The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Dozens of Village Administrators Tender Resignation in Rakhine: Lawmaker
- Chinese Firm Proposes $1.5-bn Elevated Railway for Yangon
- Myanmar’s 2019 Economic Outlook
- Regional Parliament Deputy Speaker Expelled for Embezzlement
- Ta’ang Armed Group Wants Talks With China on Rail Project
- Latest Peace Talks with EAOs ‘Quite Successful’: Gov’t Spokesman
- Thai Top Court Orders Compensation for Myanmar Workers in Landmark Case
- Singapore Urged to Fix Rules on Hiring Domestic Workers to Stop Forced Labor
| Dozens of Village Administrators Tender Resignation in Rakhine: Lawmaker Posted: 16 Jan 2019 06:16 AM PST YANGON — About 30 village administrators across Rakhine State’s Rathedaung Township submitted resignation letters to their local General Administration Department on Tuesday for fear of being wrongly accused of association with the Arakan Army (AA), according to a Union lawmaker with the Arakan National Party. Daw Khin Saw Wai said the administrators played a key role in delivering public services in rural areas and that their departure en masse could destabilize the local government but that they increasingly felt under pressure from both the Myanmar military and the AA. "They have to maintain good relations with everyone, otherwise it will be quite risky for them. But now they are afraid of being sued by senior authorities," she said. The lawmaker said the township General Administration Department has asked senior officials how to handle the resignation letters. The Rathedaung department office could not be reached for comment. The government recently announced that it would be transferring the General Administration Department from the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs to the Ministry of the Office of the Union Government, which is under civilian control. Daw Khin Saw Wai said two of her constituents, Yae Gaung Chaung Village Administrator U Maung Tun Hlaing and another man, were accused by the military of having ties to the AA in December. "Many administrators assume that kind of action could happen to them in the near future," she said. Yae Gaung Chaung resident U Tun Hlaing said the two men were detained on Dec. 18 and that the administrator of neighboring Tha Yet Pyin Village in Buthidaung Township was recently charged under the Unlawful Associations Act. A high-ranking military official recently sued the administrator of Say Taung Village for accusing the military of forcing 11 locals to act as human shields in the area for its soldiers. The administrator has been summoned by the court three times but yet to appear. In a statement on Tuesday, the Myanmar military said it had detained 15 people in Tha Yet Pyin on suspicion of having ties to the AA and released all but two — the village administrator and another man — who confessed to informing the AA of the military’s movements. It said two residents of Yathedaung Township’s Kyein Thar Village were also detained for allegedly using their phones to take photos of its soldiers in the area and send them to the AA. The post Dozens of Village Administrators Tender Resignation in Rakhine: Lawmaker appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Chinese Firm Proposes $1.5-bn Elevated Railway for Yangon Posted: 16 Jan 2019 05:58 AM PST YANGON—China is looking to make further inroads into Myanmar's economy by funding a US$1.5-billion elevated railway project in the country's commercial capital, Yangon. China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Co., Ltd (CREEC) made a presentation about its planned project to develop an elevated railway to lawmakers in a media room in the regional parliament on Monday. Under the proposed project, CREEC will build the 37.9km-long elevated railroad with 24 stations in two to three years. The company said it will fund the project, which is estimated to cost $1.5 billion, but asked for a 50-year contract to operate the service, according to MPs who were at the presentation meeting. Regional lawmaker U Than Naing Oo from Panbedan Township told The Irrawaddy that lawmakers raised the issue of the region's ongoing problems with land seizures and confiscations, and disagreed with the company's plan to develop an alternative route instead of connecting with the city's existing circular railway. The Ministry of Transport and Communications is upgrading Yangon's circular railway line with the help of Japan International Cooperation Agency. The upgrade includes modernizing the line's stations, tracks and trains. Management expects to finish the project in 2023. Some 73,000 commuters ride the line daily.  U Than Naing Oo said CREEC expects the rail line to serve some 400,000 commuters daily. It proposed two lines: one from Kyee-myindaing to Mingalardon and another from North Okkala's Kyauk Yay Twinn to Yangon International Airport. He said the 50-year term would need to be considered, as Parliament is reviewing long-term projects approved in the past. Yangon Region Investment Monitoring Team chairwoman Naw Pan Thinzar Myo, who is also the region's Karen ethnic affairs minister, and Yangon Region Parliament deputy speaker U Lin Naing Myint were also present at the meeting. According to lawmaker U Than Naing Oo, Naw Pan Thinzar Myo said the regional government basically agreed with the proposed project, as the government wouldn't need to fund it or obtain loans. However, for final approval, the minister said the plan would be submitted to the ruling National League for Democracy's economic committee and to the Union Government for review, the lawmaker added. Prior to holding its first presentation about the project for lawmakers on Monday, the company met and discussed the issue with regional government officials in late 2018. Regional lawmaker U Yan Aung from Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township said he heard that companies from other countries are also interested in developing the elevated railway and are preparing to present their plans to the regional chief minister. "We welcome competition. Officials, including [we lawmakers], can decide which will be the best option for the public," he said. In November last year Hong Kong-listed China Communications Construction Co. Ltd finalized its proposal for the development of US$1.5 billion (2.4 trillion kyats) worth of initial infrastructure for the controversial "New Yangon City" project to the west of the Yangon River. The post Chinese Firm Proposes $1.5-bn Elevated Railway for Yangon appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Myanmar’s 2019 Economic Outlook Posted: 16 Jan 2019 05:10 AM PST YANGON—Despite Myanmar facing a significant economic downturn last year, government officials and business people alike have expressed positivity for the country's economy in 2019, especially in regards to foreign investment and the local business environment. However, the country still has many challenges to face. The unsolved crisis in Rakhine State, weak strategies in the tourism sector and policies that do not favor local investors are just a few obstacles that must be tackled. Despite these, Myanmar expects to receive more investment from East Asia, for investment agreements to generate more job opportunities and to see progress in local small- and medium-sized enterprises. As we set out on a new year, 2019, The Irrawaddy spoke to a range of experts including an official from the government investment body, the vice president of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and business people from the industrial and tourism sectors about their expectations for this year. U Aung Naing Oo Director General Directorate of Investment and Company Administration  Although international organizations expect that the global investment outlook may not see significant improvements, I expect that Myanmar will receive more investment in 2019 compared to last year. We expect to receive more investment from Japan, China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. This year is also a time to focus on the implementation process of a major investment promotion plan called the Myanmar Investment Promotion Plan (MIPP). [The plan aims to attract more than $200 billion through responsible and quality business over the next 20 years.] Depending on each project, we will form an investment promotion committee that will be led by the chair of Myanmar Investment Commission. At the end of the January, we will kick off the Invest Myanmar Summit 2019 in Naypyitaw jointly organized with the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI). We are seeking major investments from East Asia. The summit will provide international and local investors with the opportunities to discover potential investment opportunities in 10 regions and states across the country. Each state has a unique sector to invest in, so we decided to invite investors according to the location and its sectors. Moreover, we have a plan to tour abroad with our investment promotion agenda with particular focus on Japan and other East Asia and ASEAN countries. We are preparing to hold an investment fair for Rakhine State in February and for Chin State in March. In terms of investment under the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor agreement, the investment for Mandalay, Muse and Kyaukphyu railway projects and major highways projects may begin and, including Kyaukphyu SEZ, we expect more local job opportunities under the agreement. As we remove many restrictions on investors, foreign investors will get a chance to invest in the stock exchange market. The new Myanmar Companies Law took effect three months ago, so we expect to see more foreign investment in local companies which were off limits to foreign investors in the past. As a result of making business regulations more efficient and effective, small and medium enterprises will have more chances to look at new opportunities. U Maung Maung Lay Vice President Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI)  The year 2019 will be totally different from 2018. Many economic reforms and policies made by the current government will come into effect. Business conditions should be better this year. The government has been in term for more than two-and-a-half years, so I hope they have been learning a lot about how to make the country's economy better and which are the best policies to help business to thrive. If they fail again this year, it will likely affect the next election results. The country's image has been tarnished due to the Rakhine crisis. We can't deny that this case is one of the major factors behind the decline in foreign investment. However, the government changed their policy to "look east" (towards East Asia countries for investment). Moreover, the government has geared up its support for small and medium-sized enterprises. The relationship between the government and SMEs is become more active and making progress. The government needs to favor local investors while the country opens up to foreign investors including in the trade, retail and wholesale sectors. Local investors are concerned that they won't be able to compete with foreign investors in those sectors. It also poses threat that local companies may be shut down. They need to protect local investors first. We recently discussed investments from the United States, the UK, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Malaysia. We have been focusing on investment prospects for the coming three months. Among the foreign countries, more Japanese investors will look to invest in Myanmar. Many foreign investors are interested in attending the Invest Myanmar Summit 2019 on Jan. 28 and 29 in Naypyitaw. We have one hundred projects on offer for both local and foreign investors. They will have chances to learn what types of projects and sectors are open to them and they can also make direct contact with officials and business people from each state and region. Considering the overall effort of the government and its investment body so far, the country's economy will be better in this year. Daw Yin Myo Su Managing Director of the Inle Princess Group Founder of Inle Heritage Foundation  Last year, businesses experienced what could be said was the worst year in 20 years. This fiscal year [2018-2019] has so far dropped 20 percent below the 2017-2018 fiscal year. [The tourism sector calculates a fiscal year as starting from April 1 and therefore, the tourism 2018-2019 fiscal year will end on March 31.] We experienced a significant drop in 2007-2008, but it was because of political issues and a natural disaster. But this time, the drop is due to international pressure from outside. I still need to wait and see what happens between January and April 2019. If we are lucky it could increase by 5 or 10 percent. Meanwhile, we have been reducing costs as much as we can to prepare for the worst conditions. Despite the visa exemptions for some Asian countries, I don't see a significant rise in tourist numbers from those countries. I still see a number of tourists from the west. We have more hotels than the number of tourist that we received. Even if the number [of tourists] increases a little, we don't really feel the result. As we already know, living costs are quite expensive in Myanmar. It is a major reason that we can't compete with Thailand or Vietnam. As inflation rates are high, not only daily food expenses but also transportation costs are high too. If we calculate overall costs (of a tourism business), the amount is huge. As a result, it becomes double tax on customers. If we reduce the cost, we can't give a good service to the customers. It is like a cycle—if our service is not good, people will choose other destinations like Thailand or Vietnam over Myanmar. The government needs to help us to reduce the cost of living. Moreover, the government can't effectively reach out to the international tourism community. We need more effective marketing strategies for the tourism sector. They are also weak at communication skills both outside and inside the country; they don't really know how to respond—how to explain the conditions like in the Rakhine crisis in order to save the country's image. If we respond in an aggressive way, we won't get a good result. They should have good public relation strategies both with international and local people. The government also needs to explain policy changes using short and simple terms for the public. Furthermore, this government is more focused on long-term policies. I support long-term plans but in Myanmar the majority of people cannot wait to get benefits. They need changes that can give them advantages within the short term. While implementing long-term plans, the government also needs to do some short-term reforms in order to make the people happy. U Myat Thin Aung Chairman Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone  The National League for Democracy government took heed of the peace process but abandoned the country's economy. However, as they began to notice the country's economy declining, they tried to pay more attention to economic reforms just before the end of 2018. They ordered the easing of policies in many sectors in order to become investor-friendly. I think we will see rewards from those efforts this year. The cabinet members, especially the vice president, met with local business people frequently to find ways to revive the business environment. The government also encourages local investors to make more investments in the country. There are two major risks to economic growth this year—the Rakhine crisis and the possible withdrawal of EU trade preferences. The Rakhine crisis could intensify at any time and that would cause a loss of trust from investors. The revoking of EU trade preferences would impact the lives of the ordinary people and we also could lose one of the country's largest foreign incomes. But the garment sector is waiting to hear the EU's decision. If they decide to revoke the trade privileges, we will look for a new market. Myanmar had a chance to capitalize on the trade tensions between the US and China but there wasn't much confidence in Myanmar so they did not come to us. When the trade tensions arose, Chinese companies mostly looked towards Vietnam. We still have many things to prepare in order to be able to accept massive investment, especially in the production sector. Under this government, no one has special privileges. They provide a level playing field in terms of doing business in the country. However, since the ASEAN Economic Community came into effect, our production sector is struggling to compete with other ASEAN countries. [The first pillars of ASEAN Economic Community involves the free flow of goods, services, investment, labour and capital among the ASEAN countries.] One major problem is that the government cannot provide a sufficient power supply to the industrial zones. Our country can only produce raw materials. We're not able to produce finished products or goods. We sell raw materials to the other countries, then we buy finished products from them. It is a failure of the industrial sector. We must change that condition. The post Myanmar's 2019 Economic Outlook appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Regional Parliament Deputy Speaker Expelled for Embezzlement Posted: 16 Jan 2019 05:04 AM PST PATHEIN—The National League for Democracy (NLD) has expelled from its party the deputy speaker of the Irrawaddy regional parliament for alleged misappropriation of funds. Following the filing of a complaint by a Pathein resident against deputy speaker U San Min Aung, who allegedly embezzled government funds for the purchase of five vehicles for the regional parliament, the NLD party launched an internal investigation into the case in December, leading to his dismissal following a meeting of the party's central executive committee on Jan. 13. "We have done this because the special investigation body reported that he is responsible for the purchase of cars for the parliament. We will take further action as necessary according to the report. We have also given serious warnings to three lawmakers who were also involved in the purchase of the cars," NLD spokesperson U Myo Nyunt told The Irrawaddy. The Irrawaddy was not able to contact either U San Min Aung or parliamentary speaker U Aung Kyaw Khaing for comments. According to U Myo Nyunt, the Irrawaddy regional parliament obtained $104,000 from the budget of the Union Parliament for the 2017-18 fiscal year to buy five used vehicles. The regional parliament formed a committee and invited tender to buy a minibus, a light truck, two Toyota HiAces and a Toyota Hilux Double Cab. Out of three companies that submitted tender for the purchase, only one company qualified. However, the qualified company failed to deliver the vehicles. The regional parliament then asked for permission to buy the cars directly, and also proposed buying one more Toyota HiAce instead of the minibus and to buy a Toyota Hilux Extra Cab instead of the Double Cab. The regional parliamentary speaker formed an eight-member team to arrange the purchase of the vehicles. The team was led by U San Min Aung and included officials from the Road Transport Administration Department and a number of lawmakers. The team bought three HiAce vehicles and a light truck from one company, and a Toyota Hilux Extra Cab from another company. Stamps and income taxes worth over $2,170 were given to Pathein Township Internal Revenues Department at the instruction of the Union Parliament. U San Min Aung told Akonthi news agency that he also had receipts for repairs of those cars. "Lawmakers as well as other people are surprised that we got those cars for such [low] prices. They only know our buying prices and market prices. Only the team knows how much they paid in tax. They questioned why there is a difference of around 4 million kyats ($2,630), so I think people filed the complaint because they didn't know about the tax paid for those cars or the cost of car repairs," he said in the interview with Akonthi. On the current market, a used HiAce car is usually sold for around $23,000, a light truck around $9,850 and a new Toyota Hilux Extra Cab, around $16,400. U San Min Aung, 38, worked as a lawyer before his success in the 2015 election in Bogale Township, Irrawaddy Region after which he was appointed deputy parliamentary speaker. Before U San Min Aung, the NLD also expelled Bogale Township's NLD member U Aung Myint in 2017 and vice-chairman of the NLD's Pathein Township chapter, U Hsan Shwe who was imprisoned under Article 66 (d) of the Myanmar Telecommunications Law. On Wednesday, U Myo Nyunt told The Irrawaddy that the NLD's central executive committee would refer U San Min Aung on to the Anti-Corruption Committee. The post Regional Parliament Deputy Speaker Expelled for Embezzlement appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Ta’ang Armed Group Wants Talks With China on Rail Project Posted: 16 Jan 2019 04:31 AM PST Mon State — The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) says it wants China to negotiate with it on a proposed railway that would run through territory the ethnic armed group claims to control in northern Shan State, and not only with the Union government. "We wanted China to negotiate with us on this project. We want some recognition from the Chinese side through negotiations on building this project in areas we control," said TNLA Brigadier General Tar Phone Kyaw. China and Myanmar signed a memorandum of understanding in October to study the feasibility of a high-speed railway linking Mandalay to the Chinese border at Muse as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. The line would run 431 km and pass through conflict zones in Shan State, including territory claimed by the TNLA. A group is not happy that China has only discussed the project with the Union government. "Our Ta'ang people are the original owners of this land. To launch such a huge project in our area, China needs to talk with us," Brig. Gen. Tar Phone Kyaw said. He said China was taking advantage of a four-month ceasefire the Myanmar military declared in northern and eastern Myanmar in late December to start on the study and that the TNLA has been asked to provide the workers with protection. "We have been told by China only to take care of security for their engineers and workers building the project. For our side, we think China pays us very little attention,” he added. The TNLA says it has raised its concerns over the project with China’s special envoy for Asia affairs, Sun Guoxiang, but the envoy showed little interest. Parts of the proposed route see sporadic fighting between the Myanmar military and local ethnic armed groups, and Brig. Gen. Tar Phone Kyaw suggested that China hold off on the project until the disputes are settled. He said the TNLA was also concerned that local authorities may not compensate people adequately for land appropriated to build the line. "There is not transparency. Both the central and regional government administrations are very corrupt. We are worried that our people will not get the full benefits they deserve from the project,” he said. The TNLA is worried of a repeat of the time China built a gas pipeline through northern Shan State several ears ago, when all that most locals got it return for their land were a few schools. "Very few people got compensation." Brig. Gen. Tar Phone Kyaw said. The general accused local officials of pocketing most of the money China gave the government to compensate locals. "For example, China may have given 10 million kyats for one acre of land. But the local authority gave 50,000 to 100,000 kyats only," he said. China has brokered several meetings between the Myanmar military and government and armed groups based along its border with country. It has repeatedly urged the armed groups to refrain from fighting along the border, where it has several BRI projects in the works. The post Ta’ang Armed Group Wants Talks With China on Rail Project appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Latest Peace Talks with EAOs ‘Quite Successful’: Gov’t Spokesman Posted: 16 Jan 2019 12:52 AM PST CHIANG MAI, Thailand—The government peace delegation led by Peace Commission secretary U Khin Zaw Oo held separate, informal talks with four ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) in Chiang Mai, Thailand early this week. Negotiators met with representatives of the Karen National Union (KNU), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). After the series of informal talks, The Irrawaddy reporter Nyein Nyein spoke to government spokesman U Zaw Htay about future peace negotiations, internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have fled the current conflict in Rakhine State between the Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) and the Arakan Army (AA), as well as the government's view of the AA. What can you tell us about the results of this series of informal talks with the different ethnic armed groups, held over two days? Our talks here in Chiang Mai in November were an attempt at damage control for the peace process, following the release of statements [by the KNU and RCSS]. We are worried about getting caught in a cycle of conflict. And our priority is to limit the damage in these situations. We conduct informal negotiations with the groups in order to bring them back to the normal path [of the peace process]. This time is a continuation of that effort. With the KNU, we had three informal talks, first in November and then in Yangon with [the group's military and security adviser] Colonel Htoo Htoo Lay. This week's talks were much more constructive. The KNU will hold discussions with its members and then they will meet other EAOs, and then they will meet with us. So we expect we will be back on the formal path soon and [the process] will be normalized. The RCSS will meet separately with National Reconciliation and Peace Center leaders and with military leaders in Naypyitaw soon, to settle issues raised in their statement [suspending their participation in both the Union and state levels of the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee]. From there, they will discuss the issues thoroughly; after that we will be in the normalization stage. As with the KNPP, we have held informal talks five times. We, both sides, are trying to move forward [toward signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA)] and to reach that milestone. But we cannot specify a time frame, as we need to keep negotiating. We will also meet with another non-signatory of the NCA [the KIA], on how they will participate in the NCA. Thus we are not able to say anything about that yet. [Note: This interview was conducted before the Peace Commission delegation's meeting with the KIA, which was not open to the media.] Our aim in coming to Chiang Mai for informal talks is purely to get back to normalization [of the peace process]. Also [it is an effort to keep negotiating] with non-signatories to the NCA, in order to get them to sign. It has been quite a successful trip. What does the government expect from the KNPP, a non-signatory to the NCA, if it is to participate in the upcoming session of the Union Peace Conference, assuming one is held this year? Both sides are trying. Not only the government, but also the KNPP is trying to achieve that [getting the KNPP on the formal NCA path]. Currently, that is it; we can say no more. In November, you met informally with KIA representatives. After that, the government's peace delegation went to northern Myanmar to hold talks with three EAOs—the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, the AA and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army—but we did not hear of any meeting with the KIA. What is the government doing to meet KIA leaders at the decision-making level? After this trip, the PC [Peace Commission] secretary, [retired] General Khin Zaw Oo, will travel to the northern region to hold more talks. We will not stop negotiating with signatories and non-signatories of the NCA, and we are continuously moving forward. The AA is currently engaged in clashes with the Tatmadaw in western Myanmar. What impact does that have on its participation in the peace process? Will you hold bilateral talks with the AA? Last month's announcement from these groups included a willingness to hold such talks. No, it is for the Peace Commission to decide whether talks continue with these three groups. Only when the commissioners go there again [this month] and listen to their responses will we know for sure how this will proceed. Currently, what we can say for sure is that we do not exclude the AA from the peace process. We have opened the door to the AA to join us at the peace table, where we can all negotiate. For years, people have been affected by the civil war in the states where ethnic armed groups are based. These groups are now trying to cease fighting and end the cycle of conflict. On the other hand, in Rakhine State—which has also faced violence from ARSA [the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army]—the conflict is escalating. So it is the reverse situation. It is moving in the opposite direction from the current peace process, and there will be negative impacts from this. We have urged the AA to get back on track, as the group is also holding talks with the Peace Commission. Specifically, negotiation is the best approach to any problem. We have to find the way through peaceful negotiation. We won't get the answer through armed conflict, because we have had that for more than 70 years. This armed struggle [in Rakhine State] will yield no answers and benefit no one. First, the people suffer, and secondly the state suffers. And thirdly, there are many consequences for the Union [the country as a whole] and it doesn't benefit anyone. Thus, we urge [them] to choose the path of negotiation to end these conflicts. Conflict causes suffering; no one wins. It is a [no-win situation]. Currently we are seeing and hearing that many local people are being forced to flee their homes. Our government is deeply sorry about this. To help those displaced, our government is prioritizing their resettlement, the opening of IDP camps. Social Welfare and Resettlement Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye is working on it. We are trying to help the displaced people get access to humanitarian assistance, including shelter and food. Then, when their basic needs have been met, we will try to help children get access to formal education. [Primary and middle school students' year-end exams are only a couple of months away.] Meanwhile, we are in talks with the Ministry of Health and Sports to be able to provide healthcare to them. Some of this assistance is under way. Medical staff are being sent to provide care; these are more like mobile clinics providing mobile healthcare. I would like to emphasize that we are arranging assistance for those civilians affected by the armed conflict. During your last press briefing, in the wake of the latest flare-up in the conflict in Rakhine, you told Rakhine State people not to support the AA. This was interpreted as a kind of threat against the public. Has this perception affected your ability to resolve the conflict in the state? We urged this because not all of the people [in Rakhine] believe that "We are all AA" or are supporters of the organization. We have some information on the AA's supporters, but we cannot say exactly who they are. What is important is that peace be achieved in Rakhine State as quickly as possible; everyone in the state must contribute to its stability. Another important thing is to move forward with development. We have a lot of projects in Rakhine and we need stability in the area for the projects to be implemented. These projects will help to develop the region and the public will benefit. Therefore, we are focusing on stability. Only when the area is stable will we be able to implement our support for IDPs to get access to humanitarian aid and healthcare, and for children to get access to formal education. Meanwhile, the communities must collaborate with us to keep the conflict from escalating. We understand that everyone wants Rakhine State to be peaceful. For that to be achieved, every stakeholder—the governments and the local residents—must work together. Therefore, we are asking [the EAOs] to join the negotiations to settle the problems. For that to happen, we need to meet at the political [negotiation] table. And the negotiations with the Peace Commission need to be effective and need to see improvement so that we can sort things out through political means. We have had this armed approach for many eras, and there has been no answer. Thus, it is a difficult problem to solve and we need to move on and settle things through political means. (This interview has been edited for clarity.) The post Latest Peace Talks with EAOs 'Quite Successful': Gov't Spokesman appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Thai Top Court Orders Compensation for Myanmar Workers in Landmark Case Posted: 15 Jan 2019 08:42 PM PST BANGKOK—Thailand’s highest court on Tuesday ordered compensation be paid to 14 migrant workers from Myanmar whose accusations against a chicken farm of abuses sparked a landmark legal case for migrant laborers. The workers in 2016 officially complained to Thailand’s National Human Rights Commission about forced overtime, being paid less than the minimum wage, confiscation of passports, and limited freedom of movement. But employer Thammakaset farm, which had supplied meat to Thai food conglomerate Betagro, denied the charges and launched a defamation lawsuit, saying the workers voluntarily worked nights and chose to sleep next to the chicken warehouse. Betagro, which sells to companies around the globe, later said it had cut ties with the farm. After a three-year legal battle, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court verdict from 2016 which found in favor of the workers and ruled they must be paid 1.7 million baht ($53,000) in compensation. “There is no significant legal argument from the company’s side,” the court said in its order, dismissing the appeal. A lawyer for the workers said they welcomed the verdict in a country that has been at the center of a slew of slavery and human trafficking cases, including in its seafood sector. “Hopefully, they will receive the compensation quickly and put this behind them,” said Koreeyor Manuchae at NSP Legal Office. Last July, a Bangkok court dismissed charges against the workers in the criminal defamation case which accused them of damaging the reputation of Thammakaset farm. Labor rights activist Sutharee Wannasiri said Tuesday’s verdict vindicated the workers. “It’s a very rare victory for labor rights and migrant workers in Thailand, and it will help bolster the rights of migrant workers in the country,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “The compensation is not a large amount, but it is symbolic, and shows there is a mechanism for securing remedies and accountability when businesses have violated rights.” Campaigners have urged better protection for migrant laborers and activists from civil and criminal lawsuits for exposing abusive working conditions. In the face of mounting global scrutiny of supply chains, Thailand has strengthened laws to crack down on labor exploitation, but activists said it was still widespread. The post Thai Top Court Orders Compensation for Myanmar Workers in Landmark Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Singapore Urged to Fix Rules on Hiring Domestic Workers to Stop Forced Labor Posted: 15 Jan 2019 08:32 PM PST KUALA LUMPUR—Singapore must overhaul its rules and systems for the hiring of foreign domestic workers to put a stop to forced labor in the wealthy city-state, campaigners said on Tuesday. Singapore is a top destination for impoverished women from countries including Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines, who take up work cooking and caring for local families. But the estimated 250,000 migrant domestic workers are “highly susceptible” to forced labor due to a lack of legal protections and the isolated nature of their work, according to a report released by two charities on Tuesday. “It’s pretty worrying,” said Sheena Kanwar, executive director at the Singapore-based Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME), which campaigns for migrant workers and co-authored the report. “Policies should make sure our workers are not vulnerable to forced labor but right now, they allow for that. The issue is so invisible because it happens in households,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone. Based on an 18-month study of more than 800 foreign helpers, the report said workers faced a wide range of issues including hefty fees charged by agents who help the women to find jobs but push them into crippling debt. A S$5,000 ($3,700) security bond required by the government for every migrant worker also heightens employers’ fears and often leads to “draconian” measures to control their movement. This includes confiscating workers’ passports and denying them rest days, the report added. Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower said foreign helpers are protected under “comprehensive” legislation in the country and the report “does not accurately reflect” their work conditions. “This cannot be further away from the truth,” a ministry spokeswoman said in an email to the Thomson Reuters Foundation, citing its 2015 survey of 1,000 migrant domestic workers which showed 97 percent were satisfied working in Singapore. HOME and the report co-author, Hong Kong-based anti-slavery group Liberty Shared, urged Singapore to abolish the security bond conditions and move towards a system where employers pay for all the recruitment fees. They also called on the government to include domestic workers under the country’s Employment Act to better regulate their working hours and overtime, and give them access to benefits such as sick leave. “If the basic premise of protections is not clearly formulated then it makes access to justice very difficult,” said Archana Kotecha, a regional director at Liberty Shared. Reports of domestic workers being burned, beaten and raped in Asia have sparked outrage in a region that has the largest share of the world’s domestic workers at more than 21 million. A Singapore couple were jailed in 2017 for starving their Filipino domestic helper, who weighed just 29.4 kilograms (65 pounds). The International Labour Organization considers people who are trapped in involuntary work—including through the use of intimidation, debt or the retention of identity papers—as forced labor. The post Singapore Urged to Fix Rules on Hiring Domestic Workers to Stop Forced Labor appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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