The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Violence Gives the Lie to Burma’s ‘Reforms’
• Mandalay Quiet, But Residents Live in Fear
• Hundreds Gather to Mourn Buddhist Victim of Mandalay Religious Violence
• Not the Same Old Song and Dance
• With One Eye on Washington, China Plots Its Own Asia ‘Pivot’
• The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (July 5, 2014)

Violence Gives the Lie to Burma’s ‘Reforms’ Posted: 05 Jul 2014 05:57 AM PDT The situation appears calm in Mandalay today following a spate of violence that broke out between Muslims and Buddhists in Burma's second-largest city earlier this week. A curfew has been imposed and police patrol the city's mostly deserted streets. But for local journalists covering the unrest, there is fear that the trouble has only just begun. Sadly, as reporters do their job of informing citizens of this latest outbreak of communal violence, they find themselves becoming targets of extremists. The Irrawaddy's own reporters and photographers have received death threats, and one of our photographers has been forced to go into hiding for his safety. Reporters and stringers for foreign media have also come under heavy pressure from mobs. Police Chief Win Khaung has gone on record as saying that the government has shut down Facebook—one of the main forums in Burma for spreading anti-Muslim rumors and "exposing" journalists deemed traitors to their race and religion—to stem the tide of hate speech. But don't expect the government to take action against the hatemongers—it isn't going to happen. Last year, Tomás Ojea Quintana, the former UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, said that he'd received reports of "state involvement" in attacks on Muslims, with the authorities "standing by while atrocities have been committed before their very eyes, including by well-organized ultranationalist Buddhist mobs." Since Burma's opening began three years ago, there has seen a series of riots between the country's Muslim and Buddhist communities, and anti-Muslim hysteria has reached a fever pitch on social media and in the teashops. Burmese observers have noticed that this sudden rise in anti-Muslim sentiment began just months after the National League for Democracy (NLD), the party of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, won a landslide victory in by-elections held in April 2012. That vote was a stinging rebuke to the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), which came to power in a rigged election in November 2010. Since then, Muslims have been singled out as a threat to the very fabric of Burmese society, with attacks being carried out against them with "brutal efficiency," according to Vijay Nambiar, the former special advisor on Burma to the United Nations secretary general. Aung Zaw is founder and editor of the Irrawaddy magazine. He can be reached at aungzaw@irrawaddy.org. Adding salt to these wounds, the government of President Thein Sein has proposed laws that would restrict religious conversions and require women to obtain permission before marrying outside their religion—in effect, endorsing the view that Muslims are a menace to society. The marriage bill is part of a package of proposed legislation to "protect race and religion." The package, promoted by a group of nationalist monks, also includes bills to ban polygamy, enact population control measures and restrict religious conversion. Civil society groups and interfaith groups that have opposed the laws have been subjected to death threats and intimidation. Long-time observers of Burmese politics say the sudden appearance of nationalistic thugs on the streets of Burma comes as no surprise: Whenever Burma's military rulers felt threatened in the past, they unleashed murder and mayhem on some segment of the population to justify the need to "restore order." Recently, before this latest outbreak of violence, some ethnic leaders told me that the government "lacks the courage" to hold free and fair elections next year. "As in the past, they'll steal the election again, or if they can't do that, they'll find some excuse to postpone it," they said. Already, it seems, elements within the ruling military elite are laying the groundwork for such a scenario. When push comes to shove, they will want to be ready to put the country on lockdown to save it from the evils of democracy. No wonder, then, that the optimism that greeted the early days of Thein Sein's "reformist" administration is fading fast. And it's little wonder that Mandalay—a city that hosted huge NLD rallies in May—has become a major battleground in the fight for Burma's future. Speaking to massive crowds of supporters, Suu Kyi called on military officials to do the right thing and amend the undemocratic 2010 Constitution, which was forced on the country by the junta than then held total control. "I want to challenge them [military officials] to amend the Constitution within this year, from within the boundaries of the law and via the Parliament. If they truly love the country, respect the citizens: Think of the future of the country and be brave enough," she said to loud applause. Now joined by former activists and prominent student leaders, the campaign to amend the Constitution has gained momentum. By bringing the fight to the home base of the firebrand nationalist monk Wirathu, who calls himself the "Burmese bin Laden," the country's democratic forces are mounting a direct challenge to the fascist, reactionary elements who have ruled for most of Burma's post-independence history. It comes as no surprise that Wirathu's hateful incitement against Muslims has gone unchecked: Photographs on social media sights have shown him receiving alms from hardline leaders of the USDP and others who unashamedly proclaim him a true defender of Buddhism. What is surprising is that foreign officials continue to line up at Burma's door, eager to work with former regime leaders despite evidence that they have little interest in respecting the wishes of the country's people for a return to full democracy. Among recent visitors were Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Tom Malinowski, the US assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, who said "it is time to engage" the country's military. This engagement reached a new level last Monday, when Lt-Gen Anthony Crutchfield, deputy commander of the US Pacific Command, became the first US general to speak at Burma's National Defense College in Naypyidaw since the two countries began their current détente in 2011. "The purpose of this engagement, the sole purpose, was and is to speak to the military about the importance of human rights, the rule of law and civilian control," Malinowski said. Although he characterized this engagement as "cautious," he added that "there is the potential for a deeper partnership, even a full partnership, in the future." Even in Thailand, where a junta seized power in May, there is something truly surreal about the way the country's new rulers have embraced Burma's military leaders. Speaking on the occasion of a visit to Bangkok by Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the supreme commander of the Royal Thai Army, Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn, likened Thailand's bloodless coup to one of the most tragic episodes in Burma's modern history, when thousands of peaceful protesters were gunned down for demanding a return to civilian rule. "Myanmar's government agrees with what Thailand is doing in order to return stability to the nation. Myanmar had a similar experience to us in 1988, so they understand," said the Thai military commander. As bizarre as this remark sounds, however, it is not nearly as disturbing as the fact that many Western governments still seem determined to put a positive spin on Burma's "reforms," even as the country's dream of democracy looks increasingly like it is turning into a carefully orchestrated nightmare. The sooner the rest of the world awakens to this reality, the better. The post Violence Gives the Lie to Burma's 'Reforms' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Mandalay Quiet, But Residents Live in Fear Posted: 05 Jul 2014 05:07 AM PDT Police in riot gear stand guard at Joon Mosque in central Mandalay on Saturday evening. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY —After four days of unrest between Buddhist and Muslim communities, calm had returned to Mandalay and surrounding areas on Saturday,where thestreets were quiet and largely deserted. Residents said, however,that they lived in fear of another outbreak of inter-communal violence. In Mandalay's Muslim neighborhoods, located southeast of the old moat, shops were shuttered and armed security forces were deployed at access routes to the areas and atreligious buildings. Hundreds of police officers in riot gear stood guard atJoon Mosque, one of the city's biggest mosques. Police said they had made a number of arrests in relation with the violence. "So far, 11 people have been arrested," said Mandalay District Police chief Sein Tun. "For security, we have deployed three police battalions. We haven't asked for any help from the military because we don't need it." "Now, the minister of home affairs and the national police chief are in Mandalay to assess the situation,"SeinTun added. A Muslim owner of an electrical goods shop in the city center said the community had closed their businesses and was anxiously waiting for tensions to subside."It would be better to close the shop for awhile for safety reasons. The closure will affect the business but safety is the first thing we have to think of," said the man, who asked not to be named. The main markets in city center were open, but most shops remains closed, including those located in Burmese Buddhist and Chinese communities. "We do not know what will happen next. If something happens again in the area, it will be difficult for us to close the shop and we will not be able to run back home quickly," said Ma Myo, a Buddhist owner of a clothing shop. Violence first broke out on Tuesday night after allegations circulated on Facebook that a Muslim tea shop owner had raped a Buddhist maid. Mandalay-based nationalist Buddhist monk Wirathu quickly fanned the tensions by spreading the accusations and calling for action against the shop owner. During clashes between communities, a 36-year-old Buddhist man was killed and a 50-year-old Muslim man was beaten to death. Fourteen people were injured. Unrest continued to simmer in subsequent days and on Thursday night authorities imposed a 9 pm to 5 am curfew for all six of Mandalay's townships. A Chinese restaurant owner, who declined to be named said, "We normally operate late at night but now we have to close before 9pm.Although our customers buy foods early in the evening, our income has slightly declined. We hope peace will be restored very soon." On Friday, the curfew was extended to PatheinGyi Township, a rural area north of Mandalay, where hundreds of villagers, angered after attending the funeral of a Buddhist victim,vandalized the Muslim section of a cemetery and burned down several small buildings. During a visit to the area on Saturday morning, the streets were empty and residents were afraid to leave their homes. "Since Act 144 [curfew] was announced last night, traffic on the roadshas dried up and the markets became nearly deserted. People are living in fear and worry that something will happen", said KyawMyint, a resident of PatheinGyi Township. "People whisper to each other in fear about what was happened in recent days and have warned eachother not to go outside if it is not necessary," he said."I'm also afraid. It seems we have no choice, but have to sit on a huge pile of gunpowder while fearing that someone might ignite it." Irrawaddy reporters visitedPatheinGyi Township Police Station but officers refused to discuss the situation. The post Mandalay Quiet, But Residents Live in Fear appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Hundreds Gather to Mourn Buddhist Victim of Mandalay Religious Violence Posted: 05 Jul 2014 01:31 AM PDT A family member identified by fellow mourners as the mother of Tun Tun, a Buddhist man killed during clashes with Muslim residents of Mandalay, is supported at Kyanikan cemetery after collapsing with grief. (Photo: Steve Tickner) MANDALAY — Several hundred people gathered for the funeral of a Buddhist man in Pathein Gyi Township, located some 15 km north of Mandalay, on Friday afternoon and emotions ran high as the victim, Tun Tun, 36, was brought to a local cemetery. He was one of two men killed in central Mandalay on Tuesday night during an outbreak of inter-communal violence between Buddhist and Muslim residents of Burma's second biggest city. A 50-year-old Muslim man was beaten to death on his way to the mosque and another 14 people were injured. Family members of the victim were grieving and the anger among some of the crowd was palpable. Armed with bamboo sticks and rods, several hundred young men accompanied the mourners to the Kyanikan cemetery (also known as Aye Yeik Nyein cemetery), where they set upon the Muslim section of the cemetery, destroying a several gravestones and burning down an orphanage building, a rest house and the home of the Muslim caretaker. No police were seen at the site. On Friday night and Saturday morning, no more unrest was reported and central Mandalay remained calm after a heavy police deployment. The post Hundreds Gather to Mourn Buddhist Victim of Mandalay Religious Violence appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Not the Same Old Song and Dance Posted: 04 Jul 2014 05:30 PM PDT A scene from the play "Land of Smiles." (Photo courtesy of www.landofsmilesmusical.com) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — A musical centered on the life of a fictional refugee from Myanmar appears at first glance an unlikely venue for a detailed critique of US anti-trafficking policies and their impact on the women they were ostensibly designed to protect. But "Land of Smiles," which had its Asian premiere in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai with a cast that included several off-Broadway veterans, is not your typical musical with a message. The play's dual protagonists are both newcomers to Thailand. Lipoh is a young Kachin woman who has fled fighting in Myanmar's northernmost state, and Emma is an idealistic American law-school graduate who has come to Asia to join the global fight against human trafficking. Early on in the play, Lipoh's stint working at a Chiang Rai brothel ends when she is detained by police working in cooperation with the Western-funded NGO where Emma has just started her internship. Emma's superior at the NGO, a fellow American, assigns Emma the task of coaxing Lipoh, who is being incarcerated in a grim immigration detention center supposedly for her own protection, to testify against the brothel owner and her friends who helped her get to Thailand. But Lipoh refuses to play along. "Because I am not a victim," she tells Emma. As the play unfolds, Emma begins to question her NGO colleagues' efforts to compel Lipoh to accept the role of victim and use her case to get more funding for their organization. "Back in Indiana / Life is black and white / Nothing is too dark / Nothing's too bright / It's easy to distinguish wrong from right," Emma sings after coming to the realization that things aren't so clear-cut in Thailand. "Land of Smiles" was written and produced by Erin Kamler, a Los Angeles-based playwright, composer and PhD candidate. The play—which will be staged in Los Angeles this month and then at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August after having its debut in Chiang Mai last December—is the product of more than 50 interviews and hours of field work conducted by Ms. Kamler in Thailand and Cambodia. "The primary agenda for the play is to show the more complex reality of the anti-trafficking movement and how it affects migrant women on the ground in Thailand, particularly migrant women from [Myanmar]," she told The Irrawaddy. "The big problem with the movement, the elephant in the room, is that [it doesn't really address] structural conditions that push both trafficking—that is, labor exploitation, actual human trafficking—and migration that is consensual. And there's no real distinction between those two things, either," explained Ms. Kamler, whose play is an extension of her nearly completed PhD work on these issues at the University of Southern California. The trafficking and smuggling of people across international borders has in recent years become a high-profile issue across the globe. In the post-9/11 era, many increasingly security-conscious Western governments have taken a tough stand on such practices, with the effect that many portrayed as victims of traffickers are also suffering at the hands of law enforcement agencies. "There's very little nuance in these policies that are supposedly meant to address trafficking," said Ms. Kamler, who is part of a growing chorus of researchers and migration experts calling for a radical shift in policy away from the militarized war on trafficking currently being carried out by most Western governments and their respective international development funding agencies. Ms. Kamler also takes issue with a longstanding US policy, only recently overturned, to deny funding to anti-trafficking and migrant support organizations unless they adhere to a zero-tolerance policy for prostitution—a policy that encouraged NGOs in Thailand and Cambodia to take part in raids to "save" sex workers, regardless of whether the women were engaged in such work of their own free will. "The critique is that most of the policies and most of the funding that goes into the movement to stop trafficking happens at the end, after people have migrated and, in the case of sex workers, after they've already been working as sex workers. Then these well-funded NGOs will go in with the police and round all these women up," explained Ms. Kamler. In many ways, "Land of Smiles" offers a musical counterpoint to the kind of campaign conducted by the likes of MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking), a "multimedia initiative" that seeks to raise awareness of human trafficking through activities such as organizing a December 2012 concert in Yangon featuring musician Jason Mraz. That concert—during which Mr. Mraz wore a t-shirt emblazoned with the words "Slavery Sucks" as he performed before 50,000 screaming fans on a stage in front of Shwedagon Pagoda—was part of a slick campaign that frequently reduces the trafficking issue to a black-and-white struggle between good and evil. There's little space in the MTV EXIT narrative for the kind of nuance conveyed in Ms. Kamler's play, in which the Lipoh character—like tens of thousands of other refugees and migrants from Myanmar—has deliberately chosen to be smuggled into Thailand in order to support her family. Estimates from researchers indicate that the regular flow of large numbers of people out of Myanmar has not been reduced by the current government's reform process. This may be due to the fact that the last few years have been marked by a significant increase in land-grabbing and the displacement of huge numbers of small-scale farmers across much of Myanmar's countryside—factors that continue to push thousands of migrants out of the country every month in search of employment. There are also other push factors at play. The unresolved conflict between government troops and Kachin rebels in the north and the ongoing crisis in Rakhine State have, according to UN estimates, led to a combined figure of more than 250,000 people being displaced since President U Thein Sein's nominally civilian government took office three years ago. These factors have left no shortage of people willing to pay brokers to smuggle them to third countries in search of a better life, ensuring that Thailand's immigration detention centers will remain full of undocumented people for many years to come. "Land of Smiles" is a beautifully composed and highly creative rebuttal to the widely held assumptions that underpin anti-trafficking policies that have proven to be at best counterproductive and at worst extremely harmful to the very people they are meant to help. By looking at what's wrong with the status quo in a way that is both challenging and highly entertaining, it could do much to highlight the many missteps that have been taken in the name of ending human trafficking. This article first appeared in the July 2014 print issue of The Irrawaddy magazine. The post Not the Same Old Song and Dance appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

With One Eye on Washington, China Plots Its Own Asia ‘Pivot’ Posted: 04 Jul 2014 05:25 PM PDT Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives to welcome leaders before the opening ceremony of the fourth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia summit in Shanghai May 21, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) BEIJING — The Silk Road, an obscure Kazakh-inspired security forum and a $50 billion Asian infrastructure bank are just some of the disparate elements in an evolving Chinese strategy to try to counter Washington’s "pivot" to the region. While Chinese leaders have not given the government’s growing list of initiatives a label or said they had an overall purpose, Chinese experts and diplomats said Beijing appeared set on shaping Asia’s security and financial architecture more to its liking. "China is trying to work out its own counterbalance strategy," said Sun Zhe, director of the Centre for U.S.-China Relations at Beijing’s Tsinghua University and who has advised China’s government on its foreign policy. Added one Beijing-based Western diplomat who follows China’s international relations: "This is all clearly aimed at the United States." President Barack Obama’s pivot – as the White House initially dubbed it – represented a strategy to refocus on Asia’s dynamic economies as the United States disentangled itself from costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. China sees the pivot as an attempt to contain its growing influence, especially given the United States is strengthening its ties with Asian security allies such as Japan and the Philippines, which have bitter territorial disputes with Beijing in the region’s waters. Washington denies this. One key part of China’s diplomatic outreach has been to breathe life into the little-known Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, or CICA, which has languished since Kazakhstan proposed it in 1992 to promote peace and security. CICA comprises two dozen mostly Asian nations, as well as Russia and some Middle Eastern countries. The United States, Japan and the Philippines are not members. China took over chairmanship of CICA at a summit in Shanghai in May for three years. There, President Xi Jinping spoke about a new "Asian security concept", saying China would explore the formulation of a code of conduct for regional security and an Asian security partnership program. While Xi gave few details and made no direct mention of disputes such as in the South China Sea, he warned Asian nations about strengthening military alliances to counter China, an oblique reference to the U.S. pivot. "Asian problems must be resolved by Asian people, and Asian security must be protected by Asian people," Xi said. A Rival Bank? Another Chinese initiative is the $50 billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which Xi first proposed in October during a visit to Southeast Asia. Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said this week Beijing would likely have a 50 percent stake in the bank, which diplomats see as a possible rival to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, though China says its role is a complementary one, not competitive. Washington and Tokyo have the biggest voting rights in both the decades-old institutions. China sees the infrastructure bank as a way to spread the message of its benign intentions in Asia, where developing countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam accuse Beijing of being the aggressor over territorial claims. "China upholds a basic guiding principle in regional diplomacy – being friends and partners with our neighbors," Lou said. On top of that, China has dangled financial and trade incentives to Central Asia, backing efforts to resurrect the old Silk Road that once carried treasures between China and the Mediterranean. China is also pushing ahead with various trade pacts in the region, but is not part of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a 12-nation bloc whose two biggest economies are the United States and Japan. Not everyone is convinced China’s initiatives will amount to much. "Some of those things are more about the optics of these issues rather than the realities of a Chinese-led order," said Matthew Goodman, senior adviser for Asian Economics at the Center for Security and International Studies in Washington. Washington Watching China’s foreign policy since the country began economic reforms three decades ago has traditionally followed the maxim of late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping of "hiding ones’ strength and biding ones’ time", or keeping a low profile. Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier this year flagged China’s more assertive regional foreign policy at his annual press conference and in a newspaper article. "We must accept the role of a responsible major country in international affairs," Wang wrote. Asked this week whether China was carrying out its own pivot, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China was pursuing a policy of good neighborliness. A senior Obama administration official said Washington was paying close attention to Xi’s approach to Asia. "We noted his statement at the CICA conference about Asia for Asians, the growing criticism of U.S. alliances and the Asian infrastructure bank," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It’s raising serious questions about whether the U.S. vision and the Chinese vision are fully compatible." A second senior U.S. official said Washington had not been assured that the infrastructure bank would adopt the high governance and other standards of institutions such as the World Bank and the ADB. He said the administration did not see how such an entity would "add value" for the region and that Washington would be making this point to Asian allies. While they were not members, the United States and Japan were welcome to join the bank, Lou said. Top Chinese and U.S. officials will get the chance to discuss the bank and many other issues during annual talks in Beijing on July 9-10, a meeting known as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Forgotten Anniversaries At the start of the CICA summit, China turned on the pomp, with live television showing Red Flag limousines delivering leaders one by one to a Shanghai conference center where they walked down a red carpet to shake hands with Xi. Most recently, Xi feted suspicious neighbors India and Burma last Saturday to celebrate the 1954 signing of almost forgotten principles of peaceful coexistence. He cited Indian Nobel Literature laureate Rabindranath Tagore in a speech to India’s vice president on the 60th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, an early Cold War pledge of peace between China, India and the country then known as Burma. Xi has gone out of his way to court India, a country which hosts exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and with which China has a festering border dispute. Still, China’s messages of peace can come across as ham-fisted to those it’s trying to court. "China has long engaged in a kind of smile diplomacy in the region but the challenge for China is that many of its neighbors can see the glint of steel beneath the robe," said Goodman from the CSIS think tank. The post With One Eye on Washington, China Plots Its Own Asia 'Pivot' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (July 5, 2014) Posted: 04 Jul 2014 05:00 PM PDT More Foreign Investment in Infrastructure 'Depends in Thilawa Success' Future foreign investment in infrastructure development in Burma hinges on the outcome of the Thilawa Special Economic Zone (SEZ), a business analysis company predicted. "We believe the outlook of [Burma's] construction sector is significantly dependent on the success of the Thilawa SEZ and future SEZs such as Dawei and Kyaukphyu," said a study by Business Monitor International (BMI). The strong investment in Thilawa, on the edge of Rangoon—mostly by Japanese firms—was positive and pointed to further foreign investment in Burma's "severe deficit in infrastructure, industrial and commercial buildings," BMI said. But many overseas businesses are waiting to see how successful the Thilawa project turns out to be. Japanese companies have taken the majority investment share in Thilawa, primarily with the backing of conglomerates Mitsubishi, Marubeni and Sumitomo, plus the Tokyo government-financed Japan International Cooperation Agency. These Japanese interests have a combined 49 percent stake in Thilawa. Plans for SEZs at Dawei on the southeast coast and Kyaukphyu, where China has already invested in an oil transhipment port, are unlikely to progress much until Thilawa is completed and working, said BMI. Burma's Offshore Oil, Gas Auction Involves 'Mysterious' Firms The Naypyidaw government's still-not-finalized auction of offshore oil and gas blocks lacks real transparency, a business report said. The criticism, in the London Financial Times, comes as Burma's application to join the Norway-based international Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative was given candidate status on July 2. Winning bids for the blocks include major international companies such as Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell, but also a "clutch of foreign and local companies about which little has been revealed," said the Financial Times. It named two foreign firms as having "mysterious" backgrounds: Berlanga Holding of the Netherlands and Caog of Luxembourg, both linked to Shyngys Kulzhanov, a Kazakhstan energy entrepreneur. It also raised questions about the true ownership of Burmese firms IGE and UNOG, which "have historically been controlled by Pyi Aung and Nay Aung, sons of a hardline pro-military politician." "Critics say the sell-off is a worrying regression from a widely praised mobile phone license round last year. One [Burma] analyst who asked not to be named describes the oil auction as 'second rate' and a 'missed opportunity,'" the business paper said. Although winners of the offshore blocks were announced in March, each is still privately negotiating terms with the Ministry of Energy and the state Myanmar Oil & Gas Enterprise. The Financial Times quoted Matthieu Salomon, Asia-Pacific program manager of the Natural Resource Governance Institute, as saying: "You do not change a political culture of decades of secrecy and no communication overnight." EITI has given Burma 18 months to submit a first report on the state of transparency in its oil and gas sector after which a decision on membership of the body will be made. French Oil Search Firm Opens Rangoon Base for 'Substantial' Prospects French hydrocarbons survey specialist CGG has opened an office in Rangoon to "service and support anticipated growth in [Burma's] oil and gas exploration sector," the firm said in a statement. CGG carries out below-surface electronic surveys to map out potential oil and gas reservoirs. The Paris-based firm said it was the first international geoscience company to open up in Burma. "With the [Burma] government's recent award of 16 onshore and 20 offshore blocks to international and local oil and gas companies, we foresee a quickening in the pace of exploration activity over the next 18 months," CGG Executive Vice President Sophie Zurquiyah said. The firm said it was employing a "team of highly experienced Burmese geophysicists" in its Rangoon center. River Dams Main Solution for Electricity Shortage, Says Power Ministry The government has given a strong indication that it intends to permit more hydroelectric dam development despite popular public opposition. Electricity generated from hydropower projects will provide 37 percent of the country's energy needs by 2030, Deputy Minister for Electric Power Maw Tar Htwe reportedly said. This would amount to the largest share of a proposed electricity generating capacity of 23,500 megawatts by 2030, the minister was quoted by Myanmar Business Today as saying on July 1. That capacity would be more than five times today's level of 4,360 megawatts, which is enough to provide electricity to barely 30 percent of Burma's population, and then intermittently. "Hydroelectricity will produce over 37 percent of the [ministry's planned] power output, with 20 percent coming from natural gas, 33 percent from coal and more than 9 percent from other renewable energy sources," said Myanmar Business Today, quoting Maw Tar Htwe. A controversial Chinese-financed 6,000-megawatt hydro dam project on the Irrawaddy River at Myitsone in Kachin state remains suspended by the Naypyidaw government due to public opposition. Several hydro-dam project proposals, involving Chinese and Thai business interests, are still in the pipeline for the Salween River. Rice Production Must Rise and Home Use Fall if Exports to Grow: Expert Poor productivity and high domestic demand stand in the way of Burma becoming a major international rice exporter again, an industry expert said. "[Burma] has huge natural resources for growing rice like the Irrawaddy Delta, however, average rice yields have been flat and actually dropped slightly over the last decade," said Adam John of the Agricultural and Food Policy Studies Institute. "Domestic rice consumption is still very high," John said in an assessment for the rice industry publication Oryza. Although Burma is a substantial rice producer—ranked seventh in the world—export trade volumes are "not consistent year to year," John said. "It may be argued that Burma sees international rice markets as a way of getting rid of surplus rice stocks." But John noted that more rice might become available for export if Burmese continue a trend to eat less of the crop. "Domestic rice consumption is still very high with 50 percent of daily calorie consumption per person coming from rice, but there has been a decreasing trend where locals are substituting rice for other foods," he said. The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (July 5, 2014) appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

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Democratic Voice of Burma

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• Four more arrested in relation to Mandalay mob killings
• Govt attempts to restart railway project through Mrauk-U
• Supreme Court lawyer criticises Mandalay govt handling of riots
• Burma Business Weekly
• State-run news agency plans to start charging for news
• Muscles and beauty not mutually exclusive, says bodybuilder

Four more arrested in relation to Mandalay mob killings Posted: 05 Jul 2014 04:41 AM PDT Four more people alleged to have participated in this week’s Mandalay riots, which left two dead, were arrested on Friday night, while authorities extended curfew to include a seventh township in Mandalay Division. The clampdown in security came after riots broke out on Tuesday night in Chan Aye Tharzan Township, a neighbourhood with a large Muslim population, after rumours circulated on social media websites that the Muslim owners of a teashop had raped a Buddhist maid. Over the course of two days, hundreds of police were deployed to the area, but by Wednesday night news emerged that two men were killed in separate mob attacks – one Buddhist and one Muslim. Four men were arrested on 3 and 4 July for their alleged connection to the mob killings. Col Aung Kyaw Soe, minister of divisional security and border affairs, told DVB on Saturday that the authorities detained four more after receiving news that they were hiding in a mosque. "Last night we arrested four more people," Aung Kyaw Soe said. "A total of eight people have been detained. There are others related to them concerning the violence and we are trying to find out the culprits." "We cannot tell you their names because we are still investigating it." Aung Kyaw Soe added that the local police force has received reinforcements from military battalions, and that stability will be restored to the area. "Don't worry, there will be peace," he said. Tensions have remained high since Tuesday's riots, and district authorities reacted by announcing that Article 144 of the Penal Code will be instated throughout the seven townships under a dusk-to-dawn curfew. Any gathering or procession of more than five people will be broken up by the authorities, and its participants will be arrested and charged, the district announcement said. Meanwhile, town elders, civil society organisations and interfaith associations formed a so-called peace committee on Saturday to dispel rumours and misinformation that have caused the riots and communal conflicts between the Muslims and Buddhist communities, said Thein Than Oo, a lawyer and member of the committee. Related Stories Supreme Court lawyer criticises Mandalay govt handling of riots Curfew in place after deadly riots in Mandalay Monks helped defuse riot, not enflame it: ABMU According to a public statement released by this new committee, the group will restore peace in Mandalay by dismissing rumours and releasing accurate information, work through the public's misunderstandings and suspicions, and "solve crimes according to the laws". Soe Hein, another committee member, said the situation has calmed down considerably, but there is still mistrust beneath the surface. "There is still suspicion, worries and mistrust between the two communities. We formed the committee to reduce these," Soe Hein said. Burma has been plagued with frequent and deadly bouts of communal violence since June 2012, when riots broke out between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in western Burma. Since then, anti-Muslim sentiment has grown to the point where even rumour containing anti-Muslim sentiment can spark deadly episodes.

Govt attempts to restart railway project through Mrauk-U Posted: 05 Jul 2014 02:54 AM PDT The government plans to restart a stalled railway project that will pass through Mrauk-U, an ancient city in northern Arakan State, although authorities and locals are unable to agree on where exactly the railway will traverse. The project, which started in 2009, will travel 154 kilometres between Sittwe and Mrauk-U, but has stalled because of protests led by locals who object to the railway passing through endangered sites in the ancient city. Maung Tha Aung, a member of Mrauk-U's Ancient Cultural Conservation Committee, told DVB that district and township authorities, as well as project representatives, met with the locals on 26 to 29 June to discuss where the railway route will go. "The map they showed us was not clear so nobody could agree to it. It's good if it is right; if it is wrong, we will become the culprits of history," Maung Tha Aung said. “If we allow them to develop wherever they like, more damage will be done.” The city's elders then went onsite to see where the government's proposed new planned routes would go through, and they found that it would still be severely damaging to the city's ancient sites. According to Maung Tha Aung, Waithali stone steps, certain pagodas and some ancient dias and stages were in danger. Even areas surrounding the planned rail site, which houses a number of pagodas, could be badly affected by construction due to the impact of drilling machines, he said. The authorities rejected the locals' suggestion that the railway pass through the western side of Mrauk-U, he said. Related Stories Kyaukphyu SEZ construction undergoing bidding process Burma emerging as a major travel destination in Asia Mogok environmentalists wade in to clean up lake

Supreme Court lawyer criticises Mandalay govt handling of riots Posted: 05 Jul 2014 01:58 AM PDT A Supreme Court lawyer in Mandalay has criticised the divisional government's press statements relating to communal mob violence in the city this week, saying such a failure could stoke the simmering tensions in the region. Thein Than Oo warned the government not to "manipulate" information. On Thursday, a press release by the local assembly stated that "Muslim nationals" had beaten up "Burmans", while noting that mob riots were conducted by both Muslims and Burmans. Burman, or bamar, is the majority ethnicity in the country, and Burmans are invariably Buddhist. Supreme Court lawyer Thein Than Oo said it was unwise of the divisional government to single out Muslims, pointing out that it could "stoke simmering tensions" between the two communities. "There is no Muslim nationality – it is simply the word used for people who practice Islam," he said. "Right now, the situation is extremely fragile, so the government should be careful with the usage of such words," the lawyer said. "It will incite hatred between different ethnicities and different faiths." He added that Speaker of the Union Parliament Shwe Mann has warned those in authority not to manipulate the situation during these incidents. Related Stories Four more arrested in relation to Mandalay mob killings Curfew in place after deadly riots in Mandalay Bullet Points Riots broke out on Tuesday night in Mandalay's Chan Aye Tharzan Township, a neighbourhood with a vibrant Muslim community, after rumours circulated that the Muslim owners of a local teashop had raped a Buddhist maid. Hundreds of riot police officers were deployed to quell the riot, but two men were killed in separate mobs attacks – one Buddhist, one Muslim. On Wednesday, the divisional government imposed a dusk-to-dawn dawn curfew in six townships amid threats of further violence. Meanwhile, London-based Burmese Muslim Association released a statement on Friday strongly condemning the violence, but putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of the government and local police. "The violence that has occurred is not simply a result of sectarian conflicts. It is without doubt a well-planned operation, carried out by a group of well-trained thugs," it said. "Since 1 July 2014, a van and a group of about 30 motorbikes, carrying mobs armed with machetes and lethal weapons, were roaming around the city of Mandalay and targeting various Muslims, shops and businesses owned by Muslims, and a number of Islamic religious institutions and premises. Shockingly, the police stood by and watched the mobs attack the Muslims and their properties, without intervening," the statement said. Communal conflict has swept the country since June 2012, when violence broke out between Arakanese Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in western Burma, leaving more than 250 dead and 140,000 displaced. The majority of the displaced are Muslims. Supreme Court lawyer Thein Than Oo added that officials in Arakan State were similarly  irresponsible as their counterparts in Mandalay when dispersing press releases about the inter-religious violence in that region by using the pejorative term kalar when referring to the Rohingya Muslim community.

Burma Business Weekly Posted: 05 Jul 2014 01:15 AM PDT   Ups and Downs The Burmese currency remained stable, with the buying rate finishing on Friday at 971 kyat, down 2 kyats from last week, while the selling rate increased slightly to 979 kyat from 978 kyat the week before. Meanwhile, the price of gold increased to 678,300 kyat per tical, a small increase 678,000 kyat the week before. Fuel prices remained the same, with petrol selling at 820 kyat per litre, diesel at 950 kyat per litre, and octane at 920 kyat per litre. The price of rice also did not change, with high-quality Pawhsanmwe rice going for 1,300 to 1,700 kyat per basket and low-quality Manawthukha rice going for 900 kyat per basket.   Govt to up country's electricity reserves by 30 percent Burma’s government plans to increase the country's electricity reserves by 30 percent to prevent nationwide power outages, Deputy Union Minister for Electric Power Maw Tar Htwe said to the Myanmar Business Today last week. The country's annual electricity consumption rate increases by 13 percent every year, while the electricity sector is still underdeveloped, with only 30 percent of the population getting electricity. The government plans to produce about 23,000 megawatts of electricity by the fiscal year of 2030-31.   Burma a 'candidate country' for EITI-compliant status Burma's application to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a set of voluntary reporting standards pertaining to revenue transparency and resource governance, has been accepted. Burma will have 18 months to produce its first report, and a decision on whether or not its efforts have been sufficient to grant the country "compliant" status will occur within three years. EITI standards aim to promote revenue transparency by ensuring that payments from companies operating in extractive industries – namely mining and oil and gas – match revenues received by governments. Read more: http://www.dvb.no/news/burma-a-candidate-country-for-eiti-compliant-status-myanmar/42017   France's largest bank hit with $9B fine for violating US sanctions France's largest bank, BNP Paribas (BNPP), will plead guilty to violating US trade sanctions by processing billions of dollars for Burmese entities – as well as institutions from Iran, Sudan and Cuba – via US financial institutions, and will face a record penalty of nearly US$9 billion. According to a 30 June statement by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), BNPP's admission of guilt is "the first time a financial institution has agreed to plead guilty based on large-scale, systematic violations of US economic sanctions." Read more: https://www.dvb.no/news/frances-largest-bank-hit-with-9b-fine-for-violating-us-sanctions-burma-myanmar/42051   Burma cannot meet fuel demands, deputy energy minister says Burma's domestic fuel production can only meet 10 percent of the country's demand for diesel and 40 percent of demand for petroleum, said Deputy Energy Minister Myint Zaw on Tuesday at a parliamentary session, He said the majority of demand for fuel is met with foreign oil imports while the government is currently preparing a five-point energy security policy to increase domestic production. He added that Burma imported nearly 100 million gallons of diesel and 33 gallons of petrol last year to meet domestic demand.   38 times more Burmese internet users in two years The number of internet users in Burma has jumped from 66,000 in 2011-12 to 2.5 million in 2013-14, a 38-fold increase. State-owned provider Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications says it plans to increase bandwidth by 700 percent to meet the ever-growing demand.   Trade deficit widens Burma's trade deficit has increased over the first two months of the fiscal year and now stands at over US$947 million, according to state-owned Myanmar News Agency, citing a report by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO). Exports are listed at almost $1.54 billion while imports stand at a total of $2.5 billion. Exports include metal, gems, livestock, fishery and farm products, and timber.   Taiwanese shoe manufacturer to invest $100M in Burma A Taiwan-based manufacturer will invest more than $100 million to construct a shoe factory that will produce 300,000 pairs a year. Pou Chen Group, one of the largest footwear manufacturers in the world, announced that they hope to start production in Burma at the end of 2015 and will likely increase its capacity to product 800,000 pairs a year by 2018. Currently, Pou Chen has shoe factories in China, Vietnam and Indonesia.

State-run news agency plans to start charging for news Posted: 05 Jul 2014 12:42 AM PDT Myanmar News Agency (MNA), a state-run news agency that is part of the Ministry of Information, is planning to sell news about the government, governmental departments and ministers to private news outlets. Myo Nyunt, chief reporter of MNA, told DVB that MNA's content is currently free, but once the organisation transitions into a public service news outlet, they would have to find their own income, he claimed. "Even the state-owned newspapers will need to buy news from us, and other private media organization should also buy the news they want when we become a public service," Myo Nyunt said. "It is normal. We will provide all the news to those who subscribe to us." He did not clarify the exact date that the MNA will start charging for its content. Phoe Thaykkya, president of the Myanmar Journalists Association, said that the governmental departments used to charge news organisations for using their content, but has ceased this practice since state-run newspapers started. "The problem is whether we can use their news if we don't subscribe to them. We haven't spoken clearly about this with MNA yet," Phoe Thaukkya said. "Now, the government has their own newspapers and they still want to sell the news to private newspapers for profit. That is not good." Private media organisations currently face massive hurdles when trying to obtain information from the government, with requests for public information ignored by state administration or ministerial spokespeople denying any responses. Related Stories Bullet Points DVB journalist Zaw Pe freed Press Council to probe parliament on investigation into media firms' finances

Muscles and beauty not mutually exclusive, says bodybuilder Posted: 04 Jul 2014 09:09 PM PDT In June, 24-year-old Aye Aye Soe won gold in the Women's Athletic Physique contest in Singapore, beating her rival from the host country. Though she has competed in four international contests, it was the first time she has won a medal. DVB caught up with Aye Aye Soe during a training session in Rangoon and spoke to her about her win, and what the sport of bodybuilding offers women. Aye Aye Soe said during June's competition, the Singaporean competitor stood out as the one to beat. "Not only was she from the host country but also her muscle build was greatly improved from last year. So she became my main competitor," she said. "Though her muscle was good, my advantage was my thigh. So I practiced hard in the beginning show and I got the advantage." Although Aye Aye Soe has a chemical engineering degree, her passion is bodybuilding, which she started when she was 20 years old. The training is gruelling and she must follow a strict high-protein diet. When competing, Aye Aye Soe explains that female bodybuilders wear a two-piece swimsuit to show off their muscles. At first, she said she was shy competing in a swimsuit. "At the beginning, I felt a little shy. But you only have to be on stage for one minute and remember that you are representing your country. Now, I don’t feel shy anymore," she said with a smile. Women in Burma have only been allowed to compete in bodybuilding since 2012, and few have taken up the sport. Aye Aye Soe wishes that more Burmese women would get into bodybuilding. Related Stories Thai firm makes hospital appointment in Burma Disabled rights council to be formed in Burma Can Burma reclaim its status as a major rice player? "Having muscles and being feminine don’t have to be separate. Some people think having muscle is masculine but we show on the stage that we are feminine too," she said. But Aye Aye Soe advised all women to exercise and stay healthy. "If you exercise with weights, whether you are thin or fat, your body will become fit and healthy. You will be nice and beautiful! You will also be mentally strong. And it will help protect against diseases. There are so many benefits," she said. Spurred by her big win in Singapore, Aye Aye Soe now has her eye set on the Asia Level contest in August.

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The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Photo of the week (July 04, 2014)
• Central Mandalay Calm After Heavy Police Deployment
• Ethnic, Political Groups Hold Talks on Thai Border
• Thai Junta Compares its Coup to Burma’s 1988 Crackdown
• Funeral Sparks Further Unrest in Mandalay
• NLD Campaign Will Not Influence Constitutional Reform in Parliament: Shwe Mann
• Mandalay Police Arrest Five as Calm Returns After Riots
• Facebook Problems Coincide With Curfew in Burma
• Web Hackers Poke Fun at Burmese IT Ministry
• ‘Go Straight to the People’
• In Burma’s Young Democracy, Vote ‘No’ on Proportional Representation
• China Leader Snubs North Korea in Visit to Seoul
• Ivory Sales Boom in Bangkok, Mocking Thai Pledge to End Trade
• Video of Japan Politician Weeping Goes Viral

Photo of the week (July 04, 2014) Posted: 04 Jul 2014 07:33 AM PDT The post Photo of the week (July 04, 2014) appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Central Mandalay Calm After Heavy Police Deployment Posted: 04 Jul 2014 07:13 AM PDT Police in riot gear and armed with teargas grenades were deployed to clear out the streets of central Mandalay on Friday evening. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — Following a funeral for a Buddhist man killed during recent inter-communal violence, a mob of angry Buddhists burned down an orphanage, a rest house and a farm at a Muslim section of a cemetery north of Mandalay on Friday afternoon, Mandalay firefighters said. In the center of the city, hundreds of young men armed with sticks were gathered to head to a Muslim area but they were turned away by a heavy police presence. As dusk fell Friday evening, the situation appeared calm in central Mandalay and the main streets were deserted. Authorities extended the 9 pm to 5 am curfew to Pathein Gyi Township, located northeast of Mandalay. On Thursday, authorities had already imposed a curfew in all six of the city's townships. Around 5 pm Friday, crowds of young Buddhist men on motorbikes were seen heading towards to Muslim areas southeast of the old moat, close to the site where a Buddhist man named Tun Tun was killed on Wednesday during clashes with Muslim residents. The situation was tense and police asked residents to go inside as they prepared to clamp down on any outbreak of violence. "We will open fire if needed. You guys should be careful," a police officer warned journalists gathered at the scene. For the first time since the unrest broke out, hundreds of police officers in protective riot gear and armed with teargas grenades were sent to clear streets of central Mandalay. During a funeral procession for the Buddhist man earlier Friday afternoon a mob destroyed motorbike and a truck in the city center. Tun Tun, 36, was one of two people killed in the early hours of Thursday morning during clashes between Buddhists and Muslims. A Muslim man was also beaten to death on his way to a mosque for morning prayers. Fourteen people were injured during the violence, which began Tuesday night. A Muslim resident said police officers had come to search Mandalay's Joon Mosque early on Friday morning. He said five Muslim men were arrested, including the son of the imam, adding that that police had seized weapons, such as iron rods, knives and swords. "We kept those weapons to defense ourselves if needed, not to attack," said the man, who asked not be named. Some residents of Mandalay have criticized the police actions so far, saying that security forces had failed to deal with the outbreak of inter-communal violence and did little to contain the angry Buddhist mobs moving through the city. During the arson at the Muslim cemetery, located some 10 miles north of the city, no police were present, a photojournalist on the scene has said. Burma's national police chief Brig-Gen Win Khaung defended the police performance in a phone interview with The Irrawaddy. "If we use a lot of force and target the mobs, our police force will be criticized again for using too much armed force," he said. "When we want to solve this problem peacefully and we did not use armed forces, the critics are not happy and say we are weak." "We cannot arrest whoever we see on the street," he said, adding, "If we need more police forces, we will deploy more… we already added extra more police from other areas to be deployed." Some 1,000 police were deployed in central Mandalay in recent days and on Tuesday several warning shots were reportedly fired to disperse a crowd. The unrest began after a Burmese Facebook user alleged that the Muslim owner of a teashop had raped a Buddhist maid. Nationalist monk U Wirathu, who is known for his hate speech against Muslims, quickly spread the message and called for justice. Mandalay police have opened a case against to investigate the accusations but the accused has fled. Since mid-2012, Burma has experienced recurrent outburst of deadly inter-communal violence, often sparked by allegations of rape of Buddhist women by Muslim that are spread on social media. In the past, security forces have been accused of doing little to quell the violence and of siding with Buddhist mobs during the violence. Arakan State in western Burma has been worst-affected and tens 140,000 stateless Rohingya Muslims have been displaced by the violence. Central Burma saw rounds of anti-Muslim violence in more than a dozen cities last year, and in the city of Meikthila 40 were killed and more than 10,000 displaced in March 2013. It is the first time, however, that Mandalay, Burma's second biggest city, has been hit by an outbreak of anti-Muslim violence. The post Central Mandalay Calm After Heavy Police Deployment appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Ethnic, Political Groups Hold Talks on Thai Border Posted: 04 Jul 2014 04:46 AM PDT Senior 88 Generation leader Ko Ko Gyi, standing, speaks during a meeting between the UNFC and opposition political forces on the Thai-Burmese border on Friday, July 4, 2014. (Photo: The 88 Generation Peace and Open Society) RANGOON — Ethnic armed groups and opposition political parties met on the Thai-Burmese border on Friday for the second day of talks organized by the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of ethnic armed groups in Burma. According to a statement issued by the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society, one of the participants in the talks, the gathering brought together various political forces for discussions about the government's push to reach a nationwide peace accord, and opposition calls for amendments to the military-drafted 2010 Constitution. Besides the UNFC and the 88 Generation group, the meeting was attended by representatives of the United Nationalities Alliance (an umbrella group of ethnic political parties) and the National League for Democracy, the country's main opposition party. Nai Hong Sar, head of the UNFC's National Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that his group planned to present a report on its ongoing negotiations with the Burmese government at today's meeting. "We will discuss what we have done so far, and ask other people for their ideas. We will also ask them what they see as the obstacles to the peace process and how we can overcome them," he said. Ko Ko Gyi, a senior 88 Generation leader, said he urged the ethnic armed groups not to repeat the mistake they made in the past of signing separate ceasefire agreements without first getting guarantees that an inclusive political dialogue would follow. "We should all be able to participate in this political dialogue together. We should all be united," he said, adding that the process should also be transparent. "We need to learn from the past, and also from the example of peace negotiations in other countries. This political dialogue should also be related to the issue of changing the Constitution," he said. Since taking power in 2011, President Thein Sein has introduced a series of political reforms and reopened negotiations with the country's ethnic armed groups, urging them to sign a nationwide peace agreement as a first step toward a political dialogue. The NCCT, which represents 12 ethnic armed groups, says a key stumbling block to reaching an agreement is the Burmese government army's rejection of a federal union system. The post Ethnic, Political Groups Hold Talks on Thai Border appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Thai Junta Compares its Coup to Burma’s 1988 Crackdown Posted: 04 Jul 2014 04:25 AM PDT Tanasak Patimapragorn, supreme commander of Thailand’s armed forces (L), welcomes Burma’s army chief General Min Aung Hlaing during a visit to Bangkok. (Photo: www.nationtv.tv) BANGKOK — Thailand’s military on Friday compared its seizure of power in May to restore stability after months of unrest to the brutal crackdown by Burma's former junta in 1988 to snuff out a pro-democracy movement. Thailand’s military justified its intervention by the need to restore stability after months of unrest and demonstrations by pro and anti-government protesters. Perhaps unwittingly, the deputy chief of the Thai junta likened its seizure of power to one of the darkest chapters in the rule of Burma's junta, its crushing of pro-democracy protests in 1988 when at least 3,000 people were killed. "Myanmar’s government agrees with what Thailand is doing in order to return stability to the nation. Myanmar had a similar experience to us in 1988, so they understand," said Tanasak Patimapragorn, supreme commander of Thailand’s armed forces, following a visit to Bangkok by Burma’s army chief General Min Aung Hlaing. Burma’s junta stepped aside in 2011 after nearly five decades of repressive rule and a nominally civilian government full of former military people has pushed through political reforms, freeing hundreds of political prisoners and unmuzzling the press. In contrast, Thailand’s army seized power after months of street protests designed to oust elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra. It has effectively banned criticism by the media and arrested pro-democracy protesters for such innocuous acts as reading books in public that are critical of totalitarian regimes, such as George Orwell’s "1984". Yingluck was found guilty of abuse of power and ordered to step down by a court on May 7 in what her supporters say was a move by the military-backed royalist establishment to eliminate her family’s political influence. The coup on May 22 cleared out what was left of her government. The visit by Burma's military commander, General Min Aung Hlaing, marks the second by a foreign official since the coup, after that of Malaysia’s defense minister. Thai officials have visited other Asian countries such as China and Cambodia to seek support as a counterweight to the condemnation of Western countries. The United States and European Union have both downgraded diplomatic ties. Thailand has been sharply divided since 2006 when Yingluck’s brother, then premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled by the army. Critics, mostly drawn from the Bangkok-based conservative establishment, said he had abused power and harbored republican aspirations, accusations he denied. Dissent Silenced On Thursday the military said it had drafted an interim constitution but gave no details on its content. Winthai Suvaree, a spokesman for the ruling National Council for Peace and Order, told reporters the charter would be submitted for royal endorsement this month. The junta has begun an overhaul of the electoral system and leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha has said elections could take place by late 2015. The junta has all but silenced dissent by detaining hundreds of activists, academics, journalists and politicians, many at undisclosed locations, before releasing them on condition they do not criticize the regime. The small anti-coup protests seen immediately after the coup have fizzled out in recent weeks. A rally on Friday outside the U.S. embassy in Bangkok to show support for Washington’s decision to downgrade ties with Thailand attracted a dozen people, a Reuters reporter said. Some were taken to police stations for questioning while others were simply asked by troops to produce identity papers. Under martial law, public gatherings of more than five people are banned. In the first conviction related to anti-coup activity, a Bangkok court sentenced a protester on Thursday to a one-month suspended jail term and a $190 fine for violating the law. The post Thai Junta Compares its Coup to Burma’s 1988 Crackdown appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Funeral Sparks Further Unrest in Mandalay Posted: 04 Jul 2014 03:42 AM PDT A crowd joins a funeral procession on Friday afternoon in downtown Mandalay ahead of the burial of a 36-year-old Buddhist man who was killed during clashes between Buddhists and Muslims. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — A Buddhist mob has set fire to a Muslim section of a cemetery north of Mandalay, during the funeral of a Buddhist man who was killed in clashes between Buddhists and Muslims this week. More than 1,000 people gathered on Friday afternoon at Kyanikan Cemetery, about 10 miles north of Burma's second-biggest city. The crowd included many young men armed with bamboo sticks and rods, but no police officers, according to a photojournalist at the scene. Fire trucks were heading to the cemetery at about 4:45 pm but were blocked on the road by the mob, a firefighter told The Irrawaddy. Earlier in the afternoon, ahead of the burial, thousands of people had also flooded into the streets of downtown Mandalay while a hearse drove around the city's moat at about 1:30 pm. A sign on the hearse read the deceased Buddhist man's name, Tun Tun, and said he had been "brutally killed by Muslims on the night of July 2." Tun Tun, 36, was one of two people killed in the early hours of Thursday morning during clashes between Buddhists and Muslims. A Muslim man was also beaten to death on his way to a mosque for morning prayers. An invitation for the Buddhist man's funeral urged city residents to join "with patriotism and for the love of religion." Police and security forces were stationed on some thoroughfares downtown during the procession. At the corner of 26th and 80th streets, in the vicinity of the previous day's riot scene, officers were dressed in riot gear and standing on alert. In addition to mourners and observers, some people in the crowd held sticks and sang the national anthem as well as songs of an anti-Muslim movement known as 969. A Buddhist monk told security forces and others through a loudspeaker not to interfere with the procession, and also not to act in any way that would spark unrest. "This is a nationalist funeral. I want to plead with authorities not to prevent the procession from going ahead. This is a peaceful procession," he said. Some residents criticized the overall response of security forces in the city. "It is quite ugly that we have that kind of unrest even if we have police and military," said Hsu Nget, a prominent writer who lives in Mandalay. "Normally, they arrest people who don't wear helmets while they are on motorbikes. I can't help wondering why they didn't arrest those who held sticks and knives," he added, referring to mobs involved in the previous night of clashes. "The situation is not stable yet and we are worried," said Win Mya Mya, deputy chief of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) in Mandalay Division. The 65-year old Muslim woman said she felt sorry about what happened in previous two days, and added that Buddhists and Muslims in the city had good relations in the past. "Muslims patron Buddhist shops, and vice versa. We were like relatives until the recent hate speech," she said. Asked her feelings about the unrest, she said, "Whether a Buddhist or Muslim is killed, I feel I have lost someone from my family." Clashes between Buddhists and Muslims first broke out on Tuesday night, after rumors circulated online that a Buddhist woman had been raped by her Muslim employers. Violence continued on Wednesday night, leaving at least 14 people injured. A curfew was imposed in the city on Thursday night. The post Funeral Sparks Further Unrest in Mandalay appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

NLD Campaign Will Not Influence Constitutional Reform in Parliament: Shwe Mann Posted: 04 Jul 2014 03:10 AM PDT NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and USDP chair and Union Parliament Speaker Shwe Mann hold a joint press conference in Naypyidaw in March. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Burma's Union Parliament Speaker Shwe Mann has said that Aung San Suu Kyi's nationwide public campaign for constitutional reform will not influence parliamentary discussions on the matter. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) and the 88 Generation Open and Peace Society have launched a nationwide campaign in recent months calling for amendment of Article 436 of the Constitution. The popular opposition leader and 88 Generation leaders have held large public rallies in Burma's major cities and started a petition drive in support of reform on May 27 that had collected 3.3 million signatures by June 30. The petition will run until July 19. Shwe Mann, chairman of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), said on Thursday that the public campaign, despite its millions of supporters, would not influence lawmakers looking into the issue of constitutional reform. "They are collecting [signatures for a] petition as they want. [But] this action won't affect the implementing committee formed by Parliament," he told reporters during a press conference in Naypyidaw. Shwe Mann said the Parliamentary Constitutional Amendment Implementation Committee will discuss possible reforms in accordance with instructions provided by Parliament and would therefore not consider the results of the NLD's public campaign. Burma's 2008 charter was drafted by the then-military regime and is widely viewed as undemocratic, as it grants sweeping political powers to the Burma Army, including control over a quarter of all Parliament seats. The unpopular charter also provides immunity from crimes committed under the former regime and Article 59 (f) prevents Suu Kyi from holding the office of the president because her sons are British nationals. Suu Kyi and the 88 Generation are pushing for amendments to Article 436 as it stipulates amendments to key parts of the Constitution can only take place with support of more than 75 percent of all MPs—a clause that provides effective veto power to military lawmakers who control 25 percent of the legislature. The ruling USDP, filled with former junta generals who shed their uniforms when they became lawmakers in 2010, is participating in the Parliamentary Constitutional Amendment Implementation Committee. Some of its members, including Shwe Mann, who also eyes the presidency after the 2015 elections, have signaled that they would consider key reforms. The committee has said it will discuss amending Article 436 and a number of other articles, but it remains to be seen whether fundamental changes will be made that would erode the power of the military. The committee decided on June 12 that it was unwilling to amend Article 59 (f) after USDP and military MPs on the committee reportedly blocked the idea, landing a blow to Suu Kyi's hopes of holding presidential office The 31-member committee comprises 14 USDP MPs and seven military lawmakers. There are only two NLD members and eight committee members of various ethnic minority parties, representing Arakanese, Shan, Mon, Karen, Chin and Pa-O constituencies. The committee has been charged with concluding its work six months prior to the 2015 election, which is expected to be held in November or December. The post NLD Campaign Will Not Influence Constitutional Reform in Parliament: Shwe Mann appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Mandalay Police Arrest Five as Calm Returns After Riots Posted: 04 Jul 2014 02:43 AM PDT A Muslim looks down from the balcony of his home as police officers stand guard outside his house in Mandalay on Thursday. (Photo: Reuters) MANDALAY — Police in Mandalay, Burma’s second-biggest city, said they had arrested another five people after sectarian violence in which a Buddhist and a Muslim died, but an overnight curfew and a heavy security presence appeared to have restored calm on Friday. The clampdown followed two nights of violence starting on Tuesday when about 300 Buddhists converged on a tea shop owned by a Muslim man accused of raping a Buddhist woman. The quasi-civilian government of President Thein Sein, which took office in 2011 following 49 years of repressive military rule, has struggled to contain outbreaks of anti-Muslim violence in which at least 240 people have been killed since June 2012. Most of the victims have been members of Burma’s Muslim minority, estimated to be about 5 percent of the population. An imam at Mandalay’s largest mosque told Reuters that the five arrested on Friday were Muslims, held after police searched homes nearby and found ceremonial knives. "Police definitely know these are used for ceremonial purposes," said Ossaman, the imam. "They were not breaking any law." A police officer confirmed the arrests but refused to provide further details and asked that his name be withheld as he was not authorized to speak to the media. The two men who died in the violence were killed in separate incidents. Family and friends said they had taken no part in the riots. Police said 14 people had been hurt in the rioting and four had been arrested earlier, on Wednesday. Anti-Muslim violence is not new in Burma. The former junta imposed a curfew in Mandalay after riots in the city in 1997 following reports that a Muslim man had raped a Buddhist girl. But outbreaks of violence have become more common under the reformist government, which lifted restrictions on freedom of speech, including access to the Internet, which had previously been tightly controlled by the military. The post Mandalay Police Arrest Five as Calm Returns After Riots appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Facebook Problems Coincide With Curfew in Burma Posted: 04 Jul 2014 02:37 AM PDT A screenshot of Facebook. The social media site could not be accessed in Burma from 9 pm on Thursday until about 4 am on Friday. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Facebook went down in Burma on Thursday night until Friday morning, with IT experts speculating that the government blocked access to prevent people from posting hate speech and fueling further unrest in Mandalay. The social media site could not be accessed during the hours of a government-imposed curfew in Burma's second-biggest city between 9 pm and 5 am. "Facebook was stopped from 9 pm last night to about 4 am this morning," said Htike Htike Aung, program manager of the Myanmar ICT Development Organization (MIDO), an NGO that advocates for free speech and offers ICT trainings. She said she checked to see whether the problem was also affecting Facebook users in other countries. "The site wasn't working in some other countries, too, but only for a short while, for a few minutes," she said. "Here, the problem lasted for about seven hours. This may have been related to the Mandalay conflict." Clashes between Muslims and Buddhists in Mandalay began on Tuesday night, after rumors circulated online that a Buddhist woman had been raped by her Muslim employees. The rape allegations were widely circulated on Facebook, including by nationalist Buddhist monk U Wirathu, who leads an anti-Muslim movement known as 969. Five people were injured during the first night of clashes. As rioting continued on Wednesday night, two people were killed and at least 11 others were injured, according to government officials. An official at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology on Friday declined to comment on the Facebook problems. The post Facebook Problems Coincide With Curfew in Burma appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Web Hackers Poke Fun at Burmese IT Ministry Posted: 04 Jul 2014 02:17 AM PDT A screenshot of the website of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology on Friday morning, after hackers replaced government logos with cartoon depictions of turtles. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Hackers infiltrated the website of Burma's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology on Friday morning, replacing government logos on the homepage with cartoon renderings of turtles, perhaps as a critique of slow Internet connections. The website defacement came after access to Facebook was apparently blocked overnight in the country, with some speculating that the government cut off use of the social media site to avoid the posting of hate speech or rumors that could fuel further unrest in Mandalay. On Friday morning, two government logos on the top of the ministry's homepage were replaced with turtle cartoons, including one holding a sign that read, "Burmese turtle." Ye Myat Thu, a Mandalay-based member of the Myanmar Computer Industry Association, said the ministry's website was vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to poor security mechanisms. "Every government ministry should have a standard cyber security… Here, hacking is easy, even for local hackers," he told The Irrawaddy. "Ministries work with IT companies that are close to the government, and these companies use readymade open sources for their websites. Such systems do not guard well against hacking, and that's why some government ministries are very easy to hack." Htike Htike Aung, program manager of the Myanmar ICT Development Organization (MIDO), an NGO that advocates for free speech and offers ICT trainings, said the President's Office website would also be easy to infiltrate due to a lack of security measures. Myanmar Post and Telecommunication, which is part of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, is the main Internet provider in Burma, and has long been criticized for slow connections. Two international telecoms companies, Telenor and Ooredoo, will begin operating in the country soon and are expected to offer speedier services. "Local users are really unhappy about MPT's Internet services and mobile data speed. They are only patiently using these services because other international telecoms companies have not started working yet. Definitely many people will stop using MPT when the foreign firms come," Aye Chan, a regular Internet user in Rangoon, told the Irrawaddy. A Rangoon-based IT technician said server misconfigurations could have left the ministry's website vulnerable. Failure to upgrade software may have also been to blame, or a poorly written website. "Hackers can keep finding flaws," he said, adding, "The turtle picture was shameful and hilarious." A ministry official declined to comment on the website defacement when contacted by The Irrawaddy. The ministry fixed the problem by Friday afternoon. The post Web Hackers Poke Fun at Burmese IT Ministry appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

‘Go Straight to the People’ Posted: 03 Jul 2014 06:00 PM PDT Nai Aye Lwin is a leading member of the Backpack Health Worker Team. (Sai Zaw / The Irrawaddy) As the former military regime waged war against ethnic armed groups in Burma, local people in rebel-held territories lacked access to vital medical services. To remedy a dire situation, a group of courageous paramedics and volunteers took matters into their own hands by traveling from village to village to offer care themselves. The Backpack Health Worker Team took many risks to reach these villages: The regime viewed the paramedics as traitorous because they were assisting people in rebel-held territories, and it was not uncommon for them to come under attack. Nai Aye Lwin, a leading member of the paramedic team, recently spoke with The Irrawaddy about how operations have changed since a nominally civilian government came to power in 2011, signing bilateral ceasefire deals with most ethnic armed groups. Question: What's the history of the Backpack Health Worker Team? Answer: After 1992 and 1993, the army carried out large-scale attacks in Karen State, and local people therefore had to flee and hide in forests. Then, paramedics from Mon, Karen and Karenni states, as well as the student army and the National League for Democracy, teamed up to form the backpack health worker team in 1998. The team was made up of 100 paramedics, divided into 32 smaller teams and led by Dr. Cynthia Maung from the Mae Tao Clinic. It mainly focused on primary health care while trying to raise health awareness. Q: Where do you operate presently? A: First we operated in Karen, Kayah [Karenni] and Mon states, and then in Kayan, Shan Palaung, Pa-O and Lahu regions. Now we are expanding to Kachin and Rakhine [Arakan] states. A Chin backpack health worker team is also cooperating with us. Mainly, we are engaged in maternal and child health care, public health care, education and prevention. Q: How do keep your health workers and local volunteers safe? A: It depends on local people and local organizations. If they say their place is safe, we go there. We build makeshift tents with banana leaves and tarpaulin, and we give medical treatment. We can provide medical treatment in some villages where the ethnic armed groups are in control. Q: The former military government viewed you as rebels. Why? A: It was less the government's perception of us than their perception of places where we were operating. The government labeled those places as dark places, with orders to kill anyone in those places. They didn't bother to differentiate between health or education workers and armed men. During the war period, the army shot and detained anyone on sight. Health workers and local traditional midwives have died from mine blasts in the 15 years since our team was created. Q: How big is your team? A: We have more than 100 smaller teams and each team is assigned to cover over 2,000 people, so we are providing health care to about 200,000 people. Now, our team has about 370 core members, and the membership is at least 2,000 if you include the traditional midwives and local volunteers. Q: What challenges have you faced? A: The major challenges are transportation and regional security. Since interest has changed following the political changes of the country, border-based organizations have struggled financially. Our team now only gets 60 percent of the expected contribution from donors. Q: What are the significant accomplishments of your team? A: Toilets have become better under the health education program. The incidence of cholera and diarrhea has decreased in Kayah State. Local community organizations have greater trust in our team. International communities have become more aware that the team's public health care service is reaching more and more people. These are the tangible results. We have provided local traditional midwives with technological and material assistance, and the mortality rate of mothers and children has declined remarkably compared to the past. Our approach is to go straight to the people and not to wait for the people to come to us. Q: How have the team's operations been affected since the new government took the office? A: We have gained greater freedom and the fear of backpack health workers has subsided. In the past, they were filled with fear going into a village. Now, they can operate and communicate with local people more easily. They can provide health care services more effectively. Q: The new government has improved infrastructure and raised budgets for remote areas? How will this benefit your team's activities? A: Investing only in infrastructure won't work in a health system. Rather than spending large sums for infrastructure, it is better to ensure emergency health care for local people. Ethnic health care organizations created their health care systems on their own after the conflicts broke out. So it would be the best [for the government] to acknowledge the active organizations in those regions and work in collaboration with them. The post 'Go Straight to the People' appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

In Burma’s Young Democracy, Vote ‘No’ on Proportional Representation Posted: 03 Jul 2014 06:05 PM PDT An election official displays a spoiled ballot paper during the 2012 parliamentary by-elections in Burma. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) There are many reasons why Burma's electoral system should not be changed, at least for the time being. Burma's electoral system should not be changed from first-past-the-post (FPTP) to proportional representation (PR) because the change will be seen as a Blitzkrieg—a surprise, full-scale attack to enhance the advantages of the ruling party and undermine the chances of its competitors even more than is now the case. Burma's electoral playing field is and will remain heavily uneven and unfair. A sudden change to the electoral system will make that playing field even more uneven. There have been no proper consultations, discussions, neither among political parties nor in public. The general public, media, political parties and even members of Parliament have little understanding of the different options under a PR system and what the possible consequences of each system would be. In a country that is in the early stages of fragile democratization, changes that have a significant impact on the rules of the electoral game and final outcomes should not be done without broad consensus. If President Thein Sein's government, his Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the military are sincere in their democratization agenda, they should not use their overwhelming parliamentarian majority, which was gained during a heavily manipulated 2010 election, to trump the disagreement of opposition parties. Such a move would further undermine the already shaken trust in the reform process. There are already several hotly disputed issues between the ruling triangle (Thein Sein's government, the USDP parliamentary majority and the military) and the opposition. The last thing that the fragile transition process needs is one more issue of heated dispute. A short-sighted, utilitarian move by the USDP and military implement a PR system in the hopes of enhancing their chances of 2015 electoral victory will harm the long-term interests of the whole country in achieving a smooth transition away from the previous military dictatorship. Another reason that the electoral system should not be changed now is that there is not fair proportionality as it is, with 25 percent of seats already reserved for military representatives. There is no PR system in the world that has 25 percent of seats excluded from electoral competition. A PR system alongside the military's guaranteed 25 percent allotment of seats is PR in name only. Take away the reserved military seats and PR can reasonably be considered—accompanied by a package of additional constitutional reforms. Keep the 25 percent reserved seats and introduce PR for the remaining 75 percent seats, and the only thing that will be achieved is to give victory to the USDP-military coalition before elections even take place. If such a change were to be introduced, we could have elections in 2015, but we would not have uncertainty. The winner would be known in advance and that winner would be the military plus its USDP spin-off, plus co-opted and fake opposition parties. Proportional representation may one day be right for Burma, but only after the 2015 elections and removal or at least a significant reduction in reserved military seats. To be more precise, what might be good for Burma is not a PR Party List system, but a so-called "German version" of PR, also known as a mixed-member proportional voting system. I personally think that even in that case, first-past-the-post would better suit Burma than a PR system, and that the former, plus federalization, would produce in Burma a similar party scene configuration as we see in India. This is open for discussion, and that there are several strong pros and cons for each electoral system. I can imagine that at this point, even politically aware and educated Burmese readers are already confused and lost. He or she is probably asking himself/herself, what is Party List PR and what is a mixed-member proportional voting system? That is part of the reason why the change is not appropriate now. There is too little knowledge and understanding in Burma about the differences. There are two other important reasons to refrain from change at this point. A shift to PR will open another highly contested issue: What should the threshold be? If we have a threshold too low—for example, 1 percent or 2 percent—then we will get a highly fragmented Parliament with too many parties and too numerous coalitions. But if the figure were set higher than 2 percent, some parties representing ethnic groups with smaller populations might find it difficult to pass the threshold. Some ethnic groups in Burma that have a strong sense of identity and have clear and declared aspirations for self-rule have a relatively small population that might not guarantee that their ethnic parties will pass the threshold. Even a 3 percent threshold might be too high for Chin, Karenni, Mon and Kachin ethnic parties. It is no surprise that the Nationalities Brotherhood Forum has strongly protested against the change. With their territorially concentrated ethnic nationality populations, ethnic parties have a pretty good chance to win adequate representation in both regional and Union-level parliaments under the current system. Under a PR system they might gain fewer seats. The only exception might be a Karen party (if there is to be one main Karen party), which under PR could better gain Karen votes from the Irrawaddy Delta, Rangoon Division and Karen State. A second problematic issue concerns the possible boundaries of the new electoral districts and who will draw these boundaries. Completely redrawing electoral districts gives a lot of opportunity for gerrymandering (the division of a geographic area into voting districts so as to give unfair advantage to one party). With the government (and probably the government only) having at its disposal the full, detailed results of the census, and with the Union Election Commission hardly an independent body, there is a high probability that wherever the new boundaries would be, there would be a high level of suspicion and disagreement from the opposing sides. This will only fuel more tension and conflict in an already highly volatile pre-election situation. Not changing the electoral system eliminates any disputes over electoral districts and their boundaries. They would be where they were in 2010, bringing a predictability that would probably be acceptable for all political players. Changing the electoral system just a year before elections—elections that should be the first free elections after decades of military rule—can only create a total mess, especially given the shrinking window in which to do so, and the many different agendas that are already in motion. There are countless questions, too many unknowns and too little time. The argument that FPTP will produce dominance by one party is a false one. It is highly probable that in the current political situation, ethnic parties, being allowed to campaign freely, will perform well in their ethnic constituencies. The USDP, as the party that will use the many advantages of incumbency and its formidable campaign apparatus, could perform much better than it did in the 2012 by-elections. One-fourth of Parliament is already occupied by the military. So to claim that there is a danger of a South African-style over-dominance of a Burmese equivalent to the African National Congress is simply disingenuous. That argument ignores political realities in Burma. For further democratic development in Burma, it is less dangerous if we have a victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party led by the popular Aung San Suu Kyi, but also a good showing for ethnic parties, with 25 percent military MPs and a not totally defeated USDP. It would be much more dangerous if 2015 resulted in a situation in which we had one strong state party (USDP), backed up by the military with its untouchable and still strong prerogatives, and on the other side a fragmented and resource-less opposition consisting of more than 40 parties fiercely battling one another. A PR system could easily bring us to such a point. Let me add a few more reasons why a PR system is not an appropriate choice at this moment. In the early phases of democratization, we often find a proliferation of new parties before the first free and fair elections. But democratic consolidation requires a significant reduction in the number of parties. FPTP will much more efficiently achieve that. With its many territorially concentrated ethnic groups, particularly if we have some decentralization and federalization, Burma's political party scene will always be crowded and colorful. A proportional system in Burma, if not thought out well, could create a situation in which the country would be unmanageable due to too many parties in Parliament and weak, unstable governmental coalitions. The last thing that an underdeveloped country with a long history of authoritarian rule and internal conflict needs is an unstable system in which no coalition lasts. Burmese citizens are familiar with the FPTP system and not with PR. If the electoral system is complicated, a ruling government can easily manipulate the electoral process. Political parties are not yet mature in the areas of policy development and decision-making. The same goes for voters. So for voters, it will be easier to make a choice between different, clearly identifiable candidates running in their own region. It will be much more confusing for them to decide to vote for a party without knowing the differences between their policies. The political culture in Burma is strongly centered around senior party leaders, and intra-party democracy is almost fully absent in all parties. FPTP will lessen the dependence of MPs on their party leadership only, and will tie MPs more strongly to their constituencies. There is hope that a strengthened civil society might hold MPs more accountable and responsive to the demands and expectations of their voters. It is much less probable that this will happen under a PR system. A PR system will just fortify the dominance of the top party leadership and the unhealthy culture of patron-client relations. With the introduction of the PR system, it is very probable that we will see the emergence of a radical ultra-nationalistic Buddhist party that will enter Parliament and hold strong bargaining power. Introduction of a PR system would also be conducive to the formation of a "Muslim party" and maybe even a "Chinese party," and these parties might have much stronger representation in Parliament than several ethnic nationalities. Public opinion and traditional political groupings in Burma are not well prepared for such change. There are other, much more pressing and important issues that should be addressed before the 2015 elections to make sure that they are free and fair: consensus on constitutional amendments between the ruling powers and the democratic and ethnic opposition; ceasefire and peace agreements; an independent and credible election commission; an independent citizens network to monitor the election; an independent Supreme Court capable of resolving electoral disputes; and acceptance of international monitoring. Changing the electoral system from the FPTP to a proportional one is certainly not a priority on the level of these issues. It is much more reasonable to keep the FPTP system for the next two elections, allowing for the stabilization of political institutions and the political party scene. Only after that should there be an open discussion concerning whether or not the country needs a change of the electoral system. If this discussion finds that there should be a change, then more details can be discussed. The question about the right choice between majoritarian and proportional electoral systems will not be an easy one in the case of Burma. The choice between the current majority (FPTP) system or a PR system should be made only after careful consideration and serious consultation with all political stakeholders. It should not be done in haste, without proper consultation. This issue should be discussed after the 2015 elections in the new Parliament, the makeup of which will be much more representative and legitimate. Furthermore, it should be discussed and considered in a package with other issues related to amending or re-writing the Constitution. Igor Blazevic is a Czech-based human rights campaigner of Bosnian origin and the director of Educational Initiatives, a training program for Burmese activists based in Thailand. The post In Burma's Young Democracy, Vote 'No' on Proportional Representation appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

China Leader Snubs North Korea in Visit to Seoul Posted: 03 Jul 2014 10:15 PM PDT Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, speaks as his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye listens during their joint news conference at the presidential house in Seoul on July 3, 2014. (Photo: Reuters / Ahn Young-joon) SEOUL — With a single meeting Thursday, the leaders of China and South Korea simultaneously snubbed North Korea, bolstered their already booming trade relationship and gave the US and Japan a look at Beijing's growing influence south of the Korean Demilitarized Zone. There were smiles, cheering schoolchildren and red carpets as Chinese President Xi Jinping began a two-day visit to Seoul. North Korea, meanwhile, welcomed the leader of its only major ally and crucial source of fuel and food to the Korean Peninsula with a flurry of recent rocket and missile tests, the latest on Wednesday. The launches, as well as a vow Thursday by North Korea's military to conduct more tests, are seen in part as the North demonstrating its anger at being jilted for its archrival. After their talks Thursday, South Korean President Park Geun-hye told reporters that she and Xi agreed on the need to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons and would resolutely oppose any more nuclear tests. North Korea is thought to have a handful of crude nuclear weapons and has conducted three atomic tests since 2006, the most recent last year. Xi also called for negotiations to end the North's nuclear program and the uncertainty that lingers on the Korean Peninsula. Xi's decision to meet with Park over North Korean leader Kim Jong Un upends the practice since Beijing and Seoul forged diplomatic ties in 1992 of Chinese presidents choosing to make North Korea their first official destination on the Korean Peninsula. Beijing, entangled in hostile territorial disputes across Asia, may see an opportunity to boost its influence with the rare neighbor that feels generally positive about China, while also further driving a wedge between US allies Seoul and Tokyo. South Korea and China share a distaste of Japan's more assertive military ambitions and what critics see as recent attempts by Tokyo to obscure its bloody past. Money has long been the focus of the relationship between China, the world's second-largest economy, and South Korea, the fourth-biggest economy in Asia. The countries are in talks on a bilateral free trade agreement. China is South Korea's largest trading partner, and Seoul says two-way trade topped US$220 billion last year. That's larger than the combined value of South Korea's trade with the United States and Japan. China and South Korea on Thursday agreed to measures that will expand the use of China's tightly controlled currency and boost their already extensive trade ties. Managing security matters, and more specifically North Korea's pursuit of nuclear bombs and the long-range missiles to carry them, has always been trickier. China is seen as having unusual leverage with hard-to-read North Korea and is often pressed to do more to force change. They fought together in the 1950-53 Korean War against the United States, South Korea and their allies. More recently, North Korea has repeatedly looked to China for diplomatic cover when the United Nations has taken up North Korean nuclear and missile tests and its much-criticized human rights record. Analysts don't think Xi will abandon North Korea entirely as long as Seoul remains loyal to an alliance with Washington that has shielded the South from North Korean aggression and allowed it to build its impressive economy. China also craves stability and worries that too much pressure on North Korea could cause it to collapse, pushing swarms of refugees over the countries' shared border. Still, the worries about North Korea have helped draw Seoul and Beijing together. Officials in Seoul now expect China to take strong action over future provocations, especially if North Korea conducts another nuclear test as it moves toward building an arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles that could reach the United States. Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this story. The post China Leader Snubs North Korea in Visit to Seoul appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Ivory Sales Boom in Bangkok, Mocking Thai Pledge to End Trade Posted: 03 Jul 2014 10:09 PM PDT Customs officers look at confiscated elephant tusks after a news conference at the customs department in Bangkok on Dec. 13, 2013. (Photo: Reuters / Chaiwat Subprasom) BANGKOK — Ivory items for sale in the Thai capital have more than doubled over the past 17 months, according to a monitoring group, despite a government pledge last year to put an end to the trade in a country where the elephant is revered. A survey by TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network that samples more than 100 shops in Bangkok, shows that the number of ivory products found for sale rose from 5,865 in January 2013 to 14,512 in May this year. The network published its findings on Thursday in a report entitled "Polishing off the ivory: Surveys of Thailand’s ivory market." Last year, then Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pledged to outlaw any kind of ivory trade, but there has been no progress. Yingluck's government became preoccupied from late 2013 with containing street protests. She was forced from office on May 7 and the military seized power in a coup on May 22. Its ruling council has moved quickly to set out new policies but has not addressed the ivory problem. "Thailand's efforts to regulate local ivory markets have failed: It is time for authorities to face the facts—their nation’s ivory markets continue to be out of control," Naomi Doak, TRAFFIC's coordinator for the greater Mekong region, said in a statement. A ban on the international ivory trade has been in existence since 1989 but that has done little to deter poachers and traders. Thailand is the biggest unregulated ivory market in the world, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Thai law prohibits the sale of ivory from African elephants but legislation is often poorly enforced and NGOs say ivory from Africa and elsewhere is laundered through the country, often to China, the world's top destination for illegal ivory. The Asian elephant is Thailand's national animal but has long been hunted for its ivory and exploited for tourism. Thai nationals can buy ivory from elephants that have died of natural causes inside its borders but loopholes in the law mean that the ivory sold is often of dubious origin. The post Ivory Sales Boom in Bangkok, Mocking Thai Pledge to End Trade appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

Video of Japan Politician Weeping Goes Viral Posted: 03 Jul 2014 10:02 PM PDT Hyogo Prefectural assemblyman Ryutaro Nonomura is seen crying at a press conference in this screenshot of a video that has gone viral in Japan. (Photo: Youtube) TOKYO — A video clip of a weeping Japanese politician accused of dubious spending on trips to a hot springs has gone viral, leaving many outraged and puzzled. The video shows Ryutaro Nonomura, 47, a Hyogo Prefectural assemblyman, bursting into tears, uttering nonsensical phrases and banging on the desk. "To change Japan and society," he said in a choked voice, stopping mid-sentence, sometimes sobbing so loud he was shouting. "I'm putting my life on the line." One site for the video drew nearly 640,000 views, as of Thursday. His news conference on Tuesday followed a Kobe Shimbun newspaper report this week that raised questions about Nonomura's visiting the hot springs 106 times last year, using public money. Such visits were not illegal and had been reported to the assembly office, but totaled 3 million yen (US$30,000). Calls are rising for Nonomura to give an explanation. Hyogo legislators get 500,000 yen ($5,000) a month for expenses, including travel, but the spending is supposed to be for official travel, research and other costs related to activities of elected office. Nonomura, who does not belong to a major political party, was found to have gone on other day trips, racking up expenses, including visits to Tokyo and the southwestern city of Fukuoka. Of his 195 day trips, ones to the "onsen" hot-springs resort town of Kinosaki, which lies outside his precinct, were the most frequent. The appalled public response is also due to the fact Japanese politicians here are generally staid. Outbursts are considered unsightly in a conservative culture that favors quiet, reserved personal styles. Nonomura's behavior has been widely seen as extreme, perhaps even a sign of illness. Japanese politicians have been forced to quit in the past after gaffes such as comments seen as sexist or discriminatory, or after getting embroiled in sex scandals. Calls to Nonomura's office and email queries asking for comment were not immediately answered. Hideaki Asada of the Hyogo Prefectural assembly office said the assembly was now on summer break, but the local government believes Nonomura owes the people an explanation about his spending habits. "Many people are starting to demand that he resign," Asada said. "He is usually not that emotional." The post Video of Japan Politician Weeping Goes Viral appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine.

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