The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• NCA Signatories Meet Tin Myo Win, Tipped as NLD’s Lead Peace Envoy
• Farmers Protest Resumption of Letpadaung Copper Mining
• Facebook Firebrand Arrested Over Alleged Defamation of Burma’s Leaders
• New State Counselor Ministry Proposed for Suu Kyi
• Mandalay Maps New Zoning Plan
• New Tourism Plan Highlights Local Communities 
• Military Defends Conduct in Arakan as Lawmakers Debate Conflict
• Aging Thailand Takes Toll on Indebted Households
• ‘Waiting for Order to Kill’: China Video Seeks Army Recruits

NCA Signatories Meet Tin Myo Win, Tipped as NLD’s Lead Peace Envoy Posted: 05 May 2016 06:42 AM PDT Dr. Tin Myo Win, the personal physician for Aung San Suu Kyi. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Representatives of eight non-state armed groups that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in October met on Wednesday with Dr. Tin Myo Win, personal physician of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, to discuss reforming a body key to peace negotiations, the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC). The ethnic representatives met Tin Myo Win at Green Hill Hotel in Rangoon, according to Saw Mya Yazar Lin, a central executive member of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), an NCA signatory. The doctor has been tipped as the NLD government's lead peace negotiator with ethnic armed groups, assuming the role taken by President's Office Minister Aung Min in the previous military-backed government. "We invited Dr. Tin Myo Win to talk and explained to him our current political stance. We talked about how to move forward peacefully, avoiding political deadlock in the future," said the ALP's Saw Mya Yazar Lin. She said the eight NCA signatories discussed reforming the UPDJC, a 48-member body with equal representation of Burma Army officials, members of NCA signatory non-state armed groups and political parties. The UPDJC was previously chaired by Aung Min, and tasked with conducting the political dialogue between the government and ethnic armed organizations under the terms of the ceasefire signed on Oct. 15. Saw Mya Yazar Lin stressed the necessity and importance of the UPDJC. "Since the new government has come into power, the JMC [Joint Monitoring Committee] has assumed control of political decision-making." The participants proposed to Tin Myo Win that the UPDJC be given equal space, and emphasized the need to reform the UPDJC for future negotiations. It is believed that the NCA signatories wish to keep the UPDJC so as to balance the influence of the JMC, in light of the prospect of a diminishing UPDJC role under the new government. Like the UPDJC, the JMC includes NCA signatories in its membership. Both were formed under the previous government. The UPDJC is currently led by former Vice President Sai Mauk Kham, who is a member of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), and Saw Kwe Htoo Win, general secretary of the Karen National Union (KNU). The JMC, however, is led by Burma Army Lt-Gen Yar Pyaye and Saw Isaac Poe of the KNU. Suu Kyi met with the JMC in Naypyidaw on April 27, and declared that she "[did] not want much time to pass before a 21st century Panglong-style conference is held." The ALP's Saw Mya Yazar Lin said she considered a "21st century Panglong-style" style conference to be "in line with our goal." She said Tin Myo Win responded positively to the ethnic armed groups' suggestions but could only report them to the state counselor, Suu Kyi, because he had not yet been given an official mandate. "We also urged him to bring non-NCA signatory groups into the peace dialogue process. We have always strived to get the non-NCA signatories involved in political talks." The Irrawaddy reporter Nan Lwin Hnin Pwint contributed reporting. The post NCA Signatories Meet Tin Myo Win, Tipped as NLD's Lead Peace Envoy appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Farmers Protest Resumption of Letpadaung Copper Mining Posted: 05 May 2016 05:54 AM PDT Local farmers protesting the Letpadaung copper mining project in Sagaing Division's Salingyi Township on Thursday. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — Locals near the Letpadaung copper mining project in Sagaing Division's Salingyi Township staged a second day of protests as mining resumed on Thursday. Despite the presence of police stationed near the area, some 300 farmers, many of whom had land confiscated for the controversial mining venture, showed up to urge that mining be stopped and that villagers be compensated for losses incurred because of the project. "We crossed police lines to reach the liaison office of Wanbao company," said Sandar, a farmer from Tone village who joined the protest, referring to the Chinese firm in a joint venture with military-owned Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (UMEHL) for the mining project. According to protesters, a letter was sent on Tuesday to National League for Democracy (NLD) chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi, who led a parliamentary committee overseeing implementation of the project under the previous government, asking that Letpadaung copper mining be stopped. "We showed our disapproval that mining resumed without following the instructions of [Suu Kyi's] committee," Sandar said. "The company was supposed to compensate farmers for crops and land that had been confiscated because of the project. But it didn't do anything about compensation or about environmental safeguards." Protesters said the letter was also sent to Sagaing's divisional government and to Burma's national government. "We don't want the project. We're jobless once our land is confiscated, and many of us have to go to cities to work as construction laborers," said Mar Cho, also from Tone village. "We've suffered enough. We just want our land back." According to the farmers, Wanbao and UMEHL have unofficially been mining in the area since 2013, despite official notice to stop after a brutal government crackdown on a protest near the site in 2012. However, Wanbao officials said mining in previous years was a trial period. "We're going to begin mining on a business level, starting from today," said Hla Sein, project manager of Wanbao, on Thursday. "And regarding compensation, we offered it [to farmers], but they wouldn't take any. It's all up to them. We don't know what to do about it. We're following every rule laid out in the report in terms of environmental matters and the development of the region," Hla Sein said, referring to a report compiled by Suu Kyi's parliamentary committee following its probe into the project. The post Farmers Protest Resumption of Letpadaung Copper Mining appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Facebook Firebrand Arrested Over Alleged Defamation of Burma’s Leaders Posted: 05 May 2016 05:36 AM PDT Nay Myo Wai speaks at an event against constitutional change to Article 59(f), the clause barring Aung San Suu Kyi from Burma's presidency. (Photo: Nay Myo Wai / Facebook) PATHEIN, Irrawaddy Division — Nay Myo Wai, ultra-nationalist provocateur and leader of a fringe political party, was arrested on Wednesday night outside Burma's commercial capital Rangoon, after being sued for allegedly defaming the president, army chief and state counselor on social media. Wai Yan Aung, an executive member of the Burma Teachers' Federation, filed the lawsuit against him at a police station in Irrawaddy Division's Kangyidaunt Township on Wednesday under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law. The litigant accused him of defaming President Htin Kyaw, Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, and of spreading Facebook posts and photos instigating unrest. One of the posts featuring doctored images depicts Suu Kyi as a beggar and another portrays her in a sexually suggestive position with an accompanying speech bubble that leaves little doubt about the digital manipulator's intended meaning, but which will not be relayed by this news outlet. A photo of Min Aung Hlaing is accompanied by a caption asserting that the commander-in-chief dare not stage a coup because he is secretly hoping to have an extramarital affair with the widow Suu Kyi. Htin Kyaw is targeted in one post as the president of a government formed by the "prostitute" and "kalar" party, referring to Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) and using a pejorative Burmese term used in modern times for Muslims of South Asian blood and also applied to British occupiers during the colonial era. Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law stipulates punishment of up to three years' imprisonment for using a telecommunications network to defame. As well as being used by the previous, military-back government against dissidents who satirized the military on social media, a Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) township secretary received a six-month prison sentence for sharing doctored images on Facebook of the head of Suu Kyi transposed onto the body of a naked woman. A police official from Irrawaddy Division told The Irrawaddy that local police in Rangoon and Irrawaddy Division searched his residence in Rangoon before arresting him on the Rangoon-Mandalay highway. "We are detaining him now in Pathein Prison and are investigating the case," he said. Pathein is the administrative capital of Irrawaddy Division. Nay Myo Wai is chairman of the Peace and Diversity Party, which contested the 2015 general election on a strong anti-Muslim platform but failed to win any seats. He is a supporter of the prominent Buddhist nationalist group the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion, popularly known by its Burmese-language acronym Ma Ba Tha. Nay Myo Wai's anti-Muslim invectives, including on social media, have gained him some notoriety. In May of last year, he issued Facebook posts threatening to physically attack and "feed pork curry" to participants of a nationwide Muslim conference in Rangoon, although the government ultimately refused permission for the conference. Two Facebook accounts and three Facebook pages bearing his profile have been identified, and include his name, political party affiliation and phone number. Two of the three pages appear to be inactive. However, the others see regular uploads, including photos supporting anti-Muslim campaigns. The litigant Wai Yan Aung said that, if he does not operate the accounts spreading defamatory posts and photos, Nay Myo Wai could have reported this to Facebook's administrators—but he did not. "For the case, I presented three pieces of evidence together with screenshots of posts from his account," Wai Yan Aung said. Additional reporting by San Yamin Aung and Zue Zue in Rangoon. The post Facebook Firebrand Arrested Over Alleged Defamation of Burma's Leaders appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New State Counselor Ministry Proposed for Suu Kyi Posted: 05 May 2016 04:31 AM PDT Aung San Suu Kyi, right, and President Htin Kyaw enter Parliament in March 2016. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — A proposal from Burma's President Htin Kyaw to form a new ministry for State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi was formally brought to the Union Parliament floor on Thursday. A document outlining the "Ministry of the State Counselor's Office" proposal was read out in the chamber by Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than, in which the president was quoted as saying "it is necessary to have a ministry to successfully implement the missions of national reconciliation, domestic peace, national development and the rule of law." The Speaker did not offer any indication as to who might head the new ministry and oversee its vague portfolio, but speculation has tipped Suu Kyi's personal physician, Dr. Tin Myo Win, for the post. Tin Myo Win, long a close Suu Kyi ally, has also been given a leading role in coming peace negotiations between the new government and ethnic armed groups. He is widely expected to head a new iteration of the Myanmar Peace Centre (MPC), which Suu Kyi last week suggested would be renamed the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC). According to a report in state-run media, the doctor's new prominent place in Burma's peace process was announced at Suu Kyi's meeting with the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee, made up of government and military representatives, as well as non-state armed group signatories to the so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement. Aung Moe Zaw, chairman of the Democratic Party for a New Society, told The Irrawaddy that the new ministry was a "necessity" given the daunting challenges facing Suu Kyi, who has indicated that she intends to lead reforms on several fronts. "I think that this new ministry is a necessity for those who are actually working for the country's sake," he said. "She won't have time to take care of every little thing as she has many [critical] works to do." Aung Moe Zaw said given that the proposed ministry would likely be closely involved in the delicate peace process, which Suu Kyi intends to lead, Tin Myo Win as trusted confidante to the state counselor would make for a logical choice. If Tin Myo Win is confirmed to take the new ministerial post and peace negotiator position, his involvement would likely be similar to that of the previous government's chief peace negotiator Aung Min, a Union-level President's Office minister under the government of former President Thein Sein who also led the MPC. If the proposal wins parliamentary approval, it would be the 22nd leadership position in the cabinet of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), which is currently made up of 21 ministries. Creation of the new ministry would appear all but certain, given the NLD's commanding majorities in both houses of the Union legislature. The speaker on Thursday welcomed input from lawmakers during upcoming deliberation of the proposal, which is scheduled for a parliamentary session next week. The post New State Counselor Ministry Proposed for Suu Kyi appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Mandalay Maps New Zoning Plan Posted: 05 May 2016 03:24 AM PDT An aerial view of the Mya Nan San Kyaw Palace in Mandalay. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY — The Mandalay City Development Committee (MCDC) is working on a new zoning plan for the city, in an effort to preserve its cultural heritage while allowing for development and modernization. The plan will designate eight zones—cultural conservation zones around the ancient moat and surrounding Mandalay Hill, development restriction and stimulation zones, green zones, high-rise permissible and restricted areas, and a mid-rise housing zone. Details including zoning locations for the proposed plan have not been finalized. "The major difficulty with finishing the plan is that we don't have a digitized map of Mandalay. So, we are making one with the help of 15 engineers and a software program," said Zaw Win, an official with the municipality. The proposal will be submitted to the divisional parliament soon, according to the official, who added that new construction would have to abide by the zoning plan once it is approved. "Once the zoning map comes out, Mandalay residents will know which zone they are living in and what types of buildings they are allowed to build," he said. Students of Mandalay Technological University have teamed up with the staff of MCDC to conduct a survey on population, vehicle use, water supply, municipal garbage disposal systems and building use, to acquire relevant social and economic data to be included in the digitized map. Architect and managing director of Mandalay-based C.A.D. Construction Co. Zin Min Swe said city authorities should follow the lead of other big cities and consider which aspects of urban planning would best suit Mandalay, Burma's second largest city. "High-rise restricted areas, mixed development zones, residential zones and cultural zones should be established without impacting the growth of the town," he said. Although there is not a designated historical zone in Mandalay, the Religious Affairs and Culture Ministry divides the cultural heritage zones into three different designations—Ancient Site Zone (AZ), Ancient Monumental Zone (MZ) and Protected and Preserved Zone (PZ), with only PZ areas allowing commercial buildings following ministry approval. The Department of Archaeology at Mandalay's National Museum and Library has also taken steps to preserve some areas. "For example, only certain types of buildings are permitted within 120 yards of the city wall and the moat," said Nyo Myint Tun, director of the department. "We impose restrictions on three areas: height, color and design," he added. Zaw Win confirmed that although the zoning plan is still being drafted, measures are currently being taken to preserve religious buildings and heritage sites. Mandalay was the last royal capital of the Konbaung Dynasty, before the British annexed Burma in 1885. Among Mandalay Division's cultural zones are the old city sites of Bagan, Pinle, Myinsaing, Pinya and more. According to the National Museum and Library, there are 218 ancient buildings in and around Mandalay, with 63 of them within Mandalay's municipal area. The post Mandalay Maps New Zoning Plan appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

New Tourism Plan Highlights Local Communities  Posted: 05 May 2016 02:53 AM PDT Shan State's famous Inle Lake, a popular destination in Burma for foreign tourists. (Photo: Tin Htet Paing / The Irrawaddy)  RANGOON — Burma's Hotels and Tourism Ministry will emphasize development of community-based tourism as one of the first priorities in its 100-day policy, according to an official statement issued by the ministry earlier this week. The policy includes a three-pronged strategy for the country's fast-growing tourism industry—to expand community-based tourism (CBT), build the capacity of the tourism human resources pool and develop existing popular destinations, as well as promoting less frequented locales. The ministry has pledged to begin implementing the plan within the first 100 days of the new National League for Democracy (NLD) administration. The CBT development plan includes six main pilot projects to be carried out at different destinations around the country: Kachin State's Indawgyi Lake area; the townships of Loikaw and Thandaunggyi in Karenni and Karen states, respectively; the Pa-O self-administered zone in Shan State; Magwe Division's Myaing Township; and in Mandalay Division, the Mingun area and Kyauk Myaung village, according to the statement. The projects aim to empower local communities by helping to establish village-level guesthouses and package tours, enhancing visitor management mechanisms, and highlighting foreign language skills so that guides can attract tourists to local activities such as trekking, bird watching and environmental conservation, the statement says. According to Myint Htwe, director of the ministry's public relations and information department, Burma's tourism industry has put too much focus on cultural tourism and CBT should be used instead, as a new approach for the country to build sustainable tourism. "Local communities can truly benefit from CBT as it directly engages the lowest levels of the community," Myint Htwe told The Irrawaddy. The policy was made in part based on recommendations from the private sector and does not contradict the Ministry of Tourism's Master Plan 2013-2020, he added. The Tourism Master Plan was developed with international donors under Burma's previous government, and envisions spending of nearly US$500 million on training tourism workers, developing destinations and improving connectivity, in an effort to increase annual foreign visitors to 7.5 million by 2020. Last year, Burma took in nearly 4.7 million foreign visitors, up from just 800,000 in 2011. When asked about local homestays not being highlighted in the 100-day policy, Myint Htwe said that the ministry would try to set up a homestay system at the appropriate time, and would begin drafting guidelines after hearing recommendations from the private tourism industry. Homestays are currently not allowed in Burma. "Homestays can only be implemented if local communities accept the idea. Both tourists and locals should have awareness of each other's cultures and traditions so there is no culture shock," he added. "Most importantly, there needs to be peace and stability in the areas where we allow homestays." Kyi Thein Ko, the general secretary of the Myanmar Tourism Federation, expressed his support for the ministry's 100-day plan and said that he would try to help facilitate the strategies. "Unlike the previous administration, which only focused on [the number of visitors], I believe that the current administration will prioritize the sustainability of the industry," he said. Union Tourism Minister Ohn Maung said in a speech in early April that tourism was one of the largest and fastest growing sectors of the global economy, making vital contributions toward generating employment, reducing poverty, empowering women, preserving the environment and building peace. He added that he believed all of the challenges facing Burma's tourism industry would be overcome by collaboration between the public and private sectors. Ohn Maung assumed leadership of the Tourism Ministry when Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD government formed a new cabinet in early April. Under Burma's former junta, Suu Kyi discouraged foreigners from traveling to the country, supporting a boycott on the grounds that tourism dollars would flow into the pockets of the military leadership and its crony allies. Since re-engaging in the political process in 2012, however, she has clearly seen the industry's potential to uplift living standards, and in 2014 founded a hospitality training academy outside of Rangoon to better prepare young people for employment in the sector. The post New Tourism Plan Highlights Local Communities  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Military Defends Conduct in Arakan as Lawmakers Debate Conflict Posted: 05 May 2016 01:07 AM PDT Militarily appointed lawmakers leave a session of Parliament in February. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Fighting in Arakan State was the focus of heated discussions in Parliament on Wednesday, but a legislative path to resolution of the conflict appears unlikely. A proposal was submitted by Arakan National Party (ANP) lawmaker Wai Sein Aung to the Upper House of Parliament on Monday, urging the Union government to include the Arakan Army (AA) in the peace process and requesting that the military agree to a cessation of hostilities. Legislators early this week agreed to discuss the motion, but on Wednesday the chamber's speaker, Mahn Win Khaing Than of the National League for Democracy (NLD), opted to put a debate that began a day earlier on record rather than pushing for a more forceful endorsement of the ANP lawmaker's proposal. Following a defense of the Burma Army's operations in the western state by militarily appointed parliamentarians, the upper chamber voted to document the proposal by a vote of 195-6. Several elected MPs on Tuesday spoke in support of bringing the Arakan Army into Burma's peace process. In explaining the decision to merely document the proposal on Wednesday, Mahn Win Khaing Than noted State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi's pledge to lead peace negotiations in an inclusive manner. The latest round of hostilities in Arakan State kicked off last month. According to Khin Maung Latt, a lawmaker for the ANP, 1,500 civilians have been displaced and the number of homeless is increasing due to the rising violence. Union Defense Minister Lt-Gen Sein Win took the floor of Parliament on Wednesday and stated that the Burma Army was working for all the people of Burma in accordance with the rule of law, adding that it protected all nationalities in the country. The military was defending against the attacks of the Arakan Army, which is responsible for the current conflict, Sein Win said. "They have a right to express their desires in a democratic way, but taking up arms and fighting against the army is worrisome for the future of our country's democracy." Echoing an assertion put forward by the institution a few days earlier, the minister said the Burma Army should be called the "Union Army" or "Tatmadaw," while the Arakan Army should be referred to as an "armed group." He added that the proposal was an attempt to cause trouble for President Htin Kyaw's new government, and put the new president in a difficult position. "Conflicts have been ongoing since we achieved independence from the British empire," said Sai Wan Hlaing Kham, an Upper House parliamentarian from the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy. "And since then, the government has failed to guarantee equal rights for all ethnicities." "This has led people to take up arms and fight for their rights," he added. Naw Hla Hla Soe, an Upper House lawmaker, said that Burma's democratic transformation should allow for conflicts to be addressed through political dialogue. "We can resolve this case through the political process," she said in the chamber. "Fighting creates many problems for our country, erecting obstacles for economic development and sowing discord among the people." A total of 10 lawmakers, including three representatives from the military, gave speeches regarding the proposal. Suu Kyi will hold a meeting next week to address formation of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, a reincarnation of the Myanmar Peace Center, which was an initiative of the previous government. "According to the state counselor, the armed groups that were not a part of last year's ceasefire agreement will also be brought into discussions and there will be a peace conference," Mahn Win Khaing Than told the session. The post Military Defends Conduct in Arakan as Lawmakers Debate Conflict appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Aging Thailand Takes Toll on Indebted Households Posted: 04 May 2016 10:36 PM PDT An elderly man receives help from a nurse during a physical therapy session at Bangkhae Home Foundation in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 27, 2016. (Photo: Reuters) BANGKOK — Thai civil servant Supapan Pullbangyung spends just under half of her salary on caring for her 75-year-old father, who suffers from diabetes and dementia. Hers is one of many Thai families looking after elderly relatives at a cost that countrywide adds up to just under a third of household income. The number of families facing similar problems will balloon as the population ages at a rate among the fastest in Southeast Asia. Thailand's working-age population is expected to shrink by 11 percent by 2040. The rising cost of care is an additional burden to households struggling with record debt that is a drag on consumption and stunting the economy. "I struggled for months and it took a while to adjust," said Supapan, who lives in Nonthaburi province, just north of the capital, Bangkok. Looking after her father costs at least 15,000 baht (US$430) a month, she said, a little less than half what she earns. A culture of filial piety in which families feel obliged to care for their elderly means more often than not they absorb the expense of looking after parents and grandparents. A poor savings culture has left many people ill-prepared to help themselves financially in old age, meaning they must rely on working family members. More than a quarter of the 66 million population has not saved for old age, according to a 2014 survey, one of many factors contributing to the government considering raising the age of retirement from 60 and urging businesses to hire more older people. "It is going to be a burden on the younger generation," said Sutayut Osornprasop, a human development specialist at the World Bank. Households caring for elderly relatives spend at least 7,620 baht ($217) on them per month, according to the Health Insurance System Research Office, a state agency led by the Ministry of Public Health. That's more than 28 percent of the average 2015 monthly household income of 26,915 baht. Kangsadan Sagulpongmalee, 40, is a lecturer in Petchaburi province who is caring for her 70-year-old diabetic father. He underwent spinal surgery last December and is recovering at Wellness City, a privately run complex for the elderly on 192 hectares of land near the city of Ayudhaya, north of Bangkok. "The cost has been very high," she said. "My salary earned as a lecturer isn't enough at all. I have to spend my parents' life savings." Kangsadan plans to move her father to a house near her workplace once he has recovered so she can look after him. "I'm doing whatever it takes for my parents. It'll be very expensive, but I'll try my best to handle everything." A lower cost of living in Thailand's rural areas means some who move to the city for work are considering going back to care for elderly parents. Noppasorn Suebsai, 21, is one of them. "If you live in the countryside where we don't spend as much the cost will be less," said Noppasorn, a Bangkok-based nursing student. "I don't think I will struggle as much to care for my parents." The post Aging Thailand Takes Toll on Indebted Households appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘Waiting for Order to Kill’: China Video Seeks Army Recruits Posted: 04 May 2016 10:23 PM PDT Soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) march during the military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) BEIJING — China's military is appealing to the younger generation with a slick new recruitment video featuring aircraft carriers, tanks and special forces troops, all set to a rousing rap-rock soundtrack. With lyrics such as "just waiting for the order to kill, kill, kill," the video appears aimed at millennials brought up on violent first-person shooter video games such as "Call of Duty." While no potential opponents are identified in the clip, it cautions that "war can break out at any time," and asks "are you ready?" The clip, available Wednesday via a link on the Defense Ministry's official website, appears as the 2.3 million-member People's Liberation Army (PLA) is downsizing in an effort to boost its war-fighting capabilities. Chief among those steps is a cut of 300,000 personnel, while the navy, missile corps and air force are receiving more attention and funding. The video presents an image of the PLA as a high-tech and high-powered force. While catering to traditional patriotic sentiments, it heavily emphasizes the advances made by the world's largest standing military as it takes on missions further afield. China's sole aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, is featured prominently, as are latest generation tanks, warplanes, attack helicopters and ballistic missiles that were showcased in a massive military parade through the heart of Beijing in September. "Ambassadors of peace, we are the guardians of China. Ambassadors of power, we are the tiger's teeth," said some of the lyrics. Beach landings and naval combat in which sailors blaze away with deck guns also feature in the video, reflecting China's emphasis on defending its maritime claims, especially in the disputed South China Sea. It also shows PLA commandos shooting and at one point snapping the neck of an opponent dressed as a guerrilla or terrorist, a likely reference to China's fight against religious extremists and militants seeking to overthrow Chinese rule in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. Traditionally focused on land-based threats and China's threat to invade Taiwan, the PLA has taken on increasingly complex tasks, including long-range aerial patrols in the East China Sea, an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden and defending Beijing's maritime claims in the South China Sea. That has also increased the demand for better qualified recruits, pitting the military against private industry in competing for the best and brightest and prompting it to emphasize its unique appeal. The video represents a new style of promotion, both in its visual language and in highlighting all branches of the armed forces, along with support units and military honor guards, said retired PLA colonel Yue Gang, a frequent commentator on military affairs. "The style of promotion accords with the attitudes of young people toward the army and the imagery used appeals to hot-blooded young men," Yue said. "It is also a nature for the army to adopt modern media technology to attract young men in modern times." The post 'Waiting for Order to Kill': China Video Seeks Army Recruits appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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National News

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• Council rules steel factory must pay
• IDPs assemble shelters in razed camp
• Nationalists pile pressure on govt over ‘Rohingya’
• Mone Wun (Bamar) national cards debated
• Expelled USDP members continue uphill battle
• Private broadcaster MRTV apologises to Tatmadaw after report
• New ministry lined up for state counsellor
• Provocations mount in stupa saga
• Nation’s leaders set for first foreign visit to Laos
• Mandalay vows to solve land grabs

Council rules steel factory must pay Posted: 05 May 2016 12:55 AM PDT The Arbitration Council has upheld its ruling that a steel factory must compensate three female workers who allege they faced abusive conditions.

IDPs assemble shelters in razed camp Posted: 04 May 2016 02:30 PM PDT Families in the Muslim IDP camp of Baw Du Ba 2 in Rakhine State were yesterday desperately building makeshift shelters a day after a massive fire razed scores of buildings, leaving as many as 2000 people homeless and with little relief in sight.

Nationalists pile pressure on govt over ‘Rohingya’ Posted: 04 May 2016 02:30 PM PDT Nationalists are trying to strong-arm the government into making a statement about the use of the term "Rohingya", using the threat of a protest as their leverage.

Mone Wun (Bamar) national cards debated Posted: 04 May 2016 02:30 PM PDT The immigration minister yesterday confirmed that Chinese residents of Shan State given new identification cards do not count as an additional ethnic group.

Expelled USDP members continue uphill battle Posted: 04 May 2016 02:30 PM PDT The Union Solidarity and Democracy Party continues to fight its in-party squabbles in public with expelled central executive member U Zaw Myint Pe vowing yesterday to keep battling.

Private broadcaster MRTV apologises to Tatmadaw after report Posted: 04 May 2016 02:30 PM PDT Private broadcaster MRTV-4 has rushed to apologise to the Tatmadaw for terminology it used in a report about the armed conflict in Rakhine State.

New ministry lined up for state counsellor Posted: 04 May 2016 02:30 PM PDT Shrouded in secrecy, the proposed ministry will be debated in parliament today.

Provocations mount in stupa saga Posted: 04 May 2016 02:30 PM PDT Fear of communal and armed conflict is delaying action against a monk's stupa-building spree in religiously diverse Kayin State.

Nation’s leaders set for first foreign visit to Laos Posted: 04 May 2016 02:30 PM PDT President U Htin Kyaw and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi are set to leave for their first foreign trip on May 6, when they will be travelling to Laos together.

Mandalay vows to solve land grabs Posted: 04 May 2016 02:30 PM PDT All parliamentary business has been pushed to the backburner in Mandalay, while MPs strive to solve land grabbing cases, according to the hluttaw chair.

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The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Religion Minister Raises Concerns Over Pagoda-Crazed Monk
• Villagers Pinned Down by Landslides, Floods in Northern Kachin State
• Lashio Residents Hope Slashings Will Stop After Drug Bust
• No Quick Return for Border Refugees Despite High Hopes for NLD Era
• Parliament OKs Review of Private Hospital Project in Rangoon
• Burma’s Media Landscape Through the Years
• Broadcaster’s Terminology in Arakan Conflict Coverage Irks Military
• Press Freedom in Burma
• Nobel Laureate Urges Modi to Curb Child Slavery as India Reels from Drought
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Religion Minister Raises Concerns Over Pagoda-Crazed Monk Posted: 04 May 2016 06:49 AM PDT Supporters of the monk U Thuzana pay respects at a pagoda he ordered constructed near a church in Karen State. (Photo: Saw William Kyaw / Facebook) MANDALAY — Unresolved religious tensions in Karen State could affect national peace, stability and reconciliation, according to Religious Affairs and Culture Minister Aung Ko, who was referring to one monk's recent spree of pagoda-building on other faiths' lands. U Thuzana, a Buddhist monk and spiritual leader to an ethnic Karen armed group, and his followers recently built pagodas in Christian compounds and near a mosque in Karen State, prompting the minister's comments at an event on Wednesday in Mandalay, where he met with members of an interfaith group based in the city. "Since there are armed groups involved, solving these urgent problems could affect the peace and stability of the region, as well as the ongoing national reconciliation and peace process," he said, referring to members of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), some of whom helped build the pagodas. He added that the matter is currently being handled by the regional Mahana, an association of appointed Karen State Buddhist monks that oversees and regulates local Buddhist clergy; however, resolution in at least one case may not come quickly due to a dispute over which of the groups, Christians or Buddhists, are the rightful claimants to the land. "We need to be patient, wait for an appropriate time, and work step by step starting from within," Aung Ko said. "After the Mahana makes their decision, the state government will step in." Despite protests from the Christian community, the monk continued his mission last month, believing that rebuilding on the sites of demolished pagodas would bring good Karma. Since he imposed on church compounds in Hlaingbwe and Hpa-an townships, and near a mosque in Mya Pyi village, hundreds of people have taken to social media to criticize and condemned the monk's actions. Meanwhile, U Thuzana has plans to build additional structures in a church compound in Kondawgyi village, where monks chanted on Tuesday to bless the area marked for construction. The monk first built on the church property last month, despite objections from religious authorities. Tensions increased again when he recently began laying the foundation for Buddhist ordination and assembly halls nearby. Karen State Religious Affairs Minister Min Tin Win told The Irrawaddy that officials from his ministry and religious groups would visit Kondawgyi village on Wednesday night to see where U Thuzana intends to build on the Christian property and decide what to do afterwards. "A Buddhist ordination hall should be built on Buddhist land," he said. "But, this land belongs to Christians." Lawi Weng reported from Rangoon. The post Religion Minister Raises Concerns Over Pagoda-Crazed Monk appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Villagers Pinned Down by Landslides, Floods in Northern Kachin State Posted: 04 May 2016 06:41 AM PDT An aerial view of homes affected by flooding in Kachin State. (Photo: Burma Army Commander-in-Chief's Office) RANGOON — Landslides and flooding caused by heavy rains have destroyed hundreds of houses in northern Kachin State's Chipwi Township, according to sources in the region, with rescue personnel struggling to reach the affected population. Five villages were hit by the severe weather in Chipwi, not far from the Chinese border. The area is isolated and remote. A landslide blocked the only major road in or out, obstructing attempts by authorities and local aid groups to reach the survivors, who have been trapped in the area for almost two weeks. It is still unclear how many people live in the affected area, which is home predominately to the Lisu ethnic minority. "One-hundred-thirty-five houses in five villages were destroyed on April 24," said Zar-Ki a Lisu former state lawmaker from Chipwi Township. "Even a motorbike cannot travel on the road right now, but the Burma Army used two helicopters to transport the injured and bring aid to survivors on April 30." Some members of the Kachin State government are waiting to enter the disaster area, according to Zar-Ki, but they have to wait for the road to be cleared to gain access to the valley. No one was killed in the natural disaster, he said. Heavy rainstorms and wind felled a group of trees that then clogged a nearby river, acting like a natural dam. When the flow of the river burst through the tangle of fallen trunks, it created a flash flood that inundated the villages, Zar-Ki said. The area has experienced intensive logging by a Kachin militia, the New Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K), according to Zau Lai, a former Lower House parliamentarian from the National League for Democracy (NLD). "The deforestation in the area has created ripe conditions for landslides," said Zau Lai. "I warned the people many times about the natural disasters that can occur due due to logging, but they did not believe me." The area has been at peace since 1990, when the militia signed a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government. Since then, the NDA-K has generated most of its income from logging. The post Villagers Pinned Down by Landslides, Floods in Northern Kachin State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lashio Residents Hope Slashings Will Stop After Drug Bust Posted: 04 May 2016 04:30 AM PDT Alleged drug traffickers are seated in front of seized contraband in Lashio, Shan State. (Photo: Lashio News Diary / Facebook) RANGOON — Counter-narcotics police in Lashio, Shan State, raided a drug trafficking camp early Wednesday morning, arresting 46 alleged drug traffickers and seizing methamphetamine pills, hypodermic needles, machetes and swords, according to Aung Myat Moe, a deputy colonel of the Shan State Police. The camp was located near Ma Nar village, eight miles outside of Lashio town. The state police officer said authorities were still cataloguing the confiscations and that an investigation had been launched. He declined to provide additional details about the arrests. Police forces burned down the camp's 11 tents after arresting the people who had been allegedly using it as a base to trade drugs. They also seized more than 30 soap containers of opium, 80 bottles of cocaine and nearly 3,000 methamphetamine pills. The police have not yet calculated the total value of the seizure. "We believe that some of the culprits also committed machete attacks," the state police colonel said. Ko Thet, a Lashio resident, said he assumed those apprehended had been responsible for several savage attacks recently, in which roadside assailants slashed bags from the backs of motorcyclists before disappearing into the jungle. "Residents are very happy," Ko Thet said. "Recently people have been frightened to walk alone at night." In April, at least 20 locals were wounded in machete and sword attacks in Lashio Township, said Sai Myint Maung, a National League for Democracy (NLD) member who unsuccessfully contested a regional legislature seat in the township in last November's election. The post Lashio Residents Hope Slashings Will Stop After Drug Bust appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

No Quick Return for Border Refugees Despite High Hopes for NLD Era Posted: 04 May 2016 04:23 AM PDT Refugees who fled Burma walk at the Mae La refugee camp, near the Burma border in Thailand's Mae Sot district, Tak province, on July 21, 2014. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — The repatriation of some 120,000 refugees along the Thai-Burma border was discussed during a meeting of stakeholders last week, but an official from the United Nations' refugee agency insists there remains no firm timetable on a large-scale return of the displaced despite talks on the matter between Burma's new government and its Thai counterpart. "The main focus of the meeting was on refugee registration and resettlement [to third-party countries], which is winding down after 11 years. The subject of voluntary return was not on the agenda but was prompted by a question," said Vivian Tan, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bangkok. Karen Refugee Committee (KRC) spokesperson Naw Blooming Night Zar confirmed that the April 27 meeting, which included officials from both governments, NGOs and representatives of the UNHCR and from refugee camps, did not focus on repatriation of those living in nine camps on the border. "We concentrated on how to handle those who are not yet registered with the United Nations and the Thai government," she told The Irrawaddy. "We want to ensure that the Thai policy on refugee repatriation has not changed. There is no pressure on the refugees to return home. They will be required to return home only when there is genuine peace." She added that the Thai government acknowledged that it was not the right time for them to return to Burma, despite an abatement of conflict in eastern Burma. "Even internally displaced people [IDPs] in Karen State can't go home, so it will be difficult for those living in Thailand to return," she said. At the meeting, Thai official and Tak province Deputy Governor Suttha Saivanid said the Thai government had been in contact with Burma's newly elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government to arrange for repatriation, according to Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB). DVB reported that Suttha said Thai officials expected repatriation of the refugees would take place "within two to three years' time." While the new NLD government has emphasized Burma's peace process and national reconciliation as core priorities, prospects for a lasting peace will to a large degree be determined by the Burma Army, which remains outside of civilian control. Karen State, where most of the border refugees fled from, has seen relatively little conflict in recent years, but elsewhere in Burma renewed fighting has cast doubt on the military's stated commitment to peace. Tan said the UNHCR continues to talk with the governments of Thailand and Burma about options for the eventual, voluntary return of refugees. "Our position remains unchanged: Any refugee return must be voluntary. It must be based on an individual, informed decision, and must take place in safety and dignity," said Tan. She said the UNHCR would only facilitate the voluntary return of refugees who approach the agency for support. "We are not proactively promoting or encouraging returns, but will try our best to support those who have decided that they wish to return shortly. We are exploring how best to facilitate their return," said Tan. Details of that support are still being discussed on both sides of the border between governments, the United Nations, NGOs, ethnic groups and community-based organizations, she added. The KRC spokeswoman said NGOs had already begun preparing for repatriation back in 2012. "The return won't happen overnight," said Naw Blooming Night Zar. "We provided vocational training and skills for them to apply when they return home, spent three years preparing them in order to smooth the process and trained them to stand on their own feet," she added. She emphasized that before repatriation occurs, there should a stable nationwide ceasefire agreement, a guarantee for safety, household support and proper housing. She added that success would also depend on contributions from the West, but that a sluggish global economy and the varying interests of foreign donors had contributed to a decline of humanitarian support for the refugees. "It depends on the interests of the donors. Some believe that Burma is peaceful, so they have [moved their focus] inside the country. But there are others who will continue supporting the refugees until they can return home," she said. The post No Quick Return for Border Refugees Despite High Hopes for NLD Era appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Parliament OKs Review of Private Hospital Project in Rangoon Posted: 04 May 2016 03:46 AM PDT The 4.3-acre site of a new US$70 million, 250-bed private hospital development near Rangoon General Hospital. (Photo: Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Parliament has given the green-light to discuss the future of a plot of ministry-owned land in Rangoon after a lawmaker objected to its use by the private sector. San Shwe Win, a National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker in the Lower House, submitted a proposal on Wednesday urging the national government to halt a US$70 million international hospital project being built on land owned by the Ministry of Health near Rangoon General Hospital. Situated on a 4.3-acre plot of land at the corner of Pyay and Bogyoke Aung San roads, IHH Healthcare Berhad, through its subsidiary Parkway Healthcare Indo-China Pte. Ltd., broke ground for the 250-bed hospital in Rangoon in January. However, the project was quickly panned by critics who said it would only siphon off government land for private use. "The plot of land has been earmarked for the expansion of RGH [Rangoon General Hospital] since 2013," San Shwe Win said when he submitted his proposal to the Lower House. The lawmaker said the land should be used for the public since Rangoon residents overwhelmingly rely on public hospitals for medical care. "The reality is that most people can't afford private hospitals. There was no transparency or consideration for the public interest when the [previous] government and the Myanmar Investment Commission made the deal. That's why I urge the Union government to halt this project," San Shwe Win said. According to an IHH Healthcare statement from February, the site of the new hospital, Parkway Yangon, is on land leased for 50 years, with the option of two 10-year extensions. The project was said to be slated for completion by 2020. San Shwe Win's proposal, which was seconded by a fellow NLD lawmaker, did not face any opposition from Parliament and is scheduled for further discussion next week. The post Parliament OKs Review of Private Hospital Project in Rangoon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma’s Media Landscape Through the Years Posted: 04 May 2016 03:39 AM PDT A man arranges newspapers at a wholesale market in Rangoon on Nov. 15, 2014. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) Recent years have seen dramatic changes to Burma's media landscape, with the previous quasi-civilian government taking steps to unshackle a press corps long muzzled by successive military regimes dating back to 1962. In the wake of World Press Freedom Day, which was celebrated on Tuesday, The Irrawaddy revisits a media history stretching back to the 1800s. 2011 – 2015 2015 — Much of the year's news coverage is devoted to the Nov. 8 general election, Burma's first poll in more than half a century to take place in a relatively free media environment. The Myanmar Times, for 15 years a weekly, goes daily in March, taking up the mantle of Burma's only English-language daily newspaper, a title previously held by the now defunct Myanma Freedom Daily. 2014 — The year begins inauspiciously for Burma's media with the detention of four journalists and the CEO if the Unity journal in connection with a January report alleging the existence of a government chemical weapons factory. Charged and convicted under the State Secrets Act, the men were sentenced to 10 years in prison, which was later reduced to seven. The men were released as part of a broader amnesty by the new government last month. March sees passage of two new media laws that are received with mixed reactions, while the press corps is rocked to its core in October by news that the freelance journalist Par Gyi was killed while in military custody. No one was ever convicted of a crime in the case. 2013 — On April 1, four Burmese-language private dailies begin publishing after the government granted licenses to 16 private dailies. In August, Myanma Freedom Daily emerges as the first English-language daily in almost five decades. The paper folds less than a year later. According to government figures, the Information Ministry has so far issued 35 licenses for private and state-run dailies, and 22 are in publication. It has granted licenses for 32 news agencies, of which 23 are in operation. And 260 out of 437 licensed journals are being published. 2012 — President Thein Sein's government allows international news agencies, which were technically banned under the military regime, to conduct reporting in Burma. Exile media like The Irrawaddy are also allowed to return. Founded by Aung Zaw in 1993, The Irrawaddy distributed its magazine for the first time in Burma in December 2012, and also shifted its online operations to Rangoon while maintaining a small office in Thailand's Chiang Mai. The Irrawaddy published its first Burmese-language weekly in January 2014, and switched to an all-digital format early in 2016. The Burma Press Council (Interim) is formed with 29 members on Oct. 17. As part of its media reforms, the government announces in December 2012 that it will allow the uncensored publication of private daily newspapers, dissolving its notorious Press Scrutiny and Registration Division under the Information Ministry in a follow-up move after it did away with decades-long draconian pre-publication censorship in August 2012. 2011 — With the Thein Sein government coming to power, local publications in Burma are allowed to feature articles written by—and interviews with—pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi for the first time. 1988 – 2010  * In 1988 Burma enjoyed press freedom for the short time of one month due to pro-democracy uprisings. In 1997 Burma was labeled as the regions number one adversary of the press. Today, it has about 100 publications, all censored by Press Scrutiny Boards. 2007 — Kenji Nagai, a Japanese photojournalist seasoned in conflict reporting, is shot dead by a Burma Army soldier during the 2007 anti-government protests in Rangoon. The 50-year-old was the only foreign national killed in the protests. The military regime of the time, which ruled as the State Peace and Development Council, ultimately quashed the demonstrations and continued to hold a tight grip on the media until Thein Sein's government came to power in 2011. April 28, 2004—An international pro-democracy group, Freedom House, ranks Burma as one of the top five "Worst of the Worst" countries for press freedom in the world. February 2000—The English-weekly Myanmar Times & Business Review is launched by an Australian businessman and military officials. Sonny Swe, the son of Brig-Gen Thein Swe who is a high ranking Military Intelligence officer, is the deputy CEO of the journal. Later, it starts to publish a Burmese-language version. 1997—US-based Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, describes Burma and Indonesia as the region's two foremost enemies of the press. Yet, since the fall of Suharto in the same year, Indonesia's mass media blossoms, leaving Burma as the region's number one adversary of the press. Mid-1990s—The junta launches the Kyemon that was also nationalized in 1964. April 1993—The regime changes the name of the Loktha Pyithu Nezin (the Working People's Daily) to Myanma Alin (the New Light of Myanmar) that was banned in 1969. 1989—After taking power again, the military amends the 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Act to heavily increase the fine payable by offenders. September 1988—Immediately after the military ceases power on September 18, all newspapers are banned except for the Loktha Pyithu Nezin and its English version, the Working Peopl's Daily. Strict censorship is imposed and many journalists are arrested. At first, foreign journalists are allowed into the country but later they are banned and only a few selected foreign journalists are given press visas. August – September 1988—After 26 years of silence, about 40 independent newspapers and journals, including the Light of Dawn, the Liberation Daily, Scoop, the New Victory and Newsletter, appear in Rangoon for about a month during the period of nationwide pro-democracy uprisings. The publications run political commentaries, biting satires and humorous cartoons of the rulers. Even the state-run newspapers like the Guardian and the Working People’s Daily publish outspoken political articles. 1958 – 1970s * About 30 newspapers emerge. The year 1964 is said to be Burma's last year of press freedom. At this time, dictator Ne Win’s Revolutionary Council shuts down some newspapers and nationalizes most newspapers. 1974—The Socialist party's new constitution grants freedom of expression. However, all forms of public expression are subject to Press Scrutiny Boards to ensure that these "freedoms" are only expressed within the accepted limits of the 'Burmese Way to Socialism.' 1969—The right-wing Hanthawaddy and the Myanma Alin (the New Light of Burma) are nationalized. Eventually, only six newspapers are left: the Loktha Pyithu Nezin, the Botataung, the Kyemon and the Hanthawaddy, the Guardian and the Working People's Daily. The News Agency Burma controls the flow of news in and out of the country. All foreign correspondents, except those working for the Soviet Tass and China's Xinhua, are expelled. Visits by foreign journalists are officially banned. Locally based foreign news agencies are forced to appoint Burmese citizens as correspondents that must be approved by the authorities. In the late 1990s, the British Broadcasting Company and the Voice of America pull out after being unable to appoint their own correspondents. 1966—The government announces that private newspapers are to be banned altogether.All Chinese and Indian language newspapers are stopped as printing is required to be done in Burmese or English language only. 1964—Said to be the last year Burma enjoyed a free press, the government nationalizes all private newspapers, the liberal Kyemon (theMirror), Botataung (A Thousand Officers) and the Guardian. The left-wing Vanguard offers itself for nationalization. Smaller newspapers are shut down and several editors and journalists are arrested. October 1963—The government launches the Loktha Pyithu Nezin (the Working People’s Daily) to compete with exiting private newspapers. In January 1964, the English version of the Working People's Daily appears. July 1963—The government establishes the News Agency Burma. 1963—The military government closes down the Nation, an outspoken defender of press freedom, arresting its editor Law Yone three months later. 1962—The Burma Press Council, or BPC, is founded "to promote and preserve freedom of the press through a voluntary observance of a code of press ethics." Writers and journalists from 52 newspapers, journals and magazines signed the BPC Charter. Later that year, the Dictator Ne Win's Revolutionary Council revokes all existing press laws and enactes a single law, the Printers and Publishers Registration Act. The act establishes Press Scrutiny Boards to scrutinize all material prior to publication, or in some cases after publication. 1946 – 1957 * About 70 newspapers come out during this period. April 16, 1957—The Mirror Daily, the Reporter Daily and the Pyidawsoe News Daily appear on Burmese New Year day. August 21, 1949—The parliamentary government introduces a Bill in Parliament to limit press criticism, saying: "Any person, making criticism, defamatory allegations or charges concerning public servants, including ministers, and officials, would be recognized as committing a criminal offense." 1948—Burma gains independence. There are 39 newspapers published in various languages throughout the country. Seven of the papers are printed in English, 11 in foreign languages, five in Chinese and six in Gujarati, Urdu, Tamil, Telgu and Hindi. 1947—Burma's first constitution guarantees citizens the right to freely express their opinions and convictions. This gives the country a reputation for having one of the freest presses in Asia. 1935 – 1945 * More than 60 newspapers emerge across the country, including Japanese-language and ethnic newspapers. 1943 – 1945—Kanbawza newspaper, the Kachin-language Shi Laika Ningnan, the Rangoon Liberator, the Shwe Man Aung Si, Tai-4, the British government published New Age, the Tavoyan, the Lanhnyun Daily, the Freedom, the Morning Star, Burma Economic Daily, the People’s Voice and the Guide Daily are all in circulation. Kachin's Shi Laika Ningnan is printed in India and airdropped into the Kachin-inhabited area of northern Burma. September 1942—Domei News Service publishes a Japanese daily newspaper. 1942—The Tavoy Daily appears in Tavoy. The New Light of Burma and the Sun emerge again. Bamakhit and Mandalay Thuria appear. 1941—A Christian newspaper, the Sower and the Daily Mirror appear in Rangoon. 1940—The Mon Bulletin, the Student, World Telegrams Daily and Saturday News are published in Rangoon and Mandalay. 1939—The Advance Daily, the Burmese News Mandalay, the Shwe Pyi Daw (Burma News), Thakin Thadinsa, the Local Bodies, Lu-Nge-Let-Yone Daily and the Nationally Daily are published in Rangoon and Mandalay. 1938—The Progress, the Aazaanee, Burma's Voice, the Deedok Daily and the Leader emerge in Rangoon and Mandalay. The editor of Deedok, Ba Cho, is assassinated together with national leader Aung San on July 19, 1947. 1937—Doat-Let-Yone (the Arm), claiming to be the only Arakan-language paper, is published in ArakanState. Asariya and the 10, 000, 000 (the Ten Million) are set up in Rangoon. 1935—The Rakhine-Pyi-Thadinsa, an Arakan newspaper, is published in Sittwe for four years. Ye newspaper, the Myanmar Uzun, the Burma Daily Mail and the Burmese Improvement come out in Rangoon and Mandalay. 1924 – 1934 * About 40 new newspapers emerge, tripling the number of papers since the press laws of 1908 and 1910 are repelled and amended. 1934—The Mawriya Daily appears. 1933—Myanma Myochit, Daung-Settkya, the Laborer, the Success, Daung, the New Mandalay Sun Daily and the Evening Report appear. 1932—Tharrawaddy, Anawyahtar, the Myanma Zeyyar, the Ma-Haw-Tha-Dha and the Rangoon Optic newspapers emerge. 1931—Ratanathiha and Lawkasara Daily News come out in Sibaw, ShanState and Rangoon. 1929—Kesara, the Burma Advertiser, the Burman and the Mandalay Daily Supplement to the Sun are set up in Rangoon, Mandalay and Moulmein. 1928—The National Observer and the Shwenannyun Gazette are published in Rangoon and Mandalay. 1927—The Bandoola, the Traders Spectacles, the pro-British Headman's Gazette, Essence of Buddhism and another Dhamma newspaper emerge in Rangoon. 1926—The Myanma-Myo-Nwe, Aung Myanma, Mawrawadi News, the Shwe Pyi, the Ledi Religious Instructor are published in Rangoon. 1925—The Independent Weekly, the Truth, the Market Report, the Victor (Zeya), the Trades Exchange and the Silver Moon come out in Rangoon and Mandalay. 1924—The Burmese-language Yarmanya and the Myochit newspapers appear in Moulmein and Rangoon. 1913 – 1923 * One of the longest-running newspapers, still being published by the junta today, Myanma Alin (the New Light of Burma), appears in 1914. Associated Press of India, known as API, opens an office in Rangoon and a Muslim newspaper also emerges. 1923—According to an official statement, there are 31 newspapers being published in Rangoon, Mandalay, Moulmein, Sittwe, Bassein and Tharawaddy. 1923—The Associated Press of India, known as API, opens an office in Rangoon. 1923—The Muslim Herald, the Comet, the Burmese Review and the Myanmahlut News are established. Fair Play (in Karen and English), the Rangoon Daily News and the Irrawaddy Times (in Burmese and English) are already being published. The Wunthanu (the Patriot) is also published in Rangoon with a circulation of around 5,000. 1922—The Karen Times and the New Leader appear in Rangoon and Mandalay. The following year, the New Leader changes its name to Shae-saung. In October, the Servant of Burma emerges in Rangoon. The Myanma Myo Taw Saunt and Aungzeya newspapers also begin to be published. March 1922—The Press Law Repeal and Amendment Act is enacted. The act allows the authorities to confiscate any newspaper that runs news and opinion pieces considered as instigating revolt against the government. 1921—Burma's Progress is published by the British government but stops two years later. 1921—The Home Rule is published in Mandalay. 1920—The New Burma is set up in Rangoon and continues to be published until 1942. May 1919—Myanma Alin Thadinsa Athit (a second New Light of Burma) is published in Rangoon. 1918—The Knowledge (Pyinnya Alin) and the Burma Observer are published in Rangoon. The paper is halted in 1924 and again in 1929. 1917—The Burma Guardian and the Rangoon Mail are published in Rangoon. The Tharrawaddy Record is set up in a town near Tharrawaddy, central Burma, with a female editor. 1914—Thuria and Myanma Alin publish a newsletter called War Telegrams about World War I. Thuria‘s circulation reaches about 10,000. August 1914—Myanma Alin (the New Light of Burma), an outspoken newspaper, appears no later than May 1919. It is published three times a week in Burmese. In December 1924, it becomes a daily newspaper until its publication ceases in 1929. 1901 – 1912 * Reuters News Agency opens in Rangoon. Other outspoken newspapers appear, such as the Thuria (the Sun). By 1904, there are about 15 newspapers running with circulations of up to 1,500. New newspapers continue to be established. July 4, 1911—One of the most outspoken Burmese-language newspapers, Thuriya (the Sun), emerges three times a week. In March 1915, it becomes a daily newspaper and continues to be published until October 14, 1954. In the same year, the Salween Times appears in English. Newspapers Running in 1910s: The Rangoon Gazette, the Rangoon Times, the Friend of Burma, the Rangoon Advertiser, Publicity, the Maha-Bodhi News, the Burma Herald, the Burma Printer News are all published in Rangoon. The Upper Burma Gazette, the Mandalay Herald, the Star of Burma, the Mandalay Times, Moulmein Advertiser, Moulmein Gazette and the Burma Times are all published in Mandalay. 1909—The Dawkale, published in the Karen-language of Sagaw, is published once a week by Karen Magazine Press in Bassein, Irrawaddy Division. 1908—The Burma Commercial Advertiser is published twice a week in Rangoon. November 1907—The Burma Educational Journal is established. May 18, 1907—The Burma Echo appears once a week in Rangoon. April 1907—The Burma Critic begins publication in Mandalay. In the same year, a religious newspaper with the name of Dhamma Day-Tha-Nar Thadinsa appears. August 2, 1904—The Burma Printer News emerges three times a week in Rangoon, but is stopped three years later. July 22, 1903—The Myanmahitakari Fortnightly Journal is established. 1903—A Reuters News Agency office opens in Rangoon. March 3, 1901—The religious Maha-Bodhi News appears once a week in Rangoon and continues to be published up until 1926. 1880 – 1900 * King Thibaw, the last Burmese monarch, is removed and Upper Burma is annexed by the British. One of the most outspoken newspapers,Hanthawaddy Thadinsa, is established along with some other new newspapers. 1900—The pro-British Burmese-language Star of Burma is published in Mandalay. It continues to be published up until 1948. 1899—The Times of Burma and the Upper Burma Gazette are established in Rangoon and Mandalay. February 1895—The Mawlamyaing Myo (MoulmeinTown) is published in Moulmein. 1894—The English-language newspapers, the De Vaux Press Advertiser, the British Burma Advertiser, the Rangoon Commercial Advertiser and the Burma Chronicle News are all being published in Rangoon. De Vaux Press Advertiser's circulation was said to be around 1,000 a day. The Karen National News, the Bassein Weekly News and the Advertiser are also published weekly in Bassein, Irrawaddy Division. The Karen National News written in the Karen-language of Sagu (Sgaw) reaches circulation of about 500. 1892—The English-language papers, the Daily Advertiser, the Arakan Echo and the Arakan Advocate are established in Sittwe. Later, the Daily Advertiser and the Arakan Echo combine to form the Arakan Times. 1889—The Hanthawaddy Thadinsa (the Hanthawaddy Weekly Review) appears twice a week in Rangoon. It is regarded as one of the most outspoken newspapers of its time. The newspaper covers foreign news from Reuters news agency through an agent. In 1904, its circulation reaches about 1,000. March 3, 1887—The Mandalay Herald emerges three times a week in Mandalay. It becomes a daily in 1899 up until 1902, when the paper stopped being published. 1886—The Mandalay Times newspaper appears twice a week in Mandalay. 1884—The English-language weekly, the Maulmain Almanac, is published in Moulmein. The Burmese-language Friend of Burma is also set up in Rangoon and eventually becomes a daily newspaper before its publication stopped in 1929.   1869 – 1879 * Freedom of the press is guaranteed by King Mindon, the second last Burmese monarch, in an Act of 17 articles that is regarded as Southeast Asia’s first indigenous press-freedom law. The Kingdom publishes an official newspaper. March 11, 1878—The British government enacts a law called the Vernacular Press Act to ban newspapers from reporting and picturing defamation of the government. 1878—The Burma Herald is set up by the King of Mandalay to counter the pro-British views of Rangoon newspapers. Two other English newspapers, the Rangoon Daily Mail and the Daily Review, are established and halted six months later. 1876—The Burmese-language Tenasserim Thadinsa (The Tenasserim News) appears in Moulmein. March 20, 1875—Yadanabon Nay-Pyi-Daw (with the heading of Mandalay Gazette in English on the masthead) is published weekly by King Mindon, possibly as early as 1874. Publication ceases in 1885 when Upper Burma is annexed by the British. 1875—Yadanabon Thadinsa (British Burma News) appears in Rangoon. August 15, 1873—King Mindon (1853 – 1878) bestowes immunity on the local press corps with the introduction of an act consisting of 17 articles that ensure freedom of the press. November 1874—The Burmese-language Friend of Maulmain newspaper appears in Moulmein. January 11, 1873—Law-Ki-Thu-Ta (the Worldly Knowledge) newspaper emerges in Rangoon. May 8, 1871—The Burmese-language paper, the Burmah Gazette, appears in Rangoon. This weekly newspaper alters its name to the Burma News in May 1872. It ceases publication in 1916. 1869—Myanmar Thandawsint Thadinsa (the Burmah Herald) is published once a week by Myanmar Thandawsint Press, possibly as early as 1871. It is the first Burmese-language newspaper in Rangoon. In 1884, it becomes a daily with a circulation of around 500. It ceases publication in 1912.   1858 – 1868 * At least three new newspapers emerge. There are six newspapers being published during this period. 1862—The Dhamma Thadinsa (the Religious Herald), first published by the Baptist mission in 1843, changes its name to the Burman Messenger. The Times Commercial Advertiser, the Daily Advertiser, Pole Star, British Burma Gazette, the Mercantile Gazette and the Arakan News are still published during this period according to newspaper research conducted in 1868. 1861—The Rangoon Gazette is established as a rival of the Rangoon Times. It is published twice a week and later daily. It ceases publication in 1942. June 2, 1858—The English-language Rangoon Times is published, possibly as early as 1854. The newspaper began as a twice-weekly publication, however, it increased to three times a week by 1861 and later became a daily. It ceased publication in 1942, when the British left Rangoon. 1847 – 1857 * About four English-language newspapers emerge. One is published by ethnic Arakan in the capital of Sittwe, Arakan state. The British legislation council enacts a law, known as the "law to shut mouth" banning the publication of news without prior approval. June 13, 1857—Lord Canning, the Governor General of India from 1856-1862, introduces a law banning the publication of any news without prior approval in an attempt to regulate the press. 1853—The twice-weekly English-language Akyab (Sittwe) Commercial Advertiser is published in Sittwe, by Arakan Weekly News Press. The following year, the paper changes its name to the Arakan News. Circulation reached about 150. January 5, 1853—The Rangoon Chronicle newspaper is published twice a week. Later, it changes its name to the Pegu Gazette. It ceased publication in May 1958. 1849—A weekly publication, the English-language Friend of Burmah newspaper, starts in Moulmein. July 1, 1848—The English-language paper, the Maulmain Advertiser, is published in Moulmein. It may have first appeared as early as 1846. The paper, published three times a week by W. Thomas & Co, altered its name to the Maulmain Times in 1850, but the following year it resumed its previous name. 1836 – 1846 * During this period the first English-language newspaper was launched under British-ruled Tenasserim, southern Burma. The first ethnic Karen-language and Burmese-language newspapers also appear in this period.    1846—The Maulmain Free Press newspaper is published by an English merchant in Moulmein. January 1843—The Baptist mission publishes a monthly newspaper, the Christian Dhamma Thadinsa (the Religious Herald), in Moulmein. Supposedly the first Burmese-language newspaper, it continued up until the first year of the second Anglo-Burmese War in 1853. In 1862 the paper resumed publication under a different name, the Burman Messenger. September 1842—Tavoy's Hsa-tu-gaw (the Morning Star), a monthly publication in the Karen-language of Sgaw, is established by the Baptist mission. It is the first ethnic language newspaper. Circulation reached about three hundred until its publication ceased in 1849. March 3, 1836—The first English-language newspaper, The Maulmain Chronicle, appears in the city of Moulmein in British-ruled Tenasserim. The paper, first published by a British official named E.A. Blundell, continued up until the 1950s. References: Index of Burma Newspapers, Volumes 1 and 2, by Htin Gyi A Journalist, A General and An Army in Burma, (1995), by U Thaung Inked Over, Ripped Out, by Anna J. Allott Burma, Laos, and Cambodia, Status of Media in, by Bertil Lintner His Majesty’s Newspaper, by Htin Gyi Some Early Newspapers in Myanmar, by Hla Thein Research by Kyaw Zwa Moe. Additional Updates: Thet Ko Ko & Wei Yan Aung. The post Burma's Media Landscape Through the Years appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Broadcaster’s Terminology in Arakan Conflict Coverage Irks Military Posted: 04 May 2016 01:02 AM PDT A screenshot of the MRTV-4 broadcast about the conflict between the Arakan Army and government troops in Arakan State. (Photo: Myawaddy / Facebook) RANGOON — Burma's military, officially known as the Tatmadaw, strongly condemned a Burmese broadcaster for calling an ethnic armed organization the "Rakhine Tatmadaw" and referring to Tatmadaw troops as "government forces," according to a military statement released Tuesday night. MRTV-4, a private broadcaster affiliated with Burma's Ministry of Information, aired a story on Friday in which it reported that 1,100 locals in Arakan State, also known as Rakhine State, were recently displaced by fighting between the "Rakhine Tatmadaw"—in reference to the Arakan Army—and "government forces." The military took exception to the word "Tatmadaw" being used to describe any group that is not the state armed forces, officially translated as the Defense Services in English. Further stoking ire was the replacement of the word Tatmadaw with "government forces," a term which the military apparently felt had diminished its authority. "In every country in the world, there is only one armed forces to safeguard the country," read a statement from the Tatmadaw True News Information Team. "And Section 337 of the 2008 Constitution states that the Tatmadaw is the main armed force assembled for the defense of the Union." "This misuse of the word 'Tatmadaw' defames the image and dignity of the Tatmadaw, and implies that MRTV-4 supports the Rakhine insurgent group," continued the Tatmadaw statement. "MRTV-4 failed to follow media ethics and it was an unfair broadcast. On behalf of the Defense Services [Army, Navy and Air], we strongly condemn and call upon officials to take necessary action." The military's indignation—"fumes" was the verb chosen by English-language state media to describe the Tatmadaw's mood—was not ineffectual. Shortly after the Tatmadaw statement was issued, MRTV-4 posted an apology on its official Facebook account. MRTV-4 "unintentionally misused" the term "[Rakhine] Tatmadaw" in reference to the "AA insurgent group," according to the apology. "The editorial team failed to properly check the story and apologizes to the Defense Services … for upsetting them," it continued. The post Broadcaster's Terminology in Arakan Conflict Coverage Irks Military appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Press Freedom in Burma Posted: 04 May 2016 12:00 AM PDT Shwe Lu The post Press Freedom in Burma appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Nobel Laureate Urges Modi to Curb Child Slavery as India Reels from Drought Posted: 03 May 2016 11:37 PM PDT Kailash Satyarthi, 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, takes part in a panel during the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New York on Sept. 27, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) NEW DELHI — Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi has appealed to the prime minister of India to prioritize children and ensure they are not trafficked, forced into marriage or put into bonded labor as the country reels from its worst drought in decades. In a letter to Narendra Modi, the child rights activist urged him to declare the drought a national emergency, saying that the lives of more than 160 million children were at stake. "Reports of children being forced into child labor, trafficking, child marriage, and the devadasi [dedicating girls to service in temples] system are coming to light with children increasingly dropping out from school … and large scale migration due to this crisis," Satyarthi wrote. The letter was circulated to the media on Tuesday by his office. "Owing to this drought and the ongoing water crisis, children are becoming increasingly vulnerable. In the coming months, there is an increased risk of lakhs [hundreds of thousands] of children becoming victims of these circumstances." The government estimates more than 330 million people—almost a quarter of India's population—have been hit by the scarcity of water in states such as Maharashtra in the west and Karnataka in the south. As crops wither and livestock perish, tens of thousands of people are migrating in search of food, water and jobs, leaving behind women, children and older family members who are vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers. Figures given by Satyarthi's office showed the number of children dropping out of school in the 10 drought-affected states had risen by 22 percent, while child trafficking cases had increased by 24 percent. Satyarthi, who was awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, ended his letter calling upon Modi make children "a top priority" in the government's relief and rehabilitation efforts. The post Nobel Laureate Urges Modi to Curb Child Slavery as India Reels from Drought appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tough-Talking Mayor Keeps Poll Lead a Week Before Philippine Elections Posted: 03 May 2016 10:28 PM PDT Supporters pose for a picture with a mascot depicting Philippine presidential candidate and Davao city mayor Rodrigo Duterte before a May Day campaign rally in Manila, Philippines, on May 1, 2016. (Photo: Reuters) MANILA — A tough-talking mayor running for the presidency of the Philippines has kept his double-digit lead five days before elections, despite allegations he had undeclared millions of pesos in a bank, the latest opinion poll has showed. Rodrigo Duterte was the number one choice among 33 percent of Filipinos in the Pulse Asia survey done on April 26-29, the same numbers from a similar survey among 4,000 respondents a week earlier, the poll released late on Tuesday showed. Manuel Roxas, President Benigno Aquino's hand-picked successor, moved up a spot into second place for the first time since June 2015 after rising 2 points to 22 percent support. Senator Grace Poe, the adopted daughter of movie stars, fell back to third after dropping a point to 21 percent. Vice President Jejomar Binay was in fourth place with 17 percent after losing a point, while support for Senator Miriam Santiago was unchanged at 2 percent. "The survey did not reflect significant changes," Pulse Asia president Professor Ronald Holmes said. Political analysts said Duterte had struck a chord with most Filipinos who were frustrated and disappointed with the government's inability to address mass transport and traffic problems in the capital, Manila. His strong anti-crime platform also resonated among voters across all economic classes and in all geographical regions. However, Holmes noted a dip in Duterte's support in Manila over allegations he had not declared 211 million pesos (US$4.5 million) in his bank account. The allegations about the undeclared money were made last week by Senator Antonio Trillanes, a candidate for vice president. Peter Lavina, a spokesman for Duterte, said the allegations were "nothing but a publicity stunt." The poll follows a tricky week for Duterte, who has also been trying to manage the fallout from controversial remarks he made at a campaign rally about an Australian missionary murdered and raped during a 1989 prison riot. About 54 million Filipinos, including overseas workers, are eligible to vote in Monday's elections. The post Tough-Talking Mayor Keeps Poll Lead a Week Before Philippine Elections appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bangkok Temple Now a Venerated Site for Leicester City Fans Posted: 03 May 2016 09:57 PM PDT Buddhist monk Phra Prommangkalachan poses for a portrait next to holy cloths with Leicester City's logo on them, at his temple in Bangkok on April 18, 2016. (Photo: Reuters) BANGKOK — Tucked in the Chinatown area of Bangkok is a Buddhist temple that has turned overnight into a venerated site for Leicester City's fans, at least the ones in Thailand. After all, it was the chief monk of that temple who some months ago had predicted that the team, which was a 5,000:1 outsider at the start of the season, would win the English Premier League title. The prediction came true on Monday night, and by Tuesday morning fans were flocking to the Golden Buddha temple, hoping to get their hands on Leicester City banners blessed by the monk, Phra Prommangkalachan, who is revered by the club's Thai owners. But no banners were for sale, the monk's assistant, Korpsin Uiamsa-ard, told the throngs of disappointed fans. "I never believed in blessings until now," said Ling Prakorpvoon, 51, who came from the neighboring province of Chonburi for the blessed banner. "He [the monk] is incredible. Leicester never won and now this miracle." Premier League football is popular among Thais, but many are fans of better-known teams such as Manchester United or Chelsea. "The odds [of Leicester winning the title] were quite low. I am a follower of the monk himself and I think he is magical and holy," said Songwit Suwannaram, who has been the monk's follower for more than 10 years. "I so badly want the Leicester banner now because this just happened." In fact, only a few such banners exist, said Korpsin, wearing Leicester City's dark blue jersey. He showed The Associated Press one of them—a rectangular yellow silk cloth with blue tassels and the club's fox emblem emblazoned on it. The fox is surrounded by Buddhist religious symbols. Korpsin said the banners will not be sold but will be given to people chosen by Prommangkalachan. "At the start of the year, if I had forced someone to take the Leicester team banner, no one would have touched it. Who would've thought?" he said in an interview in a small room in the sprawling temple complex not far from the city's main train station. The monk came into prominence when Thailand's King Power duty free company, owned by billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, bought Leicester City six years ago. Vichai is a devotee of Prommangkalachan and got him to bless the team. The monk himself was not available for an interview but in an interview with Thailand's Spring News cable TV channel in March, Prommangkalachan said that when he traveled to England the first time to give the blessings he realized there were "no meditations or blessings related to football." "I scoured through all my books and manual, for anything that could be used to bless a football team. But there was no football in ancient times," he said. However, "I found blessings for war, which is similar to football games … It seemed the most fitting for the situation, so I used this." Vichai has also flown several monks from the temple—its Thai name is Wat Traimitr Withayaram—to England to bless the team, the King Power stadium in Leicester City, and also to lead spiritual sessions for the players. Prommangkalachan said Leicester's success has less to do with his blessings than with Vichai's karma, or the results of a person's actions. "Not just his karma. So many people played a part in this success," he said. "All I helped to do is to make our home, the stadium, a holy ground." The temple plans to give gold amulets, blessed by Prommangkalachan, to each of the club's players. The unblessed amulets are sold in the temple's shop for about $1,700. Korpsin said two bigger amulets are reserved for Vichai and the team coach Claudio Ranieri, probably valued at about $5,000. Even the young disciples who live and work at the temple are now fans of Leicester City, said Korpsin. "They all used to be Manchester United or Liverpool fans." Now they wear the team's dark blue jerseys as they sweep leaves off the temple grounds and carry on other chores. And at night? "They all transform—they wear Leicester's white away-game jerseys and chant its name while watching the game," said Korpsin. The post Bangkok Temple Now a Venerated Site for Leicester City Fans appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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