The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Dangerous Path Toward Religious Extremism
• Blaze Tears Through Mandalay’s Mingalar Market
• Book Review—‘Understanding Reform in Myanmar’
• ‘Corruption Is A Hindrance to National Development’: Ministerial Nominee
• Locals Embrace the Heat at Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda Festival

Dangerous Path Toward Religious Extremism Posted: 23 Mar 2016 02:38 AM PDT Burmese monk Wirathu, who also heads the Buddhist nationalist organization Ma Ba Tha, speaks to fellow monks during an assembly at a monastery in Hmawbi Township, on the outskirts of Rangoon, in June 2013. (Photo: Minzayar / Reuters) Ma Ba Tha is known across the world as a racist Buddhist organisation. Its work fans the flames of hatred and violence against Muslims in Burma, particularly the Rohingya in Arakan State. Its most prominent leader is Ashin Wirathu, dubbed the "bin Laden of Buddhism" for his violent, religious extremism. Last month, Ma Ba Tha, or the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion, received an award in Thailand for being an "outstanding Buddhist peace" organization. The firebrand monk attended the ceremony and received a red-carpet welcome by members of the Thai clergy. Does this mean the clergy endorses militant Buddhist nationalism? No Thai monk would openly admit to that. But shared Islamophobia and the clergy's current push to make Buddhism the official state religion point to a dangerous precedent. The questionable award first became public last week when a Facebook post by academic Somrit Luechai showed Ashin Wirathu at the award ceremony which was presided over by an elder from the Supreme Sangha Council. Other pictures from Ashin Wirathu's Facebook page showed "The Face of Buddhist Terror," as the controversial monk is dubbed by Time magazine, receiving a hearty welcome at the Dhammakaya Temple and Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya University.   Mr. Somrit strongly condemned the award being given to a militant monk whose campaigns of hate have triggered mass killings of Rohingya Muslims. He also named Dhammakaya and Maha Chula as collaborators in the ceremony which he described as an abuse of Buddhism and an endorsement of hatred and violence. Maha Chula is at the center of the clergy's campaigns to make Buddhism the state religion and another supporting Somdet Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn, also known as Somdet Chuang, to become the next supreme patriarch. Since Somdet Chuang and the center's links with the highly controversial Dhammakaya Temple are public knowledge, Mr. Somrit's posts immediately triggered an online outcry and concerns that Dhammakaya would lead the country toward religious extremism. Maha Chula, Dhammakaya, and the World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth (WFBY) quickly came out to distance themselves from the controversial monk, albeit unconvincingly. A Dhammakaya spokesperson denied organizing the World Buddhist Outstanding Leader Award on Feb. 23, which took place at AIT Auditorium. The temple also denied inviting the militant monk to Dhammakaya, saying he was there to attend the Maka Bucha ceremony. Photos from Ashin Wirathu's Facebook page showed he was not treated as just another ordinary visitor. Maha Chula adopted a similar line, denying both involvement with the award and having extended an invitation to Ashin Wirathu to visit the Buddhist university, insisting the monk was there on his own to meet Burmese students. Photos from his Facebook page also showed a hearty welcome from a group of monks who sported a banner that read "We love Wirathu." The award was actually organized by a group called World Buddhist Leaders Organization, chaired by Dr. Pornchai Pinyapong who is also president of the WFBY. But the award was not for Ashin Wirathu, he insisted. It was for "peace organisation Ma Ba Tha" for its outstanding achievements to protect Buddhism in Burma. Ma Ba Tha, a peace organization? Does he pretend not to know Ashin Wirathu is the face of that organization? According to Dr. Pornchai, Ma Ba Tha succeeded in pushing for a set of laws that promote religious harmony in Burma. They include a law prohibiting Buddhists from marrying people of different religions (read: Islam); the law on monogamy (read: to stop Muslim men from having multiple wives and too many children); and the law forcing some women (read: Muslim women) to space pregnancies by at least three years. At present, he said poverty forces many Buddhist parents to sell their daughters into marriage with men of different religions (read: Islam again). The laws designed by Ma Ba Tha then protect Buddhist women from facing hardship and violence when marrying non-Buddhists, he added. I reread his explanations several times and still failed to understand why the laws that reflect religious paranoia and racial hatred, portending to prevent an "Islamic invasion," are viewed as fostering religious harmony, and why the organization propagating such oppression is considered peaceful. The WFBY must really admire Ma Ba Tha's work. Last year, it reportedly donated over one million baht (nearly US$28,500) for the organization to build two radio stations with the aim of spreading its message to a wider audience. Ashin Wirathu was reportedly present to thank the Thai delegation personally for the donation. The organizer also praised Ma Ba Tha for setting up schools nationwide to teach youngsters about the traditions of Burma and Buddhism. Whether we agree with Ma Ba Tha's ideology or not, it is a fact that it is a very powerful organization. Anti-Muslim sentiments spewed by Ma Ba Tha and Ashin Wirathu have been so fierce that even Burma's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi chose to keep silent amid the Rohingya massacres. Her party did not even dare field any Muslim candidates. Here in Thailand, the clergy are so weak that their nomination for the next supreme patriarch can simply be ignored by the government, as can their proposal for a state religion. They only have themselves to blame. Temple corruption, monk misconduct, luxurious lifestyles and the total inefficiency of the Sangha Council have resulted in declining public faith in the clergy, which is aggravated further by their meddling in divisive politics. The positive side to the clergy's downgrading is that while they strive to become as powerful as Ma Ba Tha, it will not be possible for them to become as destructive. Although the clergy tries to find scapegoats for its own problems by blaming other religions, any moves by the clergy to strengthen its own power through ultra-nationalism will always be tamed by opposing forces that do not exist in Burma. We need to avoid the lethal mix of ultra-nationalism, racism and religion currently spreading across Theravada Buddhist countries. What can save us from this destructive militancy is not the clergy's wisdom, but its own weaknesses. This article originally appeared in the Bangkok Post. Sanitsuda Ekachai is Bangkok Post's former editorial pages editor. The post Dangerous Path Toward Religious Extremism appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Blaze Tears Through Mandalay’s Mingalar Market Posted: 23 Mar 2016 01:15 AM PDT Scenes of the aftermath of a powerful fire at Mandalay Division's Mingalar Market on Tuesday. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — More than 200 shops were destroyed and many others partially burned in a powerful blaze in Mandalay's Mingalar Market on Tuesday. According to a statement by the City Municipal Department, some 480 shops are located in the main building of the three-story market, and half were completely razed. The fire broke out after the market closed Tuesday evening, preventing vendors from saving their goods. Despite the heavy deployment of fire brigades, the fire continued to gain intensity, resulting in firefighters on-site categorizing it as a sever Level 7 outbreak. According to Mandalay Division's Central Fire Brigade, seven firefighters as well as one Red Cross volunteer sustained minor injuries and have been hospitalized. "We estimate about 65 percent of the entire market was destroyed, according to our initial investigation. However, we are still looking into the cause of fire, the percentage of shops and apartments that were burned and the exact amount of goods that were destroyed," said Than Zaw Oo, a divisional officer with the Central Fire Brigade. While Mingalar market was turned into a three-story market venue in 1996, most of the shops are still on the ground and first floors, with the second floor primarily used for parking lots, offices and apartments for the municipal department's staff. Chief Minister of Mandalay Ye Myint visited the market place on Wednesday along with Mayor Aung Maung and called for a speedy clean-up process so that the market could be reopened as soon as possible. The mayor told The Irrawaddy that a temporary marketplace nearby would be opened once the investigation team had made the proper arrangements. "If the building is still in good shape and secure enough, we will re-open the market after minor renovations and cleaning. If not, we will have to think about rebuilding or major restoration work for the safety of the shop owners and their customers," Aung Maung said. Yet these shop owners are worried about a potentially time-consuming rebuilding process and how this might drive up the cost of securing a venue to sell their goods. When a market is rebuilt in Burma, contractors often sell back the new shops at higher prices. "We've lost everything we'd invested. We will not be able to buy back the new shops after they've been rebuilt. We don't want to rebuild the market if we'll only suffer as a result," said Thwe Thwe San, whose grocery store was lost in the fire. In February, The Irrawaddy reported the loss of over 300 homes due to a fire in Tenasserim Division's Palaw Township and the displacement of over 1,200 people after a blaze tore through Namhsan Township in northern Shan State. In January, more than 1,600 shops were destroyed in a blaze in another Mingalar Market, in Rangoon. The post Blaze Tears Through Mandalay's Mingalar Market appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Book Review—‘Understanding Reform in Myanmar’ Posted: 23 Mar 2016 01:02 AM PDT The cover of "Understanding Reform in Myanmar: People and Society in the Wake of Military Rule" by Marie Lall, published in 2016 by London-based Hurst Publishers. (Photo: Hurst Publishers) Since mid-2011, Burma has been going through a profound—albeit contested—transition. Under President Thein Sein's leadership, the country has experienced widespread—though at times uneven—reforms, including the release of most (but not all) political prisoners, a greatly improved climate for freedom of speech and association, economic and social changes such as the suspension of the Myitsone dam project in October 2011, the resurgence of civil society and the start of an as-yet incomplete peace process between the state government and Burma Army on the one hand, and some two dozen ethnic armed groups on the other. The roaring victory by the National League for Democracy (NLD) in November's general election seems set to entrench this change with a new government, led by NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, to take up the mantle of political leadership on April 1. For the first time in more than a half-century, Burma will have a chiefly civilian government. While many challenges lie ahead, the country has made moves down a more democratic path. "Understanding Reform in Myanmar: People and Society in the Wake of Military Rule," a new book by Marie Lall, a professor of education and South Asian studies at the University College London's Institute of Education, seeks to explain this rebirth (full disclosure: Lall is my colleague). Wherever Burma may be heading, it is unlikely to become a Western-style liberal democracy in the near future. As Lall points out, "what is happening in Myanmar cannot be measured by Western standards, but rather judged by local and Southeast Asian views." Lall provides such an assessment. Her book gives a detailed account of the past five years, tracing how Burma has gotten as far as it has. She sees the roots of the country's transition as having grown out of the spaces that emerged following the 2004 purge of ex-intelligence chief Gen Khin Nyunt. Her underlying thesis is that a group of Burmese civil society actors (so-called "third force" actors), led by the late Nay Win Maung, played a key role in steering a course between the NLD-led opposition and the military government, which, in turn, nudged Burma in the direction of opening and ultimately reform. Following the 2007 Saffron Revolution and the trauma of Cyclone Nargis the following year, this group of well-connected political and social activists worked within the constraints of the 2008 Constitution to ramp up a capacity for change in the country. For Lall, Nay Win Maung and his colleagues at the Myanmar Egress deserve much of the credit for spurring this change before and after the 2010 elections. According to this reading, the transition in Burma is primarily indigenous, driven by a need for an escape ("egress") from decades of military (mis)rule and by the passion and vision of a small group of Burmese society activists. One might question whether the Myanmar Egress guys (and they are mostly men) can really be described as a part of civil society, given their cozy business and government connections. For me, Lall somewhat overplays the role of Myanmar Egress, which later gave birth to the Myanmar Peace Center that opened in late 2012. Both institutions have been hugely influential in the country's transition. Yet other factors should also be taken into account. For instance, Lall correctly observes that one of the reformers' main motivations was to reorient Burma's international position away from dependence on Chinese patronage and protection (e.g., in the UN Security Council) and toward better relations with the West (particularly with the United States). While she seems to downplay the importance of international sanctions, it would actually appear that external pressure on the military junta was in fact crucial in promoting and encouraging policy shifts among the generals. Still, Lall's thesis is compelling, and it is important to recognize the significant hand had by different actors in encouraging change. This book therefore provides a critical window for anyone seeking to look into understanding recent events in Burma It is packed with information from many published and unpublished sources. Particularly valuable is the insight gained from first-hand observation of the dynamics of change in Burma. Bold and incisive, this book is built around key topics, such as national reconciliation between the government and the NLD, the 2010 and 2015 elections, the peace process, economic and education reform and the rise of Buddhist nationalism. It also dives into some of the challenges awaiting the NLD, including constitutional reform, a fragmented peace process and stemming a rampant drug trade. Such well-researched and even-handed analysis of Burmese politics is quite rare, making this book a welcome contribution to the already sprawling literature on transition in Burma. Lall ends by saying that "the military will remain an important stakeholder in the political and social process" in the years ahead, regardless of what domestic and international stakeholders desire. Her point is clear: While this is a time of celebration, with the NLD soon to take charge, reform will not come as rapidly as some predict and others hope.  Ashley South is an analyst and consultant focused on political issues in Southeast Asia and Burma. He was also an advisor to the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative (MPSI). The post Book Review—'Understanding Reform in Myanmar' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘Corruption Is A Hindrance to National Development’: Ministerial Nominee Posted: 22 Mar 2016 07:31 PM PDT Kyaw Win, NLD nominee for the Ministry of Planning and Finance. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy) Kyaw Win, slated to be Burma's next Planning and Finance Minister, was born in Labutta Township in Irrawaddy Division and graduated with a degree in economics before embarking on a 20-year career with the National Planning Ministry in 1972. He then transferred to the Internal Revenue Department, where he remained for over six years before resigning to embark on work as a business consultant. He also served as a senior lecturer at the Myanmar Computer Company, Ltd. Kyaw Win spoke with The Irrawaddy about his new role, his political affiliations, and his expectations as a government minister. When did you join NLD? The NLD has an economic committee. I have been an advisor to that committee for a year and a half. Why do you think the NLD has appointed you as a minister? The NLD leadership has a policy to put the right man in the right position. I think I am assigned because I deserve it. What ministerial position will you be assigned? I think it will be the National Planning and Finance Ministry. What reforms have you thought about initiating when you assume the ministerial position? I am familiar with the operation of the Planning Department and the Internal Revenue Department and know their strong and weak points. I will carry out reforms accordingly. Since corruption is more likely to happen in those ministries, I have to handle that first. As corruption serves as a hindrance to national development, I have to give extra attention to it. At the same time, we have to change the mindset of civil servants, boost their morale and motivate them to serve the country's interests. We just can't neglect them because they have faults. They have a big role to play in order to operate the ministry. So, we have to effectively turn them into good civil servants. If so, we will be able to make certain progress toward our goal. Will you have to bear greater responsibilities since you have to manage a merger of two formerly separate ministries? What difficulties do you expect? I don't think there will be much difficulty. However, we have to change the management system to be able to work effectively and broadly for the country. I will not just give instructions, but go down to the ground level and try to learn what is happening there. I will satisfy the needs on the ground. Will you try to amend the outdated laws? I have to. Some laws need small changes and some need big ones. We have to amend the laws for the benefit of the country and also to meet modern times in this age of globalization. A law can't be in force forever once enacted. We have yet to improve the banking sector as well as the capital market. There are permanent secretaries at ministries. They worked under old systems. What will be the difficulties in cooperating with them? We'll make them understand that we'll cooperate with anyone today, whoever they are, and whatever they did in the past. They have big roles to play. We'll value such staff. We will assign them roles to play, and devolve responsibility. We will fulfill all of their requirements. If we can do that, it will be good for all of us. If they only support a cause or a party or an organization and do not think much about the interests of the people and the country, we will split with them if necessary. It all depends on them, their personal attitude. We will not leave anyone behind. We will bring them along with us for the sake of the country, for the sake of the people. What do you want to tell the people? I was elected as a people's representatives to the Parliament because they trust in us, and now I am assigned a minister position, and I am proud of this. I will turn 68 tomorrow and I am proud to fulfill this duty at 68 years old. I've prepared to serve the country and the people, using the expertise and experience from my entire life. I will devote all my time to the country, to the people. This article was translated by Thet Ko Ko. The post 'Corruption Is A Hindrance to National Development': Ministerial Nominee appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Locals Embrace the Heat at Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda Festival Posted: 22 Mar 2016 05:00 PM PDT Click to view slideshow. MANDALAY — Despite scorching heat, Mandalay locals gathered on Tuesday at Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda, about 15 miles southeast of town, to celebrate the annual festival of the centuries-old pagoda. The annual festival of Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda is one of the biggest pagoda festivals in Mandalay Division and thousands of people travel from around the country to partake. It is held for most of the month of March, with the busiest day falling on the full moon day of Tabaung, according to the Burmese calendar, which comes on Wednesday this year. Street stalls selling local snacks and clothing lined the street leading to the pagoda, which was covered with a cloud of dust. Many vendors sold the festival trademark, colorful handmade necklaces with leafy beads, woven from dried palm fronds. Almost every festivalgoer wore these signature necklaces, while children could be seen holding golden fish toys, also woven from palm fronds. At nearby Na Daung Kya stream, people of all ages took a dip, to relieve their tiredness and take a break from the heat. The legend of Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda, which rests on the bank of Na Daung Kya stream, a Myitnge River tributary, is a link to Pagan era, during which King Anawrahta ruled the Pagan Dynasty. According to legend, Sao Mon Hla, a Shan Princess who later become a queen and wife of King Anawrahta, crossed a stream that flowed into the Myitnge River, on her way back to her birthplace, Sae Lant village in Northern Shan State. One of her earrings, which enshrined a relic of the Buddha, dropped into the stream and dozens of golden sparrows appeared and encircled the spot where the earring fell. The stream received the name, Na Daung Kya, which translates to "the earring fell into." Sao Mon Hla built a small pagoda near the riverbank, preserving her earrings and the Buddha relic, with its façade facing east toward her birthplace in Shan State. When King Anawrahta heard the news, soldiers were dispatched and ordered to kill Sao Mon Hla if the façade of the pagoda faced east, and to set her free if it faced west, where Pagan is located. Sao Mon Hla heard the news, and in order to save herself, made a solemn wish and used her emerald shawl to turn the pagoda to face directly between east and west. The legend says that the princess was set free after the soldiers saw that the pagoda wasn't facing Shan State, and the pagoda was named Shwe Sar Yan, which translates to "encircled by golden sparrows." Some believe Sao Mon Hla, who passed away at her home near Hsipaw, along with her brother, became spirits who protect the Pagan-style pagoda to this day. There is a small memorial palace near the pagoda, which has a statue of Sao Mon Hla and her brother. Some people believe it is a shrine for the spirits and that if they make offerings, the spirits will bless them. Paying respect to the spirits of Sao Mon Hla and her brother at Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda has drawn more visitors than other pagoda festivals. There is a local saying about this festival that says one may not accomplish paying tribute to the pagoda, especially during the festival, until enjoying a dip in Na Daung Kya stream, wearing a palm frond necklace, and paying respects to the spirits of Sao Mon Hla and her brother. The post Locals Embrace the Heat at Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda Festival appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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National News

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• NLD leader takes four cabinet posts
• Civil society groups demand halt to Hpakant jade mining
• Aid groups urge new focus on IDPs
• Two new drugs launched ahead of World TB Day
• Parliament opposition leaves two more flyovers in doubt
• Vet association protests planned market project
• YCDC planner targets 30 percent parkland
• Mandalay Hill to get more parking
• Who’s who: Myanmar’s new cabinet
• Expert opinions: Myanmar’s next government

NLD leader takes four cabinet posts Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is to take four ministerial positions in the new government, with the National League for Democracy intending to make up one-third of the proposed 18-member cabinet and hand key portfolios to allied politicians and technocrats.

Civil society groups demand halt to Hpakant jade mining Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Civil society organisations meeting in the Kachin State mining town of Hpakant have called for a suspension of all jade mining projects, saying the industry is costing lives, ruining the environment and fuelling conflict.

Aid groups urge new focus on IDPs Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT A network of local NGOs has called for improved coordination of aid and relief to tens of thousands of displaced people in Kachin and northern Shan states.

Two new drugs launched ahead of World TB Day Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Myanmar will have cause to celebrate World Tuberculosis Day tomorrow, as health organisations start attacking some of the most difficult-to- cure forms the disease with two new drugs.

Parliament opposition leaves two more flyovers in doubt Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Two expensive flyovers budgeted for Yangon should be scrapped amid criticism over the portion of public funding dedicated to the projects, a parliamentary committee said yesterday.

Vet association protests planned market project Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT The Myanmar Veterinary Association says it will lobby parliament to halt a planned development on state-owned land in Insein township.

YCDC planner targets 30 percent parkland Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT It isn't easy keeping Yangon green, what with the heat, developers' voracious appetite for empty land, and the council's lack of resources. But municipal officials say they are hopeful they can more than double the amount of green space in Yangon under a new zoning plan, taking the figure up to 30 percent.

Mandalay Hill to get more parking Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT The growing number of visitors to Mandalay Hill's pagoda has forced trustees to expand parking at the site in an effort to improve safety.

Who’s who: Myanmar’s new cabinet Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Take a look inside the National League for Democracy's new proposed government with insider profiles of the party's 18 candidates for ministerial posts.

Expert opinions: Myanmar’s next government Posted: 22 Mar 2016 02:30 PM PDT Experts, analysts, and advisors weigh in on the National League for Democracy's selection of cabinet ministers for the next government, revealed yesterday.

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Shan Herald Agency for News

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Burma Army arrests 72 in drug rehab raid in Shan State Posted: 22 Mar 2016 09:48 PM PDT The Burma Army arrested 72 people at a drug rehabilitation facility in northern Shan State's Muse Township on Sunday, most of those arrested were treatment centre patients, who stand accused of being involved in the drug trade, according to treatment centre staff. According to Sai Kwan, who worked as a volunteer at the centre in Zerngtai village in Muse Township, the Burma Army's Division 88 was the unit that made the arrests.  More than 50 soldiers were said to have been involved in the arrests. "At about 5 a.m. in the morning, the Burma Army came into the centre and arrested 65 people and 7 staff" Sai Kwan said. Those arrested included Sai Chit Ngwe, head of the rehabilitation centre.  Others arrested included Sai Sarm Bee, the headman of village tract No. 3 and Sai Ai Aung, the headman of Zerngtai village tract. "They accused the villagers of producing and trading drugs," Sai Kwan said. "This center is a rehabilitation center. The people living here were brought to treat their illness", Sai Kwan explained. "We do not produce any drugs. We only make paper", he said.  A reference to Ghost Money used in traditional Chinese funerals.  The accused are being held in a prison in Muse Township.  They appeared before court on March 22. Further details of their court appearance are not yet available. Sai Chit Ngwe, the head of the rehabilitation centre who also serves as the headman of a village known as Village 19, was detained but then eventually released.  He called for all the people picked up during the raid to be released. "They must release all of them," he said. "I will not go home unless they release them," he explained. The drug rehabilitation centre was established 16 years by Sai Chit Ngwe.  He established the centre with funds from villagers and donors.  The centre does not receive support from the government. BY SAI AW / Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

Dr. Shashi Tharoor to release Dr. Nehginpao Kipgen’s book Posted: 22 Mar 2016 07:48 PM PDT Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament and former United Nations Under-Secretary-General, will formally release the book titled 'Democratization of Myanmar' at 4:00 pm (local time) at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on March 28, 2016. The book release will be followed by a panel discussion, and Q & A session.   Invited panelists include Preet Malik, former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar, Dr. Gunveena Chadha, Assistant Secretary General, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Dr. Sonu Trivedi, Assistant Professor, Delhi University, Dr. Udai Bhanu Singh, Senior Research Associate, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), and Dr. Khriezo Yhome, Research Fellow, Observer Research Foundation (ORF).   Dr. Kipgen, author of the book, is Assistant Professor and Executive Director of Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University. Dr. Kipgen has published three books, 15 peer-reviewed journal articles, and over 120 articles in various leading international newspapers and magazines in over 30 countries across five continents – Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, North America.   While extending invitation to friends and researchers, Dr. Kipgen said, "With a civilian government assuming power on April 1 for the first time after more than five decades of military rule in Myanmar, the event becomes even more significant."   According to the publisher (Routledge/Taylor & Francis), the book "studies the process of democratic transition in Myanmar. It outlines the factors that contributed to the political transition in the country and the circumstances in which the transition from military rule of nearly five decades to democracy took place…will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of Asian and Southeast Asian Studies, politics and political processes, democratization process and democratic transitions, international relations, peace and conflict studies…"   Kukiforum News www.kukiforum.com http://kukiforum.com/2016/03/dr-shashi-tharoor-to-release-dr-nehginpao-kipgens-book/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kuki-International-Forum/640552049301144

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The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• In Arakan State, Resource Control Fuels Conflict
• Former Generals, a Hotelier and More in Suu Kyi Cabinet
• Ten Things To Do In Rangoon This Week
• Who Will Control the NDSC?
• Are New Ministers an Auspicious Sign For Burma’s Businesses?
• The Shape of Things to Come
• New Portfolio, Old Political Hand for Ethnic Affairs Post
• Taiwan Security Agency Says China’s Gambia Gambit Meant to Pressure President
• US Says Burma Persecutes Rohingya, but Not Genocide
• Breaking Taboo, Hindu Widows Celebrate Festival of Colors
• Suu Kyi Listed Among NLD Cabinet Nominees
• The ‘Butterfly Book’: A Look into Burma’s Colonial Past

In Arakan State, Resource Control Fuels Conflict Posted: 22 Mar 2016 07:18 AM PDT A jetty for oil tankers is seen in Kyaukphyu Township, Arakan State in October 2015, where oil and gas pipelines connect southwestern China with the Indian Ocean. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — In a new report, Arakan Oil Watch (AOW) has urged Burma's incoming government to amend the Constitution in an effort to quell tensions between the military and the country's ethnic armed groups. "Breaking the Curse," released on Tuesday by the environmental non-government organization, describes the "decentralization of natural resource management" as "key to ending the conflict and 'resource curse'" in Burma. The problem's legislative roots can be traced to two constitutional articles: 37(a) and (b), according to AOW. Article 37(a) stipulates that the national government is the owner of all lands and all natural resources both above and below ground and water, while 37(b) says that the government can enact necessary laws to supervise the extraction and utilization of state-owned resources. Kyaw Khine, AOW's director, explained that if the government were to amend these two articles, states and regions would be able to manage their own natural resources. This, he argues, would contribute to greater self-determination for Burma's ethnic states and potentially de-escalate the country's decades-long civil war. Specifically, "gas and jade projects should be postponed until the existing laws have been amended," he said. There have been several natural resource projects pursued in Arakan State, including titanium and marble mining, offshore gas projects and the construction of deep-sea ports. Local civil society groups in the region have also urged lawmakers to delay development of the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone, led by the Chinese state-owned conglomerate CITIC (China International Trust and Investment Corporation), because of potentially negative environmental impacts and a lack of transparency. Tun Kyi, secretary of the Kyaukphyu Rural Development Association, a local AOW partner, echoed Kyaw Khine's concern over links between ethnic clashes and control of resources. "We [ethnic groups] want to know how the government is spending the budget," Tun Kyi said at the conference. "Our [Arakanese] situation is like government enslavement." AOW has been working to expose violations of human and environmental rights by the extractive industries since 2006. According to Kyaw Khine, no political parties in the region have submitted a proposal that would call on the government to amend articles 37(a) and (b) of the 2008 Constitution. The post In Arakan State, Resource Control Fuels Conflict appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Former Generals, a Hotelier and More in Suu Kyi Cabinet Posted: 22 Mar 2016 06:20 AM PDT A lawmaker partially obscures a sitting of the Union Parliament in Naypyidaw on Tuesday. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — With 18 names put forward for 21 ministerial posts on Tuesday, the National League for Democracy has included a diverse but male-dominated array of technocrats, ethnic minorities, NLD loyalists and others not sworn to the party, evening selecting two members of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) for the incoming cabinet. From the USDP, Thein Swe, a party secretary, and the former central executive committee member Thura Aung Ko secured the blessing of NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party had said members of the outgoing ruling party would be considered for cabinet slots in a "national reconciliation" government. Five experts and technocrats, seven NLD members—most prominently Suu Kyi, who is expected to take four portfolios—one ethnic party leader and three military selections round out the proposed cabinet. With the NLD failing to explicitly assign any of the 18 names to specific ministries, speculation has focused on what formal role or roles Suu Kyi will play in a government that she has said she will ultimately lead through her chosen proxy, President-elect Htin Kyaw. According to NLD sources in Naypyidaw, Suu Kyi will take four portfolios: the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Electric Power and Energy, and Education, as well as the recently streamlined cabinet's President's Office ministerial post. The Foreign Affairs Ministry was tipped in recent weeks as a likely Suu Kyi choice, affording her a seat on the powerful National Defense and Security Council (NDSC). While a clearer picture may not be offered until Thursday, when lawmakers will discuss the proposed cabinet, several of the nominees have been confirmed for specific assignments. The Lady's Men One demographic that fared particularly poorly was women: Suu Kyi is the lone female cabinet member. The party did a far better job in female representation for last year's election, when nearly 15 percent of its candidates were women. The five experts and technocrats are tipped to head up ministries covering the environment, industry, health, construction and media. In terms of partisanship, two non-NLD parties were given cabinet seats, with Nai Thet Lwin of the Mon National Party assigned the Ethnic Affairs minister post, and the aforementioned USDP duo. Thein Swe, a former major-general turned Lower House lawmaker representing the Ann Township constituency, won re-election to the same Arakan State seat in Burma's Nov. 8 general election. The 67-year-old has been picked to lead the Ministry of Labor, Population and Immigration. He was a minister of Transport from 2004-10, under Burma's former military regime, and prior to that served as minister of the Prime Minister's Office from 2003-04. Thein Swe told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the NLD was acting in accordance with its policy of collaborating with different parties, individuals and experts in the aftermath of its landslide election win last year. "As our party's policy dictates, we are ready to work together for the national interest," he said of his USDP affiliation, adding: "Now our collaboration will bring betterment of the state and the people." Thura Aung Ko, who was purged from the USDP leadership along with former parliamentary Speaker Shwe Mann in August last year, is tipped to head the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture. The 68-year-old is a former brigadier-general turned lawmaker, who served as deputy minister of Religious Affairs under military rule, which ended in 2011. He lost to his NLD opponent by a razor-thin margin of 49 votes in the November election, in Chin State's Kanpalet constituency. Among lawmakers for the military-backed USDP, Thura Aung Ko developed a reputation as one of the bloc's more pro-reform lawmakers, late last year voicing support for a suspension of Article 59(f), the constitutional clause that bars Suu Kyi from the presidency because her two sons hold British passports. The political analyst Aung Thu Nyein, who works as a freelance governance consultant, said the nomination of representatives from outside the NLD's ranks would be viewed favorably in the name of "national unity," even if that meant former generals turned politicians. "As the NLD and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi have won the public trust, the public has reacted positively to whatever her arrangements [including USDP cabinet members]," he told The Irrawaddy. That being said, "checks and balances on the cabinet, and the efficiency of the ministerial departments, are the key to successful governance," Aung Thu Nyein added. The analyst said he did not expect rapid change or improvements under the new administration, but rather gradual reform as the ministers-in-waiting grow more comfortable with their roles and responsibilities. Asked about the possibility of Suu Kyi taking four portfolios, Aung Thu Nyein said: "If it happens, it would be due to the uniqueness of the 2008 military-backed Constitution." Part of that "uniqueness" allows the Burma Army to select three ministers for the security portfolios of Defense, Home Affairs and Border Affairs. On Tuesday, the names of a trio of lieutenant-generals, Sein Win, Kyaw Swe and Ye Aung, were included in the cabinet roster, and they are expected to take the respective ministerial posts. Analysts have noted that these ministers' ability and willingness to work with Suu Kyi will be critical to the success of the NLD's five-year term. Writer, Hotelier Among Others Pe Myint is the odds on favorite to serve as the country's next Information minister, a post in which he will be responsible for reforming an institution that for years has been synonymous with government propaganda. The NLD has not offered specifics on the Information Ministry's future, but reforms could include privatization of the three state-run dailies it currently prints. Born in 1949 in Thandwe, Arakan State, the ethnic Arakanese is a well-known writer and chief editor of Pyithu Ayay (People's Affairs), a weekly journal focused on political issues. He is also the vice chairman of the Myanmar Press Council. Pe Myint graduated from the Rangoon Medical College in 1975 and worked as a general practitioner for more than a decade before transitioning into the realms of literature and media. The retired CEO of a resort hotel at Shan State's Inle Lake was named the next minister of Hotels and Tourism. A family member confirmed to The Irrawaddy that Ohn Maung, the former CEO of Inle Princess Resort, internationally known for its corporate social responsibility initiatives and eco-tourism practices, was picked to handle a portfolio covering an industry that generates a major share of the country's foreign exchange and is expecting continued rapid grow in the coming years. "I think he was picked for his 40 years of experience in the hotel and tourism sector. But when it comes to making decisions, he will seek advice from experts to make the best judgment, I think," said the family member. Ohn Maung was not available for comment on Tuesday. Ohn Maung, 68, is an NLD member and was an elected lawmaker from his native Nyaung Shwe in Southern Shan State during the 1990 election. He is no stranger to the tourism industry, starting the first and at the time only guesthouse in the town in 1976. In 1998, his family opened the Inle Princess at a quiet inlet on the eastern shore of the lake, still one of the first hotels on the lake at the time. Managing the nation's coffers will be Kyaw Win, tapped to serve as minister of Planning and Finance after a decades-long career in the civil service that dates back to 1972. He pointed to his lengthy career in the National Planning Ministry and later Internal Revenue Department as reason for his selection. "The NLD leadership have a policy to put the right man in the right place. I think I was assigned because I deserve it," he told The Irrawaddy. Htet Naing Zaw contributed reporting from Naypyidaw. The post Former Generals, a Hotelier and More in Suu Kyi Cabinet appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things To Do In Rangoon This Week Posted: 22 Mar 2016 06:13 AM PDT Photography World Press Photo Exhibition World Press Photo, an independent non-profit organization founded in the Netherlands, organizes the world's largest and most prestigious annual press photography contest. The prize-winning photographs are assembled into this traveling exhibition, which is visited by over 3.5 million people in more than 90 cities in 45 different countries. The exhibition has reached Rangoon with the support of the Dutch embassy in Burma. Where: Institut Français de Birmanie, at 340, Pyay Road, Sanchaung Tsp. Tel: 01 536 900 / 537 122 / 535 428 When: Saturday, March 19 until Thursday, March 31. Open from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Music Ko Ye Lwin To mark the golden anniversary of his musical career, Ko Ye Lwin (of Mizzima Hline Band, Pan Ye Lan) will stage a free musical show. Dozens of vocalists will join him in entertaining with the Mizzima Music Band. Where: People's Park When: Saturday, March 26. Starts at 6:30 p.m. The Evolution—The Time Machine Myanmar Beer will stage a music show called "The Evolution—The Time Machine." Popular singers including R. Zarni, Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein, Sandi Myint Lwin, Wai Su Khaing Thein, and J Me will be at the show. The ticket price is 6,000 kyats per person. Where: Myaw Sin Kyun, Kandawgyi Park When: Saturday, March 26. Starts at 5:00 p.m. Literature Books for Children Festival Seikku Cho Cho Publishing House is holding the Books for Children Festival at its bookshops in Rangoon and Mandalay, selling children's books at 10-20 percent discounts. Children's books published by Quality, Myit Moh May May, Su Pyae Sone Tun, Pin Wa Yone, Mone Yway and Duwun are also on sale. Where: Seikku Cho Cho book shops in Rangoon and Mandalay. Tel: 01-542 973, 01-700302 When: Saturday, March 19 to Sunday, March 27. Variety Shows Fundraising Theater A variety show will be held at the National Theater and proceeds will go to a home for the aged which is dedicated to elderly artists. Artists, actors, Myanmar traditional dancers, writers, and musicians will join the charity show. Paintings will also be on sale at the charity show. Where: National Theater at Myoma Kyaung Road, Dagon Tsp: 01-382489 When: Friday, March 25. Food Thingyan Food Fair Festival Food stalls featuring Burmese, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean and Japanese dishes, as well as sweets, cakes and teas. Music performances start from 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and 4:00 p.m. on weekends. Where: Myanmar Plaza, No. 192 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Tsp. Tel:09-786999678 When: Friday, March 25 to Sunday, April 3. Arts 'New Page' Painting Exhibit Lokanat Gallery will host 'New Page,' where 29 artists will exhibit around 110 paintings, including acrylic, oil, watercolor and pastel works. The prices for the art range between US $100 and US$1,500. Where: Lokanat Galleries, 62 Pansodan St, 1st Floor, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel. 095-1382-269 When: Monday, March 21 until Friday, March 25. Time: 9:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m. Exhibition by Shine Lu Artist Shine Lu will exhibit his work at Nawaday Tharlar Gallery. Titled "Dozens Expressions," the exhibition will showcase 12 acrylic paintings whose prices range from US$2,500-3,000. Where: Nawady Tharlar Art Gallery at Room No. 304, 20/B, Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 09-43097918 When: Saturday, March 19 to Friday, March 25. Tabaung A group exhibition of 12 artists will be held in Ayerwon Art Gallery in Dagon Seikkan Township. A total of 40 works in acrylic, oil and watercolor will be on display. Where: Ayerwon Art Gallery at No. 903 – 904, U Ba Kyi Street, 58 Ward, Dagon Seikkan Tsp. Tel: 09-45005 7167 When: Saturday, March 26 to Wednesday, April 6. 1 Plus 7 Taste A group art exhibition titled "1 Plus 7 Taste" will be at 65 Art Gallery. A total of 50 works of acrylic, oil and watercolor will be on display and prices range from US$1,500 to US$7,000. Where: Gallery 65, at 65 Yaw Min Gyi St, Dagon Tsp. Tel: 01 246317 When: Saturday 26 to Wednesday 30 March. Time: 10:00 am-6:00 pm   The post Ten Things To Do In Rangoon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Who Will Control the NDSC? Posted: 22 Mar 2016 05:25 AM PDT Burma Army commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing looks at NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyidaw on April 10, 2015. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) With Aung San Suu Kyi on the list of cabinet nominees, there is widespread anticipation among her supporters regarding the ministerial role, or roles, she will undertake in the new government. On Monday, Parliament approved President-elect Htin Kyaw's proposal reducing the cabinet from 36 ministries to 21, with 18 ministers selected by the legislature and three appointed by the military. The Irrawaddy has long predicted that if Suu Kyi were constitutionally barred from the presidency, she would take up a position in the foreign ministry. In addition to this role, NLD insiders and the BBC Burmese service have reported that she could pursue additional cabinet positions within the ministries of energy and electric power, education and the president's office. Some say Suu Kyi, who has claimed to be "above the president," could become a "super minister," or even a prime minister—a position that does not yet exist within Burma's government structure, but could potentially be created with her in mind. With the exception of the foreign ministry role, a question remains: would she retain these positions for the duration of her term, or delegate them to other qualified persons in the future? Under Burma's past military regimes, the foreign minister post was deemed largely insignificant, but here it could serve as a platform for Suu Kyi to engage in fruitful dialogue, particularly with regional governments, and to receive visiting government officials who would prefer to meet with her over Htin Kyaw. The position of foreign minister is also noteworthy as it would give Suu Kyi a seat within the powerful executive body known as the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC). The council is comprised of 11 members including the president, two vice presidents, speakers of the upper house and lower houses, the army's commander in chief, the deputy commander in chief, the foreign minister, and the ministers for defense, home and border affairs. As things stand, the NLD will have five key members in the NDSC including Suu Kyi, if she is confirmed as foreign minister. President-elect Htin Kyaw, Vice President-elect Henry Van Thio, and the lower and upper house speakers, Win Myint and Mahn Win Khaing Than, respectively, are all party members. Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy. Yet the army will have a majority within the NDSC with six members. The military as an institution continues to control defense, home and border affairs ministries. Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has nominated generals to lead these bodies and thereby serve on the NDSC: Lt-Gen Sein Win, Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe and Lt-Gen Ye Aung. The military's nomination of Rangoon Chief Minister Myint Swe as vice president—and NDSC member—stirred up controversy as he is believed to be the mouthpiece of former dictator Snr-Gen Than Shwe's in the new government. Myint Swe's appointment comes just months after a supposedly cordial meeting between Suu Kyi and the former Snr-Gen Than Shwe in early December, raising more questions regarding the direction of the Lady's relationship with army leadership. Under outgoing President Thein Sein's administration, former generals and army leaders controlled the NDSC – one member, Lt-Gen Ko Ko, is the current minister for home affairs as well as a notorious Burma Army loyalist. These NDSC members represented the previous military regime and have long acted without opposition. This time, the NLD-backed president will retain ultimate executive authority in the council, but the NDSC can—with Htin Kyaw's cooperation—collectively declare a state of emergency in Burma and then exercise legislative, executive and judiciary powers after such a declaration. The NDSC will undoubtedly see itself splitting into two camps concerning national emergencies and other pressing issues, potentially fostering healthier debate, but more likely creating a political environment wrought with tension and resentment. The post Who Will Control the NDSC? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Are New Ministers an Auspicious Sign For Burma’s Businesses? Posted: 22 Mar 2016 05:14 AM PDT People walk by a construction site of new apartment buildings in Rangoon in November 2015. (Photo: Jorge Silva / Reuters) RANGOON — Burma's business community reacted positively as the Union Parliament released 18 names for cabinet positions on Tuesday. Among the national ministers listed are National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmakers Than Myint and Kyaw Win, who have been nominated for the positions of Minister of Commerce and Minister of National Planning and Finance, respectively. Than Myint, 72 years old, is currently the NLD chairman for Rangoon's Hlaing Tharyar Township and a lawmaker in the Lower House. He received a Bachelor's degree in economics from Rangoon University and completed graduate work in the United States. He has served in a number of positions within the Ministry of Finance, and joined the NLD in 2012. "He [Than Myint] is a member of the NLD's economic development committee and has a good background in economic affairs… so I believe he will work for this post," Aye Lwin, central executive committee member of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday. "Ministers must also implement the government's policies, which is another reason why I believe he can do this," Aye Lwin added, referring to Than Myint's NLD ties. The other candidate, Kyaw Win, 68 years old, is a business consultant and an NLD lawmaker for the Lower House representing Rangoon's Dagon Seikkan Township. He holds a Bachelor's degree in economics, as well as a doctorate. "I would welcome the national planning and finance ministries becoming one ministry since all national projects are related to finance. He [Kyaw Win] would be able to control such a ministry because he has solid experience with businesses," Aye Lwin said. Yet both nominees are essentially unknown within Burma's business community. "I don't know either of them, but [the NLD] will make policies, and they will follow them. We still have to see how to build a good system, but what I can say now is that they [Than Myint and Kyaw Win] must be honest, unlike previous ministers," Chit Khine, chairman of the Eden Group of Companies, told The Irrawaddy. Maung Maung Lay, vice chairman of the UMFCCI, echoed Chit Khine's optimism. "The Ministry of Commerce already has some good policies, so the next government should maintain these policies while also, for instance, trying to curtail red tape. The minister must be able to work with all government staff members more efficiently," he said. "Crafting good policy while also following the law and regulations will be important in the new government era." The incoming NLD government revealed 18 names for cabinet positions for 21 ministries, though the specific assignments for the ministerial posts have not all been disclosed. The post Are New Ministers an Auspicious Sign For Burma's Businesses? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Shape of Things to Come Posted: 22 Mar 2016 04:47 AM PDT The post The Shape of Things to Come appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Portfolio, Old Political Hand for Ethnic Affairs Post Posted: 22 Mar 2016 03:17 AM PDT Nai Thet Lwin, left, vice chairman of the Mon National Party, was nominated on Tuesday to serve as ethnic affairs minister. (Photo: Mon National Party / Facebook) RANGOON — Nai Thet Lwin has been nominated to act as the incoming National League for Democracy (NLD) government's minister of ethnic affairs, a newly created portfolio that supporters in Burma hope will help further national reconciliation in the diverse nation of nearly 52 million people. An ethnic Mon who is vice chairman of the Mon National Party (MNP), Nai Thet Lwin's name appeared on a list of 18 Union-level ministers announced in Parliament on Tuesday. Though the NLD did not offer specifics on who would take on which of the 21 ministries making up the incoming government's cabinet, Nai Thet Lwin's daughter confirmed that the 76-year-old has been tapped to lead the Ethnic Affairs Ministry. "My father will do the best he can with this position offered him," Mi Kon Chan told The Irrawaddy. A longtime politician committed to equal rights for Burma's ethnic minorities, Nai Thet Lwin is well-respected in Mon circles. Born in a small village in Kawkareik Township, Karen State, Nai Thet Lwin attended Moulmein University in neighboring Mon State, where he became involved in underground resistance to the ethnic Burman-dominated government of the late dictator Gen. Ne Win. He graduated with a degree in philosophy in 1970 and spent several years teaching and advocating for the preservation of Mon literature and culture before committing more fully to his people's struggle for self-determination. According to Nai Soe Myint, general secretary of the MNP, he allowed Mon politicians to establish a political party office at his home ahead of Burma's 1988 pro-democracy uprising. That party, the Mon National Democratic Front, would go on to win five seats in a 1990 general election that the military government nullified. The regime dissolved the party, in which Nai Thet Lwin was vice chairman, in 1992 and imprisoned many of its members. Nai Thet Lwin did not contest the 1990 vote and avoided imprisonment. The MNP was formed in 2012 as a reincarnation of the former MNDF. Nai Thet Lwin has since served as vice chairman of the MNP, though he again opted not to run in last year's general election. His party is a member of the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA), a grouping of ethnic political parties that contested the 1990 election. He is believed to have maintained close ties with the New Mon State Party, an ethnic armed group that abstained from the signing of a so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement on Oct. 15 of last year. Nai Thet Lwin's daughter Mi Kon Chan, who was elected to Parliament for the NLD, said it was too early to know how effective the Ethnic Affairs Ministry would be, but she highlighted equal rights and peace as priorities. "It is time for our ethnic [minorities] to work toward having equal rights," said the lawmaker, who represents Mon State's Paung Township in the Lower House. "We have been expecting to have this chance for a long time." The NLD-dominated Parliament is expected to discuss the proposed cabinet roster on Thursday. Tuesday's nominations were ostensibly put forward by President-elect Htin Kyaw, who was chosen by NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi to serve as her proxy leader of the incoming government. The post New Portfolio, Old Political Hand for Ethnic Affairs Post appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Taiwan Security Agency Says China’s Gambia Gambit Meant to Pressure President Posted: 21 Mar 2016 11:00 PM PDT China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) shakes hand with his Gambian counterpart Neneh Macdouall-Gaye at a signing ceremony in Beijing, China, March 17, 2016. (Photo: China Daily / Reuters) TAIPEI — Taiwan's top security agency said on Monday China's establishment of diplomatic ties with one of the island's former African allies was meant to put pressure on President-elect Tsai Ing-wen to "fall in line" before her inauguration on May 20. China resumed ties with the small west African state of Gambia last week, ending an unofficial diplomatic truce between China and Taiwan following landslide wins in presidential and parliamentary elections by Tsai and her pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party. Gambia was one of only a few African countries, along with Burkina Faso, Swaziland and São Tomé and Príncipe, to recognize Taiwan, which China regards as a wayward province to be recovered by force if necessary. Taiwan has only 22 allies in the world, including the Vatican City. China and Taiwan have for years tried to poach each other's allies, often dangling generous aid packages in front of leaders of developing nations. On Monday, Taiwan's normally secretive National Security Bureau said in a report presented to parliament the island's ties with its few remaining diplomatic allies were at risk of being undermined by financial aid packages from China. "The warning to our new government was thick with meaning," the bureau said in its report. "It had the intention of pressuring President-elect Tsai Ing-wen to respond in her May 20 inaugural speech in a way that falls in line with China's expectations," the bureau said. Tsai said in an interview carried by one of Taiwan's biggest dailies, the China Times, on Monday that both sides should show goodwill in the period before she is sworn in. "Through the expression of goodwill, the hope is to build a foundation of trust," Tsai said. She said through a spokesman last week she hoped the Gambia case was not a "targeted move" by China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the resumption of diplomatic ties with Gambia was "not aimed at any person." Hua also warned the United States not to "put in a good word" for Taiwan, after US President Barack Obama signed a bill supporting Taiwan's participation in Interpol. Hua said Interpol was a body only sovereign nations could join. China has repeatedly warned Tsai against any moves towards independence, while Tsai has stuck to her stance of maintaining the status quo without offering a clear policy. Gambia broke its ties with Taiwan in 2013, but did not immediately establish ties with China. The post Taiwan Security Agency Says China's Gambia Gambit Meant to Pressure President appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

US Says Burma Persecutes Rohingya, but Not Genocide Posted: 21 Mar 2016 10:53 PM PDT Rohingya Muslim men ride their bicycles past a railway line near a displacement camp outside Sitttwe, Arakan State, in November 2015. (Photo: Sai Aung Min / Reuters) WASHINGTON — The US State Department said Monday it had determined that Burma is persecuting its Rohingya Muslims, but the government's treatment of the religious minority group does not constitute genocide. "While it's without question that they continue to face persecution, we did not determine that it was on the level of genocide," State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters. In a report to Congress seen by Reuters, the State Department said the US government is "gravely concerned" about abuses against the Rohingya, but did not determine that they constitute mass atrocities. Tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled poverty and persecution in western Burma since religious violence erupted there in 2012, prompting international calls for investigation into what some called "strong evidence" of genocide. The United Nations and European Union said on Monday hope that conditions would improve under Aung San Suu Kyi's new government has contributed to a slowdown in the number of migrants fleeing to Thailand and beyond. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) is forming a government that will take power on April 1, but she and the NLD have been criticized for saying little about how they will address the Rohingya's situation in Arakan State, where about 140,000 people remain in camps. Congress passed legislation last year directing Secretary of State John Kerry to consult with governments and rights organizations and report to lawmakers on whether Buddhist extremists in Burma had committed atrocities against the Rohingya. It gave Kerry until March 17 to report back and also to report on whether atrocities committed by Islamist extremists against Christians and other religious groups should be considered mass atrocities or genocide under US law. Kerry told reporters on Thursday that Islamic State has committed genocide against Christians, Yazidis and Shi'ite Muslims. But Kerry did not release the report addressing Islamic State and the Rohingya. The report to Congress said Islamic State is responsible for crimes against humanity, but it does not make that determination for Burma. "Meanwhile, we remain concerned about current acts that constitute persecution of and discrimination against members of the Rohingya population in Burma," the report said. In 2012, it said conflict led to the deaths of nearly 200 Rohingya and the displacement of 140,000 people. Incidents of violence against Rohingya individuals continued from 2013-15, it said. The report also found little public support in Burma for the rights of the Rohingya population, and recognized that some Buddhist leaders inflamed anti-Muslim sentiment through hate speech. It called on the government of Burma "to pursue comprehensive and just solutions," including addressing human rights abuses, upholding rule of law, allowing access by aid groups and developing a path to citizenship or restoring citizenship to stateless people, including Rohingya. The post US Says Burma Persecutes Rohingya, but Not Genocide appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Breaking Taboo, Hindu Widows Celebrate Festival of Colors Posted: 21 Mar 2016 10:45 PM PDT Widows daubed in colors dance as they take part in the Holi celebrations in Vrindavan, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, March 21, 2016. (Photo: Anindito Mukherjee / Reuters) VRINDAVAN, India — Aruna Samaddar threw fistfuls of colored powder into the air. Blue and red and green, the cheerful colors settled on her white sari and all over other women nearby. In most of India, widows like Samaddar have no place in this joyful celebration of Holi, the Hindu festival of colors. The country's millions of observant Hindu widows are expected to live out their days in quiet worship, dressed only in white. They are typically barred from all religious festivities because their very presence is considered inauspicious. So for Samaddar, Monday's celebration was a joy long denied. "I am so happy. I am playing Holi after 12 years. I am happy, very happy," said Samaddar, who appeared to be in her early 30s. The powder made her white sari and those of the widows around her shimmer in myriad colors. So deep is the ostracization of widows that they're often shunned by their families and forced to seek shelter in temples. The holy city of Vrindavan, in India's Uttar Pradesh state, is known as the City of Widows because it has given so many women shelter. And in recent years, widows have found a bit of color and joy here as well. Aid group Sulabh International has been organizing regular Holi celebrations in Vrindavan since 2013. Samaddar and more than 1,000 other widows gathered in the courtyard of one of the city's oldest temples—devoted to Krishna, the most playful of the Hindu gods. The festival of Holi falls on Thursday this year, but in Vrindavan and many other parts of the country, the playing of colors begins a week ahead. Hindu priests chanted religious verses as hundreds of widows splashed colored powders and played with water pistols filled with colored water. Showers of flower petals filled the air. As loud music blasted, the younger women jostled with each other as they played with the colors. For dozens of older women, years of social conditioning proved hard to break. They applied only tiny dots of color to each other's foreheads. "Their participation in Holi symbolizes a break from tradition, which forbids a widow from wearing a colored sari, among many other things," said Bindeshwar Pathak, the head of Sulabh International. Sulabh was asked to oversee the lives of widows of the city by India's Supreme Court following news reports of the widows being forced to beg for food and into prostitution. While there are tens of thousands of widows in Vrindavan, the group has been appointed caretaker for about 1,500. The organization looks after their basic needs and gives them a stipend of 2,000 rupees (US$30) to buy essentials. They are taught to make incense sticks and garlands to ensure that they can earn a small amount of money on their own. But for most part, the women spend the day singing hymns to Krishna, for which they earn 10 rupees (15 cents). The women range in age from 22 to 100. Some were abandoned by their families decades ago. While some women were not comfortable joining in the celebration of colors, Samaddar was determined to have at least one day of cheer. "We have got just one day to celebrate life," she said as she tossed the colors joyfully. "Let's do it to the hilt." The post Breaking Taboo, Hindu Widows Celebrate Festival of Colors appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Suu Kyi Listed Among NLD Cabinet Nominees Posted: 21 Mar 2016 09:58 PM PDT National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrives at the Union Parliament in Naypyidaw on March 15, 2016. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman, was named Tuesday on a list of 18 Union-level ministers announced by Burma's Parliament, all but ensuring she will be a member of the incoming government's cabinet. Eighteen names for cabinet positions were revealed by the incoming NLD government on Tuesday in Parliament, but specific assignments for 18 corresponding ministerial posts were not, with the timeline for that disclosure unclear at present. What is known is that Suu Kyi, assuming she is confirmed by the NLD-dominated legislature, will be the only female member of a cabinet with Suu Kyi loyalist Htin Kyaw at the top as president-elect of the incoming government. Suu Kyi herself is constitutionally barred from the presidency, and has effectively said that she will call the shots in the executive branch via her proxy Htin Kyaw. Parliament is due to discuss the proposed cabinet roster on Thursday. The names of at least two members of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), the former ruling party that was thrashed by the NLD in November's general election, are also on the list, making good on a pledge by the incoming government to form a cabinet of "national reconciliation" that included other parties' members, the military-backed party notwithstanding. The names for three security posts—ministers of Defense, Home Affairs and Border Affairs—were also revealed, with these positions filled by the Burma Army as per a constitutional framework that entrenches a military role in Burma's politics. Sein Win, Kyaw Swe and Ye Aung are the three lieutenant-generals listed on the cabinet roster announced Tuesday, expected to take the respective ministerial posts in the incoming government. The post Suu Kyi Listed Among NLD Cabinet Nominees appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The ‘Butterfly Book’: A Look into Burma’s Colonial Past Posted: 21 Mar 2016 05:00 PM PDT The Burmese "Butterfly Book," a 1907 petition from the residents of Mergui Archipelago to the former British Lt-Gen of Burma. (Photo: British Library / Public Domain) RANGOON — A uniquely designed Burmese document, with text printed on "wings" of silk bound within an oyster shell, is among the highlights of a new display at the British Library in London. Informally dubbed the "Butterfly Book" by the library's staff, the unusual item is actually a formal petition from residents of Mergui Archipelago requesting development projects in the region from colonial authorities, including the construction of a new hospital and a ferry service to other nearby coastal settlements. The petition was presented in 1907 to the British Lt-Gen of Burma on his first visit to the area. The item is part of a small exhibit called "More Than a Book" that sits at the entrance to the Library's Asian and African Studies Reading Room. The exhibit presents examples of writing from Southeast Asia in a variety of formats and materials, including texts incised on bamboo and gold, painted on paper with a brush, and written on gilded wood, according to information on the library's website. Two Burmese sazigyo, or woven cotton tapes used to bind sacred texts, are also on display, along with items from northern Thailand, Vietnam, Sumatra and Bali. The British Library is located at 96 Euston Road, next to King's Cross and St. Pancras International rail stations in London, England. The post The 'Butterfly Book': A Look into Burma's Colonial Past appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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