Wednesday, March 7, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

KNPP, Government Hold Informal Talks on Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement

Posted: 07 Mar 2018 08:07 AM PST

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – To mark the sixth anniversary of the signing of the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP)'s first bilateral ceasefire agreement at the state level, the group met Wednesday with the government's Peace Commission in Yangon to continue bilateral talks on signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

The talks were held at Yangon's National Reconciliation and Peace Center.

On Feb. 13, two members of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) — the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) — signed the NCA. At that time, government spokesman U Zaw Htay said the Peace Commission would continue bilateral talks with the KNPP to ensure that the group remained part of the current peace process.

The KNPP's signing of the NCA has been delayed, partly due to the extrajudicial killing of three of the group's soldiers while in the custody of the Tatmadaw's Loikaw Operation Command at Loikaw checkpoint in December.

Khu Oo Reh, the vice chairman of the KNPP and head of its Peace Implementation Committee, said the group seeks to remove "any obstacles to peace talks," referring to the case of the murdered KNPP soldiers. "Thus, negotiations are the only possible way to overcome the impediment."

Among the topics the KNPP seeks to raise in its discussions with the government is the implementation process for bilateral agreements signed with the state and union governments in 2012 and 2013 under then-President U Thein Sein.

Agreements on matters relating to liaison offices, joint ceasefire monitoring, troop deployment, and state development were reached but not implemented.

The KNPP has also followed the NCA discussions through its membership in the UNFC alliance.

After Wednesday's meeting, Khu Oo Reh said the KNPP is keen to see the bilateral agreements implemented.

"The agreement principles are not understood on the ground, as the talks are happening at a high level, while officers at the state level only act on the orders of their superiors," he said, adding that this made the participation of Kayah State executives crucial.

"We have proposed that formal talks with the government be held in Loikaw, the capital of Kayah [Karenni] State, not in Yangon," said Khu Oo Reh, "so that state and Union government officials and Tatmadaw commanders can take part in the talks — both listening and discussing — and stay updated. This would facilitate the implementation of agreements and they won't need to rely on go-betweens."

While no date has been agreed, said KNPP Peace Implementation Committee spokesperson Nei Neh Plo, it is likely that formal discussions will be held before the third session of the 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference, tentatively scheduled to convene in early May.

Nei Neh Plo told The Irrawaddy that although the two sides discussed the NCA and the wider peace process, no specific commitments were made.

He said discussions centered on finding ways to move the peace process forward, particularly regarding the eight-point principles the UNFC is currently negotiating with the government.

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Tatmadaw Slams EU Council’s Call for Sanctions over Rohingya

Posted: 07 Mar 2018 06:21 AM PST

YANGON — The Myanmar Army, or Tatmadaw, on Tuesday slammed the European Union Foreign Affairs Council's recommendations announced late last month relating to the Rohingya issue, which included a call for sanctions.

In a statement released Tuesday, the council pushed Myanmar to allow a UN fact-finding mission and accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. It also recommended that the EU's high representative for foreign affairs draw up targeted sanctions against the country's senior military officers for human rights violations without delay.

The recommendations followed the council's meeting with EU foreign affairs ministers on Feb. 26.

In a statement, the military's information team claimed that the EU council's recommendations were made in response to a letter submitted by 102 British lawmakers, led by Rushanara Ali, to the country's foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, late last month.

The letter demanded that more pressure be exerted on Tatmadaw leaders — especially military chief Snr-Gen. Min Aung Hlaing — for their security operations against the Rohingya. It said the operations had been described as ethnic cleansing and possibly genocide by the UN, and called on the EU Foreign Affairs Council to convene a meeting to discuss the issue.

The military statement slams the recommendations as reflecting the one-sided accusations of "British MPs who turn a blind eye to the real situation" that "will badly impact the Tatmadaw's implementation of rule of law process, state security and participation in the democracy transition in accord with the Rules of Engagement."

It adds: "Those accusations may create misunderstanding among international and local organizations which have helped the country's internal peace-building and peace-making process and general public."

The release came after the deputy military chief, Vice Snr-Gen. Soe Win, met with the EU's special representative for human rights, Stavros Limbrinidis, on Monday evening in Naypyitaw to discuss the Rakhine issue.

According to the UN, more than 688,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since the Tatmadaw began clearance operations in Rohingya-majority northern Rakhine State in August 2017. The operations were launched following attacks on government security forces by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in the area.

Those who made it to camps on the Bangladeshi side reported being subject to arbitrary killings, rapes and torching of property by the Army. The UN labeled the actions as ethnic cleansing.

In December, the U.S. imposed sanctions against Major-General Maung Maung Soe for his alleged role in the Army's abuse of Rohingya. Maj-Gen. Maung Maung Soe was in charge of the Western Command, which oversees Rakhine State, at the time the operation was launched.

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Upper House Approves Controversial Amendments to Protest Law

Posted: 07 Mar 2018 06:13 AM PST

YANGON — Myanmar's Upper House of Parliament approved a set of controversial amendments to the country’s protest law on Wednesday despite strong opposition from activists and rights groups who claim the changes would further restrict the freedom of expression.

Thirteen lawmakers discussed the bill amending the Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law on Monday and Wednesday, with all but one of them — including some from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) — arguing against the changes.

"We have vowed to get rid of authoritarian acts and suppression of the people in Myanmar. The provisions [in the bill] go against those objectives," NLD lawmaker U Htay Oo told reporters after Monday’s session.

Yet the bill passed with 113 lawmakers voting in favor and 78 voting against.

The Upper House Bill Committee submitted the bill on Feb. 19.

The amendments are being viewed as the latest attempt by the NLD-dominated Parliament to deter those with hidden agendas from masterminding protests and to reduce the risk of racial and religious violence.

If the changes are fully approved, Article 4 (d) of the law will require would-be protesters planning peaceful assemblies and processions to inform police in advance of not only their agenda and estimated numbers, but also the estimated cost of the event and the identities of the people or organizations paying for it.

The most controversial part of the bill would stipulate jail terms for those convicted of provoking or exhorting others to organize or participate in demonstrations by bribing or paying them or doing anything else with the intention of harming the stability, rule of law, peace and tranquility of the community.

The provision was criticized as being too broadly written; activists warn it could be exploited to stifle political dissent.

The bill will return to the Lower House where, barring any objections, it will be sent to President U Htin Kyaw to be signed into law.

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Top Taxpayers Honored for Contribution to Nation

Posted: 07 Mar 2018 04:38 AM PST

YANGON — Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw has honored the nation's highest income and commercial taxpayers for 2016-17 in Naypyitaw, praising them for "supporting and assisting the nation consciously and dutifully during the country's transition period."

Ten businesspersons were invited to the Presidential Palace on Tuesday to receive the President's Honorary Award and certificates of honor for outstanding performance in tax payments. Among them were U Aung Ko Win, chairman of KBZ Bank, who paid 20 billion kyats in income tax in 2016-17, making him the highest income taxpayer for a sixth year in a row stretching back to 2011-2012.

The other highest taxpayers included Diamond Star Co., Myawaddy Bank, Shwe Taung Development Co., Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited, Myawaddy Trading Ltd., PT Power Trading Co., Thilawa Special Economic Zone Management Committee, Jing Hpaw Aung Jade & Jewellery Co., Ltd, and Myanmar Awba Group.

"Paying tax is the duty of each citizen, especially business owners, who are in contact with foreign countries and are believed to be more aware of tax and paying tax. This habit and culture of paying tax is still weak in our country, and thus the taxpayers are being thanked," the president said during the award ceremony.

The highest commercial taxpayers for 2016-2017 included Dagon Beverages Co., Myawaddy Trading, Denko Trading Co., PT Power Trading, Shwe Byain Phyu Co., International Beverages Trading Co., Asia Energy Co., Royal Myawaddy Distillery Group, City Mart Holding Co. and Regency Material Trading Co.

U Aung Ko Win of KBZ was the recipient of the Legacy Award, conferred by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council-ABAC, in 2017.

The former schoolteacher also leads the Brighter Future Myanmar Foundation, one of Myanmar's best-known philanthropic organizations, which has spent more than 138 billion kyats on regional development and disaster relief.

Highlights of his assistance efforts include a donation of more than 6 billion kyats to the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led Rakhine State rehabilitation program-UEHRD, as well as 300 million kyats for the country's peace process.

The post Top Taxpayers Honored for Contribution to Nation appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Wa Armed Group Halts Tatmadaw Road Project

Posted: 07 Mar 2018 04:13 AM PST

YANGON — The United Wa State Army (UWSA), Myanmar’s largest ethnic armed group, says its fighters stopped a group of Myanmar army soldiers from continuing work on a new road through contested territory on Monday in southern Shan State.

The Myanmar army, or Tatmadaw, arrived with a bulldozer to clear a path for the road through the forest near Mong Toom village but were blocked by UWSA fighters, a spokesman for the armed group told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

"Two battalions [one each from the UWSA and Tatmadaw] were close to each other. Our troops blocked their work as it approached our battalion," said Nyi Rang, a spokesman for the UWSA in Lashio, in northern Shan State.

He said tensions rose as the two sides faced off but added that the Tatmadaw soldiers eventually left without any fighting.

"This was not the first time. They have done like this in the past, but we solved it," he said.

Nyi Rang said a 1989 ceasefire agreement between the Tatmadaw and UWSA stipulates that each side inform the other in advance of development projects in contested areas, though similar tensions have flared over roadwork in the past. The UWSA accuses the Tatmadaw of building the roads in preparation for future offensives.

"In my opinion they should inform our troops well before they go to build a road. But they did not inform us. We have agreed to inform each other," the spokesman said.

Video of the standoff spread through social media on Tuesday.

“You should say who is your senior officer who gave this order to stop us. You should not say all of your leaders block this road construction,” a Tatmadaw officer tells a UWSA fighter.

"I can't do anything. This was the order from the top officers," the UWSA fighter replies.

After a few more moments of conversation, a Tatmadaw soldier grabs a UWSA fighter standing in front of the bulldozer and pushes him aside. A Tatmadaw officer tells the UWSA fighters to leave the site, but they refuse, and the officer tells his soldiers to stop pushing the UWSA fighters away.

"You can't act like this because it will destroy our relationship,” the Tatmadaw officer then says. “Both of us are organizations. You guys are rude."

The UWSA — the largest armed group in the country with some 40,000 fighters — chairs the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee, which is in off-and-on peace talks with the government and military. The committee’s seven members have yet to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.

Nyi Rang said the Tatmadaw was also continuing to block ethnic Wa civilians from traveling freely in northern Shan State since last month. A pair of Wa political parties has asked the government to have the travel restrictions lifted.

Spokesmen for the Tatmadaw could not be reached for comment.

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KNU, Tatmadaw on Alert After Recent Clash

Posted: 07 Mar 2018 01:56 AM PST

YANGON — The Karen National Union (KNU) has put its troops on alert after Karen militias clashed with Tatmadaw troops in areas controlled by KNU Brigade (5).

Home Guards, formed by local Karen ethnic villagers, clashed with Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) troops after the latter allegedly trespassed in Lu Thaw Township, Papun District, Karen State on Monday evening, said official Saw Eh Kalel of KNU Brigade (5).

"It is not a [military] tension, but they (Tatmadaw) have apparently raised alert. So, we assume that we also need to make preparations," he told The Irrawaddy.

Tatmadaw troops allegedly deployed security patrols to rebuild an old road in Lel Mu Palaw village tract in Lu Thaw Township on March 5, which resulted in an exchange of fire with the local militia.

"[Karen] villagers formed groups, on their own, which they call Home Guards, for the security of their villages. They have improvised firearms and maintain regular patrols around their villages. I think the Tatmadaw troops opened fire on them for their security," said Saw Eh Kalel, adding that the Tatmadaw entered the area with a large force.

The KNU objects to rebuilding the road, he said, expressing his suspicion that the Tatmadaw's real intention is to control the area for military gain and not to repair the road.

Local villagers including Home Guard members fled after the clash, according to the KNU.

Karen State minister for security and border affairs Col Min Naung told The Irrawaddy that he was unclear about the clashes, the state of alert and the road construction.

"I've just asked the command about those cases. I don't know the situation exactly," he said.

The conflict between the KNU and Tatmadaw may worsen if the Tatmadaw continues deploying its troops into areas controlled by KNU Brigade (5), said one of its top officials.

Vice Chairman-1 of the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee and KNU top leader General Saw Isaac Po also said he did not know about the clash.

"I am currently in Yangon. I don't know exactly what happened. If there was shooting, I will tell the [KNU] to halt," he told The Irrawaddy.

According to the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA), the Tatmadaw and NCA signatories need prior approval to go into each other's territories.

"While trust is still being built, one side must respect the regulations of the other side. Otherwise, bad things can happen," said Saw Eh Kalel.

After the KNU signed the NCA in 2015, there were at least three engagements with the Tatmadaw in the areas of KNU Brigade (5), and the KNU claimed that in all three cases, it only fired warning shots after Tatmadaw troops trespassed in its areas.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Man Who Confessed to Girl’s Rape, Murder Commits Suicide in Custody

Posted: 07 Mar 2018 01:12 AM PST

YANGON — A man who confessed to raping a 12-year-old girl in Kachin State's Mogaung Township in February hanged himself in his prison cell early Tuesday morning, according to a Mohnyin Prison official.

"He arrived at the prison on Monday evening. He confessed to his crime at the court, and we therefore kept him separately. We found out about his death at around 3:45 a.m.," prison official U Aung Than Oo told The Irrawaddy.

Khin Maung Htay, 37, used his vest and longyi to hang himself. He told the court that he raped and murdered the girl after finding her foraging for firewood in the woods near her village on Feb. 25. Police have opened a case into his death.

Police have also arrested another suspect in the girl’s rape and murder identified as Maung Yi, who arrived at Mohnyin Prison on Tuesday.

The Home Affairs Ministry recorded 897 rape cases involving children under the age of 16 nationwide in 2017, up from 671 cases the year before. In Kachin State there were 14 cases of child rape in 2016 and 21 cases last year.

The ministry also recorded 1,405 rape cases involving women over 16 in 2017 across the country.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Man Who Confessed to Girl’s Rape, Murder Commits Suicide in Custody appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Chin State to Develop Tourism

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 11:19 PM PST

YANGON — A three-year project will be implemented for the development of tourism in Chin State with the assistance of the Dutch government, said the trade promotion department under the Ministry of Commerce.

"We've tentatively selected Chin State for the project. But, a final decision has not been made. We have also surveyed some other states [for the project]. Chin State has the potential for development. But, we have yet to improve transportation there," said director-general U Aung Soe of the trade promotion department.

The project will be jointly implemented by the Netherlands Center for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI), Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, and Ministry of Commerce of Myanmar. CBI will open an office and provide financial and technical support for three years.

"This year, we expect a minimum 50 percent increase in the number of foreign visitors and a 60 percent increase in local visitors compared to 2017," said official U Aung Phyo of the Chin State hotels and tourism ministry.

A three-year US$1.9 million tourism development project was implemented in Karenni State with the assistance of the Dutch government from 2014 to 2017.

Well-known tourist attractions in Chin State include heart-shaped Reh Lake, which lies on a hill at an altitude of 2,966 feet in Reh Khaw Da in Falam Township near the Myanmar-India border.

Nat Ma Taung (also called Mount Victoria or Khaw-Nu-Soum), the highest mountain in Chin State, is also a popular tourist destination. Chin State is also known for its Rhododendron flowers, which bloom in December and January.

The Chin State government in February imposed a ban on picking Rhododendron flowers and hunting wildlife across the state.

In 2017, Chin State received 11,047 local visitors and 2,495 foreign visitors, most of them French.

The tourism industry is one of the economic priorities of the Chin State government, said U Aung Phyo, adding that the government has been developing tourist destinations in the state, along with organizing training in hotels and tourism and helping to form hotelier and tour guide associations.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Myanmar’s ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ of Rohingya Continues, UN Rights Official Says

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 09:08 PM PST

YANGON — Myanmar’s “ethnic cleansing” of Rohingya Muslims is continuing, a senior UN human rights official said on Tuesday, more than six months after insurgent attacks sparked a security response that has driven nearly 700,000 people into Bangladesh.

Andrew Gilmour, the UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, made the comment after a four-day visit to the Cox’s Bazar district in neighboring Bangladesh, where he met people who have fled from Myanmar recently.

“I don’t think we can draw any other conclusion from what I have seen and heard in Cox’s Bazar,” Gilmour said in a statement.

After Rohingya insurgents attacked 30 police posts and an army base on Aug. 25, Myanmar soldiers and police swept through villages in what the government says was a legitimate operation to root out “terrorists.”

Rohingya who sought shelter in Bangladesh have reported rape, killings and arson by security forces. The United Nations and United States have concluded the campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing.

Gilmour spoke to refugees who recounted abductions by security forces and at least one apparent death of a Rohingya man in custody in February, the statement said.

“It appears that widespread and systematic violence against the Rohingya persists,” Gilmour said.

“The nature of the violence has changed from the frenzied blood-letting and mass rape of last year to a lower intensity campaign of terror and forced starvation that seems to be designed to drive the remaining Rohingya from their homes and into Bangladesh.”

Despite Myanmar saying it was ready to accept back refugees under a pact signed with Bangladesh in November, he added, “Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are, of course, impossible under current conditions.”

Myanmar government spokesman U Zaw Htay said he had not seen the UN statement published on Tuesday, but that Myanmar was not committing ethnic cleansing.

“We don’t drive out the refugees,” he said.

‘Ordered to Vacate’

Separately, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said it was concerned about people living just inside Myanmar at its border with Bangladesh.

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is monitoring developments after several thousand people living in a makeshift camp “were reportedly ordered to vacate the area by the Myanmar authorities,” the agency said.

Residents of what is called “no-man’s land,” as it sits outside Myanmar’s border fence but on its side of a creek that separates the two countries, say Myanmar officials have warned them on loudspeakers that their presence on the border line is illegal.

“UNHCR underscores that everyone has the right to seek asylum, just as they also have the right to return home when they deem the time and circumstances right,” it said in a statement late on Monday.

“People who have fled violence in their country must be granted safety and protection and any decision to return must be voluntary and based upon a free and informed choice.”

Zaw Htay said Myanmar had the right to move people from its territory and part of an agreed “buffer zone” with Bangladesh. Authorities had received information that “terrorists” linked to the August attacks on Myanmar’s security posts were sheltering there, he added.

“According to procedure, security forces have to clear the area for security reasons,” he said.

Zaw Htay said he believed the people were staying on the border to “trap” Myanmar into conducting a “clearance operation,” which he said media and the United Nations would label as ethnic cleansing.

Bangladesh last week protested to Myanmar’s ambassador in Dhaka after Myanmar security personnel, estimated to number more than 200, gathered near the border.

“Troop movements so close to them are making things even worse,” said Major Iqbal Ahmed of Bangladesh’s border guard. “They are now even more reluctant to go back to their homeland.”

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Indonesia Says it Blocks Services on Blogging Site Tumblr over Pornography

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 09:03 PM PST

JAKARTA — Indonesia has blocked microblogging site Tumblr after complaints about pornographic content on hundreds of accounts, the communications ministry said on Tuesday.

The world’s most populous Muslim-majority country has stepped up efforts to police online content after a rise in hoax stories and hate speech, and because of anti-pornography laws pushed by Islamic parties.

The ministry sent an email to Tumblr on Feb. 28 asking it to “clean its platform” of pornographic content within two days, Noor Iza, a spokesman for the ministry, said in a text message.

It then blocked eight Tumblr domain names on Monday after he said it had not received a response.

Indonesia has tough anti-pornography laws and the ministry said it had received complaints about pornographic contents on more than 360 accounts.

Tumblr, which is part of Verizon’s Oath business, which also includes Yahoo and AOL, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

According to the site’s community guidelines, any sexual or adult-oriented content should be flagged as “Not Suitable for Work” to warn users of the material.

Indonesia blocked more than 70,000 sites displaying “negative” content such as pornography or militant ideology in January with a system using 44 computer servers to help purge the internet of material deemed harmful, the communications minister said in an interview last month.

Authorities also threatened last year to block Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp Messenger, which is widely used in the country, unless graphics interchange format (GIF) images provided by third parties were removed.

Authorities had blocked access to some channels on encrypted messaging service Telegram last year, saying it had several forums that were “full of radical and terrorist propaganda."

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Malaysia’s Najib Pushes to Outlaw ‘Fake News’ Before Election

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 08:56 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s scandal-haunted government pushed plans for legislation outlawing “fake news” on Monday as Parliament convened for the last time before an election due by August.

During the coming election campaign, Najib’s foes are expected to fan suspicions of corruption over billions of dollars that have gone missing from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the state fund founded by the prime minister, and whose advisory board he had chaired until mid-2016.

Malaysia’s King, Sultan Muhammad V, told Parliament at the opening sitting on Monday that he “greatly supported” the government’s efforts to introduce a law to deal with “the spread of fake news and lies on social media."

“Currently social media is very influential in forming the values and culture of a society,” the King said in a traditional royal address at the opening of Parliament.

The final draft of the bill is expected to be presented for cabinet approval “in a couple of weeks time” before being tabled in Parliament, state run Bernama news agency quoted Azalina Othman Said, the minister in charge of law and parliament, as saying.

However, Azalina said cabinet will consider if there would be enough time to table the bill in the month-long parliamentary meeting, which would predominantly debate the King’s address.

First exposed in 2015 by foreign media and news blogs, the 1MDB scandal has refused to die down despite Najib’s consistent denials of any wrongdoing and his government’s firm grip on the mainstream media in the country.

At least six countries are investigating transactions related to 1MDB, including the United States, where the Department of Justice has mounted its biggest investigation under an anti-kleptocracy initiative, and has launched civil cases to recover assets linked to the fund.

But the government has cowed independent media inside the country. In the early stages of the 1MDB saga, the authorities suspended one newspaper, The Edge, and blocked other websites for publishing stories critical of Najib’s role, including widely read local news website The Malaysian Insider, which was later closed due to lack of funds.

Governments elsewhere in Southeast Asia, including Singapore and the Philippines, have proposed laws aimed at clamping down on the spread of ‘fake news,' while media rights advocates have decried the trend in the region.

Opposition lawmakers questioned the need for such a law in Malaysia, arguing that the government already had broad powers.

“There are many other laws that are already in existence which can deal with these issues, so the only reason for a new law to come in is to make the severity [of punishments] even higher,” said Tony Pua, a lawmaker from the Democratic Action Party (DAP).

Abdul Rahman Dahlan, minister in charge of economic planning, said the bill could be broad enough to cover anything that could potentially damage the country.

“Even spreading [bad] news about the economy is bad. [Fake news would be] anything that is not substantive, and dangerous to the economy and security of the nation,” Abdul Rahman told Reuters outside Parliament.

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Tuesday, March 6, 2018

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 Activists Launch Campaigns Ahead of International Women’s Rights Day

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 07:23 AM PST

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Prior to International Women's Day (IWD) on March 8, women's rights activists in Myanmar are taking part in #RespectHer and other social media campaigns in support of the global movement for gender equality. This year's global theme for IWD is "Press for Change", aimed at accelerating the process of achieving gender parity.

Social media users are sharing posts with the hashtags #RespectHer and #ItsnotOK to express their support for efforts to end domestic violence and all forms of harassment against women. They are posting their own experiences and those of others to bring attention to these issues.

"This [harassment] should not be happening in society, and we need to highlight the fact that seemingly minor acts can have a strong impact on women. It is not OK," said Sandi Sein Thein, a member of the #RespectHer campaign who is responsible for online activities.

"When we started brainstorming on how to raise awareness, we wanted to start with small but neglected facts; thus the #RespectHer campaign was initiated," she explained.

The campaign was started last month by the Myanmar Art Social Project with help from various individuals and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The RespectHer social media page has amassed over 3,400 followers  Women and some men are posting photos tagged #ItsnotOK and #RespectHer and sharing their experiences.

Over the weekend, the campaigners also engaged in activities to raise awareness in the community, especially in crowded parks or on public buses. They used various forms of communication, including performance, poetry recital and roleplaying with commuters.

Sandi Sein Thein added, "When we say we are not comfortable with being teased by men over the shape of our bodies or how we move, people think we are overreacting, because this is 'normal' behavior. We forget that it is wrong. Any girl or woman has the right to feel safe while walking along the street."

The campaigner added that at the very least she hoped their efforts could bring the message to society that it is not normal or acceptable for men to tease or harrass women on buses or to engage in domestic violence.

"In Myanmar, there is a high social acceptance of violence against women. This is reflected in the normalization of domestic violence. For this reason, domestic violence in particular is largely regarded as a private matter: Marital rape is not a crime. For these reasons, Myanmar needs a law that criminalizes all forms of violence against women, and a strong justice system to underpin it," said Alexandra Robinson, a UNFPA specialist on gender-based violence.

She told The Irrawaddy that the agency is supporting the campaign "to amplify" the voices of the Myanmar people, who "are taking to the streets and to social media to call for zero tolerance of sexual assault and harassment, and indeed all forms of gender-based violence."

Such campaigns are still needed, as victim-blaming is entrenched in Myanmar's culture, with the target usually being women, said Mi Kun Chan Nom, the vice chair of the Mon Women's Organization. MWO works for the advancement, empowerment and protection of women in Mon State. Mi Kun Chan Nom's MWO is also a member of the Alliance for Gender Inclusion in the Peace Process (AGIPP).

"In cases of gender-based violence, women are blamed for the way they dress, while the perpetrators escape blame. Additionally, women leaders are held to a higher standard [than male leaders]," Mi Kun Chan Non said.

Robinson said that the more women and men who join and support the campaign, the better. "The campaign is a platform for a public dialogue across Myanmar, with a view to creating a critical mass of support for social change," she said. "It is time for women and men to work together for lasting change."

Women's organizations and women's rights defenders will take part in the IWD 2018 event in Yangon's Maha Bandula Park on March 10.

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USDP Lawmaker Accused of Politicizing Resettlement of Displaced Kaman

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 05:38 AM PST

YANGON – Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) lawmaker U Maung Myint on Monday submitted a motion to the Lower House accusing the government of having relocated ethnic Kaman internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Rakhine State to Yangon's outskirts since 2015, in breach of the Kofi Annan commission's recommendations.

The Kaman are one of Myanmar's 135 officially recognized ethnic groups and one of seven subgroups in Arakan State. Their ancestors served the Arakan kings as archers before Rakhine was conquered by the Burmese Konbaung Dynasty in 1784. Nowadays, the total Kaman population is estimated at a mere 45,000 nationwide. The majority live in Rakhine and most practice Islam.

Unexpectedly, several thousand ethnic Kaman were targeted in 2012 when communal violence erupted between Rohingya Muslims and the Buddhist Rakhine population. Although some of their homes were spared during conflicts in Kyaukphyu and Ramree, authorities evacuated them to the outskirts of the town and established IDP camps.

U Maung Myint said the Annan Commission's report clearly states that displaced people must return to their place of origin. In violation of this, however, the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government had resettled Kaman people in Yangon.

Another USDP lawmaker, U Maung Thin, seconded U Maung Myint's proposal, which the Lower House speaker approved for debate. U Maung Thin claimed that the government, by declaring that 55 Kaman families from Ramree township had been relocated without precisely stating the total number of people, had created a loophole through which people from other groups could migrate to Yangon posing as Kaman. He was apparently referring to Rohingya Muslims, who are restricted from traveling without a permit.

U Tun Ngwe of the Kaman Social Network, who has been providing jobs and modest houses for new arrivals in Htauk Kyant in recent years, told The Irrawaddy over the phone on Tuesday that the Rakhine State Government provided evacuees from Ramree with a total of 5 lakh to cover travel expenses. He said they hadn't received any humanitarian assistance from non-government organizations or the authorities.

U Tun Ngwe said, "I see this as an attempt to inflame religious sensitivities for political purposes," adding, "They should not label us as illegal Bengali immigrants. I would like to send a message that all Myanmar citizens should oppose this action, as it aims to exploit religious attitudes toward an ethnic minority group."

He explained that 55 families comprise around 200 people at most, adding that they consistently urged the authorities to relocate them back to their place of origin when they were housed at IDP camps in Kyaukphyu, Sittwe and Ramree townships, as they were concerned about the education of their children and faced financial hardship.

In 2015, Social Welfare Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye, who was handpicked by the country's de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and now chairs the Union Enterprise of Humanitarian, Resettlement and Development (UEHRD) in Rakhine State, submitted to Yangon a relocation plan for the Kaman. Last July, the government paid about 80 million kyats in compensation to displaced Kaman for 45 homes. Authorities did not disclose details of the agreement between Kaman community leaders and the government.

"We really thank U Maung Myint for his proposal because our people are keen to return their place of origin. But the government must assist on security and promise there will be no further restrictions upon the Kaman minority," U Tun Ngwe said.

In early 2018, Rakhine civil society groups and community leaders held a meeting regarding the government's relocation plan for Kaman displaced within Rakhine quarters in Kyaukphyu and Ramree townships. Participants opposed the plan, purportedly over concerns about what would happen if further violence erupted between Muslim and Buddhist Rakhine groups.

 

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Sri Lanka Declares State of Emergency After Buddhist-Muslim Clash

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 05:30 AM PST

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka declared a nationwide state of emergency for 10 days on Tuesday to stop the spread of communal violence, a government spokesman said, after clashes erupted between majority Buddhists and members of the minority Muslim community.

Tension has been growing between the two communities in Sri Lanka over the past year, with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalizing Buddhist archaeological sites.

Some Buddhist nationalists have also protested against the presence in Sri Lanka of Muslim Rohingya asylum-seekers from mostly Buddhist Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has also been on the rise.

"At a special cabinet meeting, it was decided to declare a state of emergency for 10 days to prevent the spread of communal riots," government spokesman Dayasiri Jayasekara told Reuters.

He said some people were instigating violence through Facebook and warned of tough action against them.

The unrest in the Indian Ocean island's central district of Kandy began on Sunday after the funeral of a truck driver from the majority Sinhalese Buddhist community who died days after he was involved in an altercation with four Muslims, the government has said.

It was not clear why the initial altercation occurred but after the driver's funeral on Monday, a Sinhalese mob attacked Muslim shops, police said. The body of a Muslim youth was found in a burnt-out house early on Tuesday, police said.

Muslims make up about 9 percent of Sri Lanka's 21 million people. Buddhists make up about 70 percent and ethnic Tamils, most of whom are Hindus, about 13 percent.

The government sent troops and elite police to the area on Monday and imposed a curfew. A curfew was reimposed in two districts of Kandy on Tuesday, police said.

The government ended a 26-year civil war in 2009 with the defeat of Tamil separatist rebels. Muslim communities were occasionally caught up in that violence. But on the whole, Muslims managed to stay out of the war.

The post Sri Lanka Declares State of Emergency After Buddhist-Muslim Clash appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Anti-corruption Commission Seeks to Catch Big Fish

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 04:51 AM PST

YANGON — Unlike previous amendments, the proposed bill amending the Anti-Corruption Law seeks to expand the new anti-graft commission's work in combating bribery and catching big fish.

U San Win, the secretary of the anti-corruption commission, submitted the draft bill during the parliamentary session on Monday.

He told lawmakers that the proposed amendments aimed to reduce waste and the abuse of the state budget by corrupt institutions and officials, as well as to abide by the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

The Anti-Corruption Law was originally enacted in 2013 under the previous U Thein Sein government. Since its enactment, it has been amended three times: in 2014, 2016 and 2017 but with no significant changes.

U Han Nyunt, a commission member, told The Irrawaddy that after the latest draft bill is approved, the commission will be granted more authority.

The bill carries 21 proposed changes including expanding the commission's offices in other states and divisions, he said.

"Now, we have only one office in Naypyitaw. If it is approved, it will help the commission be more effective and faster in handling complaints within branch offices," he said.

Most importantly, the draft amendments allow the commission more chances to catch big fish, he added.

He said under the proposed changes, the commission could conduct investigations against civil servants who are known among the public for unusual wealth if the commission suspects a breach of the Anti-Corruption Law, including by those who are in high official positions of power. Under previous amendments, the commission could only launch an investigation after a formal complaint was filed with strong supporting evidence.

The draft amendments also reduce the punishment against those who make false complaints to defame a person from five years in jail to six months' imprisonment, a move that is considered an encouragement for the public to collaborate in fighting corruption.

But the Upper House Bill Committee suggested on Monday that the maximum prison sentence should be three years imprisonment for that provision.

The bill will be debated during upcoming parliamentary sessions.

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Women’s Group Seeks Donors to Treat Acid Attack Victim

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 04:45 AM PST

MANDALAY — A government-led women’s affairs group is looking for donors to help cover the costs of medical treatment for a housemaid whose face and body were badly scarred in a 2010 acid attack but only recently escaped her abusive employers.

Ma Nan May Zin Oo, 20, was blinded in one eye from the 2010 attack and confined by her employer, Ni Ni Nu Nwe, at her house in Mandalay’s Chan Mya Thazi Township for eight years.

"She needs support because she suffered physical and mental trauma for a long time. We want to give her treatment, at least for her face. We also want to treat the scars left by the attack on half of her body," said Daw Thandar Phone Win, Mandalay Region secretary for the Women’s Affairs Committee.

Nan May Zin Oo left her village in Shan State’s Ywa Ngan Township for Mandalay in 2008 to work at a grocery shop owned by Daw Moe Moe, the mother-in-law of Ni Ni Nu Nwe, in the Mya Yi Nanda Ward of Chan Mya Thazi, earning 10,000 kyats  ($7.48) a month.

According to Mandalay’s anti-human trafficking police, Ni Ni Nu Nwe threw acid on Nan May Zin Oo while she was bathing on New Year’s Day in the Myanmar calendar, which falls in April.

"When we first met her, she was so overwhelmed that she could not speak a word. So we had to give her a warm atmosphere," said anti-human trafficking police Major Myo Zin.

The left side of her face, along with much of the left side of her body, was badly scarred by the acid.

"At the time, her father had filed a missing persons report at the Ywa Ngan police station. A restaurant owner from Tada U [in Mandalay] went to Ywa Ngan to recruit workers for his restaurant, and the Ywa Ngan police station showed him a photo of the girl. He said he knew the girl and brought her father to Mandalay," Maj. Myo Zin said.

"At the time, the girl’s injuries had not yet healed, so she lied to her father and said she was injured in an accident," he added.

Daw Moe Moe gave the girl’s father 300,000 kyats and asked him not to open a case with the police.

"Afterwards her father didn't contact her. She was confined and not given medical treatment," Maj. Myo Zin said.

Ni Ni Nu Nwe reportedly continued to hit and swear at the girl over the following years. Nan May Zin Oo finally ran away in February and made contact with the Women’s Affairs committee.

"She has had those injures for a long time, so we will seek donors to provide medical treatment to her," said Daw Thandar Phone Win.

Daw Moe Moe and Ni Ni Nu Nwe were arrested by police on March 1 and have had human trafficking charges filed against them.

According to the police, the trafficking of women and children carries a prison sentence of anywhere from 10 years to life.

"This is the first case of confinement and serious physical attack inside the country," Maj. Myo Zin claimed.

In a prior high-profile case, however, four family members who own the Ava Tailor Shop were sentenced to between nine and 13 years in prison in December for torturing two young domestic workers over several years.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Hundreds March Against Proposed Changes to Peaceful Assembly Law

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 02:46 AM PST

YANGON — Some 500 people took to the streets in Yangon on Monday to protest proposed amendments to the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law, which prescribes a three-year prison sentence for funding a protest.

Political and human rights activists and representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) joined the demonstration, marching from Thakhin Mya Park to Maha Bandoola Park along Bogyoke Aung San and Anawrahta roads.

The protesters said the proposed amendments further restrict people's freedom of expression and are so broadly defined that they could be exploited to stifle political dissent.

"The law prohibits freedom of expression and procession, which is against democratic norms. It prescribes three years' imprisonment. And it infringes on people's privacy," Land in Our Hands Network general secretary Ko Si Thu told The Irrawaddy.

A total of 230 CSOs and 25 individuals issued a joint statement opposing the bill to amend the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law.

Article 4 of the draft law states that demonstrators who want to exercise their right to peaceful assembly and procession are required to inform police at least 48 hours before the intended day of the rally and to ensure the rally is "not contrary to the existing laws, stability, rule of law, peace and tranquility of the community and public morality."

CSOs have called for abolishing this provision, saying that it is too broadly defined, and is similar to Article 354 of the 2008 Constitution.

Article 4 (d) states that "protest organizers shall present in detail to the authorities the estimated cost of the protest and source of funds." CSOs said this infringes on individual privacy rights and the protesters' confidentiality.

Section 19 of the proposed bill states that "anyone who provokes, persuades or urges anyone to join a peaceful assembly and peaceful procession by using money or assets or other ways, with intent to shatter state security, law and order, will receive a three-year prison sentence and unlimited fine."

CSOs pointed out that the punishment in the proposed bill is much harsher than the one in the original law.

Lawmakers discussed the draft law in the Upper House on Monday. Four of the five lawmakers who spoke argued against the draft law.

U Khin Maung Latt of Arakan National Party said the draft law contributes to authoritarianism rather than democracy.

Naw Susana Hla Hla Soe of the National League for Democracy (NLD) said Article 4 of the draft law is broadly defined and infringes on human rights.

"'Peace and tranquility of the community' and 'public morality' are quite broad. It largely depends on authorities to determine what action infringes on them," she said.

Though Article 4 (d) seems to target dishonest demonstrations, people can differentiate between real and fake ones, she said, adding that Parliament therefore needs to consider whether the article is necessary.

"We have vowed to get rid of authoritarian acts and suppression of the people in Myanmar. The provisions [in the draft law] go against those objectives," NLD lawmaker U Htay Oo told the media.

On Wednesday, eight more lawmakers will debate the draft law, and it will be put to a vote.

The post Hundreds March Against Proposed Changes to Peaceful Assembly Law appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Mon and Karen Ethnic Armed Groups Clash

Posted: 06 Mar 2018 12:22 AM PST

YANGON — The Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA), the armed wing of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), which recently signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the government, clashed with NCA signatory the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (KNU/KNLA) on Sunday in Tanintharyi Region's Yebyu Township.

Nai Aung Min, a central executive committee member of the NMSP, said clashes broke out when MNLA troops asked KNLA troops about their abduction of locals. He added that an MNLA member was injured in the clash.

"They detained crop growers. We went to see what happened and there was an encounter. One of our troops was injured," he told The Irrawaddy, adding that the abductees escaped after the two sides clashed.

The NMSP signed the NCA with the National League for Democracy-led government on Feb. 13 and the KNU signed with U Thein Sein's government in 2015.

According to Nai Aung Min, the MNLA has clashed with the KNLA twice in the former group's controlled area after signing the NCA. The two sides clashed in Mon State's Ye Township on Feb. 24 after KNLA troops allegedly came and logged trees in forest reserves managed by the NMSP.

Pado Saw Tardo Hmu, the general secretary of the KNU, said he did not have ground reports regarding Sunday's incident, but that a recent clash on Feb. 24 was only an engagement between ground troops.

"I don't know what happened on the ground. I have no comment at this time," he told The Irrawaddy.

The NMSP has banned logging in its controlled areas to prevent deforestation. KNLA troops allegedly entered the area with trucks, elephants and more than 40 workers in February for logging and NMSP troops arrested them.

The NMSP then released them after a week in consideration of the relations between the two sides. But then again, KNLA troops allegedly entered the area on Feb. 24 to log trees, resulting in clashes. The NMSP seized two firearms from KNLA troops in the clash.

On Feb. 27, Mon State security and border affairs minister Col Win Naing Oo and representatives of the two sides met in Ye Township to discuss the conflict.

Among the proposals made at the discussion were returning the two firearms, the suspension of logging, and a de-escalation of tensions between the two sides. The two sides clashed again on Sunday, as an agreement had not yet been reached regarding the proposals.

There is no clear demarcation of territory between the KNU and NMSP, and renewed clashes may occur until a clear line of demarcation is established, according to ethnic affairs analysts.

Representatives of the two sides met on Monday to de-escalate the situation.

"There are many areas where both the KNU and the NMSP operate. Therefore, we are concerned that this may give rise to problems," said Nai Aung Min.

The KNLA and MNLA clashed several times in 1989 to control Three Pagodas Pass at the Myanmar-Thai border. Since then, there were rarely clashes until November 2016.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 05 Mar 2018 08:54 PM PST

Han Htoo Lwin's Solo Exhibition | March 9-11

Celebrated singer Han Htoo Lwin (Kyar Pauk) will showcase his modernist paintings at his debut solo art exhibition.

March 9-11, Ahla Thit Art Gallery, No. 17, University Avenue Road, Bahan Tsp.

Yangon Employment Fair | March 10

Top companies will fill various positions.

March 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rose Garden Hotel, Upper Pansodan Street. Tel: 09-31349834.

 

Yangon Book Street | Every Weekend

Old and new books are up for grabs for bookworms in one location.

Every weekend. Theinbyu Road.

 

JobNet Career Fair | March 10

Heineken, Ooredoo, CB Bank, Yoma Bank, Hilton Hotel and many more will be at this event. Registration here.

March 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sedona Hotel.  

Myanmar Photography Exhibition | Until March 11

This exhibition displays the history and development of photography in Myanmar.

Until March 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Secretariat Building, Theinbyu Road. Free Admission.

 

Rainbow Night | Every Thursday

A weekly LGBT party.

Every Thursday, starting at 10 p.m. Club Pyrite at No. 37, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, near Inya Lake Hotel. Reservation at 09-258 835 885, 09-254546932. Free Entry.

 

Open Studios | March 11

Studios of famous artists U Win Pe, Soe Naing, Zaw Win Pe, Aung Min, U Khin Zaw and Than Kyaw Htay will be open to public.

March 11, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thara Phi Street, 34 Forestry Quarter, North Dagon Tsp. Free.

 

Photo and Book Exhibition | March 7

Historic photos and books will be on display to mark the 80th birthday of well-known librarian U Thaw Kaung.

March 7, Universities' Central Library, Yangon University. Free Admission.  

Great Love Line | March 7-9

Myat Kyawt will showcase his creations in various mediums including installation, performance, videos, and more.

March 7-9, OK Art Gallery, Aung San Stadium (North Wing).

 

Group Art Exhibition | Until April 16

This art exhibition will showcase more than 300 paintings of various artists.

Until April 16, New Treasure Art Gallery, Thanlwin Road, Golden Hill Avenue, Bahan Tsp.  

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

India’s Child Marriage Numbers Drop Sharply, Driving Down Global Rate: UNICEF

Posted: 05 Mar 2018 08:17 PM PST

MUMBAI — The proportion of girls getting married in India has nearly halved in a decade, the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF said on Tuesday, which has contributed significantly to a global decline in child marriage.

UNICEF said 25 million child marriages were prevented worldwide in the last decade, with the largest reduction seen in South Asia – where India was at the forefront.

“India constitutes more than 20 percent of the world’s adolescent population and accounts for the highest number of child marriages in South Asia given its size and population,” said Javier Aguilar, UNICEF’s chief of child protection.

“In the current trend, 27 percent of girls, or nearly 1.5 million girls, get married before they turn 18 in India. This is a sharp decline from 47 percent a decade ago,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Child marriage adds to health, education and abuse risks, and increases the chance of intergenerational poverty, said Anju Malhotra, UNICEF’s principal gender adviser, in a statement.

“Given the life-altering impact child marriage has on a young girl’s life, any reduction is welcome news, but we’ve got a long way to go,” Malhotra said.

Campaigners and officials attributed the drop in child marriages to better access to education for women and increased public awareness on the negative impact of child marriage.

UNICEF estimates that 12 million girls a year are married globally, and says more is needed to end the practice by 2030 – the target set under the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

UNICEF’s conclusions on India came after comparing data from its 2006 and 2016 health survey that asked women in the 20-24 age group whether they had married before they turned 18. It also took into account child marriage data from the 2011 census.

The legal age of marriage in India is 18 for women and 21 for men. Last year the Supreme Court ruled that sex with an underage wife constituted rape.

India’s Prohibition of Child Marriage Act imposes a fine of 100,000 Indian rupees ($1,535) and two years in prison for parents caught trying to marry off their underage children.

Despite the law, child marriage remains deeply rooted and accepted in society, and is widespread in parts of the country.

Mahesh Bhagwat, police chief of Rachakonda district in Telangana, where child marriage is widespread and where wedding hall decorators and priests were enlisted last year to help combat it, said the law had made an impact.

“But things are still going on clandestinely,” he said.

Jayna Kothari, executive director of the Bangalore-based Centre for Law & Policy Research, who has petitioned the government to declare child marriages invalid, said more action was needed.

“Better awareness of the Supreme Court’s verdict would deter child marriages, and declaring them invalid would strengthen India’s laws against them,” she said.

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Myanmar Artists’ Works Tackling Identity, Displacement on Show in Chiang Mai

Posted: 05 Mar 2018 08:11 AM PST

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Works by 18 established and emerging artists from Southeast Asia offering their personal experiences of global migration, notions of identity and ongoing humanitarian crises in Myanmar are on currently on display in a group exhibition in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.

The contemporary art exhibition "Diaspora: Exit, Exile, Exodus of Southeast Asia" is open to the public at the MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum in Chiang Mai from March 4 until Oct. 1. It includes works in a range of media, including paintings, paper cut-outs, other visual arts and mixed-media installations.

Artists from Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan and Australia are participating.

At the opening of the exhibition on March 3, panel discussions were held in which the artists shared their experiences and thoughts. The discussion was led by exhibition curator Lorendana Pazzini-Paracciani, a writer and lecturer in contemporary Southeast Asian art.

Unrecorded moments of conflict

Artist Sawongwangse Yawnghwe — grandson of Myanmar's first president, Sao Shwe Thaik —portrays the conflicts in Myanmar’s ethnic areas in a section of the exhibition comprising four elements:

“War Zone in Kachin State and Northern Shan State" comprises two paintings from "Missing Archives", the artist's ongoing series dealing with what he describes as unrecorded moments of the ongoing war in northeast Burma.

The second element, the painting "Shan State Army" (2017), depicts his imagined impression of the ethnic Army as it existed in 1964.

The third and largest painting is "Peace Industrial Complex ll" (2017). Sawangwongse Yawnghwe explained that the title refers to "the network of resource and financial flows among individuals, governments, corporations, organizations and institutions engaged in peace building within Burma."

"A Spirit Vitrines (Memoirs of a Shan Exile)" is the fourth piece. According to the artist, it is "an installation of small figurines titled 'A Spirit Vitrine'. I have created hundreds of small figurines as magical amulets to be carried on the body for luck during crossings, arranged in a long procession."

He explained to The Irrawaddy that "The amulets, although used to protect [during] crossings, are arranged by myself as a representation of the crossing itself, resembling the hundreds of sights in our near history, of haggard refugees, walking in lines along the sides of highways; harassed, sometimes shot or beaten, as they walk in tired straggled lines to uncertain posts."

Sawangwongse Yawnghwe was forced into exile from his home with his father Chao Tzang Yawnghwe (or Euguen Thaik) at the age of 1, almost a decade after the 1962 military coup. He lived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, before migrating to Canada at the age of 12.

His art works are rooted in personal experiences and spotlight the ongoing humanitarian crises in Myanmar. Through his work he advocates for the recognition of minority groups' identities.

During the panel discussion, he shared memories of his early childhood as a descendent of a Shan Saopha (ruler) who was ousted by the Burmese military dictatorship in 1962, and of his father. "In my case, as an immigrant, one is shamed by poverty, by the traumatized father and mother. … Our roots are ripped out… the place I left is no longer the same and I am no longer the same," he told the audience.

When Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won the election in 2015, he said, he was "happy to come back to the country." But since the military continues to stand alongside the government, "We do not trust them; we continue to be persecuted."

He added that "Aung San Suu Kyi does not represent the ethnic minorities of Burma; in her they have no voice. Aung San Suu Kyi has proved herself to be a bad leader."

During the panel's discussion, he highlighted the government's oppression of journalists and the plight of "over 600,000 Rohingya" sheltering in Bangladesh, referring to the displaced Muslim populations of northern Rakhine State who have sought refuge over the border, following the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army's attack on 30 security posts in Aug. 25 and the subsequent clearance operations by the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw.

He urged an end to the military's persecution of and human rights violations against ethnic minorities and called for the public to devote themselves to "giving witness" so that responsibility for these actions is taken. He urged the public to continue doing so "until the genocide in Myanmar stops."

Sawangwongse Yawnghwe also discussed his Yawnghwe Office in Exile, which works with young people in Myanmar and consciously addresses politically contentious historical events through visual exploration.

"The country today is fraught with contradictions," he told The Irrawaddy. "Still known by both its historical and revisionist names [Burma and Myanmar], this state's leaders are following other neo-authoritarian Asian regimes by professing a modernist perspective toward the future while repressing awareness of the past. This strategy draws on the logic that economic growth and rising living standards will absolve the leadership of responsibility for decades of repression, corruption and economic stagnation. Such progress is unlikely to be achieved without broader national engagement and cooperation, yet this seems untenable until historical injustices are addressed."

Interactive installation

The show also features works by Myanmar visual artist and filmmaker The Maw Naing, whose installation made from 25 colorful nets titled "The In and Out of Thin Layers" is displayed in the main hall of the museum.

'The In and Out of Thin Layers', an art installation comprised of colored mosquito nets by The Maw Naing, is shown at MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum in Chiang Mai, Thailand. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy)

The Maw Naing told The Irrawaddy he wanted viewers to be able to participate in his artwork; to touch it, to feel it and to interact with his installations of mosquito nets, which are in colors of white, pink, black, grey, and red.

"I want people to feel and interact [with the art], because we did not have such experiences while the people of Burma were always neglected under the military leadership."

He developed the original concept for a work using nets in 2006, but was not able to exhibit his art under Myanmar's then-ruling junta. But he managed to use the idea in his 2014 film "The Monk", which incorporated meditative practice in the nets and has been shown at international film festivals.

The artist said previous audiences had discussed the way the nets present a sense of spirituality and search for self. He also said he plans to expand the piece to include 50-60 nets.

The Chiang Mai exhibition follows a showing of The Maw Naing's installation in Sweden in September 2016. It has not yet been shown in Myanmar, but the artist said he "would try [to produce a] show in Myanmar in the future."

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Magwe Fire Leaves 900 Locals Homeless

Posted: 05 Mar 2018 04:53 AM PST

YANGON — A large fire that broke out in a Magwe Region village in Myanmar's dry zone on Saturday night burned more that 160 houses to the ground and left 900 people homeless, according to local sources.

The fire started at about 8:30 p.m. in Thit Gyi Taw village in Magwe's Yesagyo Township and razed167 houses before it was extinguished at 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. No casualties have been reported.

U Kyaw Thura, a village administrator, told The Irrawaddy by phone that the fire started in the kitchen of a private home and quickly spread through the village as most houses in the area are made of bamboo and thatch.

He said the blaze destroyed 167 houses and displaced 900 people, including 37 students who will sit the matriculation exams starting Wednesday.

"It was so quick because the houses are close together, and also there was a strong wind," the administrator said.

He said food and other supplies were being provided to the victims by the government and charity groups, but added that it would take some time to rebuild the destroyed houses.

Magwe is one of the most vulnerable regions to fire in Myanmar because of its hot and dry conditions.

On Feb. 26 a fire in Su Tat Gyi village, in Magwe’s Myothit Township, destroyed 31 houses and displaced 145 people, according to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. The ministry said it provided the victims with about 100,000 kyats ($75) each to help them rebuild their homes along with rice and other supplies.

U Tin Thaung, a Magwe Regional lawmaker representing Yesagyo, said the students will be supplied with books and accommodations by the regional government so they can study for their exams.

"Because it [Thit Gyi Taw] is located in the northernmost part of the township, it is far from the center, including the fire stations. Besides that, it also had a water shortage problem," U Tin Thaung said.

He said the nearest fire station was 20 minutes away and that the township’s main fire station was at least a half-hour drive.

"When the hot season comes, there is a greater risk of fire. We can't say it wouldn’t happen, but if there was a fire station nearby it would reduce the loss," the lawmaker said. "The loss was worse because there is no fire station nearby."

U Tin Thaung said there were only three fire stations in his constituency and that he had asked Parliament for more but was turned town on the grounds that the region could not afford it.

"I hope the fire now proves the need," he said.

The post Magwe Fire Leaves 900 Locals Homeless appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bagan Temple Damaged in August Earthquake Collapses

Posted: 05 Mar 2018 04:47 AM PST

MANDALAY – A temple in Bagan's archaeological zone collapsed on Sunday as a result of damage sustained in an earthquake last year.

Three sides of the main structure at Temple No. 1,066, located near the Sein Nyat Sisters pagodas, developed cracks during the earthquake on Aug. 24, 2017. The Department of Archaeology and National Museum had reinforced the temple after the quake, but the work could not prevent the collapse.

According to the department, the cracked walls were themselves replacements built in late 1996 during major restorations of the ancient ruins of pagodas and temples in Bagan.

"The new walls on three sides of the square temple were cracked during the earthquake. We braced it with temporary iron belts. However, cracks in the base [of the structure] meant that it could not sustain the weight above it, causing the collapse," explained U Aung Aung Kyaw, director of the department's Bagan office.

The department is consulting with experts on how to handle the remaining ruins of Temple No. 1,066 in order to avoid a repeat of the mistakes made in the past.

"The original wall and entrance of the temple are still standing. We are only cleaning up the area and consulting with experts on how to maintain it," U Aung Aung Kyaw added.

Authorities are currently in the process of applying for UNESCO World Heritage Site status for Bagan.

The department said the incident would not affect the ongoing submission of Bagan's initial application for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Experts have ensured that the process meets all requirements, it said.

Starting in 1996, major restoration work was done on over 800 of Bagan's ruined ancient pagodas and temples. The renovation and rebuilding work was widely criticized, with many experts saying their suggestions that the site not be renovated had been ignored by authorities.

Local experts said technical teams were in Bagan to help maintain earthquake-hit pagodas. They believed the mistakes of the past would not be repeated.

"We don't want to dwell on the mistakes of the past. But now, the technical expert teams are in the right place and providing assistance, and government officials are listening to them. We believe this will achieve the best result and allow us to avoid repeating past mistakes," said U Sun Oo, president of the Association of Myanmar Architects.

Some 389 pagodas and temples out of a total of 3,252 in Bagan were affected by the earthquake.

Bagan, the country's major tourist attraction, is home to pagodas and temples dating from the 9th to the 13th centuries.

The post Bagan Temple Damaged in August Earthquake Collapses appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Kachin Locals Protest Draft Myanmar Gemstone Law

Posted: 05 Mar 2018 02:18 AM PST

YANGON — More than 500 locals in Kachin State's Myitkyina took to the streets on Wednesday to protest the draft Myanmar Gemstone Law 2017, stating that the draft law does not consider the interests of local residents.

The protest was led by three Kachin parties—the Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP), Kachin Democratic Party (KDP), and Kachin National Congress (KNC).

"There was neither consultation with locals nor negotiation with Kachin parties," said Bran Awng, a spokesperson for the three Kachin parties that led the protest.

The government has announced the draft law in government-run newspapers to seek public feedback and suggestions. "So, we made suggestions. None were taken. That's why we took to the streets," said Bran Awng.

Protesters held placards reading: "Kachin State's jade belongs to Kachin people and ethnic citizens," "We don't want large-scale mines," and "We want equal rights in the mining sector for Kachin people and ethnic citizens."

The draft Myanmar Gemstone Law does not provide rights or opportunities for local residents in jade- and gem-rich Kachin State and representatives of Kachin parties, Kachin literature and culture associations, law experts, and officials of the Myitkyina Gem Merchants Association held rounds of discussion in 2017 and submitted six recommendations to the Union Parliament, said Bran Awng.

Lawmakers of the Lower House and Upper House met Kachin delegates and discussed the proposed recommendations. But when the Parliament made public the draft law for feedback, those proposed recommendations were not included.

Among the proposed recommendations were the restriction of heavy machinery in mining and the use of small- and medium-scale machinery instead, the grouping of mining zones into small, medium and prospector zones, and mining monitoring committees at states and regional levels that would include 60 percent local representatives.

Recommendations also called for 30 percent local representatives on jade and gems evaluation committees, a reduction of tax on rubies, sapphires, jade and diamonds from 20 percent to 10 percent, and the inclusion of local representatives on the mining supervisory central committee and in state and regional level committees.

According to the draft law, a 20 percent tax is levied on rubies, sapphires, jade and diamonds and 10 percent on other gemstones.

The draft law has no provision regarding the restriction of heavy machinery in mining, said Dr. Manan Tuja, chairman of the KSDP.

"Revenues from resources have barely been used to benefit locals. We want decentralization in the draft law. We intend to attract the attention of Parliament by staging a protest. I hope lawmakers will change their decision," said Dr. Manan Tuja.

The law was enacted in 1995 and was amended for the first time in 2003 under the State Peace and Development Council government and for a second time in 2016 under President U Thein Sein's government. The third amendment is being debated in the Upper House.

The post Kachin Locals Protest Draft Myanmar Gemstone Law appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Harley-Davidson Opens Showroom in Mandalay

Posted: 05 Mar 2018 12:40 AM PST

MANDALAY — The American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson opened its first authorized showroom and service center in Myanmar on Saturday in Mandalay.

Mandalay has drawn the attention of motorcycle dealers, with numerous motorcycle clubs and riders.

"With Myanmar's recent economic development and a large community of riders in Mandalay, it was a logical place for us to start our business in the country," said Johan Kleinsteuber, managing director of Harley-Davidson Asia Emerging Markets.

At the authorized dealer in Mandalay, Harley-Davidson lovers can order their favorite bikes from the United States. Spare parts and other accessories including branded clothing are also available at the store.

A service center is also attached to the showroom, for easy access to maintenance and repairs.

"Harley-Davidson is the top choice brand for Myanmar bikers and the quality is exceptional, but it is often difficult to repair and maintain the bikes," said Ko Lin Ko Ko Tint, an authorized dealer at the Harley-Davidson in Mandalay.

"Before, when a biker wanted a Harley, it had to be purchased from Thailand, which was expensive. At the new showroom, motorcycles can be purchased at a reasonable price, including warranties, he explained.

Although the US ended sanctions, investment in Myanmar still remains low. Apart from Harley-Davidson, some major American brands such as Coca-Cola, Gap, KFC and Pizza Hut launched in the country in recent years.

"Business ties between the US and Myanmar are increasing. Harley-Davidson is a favorite among US bikers and opening this showroom will strengthen those ties. I hope Burmese bikers will enjoy their rides," said Scot Marciel, the US ambassador to Myanmar, in his remarks at the showroom opening.

The post Harley-Davidson Opens Showroom in Mandalay appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

USDP Denies Ties to Detained Ex-lawmaker Accused of Funding ARSA

Posted: 05 Mar 2018 12:34 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) said it has nothing to do with a man detained by police last week for allegedly funding the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

Aung Zaw Win, 55, the owner of Yangon-based Shine Construction Co. Ltd., was arrested at the Yangon International Airport on Wednesday on his way to Thailand.

He was a USDP lawmaker representing Rakhine State’s Maungdaw Township in the Lower House from 2010 to 2015, during the government of U Thein Sein.

According to two suspects arrested in connection to the violence in northern Rakhine State in 2016, the Nga Khu Ya police station in Rakhine had opened a case against Aung Zaw Win for murder and causing grievous harm and other offenses under the Public Property Protection Act, the Arms Act and the Unlawful Associations Act.

USDP spokesman U Nanda Hla Myint said Aung Zaw Win had resigned from the party before 2015.

"Aung Zaw Win and [Rohingya rights activist and former Lower House lawmaker for Rakhine State’s Buthidaung Township] U Shwe Maung have already resigned from the party. When I took my post [as USDP spokesman], they had already left the party," he said.

At Naypyitaw's request, Dhaka handed over two suspects receiving medical care in Bangladesh who reportedly told investigators that Aung Zaw Win had funded ARSA, said U Zaw Htay, director-general of the President's Office.

"Based on their testimony, the judge issued an arrest warrant for Aung Zaw Win. But he was at large and finally arrested on Feb. 28, when he tried to go to Bangkok," U Zaw Htay told The Irrawaddy.

He said police were still investigating Aung Zaw Win and had yet to hand him over to the court. The Maungdaw District Court issued the arrest warrant in 2016 and declared him a fugitive last year.

Ethnic affairs analyst U Maung Maung Soe claimed that all the necessities for the more than 700,000 Muslims in Maungdaw were being delivered directly from Yangon, though he was not sure whether ARSA was involved.

"According to the information I've gathered, trade in all necessary goods for all the Bengalis over the past six years since 2012 was controlled by Yangon. The government should conduct an in-depth investigation to find out who was involved and to what extent they were involved," he said.

Many people in Myanmar refer to the Rohingya as Bengali, implying they are not a distinct ethnic group with legitimate ties to Myanmar but illegal immigrants from Bangladesh even though many families have lived in Rakhine State for generations.

U Tun Kyi, a Muslim and a former political prisoner, said he denounced any form of violence and any individual, organization and religion that supports violence.

"I grew up in this country and have decided to protect its independence and sovereignty at the cost of my life. So I accept no terrorist organization," he said.

Though Myanmar enacted a Counter-Terrorism Law in 2014, U Tun Kyi said it has rarely been applied. He cited the January 2017 assassination of prominent Muslim lawyer and NLD legal adviser U Ko Ni at the Yangon International Airport, in which case the alleged gunman, Kyi Lin, has been charged with murder but not under the Counter-Terrorism Law.

He also criticized the recent arrest of Arakan National Council executive committee member Ko Naing Soe over a bomb attack that injured a police officer in Rakhine State in late February.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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China Boosts Defense Spending Amid Military Modernization

Posted: 04 Mar 2018 08:36 PM PST

BEIJING — China unveiled its largest rise in defense spending in three years on Monday, setting an 8.1 percent growth target compared to 2017, fueling the country’s ambitious military modernization program amid rising Chinese security concerns.

The 2018 defense budget will be 1.11 trillion yuan ($175 billion), according to a report issued at the opening of the country’s annual meeting of Parliament.

The defense spending figure is closely watched around the world for clues to China’s strategic intentions as it develops new military capabilities, including stealth fighters, aircraft carriers and anti-satellite missiles.

China will “advance all aspects of military training and war preparedness, and firmly and resolvedly safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests”, Premier Li Keqiang said in an address at Parliament’s opening session.

“Faced with profound changes in the national security environment” the absolute leadership of the military by the ruling Communist Party must be observed, and the unity between the government and the military and the people and the military must always be “strong as stone,” he said. The 2018 defense spending increase comes as China’s economic growth expanded 6.9 percent last year, the first acceleration in annual growth since 2010. But China kept its 2018 economic growth target at around 6.5 percent, said Li, the same as in 2017 despite exceeding that year’s target.

Last year, defense spending was set to increase by just 7 percent, to 1.044 trillion yuan ($164.60 billion), about one-quarter of the proposed US defense spending for the year. In 2016, it grew by 7.6 percent.

“The pace and scale of this buildup is really dramatic. It is extremely alarming for Australia and many other countries in the region,” said Sam Roggeveen, Visiting Fellow at the Strategic and Defense Studies Center, Australian National University in Canberra.

“There is every indication that China wants to expand what it will call defense capabilities in the South China Sea. I expect eventually we will see warships and aircraft there regularly, if not based there permanently. What is unclear, however, is whether the United States will want to rise to that challenge.”

Hidden Spending

China does not provide a breakdown of how it allocates its defense budget, leading neighbors and other military powers to complain that Beijing’s lack of transparency has added to regional tensions.

Diplomats say China’s defense numbers likely underestimate true military spending for the People’s Liberation Army, the world’s largest armed forces, which are in the midst of an impressive modernization program overseen by President Xi Jinping.

One senior Asia diplomat, speaking before the announcement was made, said the real rise would likely be at least double what China revealed considering efforts to build up the industrial military complex and deepen military-civilian integration.

“Some spending will be hidden in civilian spending,” said the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

China’s military buildup has rattled the nerves of its neighbors, particularly because it has taken an increasingly assertive stance in its territorial disputes in the East and South China seas and over Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own.

With worries about potential disputes with the United States in the region, China’s military had mounted what defense sources and diplomats viewed as a lobbying campaign for more spending.

US President Donald Trump has proposed a military budget that is the largest since 2011 and focused on beefing up the country’s nuclear defenses and countering the growing strength of China and Russia.

The proposal, part of Trump’s budget request for the US government, would provide the Pentagon $617 billion and an additional $69 billion to fund ongoing wars in fiscal year 2019. That is $74 billion more than in the budget for the previous fiscal year.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui on Sunday said China’s “moderate” defense spending rises in the past few years are less than other major countries and will not threaten anyone.

The post China Boosts Defense Spending Amid Military Modernization appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

India’s Ruling Party Emerges Stronger After Polls in Northeast

Posted: 04 Mar 2018 08:26 PM PST

NEW DELHI — India's ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Saturday consolidated its position in the country's northeast after a landslide election victory in Tripura, ending 25 years of communist rule in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP and its allies are also ahead in the Christian-dominated mountainous state of Nagaland, while opposition Congress-ruled Meghalaya is heading for a fractured verdict.

Elections were held only in the states of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya, where about nine million Indians live, according to the 2011 census. The three states have about 5.6 million voters, according to the election commission’s website.

With Saturday's victory, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will gain control over five of the seven northeastern states reshaping the political landscape of the region bordering Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Modi, who had extensively campaigned in the three states, attributed the win to the development work by his party and its allies.

"Time and again, election after election, the people of India are reposing their faith in the positive and development oriented agenda of the NDA," Modi tweeted.

The NDA already controls Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. Congress-ruled Mizoram will vote later this year.

Congress leader Kamal Nath told reporters that his party is hopeful of forming the government in Meghalaya with support from other parties.

With control of Tripura and Nagaland, the right-wing BJP and its allies rule 21 of India's 29 states, boosting its prospects for a win in the federal elections scheduled for 2019.

India's main opposition Congress party, which has ruled the country for most of the time since independence in 1947, is now reduced to ruling three states.

The southern state of Karnataka, one of the bigger states ruled by the Congress, goes to the polls later this year.

"Victory after victory is a positive sign. This has boosted our confidence even more for 2019," BJP president Amit Shah said.

The post India's Ruling Party Emerges Stronger After Polls in Northeast appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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