Tuesday, January 9, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Govt Shakeup Coming to Some States, Regions

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 05:28 AM PST

YANGON — NLD sources said the government was likely to replace some of its state and region ministers and chief ministers starting as soon as next week in what would be the largest shakeup of its kind since the party took power almost two years ago.

Monywa Aung Shin, secretary of the NLD's Central Information Committee, said on Monday that the local ministers and chief ministers would be replaced during the coming session of Parliament, which will reconvene next Monday after a two-month break.

"We heard that about five or six ministers will be replaced at state and region level, as well as chief ministers," he said.

The Irrawaddy Region's minister for natural resources, environment, agriculture and livestock, U Ba Hein, has submitted his resignation already, also for health reasons.

Local media has reported that Magwe Region's minister for labor, immigration and population, U Nay Myo Kyaw, and its minister for agriculture, livestock and irrigation, U Soe Myint, have tendered their resignations as well.

They reported that U Nay Myo Kyaw was the subject of an internal party investigation over an alleged extramarital affair and that U Soe Myint was resigning on health grounds.

Last week, the Rakhine State Parliament voted to strip Municipal Affairs Minister U Min Aung of his duties after being accused of failing to hold consultations on the state budget.

News of the pending replacements follows closely on the NLD's announcement last week of coming structural reforms within the party ahead of the 2020 elections. It also comes amid mounting calls from pundits that its government replace key posts in order to improve its performance.

The NLD lawmakers who spoke on condition of anonymity said the government was also likely to replace some Union ministers who have been criticized for their performance over the past two years.

NLD spokesperson U Nyan Win would neither confirm nor deny the reported changes.

"I couldn't say that is not true. It will depend on the decision of the government. As a party, we don't decide on that," he said.

U Nyan Win told The Irrawaddy last week that the NLD would carry out reforms based on the lessons it has learned from its mistakes over the past two years.

Additionally reporting by Htet Naing Zaw from Naypyitaw.

The post Govt Shakeup Coming to Some States, Regions appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Peace Process Hits Another Hurdle

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 04:09 AM PST

YANGON — The government and ethnic leaders postponed a Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) meeting this month, where stakeholders would discuss setting a date for the upcoming session of the Union Peace Conference (UPC), in part because of the suspension of the Shan national-level political dialogue.

With the UPDJC talk postponed, the peace process is stalled and whether the UPC will be convened later this month as previously planned is uncertain.

"All meetings have been postponed," said U Myo Win, a secretary of the UPDJC who represents the ethnic armed organization (EAO) side. The UPDJC has 48 members and EAOs, the government and political parties have 16 representatives, respectively.

"We are not ready to meet again, partly because the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) suspended the Shan national-level political dialogue," he said, referring to the Tatamdaw's obstruction of prior consultations held in Shan State in December.

It seems that the peace process has reached a stalemate yet again for the government, the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) and signatories of the nationwide ceasefire agreement. But stakeholders say they are optimistic that further negotiations will propel the process forward.

The Peace Process Steering Team of the eight NCA signatories, led by Karen National Union (KNU) chairman Gen Saw Mutu Say Poe, will discuss a way to overcome this hurdle on Thursday.

"If the RCSS completed its Shan national-level political dialogue, the process could move forward," said U Myo Win, but the UPC would still be postponed.

Dr. Manam Tu Ja, the chairman of the Kachin State Democracy Party, echoed that a stalled UPDJC meeting does not mean that the peace process had stopped.

He also speculated that the stalemate could be the result of hopes of additional NCA signatories following peace talk efforts between the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) and the government.

The UNFC requested a meeting with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to discuss the issue.

The New Mon State Party (NMSP), a member of the UNFC bloc, expressed a desire to sign the NCA soon, after its executive committee meeting in December. However, the stance of UNFC member the Karenni National Progressive Party remains uncertain, as three KNPP soldiers were recently killed by the Tatmadaw in Loikaw.

In the meantime, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the KNU, urged for a postponement of the UPC, as the military-drafted 2008 Constitution remains in place, and little has been accomplished under this framework in prior peace conferences.

Since ceasefire negotiations began, the Tatmadaw wanted the EAOs to disarm and take part in politics under the 2008 Constitution. But EAOs consistently raise concerns regarding reform of the security sector, as agreed to in the NCA. There is an ongoing dispute as to whether disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) or security sector reform (SSR) comes first.

KNLA commanders reaffirmed that they would not give up their arms until genuine peace prevails in the country.

The post Peace Process Hits Another Hurdle appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

KNLA Says It Won’t Attend Third Session of Panglong Peace Conference

Posted: 09 Jan 2018 01:22 AM PST

YANGON — Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) commanders have decided not to attend the third session of the Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong—slated for the last week of January, saying peace negotiations have gone nowhere under the military-drafted 2008 Constitution.

KNLA commanders reviewed the results of the second session of the peace conference at a meeting on Jan. 5.

"Our leaders attended the previous session of the Panglong Conference. Upon reviewing it, we found that the conference made no progress from the 2008 Constitution. We are concerned that the next session will be the same," Brigadier-General Sha Htu Waw, the joint deputy adjutant general of the KNLA, told The Irrawaddy.

"The current peace process is not in line with our aims. Therefore, we don't have any trust in it," he said, adding that the third session should be suspended.

The meeting also discussed the DDR (disarmament, demobilization and reintegration) and security sector reform processes.

DDR is one of the key demands of the Myanmar Army, or Tatmadaw, with respect to ethnic armed groups' full participation in the peace talks.

The army insists there is only one armed force in the country, while ethnic armed groups have demanded security sector reforms including the formation of a federal army that would incorporate ethnic armed groups.

"We have also decided that we won't accept DDR unless the country achieves peace," he said.

The government's Peace Commission declined to comment on the KNLA's decision. "Everyone knows who drafted the 2008 Constitution. Even the National League for Democracy [NLD] came to power according to the 2008 Constitution and has to work within that framework," said U Aung Soe, a member of the commission.

The post KNLA Says It Won't Attend Third Session of Panglong Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 10:36 PM PST

112 Years Yangon Zoo Donation Fair | Jan. 13-14

Singers will perform at this fundraising event and proceeds will be donated to orphanages.

Jan. 13-14. Yangon Zoo.

 

Charity Show | Jan. 12

Singers will perform and taekwondo will be demonstrated at this event.

Jan. 12, 6 pm. Kandawgyi Hmaw Sin Kyun.  Tickets are 5,000 to 20,000 kyats at City Mart Supermarkets.

 

 Lin Lun Khin Book Sale | Jan. 8-17

Lin Lun Khin Publishing will celebrate its 11th anniversary with discounts on its books.

Jan. 8-17. Leik Kan Street, Pazundaung Tsp.

 

Smart City & Future Yangon | Jan. 13

The Yangon Region Computer Industry Association will give talks on what a smart city is and the challenges facing Yangon in the future.

Jan. 13, 2 pm to 5 pm. Myanmar ICT Park, Hlaing University.

 

Musical Night | Jan. 14

Chart-topping singers will perform at this event.

Jan. 14, 7 pm. Shwe Htut Tin Grounds. Tamwe Tsp. Tickets 20,000 to 40,000 kyats at 09-977009157, 09-455573442.

 

Yar Pyae Book Sale | Jan. 8-14

Yar Pyae Publishing House will offer up to 20 percent discounts on its publications.

Jan. 8-14, Hledan & Pansodan.

 

Watercolor Art Exhibition | Jan. 13-16

A group art exhibition of nine artists will feature watercolor paintings on various subjects.

Jan. 13-16, 43 Art Gallery, 43rd Street, Botahtaung Tsp.

 

The Value | Jan. 13-17

Nyan Ye Naing's solo art exhibition 'The Value' highlights the importance of shoes to humans.

Jan. 13-17, Bo Aung Kyaw Art Gallery, Bo Aung Kyaw Street.

 

Khin Maung San Solo | Jan. 13-15

Khin Maung San (Magwe) will show his modernist paintings.

Jan. 13-15. Moon Art Gallery, 35th Street, Kyauktada Township.

 

Stains and Me | Jan. 13-19

This is a modernist art exhibition by artist Aung Zaw.

Jan. 13-19. Nawaday Tharlar Art Gallery, Yaw Min Gyi Street.

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

Saint Laurent Ventures Online in China as Luxury Portals Take Off

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 09:20 PM PST

PARIS — French fashion label Saint Laurent, part of Kering, will start selling online in China through a JD.com portal, joining shopping players like Alibaba in trying to tap strong luxury goods demand from Chinese consumers.

The French brand, created in 1961 by its late founder Yves Saint Laurent, said on Monday it was partnering with Toplife, a platform launched last October by JD.com that aims to woo luxury buyers with same-day deliveries and premium services.

It rivals Luxury Pavilion, a similar portal launched in August that is backed by Alibaba’s Tmall platform and features products from fashion groups such as Burberry.

Chinese shoppers made up 32 percent of the worldwide luxury market in 2017, more than any other nationality, consultancy Bain & Co said, making it a crucial market for fashion brands.

KPMG has projected, meanwhile, that half of China’s domestic luxury consumption could come from web sales by 2020.

Online shopping has proved a potent earnings driver for fashion brands even if many were initially reluctant to distribute their wares too widely.

Top labels such as Kering's Gucci or LVMH's Louis Vuitton recently started marketing directly to Chinese buyers with their own websites in the country.

High-end fashion houses are still wary of alliances with mass-market platforms such as Amazon, however, fearful they will lose control of their image.

JD.com and Alibaba's specialist luxury platforms have already lured several other brands, touting themselves as more exclusive, selective sites.

The post Saint Laurent Ventures Online in China as Luxury Portals Take Off appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai King Orders Festival Paying Homage to Past Monarchs

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 08:59 PM PST

BANGKOK — Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has ordered a history-themed festival for the public, a government spokesman said on Monday, as the Southeast Asian nation emerges from a year of mourning for his revered father.

The king's father, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, whose reign spanned seven decades, was cremated in Bangkok in October.

The late king, who died in October 2016, commanded the devotion of millions and helped shape Thailand for decades after World War II. King Vajiralongkorn does not attract the same level of devotion.

The festival, which will take place at the Royal Plaza, a public square in Bangkok, from Feb. 8 to March 11, will feature exhibitions showcasing the life and work of his late father King Bhumibol and his great grandfather, King Chulalongkorn, who reigned from 1868 to 1910.

The festival will include gardens, fountains and historic-looking structures.

"The king wants Thai people to be happy by reminiscing about the past, that's why the festival has a historical theme," government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd told Reuters on Monday.

He added that the public will be encouraged to wear traditional Thai clothes and 19th century Thai fashions.

King Vajiralongkorn, who ascended the throne after his father's death, quickly asserted his authority by requiring changes to a new constitution to make his powers clear and he also set about reorganizing the palace.

He has issued a number of royal decrees in recent months pertaining to the promotion and dismissal of palace officials.

He has also been given full control of the agency that manages the multi-billion dollar holdings of the monarchy.

Outside of the palace, the king has ordered the organization of public events such as weekend music concerts aimed at "bringing happiness to the people."

King Vajiralongkorn's formal coronation is expected to take place later this year and could signal the start of politics following a year of mourning and the late king's funeral.

Thai laws protecting members of the royal family from insult limit what all news organizations, including Reuters, can report from Thailand.

The post Thai King Orders Festival Paying Homage to Past Monarchs appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Says 27 of 31 Regions Met 2016 Low Carbon Targets

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 08:24 PM PST

SHANGHAI — China said 27 of its 31 regions met their greenhouse gas reduction targets aimed at combating global warming in 2016, the country's climate change regulator said in a notice on Monday.

China is the world's biggest source of greenhouse gases and in 2016 published a plan for its 31 regions to accelerate the development of non-fossil fuel energy, tackle greenhouse gases in the agricultural sector and boost forest coverage.

China has pledged to cut carbon dioxide produced per unit of GDP growth by 18 percent over 2016-2020 and to cap total energy consumption at 5 billion tons of standard coal equivalent by the end of the decade, up from 4.3 billion tons in 2015.

Among the regions rated as "excellent" were the cities of Beijing and Shanghai and the major manufacturing provinces of Zhejiang in east China and Guangdong on the southeast coast.

But the remote western regions of Tibet and Qinghai, the rural southwestern region of Guangxi and the northeast rustbelt province of Liaoning all "failed" to implement their targets, said the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The assessment covered only 2016 and the NDRC did not provide any details.

Beijing has pledged to bring greenhouse gas emissions to a peak by "around 2030" as part of a commitment to the Paris climate change agreement. While it has promised to reduce carbon intensity over 2016-2020, total emissions are still expected to rise over the period.

China last month launched its long-awaited nationwide emissions trading system, which will cover the power sector in the first phase, and is aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

The post China Says 27 of 31 Regions Met 2016 Low Carbon Targets appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Journalists Ask Govt for Details of Reuters Reporters’ Case

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 08:18 PM PST

YANGON — A group of Myanmar reporters asked the government on Monday for details about the arrest of two Reuters journalists last month, arguing that the case could have implications for the ability of journalists to do their jobs, two members of the group said.

The two Reuters journalists, Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, are being investigated on suspicion of breaching the Official Secrets Act, a little-used law that has been on the books from the days of British colonial rule.

They had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis in the western state of Rakhine, where an estimated 655,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from a military crackdown that followed militant attacks on security forces.

The two are due to appear in court on Wednesday. It will be their second appearance in court and the prosecutor could request that charges are filed against them.

Twelve reporters based in Myanmar's capital, Naypyitaw, said they had made their request to the interior ministry for more information about the case in accordance with the media law.

"The government hasn't given a proper enough explanation to the country," Nyan Hlaing Lynn, Naypyitaw bureau chief for Frontier magazine, told Reuters.

"We're worried that this will set a bad example of what happens when someone gives information to the media."

Calls for Their Release

The two Reuters reporters were arrested on Dec. 12, after they were invited to meet police for dinner in Yangon.

The Ministry of Information has cited the police as saying the two journalists were "arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine State and security forces." It said they had "illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media."

Government officials from some of the world's major nations, including the United States, Britain and Canada, as well as top UN officials, have called for the release of the journalists.

Reuters President and Editor-In-Chief Stephen J. Adler has called for the immediate release of the two.

"As they near their hearing date, it remains entirely clear that they are innocent of any wrongdoing," Adler said in a statement on Monday.

Aung Myo Min, reporter for Mizzima, said he and the others who wrote the letter were concerned about the implications for their work.

"We hope they'll give reasonable answers to our questions. We feel it could happen to us," Aung Myo Min told Reuters. "This case is a threat to the security of us journalists."

The 12 journalists had tried to present their written request to the Ministry of Home Affairs but officials there had told them to send it through the post, they said. They also published a copy online.

Authorities have blocked most media access to the north of Rakhine State, where Rohingya militant attacks on the security forces on Aug. 25 sparked the military crackdown.

The United Nations has condemned the Myanmar military campaign as ethnic cleansing. Buddhist-majority Myanmar has rejected that.

The US and British embassies condemned on Monday a rare attack by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army insurgents on Myanmar security forces last week in which several members of the armed forces were wounded.

"This act of violence only serves to further undermine peace and security," the US embassy said.

The US and British missions both called for all sides to work to ensure safe conditions for the refugees to return home.

The post Myanmar Journalists Ask Govt for Details of Reuters Reporters' Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rival Karen Armed Groups Continue Latest Round of Fighting

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 08:02 PM PST

YANGON — Fresh fighting broke out in a remote part of Karen State on Monday between two ethnic armed groups, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and Karen National Union (KNU), with alleged involvement of the Myanmar Army, or Tatmadaw.

The DKBA claims that its Battalion 905 has been under attack by an alliance of troops from the Tatmadaw, the government-back Border Guard Force and KNU since Oct. 16 and that the fighting escalated on Jan. 1.

Battalion 905 Caption Hla San told The Irrawaddy that the Tatmadaw and KNU on Monday attacked his camp, located in a remote area between Mae Tha Waw village and Myaing Gyi Ngu, in Hlaing Bwe Township.

"It happened today around 11 a.m., and they have been firing artillery since the weekend," he said.

"The KNU, in coalition with the Tatmadaw, blocked our food transport routes. They destroyed the rice field," added the DKBA's Colonel Saw San Aung.

Members of the DKBA, including the colonel, strongly oppose the military-drafted 2008 Constitution and are active supporters of the Northern Alliance, a group of seven armed group that have not signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

Col. Saw San Aung said the latest skirmishes took various forms, including landmine attacks, arms fire and guerilla tactics.

He said the Tatmadaw encourages the KNU to fight the DKBA because its territory is near the planned construction site of Hat Gyi hydropower dam.

"They have this dam project and the site has been prepared for construction, especially the clearing of the route for the Mae Tha Waw road. There is no way they would give up on it. But to implement it, they need to get rid of us, so they help the Karen armed groups to fight us," the colonel said.

Brigadier General Sha Du Wawh, of the Karen National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the KNU, would neither confirm nor deny an attack on the DKBA on Monday. But he rejected as rumor the claim that the KNU was working with the Tatmadaw.

"We protected our territory so that we could avoid further confrontation with the Tatmadaw," he told the Irrawaddy.

The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, which has not signed the NCA, is a splinter group of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, which has.

Chit Min Tun contributed to this report.

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Monday, January 8, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Netizen Sued After Criticizing Mon State Chief Minister on Facebook

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 04:08 AM PST

THATON, Mon State — A netizen was sued by a member of the Mon State ethnic affairs committee on Saturday after posting several posts critical of the Mon State chief minister.

U Aung Ko Ko Lwin, a Thaton local who uses the Facebook account Aung Ko Ko Lwin, posted a video clip of Mon State Chief Minister Dr. Aye Zaw's controversial remark last week urging the residents of Thaton Township to "eat only a dish of curry" at mealtime in order to bring down food prices.

"I don't know exactly what I was sued for, the video or other posts," U Aung Ko Ko Lwin told The Irrawaddy.

His other posts claimed that the chief minister turned a deaf ear to his demands during the Mon State authorities' meeting with Thaton residents last week as he asked the chief minister to install a transformer for the town's central market and LED signals at a railway crossing on the Yangon-Mawlamyine motor road where traffic accidents frequently occur.

"He didn't bother to reply. He was not dutiful," U Aung Ko Ko Lwin wrote.

He was sued by U Saw Kyaw Moe under Article 8(f) of a law protecting the privacy and personal security of citizens, new legislation that was enacted late last year.

No one shall unlawfully interfere with a citizen's personal or family matters or act in any way to slander or harm their reputation, states Article 8(f).

Violation of the law is punishable by up to three year's imprisonment plus a maximum fine of 1,500,000 kyats (US$1,100).

U Saw Kyaw Moe said he filed the complaint as a community elder of the town but not on behalf of the state government.

"They can talk freely on Facebook. We have always engaged in democratic causes. But his post is the negative use of freedom of expression. And other youths from our town have followed his footsteps and written similar posts," said U Saw Kyaw Moe.

"His negative criticism spoils the image of the town," he added.

In another post, U Aung Ko Ko Lwin complained about the irregular electricity supply to Thaton Market along with a photo of the Mon State chief minister and lawmakers having meals at a donation ceremony.

"You may be able to walk with your head held high during this term in Thaton, but if you go against the wishes of people, how can you greet them after this term expires?" he wrote.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Netizen Sued After Criticizing Mon State Chief Minister on Facebook appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

RCSS Postpones Shan National-level Political Dialogue

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 03:36 AM PST

YANGON – The Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), on Monday postponed the Shan national-level political dialogue, which had been scheduled for Jan. 12-14 in Langkho (Lin Khay/Langkhur).

In a statement, the RCSS said, "The prior public consultation meetings that had been held had been faced with various persecutions by the Tatmadaw [Myanmar's military], making it impossible for the people to freely and democratically express their will and fully discuss their opinions."

Public consultations were held in 14 of 55 townships in Shan State on Dec. 17-25, led by the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU), which is chaired by the RCSS. However, the meeting in Panglong on Dec. 17 was prevented from going ahead by the Tatmadaw, as was a later meeting in Tachileik Township. The Tatmadaw issued a letter prohibiting any meetings from being held on Dec. 19. Three days later, on Dec. 22, the Shan State Government revoked the instructions it had issued to district authorities to permit public consultation meetings. Consultations were canceled in Taunggyi, Kali, Kyaukme in Shan State and Mandalay.

In Panglong, according to the RCSS, "as the people were preparing to hold the public consultation, the Tatmadaw came in and blocked the meeting, fully armed with war weapons as if to seize an enemy stronghold – an incident that has left a permanent black mark in the history of the Union."

As a result of the Tatmadaw's actions, which included blocking the last prior public consultation meeting at Taunggyi on Jan 7-9, the RCSS/SSA-S (Shan State Army-South) "has decided to temporarily postpone" the proposed National Political Dialogue of Shan Nationalities said, Lt-Col Sai Oo, a spokesman for the RCSS.

Not holding the Shan national-level dialogue in Langkho means the group won't be able to raise its recommendations at the upcoming Union Peace Conference – 21st–Century Panglong (UPC), the spokesman told The Irrawaddy.

"As we have been unable to hear all of the public's views, we will not compile recommendations for the UPC," he said, adding that the group would hold further internal discussion on whether to join the UPC.

The RCSS claimed consultations both inside and outside of Shan State were "held with the approval of the Government and in line with the Union-level Bilateral Agreement," which it signed on Jan. 2012.

In accordance with the implementation process of the national level political dialogue, it is necessary to hold prior public consultation meetings with all the Shan communities living in various parts of the Union, the RCSS said.

"The holding of the public consultation meeting, prior to the National Political Dialogue of Shan Nationalities, at Taunggyi, which is the capital of Shan State, is very important in terms of the historical traditions of the entire Shan nation; in terms of political dignity, national equality, legitimacy of national political dialogues and trust building," it said.

Despite being an NCA signatory, the RCSS has been involved in at least 25 armed clashes with the Tatmadaw since signing the agreement on Oct. 2015.

"Military tensions have also been high in Shan State's RCSS-controlled territories since our preparations began for the ND [national level dialogue]. Fighting has been frequent from last month through Monday," said the spokesman, though the clashes have been in remote areas. Two clashes were reported on Saturday morning in Mai Buu Gyi village in Mongpyin, near Keng Tung.

In the first week of January, RCSS troops were attacked by Tatmadaw soldiers in Loi Len and Mong Pyin townships in southeastern Shan State, said Lt-Col Sai Oo. He said about 80 troops from two Tatmadaw battalions attacked four RCSS soldiers in Naung Lai village tract in Loi Len on Jan.3.

Clashes over territory in Mongpyin were reported in May 2017, and there were interventions from the Joint-Ceasefire Monitoring Committee last year.

The post RCSS Postpones Shan National-level Political Dialogue appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

What is the NLD Doing for Political Prisoners?

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 02:26 AM PST

It was Jan. 4, 2018. As it was also the 70th anniversary of Myanmar's independence, I could not help thinking about my days in prison. Independence Day is one of the special occasions each and every prisoner looks forward to with high hopes.

That is because of a custom of granting amnesty to prisoners and reducing jail sentences on every anniversary.

Everyone who has had to spend part of his or her life in prison knows how it feels. Prisoners cannot help feeling grateful to the government when they see some of their fellow inmates walk out of prison on such occasions, even if they themselves are not released. It is a fine practice among prisoners, despite being anti-government activists, to praise and thank the government for granting them amnesty.

Such days give hope to all types of prisoners. It is also a common practice among prisoners as these days approach to ask prison authorities for any unusual news from the outside.

All inmates look forward to these days because death sentences can be commuted, long sentences can be reduced and those about to complete their terms may be released.

I had not heard of anyone being released from prison under a general amnesty as I was writing this piece on Jan. 5. When I asked the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) about it, they said they had not heard of any releases either.

I could not help but empathize with the political prisoners in jails across Myanmar. They were surely extremely disappointed as their hopes were dashed. They have pinned all their hopes on such occasions.

When I saw that the government was organizing a grand New Year's alms-offering ceremony and Dhamma talks attracting more than 100,000 devotees, I was confident there would be something for prisoners. I later came to learn that I had been completely wrong.

Back when the government's ranks had no ex-political prisoners, amnesties and commuted sentences came every year. Former political prisoners were even allowed to form a committee to identify current political prisoners with the aim of getting them released.

A lot of political prisoners were freed this way. It has also become the norm for other inmates to be released alongside the political prisoners.

That is why I was confident that a government led by a party of former political prisoners would release the political prisoners left.

My expectations have proven to be wrong. It has been a long time since I last heard anything about political prisoners being identified. There are still about 100 political prisoners left in Myanmar, according to organizations of former political prisoners such as the AAPP.

The AAPP has even gone to the trouble of tracking down the original dossiers of the accused to identify people as political prisoners before adding them to its list. It found many cases in which what happened had nothing to do with the laws under which the victims were charged. The charges were fabricated intentionally to put the dissidents in prison, making it impossible to know if they are guilty or innocent based on the charges. The AAPP has carried out a thorough investigation to come up with a detailed list.

It was also revealed that there are about 120 lawmakers in the Union Parliament who were once political prisoners. There is no doubt that former political prisoners can empathize with their peers still behind bars. However, the question is why the representatives have not been able to help them. Why have they not tried to help them?

When I attended a ceremony to mark Independence Day at the headquarters of the NLD about 10 years ago, I was offered a badge with the name of a political prisoner on the back. When I asked about this, the party said it had chosen by lot a political prisoner for me to help.

The back of my badge said “Ma Khin Htar in Dawei Prison.” I was not able to help her because I myself soon became a political prisoner.

However, about two years after I was sent to prison a lady approached my family offering to help me because I had been chosen by lot for her. After consulting with my family, she sent me books to read in prison.

Such help can be of great benefit to a person in prison. It can give an inmate hope and strength. I later learned that the lady, Daw Sabel, had taught my son and daughter-in-law, and she has felt like a member of the family ever since.

I am deeply sad that the help and assistance the NLD offered when it was an opposition party disappeared after it came to power. I am just sad because I have not been able to find out why that has been so.

I believe the government has complete authority to release political prisoners. I am confident that no one can prevent it from, and interfere with it in, exercising that authority. It would be very ugly to write a history that says that about 120 former political prisoners were not able to come to the rescue of about 100 political prisoners behind bars.

What has been happening? Could you please help me find the answer?

 Sai Nyunt Lwin is the secretary general of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy.

The post What is the NLD Doing for Political Prisoners? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Anti-Corruption Commission Encourages Public to File Complaints

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 01:57 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — Members of the public can complain, but with clear evidence, about civil servants who are wealthier than their pay scale would warrant, said Anti-Corruption Commission spokesperson U Han Nyunt.

The spokesperson urged the public to file complaints, but reminded them that adequate evidence was needed for action to be taken against corrupt officials and also to protect plaintiffs from a countersuit.

"If directors-general and directors take bribes, concerned ministers can take action against them. If ministers are corrupt, the president can directly take action," U Han Nyunt told reporters during the commission's press conference in Naypyitaw last week.

"If a director-general has become extremely rich, the minister must take action. If the minister doesn't take action, a complaint can be filed. But the complaint can't be sent anonymously," he added.

Under the current Anti-Corruption Law, the commission tasked with fighting graft is not authorized to take action against corrupt officials unless someone files a complaint. The commission will propose that Parliament amend the law so that it can use its discretion to punish corrupt officials.

U Aung Kyi, the ex-general and information minister in U Thein Sein's administration, is taking charge of the anti-corruption commission, which was reconstituted in November by the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government.

The Orchid Hotel in Yangon filed a complaint with the former commission led by U Mya Win against a department head of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism for demanding 10 million kyats (US$7,500) grease money from the hotel, but to no avail, said hotel owner U Htay Aung.

"We were told that our evidence was not adequate and the investigation has been delayed. And we are being troubled by that official. So, we plan to file a complaint again," U Htay Aung told The Irrawaddy.

Director-general of the Anti-Corruption Commission U Htin Kyaw said that dozens of corrupt directors-general, rectors, directors and police officers were punished under the 2013 Anti-Corruption Law since the commission was formed in 2014.

He also admitted that the commission failed to properly inform the public regarding punishment of corrupt officials.

Ranks below permanent secretaries in ministries including directors-general are not required by law to disclose their possessions, but ministers, deputy ministers and similar ranks have to disclose their possessions to the President's Office, said U Han Nyunt.

"I had to disclose my possessions after I became a member of the Anti-Corruption Commission. Even the [former president] had to disclose his possessions to parliamentary speakers in a sealed letter," he said.

Former lawmaker U Ye Htun stressed the importance of providing compelling evidence in filing complaints as plaintiffs can be counter-accused of defamation if evidence is inadequate.

The commission currently has 392 complaints to handle including complaints against judges, said U Han Nyunt. Complaints primarily involve corruption and land disputes.

"We have also tried to take action against corrupt judges. But there are many cases in which they fled just before we investigated them," he said.

As its first step to root out bribery and corruption in the country, the commission will cooperate with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to organize a paper reading session on fighting corruption in Yangon from Jan. 22-23.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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ARSA Claims Recent Attack in Northern Rakhine

Posted: 08 Jan 2018 12:33 AM PST

YANGON — The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a Muslim militant group behind a series of attacks on government security outposts in northern Rakhine State in August, claimed responsibility for an ambush that injured six government troops last week in the restive area.

In the latest attack since a unilateral ceasefire in October, a civilian vehicle carrying six soldiers and an army officer were blasted by what was thought to be a remote-controlled landmine in northern Maungdaw Township on Friday morning.

The explosion was reportedly followed by an ambush carried out by gunmen apparently positioned on a nearby hill. The attack injured six soldiers and a civilian driver.

On Sunday, ARSA released a statement on Twitter, saying it was behind the attack.

"The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) hereby declares that we carried out an ambush against the Burmese terrorist army in Turaing Village, San Kar Pin Yin Village Tract, Northern Maungdaw Township, Arakan State at around 10:00 AM on 05 January 2018," said the statement.

After the attacks in August, the Myanmar government denounced the militant group as a terrorist organization. The government army then launched clearance operations in the area, leading to the exodus of more than 650,000 Rohingya Muslims to nearby Bangladesh.

Internationally, the army was accused of ethnic cleansing and arbitrary killings, rape and arson. Myanmar Military Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing denied these allegations.

In the Sunday tweet, ARSA said "the Burmese terrorist government and the Burmese terrorist army have never stopped committing acts of Terrorism, War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes against Humanity against innocent Rohingya Indigenous native ethnic community of Arakan State."

The Rohingya are not listed in Myanmar's 135 official ethnic groups, and the majority of the country believes they are 'Bengali,' illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Calling the clearance operations "state-sponsored terrorism," ARSA said it is left with no choice but to fight back to defend the Rohingya.

"Last but not least, it is extremely pertinent to note that Rohingya people must be consulted in all decision-making that affects their humanitarian needs and political future."

U Maung Maung Soe, a Yangon-based political analyst, told The Irrawaddy that ARSA seemed to derail the repatriation process between Myanmar and Bangladesh that was scheduled for later this month.

"It's likely that the attack may pose an intimidation for those who want to come back," he said.

ARSA previously said that it was open to a ceasefire. This was dismissed by both the government and the army.

Government spokesperson Zaw Htay previously stated: "We have no policy to negotiate with terrorists" while defense minister Lt-Gen Sein Win said, "No government negotiates with terrorist groups. We dismiss them [ARSA]."

U Zaw Htay told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the government has found out that the attack was aimed to jeopardize the repatriation process, and terrorists will be responded to as they are.

"We have ordered that they be responded to in line with the law. If they launch further attacks, they will face what they deserve," he said.

He also urged the international community to see ARSA as a terrorist organization and to neither support it politically nor financially.

"The government is trying to solve the problem out there. If you support ARSA, our effort there will be hindered," he said.

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Head of New Crisis Panel Urges Access to Rakhine State

Posted: 07 Jan 2018 11:53 PM PST

BANGKOK—Humanitarian workers and journalists should be given free access to Rakhine State, where violence has prompted some 650,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh, the head of a new international advisory panel on the crisis said.

Surakiart Sathirathai, a former Thai foreign minister, also expressed concern at the arrest of two Reuters reporters last month and said he hoped the case did not lead to broader restrictions on the international media.

"I think press and humanitarian access to Rakhine are important issues as well as free access to other stakeholders," said Surakiart in an interview in Bangkok. "Legitimate press coverage is something that should be enhanced."

Myanmar has severely curtailed access to Rakhine, where an army operation in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents has been condemned by the United Nations as ethnic cleansing—an accusation rejected by the Buddhist majority country.

Surakiart, 59, was chosen last year by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to head a 10-member board that will advise on how to implement the recommendations of an earlier commission headed by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.

Allowing free media coverage was one of the specific recommendations in the 63-page report from Annan's commission, which was appointed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in 2016 to investigate how to solve Rakhine's long-standing ethnic and religious tensions.

Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who had worked on coverage of the crisis, were arrested in Yangon on Dec. 12 on suspicion of violating the Official Secrets Act.

Surakiart said he had raised concerns about their case with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's national security adviser Thaung Tun. He said he had asked for the case to be dealt with transparently and been assured that proper legal procedures would be followed.

"I hope that this would not snowball in adverse directions for both the international press and the Myanmar government," Surakiart added. "I hope the case will not lead to the Myanmar government not welcoming the international press. I want this to be a specific case and hope for a quick resolution to it."

Bridging the Gap

The Annan-led panel delivered its recommendations—which also included a review of a law that links citizenship and ethnicity and leaves most Rohingya stateless—just before insurgent attacks on security posts on Aug. 25 triggered the latest crisis.

Surakiart said there were concerns over the repatriation of those who had since fled to Bangladesh and that the advisory board would need to find an approach to ensure people could return without fear, even if they were not recognized by existing law as Myanmar citizens.

The State Counselor has faced international criticism for perceived inaction over the crisis in Rakhine, but Surakiart said she was constrained by domestic politics.

Buddhist nationalism has surged in Myanmar in recent years, and the army campaign has wide support.

"Aung San Suu Kyi tried to address the issue by trying to build consensus from within rather than finger-pointing," said Surakiart.

"There is a big gap between domestic and international interpretations of the situation in Rakhine. If we can't bridge this gap then it will be an obstacle for all of us who want to improve the situation."

The former Thai foreign minister also said his advisory board would seek to engage with all groups in Rakhine, including the military.

"The advisory board is not a mouthpiece to anyone," Surakiart said. "We are not a spokesperson for Myanmar or the international community."

The board, which is made up of five members from Myanmar and five international appointees including veteran former US politician and diplomat Bill Richardson, will meet the Myanmar government on Jan. 22 in the capital Naypyitaw before making its first trip to Rakhine on Jan. 24.

"I do not want the advisory board to be just a talking shop," Surakiart said. "We want to help bring about tangible progress."

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Iranian Oil Tanker Still Ablaze as Rescuers Search for Missing Mariners

Posted: 07 Jan 2018 08:42 PM PST

BEIJING/SEOUL — A tanker carrying Iranian oil that collided with a Chinese freight ship in the East China Sea on Saturday was still ablaze on Monday morning, a South Korean coast guard official said, as emergency rescue teams continued to search for the missing crew.

The US Navy sent a military aircraft to assist with the search, which spanned an area of about 3,600 square nautical miles (12,350 sq kms), but said in a statement it did not locate any of the tanker’s 32 missing crew members.

The Sanchi tanker, run by Iran’s top oil shipping operator, collided with the CF Crystal about 160 nautical miles off China’s coast near Shanghai and the mouth of the Yangtze River Delta on Saturday evening.

Chinese state media CCTV showed pictures on Sunday of the tanker ablaze and billowing plumes of thick dark smoke. China sent four rescue ships and three cleaning boats to the site, while South Korea dispatched a ship and a helicopter.

The Panama-registered tanker was sailing from Iran to South Korea, carrying 136,000 tons of condensate, an ultra light crude. That is equivalent to just under 1 million barrels, worth about $60 million, based on global crude oil prices.

The freight ship, which was carrying US grain, suffered limited damage and the 21 crew members, all Chinese nationals, were rescued.

The extent of the environmental harm and size of the spill were not yet known. But based on the tonnage the tanker was carrying it has the potential to be the worst since 1991, when 260,000 tons of oil leaked off the Angolan coast.

Hanwha Total Petrochemical Co Ltd in South Korea was due to receive the cargo and was looking at ways to replace the lost barrels, a spokesman said.

The company may use its own stock, ask Iran for another cargo or seek alternative condensate supplies from Qatar, he said. The accident was not affecting its operations on Monday, he said.

Colorless, Odorless and Harmless

Bad weather on Sunday night made it hard for the rescue crews to get access to the tanker.

Trying to contain a spill of condensate, which is extremely low in density, highly toxic and much more explosive than normal crude, may also be difficult.

It is only liquid in certain pressure and temperature conditions and often evaporates into air or dilutes into water when exposed to the atmosphere or spills uncontrolled.

When liquid, condensate is colorless and virtually odorless. Surface spills of condensate are therefore difficult to detect visually, making them hard to manage and contain.

Tankers also carry shipping fuel, known as bunker, which is extremely heavy and toxic when spilled, though much less explosive.

Shanghai Maritime Bureau’s navigation department said the collision did not affect traffic in and out of Shanghai, one of the world’s busiest and biggest ports, or ports along the Yangtze river.

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BBC Editor Quits China Post Over Pay Discrimination

Posted: 07 Jan 2018 08:12 PM PST

BEIJING — Carrie Gracie, the China editor for Britain's public broadcaster the BBC, has resigned from her post in Beijing due to pay disparities with her male colleagues, according to an open letter she wrote.

The BBC has come under fire recently for paying male employees more and has pledged to close the gender gap by 2020.

In July, it revealed as part of a funding settlement with the government that it paid its then top male star five times more than its best-paid female presenter, and that two-thirds of on-air employees earning at least 150,000 pounds ($203,500) were men.

In a letter published on her personal blog on Sunday, Gracie said there was a "crisis of trust" at the broadcaster, where she has worked for 30 years, and that it was "breaking equality law and resisting pressure for a fair and transparent pay structure."

The BBC had four international editors, two men and two women, of which she was one, she said.

When the BBC revealed top salaries as part of last year's settlement, Gracie said she learned that the two men made at least 50 percent more money than the women in those roles.

She said she had since been offered a pay increase that remained "far short of equality" and left her post in Beijing last week, returning to her former job in the BBC TV newsroom.

"The BBC must admit the problem, apologize and set in place an equal, fair and transparent pay structure," she said, calling for an independent arbitration to settle individual cases at the broadcaster.

The BBC cited a BBC spokeswoman as saying that "fairness in pay" at the corporation is "vital," and that an audit of pay for rank and file staff led by an independent judge found there was "no systemic discrimination against women."

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Friends of Detained Reuters Reporter Pray for His Release

Posted: 07 Jan 2018 08:07 PM PST

YANGON — Friends of Reuters reporter Wa Lone gathered on Sunday at one of the main Buddhist pagodas in Myanmar's commercial capital Yangon to pray for his release from prison, where he has been held with a colleague on suspicion of violating the Official Secrets Act.

Journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were detained on Dec. 12. They had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis in the western state of Rakhine, where an estimated 655,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from a fierce military crackdown on militants.

The two are due to appear in court on Wednesday. It will be their second appearance in court and the prosecutor could request that charges are filed against them.

"We miss him and want him to be free," said Thant Zin Soe, among a group of about a dozen of Wa Lone's friends who knelt beneath the Sule Pagoda's towering golden stupa, hands clasped before them, to chant a special Buddhist mantra.

"We believe that this mantra will set them free, that's why we're reciting it."

In Myanmar, which is still in transition after almost half a century of strict military rule, shows of support for journalists and others who run afoul of the authorities are not common.

Last week, a government spokesman, when asked about a campaign of support for the two reporters on social media, said people should not undertake such efforts while a case was being heard in court.

Thant Zin Soe said he did not want to comment on the circumstances of the reporters' arrest, except to say: "It's not a good thing to hear that a reporter got arrested when he was doing his job."

"We’re marching towards democracy, it's not a good thing for the democratization process."

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Friday, January 5, 2018

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Six Soldiers Hurt in Apparent Landmine Blast in Rakhine’s Maungdaw

Posted: 05 Jan 2018 05:59 AM PST

YANGON – Six soldiers were injured when their vehicle was struck by what police believe was a remotely detonated landmine in northern Rakhine State's Maungdaw Township on Friday morning, a border police officer in Kyein Chaung village told The Irrawaddy.

The blast occurred near Tarein, an ethnic Arakanese village in the northern part of the township about 30 km from downtown Maungdaw. According to the police officer, the six soldiers were escorting an Army officer who had fallen ill and was being transported in a civilian vehicle to Maungdaw to receive medical treatment. The police officer could not identify the soldiers' regiment.

As the vehicle was passing Tarein at around 10.30 a.m, it was targeted by what appeared to be a remotely detonated landmine, causing minor injuries to the six soldiers and the civilian driver. The sick officer was not injured in the blast.

Following the blast, the vehicle came under attack from gunmen apparently positioned on a nearby hill, but the passengers managed to escape further injury. It was unclear whether the attack was carried out by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) or an Arakanese armed group.

The police officer said a remotely controlled landmine was likely to blame, rather than a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG). "If it was an RPG, the vehicle would have been blown to bits. I'm pretty sure this was a landmine attack," he said.

He speculated the ambush was the work of an Arakanese armed group, rather than ARSA militants, given the location of the attack near an Arakanese village and the fact that ARSA usually attacks at night. Security forces were on the scene quickly and a hunt for the attackers was under way by 1 p.m.

On Dec. 28, an Arakanese resident of Tarein was killed in a machete attack while fishing near a Muslim village. Authorities have yet to identify any suspects in that attack. In early December, a mine detonated on the Ann-Myebon Highway shortly after Rakhine State Chief Minister Nyi Pu's convoy passed by. An Army truck was hit and four soldiers were wounded.

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More Than 1,200 Villagers Flee as Tatmadaw Battles TNLA in Northern Shan State

Posted: 05 Jan 2018 05:28 AM PST

YANGON—Over 1,200 residents of three villages in northern Shan State have fled to Kyaukme Township and Mongngaw Sub-township to escape fighting between the Myanmar Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). The clashes erupted on Dec. 27 on the border of Kyaukme and Namhsan townships.

Tensions between the Army and the TNLA remain high, according to local community-based organizations.

"Social organizations from Lashio, Namhsan and Kutkai townships as well as a Kyaukme-based committee for displaced persons have distributed relief supplies," Ko Thar Zaw, a volunteer helping displaced persons in Kyaukme, told The Irrawaddy.

"We don't know how many days the displaced persons will have to shelter here, or whether there will be additional needs," he added.

The Department of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement is also providing emergency aid to displaced persons.

"We've provided nine items of emergency aid to over 300 households. They include seven days' rations of rice, clothing, soap, pans, blankets, towels and so on. People displaced in earlier clashes have already returned to their homes. These [1,200 villagers] are newcomers" displaced by the most recent clashes, said Ko Aung Kyaw Moe, a department official.

A total of 744 displaced persons are taking shelter at monasteries and mediation halls in Kyaukme, according to local community-based organizations. The rest are taking refuge at a pagoda and mediation halls in Mongngaw Sub-township, some 32 miles from Kyaukme.

The Kyaukme branch of the Myanmar Red Cross Society has also provided blankets and emergency childbirth kits for pregnant women.

"The Tatmadaw [Myanmar's military] and the TNLA clashed at the border of Kyaukme and Namhsan. Neither side is willing to step back, though the fighting has stopped for the time being. But locals are concerned that it could break out again at anytime. So they fled," Ko Thar Zaw said.

According to the TNLA Information Department, the TNLA and the Tatmadaw clashed from 7.25 am to 9.45 am near the village of Dow Lwe in Namhsan Township on Dec. 27.

Meanwhile, the Tatmadaw is also fighting the Kachin Independence Army in Kachin State's Mansi Township.

Separately, clashes between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army through November and December forced over 300 locals in Paletwa, Chin State to flee their homes.

More than 1,000 locals have crossed the border into India's Mizoram State and are in need of relief supplies.

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The Govt’s New Year’s Resolution Should be a Cabinet Reshuffle

Posted: 05 Jan 2018 05:19 AM PST

Rather than wishing its fellow citizens good health and wellbeing in the new year, the NLD government should be more serious if it wants something meaningful for 2018 — a cabinet reshuffle.

Over the course of its 21 months in office — to the public's dismay — most of the leaders of civilian-run ministries have proved themselves inept. They have been incapable of even making their own decisions. They are reluctant to take risks, as U Win Htein, one of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's aides, put it. (Three military-run ministries are excluded, as the government has no power over them.)

With those people in charge, it's no wonder that we have heard reckless comments, for example that Myanmar's economy would take off like a "jet" even while local manufacturers were facing hurdles — a lack of infrastructure and an unfair tax system — in trying to attract international investors. People can no longer recall the name of the ethnic affairs minister, who stays out of sight most of the time. And it was disappointing to see a muted information minister when northern Rakhine State was burning and Myanmar was besieged with international criticism over the issue.

For the NLD government, it was a waste of time to have spent nearly two years on incapable ministers. President U Htin Kyaw's administration had a bumpy start. The announcement of his cabinet was met with ridicule when it emerged that several of his new ministers had fake degrees. When the administration turned one last year, its de facto leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, boasted that the cabinet was corruption-free. It was a delight for the people to hear that. However, they need not only a clean government but also cohesive and effective ministries with the right people in the right places to move the country forward. Political will alone is not enough to build a nation.

It's an open secret that there are some high-level department officials who are reluctant to be loyal to the NLD government. The majority of them had worked for General–turned-President U Thein Sein during the previous administration. By putting national reconciliation ahead of everything else, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has remained patient with them, hoping they would work for the good of the country. Now, 21 months on, those officials remain far from fulfilling her hopes, U Win Htein said.

So now is the time for the NLD government to have an administrative shakeup for the sake of the people who heartily voted it into power in 2015. It should not let the people down. Any failure of the shakeup to meet the people's expectations will lead to a failed democratic transition. With the 2020 elections looming, the party seems to be feeling the heat — it just announced plans to reform the party structure in a bid for better performance. The government should follow suit, but quickly, for the clock is ticking.

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Shan National Dialogue In Doubt After Public Consultation Cancelled

Posted: 05 Jan 2018 04:56 AM PST

YANGON – A Shan national-level dialogue (ND) convened for Langkho (Lin Khay) next week is now unlikely to go ahead after a Shan public consultation planned to be held in Taunggyi this weekend had to be cancelled.

"We are not sure yet whether it will be held in Langkho, as the pre-consultation for the ND in Taunggyi on Jan. 7-9 has been cancelled," said Sai Kyaw Nyunt, secretary of both the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and the Shan national-level dialogue convening committee. He also represents the SNLD at the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC).

If the Shan national-level political dialogue in Langkho is not held, the participation of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) in the upcoming session of the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference (UPC) later this month will pose a dilemma for the organisers. Although the Shan ND was not able to be carried out before May last year, the RCSS still participated in the second session of the 21st Panglong UPC, in order to allow the process to continue.

Tensions have been high since the last few weeks of 2017 when the pre-consultations being led by the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) — which is chaired by the RCSS – were blocked by the Tatmadaw and later by the Shan State government.

Talks were held between the RCSS, a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), and the Tatmadaw, but they failed to find a way around the impasse.

The Tatmadaw has long insisted that only the RCSS, an NCA signatory, can lead the Shan ethnic based ND, and rejected the pre-consultations on the grounds that there is no provision for them in the agreement.

The Tatmadaw has said the RCSS can hold consultations or the ND in their territories but not in Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State, which is controlled by the government. Given this, the RCSS and the Tatmadaw have not been able to agree on a venue, as the RCSS had proposed Taunggyi as the site for the dialogue.

The military's obstructionist moves were reportedly due to the consultations being held under the leadership of the CSSU. The CSSU – an alliance of Shan political parties, the Shan armed groups, the RCSS and the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), and civil society groups – includes the SSPP as a member. The SSPP is a non-signatory to the NCA and is a member of the northeast based Federal Political Negotiation and Consultation Committee.

Another possible concern of the Tatmadaw seemed to be centered on public gatherings held by the Shan, as the Shan were a politically strong group and a key player in the Federal movement in 1961, which preceded a military coup a year later.

"We Shans have put our efforts into building the federal union since new Union of Myanmar was created [70 years ago] and we have maintained those efforts. So the public gathering prior to the Shan national-level dialogue should be allowed. It is for good," said Sai Aung Myint Oo, a prominent ethnic Shan youth.

According to the NCA text, only the signatories to the pact can hold national level political dialogues as laid down in the political roadmap (Section 20, Chapter 5), as agreed by both sides of NCA signatories.

Peace commission secretary U Khin Zaw Oo, a former lieutenant-general who is acting as the Tatmadaw's intermediary, told The Irrawaddy last week that it was not a problem who led the ND, but the obstruction may be due to there being no stated provision for pre-consultations for the ND in the [framework] agreement.

Observers and some stakeholders have suggested that the Shan pre-consultations would not present a problem if they slightly amended the title to "public consultations" instead of "pre-discussion for the ND".

The title has become a sticking point as the government, Tatmadaw and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) all have different understandings about the concept of a pre-consultation and the ND, said Khun Okkar, of the PaO Nationalities Liberation Organization. He said they hoped to find a solution to the matter during a UPDJC meeting next week, on Jan. 9.

"It won't matter whether we change the title or not. They just don't want us to convene. Prior to us, the Karens, Chins and PaOs also did the same and they were able to hold consultations [in 2017]," said Sai Kyaw Nyunt, adding that even the civil society groups, which held their final forum in Naypyidaw this week — were able to do pre-consultations in almost every state and region.

"If the rules are applied differently for different groups, it won't be convenient," he said.

Although the NCA guarantees participation to all ethnic nationalities at all levels of political dialogue, "the public collaborations are being reduced," said Sai Kyaw Nyunt. “I also wonder why the civilian government doesn't want to allow us to attend, and why the Tatmadaw keeps blocking us,” he said.

Sai Kyaw Nyunt asserted there had been a gentleman's agreement on the pre-ND. "We were told it is not stipulated, and that we have to do it by the book," he said, "I would argue there is no restriction either in the NCA, or in the political dialogue frameworks stating that non-signatories cannot hold such dialogues."

According to the NCA roadmap, the political dialogues are a key foundation step to amending the Constitution, as an agreement from the political dialogues, including the discussion of security sector reform, would have to be presented at the Union Peace Conference (UPC) for the Union Accord to be signed.

However, the current peace-building process has become mired in uncertainty as the framework on the political dialogue has not yet become a common agreement and the UPC is being held without a complete convening of the political dialogues.

After the second 21st Panglong UPC, the first part of the Union Accord was signed with a lack of key federal principles. This was partly due to the Tatmadaw's position of wanting a non-separation of the ethnic states from the Union of Myanmar and its demand for the EAOs to make such a pledge. The question remains whether the stakeholders will be able to include the key federal principles, such as the drafting of ethnic state constitutions and self-determination, in the new Constitution.

Without the key federal principles, any change to the Constitution, which is one of the main aims of the NLD government, will be unsuccessful. Sai Kyaw Nyunt said the UPC would not be needed if the government and the Tatmadaw did not want to change the Constitution.

For the federal principles to be included in the Union Accord, all nationalities of Myanmar must strive to achieve it, said Khun Okkar.

The post Shan National Dialogue In Doubt After Public Consultation Cancelled appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar President Reaffirms Commitment to Constitutional Reform

Posted: 05 Jan 2018 03:55 AM PST

YANGON — Myanmar's President U Htin Kyaw repeated a vow to create a Constitution that upholds democratic standards on the country's 70th anniversary of independence.

Amid critics pointing out that the National League for Democracy (NLD) has remained silent regarding constitutional reform, the president's statement on Thursday reaffirms that the government has not swayed from its ultimate goal of rewriting the military-drafted 2008 Constitution.

The emergence of a Constitution in line with democratic norms has been a top priority for the NLD. But attempts to amend or replace the current Constitution will be no easy task, as it will put the NLD head-to-head with hardline military generals.

"We all must collaborate to adopt a Constitution suitable for the country as we build a democratic federal Union in accordance with the results of the political dialogues," President U Htin Kyaw said in his Independence Day message.

He said the government is working on national reconciliation and the peace process aimed at building a democratic state based on the principles of freedom for all ethnic national races, justice, equality and the right to self-determination, calling for the cessation of all armed conflicts and respect for human rights.

Yet, the president did not elaborate as to how the government is working for constitutional reform.

Despite a civilian government assuming power in Myanmar, the constitutional crisis remains a major barrier to the country's democratic transition.

The military retains a powerful influence under the Constitution.

The military sees its main duty as safeguarding the charter, which guarantees that it maintains an important leadership role. Constitutionally, 25 percent of seats in all national and regional parliaments are reserved for the military. It also holds three key ministerial portfolios—Defense, Home and Border Affairs—and appoints a vice president.

In a statement released on Thursday commemorating the anniversary of independence, the ruling NLD party stated that it wouldn't be swayed from implementing its election promises including ending long-running civil wars, achieving lasting peace and implementing constitutional change.

It also stated that the Rakhine State crisis has been the biggest blow to its government and has challenged national dignity and sovereignty.

"In spite of some UN agencies and powerful countries criticizing and imposing sanctions against Myanmar as if it is their enemy, we are not nervous, and are responding to them based on reality and practical actions."

The post Myanmar President Reaffirms Commitment to Constitutional Reform appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Gems and Jewelry Fair Returns to Yangon

Posted: 05 Jan 2018 01:02 AM PST

YANGON — The international Gems and Jewelry Fair is returning to Yangon this year, nearly a decade after it was last held in the country's commercial capital.

The fair will feature about 100 booths selling mainly rubies, jade and sapphire and run from Jan. 11 through Jan. 14 at the Lotte Hotel in Hlaing Township, said U Aung Myint, vice chairman of the Yangon branch of the Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association.

"Though our rubies and sapphires are popular among international countries, we don't have a market at home for international buyers. So we intend to establish a domestic market gradually through such exhibitions," U Aung Myint said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Professionals will also give talks on the gem and jewelry market during the fair, according to organizers.

In the past, jade and gem emporiums for international buyers were mainly held in Yangon. But after the U Thein Sein government took power in 2010, the emporiums were moved to the national administrative capital of Naypyitaw.

"We intend to develop jewelry making in the country through such exhibitions," said U Aung Myint, noting that the country mainly exports raw jade and gems rather than finished jewelry items.

The Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association also intends to fight the smuggling of gems and jewelry with such fairs so that the government can earn more revenue from legal trade.

At a press conference for Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Day in Naypyitaw in August, U Myint Han, the Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association's vice chairman, claimed that there was rampant smuggling of jade and gems to China not because merchants did not want to pay tax but because the trade taxes were too high.

According to the association, more than 1,000 gem merchants and their peers from 36 countries have been invited to this month's fair.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Mon State Chief Minister Tells Locals to Eat Less to Lower Food Prices

Posted: 04 Jan 2018 11:32 PM PST

THATON, Mon State — Mon State Chief Minister U Aye Zan has told the residents of Thaton Township to "eat only a dish of curry" at mealtime in order to bring down food prices.

The chief minister said food prices would decline if every household ate only a dish of curry at their dining tables when he and other officials met with locals on Wednesday.

After the officials made their speeches, locals were allowed to ask questions.

"I'd like to know if the government can adjust the prices of food including rice, oil, salt and onions and general consumer goods to an appropriate level," said U Aye Myint.

"Our country is poor. We should only eat a dish of curry. If we don't go to tea shops and only eat a dish of curry in our homes, won't the food prices decline?" the minister replied.

When U Aye Myint answered "yes," the minister added: "If so, it would be the best. Do you think a law can be enacted to require people to do so?"

"It is easy to bring down food prices, isn't it? Don't make donations," U Aye Zan said, referring to the practice of donating food for Buddhist novitiation ceremonies and other rituals.

"If you are going to prepare ten dishes of curry for your donation ceremony, then you can choose to donate only one dish, can't you? It is quite easy to bring down food prices," the minister added.

He urged locals to take the example of England and Russia, which rationed food during the world wars.

He said the people of Myanmar should spend more money investing and less buying food, and to farm on vacant land.

"When we were young, students had to grow gourd, ladyfinger, roselle, radish and so on in the school compound," U Aye Zan said, urging locals to plant crops around their houses to reduce their food expenses.

The Union minister for agriculture and irrigation under the previous administration, U Myint Hlaing, came under fire for similar remarks when he told farmers to "skip a meal" in order to pay back the agricultural loans provided by the government. He was henceforth dubbed "one-meal Myint Hlaing."

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Ex-Political Prisoner Makes Art From Plastic Refuse

Posted: 04 Jan 2018 11:21 PM PST

Shortly before daybreak on the last day of 2017, San Zaw Htway, a Myanmar artist famous for his collages made from recycled plastic bags and also a former political prisoner, succumbed to a liver ailment in a Yangon hospital. Known for his humility and the promotion of his collage techniques among children, including those in internally displaced person camps, the 44-year-old had been diagnosed with advanced liver cancer brought on by the dire prison conditions he endured as a political prisoner and poor healthcare following his release. Here is his profile, published in the October 2014 edition of the Irrawaddy Magazine.

YANGON — Give him plastic bags of any color, and this former political prisoner will turn them into a work of art.

Instead of acrylic paint and brushes, San Zaw Htway opts to work with not only plastic bags, but also cardboard, instant coffee packets and other recycled goods. He taught himself to make painting-like collages with these materials while he was serving time under the former military regime.

"They're all I need," boasted the 40-year-old, pointing to scissors and adhesive containers littered across the floor of his studio in Rangoon. In one corner of the second-floor studio sits of a pile of smoothed plastic wrappings that otherwise would have been destined for a garbage can.

The article 'From Plastic, Ex-political Prisoner Makes Art' as it appeared in The Irrawaddy Magazine's October 2014 issue.

Since his release from prison in 2012, San Zaw Htway has held five solo shows in Burma, in addition to teaching his collage techniques to orphans and children living with HIV.

Now his work is gaining international attention. He has been shortlisted for the 2014 Artraker Award, which recognizes artists who are making a difference in highly challenging environments. The works of 12 candidates from 10 countries, including Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, will be exhibited from Sept. 18-25 at London's a/political gallery.

"Being shortlisted means a lot to me because recycled collage art is still not well embraced in Burma," said San Zaw Htway at his home, while preparing for his trip to the capital of England.

A collage by San Zaw Htway.(Photo: The Irrawaddy)

"Despite my access to paint and brushes now, I still stick to recycled collage art because it's environmentally sustainable and I want the art trend to develop in Burma," he added.

Painting was a childhood hobby for San Zaw Htway. When he was sentenced to 36 years in prison for his anti-government political activities in 1999, he was only a college freshman majoring in history. He spent 13 years in prison, during which time he was put in solitary confinement and he went on hunger strikes.

Burmese prisons are notorious for their squalid conditions and restrictions on prisoners' rights, with even reading and writing prohibited. San Zaw Htaw said he saw art as a way to defy prison authorities. "I intentionally did it to show them that they can't control everything in our lives," he said. "But the problem was how to make it happen, since painting materials were not allowed."

The student activist decided to make collages with materials within his reach. When his family sent him foods wrapped in plastic bags, he turned the bags into a canvas on which he plastered colorful cuttings from instant coffee packets and shampoo sachets. He scavenged prison garbage cans for plastic sheets in colors that caught his eye. He washed them, smoothed them out and applied them onto the makeshift canvas with the help of a smuggled scissor and glue.

A collage by San Zaw Htway.(Photo: The Irrawaddy)

Working late at night under the faint glow of a light bulb that dangled on the ceiling of the corridor outside his cell, he was careful to hide his work from prison authorities, taking days to finish a single collage. He produced portraits of Burmese democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi and collages of peacocks, the emblem of Burmese student and democracy movements. Some of his works reflected his longing for freedom, including "Blue Moon on the Highway," one the three collages that have been chosen for the exhibition in London.

"I was lying awake one night in 2009 and I heard the occasional swishes of buses on the highway outside the prison. I felt a surge of longing to be on one of those buses, so I poured out my feeling onto the collage," he said.

Htein Lin, a prominent Burmese contemporary artist and another former political prisoner, said San Zaw Htway's nomination for the Artraker Award and his participation in the exhibition would be a source of pride for Burmese artists and their country.

A collage by San Zaw Htway.(Photo: The Irrawaddy)

"I like his recycled artwork, not only for its promotion of environmental sustainability, but also for its reflection of an important message behind all forms of prison artwork: You can lock up our bodies, but not our emotions and our creativity," he said.

Apart from being a collage artist, San Zaw Htway is a counselor for former political prisoners and their families. Earlier this year he joined a training program—organized by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) with support from Johns Hopkins University—and now he offers counseling sessions five days per week.

"As a former political prisoner myself, I know very well to what extent we and our families have been mentally affected by what we faced for years. Counseling is one of the best ways to cure their traumas," he said.

When asked how he felt to be participating in the exhibition in London, he said he was happy.

"My prison experience has taught me that no matter how dire the situation is, there is a way to achieve what you want to do," he said. "That is my message to anyone who sees my art."

The post Ex-Political Prisoner Makes Art From Plastic Refuse appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Suspects in Firearms Haul Brought to Trial

Posted: 04 Jan 2018 10:00 PM PST

NAYPYITAW — U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San, the chairman of ACE Co and son of the sports minister during U Thein Sein's administration, and seven accomplices were brought to trial on Wednesday for the first time in a Naypyitaw court since they were detained in connection with a haul of firearms in October.

Police detained U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San and two ACE employees at Naypyitaw Airport on Oct. 15 after discovering 12 yaba tablets, 1.5 grams of methamphetamine, two pistols and 72 bullets in U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San's backpack.

Further investigations led to the seizure of around 30 firearms, bullets and drugs from ACE hotel, company property, and U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San's houses in Naypyitaw and Yangon.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has since taken over the case and has charged 15 individuals including U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San on 17 counts of illegal possession of firearms and illicit drugs and other charges including Article 67 of the Telecommunications Law for keeping walkie-talkies and Article 8 of the Export/Import Law for keeping drones.

Other charges includes Article 61(a) of the State Secrets Act for the unauthorized use of the National Security Council (NSC) logo on cars, and possession of bullet-proof jackets and camouflage jackets with SWAT badges similar to those worn by the bodyguards of President U Htin Kyaw and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, according to the Home Affairs Ministry.

A suspect identified as Kyaw Chan Nyein is still at large and cross-questioning of U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San will start at later trials, which are scheduled to be held every Wednesday, said U Hla Win, the judge of Dekkhinathiri District Court.

"We've issued a warrant for him," U Khin Maung Htwe, the deputy district judge, told reporters.

U Phyo Phyo Tint San appeared to be in good health at the district court on Wednesday.

According to the police, violation of Article 67 of the Telecommunications Law is punishable by one year's imprisonment, Article 8 of the Export/Import Law, three years' imprisonment, and Article 61(a) State Secrets Act, two years' imprisonment.

U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San, according to the initial investigation, had been planning to establish a security company, though none of the existing laws allows for the provision of armed security services by private companies.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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China to Create New Forests Covering Area the Size of Ireland

Posted: 04 Jan 2018 09:03 PM PST

SHANGHAI — China will plant new forests covering an area roughly the size of Ireland this year as it aims to increase forest coverage to 23 percent of its total landmass by the end of the decade, China Daily reported on Friday.

Planting trees has become a key part of China's efforts to improve its environment and tackle climate change, and the government has pledged to raise total coverage from 21.7 percent to 23 percent over the 2016-2020 period, said the China Daily, citing the country's top forestry official.

Zhang Jianlong, head of the State Forestry Administration, said at a meeting on Thursday that China would aim to grow at least 6.66 million hectares of new forest this year.

He said 33.8 million hectares of forest had been planted nationwide over the last five years, with a total investment of more than 538 billion yuan ($82.88 billion), bringing the country's total forest area to 208 million hectares.

Three new state forests with a total area of 483,000 hectares would also be built in the new Xiongan development zone in Hebei province, he said.

The heavily polluted Hebei, which surrounds the capital Beijing, has also pledged to raise total forest coverage to 35 percent by the end of 2020.

China, which has to feed a quarter of the global population using just 7 percent of the world's arable land, has long struggled to strike a balance between industrial growth, maximizing food production and protecting its environment.

The government is currently promoting an "ecological red line" program that will force provinces and regions to restrict "irrational development" and curb construction near rivers, forests and national parks.

The Environment Ministry said last month that 15 provinces had already drawn up plans, with the remaining 16 aiming to do so this year, but it is not yet clear what impact the policy will have on the country's farmland.

The post China to Create New Forests Covering Area the Size of Ireland appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Apple to Issue Fix for iPhones, Macs at Risk From ‘Spectre’ Chip Flaw

Posted: 04 Jan 2018 08:04 PM PST

Apple Inc will release a patch for the Safari web browser on its iPhones, iPads and Macs within days, it said on Thursday, after major chipmakers disclosed flaws that leave nearly every modern computing device vulnerable to hackers.

On Wednesday, Alphabet Inc's Google and other security researchers disclosed two major chip flaws, one called Meltdown affecting only Intel Corp chips and one called Spectre affecting nearly all computer chips made in the last decade. The news sparked a sell-off in Intel's stock as investors tried to gauge the costs to the chipmaker.

In a statement on its website, Apple said all Mac and iOS devices are affected by both Meltdown and Spectre. But the most recent operating system updates for Mac computers, Apple TVs, iPhones and iPads protect users against the Meltdown attack and do not slow down the devices, it added, and Meltdown does not affect the Apple Watch.

Macs and iOS devices are vulnerable to Spectre attacks through code that can run in web browsers. Apple said it would issue a patch to its Safari web browser for those devices "in the coming days."

Shortly after the researchers disclosed the chip flaws Wednesday, Google and Microsoft Corp released statements telling users which of their products were affected. Google said its users of Android phones – more than 80 percent of the global market – were protected if they had the latest security updates.

Apple remained silent for more than a day about the fate of the hundreds of millions of users of its iPhones and iPads. Ben Johnson, co-founder and chief strategist for cyber security firm Carbon Black, said the delay in updating customers about whether Apple's devices are at risk could affect Apple's drive to get more business customers to adopt its hardware.

"Something this severe gets the attention of all the employees and executives at a company, and when they go asking the IT and security people about it and security doesn't have an answer for iPhones and iPads, it just doesn’t give a whole lot of confidence," Johnson said.

The post Apple to Issue Fix for iPhones, Macs at Risk From 'Spectre' Chip Flaw appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

NLD Embarks on Internal Revamp Ahead of 2020 Vote

Posted: 04 Jan 2018 05:58 PM PST

YANGON — The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) plans to implement structural reforms ahead of the 2020 elections, which are expected to be the most fiercely contested in the nation's history.

At a central committee meeting at the party's Yangon headquarters on Dec. 30 and 31, the party had reviewed its performance since taking power two years ago and identified a number of shortcomings that need addressing, senior NLD members said.

Monywa Aung Shin, secretary of the NLD's Central Information Committee, said the party would restructure and reinforce its main institutions—the central, disciplinary and working committees—at all levels.

The reforms will be complete within the first six months of this year, he said.

Since the end of last year, the party has already reformed some of its central working committees including those on information, women, workers, farmers and economic issues, the committee secretary said.

To improve the party's performance on the ground, four other central working committees would be reformed, including the education and health panels, Monywa Aung Shin said.

At the last nationwide polls in 2015, voters overwhelmingly backed the NLD. But by-elections on April 1, 2017 came as a wake-up call, showing a decline in the public's faith in the party. The NLD won just nine of the 18 seats it contested, losing most of the races in heavily ethnic areas. The 50 percent win rate was in sharp contrast to its 79 percent victory two years earlier.

In a statement released Dec. 31 after the meeting, the party said it would work hard to win by-elections expected to be held this year to fill seven vacant seats in regional and national parliaments.

The country now has another viable alternative political party founded by activists involved in the student-led 8888 uprising. The main opposition group, the former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party, is also gearing up for 2020, with party leaders touring remote states and recruiting new members, while the ruling NLD has been criticized as disorganized and fractious.

According to Monywa Aung Shin, problems have arisen with party members at the state and division levels, including nepotism, failing to implement orders from headquarters and disputes between cabinet members, lawmakers and the party leadership.

"We must reform to tackle those issues," he said.

In the statement, the party said it would focus on achieving unity and harmony between the party, government and parliaments.

The party also said it would also work to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been forced to flee armed conflict. Monywa Aung Shin said it would provide resettlement and other humanitarian assistance to IDPs, especially in northern Rakhine state but also in Kachin, Shan and Karenni states.

"The government alone can't do everything. We will collaborate with NGOs and regional and state chief ministers on this," he said.

Political analyst Dr. Yan Myo Thein said that while there had been some progress on development and reform, the NLD's performance had been less than satisfactory.

"To properly implement change, they need to listen to the public more closely," Dr. Yan Myo Thein said.

NLD senior official and spokesperson U Nyan Win said that in the run-up to 2020 the party would work harder on the weaknesses and problem areas it had identified.

He said the party is also struggling to fill positions in the party left by those who have become MPs, ministers and cabinet members.

"Those past [mistakes] are lessons. We will work more effectively in the future," U Nyan Win said. "We will try our best to win the [2020] election as we did in 2015."

The post NLD Embarks on Internal Revamp Ahead of 2020 Vote appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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