Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


NLD Lawmaker Asks Why Myanmar’s Fugitives Can Evade Justice 

Posted: 06 Nov 2019 06:19 AM PST

NLD MP U Tun Tun Oo says influential and wealthy suspects ignore arrest warrants and go into hiding, undermining the rule of law. 

The Keys to Building Trust and Achieving Peace Are in the Myanmar Military’s Hands

Posted: 06 Nov 2019 04:41 AM PST

Various international models are available, but one way or another the Myanmar military must address the demands of ethnic minorities if the country is to achieve peace.

Myanmar Police Interrogate 21 Hostages Freed by AA

Posted: 06 Nov 2019 03:51 AM PST

Rakhine lawmakers are raising questions about authorities' decision to detain and interrogate 21 civilians taken hostage by the Arakan Army after they were freed Tuesday.

Fugitive Myanmar Gold Mining Executive Arrested in Thailand

Posted: 06 Nov 2019 03:22 AM PST

National Prosperity Company chair U Soe Tun Shein arrested in Thailand after more than a year on the run from charges of illegal gold mining and tax evasion.

Myanmar State Firm Signs Deal to Buy Electricity From Strategic Chinese Project in Rakhine

Posted: 06 Nov 2019 02:37 AM PST

Myanmar's state-owned Electric Power Generation signs purchase agreement with power plant being developed by Myanmar-China joint venture in Rakhine State's Kyaukphyu.

Tensions High in Eastern Shan After Myanmar Military Pushes Stricter Security Checks

Posted: 06 Nov 2019 01:32 AM PST

Attempts by the military to tighten security in Shan State have strained relations among the military, the United Wa State Army and the National Democratic Alliance Army.

Bangladesh Army Chief Set to Visit Myanmar

Posted: 06 Nov 2019 12:46 AM PST

Bangladesh army chief General Aziz Ahmed reportedly set to visit Myanmar from Dec. 8-13; trip follows high-profile visit to China.

Gunmen Kill 15 in Southern Thailand’s Worst Attack in Years

Posted: 06 Nov 2019 12:27 AM PST

At least 15 people killed as suspected separatists attack a security checkpoint in Thailand's Muslim-majority south; police officer, defense volunteers among the dead.

World’s Biggest Trade Pact Shapes Up Without India

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 09:34 PM PST

RCEP trade deal will lower tariffs between Asian markets accounting for nearly a third of global population; India's withdrawal seen strengthening Beijing's hand in Asia.

Malaysia Detains Two Cambodian Dissidents Headed for Thailand

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 08:58 PM PST

Malaysia detains two Cambodian opposition activists waiting to board flight for Thailand; one has asylum-seeker status.

Knife-Wielding Man Attacks Pro-Beijing Lawmaker in Hong Kong

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 08:42 PM PST

Junius Ho, a hardline pro-Beijing legislator in Hong Kong, hospitalized after knife attack.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Myanmar’s ‘People’s Weatherman’ Dies

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 06:07 AM PST

Lifelong meteorologist U Tun Lwin died on Monday. He was 72.

Myanmar Election Commission Seeks to Abolish Military Polling Stations for 2020 Election

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 05:51 AM PST

Myanmar's election commission has proposed draft reforms to Parliament that would let military personnel and their family members cast votes outside military barracks.

Myanmar Coffee Specialist Wins ASEAN Business Award

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 05:46 AM PST

Myanmar's Genius Coffee has won a regional business prize for a second year running. The founder says he wants to drive up quality to break into the luxury market.

Myanmar’s SNLD Condemns Murder of 3 Party Members in Northern Shan State

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 04:14 AM PST

The Shan National League for Democracy has demanded the authorities act to stop civilian deaths in northern Shan State.

13 Killed When Coach Slides off Road in Myanmar’s Mandalay

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 04:05 AM PST

Two of three coaches taking Buddhist pilgrims from Mon State to Sagaing Region crash, leaving 13 dead and 27 injured.

AA Releases 25 Hostages, Blames Myanmar Military for Deadly Bombing

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 03:54 AM PST

The Arakan Army has released 25 civilians abducted from a ferry in Rakhine last week but is still holding an unknown number of security personnel hostage.

Chinese Envoy Meets Members of Myanmar’s Northern Alliance in Yunnan

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 01:20 AM PST

Chinese envoy Sun Guoxiang meets Northern Alliance members in Yunnan province, urges continued engagement with peace process, according to TNLA.

The Day Japan Signed War Reparations for Myanmar

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 12:03 AM PST

On this day in 1954, Myanmar secured a pledge from Japan to pay reparations for violence and damage caused to the country under Japanese occupation during World War II.

Kachin Medic From Myanmar Working With FBR Killed in Syria

Posted: 05 Nov 2019 12:00 AM PST

Zau Seng, a Kachin medic and cameraman working with the US-based Free Burma Rangers relief group in Syria, is killed in a mortar strike by Turkish-backed forces.

China’s Xi Urges Cooperation to Bring Down Trade Barriers

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 10:32 PM PST

Chinese President Xi Jinping says countries need to remove trade barriers, vows to provide more market and investment opportunities.

N. Korea Says US Terrorism Report Makes Talks Difficult

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 10:23 PM PST

North Korea's inclusion on Washington's list of state sponsors of terrorism preventing progress on denuclearization talks, Pyongyang says.

Malaysia Aims to Locate Another $4.3 Billion in 1MDB-Linked Assets

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 10:10 PM PST

Malaysian authorities say they are working with five countries to locate $4.3 billion still unaccounted for in 1MDB financial scandal.

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


A Weatherman’s Memoir

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 07:14 AM PST

To mark the passing of Myanmar weatherman U Tun Lwin, whose warnings about Cyclone Nargis fell on deaf ears in 2008, The Irrawaddy revisits a 2015 review of his memoir.

Student Objections to Tree Cutting Halt Projects at Myanmar’s Yangon University

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 06:55 AM PST

University of Yangon suspends ring road, landscaping projects as students, teachers object to cutting down of trees.

Media Twisted Suu Kyi’s Comments on Constitutional Change: NLD

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 06:48 AM PST

The State Counselor's remarks on charter change were misinterpreted by Nikkei Asian Review as well as domestic media that ran stories based on the interview, NLD says.

Myanmar’s Nagaland Rebels Expel Peace Representatives

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 06:37 AM PST

The National Socialist Council of Nagaland has expelled five jailed members for calling on the group to sign the government's ceasefire agreement.

Three Village Chiefs Shot Dead in Myanmar’s Shan State

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 06:02 AM PST

Three village chairmen reportedly came to Kyaukme to ask for help to stop the forced recruitment of villagers. They were shot dead ahead of the daytime meeting.

Myanmar Artist Khit Bhone Mo’s Deft Touch With Death

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 05:08 AM PST

The painter Khit Bhone Mo passed away less than two weeks before his exhibition 'Saffron' opened at Yangon Book Plaza this month.

Indian Man Dies, Lawmaker Still Held After AA Abduction in Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 02:28 AM PST

Indian man's body returned along with eight survivors after AA abducts boat passengers in Kyauktaw; Chin State Upper House lawmaker from NLD still detained.

Myanmar Farmers Say Govt Failing to Buy Rice at Floor Price

Posted: 04 Nov 2019 02:01 AM PST

Rice farmers in Myanmar's Ayeyarwady Region say the government has yet to purchase any of their paddy though the market price has fallen below the government's minimum.

On Rohingya, Myanmar Will Not Shirk From Responsibility: Suu Kyi

Posted: 03 Nov 2019 11:32 PM PST

Speaking at the ASEAN-UN Summit, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi responds to UN chief's comments on Rohingya return by saying Myanmar open to 'practical' solutions.

Thailand Says New Asian Trade Deal to Be Signed in 2020

Posted: 03 Nov 2019 09:52 PM PST

ASEAN sets sights on February 2020 signing date for world's largest trade bloc, including China, despite new demands from India.

Chinese State Media Urge ‘Tougher Line’ in Hong Kong After Xinhua Targeted

Posted: 03 Nov 2019 08:54 PM PST

Beijing's China Daily newspaper calls for "tougher line" against Hong Kong protesters after Xinhua news agency and other buildings associated with China are targeted.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Why Have Thousands of Myanmar’s Workers Taken to the Streets This Year?

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 08:00 PM PDT

This week, The Irrawaddy looks at the state of Myanmar's labor dispute resolution laws with union leaders U Thet Hnin Aung and Daw Khaing Zar Aung.

Book Examines Moral Basis of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Concept of Democracy

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 06:52 PM PDT

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi presents democracy as a moral value, author Michal Lubina argues in his analysis of the State Counselor's political thought.

Friday, November 1, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Lawyer, Poet, Ex-Army Captain Sued by Myanmar Military for Charter Change Remark

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 07:19 AM PDT

A court case in Tanintharyi Region has opened into trio who advocated constitutional change at a public meeting.

Remand for AA Chief’s Relatives Extended as Myanmar Police Seek Counterterrorism Charges

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 06:18 AM PDT

The sister and brother-in-law of Arakan Army chief Tun Myat Naing remain in custody as the police continue their bid to charge the couple with terror financing.

Yangon Timeout

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 06:13 AM PDT

Local music, Turkish food by chefs straight from Istanbul, a performance art film and farmers and makers markets are all on in Yangon this week.

Social Media Video of Brutal Murder by Alleged Armed Group in Myanmar Draws Public Criticism

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 06:08 AM PDT

A video went viral on social media showing alleged members of an armed group asking a victim for his final wishes before beating him to death.

In Myanmar, Courts Increasingly Used to Silence Criticism of Military and Govt

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 05:14 AM PDT

This week's jailing of a satirical performance troupe continues a worrying trend of official legal action against critics of the government and military.

Water Polluted by Myanmar Military-Run Cement Plant Causes Health Issues in Karen State

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 05:00 AM PDT

Testing by environmental group ALARM shows that polluted water in Hpa-an is dangerous to humans and may be the result of a coal-powered cement factory run by the military.

Minimum Wage Fails to Keep Up With Cost of Living, Myanmar Labor Group Says

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 04:07 AM PDT

The minimum wage needs to be raised to keep up with the cost of living, the Confederation of Trade Unions in Myanmar says; survey findings to be released this month.

46 Rohingya Return to Myanmar’s Rakhine State

Posted: 01 Nov 2019 03:51 AM PDT

Nearly 400 Rohingya have now voluntarily returned to Rakhine State, independent of resettlement negotiations between the Myanmar and Bangladeshi governments.

Our Right to Information Is Inseparable From Our Right to Expression

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 11:48 PM PDT

Ahead of the Int'l Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, it's worth reflecting on the link between the right to information and the right to expression.

The Day in 1980 When Color TV Arrived in Myanmar

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 11:33 PM PDT

On this day in 1980, color television broadcasts came to Yangon with the help of Japanese funding.

Malaysia-Singapore Rail Link Back on at Lower Cost: Mahathir

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 10:57 PM PDT

Railway line from Malaysia's Johor state to Singapore to proceed after cost lowered by a third, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says.

Cheaper Solar Power Gains Ground in Southeast Asia

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 10:49 PM PDT

Southeast Asia's total solar power capacity could triple to 35.8 gigawatts by 2024 as the cost of the energy source continues to fall.

Hong Kong Braces for Mass Rally Over Weekend After Halloween Clashes

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 10:06 PM PDT

Clashes disrupt Halloween festivities in Hong Kong as police fire tear gas at anti-government protesters; another rally planned for Saturday.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine


Myanmar Security Forces, Civilians Rescued; Ferry Owner, Crew Interrogated After AA Abduction

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 07:28 AM PDT

Out of more than 45 hostages taken by the Arakan Army, 15 have been rescued, including 10 members of the security forces, Myanmar's military says.

Take a Trip Around Myanmar in a Single Meal

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 06:45 AM PDT

Sampan's Supper Club brings together dishes by several of Yangon's best ethnic restaurants and serves them up in one delicious—and educational—multi-course meal.

Mine Blast in Myanmar’s Sagaing Leaves One Dead, Three Badly Burned

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 06:07 AM PDT

Police say they will check the Htoo Han Thit mining company's safety record after a methane explosion kills one, injures three in Sagaing.

Yangon Orders Closure of Unlicensed Luxury Spa in Myanmar’s Historic Secretariat

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 05:57 AM PDT

The Yangon City Development Committee says a Singaporean luxury spa in Yangon's Secretariat building has to be closed, as it has been operating without a license.

Buddhist Monk Accused of Aiding Ethnic Armed Group Tortured by Myanmar Military

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 03:40 AM PDT

A monk in northern Shan State says Myanmar army soldiers detained and tortured him after finding radio equipment and uniforms from an ethnic armed group in his monastery.

Myanmar Court Freezes Bank Accounts of Fugitive Monk U Wirathu

Posted: 31 Oct 2019 02:21 AM PDT

Court in Yangon issues warrant freezing the assets of firebrand monk U Wirathu, including two bank accounts; he has been on the run from a sedition charge since May.

In Vietnam’s ‘Billionaire Village’, Migrant Cash Can Buy a Palace

Posted: 30 Oct 2019 11:45 PM PDT

Cash remitted by migrant workers bought houses that would otherwise be unobtainable in Vietnam's Do Thanh, the home of three victims found dead in a truck in the UK.

In Indonesia, ‘Bride Kidnapping’ Tradition Fuels Child Marriage Despite Ban

Posted: 30 Oct 2019 11:08 PM PDT

Activists in Indonesia are working with village elders to end the practice of kidnapping girls for marriage, which has been falsely justified in the name of tradition.

US Must Confront China’s Communist Party: Secretary of State

Posted: 30 Oct 2019 10:39 PM PDT

China seeks international domination and must be confronted, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warns.

Hong Kong Braces for Halloween Protest March to Famous Party Zone

Posted: 30 Oct 2019 10:24 PM PDT

Hong Kong tightens security as anti-government protesters plan to defy police ban and march to Lan Kwai Fong, a popular entertainment area, on Halloween.