Monday, May 21, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Myanmar’s Planning and Finance Minister Submits Resignation

Posted: 21 May 2018 04:23 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Planning and Finance Minister U Kyaw Win has submitted his resignation to the president amid reports that he is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI), sources close to the matter told The Irrawaddy.

Since last week, news reports have circulated alleging that the minister and his son are being investigated for corruption by the commission and the BSI, which is under the Home Affairs Ministry. Their home in Yangon was searched, according to the reports.

After the news went viral, the Anti-Corruption Commission announced that it had created six teams to investigate 18 complaints, but declined to provide details of the cases. The commission has not officially denied the media reports.

At around 4 p.m. on Monday, the Planning and Finance Ministry's permanent secretary, U Tun Tun Naing, denied the minister had resigned, telling The Irrawaddy that the minister was still in his office as of 3:40 p.m.

In Naypyitaw, meanwhile, National Economic Coordination Committee member U Myo Myint has emerged as one of two likely candidates to take U Kyaw Win's place. U Myo Myint, who is also chairman of the Renaissance Institute, an independent policy think tank run by the ruling National League for Democracy, worked for the ministry for 21 years before retiring as deputy director due to his involvement in the pro-democracy movement in 1988.

Also tipped for the post is deputy planning and finance minister U Set Aung. He is chairman of the management committee for the Thilawa Special Economic Zone in Yangon.

Whether or not the investigations are real, the reports have stirred public interest and much talk about whether the commission is making good on its vow to go after "big fish."

In his meeting with the commission on April 11, President U Win Myint instructed its members not to be influenced by powerful figures in undertaking their duties and to carry them out decisively.

The Anti-Corruption Commission was the first governmental body to meet the new president after his inauguration on March 30.

In recent cases, Food and Drug Administration director general Dr. Than Htut was arrested and sued under Section 56 of the Anti-Corruption Law for allegedly demanding bribes from a construction company worth more than 15 million kyats, while an administrator in Mandalay's Pyin Oo Lwin Township and another local official were both sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for taking bribes from villagers in return for registering their land.

The Irrawaddy's senior reporter San Yamin Aung contributed to this report.

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Garbage and the City

Posted: 21 May 2018 04:20 AM PDT

Yangon produces 2,387.12 tons of waste every day, or 0.41 kg for every man, woman and child living in the city, according to the Yangon City Development Committee. But with rampant littering across the city, the municipal body says it collects and sorts only 2,057 tons of the total via garbage trucks before unsorted organic and plastic waste is dumped at four landfill sites on the outskirts of the town. Among them are Htein Bin in Hlaing Tharyar Township and Dawei Chaung in North Dagon Township, the two largest, with dumping areas of nearly 150 acres each, according to the YCDC.

The landfills drew attention late last month when a fire broke out at the Htein Bin dumpsite, spreading noxious smoke across the city for several weeks before firemen could bring it under control. Experts say the fire was due to combustion from biological decomposition of unsorted organic waste and prolonged by the mix of plastic waste as well.

Experts warn that the operating lives of the sites will last for only 10 more years. Meanwhile, they estimate that the city's waste generation will increase four-fold by 2025. Despite the warnings, the city of 7.3 million people has yet to identify other final disposal sites.

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Government Invites Expressions of Interest In Elevated Expressway Project

Posted: 21 May 2018 03:52 AM PDT

YANGON— The Union government has invited expressions of interest from local and foreign companies to develop Yangon's first elevated tollway.

The announcement stated that the Ministry of Construction together with the Yangon regional government would develop the 47.5km expressway through a public-private partnership (PPP).

The four-lane ring road is expected to connect downtown Yangon, Yangon Port, Yangon International Airport, Mingalardon Industrial Park and the Yangon-Mandalay Highway.

Local and foreign developers interested in bidding for the design, engineering, financing, constructing, operating and maintenance parts of the project are asked to submit expressions of interest before 5 p.m. on June 29, according to the Ministry of Construction.

A tender will commence later this year, it said in the announcement dated May 18.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has been appointed as the exclusive lead advisor for the project. It signed an advisory services agreement with the ministry on Jan. 11.

According to the IFC, the expressway project will facilitate about $350-$400 million of private investment in Yangon's road infrastructure.

The project is expected to foster economic development by improving connectivity in Yangon for goods and services, IFC said in the press release on Jan. 11, adding that it would also reduce costs caused by lower productivity and vehicle operating expenses due to heavy traffic congestion along the city's south-north routes.

The tender award to the winning bidder is expected to be granted by early 2019 and the road to be constructed over two to three years, IFC said.

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Myanmar Urges Rohingya to Leave ‘No-Man’s Land’ on Bangladesh Border

Posted: 21 May 2018 02:53 AM PDT

DHAKA — Myanmar authorities have resumed using loudspeakers to urge the nearly 4,000 Rohingya taking shelter on a sliver of land between the border fences of Bangladesh and Myanmar to leave, sparking fresh panic among the refugees over their imminent future.

Local officials in Bangladesh said Myanmar has blared the message before.

"On Saturday morning they started the announcements again, asking us to leave the no-man's land. The announcements come every hour," Dil Mohamed, a community leader of the refugees, told The Irrawaddy.

He said the announcements, by the Myanmar Border Guard Police, state that the land belongs to Myanmar’s Maungdaw Township and that it is illegal under international law for them to stay there.

Since they began, Dil Mohamed said, Bangladeshi Border Guard officials have visited the frontier and Bangladeshi troops have been on heightened alert.

A Bangladeshi security official said Myanmar has gathered additional security forces along the border as well.

Lieutenant-Colonel Manzurul Hassan Khan, however, commander of the Bangladesh Border Guard’s Nainkhanchhari Battalion, said the situation along the border was normal on Sunday.

The resumption of the announcements follows a meeting in Dhaka on Thursday of a joint working group charged with overseeing the repatriation of the nearly 700,000 mostly Rohingya who have fled Myanmar since late August, when militant Rohingya attacks on security posts in Rakhine State triggered a military response the UN and US have both described as ethnic cleansing. It was the group’s second meeting since the two countries signed a repatriation agreement in November.

Unlike most of the refugees living in camps in Bangladesh, however, those taking shelter between the border fences have not been registered with authorities and often rely on the generosity of local Bangladeshi residents for food. Bangladeshi officials have repeatedly said they do not need to be registered.

Citing Bangladeshi officials, the New Age, a Dhaka-based daily, reported on Sunday that Myanmar is reticent to let the refugees return to their original villages in Rakhine and instead plans to resettle them in new, segregated villages far from their original homes.

“The Myanmar government has given no assurance of taking back the Rohingyas to their respective places of residence and villages,” the New Age quoted a senior official as saying after the joint working group meeting.

Article 2 of the repatriation agreement the countries signed in November states that Myanmar would encourage the refugees “to return voluntarily and safely to their own households and original places of residence or to a safe and secure place nearest to it of their choice.”

To date Myanmar has approved for return 878 people from an initial list of 8,032 refugees willing to go back that Bangladesh handed over in February. None of them has yet to return.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has been preparing new shelters on Bhashanchar island to ease the congestion in the existing refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.

On Saturday, Bangladesh’s disaster management and relief secretary, Md Shah Kamal, said he expected about 100,000 refugees to be transferred to the island at the end of the rainy season in late June and that they would only be moved voluntarily.

The secretary was taking part in a drill to prepare refugees, aid agencies and authorities for the landslides and floods expected to hit the Cox’s Bazar camps until then.

On Sunday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that it had also distributed more than 2 million Vetiver grass plants among the refugees over the past two weeks to help reduce landslides and soil erosion in the hilly camps. In a statement, it said another 2 million would be distributed to non-governmental organizations working in the camps by the end of May.

The IOM said a bundle of 200 plants costs just over $1.50 and that it has also helped to get some of the grass planted with a cash-for-work program for some of the refugees and their host communities.

"We drew on Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology studies to learn lessons from other projects involving Vetiver grass and apply them here. The illustrations helped share that knowledge with people in a very practical way," IOM site development coordinator Megan Genat said, according to the statement.

"It’s been really encouraging to see everyone getting involved,” she added. “The project has also helped in raising public awareness of the risks of soil erosion. We will be following up with a fuller analysis of the impact next month, but initial reports from our partners indicate it has been going very well and is proving popular with the refugee community."

In the same statement, the IOM said it was also helping lay roads and access routes, improve drainage and build bridges and working with both the government and other aid agencies to prepare for the rains and respond to emergencies.

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Military Urges Caution Cooperating With International Agencies

Posted: 21 May 2018 02:27 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Military representatives to Parliament have urged their civilian counterparts to approach cooperating with international agencies from a national security perspective.

They called for caution in cooperating with international agencies during a parliamentary debate of a presidential proposal to ratify International Labor Organization (ILO) Recommendation No. 205 concerning employment and decent work for peace and resilience on Friday.

Lieutenant-Colonel Hla Naing pointed out that the recommendation called for the provision of rehabilitation, social integration and training programs for those formerly associated with armed forces and groups.

These things should be considered only after the country achieves peace and the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process is complete, he said.

"While our country is building lasting peace, we need to be especially careful with any matter that could negatively affect the peace process and handle it with serious consideration," he said.

Recommendation No. 205 is too broad as it includes rights, equality, non-discrimination, social protection, migrants affected by crisis situations, repatriation and reintegration of refugees and returnees, and international cooperation, he said, urging Parliament not to adopt the recommendation.

"It is especially important not to have national defense and security, as well as the ongoing internal peace process, affected under the wording of social justice," said Lt-Col Myint Han.

The multi-ethnic Tatmadaw or Myanmar Army is responsible for the protection of the state's territory, and is assisting in the democratization process in line with the 2008 Constitution, he said.

Lt-Col Myint Han said: "We have seen international media reports about powerful countries doing arrogantly as they wish recently. We have to stick to our national norms amid international norms," not clarifying which specific examples he was referring to.

Col Khin Maung Tun also called for extra caution with Section 7 (h) regarding the need to pay special attention to groups and individuals who have been made particularly vulnerable by the crisis including but not limited to children, people belonging to minority groups, indigenous and tribal persons, people with disabilities, internally displaced persons, migrants, refugees and other persons forcibly displaced across borders.

"If we do not restrict the entry of persons forcibly displaced across borders, it will harm state security and social security of the people, as proven by international examples," he said.

The recommendations are optional rather than compulsory, said Daw Pyone Cathy Naing, a member of the Lower House International Relations Committee.

"If we want to get out from under international pressures, we have to take very strategic action to be able to stand tall on the international diplomatic stage. I don't think Recommendation 205 is a trap or serious concern for security," she said.

"The scope of the ILO recommendation is too broad. And we must approach it from a national security perspective. That's what we have discussed," Col Myint Han told reporters after the parliamentary session.

Union Minister for Labor, Immigration and Population U Thein Swe also remarked during the parliamentary session that recommendations are not compulsory.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Myanmar Embassy in Pakistan Undergoes Emergency Security Upgrade

Posted: 21 May 2018 12:42 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Myanmar's Embassy in Pakistan has spent hundreds of millions of kyats on tightened security measures amid reports that the site has been targeted by terrorists due to the Rakhine issue.

The embassy has spent 319.66 million kyats, drawn from presidential emergency funds, to improve security amid the terror threat, according to Union Minister for Cooperation U Kyaw Tin.

Rallies against the Myanmar government's treatment of Rohingya Muslims were held in several places in Pakistan in the first week of September after the Pakistani Foreign Ministry summoned Myanmar's ambassador to protest alleged human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims.

At one of the rallies, thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital Islamabad and attempted to reach the Myanmar Embassy in the city's diplomatic zone, but were stopped by shipping containers placed across key streets.

Pakistan's national security adviser had informed the Myanmar Ministry of Foreign Affairs about a possible terror attack, U Kyaw Tin said during Friday's parliamentary session.

"The National Counter Terrorism Authority of Pakistan told us that there could be terror attacks on our embassy," the minister said.

Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, host nations are responsible for providing security for foreign diplomats. The Myanmar Embassy in Islamabad has negotiated security measures to protect embassy staff with Pakistan's diplomatic police force, the minister added.

"The Pakistani police said they would make security arrangements and asked the Myanmar Embassy to make necessary alterations to its buildings and install the necessary equipment," the minister explained.

The Myanmar Embassy submitted to the Union government a detailed list of needed security measures, such as increasing the height of its walls and fitting a high-security gate. However, the Foreign Ministry has no funds for the security upgrade in its 2017-18 fiscal budget, so the money was allocated from presidential emergency funds in March.

Security will be improved over the next six months, the minister said.

"Host countries have a responsibility to provide security for foreign embassies according to international laws. But ultimately we must ensure security ourselves," said Buthidaung Township lawmaker U Aung Thaung Shwe.

According to the United Nations, some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine State after an attack by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army on police outposts in Maungdaw in August prompted counter-insurgency operations by the Myanmar Army.

When communal violence first broke out in northern Rakhine State in 2012, the Taliban demanded that the Pakistani government close the Myanmar Embassy.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Yangon Residents Oppose $93M Development Plan, Cite Environmental Threats

Posted: 21 May 2018 12:12 AM PDT

YANGON — Lawmakers and residents opposed the Yangon government's proposed development plan in the city's Mayangone Township, citing that the more than US$93 million project would pose environmental threats to the neighborhood.

The Yangon regional government proposed 'Mayangon Villa,' a commercial and mixed development project in the township, to the regional Parliament early this month. The project is part of the government's Urban Development Master Plan (Yangon Region) 2018-21, which was submitted to the regional Parliament on May 3.

The plan is made up of 12 projects including infrastructure, transportation, housing and economic development projects in the commercial capital totaling more than 1.3 trillion kyats to be carried out with local and international investment.

But the Parliament hasn't approved it yet, as lawmakers complained that the entire plan lacked transparency.

The government proposed that the Mayangone Villa project – to be located a few minute drive from the Yangon International Airport – is slated to be carried out in 2018-19 on an eight-acre plot of land near the 8 Mile junction with an estimated investment of more than $93 million, according to the master plan viewed by The Irrawaddy. The project also includes a building for the Hydro Informatics Center for the National Water Resources Committee led by the country's Vice President U Henry Van Thio.

The aims of the project are, the document says, "effective land use, to use the benefit from the project as a 'cross subsidy' in other public housing projects and to facelift Yangon's development image" among others.

But lawmakers and residents from the project area were not impressed by the objectives. They were concerned that the project would destroy three lakes that have been serving as retention ponds for rainwater and all drain water from the nearby area to protect the low-lying neighborhood from severe flooding.

Residents of Mayangone's 5th Quarter said they were already suffering floods when the rains come, and were worried that if the lakes were earth-filled to make way for the project, their neighborhood would be prone to even more flooding.

Daw Khin Pyone Cho, one of the residents, told The Irrawaddy that even with the existence of the lakes, floodwaters sometimes invade her garage when it rains heavily.

"If there are no lakes, our neighborhood will suffer more. That's why we reject the project," she said.

The National League for Democracy lawmaker of the township Daw Moe Moe Suu Kyi urged the Parliament last week on behalf of the residents to leave the lakes alone.

"The proposed eight-acre project area will be met only when you keep the three lakes. Any filling of the lakes for the project will mean more trouble for the residents. I oppose any plan that would damage the lakes," she said.

Daw Nilar Kyaw, Yangon's Minister of Electricity, Industry, Transport and Communication, admitted to the Parliament that the lakes are in the project area and pledged that there would be no harm done to them.

"The government's water management committee will take care of them for better and more useful means," she said, without elaborating.

Lawmaker Daw Moe Moe Suu Kyi told The Irrawaddy that whatever the government's plan was, the existence of the lakes was more important.

"They are not only retention ponds but water resources as well, as they are recharging the underground water," she said.

Another resident said he didn't believe in development that would put the lives of the residents and the neighborhood's environment in peril.

"Their predecessors made mistakes. If the current government follows their footsteps, it will get worse," he said.

U Myint Swe, a former deputy director from the Department of Urban and Housing Development, said the lakes should be left alone, as they are the retention basins of the area.

He explained that contrary to how it is now, downtown Yangon in the past rarely suffered from flooding in rainy season due to a large retention pond that held rainwater before releasing it into Yangon River. But the pond in Botahtaung Township was earth-filled for a housing project under the previous military regime.

"It would be the same [for the Mayangone Villa project]. Without the ponds, more floods will be taken for granted, and residents will be the ones who suffer."

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China Calls for Ceasefire in Myanmar Border Fighting

Posted: 20 May 2018 10:08 PM PDT

SHANGHAI — China's defense ministry has called on armed groups in northern Myanmar to show restraint and declare an immediate ceasefire after conflicts in the region killed three Chinese citizens.

Three rockets and some stray bullets have also landed in Chinese territory as a result of the fighting, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement on its official Weibo social media account late on Friday.

The ministry said it was paying close attention to the matter and had strengthened patrols and security measures along the China-Myanmar border.

“The Chinese military will continue to strengthen border controls and adopt necessary measures to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, the stability of the border and the safety of citizens and property,” the statement said.

Tensions in northern Myanmar, which borders southwest China’s Yunnan province, have escalated in the past month, with local ethnic groups demanding greater autonomy in the region, which is an important foreign trade hub for Myanmar.

A Myanmar government spokesman said last Saturday that ethnic insurgents had killed 19 people, including four members of the security forces, in an attack near the main border gate with China.

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US Aid Chief to Myanmar: Take ‘Concrete Steps’ on Rohingya Rights

Posted: 20 May 2018 10:00 PM PDT

THET KAE PYIN CAMP, Myanmar — The US government’s aid chief urged Myanmar on Sunday to take “concrete steps” to guarantee the rights of Rohingya Muslims and to show sincerity in that endeavor in order to encourage hundreds of thousands who have fled the country to return.

Mark Green, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), ended his three-day visit to Myanmar touring Rohingya and Rakhine communities in western Rakhine State, including a camp for displaced Rohingya people.

Green said the refugees, whom he met during the previous leg of the trip in camps in Bangladesh, are fearful and while they want to return, they are asking for their rights and security to be guaranteed before making the decision to come back.

“That reinforces the importance here of clear signs of sincerity of the government’s stated position of welcoming back Rohingya in a safe, secure and dignified manner,” Green told reporters.

“We would strongly encourage the government to take those concrete steps which are a demonstration of the ability for Rohingya to return under those conditions,” Green said.

He said the government could show the refugees in Bangladesh it is sincere by taking “clear actions” with the tens of thousands of Rohingya displaced in previous bouts of violence now stuck in crowded camps in squalid conditions in Rakhine.

Green said he was “struck by the sense of hopelessness that so many Muslims nearby feel – the lack of access to healthcare, education, ability to move, access to livelihoods … that kind of hopelessness is obviously disturbing – it’s also something that has to be addressed.”

Green has said the United States would provide $44 million in additional aid for the Rohingya and vulnerable populations in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar to escape an army crackdown since August, launched in response to Rohingya insurgent attacks. Refugees have reported murder, rape and arson by Myanmar troops.

Washington has called the army response "ethnic cleansing" – a charge Myanmar denies, saying its security forces have been waging a legitimate counter-insurgency operation against "Bengali terrorists."

After meeting Myanmar’s de-facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in the administrative capital Naypyitaw and civil society leaders in the main city Yangon on Friday and Saturday, Green met local government officials in Rakhine and toured villages and camps over the weekend.

On Sunday, he went to Muslim and Buddhist villages in the Rathedaung Township in the north of the violence-torn state. He then met camp leaders in Thet Kae Pyin camp for nearly 6,000 Rohingya, a short drive from state capital Sittwe.

“We don’t have the luxury of time. We really do need all of us to see positive steps forward and we stand ready to help,” Green said.

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Multiple Bomb Attacks Hit Thailand’s Deep South, Injure Three People

Posted: 20 May 2018 09:51 PM PDT

BANGKOK — Multiple bomb attacks by suspected separatist insurgents injured at least three people in Thailand’s far south on Sunday, the military said.

A decades-old separatist insurgency in predominantly Buddhist Thailand’s largely ethnic Malay, Muslim provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat has claimed the lives of nearly 7,000 people since 2004, according to the Deep South Watch group, which monitors the violence.

Successive governments have held talks with rebel groups aimed at bringing peace but the discussions have largely stalled, including under the current, military government.

In Sunday’s attacks, explosives were placed near ATM machines and bank branches in at least 14 locations across four southern provinces, including Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, as well as Songkhla Province, the military said.

“There is violence every year during the period of Ramadan,” Colonel Pramote Prom-in, a regional security spokesman, told Reuters.

Muslims around the world marked the start of the fasting month of Ramadan last week.

As with most attacks in Thailand’s deep south, there was no claim of responsibility.

Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat were part of an independent Malay Muslim sultanate before Thailand annexed them in 1909.

Some rebel groups in the south have said they are fighting to establish an independent state.

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told local media in April that his government has made “major headway” in talks with insurgents, which have been mediated by neighboring Malaysia since 2015.

But a spokesman for Mara Patani, one of the insurgent groups talking to the government, told Reuters that progress has been slow and blamed the Thai government for dragging out the talks.

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Peaceful Protests, Civilian Thugs, and How to Move Forward In Line With the Law

Posted: 18 May 2018 07:51 PM PDT

Kyaw Kha: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week, we'll discuss if civilian thugs are back after we saw the use of them to arrest anti-war protesters in Yangon's Tamwe Township on Saturday. I'm The Irrawaddy chief reporter Kyaw Kha and I am joined by the chairman of the Anti-Injustice Committee Ko Myat Kyaw and legal advisor U Khin Maung Myint.

Ko Myat Kyaw, you said you saw a protester beaten and arrested by the police as well as people in ordinary clothes. Does this remind you of something, as we saw the same situation [the use of civilian thugs in a crackdown on student protesters against the National Education Law] in 2015?

Myat Kyaw: This reminds me of the time that one of the men wearing red armbands gripped a girl by her neck during the student protests. Speaking of the protest on Saturday, I was there. I greeted protesters and was talking with my guests near them. Then, I heard someone say that the protest had been called off to avoid trouble. Protesters stood up and prepared to leave.

About 10 to 15 seconds later, some 60 police with shields pushed through the crowd and blocked a man—I think it was Ko Aung Myin from the ACDC [Action Committee for Democracy Development]—on a corner outside Ocean Center. Others fled. I was on the opposite side of the road. I crossed the road and stood on the traffic island. There were no policemen there. Then, a man came and grasped my arms, and glared at me threateningly. I struggled. Then, another four or five men arrived, grabbed me and punched me several times. They called me the protest leader. There were no police near me at that time.

KK: Were you the protest leader?

MK: No, I just went there to support and help the protesters. What they said was a lie. I was not the protest leader. But they called me the protest leader and pulled me to the other side of the road. There another four or five men beat me. Then, a few policemen came and perhaps stopped them from beating me. I didn't hear the police say: "You get lost. It is our duty. We'll handle him." None of the policemen ordered them to stop. Then, I was taken to a prisoner transport vehicle.

I feel like there was no rule of law at all. The police force failed to act in accordance with the law. As far as I know, they have received [crowd management] training conducted by the EU. But they didn't bother to negotiate with protesters. Again, according to the law, there must be three circles of police cordon and police can take action only when protesters break into the last cordon. I don't want to call it a crackdown, but I'd say force was used on protesters near the end of the protest.

KK: Ko Myat Kyaw said the police didn't act in line with the law. U Khin Maung Myint, was the dispersal in line with legal procedures or not?

Khin Maung Myint: We had heated discussions on the same matter around March 2015. Police used civilian thugs in dispersing crowds that gathered against the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law. There are legal provisions regarding this. Section 128 of the Code of Criminal Procedure allows the use of force in dispersing crowds, and the Police Manual 1058 and riot management laws specify the circumstances under which force can be used. Police are allowed to seek the assistance of male civilians in dispersing a crowd only when the number of police is fewer than that of the unlawful assembly.

In the Tamwe case, the police outnumbered protesters. So, it was not necessary for the police to use civilians. If civilians are to be used, a list of their complete names must be submitted and approved by a magistrate prior to the dispersal. It is still unclear who those civilians were and if a magistrate had approved their use. Unless it were clear, I'd say the use of civilians was against the law.

The law states that if police are to use auxiliary police or civilians to disperse protesters, they shall use those who are respected by or those who have influence over the protesters. In the Tamwe case, when protesters said they were about to stop their protest and disperse and asked the police to provide security, the civilians used by the police were not the ones who were respected by the protesters.

What's more, their behaviors appeared to disperse the crowd with force rather than through peaceful negotiations. So, I'd say it was against the law. Finally, the law does not allow auxiliary police or vigilantes to use violence. They are only allowed to negotiate with and calm protesters. As everyone witnessed the crackdown, police merely blocked the protesters and arrests and beatings were mainly carried out by civilian thugs. From a legal point of view, those actions were against the law.

KK: So, should legal action be taken against them?

KMM: An extensive investigation must be conducted to find out who they are and who orchestrated them, if prior approval from a judge was sought and given, and if the civilian thugs were deliberately ordered to forcibly disperse the protesters or if they used force without such an order. Such an investigation should be made.

KK: Ko Myat Kyaw, who do you think those civilian thugs are?

MK: I recognized a man who staged a protest against the [National League for Democracy] government, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued. We are really shocked by the law of the country that allows a fugitive to beat a civilian in front of police. A protest march in which protesters marched from Sule to Tamwe in support of the clashes and the Tatmadaw was held the same day and finished at 4 p.m. They were not blocked or arrested.  But anti-war protesters were.

The Myanmar Police Force under the Home Affairs Ministry should be very ashamed, if they even know what shame is. They should apply the law equally. If they wanted to bar the protest because of other problems facing the country, they should have barred both protests. They should act fairly. I would question the dignity of a police force that allowed a fugitive to commit violence freely in front of many police majors and a hundred policemen with armored police cars. Our country doesn't accept the culture of supporting violence. We oppose it. That's why we staged the protest. To answer your question, I saw people who have participated in anti-government protests and there is photographic evidence.

KK: While laws are issued for the public, law enforcement officers must also respect and obey the law. As you have pointed out, police went against procedure in the Tamwe case. In previous cases, we've witnessed photos of civilian thugs with red armbands arresting protestors in front of Yangon's City Hall, and in Letpadan and Hlaing Tharyar. Thus far, no action has been taken against them. What will happen if they remain uncontrolled?

KMM: Considering what happened in Tamwe, the regional and Union governments and parliaments need to seriously consider this. Our country is lacking in two concepts. One is that the police, who are authorized to enforce the law, are only authorized to act according to existing laws and not authorized to overstep the law. Another concept that is missing is that even if joining an unlawful assembly is against the law, protestors still should enjoy legal protection under existing laws. As these two concepts are missing in our country, unnecessary violence happens. We need to fix this.

There will continue to be public assembly in all countries, democratic or not. In our country, the constitution provides for peaceful assembly and procession. According to the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law, protesters only need to inform and need not seek permission to stage a protest. The government must find an answer as to how to prevent the unlawful use of civilian thugs in crackdowns in the future and how to comply with the law when it is necessary to use civilians.

KK: Ko Myat Kyaw, can you explain what happened after the arrest?

MK: We were arrested and brought to Yankin Police Station around 6 p.m. After 20 minutes of interrogation there, we were brought to the South Okkalapa Police Station in a prisoner transport vehicle. We were interrogated there and then brought to Mingalar Taung Nyunt Police Station. There we stayed overnight. Within 24 hours, Bahan Police Station, as the Ocean Center [near where protesters assembled] is in Bahan Township, charged us with Article 20 [of the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law], and asked us to apply for bail. We guaranteed to attend trial when summoned and were released. The rule of law is very disappointing in Myanmar as you can see in the case of Thilawa [special economic zone in Yangon] in which police shot recklessly [during their eviction of local farmers on Saturday]. Anti-war protesters were arrested in the cases of Tamwe, Mandalay and Paungde, and at a peace poem recitation event [on Monday]. It seems that we have to ask more loudly why we are afraid of peace. I think we need to engage in more pro-peace activities.

KK: Peace marches were held and anti-war protesters were arrested in Mandalay. In Yangon, there was even a confrontation. What would be the best way to avoid confrontation?

KMM: The two sides should negotiate to minimize confrontation, as the Constitution provides citizens the right to peaceful assembly and procession for any reason. Protesters should not think that they don't need permission from authorities just because they have good intent and a good purpose. They should work within the legal framework.

Law enforcement personnel have a greater responsibility. In the Tamwe case, there were ways to avoid confrontation. Authorities could negotiate with protesters and persuade them to reduce their numbers. For example, if there were 100 protesters, authorities could ask them to reduce their numbers, saying that such a large crowd could impact the public order. They could also ask protesters to change their route, saying that the chosen route could impact community peace and tranquility. Or authorities could ask them to change the way they protest. For example, instead of marching, they could ask them to gather somewhere or change the venue. Confrontation should have been avoided through such negotiations.

In the Tamwe case, the anti-war protesters clung to their intention and purpose and administrative authorities including the police, who are obliged to enforce the law, focused on how to disperse and take action against the protesters rather than negotiate with them ahead of the protest. This is wrong. We need to find a solution for future cases, learning from this case. You can always find an answer through negotiation for peace or any issue. We saw a counterintuitive result in Tamwe because of weak negotiation or resistance to negotiation. I would suggest that the two sides find a solution according to the law through negotiation.

KK: Thank you for your contributions!

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Saturday, May 19, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Government Fails Basic Test of Democracy with Silence over Kachin Crisis

Posted: 19 May 2018 12:49 AM PDT

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, once asserted that a government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people". In so doing, he firmly underlined the value of democracy and the characteristics of a democratic government. And in the 150 years since he uttered his famous phrase, these values and characteristics have spread and been adopted by people in countries across the globe. Myanmar is among the countries that are attempting to adopt such a democratic culture.

After many years of direct military rule, Myanmar in 2010 held a general election, which is a core element of a democratic culture. The military regime handed over power to an elected government led by Thein Sein in 2011. In 2012, the international democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy contested a by-election and she became a Member of Parliament.

In November 2015, the people of Myanmar again cast their votes for the NLD, hoping the party could make big changes, based on its campaign slogan, "Time for Change", which motivated voters to come to the polls in huge numbers. In particular, members of the ethnic minorities, who had suffered from civil war for many decades, cast their votes for the NLD, putting high expectations on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to end the fighting, restore the Panglong Agreement, and bring peace to the country.

Kachin youths lead a demonstration in Myitkyina on April 30 to demand the government help Kachin villagers trapped in the jungle by recent fighting.

Sadly, the country has fallen deeper into conflict and the party's slogan, Time for Change, is seldom heard. On top of the economic downturn, the decay of the freedom of press and religious freedom, Myanmar's civil war continues and seems unstoppable, in spite of the numerous negotiations that have taken place.

Due to the recent escalation of fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Kachin Independence Army, thousands of innocent civilians have been forced to flee from their homes, and many remain trapped in the jungle.

To help these desperate people, Christian leaders, hundreds of civil society organizations and displaced people sent letters of appeal to President Win Myint, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Army commander-in-chief and other leaders.

In response to these letters, the country's leadership did nothing. This inaction led to a mass demonstration by Kachin youths in Myitkyina on April 30, 2018. It was not the first time people had gathered to demand something be done to help the trapped villagers; there had been a similar demonstration in Myitkyina on Feb. 5. But this time, the protest spilled over into other states, divisions, and even foreign countries such as the U.S. and Japan.

Not only were the appeals for help shunned, but the authorities launched a crackdown against the demonstrators, arresting many and charging them with unlawful acts. According to data collected by the Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar, 45 demonstrators are being sued by the police and Tatmadaw on the grounds of violating the country's peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and defamation laws.

Kachin youths lead a demonstration in Myitkyina on April 30 to demand the government help Kachin villagers trapped in the jungle by recent fighting.

It is understandable that the civilian government can do little to rein in the police force as it is controlled by the Tatmadaw via the Ministry of Home Affairs. Thus every action conducted by the police might come on the orders of the Tatmadaw. However, the government including President Win Myint and de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and elected members of Parliament should not keep silent. As the leaders elected by the citizens of Myanmar, it is their duty to speak out.

It is not surprising that the people want the government whom they elected to take action when and where it is necessary. It is the people's right to make demands of the government. As Xunzi, the Confucian philosopher, once said "The lord is the boat; his subjects the water. It's the water that sustains the boat, and the water that capsizes the boat."

The government — meaning both the members of Parliament and the cabinet — depends on the people, and if a government turns a blind eye and shuts its ears to the people's demands, it is inevitable it will eventually be overthrown. Thus, the ruler (government) has to govern with the interests of the people in mind. As the government was elected by the people, and thus it was of the people, it also must be "for the people". The elected government should stand up with the people for the sake of democracy.

In a nutshell, the people of Myanmar should be cherished, and never abused either by the government or Tatmadaw. The people form the basis of the country. If this basis is stable, the country will be sure to find peace. But if the government neglects the people's demands and behaves like a totalitarian regime, these core values of a democratic government — "of the people, by the people and, more importantly, for the people" — will not nest in the country, but fade away.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of a Kachin State-based analyst.

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Friday, May 18, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Myanmar GDP on the Rise, Expected to Continue: World Bank

Posted: 18 May 2018 04:57 AM PDT

YANGON — Amid risk remaining high, Myanmar's economy performed better in the 2017-18 fiscal year with a recovery in agriculture, improved manufacturing performance with garments continuing to excel and strong services growth, the World Bank said in its Myanmar Economic Monitor report released on Thursday.

It said that the economy experienced a broad-based increase in real GDP growth to 6.4 percent in 2017-18 from 5.9 percent in 2016-17. Growth is projected to increase to 6.8 percent in 2018-19.

Inflation also declined year by year, from 7 percent in 2016-17 to 5.5 percent in 2017-18 and is expected to ease further to 4.9 percent, the World Bank said.

Rice exports reached record highs and like garments continued to access new markets, the report stated, while gas exports were propped up by a significant, but uncertain, increase in global gas prices, offsetting declining production from maturing fields, it stated.

While it noted that while economic outlook is positive, there are concerns that the slow pace of reforms, vulnerabilities in the financial sector and limited progress in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine are starting to affect business sentiment.

Investors concerned about the reputational risk of operating in Myanmar may defer already committed FDI or new investments, it said.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) approvals declined by 14 percent in relation to 2016-17, but FDI flows adequately financed the current account deficit, it added.

External risks from uncertainty in global trade policy and in commodity prices intensify the downside risks to the growth outlook, stated in the report.

The bi-annual report analyzes economic developments, economic prospects and policy priorities in Myanmar, based on available data reported by the Myanmar government and collected as part of the World Bank's regular economic monitoring and policy dialogue.

U Zaw Myo Hlaing, managing director of Unique Network Marketing Co., Ltd, said during the panel discussion at the report launch event on Thursday that the report is contrary to what most businessmen and farmers are saying in that doing business has become more difficult.

"Those working are saying that there are difficulties in doing business," he said.

"The GDP growth is not exciting, as it doesn't impact everyone in the country," he said, adding that people are not feeling much positive change due to the growth.

He urged wider awareness on taxation, assistance for small and medium enterprises, and combating corruption to improve the current climate of doing business.

"It's very important that the benefit of growth and income increases are shared across the population. This year, a lot of growth came from the agricultural sector, which comprises farmers. So they're producing more crops – rice, beans, and pulses – that are being demanded, not only in Myanmar but outside. The sale of those crops generates income for those farmers. We do feel that the rapid progress that Myanmar has made on reducing poverty with stable inequality can continue," Hans Anand Beck, lead economist of the World Bank, told The Irrawaddy.

The agriculture sector accounts for 26 percent of GDP, industry and manufacturing account for 33 percent, and services account for 41 percent.

Favorable weather conditions and increased external demand caused agricultural output to rise by an estimated 2.5 percent in this fiscal year.

The World Bank suggested that implementing the cogent new Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan, collecting more revenue and spending it better, and providing greater policy certainty and a simpler operating environment for businesses could support investment and economic prospects.

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Ta’ang Armed Group Opens First Liaison Office in Wa Territory

Posted: 18 May 2018 04:48 AM PDT

YANGON — The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) opened its first liaison office on Thursday in Panghsang, the declared capital of the Wa self-administered region in Shan State, to improve communication with allied armed groups.

The TNLA is a member of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which is led by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and has seven members in all.

Major Tar Aike Kyaw, a spokesman for the TNLA, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that the office was opened with the UWSA’s permission.

"We want to have better communication with each other, so we opened an office there," he said, adding that he did not know if other FPNCC members had plans to do likewise.

The TNLA is based in remote parts of northern Shan and has found it difficult to travel to other parts of the state to meet with fellow armed groups. It says the new office will save it both time and money and help foster closer relations with the UWSA and the rest of the committee members.

"It was very difficult to get to Wa areas; we had to spend a lot of time to get there. It was also not safe when we traveled,"Major Tar Aike Kyaw said.

The FPNCC was formed to help its members hold peace talks with the national government and military and has received occasional assistance from China as a mediator. It has condemned the Myanmar military over its latest offensives against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of its members, in Kachin State and against the TNLA in Shan.

The Myanmar military has repeatedly warned the UWSA not to support the TNLA or any other members of the Northern Alliance, a separate but overlapping bloc of armed groups that often clash with the military in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan states.

But the UWSA, which claims some 30,000 fighters and the largest rebel army in the country, has ignored the warnings, with little direct blowback from the military.

The military has, however, been restricting the movement of ethnic Wa is some parts of Shan in an apparent bid to pressure the UWSA to cut ties with the Northern Alliance.

The FPNCC consists of the KIA, TNLA, UWSA, Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, National Democratic Alliance Army and Shan State Progressive Party.

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Chinese Demand Fueling Spike in Elephant Poaching

Posted: 18 May 2018 03:30 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The Forestry Department has blamed growing demand from China for a surge in elephant poaching in Myanmar.

"Elephant poaching has increased rapidly because of increasing demand from a neighboring country for both consumption and medical use," said Forestry Department deputy director-general U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin as he answered questions at a press conference at the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry in Naypyitaw on Thursday.

Such references by Myanmar officials to a "neighboring country" in the context of the illegal wildlife trade are commonly understood to refer to China.

He added that while in the past elephants were mainly poached for their tusks, demand for flesh, trunks, and hide had increased.

The number of poached elephants has risen steadily since 2014. While only four were poached in 2014, the number increased to 20 in 2015 and 18 in 2016, before jumping to 46 in 2017, according to Forestry Department records.

Meanwhile, more than 50 elephants died of natural causes over the past four years.

"If we are losing an elephant every week, including those that die of natural causes, the population of wild elephants could drop significantly in the next 20 to 30 years," U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin said.

Irrawaddy, Bago and Yangon regions have become poaching hot spots, but the Forestry Department has only around 300 staff members assigned to combat the illegal trade, and therefore has to rely on cooperation from local authorities and residents, he said.

Police brought 56 poachers to trial last year, and have arrested six this year.

In January, the department launched an initiative offering rewards of 3 million kyats each to those providing authorities with information leading to the arrest of elephant poachers. In March, the department awarded the sum to a villager in Irrawaddy Region after forestry police were able to arrest a poacher thanks to a tip from him.

In mid-February, the government launched the Myanmar Elephant Conservation Action Plan (MECAP), a strategy for the next 10 years (2018–27) with the overall aim of securing viable and ecologically functional elephant populations in Myanmar for the next century and beyond with support from international and local organizations.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Chin State Minister Resigns Amid Reshuffle

Posted: 18 May 2018 02:26 AM PDT

Myanmar President U Win Myint allowed the resignation of the Chin State minister for municipal works, electricity and industry on Thursday, following the regional Parliament seeking presidential approval to reshuffle three ministers earlier this month.

Salai Isaac Khen, the resigned minister, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that his resignation "showed accountability" for his failure to implement projects related to the Hakha urban city plan, Hakha market and Falam water distribution.

He said that he takes full responsibility even though respective departments under the ministry could not perform these tasks. The public has complained about the lack of success of these projects in particular.

"I was appointed as the minister and not elected, therefore, I believe taking responsibility is important."

The water supply project was intended to access water from Lavia Dam, some 25 miles from Falam, and the water was to be distributed to households in Falam. This project was supposed to be completed in March.

However, there were issues with the contract and implementation. Za Thang, a Falam resident, told The Irrawaddy that no one knew about the contract made with the tender-winning Authentic Co. except the chief minister, municipal minister and company director. Furthermore, Za Thang said, the town elders later found out that the pipe installed in the project was not eight inches wide but six inches wide.

Za Thang said, "The municipal minister is a hard-working person who unfortunately could not go against the chief minister."

Salai Isaac Khen was a director of the research and advocacy group Gender and Development Initiative Myanmar and a leading civil society member until he was selected to become a minister in the Chin State government in 2016.

His tireless efforts during his two years in the position were acknowledged by many, despite some objections to his performance.

He said he plans to continue his studies at this time, as he was preparing to begin a Ph.D. when taking the ministerial position. He will also resume work with Gender and Development Initiative Myanmar.

The Chin State cabinet reshuffle is still in process, as two other state ministers – social affairs and transportation – are slated to be transferred.

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Finance Ministry to Investigate Customs Director Over Bribery Allegations

Posted: 17 May 2018 11:51 PM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The Ministry of Finance and Planning says it will launch an internal investigation into a department director who allegedly encouraged his staff to take bribes.

On Sunday, an audio file was posted on the “Golden Gatekeeper” Facebook page purportedly of U Yin Min Aung, director of the Finance Ministry’s Customs Department. In the recording, the man stresses the importance of maintaining cohesion when taking bribes. The director is alleged to have made the remarks on May 26, 2016, during a meeting with taxation officers about to take up assignments across the country.

The recording has gone viral since being posted online and sparked a public outcry.

On Thursday, Deputy Finance Minister U Maung Maung Win said an internal investigation body had been formed to look into the allegations.

"But we have not yet started the investigation. We'll gather evidence first," he told reporters in Naypyitaw, where the ministry’s work over the past year was being reviewed.

U Thein Swe, the Customs Department’s deputy director-general, said the investigation was ordered by the President's Office.

"The investigation body consists of a deputy director-general and a director. I don't know who they will investigate," he said.

"An internal investigation is not enough. The maximum punishment will be a transfer or a warning. In fact, that case should be handled by the Anti-Corruption Commission. Only then will the public get a satisfactory answer," lawyer U Kyi Myint told The Irrawaddy.

In the recording, the man tells his audience to beware of attracting legal action when taking bribes.

"Everyone should unite and be satisfied. Everyone should be in agreement. But don't be too greedy beyond your position. The elephant has his own share, the horse has his own share, the goat has his own share, and the ant has his own share," the man says.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Myanmar Agrees to Accelerate Repatriation of Rohingya Despite Challenges

Posted: 17 May 2018 11:44 PM PDT

DHAKA — A Myanmar foreign ministry delegation on Thursday in Dhaka said it is accelerating the repatriation process of Myanmar nationals living in Bangladesh but that it needs to promote awareness among its citizens.

"We are working on [the challenges of repatriation].  We need to promote awareness among Myanmar people and we will be providing more information to the counterpart foreign secretary in Dhaka," said Myint Thu, the permanent secretary of the Myanmar Foreign Affairs Ministry, when asked about the challenges to repatriating Rohingya refugees now living in Bangladesh.

A second Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting with Bangladesh was held in Dhaka. A 15-member delegation from both countries joined the meeting, where the main discussion was starting the physical repatriation of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals who are currently living in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

The Myanmar delegation head said, "We had a candid discussion on repatriation. We discussed our preparations to date, are continuing to have working group meetings and are setting up a mechanism to receive the refugees.

He added that the two sides were working on the bilateral agreement to begin the process.

When asked about claims that Myanmar has been delaying the repatriation process, the delegation head replied, "That's what we are here for. We are working on accelerating the process."

Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque, who is leading the 15-member team from Bangladesh, told reporters that he could not give a specific date as to when the process would begin because "this kind of repatriation is very complex and difficult."

The JWG is reviewing the progress to date of plans to repatriate some 700,000 Rohingya who fled Myanmar's Rakhine State largely following Myanmar Army security clearance operations that began in August 2017.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement on Nov. 23, 2017.

On Jan. 16, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a "physical arrangement" document that would facilitate the return of the Rohingya Muslim refugees to their homeland.

The document stipulated that the process would be completed preferably within two years from its start.

In mid-February, Bangladesh handed over a list of more than 8,032 Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar during a meeting in Dhaka.

Myanmar has so far verified the residency of only 878 Rohingya out of the 8,032 who were on the list from Bangladesh.

The head of the Bangladesh delegation said issues regarding the residency verification process and preparations to address these matters were also discussed.

Shahidul Haque said that a new list would be sent and that both parties agreed to foster the repatriation process.

A Bangladesh official told The Irrawaddy that it was "productive meeting" and that "things were moving in the right direction even though the issue is quite complex."

Asked whether the delegations discussed the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in the meeting, the official stated that it was discussed and that "there are no ARSA members in our territory."

"They are convinced of our position and we will work together to identify ARSA members," the official stated.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the United States Embassy in Dhaka said on Thursday that the US Agency for International Development administrator Mark Green met with Shahidul Haque, the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary, at the latter's office in Dhaka on Wednesday.

In the meeting, the administrator reiterated that any repatriation or relocation of the Rohingya must be safe, voluntary, dignified, and based on informed consent.

The two discussed the strong partnership between the United States and Bangladesh, including USAID’s long history in the country.

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US Aid Chief Calls on Myanmar to End Violence Against Rohingya

Posted: 17 May 2018 10:46 PM PDT

DHAKA — The US government’s aid chief on Thursday called on Myanmar to end violence against members of the Rohingya Muslim minority and to provide humanitarian workers and media unhindered access to the country.

Mark Green, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, visited Rohingya refugee camps on a three-day visit to Bangladesh this week.

The United States would provide $44 million in additional aid to help meet the needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, he told reports in Dhaka, before travelling on to Myanmar, which is also known as Burma.

“Today, I will fly to Burma and will ask them to end the violence and will also ask them to allow media access," Green said.

“This humanitarian crisis is a global challenge and our government along with the international community will work together to support Bangladesh,” he said.

According to UN officials, nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh from Buddhist-majority Myanmar’s Rakhine State to escape a military crackdown since August, launched in response to Rohingya insurgent attacks.

Refugees have told of numerous incidents of murder, rape and arson by Myanmar troops and Buddhist vigilantes, which the United Nations has likened to “ethnic cleansing.”

Myanmar has denied nearly all of the allegations, saying its security forces have been waging a legitimate counter-insurgency operation against Rohingya “terrorists.”

Green, who is due to meet Myanmar government officials in the capital, Naypyitaw, said he would ask for “free and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the country” as well as access for media to travel freely.

US President Donald Trump this month assured Bangladesh of US support in dealing with the Myanmar Rohingya refugee crisis.

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China Seeks Investigation Into University of Southern California Abuse Accusations

Posted: 17 May 2018 10:00 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES — The Chinese government has expressed “deep concern” over published reports that a University of Southern California gynecologist was allowed for years to treat students, many of them from China, despite accusations of sexual abuse and harassment.

The Los Angeles Times reported this week that Dr. George Tyndall, 71, resigned from USC last year after an internal investigation at the university found he performed unnecessary or unprofessional physical exams and made inappropriate comments to some of the young women in his care.

Tyndall was not suspended by the university until 2016 despite complaints dating to the 1990s, according to the article. He has not been arrested or charged with any crime, the newspaper reported.

Late on Wednesday, China’s state-owned news agency Xinhua quoted an unidentified official of the Consulate General of China in Los Angeles as saying, “We noticed the report and expressed our deep concern over the situation.”

“We request USC to take serious step to investigate the issue and protect Chinese students from illegal violation.”

The Chinese consul general in Los Angeles could not be reached for comment.

Tyndall could not be reached by Reuters for comment. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he denied any wrongdoing, saying, “I’m there to protect the health of Trojan women,” referring to the school’s mascot.

Emily Gersema, a spokeswoman for the university, said on Thursday that it was preparing a statement in response to the Chinese government. USC enrolled 5,101 students from China in 2017, according to its website.

In a “letter to the USC community” issued on Tuesday on the school’s website, its president C.L. Nikias said Tyndall was placed on administrative leave in June 2016 after a complaint by a staff member and since then had not been allowed contact with students.

The school acknowledged in the letter that it did not report accusations against Tyndall to the California Medical Board until this year, when he sought reinstatement at USC.

“On behalf of the university, I sincerely apologize to any student who may have visited the student health center and did not receive the respectful care each individual deserves,” Nikias said.

Earlier this year Larry Nassar, a former faculty member and physician at an on-campus clinic at Michigan State University and a doctor for USA Gymnastics, was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to criminal sexual conduct.

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A Third of Protected Wildlife Areas Marred by Roads and Towns: Study

Posted: 17 May 2018 09:55 PM PDT

OSLO — A third of the world’s protected areas for wildlife are suffering road building, more farms and other man-made threats that are undermining goals to safeguard the diversity of life on Earth, scientists said on Thursday.

Almost 200 nations agreed in 2010 to set aside at least 17 percent of the world’s land areas in parks and other sanctuaries by 2020 as a cornerstone of a plan to shield animals and plants from pollution, land clearances and climate change.

But many protected areas fall short, according to a report in the journal Science led by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia.

“Six million sq km (2.3 million square miles) – 32.8 percent – of protected land is under intense human pressure,” from threats including more roads, cities, farms and railways, the scientists wrote.

The area is roughly equal to the size of India and Argentina combined. Mangroves, Mediterranean forests, some grasslands and savannahs were among protected areas most at risk.

James Watson, a professor at the University of Queensland and co-author, told Reuters he was “stunned” by the data. “Governments are claiming these places are protected for the sake of nature when in reality they aren’t,” he said.

Overall, governments say the extent of protected lands has roughly doubled since the early 1990s and now covers 15 percent of the world’s land in more than 200,000 protected areas, the study said.

Among examples of threats, the study showed satellite images of Kamianets-Podilskyi, a growing city within a national park in Ukraine, roads slicing through Mikumi National Park in Tanzania and farms and other buildings in Dadohaehaesang national park in South Korea.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which oversees the 2020 plan, said it hoped Thursday’s findings would spur more action to ensure that protected areas exist in more than name.

“There is indeed a risk for protected areas to be misrepresented as paper parks,” Cristiana Pasca Palmer, executive secretary of the CBD, told Reuters in an email.

Among recommendations, countries should improve assessment and management of protected areas, and try where possible to connect them so threatened species can migrate.

Another study in Science on Thursday showed that strict limits on global warming would help safeguard most species of plants and animals, especially insects such as bees or butterflies that are vital to pollinating crops.

“A species with a very small range is at greater risk of extinction,” lead author Rachel Warren of the University of East Anglia told Reuters.

A rise of 1.5C degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, the toughest goal under the 2015 Paris climate agreement, would mean that only six percent of insects species would suffer a halving or more of their natural habitats.

But risks would rise fast with higher temperatures. Eighteen percent of insects would lose more than half their ranges if temperatures rise 2C (3.6F), the main Paris goal.

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A New Business Sense Helps Bind the Ties Among Northern Alliance Members

Posted: 17 May 2018 06:51 PM PDT

Some ethnic Shan have wondered publicly whether the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is providing material support to the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in its fight against the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) after grenades carrying KIA markings were found following a clash between the RCSS and TNLA in Kyaukme Township early this month.

The KIA has produced a range of weapons including sniper rifles, grenades and ammunition for a long time. But some ethnic Shan may not understand this, and have accused the KIA of supporting the TNLA. While it is likely the KIA has been willing to sell the TNLA guns, grenades and ammunition, the deals are more commercial than political. They are also not unique. The TNLA also purchases arms from the United Wa State Army — indeed, almost all the AK-47 guns used by the TNLA come from the UWSA – and have bought weapons from Chinese arms dealers as well. Illegal weapons markets can be found at a number of different spots along the Chinese border, and according to TNLA sources, for the right amount of money, it's possible to buy any type of gun.

The ethnic armed forces based near the Chinese border know how to generate cash, which they then look to invest in a variety of ways to generate returns to finance their revolutions. In March 2017, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), attacked several casinos in Laukkai in Kokang, and made off with US$73 million, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. This set an example for other ethnic rebels groups not just to attack your enemy, but to think about how to use their armed forces to raise money too. The MNDAA justified the attacks by claiming that the casinos belonged to Myanmar Army generals and local Kokang authorities who were former members of the MNDAA.

Following the casino raids, different rumors circulated around the border that the MNDAA would use the cash to set up an arms factory to produce guns. But, other sources in the area said the MNDAA invested the money in businesses in areas controlled by the UWSA and the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA).

The UWSA controls Special Region 2, while the NDAA controls Special Region 4 (Mongla) in the eastern and northern parts of Shan. These two armed groups signed a ceasefire agreement in 1989, and their territories have since seen a range of commercial activity develop. The central government does not have any influence over or enough power to control this region. The UWSA has 30,000 troops, according to the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, while the NDAA has 3,000 men under arms.

Chinese authorities occasionally crack down on illegal money laundering through banks, so the rebel groups do not view it as prudent to keep their money there. They do view it as safe, however, to invest money in the Wa and Mongla regions and even further afield; some say that the MNDAA has invested its casino horde in different enterprises in China.

Members of the Northern Alliance – the KIA, Arakan Army, TNLA and MNDAA — have no shortage of ideas about how to make money, and they understand that is better not to spend it all waging war. They have tried to think ahead about how to make money, grow interest and ensure the have the funds to finance their revolutions in the future.

In their attack on Muse on May 11, the TNLA targeted a casino belong to the Pansay militia, which historically had been involved in the illegal drug business. The TNLA claimed that the casino even belonged to some Burmese officials cooperating with the Pansay militia.

However, the TNLA could not get inside the casino.

The TNLA may have intended to seize laundered money when attacking the casino but motivated by good reasons. Gambling has ruined the lives of many poor people in the region, while the casino also plays a part in the illegal drug trade in the area, they say.

The leaders of the TNLA, AA, and MNDAA want to build their own capitals similar to those established by the KIA, UWSA, and NDAA (Mongla). There are several reasons why. The groups have concluded that if they want to have peace they need their own separate areas. As long as they live among the Burmese, there will be no peace. They point out that the KIA has Laiza, and Mai Ja Yang towns and KIA soldiers have shown they are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect these places.

The TNLA, AA and MNDAA want to set up arms factories similar to those operated by the KIA. The KIA arms factory were initially run by Chinese engineers but in 2015, according to border sources from China, the KIA was able to replace them with their own engineers, who had been trained by the UWSA. Today, the KIA operates the factories on its own.

The Myanmar Army has repeatedly threatened to eliminate the KIA and other armed groups. But, the ethnic armed groups including the UWSA, which is based near the Chinese border, have shown a united front, one built as much on commercial motivations as communal interests.

The post A New Business Sense Helps Bind the Ties Among Northern Alliance Members appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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