The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Rohingya Could Face Detention Under Burma Govt Draft Plan
- Heavy Fighting Erupts Near Myawaddy, Residents Flee Homes
- Beauty Pageants Expose Dreams and Dangers in Modern Burma
- Death of a Journalist
- French Family Food in a Garden Setting
- The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Sept. 27, 2014)
| Rohingya Could Face Detention Under Burma Govt Draft Plan Posted: 27 Sep 2014 03:49 AM PDT  A Rohingya family have a meager meal in a camp for displaced Muslim families in May 2013. (Photo: Jpaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON/BANGKOK — Burma’s national government has drafted a plan that will give around a million members of the persecuted Rohingya Muslim ethnic minority a bleak choice: accept ethnic reclassification and the prospect of citizenship, or be detained. Most of Burma’s 1.1 million Rohingya already live in apartheid-like conditions in western Arakan State, where deadly clashes with ethnic Arakanese Buddhists in 2012 displaced 140,000 people, mostly Rohingya. The plan, shared with Reuters by sources who have received copies of the draft, proposes Arakan authorities "construct temporary camps in required numbers for those who refuse to be registered and those without adequate documents". Many Rohingya lost documents in the widespread violence, or have previously refused to register as "Bengalis", as required by the government under the new plan, because they say the term implies they are illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh. Despite winning praise for political and economic reforms introduced since military rule ended in March 2011, Burma has come under international pressure over its treatment of the Rohingya. The plan says one of its aims is to promote peaceful co-existence and prevent sectarian tension and conflict. It includes sections on resolving statelessness through a citizenship verification program, as well as promoting economic development. But rights advocates say it could potentially put thousands of Rohingya, including those living in long-settled villages, at risk of indefinite detention. Citizenship Offer The government will offer citizenship for those that accept the classification and have required documentation. That may encourage some to consent to identification as Bengali. Citizenship would offer some legal protection and rights to those Rohingya who attain it. But an official from Arakan State who is part of the committee overseeing citizenship verification said even that would not resolve the simmering tensions between Buddhists and Muslims in the state, or prevent a recurrence of the inter-community violence that plagued the country in 2012. "Practically, even after being given citizenship and resettlement and all that, a Bengali with a citizenship card still won’t be able to walk into a Rakhine [Arakanese] village," said Tha Pwint, who also serves on the committee that oversees humanitarian affairs in Arakan. The plan was drafted at the request of the national government, said Tha Pwint and three other sources contacted by Reuters about the plan. Burma government spokesman Ye Htut could not be reached for comment on the plan, despite repeated efforts by Reuters to contact him by telephone and email. Stateless Minority Many Rohingya families have lived in Arakan for generations and are part of a small minority in the predominately Buddhist Burma. They are stateless because the government does not recognize the existence of the Rohingya ethnicity, and has to date refused to grant the majority of them citizenship. Accepting the term Bengali could leave the Rohingya vulnerable should authorities in future attempt to send them to Bangladesh as illegal immigrants, said Phil Robertson, deputy director for Asia at Human Rights Watch. "One of human rights’ core principles is the right to determine one’s ethnic and social identity and this is precisely what the Burma government is doggedly denying the Rohingya," he said. "So it’s no wonder that the Rohingya completely reject the national government’s efforts to classify them as ‘Bengalis’ because they know that is the starting point for an effort to confirm their statelessness and eject them from Myanmar." The draft plan states that the authorities would request the UN’s refugee agency, the UNHCR, to "resettle illegal aliens elsewhere". That might leave them facing indefinite detention, Robinson said, as the UNHCR would be unable to assist. Complying with the government request would be impossible, because the UNHCR only resettles "recognized refugees who have fled persecution and conflict across international borders", said Medea Savary, a UNHCR spokeswoman in Burma. "The group in question does not fall into this category." Burma is preparing to carry out a state-wide citizenship verification process for the Rohingya as part of the plan, a process it recently piloted. The document says the plan "is a work in progress, with time frames to be adjusted according to the situation on the ground". Almost all Rohingya were excluded from a United Nations-backed census earlier this year after refusing to list their identities as Bengali. The Action Plan for Peace, Stability and Development in Arakan State also says the government will ask international agencies for help in having the "humanitarian needs met in terms of food, shelter, water and sanitation" for Rohingya living inside the new temporary camps. Burma’s treatment of the Rohingya is proving a stumbling block to the country’s opening to the world since a semi-civilian, reformist government led by former general President Thein Sein took over after 49 years of military rule. In May, U.S. President Barack Obama, who is due to visit Burma in November, cited abuses in Arakan State as one reason for maintaining some economic sanctions. The post Rohingya Could Face Detention Under Burma Govt Draft Plan appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Heavy Fighting Erupts Near Myawaddy, Residents Flee Homes Posted: 27 Sep 2014 03:29 AM PDT  A photo taken by a Myawaddy resident shows Burma army forces moving through the town while some civilians attempt to flee the area on Saturday. (Photo: Nined Blood / Facebook) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Heavy fighting erupted between the Burma Army and a Karen rebel group, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), around noon on Saturday on the outskirts of Myawaddy and dozens of residents are fleeing their homes to escape the violence, local residents and rebel sources said. Fighting began near the town on the Burma-Thai border at around 11 am and lasted until about 1:30 pm. Heavy weapons such as rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) were fired, according to witnesses. An official from the Border Guard Force (BGF), a government-commanded Karen militia in Myawaddy, told The Irrawaddy, "DKBA troops fired RPGs at a Burmese army military vehicle when it came into the town. Then they started to exchange gunfire. It is still going on [at 1 pm] at the Asia highway." The nearly completed super highway, locally known as the Asia Highway, connects Myawaddy with Rangoon. Maj. Saw Zorro, a liaison officer of the Karen National Union (KNU), the largest ethnic Karen armed group with a base in Myawaddy, confirmed that gunfire was exchanged around noon and that some residents who live nearby the fighting areas fled. "Some local residents fled their homes to hide as the fighting broke out. We heard the government troops are now blocking the road that leads to the fighting area," he said. According to the KNU official, government forces blocked the road around 1 pm and residents shut their shops and left their homes. An area of the road between Myawaddy and Thingya Nyi Naung village has been closed off by the Burma Army. One resident who runs a small restaurant on the Asia Highway near Myawaddy said on Saturday, "They fired heavy weapons. It's frightening. It happened just outside my shop. We shut down my shop and are now going to Myawaddy town [for safety]." Thailand's Channel 7 showed video footage on Saturday afternoon of dozens of Myawaddy residents fleeing the fighting and crossing the bridge over the Moei River that separates Burma and Thailand. When The Irrawaddy contacted police in Myawaddy town for comments an officer confirmed that clashes had occurred but refused to elaborate the detail, saying that the police are trying to observe the incident. On Friday, in central Mon State's Kyaikmayaw Township, DKBA forces had also fought with government forces. The rebels detained eight soldiers and police officers at their base, and injured two soldiers in an exchange of fire. On Saturday, reports from the area suggested that fighting had continued at Kyaikmayaw Township. In recent weeks, tensions have been rising between government forces and Karen rebel groups operating in the border town of Myawaddy, Karen State, despite the fact that the groups have bilateral ceasefire agreements with the government. The situation worsened after a number of small explosive devices were found in Myawaddy and the Burma Army ordered the rebels not to enter the town when armed. On Sept 19, the military shot and killed a DKBA soldier after he supposedly was drunk driving on a road outside of Myawaddy. The Karen National Union (KNU), the largest Karen rebel group, has managed to stay out of the rising tensions. Additional reporting by Kyaw Kha. The post Heavy Fighting Erupts Near Myawaddy, Residents Flee Homes appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Beauty Pageants Expose Dreams and Dangers in Modern Burma Posted: 26 Sep 2014 06:05 PM PDT  May Myat Noe holds a press conference about the Miss Asia Pacific World 2014 controversy at the House of Memories restaurant in Rangoon on Sept 2. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Sparkling in a red, sequined dress, Htet Htet Htun spins around the stage rehearsing a traditional Burmese dance that she hopes will make her stand out from 18 other young hopefuls competing in the first Miss Myanmar World pageant this month. Beauty pageants are thriving in Burma after being banned during nearly half a century of military dictatorship that ended in 2011 when a semi-civilian government took power. Hoping for a better life and dreaming of fame and fortune, young Burmese women are racing at every opportunity to enter the growing list of beauty contests that opened up to them in 2012. But the rapid rise of an industry that splits opinion in many countries – with opponents accusing pageants of objectifying women – is exposing both the opportunities and pitfalls faced by modern Burma with stories of scandal and exploitation. By the end of this year Burma will have competed in at least 10 international pageants, including Miss Universe Myanmar and Miss Asia Pacific World. About 130 applicants signed up in four days for the inaugural Miss Myanmar World contest that will be held on Sept. 27. "If I win, I want to do charity work that would befit a beauty queen. I’d also like to become an actress and continue working in the entertainment industry," Htet Htet Htun, 22, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation outside a dimly-lit studio in the Burma’s biggest city, Rangoon, after her rehearsal. The popularity of beauty contests underscores how Burma is racing to catch up with the rest of the world after decades of near-isolation – and many contestants are finding themselves on a crash course in how to cope in such a competitive field. May Myat Noe became the country’s first international beauty queen in May this year when she won the Miss Asia Pacific World title in Seoul, South Korea – only to be dethroned three months later in a vicious, public spat with contest organizers. Beauty Queen Row The South Korean organizers called her "rude and dishonest" and accused her of running off with the pageant crown when she left Seoul where she was to record songs with a K-pop girl band. At a packed press conference in September, May Myat Noe accused the pageant’s organizers in Burma of falsifying her age from 16 to 18 and the Korean organizers of putting pressure on her to have plastic surgery to enlarge her breasts to boost her stardom. "[The Korean organizers] also told me there is only one way to find money for my album and to continue in the entertainment business … to escort some business tycoons whenever they require my company," she told the press conference. The cut-throat nature of the pageant business may be new, but Chit Win, who is researching Burma’s political and societal transitions at the Australian National University, said beauty contests have existed in Burma for centuries. The concept of beautiful young women dubbed "kun taung kain" (holders of traditional betel nut containers) predates British colonization in the 19th century, he said. But beauty pageants were banned from 1962 after General Ne Win staged a coup and launched a social crackdown. Re-entering the world stage of beauty pageants has women across Burma seeking to emulate Western ideals. Sharr Htut Eaindra, the reigning Miss Universe Myanmar, who spent a year polishing her skills for the contest, admitted the first thing she did to prepare was to lose weight. The contests have also put the spotlight on continuing demographic divisions in Burma, a country of about 51 million people with over 100 ethnic groups still plagued by nationalism and ethnic conflicts. They have also attracted a large social media following among Burma's fast-growing Internet users. Moe Set Wine, of mixed Burmese-Chinese heritage, became the first woman in 50 years to represent Burma at the Miss Universe contest in 2013 – and found herself the victim of a campaign on social media calling for her removal. Burmese social media users questioned her ethnicity and used old photos of her at a Burmese Chinese pageant held in former capital Yangon. Fast Route to Fame Despite growing awareness that the beauty business can be cut-throat, the queue of women seeking a short cut to fame through the industry grows daily. A title can bring massive publicity, public adoration and offers to star in movies and commercials. Pictures of current and former beauty queens adorn billboards, magazines and movie posters in Yangon. "After I was crowned, my followers on Facebook jumped to tens of thousands," said model and TV presenter Gonyi Aye Kyaw, a bubbly, articulate 25-year-old who competed in about half a dozen pageants before becoming Miss Myanmar International 2013. Her account was hacked three days later – a confirmation of her new-found fame for her fans. Tin Moe Lwin, a pioneer of Burma's fast-growing modelling industry, credits the country’s changing attitudes and openness for the rising popularity of pageants. Tin Moe Lwin, now in her 40s, is judging and training aspiring air hostesses for a pageant-style television talent contest that is currently in filming. "Compared to when I started, there’s more interest in fashion, the girls are more confident and the society is more open," she said while sipping tea at the lobby of the five-star Sedona Hotel in Rangoon. Still, there are risks in an industry that is as-of-yet unregulated with frequent stories of disputes and exploitation fuelled by chatter on social media. Industry observers say the public spats often stem from contractual disputes between the pageants’ Burma's organizers and the winners. Most contracts stipulate that beauty queens must make commission payment to the organizers, usually between 20 to 30 percent of all earnings for up to three years. John Lwin, a former model and founder of Star & Models International, calls the disputes "a fight over the rice bowl". "Both sides need to understand that business transactions have to be mutually beneficial," said Lwin, whose Yangon-based agency trained many of Myanmar’s current top models. Despite the horror stories, many are undeterred, such as 19-year-old K Zin Po who is preparing for next year’s Miss Myanmar World, starting with learning how to walk and pose at Star & Models International. "I backed out of competing this year because I wasn’t confident in myself," said K Zin Po, who won Kaya Ahla Mae – a contest for model physique – in high school. "The main thing is to get my body in shape and improve my talent [singing, dancing or acting]." Ei Phyu Aung, editor of Burma’s weekly entertainment journal Sunday, sees the opportunities and pitfalls from beauty pageants as part of the country’s growing pains. "It’s a consequence of Myanmar opening up," she said. "It’s like dust coming in when you open the window. We can’t keep the window closed forever so we have to find a way to minimize the dust and maximize the sunlight." The post Beauty Pageants Expose Dreams and Dangers in Modern Burma appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| Posted: 26 Sep 2014 06:00 PM PDT  Japanese video journalist Kenji Nagai, 50, of APF lies fatally injured on the street of Rangoon after Burmese soldiers fired upon and then charged at protesters on Sept. 27, 2007. (Photo: Reuters) Known as the Saffron Revolution, the monk-led antigovernment protests of August and September 2007 were, for many people outside the country, their first exposure to the brutality of Burma's former military regime. The domestic upheaval became an increasingly international affair seven years ago, when a Burmese Army soldier shot dead the Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai, a killing that was captured on video and broadcast worldwide. This story, originally published in December 2007, offers another Japanese photojournalist's take on the death of a colleague and countryman. JAPAN — It was painful to witness the images broadcast worldwide on Sept. 27, 2007. Japanese cameraman Kenji Nagai was lying on his back on a street in Rangoon. Then there was the piercing sound of a bullet fired from the rifle of a soldier. Kenji Nagai, a man I considered a colleague, was dead. Immediately, I thought: It could have been me. As a photojournalist, I also report on conflicts. I have covered many Asian countries, including Burma, and I imagined myself in Kenji Nagai's place, lying dead on a street in Rangoon. But, I was in Japan, and he was in Rangoon. However, I knew the streets where the pro-democracy demonstrations occurred—the scene was very familiar to me. For me, the shooting confirmed the true mentality of the Burmese junta, which has been killing and imprisoning the Burmese people with impunity for decades: 3,000 or more people dead in 1988 alone, the year I started covering events in Burma. On the day Kenji Nagai was murdered, I was taking photographs of Burmese exiled activists who were demonstrating in front of the Burmese Embassy in Tokyo, demanding the Japanese government stop supporting the State Peace and Development Council financially. Later that day, my mobile phone started ringing, one call after another without a break. News agencies and newspapers were calling me to check if the unidentified Japanese journalist killed in Rangoon was me or not. One call was from Australia, from my Burmese friend who had worked as my interpreter when I made trips to Burma. He explained that he was worried about me when he heard the news. Before long, the Japanese media confirmed the dead journalist was Kenji Nagai. His name was new to me, and we had never met. The TV news showed video of the shooting of Kenji Nagai over and over again for several days. The Japanese public was horrified and angry. The Japanese government seemed shocked. Perhaps for the first time, the government realized the SPDC is truly an evil government. When the funeral service was held on Oct. 8 in Tokyo, hundreds of Burmese exiles attended the service to honor Kenji Nagai. They apologized for his death on behalf of the SPDC government, which they hate. It was a natural feeling for the Burmese people who live in Japan to express their sorrow for Kenji Nagai, who was now a martyr in the Burmese struggle for democracy. Media coverage on Kenji Nagai focused on his personality, his professional work in Iraq and elsewhere, but neglected any factual background on what had been happening in Burma under the military regime for the past 20 years. There were almost no critical questions about Japan's foreign policy toward the military junta—whether it was trying to help the country move toward democracy or helping the SPDC. As a photojournalist, I have been critical of Japan's foreign policy, which has favored the SPDC generals rather than the democratic forces and the ethnic minorities. You can get a sense of Japan's policy toward the SPDC through various comments made by top Japanese diplomats. For instance, the then Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi made an ignorant comment in May 2003, when she was asked about the murderous attack on Aung San Suu Kyi's motorcade at Depayin. She said, "There is no deterioration of environment for dialogue between the SPDC and Aung San Suu Kyi." She retracted her comment the next day. In May 2006, Japanese ambassador to the United Nations, Kenzo Oshima, said, "Burma does not constitute a regional threat yet," and along with China and Russia, Japan opposed efforts by the United States and European Union to put Burma on the Security Council agenda. The latest and most shameless comment was made by Yoichi Yamaguchi, the former Japanese ambassador to Burma (1995-97). After the killing of Nagai, he was quoted in the Japanese media as saying several offensive comments: "Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy gave money to the demonstrators." "There is not a single so-called political prisoner there [in Burma] in the true sense." "The regime has succeeded in maintaining economic growth of over 5 percent annually, earning it the widespread trust of the people." After Kenji Nagai's death, the Japanese government took a seemingly strong stance. In New York, Foreign Minister Komura demanded an apology from the SPDC. But as time passed and the crackdown by security forces continued, the Japanese government remained quiet, simply waiting for the UN Security Council to act. "The government will coordinate efforts with the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to make progress in the democratization of Myanmar [Burma]," Komura said after the UNSC's presidential statement was announced. Later, Japan cancelled a grant of up to 552 million yen (US $4.7 million). The grant had been intended to finance the construction of a human resources center. On Oct. 28, the People's Forum on Burma, an NGO formed in Tokyo in 1996 to support the Burmese people's struggle for democracy, made a plea for the Japanese government to fundamentally change its foreign policy toward the SPDC by giving full-scale humanitarian support to the 160,000 displaced people in refugee camps in Thailand. The group also asked for a halt in grants to the Union Solidarity and Development Association, which was accused of taking part in the suppression of the demonstrators. In 2006, the USDA received a Japanese grant of nearly 24 million yen ($209,000) for construction of three grade school buildings. It also demanded that Japan stop humanitarian aid to subsidize Burma's health care and education budgets while the military regime allocates more than 50 percent of its national budget on the military. The group wants to pressure the Japanese government to support the Burmese people and the pro-democracy groups, instead of helping to keep the generals in power. A Burmese citizen in Tokyo, a former political prisoner, said Burmese exiles remember two Japanese citizens: one with hate, and one with great respect. One is former ambassador Yoichi Yamaguchi; the other is journalist Kenji Nagai. Yamamoto Munesuke's books include "Burma's Children" and "Burma's Great Illusions." He was deported from Burma in 1998 "for gathering news," following his exclusive interview with Aung San Suu Kyi. The post Death of a Journalist appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| French Family Food in a Garden Setting Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:30 PM PDT  Inside the French cultural institute 'Institute Français de Birmanie' in Rangoon, a new restaurant, Rendez-vous, has just opened. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) Tucked away in the leafy grounds of the French cultural institute 'Institute Français de Birmanie' in Rangoon, a new restaurant, Rendez-vous, has just opened. As befits the Gallic setting, the fare is mostly French, with some Italian and Asian inspired dishes. Only open two weeks, the place comes with sparkling credentials—Rendez-Vous is owned by the people behind popular French bakery La Tartine, and run by the French and Italian cooks previously at restaurant Les Tontons. Cooks Sebastien Rabeux and Alfio Marletta closed Les Tontons to move their establishment to the Institute Français, offering similar food but in a more relaxed and accessible setting. The menu is simple selection of snacks, salads and larger meat courses, alongside desserts and the French crêpe. At 6,000 kyat for a filet steak with potatoes, 4,000 kyat for chicken skewers and 1,000 kyat for a generous helping of yoghurt and fresh fruit, it is far more reasonably priced than many of the other French competitors in town. "It's family food," said Rabeux, talking about the inspiration behind his menu. "Nothing complex. Something nice, with good ingredients: simple, fresh." For lunch The Irrawaddy sampled a hearty parmigiana—a type of vegetarian lasagne, stuffed with layers of aubergine, tomatoes and egg, and a melted cheese crust. Stodgy and moreish, it is a good choice for those after something filling, though it could have done with some salad to freshen the dish. The smoked herring was a pleasant surprise, as smoked fish is something of a rarity in Burma (Rendez-Vous import their herring from France)—and was served well, with crisp garnish of carrots and potatoes with parsley. The sweet crêpes were tasty, and exactly as one would expect in France. The dinner menu features a similar array of dishes, including Rabeux and Marletta's homemade sausages, lasagne and filet mignon with mustard sauce. However, rather than stick to a few staple dishes, Rendez-Vous are electing to change starters and mains regularly, and will host a variety of different themed events throughout the week. Carried over from Les Tontons, the popular Thursday evening all-you-can-eat barbeque is a repeat fixture, serving a wide selection of grilled meats and vegetables as well as a free flow of wine and beer. There are also ad hoc music evenings—next Wednesday Rendez-Vous will host a live jazz band, accompanied by the traditional French dish 'Moules Frites' (steamed mussels with French fries). Cook Rabeux is enthusiastic about the quality of fish in Burma, and is hoping to serve a new fish dish every Friday. Up Pyay Road, a few minutes from the Myaynigone intersection, Rendez-Vous is set a little back from the bustle of the main road, and the tranquil setting makes it an ideal place to bring families, or while away a lazy afternoon. Though The Irrawaddy visited for lunch, Rendez-Vous is open Monday – Saturday, 10am – 11pm, and it is easy to imagine as an enjoyable dinner choice, with its cosy outdoors dining area. A promising start! The post French Family Food in a Garden Setting appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
| The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Sept. 27, 2014) Posted: 26 Sep 2014 05:00 PM PDT Size Matters in Debate on Dams to Solve Burma's Electricity Shortage Large-scale hydroelectric river dams pose environmental dangers for Burma, energy companies at an investment conference in Naypyidaw have warned. The representatives of two foreign and Burmese firms said it would be safer to build smaller hydro dams on Burma's rivers to help solve the country's acute electricity shortages. The warnings against mammoth dams came from APR Energy, a US power plant provider, and Parami Energy Group of Burma, Eleven Media reported. But the conference also heard Vikram Kumar, Burma resident representative of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), voice his support for all forms of hydro dams, saying that major financial institutions "don't want to provide technical and financial assistance when power generation methods are not based on clean energy." The IFC is part of the World Bank. The Naypyidaw government is still negotiating with Chinese and Thai companies for the development of large hydroelectric dams on some of Burma's major rivers, notably the Salween, which borders Thailand. APR Energy in June installed and began operating a gas-fueled 100-megawatt power plant at Kyaukse in the Mandalay region. APR is contracted to operate the mobile plant for two years, after which it could be shut down, dismantled and moved elsewhere. Myawaddy Trade Route With Thailand Soars Despite Thai Coup Imports from Thailand via the Mae Sot-Myawaddy border crossing totaled US$130 million in just five months from April 1, Burma's Ministry of Commerce said. Most of the imports were vehicles, including cars and farm equipment, motorcycles and mobile phones. The trade was largely one way, with Burmese exports through the border crossing a mere $8.15 million, said Eleven Media, quoting the ministry. Myawaddy is the biggest of seven land border trading points between Burma and Thailand, and the strong value of imports in this fiscal year comes despite a forced slowdown in May immediately after the military coup in Thailand. Trade has grown so much that Thailand is financing a new $94 million bridge over the River Moei linking Mae Sot with Myawaddy. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2015 and be completed within a year, according to World Highways magazine. Bangladesh's 'Chronic Instability' May Aid Burma Garment Industry Two of Burma's neighbors have received black marks in a report by an international business risk assessor. The black marks went to Bangladesh and, more surprisingly, Malaysia. "Chronic regime instability, high levels of political violence and a poorly developed judicial framework pose significant governance-related risks to investors in Bangladesh," said Maplecroft of Britain. Bangladesh is a rival to Burma in attracting foreign investment in garment and textile manufacturing, but Maplecroft said the Bangladeshi sector is still "facing intense international scrutiny" over safety standards and labor rights following a disastrous factory collapse in 2013 that killed more than 1,100 workers. On Malaysia, Maplecroft said that although it still offered "substantial opportunities" to investors, particularly in the energy and retail sectors, "challenges to rule of law such as political interference over the judiciary and corruption as well as affirmative action 'bumiputera' policies present significant impediments for investors." Bumiputera refers to the state policy of giving preferential opportunities to Malaysia's ethnic Malay population ahead of ethnic Chinese and Indian communities. Visa Muddle Allows Two-Tier Entry System in Burma, Says Trade Paper More than 70,000 people who arrived in Burma via Rangoon Airport between January-August were granted on-the-spot entry visas, a travel trade magazine said, quoting immigration officials. A total of 74,500 people—most of them Chinese and Japanese—obtained visas at the airport despite supposed restrictions, said TTR Weekly, quoting Burma's Ministry of Immigration. "Most airlines will not allow passengers to fly to [Rangoon] without a visa, or documents entitling them to apply for a business visa on arrival. They are not technically visas-on-arrival, but more akin to a pre-arranged visa that has undergone security clearance ahead of the trip and then endorsed at the airport," reported TTR Weekly. It's not clear how so many people were admitted into Burma in this way unless they were mostly business visitors, the trade magazine said. With the total number of visitors climbing over 2 million per year and likely to be 3 million by the end of 2014, Burma is attempting to ease long queues at some of its embassies abroad by introducing an electronic visa available on the Internet from Sept. 1. But there are restrictions with this system, including only being valid on flights arriving to Rangoon. Travelers planning to arrive in Burma via a land border or an airport other than Rangoon must still obtain a visa from a Burmese embassy or consulate, said TTR Weekly. Thein Sein Urges Fight to End Hunger as Burma Exports More Rice Southeast Asian countries need to "work hand in hand" to achieve UN targets of reducing hunger and malnutrition in the region, Burma's President Thein Sein was quoted by the Chinese state news agency Xinhua as saying. He called on Asean, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to ensure food security through sustainable agricultural development. Thein Sein made the call at a meeting of Asean agriculture ministers in Naypyidaw. "Asean member states must work hand in hand to meet the objectives of the UN Millennium Development Goals with the aim of zero hunger by 2025," Thein Sein said. Burma holds the chairmanship of Asean this year. But another conference, held by the Regional Civil Society Dialogue to Improve Food Security, was told that Burma is promoting exports of its food produce, especially rice, while segments of the population suffer from malnutrition. "[Burma] is among the list of countries with food security issues along with Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines," Eleven Media quoted Ohnmar Khine of the Food Security Working Group as saying. "[Burma] is the worst for food security and malnutrition in the Asean region." The country exported 1.27 million tons of rice in 2013, according to a World Bank report, and the Myanmar Rice Federation is making efforts to increase exports to 2 million this year, the Myanmar Times has reported. The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (Sept. 27, 2014) appeared first on The Irrawaddy Magazine. |
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