the government's response.

"We can't say exactly his schedule. Maybe he will contribute cash to displaced ethnic Arakanese people via Sittwe or maybe he will directly meet with villagers in Maungdaw. It's up to the decision of the authorities," said Ko Phoe Thar.

Sittwe residents posted on Facebook that Wirathu and local monks donated 1.8 million kyats to displaced people from Maungdaw who have sought refuge in some monasteries.

Tin Maung Swe, secretary of Rakhine State government office, said: "[Wirathu] went [to Maungdaw] previously and this time we will also allow. What else?"

The region has been locked down, with journalists and international aid agencies prohibited from entering the area, since militant attacks on Aug. 25.

The government has conducted a number of guided tours for diplomats, journalists, and UN officials while the UN and NGOs call for unfettered access to deliver life-saving aid to vulnerable communities.

A few Arakanese civil society groups publically criticized the visit of Wirathu, including coordinator of Kyaukphyu Rural Development Association (KRDA) U Tun Kyi, who pointed out that Mandalay Region, where Wirathu is based, has a number of problems with Chinese immigration and investment including the Letpadaung Copper Mine.

"Why did he deliberately pick up Rakhine to voice out nationalism, rather than Mandalay?" said U Tun Kyi.

He explained that Wirathu has visited Rakhine in the past, but did not improve the situation on the ground in Rakhine State.

U Tun Kyi said he was concerned that the current problem in Rakhine is one of nationality, but it could easily be changed into an issue of race and religion.

"Politics and religious should not be mixed. I don't like it indeed," said Tun Kyi.

Meanwhile, ethnic affairs expert U Maung Maung Soe urged the government to establish a coordination team which contains representatives of the Muslim community in Rakhine State in order to control administration works in border towns.

Self-identifying Rohingya Muslim Kyaw Hla Aung told The Irrawaddy over the phone on Thursday that the cabinet members of Rakhine State did not come to meet the Muslim community in Sittwe and they have no idea how to consult for the National League for Democracy (NLD) government regarding the Rohingya crisis in Maungdaw.

"We are not even allowed to leave the camp and know nothing about Maungdaw at this moment. So how can we make a suggestion to authorities?" said U Kyaw Hla Aung.

The interaction between the NLD-led Rakhine State government and the Muslim community is weak, he said.

"Even when they did show up here, we don't know the right person to share our ideas with. I assume they don't actually want to listen to our opinions", said U Kyaw Hla Aung.

U Kyaw Hla Aung remarked that Wirathu is travelling with his own plan to lend a hand for the Buddhist community while the Muslim community is contained in a camp.

According to UN estimations, more than half a million Muslims fled neighboring Bangladesh and are sheltering in makeshift camps. Both Myanmar and Bangladesh authorities have formed joint-committee for repatriation process but have not yet announced a precise timeframe for the implementation.

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ALP Member Jailed for Defaming Myanmar Army

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 05:17 AM PDT

SITTWE, Rakhine State — A Rakhine court sentenced a member of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) to 18 months in prison on Thursday for allegedly defaming the Myanmar Army.

"My imprisonment is the imprisonment of the NCA [nationwide ceasefire agreement]," said Ko Khaing Myo Tun, deputy information officer of the ALP, who was found guilty of two defamation charges under the Article 505(b) and (c) of the Penal Code at Sittwe Township Court.

This broadly defined charge punishes those who spread or make statements that can "alarm the public" or "whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state." The charge was widely used to crush dissent under the former military regime.

"Because the whole country is moving forward to 21st Century Panglong with the NCA. The jailing of a representative like me who is moving forward with the NCA and 21st Century Panglong is like jailing the NCA," added Ko Khaing Myo Tun.

He was prosecuted by the military after the ALP's information department issued a statement on April 24, 2016 covering the clashes between the Arakan Army (AA) and the military on April 16 in Rakhine State.

The statement accused the military of torturing Rakhine locals and forcing them in to labor.  Tatmadaw troops also killed and ate poultry raised by locals, according to the statement.

General Staff Officer (Grade-1) Lt-Col Tint Naing Tun of Sittwe Regional Operations Command then filed a lawsuit with Sittwe Township Court against Ko Khaing Myo Tun, saying the statement was misleading and damaging to the military's reputation. He also said the statement was liable of spreading misinformation to cause public panic.

There were more than 40 court hearings for the case. Ko Khaing Myo Tun spent 14 months in detention facing trial. As the detention period is deducted from his jail term, he will be released in four months.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Funding Cuts Threaten Mae Tao Clinic

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 04:28 AM PDT

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) launched a fundraising campaign to help continue its services to some 250,000 people along the Thailand-Myanmar border who are at risk of losing access to essential healthcare and education because of funding cuts to organizations in the area.

The clinic has been providing free healthcare to the displaced and vulnerable people of Myanmar, including refugees and migrants along the border, for the last three decades since its inception in 1989.

Dr. Cynthia Maung, an ethnic Karen woman and the founder of the clinic, said, "Until there is an established health system in Burma, we need to protect and care for our communities, especially women and children. Even today, half of our patients come to Thailand for accessing health and protection services. They rely on us to help them. We cannot let them down."

A drop in funding available in the area came after political changes over the past five years in Myanmar.

"Our services programs are not yet completely shut down, but we have been reducing our costs and referring the emergency operations cases as much as we can," said Naw Annie Po Moo, the deputy director for the community operations of MTC.

Due to funding needs, she said, MTC's almost 500 staff salaries would be reduced by 20 percent starting October.

International governments and foundations as well as individual donors have supported the clinic. According to its 2016 annual report, the clinic received support from almost four dozen aid organisations and foundations, including The Global Fund (to fight aids, tuberculosis and malaria), USAID, UKaid, International Rescue Committee and Open Society Foundations.

The fundraising campaign aims to raise funds for its 2018 operational costs, to help continue running their programs: primary healthcare, education to children and child protection and training the medics to help the communities, including those internally displaced people.

"The targeted fund is not for all running costs, but it would help to keep some of our services," said Naw Annie Po Moo.

The MTC provide treatment to an average of 420 patients per day and annually they treat more than 110,000 outpatients—a tenth of them inpatients—and deliver more than 2,500 babies.

In addition, MTC provides social support and protection to more than 2,400 children living in its boarding houses. The clinic is raising funds to secure an initial US$300,000 for some of its operational costs.

Visit MTC's website or contact the clinic via its email info@maetaoclinic.org to contribute.

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UN Political Affairs Chief to Visit Myanmar

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 02:04 AM PDT

The UN's Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman will make an urgent five-day visit to Myanmar on Friday to address the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine State, the UN announced on Wednesday.

"Following the Secretary-General's repeated calls for an end to the military operations and violence in northern Rakhine state; unfettered access for humanitarian support; and the safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return of refugees to their areas of origin, Mr. Feltman will be undertaking consultations with a view to addressing these urgent issues in close cooperation with Myanmar," said the announcement.

A UN spokesperson told The Irrawaddy that details of his visit and meetings were yet to be announced but it is understood discussions will focus on the cooperation of the Myanmar government.

His visit coincides with the recall of UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Renata Lok-Dessallien to the UN in New York. It was announced on Wednesday that she would end her duties in Myanmar by the end of October.

"The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator will use her remaining time until the end of the month to further the UN system's efforts to promote peace and security, human rights, as well as humanitarian and development assistance for all people in Myanmar," said the announcement.

The news of Lok-Dessallien's possible removal from her role first surfaced in June.

According to a BBC news report, she was being criticized internally and being accused of the suppressing internal discussion on the self-identifying Rohingya issue.

However, the spokesperson of the UN office in Myanmar refused to give comment on her recall.

The Canadian citizen began the job in January 2014 and was the first woman to take up the role. She previously worked as resident and humanitarian coordinator in Bhutan, Bangladesh, and China.

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Myanmar Army Chief Denies Military Abuses in Rakhine

Posted: 12 Oct 2017 01:48 AM PDT

YANGON — The Myanmar Army chief rejected accusations of abuses by his troops during operations in northern Rakhine State in a meeting with the US ambassador on Wednesday, saying "no action goes beyond the legal framework."

Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing told US ambassador Scot Marciel in Yangon "unlawful acts are not allowed" in response to the ambassador raising concerns over the exodus of more than 500,000 people to Bangladesh and reports of excessive use of force and genocide by the security forces in Rakhine, according to a briefing posted on the army chief's Facebook page.

Most of those who have fled since militants attacked police outposts on Aug. 25 are self-identifying Rohingya Muslims. Reports they have brought of killings, rape, and arson by security forces have stoked claims of ethnic cleansing in the international community.

"The task of shouldering the duty shall be within the framework of rules, laws and other directives issued by the state. No action goes beyond the legal framework," said the Myanmar Army commander-in-chief.

Despite the army's denial of crimes, the UN human rights office said on Wednesday that Myanmar security forces began its "clearance operations" before the Aug. 25 militant attacks, brutally driving out self-identifying Rohingya Muslims from the region, torching their homes, crops and villages to prevent them from returning, according to Reuters.

In a report based on 65 interviews with refugees who have arrived in Bangladesh in the past month, the UN human rights office said that the destruction by security forces, often joined by mobs of armed Arakanese Buddhists, of houses, fields, food stocks, crops, and livestock made the possibility of the self-identifying Rohingya returning to normal lives in northern Rakhine "almost impossible."

"Credible information indicates that the Myanmar security forces purposely destroyed the property of the Rohingyas, scorched their dwellings and entire villages in northern Rakhine State, not only to drive the population out in droves but also to prevent the fleeing Rohingya victims from returning to their homes," the report said.

During the Wednesday meeting, the ambassador said the US wants to make a constructive approach in order to reduce (international) pressure on Myanmar, according to the account of the meeting posted on Thursday.

"Local Bengalis were involved in the attacks under the leadership of ARSA [Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army]," said Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, using a term for the self-identifying Rohingya to imply they are interlopers from Bangladesh. "That is why they might have fled as they feel insecure."

"The native place of Bengalis is really Bengal. Therefore, they might have fled to the other country with the same language, race and culture as theirs by assuming that they would be safer there," the army chief said.

On Tuesday, nearly 2,000 self-identifying Rohingya from Buthidaung Township, an area relatively peaceful, gathered at the shores of the Bay of Bengal at A Lel Than Kyaw and Gawdu Thara villages to board ferries for Bangladesh despite the authorities' requests for them to return home and assurances for the provision of food and their safety.

The Muslims wanted to leave because of food shortages and the fact they could no longer make a living in the area, according to one of the crowd, Mahmoud Shobi. They were afraid to leave their villages in case of attacks by security forces and Arakanese, he said.

"We have been here for eight days. Some have already gone [to Bangladesh]. We can't farm and fish in our area. That's why we left," he told The Irrawaddy.

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Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement is a Forlorn Hope

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 10:41 PM PDT

The government plans to hold a ceremony to mark the two-year anniversary of landmark peace accord the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) in Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw on Sunday.

Three leaders—State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Army Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, and leader of the Karen National Union (KNU) Gen. Saw Mutu Sae Poe—will deliver the opening speeches.

For Khun Okka of the Pa-O National Liberation Organisation (PNLO), the anniversary celebration is an attempt to awaken a stalling and faltering peace process. The NCA has brought no quantifiable results, some like Khun Okka argue, only a complex stalemate. Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) member Sai Kyaw Nyunt has complained that the NCA has become even more complex and convoluted in the two years since groups first signed.

Only eight out of Myanmar's 21 ethnic armed groups signed the accord at its inception. We must ask the question: Why has the NCA failed to include all ethnic armed groups and why are they refusing to sign it?

The success of the NCA can be seen to hinge on four groups: The Myanmar Army, the civilian government, NCA-signatory ethnic armed groups, and non NCA-signatory armed groups.

The Myanmar Army (The Tatmadaw)

The Tatmadaw is the major linchpin in the peace process. Peace or conflict depends on how it reacts to the demands of ethnic groups.

The 2008 Constitution is heavily loaded in favor of the Tatmadaw by granting its members 25 percent of seats in the Union and state parliaments and leaving the military in charge of three key ministries.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself admitted she cannot control the Tatmadaw under the military-drafted 2008 Constitution when she met the New Mon State Party (NMSP) in early September.

The National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) is the country's most powerful body and is comprised of eleven members: From the military, the commander-in-chief, the deputy commander-in-chief, one vice-president, the defense minister, the home minister, the border affairs minister and from the civilian government, the president, the second vice president, the speakers of both houses of the Union parliament, and the foreign minister (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi).

With six members from the military against five from the civilian government, voting power remains with the Tatmadaw.

The Tatmadaw's blatant power hangs over Myanmar's peace process and unless it is willing to cease conflicts and expedite negotiations, the NCA will go nowhere and bring no benefits.

An example is the case of three armed groups—the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Arakan Army (AA), and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA)—who are excluded from the peace process by the Tatmadaw.

The Civilian Government

The government acts as negotiator between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups. Under the tenure of U Thein Sein's government, numerous negotiations took place but no quantifiable results were seen, except perhaps the, now stalling, NCA.

The process has now been taken over by the new government led by Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who has convened two conferences dubbed the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference. Despite the State Counselor's stated conviction to inclusiveness, a number of ethnic armed groups have been excluded from participating in the conferences.

The first session of her 21st Century Panglong peace conference ended with the United Wa State Army walking out on the second day of talks, claiming they had not been given permission to address the conference.

The second session of the conference ended without agreement on the contentious issue of non-secession from the Union, which participants claimed was contrary to the spirit of the 1947 Panglong Agreement and the promises made by Gen. Aung San.

The conference reached agreements on 37 points, 12 of which concerned politics.

The government declared these agreements a historic breakthrough, but there is still no clear timeline to fulfill agreements made at the conference.

NCA Signatories

The culmination of negotiations under former president U Thein Sein saw eight ethnic armed groups signing the NCA on 15 Oct, 2015.

The eight ethnic armed groups that signed the NCA are: the KNU, the PNLO, the Chin National Front (CNF), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (Peace Council) (KNU/KNLA PC), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA).

After signing the NCA, these groups were allowed to fully participate in both the first and second sessions of the Panglong conferences. They have attempted to expedite the peace process by active participation in the conferences and other dialogues with the government.

NCA Non-Signatories

Most ethnic armed organizations—including powerful outfits the UWSA and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)—refused to sign the NCA. According to Maj-Gen Gun Maw of the KIO, the reasons were threefold:

Firstly, the Tatmadaw set a precondition for three smaller ethnic armed organizations—the TNLA, the AA, and the MNDAA—to disarm before entering the talks. The KIO is alligned particularly with the TNLA and two of KIO's brigades—four and six—are stationed next to TNLA and MNDAA troops. The groups share territory and conduct joint operations against the Myanmar Army.

Secondly, the UNFC presented a nine-point proposal to the government while meeting at the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre in Yangon on March 3, 2017 which would need to be fulfilled before signing the NCA. The government and the bloc have so far agreed on half of the bloc's nine-point proposal, but the Tatmadaw has not agreed on UNFC concerns regarding ceasefire monitoring, a military code of conduct, demarcation, and troop relocation.

Thirdly, some EAOs, including the KIO, have said they expect a certain level of agreement with the government. They proposed a joint committee of the government, political parties, ethnic armed groups, and the military to oversee the peace process framework. The government and military rejected this request.

In an Aug. 24 statement, the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) emphasized adherence to its policy that any political negotiations with the government and the Tatmadaw must involve the FPNCC as a bloc, rather than separate talks with the seven groups. The government Peace Commission is planning to meet the UWSA and NDAA, without the rest of the bloc, soon.

The third session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference will be held soon, but it is still not clear who will be included.

Hopefully, the anniversary will remind all groups to evaluate the stalled NCA process and move forward. The country needs to stabilize conflicts and expedite the peace process as the image of the country is stained by the Rakhine State crisis.

Thus, these four major actors—the Tatmadaw, the Government, NCA signatories and Non-NCA signatories—must put concerted efforts to accelerate the momentum of the peace process. Absent of such efforts, the success of the NCA seems a forlorn hope and gaining peace in Myanmar will be elusive.

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

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Thailand Prepares to bid Farewell to ‘the People’s King’

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 10:31 PM PDT

BANGKOK — Thailand is putting the finishing touches this month to a lavish five-day funeral ceremony in a final goodbye to its late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who helped shape the Southeast Asian nation for decades after World War Two.

Many of the hundreds of thousands of black-clad mourners are expected to camp for days near Bangkok's Grand Palace to capture a good view of the ceremonies, which will be guarded by 78,000 police officers and culminate in the cremation on Oct. 26.

"October is a sad period," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who announced plans for a national election next year, told reporters in the capital on Tuesday. "I ask that politicians and political parties be peaceful and orderly."

Artisans have worked for ten months in Bangkok's ancient quarter to build an elaborate cremation site fashioned after a vision of heaven, where Thais believe dead royals return to live above Mount Meru, a golden mountain in Hindu mythology.

The funeral of King Bhumibol, who died on Oct. 13 last year after seven decades on the throne, is also a time of uncertainty for some Thais, said a Thailand-based analyst, who declined to be identified because of sensitivities around the monarchy.

"In many ways the king was Thailand and his death has left a huge vacuum in the Thai psyche," said the analyst, pointing to social and political upheavals in recent decades.

"What happens after his funeral? Where will Thailand head next? These are profound questions that must be answered."

Ancient Traditions

The late king was succeeded by his son, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, or Rama X, who has overseen sweeping changes to the royal household, including the running of palace finances.

Though steeped in ancient traditions, the funeral of King Bhumibol will permit more public participation than those of previous kings, said Thai monarchy expert Tongthong Chandransu.

"A strong bond has been formed between the people and the monarchy—the strongest compared to past reigns," Tongthong told Reuters. "So we can see more people participation in the royal funeral of this king."

Among the many royal objects restored for the funeral is a golden chariot that will carry the king's body in a giant ornate urn to the cremation site.

The urn will move to the Royal Crematorium before the cremation on the night of Oct. 26, which has been declared a national holiday.

More than 3,000 performers will join in a nightlong final tribute of music and puppet shows to end a year of mourning.

Thais devoted to the memory of the king have folded paper flowers for his cremation, making 10 million in Bangkok alone, city authorities said.

"This is our 'Mandela,' or our 'Princess Diana,' moment," said graphic designer and self-proclaimed royalist Apichai Klapiput.

"What the world will see is rivers of tears that show how much Thais love King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He was the people's king."

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Myanmar Rallies to State Counselor’s Defense Amid Award Stripping

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 07:31 PM PDT

YANGON —Myanmar's State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi does not find it surprising to be stripped of awards honoring her struggle to achieve democracy in the country over the past decades.

She told the Nikkei Asian Review in a recent interview: "Actually, nothing is surprising, because opinions change and world opinions change like any other opinion," considering reactions from western countries on her stance amid the Rakhine crisis.

But the majority of those in Myanmar who supported and believed in her—including members of parliament—see the wave of condemnation as humiliating to the leader they elected.

The 72-year-old Myanmar's de-facto leader who is barred from running for president under the military-drafted Constitution, is now under strong international censure for failing to criticize the military's actions against the self-identifying Rohingya and address accusations of ethnic cleansing in the conflict-marred state.

Amid mounting criticism on the issue, Britain has seemed to be the most active among many other countries. One of Britain's largest trade unions Unison has suspended an award given to her when she was placed under house arrest, while the London School of Economics' students union said it would be stripping her of her honorary presidency.

St Hugh's College of Oxford University, where she studied politics, philosophy and economics between 1964 and 1967, removed the painting of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as the college received the gift of a new painting. The portrait had been there since 1999.

Daw Zin Mar Aung with the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi portrait at Oxford University. (Photo: Zin Mar Aung/ Facebook)

Oxford City Council voted unanimously last week to strip her of the Freedom of the City award, as it was "no longer appropriate" for her to hold it.

A number of other British institutions also say they are reviewing whether to revoke honors bestowed upon her.

British Ambassador to Myanmar Andrew Patrick told The Irrawaddy via email, "The UK government is not involved in decisions taken by independent institutions, such as Oxford University and its colleges."

"She is our country's leader and people will feel bad about those acts. As a citizen, I feel bad too. But we need not to focus on that much and instead on what we can do for our democratic transition," Lower House lawmaker Daw Zin Mar Aung said.

She said the international community need to be mindful when making decisions on Myanmar based on wrong and incomplete information because it is not helpful for the country's fragile democratic transition.

"They need to know Myanmar is still in the young democratic transition which they have praised. But what the international governments and experts are forgetting is that they are pressuring Myanmar as if it is an established democratic country."

Yangon regional lawmaker Nay Phone Latt also agreed.

"Politically, it is really a difficult situation. The civilian government itself doesn't have full executive power under the current Constitution. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is also severely restricted under the circumstances. For us, we can understand her. But some international organizations seemingly don't really understand the conditions," he said.

"If they decide without getting enough information, it is unfair. If that is the case, the college's image would be harmed [in the future]," he added, referring to the removal of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's portrait at St Hugh's College of Oxford University.

Many Myanmar citizens changed their Facebook profiles to a picture of the removed portrait and photos of the State Counselor to show their support, writing "the pictures of the State Counselor in their heart couldn't be taken down'."

In response to international pressure, thousands have gathered in Myanmar's major cities to proclaim, "We stand with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi" in recent weeks.

People gather in downtown Yangon on Sept. 19 to show their solidarity with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as she makes a diplomatic address on Rakhine State. / Thet Htun Naing / The Irrawaddy

 Artist MPP Ye Myint who showcased paintings of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Yangon and Mandalay, saw the acts of stripping the leader of her awards as "childish."

"I admired her since 1988 when she gave her public speech for the first time near Shwedagon Pagoda. The admiration never changed and kept growing," he said.

Hkun Okker, leading patron of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization, said some countries are stripping her of awards to protect their own interests, worrying about their own business activities with Muslim nations.

"It is their decision. Because they took back awards, it doesn't mean the State Counselor is wrong," he said.

Christian leader Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, who is Myanmar's first ever cardinal and archbishop of Yangon, said at a mass interfaith event in Yangon on Tuesday the country trusts in the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who has made many sacrifices for the country and democracy.

"It is not that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has begged for the Nobel Prize, but it is only international organizations that followed around Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and gave her awards. They can take all their awards back. And we'd rather like to return those awards with an extra refund," the cardinal said.

"But, there is something that they can't take away—the love of citizens toward Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. No one can grab their reliance on her. She has the hopes of millions of people in her hands…There is a need for the international community to understand and help this government. Condemning and blaming is meaningless."

Ethnic Karen Naw Susana Hla Hla Soe, a prominent women's rights activist who is now an Upper House lawmaker, echoed similar sentiments, saying no one asked for the prizes, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself.

"They gave their own and have now taken them back. It is too sloppy. But Aunty Suu won't respond to those. She will only be serious for the country," she said.

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Wednesday, October 11, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

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US State Dept Senior Officials meet Rohingya lobbyists and INGOs

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 05:10 AM PDT

YANGON — US Department of State officials, representatives of Rohingya organizations, and US-based international groups have discussed the need for an indiscriminate UN-administered safe zone in northern Rakhine State as well as the cessation of violence and solutions to the region's humanitarian crisis.

One of the meeting's attendees, Wakar Uddin, posted two pictures and a summary of the meeting on Facebook. Wakar Uddin is chairman and director general of the Arakan Rohingya Union (ARU), an umbrella organization representing dozens of self-identifying Rohingya groups.

International Campaign for the Rohingya (ICR), also one of the participants, posted on Facebook its representatives had met with US officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia W. Patrick Murphy, and discussed "sanctioning Burmese army leaders and business interests."

ICR stated that Murphy, who visited northern Rakhine in late September, was working with other agencies to address the Rakhine crisis and that he said in terms of sanctions "everything is under consideration."

According to Wakar Uddin's post, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Scott Busby, also attended the one and a half hour meeting at the state department in Washington, along with Simon Billenness of International Campaign for the Rohingya, John Knaus of National Endowment for Democracy, Khedidja Ouheb of Zakat Foundation, Kathryn Striffolino of Save the Children, and Ronnate Asirwatham of American Jewish World Service.

Based on Wakar Uddin's list of attendees, there was no representation from organizations in other parts of Myanmar society.

The meeting covered a range of issues, including the repatriation process of more than 500,000 Muslims and a smaller number of Hindus who fled an army crackdown in northern Rakhine State after militant group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacked 30 police outposts on Aug. 25.

Ways in which the US government is encouraging its Myanmar counterpart to stop the violence from security forces and locals in Rakhine against Muslims were shared during the meeting, wrote Wakar Uddin. The implementation of former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan's recommendations in Rakhine and public security issues were also discussed.

Wakar Uddin previously met with Murphy and other US officials following militant attacks on police outposts in the region on Oct. 25.

Born in Rakhine's troubled Maungdaw Township, Wakar Uddin graduated from Ye Zin Agricultural University (YAU) based in what became Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw and left Myanmar for the United States in 1970, where he earned a PhD and currently works as a professor at Pennsylvania State University.

Wakar Uddin is also chairman and founder of the Burmese Rohingya Association of North America (BRANA). His other organization, the ARU, was established after a conference for the self-identifying Rohingya at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) headquarters in Saudi Arabia in May, 2011 in order to achieve rights for the community in Rakhine. Communal riots between Arakanese Buddhists and self-identifying Rohingya Muslims rocked the state the following year.

ARU's mission statement notes it was "formed on the agreed principles of an indivisible Arakan State within the territorial integrity of the Union of Myanmar, through seeking peaceful co-existence, democracy and human rights, and federalism."

ARU seeks a political solution to the issues faced by the "Rohingya ethnic minority," according to its statement, using a term for the community strongly opposed by most in Myanmar. It does this, the statement reads, in order to reclaim citizenships and restore political, social, economic, cultural, educational and human rights.

Wakar Uddin has been close to international organizations over the past years, as well as high-profile western bureaucrats and diplomats. He has posted photos online posing with former Secretary of State John Kerry, former US ambassador Derek Mitchell, W. Patrick Murphy, the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) leaders, UN human rights special rapporteur Yanghee Lee, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the State Department of Norway. He has posted descriptions of his activities on Twitter and Facebook, and also attended the UN General Assembly held earlier this year.

Whenever Wakar Uddin speaks to the media, he never hesitates to use controversial words such as "genocide" and "ethnic cleansing" to describe the actions of the Myanmar Army in Rakhine. He uses the terms "ethnic minority Rohingya" and even sometimes "indigenous people" in an attempt to shape the Rohingya as an ethnic minority of Myanmar on the international stage.

He urged the UN, OIC and other super-power countries to intervene when it came to the self-identifying Rohingya crisis.

During an interview with Al Jazeera on Sep 10, two weeks after militant attacks in northern Rakhine, Wakar Uddin said the Muslim world should come forward, with strength, to speak out about the self-identifying Rohingya crisis and urged the establishment of a strong coalition from the international community, including western countries.

"The Security Council should be a force to consider demilitarization in northern Rakhine State and send a UN peacekeeping force like Lebanon, like Africa. And OIC countries just like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and they should ask China and Russia not to block [the vote to intervene in Myanmar at UN security council]."

Wakar Uddin was unavailable for comment at the time of this report.

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Rakhine State Conflict Exasperates Faltering Peace Process

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 05:04 AM PDT

Myanmar has been attempting to bring about peace in the country for almost six years now, with the Union government convincing only eight of Myanmar's 21 ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) to sign its landmark nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA).

On Sunday, the government and NCA signatories will celebrate the two-year anniversary of the signing of the accord in the country's capital Naypyitaw.

The government's peace commissioners have said they are attempting to achieve peace with all EAOs including members of alliances—namely the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) and the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC). The government, however, does not recognize the latter as a bloc and would rather meet each of the seven FPNCC groups separately.

Earlier this year, the State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she "hopes 2017 can be designated as a year of peace," as her party the National League for Democracy (NLD) has marked national reconciliation and peace as a priority.

Not long after she uttered the words, peace observers and advocates said her imaginations of peace were sure to fail—they described the peace process as languid, with both formal and informal negotiations stalling.

Two possible reasons for stalling progress: The Myanmar Army's reluctance to hold national-level political dialogues—a key step in NCA signing—in either Shan or Rakhine states due to unsuitable venues and lack of security respectively. And the military's reluctance to accept three EAOs—the Arakan Army (AA), Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance (MNDAA) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).

In addition to these hurdles, conflict in Rakhine State that began in August added delays to already faltering peace talks between the government and EAOs.

Violence flared when recently-established Muslim militant group the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacked 30 police and military outposts in northern Rakhine State—killing 12 members of the security forces.

Ensuing military clearance operations have brought waves of international criticism over the treatment of Muslim minority the self-identifying Rohingya—of whom more than 500,000 have fled to Bangladesh bringing with them reports of rape, torture, extra-judicial killing and destruction of property by government forces.

Self-identifying Rohingya continue to leave at a rate of thousands a day despite some Muslim communities remaining intact.

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi—who also leads the country's peace process—has had to focus on the Rakhine State situation, including the implementation of recommendations by the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

In line with one of the recommendations, the government has said it will register repatriated Muslim refugees from Bangladesh through the national citizenship verification process.

As this situation unfolds, ARSA appears to have positioned itself alongside Myanmar's other EAOs.

Some ethnic armed group leaders have denounced ARSA's violence while the humanitarian catastrophe of the self-identifying Rohingya has grabbed the world's attention.

ARSA announced a unilateral ceasefire for one month to allow humanitarian assistance, which ended on Monday. The group offered peace talks with the government on Sunday, which were rejected on the grounds that they did not negotiate with terrorists.

In a statement dated Oct. 7, ARSA said: "If at any stage, the Burmese Government is inclined to peace, then ARSA will welcome that inclination and reciprocate." Defense Minister Lt-Gen Sein Win reiterated the government's stance of non-negotiation in comments to The Irrawaddy.

Harn Yawnghwe, who has been involved in Myanmar's peace process since its inception and is director of the Euro-Burma Office, told The Irrawaddy this week that even if the government does not want to it should hold talks with ARSA.

"For me, I think through armed conflict it is hard to find solutions, while negotiations can help reduce tensions," he said.

As Myanmar's peace talks with EAOs stall, it is interesting to see which groups see ARSA as a potential partner in negotiating peace with the Union government.

Shan, Karen, Pa'O, Mon, and Arakanese ethnic leaders The Irrawaddy spoke to rejected ARSA as an ethnic armed group—claiming leaders were raised in Pakistan and that the group's intentions deviate from other EAO's fight for ethnic equality, autonomy, self-determination, and federalism.

Some leaders The Irrawaddy spoke to agreed with the government’s argument that the self-identifying Rohingya are not indigenous to Myanmar and therefore have no basis for claiming territory.

Self-identifying Rohingya should be given citizenship in line with the government's national verification process, all ethnic leaders The Irrawaddy spoke to agreed.

Many ethnic leaders, however, refused to comment officially on the issue—with the excuse of not knowing the full details of Rakhine State affairs.

KNU vice chairman Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win said the EAO had been sharing views on Rakhine affairs within their peace process steering team (PPST) but said "as the Rakhine state affair is a sensitive issue, we are very careful [not to publicize our stance]."

But ethnic leaders both on and off the record reasoned that as "Rohingya" are not listed as an ethnicity of Myanmar and they did not know ARSA leaders, it would be hard for them to accept the armed group's call.

Chairman of NCA-signatory the Arakan Liberation Party U Khine Soe Naing Aung said there had been many groups in history attempting to represent Rohingya, but they were rejected as the group is not a nationality of Myanmar.

He said Rakhine State affairs affect the whole of Myanmar and he believes the NLD government should work to provide citizenship, neutralized citizenship or associate citizenship to Muslims in Rakhine State.

Chairman of Pa'O Nationalities Liberation Organization Khun Myint Tun echoed the view that Rakhine State affairs must be viewed as a Union affair in which all are concerned in finding a solution.

He said the problems in Rakhine State were rooted long before independent Myanmar: "So we have to accept that there are inhabitants who have been living in the area since the [British] colonial times and who have migrated from neighboring Bangladesh over time. We need to see [the situation] fairly and work out for better solutions."

Also many [EAOs] wouldn't publicize their views on either support or denouncing the ARSA "to avoid the international pressure," Khine Soe Naing Aung said.

It's not surprising that ethnic armed leaders refused to agree with the government or military's line on Rakhine State publicly—virtually all ethnic armed groups have suffered from the Tatmadaw's oppression in one way or another over the past six or seven decades.

The post Rakhine State Conflict Exasperates Faltering Peace Process appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thousands Gather for Interfaith Rallies

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 03:29 AM PDT

YANGON — Religious leaders of Myanmar called for unity and peace as they gathered at the country's first mass interfaith rally at Aung San Stadium in Yangon on Tuesday.

It was the first major push for improved relations between followers of different faiths since an eruption of deadly violence in August inflamed communal tensions, especially between Buddhists and Muslims, and triggered an exodus of some 520,000 Muslims to Bangladesh.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) organized the gathering, which was attended by Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, and Christian leaders, along with thousands of supporters from all religions.

As the crowd lit candles and prayed for peace—particularly in Rakhine State—Dr. Bhaddanta Iddhibala, chairman of the Yangon Region Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, appealed for people to stop blaming others for conflict and help restore peace.

"If each of us only see the mistakes of others, there will be no peace among us. We need to have inner peace in each of us first and avoid the actions which could affect the peace, while praying for the peace," he said.

Religious leaders called for peace in Myanmar at the event. (Photo: Thet Tun Naing)

Muslim leader Alahaj Mofti Mohamad said the harmony in which Muslims have lived for centuries in Myanmar is being threatened by hate.

"We, the Muslims, strongly hope for the immediate end of the current conflicts and the haters. We strongly desire to live in harmony as our ancestors lived in past centuries. We want back the situation where we shared the happiness together with humanity, without haters and doubts of each other, without discrimination," he told the crowd.

"We would like to urge every citizen to work for the peace, unity and living in harmony," he added.

The patron of Quan Yin Buddhist monastery and a Hindu leader also called for followers of all religions to cooperate for the peace and stability of the country.

While urging people to practice the way of peace, Cardinal Charles Bo, the current Archbishop of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon, also urged the international community to understand the situation of the country.

"We went to tell the world that Myanmar is living under the teaching of Lord Buddha. We have sympathy to every human being. The world has to understand [Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's] government and has to help her. It is impossible to solve every problem in just 18 months," said Cardinal Charles Bo.

The Cardinal said the country under the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has its own strategy to solve the problems. He criticized the international community for stripping awards from the State Counselor.

"She is not working for her country to win the awards. The Nobel peace prize came to her, she did not chase it. The awards can be stripped from her. For me, I would like to give back the awards with the compensation," said the cardinal.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) organized the gathering. (Photo: Thet Tun Naing)

"Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the one who led this country to the democratic path and struggled for many years. We want to let the world know that we have our own strategy to solve our own problems. We believe in the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is our hope," he added.

Yangon chief minister U Phyo Min Thein, who lit the peace candle to open the ceremony, said the event showed the world the country is living in harmony and praying.

"This event shows Myanmar is a country with the people of different faith, living in harmony and sharing the sympathy for those who are in difficultly," said the chief minister.

"We hope the world will understand the situation of our country," he added.

Interfaith ceremonies were also held in other cities such as Mandalay, Monywa, Mawlamyine and Loikaw at the same time as the Yangon event.

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NCA Non-Signatories to Attend Ceasefire Anniversary Ceremony

Posted: 11 Oct 2017 12:05 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The Myanmar government opened the door for non-signatories of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) to attend an event to mark the two-year anniversary of the signing of the accord by some of Myanmar's ethnic armed groups.

The government accepted on Tuesday a proposal by the eight NCA signatories to allow the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC)—a group of seven ethnic armed groups based in northern Myanmar led by the United Wa State Army (UWSA)—and another ethnic bloc the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) to join the event.

This followed an urgent meeting of the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) representing the eight NCA signatories—including the Karen National Union (KNU), the Chin National Front (CNF) and the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP)—on the peace process and the NCA anniversary in Thailand's Chiang Mai on Monday and Tuesday.

After separate meeting with government representatives in Naypyitaw on Tuesday, PPST spokesperson Khun Myint Tun told reporters: "Our delegation led by patron Col Khun Okkar and the government delegation concluded discussions in Naypyitaw this morning. At the meeting we proposed inviting the Northern Alliance [FPNCC] and the UNFC [to the anniversary]. And the government accepted our proposal."

Eight ethnic armed groups and the U Thein Sein government signed the NCA on Oct. 15, 2015. The government has planned a national-level event in the administrative capital to mark the anniversary.

According to NCA-signatory sources, delegates of NCA non-signatories are likely to hold separate peace talks with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar Army Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, if they attend the NCA anniversary event.

Eight NCA signatories will each send an 11-member delegation to the event and KNU chairman Gen Mutu Sae Poe is set to address the ceremony and reaffirm the KNU's dedication to the government's NCA path to internal peace.

The eight ethnic armed groups that signed the NCA are: the KNU, the CNF, the APL, the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (Peace Council) (KNU/KNLA PC), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), and the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO).

The FPNCC comprises of UWSA, Kachin Independence Army (KIA), National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and Arakan Army (AA).

The Myanmar Army has repeatedly said it would not hold peace talks with the MNDAA, TNLA and AA because they came to existence only after emergence of a democratic government, in contrast to other long-established ethnic armed groups.

The UNFC is comprised of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) and Arakan National Council (ANC).

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Thai Junta Sets Firm Date for Election After Many False Starts

Posted: 10 Oct 2017 11:00 PM PDT

BANGKOK, Thailand — Thailand will hold a general election in November 2018, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday, the most precise date he has given yet for the vote since taking power in a 2014 military coup.

Prayuth, head of the ruling junta, said the exact date would be announced in June 2018. The junta has announced election dates at least two times in the past, only to push them back later, citing concerns such as changes to the constitution and security issues.

"Around June we will announce the date for the next election," Prayuth told reporters at Bangkok's Government House.

"In November we will have an election."

Former army chief Prayuth, who led the May 2014 coup widely criticized by Western nations, said it was necessary to end a decade of political turbulence and root out corruption.

In April, King Maha Vajiralongkorn signed into law a military-backed constitution that kickstarts the process for an election the junta has promised will restore democracy.

The new charter provides for a proportional voting system likely to reduce the influence of major political parties, which critics say aims to strengthen the role of the military.

Analysts expect political activities to resume slowly after the funeral of King Bhumibol Adulyadej this month ends a year of mourning for a monarch many Thais saw as a father figure.

"Prayuth wants to delay the election but he knows that after the king's cremation, there will be pressure for an election," said Kan Yuenyong of the Siam Intelligence Unit think tank.

"This announcement for the election in November next year will act to reduce that pressure, because if not, there could be chances for protests," he told Reuters.

Thailand's main stock index rose 0.7 percent after the news, having opened Tuesday down 0.3 percent.

Good For Country

The government has faced increasing pressure to lift a ban on political activities levied soon after the coup.

Prayuth will consider lifting the ban "at an appropriate time", he told reporters, without giving details.

The junta had initially promised an election in 2015, after seizing power from the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin's governments, or those backed by him, have won every election since 2001, partly because of their overwhelming popularity with politically-powerful rural voters.

But the Shinawatras made enemies, including those among the military-backed establishment who accused Thaksin and his allies of corruption.

Thaksin was ousted in 2006 and lives abroad in self-imposed exile. Yingluck followed suit in August, when she fledThailand ahead of the verdict in a criminal case.

Some politicians expressed skepticism over the election date.

"It isn't really believable, because they have changed it many times," said Chaturon Chaisang, a member of Thaksin's Puea Thai Party.

Ong-art Klampaiboon, deputy leader of the Democrat Party, Puea Thai's biggest competitor, welcomed the news.

"The election date creates clarity," Ong-art said. "This should be good for the country and the people."

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Pope to Meet Top Buddhist Monks in Myanmar, Address Military

Posted: 10 Oct 2017 10:56 PM PDT

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis will meet Myanmar's top Buddhist monks, its military generals and civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in November when he visits that country and Bangladesh, both caught up in a crisis over the self-identifying Rohingya Muslim minority.

According to a full programme of the Nov. 26-Dec. 2 trip released by the Vatican on Tuesday, the pope will say two Masses in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and one in Bangladesh, which is predominantly Muslim.

Francis will be the first pope to visit Myanmar and the second to visit Bangladesh, where Pope John Paul visited in 1986.

The pope arrives in Yangon, the country's largest city, on Nov. 27 after a flight of more than 10 hours and is scheduled to rest for about 24 hours before heading to the country's capital Naypyitaw for a day.

There, he will have separate private talks with President Htin Kyaw and Suu Kyi, who is both State Counsellor and Foreign Minister, making her effectively the country's civilian leader.

A senior Vatican official said military leaders are expected to attend a separate, public meeting where the pope will address politicians and diplomats. This is where he is expected to give the keynote speech of the trip.

Myanmar is facing international scrutiny over the plight of its Rohingya community. In February, Francis said they had been tortured and killed simply because they wanted to live their culture and Muslim faith.

Last August, some hard-line Buddhists were riled with the pope spoke about "the persecution of our Rohingya brothers and sisters" and asked Catholics to pray for them, adding that they should be given "their full rights".

On Nov. 29, the pope will address the Sangha Maha Nayaka, the country's highest Buddhist authority, which is a government-backed panel of senior monks responsible for regulating the Buddhist clergy.

The United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday that Bangladesh border guards reported more than 11,000 Rohingya refugees crossing into their country from Myanmar on Monday alone..

The government offensive has drawn international condemnation and U.N. accusations of ethnic cleansing, which the government denies.

There are about 700,000 Roman Catholics in Myanmar according to the country's cardinal, Charles Maung Bo, out of a population of about 51.4 million.

Catholics make up a tiny minority in Bangladesh. Francis will be the second pope to visit that country, after Pope John Paul in 1986.

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Central Govt Infringing Administration of KNU Regions, Say Leaders

Posted: 10 Oct 2017 05:19 AM PDT

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Karen National Union (KNU) leaders have urged the government to consider the administration of areas controlled by the ethnic armed group as outlined in the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) signed two years ago.

KNU-controlled territory is comprised of seven districts in the Kawthoolei territory, including in Karen State, parts of Mon state, and parts of Bago, Irrawaddy and Tanintharyi regions—each with their own administrative mechanisms which often overlap with the central government.

Since bilateral ceasefires were signed in 2012, KNU-controlled areas have seen less conflict but still face administrative problems which should be addressed in accordance with the NCA's "interim program" for controlled regions KNU spokesman and general secretary Padoh Saw Tadoh Moo told The Irrawaddy on Monday.

"The implementation of the interim program is a challenge for us, because it is not yet being implemented despite the fact it is in the NCA text," explained Padoh Saw Tadoh Moo.

He said the KNU's 14 administrative departments—including education, healthcare, and social welfare—were conflicting with the central government's administration in some areas.

"While our administration departments are working, there has been complaints to the joint ceasefire monitoring committee accusing us of violating the NCA. Because of that, we need solutions through the interim management," the general secretary said.

The NCA's interim program included information on how to collaborate with the government on administrative affairs and environmental protection, he said.

Padoh Saw Tadoh Moo said the interim management of these areas was one of the two key issues discussed during an urgent four-day meeting of the KNU's Central Standing Committee held in Lay Wah last week.

The meeting was the first urgent gathering of standing committee members since the KNU's 16th Congress in March. Another key issue discussed was reviewing the peace process and how to proceed.

KNU leaders also discussed developmental projects and national parks and forest reserves in their territories.

A statement released on Oct. 7 said Karen leaders decided to delay allowing investment in development projects which may impact local communities and the environment as there are currently no specific laws and regulations in place to protect from effects of such project.

One of the challenges the group is now facing is the case of environmental preservation, said Mahn Ba Tun, head of the KNU's forestry department.

He explained that neither the KNU nor local residents were informed of central government efforts to extend the forest reserves and the national parks along the border with Thailand and Tanintharyi Region in 2015.

The central government in Naypyitaw has also allowed international non-governmental organizations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature Myanmar (WWF) and Fauna and Flora International (FFI) to study the areas without the consent of KNU, said KNU leaders.

In November last year the KNU signed a memorandum of understanding with the World Wide Fund for Nature Myanmar (WWF) to protect the forest in KNU-controlled territories.

"Government efforts to set national parks and forest reserves in KNU Brigade No.4 area [in the Myeik-Dawei area of Tanintharyi Region] has caused obstacles for the current peace building process," the KNU statement released last week said, "we will protect our forests based on our policies."

"We have been protecting our forests and our wild animals and we will uphold our forest policy and regulations on further forests preservation and protection," Padoh Saw Tadoh Moo told The Irrawaddy, adding that they had begun awareness programs with locals to protect wildlife and timber forest reserves.

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Tourists Shun Myanmar in Wake of Rakhine Crisis

Posted: 10 Oct 2017 05:07 AM PDT

MANDALAY — Although Myanmar is entering peak season for tourism, tour operators and industry officials have reported a drop in visitors because of the recent conflict in Rakhine State.

Union of Myanmar Travel Association (UMTA) president U Thet Lwin Toe said some booked trips—particularly to Rakhine's Ngapali Beach—were cancelled in the wake of the latest Rakhine violence.

After self-identifying Rohingya militants attacked 30 police outposts in northern Rakhine on Aug. 25, the Myanmar Army launched a crackdown that has forced more than 500,000 Muslims to flee to Bangladesh.

Tales of rape and killings by security forces are rife among the refugees, while Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the group behind the Aug. 25 attacks, has also been accused of killing civilians.

"Some trips to Ngapali Beach have been canceled," said U Thet Lwin Toe. "Trips to other regions like Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake remain unchanged. If positive news could eliminate tourists' fears of terrorist attacks, the situation would be better."

U Tint Lwin, director general of the hotels and tourism ministry, said news of the unrest has scared tourists and affected the whole tourism industry.

"There are worries that [tourists] may experience a terrorist attack or have difficultly traveling in the country," said U Tint Lwin.

According to tour operators based in Rakhine, visitors to the region's famous sites have declined significantly.

"The number of tourists have declined by half compared to last year," said Ma Moh, a tour operator based in the ancient Arakanese capital Mrauk-U.

"During this month last year most of the hotels were fully booked," she said. "Bookings for transport were also full, but this year is quite dry."

Tour operators across the country have reported a slump in business. Package tours to Bagan, one of Myanmar's main attractions, have been dropped.

"Compared to last year, the situation is bad for the season. Bookings have been canceled, especially from Europe and the USA. And there have been few independent tourists from those countries compared to last year," said Daw Maw Maw, a tour operator in Bagan.

Hoteliers and tour operators are hoping for some kind of stability and peace in Rakhine and the surrounding regions, which they say has not only affected tourism but also the security of the whole country.

"Although the effects on the tourism industry are not hugely impactful, we still worry about our own security because the government announced there might be terrorist attacks in big cities," said U Myint Lwin, a hotelier from Mandalay.

"However, we hope there will be peace and stability in Rakhine State soon. We are also hoping there will be more visitors to our country before the peak tourist season ends," he added.

According to figures from the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, 2.9 million tourists visited the country in 2016. More than 3.5 million tourists were expected for 2017, according to the figures, with about 2.27 million tourists visiting the country from January to August this year.

The post Tourists Shun Myanmar in Wake of Rakhine Crisis appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Eyes Mon State Investment

Posted: 10 Oct 2017 01:47 AM PDT

MAWLAMYINE, Mon State — Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang indicated his country is considering investment in Mon State during a meeting with the state government on Friday.

According to the Chinese ambassador, investors are interested in rubber products manufacturing, fruit cultivation and the tourism sector, said Mon State minister for natural resources and environmental conservation Dr. Min Kyi Win, who was present at the meeting.

"The Chinese ambassador thinks Mon State has good potential for economic development and suggested Chinese investment in Mon State. And we've welcomed his suggestion," Dr. Min Kyi Win told The Irrawaddy.

Thailand is the biggest investor in Mon State, with Thai petroleum firm PTTEP investing US$2.146 billion in an offshore gas field in the Gulf of Martaban—the largest investment among 18 international investors in Myanmar's energy sector as well as the largest foreign investment in the state.

Thailand's $414 million Mawlamyine Cement Limited (MCL) cement plant is also the largest investment in Mon State's industrial sector.

The Chinese ambassador's visit to the area is the first on its kind under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government.

The ambassador said China is interested in importing fruits from Mon State, especially pomelo, pomelo juice and dried pomelo, said Daw San Wint Khaing, the Pa-O ethnic affairs minister for Mon State.

"What we want is a market economy rather than their investment. We have to try to build a seller's market rather than a buyer's market," she said.

The 15-member Chinese diplomat delegation led by Hong Liang met Mon State chief minister Dr. Aye Zan and other ministers. The Chinese ambassador also invited the chief minister to visit China, according to ministers.

In early 2017, Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) issued an announcement for the establishment of investment commissions at region and state levels.

According to the instruction, region and state governments are authorized to decide on investment proposals of less than $5 million for their areas but have to seek MIC approval for investments of more than $5 million.

Investment commissions at region and state levels have seven members, headed by chief ministers. Staff officers of relevant investment and company administration boards act as secretary, and five ministers as members.

Mon State received more than $5.433 billion in foreign investment from 1994 to the end of 2016, according to records of the Mon State Directorate of Investment and Company.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Ten Accused of Blocking Aid Shipment in Sittwe to Face Trial

Posted: 10 Oct 2017 01:36 AM PDT

SITTWE, Rakhine State — Ten men accused of involvement in a violent mob which blocked a Red Cross aid shipment bound for conflict-torn Maungdaw in Rakhine State capital Sittwe last month will be brought to trial on Friday, according to the Township Police Force.

A 300-strong mob gathered late on Sept. 20 at Set Yoe Kya jetty where a boat carrying relief supplies for self-identifying Rohingya Muslims was preparing to travel upriver to Maungdaw, reported Reuters.

The mob—armed with slingshots and petrol bombs—forced the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to unload the aid from the boat and prevented the vessel from leaving, according to Myanmar government's Information Committee.

Police detained nine people at the scene and three more perpetrators were identified in further investigations. One of them was arrested and two others are still at large, said police lieutenant Kyaw Moe of Sittwe No. 2 Police Station.

"We've arrested 10 and declared two others as fugitives," he told The Irrawaddy.

The 10 detainees are from Set Yoe Kya and Mindra Shik villages on the opposite bank of the river from Sittwe town, and the two fugitives are from Sat Yone Su ward in Sittwe. All of them are casual manual laborers and bricklayers, according to police.

"According to our investigation, they had no motive. It happened mainly because they were drunk. There was no organizer. It was the result of a gathering of drunkards," said the police lieutenant.

Detainees have been charged with Articles 145 and 438 of Myanmar's Penal Code, said police.

According to Article 145, anyone who joins or continues in an unlawful assembly, knowing that such unlawful assembly has been commanded in the manner prescribed by law to disperse, shall be punished with up to two years' imprisonment, or a fine, or both.

Article 438 is about committing or attempting to destroy a vessel by fire or any explosive substance and is punishable by transportation for life, or up to ten years' imprisonment and fine.

According to Information Committee, U Naing Linn of ICRC was supervising loading of relief supplies onto a vessel in Set Yoe Kya Creek which he hired from a local man around 2 p.m. on Sept. 20 when some locals arrived and complained that those supplies would be sent to terrorists.

Later, crowds gathered and disorder broke out, which was quelled by police using tear gas.

Anti-NGO sentiment has developed in Rakhine State since conflict in 2012, with ethnic Arakanese protesting what they feel is unfair favorable treatment of the self-identifying Rohingya.

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Segregation Fans Fears of Fresh ‘Cleansing’ in Rakhine

Posted: 09 Oct 2017 11:55 PM PDT

MYEBON, Rakhine State — Buddhist villagers in relatively peaceful parts of Myanmar's Rakhine State are enforcing a system of local apartheid that punishes people trading with minority Muslims, fueling fears that violence in the far northwest could spread to new areas.

Ethnic Arakanese, who form the majority in central parts of the state, have set up committees in several districts that have meted out sanctions ranging from fines to public beatings and expulsions. They say the measures are necessary to protect their communities from self-identifying Rohingya Muslim militants.

Muslim residents say they are being cut off from essential supplies and accuse authorities of turning a blind eye. Aid workers fear thousands will attempt to escape via perilous sea routes to Thailand and Malaysia when the monsoon rains abate.

About 250,000 Muslims live in central Rakhine, an area not directly affected by a military offensive against militants who attacked security forces in the northern part of the state in late August. The army operation has forced more than half a million people to flee to Bangladesh, in what the United Nations has denounced as ethnic cleansing.

"In the current situation, it's not possible for different communities to live together," said Ashin Saromani, a Buddhist monk in the central Rakhine town of Myebon, where one such committee was set up at a meeting in a monastery four days after the Aug. 25 militant attacks in the north.

"The government can't reconcile them. That's why we prohibited communication with the Muslims, to prevent conflict."

Rakhine State government spokesman Min Aung said he was not aware of efforts to punish Buddhists who had contact with Muslims. He said he thought tensions could best be eased by interfaith community groups.

"Other states and regions have interfaith groups working for peace. In Rakhine there's no group like that," he said.

Tension between ethnic Arakanese and Muslims have simmered for years. Nearly 200 people were killed and 140,000 displaced in communal violence in the state in 2012.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the violence seen in the north of the state could easily spread.

"The failure to address this systematic violence could result in a spillover into central Rakhine, where an additional 250,000 Muslims could potentially face displacement," said Guterres in a recent speech. "They are outnumbered by Rakhine communities, some of whom have engaged in violent acts of vigilantism against their Muslim neighbors."

'National Traitor'

In Myebon, about 3,000 Muslims have been confined to a camp for displaced people since the 2012 violence, surrounded by tens of thousands of hostile Arakanese Buddhists. They have relied on aid from international agencies and fishing, supplemented by a small amount of trade in the town.

Since late August, loudspeakers mounted on tricycle rickshaws have rolled around the town, blaring messages from local monks and Arakanese community leaders exhorting Buddhists to avoid contact with Muslims.

One Arakanese woman who ignored the warnings, 35-year-old Soe Chay, told Reuters she was surrounded by a mob on Sept. 12 after buying goods at a market to sell to Muslims.

They beat her, cut her hair and marched through the town with a sign reading "national traitor" hung around her neck.

Kyaw Swar Tun, deputy director of the Rakhine General Administration Department (GAD) that oversees the local bureaucracy, said the case was an "individual problem" that was already being dealt with by the courts.

Two women and a man have been charged with assault on Soe Chay. The two women were members of the Arakan Women's Network in Myebon, which denied taking part in the attack.

"People got angry because they don't have a nationalist spirit, even though they know that 30 police stations were attacked and locals from Maungdaw were beheaded," said Khin Thein, leader of the network in the town, describing the incident. He was referring to the Aug. 25 attacks, which concentrated in northern Rakhine's Maungdaw Township.

Buddhist community leaders in Myebon have also blocked international aid agencies from reaching the camp, saying only the government can deliver aid, which must be checked by Buddhists.

"We are concerned that if we don't check that boat of the NGOs communicating directly with the Bengalis, they might include weapons together with the aid," said Ashin Saromani. Bengali is a derogatory term for the self-identifying Rohingya implying they are interlopers from Bangladesh.

Similar community-enforced restrictions on aid have been in place elsewhere in Rakhine, according to aid workers.

'Fear of Revenge'

Anti-Muslim sentiment has been bubbling up elsewhere in mostly Buddhist Myanmar since the conflict erupted in Rakhine.

Police had to disperse a mob that attacked Muslim homes and businesses in the central Magwe division on Sept. 10.

In Kayin State in the east, Muslims were told last month they must get special permission from authorities before travelling outside of their villages, because of security concerns.

Closer to the conflict zone, Muslim villagers in Rathedaung Township say they have been directly pressured to leave by their Arakanese neighbor's.

In Ku Taung village, near the besieged Muslim villages, a group of 46 Arakanese Buddhist elders has formed a "disciplinary committee."

They have fined Buddhists as much as 500,000 kyat (US$370) for infractions including selling betel leaves to Muslims, according to farmer Tun Thar Sein.

Some Rakhine villages have set up security teams to protect against the spread of militancy. In Mrauk-U and Minbya, an area that saw several unexplained explosions last month, residents said Muslims were no longer allowed into Arakanese villages.

Kyaw Swar Tun, the local administrator, said authorities would deal with any cases brought to them according to the law, but was not aware of any such problems in central Rakhine.

Back in the Myebon camp for displaced people, Muslims say they will have to move away.

"It's not possible for us to go back and stay together in Myebon because the Rakhine who destroyed our homes will be afraid to face us," said Cho Cho, a Muslim resident. "They fear that Muslims will take revenge."

The post Segregation Fans Fears of Fresh 'Cleansing' in Rakhine appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

India Chooses Security Over Compassion in Rakhine Crisis

Posted: 09 Oct 2017 11:12 PM PDT

India's position on its community of self-identifying Rohingya refugees from Rakhine State has come under severe criticism from international organizations. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein accused India of lacking "basic human compassion," in seeking to deport the refugees. India's UN representative in Geneva termed the comments "tendentious judgment" based on "selective and even inaccurate reports which do not further the understanding of human rights in any society."

Out of this mud slinging comes no clear winner, but the more worthwhile question of why India is displaying such rigidness on accommodating the self-identifying Rohingya. Why the sudden alarm, when the community has been living in the country for years?

Much debate has taken place over whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government under Narendra Modi is averse to providing asylum to Muslims, given that many in the right-wing party and its ideological fountainhead the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been called anti-Islamic.

But an anti-Muslim agenda would have seen the BJP opening post-1971 Bangladesh war files and attempting to deport many Muslim refugees from among the near 10 million people of various religious groups that came across to India. Deciphering the Indian government's position calls for a more rational examination of the factors at play.

Security Concern

Jihadi outfits with alleged connections to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) top the list of India's worries about its population of self-identifying Rohingya.

The rise of the erstwhile Harakah al-Yakin—now calling itself ARSA—has seemingly rattled intelligence agencies in India, Bangladesh and other parts of the region.

Unlike the predominately Muslim countries of Malaysia and Indonesia, or Thailand, which often prefers to be a silent spectator, perhaps to conceal its own human rights record, India is voicing its many concerns.

Intelligence agency reports in India and Bangladesh reveal systematic efforts are underway to strengthen the Rohingya militant groups with more trained men and money.

Some would argue that reports of Rohingya militant groups associating with jihadi outfits in Pakistan and receiving funds from Islamic groups in Saudi Arabia are bereft of evidence. Even if that were the case, India could not ignore the blatant display of support for ARSA by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Al Queda, and other Islamic groups.

Many international organizations and perhaps also a number of news outlets have chosen to ignore these messages of support from terrorist groups and instead speak of ARSA's rudimentary arms. India cannot afford to be as foolhardy and allow a Syria-like situation in the region.

Several longtime experts on Myanmar have cast doubt on the "rag-tag" nature of ARSA, deeming it a group guided by a calculated strategy executed to near perfection. Independent political analyst Richard Horsey who works with the International Crisis Group tweeted on Sept. 30 that "ARSA is murderous and willing to sacrifice entire Rohingya population for a dubious political objective."

Horsey added that ARSA's clothing and weapons may be "rag-tag" but "definitely not in relation to their objectives and impact: sophisticated & brutal."

Terrorism Network

 Indian intelligence agencies have been working around the clock to piece together an ARSA terrorist network and authenticate claims the group has deep support from transnational jihadi outfits by various experts. Links between ARSA and other terrorist groups in Pakistan, and possibly in Afghanistan and Iraq have been reported. However, the modus operandi of ARSA vis-à-vis its terror network is not yet clear.

One name doing the rounds in intelligence agency reports as well as Indian media is that of Abdus Qadoos Burmi, a Pakistani of Rohingya origin based in Karachi who allegedly has links with LeT and received patronage from Hafiz Saeed, the Pakistani Islamist behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Burmi has been identified as the head of Islamic fundamentalist organization Harkat ul Jihad al-Islami-Arakan (HUJI-K) and has been instrumental in creating international support for ARSA and other groups like Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), a front of the LeT in Bangladesh.

 Sources in India and Bangladesh intelligence speaking on condition of anonymity shared some precise information which claim that JuD has spearheaded training for ARSA, instructing fighters on how to produce improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and strategizing with the group's leaders. JuD enjoys backing from the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan and is known to have deep resources in Bangladesh, its primary entry point to Myanmar.

Indian intelligence agencies believe that the JuD has a presence in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar along the Naf River although it is unclear whether JuD is involved in recruiting or training men from these camps. In India, the home affairs ministry has cautioned that "illegal Rohingya immigrants" from Rakhine are "vulnerable" to recruitment by terrorist groups.

Liaising for the training of ARSA began as early as 2008, with Burmi leading the activities under the banner of Aqa Mul Mujahideen (AMM). Intelligence agency reports have also linked Burmi to terrorist activities in Kashmir. Indian security agencies suspect others from Rakhine of being involved in nefarious undertakings in Kashmir.

For instance, intelligence agencies identified "Chota Burmi," a member of Pakistani terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), who was killed in a clash in 2015, as a "Rohingya from Rakhine."

 As for ARSA leader Ata Ullah, there are ample reports that have appeared in almost all forms of news media, both within and outside Myanmar, which suggest that he was born in Pakistan and raised in Saudi Arabia, and formed the outfit after the 2012 riots between self-identifying Rohingya and Arakanese. Indian intelligence officials are of the view that ARSA has been "working in close coordination with AMM," which is now led by Havistoohar, who reportedly underwent six months training by the Taliban in Pakistan.

Members of the Border Security Force (BSF) in India told this writer that they are sharing regular information with both Myanmar and Bangladesh security forces about suspected ARSA involvement in smuggling weapons to Rakhine with the help of "different groups." BSF officials did not elaborate on who these groups could be.

Recently, Australian National University Associate Professor Greg Fealy was quoted by ABC radio as saying "weapons can come through broader Islamists network," and that "militants in Bangladesh could provide the weapons to the Rohingyas."  It remains to be seen if ARSA is actually involved in smuggling weapons or a wider network used to transfer arms and ammunitions to Teknaf in Cox Bazar and into parts of northern Rakhine.

Al-Qaeda and ARSA

 In its recent broadcast, "Evidence of a link between Rohingya militants and jihadist groups," ABC Radio claimed Al-Qaeda is attempting to forge links with ARSA. Indeed, Al-Qaeda called on Muslims around the world to send weapons to the self-identifying Rohingya in Myanmar.

Al-Qaeda offshoot Ansar Ghazwat Ul Hind in Kashmir has been actively campaigning for the self-identifying Rohingya in India. Its leader Zakir Musa has warned Prime Minister Modi to stop any plans to deport the refugees from India.

The Kashmir Factor

 The unprecedented support that the self-identifying Rohingya has received from separatist groups in Kashmir has certainly not gone down well with New Delhi.

Recently, Kashmir separatist leaders marched against the persecution of the Muslims in northern Rakhine. The separatists, however, did not condemn reports of killings of other minority groups like the Hindus and Mros at the hands of ARSA.

Many would say the Indian government's plan to deport the refugees is reasonable given its internal security situation. In response to the UN human rights chief's claim that India and Pakistan had not engaged with his office on human rights concerns in Kashmir, India representative to the UN Rajiv Chander said, "It is a matter of regret that the central role of terrorism is once again being overlooked. Assessments of human rights should not be a matter of political convenience."

Internationally designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed is suspected to have made attempts to recruit young Rohingya refugees in relief camps in Indonesia, on the pretext of providing them relief, into the LeT and send them to Kashmir.

While the threat of the militant Islamic movement cannot be used to legitimize military brutality, we also cannot lose sight of the fact that the militant Islamic movement has been troubling the region. This is exactly what New Delhi has been telling the world. The intellectual community in India has aired similar feelings.

Brahma Chellaney, a professor of Strategic Studies at the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi, in a recent article titled "Myanmar's Jihadi Curse," which appeared in the online portal Project Syndicate argued that the "external forces fomenting insurgent attacks in Rakhine bear considerable responsibility for the Rohingyas' current plight."

Chellaney, the author of nine books including "Asian Juggernaut," notes "the links between Rohingya militants and such external forces, especially terrorist organizations like ISIS, that have driven the government of India, where some 40,000 Rohingya have settled illegally, to declare that their entry poses a serious security threat."

"Even Bangladesh acknowledges Rohingya militants' external jihadi connections," he adds, in a possible attempt to vindicate the Indian government's stance on the issue.

Therefore, given the complexity of the issue, faulting Aung San Suu Kyi for drawing similarities between security issues in Myanmar and India would not be right. She argued that it has become difficult to sift militants from innocent civilians, as is the case in Kashmir. Perhaps leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi, Bangladesh's Sheik Hasina and India's Modi realize how vulnerable their socio-political landscape is in the face of growing religious fundamentalism.

Rising Radicalization

The main Islamic political party in Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami, is officially banned, but it enjoys significant support in a country which has been angered by the treatment of Muslims in Rakhine. A change of guard in Bangladesh could well see the rise of Jamaat-e-Islami once again, meaning a possible increase in the radicalization of the region.

New Delhi's recent display of seriousness in dealing with the exodus of self-identifying Rohingya is palpable. In the last week several key initiatives were adopted to ensure there is no attempt to push more of the refugees into northeastern India. None of the eight states in the area can afford more anti-foreigner movements, such as one of the 1980s that left the region reeling from communal violence and subsequent insurgencies.

India's defense secretary Ashok Kumar Gupta visited the Indian-Myanmar border township Moreh on Oct. 3 in what was described by local media as a move to "assess the law and order situation in the area in the wake of the Rohingya refugee crisis."

Manipur shares a 398-kilometer border with Myanmar. Even though these areas are hilly and far from northern Rakhine, it appears that both the central and the state government of Manipur do not want to take any chances.

The visit by the Indian government official follows the decision to open two immigration checkpoints in Mizoram state along its borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh (Zorinpui checkpost in Lawngtlai district) and Bangladesh (Kawrpuichhuah checkpost in Lunglei district). In addition, the Indian government has beefed up its security along the India-Bangladesh land and riverine borders along West Bengal and Assam.

Indeed, the exodus of Rohingya to Bangladesh and other parts of the region has turned into a sprawling humanitarian crisis. But it also has the potential of destabilizing the region, especially with the growing support for ARSA.

Bidhayak Das is a former journalist who has spent over a decade working on promoting democracy in Myanmar. He is currently working as an independent consultant on elections, media and communications.

The post India Chooses Security Over Compassion in Rakhine Crisis appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 09 Oct 2017 09:55 PM PDT

AFC Qualifier: Myanmar vs Kyrgyzstan

Myanmar's national male football team will play against Kyrgyzstan in the AFC Asian Cup qualifier.

Oct. 10, 7 p.m. Thuwunna Stadium. Tickets: 1,000-3,000 kyats.

Ah Moon New Album Promotion Event

Celebrated singer Ah Moon will meet her fans and sing for them as she launches her new album 'Very Dangerous'

Oct. 11. 5 p.m to 8 p.m. Hledan Center.

Mid Oct. Night on Yangon River

Enjoy the night with Live DJs beside the Yangon River on the Vintage Luxury Yacht.

Oct. 14. 7 p.m. Botahtaung Jetty near Botahtung Pagoda. Tickets 10,000 kyats, including one free cocktail and snacks, 09-976155507, 09-799657382.

Charity Funfair

Artists will sell as well as give away free foods and snacks as this event organized by Myanmar Motion Picture Organization to pay respect to elderly artists.

Oct. 13. Hninzigon Home for the Aged, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township.

Thuma Collective Launch

Thuma Collective, a group of seven local female photographers dedicated to visual storytelling, will introduce themselves and exhibit their photographs.

Oct. 13. 5 p.m.  Myanmar Deitta, 3rd floor, No.49, 44th Street.

Street Dance & Street Food

There will be various street foods as well as street dance performance at this event.

Oct 14-15, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. People's Park. Free Admission.

Nestle Cerelac Moms' Superstars

This event is for mothers and babies with games and free gifts plus nutritional education.

Oct. 15. 4 p.m to 8 p.m. People's Park. Free Admission.

Shwe Property Apartment Sale

Mortgages are on offer at this event.

Oct 14-15. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Rose Garden Hotel. Upper Pansodan Street.

Face: Pencil Art

Min Min Htike will showcase pencil portraits of ethnic people and famous people of various fields in Myanmar.

Oct. 7-11. 43 Art Gallery, 43rd Street, Botahtaung Tsp.

Maharzan: Group Art Exhibition

A group art exhibition of 49 artists features more than 100 paintings on various subjects.

Oct. 15 to Nov. 15. Maharzan Art Gallery, near Karaweik Palace, Kandawgyi Park.

The post Ten Things to do in Yangon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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