The Irrawaddy Magazine

---

• Mining Companies Found to Be Polluting in Sagaing
• Suu Kyi Calls for ‘Panglong-Style’ Peace Summit by June
• Parliamentary Committee: 6,000 Land Confiscation Complaints Yet to Be Addressed
• New Travel Restrictions Limit Rohingya Access to Healthcare
• China Set to Pass Law Tightening Controls on Foreign NGOs
• Suu Kyi to Meet With Burma Army, Ethnic Armed Groups
• Al-Qaida Says It Killed Bangladesh Gay Activist, Friend

Mining Companies Found to Be Polluting in Sagaing Posted: 27 Apr 2016 07:28 AM PDT A woman works on a paddy field beside a mining dump site in Sagaing Division on Sept. 13, 2012. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Seven coal mining firms in Kalaywa, Sagaing Division, are operating without any regard for the environmental impact of their projects, according to a report released Wednesday by a joint task force made up of environmental NGOs, civil society organizations and the Ministry of Mines. The firms that failed to conduct and follow the guidelines of environmental and social impact assessments have polluted the ground surrounding their mines, according to Kyaw Thet, a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Mines in Naypyidaw. He said the pollution was not as bad as it could have been, however, because the sites were not near water sources. Of the nine companies the joint commission investigated, only two—Htoo Group and Max Myanmar, both crony-related conglomerates—were found to have followed environmental guidelines. This is the first time the ministry has cooperated with NGOs and local organizations to research the private sector's environmental impacts. "We have a lot more to do, but now is not a good time to reveal the nature of our future work," the mining official said. His ministry and its responsibilities are set to be subsumed by another under a plan by the new government to consolidate the bureaucracy, in part by reducing the number of Union-level ministries from 36 to 21. "The findings of the report are not surprising because even big firms like Htoo and Max are unable to meet international standards at this time," said Win Myo Thu, a member of the joint commission and director of the Economically Progressive Ecosystem Development Group (EcoDev). "The joint committee did not use the most rigorous evaluation methodology because it is still in the initial phase of learning how to carry out proper oversight." The issue of government mismanagement also concerns Win Myo Thu, who pointed out that even though the Ministry of Mines has blocked small- and medium-sized mining projects, they still often receive approval from local governments. This may account for the discrepancy between the government's and EcoDev's count of mining projects around the country. The ministry officially accounts for 1,800 mines. However, EcoDev's satellite analysis, also released Wednesday, shows that there are at least 2,340 mines operating in Burma, and there are potentially over 570 more sites that the environmental NGO's analysis could not confirm due to their potential location underground or underwater. The post Mining Companies Found to Be Polluting in Sagaing appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Suu Kyi Calls for ‘Panglong-Style’ Peace Summit by June Posted: 27 Apr 2016 06:49 AM PDT State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, upper right, meets with members of the Joint Monitoring Committee in Naypyidaw on Wednesday. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's state counselor and de facto leader of the new National League for Democracy (NLD) government, met with eight non-state armed groups and the Burma Army on Wednesday, calling for the convening of a "Panglong-style" peace conference within two months and encouraging all stakeholders to help make that happen. Speaking in Naypyidaw at a meeting with the Joint Monitoring Committee, a body that monitors adherence to the so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) inked among those present, Suu Kyi said she "didn't want to take much time before holding a Panglong-style conference." The Panglong Conference was convened by Suu Kyi's father, Gen. Aung San, and leaders from three of the country's ethnic minority groups on the eve of independence, and is widely praised for the spirit of inclusiveness and cooperation that it fostered between the dominant Burman majority and ethnic minorities at the time. Suu Kyi on Wednesday emphasized that a lasting peace was vitally needed in Burma as civilians in conflict zones continued to suffer the daily hardships of poverty and war. "I want [all parties] to try helping to hold the peace conference in one or two months because we need peace in our country. Our people are suffering every day due to the lack of peace. It is not a small suffering for a person who suffers from dangers 24 hours [a day]," said Suu Kyi. She also said action would be more important than words in any accord to achieve a lasting peace, and urged all parties involved in the peace process to be committed to consolidating the ceasefire. "In fact, achieving a firm, lasting ceasefire is a really important task. Signing [a ceasefire] is just a first step. If there is no genuine lasting ceasefire, we can't move forward to peace," Suu Kyi said. Burma Army representatives including Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, who chairs the Joint Monitoring Committee, joined the eight groups that signed the NCA and were present at Wednesday's meeting. The Joint Monitoring Committee was formed last November under the administration of former President Thein Sein and includes representatives from the eight NCA armed group signatories, the military and former government, and a handful of outside civilians. Notably absent from the Naypyidaw meeting were delegations from about a dozen other ethnic armed groups that have not signed the NCA, either due to abstention or exclusion by the previous government. Suu Kyi, however, said the lack of inclusivity at the moment should not discourage stakeholders. "Even though they [non-NCA signatories] are not yet included, we will try to include them. We need to consider about it. There is no reason that we can't make it work if there is sincere empathy," Suu Kyi contended. The NLD chairwoman said she recognized the importance of the work done by the Joint Monitoring Committee, but would need to review and reform it if deemed necessary. She also welcomed advice and input from the committee in order to achieve a lasting peace. "As I understand and have heard, almost 90 percent of ceasefire accords can be broken. So it shows that's how important the work of the JMC [Joint Monitoring Committee] is," said Suu Kyi. Her coming evaluation will include an appraisal of who is best involved in the Joint Monitoring Committee, and of the pros and cons of the committee as currently constituted, with an eye toward possible reforms. "The immediate job of the JMC is to respond to any violation of the ceasefire. For long-term purposes, we want to know how the JMC will participate in helping to further peace negotiations and peace conferences. We want to get good advice from them. We welcome it," said Suu Kyi. The challenges ahead are formidable, such as the obvious absence of a large majority of the nation's myriad ethnic armed groups. The Karen National Union (KNU) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) are NCA signatories that sent representatives to Naypyidaw this week and wield considerable influence and manpower in their respective areas of control, but some of country's largest non-state armies are non-signatories, including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and United Wa State Army (UWSA). Bertil Lintner, a Burma expert who has penned several books about the country, wrote this week that more than four-fifths of ethnic combatants nationwide owed allegiance to ethnic armed groups not signed on to the ceasefire and thus not in the room on Wednesday. The post Suu Kyi Calls for 'Panglong-Style' Peace Summit by June appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Parliamentary Committee: 6,000 Land Confiscation Complaints Yet to Be Addressed Posted: 27 Apr 2016 06:44 AM PDT A farmer in Irrawaddy Division. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Some 6,000 outstanding complaints of farmland seizure from the previous parliamentary body are slated to be investigated by the current legislative body, the Upper House's farmer affairs committee said on Wednesday. "About 6,000 letters of complaint [out of an estimated 18,000] are to be handled this parliamentary term," committee chair Ba Myo Thein told The Irrawaddy, adding that since early April alone, the new committee had received over 80 additional letters. Among those accused of farmland confiscation are the Burma Army, government ministries and private development companies. According to the letters of complaint, the land was allegedly seized for the development of infrastructure and industrial zones, with most incidents occurring in Mandalay Division and Karen State, Ba Myo Thein said. He added that the Parliament's first move will be to form a commission with relevant MPs to review the complaints and conduct field investigations. He also told The Irrawaddy that the issue of farmland confiscation could not be avoided in a country where development and infrastructure are considered essential for growth. "These complaints are a consequence of neglecting our country's existing laws," he said. "We will try to solve this problem in accordance with land use laws." On Wednesday, the state-owned Global New Light of Myanmar said that, to date, the committee had revealed that some 200,000 acres of farmland had been confiscated nationwide, although Ba Myo Thein was unable to confirm this figure for The Irrawaddy. From a legal standpoint, Ko Ni, a lawyer, does not think that the handling of the issue will be so straightforward. "There's no such distinction within existing laws between military-owned land and ministry-owned land. There's only state-owned land," he said. He explained that under Burma's military regime, hundreds of thousands of acres of land were confiscated by the military, government ministries and private companies for multiple reasons. There is not yet a law in place to address these particular cases. "A specific law should be created that includes relevant references [to military-owned and ministry-owned land] so that there will be no controversy [going forward] in regards to how to effectively [and legally] handle land grab issues," Ko Ni said. The post Parliamentary Committee: 6,000 Land Confiscation Complaints Yet to Be Addressed appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Travel Restrictions Limit Rohingya Access to Healthcare Posted: 27 Apr 2016 04:58 AM PDT Rohingya outside a displaced people's camp in Arakan State in 2014. (Photo: Lawi Weng / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Authorities in Arakan State have imposed new restrictions on the Rohingya minority's access to medical treatment in Rangoon, after local sources reported that many patients did not return to the region after traveling to hospitals in the commercial capital. Authorities including police, immigration officers, and the border affairs minister hosted a meeting with approximately 40 Rohingya community leaders in the Arakan State capital of Sittwe on Tuesday. Chief regional immigration officer Wai Lwin reportedly informed those at the meeting of the stricter regulations to be imposed on the Muslim minority, who are denied citizenship in Burma. According to Aung Win, a Rohingya rights activist who participated in the meeting, the new rules state that Rohingya who are sick must now first visit the public hospital in Sittwe for an assessment of their condition; if further treatment is needed, they can apply for permission to travel to Rangoon. Patients would now be required to obtain a recommendation from the head of the Sittwe hospital in order to make such a trip. Aung Win estimated that up to 80 percent of those who had previously traveled to Rangoon for medical care did not return to the displaced people's camps in Arakan State where over 100,000 Rohingya have been confined since ethnoreligious violence broke out in the area in 2012. "They went to work in Ruili [on the Chinese border], Malaysia and Thailand," he said. Before the new restrictions came into effect, community leaders said that the Rohingya had avoided going to hospitals in Sittwe, where they reported experiencing discrimination. The medical care they received, they alleged, was not equal to that provided to the local Buddhist Arakanese population. Maung Maung Sein, another Rohingya representative present at the meeting, told The Irrawaddy that the new rules would place extra financial strain on those in the camps. "We need security to travel to the hospital in Sittwe. We have to pay at least 20,000 to 30,000 kyats (US$17 to $26) to rent a car to travel from the camp to the town," he said, adding that patients would need food and accommodation in order to be able to stay in the hospital away from their homes. Paying for this expense is made particularly difficult by limitations placed on the Rohingyas' ability to seek employment in the region. Maung Maung Sein explained that Rohingya who could afford to do so once sought treatment in Rangoon, reportedly after obtaining permission from an immigration officer for the journey; without the correct paperwork, Rohingya attempting to travel outside of the region can be imprisoned. "There were brokers who could help get recommendations from Immigration. We had to pay a lot of money to get the recommendation," he said. Burmese government authorities have allowed some clinics to open in the displaced people's camps, but challenges regarding staffing and patient access remain ongoing. Doctors and nurses from the camp hospitals will not be eligible to provide the recommendation needed for travel to Rangoon to seek more advanced treatment. The post New Travel Restrictions Limit Rohingya Access to Healthcare appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Set to Pass Law Tightening Controls on Foreign NGOs Posted: 26 Apr 2016 11:41 PM PDT An officer stands outside the Great Hall of the People, the venue of the National People's Congress, China's parliament, in Beijing on June 18, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) BEIJING — China's national legislature is poised to vote this week on a draft law criticized by overseas governments for tightening controls over foreign non-governmental groups by bringing them under direct police supervision. The proposed law requires that such groups accept police supervision and state the sources of their funding and how their budgets are spent, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday. Police would also be permitted to interview administrators and force Chinese partner organizations to terminate any program considered a threat to state security, Xinhua said. Groups seeking to "subvert the state and split the nation" would be banned, it said. The proposed legislation has drawn criticism from US and European officials and business and academic organizations concerned it would severely restrict the operations of a wide range of groups, further limiting the growth of civil society in China and hindering non-governmental exchanges between China and the rest of the world. Several hundred NGOs founded, run or financed by foreigners are now operating in China in fields ranging from animal protection to human rights law. Many overseas NGOs have partnered with Chinese academic and social groups, but operate in a legal gray area that leaves them vulnerable to crackdowns by security forces. In one recent example, China in January released and immediately deported a Swedish man it accused of training and funding unlicensed lawyers in the country. The third and final draft of the foreign NGO law is expected to be voted on by the National People's Congress Standing Committee at its bi-monthly meeting this week. The committee handles the bulk of the congress's legislative work outside of the full body's annual two-week session. Cooperative agreements between Chinese and overseas colleges, hospitals and science and engineering research institutes will continue to be handled under separate regulations. Responding to some criticisms, the new draft would allow foreign NGOs to set up branches in multiple locations, eliminate a five-year limit on operating in China, and remove restrictions on hiring volunteers and staff. It says the foreign NGOs would no longer need to seek approval for occasional programs but their Chinese partners need to register with local authorities 15 days before the activities. The draft says the foreign NGOs, whether running permanent offices or operating occasional programs in China, generally would not be allowed to recruit new members except for those sanctioned by the state council. That's mainly because China is encouraging its scientists to join influential international organizations on science and technology. Of greatest concern to foreign groups and governments has been the naming of the Public Security Ministry as the overall body to govern foreign NGOs, something seen as casting those groups under undo suspicion. Those critics have suggested that the Civil Affairs Ministry would be a more logical oversight body. Critics fear the law may lead to an onerous degree of scrutiny over administrators, with Xinhua saying police could bring investigations at will and demand the termination of any cooperation program "considered to undermine state security." "Overseas NGOs, which engage in illegal activities including those to subvert the state and split the nation, will be blacklisted by police and banned from operating on the mainland," Xinhua said. The post China Set to Pass Law Tightening Controls on Foreign NGOs appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Suu Kyi to Meet With Burma Army, Ethnic Armed Groups Posted: 26 Apr 2016 11:31 PM PDT State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi is due to meet with the Burma Army and armed ethnic group leaders in Naypyitaw on Wednesday afternoon. RANGOON — A new chapter of peace talks is set to open as Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's state counselor and de facto leader, will meet with the Burma Army and representatives of ethnic armed groups on Wednesday in Naypyidaw, according to a military officer. Lt-Gen Ya Pyayt, chairman of the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC), a body that monitors the ceasefire process, said in a speech in Burma's capital on Tuesday that the monitoring body and ethnic representatives who signed a so-called Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in October will meet and talk with Suu Kyi, who will lead the peace process moving forward. The parties will "discuss guidelines and procedures relating to the Union-level ceasefire agreement. The meeting also focused upon the formation of Mon State- and Karen State-level ceasefire monitoring bodies," according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar daily. This will mark the first time Suu Kyi has met with the army and ethnic groups after taking office on April 1. Only eight NCA signatory members will be present at the meeting, however, leaving out many ethnic armed groups who were not involved in last year's agreement. Of the eight signatories, only about half are capable of fielding a formidable fighting force. Larger groups, like the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the United Wa State Army (UWSA), withheld their signatures, and a handful of other groups in ongoing conflict with the Burma Army were effectively shut out of the NCA by the previous government. The Joint Monitoring Committee has been holding ongoing meetings in Naypyidaw to monitor the ceasefire agreement, which was signed on Oct. 15. "As these political issues have been solved through use of arm line policy [sic], the country has been suffering for decades with officers and other ranks from both sides having sacrificed their lives and limbs," Gen. Saw Isaac Poe of the KNU, who is also vice chairman of the JMC, said to the state-run newspaper. Hopes for a breakthrough in the peace process now largely rest on the new government's shoulders. But Suu Kyi has not given details about how she plans to proceed with negotiations, and it is unclear whether she will carry on the work of Aung Min, the previous government's top peace envoy, or design her own approach.       The post Suu Kyi to Meet With Burma Army, Ethnic Armed Groups appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Al-Qaida Says It Killed Bangladesh Gay Activist, Friend Posted: 26 Apr 2016 10:38 PM PDT Xulhaz Mannan, left, was the founder of Bangladesh's first and only LGBTQ magazine. (Photo: Samantha Power / Facebook) NEW DELHI — The Bangladeshi branch of al-Qaida claimed responsibility Tuesday for the killing of a gay rights activist and his friend, undermining the prime minister's insistence just hours earlier that her political opponents were to blame for the attack and for a rising tide of violence against secular activists and writers. The claim by Ansar-al Islam—which said it targeted the two men on Monday night because they were "pioneers of practicing and promoting homosexuality"—raised doubts about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's repeated assurances that authorities have the security situation under control. The victims of the attack were identified as Xulhaz Mannan, an activist who also worked for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and his friend, theater actor Tanay Majumder. Mannan, a cousin of former Foreign Minister Dipu Moni of the governing party, was also an editor of Bangladesh's first gay rights magazine, Roopbaan. Majumder sometimes helped with the publishing, local media said. At the White House, Press Secretary Josh Earnest took note of Mannan's advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender causes and said there were "reports that indicate that he was targeted because of his advocacy for these human rights and that makes his death even more tragic than it seems." He said the US government had been in touch with the government of Bangladesh to make clear that a thorough criminal investigation should be a priority. At a funeral for Mannan on Tuesday, his brother said free speech was something Islam should protect. "A true Muslim will always consider that he has freedom of expression," Minhaz Mannan Emon said. "We should respect that opinion. We hope… particularly I, on behalf of the family, hope that no other family loses their child or brother like us in the future." Mannan had written openly about the frustration of living "in the closet" as a gay man in Bangladesh, where homosexual relations are considered a crime. In a May 2014 blog, he said gays and lesbians in Bangladesh experience "A country where the predominant religions say you are a sinner, the law of the land says you are a criminal, the social norms say you are a pervert, the culture considers you as imported." He launched the magazine in 2014, giving the country's small and secretive LGBT community its first open platform. Earlier this month, he tried to organize a Rainbow Rally in the capital, but was foiled when police briefly detained him and three others. Ansar-al Islam, the Bangladeshi branch of al-Qaida on the Indian subcontinent, or AQIS, claimed responsibility in a Twitter message on Tuesday for what it called a "blessed attack" on Mannan and Majumder. It said the two were killed because they were "pioneers of practicing and promoting homosexuality in Bangladesh" and were "working day and night to promote homosexuality … with the help of their masters, the US crusaders and its Indian allies." State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters the United States could not confirm the claim of responsibility, but also did not have a reason to believe "this was not the case." But just hours before the claim of responsibility, the prime minister had pointed the finger at her political opponents, the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami group and its ally, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. "Everybody knows who are behind these killings," Hasina told policymakers in her secular Awami League party Monday night, repeating her government's allegation that the opposition was orchestrating the attacks. "The BNP-Jamaat clique has been involved in such secret and heinous murders to destabilize the country." The opposition denies the allegations, saying they are being scapegoated for Hasina's failure to maintain security and placate the country's desire for Islamic rule. Police said no arrests have yet been made in connection with Monday's attack, which involved at least five young men who posed as courier service employees to gain access to Mannan's apartment building. A security guard working at the building said he was injured when one of the attackers hit him with a knife while fleeing. Crime scene investigators recovered a mobile phone and bag apparently left by the attackers. The national police chief, A.K.M. Shahidul Hoque, expressed confidence the attackers would be caught and acknowledged there were similarities in how the killings were being carried out. He said authorities were making progress in cracking down on radicals' hideouts and weapons caches. "We are investigating all the cases very seriously," Hoque said. "Many arrests have been made involving previous killings, we have busted their dens for making bombs." Security analysts warned that the government could lose the people's trust if it does not act quickly to curb the attacks. "It is high time to set up special tribunals to handle these cases," suggested retired Maj. Gen. Abdur Rashid. "It has to be dealt with more seriously and with a clearer and quicker process. … There has been a lack of confidence among people about the investigation and justice system. We must fix these issues immediately." US Secretary of State John Kerry condemned the "barbaric" murders in a statement. Earlier this month, the United States said it was considering granting refuge to a select number of secular bloggers in Bangladesh facing imminent danger. The State Department said Monday that remains an option. The post Al-Qaida Says It Killed Bangladesh Gay Activist, Friend appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Irrawaddy. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

National News

---

• U Shwe Mann says he has no plan to set up new party
• Landmine blast wounds German tourists, guide
• Daw Suu to meet military, armed groups
• Peace activists call on authorities to intervene over Shwedagon incidents
• Shwe Mann to hold press conference as Tatmadaw takes a swipe
• Buddhist monk continues stupa-building spree
• U Gambira convicted, given six-month sentence
• NLD cracks down on nepotism
• EU arms embargo extended for one year
• Court delays land-grab hearing over two dozen times

U Shwe Mann says he has no plan to set up new party Posted: 27 Apr 2016 05:23 AM PDT Thura U Shwe Mann, the former Speaker ousted from the USDP this week, says he has no plans to set up a new party or join the National League for Democracy.

Landmine blast wounds German tourists, guide Posted: 27 Apr 2016 02:52 AM PDT Two German travellers and their local guide were wounded by shrapnel from a landmine in north Myanmar, close to an area of recent heavy fighting between ethnic minority rebel groups, officials said today.

Daw Suu to meet military, armed groups Posted: 26 Apr 2016 02:30 PM PDT State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is scheduled today to hold her first meeting since taking office with representatives of the military and ethnic armed groups that signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement, according to a senior general.

Peace activists call on authorities to intervene over Shwedagon incidents Posted: 26 Apr 2016 02:30 PM PDT Interfaith peace activists are calling on Yangon's new regional government to respond to a campaign by nationalist monks to evict Muslim vendors from the area of Shwedagon Pagoda, the nation's spiritual epicentre.

Shwe Mann to hold press conference as Tatmadaw takes a swipe Posted: 26 Apr 2016 02:30 PM PDT The recently expelled former head of the Union Solidarity and Development Party Thura U Shwe Mann will hold an urgent press conference today to bring attention to what he has termed the wrongful ousting of himself and 16 other party members.

Buddhist monk continues stupa-building spree Posted: 26 Apr 2016 02:30 PM PDT Despite intervention by the state government and the police, a prominent monk in Kayin State has erected another stupa, this time in a Muslim area.

U Gambira convicted, given six-month sentence Posted: 26 Apr 2016 02:30 PM PDT Former Saffron Revolution monk U Gambira was convicted yesterday of what critics have called spurious and politically motivated charges.

NLD cracks down on nepotism Posted: 26 Apr 2016 02:30 PM PDT In an attempt to end nepotism inside the government, the minister of the President's Office issued an order banning officials from appointing relatives or spouses as personal assistants.

EU arms embargo extended for one year Posted: 26 Apr 2016 02:30 PM PDT The European Union has extended its long-standing arms embargo against Myanmar by one year, after which the decision will be reviewed again.

Court delays land-grab hearing over two dozen times Posted: 26 Apr 2016 02:30 PM PDT Two farmers charged with squatting on land they say was confiscated from them by the government have been told to wait even longer for their case to be dealt with. U Kyaw Min and U Bo Maung had been told the case would be handled by Nay Pyi Taw City Development Committee court by April 25, but the judge deferred the case again until May 9.

You are subscribed to email updates from National News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

Shan Herald Agency for News

---

The Peace Process: Should the names for states geo-based or ethnic based? Posted: 26 Apr 2016 09:08 PM PDT I don't believe a rose would be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage. L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables During the first Union Peace Conference that was held in Naypyitaw, 12-16 January, suggestions were made by military representatives that geographical names for states would help cement the Union better than ethnic names which appeared to segregate one ethnicity from another. Alternate names were accordingly suggested, such as Kambawza for Shan State, Ramanya for Mon State, Dhanyawaddy for Rakhine State, and so on. The idea isn't new. As a matter of fact, it was first proposed during the early sessions of the 14 year long National Convention, organized by the then military government, to lay down basic principles for what became the 2008 constitution. The non-Burman delegates naturally rose up in arms to oppose it and the proposition was withdrawn. As far as i know, it was the only victory that the non-military participants could claim throughout the Convention. Sai Nyunt Lwin, General Secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), who was one of the delegates, explained later why his party had rejected it: Under successive Burman dominated governments, our rights, both individual and ethnic, have been steadily losing ground to the Burmanization drive. What still remains is the states' names. But now even the last of what we have is to be taken away. On the other hand, had our rights, as stipulated by the Panglong Agreement, been honored, the change of names wouldn't have been such a big deal. The 1947 Panglong Agreement, signed by Aung San with Shan, Kachin and Chin leaders had promised full autonomy in internal administration, democracy, human rights and financial autonomy. Indeed, as Juliet tells Romeo, "that which we call a rose by any other names would smell just as sweet," had the promises been fulfilled. But going back to the military's argument that geographical names for states would help cement the Union than the ethnic names, let us see if there is justification for it. Czechoslovakia, which later broke up into Czech Republic and Slovakia, was given as a living testimony for the reasoning, apparently ignoring other examples to the contrary, such as: ·         Great Britain, comprising England (Land of English), Scotland (Land of Scots) and Wales (Land of   Welsh) ·         United States of America, which has several states with native American names: Alabama, Illinois, lowa, Kansas, Missouri, Utah, and so on Some here may argue that Scotland hasn't given up its aim to secede despite its defeat in the referendum in September 2014. But others may say that as long as the benefits of the Union outweigh those of separation there is no worry the Scottish majority will not opt for Better Together. Coming to this, it may occur to the readers that what binds these countries, even granting it's the name, is not that of an individual state (s)/or an ethnicity but the collective name of the country: ·         United States of America                             not United States of Virginia (or others) ·         Great Britain                                                      not Greater England ·         India                                                                      not Hindi ·         China                                                                     not Han The inevitable question therefore is: Is Myanmar a collective name for all of us, including Bamar? Or is it just a classical or poetic title for Bamar, as commented by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi 3 years back? On the other hand, can anybody prove it is a geographical name? If it is then we should not hesitate to adopt it. Here it should be noted that according to prominent scholar Dr U Than Tun (not the late Dr Than Tun), even Burma or Bamar (but not Myanmar) can be considered a geographical name, due to the historical fact that the country used to be known, long before the much vaunted Pagan era, as Brahmadesa (Land of Brahma), and that Burma/Bamar is just its spin-off. I therefore request the military representatives and their allies that they swallow their own medicine first before they try again to shove it down the non-Burmans' throats.

You are subscribed to email updates from Shan Herald Agency for News. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States

The Irrawaddy Magazine

---

• MPs Make Historic Visit to Arakanese Displaced by Conflict with Burma Army
• Bomb Blast Wounds German Tourists and Guide in Northern Burma’s Shan State
• Upper House Bill Committee Reviews Controversial Laws
• The Target Is Now Shwe Mann
• Ex-Monk U Gambira Gets Six Months in Prison on Immigration Charge
• Thousands of Sagaing Division’s Weather Victims in Need of Aid
• Three Armed Groups Opt Out of Talks With Former Govt Peace Delegation
• Rangoon Firms Seek Fixes to Familiar Woes in Chief Minister Meet-Up
• Activists Out in Force for Kachin Anti-Drugs Day
• Govt Ministers Prohibited From Appointing Relatives as Personal Assistants
• Japan Eyes More Foreign Workers, Stealthily Challenging Immigration Taboo
• Drones to Help Farmers in Philippines to Prepare for Disasters
• US Presses Vietnam on Detentions Ahead of Obama Visit

MPs Make Historic Visit to Arakanese Displaced by Conflict with Burma Army Posted: 26 Apr 2016 08:05 AM PDT RANGOON —Five lawmakers, representing the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Arakan National Party (ANP), on Monday led an historic delegation to groups of Arakanese, an ethnic minority in western Burma, who were displaced by recent fighting. This marks the first time sitting parliamentarians have visited areas of internally displaced Arakanese. Fighting has been ongoing between Arakanese armed groups and government forces since Burma's independence from Britain, and, after government forces threatened their villages in the last two weeks, over 800 Arakanese were displaced, leaving many homeless or living in monasteries. The ANP and NLD lawmakers provided the displaced people with rice, oil, medicine and noodles. Some NGOs and other civil society organizations are supplying water and necessities like mosquito nets. "This is the first time the government has visited displaced Arakanese," Khin Saw Wai, ANP member of Burma's Parliament, told The Irrawaddy. "But there are still people who are displaced in other townships, and they also need help. The government needs to make sure that all displaced people receive the same amount of support." "[This area] is my home constituency," Khin Saw Wai said. "They elected me to parliament, so I have a responsibility to them." UN officials also traveled with the joint ANP-NLD group, and discussed plans for providing the internally displaced Arakanese with drinking water and other supplies. "With the rainy season approaching, things will get more difficult for the displaced Arakanese, and the future of the conflict between the Arakan Army and the Burma Army remains unclear," Khin Saw Wai said, adding that since April 16, the Burma Army had kidnapped dozens of people and forced them to serve as porters. "To handle displaced populations, all of the government agencies and civil society groups have to cooperate," Khin Saw Wai said. "We hope that the government will start paying more attention." Khin Saw Wai's NLD colleague agreed. "The government is responsible for helping citizens who are in difficult situations," Min Aung, an NLD member of the Arakan state parliament who is traveling with the group, told The Irrawaddy. The post MPs Make Historic Visit to Arakanese Displaced by Conflict with Burma Army appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bomb Blast Wounds German Tourists and Guide in Northern Burma’s Shan State Posted: 26 Apr 2016 06:22 AM PDT Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) soldiers patrol in Kyaukme Township in February 2016. Many clashes with the Burma Army have reportedly occurred in the area in recent months. (Photo: Lawi Weng / The Irrawaddy) A bomb blast wounded two tourists and a Burmese guide near the northern town of Kyaukme in Shan State at around 2:00 pm today, according to a local police officer. Win Khaing, a police officer in Kyaukme Township, told The Irrawaddy that two men and one woman were wounded in the blast and as of press time were en route to a hospital, taken by a local community volunteer organization. The tourists are a man and woman from Germany, according to Win Khaing. The blast hit the tourists and their guide 20 miles north of Kyaukme, said Col. San Lwin, head of the Taunggyi Police Station. "We heard about the blast and the wounded, but we are still investigating how the tourists got into the area and what they were doing there," Col. San Lwin said, noting that the area is known for having armed rebels and is considered unsafe for traveling. The area has frequently been the site of conflicts between the Burma Army and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic armed group. The visitors had been staying in Hsipaw, a tourist town in Shan State 30 miles from Kyaukme, according to La Wun Aung, a local tour guide. Skirmishes have become frequent in recent weeks, as forces from the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S), an ethnic armed group, and the Burma Army have been accused of launching strikes against the TNLA. Hundreds of ethnic Shan and Palaung (Ta'ang) locals have been displaced by the fighting. The post Bomb Blast Wounds German Tourists and Guide in Northern Burma's Shan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Upper House Bill Committee Reviews Controversial Laws Posted: 26 Apr 2016 05:40 AM PDT Lawmakers arrive at the Union Parliament complex in Naypyidaw on March 15, 2016. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — Burma's Upper House Bill Committee on Tuesday began reviewing the Peaceful Assembly Law and the Emergency Provisions Act, both of which have been used in the past to arrest political activists, with the intention of eventually submitting the bills to Parliament for amendment or even abolishment once the legislature reconvenes. Aung Kyi Nyunt, who is on the committee, told The Irrawaddy that members will review 15 of the 142 laws recommended by the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission to be scrapped, amended or rewritten, while other parliamentary committees will review the remaining laws. "We are now starting to review the Peaceful Assembly Law and Emergency Provisions Act. After reviewing these laws, we will decide whether to amend or abolish them, and then later we will submit these recommendations to the Parliament," Aung Kyi Nyunt said, adding that the two bills would be prioritized throughout the review process. Parliament is scheduled to reconvene on May 2, following a lengthy parliamentary recess for the annual Thingyan water festival. Human rights activists have long called for these two laws to be abolished or at least amended since they were widely used under the military junta, and later former President Thein Sein's quasi-civilian government, to repress political activists. Peaceful protesters were often detained under Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Law, which requires organizers to seek government permission prior to protesting. If the committee submits amended bills to Parliament, and if Burma's new National League for Democracy (NLD)-controlled Parliament votes in favor of the committee recommendations, the changes would likely be hailed as another human rights achievement for the new government, which released more than 100 political prisoners, activists and students earlier this month. The post Upper House Bill Committee Reviews Controversial Laws appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Target Is Now Shwe Mann Posted: 26 Apr 2016 04:53 AM PDT Shwe Mann talks to reporters during a news conference after the last day of the Union Parliament session in Naypyidaw on January 29, 2016. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) The political temperature is rising again. This time the target is Shwe Mann, a close ally of Aung San Suu Kyi and head of the Commission for the Assessment of Legal Affairs and Special Issues within the Union Parliament. On April 22, 17 key members including Shwe Mann were reportedly expelled from the military-backed Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP). The move may not have been lawful, Shwe Mann said. "I think people, including USDP members and relevant authorities, need to look over whether the action by some USDP top members towards me and the commission members is in accordance with the existing laws and rules," he explained. USDP officials insisted that Shwe Mann and the other members who were sacked—many of whom also serve on the Commission—had violated the party's charter. But Shwe Mann's faction will not go quietly: the showdown is now unfolding in the open. Shwe Mann once served as the third highest-ranking general in Burma's former military regime and as the joint chief of staff of the army, navy and air force. He had supporters within the armed forces, and several former regional commanders and generals are now thought to be in his camp. Recently, Shwe Mann—a graduate of the Defence Services Academy's 11th intake—commemorated the 47th anniversary of his graduation and met with his former colleagues, along with Suu Kyi. On this occasion, the former general issued a statement widely circulated on social media, urging his colleagues to work for the country's new elected government. Two days later, the army's information department responded by calling the statement an attempt to divide the armed forces. Shwe Mann, they suggested, was implying that the Tatmadaw—the state military—had not worked in the interest of the people or the country since Burma's independence. This reaction illustrates the depth of the fissure between him and the current leadership of the armed forces. Shwe Mann's expulsion from the USDP came after news of former president Thein Sein's return to the party, who served in the monkhood for only five days before re-entering politics as the USDP chairman. A photo of the ex-leader, head shaved, holding what appeared to be glasses of wine, was shared widely on social media last week. One of Shwe Mann's key allies, Zaw Myint Pe, was also reportedly among those who were dismissed from the party. He described the USDP as "dictatorial" and said that he believed the mass expulsion was, in fact, ordered by Thein Sein. The rivalry between Thein Sein and Shwe Mann became public in 2012 while Shwe Mann was serving as house speaker within Parliament. Increasingly, he was perceived by other USDP members as sympathetic to the struggle of Aung San Suu Kyi and as an advocate for constitutional reform—stances which contrast sharply with military interests. The conflict between the two men escalated as they formed powerful alliances: Thein Sein with armed forces commander-in-chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, and Shwe Mann with Suu Kyi. The soft-spoken military general remained popular despite attempts to remove him from leadership. But the internal rift within the USDP intensified in 2015: Shwe Mann faced impeachment from within the Parliament, government scrutiny of his family business and surveillance over two of his sons. In August 2015, about 400 police raided the USDP headquarters and removed Shwe Mann from party chairmanship. It appeared that the armed forces had ordered the raid—no doubt a palace coup. Before the incident, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing was known to have sent a three-page letter to Shwe Mann expressing his dissatisfaction with the chairman's political positions. Political observers also noted that the commander-in-chief's speeches frequently mentioned "those who betrayed the country," a slur believed to have been directed at Shwe Mann. Under the former regime, such a removal—and subsequent purge—would have had a lasting impact on Shwe Mann's family and his allies, and likely would have resulted in a lengthy prison sentence for Shwe Mann himself. Yet within two weeks, he was back in action, suggesting that though the Parliament and existing institutions are fragile, they had protected Shwe Mann and his supporters from the wrath of the USDP and the armed forces. After learning of Shwe Mann’s dismissal, Suu Kyi said that the move had made it clear "who was the enemy and who was the ally," adding that her party—the National League for Democracy (NLD)—would work with the "ally." Thein Sein's faction within the USDP could not remove Shwe Mann as they had wished. Since the ousting nearly one year ago, Shwe Mann's association with and support for Suu Kyi has grown visibly. Until the recent dismissal, his official standing within the USDP had remained unknown. Shwe Mann's enemies are now regrouping in an attempt to target his political support base, but it appears that he is now in an even stronger position, allied not only with the leading NLD but also with its widely supported figurehead, Suu Kyi. Shwe Mann's key allies are now sitting in the Parliament and the Cabinet. It will be interesting to witness how, and with what strategies, he will fight back against the odds. The post The Target Is Now Shwe Mann appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ex-Monk U Gambira Gets Six Months in Prison on Immigration Charge Posted: 26 Apr 2016 04:33 AM PDT The former monk U Gambira speaks to reporters outside the courthouse in Mandalay Division's Maha Aung Myay Township on Tuesday, when a judge ruled against him in a controversial immigration case. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — A court in Mandalay Division's Maha Aung Myay Township on Tuesday sentenced Nyi Nyi Lwin, a leader of Burma's 2007 Saffron Revolution who is better known as U Gambira, to six months in prison with labor on a controversial immigration charge. Speaking following the ruling of his pre-verdict high hopes for a withdrawal of the case—as scores of student activists benefitted from earlier this month—Gambira expressed disappointment at the trial's outcome on Tuesday. "The authorities might think my case is unrelated to any political issue. What I believe is the authorities fabricated the case to put me behind bars again," said the 36-year-old. Arrested on Jan. 19 for allegedly crossing the Thai-Burma border without an official visa, Gambira had for months petitioned unsuccessfully for bail, citing mental health issues that resulted from severe torture while imprisoned by the former military regime for his involvement in the 2007 pro-democracy uprising led by Buddhist clergy. With time served, the former monk will spend just under three more months behind bars, and on Tuesday said he did not intend to appeal the verdict. "I am very disappointed. But I am not going to submit an appeal as I don't believe in this judicial system, even after there were changes to a new government," he said. The jury of the court said during Tuesday's hearing that the six-month prison term was the minimal sentence allowable for those found guilty under Section 13.1 of the Immigration Act. That, however, did not assuage the concerns of the convicted man's family, who pointed to the regular medical treatment that his mental illness requires. "I don't want my son to be in prison six months, or even just a day. I believe Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Htin Kyaw will not neglect him and many other remaining prisoners who were jailed with unjust laws," said Daw Yay, his mother. New York-based Human Rights Watch earlier on Tuesday called for authorities to dismiss the "politically motivated" charges. The London-based human rights group Amnesty International made a similar demand shortly after he was arrested in January. Following the verdict, David Mathieson, Human Rights Watch's senior Burma researcher, chalked up the contentious outcome to "some vengeful cabal in the security forces, [and] the corrupt legal process that facilitates them," adding that the burden would now fall to President Htin Kyaw to pardon Gambira "immediately." "Failing to do this as a priority will fatally undermine the government's commitment to end the cycle of political prisoners and politically motivated charges," he told The Irrawaddy. "On purely humanitarian grounds, let alone genuine rule of law, Gambira should have been released today." State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) government on April 7 said release of the country's scores of remaining political prisoners was a top priority, laying out a strategy to do so "as soon as possible." The student activists who had their charges withdrawn and scores of other prisoners of conscience have since been released. But in Mandalay's Obo Prison, Myo Win, a farmers' rights activists, and Yay Pu Sayadaw, an abbot from Mogok, remain detained and on trial, among the many still hoping for the NLD leadership's intervention. "We were told that the case we are facing is nothing related to political issues. But what I want to say here is the authorities and the government's lawyers are misusing the laws just to keep activists and journalists behind bars," said Myo Win, after a hearing in Mandalay's Patheingyi Township on Tuesday. Myo Win was arrested six months ago while assisting farmers turned victims of land confiscation in Patheingyi Township. He is facing trial for allegedly destroying public property. "If the authorities don't recognize those who are facing unjust trials and who are behind bars unlawfully, we have to question the judicial system under the new government, which is always talking about change," he added. Asked about the dozens of political prisoners still behind bars, Mathieson noted the progress seen in recent weeks, but urged swift resolution for the many cases still pending. "The new government has done the right thing in starting to pardon people facing charges and release political prisoners, but it's not over yet by a long shot. … The government's approach to activists undergoing trial this week will be an important litmus test of their sincerity," he said, noting Maung Saungkha as among those going through the court system this week. According to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), there are 60 political prisoners—plus now Gambira—who remain behind bars at prisons across the country, while more than 200 farmers and assorted activists are still facing trials. Andrew D. Kaspar contributed reporting from Rangoon. The post Ex-Monk U Gambira Gets Six Months in Prison on Immigration Charge appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thousands of Sagaing Division’s Weather Victims in Need of Aid Posted: 26 Apr 2016 03:03 AM PDT Villages hit by strong winds in Mandalay Division. (Photo: Myat Pyae Phyo / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — Most of the 11,000 locals affected by recent gale-force winds and hailstorms in Sagaing Division are in need of roofing materials, said Willie Frank, director of the divisional government's Relief and Resettlement Department. "All eight districts in Sagaing Division have suffered from strong winds. For the time being, we are providing compensation to the families of deceased victims and to homes that have experienced damage or have collapsed from the wind," Frank said. The department plans to provide 100,000 kyats (US$86) in compensation to each household that lost a family member and 50,000 kyats to each damaged or collapsed home. It also intends to provide corrugated iron sheets for roofing under an arrangement with the national government. "What we mainly need are corrugated iron sheets. The wind has destroyed my farm and I have no money to repair my house," said a villager in Wetlet Township, Shwebo District. Villages in Sagaing Division saw strong winds and hailstorms on April 22 and 23, which damaged houses and farms in the division. The extreme weather resulted in nine deaths in Sagaing Division alone and a total of 14 across Burma, as parts of Mandalay and Magwe divisions and Shan and Arakan states were also affected by the powerful weather pattern. "Township authorities have come to our village several times, but we have not yet received any help. We are now [repairing our houses] on our own," said farmer Maung Tu from Myinkya village in Khin-U Township. More than 150 households in Pinlebu, Wuntho, Indaw and Katha townships in Sagaing Division's Katha District were also struck by strong winds. As elsewhere, there have been delays in providing relief to these areas since parts of the Monywa-Katha motorway have been blocked by debris, according to the Katha District Relief and Resettlement Department. The post Thousands of Sagaing Division's Weather Victims in Need of Aid appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Three Armed Groups Opt Out of Talks With Former Govt Peace Delegation Posted: 26 Apr 2016 01:50 AM PDT Soldiers from the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) are pictured in Shan State in 2014 in an exercise commemorating the anniversary of the Palaung (Ta'ang) revolution. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) Three ethnic armed organizations actively fighting the Burma Army have decided against meeting a former government peace delegation in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai next month, according to a leader from one of the groups. Tar Bong Kyaw, the general secretary of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that his group, as well as two allies—the Arakan Army (AA) and the ethnic Kokang Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA)—would not meet with the representatives led by former Lt-Gen Khin Zaw Oo. The TNLA general explained that they were opting out of the talks because they would not be considered "official." "We didn't believe that they could help with anything for peace in this meeting," Tar Bong Kyaw said. The alliance of Arakanese, Kokang and Ta'ang armed groups "want to meet those who can really work for peace," he added, referring to representatives from the new Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD) government, which took office earlier this month. There is tension between the three ethnic armed groups and the military due to recent clashes in western Burma's Arakan State with the AA and in northern Shan State, where the TNLA and MNDAA operate. The groups released a joint statement on Tuesday confirming that fighting with the Burma Army is ongoing in their respective areas, where they allege that government forces are engaging in offensives and increasing troop numbers. On state-run TV, Burma Army members were quoted as saying that they hoped to "eliminate" groups like the AA. "[The Burma Army] employed strong military offensives in Rakhine [State]," Tar Bong Kyaw said of ongoing conflict between government forces and the Arakan Army. "They did the same to us. They should stop fighting if they want to have peace." In mid-April, Aung Min, the former chief peace broker for the Burmese government, reportedly contacted the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), a coalition of nine ethnic armed groups who did not sign the country's so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) in 2015. It was said that Aung Min had reached out to UNFC vice chairman Nai Hong Sar about meeting the AA, MNDAA and TNLA for peace talks; the three groups had been excluded by the government from signing the NCA. Once a representative of the government-backed Myanmar Peace Center, Aung Min has since taken steps to form a new foundation intending to work for peace, but it is not clear what role the organization will undertake in Burma's future. The post Three Armed Groups Opt Out of Talks With Former Govt Peace Delegation appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon Firms Seek Fixes to Familiar Woes in Chief Minister Meet-Up Posted: 26 Apr 2016 01:43 AM PDT Rangoon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein, center, addresses business leaders in the commercial capital on Monday. (Photo: UMFCCI / Facebook) RANGOON — Reliable supplies of running water and electricity, as well as thousands of squatters, are urgent issues to be prioritized, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), an organization of influential businesses in Rangoon, told the division's new chief minister at its meeting with him on Monday. The new Rangoon chief minister, Phyo Min Thein, has inherited a host of problems from his predecessor Myint Swe, who critics say failed to see to it that the sprawling commercial capital developed sustainably. The Hlaing Tharyar Industry Association was forthright about its grievances: The company paid 600 million kyats (US$5.1 million) to the Rangoon Electricity Supply Board, but it still experiences power outages; the government water utility does not supply the company's factories; and more than 8,000 residents it claims are squatters are living along the fences of their factories, disrupting the company's business operations and its workers' lives. More than five associations operating under the banner of the UMFCCI echoed the Hlaing Tharyar Industry Association's concerns, and several companies reported that they had forcibly removed squatters. One of the UMFCCI members, the chairman of the Shwepyitha Industry Association, admitted that his company had hired thugs to force squatters out. Phyo Min Thein said he was understanding of their concerns but that, "We don't want to be a bulldozer government," a not-so-veiled jab at the previous administration, which had in the past used bulldozers to clear squatters' settlements. Internally displaced people arrived in Rangoon in large numbers in 2008 following Cyclone Nargis's destruction of thousands of villages and farms in the Irrawaddy Delta, and many became squatters. The new minister promised no quick fixes, saying he would solve all the problems that could be handled at the Rangoon Division level, but pointing out that some of the issues required action at the Union level. As for the squatters, Phyo Min Thein said the government could create lists of the alleged trespassers and begin working with businesses to resolve the problem. Further, he pledged more urgent action on water and electricity supply issues, saying he would bring the appropriate regional ministers with him to the industrial zones on his next visit and work out solutions with them. Traffic congestion and logistics were also on the agenda. Ko Ko Naing, a representative for the logistics committee at the Bayinnaung Terminal, a trucking hub, said the terminal should be moved farther outside of the Rangoon city center because the area is too crowded and the roads cannot handle the increased shipping capacity. Severe traffic jams and other logistical problems have been the result. At the conclusion of the meeting, Phyo Min Thein said he was glad to have had an opportunity to hear the challenges local companies are facing, and he added that "no bribes" would be accepted in his government. Rangoon Division is Burma's largest, with more than 7 million people, a majority of whom live in the densely populated municipality of the same name. The post Rangoon Firms Seek Fixes to Familiar Woes in Chief Minister Meet-Up appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Activists Out in Force for Kachin Anti-Drugs Day Posted: 25 Apr 2016 11:49 PM PDT Locals stage a protest march in Shan State's Muse Township on Monday to mark Kachin National Anti-Narcotics Day. (Photo: Naw Di Aung) RANGOON — More than 3,000 people took part in protest marches in Lashio, Kutkai and Muse townships on Monday, marked as the Kachin Christian minority's National Anti-Narcotics Day, in an effort to raise government awareness of a growing drug problem in northern Shan State. Among the demonstrators were vicars and ministers of churches, anti-drug activist groups and local residents of the three townships. The demonstrators called on the government to view drug elimination as a "national duty" and speed up its antinarcotics efforts, including by providing proper security for participants of drug eradication campaigns like that of the vigilante group Pat Jasan. About 1,200 locals took part in the protest march in Muse, around 600 people amassed in Kutkai and some 1,500 protestors took to the streets of Lashio, according to local anti-narcotics groups. "There are various ethnicities as well as various ethnic armed groups in northern Shan State. I'm afraid that drug production and trade in Shan State has reached a global scale," Zaw Naung, chairman of Kachin Literature and Language Association in Lashio Township, told The Irrawaddy. "Drugs have [negatively] impacted Shan, Kachin and Palaung ethnicities." Non-state armed organizations are behind drug production and trade, claimed Zaw Naung, adding that while they benefited from the illicit activity, local communities were being ravaged by addiction. The Kachin community-based Anti-Drug Group in Muse told The Irrawaddy that, for its part, members hoped to take a grassroots approach to tackling the problem. "Our group conducts public awareness campaigns and over the past three years, poppy cultivation has decreased as a result. To achieve better results, the government alone will not be able to do it. People's participation is important," Naw Di Aung, a member of the group, told The Irrawaddy. Kachin National Anti-Narcotics Day has been celebrated annually since 2014, and Naw Di Aung claimed drug abuse among communities in Muse Township had fallen as a result. The day was also observed in Kachin State's capital Myitkyina, where about 3,000 locals participated on Monday. Burma is the world's second largest producer of opium poppies, after only Afghanistan, with most of that cultivation occurring in Shan State. The post Activists Out in Force for Kachin Anti-Drugs Day appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt Ministers Prohibited From Appointing Relatives as Personal Assistants Posted: 25 Apr 2016 11:36 PM PDT Aung San Suu Kyi (right) and President Htin Kyaw (left) enter Parliament in March 2016. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The President's Office published a statement on Monday restricting union level government ministers from appointing close relatives as personal assistants. The guidelines for government officials also applicable to all regional governments and have been distributed to the relevant offices, the statement said. The document was signed by Aung San Suu Kyi, who is the minister of the President's Office, on April 1. "Members of the union government are restricted from appointing their wife, husband or close relatives as personal assistants in government offices and organizations," the guidelines read. According to the statement, close relatives include one's siblings, children, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Only public servants can undertake the position in accordance with existing regulations. The post Govt Ministers Prohibited From Appointing Relatives as Personal Assistants appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Japan Eyes More Foreign Workers, Stealthily Challenging Immigration Taboo Posted: 25 Apr 2016 11:33 PM PDT Dang Nguyen Thuc Vien, second right, a 32-year-old daughter of refugees from Vietnam, helps a local Vietnamese resident in Japan as an interpreter at a hospital south of Tokyo in November 2015. (Photo: Reuters) TOKYO — Desperately seeking an antidote to a rapidly aging population, Japanese policymakers are exploring ways to bring in more foreign workers without calling it an "immigration policy." Immigration is a touchy subject in a land where conservatives prize cultural homogeneity and politicians fear losing votes from workers worried about losing jobs. But a tight labor market and ever-shrinking workforce are making Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policy team and lawmakers consider the politically controversial option. Signaling the shift, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) panel is likely to propose this week expanding the types of jobs open to foreign workers, who are expected to top 1 million this year. "Domestically, there is a big allergy. As a politician, one must be aware of that," Takeshi Noda, an adviser to the LDP panel, told Reuters in an interview. Unlike the United States, where Donald Trump has made immigration an election issue, Japan has little history of immigration. But, that makes ethnic and cultural diversity seem more of a threat in Japan than it may seem elsewhere. And while Japan is not caught up in the mass migration crisis afflicting Europe, the controversies in other regions do color the way Japanese think about immigration. LDP lawmakers floated immigration proposals almost a decade ago, but those came to naught. But, since then, labor shortages have worsened and demographic forecasts have become more dire. By Any Other Name An economic uptick since Abe took office in December 2012, rebuilding after the 2011 tsunami and a construction boom ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have pushed labor demand to its highest in 24 years. That has helped boost foreign worker numbers by 40 percent since 2013, with Chinese accounting for more than one-third followed by Vietnamese, Filipinos and Brazilians. But visa conditions largely barring unskilled workers mean foreigners still make up only about 1.4 percent of the workforce, compared with the 5 percent or more found—according to IMF estimates—in most advanced economies. So far, measures to attract more foreign workers have focused on easing entry for highly skilled professionals and expanding a "trainee" system that was designed to share technology with developing countries, but which critics say has become a backdoor source of cheap labor. Now, however, the LDP panel looks set to go further by proposing foreigners be accepted in other sectors that face shortages, such as nursing and farming, while leaving open the possibility such workers can later seek permanent residence. "We will tackle accepting foreigners as a labor force head-on," an LDP source close to the panel told Reuters. Acknowledging the sensitivities—especially ahead of an upper house election in July—the source said the panel will specify it is not recommending an "immigration policy," defining immigrants as people who enter Japan with no fixed limit on length of stay. "There is worry about the impact on public safety," Masahiko Shibayama, a panel member and special adviser to Abe, told Reuters. "There is concern domestic jobs will be eaten away. So I think there is still an allergy to the word 'immigration.'" Experts, however, say semantics cannot disguise the change underway. "The government insists it is not adopting an immigration policy, but whatever the word, faced with a shrinking population, it is changing its former stance and has begun to move toward a real immigration policy," said Hidenori Sakanaka, a former Tokyo Immigration Bureau chief. Two cabinet members have already advocated adopting an immigration policy, as have some LDP panel members. "The fundamental problem of the Japanese economy is that the potential growth rate is low," LDP panel adviser Seiichiro Murakami told Reuters. "To raise that, big structural reforms including … immigration policy are necessary." The influential Nikkei Business weekly has dubbed a foreign worker-driven growth strategy "imin-omics," a pun on the premier's "Abenomics" revival plan and "imin," the Japanese word for "immigrants." Abe, however, has made drawing more women and elderly into the work force while boosting the birth rate priorities, and publicly the government rules out any "immigration policy." Still, Abe's right-hand man, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, said debate on more foreign workers lay ahead. "We are seeking to mobilize the power of women and the elderly as much as possible, but at the same time we recognize that the acceptance of foreigners is a major issue," Suga told Reuters, adding caution was needed. He said the future debate would also consider the longer term issue of permanent residence for less skilled foreigners. Conservatives are likely to resist major change. For example, an ex-labor minister commenting at the LDP panel on a proposal to let in foreign beauticians said the idea was fine, as long as their customers were foreign, too. Hairdresser Mitsuo Igarashi has four barber chairs in his downtown Tokyo salon, but only himself to clip and shave. He wants to hire other barbers, and doesn't care where they come from. "We've got to let in more foreigners," said Igarashi. The post Japan Eyes More Foreign Workers, Stealthily Challenging Immigration Taboo appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Drones to Help Farmers in Philippines to Prepare for Disasters Posted: 25 Apr 2016 11:24 PM PDT Residents walk over the cracked soil of a 1.5-hectare dried up fishery at the Novaleta town in Cavite province, south of Manila, on May 26, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) LONDON — The Philippines has started to deploy drones to find out where farmland is most at risk from natural disasters and quickly assess damage after they strike, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday. Assessment of vulnerable farmland can minimize the negative impacts of climate change, floods and typhoons and avoid the need to build the agriculture sector back from scratch after a disaster, FAO said. The Philippines is one of the countries most at risk from natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, droughts and floods, which have a heavy impact on farming and access to food. Under the pilot project funded by the Philippines government and FAO, two unmanned drones have already been sent to provinces affected by the El Niño weather pattern, the FAO said. The drones are capable of covering up to 600 hectares (1,500 acres) of land per day and can generate data and detailed maps from aerial photographs, including an indicator that can be used to analyze vegetation and plant health. Imagery generated from drone flights can also reveal where irrigation or storage facilities can be best sited to serve local farmers, FAO said. "It is efficient, it saves time and we will be using a reliable source of data so that we can plan and provide appropriate interventions and responses for our farmers in times of disasters," Christopher Morales, director of field operations for the Department of Agriculture, said in a statement. Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the Philippines in 2013, killed more than 6,000 people and destroyed 600,000 hectares of farmland, inflicting more than US$700 million damage to the agriculture sector, FAO said. The post Drones to Help Farmers in Philippines to Prepare for Disasters appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

US Presses Vietnam on Detentions Ahead of Obama Visit Posted: 25 Apr 2016 10:31 PM PDT A woman cries as she hugs a relative released from Hoang Tien prison, about 60 miles outside Hanoi, during a mass amnesty by the Vietnamese government in 2013. (Photo: Reuters) WASHINGTON — The United States pressed Vietnam Monday over a recent spate of detentions of government critics and pushed for other progress on human rights ahead of a visit next month by President Barack Obama. Senior officials of the two governments held an annual dialogue on human rights in Washington. It's an issue which remains a drag on improving relations between the former enemies. Tom Malinowski, US assistant secretary for democracy, human rights and labor, said last year saw a sharp decline in arrests and prosecutions for peaceful dissent in Vietnam. But he told The Associated Press there has been an increase in detentions of activists and bloggers this year, which was raised during Monday's "open and candid" discussions. He said the United States side "expressed our hope that this would be addressed and that some of the longstanding cases of concern would be resolved." Vietnam's delegation was led by Vu Anh Quang, director general of the Department of International Organizations at the Foreign Ministry. The Vietnamese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Obama will visit Vietnam in May, becoming the third consecutive US president to do so, four decades after the end of the Vietnam War. The United States and Vietnam have deepened ties in recent years as Washington looks to widen its circle of friends in Southeast Asia and finds common cause with Hanoi in countering a rising China. Vietnam is also a member of the US-backed regional trade pact, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which was signed in February. Vietnam recently adopted some laws to improve legal protections for citizens and has agreed to allow independent labor unions, currently forbidden, under a labor agreement that takes effect once TPP is ratified by both nations. But the ruling Communist Party still brooks no dissent. According to a recent State Department report, Vietnam held about 95 political prisoners at the end of 2015. Human Rights Watch says that during the last week of March, Vietnam convicted seven bloggers and rights activists and sentenced them to prison. Among the individual cases of detainees raised by the United States on Monday was Nguyen Van Dai, a prominent human rights lawyer who was arrested in December on charges of spreading anti-state propaganda. In 2007, Dai was sentenced to four years on a similar charge. Malinowski said the United States was also closely watching Vietnam's progress on legal reforms. Laws on demonstrations, non-government groups and religion that Vietnam's National Assembly is due to take up this year could have an important impact on respect for human rights, he said. The post US Presses Vietnam on Detentions Ahead of Obama Visit appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Irrawaddy. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States