Friday, February 1, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Outrage Over Plan to Hold ‘NightFest’ at Yangon’s Secretariat

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 05:58 AM PST

YANGON—The two-night-long night bazaar called "NightFest at Yangon's Secretariat" including food stalls, wine and other alcoholic beverages, and a music concert slated to be held this month has come under public criticism from those who say the venue disgraces one of Myanmar's most historically important buildings.

The event, touted as Myanmar's first "Grand Bazaar", is being organized by the Signature Night Market Event Planning Company, the United States Department of Agriculture Myanmar (USDA) and SY Group. It is slated for Feb 11-12 (Myanmar Union Day).

Historically, the Secretariat is one of the most important buildings for Myanmar people because the country's first Independence Day ceremony was held in its courtyard in January 1948, right after the British Union Jack flag was taken down to mark the end of the colonial era. Most importantly, in the west wing of the complex, the country's national independence hero Gen. Aung San and his cabinet members were gunned down in 1947 by a political rival. For several years now, the complex has been open to the public on July 19, the national day of mourning for the assassination, to pay respect to the country's martyrs.

In the pouring rain, members of the Rangoon Student Union and visitors bow down in silence at Yangon's Secretariat to honor the fallen national heroes as a citywide siren blares at 10:37 a.m. on July 19, 2016. / The Irrawaddy

Critics said the organizers disrespected the unique history of this important building, which shouldn't be used for frivolous entertainment purposes given the gravity of the events that took place there. People took to Facebook, Myanmar's most popular social media, to condemn the event for disrespecting the site of the assassination of the country's independence hero.

"I can't accept the event at all…the venue where our martyrs were assassinated shouldn't be the place for fun activities," commented one user.

According to the announcement of the organizers, Novotel Hotel, Parkroyal Hotel and Hard Rock Café will take part and showcase Californian wines, Italian wines and various cheeses. Traditional Myanmar snacks and Khaung Yay (traditional liquor) stalls will be set up too. A rock band from the Hard Rock Café and famous local singers R Zarni and Mary will perform at the event, along with other performances including Myanmar traditional dances and a puppet show.

A spokesperson from Signature Night Market, one of the event organizers, told The Irrawaddy that people misunderstand the purpose of this event.

"The main purpose of the event is to have an exchange of culture between Myanmar and America, and we want to show the beautiful nighttime scenery of The Secretariat," she said, requesting that her name not be used.

The spokesperson continued, "The event plan will not be changed because of the criticism. We got approval from the government step by step. So, we won't change."

The courtyard of the Secretariat on Martyrs’ Day on July 19, 2016. / The Irrawaddy

NightFest at Yangon's Secretariat is not the first event in the complex's courtyard to attract public ire.

In 2015, a former ruling general's daughter held her birthday party there. The event was severely criticized as highly inappropriate.

Currently, the Secretariat is undergoing renovations to turn the complex into an art museum including galleries, arts and crafts workshops, event spaces, souvenir shops and a cultural show. The Anawmar Art Group was selected as a winner of the Secretariat renovation tender by the government in 2012.

The Yangon Heritage Trust is working with Anawmar to conduct a technical study of potential renovation methods and building-use options.

The trust is also against the plan for the night bazaar at the Secretariat.

"YHT feels the same as other people because this building is historic and it is inappropriate to hold this kind of fun event," said Daw Moe Moe Lwin, director and vice chairman of the Yangon Heritage Trust.

She added that, "As far as we are concerned the building is being renovated for an art museum and it is fine to use this place like that. But it's not OK when it is [being used] for people to binge at food and wine stalls, and hold a music concert."

The post Outrage Over Plan to Hold 'NightFest' at Yangon's Secretariat appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Government’s Message to Investors: Myanmar Open for Business

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 04:57 AM PST

NAYPYITAW—Myanmar held its first-ever international investment summit late last month in Naypyitaw. The two-day event showcased 120 projects worth US$3 billion (about 4.5 trillion kyats) in 10 states and regions.

On the second day of the event, Investment and Foreign Economic Relations Minister U Thaung Tun hosted a dialogue for international guests, offering them reasons why they should invest in Southeast Asia's "Final Best Frontier." The government is looking for ways to revive the economy, which has been sluggish for more than two years.

"Myanmar is now open for businesses. We are making the necessary changes," U Thaung Tun said.

A weakening currency, high inflation, armed conflict, unstable policies and the slow pace of reform have chipped away at growth under the current administration, which had hoped the economy would take wing after more than five decades of isolation under military rule.

Under the government's "Look East" policy, officials have toured Asia beating the drum for the country's economy. The summit was part of this attempt to raise investment from East Asian countries. More than 1,600 local and foreign delegates from 17 countries attended the summit and 40 companies exhibited. The top countries were China, Japan, Singapore and Thailand.

Here are four takeaways from the minister's conversation with investors.

Major Reforms 

U Thaung Tun listed some of the major reforms undertaken by the government so far—such as revision of the legal framework, removing procedural bottlenecks and launching online company registration—with the aim of making Myanmar a more attractive FDI destination.

He challenged the World Bank's ease of doing business index for 2019, on which Myanmar showed no progress, retaining the No. 171 spot it held last year. The minister said, "I can tell you that during the last few months, we have made a number of significant changes which ensure that it will be much easier to do business in Myanmar."

He assured the investors that there are two major reforms—standard operation procedures, which will provide a smooth step-by-step process for investors, and a single window system, which is a trade facilitation system to increase time and cost efficiency for traders in their dealings with government authorities while obtaining the relevant clearance and permits.

The Myanmar government is working to introduce a "Land Bank," a digital platform that aims to provide investors with information on how much land is available and also about land leases.

"There will be more transparency. I think it creates a level playing field for those who want to invest in Myanmar," he said.

U Thaung Tun mentioned a recent Central Bank of Myanmar move that grants permission to foreign companies wishing to operate businesses offering life and non-life insurance in Myanmar.

Last year, the government launched the Myanmar Investment Promotion Plan (MIPP) to attract more than US$200 billion in sustainable, responsible and quality business over the next 20 years. The official said this year's priority was to focus on MIPP; however the World Bank's focus said economic growth is expected to slow from 6.8 percent in 2017-18 to 6.2 percent in 2018-19.

U Thaung Tun emphasized that the government's focus this year is on expanding investment and taking quicker steps to open up the economy. "We are not just leapfrogging; we're gonna take a quantum leap," he said.

 

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attends the Invest Myanmar Summit 2019 in Naypyitaw on Monday. / The Irrawaddy

Major challenges 

According to Global Infrastructure Outlook's report, Myanmar's positive economic trajectory will be challenged by its massive infrastructure need—among the 50 nations, Myanmar is listed

as the worst. The country needs an estimated $112 billion worth of infrastructure.

U Thaung Tun said he was aware that infrastructure is one of the biggest challenges that the current government faces. But he said he wants to take advantage of Myanmar's strategic location at the intersection of two of the world's most important emerging markets, China and India. He urged investors to take advantage of opportunities to invest in infrastructure projects. Moreover, Myanmar is central to China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), he said. "If you look at the BRI you will find that Myanmar is in the middle of all of it. Because the Maritime Silk Road must pass through Myanmar."

The minister stressed to the audience the rise of China should not be seen as an obstacle, as he believes all countries can benefit from BRI projects. His government signed in September an agreement to implement the 1,700-kilometer-long China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, which will start in China's Yunnan Province and go through Myanmar's major economic cities—Mandalay in central Myanmar and the commercial capital of Yangon—and reach the coast at the Kyaukphyu SEZ in Rakhine State.

"We can do cooperation rather than confrontation. It will help development not just in the region but also to the world," he said. He said that Myanmar could be a transport hub for Asia under the BRI agreement.

Relations with China 

Critics warn that the Rohingya crisis and condemnation from the West over what has happened in Rakhine State have pushed Myanmar back into the hands of the Chinese, despite public wariness surrounding Chinese investments in the country.

However, U Thaung Tin said, "We want to be friends with everyone."

He cited as one example Myanmar's working with China on the Kyaukphyu SEZ, which offers China access to the Bay of Bengal while enhancing its regional connectivity as part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Another example was Kaladan Multi-Model Transit Transport Project with India, which aims to open sea and land routes linking eastern India's seaport in Kolkata with its landlocked state of Mizoram through Myanmar's Rakhine and Chin states.

"All of us work together for all the people. So, whether it is China, India, Bangladesh, or Thailand, we need to work together," he said.

Cooperation needed in Rakhine 

The NLD government has implemented some major economic reforms. However, following the news of the 2017 Rohingya crisis, which badly tarnished the country's image, foreign investment has significantly declined and Western investors have grown increasingly cautious of Myanmar. Rakhine has become a problem when it comes to securing foreign investment.

U Thaung Tun tried to reassure global investors that the Myanmar government is trying to find solutions that will be acceptable to all. He said the government has been implementing the recommendations in the report by the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State chaired by the late Kofi Annan.

"We need to find a sustainable solution, not a short term solution, so peace will prevail, and communities can live together peacefully and in harmony," he said.

He said there are a lot of undocumented people living there, adding that there is poverty and a lack of jobs, and that the country needs to address all the issues. The country cannot accept terrorism, he added.

"That's why I'm telling the international community to work together [with Myanmar] to find a sustainable solution to create jobs," he stressed.

He said the government plans to hold an investment summit in Rakhine on Feb. 21-22 focusing on three major sectors—agriculture, livestock and fisheries; tourism; and SMEs.

Focusing on issues that are negative is not going to solve the problems; it will only aggravate the situation in Rakhine, he said.

All parties need to work together to develop Rakhine State, he said.

He urged investors to attend the Rakhine investment summit, saying, "It is time to work together to have harmony. If you see there is a problem in Rakhine, work with us to develop [the state]. We will change the situation."

The post Government's Message to Investors: Myanmar Open for Business appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Cracks in Bago Region Reservoir Panic Locals

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 04:13 AM PST

PROME, Bago Region — Residents of Pauk Khaung Township in western Bago Region are in a state of panic after cracks appeared in a local reservoir and authorities began releasing water.

Cracks stretching 35 feet long and 3 feet wide appeared in the embankment of the Taung Na Win reservoir after four earthquakes struck near the township since November or December. The embankment has also lost about 100 feet of its height.

The reservoir lies about 3.2 km east of the township.

Geologists and officials with the Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Ministry’s Irrigation Department are examining the reservoir. Before they can draw any conclusion, water will have to be released daily to reduce the water level, said U Zaw Oo, assistant director of the Pyay District Irrigation and Water Utilization Department.

"The conduit of the reservoir can release 960 cubic feet of water per second, and currently we are releasing only 50 percent of its capacity," he told The Irrawaddy.

The Irrigation Department has been monitoring the condition of the reservoir since Jan. 13 and found no further risk, the department’s deputy staff officer, U Zaw Wunna, said. Technicians have also been conducting a geological survey to test the strength of the earth, he added.

"Only after we have the results of the geological survey will we know what to do next in response," U Zaw Oo said.

Lawmakers representing the township, the General Administration Department and the Irrigation Department informed villages downstream of the reservoir about its condition earlier this week.

"Local residents called for reducing the water in the reservoir and repairing it promptly," said township administrator U Kyaw Htay.

Villagers have also been evacuating their homes for fear of a possible flood.

"People are in fear and some are evacuating. Some are sleeping on nearby hills. We feel safer with less water in the reservoir," U Thein Win, a resident of Watt Toe Village, told The Irrawaddy.

The reservoir was built in 1985 at a cost of 1.4 billion kyats under the Burma Socialist Program Party regime with development loans from Japan and put into service in 1995. With a storage capacity of 287,000 acre-feet of water, it can irrigate about 10,000 acres, but currently holds only about 220,000 acre-feet.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Cracks in Bago Region Reservoir Panic Locals appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Constitutional Reforms — ‘It’s Time to Take a Step Forward’

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 04:03 AM PST

YANGON—The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) on Tuesday made its first official attempt to change the military-drafted 2008 Constitution since it took power in 2016.

A member of the party's central executive committee, Upper House lawmaker U Aung Kyi Nyunt, submitted an urgent proposal to the Union Parliament to form a joint parliament committee to work on amending the charter as soon as possible.

The constitution, drafted by the then-ruling military junta, has been widely criticized as undemocratic. It reserves 25 percent of parliament seats—both regionally and nationally—for the military and gives the army's chief the power to appoint three important ministers: defense, home affairs and border affairs. The army can also select one of the country's three vice-presidents.

U Aung Kyi Nyunt on Tuesday told all lawmakers sitting in Parliament, including the military appointees, that the Constitution needs to be amended as it includes articles which are not in accordance with democratic standards, which contradict one another and prevent the establishment of a democratic federal union and a genuine multi-party democratic system. He added that some articles also fail to ensure mutual checks and balances between the three pillars of democracy and to ensure equal rights for citizen as well as free and fair elections.

His comments drew loud applause from supportive lawmakers, yet, as expected, the military—which sees safeguarding the Constitution as one of its main duties—boycotted U Aung Kyi Nyunt's proposal. All military appointees in the Parliament stood up in an apparent sign of protest against his proposal.

This is not the first time a proposal by U Aung Kyi Nyunt caused uproar with the military. In April 2016, soon after the NLD took power, he submitted the bill that created the key new post of state counselor for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is barred from becoming president under the Constitution.

As before, the military's disagreement on Tuesday was defeated by a majority of votes in approval of discussing the proposal in upcoming parliamentary sessions.

The Irrawaddy spoke to U Aung Kyi Nyunt about why the party is working on constitutional amendments now, how likely they are to be amended and what articles in the Constitution will be amended.

In your proposal on Tuesday, you mentioned that the purpose of the committee will be to facilitate attempts to amend the Constitution "as soon as possible". How soon can the Constitution be amended?

I couldn't guess the exact date or time of when the Constitution will be amended. Reforms have come of age to some extent now. We need changes [to the Constitution] to make it suitable for the current situation as well as for the ongoing peace process [in which some agreements have been reached on the basic principles for establishing a democratic federal union]. That's why I submitted the proposal.

Some have criticized the NLD's decision to work on constitutional amendments only now after three years in office.

It is easy to criticize, but the administration has been working on the Panglong Conference (a series of peace conferences), eternal peace, ceasefires, ending civil war as well as other administrative jobs. As for the legislative sector, I think if we can facilitate the constitutional amendments in a short time under the current circumstances, it would help smooth some [other ongoing processes]. In some cities, campaigns calling for constitutional reforms are also taking place. Therefore, I am proposing to start with the formation of the committee that can work systematically and transparently—to work not by a single party nor an organization, but with an all-inclusive approach for the future of our country. That's it.

It is time to carry out constitutional reforms. If you ask why we didn't attempt it in the past, we actually did attempt to amend the Constitution in the Parliament before [under the previous government's term] but only few minor articles were amended [at that time] and it wasn't effective. With the political reforms that have taken place in the country [since the NLD came to power], it is time to take a step forward.

So this is the first time an attempt to amend the Constitution has the potential to be successful?

What I can say is we are trying for that.

You made seven points in your proposal that said the existing Constitution includes articles that are not in accordance with democratic standards, which prevent peace and the establishment of a genuine democratic federal union, and so on. Considering those points, how many of the Constitution's articles would need to be amended?

Under those points, there are many articles. But there could be different opinions on that. Those different opinions will be debated among the committee members which will be inclusive. I believe some of the articles contradict one another but there could be those who disagree with me on that. I can't be dogmatic and believe that only what I say is right and other opinions are wrong. We will negotiate. That's the first step we need to take now with all, including political parties and lawmakers, as well as military representatives.

The NLD's central executive committee in early 2014 recommended 168 points for constitutional amendment. Will there be more than 100 articles that need to be amended under your points?

We have done a study, but that is our [NLD] view. We will also need to negotiate with others. It could be more than 100 clauses to be amended or less than that. What I would like to say is that rather than trying to win and lose over that, I wish to discuss them with the future of our country in mind, and how we would like to grow and what kind of nation we would like to leave for future generations.

Democratic forces want to amend the clause that reserves 25 percent of seats for the military in all parliaments; Article 436, which requires proposed changes to the charter to be supported by more than 75 percent of lawmakers; and Article 59 (f), which bars NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming Union president. Will those be included?

[Those] could be included. But the committee will decide on the amendments according to the different opinions of the military, other political parties, the public and experts.

The public wishes for the Constitution to be amended as soon as possible. Is it possible before the 2020 general election?

We have the will, and are working towards that, but will and reality are different things. The answer will depend on the circumstances and conditions that we will encounter, and I can't much predict the future.

The military said it never has opposed amending the Constitution, but all military representatives stood up against your proposal and boycotted the vote. What do you think about their objections?

Yes, they said we can't amend the constitution like this—that any move to amend the Constitution requires a draft bill signed by at least 20 [percent of] lawmakers. I think they objected as they wrongly thought that I am proposing constitutional reforms. The proposal is not for that step—I am urging for a committee to be formed which will work towards that step.

What would you like to say to those who are eagerly awaiting the fulfillment of the NLD's election promises of amending the Constitution?

There have been no incidents within our capacity where we neglected the promises we made during the election. If the public knows the NLD is always trying to implement its promises, I am pleased.

The post Constitutional Reforms — 'It's Time to Take a Step Forward' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Has Seized the Prime Moment to Amend the Constitution

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 03:54 AM PST

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), swept power in the 2015 general elections. Amending the Constitution was one of her campaign promises. At a forum in Singapore in August, the state counselor said “amendment of the Constitution was one of the goals of our government," reaffirming her commitment to the cause.

But why is she forging ahead with amendments at this moment? The answer is twofold.

First, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi wants to push for amendments while China can influence the Myanmar military. There is a saying in Myanmar, “An island relies on reeds just as reeds rely on the island, ” meaning that a person offers help when the other is in need and vice versa. In a recent column, I wrote that the state counselor was using China to influence the military in order to achieve her political goals — amending the Constitution in particular — by helping China fulfill its own interests in Myanmar.

In November Daw Aung San Suu Kyi formed a steering committee to oversee work in Myanmar relating to Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. Since then, China has once again started pushing Myanmar to restart the Myitsone dam projects in Kachin State. Though most of the country opposes the dam, the government recently hinted at a compromise. At an investment summit in Naypyitaw on Tuesday, U Thaung Tun, the minister for investment and foreign economic relations, said the government wants to find a solution because it values its relationship with China.

As I recently wrote, "Once the faltering peace process embarks on the right track, Aung San Suu Kyi will then be able to push for the amendment of the Constitution." She is now seizing the prime moment to amend the Constitution. When asked by reporters for his views on the move on Thursday, military chief Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said he had always been in favor of amending the charter.

Moreover, after the military announced a unilateral ceasefire in late December, negotiations between the government’s National Reconciliation and Peace Center and some ethnic armed groups have started to improve.

It appears Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's bargaining chip with China has worked. As a quid pro quo, she appears to have allowed China to restart the Myitsone dam project. The government may be trying to draw attention to the Constitution to distract from the dam.

Second, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party want to push the amendment because the next general elections are approaching. In by-elections held in November, the NLD won only seven of the 13 races it contested, far below its expectations. It was a wakeup call for the NLD to start preparing for 2020, and to push for constitutional amendments as soon as possible.

But only time will tell whether Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party can amend all the articles of the Constitution they want to before the next general elections arrive.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of an analyst based in Kachin State.

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20 Activists Arrested for Protesting Gen. Aung San Statue in Loikaw

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 03:20 AM PST

Police detained 20 ethnic rights activists on Friday morning for protesting against the state government's placement of a statue of independence hero General Aung San in Loikaw, the capital of Karenni State, according to one of those arrested. They were released on bail later in the day.

The police first asked seven rights activists who led the protest to accompany them to the police station. As they were arriving at the station, police broke up a protest camp set up by the activists on Thursday and made more arrests, the sources said.

After being detained upstairs at a police station due to a lack of space in the local jail, the detainees were released on bail after promising to pay a 1-million-kyat deposit each, according to Khun Thomas, a youth leader who was among those arrested.

They are scheduled to appear in court again on Feb. 14, he said.

Earlier in the day, prior to being released on bail, Khun Thomas told The Irrawaddy that police "took [statements] from us at the station and they charged all of us under Article 19." He explained that the detainees were required to put their names on pre-written forms accusing them of the crime.

Article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly Act prohibits people from protesting without first obtaining permission from police.

He confirmed that police had shut down the protest camp.

Before closing the protest camp, a group of police and township officials arrived at the site and read out an order informing the activists that they were illegally present in a restricted area. Claiming the site was a public space, not a restricted area, the activists refused to leave. About 50 police arrested the remaining activists at the camp.

The activists said those behind the project were staining the history of Karenni State. They singled out for blame Karenni State Chief Minister L Phaung Sho, National League for Democracy youth members, their "cronies" and certain volunteer associations involved in the project.

Their revolution was not yet over, they said, adding that they had just begun to fight, despite the NLD government's decision to put up the statue. "We dare to challenge the chief minister of the state. You can put up a statue. But unless you recognize our request, the statue will have no meaning," Khun Thomas said.

There were many youths in Karenni State, so Friday's arrests wouldn't end the struggle, Khun Thomas said, adding that further action would be taken, though he declined to provide details.

Khun Be Du, chairman of the Loikaw-based Kayan National Party, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that arresting activists would not resolve the issue, and predicted there would be more problems soon.

A group of local residents who support the decision to put up a statue of Gen. Aung San said they would stage a pro-statue rally in Loikaw on Saturday.

However, rights activists said they planned to hold another protest against the statue in the town on Feb. 4. They asked the government to negotiate with them, according to Khun Be Du.

"We cannot accept injustice. We must fight it," Khun Be Du said.

He added that right activists were prepared to confront the government's supporters on the issue. "It is unfortunate, but we have no option as the state government has created this problem."

"We asked the chief minister to resign from his position as he could not say how much his government had spent on putting up the statue. We also asked the government to release all 20 rights activists soon. We even asked them to remove the statue from the park and place it in front of the NLD's office in the town," he said.

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Verdict in U Ko Ni Murder Case Due Feb. 15

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 02:44 AM PST

YANGON — The Yangon Northern District Court will deliver its final ruling in the murder trial of U Ko Ni, a prominent lawyer and legal adviser to the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), on Feb. 15.

Prosecution and defense lawyers presented their closing argument on Friday, the 102nd hearing of a closely watched trial that has dragged on for some two years.

U Ko Ni was shot dead in broad daylight outside Yangon International Airport on Jan. 29, 2017.  Police apprehended the alleged gunman, Kyi Lin, moments later and afterwards arrested three of his alleged co-conspirators — Aung Win Zaw, Aung Win Tun, and Zeya Phyo, all ex-military officers.

The alleged mastermind of the murder, former Lt. Col. Aung Win Khaing, remains at large.

Kyi Lin was charged under Section 302 (1) (b) of the Penal Code for killing both U Ko Ni and taxi driver U Ne Win, who chased him after he shot the lawyer, and faces execution if convicted. He was also charged under Section 19 of the Arms Act for illegally importing and possessing a weapon.

Aung Win Zaw was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and Zeya Phyo with aiding and abetting an offender, both under Section 302 (1) (b) of the Penal Code.

Aung Win Tun was charged under the Penal Code's Section 212 for harboring one of the other suspects. The court released him on a 50 million kyats ($37,300) bail in March.

Kyi Lin's lawyer, U Kyaw Kyaw Htike, argued that the murder charge against his client should be changed to 302 (2), which excludes premeditation and carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. He said Kyi Lin should also be charged with homicide in the case of U Ne Win, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

Defense lawyers argued that Aung Win Zaw, Aung Win Tun and Zeya Phyo had nothing to do with U Ko Ni’s murder and should be acquitted. The prosecution insisted they were guilty as charged.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Military a Possible No Show For Parliament Debate on Amending Constitution

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 02:10 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — It remains unclear whether military lawmakers in the Union Parliament will join a legislative debate on a proposal to form a special committee to discuss amendments to the military-drafted Constitution.

U Aung Kyi Nyunt, a lawmaker for the ruling National League for Democracy, proposed forming a committee of fellow legislators to draft possible amendments on Tuesday. Brig. Gen. Maung Maung, who heads the military’s constitutionally mandated 25-percent bloc in Parliament, immediately objected to the idea and said it would be in breach of the rules. Despite a boycott by the military lawmakers and some of their allies, Parliament voted to discuss the proposal at a later date.

Lawmakers wishing to join the debate were to register with Parliament by 4 p.m. Thursday.

Following Thursday’s Parliament session, Brig. Gen. Maung Maung told reporters that the military had yet to decide whether to participate. When The Irrawaddy called Parliament at about 4 p.m. that afternoon to find out if any military lawmakers had registered, officials declined to comment.

About an hour after the deadline, one military lawmaker, speaking to The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity, suggested they would not joint the discussion.

"We boycotted the vote because the proposal was not submitted in line with procedures. If we participate in the debate, it would be interpreted that we approve the proposal," the military lawmaker said.

Military lawmakers also sent a formal letter of complaint to the Union Parliament speaker.

U Aung Kyi Nyunt encouraged the military to take part in the discussion.

"Brig. Gen. Maung Maung said that they do not oppose amending the Constitution. So they should participate. And we don't even need to invite them,” he said.

Lawmakers said more than 60 of them have registered, including those from the NLD, the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party and some ethnic-based parties.

USDP lawmaker U Thaung Aye said he would join the debate to voice his objections to the proposal.

Lawmakers said the debate might be scheduled for next week.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Household Search Operations to Be Carried Out in N Rakhine

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 02:00 AM PST

YANGON – The Rakhine State government has granted permission to state police and military to carry out a household check operation in seven townships of northern Rakhine State, in an attempt to find members of the Arakan Army (AA) who may be hiding in the villages.

The Irrawaddy has seen an instruction letter written by the Rakhine state government, dated Jan. 25 and signed by the state's finance and planning minister U Kyaw Aye Thein on behalf of the Rakhine State chief minister, and addressed to the state's General Administration Department (GAD), the Rakhine State Police Force, the Population and Immigration Department as well as the Fire Services Department.

It stated that the Rakhine State government received reports earlier this month stating that AA members are mingling in villages in the seven listed townships, in northern Rakhine. The Union government has opened a case against the AA under the Counter Terrorism Act for attacking four border outposts in northern Rakhine in which 13 policemen were killed and dozens of firearms and a large quantity of ammunition were seized on Jan. 4.

Following this, several government departments asked for permission to carry out joint "household and population status examination" operations, in which they intend to carry out checks on all household registration documents and to photograph all family members on the list, as well as searching suspicious homes in the townships of Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun, Rathedaung, Buthidaung, Maungdaw and the ancient city of Mrauk-U in Myebon Township which is one of Rakhine's most popular tourist attractions.

After holding a state cabinet meeting on Jan. 23, the National League for Democracy (NLD)-appointed ministers decided to allow the operation to be carried out in these seven townships "in line with the procedure."

The letter mentioned the four departments to be responsible for implementing the operation and ordered them to report back to the state government when completed. The Rakhine State parliament deputy house speaker U Mya Than confirmed the authenticity of the letter, saying that the signature matched that of Minister U Kyaw Aye Thein.

"We have to wait and see their actions in the seven townships. We have already informed our lawmakers to monitor whether their actions go beyond the [stipulated] procedure or not."

In conversation over the phone with The Irrawaddy on Thursday, Minister U Kyaw Aye Thein said they had previously allowed such inspections in that area, but when questioned on the most recent inspection operation approved on Jan. 25, he said he could not remember signing it.

"I cannot remember well because I've had to sign many letters," he said.

Rakhine State police chief Col. Kyi Linn said he was not aware of the letter.

When The Irrawaddy contacted township administrative officials from Kyauktaw, Rathedaung and Maungdaw, they all said they hadn't received the letter as of Thursday. They speculated that this is because it is addressed to the security forces and higher departments rather than township level administration and they believe its authenticity.

The Irrawaddy asked them whether the state government gave the same order to the military following the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA)'s attacks on government border outposts in 2017. In that case, the operation resulted in a crackdown on the Rohingya community which drove more than 700,000 people to flee across the Bangladesh border. The UN has been calling for army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to be prosecuted at the International Criminal Court for his role in committing the crimes against the Rohingya community.

In response to the question, the officials said they never heard of a headcount instruction letter during the 2017 Rohingya crisis.

Despite the letter specifying townships in northern Rakhine, it has been reported on the ground that teams of fully-equipped soldiers, police and immigration officials are carrying out checks in at least three village tracts in southern Rakhine's Kyaukphyu Township this week where several Chinese mega projects are located.

The day after the AA's Jan. 4 attacks, Myanmar's de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi organized a rare high-level meeting in Naypyidaw and the President's Office later gave the green light for the army to retaliate against the AA rebels.

In a Jan. 18 press conference held by the army in Naypyidaw, Maj-Gen Tun Tun Nyi revealed that "She, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, instructed us to effectively crush the AA. If we don't, there will be finger-pointing over why [the army] has not crushed [members of a recognized] ethnic group, but has crushed ARSA (who practice a different religion)."

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Timeline: 70 Years of Ethnic Armed Resistance Movements in Myanmar

Posted: 01 Feb 2019 01:21 AM PST

Beginning with the Karen National Union's revolutionary movement, which started 70 years ago on Jan. 31, Myanmar's ethnic armed groups' struggle for self-determination, autonomy and equal rights continues to this day.

From 1949, the year after Myanmar gained independence from the British, to 1989 the country's numerous ethnic groups rose up in armed resistance, mainly fighting for greater autonomy. At least 53 ethnic armies and parties formed out of Karen, Kachin, Pa-Oh, Shan, Mon, Karenni, Akha, Kokang, Palaung, Wa, Mongla, Lahu, Arakan, Chin, Kayan and Naga ethnic groups who claimed their rights were not fully delivered by the majority-Bamar government. There were also some 20 communist rebel groups led by members of the majority Bamar, and non-indigenous Muslim and Rohingya groups during the same 40-year period.

Despite decided efforts to end fighting between the various ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) and the central government forces in 1958, 1963, 1980, 1989, the 1990s and since 2011, peace talks are dawdling and civil war continues to thrive in northern, northeastern and western Myanmar.

More than 200,000 people, both from government- and EAO-controlled areas, are currently taking shelter in camps for the internally displaced, having fled clashes between the Myanmar Army and EAOs which have been breaking out since 2011. This figure excludes the refugees on the Thai side of the Thailand-Myanmar border where some 100,000 are currently taking shelter in refugee camps.

In the eyes of the Myanmar Army, the term "civil war" is no longer applicable here. The Military's True News Information Team gave strong words of advice to reporters and members of the public on the use of the term at a press conference on Jan. 18. Maj-Gen Tun Tun Nyi, the vice chair of the True News Information Team, advised against using the term, insisting that civil war ended together with the end of the famous Insein Battle north of Yangon 70 years ago. He said today it should be referred to as "counter-insurgency operations" or "regional armed conflict."

The battle he refers to was that of May 1949 in which the Myanmar Army regained control of Insein after 112 days of fighting with the Karen National Defense Organization which had occupied the town, demanding equality between the Bamar and Karen.

Despite the military's denial of the occurrence of civil war in Myanmar, the Karen ethnic armed resistance gained traction after that event and the group maintained high spirits and fervor in their continued fight for independence and freedom from Bamar chauvinism.

The 1990s saw a partial ceasefire period in Kachin, Kayah, Mon and Shan states. But during that time too, and up to 2010, some 20 new ethnic armed groups appeared. Though many of them started out with small numbers, EAOs based in the northeast have been increasing in strength and power, particularly since 2011. The biggest armed group, the United Wa State Army had some 30,000 troops in 2016.

When the EAOS began taking part in peace negotiations which were initiated by then-president U Thein Sein in August 2011, the ethnic leaders expressed their desire to work together in building a federal state if it would guarantee their basic rights, equality and self-determination.

According to data released by Myanmar Peace Monitor in 2013, Myanmar remains home to some 50 ethnic armed forces, which include both revolutionary armed groups, government-backed militia of various ethnicities and smaller insurgent groups. Of these, the government is currently holding peace talks with 18 groups—10 signatories of the nationwide ceasefire agreement and eight other non-signatories.

The armed resistances of Myanmar's ethnic groups and the current peace negotiations can be viewed in the timeline below.

Please click right below to see the timeline.


Visualization by Nan Lwin

Ref: "A General Introduction to six active EAOs based in northeast Myanmar" by U Maung Maung Soe (2016); "Deciphering Myanmar's Peace Process" by Burma News International (2016); "Burma in Revolt: Opium and Insurgency since 1948" by Bertil Lintner (1999).

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Tatmadaw Occupies NSCN-K Headquarters

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 11:52 PM PST

YANGON—The Myanmar Army has taken control of the headquarters of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) in the Naga Self-Administered Zone of Sagaing Region without a shot being fired.

U Kyaw Wan Sein, a member of the NSCN-K's Central Executive Committee, told The Irrawaddy that the group withdrew its troops and let the Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) occupy its headquarters in order not to disrupt the peace process between it and the government.

He said a military column consisting of over 400 troops from six battalions led by the Hkamti District tactical commander under the Tatmadaw's North-West Command took control of the NSCN-K's headquarters in the village of Ta Ga in Nanyun Township on Tuesday.

"We let them in because the peace process between us and the Myanmar government will be damaged if there are gunshots and artillery fire. So, we let them in. We withdrew," U Kyaw Wan Sein said.

Members of the NSCN-K's Peace Committee and some unarmed members of the group remain at the headquarters, he said.

Executive U Kasi Rang of the Naga Self-administered Zone Leading Body said he did not know why the Myanmar Army sent troops to the NSCN-K headquarters.

"It can be said they have occupied it. There were no casualties or injuries," he told The Irrawaddy.

The Tatmadaw declined to described the operation as an "occupation". North-West Command spokesman Colonel Than Naing told The Irrawaddy: "We will let you know when the time is appropriate. I am not yet authorized to provide details. But it is not that we have occupied their headquarters."

The NSCN-K signed a regional-level truce with the government in April 2012. It has no plan to relocate its headquarters, because it was established with the agreement of both sides, Kyaw Wan Sein said.

The Myanmar government has urged the NSCN-K to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), but the armed group has told The Irrawaddy it would not sign unless and until it reaches an agreement that can cover all the Naga people who live in northeast India and Myanmar.

The National Socialist Council of Nagaland was founded in 1980 with the aim of establishing a sovereign Naga State. It split into two factions in 1988: the NSCN-K led by S. S. Khaplang, which is based in Myanmar, and the NSCN-IM led by Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muviah, which is based in India. S. S. Khaplang died in 2017.

According to Indian media, NSCN-IM entered into a ceasefire agreement in 1997 and has maintained it since then. The pact with NSCN-K was broken after the group attacked a military convoy in Manipur in June 2015, killing 18 soldiers.

On the Myanmar side, there have been no clashes between the Myanmar Army and the NSCN-K since 2000. However, last July the North-West Command warned then NSCN-K chairman Kham Ngaw not to operate outside its territory. The group was forced to give up one of its toll gates.

The NSCN-K toppled its chairman Kham Ngaw in a meeting the following month, and elected Yong Awng, the nephew of late leader Khaplang, to the chairman's position.

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Indonesia to Challenge ‘Discriminative’ EU Directive on Palm Oil

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 09:36 PM PST

JAKARTA — Indonesia intends to challenge an EU directive on renewable energy at the World Trade Organization, arguing the plan to curb the use of crops that cause deforestation will unfairly target palm oil, a senior Indonesian official told Reuters.

The world’s top producer of the oil is also reviewing its relations with the European Union over the issue and urging other Southeast Asian nations to defer plans to upgrade EU ties, said Mahendra Siregar, special staff at the Foreign Ministry.

The EU directive, known as RED II, aims to stop the use of crops that cause deforestation in transportation fuel by 2030. Environmentalists blame a rapid expansion of Indonesian palm plantations for a massive clearance of forests that were home to endangered tigers, orangutans and elephants.

A challenge from Indonesia on the policy would escalate its efforts to safeguard sales to its second-biggest palm oil market. The EU accounted for around 15 percent of Indonesia’s total palm exports of more than $15 billion last year.

Siregar said palm oil will be labeled a “high risk” crop — indicating its potential to result in deforestation — in an act attached to RED II due to be issued in early February. Indonesia will challenge both RED II and the act at the WTO’s dispute settlement body after it is issued, he said.

The WTO body can order members to remove any trade barriers if it finds that the policies breach free trade rules.

A government document outlining Indonesia’s stance on the EU policy and reviewed by Reuters said the method used to assess “Indirect Land Use Change” (ILUC), which aims to measure the risk of unintended carbon emissions, was not internationally recognized and not applicable in a tropical region.

“The criteria listed in ILUC gives advantages to local European Union commodities such as rapeseed oil,” it said.

Indonesia letter to ASEAN

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a letter to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that developments in the EU hurting the interests of ASEAN palm oil-producing states have caused it to defer “elevation of ASEAN-EU dialogue relations to a strategic level.”

The Jan. 14 letter, also reviewed by Reuters, urged other members of ASEAN to follow suit.

“All Indonesia-EU relationships will be overviewed related to that discriminative policy by the EU,” Siregar said.

Asked about the letter, a spokesman at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta said: “It is up to the member states to decide.”

Rafael de Bustamante Tello, first counselor at the EU Embassy in Jakarta, said: “The EU considers the RED II to be in line with the EU’s international commitments, including its WTO obligations.”

The European Commission will make sure “achievement of the EU’s renewable energy goals goes hand in hand with the fair and rules-based international trade regime that we so strongly defend,” he said.

De Bustamante also said that during an EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting in Brussels last week the two blocs decided to form a new joint working group to address issues related to palm oil.

In January last year, the WTO ruled in favor of Indonesia on several challenges to anti-dumping duties that the EU had imposed on its biodiesel exports. The duties had effectively stopped the trade, but exporters were able to resume shipments to Europe around April.

Palm oil, mainly produced in Indonesia and Malaysia, is used as feedstock for biofuels as well as being used in a wide variety of goods, ranging from food to soap.

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Myanmar Policeman Who Detailed Reuters Reporters’ Entrapment Freed from Jail

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 09:35 PM PST

YANGON—A Myanmar policeman who told a court last year how officers planted secret documents on two Reuters reporters in order to “entrap” them was released from prison on Friday, after being sentenced to a year in jail for violating police discipline.

In widely covered testimony at the trial of journalists Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing gave details of the hours leading up to the Dec. 12, 2017 arrest of the Reuters reporters and said police had arranged a “set up”.

Shortly after that court appearance in April, Moe Yan Naing was sentenced to prison for violating the Police Disciplinary Act by having previously spoken to Wa Lone. His family was also evicted from their police housing in the capital Naypyitaw.

Moe Yan Naing criticized the law under which he was punished.

“This police disciplinary law is one of the laws we must amend while we are marching on the path towards democracy,” he told reporters outside Insein Prison, on the outskirts of the commercial capital Yangon, after his release.

“This law can cause police much suffering because it is outdated,” he said.

Police spokesman Col. Myo Thu Soe told Reuters at the time of the sentencing Moe Yan Naing had been punished “according to the police disciplinary act” and that his “case has been processed by a police court”, without elaborating.

Police also said at the time the eviction order was not related to Moe Yan Naing’s testimony at the trial of the Reuters journalists.

Asked how he felt about the people who ordered his arrest, Moe Yan Naing said he would console himself through religion.

“I am a Buddhist, I can find peace with that through our Buddhist way,” he said, and that he felt “sorry” for the two reporters still behind bars.

A police spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Moe Yan Naing was released after serving around nine months of his one-year sentence. It is customary for prisoners in Myanmar to have their jail time reduced for good behavior.

In September, the Yangon court found Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo guilty of breaking the colonial-era Official Secrets Act and sentenced them to seven years in jail.

The reporters had been working at the time of their arrest on a Reuters investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in a village in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state. The killings happened during an army crackdown that sent some 730,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh.

Moe Yan Naing testified in court that a senior officer had ordered a subordinate to meet Wa Lone at a restaurant in Yangon and plant “secret documents” on him.

An appellate court rejected appeals by Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo last month, saying the defense had not provided sufficient evidence to show they were innocent.

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China Offered to Nearly Halve Cost of Malaysia’s $20B Rail Project: Sources

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 09:17 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR — China offered to nearly halve the cost of a $20-billion rail project to save the centerpiece of its infrastructure push in Southeast Asia, two sources said on Thursday, but contradictory remarks by Malaysian ministers leave the outcome uncertain.

The conflicting statements made over the past week on the status of the East Coast Railway Link (ECRL) underscore the political and diplomatic challenges facing the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in renegotiating the contract.

“If it was just about the cost, China has offered a big reduction on the cost, as much as around half,” said one of the sources privy to the talks.

Contractor China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC) had offered to cut construction costs of 67 billion ringgit ($16.39 billion) for the 688-km project by as much as half, the sources said.

Expenses on interest and land acquisition help make up the rest of the total cost.

Despite the proposed discount, Mahathir’s government decided to cancel the contract this month, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the topic.

After coming to power in May, Mahathir, a critic of China’s investments in Malaysia, vowed to renegotiate or cancel what he calls “unfair” Chinese projects authorized by his predecessor, Najib Razak, and suspended the ECRL in July.

However, on Wednesday Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said Malaysia was pursuing more talks with China.

That news came days after another minister said the cabinet had decided to terminate the contract and a day after Mahathir sought China’s understanding over the planned cancellation.

Negotiations have continued since the July suspension, with Malaysia indicating that it was looking for cheaper proposals on what would have been China’s biggest Belt and Road venture in Southeast Asia.

Too many officials

The sources also said negotiations had been complicated by the involvement of too many Malaysian officials.

Apart from the Finance Ministry, CCCC and its domestic partner Malaysia Rail Line (MRL) have also had to present their proposals to Mahathir’s long-time adviser, Daim Zainuddin, among other government officials.

“Each has their own agenda and looks at the project differently…it’s a very peculiar situation,” one of the sources said.

Daim led the now-disbanded advisory council formed soon after Mahathir came to power. His office declined to comment.

The Malaysian Finance Ministry directed queries to the prime minister’s office, which did not immediately respond to questions. MRL and CCCC declined to comment.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said this week he had seen the reports of the cancellation but was unaware of the specifics.

“As far as I know, this project was agreed upon by companies from both sides in accordance with market principles based on equality, mutual benefit and consensus-building,” he said.

“The Chinese and Malaysian sides have been in communication on the relevant matters.”

He did not elaborate.

On Wednesday, the Malaysian cabinet said it had decided to stop making comments on the project, save for those by Mahathir.

Ties with China deteriorated after Mahathir led a coalition of unlikely partners to election victory over Najib’s Barisan Nasional alliance, which had governed the country for 60 years.

“It is not an easy task for a coalition of diverse parties with almost no experience in the federal government,” said Adib Zalkapli, Malaysia director of public policy consultancy Bower Group Asia.

“And each of the parties may have different ideas about foreign policy in the ‘new Malaysia.'”

The rail project was launched in 2017 in a push for Chinese investment during the administration of Najib, whose near-decade-long rule ended in electoral defeat amid a massive financial scandal.

Hit by ballooning costs, lack of transparency and the risk it could saddle Malaysia with uncomfortably large debt, the project has come to symbolize Najib’s scandal-ridden administration.

At the time, the opposition, which included Mahathir, accused Najib of selling out Malaysia’s sovereignty to China.

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Trump to Meet With China’s Xi to Try to Seal Trade Deal, Progress Reported

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 08:50 PM PST

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping soon to try to seal a comprehensive trade deal as Trump and his top trade negotiator both cited substantial progress in two days of high-level talks.

Trump, speaking at the White House during a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, said he was optimistic that the world’s two largest economies could reach “the biggest deal ever made.”

The Chinese trade delegation said in a statement that the two days of high-level talks made “important progress,” China’s official Xinhua news agency reported.

No specific plans for a meeting with Xi were announced, but Trump said there could be more than one meeting. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were invited to bring a U.S. negotiating team to Beijing around mid-February, with dates still pending.

At the end of the talks next door to the White House, Liu told Trump that China would make a new, immediate commitment to increase soybean purchases. An administration official later clarified the amount as a total of 5 million tons, effectively doubling the amount bought by China since resuming limited purchases in December.

U.S. soybean sales to China, which totaled 31.7 million tons in 2017, were largely cut off in the second half of last year by China’s retaliatory tariffs and the announcement drew a positive reaction from Trump, who said it would “make our farmers very happy.”

The Chinese delegation’s statement said China will expand imports of U.S. agricultural, energy, service and industrial products, according to Xinhua.

While China has offered increased purchases of U.S. farm, energy and other goods to try to resolve the trade disputes, negotiators dug into thornier issues, including U.S. demands that China take steps to protect American intellectual property and end policies that Washington says force U.S. companies to turn over technology to Chinese firms.

Lighthizer said there was “substantial progress” on these issues, including verification mechanisms to “enforce” China’s follow-through on any reform commitments it makes.

“At this point, it’s impossible for me to predict success. But we’re in a place that if things work out, it could happen,” Lighthizer said at the Oval Office meeting.

Later, he told reporters that the U.S. objective was to make China’s commitments “more specific, all-encompassing and enforceable” with a mechanism for taking action if China fails to follow through, but declined to provide specific issues.

Reuters previously reported that such an enforcement mechanism would involve a snap-back of U.S. tariffs.

Tariffs not part of talks

Asked whether the two sides discussed lifting U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods, Lighthizer said tariffs were not part of the talks.

A person familiar with the discussions said a broad range of concerns about access to Chinese agricultural markets was raised in the talks but little progress was made.

The White House said in a statement that a scheduled March 2 tariff increase on $200 billion of Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent was a “hard deadline” if no deal was reached by March 1.

Trump said he did not think he would need to extend the deadline. “I think when president Xi and I meet, every point will be agreed to,” Trump added.

But Trump has vetoed multiple proposed trade deals with China, choosing to push ahead with tariffs on Chinese goods to gain leverage. Earlier, Trump said on Twitter he was looking for China to open its markets “not only to Financial Services, which they are now doing, but also to our Manufacturing, Farmers and other U.S. businesses and industries. Without this a deal would be unacceptable!”

The U.S. complaints on technology transfers, and intellectual property protections, along with accusations of Chinese cyber theft of American trade secrets and a systematic campaign to acquire U.S. technology firms, were used by Trump’s administration to justify punitive tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports.

China has retaliated with tariffs of its own, but has suspended some and is allowing some purchases of U.S. soybeans during the talks.

Chinese officials have said their policies do not coerce technology transfers.

The Chinese delegation said China will actively respond to U.S. concerns on intellectual property and creating a fair market environment, Xinhua reported.

The U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods are just one front in Trump’s efforts to upend the global trading order with his “America First” strategy. He has also imposed global tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, washing machines and solar panels and has threatened to raise tariffs on imported cars unless Japan and the European Union offer trade concessions.

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Thursday, January 31, 2019

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KNU Leaders Call for Continued Struggle on 70th Anniversary

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 07:22 AM PST

PAAN District, Karen State—70 years on, the spirit of the Karen national revolutionary movement remains strong among the young, adults and the elderly, even after more than seven years of peace talks between the government and the Karen National Union.

Unlike in past years, the KNU carefully planned this year's event near their headquarters in Paan District of Karen State, close to the Thai border. It included an exhibition showcasing the history of the KNU, generations of Karen revolutionary leaders and the KNU's ongoing peace talks with the government. It is the biggest such commemoration ever held by the KNU, a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

On Wednesday night, events were held to entertain those in attendance, who included Karen from the area, from across Karen State and Myanmar, and even from abroad. These included a music concert, traditional Done dancing and other festivities.

Thursday marked the 70th anniversary of the day in 1949 when the KNU began its resistance following the central government's denunciation of the group as an unlawful organization after months of protests demanding equality for the Karen people. At the anniversary event, ethnic leaders urged all Karen to continue to support the struggle for basic rights and equality.

Addressing the Karen attendees in their native language, KNU chairman Saw Mutu Sae Poe said, "At this time, though we have not reached our political goal of freedom, equality, autonomy and peace in the country—[and] the establishment of a democratic federal union for the Karen people and for all ethnic nationalities—we still can stand up firmly in our movement."

He said the Karen people had made an enormous sacrifice over the past seven decades, and not only on the battlefield. He reminded the audience that many civilians had been forced to become IDPs and refugees. He said that because of this hardship, "hatred, bitterness and distrust have arisen among them."

Echoing the chairman's speech, Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung, a KNU executive committee member who is in his 70s and has been part of the revolutionary movement for 50 years, told The Irrawaddy, "Although it has been more than 70 years since the beginning of the Karen's struggle for equal rights, we have not reached our goal."

He told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, "Our path and our history of Karen revolutionary effort has been hard. There has been so much sacrifice and loss." He urged young people to keep up their resistance activities until equality can be achieved between the majority Bamar and the minority ethnic groups like the Karen.

"The young must continue to take responsibility, and must not forget about the Karen revolutionary leaders, as well as the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives," he said.

The leaders' messages appeared to have been taken to heart by the younger members of the community in attendance. The Irrawaddy talked to few young people who were keen to show their strong spirit and their pride in the resistance movement.

Saw Kae Doh from Hlaine Bwe Township in Karen State was attending his first KNU anniversary event. He said young people such as himself "need to keep on following the path laid out by the Karen leaders until [the community's goal] is achieved."

But he hoped the Karen leaders would be able to achieve genuine peace.

Padoh Saw Tadoh Moo, the current secretary general of the KNU, said the 70th anniversary commemoration was an opportunity to highlight the group's struggles and its latest peace efforts.

"Genuine peace is needed to attain our rights, which have long been denied us, and also to restore democracy, which we lack," he told The Irrawaddy. He added that informal talks would be held soon between the KNU and the government and Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) leaders to resolve the latest deadlock in peace talks.

Karen State Chief Minister Daw Nang Khin Htwe Myint joined the event and delivered a speech urging everyone to support peace negotiators in order to achieve peace for future generations.

"Everyone here knows that our state has been underdeveloped for decades due to a lack of peace," she said, urging people to work together so that Karen State could make progress.

Padoh Saw Tha Mein Tun, another KNU leader, echoed that sentiment, urging the people to keep working to achieve peace, adding that the revolutionary movement had kept the Karen people strong for 70 years.

He said, "It has been both good and bad, [and we have seen] success and failure [during this resistance journey], but we keep our flag raised high; that is the Karen spirit."

The Karen people must continue in the same spirit because "we Karen people are determined to keep resisting," he said.

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Activists Stage Protest as Statue of Gen. Aung San Goes up in Loikaw

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 06:51 AM PST

The Kayah State government put up a statue of slain independence hero General Aung San in the state capital Loikaw on Thursday as dozens of local ethnic rights activists staged a protest nearby.

The activists began their peaceful protest at 2 p.m., sitting inside the park where government workers were erecting the statue. The state government deployed a heavy security presence at the park, where a line of police clad in riot gear stood between the protesters and the workers.

The protesters eventually moved to a camp they set up outside the park.

Throughout the day, the activists used loudspeakers and made a series of speeches directed at members of the public, who largely remained outside the park. The activists said the state government was wrong to put up the statue, as the majority of Loikaw residents opposed it. A number of ethnic communities around Myanmar have staged protests against statues of General Aung San in their states, viewing them as an attempt by the central government to impose control from outside and assimilate them.

If the National League for Democracy-led government felt obliged to put up a statue in Loikaw, the activists said, they should put it in front of the NLD's office in the town, not in a public place.

The government's actions disrespected the feelings of local people, they said, adding that the government used its power to do whatever it wanted while ignoring the wishes of indigenous people.

The rights activists also said the NLD government had a political purpose for putting up the statue. "This isn't fair. Their actions are an insult to we indigenous people," one of them said.

After protesting inside the park for about two hours, the activists moved from the park to another site where opponents of the statue have set up a camp as an ongoing protest.

Khun Thomas, a member of the Kayan New Generation Youth organization, told The Irrawaddy that the group set up the camp near the park to make the government aware of its opposition to the statue.

"We have opened the 'strike' camp. We do not know how long this strike will last, but we will stay at the camp. If police crack down on the protesters at the camp, it will be the responsibility of the state government," Khun Thomas said.

The activists asked the government to negotiate with them at the camp as soon as possible.

Some police officers arrived at the camp and ordered the activists there to remove it, saying it was established without permission. "They told us it was a restricted area. They threatened to take action if we refused to withdraw," Khun Thomas said. The activists ignored the police warning, but no arrests were made.

A group of activists met with Kayah State Minister of Planning and Finance U Maw Maw on Thursday at his office. U Maw Maw told them it was State government project, and he was powerless to stop it.

Kyaw Htin Aung, one of the activists who met with U Maw Maw, asked to be allowed to meet with the leaders of the project, but was told the project team refused to meet protesters.

Kyaw Htin Aung then demanded the government disclose the cost of putting up the statue, but U Maw Maw refused.

The statue of Gen. Aung San arrived in Loikaw on Tuesday, against the wishes of many local residents.

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Military ‘Never Said’ it Opposes Amending Constitution: Commander-in-Chief

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 04:44 AM PST

NAYPYITAW — Commander-in-Chief Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on Thursday insisted that the military has never said it would not amend the country’s Constitution, responding to media questions about his views on changing the charter.

"[I] have already agreed to amend [the Constitution]. [I] never said the Constitution would not be amended," he said at a military exercise in Mandalay Region.

"[I] have said [that I agree] many years ago, since the time of the first [civilian] government. But it is important that [the Constitution] is amended systematically. And I have nothing to say about anything else. [The Constitution] will be amended when it is necessary," he added.

Upper House lawmaker U Aung Kyi Nyunt, a central executive committee member of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), submitted a proposal to Parliament on Tuesday to form a joint committee comprising fellow lawmakers to draft amendments to the Constitution.

Military lawmaker Brig. Gen. Maung Maung complained during the session that the formation of such a committee was not in line with established procedures, adding that legislators should not resort to deceit or craftiness.

When the speaker rejected his complaint, all the  military lawmakers took to their feet — their customary method of displaying their displeasure with NLD motions they disapprove of. Their defiance prompted the speaker to ask sarcastically, "What does it mean?"

The speaker explained that the proposal to form a committee represented an all-inclusive approach to constitutional reform and that it allowed for debate. Parliament subsequently voted to discuss the proposal at a later date.

On Thursday, U Aung Kyi Nyunt told reporters in Naypyitaw that his proposal to form a committee was not intended to serve the interests of a particular person or party, but of the country. He said the proposed amendments have not been predetermined and would be discussed by the committee, which would be inclusive.

"What we are saying is simple. It is time [to changed the Constitution] for the future of our country. I don't say what should be and what shouldn't be. The point is what kind of country you want to leave future generations. Let's think about it together. This is the objective,” he said.

"As the military representative said, his proposal is not even an urgent proposal. But the fact that such a proposal even had to be put to a vote damages the dignity of the Union Parliament or the legislative branch," Lower House lawmaker U Thaung Aye told The Irrawaddy.

Brig. Gen. Maung Maung, who leads the military’s lawmakers in the Union Parliament, questioned the NLD's motives in moving to amend the Constitution only one year before the 2020 elections when it could have started sooner.

"There is not much time left, and they are not transparent with their intentions. We view their efforts to amend the Constitution to be hasty. And [the NLD] overstepped the procedures. Such acts are not democratic," he told reporters.

The NLD holds 59 percent of the seats in Parliament, ethnic parties 11 percent, the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party 5 percent, and the military itself — as per the Constitution, which it wrote — 25 percent. The Constitution also states that the charter cannot be amended without approval from more than 75 percent of lawmakers.

While military leaders do not explicitly object to seeing the Constitution amended in public, they often say it needs to be protected and that it holds the key to holding the country together.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Military ‘Never Said’ it Opposes Amending Constitution: Commander-in-Chief appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

KBZ Brings ‘Loving-Kindness’ to Myanmar Banking

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 04:18 AM PST

YANGON — It all started with a poll, when an overwhelming 85 percent of the employees of Kanbawza, Myanmar’s largest bank, picked “banking with Metta,” or loving-kindness, to be the company’s core value. Emboldened by the results, the bank decided to address the current state of Myanmar’s banking sector — inconvenient, inefficient and bare bones — by making 2019 “the year of Metta” to transform the industry’s culture from the inside out. KBZ Deputy CEO Daw Nang Lang Kham tells you more here about the bank’s motives, why it is placing loving-kindness at the heart of its efforts to see Myanmar reach full financial inclusion, and its hopes that others will also be guided in the choices they make by Metta, compassion and a deeper understanding of themselves and their communities.

What is your motive to make 2019 the year of Metta for KBZ?

At KBZ Bank, we have a bold vision…to improve the quality of life through banking and achieve 100 percent financial inclusion in Myanmar. We believe that upholding Metta, or loving-kindness, as a universal value is critical to achieving this. From the way our teams work everyday to how we develop products and serve our customers better, we want to hold ourselves to a commitment of being good to others and always doing the right thing.

What inspired you to embark on The Year of Metta movement?

As the largest privately owned bank, our journey to banking with Metta began with recognizing the critical role thousands of us play as change agents in society. In a poll we conducted, 85 percent of employees at KBZ Bank responded in support of banking with Metta as our most critical value. As this was the direction we collectively wanted to pursue, we put this to action and embarked on a bold transformation from the inside out, led by our CEO, Mike DeNoma, to bring loving-kindness to our communities and society.

We recognized that the banking sector is still evolving and has yet to win the hearts and minds of everyday people in Myanmar. In a recent study, we found that banking services in Myanmar today are not as convenient, simple, time-saving and value-adding as they need to be. Reflecting on this, we made a commitment to address this gap by transforming our culture from the inside out to better care for the community we serve.

Why is it important that Metta be your company’s core value?

Being good to people and doing the right thing might seem like a simple principle, but this is rare and revolutionary for a bank. It is a transformation that requires a clear commitment from all. As 85 percent of our employees voted for Metta to be the most critical value we uphold, we were moved and compelled to act on this.

Today, KBZ Bank stands as the only financial institution in the world guided by loving-kindness. As a force of thousands of employees situated across the country, we want to internalize this value and set the example for those around us in having compassion and a deeper understanding of self and those we serve.

Apart from Metta, are there any other values the company wants to uphold?

Along with Metta, we are guided by the principles of Thet Ti, or courage, and Virya, or perseverance. Metta, Thet Ti and Virya are interlinked. One cannot exist without the other two, and all are key to realizing our ambitious goal of reaching 100 percent financial inclusion in Myanmar.

You have to be courageous to make bold decisions and take risks, but also have compassion and loving-kindness to make sure these bold decisions are for the betterment of the community and society. We combine these with Virya as the journey to financial inclusion [is a] long road and you need perseverance to reach your destination and accomplish the ultimate goal.

What impact will making Metta a core value of KBZ have on the company and its customers?

Loving-kindness is a powerful and transformative value and we have this running throughout the entire organization. From the way our teams work every day in pursuit of a common goal, to the way we manage our differences, we encourage everyone to build a thriving community with Metta, loving-kindness, ingrained in its foundation. Whether through verbal or written communication with one another or through our interactions on social networks, we are pursuing a culture of mindfulness in our actions and reactions.

We are also embracing Metta in the way we operate, develop products and serve our customers better. Loving-kindness gives each [person] in our team a powerful ability to empathize with customers and their communities and to respond decisively with genuine care and commitment to serving them.

What are your plans to spread Metta in your company and in Myanmar as a whole?

We have reorganized our entire business on banking with Metta, beginning with presenting CEO Awards to recognize employees who live and…exemplify these values, and factoring this achievement in career development.

Our products and services are also conceived from loving-kindness. For example, KBZPay, our mobile wallet, was developed as a way to offer more convenient, flexible and simple financial services to millions of customers who may not have a bank account. With fund transfers, mobile airtime top-ups, QR code payments and other essential financial services at the tap of a finger, millions of people no longer need to spend hours and thousands of kyat travelling to our branches to transact. There are many more Metta-based features coming onto KBZPay and we are excited to introduce these to our customers.

We have also made our services more accessible by moving beyond the doors of the branch. We implemented a territory model where over 500 of our branch teams reach out to their townships and surrounding communities across the country to introduce innovative banking services like KBZPay, our mobile wallet, to millions, and help understand how financial services can improve their lives. Through these innovative products and services, we want to create a sustainable future for people in Myanmar.

We believe that upholding Metta is more important than ever when the world is full of hate speech even on social media. How do you think loving-kindness can reduce the hate speech we see and heard in our everyday lives?

Loving-kindness embraces a culture of empathy. It does not respond to anger with anger, but instead brings patience and a will to understand how the other might feel, the underlying circumstances they might be facing, and ultimately offer to resolve the problem. This is a powerful force of positivity that I and many friends, family and colleagues aim to encourage in each other's interactions daily.

It gives each of us the powerful ability to guard our speech and actions, especially when managing our differences. By empathizing with others and their circumstances, we are able to reflect calmly and respond decisively with genuine care. From verbal or written communication with one another to our interactions on social networks, we want to encourage everyone to pursue a culture of mindfulness in our actions and reactions.

Your message to others on loving-kindness is…?

Embracing Metta is not about having unlimited generosity and giving into what others please. Instead, I see it as a strength that one has in encouraging positivity in the way you go about your everyday lives. Whether you are in school, at work or at home, take each and every opportunity to be concerned for one another and have the courage and perseverance to help each other succeed. This is what will have a profound impact on our country and its future.

To what extent do you believe the Metta movement will succeed? Have you received any positive feedbacks so far?

Banking with Metta is not our ultimate mission, but the DNA and values-driven culture that will enable us to accomplish our goal — improving the quality of life through banking and achieving 100 percent financial inclusion in Myanmar.

Beyond KBZ Bank, my hope is for Metta to be a positive movement among all in society. We may not be able to determine how others act or react, but we can each do our part and raise awareness on the need for loving-kindness, and encourage a deeper sense of care for one another.

What kind of working environment do you want to see in society?

A society that prioritizes mutual respect, maturity in action, taking responsibility and having a sense of accountability. One filled with individuals who have a deep understanding of self, their immediate surrounding, and the wider community.

People should recognize their inner gifts and talents, the impact they have as a person…and the difference they can make.

Our ultimate aim is to improve the quality of life through banking and realize 100 percent financial inclusion in Myanmar. This means creating more access to financial services that provide the freedom and security for all to pursue what matters most in life.

As we work towards this, our hope is that others too will be guided in their decision-making by loving-kindness, compassion and a deeper understanding of themselves and their communities as a whole, and work to create a sustainable future for one another.

The post KBZ Brings ‘Loving-Kindness’ to Myanmar Banking appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Central Bank Allows Yen, Yuan Transactions

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 03:13 AM PST

YANGON — The Central Bank of Myanmar on Wednesday announced that it will now allow the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan to be used as a settlement currency for international payments and transfers.

The move came after Chinese investors urged the Ministry for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations to reform Myanmar’s foreign currency exchange policies during the Invest Myanmar Summit 2019 in Naypyitaw on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Central Bank said the policy change aims to facilitate international payments and settlements and border trade.

It said banks authorized for foreign exchange can now open yen and yuan accounts and settle trades in those currencies. But opening personal accounts or registering legal entities in yen or yuan is still prohibited.

Since the National League for Democracy took power in early 2016, the government has moved slowly to reform the banking sector.

Since August, however, the Central Bank has made some major reforms, including dropping exchange rate limits on private banks and exchange counters in a bid to prevent currency manipulation and settle recent fluctuations in the Myanmar kyat. In November it allowed foreign banks to lend and provide other services to domestic companies in order to help exporters being limited by the services of local lenders.

"The move is only the first step in making official transitions for trading and any payments with internationally" currencies, said Saw Bo Bo, a former Citibank officer.

"If you want to transfer Chinese currency to China, you have to go to the bank and exchange it [kyat] with yuan. Then the bank will transfer the money to the receivers. Further reforms should let the people open personal accounts" in yen and yuan as well, he said.

The post Central Bank Allows Yen, Yuan Transactions appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Former General to Form New Party to ‘Support State Counselor’

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 02:37 AM PST

NAYPYITAW—The aim of the political party to be established by ex-general and former Lower House Speaker U Shwe Mann, is to support State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, according to the sources close to him.

U Shwe Mann, who has close ties to Daw Aung San Su Kyi, will continue to support her through his party by reinforcing the civilian government in Myanmar, according to U Win Oo, former Lower House lawmaker and member of U Shwe Mann's party.

"We have extended our help since Daw Aung San Suu Kyi entered [the Parliament] through the [2012] by-election. Though we lost and stepped down, [U Shwe Mann] has been helping with the [Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission]. This is because we want to strengthen the civilian government. We want [the civilian government) to last for a long time. We are helping with this good intention in mind," U Win Oo told The Irrawaddy.

U Shwe Mann was once considered the third most powerful man in the military regime and graduated from the Defense Services Academy in 1965. He rose through the ranks to become a general in 2010 and was appointed chief of general staff which gave him authority over the army, navy and air force.

He contested for the 2010 elections as a member of the Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) and was elected to the position of Lower House Speaker.

U Shwe Mann was purged from the USDP's top position in August 2015 in a power struggle with former president U Thein Sein.

He contested for the 2015 general elections as a USDP member, but lost to a National League for Democracy (NLD) candidate.

However, in 2016, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi appointed him head of the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission of Myanmar's Parliament.

His move to ally with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi before the 2015 polls earned him the title of a turncoat among USDP supporters.

According to U Win Oo, U Shwe Mann has not yet chosen a name for his party, and therefore has not submitted an application to the Union Election Commission for registration as a political party.

Tentative names for the party include Union Party, People's Affairs Party, National Interest Party, and Citizens' Affairs Party, he said.

U Shwe Mann will be the chairperson of the party, and there will be 19 members on the central executive board, he added.

Sources close to U Shwe Mann said ex-military officers are also on the party's executive board. Around four current members of the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission will also join the party which will be funded by the founders themselves.

"Some people have shown support and some people have criticized it. Despite this, we have a clear conscience. We will help where we are needed. We are establishing the party just because the law necessitates it. We won't in fact engage in politics. We will only work for the interest of the country," U Win Oo told The Irrawaddy.

U Shwe Mann has informed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi about his plan to establish a party, according to sources close to him.

USDP spokesperson U Nanda Hla Myint acknowledged that U Shwe Mann's party would have a certain impact on his party, but that they are not worried about the 2020 general elections under the leadership of the USDP's new chairperson U Than Htay.

"Anyone who took top positions in the [USDP] worked for the interests of the country and citizens. We are sorry to see that someone who helped build and lead the party has done this," he said.

Though U Shwe Mann's party can win some support, it would not win many seats in the 2020 election, according to former Lower House lawmaker and political analyst U Ye Htun.

"NLD supporters will not vote for U Shwe Mann's party in the election. Only those who are frustrated with the USDP, ex-members of the USDP and U Shwe Mann's supporters in the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Military) will vote for his party. This will surely help the NLD," said U Ye Htun.

The post Former General to Form New Party to 'Support State Counselor' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Villagers Issue Plea for Help over Huge RCSS Tax Demand

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 01:37 AM PST

NAMTU—Residents of Shan State's Namtu Township are having trouble coming up with a nearly 10-million-kyat payment demanded by the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S).

According to local residents, 361 households in several villages in the Pan Long village tract were asked to pay a tax of 25,000 kyats per household.

The RCSS summoned village administrators on Jan. 19 and asked for the tax, said local residents, who sent a petition objecting to the demand to government departments, civil society organizations, local lawmakers, political parties and the RCSS.

"It is hard for us to find 25,000 kyats. So, I have been working for others, earning 1,000 kyats per day to save up the money. We have submitted a petition because we are really having difficulties," said a local resident of Panlong village who asked not to be named.

While farming is the major livelihood for local villagers, frequent clashes in the area often force them to flee their homes, leaving them in financial hardship, he said, adding that locals also have to pay an annual tax to the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), the political wing of the Shan State Army-North.

In a letter to the RCSS, a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), the local residents asked the group to reconsider the amount, saying they are suffering genuine hardship due to the clashes in the area.

They also cited Chapter 3 of the NCA, which bars armed groups from demanding money, property, food or labor.

"Some six days ago, the RCSS asked for 27 gallons of rice from each household. Though they said they wanted rice, they in fact asked for the equivalent amount of money, charging 30,000 kyats for nine gallons. Six of my neighbors paid them. They also asked the entire village to pay a tax of 540,000 kyats," said a resident of Pan Thabye village on condition of anonymity.

The villagers promised that they would pay the money on Feb. 15, he said. This is the first time they have been asked to pay this tax.

RCSS spokespersons did not answer the phone when contacted by The Irrawaddy for comment.

Pan Thabyay village / Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint / The Irrawaddy

Daw Nan Seng Huang, a regional lawmaker from Namtu Township, said she had received the local residents' petition.

"I have to consult with my party [on how to respond]. But I will do as much as I can for them, as they are my constituents," she told The Irrawaddy. Daw Nan Seng Huang belongs to the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy.

There is a need to handle the issue delicately, as it concerns villagers' security, she said.

The Myanmar Army, the RCSS, the SSPP, the TNLA and the Kachin Independence Army are all active in the area.

The RCSS entered Namtu Township in 2015. Until then, the area had largely been under the control of the SSPP and TNLA.

Clashes broke out between the TNLA and RCSS in December 2015 over territorial disputes. In August last year, the SSPP joined the TNLA in attacking the RCSS.

According to local residents, all three armed groups have a list of the number of households, populations and contact numbers of village administrators in the villages in their controlled areas, and conduct annual conscriptions of local residents.

The Irrawaddy found that the SSPP collects taxes from over 50 villages in Namtu Township. Residents of some villages reported that the TNLA also asked for food as well as money, and forced them to act as porters to support troop movements.

Villagers said the armed groups asked them to store weapons, ammunition and equipment in their villages. Village administrators were forced to provide information on the troop deployments and movements of their enemies.

Locals suspected of having ties with opposing groups are beaten, they said.

From 2016 through January, the TNLA allegedly abducted and tortured 60 Shan villagers in Namtu Township on suspicion of being RCSS spies. Some of them are thought to have been killed during interrogations, locals said.

Meanwhile, Ta'ang villagers from Pan Kut village in Namtu Township accused the RCSS of abducting nine villagers who have been missing since last year.

The Irrawaddy visited Pan Kut village in December, and found that residents were suffering from food shortages as military tensions between the RCSS and the TNLA, and the danger of landmines, were preventing them from terrace farming.

The post Villagers Issue Plea for Help over Huge RCSS Tax Demand appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Yangon Timeout

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 01:35 AM PST

Peaceful Golden Heritage: 1st International Watercolor Festival

The watercolor artwork of over 260 artists hailing from 31 different countries will be on display at The Strand's ballroom for this event organized with New Treasure Art Gallery. The work from master watercolor artists who were invited to give a demonstration on the opening day is also on display as well as the 63-meter long combined painting created by about 90 artists over the course of the festival.

Until Feb. 1| The Strand Hotel Ballroom | The Strand Hotel, Strand Road, Yangon |

Yangon Pride

This is the second and final weekend of Yangon's greatest ever LGBTIQ festival. Head to the French Institute on Friday evening for films and a performance by the LGBT choir. Saturday will see more films plus a debate, a "human library" and performances by the very famous and talented Ar-T and Pangina Heals. Sunday will see more film screenings and a debate followed by a cabaret show by Shwe. If that's not enough Pride, head to the extra Fab party at Pyrite nightclub on Saturday night.

Feb. 1 to 3| Institut Français de Birmanie | 340, Pyay Road, Sanchaung Township | Free Admission

 

 

A Night in Jamaica

This Friday night is reggae night. With four international DJs (France, Nigeria, Italy) playing your favorite Jamaican music, you are sure to spend your night dancing, singing and drinking with friends sharing those reggae vibes. Plus, it's good to know that between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tuborg beer is buy-one-get-one-free.

Feb. 1 | 8:30 p.m.  | Hard Rock Café Yangon | Level 4, Myanmar Plaza, Yankin Township | Admission 5,000 kyats

Clean Yangon, Green Yangon

This is the 20th edition of a volunteer movement of like-minded local and international people in Yangon who are taking things into their own hands by coming together to clean the streets. The group will meet outside Craft Café and participants are requested to wear green. Cleaning equipment will be supplied.

Feb. 2 | 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. | Yawminggyi Street, Dagon Township

Moving Yangon Forward

This is an English-language forum about urban movement in Yangon organized by Impact Hub Yangon in conjunction with Grab. A number of informed and connected people will give speeches and take part in panel discussions, including U Maung Aung, secretary of Yangon Region Transport Authority, Daw Moe Moe Lwin, director of Yangon Heritage Trust, Beverley Salmon, the deputy director of Doh Eain and Ces Rondario, the leader of Impact Hub Asia. Yangon residents are invited to participate in discussions and share their views.

Feb. 2 | 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Chatrium Ballroom | Chatrium Hotel, Natmauk Road, Tamwe Township | Free Admission

Open Workshop at Turquoise Mountain

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Turquoise Mountain will open its workshop to the public for a Saturday session. Turquoise Mountain is a non-government organization which works in Afghanistan and Myanmar to help heritage regeneration and the preservation of traditional crafts. At the Yangon workshop you can see beautiful gold jewelry being made by local artisans as well as textiles and woodwork. Maybe you will even find a gift for someone you love.

Feb. 2 | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Turquoise Mountain Workshop | 14-16, 21st Street (Lower Block), Latha Township |

Pann Yine Myar Art Exhibition

More that 40 exhibits by artist Phone Maw (Ba Min Din) will be shown over three days.

Jan. 2 to 5 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Gallery 65 | No. 65, Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon Township

Japan Traditional Music Demonstration

Those interested in Japanese culture and tradition will enjoy this event. On Saturday afternoon, the Japan Culture House will have two famous Japanese musicians, Hiromu Motonaga and Azumi Yamano, perform traditional Japanese music. Instruments which are unique to Japan will be used and the two musicians will explain a little about the music too. Register to attend this event by sending a message to the Japan Culture House Facebook page. A cap of 30 attendees applies.

Feb. 2 | 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Japan Culture House | Room 322B, 2FL, Building C, Pearl Condo, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township

Out of Sight x Pansuriya Live Painting

Art and electronic music are set to combine in Pansuriya's event space this Saturday afternoon. US artist Courtney Anne Mouser will do a live art performance as part of her solo art show on exhibit. The performance will be set to music and all are invited to join in for a drink and a dance.

Feb. 2 | 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Pansuriya | 100 Bogalayzay Street, Botahtaung Township

Chinese New Year

Many parts of Yangon, and especially around the Chinatown area of downtown, will be decorated in red this week to mark the ringing in of the Chinese New Year. A walk around Chinatown on Monday or Tuesday evening will give you a taste of how vibrant the celebrations are—hanging lanterns, lion dance performances, handing out red envelopes of cash, Chinese temples filled with incense and a lively, joyous atmosphere. Many major hotels, malls and restaurants have special promotions and menus at this time of the year.

Feb. 4 to 5 | Evenings | Sint Ohn Dan and the surrounding streets, Latha Township

Jazz Under the Stars

This is a regular event at Atlas Rooftop Bar but it's always special. This trendy bar has cool breezes from the Yangon River and a stunning night view of the Shwedagon. Yangon's favorite jazz band, the Bamboo Trio, will play smooth jazz tunes while you relax and chat with friends or colleagues.

Feb. 6 | 8 p.m.  | Atlas Rooftop Bar & Lounge | Uniteam Building, 84 Pan Hlaing Street, Sanchaung Township |

Past, Present, Future: Art in Myanmar

Curator and founder of Myanm/art gallery Nathalie Johnston will give a talk on contemporary art and discuss the recently-translated "Myanmar Contemporary Art 1" by Aung Min. She will discuss the difference between modern and contemporary art in Myanmar and the relationship between multiple generations of artists. Admission to the event is free but attendees must present ID at the entrance.

Feb. 7 | 6 p.m. | British Embassy Club | 46 Gyo Byu Road, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township

Hoegaarden Hoe-down

For all the lovers of one of Belgium's best exports, Hoegaarden white beer, this is an event not to miss. An hour of complimentary free-flow Hoegaarden will take place from 6 p.m. and will be followed up by two-for-one on all orders of Hoegaarden after 7 p.m. Union's famous live chili cheese station may catch your interest on the evening too.

The post Yangon Timeout appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

International Watercolor Festival Comes to Yangon

Posted: 31 Jan 2019 12:51 AM PST

YANGON — The International Watercolor Festival (IWF) opened in Myanmar for the first time on Tuesday with works by more than 100 artists on show.

The International Watercolor Society (IWS) has been bringing the festival to countries across Africa, Asia and Europe over the past few years to promote art, watercolor and peace.

"We hope to create a strong friendship between international artists and artists from Myanmar through this festival, and we have a chance to study other artists’ pieces," artist and IWS Myanmar head Min Wai Aung said at the opening event at Yangon’s Strand Hotel.

The four-day festival, “Peaceful Golden Heritage,” features hundreds of works by artists from the IWS’s 93 member countries.

At the opening, some 90 artists painted a 63-meter-long canvas together before the audience, filling it mostly with landscapes rendered in their own personal styles. Among the most eye-catching was an image of Yangon’s Maha Bandula Park by local artists Arkar Myo, Aung Htet Min and Ye Yint Myint Naing.

Artists paint on a single long scroll of paper during the International Watercolor Festival in Yangon on Tuesday. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy

"The three of us just talked about doing this live painting together and it came out very well," said Arkar Myo.

"This live painting activity is always included in every IWF,” said Aung Htet Min. “I had a new experience. All of us painting together at this one place made me feel like we are connected, and that’s really exciting and fun.”

"I'm also excited and happy at the same time,” Arkar Myo added. “We can watch other international artists closely as they paint. And we put more effort into creating a good piece of work because people were watching.”

Aung Htet Min said the festival would also help artists from other countries learn more about Myanmar and its people.

"We can exchange art with other countries,” he said. “This is a big opportunity for the watercolor artists because this is the first international-standard watercolor festival in Myanmar."

Festival participants left for Mandalay Region on Wednesday to draw and paint around the ancient ruins of Bagan and rolling hills of Popa.

"This is my first visit to Myanmar and this country is really beautiful. I'm so happy to come here with this festival," said Hong Shan, from Hong Kong.

"The art industry in Myanmar is bigger than other Asian city like [in] Korea. I'm so glad for that, and I saw a lot of great artists during this event. I hope to see some of them at the other IWFs as well."

Some of the paintings on display at the International Watercolor Festival in Yangon this week. / Lwin Mar Htun / The Irrawaddy

The public can view the paintings at the Strand Hotel Ballroom from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until Friday.

The post International Watercolor Festival Comes to Yangon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Malaysia Says Still Negotiating With China on $20B Rail Project

Posted: 30 Jan 2019 08:27 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia is in talks with China over a $20-billion rail project, the finance minister said on Wednesday, just days after another cabinet minister said Kuala Lumpur had decided to cancel the contract.

After winning power last May, Malaysia’s prime minister vowed to renegotiate or cancel what he calls “unfair” Chinese projects authorized by his predecessor, Najib Razak, voted out after nearly a decade in power amid a massive financial scandal.

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the cabinet had decided to seek further negotiations on the East Coast Rail Link project, the centerpiece of China’s infrastructure push in the Southeast Asian nation.

Malaysia’s cabinet decided “in view of the sensitivity of the contract discussions, that we should allow the discussions,” Lim told reporters, adding that the governments would hold talks.

He did not elaborate on the topic of the discussions.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad asked for China’s understanding over Malaysia’s plan to cancel the project, saying Kuala Lumpur could not afford it.

The contract may cost the country more than 100 billion ringgit ($24.33 billion), Mahathir said, adding that Malaysia would still have to pay a cancellation fee.

Last week, Malaysian Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali said the cabinet had decided to cancel the deal with China Communications Construction Co Ltd, one of the biggest signed in China’s Belt and Road initiative.

Azmin said at the time the government was still determining how much to pay CCCC as a cancellation fee. Government officials have previously said the project cost had been inflated.

The post Malaysia Says Still Negotiating With China on $20B Rail Project appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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