The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Irrawaddy Parliament Warns Lawmaker Accused, Cleared of Embezzlement
• Rakhine State to Open University of Distance Education Branch in Maungdaw
• Sixteen Straight Years of Price Increases: the Facts and Figures
• Govt Touts Early Success of New Drug Reporting Department
• Peace Conference Adopts 14 More Basic Principles, Only 1 Economic
• Japan to Fund $77M Neuro, Cardio Hospital in Yangon
• From Cloud Seeding to Vehicle Curbs, Indonesia Fights Pollution Ahead of Asian Games
• Thailand’s Rescued Cave Boys to Address Media Today
• British Caver Says He Has Been Approached by US, British Lawyers over Musk’s Comments
• Myanmar Police Focused Interrogation on Rohingya Story: Reuters Journalist

Irrawaddy Parliament Warns Lawmaker Accused, Cleared of Embezzlement Posted: 18 Jul 2018 08:30 AM PDT IRRAWADDY REGION, Pathein — The Irrawaddy Region Parliament has warned a local lawmaker who collected money from residents seeking to connect their village in Einme Township to the power grid. Locals filed a complaint with the regional chapter of the National League for Democracy after learning that the village was connected with government funds. U Aung Kyaw Myaing, one of two lawmakers who represent Einme in the local legislature, asked for 10 million kyats ($6,971) from the electrification committee of Nyaunggon Chaungpya village in March. In Myanmar it is common for rural villages to collect money from residents to get themselves connected to the national grid, as the government can only supply power to a certain number of villages per year because of budget constraints. The villagers share the costs of the equipment and the local electricity department sets the transformers and installs the power cables. The money is collected from the villagers and managed by a committee composed of administrators and respected community members. U Aung Kyaw Myaing said the money would be given to the region and township power supply departments to set up the transformer. But he reportedly returned the money after locals filed the complaint. Ko Thura Soe, a freelance reporter, visited the village to investigate the allegations of embezzlement. U Aung Kyaw Myaing allegedly tried to bribe him so that he would not write about him. But the reporter filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Commission. The commission launched an investigation and sent a letter to the Irrawaddy Region Parliament in April suggesting that it take appropriate action against the lawmaker. "U Aung Kyaw Myaing received 10 million kyats by abusing his power as a lawmaker. Though there is no supporting evidence against him for misappropriation of money, he intervened in rural electrification work, which is against the ethics of a lawmaker. Appropriate action should be taken against him because of mismanagement and for causing public misunderstanding," the letter said. The local Parliament launched its own investigation in response. "We will make U Aung Kyaw Myaing sign that he will not do such things in the future. The Irrawaddy Region Parliament will convene soon, and we will make him sign then," U Aung Kyaw Khaing, the local legislature’s speaker, told The Irrawaddy. U Aung Kyaw Myaing said he kept the money only because the relevant official at the Einme Township power supply department was traveling at the time. "The village had to incur costs for power cables. So the village electrification committee collected money to give to the power supply department. I kept the money because the official was on a trip then. Later, the electrification committee members had an argument because the money was given to me without the decision of the committee at a meeting. So I returned the money to them and asked them to give the money [to the department] themselves," said U Aung Kyaw Myaing. "I have no comment about the leaders asking me to sign," he added. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Irrawaddy Parliament Warns Lawmaker Accused, Cleared of Embezzlement appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rakhine State to Open University of Distance Education Branch in Maungdaw Posted: 18 Jul 2018 08:00 AM PDT YANGON — Led by Chief Minister U Nyi Pu, the Rakhine State government plans to open a branch of the University of Distance Education in strife-torn Maungdaw District in order to help local people access higher education. As of Wednesday, more than 40 people — mostly Rohingya Muslims — had applied to study in the 2018-19 academic year. Since late last year, military clearance operations aimed mainly at the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) have caused nearly 700,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh, creating the world's largest refugee camp. The UN Security Council described the mass exodus and devastation in Maungdaw as "ethnic cleansing" after a delegation of council representatives visited the area earlier this year. After the violence erupted, trade, education and travel in the area was brought to a halt. These have since resumed as the situation on the ground begins to return to normal. While basic education schools have re-opened in the region, however, university learning has been banned for Muslim students since 2012 communal rioting erupted across the state between Rohingya and Arakanese. But Rakhine officials say the situation regarding higher education will end this year with the launch of a local branch of the University of Distance Education. U Khin Aung, head of the Maungdaw Township Education Department, confirmed to The Irrawaddy over the phone that nearly 90 students had requested application forms since July 13 and about 40 had submitted initial applications. The university will offer Bachelor of Arts degrees in two majors — Myanmar literature, and history. Students will not be offered Bachelor of Science degrees or be able to major in English. According to U Khin Aung, some Buddhist Arakanese and members of sub-ethnic groups have also applied for admission to the university. The University of Sittwe will determine who is granted admission, and will be responsible for grading the students' work and issuing the necessary documents. Instructors from the university will be assigned to teach in Maungdaw and if necessary teachers from Yangon Division could be transferred temporarily to the township. The education official said higher authorities in the state government had not explained the choice of Maungdaw as the location for the new branch of the university. "As government employees we are following orders here and are temporarily accepting applications at the township education office," U Khin Aung said. While the government is gearing up to graduate a new class of local Grade 11 students who passed the 2017-18 matriculation exams, it's unclear where they will be able to study in Maungdaw, as there is still no university campus or other such facilities in the area. U Khin Aung said, "I can't say exactly whether the government will construct new buildings for university students. I assume they will address the issue based on the size of the student population." Some Arakanese and Muslims have speculated that university students could attend lectures at the Basic Education High School (BEHS) buildings in Maungdaw town, though the education official downplayed the idea. According to the Maungdaw Education Department, 87 "Bengali" students and 238 Arakanese students from Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships passed the Grade 11 matriculation exam last year. "Bengali" is a contentious term referring to Rohingya. It seeks to brand them as Bangladeshi immigrants who have been in Myanmar illegally since being brought to the country by the British during the colonial era. U Ni Mal, a Hindu leader in Maungdaw, said his community was unaware of the plan to open a branch of the University of Distance Education, saying there was only one Hindu university student in the area that he was aware of. U Kyaw Kyaw Win, an Arakan National Party (ANP) Upper House lawmaker for Maungdaw constituency, said the government had yet to release any information regarding the plan, but speculation was mounting in the community. He said the surprise move could have both positive and negative impacts on the community in the near future. One potential advantage for poor students, he said, was that they could avoid financial hardship by attending university close to home instead of traveling hundreds of miles and paying monthly rent to lodge in hostels in the state capital, Sittwe. "It's too early to say whether it's good or bad, as we have received very limited information," he said. A Rohingya from downtown Maungdaw told The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity that Muslim students had been banned from traveling to Sittwe to study since 2012. The Immigration Department refused to issue the necessary travel permits to Rohingya university students, several hundred of whom are now sheltering in neighboring Bangladesh with their families, he said. "Students prefer studying in the capital Sittwe rather than studying here, as they can observe the diverse community and other cultures there," he said. The post Rakhine State to Open University of Distance Education Branch in Maungdaw appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Sixteen Straight Years of Price Increases: the Facts and Figures Posted: 18 Jul 2018 05:49 AM PDT YANGON — The Myanmar Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased every year since 2001 and was Asia's third-highest last year, according to World Bank Open Data. The CPI measures the average change over time in the prices of a basket of consumer goods and services. The index shows positive and negative price changes experienced by the average consumer in eight major categories — food and beverages; housing; clothing; transportation; medical care; recreation; education; and communication — along with some other goods and services. An increase in the CPI is a measure of inflation, showing how much more consumers are spending on goods and services. A decrease means the economy is experiencing deflation — a sustained decrease in the prices of goods and services. According to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the International Financial Statistics database, Myanmar's CPI has never declined. In other words, people in Myanmar are constantly having to pay more and more for their daily goods and services. Myanmar's CPI more than tripled between 2005 and 2017. Explore The Irrawaddy's interactive graphics to see how Myanmar's CPI index has climbed in recent decades. Myanmar's Consumer Price Index (1990-2017) Myanmar CPI's index is higher than those of Thailand and Cambodia, according to World Bank data. Explore the interactive line chart to compare the CPIs of the three countries over time. Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand's Consumer Price Indexes (1990-2017) Myanmar's Inflation Rate (2013-17) The post Sixteen Straight Years of Price Increases: the Facts and Figures appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt Touts Early Success of New Drug Reporting Department Posted: 18 Jul 2018 05:42 AM PDT YANGON — The Home Affairs Ministry has opened 22 drugs cases based on tipoffs since the government launched the Drug Abuse Reporting Department last month to encourage the public to inform on dealers, the President’s Office announced Tuesday. In a statement, the office said the government has stepped up its anti-narcotics efforts with the public’s help. It said that as of Saturday it had received tips on four cases in Yangon and the others from Mandalay, Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions and Kachin and Shan states. It said the ministry has arrested a total of 34 suspects in the cases and seized drugs, including 95 grams of heroin, 2,600 grams of raw opium, 10 grams of processed opium and about 9,300 tablets of illicit stimulants. President U Win Myint announced the creation of the Drug Abuse Reporting Department on June 26 at a ceremony to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Naypyitaw. His office provided telephone and fax numbers and an email address on its Facebook page for the public to file reports. The president also called on the public to report information related to the abuse of illicit drugs and psychotropic substances, ensuring informants that their identities would be protected and offering them rewards. "Indeed, what we want are big cases like gangs and drug lords. So far we haven't received such cases," said U Zaw Htay, a spokesman for the President's Office. He said the size of the cash rewards promised by the president would be based on a proportion of the value of the illicit assets seized in each case, as determined by the Home Affairs Ministry, and would be tax exempt. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Myanmar government launched a new national drug control policy in February aimed at contributing to safe, secure and healthy communities by addressing all aspects of the drug problem. In May, the UNODC said illicit drug production was still rampant in Myanmar’s conflict-torn regions, with supplies being smuggled to nearby countries but also reaching as far as Australia. The post Govt Touts Early Success of New Drug Reporting Department appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Peace Conference Adopts 14 More Basic Principles, Only 1 Economic Posted: 18 Jul 2018 05:02 AM PDT NAYPYITAW — The third session of the Union Peace Conference ended with 14 more basic principles adopted as Part II of the Union Accord, only one in the economic sector. The addendum for the economic sector in Part II of the Union Accord reads: "Region/State governments have the right to draw up and implement economic projects that benefit the people. In drawing up the projects, it is to be in accord with the Union economic development policies and projects, and consideration must be made toward not adversely affecting the adjacent states and regions." "It did not come easily to even get this one principle approved by all stakeholders. There was a heated discussion," said Nang Khin Aye Oo, a politician from the Karen People's Party who participated in the economic sector discussion. Eight economic principles were agreed to in Part I of the Union Accord, signed in May of last year. Weeks before the Union Peace Conference, representatives of the government, Parliament, Tatmadaw, ethnic armed organizations and political parties laid out 16 proposed principles for discussion at the economic sector working committees of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee. The principles largely involved federally based economics and development. The principles were debated early this month at working committee discussions and the UPDJC secretariat said that 11 of them were brought to the committee for approval. But the UPDJC only agreed to share one of the proposed principles at the UPC. The Irrawaddy learned that the other 10 principles were not agreed to due to Tatmadaw objections, mostly citing that the principles were already stated in the military-drafted 2008 Constitution or existing laws and procedures. The proposed principles included the Union and state/regional governments being allowed to draft policies for private sector businesses, intending to increase transparency and responsible business practices. Other rejected considerations regarded issues such as fair revenue sharing between the Union and state/regional governments; full rights to draft a budget and raise revenue and expenditures; subsidiary principles for regional authorities; and macroeconomic stability and a macroeconomic monitoring program. In regards to fair revenue sharing, the Tatmadaw rejected this principle and cited that it was already stated in Part I of the Union Accord. It added that revenue sharing would be carried out in accordance with the Constitution, without stating which Constitution it was referring to. Despite a lack of options for raising concerns over the agreed principles, key negotiators, delegates and observers of the conference told The Irrawaddy that this was simply a way to continue moving the peace process forward. Some of the delegates expressed that they hoped more principles would have been discussed and signed, as it was fewer than the 37 that were agreed upon and signed last year. U Nyan Win, the spokesman of the National League for Democracy party, echoed that “this is to keep the process moving." He told The Irrawaddy on Monday that this conference and signing the Part II of the Union Accord is "a key for peace, and it cannot be skipped." The post Peace Conference Adopts 14 More Basic Principles, Only 1 Economic appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Japan to Fund $77M Neuro, Cardio Hospital in Yangon Posted: 18 Jul 2018 03:46 AM PDT YANGON — A new hospital specializing in neuro and cardio care will be built in Yangon capable of carrying out advanced heart disease and neurosurgical operations thanks to a 8.66 billion yen ($76.6 million) grant from Japan. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is providing the grant, announced on Wednesday that a ceremony officially launching the New Yangon Specialist Hospital project would be held on Friday. The seven-story hospital will be built at the corner of Pyay and Min Ye Kyaw Swar roads in downtown Yangon, in the vicinity of Yangon General Hospital, one of the country’s top referral hospitals. "This project will make it possible to enhance patient-centered medical and health care services for cerebral and cardiovascular diseases in Myanmar by providing more treatment on inpatients and outpatients and reducing the wait time for treatment and surgery," JICA said in a statement. It said the building would also host teaching facilities and four departments to be relocated from Yangon General Hospital: neurosurgery, neuro medicine, cardiac surgery and cardiology. It added that the government of Myanmar was responsible for procuring the necessary equipment for the facilities. The hospital is currently being designed by a consultant hired by the Ministry of Health and Sport. Construction is expected to begin in February. The post Japan to Fund $77M Neuro, Cardio Hospital in Yangon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

From Cloud Seeding to Vehicle Curbs, Indonesia Fights Pollution Ahead of Asian Games Posted: 17 Jul 2018 09:55 PM PDT JAKARTA — As Indonesia prepares to host thousands of competitors and fans at next month’s Asian Games, pollution concerns have flared following a spell of unhealthy air in Jakarta and forest fire hotspots near the second venue, Palembang, in South Sumatra. Traffic congestion in Indonesia’s sprawling capital of 10 million consistently ranks among the world’s worst, and it has long struggled to boost air quality, regularly rated as unsafe by the World Health Organization (WHO). Organizers of the Asian Games, set to run from Aug. 18 to Sept. 2, drawing nearly 17,000 athletes and officials and more than 100,000 spectators, said they were working with city officials to tackle the pollution. “It is expected that there will be better air quality at Asian games competition venues,” the organizers said in a statement on Tuesday. Strategies being considered include wider curbs on private cars depending on whether their license plate numbers are odd or even, creating special lanes for the sports event, and building gardens. Indonesia is following a path blazed by other large Asian cities, such as Beijing, which adopted traffic curbs and closed factories to improve air during the 2008 Olympics. Jakarta’s average score on the Air Quality Index (AQI) had exceeded 100 in the last week, said Budi Haryanto, an environmental health expert at the University of Indonesia. “Air quality is unhealthy, and this with the odd and even vehicle plate policy,” he told Reuters. By 11 a.m. on Tuesday, the air quality in Jakarta stood in the “unhealthy” range at 171, the Real-Time AQI Index showed. “Since athletes need to give their maximum performance for the competition, a better AQI is a must,” said Haryanto, who felt the optimum would be less than 50. Lung function is affected after over two months of daily exposure to an index reading below 200, Haryanto said, but gasoline emissions, a frequent pollutant in Jakarta, can be linked to cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, besides cancer. Fire Hot Spots The smaller city of Palembang generally has cleaner air than Jakarta but can suffer the ravages of forest and land fires, sometimes blanketing the area in a thick haze. “The primary pollutant sources in Jakarta are mostly traffic and industry, while in Palembang it is mainly from peat land burning,” said Hsiang-He Lee of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology. “Now is the peak of the burning season.” Indonesia’s weather authorities are monitoring 12 fire “hotspots” in South Sumatra, they said this week. Authorities are looking into the possibility of cloud seeding to combat the hotspots by triggering rainfall in dry areas with flares of salt shot into suitable clouds. The strategy was successful in 2011, when Indonesia hosted the Southeast Asian Games in Palembang but would depend on weather conditions, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesman of the disaster management agency. Erick Thohir, head of the Asian Games organizing committee, told reporters last week he understood concerns over the haze but believed efforts to control the fires were proving successful. The post From Cloud Seeding to Vehicle Curbs, Indonesia Fights Pollution Ahead of Asian Games appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thailand’s Rescued Cave Boys to Address Media Today Posted: 17 Jul 2018 09:52 PM PDT BANGKOK — The 12 Thai boys and soccer coach who were rescued from a flooded cave will be discharged from the hospital and hold a news conference today to satisfy huge media interest in their story, a government official said. “We want to reduce public curiosity,” government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd told Reuters on Tuesday. The boys, aged 11 to 16, and their 25-year-old coach were safely brought out of the Tham Luang mountain cave complex near the border with Myanmar last week after a perilous rescue operation that drew global media attention and hundreds of journalists to the scene. The boys and their coach have been in a hospital in the northern town of Chiang Rai since they were rescued. The authorities have been concerned about the impact of sudden fame and media attention on the boys’ mental health, so today’s news conference will be carefully controlled. Journalists will submit questions in advance that will be vetted by a psychologist. Approved questions will be put to the boys by a moderator. “We arrange it so that, after that, the boys can go back to their regular lives,” Sansern said. The boys and their coach had planned to explore the cavern for about an hour after soccer practice on June 23. But a rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels, trapping them. Two British divers found them on July 2 squatting on a mound in a flooded chamber several kilometers inside the complex. Rescuers then had to work out how to get them out through the tunnels, some of which were full of fast-flowing floodwater. Their dramatic story is already set for a retelling by Hollywood, with two production companies looking to put together movies about the boys and their rescue. Passakorn Bunyalak, deputy governor of the province of Chiang Rai, said the boys would be sent home after the news conference and he was requesting their parents and journalists to hold off interviews for about 30 days. “At this early stage, we are trying to get media not to bother the boys,” he told Reuters, adding that they were protected by Thailand’s Child Protection Act. An article in the act protects those under 18 from media coverage that would cause emotional and reputational injury. The post Thailand’s Rescued Cave Boys to Address Media Today appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

British Caver Says He Has Been Approached by US, British Lawyers over Musk’s Comments Posted: 17 Jul 2018 09:33 PM PDT MAE SAI, Thailand — A British caver who helped rescue 12 boys from a Thai cave said on Tuesday that he has been approached by British and American lawyers and will seek legal advice after Tesla CEO Elon Musk directed abuse at him on Twitter. “I’ve been approached by British lawyers, American lawyers. I haven’t decided what to do next yet,” Vern Unsworth told Reuters in Mae Sai town in Chiang Rai province, about 3 km (2 miles) from the cave where the boys and their coach were trapped for 18 days. However, Unsworth has said he is considering legal action against the billionaire entrepreneur, who is chief executive of the electric car maker Tesla Inc. “I can’t let it go. There’s too much out there already,” Unsworth told Reuters in an interview. Asked which law firm he would hire, he said: “I don’t know yet. I have to take advice.” Unsworth declined to identify who had approached him. Tesla spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Musk could not be reached for comment. Musk’s spat with Unsworth started last week, after rescue teams rejected Musk’s offer of a mini-submarine created by his rocket company SpaceX to help extract the youth soccer team and the coach from the labyrinth of partly flooded passages. “It just has absolutely no chance of working,” CNN quoted Unsworth as saying about the submarine. Musk responded on Twitter on Sunday saying: “We will make one (video) of the mini-sub/pod going all the way to Cave 5 no problem. Sorry pedo guy, you really did ask for it.” The Tweet was later deleted. Unsworth said he hadn’t flatly denied Musk’s accusation because he was waiting for legal advice. Asked why he thought Musk would make such a comment about him, he said: “I don’t know.” A police officer in the Chiang Rai, where Unsworth has lived for seven years, said that no charges or complaints had ever been filed against Unsworth. The officer declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Family Upset Unsworth, 63, said he hadn’t actually met Musk face to face when Musk visited the cave during the rescue. He said he felt sorry that the squabble with Musk had detracted from the successful end to the rescue mission. “It’s taken a bit of the pleasure out of what’s happened, what we’ve achieved, for me anyway,” he said, adding that it had upset his ex-wife and daughter back in Britain. “It’s very much upset my daughter,” the caver said, his voice breaking. Shares of Tesla Inc fell more than 3.5 percent on Monday, knocking almost $2 billion off the company’s market value. Several analysts and investors, requesting anonymity, told Reuters that Musk’s comments were adding to their concerns that his public statements were distracting him from Tesla’s main business of producing electric cars. The “Wild Boar” team was rescued last week by a group of foreign and Thai divers through a network of narrow passages and chambers. The boys, aged 11-16, and their 25-year-old coach are expected to leave hospital on Wednesday. Unsworth was the first foreigner called to the Tham Luang cave in northern Thailand after relatives noticed the boys had not come out after setting out to explore the cave complex on June 23 following soccer practice. He said he has lost count of how many times he has been inside the 10-km (6-mile) long Tham Luang cave. “It has been my third home for the past six years,” he said. Two British divers who were asked by Unsworth to join the mission were the first to discover the boys. Unsworth said he brought his knowledge about the cave to the rescue mission but added that he “no idea” what the diving conditions were like because he is not a cave diver. He said he will fly from Thailand to London on Thursday, where he will stay for around three weeks. The post British Caver Says He Has Been Approached by US, British Lawyers over Musk’s Comments appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Police Focused Interrogation on Rohingya Story: Reuters Journalist Posted: 17 Jul 2018 09:27 PM PDT YANGON — A Reuters reporter on trial in Myanmar said the police questioning after he and a colleague were arrested in December centered on their reporting of a massacre of Rohingya Muslims, not on secret state documents they are accused of obtaining. Wa Lone, 32, also said the police deprived him and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, of sleep for more than two days, and placed black hoods over their heads while transporting them to a secret detention site where they were held incommunicado for two weeks. In hours of testimony, delivered over two days before a court in Yangon, Wa Lone also described what he called the police “trap” to arrest him. His account was the most comprehensive challenge heard so far to the prosecution’s accusation that the two journalists were detained at a routine traffic stop and found to be holding secret documents from an unknown source. “During the whole interrogation, they didn’t ask with interest about the secret documents found on us, but they probed our reporting of Maungdaw, Rakhine,” Wa Lone told the court. “I hadn’t slept for many hours but they kept interrogating me. I was exhausted.” At the time of their arrest, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in the village of Inn Din in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The killings took place during a military crackdown that United Nations agencies say led to more than 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh last year. The Reuters journalists are on trial for allegedly breaching the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years. Both have pleaded not guilty. The case has attracted global attention, with many governments calling for the reporters’ release in what has come to be seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar. “We've Got Them, Sir" Describing the night of their arrest on Dec. 12, Wa Lone told the judge and a courtroom packed with family members and diplomats that he and Kyaw Soe Oo were handcuffed by a group of men in civilian clothing outside a restaurant where they had just met a police officer who handed them some documents. As they were driven to a police station a man who appeared to be in charge called a police lieutenant colonel – whose name was visible on the man’s phone screen – and told him, “we’ve got them, sir”, Wa Lone said. Defense lawyers have previously said the evidence put forward by the prosecution showed the journalists were arrested in a sting operation by the police that was aimed at interfering with their reporting. Myanmar police spokesman Colonel Myo Thu Soe did not answer calls seeking comment on Tuesday. Lead prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung also declined to comment after the hearing. Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay has declined to comment throughout the proceedings, saying Myanmar’s courts are independent and the case would be conducted according to the law. He did not answer calls seeking comment on Tuesday. Throughout his testimony Wa Lone insisted on his innocence, saying he was only carrying out his work as a journalist. “I am a young person who has always tried to contribute to the development of the country,” he said. “I’ve only ever worked for media organizations, and have never worked in other types of organizations. I am not a spy.” He said police had accessed his phone and found photographs of the 10 men killed at Inn Din and his call logs to sources in the village. One of the investigators told Wa Lone they would probe the killings after they discovered the information on the phone. Six days after the journalists were arrested, the military said in a statement that security forces had found a mass grave in Inn Din and had launched an investigation. In the weeks that followed, the army made a rare admission its soldiers were involved in the murders and said it sentenced seven unnamed soldiers to 10 years in jail. The authorities have told Reuters that the sentencing was unrelated to the case against Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. Reporting Criticized Wa Lone told the court that during the interrogation, an officer offered a “negotiation” over the journalists’ arrest if they agreed not to publish the massacre story – an offer he said he rejected. Wa Lone also said the police criticized their reporting, questioning why they were writing about the Rohingya. “They said, ‘You are both Buddhists. Why are you writing about ‘kalars’ at a time like this? They aren’t citizens,'” Wa Lone said, quoting the interrogating officers. “Kalar” is a derogatory term used to describe people of South Asian origin, especially Muslims. At one point during the two weeks he was held at the detention site Wa Lone said the reporters were driven to a secluded spot while hooded, making him fear for his life. In cross-examination, prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung asked whether Reuters benefited from the reporters’ work, what currency the reporter was paid in and whether the articles Wa Lone wrote were sent to Reuters headquarters in the United States. The prosecutor also asked whether Wa Lone had been aware that he was found in possession of secret documents related to the security forces. The reporter said he had not been aware of the nature of the documents handed to him minutes before he was arrested. Judge Ye Lwin adjourned the hearing until July 23, when the cross-examination will continue. The post Myanmar Police Focused Interrogation on Rohingya Story: Reuters Journalist appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Brother of Informant Hacked to Death, Suspects Arrested
• Three Women Accuse Chief of Women’s Rights NGO of Sexual Harassment, Assault
• New Chair of Kyaukphyu SEZ Wary of Chinese Loans
• A Modern Traditionalist
• Six Female Medics Murdered in Captivity by Tatmadaw, TNLA Claims
• Our Coverage of the 3rd Union Peace Conference
• Foundation to Return $3.6M to Irrawaddy Region Govt in Fraud Case
• Interactive Timeline: Heroes in Myanmar’s History
• UWSA Still Concerned over Implications of Signing NCA
• Rediscovering Traditional Myanmar Snacks
• British Diver May Sue Elon Musk for Calling Him a ‘Pedo’
• Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week
• Bridge to China Brings Threat for Hong Kong’s Native Pink Dolphin
• Myanmar Police Insisted on Meeting, Gave Documents: Reuters Reporter
• China Overloading Poor Nations With Debt, Top US Official Says

Brother of Informant Hacked to Death, Suspects Arrested Posted: 17 Jul 2018 07:08 AM PDT YANGON — Police in Yangon say they have arrested six suspects in Friday’s murder of a man whose brother helped expose a ward administrator as a wanted rape suspect but deny any connection. Police Captain Maung Maung Oo, head of the Dagon Myothit Township police station, said Thet Wai Htoo, 36, was hacked to death with swords on Friday and that six suspects were arrested the following day. He identified the suspects, all related, as Naing Win, a Ward 140 assistant in Dagon Myothit South, Chit Hla, Nay Lin, Aung Thet Paing, Than Naing Win and Aung Soe. The police have filed homicide charges against the six under sections 114 and 302 of the Penal Code, which is punishable with life in prison or death. But the captain denied that the suspects were taking revenge on the victim because his older brother, Zaw Zaw Aung, had informed on the ward administrator, Yan Naing Soe. “The dead person was drunk and being a bit aggressive. Then the [ward assistant] and his relatives reacted to the victim furiously. So we can say it happened because of anger,” Capt. Maung Maung Oo said. However, the captain’s claim contradicts the account of Zaw Zaw Aung. Zaw Zaw Aung said he was told by neighbors that some of Yan Naing Soe’s supporters were searching for his younger brother because they were angry with him for helping expose Yan Naing Soe to the media as a wanted rape suspect. By the time Zaw Zaw Aung returned to the ward on Friday evening, he saw his brother barely alive lying in a pool of blood with multiple cuts to his body and his attackers standing around him. He said he wanted to save his brother but was held back by neighbors who feared he too would be attacked. Once the assailants left, Zaw Zaw Aung said, he tried to rush his brother to the nearest hospital, but his brother died on the way. He said he heard the assailants yell “Let’s leave, this guy seems to be dead now. Zaw Zaw Aung should be killed like this, too. He is quite active as a politician in this ward.” Zaw Zaw Aung said he was actually the prime target, but because he spent most of his time outside the ward the attackers turned on his brother. According to the Home Affairs Ministry website, Yan Naing Soe, also known as Karen, allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl with four other men in Yangon’s Thingangyun Township in 2011. While two of the men were sent to jail for two years and another was acquitted, Yan Naing Soe has evaded arrest. In 2017, Yan Naing Soe moved to Dagon Myothit, where he contested and won a local election for Ward 140 administrator. But when some locals learned of his alleged crime, they leaked the information to freelance journalist Myo Myint. In May, Myo Myint wrote on his Facebook page that Yan Naing Soe was still at large and working as a ward administrator even though Thingangyun Township police had handed a warrant for his arrest over to their counterparts in Dagon Myothit. A few days later, Myo Myint was verbally threatened over the phone by one of Yan Naing Soe’s supporters and asked to take down the post Myo Myint made the post private after a childhood friend, the wife of a police officer, advised him to be careful of Yan Naing Soe because he was a local gang leader. The freelance journalist had also called police about Yan Naing Soe and was told they would look into it. Myanmar Now journalists then contacted Dagon Myothit residents, including Zaw Zaw Aung, one of Myo Myint’s sources, to investigate the case and in mid-June published a story titled: “Rapist wanted by police becomes ward administrator.” Yan Naing Soe fled the ward once the story came out and is still at large. Neither the Ministry of Home Affairs nor Yangon Region police have issued any updates about Yan Naing Soe since. Myanmar Now senior reporter Htet Khaung Lin told The Irrawaddy that Ward 140 was in the hands of criminals and that it was now split between those for and against Yan Naing Soe. “Everyone knows who is responsible if authorities fail to arrest outlaws. Residents have many challenges when an outlaw becomes a ward authority, because he is barbarous and will not hesitate to handle issues in a violent way,” he said. The post Brother of Informant Hacked to Death, Suspects Arrested appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Three Women Accuse Chief of Women’s Rights NGO of Sexual Harassment, Assault Posted: 17 Jul 2018 07:00 AM PDT YANGON—Myanmar's leading women's rights advocacy network has declared its support for three women who came forward on social media last week to accuse the head of one of its member organizations, a local human rights and women's empowerment NGO, of sexual harassment and sexual assault. The Gender Equality Network (GEN)—a network of more than 100 local and international NGOs and civil society organizations—vowed to help the women seek justice. GEN said it had received a letter of complaint alleging that a senior figure at one of its member organizations had engaged in sexual harassment and assault, as well as exploitative behavior toward staff, and of abusing their authority. It did not name the organization or the accused in the statement. "GEN condemns any member or employee who commits or enables any violations of human rights, women's rights, and the rights of minorities," it said in a statement released on Monday, adding that the truth would be exposed and the necessary action taken. U Aung Myo Min, a member of GEN's steering committee, told The Irrawaddy that the cases were reported by three female former employees of the accused person's organization. He confirmed that the complainants are the same women who recently shared their ordeals on Facebook. He said his organization planned to meet with the women and would support them, respecting their wishes and decisions without any bias, whether they sought legal action or an apology. The case came to light on July 12, when a woman started speaking out about sexual assaults that she and her female colleagues had been subjected to at their office, and sharing their stories on her Facebook account. She said they were sexually harassed by the chief executive officer of the organization they worked for. She said he touched, hugged, tickled and sometimes even picked up in his arms or jumped over female staff, ignoring their demands that he stop. After the first woman shared her story, a second posted about the harassment that she had faced. She later posted about another female employee who had experienced attempted rape. One of the three women told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that some women at the organization who experienced harassment had reported their cases to other managers, but their complaints were quickly disposed of and not followed up. Far from having their complaints addressed, those who made them found themselves isolated in the office and were later pressured to resign, she said. She said she and her colleagues were going public with their stories in order to encourage other victims to speak out as well as to highlight the sexual harassment that women have long faced in the workplace. "I also want donor organizations to check the agencies they are funding to ensure they have anti-sexual harassment policies in place," she said, adding that organizations that had donated funds to her former employer had been notified. U Aung Myo Min of GEN said the case highlighted the need for organizations to adopt sexual harassment policies for staff and to put a complaints procedure in place. "Sexual harassment cases can be tricky and hard to prove. But that shouldn't prevent victims from making complaints or cause them to let their cases be dismissed. The victims know best whether they are victims of sexual exploitation," he said. The activist added that victims of sexual harassment and assault should be encouraged to make complaints. Thus, every organization needs to have a complaints procedure and a policy that ensures action is taken against the perpetrators of such acts — especially at organizations working in the human rights and gender equality sectors. The post Three Women Accuse Chief of Women's Rights NGO of Sexual Harassment, Assault appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Chair of Kyaukphyu SEZ Wary of Chinese Loans Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:43 AM PDT YANGON — Myanmar will endeavor to take on no loans from China to complete the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) but would offer the developer no sovereign guarantees to mitigate risk if it does, said the project’s new chairman, seeking to allay fears of a debt trap. Sean Turnell, an economic adviser to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has called the expense of the $7.5-billion project "crazy" and "absurd” and warned of a repeat of Sri Lanka’s experience. The government of Sri Lanka borrowed heavily from China to build the $1-billion Hambantota port but was unable to repay the loans. As a result, it gave China a 99-year lease to the facility in exchange for debt relief. Turnell told a seminar in Singapore in May that Myanmar would have to borrow between $2 billion and $3 billion from the Export-Import Bank of China to make its own port project happen. In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the head of the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Ray Washburne, also warned that China’s Belt and Road Initiative was creating a debt trap for many poor nations. According to the initial master plan, the Kyaukphyu SEZ, in Rakhine State, will cover a total 520 hectares — 20 for the port, 100 for housing, and 400 for an industrial park. It allocates 50 percent of the land to fisheries, 30 percent to garment factories and the rest to other small enterprises. U Set Aung, the new chairman of the SEZ’s management committee, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the government has decided to start on a smaller scale and to expand based strictly on demand. “Hence, the project will not [make] the Myanmar government bear the debt burden,” he said. The China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) won the bid to develop the SEZ in 2015. The shareholders agreement struck under then-President Thein Sein gives China an 85 percent stake in the project and Myanmar the rest. The government that replaced his, led by the National League for Democracy, has been trying to double Myanmar’s stake to 30 percent. Myanmar’s new planning and finance minister, U Soe Win, told the Nikkei Asian Review in a recent interview that Myanmar also wants to reduce the overall size of the project and eliminate unnecessary expenses. U Set Aung told The Irrawaddy that the negotiations with CITIC have been “positive” but provided no details. State-run media have reported that the results of the negotiations would be announced soon. Many of the SEZ’s critics have advised the government to be cautious and to formulate a strategic plan before the suspended project resumes. Public fears of a debt trap with China have also pushed the government to seek a third party investor such as Japan. Started in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy project. It aims to connect China and Europe via new and expanded land and sea routes, and many see Myanmar as a key piece of the puzzle, linking South and Southeast Asia and China’s landlocked Yunnan Province to the Indian Ocean. The post New Chair of Kyaukphyu SEZ Wary of Chinese Loans appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

A Modern Traditionalist Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:36 AM PDT YANGON — When talking about Myanmar's modernist painters, Sein Myint (Shwe Chi Doe) cannot be left out. He is praised by his contemporaries as an authority on Myanmar culture and folk art. "The main difference [between Sein Myint and other Myanmar traditional artists] is his hands-on experience," said Tampawadi U Win Maung, a distinguished scholar of Myanmar culture. "He traveled to many rural villages in search of folk culture and customs to be showcased at a rural art exhibition in 1992, giving him first-hand experience of how looms are set up, how peanuts are ground for oil, and more," he said. Born in Sagaing and having grown up in Mandalay, Sein Myint was an apprentice to modernists Paw Oo Thet and Win Pe. "I never wanted to draw conventional art. I was only interested in modern art, ever since I was young," Sein Myint said. His first show was a group exhibition in 1970 with renowned Myanmar modernists including U Kin Maung (Bank), Paw Oo Thet, Kin Maung Yin, Win Pe, and others. Sein Myint stands in front of some of his paintings. / The Irrawaddy Sein Myint also accompanied renowned scholars and historians such as U Maung Maung Tin, Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt, U Aye Myint, Ko Pinna (Amarapura), Saw Mon Nyin, and U Win Maung (Tampawadi) on their archeological trips. "I have had both strong modern and traditional nats (spirits) beside me," said Sein Myint. Sein Myint was born into a family of traders. Thanks to this, he traveled extensively around the country, which gave him an opportunity to learn about rural life and customs – including pagoda festivals, nat festivals, marionette shows, caneball, ancient monasteries and more. All of this served as a rich source of material for his art. "I know the ratios of traditional monastic buildings in my mind like a student knows his lessons by heart," said Sein Myint, speaking of the benefits of his travels. Since 1985, Sein Myint has also been in the business of making tapestries depicting Myanmar folk culture. A painting by Sein Myint. / The Irrawaddy In 1989-1990, his tapestry embodying traditional Myanmar art was selected to grace the walls of the main chamber of the United Nations Headquarters Building in New York. At the request of military leaders, he also created tapestries to be hung at government offices and presented to leaders of foreign countries. In 1995, he was appointed by the government as an expert and consultant on traditional Myanmar folk arts. He conducted research with other scholars on rural folk arts in Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe. "He has sound knowledge of Myanmar traditional culture and knows Myanmar traditional designs by heart. I notice liberty and breadth in his paintings. And he is also a researcher of Myanmar art, said modernist Win Pe, who is one of Sein Myint's mentors. Directly appointed by General Tin Oo, the Secretary-2 of the military regime who died in a helicopter crash in 2001, Sein Myint in 1993 became a joint secretary of the Mandalay chapter of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), a proxy civil society association of the junta. "I'm not interested in politics. I worked as a trader my whole life. But I can't help drawing. I worked at the USDA office during the day, and drew at night," Sein Myint said. "One of the advantages [of working at the USDA office] was that there were no blackouts there," Sein Myint recalled, as the electricity supply was inconsistent in many areas at the time. "And I could make several foreign visits," said Sein Myint. It was quite difficult to travel to foreign countries while the country was under military rule, partly because applying for a passport was difficult and partly because of the cost of airfare. Sein Myint traveled to the Honolulu, London, South Africa, Yugoslavia and other ASEAN countries under cultural exchange programs and organized exhibitions and lectures on traditional Myanmar tapestries. He began to focus more on art in 2010, as he did not join the USDA, which transformed itself into a political party to contest the general elections that year. A painting by Sein Myint. / The Irrawaddy Spirit in Colors, a series depicting Myanmar traditional nats exhibited in 2008, became a milestone in his artistic career. The series was the result of his painstaking research into the history of nats, nat songs and the life of mediums known as nat kadaw in Burmese. Other artists have also created nat paintings, but Sein Myint's works are distinguished in terms of color and style, said Tampawadi U Win Maung. "Artists have their own styles. But not all of them are enchanting to audiences. U Sein Myint succeeds in both," he said. Sein Myint is also a collector of Myanmar antiques and has a private art museum at his house in Mandalay. "His works better reflect Myanmar culture than those of other artists," said Tampawadi U Win Maung. Sein Myint now creates Myanmar traditional paintings according to his own will. "Now I'm drawing zodiac signs. I researched zodiac signs of Western countries in comparison to the astrological chart of Asian countries. And I also included the names of Myanmar months [on the lunar calendar] and Burmese zodiac animal signs in my paintings," said the 73-year-old artist. "He draws the things that we see and hear every day in his own style. His works are a combination of liberty and expertise," said Ko Pyae Wai, owner of Nawaday Tharlar Art Gallery. The post A Modern Traditionalist appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Six Female Medics Murdered in Captivity by Tatmadaw, TNLA Claims Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:17 AM PDT MON STATE — Six female medics of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) were murdered after being taken prisoner by the Myanmar Army in Namkham Township, northern Shan State, claimed the ethnic armed group, which accused the military of killing prisoners of war. A male TNLA soldier was killed while trying to protect the medics, the group said. According to a statement issued by the TNLA on Monday, the six women were medics, and the dead man was a soldier who had tried to protect them. It said the women were detained after being ambushed by the Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) on July 11 while they were traveling as a group in a village in Mann Wang. The Irrawaddy attempted to contact the Defense Ministry for a response to the allegations on Tuesday, but all of the ministry's listed spokespersons were unable to be reached for comment. The TNLA soldier was killed during a brief exchange of fire with Tatmadaw troops, according to the statement. It said some other TNLA personnel were wounded but managed to escape. Those who escaped reported that the six medics were detained by Myanmar Army troops. The army detained the six women at 1:30 p.m. on July 11 and seized three guns from them, the statement quoted the survivors as saying said. In an interview with RFA posted online Tuesday morning, TNLA spokesperson Major Tar Aike Kyaw said the slain women were TNLA medics who would travel between villages providing medical treatment to locals. The spokesman repeated the claim made in the TNLA statement that the dead man was a soldier killed while trying to protect the group after they were ambushed by Myanmar Army troops, who later detained the women. According to the TNLA statement, on July 14, a group of local residents found the bodies of six women who appeared to have been killed and dumped in a forested area outside the village. The local people buried the bodies in Mann Wang on the same day. Two of the dead women had gunshot wounds to their heads and legs, while the bodies of the other four women were bruised and had stab wounds, according to the statement from the TNLA. In the statement, the TNLA accused the Myanmar Army's Infantry Battalion 301, under the control of Infantry Division 88, of murdering the six medics. The alleged murders have sparked outrage among ethnic Ta'ang. Locals asked why the Myanmar Army didn't prosecute the medics, rather than killing them. They accused the army of violating the rights of prisoners of war. Lway Cherry, an ethnic Ta'ang from Namsang Township, said, "I just want to say that this is a war crime. Instead of killing them, they could have sent them to jail, in accordance with the law." She believed the killings were intended to send a signal to other Ta'ang women not to join the TNLA. "Their action could [be intended to] discourage girls and women from working for their people," she said. She said the killings would spread hatred between ethnic Ta'ang and Burmese in northern Shan. "I'm afraid that this case will fuel racial division," she said. Ashin Tikkhanyarna, an ethnic Ta'ang Buddhist monk, said, "It is sad to see how they were murdered, especially as they were women. There are laws regarding [the treatment of] prisoners of war. But the Myanmar Army does not respect the law, and brutally killed them." The post Six Female Medics Murdered in Captivity by Tatmadaw, TNLA Claims appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Our Coverage of the 3rd Union Peace Conference Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:05 AM PDT The third session of the Union Peace Conference came to an end in Naypyitaw on Monday, after a six-day meeting between the government, military and ethnic armed groups in search of an elusive end to the country’s decades-long civil war. Here is a collection of The Irrawaddy's stories on the conference for anyone who wants to learn more about the peace process and the meeting. In addition to the stories on our website, you can check out some video interviews and live streams from the conference on our Facebook page. Analysis: Military Chief Says Tatmadaw Wants Peace — but Not Because It's Weak At opening of 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference, Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing urges all armed groups to sign NCA; State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi says ceasefire is just the first step ANP's Criticism of Government in Peace Conference Speech Sparks Controversy UPDJC bloc disavows comments, which upset Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Rakhine politicians say major parties have never been asked to self-censor Military Chief's Comment on Tatmadaw 'Representing' the People Draws Backlash Online Critics post 'Tatmadaw doesn't represent me' on social media in riposte to senior general's speech to Union Peace Conference. Wa Delegate Faints Before Meeting With State Counselor, Rushed to Hospital A UWSA spokesman said Bao Yu Yi, the armed group’s vice chairman, fainted from heat stroke but was recovering. NDAA 'Will Sign the NCA at the Appropriate Time' Mongla Group supports peace, but the path to that goal is not the same for all groups, general secretary U Kyi Myint says. Northern EAOs Keen to Keep Talking to Government Too soon for decision on signing NCA, Kachin leader says after FPNCC members meet with state counselor, Army chief Advocacy Groups Seek Gender Equality Policy Women's advocacy groups urged delegates attending the Panglong Peace Conference this week to push for a gender equality policy regarding women's representations across all sectors. Tatmadaw Invites Ta'ang, Kokang and Arakan Armies to Participate in Ceasefire Conditions include commitment to dialogue process and a pledge to disarm. China Does Not Have Special Interests in Supporting Myanmar's Peace Process: Official Chinese Special Envoy Sun Guoxiang said peace in Myanmar promotes stability on the border, but otherwise, China does have any special interest in Myanmar's peace process. Second Wa Delegate Hospitalized in Naypyitaw Amid Peace Talks The military chief visited the UWSA officials in the hospital on Friday. Women Playing Larger Role at This Year’s Peace Conference The numbers "show that more women are becoming interested in the peace process and that women have the capacity to do so," said Mi Kun Chan Non. Peace Strategy Needed to Achieve National Goals, Suu Kyi Says As third session of Panglong Peace Conference ends, some ethnic delegates complain Part Two of Union Accord ignores their suggestions The post Our Coverage of the 3rd Union Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Foundation to Return $3.6M to Irrawaddy Region Govt in Fraud Case Posted: 17 Jul 2018 04:06 AM PDT PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Region — The Ayeyarwady Health and Education Multi-Developments Foundation will return five billion kyats donated to it by the former Irrawaddy regional government under the instruction of the President's Office in a case of alleged corruption and fraud. The current regional government, after receiving instruction from the President's Office, notified the foundation last week, and the foundation will return more than 5.2 billion kyats (US$3.6 million), U Kyi Aung, secretary of the foundation, told The Irrawaddy. "We will act according to the instruction of the President's Office," he said. U Zayar Min Thein, a lawmaker from Pyapon Constituency (1) in the Irrawaddy Region Parliament, asked the regional legislature in early 2017 if the former government had handed over regional development funds to its successor. The regional government led by former regional chief minister Mahn Johnny investigated the case but later handed it over to the President's Office of former President U Htin Kyaw. The President's Office assigned the Office of the Union Auditor General to investigate the alleged fraud. The Auditor General's Office launched an investigation and reported to the President's Office that the donated money should be reclaimed from the development foundation. "We have asked the foundation to return the money by the third week of July. But they have not contacted us yet," regional minister for planning and finance U Htay Win told The Irrawaddy. The former regional government led by former chief minister U Thein Aung—who was also the chairman of Irrawaddy Region chapter of Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)—ran a foundation under the name of Ayeyarwady Multi-Developments Foundation and fundraised by holding musical concerts and soliciting contributions from local businessmen. When the regional government was about to step down after the USDP's resounding defeat in the 2015 general elections, U Thein Aung's administration reconstituted the foundation as the Ayeyarwady Health and Education Multi-Developments Foundation. He then allegedly handed over the regional development funds of his administration to the foundation. The reconstituted foundation is led by former ministers of the regional government, including U Thein Aung, who serves as patron. The foundation said that it has lent more than 400 million kyats for rural electrification works in 20 townships in the region, invested more than 800 million kyats in joint ventures with private businessmen, and saved four billion kyats at four banks in Pathein. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Foundation to Return $3.6M to Irrawaddy Region Govt in Fraud Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Interactive Timeline: Heroes in Myanmar’s History Posted: 17 Jul 2018 03:55 AM PDT YANGON — As Myanmar prepares to mark the 71st anniversary of Martyrs' Day on Thursday, The Irrawaddy memorializes a number of individuals who committed their lives to causes for the good of the country. While the list is inspired by Gen Aung San and his eight colleagues assassinated on July 19, 1947, we admit that there are many others we are unable to mention below, due to constraints of time, space and information. They also deserve honor for their merit. The years mentioned in the text below signify the date in which these individuals passed away. The post Interactive Timeline: Heroes in Myanmar's History appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UWSA Still Concerned over Implications of Signing NCA Posted: 17 Jul 2018 03:46 AM PDT NAYPYITAW — The United Wa State Army (UWSA), the biggest armed ethnic group in Myanmar, still has concerns over possible future scenarios if it were to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), said former Lieutenant-General U Khin Zaw Oo, secretary of the government's Peace Commission. "They don't categorically reject the NCA, but they seem to have some concerns over what might happen after signing it. But it is fair to say that they have basically accepted the NCA," U Khin Zaw Oo said. The commission plans to visit northeastern Myanmar and assuage their concerns, he added. The leaders of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), a bloc of seven ethnic armed groups based along the northeastern China-Myanmar border led by the UWSA, met State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) Chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing last week on the sidelines of the third session of the Union Peace Conference in Naypyitaw. The FPNCC consists of the UWSA, the Mongla-based National Democratic Alliance Army, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Shan State Progress Party, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Arakan Army (AA), and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). The UWSA said in a statement that it would consider signing the NCA if the government and Tatmadaw made a written promise that it would be allowed, after signing the NCA, to introduce changes to the agreement and have the option of resigning from it. Government spokesperson U Zaw Htay said the NCA does not include a provision on resignation, but according to Section 27, the signatories and the government can negotiate issues not covered by the agreement. "They prepared that statement some months ago. And we're negotiating with them regarding the statement. At the previous meeting in June, we told them we can give them what they want within the NCA framework. They said they would consider it at their central executive committee," U Khin Zaw Oo said. The FPNCC claims it is not a military alliance, but a political bloc formed to hold peace talks with the government and the Tatmadaw. When asked by The Irrawaddy, U Khin Zaw Oo said he believed the government would be able to make peace with those groups before 2020. "We believe we will achieve peace by 2020, so we're doing our best. But there are two sides. It will not be possible if only one side has political will," he said. Myanmar is grateful to China for convincing the seven groups to travel to Naypyitaw for the conference, he said, adding that border stability is in the mutual interest of both countries. The Tatmadaw previously labeled the AA, MNDAA and TNLA as insurgent groups, saying they were formed after Myanmar's democratic government took power in 2010. But it is now considering allowing them to join the NCA on condition they promise to give up armed struggle. "The Tatmadaw has changed its attitude since 2016. It no longer talks about disarmament in meetings with the three groups, but instead asks them to commit to giving up the armed struggle at some point in the future," Dr. Min Zaw Oo, who has actively participated in Myanmar's peace process, told The Irrawaddy. Last week, deputy army chief Vice Senior-General Soe Win met with the AA, MNDAA and TNLA, while Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing received the leaders of the other four FPNCC groups. The FPNCC delegates, being non-signatories of the NCA, attended the third session of the Union Peace Conference as observers. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post UWSA Still Concerned over Implications of Signing NCA appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rediscovering Traditional Myanmar Snacks Posted: 17 Jul 2018 01:49 AM PDT The traditional Burmese snacks shops called 'Da Lae' (tradition) bring back childhood memories for some while offering a variety of new flavors for others. If you look back over the last 20 years, there aren't a lot of Burmese breakfast options and most people eat traditional snacks like kauk nyin poun (steamed sticky rice), bein moat (Burmese sweet pancake), moat sein paung (steamed rice cake), shwe hta min (jaggery sticky rice cake) and more. Anyone born before 2000 grew up eating these snacks for breakfast or afternoon dessert. But today, it's becoming more difficult to find traditional snack vendors. People are instead reaching for fast food, Western food and Korean food, said Ko Lin, the owner of a traditional shop called Da Lae. A bookshelf and the small tables inside the shop.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy) When Ko Lin visited Taunggyi, he founds a vendor selling kyaw sone (fried snacks) and kyauk nyin poun at the local market. It tasted delicious and he wondered why these snacks couldn't be easily found in Yangon. He said the idea for a shop came from that visit. Along with his wife, he visited Hinthada, Pyapon and other cities in the Irrawaddy Region and learned various recipes from elders in each location. He then experimented with the recipes in Yangon for six months. All of his snacks are homemade and he says there are some he still can't offer because he hasn't mastered the recipes. A staff member waiting to welcome customers at the entrance. (Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy) "We all grew up with these foods but we are now forgetting them. We no longer see the vendors and we forget the techniques for making them. I want to remind people of our traditional snacks," he said. When asking foreigners what they know about Myanmar, they will likely answer Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Shwedagon Pagoda and then possibly moat hinn khar (fish soup), he said, adding that he wanted to promote other snacks and traditions. Da Lae opened last March and has quite the local following. The shop is located in the middle of Pyi Thar Yar Street in Yankin Township. It is a bit small and you might need to look carefully the first time you visit. The shop has a thatched roof and its name is written on a sakaw (bamboo tray). Inside, there is a bookshelf and a few small tables. After taking a seat, the staff welcomes you with traditional tea and sweet smiles. I visited around 10 a.m., not exactly proper breakfast time. So, I ordered the hta min sote (rice ball), which was mixed with dried, salted fish that is grilled on a small charcoal fire for 1,500 kyats, along with a big sakaw of traditional Burmese snacks for 3,000 kyats, which included four snacks that the customers can choose. Da Lae’s hta min sote, topped with fried quail eggs.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy) I chose htan thee moat (steamed toddy cake), moat sein paung (steamed rice cake), moat leik pyar and shwe hta min (jaggery sticky rice cake). Individually, each would cost 800 kyats. Customers are free to peruse the bookshelf and spend time reading at the shop. The owner placed the books there in hope that people would do so. "I warmly welcome people who love reading. They can even come and read without ordering food, Ko Lin said. The wait wasn't long. The plate came with three small hta min sote, topped with fried quail eggs and filled with pe byote (boiled peas). The portions were big and the food was delicious. The rice was not too hard and the pe byote was amazing. These might have been perfect if the rice had been warm. Owner Ko Linn preparing the snacks in Da Lae’s kitchen.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy) The shop played old Burmese music, which Ko Lin had collected over time to play at his shop, hoping that the younger generations could be exposed to it. Then, the big tray came. It was enough for three people although we were only two. Moat leik pyar is thin layers of rice noodles filled with jaggery and red bean, folded in squares and served with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds. It is one of my favorite traditional desserts and whenever I see it on the road or in the market, I buy it. Shwe hta min is sweet sticky rice baked with jaggery and topped with coconut flakes. It is sweet, but not too sweet. Some people like to eat it without the coconut flakes but for me, it is the perfect pairing. A friendly staff member explaining the menu to customers. (Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy) Mont sein paung is another local favorite. It is layers of steamed, ground rice mixed with layers of jaggery. It is also served with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds. The htan thee moat was served warm with toddy palm fruit. The cake was fluffy and smelled great, a mix of sweet and sour at the same time. Overall, the food was tasty, the staff was friendly and willing to explain, the shop was clean and the vibe was chill. I will definitely be back to spend my afternoons with a good book and the delicious snacks at Da Lae. The post Rediscovering Traditional Myanmar Snacks appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

British Diver May Sue Elon Musk for Calling Him a ‘Pedo’ Posted: 17 Jul 2018 01:11 AM PDT British caver Vernon Unsworth, who helped rescue the Wild Boars soccer team from Tham Luang cave in Thailand's Chiang Rai province, said Monday he might take legal action against Elon Musk after the Tesla CEO called him a "pedo". Musk launched a stinging attack on Unsworth without providing any justification or explanation, after the cave expert slammed his offer of a miniature submarine to extract the footballers from the Tham Luang cave as a "PR stunt". Unsworth told Agence France-Presse on Monday he had not reviewed the tweets in full and had only heard about them. Asked if he would take legal action against Musk over the allegation, Unsworth said: "If it's what I think it is, yes." The caver told AFP he would make a decision when he flies back to Britain this week, but said the episode with Musk "ain't finished". "He's just a PR stunt merchant – that's all he is," Unsworth added. Unsworth, who lives part of the year in Thailand, took part in the gargantuan 18-day effort to retrieve the 12 boys and their coach, a mission that ended on July 10 when the last five members were extracted. In an interview with CNN, Unsworth noted that the flooded tunnel was extremely narrow and twisted. "The submarine, I believe was about five, six feet long. Rigid," he said. "So it wouldn't have gone around corners or around any obstacles. It wouldn't have made it the first 50 meters." Unsworth then claimed that Musk had been quickly asked to leave the cave during his much-tweeted-about visit. Musk responded Sunday in a bizarre series of tweets referring to Unsworth without using his name as "pedo guy". "Pedo" is short for pedophile. The post British Diver May Sue Elon Musk for Calling Him a 'Pedo' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:33 PM PDT Anyeint Tin Maung Hsan Min Win troupe will perform this traditional Burmese entertainment form mixing dance, music, song, comedy and theater. July 21, 6 p.m. Kandawgyi Hmaw Sin Kyun, Tickets are 5,000 to 10,000 kyats, available at the door. Culture Show This event explores traditional Myanmar culture and includes a buffet dinner. July 22, evening. Vintage Luxury Yacht Hotel, Booking at 01-9010532-35, 01-9010555, and 09-250846974. Film Night Every second Wednesday, the Goethe-Institut will be showing a variety of German films with English subtitles. July 18, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Goethe-Institut, corner of Kabar Aye Pagoda Road and Nat Mauk Street, Bahan Tsp. Free Admission. Book Sale Yangon Book Plaza organizes a book sale to commemorate Martyrs' Day. Many old books will be available for only 200 kyats each with a minimum 10 percent discount on others. July 19-22, Yangon Book Plaza, 5th Floor, Thanzay Market, Lanmadaw Tsp. Black Island This event is for rock music fanatics. July 21, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. YangonYangon Bar. Tickets are 5,000 kyats. Affordable Housing Expo Apartments starting from 18 million kyats will be sold in installment plans. July 20-22, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hledan Center. Supernatural Five artists showcase their works. July 21-23, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 43 Art Gallery, 43rd Street. Art Line Fifteen artists from Myanmar, Indonesia and Singapore exhibit their paintings. July 17-20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Yangon Gallery, People's Park. Poetry of Brush and Ink This is a Taiwan-Myanmar art and cultural exchange exhibition. July 14-20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nawaday Tharlar Art Gallery, No. 304, 20 (B), Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon Tsp. Exhibition of Accomplishment Trainees of Art Zero Art Class will showcase their works. July 20-30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Zero Art Space, No. 202, 2nd Floor, United Condo, Alan Pya Pagoda Road. The post Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bridge to China Brings Threat for Hong Kong’s Native Pink Dolphin Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:29 PM PDT HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s rare pale pink dolphins are battling for survival as building work on a 19-mile (31-km) bridge linking the Asian financial hub with China disrupts the communication and feeding activities of the highly sociable animals, marine experts say. The Chinese white dolphin, which appears pink because of blood vessels beneath its skin, was the official mascot of the former British colony’s handover to China in 1997. But large projects, including recent work on the $19-billion bridge across the Pearl River estuary, threaten the animals, whose number has slumped nearly 80 percent over the past decade to just 47. “The construction of this bridge poses quite a significant negative impact to the dolphins and caused their really great decline,” said Samantha Lee, an official of conservation group WWF in Hong Kong. Also known as the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, the species has become much harder to spot in nearby waters, Lee added. A spike in sea traffic around Hong Kong, pollutants and overfishing have contributed to the loss of their habitat. Greater underwater noise from construction makes it hard for the animals to feed and communicate, said Lindsay Porter, a scientist at marine mammal research consultancy SMRU Hong Kong. “When you increase that underwater noise, you not only stop dolphins from being able to forage … we also stop them communicating with each other,” Porter said, adding that such interruptions threatened their survival. More than half the dolphins spotted showed signs of distress, such as skin lesions and infections due to stress and high noise levels, Porter added. In an email response to Reuters, Hong Kong’s conservation department said the decline in dolphin numbers was a complicated issue that needed further data analysis and close monitoring. “To further protect Chinese white dolphins in Hong Kong, the government plans to designate more marine parks expeditiously,” it added. Government efforts to compensate for infrastructure projects with conservation sites, such as the Brothers Marine Park (BMP), have not brought back the dolphins, however, one environmentalist said. The “effectiveness of the Brothers Marine Park is highly in doubt,” as a result of the construction work, said Taison Chang, chairman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society. The post Bridge to China Brings Threat for Hong Kong’s Native Pink Dolphin appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Police Insisted on Meeting, Gave Documents: Reuters Reporter Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:23 PM PDT YANGON — A Reuters reporter accused of obtaining secret state documents in Myanmar told a court on Monday a policeman had called him on the day he was arrested and insisted on a meeting, at which the officer abruptly handed some papers to him and a colleague. In the first detailed account to the court from either of the journalists of the night they were arrested, Wa Lone told the judge that Police Lance Corporal Naing Lin had called him at least twice on Dec. 12 and said they needed to meet that day, even though it was already after office hours. “After 5 p.m., when I was about to leave the office, Naing Lin called me and told me that I must come that evening. He told me that if I don’t come now, I might not be able to meet him because he is about to transfer to another region,” Wa Lone said. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, are on trial for allegedly breaching the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, in a case seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar. Both have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they face up to 14 years in prison. The circumstances of their arrest have emerged as one of the most contentious parts of the case. While the prosecution says that the two reporters were detained during a routine traffic stop, the defense has argued they were framed by police. Wa Lone said Kyaw Soe Oo had accompanied him to the meeting with Naing Lin. When the two met Naing Lin and another policeman at a restaurant on the outskirts of Yangon, the officer handed them rolled up documents and told them to photograph the papers. They did not take pictures, instead telling Naing Lin it was too dark, he said. “The documents had nothing to do with our conversation. He just suddenly took them out. I didn’t ask him to,” Wa Lone said. Soon afterwards, Naing Lin left abruptly, and the two reporters were arrested upon leaving the restaurant, before they looked at the documents, Wa Lone told the court. In his testimony two months ago, Naing Lin confirmed he met the journalists, but denied giving them anything. He insisted he did not call Wa Lone and that it was the reporter who initiated the meeting. He also said he was alone. A prosecution witness, however, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing, told the court in April that hours before the reporters were arrested a senior officer had ordered Naing Lin to plant the documents on Wa Lone to “trap” the reporter. Other police witnesses have previously told the court the reporters were arrested at a random security checkpoint, by officers who were unaware they were journalists, and found to be holding secret documents in their hands. Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay has declined to comment throughout the proceedings, saying Myanmar’s courts are independent and the case would be conducted according to the law. He did not answer calls seeking comment on Monday. Lead prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung declined to comment. Global Criticism At the time of their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in the village of Inn Din in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The killings took place during a military crackdown that United Nations agencies say led to more than 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh. “I tried to meet them (police) to get information on what happened in Inn Din. I didn’t meet them to get any documents,” Wa Lone said in his testimony. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo’s case has attracted global attention, with many governments and rights groups calling for the reporters’ release. Some diplomats and activists say it is a test of progress towards full democracy under the administration of Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a country where the military still wields considerable influence. On Monday, with his pregnant wife, family members and several diplomats present in the courtroom, Wa Lone detailed his training as an investigative journalist. He emphasized he has covered Myanmar’s ethnic conflicts fairly and consistently sought input from all sides, including the government and security forces. Kyaw Soe Oo is expected to testify on Tuesday. The trial is expected to last several more weeks. The defense will call witnesses, who will testify and be cross-examined by prosecutors. Both sides will then make their final arguments and the judge is expected to deliver a verdict as early as next month. The post Myanmar Police Insisted on Meeting, Gave Documents: Reuters Reporter appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Overloading Poor Nations With Debt, Top US Official Says Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:16 PM PDT JOHANNESBURG — China is saddling poor nations with unsustainable debt through large-scale infrastructure projects that are not economically viable, the head of the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) said on Monday. The criticism of Beijing — targeted by President Donald Trump in a trade war that has sent ripples through economies around the world — comes as Washington seeks to ramp up development finance in the face of China’s global ambitions. Unveiled in 2013, President Xi Jinping’s “Belt and Road” initiative aims to build an infrastructure network connecting China by land and sea to Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. China has pledged $126 billion for the plan, which has been praised by its supporters as a source of vital financing for infrastructure-starved partners in the developing world. But in an interview with Reuters in Johannesburg, OPIC CEO Ray Washburne warned that the Chinese strategy created a debt trap for many poor nations. “Just look at any project in these countries and they’re overbuilding the size,” he said. “We try to have countries realize that they’re indebting themselves to the Chinese.” Washburne is not the first to warn of growing debt linked to Chinese infrastructure projects. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde in April cautioned China’s Belt and Road partners against considering the financing as “a free lunch.” Sri Lanka formally handed over commercial activities in its main southern port in the town of Hambantota to a Chinese company in December as part of a plan to convert $6 billion of loans that Sri Lanka owes China into equity. US officials have warned that a strategic port in the tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti could be next, a prospect the government there has denied. Washburne also voiced concern over a $360 million expansion of the airport in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, currently being carried out with financing from the Exim Bank of China. “The local economy isn’t benefiting from that. It’s a much too large airport. They’ll have too much debt on it. At some point, someone’s got to pay. Pay or the Chinese take control,” he said. Keeping Pace Lawmakers in the United States are advancing a new law, the BUILD Act, through Congress that Washburne says should bolster private US investment in developing nations by doubling OPIC’s access to US Treasury credit to $60 billion. About a quarter of the active portfolio of OPIC, a government agency that helps US businesses invest in emerging markets, is currently focused on Africa and it typically invests around $1 billion annually on the continent. “With the right quality projects, it could double here,” Washburne said, adding that many investments would focus on the kinds of infrastructure projects Chinese firms are currently dominating. “The Chinese are in with ports and railroads and highways, things that we need to be in as a competitor.” OPIC this month launched an Africa-focused initiative that will earmark more than $1 billion over the next three years for projects supporting transportation, information and communications technology and value chains. “Instead of giving them a fish, we want to teach them how to fish,” Washburne said. “They’ll have to stand on their own two feet. So we’re not in making loans or doing projects that don’t make economic sense.” The post China Overloading Poor Nations With Debt, Top US Official Says appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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