Wednesday, November 15, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

US Secretary of State Voices Support for Individual Sanctions Against Security Forces

Posted: 15 Nov 2017 04:52 AM PST

YANGON — US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States would consider individual sanctions against security forces found responsible for human rights abuses against the Rohingya in northern Rakhine State.

More than 600,000 Rohingya are now in refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing the Myanmar military's clearance operations since August when a Rohingya militant group attacked 30 police outpost in northern Rakhine State, citing accounts of arbitrary killings, rapes and arson by the security forces.

To seek accountability from the army, the US announced sanctions against Myanmar's military leadership last month, ceasing travel waivers for current and former senior leadership of the Burmese military while assessing authorities to consider economic options available to target individuals associated with the atrocities. The restrictions also include all units and officers involved in operations in northern Rakhine State to be ineligible to receive or participate in any US assistance programs.

Rex Tillerson was in Myanmar's capital Naypyitaw on Wednesday to meet with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu kyi and military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

During a joint press conference with Daw Aung San Suu kyi in the afternoon, Tillerson said all of the individual sanctions have to be evidence based.

But the Secretary of the State said he would not advise "broad-based economic sanctions" against the entire country.

"If we have credible information that we believe to be very reliable that certain individuals were responsible for certain acts that we find unacceptable, then targeted sanctions on individuals very well may be appropriate," he said.

While reaffirming the US commitment to Myanmar's transition and condemning the Rohingya militant attacks in August, Tillerson also called for a credible investigation into human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims committed by Myanmar’s security forces.

“We're deeply concerned by credible reports of widespread atrocities committed by Myanmar's security forces and by vigilantes who were unrestrained by the security forces during the recent violence in Rakhine State,” he said.

But the Myanmar Army denied the atrocities in the internal investigation released on Monday.

After the meeting, a Facebook post of Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said he explained to Tillerson the real situation on the ground in Rakhine, the reasons behind the exodus, the military's cooperation with the government, repatriation and delivering aid.

The post US Secretary of State Voices Support for Individual Sanctions Against Security Forces appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Do Not Lose Sight of ARSA

Posted: 15 Nov 2017 04:45 AM PST

The international community is rightly focused on humanitarian issues in northern Rakhine State. If the situation is not resolved in the near future, there is a danger that the region will become destabilized, leading to further violence. There is no military solution to the crisis in Rakhine State; we must find political solutions and compromises.

Nor should we lose sight of the activities of the militant group known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), or Harakah al-Yaqin.

In fact, ARSA initiated the latest violence with attacks on innocent civilians and security forces on Aug. 25, provoking a heavy-handed military response.

ARSA's leader is Ata Ullah, believed to have been born into a Rohingya family in Pakistan and now wanted in Myanmar. He conveys his orders and instructions to the group verbally or through audio-video recordings. He and his terrorist group are believed to have sympathizers in the Middle East and beyond.

It has been reported by several news publications that most of ARSA's funding comes from Rohingya living in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, with additional support coming from other Middle Eastern countries with small Rohingya communities.

According to eyewitness accounts from refugee camps in Bangladesh, foreign donors believed to be based in the Middle East and elsewhere are distributing cash to refugees, and ARSA militants roam freely.

Ata Ullah's whereabouts are unknown. The terrorist chief is believed to be on the run but he has several deputies who manage day-to-day operations and communicate with media and donors.

Observers have noted that ARSA's propaganda machine is wide reaching; the militants and the group's propaganda wing are fluent in English and make effective use of social media platforms. They are adept at making themselves appear moderate and reasonable. They are not.

ARSA militants, according to several reports and accounts published in recent months, mingle with villagers and wear civilian clothes. ARSA's tactics more closely resemble those of the Muslim insurgents in southernmost Thailand, adjacent to Malaysia, than they do the methods used by Myanmar's other ethnic armies. Their preferred mode of operation is to mobilize hundreds of villagers armed with homemade weapons for attacks on state positions in the middle of the night.

ARSA militants are not well armed but have undergone intensive training in the hills and forests near the border with Bangladesh. The training includes use of firearms and explosives as well as physical exercises.

Video footage shows that these militants do have some AK-47, M-16, G3 and G4 assault rifles. They also recruit desperate Muslim villagers to launch attacks on army outposts. During clearance operations the police and army have faced massive numbers of villagers – in some cases they have been encircled by them – who were aided by militants, forcing security forces to return fire. The number of militants killed during the operation is believed to be high; the Bangladesh side has said over 3,000 were killed but Myanmar government estimates put the figure at hundreds killed in August and early September.

At a meeting with Bangladeshi officials in Naypyitaw this week, senior Myanmar police officers presented a list of over 1,000 terrorists believed to be taking refuge in Bangladesh and asked that they be handed over. So far Bangladesh has sent back four alleged Rohingya militants to Myanmar.

In October last year ARSA launched well-coordinated attacks on Myanmar Border Guard Police outposts, escaping with dozens of assault rifles and ammunition. It has been reported that since the attacks in August, ARSA has received a large amount of donations from groups in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, as well as international media coverage. However, the Myanmar government officially considers the group a terrorist organization, shutting the door to talks with them.

ARSA leaders claim they are fighting to secure the rights of the marginalized Rohingya people and to end decades-long oppression at the hands of the government. (In the early 1950s, Myanmar faced a mujahideen rebellion in northern Rakhine State by militant Muslim separatists. The Myanmar Army launched decisive operations against the mujahideen in northern Rakhine. The mujahideen leadership eventually surrendered to government forces.)

This week, ahead of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit, the army continued to deny atrocities and use of excessive force against Rohingya Muslims during clearance operations.

The report on an internal investigation led by Inspector-General of Defense Services Lt-Gen Aye Win was released on Monday. It stated that a team spent nearly a month on the ground gathering information and interviewing nearly 3,000 people, including Rakhine, Hindu and "Bengali" people (the term used for Rohingya in the report and by many others in the country to imply they are interlopers from Bangladesh).

The findings of the investigation stated that "all security members abided by the orders and directives of superior bodies, especially the rules of engagement-ROE in connection with the rights of self-defense and in discharging duties during the armed conflicts and anti-terrorist operations."

Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement saying the army's claim is contrary to a growing body of evidence to the contrary, and repeating calls for a UN fact-finding mission to be permitted entry to the region.

"The Burmese military's absurd effort to absolve itself of mass atrocities underscores why an independent international investigation is needed to establish the facts and identify those responsible," said HRW Asia Director Brad Adams. "The Burmese authorities have once again shown that they can't and won't credibly investigate themselves." HRW is right to say that the findings lack credibility.

But even as we condemn the human rights abuses and humanitarian problems in northern Rakhine State, insist on accountability from the army and government, and ask that independent organizations and media be allowed to travel to the restive region, we should not lose sight of the activities of ARSA and its network, its links to extremist groups, its financial resources, or the donors and political and strategic support groups standing behind it.

ARSA has connections with foreign extremist groups, despite its blanket denials of such accusations. For instance, Abdus Qadoos Burmi, a Pakistani of Rohingya descent, the group's mentor based in Karachi, has called for "jihad" in Myanmar and has well-documented links to Lashkar-e-Taiba (the Army of the Righteous), one of South Asia's largest Islamic terrorist organizations, whose operations are based mainly in Pakistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba was founded in Afghanistan in 1987 with funding from now deceased Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden. Abdus Qadoos has even appeared at meetings with Lashkar-e-Taiba supremo Hafiz Mohammed Syed.

Myanmar's neighbors India, China and Thailand, along with several other Asean countries, have been assisting Myanmar and its security forces on this issue, as they recognize the danger of terrorist operations and networks.

To combat terrorism, Myanmar's security forces will need assistance, intelligence sharing and training from neighboring countries that have gone through their own dark times with terrorists striking innocent people.

Like any government or armed forces, the Myanmar government and military has a responsibility to defend itself and its people, but innocent civilians must not be targeted.

The post Do Not Lose Sight of ARSA appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UNFC Set to Meet Govt for 9th Round of Peace Talks in Yangon

Posted: 15 Nov 2017 04:06 AM PST

CHIANG MAI, Thailand — The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), representing an alliance of five armed ethnic groups, and the government will meet for a ninth round of talks to pave the way for the bloc to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), in Yangon's National Reconciliation and Peace Center on Thursday.

Following an eighth round of talks last week (Nov 8-9), the two sides said they were close to reaching an agreement on the UNFC's eight-point proposal – a list of key demands by bloc members to sign the NCA. The main sticking point is the future name of the country.

As the second point on their list, the UNFC has proposed that the country be officially described as the "Federal Democratic Union" but the government wants it to be the "Democracy and Federal Union."

The government delegation, which also includes representatives of the Tatmadaw, is opposed to starting with the designation "federal".

"It is because our generation has been indoctrinated to think of 'federal' to mean seceding from the union," said U Tun Zaw, a spokesman for the UNFC.

Whether the bloc will sign the NCA is "totally dependent on the negotiations during the ninth round of talks [tomorrow]," U Tun Zaw said. He added that the alliance was sticking to its position that it would not sign the NCA until every item in its eight-point proposal had been agreed.

"We are now close to signing the NCA, but we cannot say exactly when," said the UNFC's chairman, Naing Hong Sar, during a speech at a political dialogue framework review meeting between the UNFC's delegation for political negotiations (DPN) and the eight current signatories of the NCA on Monday in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The talks between the UNFC and the government have continued without conclusion despite the eight-point proposal having been around one and a half years.

"The main obstacle is the limitations regarding policy. If this rigidity continues," Tun Zaw said, "hurdles will persist during the negotiations."

Prior to their departure to Yangon, the senior leaders of the bloc discussed the advantages and impacts of signing the NCA at a executive committee meeting in Chiang Mai on Tuesday, where the top leadership of the five member organizations – the New Mon State Party (NMSP), Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), Arakan National Council (ANC) and the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) – were present.

The SSPP has asked to withdraw from the UNFC, but they are still taking part in the group's activities, as their request to leave has not been formally approved.

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Challenges Impede Development of Myanmar’s Public Health

Posted: 15 Nov 2017 02:49 AM PST

YANGON — Myanmar's de facto leader and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly singled out the minister for health and sports as one of the few Cabinet members whose performance she has been consistently satisfied with since taking office nearly two years ago. Despite this praise, however, after decades of institutional neglect of public services by the military junta, the public health sector still regularly faces criticism for being understaffed and providing substandard care.

"The health status of the Myanmar population is poor and compares unfavorably with other countries in the region," the Health and Sports Ministry acknowledged in its recently launched 2017-2021 National Health Plan.

Human resources constitute a critical input into the health system if it is to ensure access to quality care. For that reason, the plan cites a lack of human resources, skill imbalances, inequitable distribution of services, and difficulties in rural retention of medical personnel as being among the ministry's main challenges.

Myanmar's key health care performance indicators — maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and life expectancy at birth — are among the worst in Southeast Asia, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data.

The MMR is the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes). It includes deaths during pregnancy, during childbirth, and within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy. The column chart below shows the MMR ratios (2015) of ASEAN countries, with Myanmar's being the second highest in the region.

Small Budget Allocation  

Health care spending accounts for just 5.23 percent of Myanmar's total budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, which is an improvement over past years but still extremely low by global and regional standards. The charts below show the comparison of Asean countries' health expenditure and the Myanmar government's budget allocation on health and sport, and defense. 

Uneven Distribution of Health Care Workers

According to the ministry, there were 1.33 health workers (doctors, nurses and midwives) per 1,000 people – well below the WHO's minimum recommended threshold of 2.3 – as of November 2016. In terms of distribution, health workers were largely concentrated in Yangon, Mandalay and other urban areas.

The map below shows the distribution of health care workers and health facilities throughout the country according to data from the ministry. The darker shade represents a higher population per hospital bed.

The chart below shows the uneven distribution of doctors throughout the country, both in the public and private sectors.

The main reasons most health workers don't want to work in rural areas are: a lack of incentives, including very low salaries, from the government; lack of health facilities; and the challenge posed by a low ratio of health workers to patients, according to doctors working at public hospitals who talked to The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity.

Such a challenging work environment allows no study time, they said. Many medical personnel who wish to become specialist physicians must concurrently prepare to apply for graduate programs while completing their required public service, said a 25-year-old assistant surgeon at Yangon's Insein General Hospital.

"If the government sends me to a rural area, I won't go until I have completed the process of becoming a specialist with a graduate degree, and no longer need to spend time studying," she told The Irrawaddy.

The assistant surgeon said her only aim in working at a government hospital was to complete the service needed to qualify for a graduate course and become a specialist.

Shortage of Personnel, Despite Student Intake

Five medical universities across the country admit a total of around 1,500 students per year, while two nursing universities in Yangon and Mandalay admit around 400 students each year. The chart below shows the number of undergraduate students produced by medical schools overseen by the Ministry of Health and Sports.

Low job satisfaction related to the poor working environment and low pay at public hospitals prompts some to join the private sector, said a 28-year-old doctor who recently joined a non-governmental organization that works in public health.

"With such an unbalanced ratio of human resources to workload, doctors can't provide quality care to patients, which affects their profession's image," he told The Irrawaddy.

"As a result, the profession no longer enjoys the trust and respect that it once did from the public. This causes doctors to quit working in the public service and join the non-governmental sector," he said.

The graph below shows the percentage of physicians who don't contribute to the public health care sector after graduation for various reasons.

According to the ministry's Nursing Department, the more than 1,000 public hospitals across the country require a minimum of 35,000 nurses. But about 43 percent of these nursing positions are vacant, with only about 20,000 nurses serving in government facilities.

Public/Private Sector Wage Differential 

Medical students have to invest seven years of their lives studying, including a year of house surgeon training, to obtain an M.B., B.S. degree, while nursing students spend four years studying for their B.N.Sc degrees. A medical graduate can expect to earn a minimum of 1,000,000 kyats (approx. US$800) at non-governmental organizations or UN agencies, but only 250,000 kyats (approx. US$185) at public hospitals. The chart below shows the basic salaries of physicians and nurses working at government facilities.

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BGB Urges Myanmar Govt to Repatriate Rohingya Refugees as Soon as Possible

Posted: 15 Nov 2017 12:36 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — The Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) has urged the Myanmar government to repatriate as soon as possible more than 600,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees back into Rakhine State's Maungdaw at the fourth central level meeting on security and law enforcement of the two countries on Tuesday.

The mass exodus of Muslim refugees has caused a "burden" to Bangladesh, said director-general Abul Hossain of the BGB, urging the Myanmar government to stop the mass immigration of Muslim refugees and begin repatriation efforts quickly.

The Myanmar government has, however, voiced doubt as to the figure of 600,000 cited by UN human rights observers and international media.

The Myanmar authorities have asked the BGB to recheck the figure and compile an accurate list of refugees, said Police Brig-Gen Aung Htay Myint, the head of the cross-border crime department of the Myanmar Police Force, who participated in the meeting.

"We have our immigration data to check if refugees lived here. We have an agreement that we will accept them back if they have actually lived here," said police Brig-Gen Aung Htay Myint.

Details about the repatriation will be discussed during the upcoming Bangladeshi foreign minister's visit to Myanmar, he said.

The Myanmar government has invited Bangladeshi foreign minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali to Myanmar from Nov. 16-18, but the visit has not yet been confirmed.

"We expect to sign a memorandum of understanding when the Bangladeshi foreign minister comes. We expect to discuss repatriation policies in detail, and we'll form joint committees to verify and repatriate according to those policies," he added.

The BGB director-general lamented that drones and helicopters from Myanmar crossed the border in October, and that Myanmar border guard police detained some Bangladeshi fishermen.

The Myanmar government has handed over a list of more than 1,000 suspects who were reportedly involved in the attacks in Maungdaw and fled to Bangladesh, and the Bangladeshi government has handed over four suspects, according to police Brig-Gen Aung Htay Myint.

The BGB director-general said that his country had never and would not accept any unlawful organization, insurgents or terrorists on its soil.

"Myanmar wishes to start the negotiation as soon as possible. The more the negotiation is deferred, the longer delay it will cause in the repatriation process," said U Zaw Htay, director-general of the President's Office.

The Tuesday meeting discussed bilateral cooperation in border security and law, illegal fishing, smuggling through the border, and establishment of a Border Liaison Office (BLO), according to a joint statement.

Present at the meeting were high-ranking officials of the Myanmar Police Force led by Police Brig-Gen Myo Swe Win, members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population, and high ranking officials of Bangladesh's Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Court Case Begins Against Naypyitaw Municipal Officials

Posted: 14 Nov 2017 11:58 PM PST

MANDALAY — The Mandalay Region Supreme Court began hearing a lawsuit against two officials from the Naypyitaw Council on Tuesday.

The municipal officials were arrested and sued under the 2013 Anti-Corruption Law for taking bribes from butchers in October.

On Monday, the court heard from plaintiff U Aung Myint Kyaw, a member of the investigation committee from Naypyitaw's anti-corruption commission. The accused, Dr. Khaing Soe Hla, a deputy director general from the veterinary and butchery department of the Naypyitaw municipal council, appeared in court.

During the court session, U Aung Myint Kyaw told the court that the deputy director general took 5,500,000 kyats from two butchers, as a bribe for permission to reopen their shops, which had been forced to close.

"We received complaints from the butchers, which they submitted with photos of Dr. Khaing Soe Hla accepting money from them," said U Aung Myint Kyaw, during the court session.

"We investigated and found out that he accepted the bribe, so, we cooperated with police to arrest him under Article 56 of the Anti-Corruption Law," he added.

In a separate case, U Min Lwin Soe, a deputy director general from the market department of the Naypyitaw municipal council, was sued under the same law for taking 3,000,000 kyats as a bribe from the same butchers.

The case against U Min Lwin Soe will be heard at the same court on Wednesday.

If found guilty, the minimum sentence for the crime is two years imprisonment.

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Tillerson to Press Myanmar Army Chief to Halt Violence so Rohingya Can Return

Posted: 14 Nov 2017 08:13 PM PST

YANGON — US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will stress the need to halt violence and stabilize Rakhine State when he meets the head of Myanmar's military on Wednesday in a bid to ease the Rohingya refugee crisis, a senior State Department official said.

More than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since late August, driven out by a counter-insurgency clearance operation of Myanmar forces in Rakhine. A top UN official has called the operation a textbook case of "ethnic cleansing."

Attending an East Asia summit in Manila on Tuesday, Tillerson met Myanmar leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, whose less than two-year-old civilian administration shares power with the military and has no control over its generals.

He will meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi again in the Myanmar capital of Naypyitaw on Wednesday, and hold separate talks with the head of the armed forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Asked what approach Tillerson would take with Myanmar's army chief, the State Department official told journalists in a briefing by teleconference that the emphasis would be on restoring peace in Rakhine.

"We are focusing on trying to stabilize areas in northern Rakhine so that people can return there, stopping the violence, making sure that the military would protect all populations in that area equally and that they conduct a credible investigation that leads to accountability for people who have perpetrated abuses," said the official, who was with Tillerson in Manila and declined to be identified.

The official said the consequences for the country, also known as Burma, if it failed to respond to the crisis with accountability could be part of the conversation with the military leader.

"Burma made a lot of progress and we would not want to see that progress reversed," the official added.

US senators in Washington are pressing for economic sanctions and travel restrictions targeting the Myanmar military and its business interests.

"The secretary will reiterate support for Burma's democratic transition and urge the Burmese government to protect the local population and allow unhindered humanitarian and media access, [and] support for a credible investigation of abuses," the official added.

Accusations of organized mass rape and other crimes against humanity were leveled at the Myanmar military on Sunday by another senior UN official who had toured camps in Bangladesh where Rohingya refugees have taken shelter.

'Whitewash'

Pramila Patten, special representative of the UN secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, said she would raise accusations against the Myanmar military with the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

The military, known as the Tatmadaw, has consistently protested its innocence, and on Monday it posted the findings of an internal investigation on the Facebook page of Min Aung Hlaing.

It said it had found no instances where its soldiers had shot and killed Rohingya villagers, raped women or tortured prisoners. It denied that security forces had torched Rohingya villages or used "excessive force."

The military said that, while 376 "terrorists" were killed, there were no deaths of innocent people.

Human rights groups poured scorn on the military's investigation, branding it a "whitewash" and calling for UN and independent investigators to be allowed into Myanmar.

"The Burmese military's absurd effort to absolve itself of mass atrocities underscores why an independent international investigation is needed to establish the facts and identify those responsible," Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.

Amnesty International also dismissed the military's internal investigation. "There is overwhelming evidence that the military has murdered and raped Rohingya and burned their villages to the ground," the London-based rights group said.

The government in mostly Buddhist Myanmar regards the Muslim Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

And Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's failure to speak out strongly over their plight has widely damaged the Nobel Peace Prize winner's international reputation as a stateswoman.

Many diplomats, however, believe Myanmar's fragile transition to democracy after 49 years of military rule would be jeopardized if she publicly criticized the armed forces.

"Both parts of the government will have to work together in order to solve this problem…Trying to get two of them to work together, to try to solve the problem, is certainly going to be very important," the US official said.

The US official said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had been forthcoming in her talks with Tillerson and others during the past few days about the steps that needed to be taken to improve the situation, including plans for the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among those she met in Manila to discuss the Rohingya crisis.

"This is a tremendous concern to Canada and to many, many countries around the world," Trudeau told a news conference.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged up to 117 billion yen ($1 billion) of development aid to Myanmar in his meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

While world leaders wrung their hands, thousands of Rohingya remained stranded in Myanmar, on beaches around the mouth of the Naf River, hoping to find a boat to make the short, sometimes perilous crossing to Bangladesh.

"They’re still coming, risking their lives, driven by fears of starvation and violence," Shariful Azam, a police official in Bangladesh’s Cox's Bazar, a narrow spit of land where the world's most urgent humanitarian crisis is unfolding.

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Japan’s Abe Offers $1 Billion in Rural Aid to Myanmar’s State Counselor

Posted: 14 Nov 2017 08:03 PM PST

TOKYO — Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday pledge up to 117 billion yen ($1.03 billion) of development aid to Myanmar in a meeting in Manila with government leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The package of low-interest loans will be used to fund projects including infrastructure and small company financing meant to help improve rural incomes, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a release.

The aid pledge comes as Myanmar comes under intense criticism from human rights groups, the United Nations and other countries for a counter-insurgency operation that has sparked an exodus of more than 600,000 Rohingya Muslims to Bangladesh since August.

Abe and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi are in the Philippines for an Association of South East Asian Nations conference including other regional leaders.

While there, Suu Kyi, whose administration has no control over the security forces under a constitution drafted during military rule, discussed the Rohingya crisis with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

China and the United States also compete for influence in Myanmar.

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Meetings With Northern Groups Make No Progress on Peace Talks

Posted: 14 Nov 2017 05:56 PM PST

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – A government peace delegation led by Border Affairs Minister Lt-Gen Ye Aung failed to make any progress towards establishing peace talks with Myanmar's northeastern-based ethnic armed groups over the weekend.

The government delegation, which included high-level military leaders, met separately with the leaders of the United Wa State Party/United Wa State Army (UWSP/UWSA) and Mongla's National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) in Special Region No. 2 and No. 4 respectively on Nov. 11 and 12 to discuss regional development, state-run newspapers reported on Tuesday.

The UWSP/UWSA said the meeting discussed ways to build mutual trust, as well as political issues and matters related to development.

"Regarding political discussions, the government delegation urged the UWSP/UWSA to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement [NCA]," Nyi Rang from the UWSA's Lashio Liaison Office posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday evening. The UWSA responded "to continue according to the political dialogue framework drafted by the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC)," which was shared with the government's Peace Commission in May last year.

The FPNCC continues to assert the need for an alternative process to the NCA, which was drafted with the involvement of 16 ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), excluding the Wa and Mongla, over a period of almost two years and signed by eight of 21 government recognized EAOs in October 2015. More than two years after the signing and implementation of the NCA, the National League for Democracy-led government has yet to make peace with non-signatories of the NCA.

No specific peace proposals were discussed at the meetings over the weekend, according to sources close to the northern-based groups, despite the government's repeated insistence that it is doing its best to hold talks with active ethnic armed groups in northern Shan State and Kachin State.

"Their positions are diametrically opposed, so it is hard for the two sides [the government and the ethnic armed groups] to hold face-to-face talks," said U Maung Maung Soe, a political analyst familiar with ethnic affairs.

"The door to talks will remain closed as long as the government and the Tatmadaw [Myanmar's military] do not accede to the FPNCC's request [to meet them as a bloc] and do not consider holding at least informal meetings with the group," he said.

According to sources close to the Wa and Mongla, the government delegation brought up the issue of further peace talks with the groups. However, the talk did not go further as the government maintained its condition that talks could only be held with the groups individually, rather than with the FPNCC.

The Facebook post included a demand that the government take steps to reverse the Shan State Parliament's 2016 classification of three members of the FPNCC – Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta'ang Nationalities Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Arakan Army (AA) – as "terrorist organizations."

A post on Nyi Rang's Facebook page said the government and Wa delegations discussed possible further collaboration to build mutual trust and support for the region's development.

The Wa first requested such support when they travelled to Naypyitaw to meet State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in July last year.

Among specific topics discussed at the weekend discussions were the possibility of the government supplying materials [tar] to build new roads within Wa-controlled areas; possible plans for a 60,000 MW hydropower plant in Mong Tong Township in Mongmaw District; and the issuance of national identity cards to students in Wa state to enable them to continue their higher education in Lashio, Mandalay and Yangon.

The UWSP reiterated that "its vice chairman Xiao Minliang (Tax Ngox) vows that the Wa state will never secede from the territory of the Union of Myanmar," a promise the Wa has made to the government since last year.

The Wa were granted a self-administrative zone under the 2008 military-authored Constitution along with five other minority groups: the Palaung (Ta'ang), Kokang, PaO, Danu and Naga.

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Tuesday, November 14, 2017

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Graft Fight Holds Key to Development, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Tells ASEAN Summit

Posted: 14 Nov 2017 04:22 AM PST

YANGON — State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi emphasized combating corruption and the development of human capital as key to achieving sustainable economic growth in Myanmar during a speech at the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, while also stressing the important role of women in the economic sphere.

During her keynote speech at the meeting in Manila on Nov. 12, the state counselor told the delegates that "we depend for economic development on the enhancement of integrity … a better way of saying getting rid of corruption.

"I couldn't help mentioning the fact that some of those who had been engaging in business in Myanmar previously said that it was much easier then because then you knew who you had to bribe. It is a lot more difficult now, because now you have to know how to do business in the right way," she said, prompting applause.

In the early months of the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led civilian government, some business sources made a similar point, but they also noted the lack of direction from the new administration as detailed economic policies weren't announced until October 2016, seven months after it took office.

Combating the country's deep-rooted corruption has been one of the National League for Democracy's (NLD's) stated priorities since assuming power. The NLD's civil service reform strategic action plan (2017-2020) is also focused on tackling corruption.

Despite some improvements, critics fault the slow pace of progress in the graft fight, with corruption reportedly still rampant in the lower levels of government.

During the summit, Myanmar's de-facto leader said Myanmar had been growing rapidly as it rolled out rigorous reforms and structural changes in every sector, while reminding the audience that the country had only recently emerged from decades of economic and political isolation and still faced many challenges.

The most notable reforms have been in the investment sector with visible progress being made to ensure a level playing field to strengthen competition and to create a favorable, predictable and friendly investment climate, including reducing bureaucratic red-tape, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said.

A former long-time political prisoner as well as pro-democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said "Myanmar, as a young democracy, started with many, many challenges and has become fully aware of the need for development of people as human beings not just economic powerhouses."

She said human capital development is central to achieving sustainable economic growth and development and thus empowering women is also a form of human capital development as women are an important part of human capital.

"I would like us to think more about what we mean by power and what we mean by capital. Are we thinking only in material terms — that power is economic power? And that capital is economic capital? The material capital that will give us clout?"

"This may seem old-fashioned these days to think of developing ourselves as better human beings rather than as materially more powerful countries. But perhaps it is about time we think about these things," Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said.

The post Graft Fight Holds Key to Development, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Tells ASEAN Summit appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Army Replaces Rakhine Commander

Posted: 14 Nov 2017 03:38 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — Myanmar's military on Friday replaced Maj-Gen Maung Soe, the head of the Western Command responsible for Rakhine and Chin states, with Supply and Transport Directorate chief Brig-Gen Soe Tint Naing.

The major-general, a graduate of the 27th Intake of the Defense Services Academy, was transferred to the Defense Ministry. He was not given a new assignment, but has been placed on a reserve list.

The Tatmadaw gave no reason for the transfer, but it coincides with the disclosure of US plans to impose targeted sanctions on Myanmar's military leadership. It is also believed to be partly in response to ongoing clashes with the Arakan Army (AA) in Paletwa in southern Chin State.

A Tatmadaw investigation team said in a statement released on Monday evening that it would continue "to take action against those who show weakness in administration and the collecting of information necessary for maintaining security in the region."

"I heard that it was because of the Paletwa case. Before that, there were also problems related to the Rakhine issue. These are the causes," according to a retired military officer who is now a Lower House lawmaker, and who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Tatmadaw has not released an official statement about military casualties sustained in an ambush by AA troops on a vessel carrying troops in Chin State's Paletwa Township on Nov. 8, but according to unconfirmed sources, 11 Myanmar Army personnel — two officers and nine other ranks — were killed.

The Tatmadaw also replaced Maj-Gen Min Zaw, the director-general of the Directorate of Supply and Transport, with Brig-Gen Zaw Lwin Oo. Maj-Gen Min Zaw was also put on the reserve list.

On Oct. 23, the US State Department announced sanctions against senior figures in the Myanmar Army, citing alleged human rights violations in military operations in Rakhine State that followed militant attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) in Maungdaw on Aug. 25.

A spokeswoman for the US State Department, Katina Adams, said the United States was aware of reports of the Rakhine State commander's replacement, Reuters reported.

"We remain gravely concerned by continuing reports of violence and human rights abuses committed by Burmese security forces and vigilantes. Those responsible for abuses must be held accountable," Adams said.

The Myanmar Army denies the atrocities and use of excessive force against Rohingya Muslims during clearance operations that sent more than 600,000 fleeing to Bangladesh.

In its report, the Tatmadaw investigation team, led by Inspector-General of Defense Services Lt-Gen Aye Win, said that "all security personnel abided by the orders and directives of superior bodies, especially the rules of engagement — ROE — in connection with the rights of self-defense and in discharging duties during the armed conflicts and anti-terrorist operations."

The post Myanmar Army Replaces Rakhine Commander appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Nationalist Monk Denied Bail Over 2016 US Embassy Protest

Posted: 14 Nov 2017 03:07 AM PST

YANGON — Kamayut Township court in Yangon on Tuesday denied bail to U Parmoukkha, a Buddhist monk who was disrobed and detained on Sunday for staging a protest without permission last year.

U Parmoukkha was one of three Buddhist monks who were charged alongside four nationalists in August last year under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code and Section 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law for staging a protest in front of the US Embassy over the embassy's use of the term "Rohingya."

The nationalists, and many in Burma's government, refer to the Rohingya as "Bengali," implying they are migrants from Bangladesh.

The court granted U Parmoukkha bail of 2 million kyats for the charge under Section 19 of the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law, but refused it for a related charge under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code.

Violations of Section 505(b) are punishable by a maximum of two years in prison, a fine, or both, while Article 19 carries a maximum sentence of three months' imprisonment.

"We'll appeal to the district court to get bail," said U Aung Myaing, a lawyer acting for U Parmoukkha.

As of last week, U Parmoukkha and two other monks — U Pyinnya Wuntha and U Thuseitta of the Patriotic Monks Union — had still not been arrested for their role in the protest even though four nationalists who participated in the protest were sentenced to six months in prison under the same two charges in September by the same court.

U Parmoukkha was finally detained on Sunday when he went to North Dagon police station to seek permission to stage a protest over the alleged confiscation and sale of a land plot by Yangon municipality to a third party.

"Before this, Sayadaw [U Parmoukkha] had appeared at many events including the court before the very eyes of the police, but they didn't arrest him," said Ko Sithu Mayint, a disciple of U Parmaukkha.

"Sayadaw was not hiding. Police have only just arrested him, and I think it is because authorities were concerned that their [alleged] wrongdoing in issuing the land permits would be revealed," he said.

As of yesterday, it was not clear whether the police would arrest the other two monks. The court hearing for U Parmoukkha was set for Nov. 21.

After the arrest, police brought U Parmoukkha to the Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, the regional Buddhist authority in Yangon, and asked him to leave the monkhood, which he refused to do.

The post Nationalist Monk Denied Bail Over 2016 US Embassy Protest appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

USDP-led Coalition Accuses NLD of Abusing Religion For Political Purposes

Posted: 14 Nov 2017 02:15 AM PST

YANGON — A coalition of 27 political parties headed by the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) accused the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) of abusing religion for political purposes by organizing interfaith rallies around the country.

The coalition is led by main opposition party the USDP—the previous ruling and current military proxy party started by former generals—and comprises 26 other parties, the majority of which are currently unrepresented in Parliament, including the Democratic Party Myanmar, National Democratic Force, the National Development Party, and some small ethnic parties.

The coalition issued a joint statement on Monday stressing that the usage of pictures of NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the party's flag and logo at interfaith rallies organized in different cities across the country last month violated the military-drafted 2008 Constitution and the Political Parties Registration Law and called for action to be taken against the NLD.

"Interfaith rallies organized by the NLD can be considered as gatherings that showed support for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and political assemblies that would only promote image of the party's leader," the joint statement read.

"We strongly oppose the act of involving political deception in the interfaith rallies organized by the NLD," it continued.

Interfaith rallies were organized in the wake of communal divisions after August attacks and subsequent clearance operations in Rakhine State. Thousands of people including NLD-appointed chief ministers of Yangon, Mandalay and Irrawaddy divisions and regional parliamentary speakers attended the rallies.

Article 364 of the 2008 Constitution forbids the abuse of religion for political purposes. Any political party shall be forced to dismiss if there is such act of abuse according to the Political Parties Registration Law.

The USDP and several other small political parties issued multiple joint statements in recent months, expressing criticism of the government's action surrounding the Rohingya crisis and the need for the government to hold a National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) meeting in order to lay down a security policy for Rakhine State.

U Nyan Win, a member of NLD secretariat, told The Irrawaddy that interfaith events were organized with an intention for harmony and cannot be considered as abuse of religion.

"We have a different concept from them—organizing interfaith events is not an abuse of religion," he said. "It's also up to us whether we use pictures of our [party's] leader at the events or not."

The statement also mentioned that the coalition would try to submit parliamentary proposals and discussions concerning the issue in the near future.

The post USDP-led Coalition Accuses NLD of Abusing Religion For Political Purposes appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

AA Disputes Tatmadaw’s Account of Deadly Chin State Ambush

Posted: 14 Nov 2017 01:44 AM PST

In an interview with The Irrawaddy, a spokesman for the Arakan Army (AA) has claimed the group was defending its territory during an attack on a vessel that killed at least 11 Myanmar Army troops in Chin State last week. The army has described the attack as an ambush.

At least 11 Myanmar Army troops were killed and 14 wounded during a clash with the AA in the western township of Paletwa in Chin State.

The troops of the Tatmadaw, Myanmar's military, were ambushed while traveling by boat along the Kaladan River, which flows into Myanmar from eastern India and runs through Chin and Rakhine states. A university student on board the vessel was killed in the attack and three women traveling with the group were injured, according to local sources.

Paletwa is an ethnic Chin township that borders Rakhine State. The AA uses the area as a base, crossing the Kaladan River to enter Rakhine.

Fighting between the two sides has escalated since the first week of November, forcing over 300 villagers from their homes. The AA said in a statement on Nov. 5 that the Tatmadaw had stepped up its offensive activities in the area and warned people to avoid unnecessary travel.

The AA is a member of the Wa-led Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which has called for political negotiations with the government outside the NCA (Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement) framework.

The Tatmadaw, however, considers the AA an insurgent organization threatening the country's sovereignty, and has refused to hold talks with it.

U Khaing Thu Kha, an information officer for the AA, recently talked to The Irrawaddy's senior reporter Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint about the clashes in Paletwa.

What is the latest information you have regarding the clashes in Paletwa?

The most recent clashes occurred from Nov. 1 to Nov. 10 in the upstream areas of the Kaladan River. There were fierce clashes on Nov. 7 and 8. The Myanmar military has been launching large-scale attacks in the areas we control. The clashes erupted when they attempted to penetrate our strongholds.

How many locations have seen fighting so far?

Three or four. In the Maung Bu and Saman Talan mountain ranges, the military hit us with heavy guns day and night. They also brought in reinforcements around the mouth of Kalet Creek, which led to fighting. There were also clashes near Nom Bu village. On Nov. 8 near Nom Bu, hundreds of Tatmadaw troops arrived in three vessels, and our special combat forces intercepted them. During the attack, the Tatmadaw suffered heavy casualties and many wounded.

Which AA battalion fought with the Tatmadaw?

The clashes broke out when they advanced into an area controlled by our Brigade No. 3.

The Tatmadaw says its troops were ambushed, but the AA says the fighting started when Tatmadaw troops entered an AA-controlled area. What is your response?

The answer is simple. We're not attacking their military bases; we have been defending ourselves against large-scale attacks on our bases. With peace being discussed, the Tatmadaw should not be launching serious attacks against armed ethnic groups. The government should seek to negotiate from an honorable position. Military destruction [of the groups] is not the right course.

How many casualties did the AA suffer in the Paletwa clash? 

A few fighters were wounded; we have not sustained heavy casualties so far.

In its Nov. 5 statement, the AA urged local people to resist human rights violations by the Tatmadaw. But Paletwa locals told me they disliked AA because it had planted land mines, forced them to work and seized their cattle since entering the area. How do you explain this contradiction?

We've told locals that if our troops kill their livestock without paying them, we will compensate them twice the value of the cattle. On a previous occasion when clashes occurred, we did have to slaughter villagers' cattle because we were short of food. But we paid them double compensation.

In some cases, Myanmar troops pretend to be AA fighters and seize cattle. This is common practice for the Tatmadaw. We never do things that burden local people. But the Myanmar Army does, and has been forcing villagers in and around Nom Bu to do physical labor.

Do the recent clashes pose a threat to the peace talks between the two sides?

We always keep the door open for peace. The fate of the peace talks rests entirely with the Myanmar Army. They are using force to fight their compatriots while chanting "annihilation." But we always seek to solve political problems though political negotiations.

Regarding the allegations on social media that AA is killing civilians, this is just Tatmadaw propaganda.

A student was killed and three women injured in our attack on the Tatmadaw's Light Infantry Battalion 563 near Nom Bu on Nov. 8 because they were on board a military vessel carrying food supplies.

The owner of the vessel, Aye Shwe, is married to a lieutenant in the Myanmar Army. That vessel is owned by them, and it is a military vessel. But some people said a civilian vessel had been attacked.

We issued a notice on Nov. 5 warning civilians to avoid traveling along the Kaladan River and the Kaletchaung and Pe creeks. It was not a civilian vessel, but a military vessel; they were on board and we attacked.

The post AA Disputes Tatmadaw's Account of Deadly Chin State Ambush appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 13 Nov 2017 10:57 PM PST

Back to Millennium | Nov. 18

Famous hip-hop bands from the 2000s including Acid, Theory, Examplez, Too Big, and Teens will perform at this event.

Nov. 18, 6 pm. Thuwunnabhumi Event Park, Tickets between 10,000 and 70,000 kyats at 09-250064667 and 09-455573442.

 

Lethwei Nation Fight | Nov. 19

Myanmar, Thai and Laotian fighters will compete in this event.

Nov. 19, 1 pm to 5 pm. Theinbyu Stadium, Tickets between 5,000 and 50,000 kyats at 09-964400215, 09-43164850.

 

Musical Concert | Nov. 18

A concert to mark the 97th anniversary of the University of Yangon will feature dozens of singers.

Nov. 18, 7 pm. National Theater, Tickets between 10,000 and 50,000 kyats at City Mart shopping malls and Tony Tun Tun beauty parlors.

Sunset Boat Party | Nov. 18

A number of Yangon DJs spin the latest music while the sun sets over the Yangon River.

Nov. 18, departure time: 5:30 pm. Botahtaung Jetty. Tickets at Union Bar and Grill on Strand Road.

 

Pieces of Mind – A Puppet Theater Performance | Nov. 18

Pieces of Mind is a kind of figure theatre developed by Myanmar and German puppet artists, which features a scenic kaleidoscope, where materials are shaped into figures and moments, which mirror human consciousness and feelings.

Nov. 18, 7 pm to 9 pm. Chin Chaung Palace, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Booking here.

 

Music for Myanmar Charity Concert | Nov. 18

Lisa Lambe and Simon Morgan, two of Ireland's accomplished singers, make their Myanmar debut to raise funds for deaf, orphaned and underprivileged children.

Nov. 18, 6:30 pm. Chatrium Hotel, Ticket price US$50 available here or 01-544500.

 

Japanese Movie Night: A Tale of Samurai Cooking | Nov. 17

This movie is about a housewife who married a Samurai cook.

Nov. 17, 6 pm to 8 pm. Japan Culture House, Room 322B, 2nd Floor, Building C, Pearl Condo, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road. Free Admission.

 

Documentary Film and Photos | Nov. 17-21

This event will feature documentary films and photos on the landscapes and cultures of ethnic people across the country.

Nov. 17-21. Gallery 65, Yaw Min Gyi Street, Dagon Tsp. Free Admission.

Kin Maung Yin Remembrance | Nov. 11-17

An art exhibition in remembrance of late artist Kin Maung Yin will showcase more than 50 of his modernist works.

Nov. 11-17, Moon Art Gallery, 35th Street, Kyauktada Tsp.

 

U Thu Kha Commemoration | Nov. 11-18

Hundreds of paintings will be showcased at this exhibition held in commemoration of late artist U Thu Kha.

Nov. 11-18. No. 84A, Thanlwin Road, Golden Hill Avenue, Golden Valley, Bahan Tsp.

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

Myanmar Army Denies Abuses Against Rohingya After Investigation

Posted: 13 Nov 2017 10:33 PM PST

YANGON — The Myanmar Army denied atrocities and use of excessive force against Rohingya Muslims during clearance operations that sent more than 600,000 fleeing to Bangladesh.

The international community has condemned the army for arbitrary killing, rape, torture and the torching of Rohingya homes during the counter operations in northern Rakhine State in response to Muslim militant attacks on 30 police outposts in the area. The US and EU have reimposed sanctions against army leadership while the UN Security Council called for the army to stop all violence against the minority group.

The report came before the visit of the US Secretary of the State Rex Tillerson, who will arrive in Myanmar on Wednesday.

The report on an internal investigation led by Inspector-General of Defense Services Lt-Gen Aye Win was released on Monday evening, stating that a team spent nearly a month on the ground gathering information and interviewing nearly 3,000 people, including Rakhine, Hindu and 'Bengali' [the term used for the Rohingya in the report and many others in the country implying they are interlopers from Bangladesh].

The findings of the investigation state "all security members abided by the orders and directives of superior bodies, especially the rules of engagement-ROE in connection with the rights of self-defense and in discharging duties during the armed conflicts and anti-terrorist operations."

"……the security forces opened fire with the use of small arms only without totally using heavy weapons, launchers and grenades. As such, the security forces abided by laws related to the wars in conducting area clearance operations. So, it is found that those security forces did not perform the use of excessive force," it read.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday that the army's claim is contrary to a growing body of evidence to the contrary, calling again for a UN fact-finding mission to be permitted in the region.

"The Burmese military's absurd effort to absolve itself of mass atrocities underscores why an independent international investigation is needed to establish the facts and identify those responsible," said HRW Asia Director Brad Adams. "The Burmese authorities have once again shown that they can't and won't credibly investigate themselves."

The report states that 114 people have been arrested related to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the Muslim militant group that claimed responsibility for the August attacks and was later denounced as a terrorist group by the government.

"Members of security forces did not commit persecution against those persons in arresting. It was found that those Bengalis were exposed and arrested under provisions of the Geneva Convention and the law of wars," the army statement said, while claiming denial of the arbitrary killings, rapes and arson based on interviews with the Rohingya. The statement continued with the spurious claim that members of the ARSA torched Rohingya homes before fleeing to Bangladesh.

Regarding the exodus, the investigation claimed that villagers were lured to Bangladesh by ARSA promises of aid and resettlement or fear of being labeled traitors if they chose not to flee.

The statement concluded that security forces would continue to seek information regarding the ARSA attacks and take action.

On Friday, Maj-Gen Maung Maung Soe, the head of Western Command in Rakhine State, was replaced by Brig-Gen Soe Tint Naing, formerly a director in logistics. But the army hasn't provided any reason for the replacement yet.

The post Myanmar Army Denies Abuses Against Rohingya After Investigation appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bob Geldof Calls Daw Aung San Suu Kyi ‘Handmaiden to Genocide’

Posted: 13 Nov 2017 08:02 PM PST

DUBLIN — Irish musician and activist Bob Geldof called Myanmar leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi “a handmaiden to genocide” on Monday as he returned his Freedom of the City of Dublin award in protest over his fellow recipient's response to the repression of Rohingya Muslims.

"I don’t want to be on a very select roll of wonderful people with a killer," Geldof told state broadcaster RTE. "Someone who is at best a handmaiden to genocide and an accomplice to murder."

More than 600,000 Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine State have fled to refugee camps in Bangladesh after military operations described by the United Nations as ethnic cleansing.

Their plight has drawn outrage around the world. But Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, long seen as a champion of human rights, has been criticized for failing to speak out against violence. There have been calls for her to be stripped of the Nobel Peace Prize she won in 1991.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was given the Freedom of Dublin in 1999 while she was held under house arrest by Myanmar's then military government. She received her award at a reception in Ireland in 2012, two years after her release.

"Her association with our city shames us all and we should have no truck with it, even by default. We honored her, now she appalls and shames us," Geldof said in a statement.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Micheal Mac Donncha, said the city council had discussed taking away the honor and the matter was still under review. Last month she was stripped of a similar honor by the British university city of Oxford, where she was an undergraduate.

But Mac Donncha, a councillor for the Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party, also criticized Geldof’s gesture, saying it was ironic as Geldof held a British knighthood despite "the shameful record of British imperialism across the globe."

The former Boomtown Rats singer was given an honorary knighted in 1986 in recognition of his charity work, including organizing the 1985 Live Aid concert to help those suffering from starvation and disease in Ethiopia.

Other foreign recipients of the Freedom of Dublin include John F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Irish rockers U2, who had campaigned for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's release while she was a political prisoner, also voiced disappointment and said her silence was "starting to look a lot like assent."

"Who could have predicted that if more than 600,000 people were fleeing from a brutal army for fear of their lives, the woman who many of us believed would have the clearest and loudest voice on the crisis would go quiet," the band said in a statement.

"For these atrocities against the Rohingya people to be happening on her watch blows our minds and breaks our hearts."
The Myanmar military says it launched the crackdown in response to attacks by Rohingya militants.

The post Bob Geldof Calls Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 'Handmaiden to Genocide' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘They Beat Him With Sticks,’ Says Villager of Killing of Myanmar Land Rights Defender

Posted: 13 Nov 2017 07:55 PM PST

MUMBAI — Campaigners demanding the return of land to villagers in northern Myanmar said their fight would go on, days after an activist was beaten to death by a mob while visiting the disputed territory on the invitation of local officials.

Htay Aung was attacked by a mob of more than 20 people in northern Shan state. He died of his injuries on Nov. 1.
A police investigation is ongoing.

"We were waiting for the officials, when about 20 villagers [of the disputed village] approached and started shouting and swearing at Htay Aung," said a man who was with him on the day.

"They beat him with bamboo sticks and sugarcane stems. We shouted at them to stop, but it was too late," said the man who asked not to be identified because he fears for his safety.

Local officials took Htay Aung to a local hospital, from where he was moved to Mandalay Hospital, where he died, the man told the Thomson Reuters Foundation through a translator.

Calls and messages to the police and government officials seeking comment were not returned.

About 70 percent of Myanmar's population lives in rural areas and depends on agriculture for a living. Few have formal titles for their land.

Disputes over land have increased significantly since Myanmar eased political and economic restrictions after 2011, which led to a rush of foreign investments and greater demand for land for industrial use.

Government officials say these projects, including mining, hydropower and large-scale agriculture, are essential for development in one of the world's poorest countries.

In 2012, Myanmar introduced new laws that permitted farmers to obtain land-use certificates aimed at according them greater security. Four years later, the country adopted a national land-use policy and introduced dispute resolution mechanisms.

Still, land deals are often marred by a lack of consultation, inadequate compensation, the absence of a resettlement policy and a lack of judicial remedies.

Alongside, arrests and prosecution of protesters and land activists have risen.

"The laws don’t protect the small farmer, and they don't adhere to international human rights guidelines," said Jennifer Horan, a researcher with Amsterdam-based advocacy group Transnational Institute that focuses on land issues.

Campaigners said government officials have said they are considering amendments to one of the laws.

But activists say the proposed amendments will further undermine the rights of ethnic communities and women, and make it harder to resolve disputes.

Htay Aung's fight will go on, despite his death, said the villager. "We will keep demanding our land back," he said.

The post ‘They Beat Him With Sticks,' Says Villager of Killing of Myanmar Land Rights Defender appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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