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Saturday, March 5, 2016

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (March 5, 2016)

Posted: 04 Mar 2016 07:26 PM PST

A Volkswagen logo is pictured on the wall at the 86th International Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 1, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

General Electric Expands in Burma, With Caution

A company report submitted to the US Embassy in Rangoon last month details the expansion of American industrial conglomerate General Electric (GE) into a number of sectors after re-engaging with Burma in 2012.

GE is working in the health care, aviation leasing and power sectors, said the report, dated Feb. 19, which was submitted under a US government rule that requires any American firm investing more than $500,000 in the country to file submissions.

In a recent development, the company said, it will supply gas turbines to a major power generating project.

"GE was also recently awarded a contract to supply two state-of-the-art gas turbines to the Myingan Power Project in central Myanmar, which is owned and operated by Singapore-based Sembcorp, operating as an IPP [independent power producer] and selling electricity to MEPE," the state-run power firm, the filing said.

Sembcorp Utilities announced in December that it had signed an agreement with the Burmese government to develop the 225-megawatt plant in Mandalay Division. A 20 percent stake in the project is held by a local firm thought to be owned by a prominent Mandalay businessman with links to the Kokang region bordering China. The World Bank is considering putting $45 million into the project.

GE has also sold turbines for a gas-fired power plant in Rangoon's Ahlone Township run by Thailand-based Toyo Thai Power Corp. The US firm will also rehabilitate two gas turbines in Rangoon and supply turbines to China Energy Engineering Group, in a World Bank-funded project in Thaton, Mon State.

The conglomerate is also providing aircraft to the state-owned Myanmar National Airlines, and equipment to the oil and gas sector.

"Overall, GE's focus has been on supplying safe, efficient and sustainable products and services to meet the substantial infrastructure needs of the Myanmar people," the report said, noting that the company was taking a careful approach to operating in Burma, where concerns over labor and land rights abuses, and over the involvement of armed groups in business, remain. A foundation linked to GE has commissioned a report on the human rights impacts of the extractive industries sector.

"GE's approach to operating in Myanmar has been, and will continue to be, measured, incremental, and informed by due diligence, commensurate with the size, scope and nature of our operations," it said. "GE's activities in Myanmar are in compliance with US law and in keeping with the company's human rights commitments."

Rangoon Gets Uber-Like Taxi Ordering Service

An application has been launched that lets users in Rangoon to order a car or "limo" with their mobile phone.

Travel company Oway in January launched "Oway Ride," according to the service's website.

The app—which can be downloaded to smartphones on Google's Play Store or the Apple App Store—mimics the functionality of Uber, and the founders hope it can gain the same popularity Uber has found around the world.

"One of the many advantages of riding with Oway Ride is that fare is calculated within the app based on the distance and time that rider travels," the website says. "So, you only have to pay as you go!"

According to a report this week on the website Web in Travel, users are offered the choice of "Standard, Prime or Limo" vehicles.

Oway CEO Nay Aung told Web in Travel that the service would initially be available in Rangoon only. "With Yangon as the main economic hub city in Myanmar, it is logically [sic] to launch here first with a hundreds of cars and then expand the service rapidly into other cities, such as Mandalay and Naypyidaw," Nay Aung was quoted saying.

Burmese Workers to Get Compensation From Thai Factory

A factory in Thailand that processes tuna has agreed to pay out a total of $1.3 million in compensation to mostly Burmese workers, Agence France-Presse reported this week.

Hundreds of workers in the migrant worker hub of Samut Sakhon are set to receive compensation after demonstrating to demand compensation, the report said. About 1,000 workers went on strike demanding back pay in line with Thailand's minimum wage, and forced the company, Golden Prize Tuna Canning, to enter negotiations involving the country's military junta.

Some of the workers have already been paid, AFP quoted a Thai labor official as saying.

The Thai seafood industry relies on migrant laborers from Burma and Cambodia, many of whom are undocumented and therefore do not receive proper protections under the law. The multibillion-dollar industry has been embroiled in a series of scandals of late, including revelations of widespread slavery on Thai fishing boats.

In a statement about the factory dispute, released before an agreement was reached, Thailand's Foreign Ministry insisted that it is committed to protecting migrant workers.

"The Royal Thai Government is determined to protect the rights of workers regardless of their nationality," the statement said. "It has implemented a raft of policies aiming to regularize undocumented migrant workers and to combat human trafficking."

Singapore's Surbana Jurong to Build Underground Walkway

Surbana Jurong Private Limited, which is owned by the Singaporean government's investment fund, is set to build Burma's first underground pedestrian walkway.

According to a press release Feb. 26, the company has been hired by Burmese tycoon Aik Htun's Shwe Taung Development to design and build the subterranean tunnel, close to one of his shopping malls in Rangoon.

"The underpass will connect the Practising High School, Yangon Institute of Education and Junction Square Shopping Centre, allowing pedestrians [to] bypass heavy traffic on Pyay Road, Yangon's busiest thoroughfare," the press release said.

"The underpass measures about 30 metres long and when completed will help improve traffic flow and pedestrian movement significantly."

The same press release touted Surbana Jurong's growing business in Burma. Projects include working with China's CITIC Group to win the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone tender, an industrial park in Pegu Division and the planned Hanthawaddy International Airport, also in Pegu, it said.

"Since our branch opening in April 2014, Surbana Jurong has grown its presence rapidly in Myanmar. From two projects in April 2014 in Yangon, we are now actively involved in 40 projects across the states of Yangon, Bago, Mandalay, Rakhine as well as Ayerwaddy Division," CEO Teo Eng Cheong was quoted saying.

Yoma Strategic Signs Volkswagen Import Deal

A subsidiary of Singapore-listed investment vehicle Yoma Strategic Holdings has signed an agreement with German automaker Volkswagen to import passenger cars and SUVs for sale in Burma.

Yoma German Motors limited signed the "importer agreement" on Feb. 29, extending an existing relationship under which the Burmese firm has been providing after-sales, servicing and spare-parts services for Volkswagen in Burma since October 2013, according to a statement on Yoma Strategic's website.

"Under the Agreement, Yoma German Motors Limited will serve as the official importer and distributor of a range of passenger cars and SUVs manufactured by Volkswagen AG, within Myanmar."

"This appointment will allow us to tap into Myanmar's fast growing automobile market by offering an enticing and dynamic range of passenger cars and SUVs to local customers, further expanding our presence in the automotive industry in Myanmar," Yoma Strategic CEO Melvyn Pun—son of Yoma founder Serge Pun—said in the press release.

The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (March 5, 2016) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon’s Rare International Cuisines

Posted: 04 Mar 2016 06:57 PM PST

A vendor sorts sausages at a stand in Vienna, Austria. Similar German sausages are now available at Mahlzeit restaurant in Rangoon. (Photo: Herwig Prammer / Reuters)

RANGOON — Asian cuisines from China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and India are not considered unconventional among food lovers in Rangoon. But German, Russian and Mediterranean dishes challenge the traditional palate and offer an opportunity to try flavors not available in Rangoon until now. The Foodie Myanmar guide profiles five restaurants below which offer "rare" eats in the historic capital.

Mahlzeit

The German word "Mahlzeit" is a salutation translating to "mealtime" in English. The charmingly decorated eatery offers traditional German foods such as sausages, chicken schnitzel, and German beef roulade—with a cheeseburger. The restaurant lies at No. 84, Pun Hlaing Street in Sanchaung Township.

KVAS Restaurant and Bar

"Kvas" is a fizzy drink sometimes referred to as "Russian cola." This Russian shop teaches its customers how to both mix and drink vodka and beer. It also provides visitors with an introduction to holodets—cold meat jelly traditionally served at the holiday table. Cuisine from Russia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and across eastern Europe is available at KVAS, which is located at No. 202/8 Yanshin Street in Yankin Township. The restaurant also provides delivery service in the local vicinity.

Monsoon Restaurant and Bar

Cambodian and Lao cuisine is available at Monsoon. The restaurant offers traditional Khmer dishes such as fried pepper beef and samlor kako—a soup which is considered by some to be Cambodia's national dish. Or lam, a rich buffalo meat stew, is a featured Lao dish. Monsoon is located at No. 85/87, Theinbyu Street in Botatung Township.

La Taverna Mediterranean Bistro

La Taverna is a perfect place to indulge in Mediterranean cuisine, most of which is cooked with a seafood or vegetable base and is therefore considered healthier and less oily than some other dining options. The restaurant is situated at No. 330, Ahlon Street, Dagon Township, inside the Yangon International Hotel compound.

This article was written by Foodie Myanmar. Available for download in the Google Play Store, the Foodie Myanmar app will help you discover great places to eat and ways to share your foodie moments. Available at: http://bit.ly/InstallFoodieMyanmarOnAndroid

The post Rangoon's Rare International Cuisines appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Friday, March 4, 2016

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Govt Mobilizes to Address Water Shortages
Arakan Army Claims Ambush Kills Dozens of Govt Troops
KIA Brigade in Shan State Further Complicates Peace Prospects
Election Tribunal to Hear Cases Brought by Ex-MP Hla Swe, NLD Rival
Uncertain Political Landscape Causes Further Instability to Kyat
Family of Late Burmese Composer Considers Lawsuit Against Carlsberg
North Korea, on Defense After Sanctions, Makes Nuclear Threat
Indonesia’s Early Tsunami Warning Buoys Down When Big Quake Hit
Vietnam’s Communists Put to the Test as Dissidents Bid for Parliament
Shan Coalition Meeting Cut Short Under Military Pressure
US Business Community Asks Obama Administration to Ease Burma Sanctions

Govt Mobilizes to Address Water Shortages

Posted: 04 Mar 2016 05:18 AM PST

A man fetches water in Dala Township, Rangoon Division, in February. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — The Rural Development Department, under Burma's Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Rural Development, is working to supply water to 49 villages in 23 townships facing severe shortages and in urgent need of drinking water.

Khant Zaw, director-general of the Rural Development Department, told The Irrawaddy: "At present, we only need to send water to 49 villages. We have dug wells in villages where possible. In some parts of Arakan State, we are pumping water into man-made lakes. Concerned departments and donors are working cooperatively to alleviate water shortages."

The department has been sending water to villages in Sagaing, Mandalay and Magwe divisions, as well as Naypyidaw Union Territory and Karenni and Mon states, since the third week of February.

Burma's Dry Zone, where most villages in need are located, covers more than 54,000 square kilometers encompassing 58 townships that span from lower Sagaing Division, to the western and central parts of Mandalay Division and most of Magwe Division. Approximately one-quarter of the country's population live in this area, according to the United Nations' Myanmar Information Management Unit (MIMU).

The Rural Development Department estimates that more than 1,700 villages across Burma may experience water shortages and around 1,000 of them are likely to face it within the month.

The department has prepared a budget of more than 78 million kyats (US$65,000) to tackle water shortages this month, with the incoming National League for Democracy (NLD) government expected to allocate similar funding for April and May from the 2016-17 fiscal year budget, according to the Border Affairs Ministry.

Phyo Phyo, a local of Dala, a township located south of the commercial capital Rangoon that usually faces annual water shortages, told The Irrawaddy: "Some wards in the township are already short of water. Though [authorities] pipe water to some places, most of the residents have to rely on donors. I wish everyone got water piped to them."

The government and environmentalists have warned that Irrawaddy, Mandalay and Pegu divisions, and Arakan and Shan states, may face particularly severe shortages due to El Niño.

The post Govt Mobilizes to Address Water Shortages appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Arakan Army Claims Ambush Kills Dozens of Govt Troops

Posted: 04 Mar 2016 03:39 AM PST

Members of the Arakan Army march in Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State, last year. (Photo: Facebook / Arakan Army)

RANGOON — A spokesperson for the Arakan Army claimed Friday that the ethnic armed group destroyed two vehicles belonging to Burma's military using rocket-propelled grenades, killing some 30 soldiers from the Buthidaung-based Light Infantry Battalion No. 565 in the attack.

The strike, according to Khine Thu Kha of the Arakan Army, occurred on Thursday evening near Wanet Yon village, about 18 miles northeast of Buthidaung town in Arakan State.

Khine Thu Kha said his group had succeeded in ambushing the convoy of government troops. Contacted by The Irrawaddy on Friday, a Burma Army communications officer declined to comment on the reported clash.

The Arakan Army spokesman predicted Friday that "fighting would intensify" if, as expected, the Burma Army dispatched reinforcements to the area.

Khine Thu Kha estimated that about 60 locals in Arakan State have been arrested on suspected ties to the Arakan Army since December, when fighting between government troops and the ethnic rebel group first kicked off in Kyauktaw Township. He admitted that some of those detained had links to the Arakan Army, but maintained that the majority were being unjustly held.

The Arakan Army previously claimed that fighting had killed more than 100 government troops as of Jan. 8, a figure that could not be independently confirmed by The Irrawaddy. While detailed Burma Army accounts of its clashes with the country's ethnic armed rebel groups are infrequent, the military did acknowledge the death of a commander and "several" other personnel from its side in January.

In that same official announcement, also on Jan. 8 as fighting continued in western Burma, the military said it had seized the bodies of three dead Arakan Army soldiers and vowed to completely "remove" the ethnic rebel group from Arakan State.

The post Arakan Army Claims Ambush Kills Dozens of Govt Troops appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

KIA Brigade in Shan State Further Complicates Peace Prospects

Posted: 04 Mar 2016 03:02 AM PST

Soldiers from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) cross a stream toward the front line of conflict in Laiza, Kachin State, on Jan. 29, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

RANGOON — A peace broker with ties to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) says the ethnic armed group is unlikely to heed calls from the government's lead peace negotiating body for a de-escalation of its combat posture, after a KIA brigade reasserted itself in conflict-wracked northern Shan State last week.

Lamai Gum Ja, the KIA-affiliated envoy who is a leading member of the Myitkyina-based Kachin Peace Creation Group, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday: "We will not care about whether they like it or not. If we had to listen to the Burma Army on what we should do, our ethnic groups would not even have our own armed groups."

He was referring to a statement issued by the Union Peacemaking Working Committee (UPWC) on Monday, condemning the KIA for Brigade 6's presence in the Mong Baw, Mong Ko and Boung Sai areas of northern Shan State. The UPWC is chaired by outgoing Vice President Sai Mauk Kham and includes members of the military, senior-most among them Burma's deputy commander-in-chief, Gen. Soe Win.

"We do not like what has been done by the Burma Army, therefore we formed our armed group to fight them. Let them say whatever they want about the establishment of our new brigade, their voice will be quieted soon," Lamai Gum Ja said.

KIA Brigade 6 was reportedly founded under-low profile circumstances in 2011, with the unit making a reemergence last week as territorial claims in northern Shan State have become muddled by conflict. A Facebook account associated with the Kachin rebel group purported to feature photos of a ceremony marking Brigade 6's reemergence on Feb. 26.

Three days later, the UPWC condemned the latest developments in Shan State, where fighting has flared in recent months between the Burma Army and ethnic armed rebel groups including the KIA and Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).

In its statement, the UPWC said: "While the government is working to achieve national reconciliation, peace and development, and an end to armed conflict in the country, we have heard that the KIA has opened another new military brigade. … While Myanmar is undertaking a peace process, the opening of a new KIA brigade will be detrimental."

Last week's news would appear to place two KIA brigades in northern Shan State, with Brigade 4 already based in the Kutkai area. The KIA has eight brigades in total and is the second largest ethnic armed group in Burma, with an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 troops, according to Myanmar Peace Monitor, a project tracking the country's decades-long ethnic conflict.

A 17-year ceasefire agreement between the KIA and the Burmese government collapsed in 2011, and northern Burma has since been the theater for some of the most sustained fighting in recent years of the country's long-running civil war.

The KIA was one of several ethnic armed groups that declined to sign a so-called "nationwide" ceasefire agreement with the government last year. Its troops, along with those of the fellow non-signatory TNLA, have clashed with the Burma Army on several occasions since the Oct. 15 signing of the ceasefire.

In northern Shan State, TNLA forces also claim to have clashed with the Shan State Army-South (SSA-S), a signatory to the October accord.

The post KIA Brigade in Shan State Further Complicates Peace Prospects appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Election Tribunal to Hear Cases Brought by Ex-MP Hla Swe, NLD Rival

Posted: 04 Mar 2016 02:01 AM PST

Hla Swe, a former Upper House lawmaker for the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party, has been accused of land confiscation and has filed a defamation countersuit. (Photo: Facebook / Hla Swe)

RANGOON — Political rivals Pyu Lwin and Hla Swe will argue their cases regarding allegations of land confiscation and a counter-defamation suit, respectively, before an election tribunal in Naypyidaw on March 11.

Last August, Pyu Lwin submitted a complaint to the Land Investigation Commission recommending an inquiry into former Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) lawmaker Hla Swe's alleged land grabs under Burma's former military regime. He also accused the ex-parliamentarian of bribery, with those claims coming just weeks ahead of the 2015 election's official campaign period, which kicked off Sept. 8.

Pyu Lwin went on to defeat Hla Swe in Burma's November general election, ousting the incumbent from his seat representing Magwe Division's Upper House constituency No. 12.

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Thursday, Hla Swe repeated previous denials of the allegations. His said his opponent had used misleading information to manipulate voters and weaken his support base.

Hla Swe said he filed the defamation charges against Pyu Lwin, the now-sitting lawmaker for the National League for Democracy (NLD), at the Gangaw police station prior to the election campaign period.

Pyu Lwin denied manipulating voters and said he had concrete evidence proving Hla Swe's wrongdoings to present to the committee.

The NLD lawmaker told The Irrawaddy that he had received more than 100,000 votes on Nov. 8, compared with 30,000 for his nearest opponent Hla Swe.

Pyu Lwin was one of hundreds of NLD candidates to defeat USDP opponents in the November election, riding a wave of popular support for the party of Aung San Suu Kyi. The NLD won nearly 80 percent of elected seats, allowing it to select Burma's next president in a parliamentary vote due this month.

Pyu Lwin confirmed that a ruling against him could jeopardize the seat he won in November, adding that tribunal proceedings could take 3-4 months to play out.

The post Election Tribunal to Hear Cases Brought by Ex-MP Hla Swe, NLD Rival appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Uncertain Political Landscape Causes Further Instability to Kyat

Posted: 04 Mar 2016 01:55 AM PST

Stacks of Myanmar kyat are seen on the counter at a Rangoon bank before a client collects on October 19, 2015. (Photo: Minzayar / Reuters)

RANGOON — An already-unstable exchange rate dropped again this week in the local market due to less demand, a change observers attributed to uncertainty ahead of Burma's presidential nominations in Parliament.

While the Central Bank's rate remains at 1,230 kyats to one US dollar, the unofficial rate on the local market has dropped from 1,240 to 1,210 kyats.

The exchange rate peaked at 1,310 kyats in late December and early January. Though the rate had stabilized between 1,280 and 1,300 kyats for around two months, February saw an increase in fluctuation.

"This rate is really unstable, that's why people don't want to buy or sell any more. Businessmen are waiting to see what happens in the coming week during the changing of the new government," Soe Thein, senior executive director of Asian Green Development Bank, told The Irrawaddy.

"It's hard to predict whether the dollar rate will drop again or not. It totally depends on the political situation," he said.

Since a new car import policy was announced on Dec. 15, the official exchange rate set by the country's Central Bank has climbed to 1,307 kyats per dollar, while black market traders have been offering prices of around 1,315 kyats.

The rate is the highest since the aftermath of the 2007 Saffron Revolution, when unofficial currency exchange operations were offering around 1,400 kyats to the dollar.

Pe Myint, a consultant with Cooperative Bank, said that the dollar exchange rate has dropped continuously since mid-February and he expected that it may drop to 1,200 kyats and then stabilize.

"Actually 1,300 is really high, it should be stable at around 1,200," he said.

"It totally depends on the political situation and whether there will be an announcement for the nomination of vice presidents on March 10. It's so close, and this is directly affecting the exchange rate," Pe Myint explained.

The Central Bank is selling over ten million US dollars to private lenders daily, according to banking industry sources. Recently, the Central Bank told lenders that it will take control of the exchange rates. The decrease in the dollar's value globally also reportedly played a role in the decision.

The post Uncertain Political Landscape Causes Further Instability to Kyat appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Family of Late Burmese Composer Considers Lawsuit Against Carlsberg

Posted: 03 Mar 2016 11:53 PM PST

Carlsberg's Tuborg beer, as seen in a Mandalay restaurant. (Photo: Zarni Mann / The Irrawaddy)

MANDALAY – The family of the late Burmese composer Myoma Nyein is preparing a lawsuit against Denmark-based Carlsberg Brewery Company for their use of his Burmese song title on their product, Tuborg beer.

The Burmese script on the bottles, cans and marketing materials for Tuborg beer reads "Tupo," a transliteration of the product's name as well as the title of a famous song written by Myoma Nyein, who came from Mandalay.

His relatives claim that the musical reference has been used without their permission and are disappointed that the company has failed to officially apologize and to engage in negotiations after an ultimatum to do so was issued in mid-January this year.

Soon after the ultimatum, Carlsberg issued a statement announcing that they would not continue distributing their products using the Burmese phrase, "Tupo," and would instead use the Danish brand name of Tuborg in Burma in the future.

Myoma Nyein's family said that Carlsberg representatives met with them twice after the January ultimatum. During these meetings, the company asked for patience from the family regarding the sale of products that had already made it to market.

"They said they needed to sell out all the stock that had already been distributed in the market. First, they requested that we extend [the timeframe of] our ultimatum and we agreed. However, they never promised professionally, regarding the exact date and time that they would stop distribution," said Shwun Myaing, Myoma Nyein's son.

The family said that the company has continued using the marketing and advertising materials with the disputed phrase throughout Burma.

"If Carlsberg truly respected others' dignity they would have announced officially and publicly in the newspapers the exact time when they would stop production of their products using 'Tupo.' Now, they are issuing statements only on their Facebook page, which is very unprofessional," said Shwun Myaing.

The family said the company had requested another meeting with them on January 31, but no one from Carlsberg showed up.

"Although we accepted their requests for an extension of ultimatum with respect and understanding, they failed to apologize," said Zaw Myo Oo, a grandson of the late composer. "We can't stand it anymore…we are now preparing a lawsuit and will send a legal notice as soon as all documentation is ready."

The family said that the Carlsberg had asked to use their Burmese-scripted Tuborg beer products until the country's famous April water festival, known as Thingyan—the event celebrated in Myoma Nyein's 'Tupo' song. The family denied the request.

"The legal action is not to receive compensation," Zaw Myo Oo pointed out. "We just want the world to know that Carlsberg, a global company, is taking advantage of the weak rule of law in our country, disrespecting our copyrights and acting very unprofessionally," he added.

After the family announced their decision to sue, Carlsberg's office in Rangoon issued a statement on Thursday which was distributed nationwide to media outlets.

"We are disappointed that the family of the late Sayar Myoma Nyein still feels it is necessary to pursue legal action," the letter read. "The word 'Tu-Poh' was used in good faith by Carlsberg, whose creative intent was to convey a message of fun and music, which is what TUBORG stands for globally."

The statement also said it is working to discontinue the use of 'Tupo' in the marketing of Tuborg beer, and shortly—before Thingyan—the beer will feature only the Danish brand name of Tuborg.

The company also extended the apology to the public and to the fans of the late composer.

Carlsberg said that they hoped that the relatives of the late composer would refrain from taking legal action.

"We hope that [Myoma Nyein's family] will reconsider and choose to continue the dialogue with us to find a satisfactory resolution to this situation," said the statement.

The post Family of Late Burmese Composer Considers Lawsuit Against Carlsberg appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

North Korea, on Defense After Sanctions, Makes Nuclear Threat

Posted: 03 Mar 2016 09:50 PM PST

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, watches a long range rocket launch into the air in North Korea, in this photo released by Kyodo on Feb. 7, 2016. (Photo: Reuters / Kyodo)

SEOUL — North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered his military on standby for nuclear strikes at any time, state media reported Friday, an escalation in rhetoric targeting rivals Seoul and Washington that may not yet reflect the country's actual nuclear capacity.

The threats are part of the authoritarian government's ramped-up propaganda push to signal strength at home and abroad in the face of what it portrays as an effort by South Korea and the United States to overthrow its leadership.

In a show of anger over the recent adoption of harsh UN sanctions over its recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch, the North fired off short-range projectiles into the sea Thursday. Friday's report also comes ahead of huge US-South Korean war games set to start next week that the North claims are invasion preparations, and amid a much harder line from rival Seoul meant to squeeze Pyongyang.

"The only way for defending the sovereignty of our nation and its right to existence under the present extreme situation is to bolster up nuclear force both in quality and quantity," a dispatch from the North's official Korean Central News Agency said, paraphrasing Kim. It said Kim stressed "the need to get the nuclear warheads deployed for national defense always on standby so as to be fired any moment."

North Korea has threatened nuclear war in the past, but it is unclear just how advanced the country's nuclear program really is. Pyongyang is thought to have a handful of likely crude atomic bombs, but there is considerable outside debate about the state of its arsenal.

Most experts say it's highly unlikely that the North currently has a reliable, intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching US shores, let alone the ability to arm it with a miniaturized nuclear warhead. But the North can probably place nuclear warheads on its shorter-range Scuds and its 1,300-kilometer-range Rodong missiles, which can strike targets in South Korea and Japan, said Lee Choon-geun, an analyst from the South's state-funded Science and Technology Policy Institute. Other analysts, however, question this.

Kim made the most recent warning while guiding the test-firing of a new large-caliber multiple launch rocket system, the report said.

The North's report didn't say when the test-firing happened, but many in South Korea believe it likely refers to the six short-range projectiles that Seoul said North Korea fired into the sea on Thursday.

South Korea's Defense Ministry said the North Korean projectiles, fired from the eastern coastal town of Wonsan, flew about 100 to 150 kilometers (60 to 90 miles). Ministry officials said they couldn't confirm whether the projectiles were those fired by the weapons system KCNA referred to.

Thursday's firings were seen as a "low-level" response to the UN sanctions, with North Korea unlikely to launch any major provocation until its landmark ruling Workers' Party convention in May, according to Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

The UN sanctions include mandatory inspections of cargo leaving and entering North Korea by land, sea or air; a ban on all sales or transfers of small arms and light weapons to the North; and the expulsion of North Korean diplomats who engage in "illicit activities."

North Korean citizens in the capital, Pyongyang, interviewed by The Associated Press said Thursday, in an echo of official propaganda, they believe their country can fight off any sanctions.

"No kind of sanctions will ever work on us, because we've lived under US sanctions for more than half a century," said Pyongyang resident Song Hyo-il. "And in the future, we're going to build a powerful and prosperous country here, relying on our own development."

North Korean state media earlier warned that the imposition of new sanctions would be a "grave provocation" that shows "extreme" US hostility against the country. It said the sanctions would not result in the country's collapse or prevent it from launching more rockets.

Recent commercial satellite imagery indicates new activity, possibly preparations for a rocket engine test, at a North Korean launch site where the country fired a long-range rocket on Feb. 6, according to an analysis by the North Korea-focused 38 North website.

In another development that will anger the North, South Korean and US officials were set to begin formal talks Friday on deploying a sophisticated US missile defense system in South Korea.

The deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, is opposed by North Korea, China and Russia. Opponents say the system could help US radar spot missiles in other countries.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye said Thursday she'll cooperate with the international community to try to end North Korean "tyranny that suppress the freedom and human rights" of its own people. She recently warned of the North's collapse, and the country's parliament has passed a human rights bill that will enrage Pyongyang with criticism of the abysmal treatment of its citizens.

In January, North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test, which it claimed was a hydrogen bomb. Last month, it put a satellite into orbit with a long-range rocket that the United Nations and others saw as a cover for a test of banned ballistic missile technology.

The post North Korea, on Defense After Sanctions, Makes Nuclear Threat appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Indonesia’s Early Tsunami Warning Buoys Down When Big Quake Hit

Posted: 03 Mar 2016 09:45 PM PST

Women walk near a sign on their way home marking a tsunami evacuation route a day after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck far out at sea near Padang, West Sumatra province, Indonesia, on March 3, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

PADANG / JAKARTA — All 22 of the early-warning buoys Indonesia deployed after the 2004 tsunami disaster were inoperable when a massive undersea earthquake struck off the coast on Wednesday, a National Disaster Mitigation Agency official said.

The 7.8-magnitude quake did not trigger a tsunami, and there were no deaths and no major damage, but it did expose gaps in the systems put in place to prevent a disaster similar to the Indian Ocean quake that killed more than 200,000 people 11 years ago.

In addition to the malfunctioning of buoys designed to warn of massive waves, authorities said there were not enough evacuation routes or shelters in Padang, a Sumatra island port city of around 1 million people that felt the quake.

"There was definitely panic last night, that cannot be denied," said Zulfiatno, the head of the disaster management agency in Padang who uses only one name, adding that shelters had the capacity to only hold about 200,000 people.

"But the situation has improved from previous years. People have started to understand how to evacuate safely."

The 9.15-magnitude quake of December 2004 opened a fault line deep beneath the ocean, triggering a wave as high as 17.4-meters (57 feet) that crashed ashore in more than a dozen countries to wipe some communities off the map in seconds.

Indonesia straddles the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire," a highly seismically active zone, where different plates on the Earth's crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanoes.

The province of Aceh on the northwest tip of Sumatra bore the brunt of the 2004 tsunami, with at least 168,000 killed.

'We Can Easily Forget'

Soon after that disaster, Indonesia introduced a sophisticated early warning system using buoys, sea-level gauges and seismometers that can send alerts to countries' tsunami warning centers within 10 minutes of a quake.

Officials said the procedure is to issue a tsunami warning if a quake of more than 6.5-magnitude and with its epicenter less than 20 kilometers (12 miles) deep happens at sea, and that went smoothly on Wednesday.

But the buoys, which measure the force and speed of water movement, were a missing link in the chain. Authorities delayed the lifting of their tsunami warning because of the inoperable buoys, which cost around $2.3 million a year to maintain.

"We can easily forget. After the quake in Aceh we wanted to do everything, but by 2015 we don't have money allocated [to fix the buoys]," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, told reporters.

"Most of [the buoys] were broken by vandalism," he said.

Although there were some strong aftershocks on Thursday, normal life largely resumed at daybreak in Padang.

There were 11 aftershocks during the night following the main quake, but authorities called for calm as they had diminished in strength.

"We do not believe that there will be an earthquake of greater strength," the National Meteorological Agency said on its Twitter account. "And so residents are urged to keep calm and not be taken in by rumors."

Fears ran high on Wednesday evening when it was reported that the tremor had measured 8.2 and authorities issued evacuation alerts on loudspeakers, radio and TV. Patients at hospitals in Padang were evacuated and there were traffic jams as panicking residents tried to leave.

However, the US Geological Survey (USGS) revised the magnitude down to 7.8 and within two hours of the quake striking the tsunami warnings were cancelled. USGS said the epicenter was 808 kilometers (502 miles) southwest of Padang.

"If we had tried to evacuate outside the city it would have been difficult. Everybody grabbed their bikes and tried to [flee] but it was too much," said Febridal, a street food vendor in Padang who briefly went to an evacuation shelter after seeing the tsunami warning on TV.

Others ignored all warnings and remained by the shoreline, watching the waves for signs of a tsunami.

"We never heard any alarm, but we saw on TV that there was potential for a tsunami," said Mulyaman, whose family runs a small seaside restaurant. "We didn't see any signs of big waves so we decided to stay."

The post Indonesia's Early Tsunami Warning Buoys Down When Big Quake Hit appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Vietnam’s Communists Put to the Test as Dissidents Bid for Parliament

Posted: 03 Mar 2016 09:40 PM PST

Nguyen Quang A films an anti-China protest in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 17, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

HANOI — Former IT entrepreneur and banker Nguyen Quang A is running a disciplined campaign to be elected to Vietnam's parliament, declaring his assets, securing voter endorsements and appearing in a slick online video.

He is not, however, a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam nor the kind of candidate that the monolithic ruling party wants in its rubber-stamp legislature.

Quang A is one of its biggest critics and among 19 dissidents trying to run as independents in a May election to the assembly, determined to test the sincerity of promises made by the party to strengthen democracy.

"They tell us we have rights and say the regime is democratic," he said in an interview. "Let's see them turn rhetoric into reality."

To pique the Communists further, Quang A is waiting to see if party chief Nguyen Phu Trong will seek re-election to the National Assembly so that he can go head-to-head with him for his seat.

Allowing challenges at the edges of its 40-year monopoly on power could help the image of the Communist Party, which is seen as out of touch by many in a country where more than half the population is under 30.

However, a rigorous vetting system and other checks of candidates by the party make it almost impossible for the dissidents to succeed.

The move by the dissidents to seek seats in parliament is part of a trend that began three years ago in which the Communist Party has been openly challenged, not only by writers, lawyers, academics and artists, but also from among its own ranks.

The aim, Quang A and other activists say, is to exploit the popularity of social media to scrutinize the 4.5 million-member Communist Party and encourage political participation from outside.

Political analyst Le Hong Hiep said it was highly unlikely that the activists would even be allowed to run for parliament.

"The party wants to have some critical voices in the parliament, but not those that they cannot control or those that may cause political embarrassments," he said.

Making It Watertight

Quang A, who was detained twice last year after meeting political prisoners and attending democracy seminars abroad, said independent voices in a system where there is no opposition would strengthen the legitimacy of the Communist Party.

Anticipating his disqualification, the 69-year-old is making his bid as watertight as he can, seeking 5,000 voter endorsements and volunteer monitors to ensure he gets fair treatment.

To set an example, he voluntarily declared his assets on Facebook, which included land and $1.7 million in stocks investments using funds from an IT business he ran for 23 years.

Facebook "likes" for his campaign have so far reached 3,700.

Dissent was once the domain of a tiny number in Vietnam who met behind closed doors or found themselves behind bars.

The media is still censored here and the party's loudest critics face harassment, arrest and jail for "anti-state propaganda."

But petitions and open letters to the Communist Party have appeared online in recent years, including one in 2014 signed by 61 current and former party members, which said failure to resist China's influence was "a crime on our nation."

A public consultation exercise on a 2013 draft constitution backfired when 72 intellectuals and bureaucrats responded by writing their own version prescribing a multi-party system, backed by 15,000 people. The party ignored it.

Parliament is expecting 5-10 percent of the 500 seats to go to non-party members this time. Those lawmakers are usually nominated by state institutions, although the current chamber has four self-nominated members.

The National Assembly and election commission did not respond to Reuters questions about opportunities for self-nominated candidates.

Law graduate and blogger Nguyen Dinh Ha, 28, expects the party to thwart his assembly bid after he gave a presentation on censorship to US Congress representatives in Washington D.C.

"The party fears an independent is a small flame that will spread," he said.

But he added: "Some opposition can be helpful and killing off all other voices will do more harm."

Another hoping to try her luck with voters is Dang Bich Phuong, who has been in trouble for her anti-China protests.

"There's a chance to change, even if it's a small opening," she said. "I want to bring the people's voice to parliament and bring people and their leaders closer."

The post Vietnam's Communists Put to the Test as Dissidents Bid for Parliament appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Shan Coalition Meeting Cut Short Under Military Pressure

Posted: 03 Mar 2016 09:34 PM PST

Members of Shan ethnic armed groups, political parties and civil society organizations open the annual meeting of the Committee for Shan State Unity on Thursday in Rangoon; the event was forced to end on Friday under military pressure. (Photo: Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON – The three-day annual meeting of the Committee for the Shan State Unity (CSSU) ended after only one day on Friday due to pressure from the local military in Rangoon.

The committee, which is a coalition of ethnic armed groups, political parties and civil society organizations, aimed to explore strategies that would advance collaboration and unity within Shan State's diverse communities.

The Shan leaders met at Micasa Hotel in Rangoon on Thursday and had planned to continue the meeting over the following two days at the Summit Parkview Hotel.

Sai Leik, the spokesperson for the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD)—the party which helped to organized the meeting—said that the managers of both hotels were pressured by the authorities against hosting the event.

Members of a local military affairs security team asked Sai Leik to let them in to the meeting room to listen to the proceedings on Thursday; the request was refused.

"As we did not let them in, they asked whether we had permission from the local authorities [for this meeting]," Sai Leik told The Irrawaddy on Friday.

"We did not need to ask for [permission] as it is an annual meeting of the committee, but I went to the Yangon western district office for the permission late Thursday afternoon. The chief did not dare to sign the paper, neither accepting nor rejecting the scheduling of the meeting, and also not giving any reasons," he explained.

Two of the CSSU members are the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S) and the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N); the former was removed from Burma's list of unlawful organizations last year after signing a so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the government, but the latter was not a signatory to the pact.

Col Sai La of the RCSS/SSA-S, told The Irrawaddy that the meeting was legal according to the text of the nationwide ceasefire agreement as long as it centered on talks concerning national politics, which he said that it did.

The post Shan Coalition Meeting Cut Short Under Military Pressure appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

US Business Community Asks Obama Administration to Ease Burma Sanctions

Posted: 03 Mar 2016 04:27 PM PST

Asia World port terminal in Rangoon on December 8, 2015. The United States is temporarily easing trade restrictions on Burma by allowing all shipments to go through its ports and airports for six months. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters)

RANGOON — Five American trade groups called for the US government to ease sanctions on Burma last month, a move which has been met with praise by the Burmese business community.

On February 18, the American Chamber of Commerce Myanmar, National Foreign Trade Council, US-ASEAN Business Council, United States Chambers of Commerce, and United States Council of International Business sent a letter to various US State Departments asking the government to relax sanctions in an effort to improve the relationship between Burma and the US.

In the letter, members of the US business community supported Obama's engagement in Burma thus far, including lifting import bans, easing finance and investment bans, opening a USAID office, and extending both OPIC (Overseas Private Investment Corporation) and Export-Import Bank support.

The letter also pointed to the positive election results in November—in which Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won a vast majority of parliamentary seats—and called for an advancement of the normalization process.

In mid February, Burma's vice president Nyan Tun also asked the Obama administration to lift the US sanctions on Burma at a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders in California. Nyan Tun said that although the US had given economic support to other ASEAN countries, Burma had received little developmental assistance because of the sanctions.

American sanctions on Burma were initiated in 1997 when the country was under military rule. It was not until 2012 that the United States restored diplomatic ties with Burma, one year after Thein Sein's quasi-civilian government came to power.

While economic sanctions have since been eased for some sectors and individuals, many businesspeople remain on the Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list of people with whom US citizens are barred from doing business. In May, the SDN list is expected to be renewed.

Dr. Maung Maung Lay, vice chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce Industry (UMFCCI) said he feels that the SDN list hinders investment in the country.

"Financial transactions between the US and Myanmar are difficult," he said. "Many US businessmen want to invest here. US banks don't want to incur the risks."

US investment in Burma remains relatively low, but some major American brands such as Coca-Cola, Gap and KFC have already broken ground in the country.

Khin Shwe, former upper house lawmaker and chairman of Zaykabar Group of Companies told the Irrawaddy that he is positive that US sanctions will be lifted this year after the new NLD government assumes power in April.

Since last year, the UMFCCI has been urging the US government to re-examine the sanctions list and remove some companies and individuals. This, the body argues, would create a level playing field in Burma for US companies with otherwise limited business power.

The post US Business Community Asks Obama Administration to Ease Burma Sanctions appeared first on The Irrawaddy.