Tuesday, July 17, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Brother of Informant Hacked to Death, Suspects Arrested

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 07:08 AM PDT

YANGON — Police in Yangon say they have arrested six suspects in Friday’s murder of a man whose brother helped expose a ward administrator as a wanted rape suspect but deny any connection.

Police Captain Maung Maung Oo, head of the Dagon Myothit Township police station, said Thet Wai Htoo, 36, was hacked to death with swords on Friday and that six suspects were arrested the following day. He identified the suspects, all related, as Naing Win, a Ward 140 assistant in Dagon Myothit South, Chit Hla, Nay Lin, Aung Thet Paing, Than Naing Win and Aung Soe.

The police have filed homicide charges against the six under sections 114 and 302 of the Penal Code, which is punishable with life in prison or death. But the captain denied that the suspects were taking revenge on the victim because his older brother, Zaw Zaw Aung, had informed on the ward administrator, Yan Naing Soe.

“The dead person was drunk and being a bit aggressive. Then the [ward assistant] and his relatives reacted to the victim furiously. So we can say it happened because of anger,” Capt. Maung Maung Oo said.

However, the captain’s claim contradicts the account of Zaw Zaw Aung.

Zaw Zaw Aung said he was told by neighbors that some of Yan Naing Soe’s supporters were searching for his younger brother because they were angry with him for helping expose Yan Naing Soe to the media as a wanted rape suspect.

By the time Zaw Zaw Aung returned to the ward on Friday evening, he saw his brother barely alive lying in a pool of blood with multiple cuts to his body and his attackers standing around him. He said he wanted to save his brother but was held back by neighbors who feared he too would be attacked.

Once the assailants left, Zaw Zaw Aung said, he tried to rush his brother to the nearest hospital, but his brother died on the way.

He said he heard the assailants yell “Let’s leave, this guy seems to be dead now. Zaw Zaw Aung should be killed like this, too. He is quite active as a politician in this ward.”

Zaw Zaw Aung said he was actually the prime target, but because he spent most of his time outside the ward the attackers turned on his brother.

According to the Home Affairs Ministry website, Yan Naing Soe, also known as Karen, allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl with four other men in Yangon’s Thingangyun Township in 2011. While two of the men were sent to jail for two years and another was acquitted, Yan Naing Soe has evaded arrest.

In 2017, Yan Naing Soe moved to Dagon Myothit, where he contested and won a local election for Ward 140 administrator. But when some locals learned of his alleged crime, they leaked the information to freelance journalist Myo Myint.

In May, Myo Myint wrote on his Facebook page that Yan Naing Soe was still at large and working as a ward administrator even though Thingangyun Township police had handed a warrant for his arrest over to their counterparts in Dagon Myothit.

A few days later, Myo Myint was verbally threatened over the phone by one of Yan Naing Soe’s supporters and asked to take down the post

Myo Myint made the post private after a childhood friend, the wife of a police officer, advised him to be careful of Yan Naing Soe because he was a local gang leader.

The freelance journalist had also called police about Yan Naing Soe and was told they would look into it.

Myanmar Now journalists then contacted Dagon Myothit residents, including Zaw Zaw Aung, one of Myo Myint’s sources, to investigate the case and in mid-June published a story titled: “Rapist wanted by police becomes ward administrator.”

Yan Naing Soe fled the ward once the story came out and is still at large.

Neither the Ministry of Home Affairs nor Yangon Region police have issued any updates about Yan Naing Soe since.

Myanmar Now senior reporter Htet Khaung Lin told The Irrawaddy that Ward 140 was in the hands of criminals and that it was now split between those for and against Yan Naing Soe.

“Everyone knows who is responsible if authorities fail to arrest outlaws. Residents have many challenges when an outlaw becomes a ward authority, because he is barbarous and will not hesitate to handle issues in a violent way,” he said.

The post Brother of Informant Hacked to Death, Suspects Arrested appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Three Women Accuse Chief of Women’s Rights NGO of Sexual Harassment, Assault

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 07:00 AM PDT

YANGON—Myanmar's leading women's rights advocacy network has declared its support for three women who came forward on social media last week to accuse the head of one of its member organizations, a local human rights and women's empowerment NGO, of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

The Gender Equality Network (GEN)—a network of more than 100 local and international NGOs and civil society organizations—vowed to help the women seek justice.

GEN said it had received a letter of complaint alleging that a senior figure at one of its member organizations had engaged in sexual harassment and assault, as well as exploitative behavior toward staff, and of abusing their authority. It did not name the organization or the accused in the statement.

"GEN condemns any member or employee who commits or enables any violations of human rights, women's rights, and the rights of minorities," it said in a statement released on Monday, adding that the truth would be exposed and the necessary action taken.

U Aung Myo Min, a member of GEN's steering committee, told The Irrawaddy that the cases were reported by three female former employees of the accused person's organization.

He confirmed that the complainants are the same women who recently shared their ordeals on Facebook.

He said his organization planned to meet with the women and would support them, respecting their wishes and decisions without any bias, whether they sought legal action or an apology.

The case came to light on July 12, when a woman started speaking out about sexual assaults that she and her female colleagues had been subjected to at their office, and sharing their stories on her Facebook account.

She said they were sexually harassed by the chief executive officer of the organization they worked for. She said he touched, hugged, tickled and sometimes even picked up in his arms or jumped over female staff, ignoring their demands that he stop.

After the first woman shared her story, a second posted about the harassment that she had faced. She later posted about another female employee who had experienced attempted rape.

One of the three women told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that some women at the organization who experienced harassment had reported their cases to other managers, but their complaints were quickly disposed of and not followed up.

Far from having their complaints addressed, those who made them found themselves isolated in the office and were later pressured to resign, she said.

She said she and her colleagues were going public with their stories in order to encourage other victims to speak out as well as to highlight the sexual harassment that women have long faced in the workplace.

"I also want donor organizations to check the agencies they are funding to ensure they have anti-sexual harassment policies in place," she said, adding that organizations that had donated funds to her former employer had been notified.

U Aung Myo Min of GEN said the case highlighted the need for organizations to adopt sexual harassment policies for staff and to put a complaints procedure in place.

"Sexual harassment cases can be tricky and hard to prove. But that shouldn't prevent victims from making complaints or cause them to let their cases be dismissed. The victims know best whether they are victims of sexual exploitation," he said.

The activist added that victims of sexual harassment and assault should be encouraged to make complaints. Thus, every organization needs to have a complaints procedure and a policy that ensures action is taken against the perpetrators of such acts — especially at organizations working in the human rights and gender equality sectors.

The post Three Women Accuse Chief of Women's Rights NGO of Sexual Harassment, Assault appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Chair of Kyaukphyu SEZ Wary of Chinese Loans

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:43 AM PDT

YANGON — Myanmar will endeavor to take on no loans from China to complete the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) but would offer the developer no sovereign guarantees to mitigate risk if it does, said the project’s new chairman, seeking to allay fears of a debt trap.

Sean Turnell, an economic adviser to State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has called the expense of the $7.5-billion project "crazy" and "absurd” and warned of a repeat of Sri Lanka’s experience.

The government of Sri Lanka borrowed heavily from China to build the $1-billion Hambantota port but was unable to repay the loans. As a result, it gave China a 99-year lease to the facility in exchange for debt relief. Turnell told a seminar in Singapore in May that Myanmar would have to borrow between $2 billion and $3 billion from the Export-Import Bank of China to make its own port project happen.

In an interview with Reuters on Monday, the head of the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Ray Washburne, also warned that China’s Belt and Road Initiative was creating a debt trap for many poor nations.

According to the initial master plan, the Kyaukphyu SEZ, in Rakhine State, will cover a total 520 hectares — 20 for the port, 100 for housing, and 400 for an industrial park. It allocates 50 percent of the land to fisheries, 30 percent to garment factories and the rest to other small enterprises.

U Set Aung, the new chairman of the SEZ’s management committee, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the government has decided to start on a smaller scale and to expand based strictly on demand.

“Hence, the project will not [make] the Myanmar government bear the debt burden,” he said.

The China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) won the bid to develop the SEZ in 2015. The shareholders agreement struck under then-President Thein Sein gives China an 85 percent stake in the project and Myanmar the rest.

The government that replaced his, led by the National League for Democracy, has been trying to double Myanmar’s stake to 30 percent.

Myanmar’s new planning and finance minister, U Soe Win, told the Nikkei Asian Review in a recent interview that Myanmar also wants to reduce the overall size of the project and eliminate unnecessary expenses.

U Set Aung told The Irrawaddy that the negotiations with CITIC have been “positive” but provided no details.

State-run media have reported that the results of the negotiations would be announced soon.

Many of the SEZ’s critics have advised the government to be cautious and to formulate a strategic plan before the suspended project resumes. Public fears of a debt trap with China have also pushed the government to seek a third party investor such as Japan.

Started in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy project. It aims to connect China and Europe via new and expanded land and sea routes, and many see Myanmar as a key piece of the puzzle, linking South and Southeast Asia and China’s landlocked Yunnan Province to the Indian Ocean.

The post New Chair of Kyaukphyu SEZ Wary of Chinese Loans appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

A Modern Traditionalist

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:36 AM PDT

YANGON — When talking about Myanmar's modernist painters, Sein Myint (Shwe Chi Doe) cannot be left out. He is praised by his contemporaries as an authority on Myanmar culture and folk art.

"The main difference [between Sein Myint and other Myanmar traditional artists] is his hands-on experience," said Tampawadi U Win Maung, a distinguished scholar of Myanmar culture.

"He traveled to many rural villages in search of folk culture and customs to be showcased at a rural art exhibition in 1992, giving him first-hand experience of how looms are set up, how peanuts are ground for oil, and more," he said.

Born in Sagaing and having grown up in Mandalay, Sein Myint was an apprentice to modernists Paw Oo Thet and Win Pe.

"I never wanted to draw conventional art. I was only interested in modern art, ever since I was young," Sein Myint said.

His first show was a group exhibition in 1970 with renowned Myanmar modernists including U Kin Maung (Bank), Paw Oo Thet, Kin Maung Yin, Win Pe, and others.

Sein Myint stands in front of some of his paintings. / The Irrawaddy

Sein Myint also accompanied renowned scholars and historians such as U Maung Maung Tin, Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt, U Aye Myint, Ko Pinna (Amarapura), Saw Mon Nyin, and U Win Maung (Tampawadi) on their archeological trips.

"I have had both strong modern and traditional nats (spirits) beside me," said Sein Myint.

Sein Myint was born into a family of traders. Thanks to this, he traveled extensively around the country, which gave him an opportunity to learn about rural life and customs – including pagoda festivals, nat festivals, marionette shows, caneball, ancient monasteries and more. All of this served as a rich source of material for his art.

"I know the ratios of traditional monastic buildings in my mind like a student knows his lessons by heart," said Sein Myint, speaking of the benefits of his travels.

Since 1985, Sein Myint has also been in the business of making tapestries depicting Myanmar folk culture.

A painting by Sein Myint. / The Irrawaddy

In 1989-1990, his tapestry embodying traditional Myanmar art was selected to grace the walls of the main chamber of the United Nations Headquarters Building in New York.

At the request of military leaders, he also created tapestries to be hung at government offices and presented to leaders of foreign countries.

In 1995, he was appointed by the government as an expert and consultant on traditional Myanmar folk arts. He conducted research with other scholars on rural folk arts in Mandalay, Sagaing and Magwe.

"He has sound knowledge of Myanmar traditional culture and knows Myanmar traditional designs by heart. I notice liberty and breadth in his paintings. And he is also a researcher of Myanmar art, said modernist Win Pe, who is one of Sein Myint's mentors.

Directly appointed by General Tin Oo, the Secretary-2 of the military regime who died in a helicopter crash in 2001, Sein Myint in 1993 became a joint secretary of the Mandalay chapter of the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), a proxy civil society association of the junta.

"I'm not interested in politics. I worked as a trader my whole life. But I can't help drawing. I worked at the USDA office during the day, and drew at night," Sein Myint said.

"One of the advantages [of working at the USDA office] was that there were no blackouts there," Sein Myint recalled, as the electricity supply was inconsistent in many areas at the time.

"And I could make several foreign visits," said Sein Myint. It was quite difficult to travel to foreign countries while the country was under military rule, partly because applying for a passport was difficult and partly because of the cost of airfare.

Sein Myint traveled to the Honolulu, London, South Africa, Yugoslavia and other ASEAN countries under cultural exchange programs and organized exhibitions and lectures on traditional Myanmar tapestries.

He began to focus more on art in 2010, as he did not join the USDA, which transformed itself into a political party to contest the general elections that year.

A painting by Sein Myint. / The Irrawaddy

Spirit in Colors, a series depicting Myanmar traditional nats exhibited in 2008, became a milestone in his artistic career. The series was the result of his painstaking research into the history of nats, nat songs and the life of mediums known as nat kadaw in Burmese.

Other artists have also created nat paintings, but Sein Myint's works are distinguished in terms of color and style, said Tampawadi U Win Maung.

"Artists have their own styles. But not all of them are enchanting to audiences. U Sein Myint succeeds in both," he said.

Sein Myint is also a collector of Myanmar antiques and has a private art museum at his house in Mandalay.

"His works better reflect Myanmar culture than those of other artists," said Tampawadi U Win Maung.

Sein Myint now creates Myanmar traditional paintings according to his own will. "Now I'm drawing zodiac signs. I researched zodiac signs of Western countries in comparison to the astrological chart of Asian countries. And I also included the names of Myanmar months [on the lunar calendar] and Burmese zodiac animal signs in my paintings," said the 73-year-old artist.

"He draws the things that we see and hear every day in his own style. His works are a combination of liberty and expertise," said Ko Pyae Wai, owner of Nawaday Tharlar Art Gallery.

The post A Modern Traditionalist appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Six Female Medics Murdered in Captivity by Tatmadaw, TNLA Claims

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:17 AM PDT

MON STATE — Six female medics of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) were murdered after being taken prisoner by the Myanmar Army in Namkham Township, northern Shan State, claimed the ethnic armed group, which accused the military of killing prisoners of war. A male TNLA soldier was killed while trying to protect the medics, the group said.

According to a statement issued by the TNLA on Monday, the six women were medics, and the dead man was a soldier who had tried to protect them. It said the women were detained after being ambushed by the Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) on July 11 while they were traveling as a group in a village in Mann Wang.

The Irrawaddy attempted to contact the Defense Ministry for a response to the allegations on Tuesday, but all of the ministry's listed spokespersons were unable to be reached for comment.

The TNLA soldier was killed during a brief exchange of fire with Tatmadaw troops, according to the statement. It said some other TNLA personnel were wounded but managed to escape. Those who escaped reported that the six medics were detained by Myanmar Army troops.

The army detained the six women at 1:30 p.m. on July 11 and seized three guns from them, the statement quoted the survivors as saying said.

In an interview with RFA posted online Tuesday morning, TNLA spokesperson Major Tar Aike Kyaw said the slain women were TNLA medics who would travel between villages providing medical treatment to locals. The spokesman repeated the claim made in the TNLA statement that the dead man was a soldier killed while trying to protect the group after they were ambushed by Myanmar Army troops, who later detained the women.

According to the TNLA statement, on July 14, a group of local residents found the bodies of six women who appeared to have been killed and dumped in a forested area outside the village. The local people buried the bodies in Mann Wang on the same day.

Two of the dead women had gunshot wounds to their heads and legs, while the bodies of the other four women were bruised and had stab wounds, according to the statement from the TNLA.

In the statement, the TNLA accused the Myanmar Army's Infantry Battalion 301, under the control of Infantry Division 88, of murdering the six medics.

The alleged murders have sparked outrage among ethnic Ta'ang. Locals asked why the Myanmar Army didn't prosecute the medics, rather than killing them. They accused the army of violating the rights of prisoners of war.

Lway Cherry, an ethnic Ta'ang from Namsang Township, said, "I just want to say that this is a war crime. Instead of killing them, they could have sent them to jail, in accordance with the law."

She believed the killings were intended to send a signal to other Ta'ang women not to join the TNLA.

"Their action could [be intended to] discourage girls and women from working for their people," she said.

She said the killings would spread hatred between ethnic Ta'ang and Burmese in northern Shan.

"I'm afraid that this case will fuel racial division," she said.

Ashin Tikkhanyarna, an ethnic Ta'ang Buddhist monk, said, "It is sad to see how they were murdered, especially as they were women. There are laws regarding [the treatment of] prisoners of war. But the Myanmar Army does not respect the law, and brutally killed them."

The post Six Female Medics Murdered in Captivity by Tatmadaw, TNLA Claims appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Our Coverage of the 3rd Union Peace Conference

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 05:05 AM PDT

The third session of the Union Peace Conference came to an end in Naypyitaw on Monday, after a six-day meeting between the government, military and ethnic armed groups in search of an elusive end to the country’s decades-long civil war. Here is a collection of The Irrawaddy's stories on the conference for anyone who wants to learn more about the peace process and the meeting. In addition to the stories on our website, you can check out some video interviews and live streams from the conference on our Facebook page.

Analysis: Military Chief Says Tatmadaw Wants Peace — but Not Because It's Weak

At opening of 21st-Century Panglong Peace Conference, Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing urges all armed groups to sign NCA; State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi says ceasefire is just the first step


ANP's Criticism of Government in Peace Conference Speech Sparks Controversy

UPDJC bloc disavows comments, which upset Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Rakhine politicians say major parties have never been asked to self-censor


Military Chief's Comment on Tatmadaw 'Representing' the People Draws Backlash Online

Critics post 'Tatmadaw doesn't represent me' on social media in riposte to senior general's speech to Union Peace Conference.


Wa Delegate Faints Before Meeting With State Counselor, Rushed to Hospital

A UWSA spokesman said Bao Yu Yi, the armed group’s vice chairman, fainted from heat stroke but was recovering.


NDAA 'Will Sign the NCA at the Appropriate Time'

Mongla Group supports peace, but the path to that goal is not the same for all groups, general secretary U Kyi Myint says.

Northern EAOs Keen to Keep Talking to Government

Too soon for decision on signing NCA, Kachin leader says after FPNCC members meet with state counselor, Army chief

Advocacy Groups Seek Gender Equality Policy

Women's advocacy groups urged delegates attending the Panglong Peace Conference this week to push for a gender equality policy regarding women's representations across all sectors.


Tatmadaw Invites Ta'ang, Kokang and Arakan Armies to Participate in Ceasefire

Conditions include commitment to dialogue process and a pledge to disarm.


China Does Not Have Special Interests in Supporting Myanmar's Peace Process: Official

Chinese Special Envoy Sun Guoxiang said peace in Myanmar promotes stability on the border, but otherwise, China does have any special interest in Myanmar's peace process.


Second Wa Delegate Hospitalized in Naypyitaw Amid Peace Talks

The military chief visited the UWSA officials in the hospital on Friday.


Women Playing Larger Role at This Year’s Peace Conference

The numbers "show that more women are becoming interested in the peace process and that women have the capacity to do so," said Mi Kun Chan Non.


Peace Strategy Needed to Achieve National Goals, Suu Kyi Says

As third session of Panglong Peace Conference ends, some ethnic delegates complain Part Two of Union Accord ignores their suggestions

The post Our Coverage of the 3rd Union Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Foundation to Return $3.6M to Irrawaddy Region Govt in Fraud Case

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 04:06 AM PDT

PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Region — The Ayeyarwady Health and Education Multi-Developments Foundation will return five billion kyats donated to it by the former Irrawaddy regional government under the instruction of the President's Office in a case of alleged corruption and fraud.

The current regional government, after receiving instruction from the President's Office, notified the foundation last week, and the foundation will return more than 5.2 billion kyats (US$3.6 million), U Kyi Aung, secretary of the foundation, told The Irrawaddy.

"We will act according to the instruction of the President's Office," he said.

U Zayar Min Thein, a lawmaker from Pyapon Constituency (1) in the Irrawaddy Region Parliament, asked the regional legislature in early 2017 if the former government had handed over regional development funds to its successor.

The regional government led by former regional chief minister Mahn Johnny investigated the case but later handed it over to the President's Office of former President U Htin Kyaw. The President's Office assigned the Office of the Union Auditor General to investigate the alleged fraud.

The Auditor General's Office launched an investigation and reported to the President's Office that the donated money should be reclaimed from the development foundation.

"We have asked the foundation to return the money by the third week of July. But they have not contacted us yet," regional minister for planning and finance U Htay Win told The Irrawaddy.

The former regional government led by former chief minister U Thein Aung—who was also the chairman of Irrawaddy Region chapter of Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)—ran a foundation under the name of Ayeyarwady Multi-Developments Foundation and fundraised by holding musical concerts and soliciting contributions from local businessmen.

When the regional government was about to step down after the USDP's resounding defeat in the 2015 general elections, U Thein Aung's administration reconstituted the foundation as the Ayeyarwady Health and Education Multi-Developments Foundation.

He then allegedly handed over the regional development funds of his administration to the foundation.

The reconstituted foundation is led by former ministers of the regional government, including U Thein Aung, who serves as patron.

The foundation said that it has lent more than 400 million kyats for rural electrification works in 20 townships in the region, invested more than 800 million kyats in joint ventures with private businessmen, and saved four billion kyats at four banks in Pathein.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Foundation to Return $3.6M to Irrawaddy Region Govt in Fraud Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Interactive Timeline: Heroes in Myanmar’s History

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 03:55 AM PDT

YANGON — As Myanmar prepares to mark the 71st anniversary of Martyrs' Day on Thursday, The Irrawaddy memorializes a number of individuals who committed their lives to causes for the good of the country. While the list is inspired by Gen Aung San and his eight colleagues assassinated on July 19, 1947, we admit that there are many others we are unable to mention below, due to constraints of time, space and information. They also deserve honor for their merit.

The years mentioned in the text below signify the date in which these individuals passed away.

The post Interactive Timeline: Heroes in Myanmar's History appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UWSA Still Concerned over Implications of Signing NCA

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 03:46 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — The United Wa State Army (UWSA), the biggest armed ethnic group in Myanmar, still has concerns over possible future scenarios if it were to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), said former Lieutenant-General U Khin Zaw Oo, secretary of the government's Peace Commission.

"They don't categorically reject the NCA, but they seem to have some concerns over what might happen after signing it. But it is fair to say that they have basically accepted the NCA," U Khin Zaw Oo said.

The commission plans to visit northeastern Myanmar and assuage their concerns, he added.

The leaders of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), a bloc of seven ethnic armed groups based along the northeastern China-Myanmar border led by the UWSA, met State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) Chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing last week on the sidelines of the third session of the Union Peace Conference in Naypyitaw.

The FPNCC consists of the UWSA, the Mongla-based National Democratic Alliance Army, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Shan State Progress Party, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Arakan Army (AA), and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).

The UWSA said in a statement that it would consider signing the NCA if the government and Tatmadaw made a written promise that it would be allowed, after signing the NCA, to introduce changes to the agreement and have the option of resigning from it.

Government spokesperson U Zaw Htay said the NCA does not include a provision on resignation, but according to Section 27, the signatories and the government can negotiate issues not covered by the agreement.

"They prepared that statement some months ago. And we're negotiating with them regarding the statement. At the previous meeting in June, we told them we can give them what they want within the NCA framework. They said they would consider it at their central executive committee," U Khin Zaw Oo said.

The FPNCC claims it is not a military alliance, but a political bloc formed to hold peace talks with the government and the Tatmadaw.

When asked by The Irrawaddy, U Khin Zaw Oo said he believed the government would be able to make peace with those groups before 2020.

"We believe we will achieve peace by 2020, so we're doing our best. But there are two sides. It will not be possible if only one side has political will," he said.

Myanmar is grateful to China for convincing the seven groups to travel to Naypyitaw for the conference, he said, adding that border stability is in the mutual interest of both countries.

The Tatmadaw previously labeled the AA, MNDAA and TNLA as insurgent groups, saying they were formed after Myanmar's democratic government took power in 2010. But it is now considering allowing them to join the NCA on condition they promise to give up armed struggle.

"The Tatmadaw has changed its attitude since 2016. It no longer talks about disarmament in meetings with the three groups, but instead asks them to commit to giving up the armed struggle at some point in the future," Dr. Min Zaw Oo, who has actively participated in Myanmar's peace process, told The Irrawaddy.

Last week, deputy army chief Vice Senior-General Soe Win met with the AA, MNDAA and TNLA, while Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing received the leaders of the other four FPNCC groups.

The FPNCC delegates, being non-signatories of the NCA, attended the third session of the Union Peace Conference as observers.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post UWSA Still Concerned over Implications of Signing NCA appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rediscovering Traditional Myanmar Snacks

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 01:49 AM PDT

The traditional Burmese snacks shops called 'Da Lae' (tradition) bring back childhood memories for some while offering a variety of new flavors for others.

If you look back over the last 20 years, there aren't a lot of Burmese breakfast options and most people eat traditional snacks like kauk nyin poun (steamed sticky rice), bein moat (Burmese sweet pancake), moat sein paung (steamed rice cake), shwe hta min (jaggery sticky rice cake) and more.

Anyone born before 2000 grew up eating these snacks for breakfast or afternoon dessert.

But today, it's becoming more difficult to find traditional snack vendors. People are instead reaching for fast food, Western food and Korean food, said Ko Lin, the owner of a traditional shop called Da Lae.

A bookshelf and the small tables inside the shop.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

When Ko Lin visited Taunggyi, he founds a vendor selling kyaw sone (fried snacks) and kyauk nyin poun at the local market. It tasted delicious and he wondered why these snacks couldn't be easily found in Yangon.

He said the idea for a shop came from that visit. Along with his wife, he visited Hinthada, Pyapon and other cities in the Irrawaddy Region and learned various recipes from elders in each location. He then experimented with the recipes in Yangon for six months.

All of his snacks are homemade and he says there are some he still can't offer because he hasn't mastered the recipes.

A staff member waiting to welcome customers at the entrance. (Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

"We all grew up with these foods but we are now forgetting them. We no longer see the vendors and we forget the techniques for making them. I want to remind people of our traditional snacks," he said.

When asking foreigners what they know about Myanmar, they will likely answer Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Shwedagon Pagoda and then possibly moat hinn khar (fish soup), he said, adding that he wanted to promote other snacks and traditions.

Da Lae opened last March and has quite the local following. The shop is located in the middle of Pyi Thar Yar Street in Yankin Township. It is a bit small and you might need to look carefully the first time you visit.

The shop has a thatched roof and its name is written on a sakaw (bamboo tray). Inside, there is a bookshelf and a few small tables.

After taking a seat, the staff welcomes you with traditional tea and sweet smiles. I visited around 10 a.m., not exactly proper breakfast time.

So, I ordered the hta min sote (rice ball), which was mixed with dried, salted fish that is grilled on a small charcoal fire for 1,500 kyats, along with a big sakaw of traditional Burmese snacks for 3,000 kyats, which included four snacks that the customers can choose.

Da Lae’s hta min sote, topped with fried quail eggs.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

I chose htan thee moat (steamed toddy cake), moat sein paung (steamed rice cake), moat leik pyar and shwe hta min (jaggery sticky rice cake). Individually, each would cost 800 kyats.

Customers are free to peruse the bookshelf and spend time reading at the shop. The owner placed the books there in hope that people would do so.

"I warmly welcome people who love reading. They can even come and read without ordering food, Ko Lin said.

The wait wasn't long. The plate came with three small hta min sote, topped with fried quail eggs and filled with pe byote (boiled peas).

The portions were big and the food was delicious. The rice was not too hard and the pe byote was amazing. These might have been perfect if the rice had been warm.

Owner Ko Linn preparing the snacks in Da Lae’s kitchen.(Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

The shop played old Burmese music, which Ko Lin had collected over time to play at his shop, hoping that the younger generations could be exposed to it.

Then, the big tray came. It was enough for three people although we were only two.

Moat leik pyar is thin layers of rice noodles filled with jaggery and red bean, folded in squares and served with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds. It is one of my favorite traditional desserts and whenever I see it on the road or in the market, I buy it.

Shwe hta min is sweet sticky rice baked with jaggery and topped with coconut flakes. It is sweet, but not too sweet. Some people like to eat it without the coconut flakes but for me, it is the perfect pairing.

A friendly staff member explaining the menu to customers. (Photo: Aung Kyaw Htet/ The Irrawaddy)

Mont sein paung is another local favorite. It is layers of steamed, ground rice mixed with layers of jaggery. It is also served with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds.

The htan thee moat was served warm with toddy palm fruit. The cake was fluffy and smelled great, a mix of sweet and sour at the same time.

Overall, the food was tasty, the staff was friendly and willing to explain, the shop was clean and the vibe was chill. I will definitely be back to spend my afternoons with a good book and the delicious snacks at Da Lae.

The post Rediscovering Traditional Myanmar Snacks appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

British Diver May Sue Elon Musk for Calling Him a ‘Pedo’

Posted: 17 Jul 2018 01:11 AM PDT

British caver Vernon Unsworth, who helped rescue the Wild Boars soccer team from Tham Luang cave in Thailand's Chiang Rai province, said Monday he might take legal action against Elon Musk after the Tesla CEO called him a "pedo".

Musk launched a stinging attack on Unsworth without providing any justification or explanation, after the cave expert slammed his offer of a miniature submarine to extract the footballers from the Tham Luang cave as a "PR stunt".

Unsworth told Agence France-Presse on Monday he had not reviewed the tweets in full and had only heard about them.

Asked if he would take legal action against Musk over the allegation, Unsworth said: "If it's what I think it is, yes." The caver told AFP he would make a decision when he flies back to Britain this week, but said the episode with Musk "ain't finished".

"He's just a PR stunt merchant – that's all he is," Unsworth added.

Unsworth, who lives part of the year in Thailand, took part in the gargantuan 18-day effort to retrieve the 12 boys and their coach, a mission that ended on July 10 when the last five members were extracted.

In an interview with CNN, Unsworth noted that the flooded tunnel was extremely narrow and twisted. "The submarine, I believe was about five, six feet long. Rigid," he said. "So it wouldn't have gone around corners or around any obstacles. It wouldn't have made it the first 50 meters."

Unsworth then claimed that Musk had been quickly asked to leave the cave during his much-tweeted-about visit.

Musk responded Sunday in a bizarre series of tweets referring to Unsworth without using his name as "pedo guy". "Pedo" is short for pedophile.

The post British Diver May Sue Elon Musk for Calling Him a 'Pedo' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:33 PM PDT

Anyeint

Tin Maung Hsan Min Win troupe will perform this traditional Burmese entertainment form mixing dance, music, song, comedy and theater.

July 21, 6 p.m. Kandawgyi Hmaw Sin Kyun, Tickets are 5,000 to 10,000 kyats, available at the door.

Culture Show

This event explores traditional Myanmar culture and includes a buffet dinner.

July 22, evening. Vintage Luxury Yacht Hotel, Booking at 01-9010532-35, 01-9010555, and 09-250846974.

Film Night

Every second Wednesday, the Goethe-Institut will be showing a variety of German films with English subtitles.

July 18, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Goethe-Institut, corner of Kabar Aye Pagoda Road and Nat Mauk Street, Bahan Tsp. Free Admission.

Book Sale

Yangon Book Plaza organizes a book sale to commemorate Martyrs' Day. Many old books will be available for only 200 kyats each with a minimum 10 percent discount on others.

July 19-22, Yangon Book Plaza, 5th Floor, Thanzay Market, Lanmadaw Tsp.

Black Island

This event is for rock music fanatics.

July 21, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. YangonYangon Bar. Tickets are 5,000 kyats.

Affordable Housing Expo

Apartments starting from 18 million kyats will be sold in installment plans.

July 20-22, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hledan Center.

Supernatural

Five artists showcase their works.

July 21-23, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 43 Art Gallery, 43rd Street.

Art Line

Fifteen artists from Myanmar, Indonesia and Singapore exhibit their paintings.

July 17-20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Yangon Gallery, People's Park.

Poetry of Brush and Ink

This is a Taiwan-Myanmar art and cultural exchange exhibition.

July 14-20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nawaday Tharlar Art Gallery, No. 304, 20 (B), Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon Tsp.

Exhibition of Accomplishment

Trainees of Art Zero Art Class will showcase their works.

July 20-30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. New Zero Art Space, No. 202, 2nd Floor, United Condo, Alan Pya Pagoda Road.

The post Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bridge to China Brings Threat for Hong Kong’s Native Pink Dolphin

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:29 PM PDT

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s rare pale pink dolphins are battling for survival as building work on a 19-mile (31-km) bridge linking the Asian financial hub with China disrupts the communication and feeding activities of the highly sociable animals, marine experts say.

The Chinese white dolphin, which appears pink because of blood vessels beneath its skin, was the official mascot of the former British colony’s handover to China in 1997.

But large projects, including recent work on the $19-billion bridge across the Pearl River estuary, threaten the animals, whose number has slumped nearly 80 percent over the past decade to just 47.

“The construction of this bridge poses quite a significant negative impact to the dolphins and caused their really great decline,” said Samantha Lee, an official of conservation group WWF in Hong Kong.

Also known as the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, the species has become much harder to spot in nearby waters, Lee added.

A spike in sea traffic around Hong Kong, pollutants and overfishing have contributed to the loss of their habitat.

Greater underwater noise from construction makes it hard for the animals to feed and communicate, said Lindsay Porter, a scientist at marine mammal research consultancy SMRU Hong Kong.

“When you increase that underwater noise, you not only stop dolphins from being able to forage … we also stop them communicating with each other,” Porter said, adding that such interruptions threatened their survival.

More than half the dolphins spotted showed signs of distress, such as skin lesions and infections due to stress and high noise levels, Porter added.

In an email response to Reuters, Hong Kong’s conservation department said the decline in dolphin numbers was a complicated issue that needed further data analysis and close monitoring.

“To further protect Chinese white dolphins in Hong Kong, the government plans to designate more marine parks expeditiously,” it added.

Government efforts to compensate for infrastructure projects with conservation sites, such as the Brothers Marine Park (BMP), have not brought back the dolphins, however, one environmentalist said.

The “effectiveness of the Brothers Marine Park is highly in doubt,” as a result of the construction work, said Taison Chang, chairman of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society.

The post Bridge to China Brings Threat for Hong Kong’s Native Pink Dolphin appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Police Insisted on Meeting, Gave Documents: Reuters Reporter

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:23 PM PDT

YANGON — A Reuters reporter accused of obtaining secret state documents in Myanmar told a court on Monday a policeman had called him on the day he was arrested and insisted on a meeting, at which the officer abruptly handed some papers to him and a colleague.

In the first detailed account to the court from either of the journalists of the night they were arrested, Wa Lone told the judge that Police Lance Corporal Naing Lin had called him at least twice on Dec. 12 and said they needed to meet that day, even though it was already after office hours.

“After 5 p.m., when I was about to leave the office, Naing Lin called me and told me that I must come that evening. He told me that if I don’t come now, I might not be able to meet him because he is about to transfer to another region,” Wa Lone said.

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, are on trial for allegedly breaching the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, in a case seen as a test of press freedom in Myanmar. Both have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they face up to 14 years in prison.

The circumstances of their arrest have emerged as one of the most contentious parts of the case. While the prosecution says that the two reporters were detained during a routine traffic stop, the defense has argued they were framed by police.

Wa Lone said Kyaw Soe Oo had accompanied him to the meeting with Naing Lin. When the two met Naing Lin and another policeman at a restaurant on the outskirts of Yangon, the officer handed them rolled up documents and told them to photograph the papers. They did not take pictures, instead telling Naing Lin it was too dark, he said.

“The documents had nothing to do with our conversation. He just suddenly took them out. I didn’t ask him to,” Wa Lone said.

Soon afterwards, Naing Lin left abruptly, and the two reporters were arrested upon leaving the restaurant, before they looked at the documents, Wa Lone told the court.

In his testimony two months ago, Naing Lin confirmed he met the journalists, but denied giving them anything. He insisted he did not call Wa Lone and that it was the reporter who initiated the meeting. He also said he was alone.

A prosecution witness, however, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing, told the court in April that hours before the reporters were arrested a senior officer had ordered Naing Lin to plant the documents on Wa Lone to “trap” the reporter.

Other police witnesses have previously told the court the reporters were arrested at a random security checkpoint, by officers who were unaware they were journalists, and found to be holding secret documents in their hands.

Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay has declined to comment throughout the proceedings, saying Myanmar’s courts are independent and the case would be conducted according to the law. He did not answer calls seeking comment on Monday.

Lead prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung declined to comment.

Global Criticism

At the time of their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in the village of Inn Din in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The killings took place during a military crackdown that United Nations agencies say led to more than 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh.

“I tried to meet them (police) to get information on what happened in Inn Din. I didn’t meet them to get any documents,” Wa Lone said in his testimony.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo’s case has attracted global attention, with many governments and rights groups calling for the reporters’ release. Some diplomats and activists say it is a test of progress towards full democracy under the administration of Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a country where the military still wields considerable influence.

On Monday, with his pregnant wife, family members and several diplomats present in the courtroom, Wa Lone detailed his training as an investigative journalist. He emphasized he has covered Myanmar’s ethnic conflicts fairly and consistently sought input from all sides, including the government and security forces.

Kyaw Soe Oo is expected to testify on Tuesday.

The trial is expected to last several more weeks. The defense will call witnesses, who will testify and be cross-examined by prosecutors. Both sides will then make their final arguments and the judge is expected to deliver a verdict as early as next month.

The post Myanmar Police Insisted on Meeting, Gave Documents: Reuters Reporter appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Overloading Poor Nations With Debt, Top US Official Says

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 10:16 PM PDT

JOHANNESBURG — China is saddling poor nations with unsustainable debt through large-scale infrastructure projects that are not economically viable, the head of the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) said on Monday.

The criticism of Beijing — targeted by President Donald Trump in a trade war that has sent ripples through economies around the world — comes as Washington seeks to ramp up development finance in the face of China’s global ambitions.

Unveiled in 2013, President Xi Jinping’s “Belt and Road” initiative aims to build an infrastructure network connecting China by land and sea to Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

China has pledged $126 billion for the plan, which has been praised by its supporters as a source of vital financing for infrastructure-starved partners in the developing world.

But in an interview with Reuters in Johannesburg, OPIC CEO Ray Washburne warned that the Chinese strategy created a debt trap for many poor nations.

“Just look at any project in these countries and they’re overbuilding the size,” he said. “We try to have countries realize that they’re indebting themselves to the Chinese.”

Washburne is not the first to warn of growing debt linked to Chinese infrastructure projects.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde in April cautioned China’s Belt and Road partners against considering the financing as “a free lunch.”

Sri Lanka formally handed over commercial activities in its main southern port in the town of Hambantota to a Chinese company in December as part of a plan to convert $6 billion of loans that Sri Lanka owes China into equity.

US officials have warned that a strategic port in the tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti could be next, a prospect the government there has denied.

Washburne also voiced concern over a $360 million expansion of the airport in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, currently being carried out with financing from the Exim Bank of China.

“The local economy isn’t benefiting from that. It’s a much too large airport. They’ll have too much debt on it. At some point, someone’s got to pay. Pay or the Chinese take control,” he said.

Keeping Pace

Lawmakers in the United States are advancing a new law, the BUILD Act, through Congress that Washburne says should bolster private US investment in developing nations by doubling OPIC’s access to US Treasury credit to $60 billion.

About a quarter of the active portfolio of OPIC, a government agency that helps US businesses invest in emerging markets, is currently focused on Africa and it typically invests around $1 billion annually on the continent.

“With the right quality projects, it could double here,” Washburne said, adding that many investments would focus on the kinds of infrastructure projects Chinese firms are currently dominating.

“The Chinese are in with ports and railroads and highways, things that we need to be in as a competitor.”

OPIC this month launched an Africa-focused initiative that will earmark more than $1 billion over the next three years for projects supporting transportation, information and communications technology and value chains.

“Instead of giving them a fish, we want to teach them how to fish,” Washburne said. “They’ll have to stand on their own two feet. So we’re not in making loans or doing projects that don’t make economic sense.”

The post China Overloading Poor Nations With Debt, Top US Official Says appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, July 16, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Peace Strategy Needed to Achieve National Goals, Suu Kyi Says

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 08:14 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — A peace strategy is required in order to achieve all parties' common goals for Myanmar, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said in her closing address to the third session of the 21st-Century Panglong Union Peace Conference on Monday.

"We need a peace strategy to implement our common goals for the future. Based on this strategy, we need to adjust the political dialogue framework," she said.

She said the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) had already formed working committees tasked with implementing this strategy, adding that it needed to start work urgently.

The six-day conference ended on Monday with the signing of agreements under Part Two of the Union Accord. These agreements included 14 more principles that were discussed and approved by the UPDJC on Sunday. In May last year, 37 basic principles were approved in Part One of the Union Accord.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the chairperson of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC), thanked the 700 delegates attending the conference for putting their efforts into debating and reaching agreement on the 14 basic principles. Of these, four were in the political sector, one economic, seven social, and two involved land. No agreement has yet been reached on the security sector, she said.

However, some of the delegates told The Irrawaddy they were disappointed with the results.

In the political sector, which was mainly limited to gender equality issues, they were disappointed with the wording, "to encourage the participation of at least 30 percent of women in every sector."

"I am concerned by this; instead of 'encouraging' it should be a specific policy to help enhance [the participation of] women and to guarantee that women are freed from any forms of discrimination," said Naw Hel Lay Phaw, a Karen National Union delegate.

She told The Irrawaddy that there was dissatisfaction over having just two principles in the land sector, adding that many of the demands the ethnic people made were left out during the various stages of the negotiations.

The delegates can only suggest opinions on the UPDJC's already-agreed texts. However, the UPDJC did not make any changes based on these suggestions and on Sunday approved the principles as proposed.

The government plans to convene the UPC every six months. It repeated in its statement on Monday that it plans to hold three more conferences: one later this year and two in 2019. The State Counselor acknowledged that disagreements had resulted in almost a year passing between the two most recent conferences.

She said the "results" of the recent conference were obtained after many negotiations — and the facing of many challenges and disagreements. Thus, she said, the peace process was moving forward.

The number of principles agreed may be less than in the previous sessions, "but we have been able to move the political dialogue process forward," she said, because the negotiations were made through everyone's efforts and mutual trust.

"Our conference is not stopping, it is not reversing; it is moving forward with great difficulty," added the State Counselor.

During the third session of the conference, ethnic armed organizations that have not yet signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement joined the conference at the government's invitation.

The leaders of an alliance of northern- and northeastern-based ethnic organizations — the United Wa State Army; the Kachin Independence Army; the Mongla's National Democratic Alliance Army; the Shan State Progressive Party; the Kokang's Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army; the Arakan Army; and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army — observed the conference and separately met the State Counselor and the commander-in-chief of the military, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, last week.

The State Counselor added that the northeast-based armed organizations' agreeing to come to Naypyitaw and attend meetings was "one of the good results of this third session of the UPC."

"During these meetings, we discussed openly and warmly, and we are all happy because there is great potential for them to participate in the peace process," she said.

The post Peace Strategy Needed to Achieve National Goals, Suu Kyi Says appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt Under Fire For Fatal Electrocution of Yangon Boy

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 07:10 AM PDT

YANGON — The death of a 13-year-old boy by electrocution in Yangon has prompted calls for accountability and safety measures in the city to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

Maung Myo Min Tun, also known as Pouk Soh, from Yangon's South Okkalapa Township, died on Friday evening after stepping on a fallen wire lying in a pool of water along Thanthumar Road while walking with his friend near his home.

Daw Thit Thit Myint, a regional lawmaker from South Okkalapa Township, said neighbors phoned the township electricity department about the fallen wire earlier that afternoon, but the department failed to fix it in time.

"It is because of their negligence, not because the boy was unfortunate. The boy died because they didn't cut the power and fix it," she said.

Photos of the body lying face down in the pool next to the busy road and CCTV footage of the incident from a nearby house were posted online and sparked outrage from some netizens.

Ko Than Zaw Aung, a lawyer, wrote on his page that the authorities must do more than cover the family’s funeral expenses and take responsibility for the incident.

Some social media users have also started an online campaign demanding accountability by changing their profile pictures to an illustration of the dead boy lying face down in the pool of water with the caption, “Sorry mom, I can’t come back home today.”

Daw Thit Thit Myint said Yangon Region Electricity Minister Daw Nilar Kyaw visited the family on Sunday ahead of the funeral. She said the minister acknowledged the department’s negligence and expressed her sorrow for the loss.

According to Daw Thit Thit Myint, the minister also said that authorities were forming an ad hoc committee to investigate the incident starting Monday.

She said Yangon Region lacked the budget to repair and adequately maintain all the city’s power lines.

"Maintenance is not needed only in Yangon but in other cities as well. We already asked about that in Parliament, and the answer we got is that they don’t have enough funds,” she said, adding that she would continue to press the issue.

Daw Nyo Nyo Thin, a former Yangon Region lawmaker, said the Union Ministry of Electricity and Energy must allocate enough funds for the city to fix its broken power lines as a matter of public safety.

She said the regional government should not complain about lacking funds to fix broken wires when it was planning to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a few new vehicles.

Daw Aye Aye Myint, the dead boy’s mother, told The Irrawaddy that her only hope was that no other child suffer the same fate.

"I have lost my son. They promised they won't be careless next time,” she said. “I hope they are not.”

The post Govt Under Fire For Fatal Electrocution of Yangon Boy appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Yangon Chief Minister Slammed for Accepting Donation to City from Accused Fraudster

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 06:49 AM PDT

YANGON — Yangon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein's decision to accept of a 20-million-kyat donation to the city by accused Malaysian fraudster Ong Kean Swan has drawn a strong negative reaction on social media.

Ong, a Malaysian who also goes by Peter Ong, is an accused fraudster, self-styled backer of professional gamblers and the CEO of a multilevel marketing (MLM) company and that has been blacklisted in Taiwan, Malaysia and China.

On Saturday, the Yangon Regional Government's official Facebook account said Ong's family donated money to assist the government's social work, and posted nine photos including one of the chief minister presenting Ong with a certificate of honor

"It is encouraging bad people. That is not acceptable for the head of the [Yangon] government. Actually, it is easy to check a person's background in the media. Before accepting the money, they should have checked [Ong's] background," said Daw Nyo Nyo Thin, a former Yangon Regional Parliament lawmaker.

"The government should not accept 'black money.' It is a small amount of money but definitely ruins the government's image," she told The Irrawaddy.

Many people commented under the photos, some pasting screenshots with information about the donor's background including lawsuits filed against him in Singapore and Malaysia. People advised the Yangon government to conduct serious background checks before accepting donations from external donors.

"If they don't know where the money comes from, it's better not to accept it. If it is black money, it could implicate [the government] in money laundering," said U Tint Zaw Hein, a Magway Region Youth Network adviser.

In Myanmar, multi-level marketing companies have a bad reputation due to a number of cases in which people claim to have been defrauded.

The Myanmar President's Office and the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI) to investigate MLM companies in Myanmar after receiving reports of fraud from the public. The BSI announced in January that MLM companies take advantage of investors and that it was investigating those currently operating in the country.

According to international media reports, Ong is CEO of the MLM company Dream Success International Sdn Bhd and the Surewin4u corporate website.

Dream Success International claims to sell health and beauty products. Surewin4u is a corporate website run by Dream Success International that promises investors monthly returns plus bonuses from backing "expert gamblers" who play in casinos. The company claims investors have a 99 percent of chance of making money, according to Ong's website.

According to Malaysian and Taiwanese reports, in 2013 Dream Success International and the website www.Surewin4u.com were blacklisted by the Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia) after they were found to be engaging in unlicensed activities. In 2014, the Taiwanese government shut down Dream Success International's operations there for allegedly defrauding thousands of investors out of millions of dollars.

In 2015, Dream Winners and Surewin4u became the focus of negative media reports for operating a multi-level pyramid scam in Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and China.

According to a report published in The Straits Times on Oct. 21, 2017, a suit filed with Singapore's High Court claimed that around 150 people in Singapore lost 50 million Singapore dollars (about 53 billion kyats) after investing in Surewin4u

Citing court documents, The Straits Times reported that Ong had not been heard from in Singapore since 2014, when the website went dark, leaving investors empty-handed.

A victim filed a lawsuit against Surewin4u for fraud and losing investment. Two representatives from Surewin4u facing at court.

In 2017, a suit was filed in a Singapore court by a plaintiff alleging the loss of their investment to fraud. Two Surewin4u representatives faced the court, as Ong had fled the country.

In September of that year, the Myanmar Ministry of Home Affairs announced that it was investigating four MLMs about which it had received complaints from the public. A Malaysian-owned MLM company reportedly defrauded Myanmar investors of over USD1 million in that year.

Many critics have urged the government to pass a law regulating MLM companies in Myanmar.

"When the government accepts money from a multi-level marketing scammer, it means they accept the MLM system," U Tint Zaw Hein said.

"The government should not even be meeting these people. Accepting donations goes too far," he added.

The post Yangon Chief Minister Slammed for Accepting Donation to City from Accused Fraudster appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Anti-Graft Panel Files Charges Against 12 Customs Officials

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 06:40 AM PDT

Yangon—The Myanmar Anti-Corruption Commission has filed complaints with the police against 12 officers including three directors of the Customs Department for alleged bribe-taking related to the importation of delivery vans.

The anti-graft body announced on Monday that it had launched an investigation after receiving complaints against customs officials at Yangon Port who had allegedly demanded money from importers to allow for the clearance of the vans.

In addition, the customs officials allegedly took bribes from importers and allowed into the country certain types of vehicles that are banned by the government automobile import supervision committee.

The investigation found that seven customs officials involved in several stages of customs clearance for imported vehicles had received bribes totalling nearly 9 million kyats (USD6,300) for the shipment of five delivery vans.

Moreover, the commission found three directors, a deputy director and another staff officer, assisted or cooperated in the corruption.

The commission on Monday filed complaints with Thilawa Police Station in Yangon's Kyauktan Township against seven customs officials under Section 56 of the Anti-Corruption Law, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment.

It also lodged a complaint against five others under Section 63 of the same law, accusing them of aiding and abetting corruption.

The Customs Department is overseen by the Ministry of Planning and Finance. In May, Finance Minister U Kyaw Win resigned amid a separate corruption scandal.

The Anti-Corruption Law was enacted in 2013 under the previous military-backed government. But it was rarely enforced until Myanmar's new President U Win Myint came to power in March this year. In his inaugural speech, he vowed to crack down on corruption and the illegal drug trade, and to reform the country's weak judicial system. The Anti-Corruption Commission was the first organization he met after his inauguration.

Since then the anti-graft body has been active launching a string of investigations. Its most high profile cases include probing former finance minister U Kyaw Win and the director-general of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for corruption.

Before the latest complaint by the ACC, the country’s President's Office ordered the Ministry of Finance and Planning in May to launch an internal investigation into a department director who allegedly encouraged his staff to take bribes.

The post Anti-Graft Panel Files Charges Against 12 Customs Officials appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Hundreds Flee Fighting Between Rival Ethnic Groups in Namtu

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 05:50 AM PDT

Hundreds of local villagers fled their homes in Namtu Township, northern Shan State, after fighting broke out this morning between troops of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), and a joint force of the Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), according to local sources.

Nang Sam Howm, a Shan State lawmaker from Namtu Township, told The Irrawaddy that the clashes had caused over 400 local people to abandon their villages.

"The fighting broke out at 8 am. And we could still hear the sounds of shooting up until now (4 pm, local time)," she said, adding that she was unsure exactly how many villagers had been displaced.

"A lot of people fled. But, we still need to go out and rescue them so we do not have an exact number yet," she said.

There are currently about 1,000 villagers living in a makeshift IDP camp in Namtu as a result of fighting in recent years. Many of the villagers who fled today sought sanctuary in a Shan Buddhist monastery.

Tai Freedom, a media outlet operated by the RCSS, claimed the TNLA and SSPP launched a coordinated attack against RCSS positions.

"They launched a pre-meditated attack against our troops," Tai Freedom said.

The RCSS media outlet recently reported that the Northern Alliance, which includes the TNLA, SSPP, Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and United Wa State Army (UWSA), had been conducting joint military exercises in the Namtu area. But the SSPP issued a statement last week denying the report.

The RCSS said it had withdrawn its troops on four occasions to avoid clashes with Northern Alliance armies, but the joint TNLA and SSPP force pursued and attacked the RCSS units, according to a Tai Freedom report.

The Irrawaddy tried to get details about the fighting from the RCSS and TNLA, but they both declined to comment.

Lieutenant-Colonel Sai Oo, a spokesperson for the RCSS, confirmed that fighting had broken out with the TNLA and SSPP, but he declined to provide any further details.

There are several ethnic armed groups active in Namtu Township, which is a key crossroads between several ethnic townships.

The TNLA, SSPP, KIA, and RCSS are the main armed groups active in the area. According to the TNLA, the RCSS expanded its area of control with help from the Myanmar Army after signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, which caused clashes with the other armed groups.

The post Hundreds Flee Fighting Between Rival Ethnic Groups in Namtu appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Historic ’88 Uprising Photos on Display 30 Years Later

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 03:09 AM PDT

YANGON — Almost 30 years later, the immensity of the crowd he saw still excites him.

On the morning of Aug. 26, 1988, Htein Win picked up a camera that he had borrowed from a friend and headed to the western gate of Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda, where Daw Aung San Suu Kyi began her decade-long campaign against the Burmese military regime by addressing the people and stating that "the entire public entertains the keenest desire for a multi-party democratic system of government."

"Whenever I think about it, the thing that pops into my mind is the sea of people," Htein Win recalled recently.

Mesmerized by the number of people, he knew he had to do something. Shortly before Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's arrival, he climbed onstage and captured the scene with his camera. When she delivered her speech, he clicked the shutter again. Three decades later, both pictures—throngs of people filling the pagoda's compound as far as the eye can see and the then 43-year-old Daw Aung San Suu Kyi delivering her speech with students standing guard in the front row—are still some of his favorites.

"I feel that I was able to document some important moments in Myanmar's history," the photographer explained.

People gather at the western gate of Shwedagon Pagoda on Aug. 26, 1988, to listen to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’ speech. / Htein Win

Apart from capturing the democracy icon's political debut, Htein Win, 72, is also one of the few local photographers who documented the popular uprising in 1988 from July until the military's takeover in September.

Out of several hundred pictures that he took at the time—left untouched for more than two decades due to government censorship of all printed materials—he will showcase 100 pictures for the first time at the photo exhibition "8888 The Uprising" in Yangon next month when the uprising turns 30. Some of the pictures have circulated online, but this will be the first exhibition in Myanmar in which they are featured.

Named after a nationwide protest against then Ne Win's single-party dictatorship on Aug. 8, 1988, the 8888 Uprising was a major shift in modern history in Myanmar. Political analysts at home and abroad agree that despite its end in a bloody military coup, it raised the people's political awareness that paved the way for changes that brought the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy to power 28 years later.

Htein Win followed the protests as they gathered momentum while people from every walk of life joined the rallies across Yangon.

"At first, I was reluctant because I thought I might be arrested. But given the intensity of the protests and everyone's participation, I no longer cared about the punishment," he said.

From July to September 18, the day the military staged a coup, he wandered around the streets of Yangon with a camera in hand from morning to dusk. As a result, he was able to take pictures of protests attended by not only students also but actors, actresses, journalists, monks, writers and even soldiers.

Staff from the government newspaper Myanma Alinn join a popular protest in Yangon in August 1988. / Htein Win

He said he covered the protests because he noticed that they were significant, as they were attracting more public participation and becoming a popular uprising.

"In the past, we had some protests by students and workers for their rights. But the '88 ones were more unusual. Nearly everyone joined in and they had one message: Democracy," he explained.

Apart from the '88 Uprising, Htein Win was able to capture another important moment in history. When the government cracked down on a student demonstration calling for a state funeral for the late UN Secretary General U Thant in December 1974, he was at Yangon University campus to witness the violence and shoot some pictures. Those images saw the light of day 40 years later in 2014 when Myanmar no longer practiced pre-publication censorship.

As for the '88 Uprising, he says he doesn't have any photos of the military's bloody crackdown on protesters following the coup. When he heard the takeover announcement on the afternoon of Sept. 18, he knew trouble was on the way. The first thing he had to do was hide several hundreds of negatives taken over months because if he were caught with them, he would face prison and possibly torture. He asked some of his friends to hide some of the negatives but they were too afraid, as the military cracked down on many people on suspicion of involvement in the uprising.

"Some burned the negatives or threw them away," the photographer recalled with an air of sorrow.

It was a fate that other people who covered the uprising faced as well. As a videographer, U Sonny Nyein documented the protests as Htein Win did. His footage included Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's first public speech at Yangon General Hospital on August 24. Most of his videotapes were damaged by the wear and tear of time while being kept in secrecy.

"Most people who covered the uprising destroyed their negatives as they were afraid of retribution. Now we only have Htein Win's pictures. They are historic," U Sonny Nyein said.

Photographer Htein Win (center in the orange shirt) in the Yangon General Hospital compound while covering a popular protest in August 1988. / Supplied

Even though some of his negatives were destroyed, Htein Win managed to smuggle some of them out of the country with some friends' help. They landed at an international archive in Amsterdam until now, and the 100 pictures to be featured at the exhibit were selected from those remaining in the archive to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the uprising.

He believes his pictures are historical records to let young people who were born after 1988 know what happened in the country three decades ago, as images are sometimes more convincing than words.

"I am glad to see the pictures made public before I die," the 72-year-old said.

'8888 The Uprising' photo exhibition will be open to the public from Aug. 8 to 12 at Beik Thano Art Gallery in Bahan Township in Yangon. Admission is free.

The post Historic '88 Uprising Photos on Display 30 Years Later appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

At Least 20 Prospectors Killed in Lone Khin Slag Heap Collapse

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 02:54 AM PDT

MANDALAY — At least 20 prospectors were killed and several remain missing after a waste pile collapsed in the Lone Khin jade mining region of Kachin State on Saturday.

Dozens of people were injured in the incident.

The waste pile near a mine operated by Maha Mining Co. in Lone Khin's Waikhar jade mining area collapsed as about 100 prospectors were searching it for jade residues on Saturday, according to local authorities.

"Fifteen bodies were unearthed and 45 people were injured. Eighteen people with serious injuries were sent to the Myitkyina General Hospital, while those with minor injuries were treated at hospitals in Lone Khin and Hpakant," the duty officer at the Lone Khin police station told The Irrawaddy.

Police officials said the rescue operation was ongoing, adding that heavy rain may have triggered the collapse. The regional administration office provided some financial support to the victims' families.

According to local witnesses, more than 100 prospectors were on the waste pile when it collapsed. They said the death toll was likely to rise above 15, as there were still people missing and several of the injured are in serious condition.

"We've heard that 10 people are missing and we've reported this to the rescue team. The death toll could go higher, as the rescuers are still looking for the missing. Hopefully, there will be no rain and the rescuers will be able to do their jobs and find the bodies," said Ko Nawng Latt, director of Green Land, a local environmental conservation group.

Waste pile collapses are common in the Hpakant and Lone Khin jade mining region, and have claimed the lives of many small-time prospectors who search the huge hills of soil for jade residues.

Collapses are especially frequent in the monsoon season, when the region receives heavy rain and the earth is softened. However, financial need causes the prospectors to risk their lives and search the piles despite the danger.

Local civil society groups involved in environmental conservation in the Hpakant and Lone Khin region said the lack of rule of law in the region means more such incidents are likely.

"Local authorities are weak [on enforcing regulations]; their own security is at risk due to the many armed groups operating in the region," Ko Nawng Latt said.

"The mining companies take advantage of the lawlessness of the region and do not follow the mining rules and regulations. Moreover, as long as the prospectors are willing to risk their lives to search for jade residues, such incidents will continue," he added.

The post At Least 20 Prospectors Killed in Lone Khin Slag Heap Collapse appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The New Yangon City Project: An Urban Planner’s View

Posted: 16 Jul 2018 02:42 AM PDT

In 1988, Yangon measured about 80 sq. miles (around 207 sq. km). The city has grown in the three decades since then and now covers more than 300 sq. miles (777 sq. km). The author of this article has been in the urban planning field for around 50 years and has never come across another city that has more than tripled in size within such a short period. However, the authorities in Yangon are planning to expand the city further by building the “New Yangon City project." A few questions regarding the project are justified, such as:

  • Are we in need of more land for our present and future activities? For example, for industries, commercial activities, etc.?
  • Are land and apartment prices in Yangon soaring so much that we need to develop new areas around Yangon?
  • Is Yangon's infrastructure, such as water supply, sewage and drainage, road networks, etc., satisfactory and functioning well?

Obviously, these major issues confronting Yangon should be addressed when planning the new city. The following are some relevant facts and figures:

  • The Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) supplies the city with over 200 million gallons of water daily, which should be more than sufficient for Yangon’s 5.2 million people, assuming a rate of 30 gallons per person per day, the standard for Myanmar's upper income brackets. However, only 330,000 out of Yangon's 1.1 million households (or 28 percent) are connected to the city's water supply; the rest get water from various sources, mostly from underground. It is a known fact that over-extraction of underground water has negative consequences.
  • In the case of the electricity supply, around 660,000 homes (or 61 percent) are connected to the power grid and have meter boxes (based on data from 2014).
  • Approximately 50 percent of the land area in Yangon is prone to flooding during heavy rains; this is not only an inconvenience, but also a health hazard.
  • To improve this situation is imperative; many areas have no proper drainage system and many areas do not even have drainage maps. This situation can only be alleviated by creating an overall drainage master plan for the whole city.
  • In terms of sewage and domestic wastewater, 7 percent of households in the seven townships that comprise Yangon's central business district (CBD) are attached to the central sewer system, 65 percent use septic tanks or fly-proof latrines; and 29 percent use unsanitary disposal systems (based on data from 2014).
  • In terms of solid waste disposal, all collected solid waste is dumped on garbage heaps; there is no system of incineration or any kind of treatment or energy extraction from the solid waste.
  • According to the YCDC's 2014 survey, 85 percent of daily commuters in the city use buses, 8 percent use their own cars, and 5 percent use trains. Thanks to the city authorities of the 1950s, Yangon is fortunate to have a circular rail line, though it is presently not fully utilized. To reduce travel time, pollution and energy, the proportion of commuters using the railway should be increased several fold. (In most cities of comparable size, rail usage is over 50 percent.)
  • Of some 3.5 million daily commuters, around 30 percent must spend more than three hours a day traveling. Added to an eight-hour working day, this leaves breadwinners spending 11 hours or more away from their families. This can cause social estrangement and damage family ties.
  • For historical reasons, 46 percent of all commercial and cultural establishments in Yangon are located in the CBD or areas close to it, like Bahan, Kyimyindaung, Sanchaung, etc. This zone accounts for just 10 percent of the city's total area. Because of this land-use pattern, this high-density commercial zone is the destination for 43 percent of all daily commuters. The main cause of traffic congestion and slow traffic movement is this monocentric use of land. Urban planners and traffic experts have long recommended gradually diversifying this land-use pattern and planning multiple sub-centers in peripheral areas.
  • An associated reason for traffic congestion is the sectorial distribution of the labor force in Yangon. Of the city's work force, 11 percent is employed by the government sector, 80 percent by the tertiary sector (trading and services) and only 9 percent by the industrial sector. This high percentage of tertiary sector employees contributes to the abundance of roadside vendors and also to the traffic problems.
  • Regarding industrial development, the city has around 20,000 industrial plots, only 60 percent of which are occupied and being used. One company has a monopoly on these plots, which it sells for around 600 million kyats per plot. Including infrastructure, one plot can cost around 800 million kyats or around US$600,000 dollars.
  • Research shows that the average investment for a factory employing 700-1,000 workers (for example garment, furniture or other low-tech factories) is between US$1 million and 2 million. This foreign investment-to-land cost ratio of around 2:1 is one important factor hampering the investment flow into the industrial sector in Yangon and in Myanmar in general.
  • Yangon has a very uneven population distribution; the old areas with relatively good infrastructure have population densities ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 people per sq. mile, while the newly developed, poorer areas range between 7,000 and 15,000. Some 40 percent of Yangon's population lives in these poor, low-standard areas. This uneven population distribution contributes to traffic and transportation problems, as well as social segregation.
  • In terms of land requirements, since 1988 around 200 sq. miles, or around 120,000 acres (around 500 sq. km), have been integrated into the city area in the form of town extension projects. Around 17,000 acres in the north-eastern part of the city are still vacant, and there are a few thousand acres assigned to some private companies that are also unused.
  • These vacant areas are all in good locations close to Minglardon Garden City, the circular railway line and on the main highway to the planned Hanthawaddy Airport. Development of these areas means no additional loss of agricultural land and no additional cost for bridges and access roads.
  • Concerning land and apartment prices, Yangon has never had a stable market; fluctuations have been frequent, but since 2014 they have been in decline (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Land prices in Yangon since 1994

Fig. 2. Modes of transportation among Yangon commuters

Of all the arguments made for or against the city expansion project, the most important is "to promote national harmony and unity." Yangon had a population of 5.2 million in 2014, four times larger than Myanmar's second-largest city, Mandalay. Yangon Region has the highest per capita GDP in the Union, and in terms of health care, employment and education facilities, the population of Yangon enjoys the best the Union has to offer. But what are the ramifications of this disparity and inequality between regions for national unity and the Union's long-term future?

Authorities expect about 2 million people to work in New Yangon City, implying a total population of around 8 million. Including Yangon's existing population of around 5 million and accounting for natural growth, this would create a gigantic urban conglomeration with a population of around 14-15 million.

Since World War II, planned towns and extension schemes have appeared worldwide, including Chandigarh in India (present population around 1 million), Brasilia in Brazil (2.5 million), Islamabad in Pakistan 1 million, and Putrajaya in Malaysia (designed for a population of around 200,000). The present plan for New Yangon City exceeds all of these in terms of population size and targeted employment. This is an issue of national concern and requires more thorough and comprehensive investigation and the conducting of feasibility studies. Above all, this scheme requires approval by parliamentary and executive authorities at multiple levels. After this approval phase, cooperation and assistance from Union ministries with specialized knowledge and experience in this field will be necessary from the planning stage.

Dr. Kyaw Lat is an architect and urban planner with work experience in the Department of Human Settlements and Housing Development, Ministry of Construction, United Nations Center for Human Settlements (Habitat), as a professor at Yangon and Mandalay Technological universities, as a professor at Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and finally before his retirement, as the adviser to the Yangon City and Development Council from 2011 until 2016.

The post The New Yangon City Project: An Urban Planner's View appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Jailed Reuters Journalists to Testify in Myanmar Court

Posted: 15 Jul 2018 09:15 PM PDT

 YANGON — Two jailed Reuters reporters on trial in Myanmar accused of obtaining secret state documents will testify in court from Monday, in a case that is seen as a test of press freedom in the fledgling democracy.

Journalists Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were last week charged with breaching the colonial-era Official Secrets Act after six months of pre-trial hearings. Both have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they face up to 14 years in prison.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo will testify on Monday and Tuesday respectively – the first time since being detained in December that they have had the opportunity to fully tell their version of events in public.

The case has attracted global attention, with many governments and rights groups calling for the reporters’ release. Some diplomats and activists say it is a test of progress towards full democracy under the administration of Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in a country where the military still wields considerable influence.

Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay has declined to comment throughout the proceedings, saying Myanmar’s courts are independent and the case would be conducted according to the law. He did not answer calls seeking comment on Sunday.

At the time of their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in a village in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The killings took place during a military crackdown that United Nations agencies say led to more than 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh.

The reporters have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers at a restaurant in northern Yangon by two policemen they had not met before.

The trial phase is expected to last several more weeks. The defense will call witnesses, who will testify and be cross-examined by prosecutors. Both sides will then make their final arguments and the judge is expected to deliver a verdict as early as next month.

A prosecution witness, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing, told the Yangon district court in April that a senior officer had ordered his subordinates to plant the documents on Wa Lone to “trap” the reporter.

After his court appearance, Moe Yan Naing was sentenced to a year in jail for violating police discipline by having spoken to Wa Lone, and his family was evicted from police housing. Police have said the eviction and his sentencing were not related to his testimony.

The post Jailed Reuters Journalists to Testify in Myanmar Court appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Wild Boars in Tears After Being Told of Samarn’s Death

Posted: 15 Jul 2018 09:10 PM PDT

The 12 members of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach were informed on Sunday of the sacrifice made by Petty Officer 1st Class Samarn Gunan, an ex-Navy SEAL who lost his life during the dramatic rescue operation at the Tham Luang cave complex on July 6.

Dr. Jessada Chokdamrongsuk, the public health permanent secretary, said doctors and psychiatrists looking after the young patients believed that they had been physically and mentally rehabilitated enough to be told of what happened to Samarn, who has been hailed as a hero.

They all broke down in tears upon being told of the sacrifice he made and together stood up in silence to pay tribute to Samarn. They also drew a picture of him to convey their condolences.

They also made a pledge to be good citizens to repay what Samarn and others did to save their lives.  A video clip showing the young soccer players paying tribute to Samarn was also released on Sunday.

A royally sponsored cremation was held for Samarn in Roi-et on Saturday. His Majesty the King posthumously promoted Samarn to the rank of lieutenant commander – an unprecedented rise of seven ranks.

Dr. Jessada said the latest medical report from the director of Chiang Rai hospital showed all 12 patients making a gradual recovery. They are now allowed to have close contact with their visiting families.

The patients, who were rescued in a high-profile operation that captivated the world after being trapped for 17 days in Tham Luang cave, are scheduled to be discharged from the hospital on Thursday.  But doctors have advised against exposing them to the media in the next month, fearing some could develop post-traumatic stress disorder.

The post Wild Boars in Tears After Being Told of Samarn's Death appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Reuters Charges Expose Military’s Power Over Courts

Posted: 13 Jul 2018 09:43 PM PDT

Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! Yangon's West District Court charged two Reuters reporters, Ko Wa Lone and Ko Kyaw Soe Oo, under the Official Secrets Act on July 9. Did the court make the decision independently? If it did, does it threaten press freedom? U Sein Win, from the Myanmar Journalism Institute, and U Zeya Hlaing, an editor and a member of the Myanmar Journalists Network, join me to discuss this. I'm The Irrawaddy Burmese editor, Ye Ni.

As you know, Ko Wa Lone and Ko Kyaw Soe Oo have been charged under the Official Secrets Act. The court accepted the charge after the two were detained for seven months and 22 prosecution witnesses testified at the court. The president and chief editor of the Reuters news agency immediately released a statement saying that the charge is groundless and there is no legal evidence against the two. According to our own study, the case was not well established by the police. One of the prosecution witnesses, [former] police Captain Moe Yan Naing, testified that the two reporters were set up. And police Corporal Khin Maung Lin was not presented to the court even though he was originally included in the list of prosecution witnesses. This aroused suspicion. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in her interview with Japanese news agency NHK, said about the case of the Reuters reporters that there may have been violations of the law and that she would wait for the court’s decision. And now the court has accepted the charge. Ko Sein Win, did you see any strong evidence presented to the court against the two by prosecution witnesses?

Sein Win: The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were predetermined. The police chief might have given instructions that the two be caught anyway. This was revealed by the account of the insider. Despite this, we are shocked by the court's decision to accept the charge for trial. Not only the police, even State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said the two were not real journalists and that they had violated the [Official] Secrets Act not only in her meeting with [US diplomat] Bill Richardson but also in her interview with NHK. So their violation was predetermined. And we didn't see any strong evidence against the two presented to the court. Procedures were skipped and the court finally accepted the charge. Yes, it is true that the judge can accept or reject a case based on his reasoning. But in my opinion there was no concrete evidence against the two.

YN: What do you think, Ko Zeya Hlaing? The Home Affairs Ministry has influence [over the judiciary]. What's more, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has made such a comment. Would the judge dare to decide independently?

Zeya Hlaing: I know some judges who I became acquainted with at seminars. They said they don't want to handle media cases because they are very wary of them. Frankly speaking, the corruption of the judicial system has already triggered a debate in Parliament. The judges are pressured from various sides. There might be pressure from the press, as in the Reuters case. There might be pressure from authorities. And other organizations are keeping an eye on them. So I'm sure it is stressful for them. Also, they don't get money [from defendants or plaintiffs], so they will be very distressed and may want to conclude the case as soon as possible.

As I've said, authorities are putting pressures on them, and since the case concerns the Ministry of Home Affairs it is quite difficult for them to handle. The Home Affairs Ministry has set the two up in this plot from the very beginning. I said it is a plot because the script had already been written. One of the actors, police Captain Win Yan Naing, spoke about the part he was asked to play and said it was a setup. He was then silenced with imprisonment. It is very simple. And Corporal Khin Maung Lin, mentioned by Ko Ye Ni, was put out of our sight. It is very simple. Our lives are funny, to put it ironically. The Home Affairs Ministry, which plays a big role in the executive and judicial branches, could make [the accused mastermind] of the assassination [of prominent lawyer U Ko Ni] at an airport in front of many people disappear at a herbal park in Naypyitaw and also arrest [the two reporters] without any supporting evidence. This shows that there is no freedom and there is no legal protection for us. [Authorities] have organized a lot of press conferences [about the Rakhine issue]. They [police] called [the two reporters] and gave them documents. And Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested before they even knew what the documents were about.

The case was exaggerated and labeled a breach of state security and a leak of state secrets. And the two were labeled traitors. The two, being journalists, went [to Rakhine State] to find out if there was a massacre of people as alleged by the international community. So if [the authorities] assume the massacre is a state security, then we have reason to rationally suspect that [authorities] support the ism of killing. Society and concerned authorities need to boldly reveal the truth.

YN: Setting aside the legal aspects of the case, I would like to approach it based on democratic norms and values since we are undergoing a democratization process. The best example of this is found in the United States. In the time of President [Richard] Nixon, a 4,000-page report by the US Department of Defense about their failing war in Vietnam was leaked. Newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post made detailed reports about it. And the executive authorities including President Nixon and the Department of Defense put pressure on the court, accusing those newspapers of dangerously exposing state secrets. The court ruled in favor of press freedom, saying it was necessary for the people. In the case of Reuters, [authorities] first said it was a state secret. But after the case [of the massacre] was exposed, the Tatmadaw [military] said it was not a state secret, corrected the label and punished the perpetrators. But then the lawsuit was not withdrawn and instead continued to proceed. Is that a red light sign for press freedom?

SW: It mainly concerns judicial independence. You've mentioned the case during the time of President Nixon in the US. In another case concerning state secrets, politicians asked Congress to take harsh action against [US whistleblower Edward] Snowden. They called him a traitor because US secrets were exposed to its rivals and enemies like Russia and China. They said national interests were undermined by the leaks. They also asked Congress to file lawsuits against newspapers like The Guardian and The Washington Post that reported on the leaks. It is interesting to note that the judge ruled that newspapers had nothing to do with it. The press has freedom. What the press exposes is no longer a secret. The court ruled that only Snowden was responsible for it and declared the press not guilty. Congressmen demanded harsh action against the press, but they lost.

This shows that judicial independence is the most important factor. As Ko Zeya has said, there is no judicial independence in our country. Most of the judiciary has to dance to the tune [of upper-level authorities].  At least that is the public perception. It is bad that it has a negative public image.

But in a democracy there must be judicial independence and press freedom. No democracy will thrive without them. There won't be a functioning democracy without them. There will only be a sham and nominal democracy.

YN: Ko Zeya Hlaing, as the Reuters reporters were charged under the Official Secrets Act for their investigative report, will this deter others from doing the same thing with injustice in the future?

ZH: There are many threats. I mean there is more than one law that threatens press freedom. And the Reuters case is a high-profile case that the international community knows about. Our job is to make sure that authorities and those mandated by the people function well in their positions and to find out if they are violating the trust of people who rely on them. Speaking of the Reuters case, because of the investigative report, responsible officials have been punished. But those who exposed the case have also been put behind bars. So this is injustice. This is a direct threat to [press] freedom and is also intended to produce a chilling effect. It is like saying, ‘Don't try to find out what we don't want you to know; you saw what happened to the Reuters reporters.'”

If they are right, they need to conceal nothing. They should boldly reveal. Since the problem broke out I have said that it is not enough to just shout that my hands are not stained with blood. Rather, our society should have the courage to unfold the hands and show that they are not stained with blood.

Especially if authorities are not brave enough to be honest about the truth, it will be very difficult for us to establish a democratic society. We journalists make investigative reports to seek a balance, and those responsible have been punished as a result. But those who exposed the case are detained and charged. People in our society know if it is reasonable or not.

YN: Thank you for your contributions!

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Reuters Charges Expose Military’s Power Over Courts appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, July 15, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Women Playing Larger Role at This Year’s Peace Conference

Posted: 15 Jul 2018 12:56 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Women account for 17 percent of the delegates at the ongoing third session of the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference, according to figures the government released Saturday, 2 percent more than the proportion of female delegates at the previous session last year.

Of the 700 delegates at the conference, the 120 women are all in decision-making roles, more than the 105 women in similar roles in 2017.

The 700 delegates include lawmakers and government officials, politicians, military personnel and members of ethnic armed groups, who were all allotted 150 seats each, and other civilians including experts in specific fields, who were allotted 100.

Of the 75 lawmakers and 75 government officials, 18 and 22 were women, respectively, the same as last year in total.

Of the 150 military personnel, the government reported that eight were women. However, some of the women told The Irrawaddy that there were actually 10 of them, which would be equal to 2017.

Of the 150 politicians, 28 were women — two more than last year — from 23 parties.

A female military officer arrives at the Union Peace Conference in Naypyitaw on Wednesday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

There were also 31 women among the 150 delegates at the conference from the 10 ethnic armed groups that have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, up from 19 in 2017.

And of the other 100 civilian delegates, 13 were women, three more than last year.

Also, of the total 1,112 people at the conference as delegates, facilitators or technical assistants, 243 of them, or 22 percent, are women. That’s an increase of 5 percent as a proportion of total participants in 2017.

There are also more female observers this year. Of the 204 observers at the conference, 66 are women. That’s compared to the 40 women among the 185 observers last year, an increase of some 10 percent.

Most of the numbers are still far from the 30 percent female participation rates women’s rights groups are aiming for.

But while issues of autonomy, state constitutions and secession rights were abruptly dropped from the agenda ahead of this year’s peace conference, gender issues remain on the table, including discussion of the 30-percent target, discrimination, legislation to combat gender-based violence and women’s empowerment. Some of the delegates said the 30-percent target was likely to be agreed to by the end of the event.

Female delegates attend the Union Peace Conference in Naypyitaw on Friday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

The data "show that more women are becoming interested in the peace process and that women have the capacity to do so," Mi Kun Chan Non, co-founder of the Mon Women's Organization and chairwoman of the Alliance for Gender Inclusion in the Peace Process, told The Irrawaddy.

She is attending the conference as an observer and supports the proposed 30-percent quote for female participation in the peace process.

"What’s more, the female delegates actively and effectively participated in the discussions," she said.

The post Women Playing Larger Role at This Year’s Peace Conference appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)