The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Sept 17)
• Kachin Rep’s Speaking Time Cut from State Counselor Meet-and-Greet
• This Week in Parliament (September 12-16)
• Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘Our Economy Will Not Pick Up Unless and Until Economic Sanctions are Lifted’

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Sept 17) Posted: 16 Sep 2016 08:11 PM PDT Prospectors search for jade stones at a mine dump at Hpakant jade mine in Kachin state, November 2015. (Photo: Zoe Zeya Tun / Reuters) Lifting of US Sanctions Welcomed The announcement that most US sanctions against Burma will be lifted was the hottest topic among the business community this week. The move, which includes the reinstatement of Burma under the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) tariff system, is expected to provide a boost to exporters and increase foreign direct investment. A representative from a leading foreign law firm in Rangoon said that closer cooperation between Burma and the US has the potential to fuel a boom in infrastructure development and consumer spending in this country. To date, American investment in Burma has lagged behind many other countries. "As sanctions have eased over the past two years, we have seen a range of multinationals looking to set up Myanmar-specific investment vehicles, or to include Myanmar as part of their wider emerging markets investment strategy. US multinationals have not featured as prominently in these discussions as other economic powers such as China, Thailand and Japan have, in part due to the complex sanctions regime," Jo Daniels, Myanmar Managing Partner of Baker & McKenzie, added in a statement. The company was hopeful that easing sanctions would mean that more US investors would begin to see opportunities emerging in Burma. UMFCCI to Hold New Members Election this Weekend Fresh faces are expected to emerge in elections for key leadership positions in Burma's most influential business federation. Voting for membership of the new central executive committee of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers and Commerce Industry (UMFCCI) will take place on Saturday, Sept. 17. The organization's current chair, U Win Aung of Dagon International Group, told media that he would not be seeking reelection. The non-profit federation was created in its current form in 1999 with objectives including the promotion of economic activity and economic development. Singapore Business Group Visits Burma A delegation of business representatives from the second-largest investor in Burma after China visited the country this week. A total of 45 representatives from Singapore joined a six-day mission to Rangoon, Mandalay, and Naypyidaw in the first such trip from the island state since President U Htin Kyaw took office in March, according to a report in Today online. Delegates from the property, accounting, publishing, shipping and logistics, legal, civil engineering, and construction sectors, among others, were led by SS Teo, chairman of the Singapore Business Federation. The group took part in networking activities with local businesses in Rangoon and Mandalay. In Naypyidaw, they were briefed by key ministries, the Myanmar Investment Commission and economic development agencies. Mr. Teo told Today, "The high participation rate of Singaporean companies in Myanmar-related events such as this business mission reflects a growing interest in the country. Indeed, our SBF National Business Survey 2015-16 showed that Myanmar is the most popular country for Singaporean companies venturing overseas." Singapore accounted for US$13 billion worth of approved foreign direct investment as of April this year, according to data from the Myanmar Directorate of Investment and Company Administration. Bilateral trade increased 9.6 percent from 2014 to US$2.6 billion last year. Jade Prospectors in Conflict with Mine Operators A rise in the numbers of hand pickers scavenging for raw jadestones has resulted in tensions around the Nam Shi Pon jade mine in Kachin State's Kani Township, it was reported this week. Eight companies operate at the jade mine, and conflicts have emerged between company officials and hand pickers.  The number of scavengers in the area had reached 800 as of May this year and continues to rise, according to a report in the Global New Light of Myanmar. Bamboo fences erected by jade companies to keep out further arrivals have not stemmed the influx. A company official said that some workers had thrown stones at the vehicles of mine operators. "We have informed the regional authorities, who responded that since the site is not a fixed living space it is difficult to take action against them," the official said. Jade hunting is a highly dangerous occupation in which workers sort through piles of mining refuse seeking overlooked stones, which are then sold back to the companies. The often extremely hazardous conditions of the work made headlines in November last year when mining rubble collapsed on miners' makeshift homes in Hpakant, Kachin State, resulting in the deaths of 116 workers and their families. Yoma Gets Exclusive Construction Distribution Rights Yoma Strategic Holdings has signed an exclusive deal with J C Bamford Excavators (JCB), the world's third largest manufacturer of construction equipment, to distribute its machinery in Burma. Yoma's subsidiary, Convenience Prosperity Company Limited (CPCL), will be the sole distributor of JCB equipment in Burma, according to a report in the Singapore Business Review. The agreement with JCB will complement Yoma's offerings in the group's automotive and equipment division, the group said. CPCL has 11 branches in Burma and also distributes Case New Holland, an agricultural equipment brand. The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Sept 17) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Kachin Rep’s Speaking Time Cut from State Counselor Meet-and-Greet Posted: 16 Sep 2016 08:03 PM PDT Women and children pictured in an internally displaced persons camp in Kachin State in early June 2016. (Photo: Moe Myint / The Irrawaddy) Members of the US-based Kachin community were disappointed by the removal of their representative from a set of speakers at a New York meet-and-greet on Saturday with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Gum San Nsang, president of the Kachin Alliance advocacy group in Washington, was invited by Burma's Permanent Mission to the United Nations to the event as an ethnic Kachin representative. The invitation indicated that representatives from different designated groups would be allotted a time slot for a speech to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who will be in attendance. "We were told that we would have two minutes to talk," Gum San Nsang told The Irrawaddy on Friday. But on Wednesday, staff from Burma's Permanent Mission to the UN called him to let him know that he would not be given time to speak at the event, due to limited space. At the time of publication, The Irrawaddy was unable to confirm which speakers retained speaking privileges. Ja Mai, also of the Kachin Alliance, told The Irrawaddy that the move was symbolic, leading her to "question the level that ethnic minorities like us are allowed to truly participate in the process of rebuilding the country." Gum San Nsang explained that, had he been given the opportunity to speak to the State Counselor, he would have highlighted the crisis created by ongoing conflict with the Burma Army in Kachin and northern Shan states. "I wanted to request that she visit Kachin IDP camps and demand an opening of aid relief to border camps," he told The Irrawaddy, referring to 120,000 civilians uprooted by war and spread across more than 100 displaced people's camps in northern Burma. The Irrawaddy reported in June that Kachin IDPs must survive on assistance of just US$0.25 per day. Gum San Nsang was told by UN mission staff that it was Burma's permanent representative to the UN in New York—and not the State Counselor—who had made the decisions regarding event speakers. The Irrawaddy made contact with staff from Burma's UN mission in New York, but they would not comment on the situation or provide additional information regarding Saturday's event. Tu Aung Myitung, general secretary of the Kachin Alliance, regretted that the group had lost "a great opportunity" to speak on behalf of their community, and he remains puzzled by the permanent representative's decision. "It does not make any sense that they don't want to give us any chance to speak with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during the meeting," he added. The change to Gum San Nsang's invitation came only one day after the White House pledged to lift remaining economic sanctions on Burma after meeting with the State Counselor in Washington. On Monday—only two days before the announcement to eliminate most sanctions—the Kachin Alliance had penned an open letter to US President Obama calling any move to abandon economic restrictions "extremely premature" given ongoing military abuses in Burma, including the systematic use of rape and torture against civilians. The letter was highly critical of the Tatmadaw—the Burma Army—and their "lack of progress" toward adherence to international human rights standards and democratic norms. While Gum San Nsang was told the reason given for the cancellation of his speaking time was "limited space," others speculated whether the decision was connected to the publicity that the Kachin Alliance's letter received. "One could question [whether] this is because of our statement," said Ja Mai. "We feel our voice is being silenced and that the concerns and input of the Kachin community in America are being disregarded." Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticized for her failure to condemn Burma Army abuses in Kachin State since a ceasefire between the Kachin Independence Army and the Burmese military broke down in 2011. "The army which she repeatedly claims is [her] 'father's army' is the army which her country's villagers flee from," Gum San Nsang said, referring to the late Aung San—Burmese independence icon and the founder of the country's military—who was also the State Counselor's father. On a weekend in September 2012—almost four years ago to the day—Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, then a member of Parliament, first spoke to members of the US-based Burmese community at Queens College in New York. When asked about fighting in Kachin State, she had said that she "did not want to add fire to the conflict" by criticizing any of the players involved. To protest what they described as her "silence on the humanitarian crisis in Kachin State," members of the Kachin Alliance did not attend Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in Washington in 2012. "Taking a stand of impartiality in aggression by an elephant against a mouse is not taking the side of justice," Gum San Nsang said of her position on the conflict. The Kachin activists—who have opted out of attending the event on Saturday—said it is unlikely that the war and displacement in northern Burma will be a topic of discussion. The post Kachin Rep's Speaking Time Cut from State Counselor Meet-and-Greet appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

This Week in Parliament (September 12-16) Posted: 16 Sep 2016 07:22 PM PDT Lower House Speaker Win Myint seen pacing through Parliament on Feb. 4. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) Monday, September 12 In the Lower House, Nang Kham Aye of Shan State's Namtu Township asked what measures authorities were taking to address the safety concerns of innocent civilians regarding the widespread use of powerful munitions. Deputy Minister for Defense Maj-Gen Myint Naing said that Chapter 3, Article 5(e) of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) states that joint mine clearing will be carried out by the military and ethnic armed groups according to peace process developments, and that the military was working to ensure the safety of people in places where clashes have ceased but mines may still be located. The Upper House voted down a proposal by lawmaker U Khin Aung Myint to expand ethnic minority language education on Monday, citing a need to first "prioritize nationwide peace." It also debated and passed the Science, Technology and Innovation draft law. Tuesday, September 13 No parliamentary session was held, due to the observance of Eid. Wednesday, September 14 In the Lower House, U Aung Kyaw Kyaw Oo of Hlaing Township asked if the Union government planned to ban private logging companies and take a tough stance on illegal logging. Minister for Resources and Environmental Conservation U Ohn Win replied that exporting raw logs has been banned since April 1, 2014, and that his ministry—in cooperation with concerned departments, administrative and security authorities and the military—would take action against and prevent illegal logging and the smuggling of logs. In the Upper House, lawmakers debated the draft law that annuls the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act and Parliament decided that the Bill Committee should review the draft law. Thursday, September 15 In the Lower House, lawmakers debated a proposal by U Nay Pu Ba Swe calling for more effective implementation of an e-government system that would allow for easier accessibility to information about government services. The Upper House debated the draft law to amend the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law. Due to differing views between the two houses, the draft law will be put to a vote in the Union Parliament. Friday, September 16 The Lower House recorded U Nay Pu Ba Swe's proposal, after 24 lawmakers debated it. In the Upper House, U Htay Oo of Rangoon Constituency 2 asked about the fundamental rights of disabled people and Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. Win Myat Aye replied that a national level committee to help disabled people cannot be formed for the time being because the process calls for greater cooperation between disabled persons' associations. The ministry plans to adopt bylaws regarding the rights of people with disabilities before next March. The post This Week in Parliament (September 12-16) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘Our Economy Will Not Pick Up Unless and Until Economic Sanctions are Lifted’ Posted: 16 Sep 2016 07:14 PM PDT Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. This week, we'll discuss State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's trip to the United States. U Khine Win, director of the Sandhi Governance Institute and freelance business journalist Daw Yamin Myat Aye will join me for the discussion. I'm editor of The Irrawaddy's Burmese edition Ye Ni. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is traveling to the US via London. This visit to the US is different from her previous visit, when she was welcomed as a champion of democracy. This time, she goes as the state counselor and foreign minister. She is going to the US amid the peace process and a transformation in Burma. Ko Khine Win, what do you think will happen to US economic sanctions against Burma? Khine Win: Like many people, I expect that the US government will lift some sanctions such as the SDN [specially designated persons] list during the visit. I think this because national reconciliation is one of the economic policy priorities of the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government. Our economy has been failing to the extent that it will not pick up unless and until economic sanctions are lifted and international investments come in. I think that she will try for this. YN: Some argue that she used sanctions as a bargaining chip throughout the struggle for democracy and might do it again in building democracy and rebuilding the nation. Ma Yamin, what do you think? Yamin Myat Aye: I would like to note two things regarding sanctions. One concerns the economy. Burma cannot do bank-to-bank transactions, which impedes trade and foreign investment. This will only be possible when there are no sanctions. Financial sector reforms—including banking reforms—cannot be carried out while there are sanctions. It is necessary to reduce sanctions over time. Officials from the Central Bank of Burma are accompanying Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on her trip to the US and, as Ko Khine Win mentioned, because the national economic policy seeks national reconciliation, I think she will push for the removal of many of the sanctions. Only then can the country receive foreign investment. Currently, US companies invest in the country, but they do so indirectly through Singapore. Regarding the Burmese military and cronies, an arms embargo is imposed against the military. To what extent sanctions will be reduced in that regard will depend on the level of trust between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the military chief. She has visited the Royal Defense Academy in the United Kingdom, and it is likely that there will be training for military officers and visits between the two armed forces. As for cronies, I am sure that those who are involved in arms and drug dealings will not be removed from the SDN list. Sanctions may be relaxed to an extent that allows for foreign investment but excludes cronies. But, some cronies may possibly be removed from the list. I have interviewed businessmen following this speculation. While there are opportunists who accumulated wealth by working hand in glove with the authoritarian regime, there are also businessmen who got rich because of their industrious hard work. Opportunists have crossed the finish line early because they had an early start in the race. Those who did not work hand in glove with the regimes got a late start and therefore struggled. If all cronies are removed from the list, people will think they can do whatever they like as long as they have money and power. Nobody will want to conduct business fairly and moral values will be undermined. If I were in the shoes of the US government, I would take this into account when deciding to what extent sanctions should be lifted. And I believe the US government will do so. YN: You have made an interesting point. The Kachin community living in Washington, DC recently released a statement calling on the US to continue its embargo on arms deals and avoid military-to-military engagement until peace is established in Burma. But Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has become closer with military leaders and it is because the military has cooperated that we are seeing changes today. Ko Khine Win, do you think Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will speak for military leaders and ask the US to remove sanctions? KW: The US government has to take internal politics and geopolitics into account. An Indian commentator wrote that China would perceive it as a threat if Burma's armed forces and the US get too close. The military-to-military relationship could include things other than military exercises—such as human rights trainings, which the US provides to Burma's military now. They should provide training about the role of the military under a civilian administration. Regarding the relationship between the US and China, everyone knows that America is counteracting China. Commentators argue that the US is trying to contain China by cooperating with its adversaries and that it only wants to allow China's rise within an international liberal order. Our leaders need to find a balance and engage with China since it plays a role in the country's peace process and national reconciliation. On the other hand, it is also important for them to engage with the international community, including the US, to have economic sanctions and embargoes removed over time. The government has to strike a balance, which is not an easy task. YN: Ma Yamin, it seems certain now that the US will grant the GSP [generalized system of preferences] to Burmese exports, and that US companies will invest and smooth financial transactions will be facilitated. How can Burmese businessmen make the best use of the GSP? YMA: If the GSP is granted, duties do not need to be paid when importing things from Burma to the US. So, Burmese products would be more competitive. We can expect lively trade if financial transactions are realized between the US and Burma, but it will also depend on other factors such as the quality of the products and accessibility to the market. Vietnam has gained considerable market share in the export to the US of agricultural and marine products. Burma could export similar items to the US. But it is necessary to connect the producers to the market and it is important that the products are of good quality. The government must think about how it can subsidize producers. I would like to highlight the e-government system here. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi recently visited China and I heard that the company Huawei proposed helping Burma introduce an e-government system. The US voiced opposition to the plan. During her trip, she could ask the US to help Burma's transition to an e-government system—with the help of companies like Google, for instance. Then, online payments could be realized in Burma. This would also create more job opportunities for young people. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi could use her power to get sanctions eased and find a market for agricultural produce. YN: Ko Khine Win, Ma Yamin, thank you for your contributions! The post Dateline Irrawaddy: 'Our Economy Will Not Pick Up Unless and Until Economic Sanctions are Lifted' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Looking Inside Arakan Advisory Commission’s Closed-Door Meeting
• Forestry Police Hit the Ground in Crackdown on Illegal Logging
• YCDC Reclaims Sule Shangri-La Parking Lot
• NGO Calls US Govt to Support Jade Trade Reform After Lifting Sanctions
• US Dollar Price Increases Due to Demand from Importers
• DKBA Splinter Group Lose Several Bases to Burma Army and Border Guard Force
• Can Rangoon Become a Disabled-Friendly City?
• Who wins?
• Burma Army Soldiers Sentenced to Five Years for Killing Civilians
• Suu Kyi Urges US Investment to Spur Democratic Transition 

Looking Inside Arakan Advisory Commission’s Closed-Door Meeting Posted: 16 Sep 2016 07:56 AM PDT A visit by the Kofi Annan-led Arakan State Advisory Commission to Sittwe's Aung Mingalar quarter in Arakan State last week. (Photo: Marayu / Facebook) RANGOON — Former UN general secretary and chair of the Arakan State Advisory Commission Kofi Annan conducted a closed-door meeting in Rangoon earlier this month with members of the Arakanese Buddhist and Muslim communities, The Irrawaddy has learned. Commission member Al-Haj U Aye Lwin confirmed that the one-hour meeting took place on September 8 at the Sule Shangri-La Hotel, and was attended by lawyers, civil society representatives, political party leaders, and the Rangoon chapter of the Rakhine (Arakanese) Thahaya Association. U Aye Lwin said that representatives from both sides appeared open-minded, and presented findings to contribute to the advisory commission's "impartial report," which will be submitted to the State Counselor's Office upon completion. Mr. Annan re-stated to the meeting attendees the objective of the commission: to pursue conflict resolution, humanitarian assistance, reconciliation and development in Arakan State. Hla Maung Thein, chair of Rakhine Thahaya Association, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that he had attended the meeting and talked with Mr. Annan, cautioning him against coming to what could be perceived as a "one-sided conclusion" and encouraging investigation of "the root causes" of ethno-religious violence in Arakan State. Some of the meeting's Buddhist Arakanese attendees reportedly said that they "welcome the commission" and demanded naturalized citizenship be provided to stateless self-identifying Muslim Rohingya in line with existing laws, which could require them to first identify as "Bengali" migrants of Bangladesh. This, meeting attendees said, could avoid dissatisfaction from Arakanese nationalists, many of whom do not want those who identify as Rohingya to have citizenship at all. The Rohingya maintain that they are not Bengali migrants, and that they have roots in Arakan State. The Muslim delegation to the meeting included lawyers U Chit Lwin and U Kyaw Hla Aung, and U Kyaw Min from the Democracy and Human Rights Party (DHRP), which represents Rangoon-based Muslims but did not win any seats in the 2015 general election. U Aye Lwin said that some of the more flexible Buddhist Arakanese had recognized that the affairs of Arakan State had long been featured on the international stage, despite recent Arakanese protests against Kofi Annan, calling his and other international actors' involvement in the commission a threat to national sovereignty. Citizenship Discussions Arakanese delegates at the meeting reportedly emphasized that the issuing of citizenship cards in line with Burma's 1982 Citizenship Law—which defines citizenship along ethnic lines—would be the best option for stateless Muslims in the region. U Aye Lwin recalled that Muslim delegates agreed that citizenship scrutiny could be performed alongside existing laws, but expressed concern that the government implementation of the law and the letter of it were not in agreement. U Aye Lwin said that even he was "surprised" when Muslims at the meeting accepted a verification process in line with the controversial law, adding that those within some displacement camps in Sittwe—the Arakan State capital—had also agreed to the suggestion. However, U Aye Lwin told The Irrawaddy that he hopes the Burmese government can be encouraged to amend the existing citizenship law. "What we suggest is to analyze and review the 1982 law with the support of legal experts, with the aim of recommending amendments which will easy for everyone to understand, concerning application and interpretation," said U Aye Lwin. Any attempt to amend the 1982 Citizenship Law in the Union Parliament could be faced with the objections of the military appointees and the ethnic bloc, especially the nationalist Arakan National Party (ANP) who have consistently stood against changing it. According to U Aye Lwin, Muslim community leaders from Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships in Arakan State are on board with efforts to explore and tackle concerns relating to what is perceived as an insecure border with neighboring Bangladesh. The advisory commission also asked the Muslim leaders to perform a headcount of the population in villages and quarters home to the minority group. In May, an unsubstantiated rumor spread throughout Buddhist communities in Sittwe that Aung Mingalar—the Arakan State capital's Muslim quarter—was housing a growing number of undocumented migrants. Buddhist nationalists demanded the government inspect the entire quarter; officials found no evidence to back the allegation. Recently, some villages in northern Arakan State refused to collaborate with a headcount, which they say was a continuation of the policies of Burma's previous, military-backed government and would not provide benefit to the Muslim community; an estimated 1.3 million self-identifying Rohingya Muslims were not enumerated in Burma's 2014 census, carried out under the former government administration. "To diminish distrust between the two communities, a headcount process is crucial," said U Aye Lwin. Equal Rights In the past, Muslims from Arakan State held identification documents known as "tri-fold cards." These documents were issued starting in 1958 and originally entitled holders to equal rights as other Burmese citizens, until the 1982 Citizenship Law re-defined citizenship eligibility. A citizenship verification drive initiated under the former Thein Sein government and continued under the current National League for Democracy-led government led to the registration with national verification certificates (NVCs) as a precursor to citizenship scrutiny. While many registered in the scheme, the NVCs were also rejected by some Rohingya Muslims who questioned why their ethnicity and religion were omitted from the documents. U Kyaw Min, from the DHRP, told The Irrawaddy that if the government could resolve citizenship within a legal framework it would also simultaneously resolve any perceived issues surrounding migration. "Declining [citizenship for] the Rohingya is not going to solve the problem. The real problem in Arakan State is equal rights, not [the presence of] the Rohingya," said U Kyaw Min. U Zaw Zaw, a resident of Sittwe's Aung Mingalar quarter who self-identifies as Rohingya, told The Irrawaddy that the problem in Arakan State is a lack of equality; the riots and violence which swept the region in 2012 were derived from oppression, he said. "We want citizenship which is granted by the law and the protection of the government," he added, yet U Zaw Zaw worries that if his community is granted citizenship, the surrounding Arakanese society will strongly object to the action. Both U Kyaw Min and U Zaw Zaw said that they have more faith in the advisory commission than in the government; while the commission will make recommendations, it will be up to the country's leadership to practically implement any solutions laid out by the commission. "The government needs to amend the law. But I don't hold much hope," said U Kyaw Min, pointing out that many of the State Counselor's closest aides and advisors also had ties to the previous Thein Sein-led administration. The advisory commission members, including chairman Kofi Annan, will begin their second trip to Arakan State at the end of October, and are scheduled to visit Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. The post Looking Inside Arakan Advisory Commission's Closed-Door Meeting appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Forestry Police Hit the Ground in Crackdown on Illegal Logging Posted: 16 Sep 2016 07:03 AM PDT Forestry police after a raid on an illegal logging camp. (Photo: Forestry Department) Forestry police numbering 215 have been deployed since Sept. 1 across multiple states and divisions, to protect forestry department personnel in a continued crackdown on illegal logging, which has previously drawn violent reprisals from criminal gangs. The forestry police was established in 2013 as a division of Burma's Police Force, under the military-controlled Ministry of Home Affairs. Their new deployment areas are: Dekkhinathiri District in Naypyidaw; Rangoon's Northern District; Pyay, Taungoo, Tharrawaddy and Pegu districts in Pegu Division; Shwebo, Monywa and Katha districts in Sagaing Division; Pakokku and Gangaw districts in Magwe Division; Taunggyi and Lashio districts in Shan State; and Pathein District in Irrawaddy Division, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation. U Myo Min, a director at the ministry, said they would cooperate with the Burma Army, as well as with other government departments, in the illegal logging crackdown. U Sithu Lwin, a retired forestry department official, called the fresh deployment of forestry police "a good move," but thought that, if conventional forestry officers were allowed to carry guns—as they were before 1988—the extra expense would be saved. The ministry has called on the President to impose a halt on the logging of teak and other hardwoods starting from this fiscal year, ending March 2017, until further notice. Also starting this fiscal year, logging in the Pegu mountain range of central Burma will undergo a ten-year ban. In Parliament on Wednesday, the minister U Ohn Win said they were taking a tough line on illegal logging. U Ohn Win admitted to Parliament that a truck carrying 15 tons of smuggled logs crosses the border into China every seven minutes on average. "I am dismayed to hear that. Our country has lost a lot of its resources since the military took administrative power. These things need to be changed now," said Sithu Lwin. Lawmaker U Aung Kyaw Kyaw Oo of Rangoon's Hlaing Township quoted in Parliament a 2015 report by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, which ranks Burma third among countries for its rate of deforestation. He alleged that sections of the Burma Army and of ethnic armed groups, as well as forestry department personnel, are involved in illegal logging. Since the new government took office in April, 19,108 tons of smuggled teak and other hardwoods, and 992 units of machinery used in illegal logging, had been seized by the end of August, with 3,316 smugglers arrested. According to ministry figures, 631,000 tons of smuggled teak and hardwoods, and 13,956 units of machinery, have been seized over the past 16 years, with 100,943 smugglers arrested. Burma lost an average of 1.7 percent of its forests annually from 2010-15, leaving total forest cover at 45 percent (around 29 million hectares), according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Fifteen years before, this stood at 65 percent, the agency said. Since 2014, the legal logging sector—whose methods, under the state-owned Myanmar Timber Enterprise, have received a large part of the blame for Burma's deforestation—has been restricted according to an annual quota. Log exports were then suspended from April the same year. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Forestry Police Hit the Ground in Crackdown on Illegal Logging appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

YCDC Reclaims Sule Shangri-La Parking Lot Posted: 16 Sep 2016 07:00 AM PDT Workers dismantling the hotel’s signage area on Friday. (Photo: Tin Htet Paing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) began reclaiming an area of public roadway on Sule Pagoda Road on Monday currently occupied by the Sule Shangri-La hotel's car park and signage. U Aye Ko, deputy head of the committee's engineering department for roads and bridges, said that the municipal body is proceeding to dismantle the hotel's car park and construct a two-lane road and sidewalk. "The area was originally a public space and we now reclaimed it for public use," he said. The project is scheduled to be completed within a month. U Than, the assistant secretary of the YCDC, told The Irrawaddy that the move was part of the committee's effort to resolve the traffic congestion along the Sule Pagoda Road in front of the hotel and the hotel's adjacent commercial complex, Sule Square. "The private car park in front of the hotel's portico intrudes into public road area," he said. According to The Myanmar Times, Helene Acuna, the communications manager for Sule Shangri-La, said that the hotel is "working with YCDC to improve traffic flow in the area". Sule Shangri-La Hotel, formerly known as Traders Hotel, is a 22-story structure in the heart of downtown Rangoon. The hotel was built in the 1990s in a partnership between blacklisted tycoon Steven Law (also known as Tun Myint Naing)—the head of the Asia World conglomerate, and the founder of the Kuok Group—and Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok, who owns a major stake in its current operator Shangri-La Asia Ltd. The post YCDC Reclaims Sule Shangri-La Parking Lot appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

NGO Calls US Govt to Support Jade Trade Reform After Lifting Sanctions Posted: 16 Sep 2016 06:54 AM PDT Small-scale miners search for jade stones in Hpakant, Kachin State, April 2016. (Photo: Nang Lwin Hnin Pwint / The Irrawaddy) London-based NGO Global Witness urged the United States government to support reform of Burma's vast, dirty jade trade following an announcement on Wednesday that the US would lift many of the remaining sanctions on Burma. Plans to lift economic sanctions on Burma came after State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi met with US President Obama in Washington DC on Wednesday. The US President intends to terminate the national emergency act in respect to Burma—the order that has authorized sanctions since 1997. In a statement released on Thursday, Global Witness—which documented human rights abuses and environmental impacts due to extraction of natural resources over time in Burma and campaigned for change—said US efforts "must focus on clearing army companies and families out of a sector worth up to US$31 billion in 2014, and support local calls for reform and peace." By dropping the sanctions, Juman Kubba of Global Witness said the United States drops its "leverage over the former generals, drug lords and military-owned companies that still secretly control critical industries like jade." The US president will lift sanctions which were imposed under five laws and six presidential orders, including the national emergency act—which banned cronies and drug lords from trading with or traveling to the US—, the Burma Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 and a 2013 presidential order prohibiting certain imports of Burmese jadeite and rubies. Juman Kubba was quoted in the statement as saying despite efforts by the National League for Democracy (NLD) government led by the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi to reform the jade sector, "the job is nowhere near complete." She said, "The US has invested a great deal, across several administrations, in helping Myanmar turn the page on its past and build a peaceful and prosperous future for its people. This simply won't happen unless the new government can clear the most notorious figures from that past out of the jade trade – so what is the plan?" Burma is not a member country of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)—a global standard for governance in regards to a country's natural resources—and lacks a clear plan to tackle the number of cronies and military-backed companies benefiting from jade extraction. Regarding holding cronies accountable, Sai Leik, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy spokesperson, said Parliament is key and that it needs to draft the necessary laws and bylaws. Activists in Burma have also pushed for transparency in the jade industry, which is majority controlled by the military's Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited, because ongoing fighting between the Kachin Independence Army and the Burma Army over the control of natural resources continues in the northern part of the country. Figures on jade production and procurement were not publicly released under the previous quasi-civilian government. U Win Myo Thu, environmentalist and director of local environmental NGO EcoDev, said, "transparency is key to gaining accountability and responsibility of businesspeople in this sector so that big companies will pay [their taxes] and rid themselves of illegal connections. It will help our country's income, so whether sanctions are removed or not, the country should act on it." U Win Myo Thu stated that the current NLD government showed little to no interest in implementing the recommendations made in a Myanmar-EITI report, which was submitted in January. Myanmar-EITI consists of representatives from the government, business and civil society organizations. The group is not currently active as it has not yet been reformed under the new government. “It is not only about jade extraction. It is also related to the peace building process,” he said. U Win Myo Thu said he hopes the removal of sanctions will benefit smaller companies with no record of human rights violations trade with the United States and Europe. But he warned that the industry would suffer if crony companies could expand their markets to the US while continuing to commit human rights violations inside the country. He added that he believes US technology can closely examine these trades to ensure they are in line with their standards and policies. The post NGO Calls US Govt to Support Jade Trade Reform After Lifting Sanctions appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

US Dollar Price Increases Due to Demand from Importers Posted: 16 Sep 2016 05:35 AM PDT A man counts US dollars and Burmese kyats at a money changer in Rangoon on March 21, 2012. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — The Burmese kyat has weakened relative to the US dollar due to high demand from importers. As of Friday, the price of a dollar was 1,235 kyats on the black market and the Central Bank's official rate was 1,222 kyats. The price for one dollar the week before was 1,215 kyats. "It has increased by 20 to 25 kyats per dollar during the week," a Rangoon black marketer said. The dollar exchange rate is higher than earlier this month when it reached 1215 Kyats to the dollar on Sept. 8, when the local gold price dipped to 867,500 kyats per tical. Dr Soe Tun, the vice chairman of the Myanmar Rice Federation and owner of Farmer Currency Exchange, said local demand for the dollar was rising, pushing up the exchange rate. "Importers need more dollars in the market, so the demand is high and the rate is slightly increased," he said. Burma has been importing items for infrastructure development projects, requiring more dollars. Importers have been exchanging dollars not only at official private banks but also on the black market. U Myo Min Aung, vice chairman of the Myanmar Retailers Association, suspects some private banks may be playing with the market, contributing to the increase. "Some banks might play the market to push up the rate. They will hold back dollars while demand is high to increase the rate," he said, adding that an increased rate is not good for consumers. "If the dollar rate keeps increasing, the price of importing pharmaceutical products, food, and home appliances will rise. This higher price will be passed on to consumers," he said. The dollar exchange rate stood at only 1,190 kyats per dollar last month. The import volume in Burma reached a value of US$6.6 billion while exports reached only US$ 5.0 billion from April to Sept. 9, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Burma's Central Bank published an inflation rate of 12.14 percent in late August, surpassing the predictions of the World Bank and worrying business leaders that inflation in the country could be on an upward spiral, dampening local demand for goods. On Friday, the Central Bank said that the inflation rate was 12.12 percent while GDP growth was 7.3 percent. The post US Dollar Price Increases Due to Demand from Importers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

DKBA Splinter Group Lose Several Bases to Burma Army and Border Guard Force Posted: 16 Sep 2016 04:10 AM PDT A group of displaced villagers take refuge at a hall in Myaing Gyi Ngu village, Karen State. (Photo: Hsa Moo) The Burma Army and the allied Border Guard Force (BGF) took at least three bases from a splinter group of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), as fighting escalated in Karen State's Mae Tha Waw area on Thursday, amid claims that the Burma Army and the BGF have been forcibly conscripting locals as porters. Capt. Saw Ye Htet, an information officer of the DKBA splinter group—named after their late commander Maj. Na Ma Kyar—said their troops withdrew from several bases following heavy artillery fire from the Burma Army and BGF advance. "We couldn't use defensive tactics to repel them because they dared not advance on the ground, instead firing heavy artillery shells from far away. So, we changed tactics. We withdrew from our bases and used guerilla tactics," said Capt. Saw Ye Htet. The joint force overran the Wa Klu Lu, Kulu Htaw and Yeika Gone bases, all located in the Mae Tha Waw area of Hlaingbwe Township in Karen State's Hpa-an District. In Facebook video posts, believed to have been uploaded by BGF affiliates on Thursday evening, two BGF officers declared that they had captured all of the bases belonging to the Na Ma Kyar group on Thursday. There are reports that Maj. San Aung, a leader of the DKBA splinter group who is on a Burma Army wanted list, was injured in battle. Other reports say that he died. Capt. Ye Htet said that he had also heard that Maj. San Aung was injured but could not confirm until contact was made. The Irrawaddy also could not reach Maj. Saw San Aung. Locals and DKBA splinter group sources claim that the Burma Army and the BGF have suffered scores of deaths since fighting broke out in early September. DKBA splinter group sources stated that two of its soldiers have been injured in the same time frame, but some expect that the casualty rate to be higher on their side. Meanwhile, sources in Karen State's Myaing Gyi Ngu village said that the Burma Army and the BGF were forcibly conscripting young men as porters to carry food, supplies and ammunition to the frontline. A housewife in Htee Tha Dawt Hta, a village near Myaing Gyi Ngu, said that locals do not let their sons or husbands travel to Myaing Gyi Ngu village for fear of them being conscripted in this manner. "I heard from my friend in Myaing Gyi Ngu that they [the BGF and the Burma Army] conscript many young men as porters. So, we are afraid that they will conscript more porters in other villages including ours," said the housewife, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons. DKBA splinter group sources also claimed that the Burma Army and the BGF has seized villagers for use as human shields in battle. They said fighting had reached its peak since breaking out in early September. Due to the fighting in the areas of Mae Tha Waw and Myaing Gyi Ngu, about 3,800 villagers have fled their homes and are staying in Maying Gyi Ngu village at a local hall, monasteries, and in locals' houses, while others have fled across the border to Thailand. The post DKBA Splinter Group Lose Several Bases to Burma Army and Border Guard Force appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Can Rangoon Become a Disabled-Friendly City? Posted: 16 Sep 2016 03:19 AM PDT Visually impaired people walk the streets of Rangoon as they commemorate International White Cane Day, on October 15, 2012. About 760 blind and visually impaired people from around the country took part in the event. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — She stands still at the side of the road until somebody nearby tells her she can cross. Being afraid of cars, crossing roads is a big challenge for her. "I have never gone far from my hostel alone," the 21-year old Ah Me Sar said. "My teachers don't even allow me to do so." Ah Me Sar, an ethnic Lisu women from the ruby-mining town of Mogok in Mandalay Division, partially lost her eyesight when she was eight years old, after experiencing a severe fever. A surgical error then left her permanently blind. In 2007, she came to Rangoon's Kawechan School for the Blind—a school, with an attached hostel, that provides vocational skills and formal education to visually impaired young people, in partnership with government schools. "Rangoon's pavements are really narrow," she said. "Cars normally park alongside the pavements and blind pedestrians like us always walk into them, as well as lamp posts sometimes," she explained, describing the challenges she faces everyday in attending classes at the government school nearby. In late August, The Irrawaddy visited the school and saw Ah Me Sar confidently walking in the school compound, holding a stick and accompanied by another young woman who also appeared partially blind. "Even going to classes is a challenge," she said. "Taking buses or taxis without the company of someone who can see, even partially, is just impossible for me," she explained. Ah Me Sar is one of around 250,000 disabled residents of Rangoon, accounting for 10 percent of Burma's disabled population according to the 2014 census. The most common type of disability in Burma is blindness or partial sight, afflicting 2.5 percent of the total population. Ah Me Sar said she envies some of the older students at her hostel, who are able to travel alone to their universities, which are often far from the city center. Ah Me Sar said she hopes to be able to do so too when she finishes high school. Among those currently making the commute is 25-year old Than Tun Win, who studies philosophy at Yangon Western University, and was born blind. But commuting alone to his university is harder than Ah Me Sar supposes. 1.7 percent of Rangoon's population has some form of visual impairment. Most have to rely on buses for transport, which presents considerable hardship. "We have to listen to bus conductors carefully, concentrating on the names of the bus stops they shout out so we know where we are," Than Tun Win said. "When buses race with each other and skip bus stops, or when the conductors don't shout, we are helpless," he explained with a smile. He has frequently faced such scenarios and had to ask other passengers on board for help. "We can never commute independently in Rangoon," he said. "Without help from somebody nearby, we can't even see which taxis are available when we need one." Other students at the hostel told similar stories. Associations for the disabled are now raising their voices louder. Nay Lin Soe, a former polio sufferer, founded the Myanmar Independent Living Initiative five years ago, with a mission to enable people with disabilities across Burma to live independently. He told The Irrawaddy that the absence of disabled-friendly public infrastructure in Rangoon presents a fundamental physical barrier. Rangoon's public transport does not include any facilities for those with hearing and sight impairments, while buses and trains are also not accessible for people with wheelchairs, Nay Lin Soe explained. "Many pavements do not even have slopes or ramps for wheelchair-dependent persons," he said. "Foot-bridges have also not been built with disabilities in mind." Maung Aung, the secretary of Rangoon Division's Transport Authority, confessed that most buses in the city are old models without disabled-friendly features. The Yangon Bus Public Co.—the city's first bus rapid transit (BRT) system, chaired by Maung Aung—has pledged to improve the commercial capital's main public transport system, but its buses are not yet accessible for the city's disabled population. "Currently, we are struggling with bus reform," he said. "We will consider disabled passengers later." He mentioned that the new imported buses in the BRT system actually came equipped with features for disabled passengers, including ramps and wheelchair restraints, but he claimed they could not be used because the rest of the city's physical infrastructure, including pavements, do not allow for it. Lin Khaing, the deputy head of the Yangon City Development Committee's engineering department for roads and bridges, told The Irrawaddy that they had in fact built pavements with slopes and ramps in "most" areas of the city, stopping short of other infrastructure due to budgetary restraints. Besides these physical barriers, prevailing attitudes and discrimination also discourage the disabled community from stepping out of their houses, Nay Lin Soe explained. When people in wheelchairs hail a taxi on the street, drivers immediately ask which hospital he or she wants to go to, assuming that disabled people have no reason to go out besides for medical purposes, he said. "We are not [medical] patients," he said. "We have abilities and qualifications to participate in the areas of health, education and human rights." Aung Ko Myint, who chairs the Myanmar National Federation of People with Disabilities, echoed Nay Lin Soe's opinions. As a visually impaired person, Aung Ko Myint shared his experience of taking buses in Rangoon. "Bus conductors call disabled people 'sick'," he said. "They consider us burdens, delaying their buses." "Don't even talk to me about trains!" he said. "There is so much to be done with Rangoon's trains, even for people without disabilities." However, he expressed some optimism, saying that bus conductors don't refuse to take disabled people like they used to. Aung Ko Myint believes that the disabled community is wasted as a potential workforce because structural barriers force them to stay inside instead of contributing to society. The Myanmar National Association of the Blind, also led by Aung Ko Myint, has held several training workshops for bus conductors and drivers under Rangoon Division's Motor Vehicles Supervisory Committee—known locally by the Burmese language acronym Ma Hta Tha—on accommodating and aiding visually impaired passengers. Hla Aung, who chairs Ma Hta Tha, said the committee is keen to encourage further trainings of this kind, after the committee had observed an improvement in bus conductors and drivers helping visually impaired passengers. According to Aung Ko Myint, rapid development in Rangoon is making it even harder for disabled people to cope, with frequent changes in the physical environment brought about by a construction spree over recent years. Rural areas may be safer for disabled people with fewer vehicles and less change, he said. Aung Ko Myint believes that proper legal protection would be most effective in lowering physical barriers and combating discrimination. A new law on the rights of persons with disabilities was enacted in June 2015; the government is preparing by-laws while consulting different stakeholders. Aung Ko Myint is not fully satisfied with the law, however, saying it is too "generic" and wasn't drafted inclusively, considering different varieties of impairment. The law requires that new public infrastructure including pavements, foot bridges, schools and hospitals be made accessible to disabled people, but it does not outline punishments or fines for those who fail in this regard. "When leaders pledge to work for all people in the country, they have to know that the country houses disabled people too," Nay Lin Soe said. When policymakers talk about inclusive education and disabled-friendly working environments, it is important to understand the role of accessible public transport in allowing disabled people to reach their schools and workplaces, he explained. "Everybody has their own weaknesses but our weaknesses are visible," he said. "Our abilities should not be neglected because of this." Emphasizing the great deal that needs to be done for the country's disabled population, which has been "neglected" by past governments, Aung Ko Myint said it was important that it be understood that disabled people are not asking for "privileges" but "equality and inclusivity." "We don't want sympathy, but we ask for empathy," he said. The post Can Rangoon Become a Disabled-Friendly City? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Who wins? Posted: 16 Sep 2016 03:09 AM PDT Who wins? The post Who wins? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma Army Soldiers Sentenced to Five Years for Killing Civilians Posted: 16 Sep 2016 01:30 AM PDT A funeral was held in early July for five civilians killed by Burma Army soldiers near Mong Yaw Village, Lashio Township, northern Shan State. (Photo: Sai Kaung Loi Pha / Facebook) RANGOON — A court martial on Thursday at the North Eastern Command headquarters in Lashio, northern Shan State found seven soldiers guilty of murdering five civilians in Mong Yaw village in June this year. They have been stripped of their positions and sentenced to five years in prison with hard labor. Four commissioned officers were included in the sentencing, which took place at 12 p.m. according to Wann Lern Kham, a Shan Nationalities League for Democracy lawmaker from Lashio who has been assisting the victims' families. "The victims' families were invited to attend court, where each of the soldiers were sentenced to five years," he said. The length of the sentence and lack of compensation was met with criticism in Lashio. The five victims were all breadwinners and some of the victims' families had expected compensation. "At the court on Thursday, we did not dare say anything even though we were unhappy with the length of the sentence," Aye Lwart, a wife of one of the victims told The Irrawaddy. "On top of that, we did not even receive any compensation from the army." However, Wann Lern Kham said, "The best punishment is that they have had their identities exposed and that high ranking officers have been removed from their positions." This was the second session in this high-profile court martial. At the first court session, the four commissioned officers admitted giving the orders to kill the villagers, while the lower-ranking soldiers admitted to carrying them out, according to a translator employed at the hearing. Uncharacteristically for military tribunals in Burma—where even verdicts are generally not shared with the public—both sessions were open to the victims' families to observe. The five civilian residents of Mong Yaw village were arrested at their farm in late June and taken to an unknown location by soldiers from the Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion 362, according to the victims' families, who found their bodies the next day buried by a corn field at the bottom of a nearby mountain. One of the soldiers sentenced to murder admitted forcing the victims to wear rebel uniforms before killing them. At the initial court hearing in August, Sgt Sein Win Maung alone protested that he was not guilty of murder as he stated that he acted under orders from superior officers. Another sergeant, Maung Ohn, and a corporal, Maung Maung Htwe, pleaded guilty. The four commissioned officers—one colonel, Myo Aung, two majors, Tin Myo Zaw and Aung Nay Myo, and one captain from Military Intelligence, Lin Naing Soe—plead guilty. The Burma Army also stands accused by locals of shooting dead two young men riding motorbikes not far from the village on the same day. The Burma Army have countered that they were killed in the crossfire between the Burma Army and an unspecified ethnic armed group. Northern Shan State has Burma's highest concentration of ethnic armed groups in conflict with the Burma Army. Fighting involves the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, the Shan State Army-North, the Kachin Independence Army and the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army. In its counter insurgency campaigns, the Burma Army has been accused of detaining, torturing and murdering civilians accused of supporting rebel groups, and forcing others to work as porters. The post Burma Army Soldiers Sentenced to Five Years for Killing Civilians appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Suu Kyi Urges US Investment to Spur Democratic Transition  Posted: 15 Sep 2016 11:10 PM PDT State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a round-table discussion with students at the Roosevelt High School in Washington DC on Sept. 15  (Photo: Jonathan Ernst / Reuters ) WASHINGTON, United States — Daw Aung San Suu Kyi called Thursday for US companies to bring responsible investment to Burma, saying economic success would help convince people and the powerful military that democracy is the best way forward. The State Counselor was addressing the US business community, a day after President Barack Obama announced that the US would lift sanctions and restore long-lost trade benefits as the nation emerges from military rule. She said that lifting sanctions entailed some political and economic risk, but added, "It is time now for our people to depend on themselves." Many of the companies and individuals still subject to US sanctions are linked to the military, which retains major political and economic interests, despite the shift to civilian government. Human rights groups say the US should continue applying pressure on Burma to change. Massive illegal trade in goods including jade and timber continues, as does civil war with many ethnic minorities. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that economic development could help foster national reconciliation. She said the transport and energy sectors were suffering from decades of neglect, and support was needed to build the education and health systems and the skills of its people. "Economic success is one of the ways in which we can persuade everybody in our country, including the military, that democracy is the best way forward for our union. This is the best way forward for us to achieve unity and prosperity," she told a dinner hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce and the US-Asean Business Council—a group that supports American business ties with Southeast Asia. Tables at the function at an upscale Washington hotel went for up to US$25,000. Obama aide Ben Rhodes said that the "national emergency" with respect to Burma that authorizes the sanctions would be terminated in the "coming days." Both Burma and US businesses have welcomed Obama’s decision, the culmination of a five-year engagement and gradual easing of restrictions against a former adversary. Broad sanctions on trade and investment ended in 2012, but US-Burma goods trade totaled just $227 million in 2015, and US companies account for less than 1 percent of total foreign investment. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she wanted US companies to bring investment "best practices" and urged them to report any signs of corruption. "When you are trying to invest in Burma, please don’t think you have to go with a suitcase bursting with dollar bills," she said. The post Suu Kyi Urges US Investment to Spur Democratic Transition  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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National News

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• Obama pledges to remove nearly all remaining US economic sanctions
• Dropping UNGA resolution on Myanmar, EU to break 25-year rights precedent
• Facebook post inspires landmark case for migrant workers in Thailand
• President emphasises minorities’ voices
• Kachin CSOs to demand dam nixing
• Govt pledges better enforcement to halt flood of illegal timber to China
• Homes of witnesses in timber case searched for drugs
• Residents demand land for cottage hospital in Popa village
• Sakura factory workers will not be paid for protests, production quota up in the air
• Rainy season to conclude with an extra dousing

Obama pledges to remove nearly all remaining US economic sanctions Posted: 16 Sep 2016 12:14 AM PDT In a move derided by human rights groups, Washington has pledged to fete the progress made by Myanmar's new government by lifting nearly all remaining economic sanctions.

Dropping UNGA resolution on Myanmar, EU to break 25-year rights precedent Posted: 15 Sep 2016 11:26 PM PDT As the 71st Regular Session of the UN General Assembly gets underway this week in New York, the European Union delegation to Myanmar told The Myanmar Times today that it will abandon a time-honoured tradition there: the submission of a UN resolution criticising Myanmar's human rights record.

Facebook post inspires landmark case for migrant workers in Thailand Posted: 15 Sep 2016 11:20 PM PDT Ko Tun Tun Win and his co-workers from Myanmar thought life was fine at the Thammakaset chicken farm in central Thailand, where they reared hundreds of thousands of birds for export to the European Union.

President emphasises minorities’ voices Posted: 15 Sep 2016 11:17 PM PDT President U Htin Kyaw highlighted the importance of recognising the voices and rights of minorities in a formal address read out on his behalf yesterday at a ceremony in Nay Pyi Taw to mark International Democracy Day.

Kachin CSOs to demand dam nixing Posted: 15 Sep 2016 11:07 PM PDT More than 50 Kachin civil society organisations will submit a letter tomorrow demanding that a commission evaluating hydropower projects on the Ayeyarwady River recommend cancelling the Myitsone dam in Kachin State.

Govt pledges better enforcement to halt flood of illegal timber to China Posted: 15 Sep 2016 10:59 PM PDT In the wake of devastating flooding caused by deforestation, the government has pledged to double down on enforcing a ban on private logging companies, using the army and police to block timber exports to China and to seize illegal logs.

Homes of witnesses in timber case searched for drugs Posted: 15 Sep 2016 10:56 PM PDT After more than 550 tonnes of illegal timber were seized from locations throughout a military research forest in Pyin Oo Lwin township, cooperating witnesses say their homes were raided by police. The residents alleged the raids were a form of intimidation.

Residents demand land for cottage hospital in Popa village Posted: 15 Sep 2016 10:54 PM PDT Local residents and about 50 monks demonstrated in support of allocating land for a 16-bed hospital in Mandalay Region's Kyaukpadaung township yesterday. Ownership of the land is being contested by farmers.

Sakura factory workers will not be paid for protests, production quota up in the air Posted: 15 Sep 2016 10:50 PM PDT The Central Arbitration Council altered a ruling from the Yangon Regional Arbitration Council on September 14, upholding a requirement that the Sakura garment factory in Hlaing Tharyar township's No 3 industrial zone rehire all 316 striking workers but reversing the stipulation that the owner pay them for the month-and-a-half they spent protesting.

Rainy season to conclude with an extra dousing Posted: 15 Sep 2016 10:49 PM PDT Thunderstorms and isolated heavy rain should be expected until the end of the month due to unstable atmospheric conditions caused by the monsoon withdrawal period, said U Kyaw Lwin Oo, director of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

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