Thursday, January 10, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Gov’t Office Minister Urges GAD Officials to Serve the Public with Transparency

Posted: 10 Jan 2019 04:58 AM PST

YANGON—U Min Thu, minister for the Office of the Union Government, has urged General Administration Department (GAD) staff to change their mindset and shed old habits when carrying out their duties, according to the Ministry of Information.

The minister held a meeting on Wednesday with GAD staff working at the township, district and state levels in Kachin State to explain policy and other changes in the wake of the formerly military-run department's transfer to the Ministry of the Office of the Union Government.

U Min Thu said the reason for the transfer was to establish an administrative mechanism that is in line with the political system the country is working towards, and to ensure good governance.

Formerly overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), the GAD has for more than 30 years formed the backbone of Myanmar's public administration. Under the 2008 Constitution, MOHA is one of three ministries led by major-generals appointed by the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

GAD is authorized to support government security efforts, the rule of law and stability, and enforce some civil laws. Its duties also include reporting on population movements, security incidents and basic demographic data, and conveying relevant information back to Naypyitaw.

U Min Thu instructed the civil servants to follow the policies and processes of the Ministry of the Office of the Union Government.

He said GAD staff at all levels must ensure that the administrative system is smooth, fair, just, free of corruption and transparent.

The Union minister also encouraged GAD staff not to be overly concerned about the department's transfer, urging them to continue working as normal and to fulfill their duties.

He instructed them to implement any reforms in line with changing policies and instructions.

GAD officials should always be ready to address the needs of the public, he said, adding that they had a special responsibility because they worked closely with the people, who placed a lot of trust in them.

The Ministry of the Office of the Union Government was created by the current administration. In November, U Min Thu, a retired colonel and former Air Force pilot, was appointed as its minister. Last week, a senior Home Affairs Ministry official who serves as director general of the GAD, U Tin Myint, was appointed as a deputy minister at the Ministry of the Office of the Union Government.

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Suspicions Surround Sittwe Courthouse Fire

Posted: 10 Jan 2019 04:19 AM PST

YANGON—Amid continued armed conflict in northern Rakhine State which has shaken up the stability of the region, a courthouse—located a stone's throw away from the main Rakhine State police headquarters in the state capital Sittwe—was set alight late on Wednesday night.

Lance Cpl. Maung Maung Aye from Sittwe Fire Services Department confirmed to The Irrawaddy over the phone on Thursday morning that the mysterious fire razed 46 motorbikes and one trishaw which are believed to be pieces of evidence in ongoing cases in the court.

According to the officer, the fire caused more than 2.7 million kyats ($1,800) in damages and officers are still investigating the cause of the incident. He acknowledged that the police building and courthouse compound are just 90 meters (300 feet) apart.

Also coincidentally, the fire occurred on the night before the final decision was to be made on the appeal of prominent Arakanese politician U Aye Maung. The founder of the Arakan National Party (ANP) and an elected Union lawmaker, was arrested in January 2018 accused of high treason for speaking up in support of the armed struggle of the Arakan Army (AA) in a public talk along with a young Arakanese Ko Wai Han Aung.

Satellite imagery shows the close proximity of the state police building to the courthouse. / Google Maps

Sittwe resident Ko Min Bar Chay told The Irrawaddy that some locals are speculating that someone may have intentionally torched the courthouse in order to destabilize the situation in the state capital ahead of U Aye Maung's court hearing. When it was decided to proceed with U Aye Maung's trial on Thursday morning, his appeal to the State High Court was thrown out.

Ko Min Bar Chay said that as the incident had taken place in the courthouse compound, which is right next to the state police building, it shows there is a lack of rule of law and poor security in the state capital.

"The state police building is located merely yards away from the court, which is a very questionable point in this case," said Ko Min Bar Chay.

Google satellite images show that the Sittwe courthouse is located near the new clock tower and right behind its compound is the Rakhine State Police Force building as well as the local General Administration Department offices, the department which was recently transferred from the control of the military's Home Affairs Ministry to the civilian-controlled Office of the Union Government.

Ko Min Bar Chay expected that authorities could identify the suspect by checking footage from surveillance cameras. Last December, Rakhine State authorities installed almost 1 billion kyats ($657,000) worth of CCTV cameras in the capital with the purpose of the prevention of crime and traffic incidents.

The post Suspicions Surround Sittwe Courthouse Fire appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Loikaw Residents Protest Felling of Trees to Make Way for Gov’t Office

Posted: 10 Jan 2019 04:10 AM PST

Locals residents are seeking to block the construction of a branch office of the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) in Loikaw, saying it would require the felling of old trees in a small forest near Naung Yar Lake, a well-known tourist attraction.

The Kayah State Chief Minister serves as the chair of the Kayah State Investment Committee. The state cabinet approved the construction last year without proper written authorization.

On Wednesday residents demanded a halt to the cutting down of some 21 large trees including 11 teak trees in an 80 ft x 80 ft area. But the state government insisted that the construction would continue and started marking trees to be cut.

Ko Kyaw Htin Aung, a member of a technical support group called Lobbyists, Advocators, Innovators and Negotiator (LAIN) based in Loikaw, said the area should be kept as a forest garden next to the famous Naung Yar Lake. The area of less than an acre was regarded as a forest garden under the military regime and was left alone under the previous government too. However, Ko Kyaw Htin Aung said, the lands recently came under the state government's management.

"Naung Yar Lake is a well-known place in our state. If those trees are cut and the small forest is destroyed, we are very concerned about the sustainability of the lake. It would further dry up the water sources for the lake, which are already dwindling," he said.

DICA's Kayah State office was established in Loikaw a couple of years ago. It wants to open an office downtown and has rejected two locations to the south and east of the town, according to U Tee Reh, the state minister for natural resources and environment.

He said DICA wants the office building located in an area with trees, adding that the cabinet had already approved the site.

The minister does not support cutting down the trees; however, he was outnumbered by his cabinet colleagues, he said.

He said, "There is a need for the government to [build the office], but there are also concerns about the environmental cost.”

Ko Kyaw Htin Aung said the local residents and environmental advocates raised their voices as soon as they heard that the chief minister planned to take action, and saw that the trees had been marked for cutting.

"The chief minister does not respect the locals' concerns and made his decision, thus we are objecting to those actions," he added.

When The Irrawaddy contacted Chief Minister L Phaung Sho, he refused to comment and referred the call to relevant officials.

DICA Director-General U Aung Naing Oo said his agency is preparing to build a new office on a government-allocated land plot and that as part of the site clearance, 11 teak and 10 other trees needed to be removed. He said his office officially reported this to the Forest Department, with which it was cooperating.

Ko Kyaw Htin Aung added that although he can understand that DICA doesn't want to build its office south of the town, some 2-3 miles from downtown, they could use the second option: to build their office inside the state trading zone next to Loikaw Airport, which is just two furlongs from the government office and state parliament buildings.

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Fearing Deportation to Myanmar, India-Based Rohingya Flee to Bangladesh

Posted: 10 Jan 2019 03:28 AM PST

DHAKA, Bangladesh—Fearing they will be sent to Myanmar, scores of Rohingya people have fled India for Bangladesh in recent weeks, officials here said.

At least 74 Rohingya who had been living in Hyderabad as well as locations in the Indian states of Jammu-Kashmir, Rajasthan and Punjab for several years are now in Cumilla and Feni after entering Bangladesh via the Indian state of Tripura.

About half of the refugees are children, including infants and toddlers, the officials said, adding that the Rohingya were sent to the UNHCR transit camp at Gundum, in the Naikhongchari sub-district of Bandarban district, adjacent to Cox's Bazar, which is currently home to a huge Rohingya refugee population.

Police in Cumilla district said they had detained 48 Rohingya at Brammanpara and Cumilla district headquarters on Jan. 1 alone. They had come from Jammu-Kashmir, Rajasthan, Hyderabad and Punjab through the northeast Indian state of Tripura.

Mohammad Rezaul Karim, the chief of the largest of the Rohingya camps, Kutupalong in Ukhiya sub-district of Cox's Bazar, said the Rohingya were trafficked to India six or seven years ago, and were now afraid of being deported to Myanmar. Indian authorities have recently begun sending Rohingya back to Myanmar.

Officials of Bangladesh's Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commission said they have started working on the issue. All of the recently arrived Rohingya are now under the supervision of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Cox's Bazar.

Shahjahan Kabir, officer-in-charge at Brammanpara Police Station in Cumilla, said the detained Rohingya had been living Indian cities for six to seven years, where they were employed in various menial jobs.

According to local media, India, which is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, arrested 230 Rohingya in 2018. Rohingya in India fear deportation to Myanmar, so the Indian police crackdown had prompted an exodus to Bangladesh, Shahjahan Kabir said.

He said the influx in recent weeks was not the first. Two dozen Rohingya traveled to the Brammanpara area via Tripura in two phases in 2018, the police officer said, adding that all were detained and handed over to authorities in Cox's Bazar.

Bangladeshi police officials said the Rohingya had been able to enter the country due to poor policing by border security officials during Bangladesh's elections  on Dec. 30, 2018. Borders Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials based in Cumilla said they had instructed their officers to tighten security along the border. "We have asked our troops to be more vigilant to prevent any trespassing," said a senior BGB officer based in the Sarail region. He spoke on condition of anonymity, as he is not an authorized spokesperson.

Amnesty International (AI), among other rights groups, has blasted India for forcibly repatriating Rohingya to Myanmar while persecution of the group is ongoing in Rakhine State. AI India said in a statement on Monday that the Indian government's expulsion of Rohingya asylum-seekers to Myanmar showed a disdain for international law.

On Jan. 4, UNHCR stated that a Rohingya family of five sent back to Myanmar the previous day were asylum-seekers registered with the agency in India. "The fact that the government ignored UNHCR's requests for access to the family, who were registered as asylum-seekers, is deeply concerning. The government's actions indicate a blatant disregard for the international refugee protection mechanism and the mandate of the UN Refugee Agency," Abhirr V P, AI India's senior campaigner, said in the Jan. 7 statement.

He added: "The expulsion of asylum-seekers and refugees amounts to a violation of India's obligations under customary international law, which prohibits governments from returning people to a territory where they are at risk of serious human rights violations."

Since August 2017, over 700,000 Rohingya women, men and children have fled a campaign of violence by the Myanmar security forces and sought refuge in Bangladesh. According to UNHCR, there are an estimated 18,000 Rohingya refugees and asylum seekers registered with the agency in India. UNHCR issues ID cards to registered refugees and documents to asylum-seekers in India, which are meant to help prevent arbitrary arrests, detention and deportation.

The post Fearing Deportation to Myanmar, India-Based Rohingya Flee to Bangladesh appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

AA Leader Expects Fighting in Rakhine to Get Worse

Posted: 10 Jan 2019 03:22 AM PST

YANGON—Peace is nowhere in sight in Rakhine State, and clashes there are likely to intensify now that the Myanmar military has deployed large numbers of troops in the state following the Arakan Army's deadly Jan. 4 attacks on border outposts in Buthidaung Township, AA leader Major-General Tun Myat Naing said.

"We saw [more] troop deployments today too. They are coming in by air and by road, so it is very likely that future clashes will be fierce," Tun Myat Naing told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

AA troops launched a coordinated attack on four Border Guard Police outposts in Buthidaung Township on Jan. 4, as Myanmar celebrated its 71st Independence Day.

Thirteen police were killed and nine others were injured in the attack. The AA also seized dozens of small arms and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Following the AA attacks, President U Win Myint convened a top-level coordination meeting on the afternoon of Jan. 7. It was attended by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

"The President's Office has instructed the Defense Ministry [which oversees the Army] to increase troop deployments in the areas where the police stations were attacked on Friday and to use aircraft if necessary," government spokesperson U Zaw Htay told reporters the same day.

Maj-Gen Tun Myat Naing said the AA's attacks on the Border Guard Police outposts were justified because personnel based there had helped the Myanmar Army attack the AA in Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun townships in December.

He also accused the police and Myanmar Army of using civilians as human shields during their offensives against AA troops, and claimed that police were forcing civilians to serve as night guards for them.

"We've recorded the [identities of the] battalions that fired on us with artillery. We have made a detailed record of the police battalions and Border Guard Police units [that made military use of civilians]. We won't forgive them for this. We will retaliate," he said.

The AA would not let the Arakanese people be oppressed, he added.

Since clashes with the AA intensified in December, local civilians have alleged that Tatmadaw and Border Guard Police forced them to act as guides through forests, and beat them with rifle stocks. They also claim security personnel forced them to provide food.

At the press conference on Jan. 7, President's Office spokesman U Zaw Htay accused the AA of having ties to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and of funding its own operations from the illegal drug trade.

He warned AA sympathizers to end their support for the group. "I want to tell AA supporters to think about whether the AA really can make Rakhine State better. Frankly speaking, please stop your support," he said.

The AA has denied having links to ARSA.

"I heard [government and Tatmadaw officials] say that Rakhine will be completely ruined in the next 10 years or so, and that Rakhine will meet the same fate as Syria. So I believe that if they want to destroy our land [Rakhine State], we should destroy their [the Bamars'] land," Maj-Gen Tun Myat Naing said.

"However, we are open to peace talks if our presence in Rakhine State is recognized," he added.

The Arakanese community has responded angrily to the accusation by the President's Office that the AA has ties to ARSA.

The Arakanese National Party released a statement objecting to U Zaw Htay's remarks. No Arakanese political organizations, whether operating openly or underground, have any ties to any terrorist organizations, it said in a statement.

The fighting between the Tatmadaw and the AA in Buthidaung and Kyauktaw townships has displaced over 5,000 villagers.

Founded in 2009 by 26 Arakanese youths in Kachin State's Laiza, the AA is now a 7,000-strong army. Since 2015, the ethnic armed group has been attempting to return to its homeland of Rakhine State, which has led to frequent clashes with Myanmar Army in Chin State's Paletwa and parts of Rakhine over the last year.

The post AA Leader Expects Fighting in Rakhine to Get Worse appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Anti-Corruption Commission Detains 4 Land Officials in Gwa Township

Posted: 10 Jan 2019 03:19 AM PST

NAYPYITAW—The national Anti-Corruption Commission on Tuesday detained four local land-registration officials in Gwa Township, in southern Rakhine State's Thandwe District, under the Anti-Corruption Law.

The current head of the township Settlement and Land Records Department, his deputy, a clerk and a retired officer were detained, Lower House lawmaker Myint Wai of Gwa Township confirmed.

"They were arrested for allegedly taking bribes to facilitate land transactions. Locals have complained of around five incidents involving the four," U Myint Wai said.

Gwa Township police confirmed the arrests. "The commission has taken them to Thandwe," township police chief Police Captain Aye Tun told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

Residents of Sapp Thwar and Kan Tharyar villages filed complaints with the anti-graft body both individually and collectively, U Myint Wai said.

"Land is valuable in Gwa, which is close to the sea. Sometimes the land expands naturally as sandbanks form. An acre of it is worth around 200 million kyats. According to the complaints, [the detained officials] took money to issue Form-7 certificates [for such land]," he said.

The Form-7 certificate was created under the 2012 Farm Land Law. It allows holders to engage in farming on a given piece of land.

The total amount the officials sought is unknown, but in a transaction involving a land plot in Kan Tharyar village in July last year, the department received 63 million kyats for allowing a newly formed piece of land measuring 0.63 acres to be included in the sale, said local resident U Maung Tin.

"I filed the complaint. Then the commission made inquiries to me and others," U Maung Tin said. Those cases date to between 2014 and 2018, according to Gwa residents.

The residents added that the Myanmar Army has abandoned some of the land it confiscated in Gwa when the country was under military rule. However, many original owners have yet to recover their land, as disputes between them and recent buyers, mostly private companies, have yet to be resolved.

U Kyin Ke, a farmers' rights activist, accused the department of facilitating illegal land acquisitions by private companies.

"The private companies receive more land on the ground than what is officially recorded on the documents. An acre is worth at least 70 million kyats," he said, alleging that the companies pay the authorities money to keep quiet.

Referring to the arrest of the four officials, he said, "It is only the tip of the iceberg. There are many cases that go unreported on the ground."

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A Lunch Date with Exotic Pets

Posted: 09 Jan 2019 11:16 PM PST

YANGON—Though the pet café culture began to rise in popularity in Yangon a few years ago, there are still just a few cat and dog cafés in the city. Two weeks ago, however, I heard from friends that there is a new pet café in town which has more unusual pets like pythons, frogs, lizards and other exotic animals—but the cutest little creatures, the fennec foxes, were the main reason I wanted to visit this café straight away.

A rare piebald python. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

The exotic pet café, called Lizzo and Mammo, is located on Kantawgyi Myawsin Island, near the Karaweik entrance of Kandawgyi Gardens. The small coffee shop is surrounded by greenery with a few coffee tables placed outside. Inside, a few young girls were busy cuddling Burmese pythons, iguanas and the cutest kitty in the shop.

A girl interacts with one of the cafe’s stars, Sarah, a big yellow Burmese python. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

With a large yellow Burmese python wrapped around her neck, a young girl smiled as she cuddled the serpent whose name is Sarah. The snake seemed to feel her love through the soft touch of her fingers and it seemed to be dancing on her shoulder and hands.

The cafe opened about two weeks ago, and its co-founder Ko Myat Sithu Aung said the creatures were all brought from Thailand.

"Before I opened this shop, my friend and I had some exotic pets at our homes. Some people were afraid of them and didn't dare to touch them. Actually, they all are so cute and they don't have intentions of attacking people. Few people know that so I want to share that knowledge and experience with many people," he said.

He added "That's why Lizzo and Mammo is here today with different species of exotic pets."

The cute and chubby pet squirrel named Shwe Htoo gets a lot of attention from visitors. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

"Lizzo" represents the lizards and "Mammo" refers to every mammal and we have both at the café. Lizzo and Mammo is a place where you can enjoy a cup of coffee or a cold drink, and spend your free time enjoying and playing with almost 20 different species of animals."

The bearded dragon. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

Most of the animals at the cafe are reptiles, including iguanas, turtles, the bearded dragon, snakes, lizards and geckos. They also have frogs, a chubby and playful pet squirrel, fluffy kitties and colorful birds such as Macaw parrots.

Unsurprisingly, questions have arisen about whether the café is ethical.

The Jesus lizard, a common name for the basilisk lizard genus. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

“When we announced the opening of this shop, many people misunderstood us. They thought we want to sell coffee and cake by using those little pets. It's totally wrong. We just want to share the knowledge that these exotic animals are also cute pets like cats and dogs. We added coffee and other snacks to perfect the café," Ko Myat Sithu Aung said.

Leopard gecko. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

Sarah the Burmese python is the star at this exotic pet café. Many people repeatedly visit the shop to see her, he said.

"People love the playful Shwe Htoo (a chubby squirrel) and the fluffy kitty, Jack and the beautiful macaw, Amanda. We have more reptiles, so most of the visitors are reptile lovers," he said.

Another popular star of the cafe, a fluffy Persian cat. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

"When you see them, their appearance may be a little scary but they are very gentle creatures."

Lizzo and Mammo has a 5,000 kyats entrance fee for people who want to touch, play with and take pictures with the creatures.

Marry, a beautiful African grey parrot. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

"If the customers come for coffee and snacks, they don't need to pay the entrance fee. Some groups of friends include people who are afraid to touch the pets, so they can wait at a different side of the coffee shop and have a drink," Ko Myat Sithu Aung said.

He added, “I decorated the café to be natural for both visitors and our pets. Customers can relax, eat and learn about the different species we have."

A green tree frog. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

After a quick washing of hands and changing of slippers provided by the shop, people are allowed to enter the main part of the café and have a chance to play with the pets.

The shop has zookeepers and they bring out the pets requested by the customers. Most of the pets are put in a glass tank where the owner has created the weather conditions each pet needs.

A selection of cakes available at Lizzo and Mammo. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

"The pets can become stressed as well, so we don't allow them to be touched all the time. We have time limits," the co-owner said.

The fennec foxes and turtles are only allowed to be seen at the weekends. The other reptiles have time limits for interactions with customers.

Lizzo and Mammo, a new exotic pets cafe located in Kantawgyi Gardens, Yangon. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy

Foods and drinks at the café range in price from 2,000 to 5,000 kyats and the coffee tastes good. Outside the shop is where the house with lots of beautiful birds and iguanas are kept.

As an animal lover, Ko Myat Sithu Aung wants city folks to get up close and personal with the creatures and he wants to let the people know that the creatures are not dangerous.

Lizzo and Mammo is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and is closed every Wednesday.

The post A Lunch Date with Exotic Pets appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thailand Welcomes EU Decision to Lift Warning on Illegal Fishing

Posted: 09 Jan 2019 09:20 PM PST

BANGKOK—Thailand on Wednesday welcomed a decision by the European Commission to drop the Southeast Asian nation from a list of countries it had warned over illegal and unregulated fishing.

In 2015, the world’s third largest exporter of seafood received a so-called “yellow card,” or warning from the European Union over unsustainable fishing practices, carrying the threat of a European ban on the exports.

That move prompted a major crackdown by Thailand’s military government on illegal fishing and an overhaul of the industry.

“There have been sacrifices and adjustments to the way fishing is conducted,” the deputy spokesman of the military government, Lt-Gen Werachon Sukhondhapatipak, told Reuters.

“Thailand’s fishing industry at all levels has a responsibility to the environment and the world through more sustainable fishing practices in line with international standards.”

The measures Thailand adopted ranged from new rules to vessel monitoring systems, as well as a satellite-based system of tracking the movements of fishing boats, enforced by the Royal Thai Navy.

It also toughened labor regulations to combat human trafficking and ill-treatment of migrant workers, improving the situation of more than 300,000 citizens of neighboring countries employed in the Thai fishing industry.

“Since the yellow card was issued, the Commission and Thailand have engaged in a constructive process of cooperation and dialogue,” the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, said in a statement on Tuesday announcing its decision.

“This has resulted in a major upgrade of the Thai fisheries governance, in accordance with the international commitments of the country.”

The European Commission now sees Thailand as “a new committed partner” in the fight against fishing practices that deplete global fish stocks and harm people who make their living from the sea, it added.

Thai seafood exports stood at $2.1 billion in 2017, Commerce Ministry data shows, recovering to their 2014 level after a drop in 2015 to $1.8 billion following the European Union warning.

About 9.9 percent of Thai seafood exports went to the European Union last year, versus 10.3 percent in 2014, ministry data show.

Thailand’s private sector also welcomed the EU decision, saying the reforms would benefit the fishing industry.

“This will boost investment and confidence in Thai seafood exports in the international market,” Poj Aramwattananont, the vice chairman of the Board of Trade of Thailand, said in a statement.

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China’s Xi Nudges N.Korea, US to Meet Half Way as Second Summit Planned

Posted: 09 Jan 2019 08:56 PM PST

SHANGHAI/SEOUL—Chinese President Xi Jinping said he hopes North Korea and the United States can meet each other half way as they plan a second summit between leaders Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump, China’s official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.

The remark by Xi, during a meeting with Kim this week in Beijing, hinted at the depth of the differences that remain between Pyongyang and Washington after Trump and Kim pledged to work towards denuclearization at their landmark summit in Singapore in June.

That agreement was short on specifics and negotiations have made little headway since.

Pyongyang has demanded Washington lift sanctions, imposed because of its nuclear and missile tests, and declare an official end to the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Those demands are in response to Pyongyang’s initial, unilateral steps toward denuclearization that included dismantling its only known nuclear testing site and a key missile engine facility.

The international community expects peaceful dialogue on the fate of the Korean peninsula to continue and yield results, Xi told Kim during the North Korean leader’s fourth visit to China in the past 12 months, according to the Xinhua report.

“The political settlement of the peninsula issue faces a rare historic opportunity,” Xi said.

Beijing supports US-North Korean summits and the use of dialogue to resolve concerns, he was quoted as saying. “China hopes that North Korea and the United States will meet each other halfway,” Xi said.

Kim reiterated a pledge from his New Year’s speech that the North would try to make a second summit achieve a result that the international community would welcome, Xinhua said.

Kim’s trip to China this week followed reports of advanced negotiations for a second summit between Washington and Pyongyang aimed at resolving the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

Second summit soon?

It was unclear where or when a fresh summit would take place but South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday the latest China trip signaled an imminent second summit between Kim and Trump. Moon said he expected high-level talks would take place “before long.”

The second summit would also expedite an unprecedented planned visit by Kim to Seoul, Moon said.

He said North Korea needed to take “bold steps” towards denuclearization in order to draw US concessions such as sanctions relief.

Progress between Washington and Pyongyang has long been hobbled by wide differences on how denuclearization should unfold, and under what conditions.

Wang Yiwei, a senior research fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, said he believed North Korea was becoming impatient and beginning to lose hope with the United States for asking it to make changes without in turn removing sanctions.

“The crux is how to let North Korea denuclearize and to give it security guarantees. On this, the United States and North Korea don’t have trust, so China has to act as a bridge,” Wang said.

In Beijing, Kim told Xi he hoped North Korea’s “reasonable concerns” would be taken seriously in order to achieve a comprehensive resolution on the Korean peninsula, Xinhua said.

It quoted Kim as saying North Korea would adhere to its stance of denuclearization and resolving Korean peninsula issues through dialogue, including a second summit with Trump, in order to achieve results that would be welcomed internationally.

Xi commended North Korea for its denuclearization efforts and said China supported the resolution of concerns through dialogue.

North Korea’s state news agency KCNA said both sides agreed in Beijing on the need to maintain the goal of the peaceful resolution of nuclear issues.

Kim told Xi about the “difficulties and concerns created in the process of improving North Korea-US relations and denuclearization negotiations” as well as the prospects of tackling them. The Xinhua report did not elaborate.

In Seoul, Moon said other potential measures North Korea could take included abolishing intercontinental and intermediate-range ballistic missiles and dismantling weapons production facilities and other nuclear sites.

However, he said reducing US military commitments, such as a withdrawal of troops or strategic assets from the region, would be unlikely options for Washington.

“US forces in South Korea or strategic assets in places like Guam and Japan are not linked with North Korea alone, as they exist for the stability and peace of the entire Northeast Asia," Moon told reporters at the presidential Blue House.

The post China’s Xi Nudges N.Korea, US to Meet Half Way as Second Summit Planned appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UN Chief in Myanmar Concerned Over Fighting in Rakhine State

Posted: 09 Jan 2019 08:38 PM PST

YANGON—The head of the United Nations in Myanmar on Wednesday expressed concern about the situation in the western state of Rakhine, where fighting between the military and the rebel Arakan Army has displaced about 4,500 people since early December.

Myanmar government leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday discussed insurgent attacks on police in a rare meeting with the military chief, and her administration called for the armed forces to “crush” the rebels.

Knut Ostby, who acts as the resident coordinator for the United Nations, said in a statement he was “deeply concerned about the situation” and urged “all sides to ensure the protection of all civilians” and to respect human rights.

“Mr Ostby further appeals to all sides to intensify efforts to find a peaceful solution to the situation and to ensure humanitarian access to all people affected by the violence,” the United Nations said in a statement.

The Arakan Army wants greater autonomy for Rakhine State, where the mostly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine people make up the majority of the population.

Rakhine State saw a military-led crackdown in 2017, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents that prompted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee westwards into neighboring Bangladesh.

At a meeting on Monday between government and military leaders, the office of President Win Myint said it had instructed the military to “crush the terrorists,” the government spokesman later told a news conference.

While Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is barred from being president by a military-drafted constitution, the president is a loyalist. She is seen as de facto leader of the civilian government, while the military remains in charge of security.

Arakan Army insurgents killed 13 policemen and wounded nine in attacks on four police posts on Friday, as Myanmar celebrated Independence Day, state media reported.

An Arakan Army spokesman outside Myanmar told Reuters last week the group attacked the security forces in response to a broad military offensive in the north of Rakhine State that also targeted civilians.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday that 4,500 people were sheltering in monasteries and communal areas after being displaced by the fighting in the past month.

Myanmar governments have battled various autonomy-seeking ethnic minority insurgent groups since shortly after independence from Britain in 1948, though some have struck ceasefire agreements.

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Wednesday, January 9, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

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Concern Mounts for IDPs in Northern Rakhine as Army Blocks Aid Shipments

Posted: 09 Jan 2019 07:21 AM PST

YANGON—More than 5,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in four townships in northern Rakhine State are without adequate shelter, and the Army is blocking food shipments to them, according to local relief groups.

U Khaing Kaung San of the Wanlark Foundation based in the state capital Sittwe told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that displaced civilians have been living in temporary structures consisting of tarpaulin sheets in Kyauktaw Township for several weeks.

Ko Maung San Win, a displaced resident of Taung Min Mro village, said neighboring Taung Kalarmin village was currently serving as a temporary home to about 700 IDPs. Most of the villagers abandoned their homes to escape heavy artillery fire nearby.

On Tuesday, a new depression in the Bay of Bengal brought torrential downpours to delta regions and the Rakhine coastline. The Meteorology Department forecasts continued heavy rain in the coming days.

Ko Maung San Win said, "We don't have enough tarpaulins; we were wet the whole night on Monday."

U Khaing Kaung San intended to travel from the urban area in Kyauktaw urban to Thulu Chaung,  about a five-hour boat ride up the Lay Myo River, with rice shipments  and local commodities for distribution to displaced villagers in Kyauktaw Township but military officers refused to allow relief vessels to proceed. The vessels were carrying relief items intended for more than 10 villages whose residents are sheltering in Taung Kalarmin.

He said General Administration Department (GAD) officials in Kyauktaw Township had given verbal permission for rice bags to be distributed, but joint Army/police teams had strictly prohibited relief workers from operating. In fact, such restrictions have been widely reported; the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) was blocked from doing relief work in Kachin rebel-held areas last year.

U Khaing Kaung San said if military and civilian authorities want to block food shipments, they should at least evacuate displaced villagers from the upper Kyauktaw region to safer places close to urban areas. He said nearly the entire population of 20 villages had been displaced. Shipments of rice were being allowed in some areas, but not in Thalu Chaung and Nga Sarai Kai villages, where the majority of IDPs are currently sheltering.

"I would say their action is apparently violating human rights," said U Khaing Kaung San.

The UN's Acting Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar, Knut Ostby, tweeted on the morning of Jan. 9 that he was "deeply concerned" about the situation in northern Rakhine. He said skirmishes between the Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar security forces have resulted in 4,500 people becoming IDPs so far. Ostby said he was shocked about the loss of life during the AA's coordinated attacks on police outposts on Jan. 4.

He urged both sides to find a peaceful solution to the situation and to ensure humanitarian access to all people affected by the violence. He mentioned that the UN has been in touch with Myanmar authorities in recent weeks and has offered to support ongoing efforts to assist people in need.

"The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator urges all sides to ensure the protection of all civilians and uphold their responsibilities under International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law. Mr. Ostby further appeals to all sides to intensify efforts to find a peaceful solution to the situation and to ensure humanitarian access to all people affected by the violence," the UN said in its daily briefing.

Despite the UN's claim that it has already offered humanitarian assistance to Myanmar authorities, community-based relief groups told The Irrawaddy they have not seen any international organizations on the ground, apart from the ICRC. Most of the emergency food relief was being overseen by local organizations.

Ko Zar Nee Phyu, a leading committee member of the Rakhine Ethnic Congress (REC) who recently returned from the Kyauktaw region to Sittwe, said about four or five civil society groups have been trying to help IDPs since the conflict broke out in late December. However, they are currently barred by authorities from transporting rice bags to IDPs camped upstream from the town on the Lay Myo River.

Ko Zar Nee Phyu, an ethnic Mro, one of the Arakanese sub-ethnic groups, said his community relied on bamboo from the forest in Kyauktaw for its livelihood. Since the conflict had flared up there, no one had been allowed to enter, causing financial hardship for local people. He echoed other villagers' reports that shelling had forced them to flee their homes.

"We need a long-term plan, otherwise thousands of people here will be in trouble in the rainy season," Ko Zar Nee Phyu said.

He said some foreigners had collected information on the IDP population and enquired about the humanitarian situation in active conflict zones. He urged international relief agencies to monitor the IDPs' situation and provide humanitarian assistance.

Many Rakhine youth in various townships are now collecting donations on their own initiative to help IDPs by establishing temporary reception camps, and by parking trucks near towns seeking donations. Concerns are growing that fighting between the AA and government troops will very likely escalate soon, as the government Army has sent at least one extra brigade (3,000-5,000 troops) to northern Rakhine.

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Analysis: Behind the Threats and Warnings of Chinese Ambassador’s Kachin Visit

Posted: 09 Jan 2019 05:43 AM PST

YANGON— When an invitation for meetings with Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang "to discuss the current situation in Kachin State" arrived at their offices in the Kachin capital of Myitkyina in early December, the last thing both Gumgrawng Awng Hkam and Rev. Hkalam Samson expected was warnings and threats.

The president of the Kachin Democratic Party and the president of the Kachin Baptist Convention had thought they would have a proper discussion on pressing issues which their homeland is facing, including the peace process and displacement of refugees due to fighting between a Kachin ethnic armed group and the Myanmar military.

However, when the Chinese ambassador met Gumgrawng Awng Hkam and Rev. Hkalam Samson on Dec. 28 and 29 respectively at Palm Spring Hotel in Myitkyina, he warned them not to make close friendships with western diplomats, that they otherwise "would face serious consequences." Both invitees claimed the ambassador briefed them in a bossy manner, warning them not to oppose Chinese projects in Kachin State, including the controversial Myitsone hydropower project.

The meeting invitation came one week after the US and UK ambassadors visited Kachin State. During their meetings in Myitkyina with Kachin political leaders and other prominent members of the Kachin community, both ambassadors discussed the peace process, the safe return of internally displaced persons (IDPs), promotion of education and health and free and fair elections. Both Gumgrawng Awng Hkam and Rev. Hkalam Samson attended those meetings. As a result of the positive encounters, Kachin politicians invited the ambassadors to open liaison offices in Myitkyina in order to promote relations.

Chinese Ambassador, Chinese officials and Kachin party leaders at Palm Spring Hotel in Myitkyina in December 2018. / Chinese Embassy in Myanmar / Facebook

This expression of positive relations obviously annoyed the Chinese government. For their economic and geopolitical reasons, China doesn't like to see western presence in Myanmar, especially in ethnic areas near the Chinese border such as Kachin State. This is not the first time that China has taken steps to maintain the upper hand in Kachin State in terms of the peace process, investment and diplomatic relations. An October report by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) said that in early 2016, the newly appointed Chinese ambassador repeatedly urged the US ambassador not to travel to Kachin State or eastern parts of Shan State, saying the US "should respect China's interests."

"He warned if we have more frequent communication with western countries, we would face difficult consequences," Gumgrawng Awng Hkam told the Irrawaddy.

"What does it mean? We felt threatened," said Gumgrawng Awng Hkam who is taking the role of vice president of Kachin State People's Party—a party formed through the recent merging of three popular Kachin parties.

Chinese interests in Kachin State

Lying next to China's Yunnan Province, Kachin State plays an important role in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature foreign policy project.

China is always seeking advanced access to land and leverage inside Myanmar. In Kachin State, China has invested at least $6 billion in projects, including in the controversial Myitsone hydropower dam.

Located at the confluence of Myanmar's "lifeline" the Irrawaddy River, the $3.6 billion project was suspended by then-president U Thein Sein in 2011 amid widespread public outcry over the dam's serious social and environmental impacts. The dam site has some of the healthiest biodiversity in the world and environmentalists warn that the project would both destroy the natural beauty of the Irrawaddy River and disrupt water flow downstream. They say it could potentially flood an area the size of Singapore, destroying livelihoods and displacing more than 10,000 people.

In Kachin State, under BRI plans, both Myanmar and China have planned to construct a $5 million "economic cooperation zone" in Kanpiketi, a town in Kachin State's Special Region 1, which is under the control of the militia group New Democratic Army-Kachin. In Myitkyina, a China-backed industrial zone had begun construction with a total project area of 4,751 acres and an expected bill of more than $3 million.

Apart from the Myitsone hydropower dam, several Chinese companies are involved in the construction at least five large dams along the Irrawaddy tributaries, the N'Mai Hka and Mali Hka rivers, since 2007 with a combined installed capacity of more than 1,000 megawatts. However, details on costs are not still clear.

Resumption of the Myitsone Dam

In their meeting in late December, Ambassador Hong Liang strongly pressed the necessity of restarting the Myitsone project, Rev. Hkalam Samson said.

Chinese Ambassador Hong Liang and Rev. Hkalam Samson, president of Kachin Baptist Convention at the Palm Spring Hotel in Myitkyina in December 2018. / Hkalam Samson / Facebook

The influential religious leader told The Irrawaddy that the ambassador tried to persuade him that the Myitsone hydropower dam was needed for BRI projects, saying that State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, acting as a chair of Myanmar's BRI committee, is willing to carry out development projects as a country leader—even though the truth is she once spoke against the Chinese projects.

The president of the Kachin Baptist Convention recalled the Chinese ambassador questioning him about the Kachin people's perception on the resumption of the dam saying that even Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has changed her mind.

"I replied to him, '[both China and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi] need to listen to public voices, because Myitsone is not only a matter for the Kachin people—the river is also important for all people in Myanmar'," he told The Irrawaddy.

The Kachin Baptist Convention has revealed its strong objection to the Myitsone dam since the outset.

Hong Liang also warned that Chinese investors are losing patience regarding the dam and are hesitating to make new investments in Kachin State.

Rev. Hkalam Samson was not the only person pushed by the ambassador on the resumption of the dam.

"He said [Kachin parties] don't oppose the Myitsone dam and asked us to convince Kachin people not to oppose it," Gumgrawng Awng Hkam said.

A 2017 poll by the Yangon School of Political Science found that 85 percent of people in Myanmar oppose the Myitsone dam. If the Kachin political and religious leaders were to accept the dam project, it would create public outcry.

Local concerns

A long legacy of extracting natural resources without public engagement or consultation while the former military junta held power has caused a loss of support for Chinese investments in Kachin, as well as across the country. When the Kachin leaders expressed their people's concerns to Hong Liang, his only suggestion was to send a complaint letter to the Chinese embassy representative office in Myitkyina if any unfair case was found regarding a Chinese project.

Gumgrawng Awng Hkam said Kachin people were also worried about the rising dominance of the Chinese community in Kachin.

"It is not the right time to give more pressure. Now [China's] action poses a new threat to China and Kachin future relations," Gumgrawng Awng Hkam said.

Peace process involvement 

Apart from business, China has stepped up its role in the peace process in Myanmar, especially where it relates to conflict areas along the China-Myanmar border.

China's official line on ethnic armed organizations and the Myanmar military is to follow a policy of noninterference while "persuading for peace and facilitating dialogues." But in reality, China intervened in the first peace talks held between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and government representatives which were held in Ruili, a town on the Chinese side of the border in February 2013. Ever since, a Chinese special envoy has been involved as an observer or participant at all the peace dialogue meetings here.

China's role in the peace process became more rigid in 2017, by acting as a peace broker between the military and members of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) which is an organization including the KIA, the Arakan Army (AA), the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). A special envoy for Asian affairs in China's foreign ministry, Sun Guoxiang, travelled back and forth to sit down with the FPNCC in peace negotiations.

The Chinese ambassador sees peace as one of the first priorities for the Kachin people who have been suffering the consequences of war, mentally and physically, for more than seven years. During the meeting in late December, he also said he would help negotiations between the military and the KIA to be smooth.

An estimated 120,000 people have been displaced from their homes since 2011 due to the armed conflict in Kachin State. When the Kachin leaders revealed their concerns for the internally displaced Kachin to be able to return home safely, Hong Liang promised to convince the military's commander-in-chief, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to withdraw troops from the villages.

Hong Laing also offered to help Kachin Baptist Convention gain access to some places which have been blocked by the military in order to bring aid to the internally IDPs.

"We didn't make any deals but we will wait and see whether he carries out the commitments he mentioned," Rev. Hkalam Samson said.

Hong Liang also advised him to write a letter to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi saying that his organization is willing to accept the development projects in Kachin State, including the Myitsone dam.

According to the Beijing's official agenda, Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to visit Myanmar early this year. Perhaps the Chinese ambassador is trying to open up possibilities for agreements on development projects to be made during the president's visit.

During his two-day visit, the ambassador also met three Kachin party leaders, one Shan committee leader and some regional government officials and he gave the same message to all the non-government leaders. Those leaders who met Hong Liang for the first time formed a negative impression of the ambassador.

"He used a bossy tone the whole time. I also feel he threatened us because [he thinks] we are weak," Rev. Hkalam Samson said.

Samson's interpretation of the discussion was that "China would do anything to accomplish BRI projects and restart the Myitsone dam in Kachin State."

The Chinese Embassy in Yangon didn’t reply to The Irrawaddy’s requests on Tuesday and Wednesday for comments on the ambassador’s trip and issues discussed during the meetings.

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Civil Service Board Insists It Has Cut Ties With Fake Universities

Posted: 09 Jan 2019 04:18 AM PST

NAYPYITAW—The Union Civil Service Board, a government agency responsible for recruiting and training civil servants, ended partnerships with two unaccredited foreign "universities" last week, a senior board official said after pictures emerged appearing to show that the relationships, which have come in for heavy criticism online, continued.

"We ceased our partnerships on Jan. 4. And we've informed the upper echelon [authorities] about it. We've also ceased our partnerships on the ground. We've negotiated this with [the two foreign institutions]," U Myint Swe, the board's deputy permanent secretary, told The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar President's Office Director-General U Zaw Htay told reporters on Monday the board had ended its partnership with U.S.-based Akamai University and Malaysia's EDS Business School. However, EDS Business School's logo was printed on a backdrop seen in pictures taken at a welcoming ceremony for officials taking courses at the Central Institute of Civil Service on the same day.

U Myint Swe said the logo's appearance was just a mistake. "We decided to end our partnership with them on Jan. 4, and reported this to the President's Office. But due to the public holidays, we only informed [the institute] on Jan. 7. By that time they had already made the backdrop. So they didn't have time to remove it," he said.

The move came after a Myanmar scholar doing a degree at Oxford University in England pointed out on social media that the two institutions are not accredited universities and are not recognized by their governments.

He posted pictures of Akamai University in Hawaii showing a small room in a two-story building. The post was shared widely and many netizens questioned the motivation for the Union Civil Service Board chairman's decision to partner with the institutions in the first place.

At the instruction of the President's Office, the board is taking steps to partner with foreign universities that are acceptable to the general public, U Myint Swe said.

"We will do whatever it takes to partner with better universities," U Myint Swe said. "We decided to end the partnerships on our own initiative, not at the instruction of the President's Office."

The board partnered with the two universities after forming the Civil Servant Academy in 2017 with the approval of government leaders.

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Homes Levelled by Storm in Mon State

Posted: 09 Jan 2019 02:02 AM PST

An unseasonal storm hit Kalegauk Island in Ye Township, Mon State on Tuesday causing damaged to more than 300 houses, according to local sources.

Some members of the Mon State government, including Nai Aung Naing Oo, vice house speaker of the local parliament, traveled by boat to the Island after the storm on Tuesday to inspect the damage done to the village.

Most families living on the island of about 500 households are ethnic Mon who earn a living from fishing. The storm hit at approximately 7 a.m. yesterday and locals say this is the first time their village has experienced such storm damage.

"We found houses, schools, electricity poles and monasteries destroyed. When we were there, locals were still compiling a list of the houses which were damaged," said Nai Aung Naing Oo.

"We estimate that at least 300 houses were damaged," he added.

Many trees were knocked down by the storm, with some landing on houses. Electricity poles have fallen on the street. A large number of the houses suffered damage to parts of their structures, while many of them completely collapsed.

"We estimated that 50 houses were totally destroyed, so locals have to build replacements for those," said Nai Aung Naing Oo.

Fortunately, no one was injured, he said.

Nai Taung Shein, chairman of Kalegauk Island told Mon Era News, a local Mon-language news page on Facebook, that the storm hit at 7:40 a.m.

"We first saw firstly red [in the sky] near our village.  Then it became dark and the storm hit our village," he said.

"It only lasted 15 minutes but it destroyed a lot," he added.

Members of the Mon State government will travel to the island on Wednesday to give relief funding to the storm victims. The government will provide $19,500 (30 million kyats) to the victims.

"Our government already discussed the donation. They have a budget for natural disasters," said Nai Aung Naing Oo.

Some local volunteers will also travel to the island on Wednesday to help the storm victims. Mon community leaders, including Buddhist monks, formed a committee to organize aid for the victims. The committee is collecting money from local Mon and Mon people overseas to help the islanders recover from the storm.

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Prominent Arakanese Reject Gov’t Claim that AA Has Links to ARSA

Posted: 09 Jan 2019 01:25 AM PST

NAYPYITAW—The Arakanese community has responded with anger and disbelief to an accusation by the Myanmar President's Office that the Arakan Army (AA) has ties to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Rohingya insurgent group denounced by the government as a terrorist organization.

Numerous prominent Arakanese figures told The Irrawaddy they believed the accusation was baseless, casting serious doubt on the idea that the AA would ever cooperate with ARSA.

Following the deadly attacks launched by the Arakanese armed group against four Border Guard Police outposts in Rakhine State's Buthidaung Township on Jan. 4, President's Office spokesperson U Zaw Htay said at a press conference on Jan. 7 that the attacks were the outcome of meetings between the AA and ARSA in July last year.

He said AA and ARSA officials met in Ramu, Bangladesh and were likely to have discussed the groups' respective areas of control within Myanmar.

"We learned they agreed that areas west of the Mayu mountain range [close to Bangladesh] would be controlled by ARSA, while areas to the east would be for the AA," he said.

U Zaw Htay urged the Arakanese people to think about what kind of future they wanted for Rakhine State, and urged them to take the consequences into consideration before supporting the AA.

Arakanese people do not believe the government's accusation at all, said Upper House Arakanese lawmaker U Khing Maung Latt. He described U Zaw Htay's remarks regarding the Arakanese people as provocative.

"He offered his personal views, rather than the policy of the government. He is not authorized to make such comments, and they are not official. [The Arakanese community] perceives his words as a threat. [His remarks] are not peaceful. He spoke as if [the government] would use force," said U Khin Maung Latt, who is also a member of the Arakan National Party.

The lawmaker added that he did not believe the spokesman's warning to the Arakanese people was the result of the high-level meeting between government and Tatmadaw leaders in Naypyitaw on Monday.

According to Lower House lawmaker U Pe Than of Rakhine State's Myebon Township, the Arakanese people would not accept the AA if it cooperated with ARSA. They do not believe that such ties exist, he added.

"We can't accept that [the government] is only coming out with this after the recent attacks," said U Pe Than, adding that it is unnatural that the AA would cooperate with the ARSA, a group he said was loathed in the Arakanese community.

U Tun Kyi, a prominent activist in the Rakhine community, said the Rakhine and "Bengali" communities are historical enemies, so it is impossible that the AA would have ties with ARSA. "Bengali" is a term used by the Arakanese community to refer to the Rohingya to imply that they are interlopers from Bangladesh.

The Rakhine issue has been described as "Arakanese-Bengali" crisis, and it is unacceptable that the government has only made the claim after the recent attacks, he said.

"The AA is supported by more than 99 percent of Arakanese people. Not only Rakhine State, but other states also have armed groups. Not only the Arakanese people, but all ethnic people support their own armed groups. The Kachin support the KIO [Kachin Independence Organization]," U Tun Kyi said.

Some Arakanese lawmakers believe both the AA and ARSA are being used as pawns by interest groups based in the US, China and Muslim countries.

The government's statements regarding the Rakhine issue must be based on hard evidence, said political analyst Dr. Yan Myo Thein, pointing out that even news organizations need strong evidence before publishing a report.

"The Rakhine issue concerns the national peace process. It is very delicate and sensitive. So, there is a need to take a far-sighted and restrained approach to find an answer," U Yan Myo Thein said.

In a statement released on Monday, the AA denied having ties with ARSA and called U Zaw Htay's remark an "ultimatum" and an "insult to all Arakanese people".

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Activists Warn of Gaps as EU Lifts Ban Threat on Thai Fishing Industry

Posted: 08 Jan 2019 09:02 PM PST

BANGKOK—Labor rights campaigners warned against complacency as the European Union on Tuesday withdrew its threat to ban Thai fishing imports into the bloc, saying that the country has made progress in tackling illegal and unregulated fishing.

The EU’s so-called “yellow card” on Thai fishing exports has been in place since April 2015 as a warning that the country was not sufficiently addressing the issues.

“Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing damages global fish stocks, but it also hurts the people living from the sea, especially those already vulnerable to poverty,” Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for environment and fisheries said.

“Today’s decision reverses the first step of a process that could have led to a complete import ban of marine fisheries products into the EU,” he said in a statement.

Thailand has amended its fisheries legal framework in line with international law, and improved its monitoring and surveillance systems, including remote monitoring of fishing activities and more robust inspections at port, the EU said.

The country’s multibillion-dollar seafood industry has also come under scrutiny for slavery, trafficking and violence on fishing boats and at onshore processing facilities.

After the EU threatened to ban fish exports, and the US State Department said it was failing to tackle human trafficking, the Southeast Asian country toughened up its laws and increased fines for violations.

Thailand has introduced modern technologies—from satellites to optical scanning and electronic payment services—to crack down on abuses.

But the International Labor Organization said in March that fishermen remained at risk of forced labor, and the wages of some continued to be withheld.

The EU on Tuesday said it recognized efforts by Thailand to tackle human trafficking and to improve labor conditions in the fishing sector.

Thailand voted in December to ratify ILO convention 188—which sets standards of decent work in the fishing industry—becoming the first Asian country to do so.

But important gaps remain, said Steve Trent, executive director at advocacy group Environmental Justice Foundation.

“We still have concerns about the workers. We need to see that the reforms are durable,” he said.

Thailand is yet to ratify two other ILO conventions on the right to organize and the right to collective bargaining, both of which are essential to protect workers, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

This is particularly important in the fishing and seafood processing industries, as most of their estimated 600,000 workers are migrant workers.

“There is a risk that with the lifting of the yellow card, complacency will set in. We need to see a culture of compliance, and more being done to protect vulnerable workers in the industry,” Trent said.

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World Bank President to Join Global Infrastructure Partners

Posted: 08 Jan 2019 08:29 PM PST

WASHINGTON—World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim will join Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a private equity fund that invests in projects in wealthy and developing countries, the firm said on Tuesday, a day after Kim’s shock resignation from the bank.

Kim, who joins New York-based GIP on Feb. 1 as a partner and vice chairman, has accepted a one-year ban from dealings with any World Bank units, including its private sector lending arm, the International Finance Corp, a person familiar with his departure arrangements said.

A major part of the lender’s work is lending to build infrastructure such as power, water and transportation projects in developing countries. Kim resigned more than three years before his term ends in 2022 amid differences with the Trump administration over climate change and the need for more development resources.

Discussions between Kim and GIP about the new job came together about six weeks ago at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, the person said. Kim has emphasized that harnessing private sector investment funds was the key to building badly needed infrastructure amid constrained public budgets.

After securing a $13 billion capital increase last year and replenishments of the World Bank’s donor fund for the poorest countries, Kim said on Monday in a note to staff that the opportunity “is the path through which I will be able to make the largest impact on major global issues like climate change and the infrastructure deficit in emerging markets.”

The World Bank’s board is expected to meet later this week to discuss the search for a successor to Kim.

While the United States has traditionally nominated the World Bank’s leader, the tradition could be challenged, as it was when Kim’s nomination by former president Barack Obama in 2012 was contested by candidates from Colombia and Nigeria, under an open nomination process that is still in place.

The United States holds an effective veto on the World Bank board, with about 16 percent of its total voting power, followed by Japan with about 6.9 percent and China with 4.5 percent.

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Asia Must Be Alert to Rise in Anti-LGBT+ Rhetoric Ahead of Polls

Posted: 08 Jan 2019 08:16 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR—Asian countries holding elections this year must be ready to protect the rights of LGBT+ communities ahead of a likely rise in anti-gay rhetoric by politicians, rights groups said on Tuesday.

A number of countries across the region are set to go to the polls in 2019, including India, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, and rights advocates fear lawmakers may try and appeal to conservative voters by targeting LGBT+ people.

“LGBTI people are always the scapegoat and an easy target to blame by politicians during elections,” said Suki Chung, an LGBT+ rights campaigner at Amnesty International in Hong Kong.

“It comes as no surprise that some politicians from time to time make homophobic remarks or speeches to impress the conservative electorate in their countries,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

Socially conservative attitudes prevail across Asia, and deep-rooted biases have hamstrung progress on gay rights.

Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei ban sexual relationships between men, and Indonesia has seen an increase in raids targeting LGBT+ people in recent years.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has picked Islamic cleric Ma’ruf Amin as his running mate for this year’s presidential election—a move criticized by human rights groups who cited fatwas issued by Amin that condemned LGBT+ individuals.

In neighboring Malaysia, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says same-sex marriage or gay and trans rights could not be accepted.

More recently, a lawmaker for Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party was criticized last week after he warned that “a country would collapse” if everyone became gay or trans.

“Politicians should realize that they are playing with the lives of LGBTI people when they speak out against us,” said Ging Cristobal, project coordinator at OutRight Action International.

“Citizens in countries who do not respect or tolerate LGBTIQ people may see statements from politicians as a license to harm, abuse and discriminate,” Manila-based Cristobal said.

No countries in Asia allow same-sex couples to marry or enter civil unions of any kind and opponents of same-sex marriage say such unions could destroy society and family institutions.

Despite this, more politicians across Asia are starting to support the human rights of LGBT+ people as attitudes and legislation slowly changes said Amnesty’s Chung.

She cited India scrapping a colonial-era ban on gay sex last year, and a draft bill in Thailand that could soon allow civil partnerships and make it the first Asian country to legally recognize same-sex couples.

Hong Kong also recently agreed to recognize overseas same-sex partnerships when granting dependent visas, and Taiwan could still legalize same-sex marriages despite voters rejecting the idea in a referendum, Chung said.

“While there will be some politicians saying something homophobic, we usually see that those remarks are not well received,” she said.

“Overall, we see that more and more politicians are making it clear that discrimination has no place in Asia.”

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