AllSBNews

Saturday, June 11, 2016

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (June 11, 2016)
Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘It is Time for the Government to Clarify its Policies’
This Week in Parliament (June 6-10)

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (June 11, 2016)

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 08:20 PM PDT

Dutch beer producer Heineken has faced setbacks while setting up operations in Burma. (Photo: Reuters)

Sanctions Relief Not Sufficient, U.S. Businesses Argue

The American government's recent relaxation of sanctions on Burma is not enough, the US Chamber of Commerce argued in a white paper published this week, calling for the US to "normalize" relations fully and introduce preferable trade terms to encourage export-led industries in Burma.

A number of state-run companies and banks were removed from US Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list in May. The US introduced new measures to smooth financial dealings involving Burma and extended an exemption making it legal for US companies to finance shipments coming through Burma's largest port and airport, which are owned by a company on the so-called blacklist.

But President Barack Obama also extended the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, which underpins the sanctions regime against Burma. Advocates of sanctions argue that retaining some targeted measures enables the United States to encourage reform in Burma, particularly for companies with ties to the military that remain sanctioned.

But many businesspeople wanted the act scrapped completely. In a statement Monday, the US Chamber of Commerce's senior vice president for Asia, Tami Overby, said that after the successful elections in November, "we think it's time to normalize this relationship."

"Trade, investment and economic growth all promote progress in Myanmar," said Overby. "Sanctions do the opposite."

The body representing American business interests issued a white paper that called for sanctions to be totally lifted. It also called for Burma to be included once again in the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which would mean Burmese goods could be imported to the US duty-free. Burma was removed from the GSP in 1989 over child labor and forced labor concerns.

"Myanmar has benefitted to some extent from its ability to export to the United States, but greater access to the US market would be one of the quickest, most readily-actionable ways in which to support the country's growth," the white paper said.

It also warned that, with the European Union (EU) already reinstating preferential trade terms for Burma and other countries not holding back on investment, US companies were missing out on opportunities in Burma.

"Patience has worn thin, and should the US fail to grow into a significant presence this year, local Myanmar communities believe it may not happen for at least a decade," it said.

Japanese Firm Hopes to Win Market Share With Noodles for Burmese Tastes

Osaka-based Acecook, a company specializing in instant noodles and soups, reportedly wants to begin making noodles in Burma next year, and hopes to be shifting 100 million servings a year of its products by 2020.

Nikkei reports that Acecook will invest about $18.6 million to build a factory in an industrial park in Rangoon and become the first Japanese noodle maker to set up production in the country.

"Myanmar’s growing middle class has begun slurping more instant noodles," the report said. "With incomes rising, the market is seen expanding from 420 million servings last year to more than 1 billion in 2020."

Acecook already operates in Vietnam, where it makes products tailored to local tastes, replicating Vietnamese pho, for example. The firm wants to do the same in Burma, and believes it can win a 10 percent market share within the next four years, Nikkei said.

By doing so, Acecook believes it can compete with Thai imported noodles in Burma (It currently imports noodles made by its Vietnamese subsidiary, at an extra cost).

"While the Thai versions are mostly based on tom yum soup, Acecook released a new offering this February that has a flavor like the 'hin' simmered dishes of Myanmar," Nikkei reported. "That product is priced at around 250 kyat."

Report Details Heineken's Challenges in Burma

Heineken opened it's $60 million brewery in Rangoon's Hmawbi Township almost a year ago, but the return to the country hasn't been as smooth as the Dutch beer company would have hoped, according to details in an article published this week by the Financial Times.

Faced with having to take on the market dominant, part military owned Myanmar Brewery, which makes the ubiquitous Myanmar Beer, Heineken faced problems before production could even begin, the report said.

Citing Heineken's supply chain director Donald Otten, it said that the company's launch in Burma last year—in a joint venture with tycoon Aung Moe Kyaw's Alliance Brewery Company—in fact came half a year later than hoped.

"Heineken was delayed by more than three months because customs officers rejected equipment over small errors in the import paperwork — delays Mr Otten suspects were aimed at extracting illegal bribes," it said.

Like all companies operating in the country, Heineken has also had to battle with power shortages, employing a backup generator 44 percent of the time during the hot season in March, according to the Financial Times.

Company officials quoted in the story were generally positive about the brewer's chances, and reported that sales targets were being exceeded, despite the teething problems.

There was also good news for the company in February, when it announced it had won back the right to brew its Tiger and ABC Stout brands in Burma. The brands had previously been brewed by Myanmar Brewery, a former partner of Heineken in an aborted 1990s attempt to enter the country.

Burma Tops Mekong Region for Oil and Gas Opportunities

Analysts at U.K.-based BMI Research believe that Burma offers the most opportunity in the Mekong region for investment in extracting oil and gas, with more exploration blocks possibly up for grabs this year.

In an industry trend analysis published this month, the firm said it expects encouraging exploration to be a priority for the new government, since much of the country's existing natural gas production is pledged to China or Thailand under contracts signed by previous governments.

"The popularly-elected political leadership under [President] Htin Kyaw, is widely anticipated to be open to attracting greater international investment into its oil and gas sector," the analysis said.

"This increases the likelihood of a licensing round in 2016, which could offer as many as 26 oil and gas blocks—comprising 13 onshore and 13 offshore blocks. While the exact date for the bidding round remains unconfirmed, it could pave the way for greater international investment in upstream activities."

The previous government signed production-sharing contracts with a number of international oil companies, including Royal Dutch Shell, Thailand's PTTEP, and Chevron of the U.S.

BMI Research pointed to the fact that 11 3-D seismic surveys had already been conducted in exploration blocks as evidence that the country's oil and gas sector would overcome an infrastructure deficit and the current low oil prices.

"Myanmar will be the most attractive country in the Mekong region for upstream investments," it said.

"Being well positioned for gas exports and home to a rapidly growing domestic market, the below-ground potential and greater certainty in Myanmar’s economic and political situation will support investments."

German Transport Giant Sets Up Logistics Company in Burma

DB Schenker, a division of the German state-owned railway and infrastructure group Deutsche Bahn AG, has set up a company in Burma to take advantage of rising trade volumes.

A statement said that Schenker Myanmar Company Limited had begun operating as of June 1. The company will manage logistics work for telecommunications and consumer goods clients, while the group's Thai subsidiary will continue to deal with freight customs and transport through it's existing office in Rangoon.

"Myanmar has seen a significant increase in investments and activities in infrastructure, manufacturing and distribution, since the lifting of sanctions in 2012," the new company's general manager, Nay Htoo Aung, said in the statement.

"We can enable the development and growth of the Myanmar market by bringing our expertise and technology in warehouse design & management, as well as employing and training the Myanmar talent pool with warehouse & supply chain management skills, to serve our customers' needs."

The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (June 11, 2016) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘It is Time for the Government to Clarify its Policies’

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 08:12 PM PDT

Thalun Zaung Htet: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week, we'll discuss Burma's economic potential under the new government. The Irrawaddy's business reporters Ma Kyaw Hsu Mon and Ko Thit Nay Moe will join me for the discussion. I'm Irrawaddy Burmese editor Thalun Zaung Htet.

The new government has been in office for more than two months now, and business circles have complained that President U Htin Kyaw did not talk about economic policies in his inaugural address. Both foreign and local investors have shared this criticism because they are not clear what economic policies the country will adopt. There has been no significant change in the country's economy over the past two months under the new government's 100-day plan. How much has this upset businessmen and investors?

Kyaw Hsu Mon: As everyone knows, the country faces many challenges and difficulties during the transition. Although the new government has articulated its economic policies, it failed to make the details clear to the public, businessmen and potential foreign investors—this is what people are currently criticizing. The NLD [National League for Democracy] government has good economic policies in hand, as they took their time designing them with the help of experts. The problem is that they failed to be transparent in explaining them, which made people raise questions. Businessmen now wonder what the economic policies and opportunities are, and how the new government will handle the bad legacy of their predecessor. The new government has not made clear statements regarding various economic sectors such as banking, financial services, production, or exports and imports, which also raises questions. We understand that the government has to give priority to political stability under the current circumstances, but it should also take care of the country's economy because the economy is the lifeblood of the country. It is time for the new government to clearly elaborate on the best possible policies. It would be best if they do this within the first 100 days.

TZH: There were laws enacted during former President U Thein Sein's government, like the Foreign Investment Law and the Myanmar Companies Law. Economic laws, however, are not ready to be put into practice. Businessmen claim that the laws are not ready to attract investment or business. Recently, the US Chamber of Commerce said that the existing economic laws in Myanmar do not offer any protections and they urged [Myanmar] to make sure they do. What is wrong with the laws? Ko Thit Nay Moe, why do businessmen say that the existing laws can't attract foreign investment?

Thit Nay Moe: [Business] laws were enacted under U Thein Sein's government. The Foreign Investment Law was enacted in 2012, and the administration also enacted the Myanmar Citizens Investment Law. The two laws were contradictory. Businessmen claimed that the Myanmar Citizens Investment Law favored Myanmar citizens while the Foreign Investment Law favored foreign investors. They tried to combine those two laws, but it couldn't be enacted. A previous Myanmar Companies Act was enacted a long time ago in 1914. This law was amended with the help of ADB [Asian Development Bank], but it has not been passed yet. These two laws directly concern foreign investment. The MIC [Myanmar Investment Commission], which scrutinizes and approves foreign investment had to reform itself, as required by law. To foreign investors, it is not a positive sign that the MIC still hasn't been reformed and that those laws aren't yet amended. Until the MIC is reformed, foreign investors who submitted investment proposals can't receive approval. I heard that there are as many as over 100 proposals. This is one reason for slow inbound investment.

TZH: So, you mean nothing is ready yet for investment. The concerned laws aren't ready and the MIC isn't ready, so investments aren't coming in as part of the 100-day plan. People have said that it was difficult to do business in Myanmar previously because there were sanctions against the country, mainly by the United States. But on May 10, Americans extended their sanctions against our country. This mainly targeted individuals, while sanctions against the government have largely been lifted. Government banks like the Myanma Economic Bank [MEB], Myanmar Investment and Commercial Bank [MICB] and Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank [MFTB] were removed from the sanction list. So, it is fair to say that there are almost no sanctions against the government. But then again, lifting sanctions against the government does not immediately bring in investments. There is hardly any suggestion that lifting sanctions against the government will result in inbound investment. Why?

KHM: At the economic seminar between the United States and Burma yesterday, representatives said that sanctions only targeted specific individuals on the SDN [Specially Designated Nationals] list, like top businessmen U Teza, U Zaw Zaw and U Tun Myint Naing of Asia World to name a few. Those who remain on the list are key business players in the country. So, it is doubtful that the SDN does not affect the country's economy. Regarding sanctions against Burma, there are different views held by the government, Congress and businessmen in the United States. Some of them call for not lifting sanctions on Burma, while others, including some US businessmen, have called for them to be lifted. Both governments need to think about whether the sanctions impact Burma's economy. The US government needs to find out who is affected by sanctions, and whether they are only targeting top businessmen or people at the bottom as well. The Burmese government needs to ask itself if the country is ready for investment if the US government lifts all sanctions and invests in the country. Because Burma has suffered mismanagement and lack of infrastructure for ages, we still do not get full access to electricity. The government needs to question if the country is ready in terms of infrastructure requirements in regards to things like water and telecommunications. Without proper infrastructure, affordable land prices and affordable rent for office spaces, foreign investors won't come. Potential investors will take all these things into consideration. So, it is fair to conclude that foreign investments will not come in if the government fails to consider all of these aspects.

TZH: Our country is a developing country and taking a look at its import and export sector, exports are low and imports are high. For a household, if expenses are large and income is small, it will become poor. In our country, exports are very small, but import volume is large—we import cars and building materials into the country. Ko Thit Nay Moe, what actions is the government taking to boost exports?

TNM: As far as we know, the commerce minister has said that he intends to boost exports three-fold over the next five years. But, our export volume is at an all time low and our import volume is very high, so there has been trade deficit. In the 2012-13 fiscal year, the trade deficit was just over US$225,000, but it increased to $5 billion in the 2014-15 fiscal year because we could not export. The export total was $10 billion in the 2014-15 fiscal year, a small amount compared to our neighbors. Thailand's export total was about $220 billion and Vietnam's was over $130 billion at that time. So, it is clear that we don't have things to export. To address this situation, the government needs to consider which sectors should be prioritized. The commerce minister talked about boosting exports in the agricultural sector and improving small and medium enterprises [SMEs]. In reality, the agricultural sector receives less than one percent of foreign investment, just around 0.5 percent. So, it will be interesting to see how the new government will handle this. It is a real challenge. Regarding SME development, U Thein Sein's government provided loans, but they were not sufficient. The previous government also established SME centers, but businessmen say that those did not succeed. The previous government did something, but it was far from a success. It will be a tough challenge for the new government to handle and improve the failed SME policies.

TZH: So, there are two challenges: to boost exports and to develop SMEs. Regarding the banking sector, we also have shortcomings. One of the main problems is that banks can't provide loans for businesses. What measures has the new government taken to fix this?

KHM: It is critically important that the Central Bank of Myanmar has stable policies and adopts laws that can effectively encourage the private sector. It needs to adopt good regulations that can support local businessmen. We will have to see how much the Central Bank can back up private banks so that they can provide loans to local businessmen. Now, businessmen are pushing the Central Bank to make some of its policies more clear. I think the government needs to handle this in the best possible way if it wants to see private sector development.

TZH: Ma Kyaw Hsu Mon, Ko Thit Nay Moe, thank you for your contributions.

The post Dateline Irrawaddy: 'It is Time for the Government to Clarify its Policies' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

This Week in Parliament (June 6-10)

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 08:02 PM PDT

A view of the Union Parliament in Naypyidaw during its opening session on Feb. 8, 2016. (Photo: The Irrawaddy)

June 6 (Monday)

The Union Parliament approved the President's proposal for Myanmar's ratification of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the Association of Asean. Under the agreement, Myanmar diplomats assigned to the Asean Secretariat will receive exemptions and privileges while they are performing their duties, said U Kyaw Tin, deputy minister of foreign affairs.

June 7 (Tuesday)

The Lower House approved lawmaker Khin Nyo's proposal which called for the establishment of mangrove swamps in the Irrawaddy Division's Dedaye Township.

The Upper House approved the electricity laws sent to it by the Lower House with their proposed amendments. It also approved the bylaws for prevention of dangerous chemicals and related materials sent to it by the Lower House with their proposed amendments.

In the Lower House, Myint Oo of Thanatpin Township asked if the new government would follow through with the former government's plan to pay for half of the electricity supply costs in some of the villages in his township. Lower House Speaker Win Myint warned, "You are asking about a thing of the past, which was not clearly explained. You need to review you question first to see if it is relevant to the present time or not."

June 8 (Wednesday)

The Lower House approved the proposal of lawmaker Tin Maung Win of Seikkan Township to halt the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) approved jetty project being carried out by Kaung Myanmar Aung shipping company on land owned by the Myanmar Port Authority. The lawmaker said that construction work would block the waterway, negatively affect the nearby Botahtaung Pagoda and increase traffic congestion on Strand Road.

The Upper House approved the draft law to amend the Anti-Corruption Law sent to it by the Lower House. The law has been amended once already.

June 9 (Thursday)

Lower House lawmaker Phyu Phyu Thin asked how long it would take to rebuild the Mingalar Market. The Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement replied that the Rangoon Division Parliament would seek the approval of the divisional government to rebuild the market. The market caught fire in January this year and the damage toll was estimated at over 36 billion kyat (US$27.8 million), according to the Fire Services Department.

In response to a lawmaker's question about whether the government planned to reopen the border trade post at Three Pagoda Pass in Karen State on the Thai-Burma border, Minister of Commerce Than Myint replied that it would only be considered after border disputes were settled and the border was demarcated according to international law.

June 10 (Friday)

Lawmaker Htay Win Aung of Dawbon Constituency asked if the government had a plan to disseminate information about the International Declaration of Human Rights at schools and through state media. Education Minister Myo Thein Gyi replied that the Information Ministry would publish photos, articles and interviews about human rights as a priority if they were sent to state newspapers. The Ministry of Education will cooperate with the National Human Rights Commission to provide information about human rights, the education minister said.

The first regular session of the Lower House convened on Feb. 1 and came to an end on June 10. Four standing committees and 15 affairs committees were formed. Nine of 16 bills were debated, seven remain up for debate and two by-laws were approved. Over 6,000 observers visisted Parliament.

The first regular session of the Upper House convened on Feb. 1 and concluded on June 10. Four standing committees and 12 affairs committees were formed.

Nang Than Than Lwin of Hpa-an Constituency asked if the government had a plan to allow instruction of ethnic languages in schools in order to preserve and promote language, culture and literature of the various ethnic groups. The education minister replied that the Union government would continue to cooperate with divisional and state governments to promote the teaching of ethnic languages at state schools.

The post This Week in Parliament (June 6-10) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Friday, June 10, 2016

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Lawmakers Highlight Shortcomings in Ethnic Language Teaching
Ethnic Armed Groups Look to Bring Peace Talks to Their Turf
China Backs Out of Project, Irrawaddy Irrigation Dept Steeped in Financial Woes
Thai-Burmese Border Dispute Holds Up Trading Post
Burma’s Gender Issues to Take Center Stage in Geneva
First Parliamentary Session Closes
Peace, Reconciliation Key to Constitutional Change: Win Myint
Ethnic Peace Delegation Reviews Political Dialogue Framework
BBC Journalist to Appeal Conviction
Rohingya Reject New Citizenship Verification Cards
Muslim Lawyers Association Launches
Government Polls the Public on Betel Nut
Unhappy Anniversary
Woes Mount for Kachin State’s IDPs As Aid Agencies Cut Funds
Resistance to India Joining Nuclear Suppliers Group Softens
Thai Temple Denies Abbot Involved in Tiger Trafficking

Lawmakers Highlight Shortcomings in Ethnic Language Teaching

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 08:53 AM PDT

The Mon national school in Durae, Ye Township, Mon State. (Photo: Kaowao)

RANGOON — Ethnic minority lawmakers from different parties have criticized government policy on the teaching of minority languages in schools, citing the failure to incorporate it into normal school hours and the rock-bottom salaries paid to ethnic language teachers.

Min Kyi Win, a lawmaker for the Mon National Party in the Mon State parliament, told The Irrawaddy that the teaching of the Mon language only took place after conventional school closing times.

"Our state parliament has discussed it already," said Min Kyi Win, adding that they had "resolved to request that the Union government" facilitate minority language teaching during normal school hours.

Nang Than Than Lwin, a female lawmaker from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) in the Lower House of Parliament, complained of the same thing to The Irrawaddy, regarding the instruction of her Karen mother tongue in Karen State; there has been similar dissatisfaction reported on the teaching of the ethnic Shan language in this capacity as well.

However, Nang Than Than Lwin said she was hopeful that effective cooperation between the Karen State government and the Ministry of Education would resolve the matter in her region.

Minister of Education Dr. Myo Thein Gyi told Parliament today that state and divisional governments are responsible for implementing the plan. "We [at the Ministry of Education] will continue to provide what they need," he said.

Regarding Karen State, Myo Thein Gyi said the ministry had been providing free ethnic minority language textbooks to schools in ethnic Karen, Mon and Pa-O communities. This would continue through the 2016-2017 academic year.

Ethnic lawmakers also expressed dissatisfaction with the 30,000 kyats (US$25) per month salary that has been paid by the government to teachers of ethnic minority languages since September. This is conspicuously lower than the 50,000 kyats (US$40) per month paid to teachers at monastery schools, according to Min Kyi Win, the Mon National Party lawmaker.

"They 30,000 kyats provided by the government is very low. The government should pay more," he said.

Under previous military-controlled governments, ethnic minority languages were banned on school premises and in all educational curricula. The teaching of ethnic minority languages in government schools began under the previous government in Mon State in 2014, after a bill was passed to allow the teaching of Mon, Karen and Pa-O in local schools.

The practice has since spread, but has yet to reach all of Burma's states where ethnic minorities predominate. It does not cover the teaching of other subjects in minority language mediums; all other classes remain in Burmese. It remains to be seen how the NLD government will extend the policy.

The post Lawmakers Highlight Shortcomings in Ethnic Language Teaching appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ethnic Armed Groups Look to Bring Peace Talks to Their Turf

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 08:25 AM PDT

Arakan Army (AA) Commander-in-Chief Htun Myat Naing delivers a speech to soldiers in Kachin state. (Photo: TNLA News and Information Department / Facebook)

RANGOON — Three ethnic armed groups—the Arakan Army (AA), the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA)—have called on the national government's new peace envoy to convene initial peace talks in the remote areas under ethnic control, said Col. Nyo Twan Awng of the AA.

Although a meeting date has not yet been set, it is likely to take place in the next week. The three groups have suggested three options for the meeting location: in Panghsang , the capital of the Wa Special Region in northeastern Shan State; the Mongla area, in the eastern part of Shan State; or Ruili, a Sino-Burmese border town. However, a government representative said that meeting in Ruili would be impossible.

"Perhaps we could meet in the Mongla or in the Wa region, since we've already requested that Wa and Mongla help host the meeting. But first the government wants to hold an informal meeting with two representatives from each armed group," Col. Nyo Twan Awng said.

Zaw Htay, spokesperson for the President Office's, confirmed to The Irrawaddy over the phone that the government's peace body will meet with the three armed groups but he declined to offer any details.

Col. Nyo Twan Awng said that the groups—who were excluded by the previous government from signing a 2015 "nationwide" ceasefire agreement (NCA)—are willing to collaborate with the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led peace committee and subcommittee.

However, he also cautioned that if the new government is serious about facilitating peace and national reconciliation, certain policies on the part of the Burma Army's commander-in-chief, Min Aung Hlaing, should be reviewed. He pointed out that some powerful ethnic armed groups hesitated to sign off on the NCA under former President Thein Sein's government because the Burma Army aggressively pushed a disarmament policy for ethnic armed groups.
Col. Nyo Twan Awng claimed that the AA, MNDAA and TNLA have found common ground by consistently working together as a dual political and military alliance and that they already agree on some points of the NCA, whose negotiation process they were a part of.

While the new government has taken steps to reinvigorate Burma's peace process, even since the NLD took the mantle of political leadership in April fighting has continued in ethnic regions, particularly in Arakan, Kachin and Shan states. On Sunday, for instance, AA and Burma Army troops reportedly clashed in Arakan State's Rathedaung Township.

Col. Nyo Twan Awng confirmed that more fighting between the two camps erupted on Thursday near Nwar Yon Taung village in Buthidaung Township. It reportedly took 20 minutes for the fighting to cease, and at least three soldiers were wounded.

"Fighting will intensify if the government army continues its operations," he said.

The post Ethnic Armed Groups Look to Bring Peace Talks to Their Turf appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Backs Out of Project, Irrawaddy Irrigation Dept Steeped in Financial Woes

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 08:20 AM PDT

A vessel sails through a tunnel in Irrawaddy Division's Zalun Township. (Photo: Salai Thant Zin / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Irrawaddy Division's Department of Irrigation is 5.5 billion kyats (US$4.6 million) in debt after the Chinese government refused to give money to construct a tunnel across the Irrawaddy River—a project the Chinese leadership had previously agreed to fund.

The Department of Irrigation in Irrawaddy Division's Hinthada Township constructed a tunnel across the Irrawaddy River in Zalun Township, with the knowledge that China would provide funds for the project. But China never delivered once the project was completed.

During a goodwill visit to China in September by former President Thein Sein, Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to provide disaster prevention and relief funds to Burma. The national government, in turn, decided to start building the tunnel with the understanding that China's proposed development aid would be delivered at a later time. In the meantime, 2 billion kyats ($1.67 million) were borrowed from the National Disaster Management Committee and were to be repaid to the committee once China's aid was received.

However, the money never came, and Hinthada's irrigation department has since been beleaguered by financial difficulties and an inability to repay contractors, Tharyar, the department's assistant director, told The Irrawaddy.

"We implemented this project with the knowledge that China would assist us. They also inspected the project while it was already in the process of being implemented. [But then] China said, citing its policy, that it would not give [financial assistance] for ongoing and completed projects, only for new projects," Tharyar said.

"We had no budget allotted for this project from the national budget or from funds [from the Disaster Management Central Committee]. We have no idea how to solve this," he added.
The 5.25 mile-long tunnel was designed to divert the flow of the Irrawaddy River near Zalun Township to prevent bank erosion in a number of townships, including Zalun, Hinthada, Laymyatnar, Ingapu and Myanaung townships, according to the department.

Construction began in February of this year, and by April about 90 percent of the project had been completed. The total cost has amounted to 7.5 billion kyats ($6.26 million): 0.7 billion kyats ($585,074) in land compensation, 4.8 billion kyats ($40,119) in tunnel construction and 2 billion kyats ($1.67 million) in bank retainment and construction, the department said.

Hinthada's irrigation department sought help from the director-general of Naypyidaw's irrigation department and received 2 billion kyats in special funds, allowing the department to repay materials suppliers and subcontractors. However, the department still owes 3.5 billion kyats ($2.9 million) to contractors and companies.

"And we still have to pay back 2 billion kyats [borrowed from] the Natural Disaster Management Committee. So our debt is 5.5 billion kyats," said Tharyar.

For the time being, contractors have not yet asked to be repaid, said Phyo Myint, director of Irrawaddy Division's irrigation department.

"They understand us, that we can't pay back the money. Higher-level authorities will have to take care of the situation," Phyo Myint said.

Former President Thein Sein instructed that Hinthada's embankments along the Ngawun River be raised by some five feet after the township experienced serious flooding last year.

"Union-level authorities should consider submitting a proposal to Parliament and allotting money from next year's budget. Because if the Ngawun River dyke collapses, hundreds of thousands of people will be in trouble. That tunnel is meant to divert water flow to avoid collapse," Tharyar said.

According to the irrigation department, the Ngawun River dyke runs for 17 miles in Hinthada, 19 miles in Laymyatnar, 22 miles in Yekyi and 15 miles in Thabaung, totaling over 73 miles. It prevents the flooding of over 300,000 acres of farmland.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko

The post China Backs Out of Project, Irrawaddy Irrigation Dept Steeped in Financial Woes appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai-Burmese Border Dispute Holds Up Trading Post

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 08:10 AM PDT

Trucks filled with goods cross the Friendship Bridge from Mae Sot in Thailand to Myawaddy in Burma. (Photo: Moe Kyaw / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — A long-delayed border trading post at Three Pagodas Pass between Burma and Thailand will not open until a dispute over border demarcation is finally resolved between the two countries, Minister of Commerce Than Myint told Burma's Lower House of Parliament on Thursday.

Responding to a question raised by lawmaker Saw Tin Win of Kyainseikgyi Township in Karen State, where the disputed border is situated, minister Than Myint explained that the border had not yet been "demarcated accurately in line with international law."

Than Myint said that proceeding with the border post would amount to Burma accepting the current line of control, and therefore losing parts of its territory to Thailand.

Non-state armed groups have previously held the vicinity of Three Pagodas Pass in the Karen hills, but it is now under the control of the Burmese government. However, Thailand had already constructed buildings as well as a highway in what the Burmese government firmly considers its own territory.

Thailand had proposed building a trading post and upgrading the border gate to purportedly stimulate trade and development, but the Burmese government rejected the proposal, the state-owned New Light of Myanmar reported on Friday.

Lawmaker Saw Tin Win confirmed that 36 miles of highway had been constructed by Thailand up to its present line of control.

"The border trading post has been suspended since 2007 due to the dispute. The foreign minister re-examined the situation in 2013 and [cited no breakthroughs]. But, on Monday the [New Light of Myanmar] reported that the trading post is now expected to be open in 2020," Saw Tin Win told The Irrawaddy.

Although the vicinity of the pass is now under Burmese government control, non-state ethnic armed groups including the Karen National Union, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army and the New Mon State Party still control large areas to the north and south, in Karen and Mon states.

Dr. Soe Tun, chairman of the Automobile Dealers Association, said that illegal trade would continue to flourish in the area of Three Pagodas Pass in the absence of government officials—who regulate border trade in the town of Myawaddy, also in Karen State, which is the biggest official trading point between Thailand and Burma.

"Actually, said Soe Tun, "it doesn't matter much if the Three Pagodas Pass trading post is delayed further, because trade flow through that area is still lower than in Myawaddy or Muse [on the Sino-Burmese border in northern Shan State]."

According to the Minister of Commerce, Burma currently has 16 border trading posts, four of which border Thailand. Negotiations are currently underway to open another Thailand-Burma post in Mese Township of Karenni State.

Additional reporting by Htet Naing Zaw

The post Thai-Burmese Border Dispute Holds Up Trading Post appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Burma’s Gender Issues to Take Center Stage in Geneva

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 08:02 AM PDT

A young ethnic Kachin mother photographed with her child at an IDP camp in Bhamo on December, 2015. (Photo: Tin Htet Paing / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Burma's new government will present a report on the country's implementation of gender equality and women's rights to the UN's Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on July 6, when the committee will also hear shadow reports from women's rights advocates.

Burma ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1997, making the country legally bound to put its provisions into practice and to submit national reports at least every four years.

Burma's government submitted its first periodic report in 1999, followed by its second and third periodic reports in 2007 and a combined report of the fourth and fifth periods in January 2015, according to UN Women.

Khin May Kyi from UN Women said the CEDAW committee will hear the Burmese government's report for fourth and fifth period, covering 2008-2015 at its coming session to be held in Geneva, Switzerland in July. They will also hear comments from NGOs and give recommendations on how to improve gender equality.

The government established the National Strategic Plan for the Advancement of Women for 2013-2022 but, according to UN Women, it has not yet been effectively implemented.

"At the session, we will talk about which laws need to be amended or drafted to best protect women's rights and stop discrimination," Khin May Kyi said. "And the respective ministries are expected to implement those policy recommendations."

The government has been working hard on the advancement of women and to end to discrimination and violence against them, Win Myat Aye, minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, said at the opening of the session of the CEDAW Mock Review in Naypyidaw on Thursday.

"We need to use this opportunity to gather as much data as possible to showcase our good work and also work together to address whatever constraints we have faced in achieving gender equality," the minister said.

The Women's Organizations Network (WON), Gender Equality Network, CEDAW Action Myanmar, the Women's League of Burma and the Women Peace Network – Arakan also submitted their shadow reports to the CEDAW committee, which will be heard in the session.

An official from WON told The Irrawaddy they have been researching and preparing their shadow report for two years.

"In the report, we are not criticizing the government, but instead we are giving comments on issues that still need to be addressed," said the WON official, declining to be named before the report has been reviewed.

This will be the first time that local women's organizations inside the country will have submitted shadow reports alongside the government's report on implementation of CEDAW, even though some organizations had prepared them in the past.

The post Burma's Gender Issues to Take Center Stage in Geneva appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

First Parliamentary Session Closes

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 07:56 AM PDT

Members of Parliament eat lunch during a farewell ceremony for them after attending the last day of the Union Parliament session in Naypyidaw, January 20, 2016. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters)

The first session of Parliament under the new National League for Democracy (NLD) government ended on Friday, with sixteen bills introduced, dozens of motions discussed and hundreds of questions raised by parliamentarians.

Over a four-month period, Parliament was in session for more than 40 days, during which nine bills were amended and enacted, while seven remain up for debate.

Lower House Speaker Win Myint told parliamentarians at the last session, to "work harder" for constituents during the break. The second session is scheduled to resume in mid-July.

He thanked constituents and lawmakers for endorsing the appointment of the house speakers, President Htin Kyaw and the cabinet members. Parliament formed four standing committees and fifteen other committees to work on issues related to civic and economic rights, peace, ethnic groups, finance and investment.

Among the approved bills was the new State Counselor Law, creating a new position for de-facto leader and head of the National League for Democracy (NLD) Aung San Suu Kyi, despite initial objections from military appointees.

Other key amendments to existing laws including the revocation of the 1975 State Protection Law—which was used to oppress political activists under military regimes—and amendments to the People's Council and State Council Laws, which were both enacted in 1974.

Another significant hurdle for lawmakers was an attempt to amend the mandatory reporting of overnight guests under the Ward or Village Tract Administration Law. Amendments are still under discussion for this law, as well as for the Peaceful Assembly Law.

Sai Thiha Kyaw, a re-elected ethnic Shan lawmaker representing the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), said he thinks the parliamentary session was a success, despite problems left over from the previous administration.

Because the first session focused mainly on appointments of speakers and executives, he added that there was less time to focus on ethnic affairs, particularly the protection of civilians in conflict areas.

During the session, there were complaints from lawmakers, especially those representing ethnic minority parties, that they could not speak freely.

Lawmakers said they were given instructions to stay in accordance with parliamentary laws and bylaws, which stated that they could not speak to the media unless their questions or motions were listed for discussion on the session agenda.

When Arakanese lawmaker Khin Saw Wai spoke to the media before her motion was debated, the house speaker cut the lawmaker off while she was giving background on the conflict in western Burma between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Burma Army.

Some lawmakers who wanted to speak on the condition of anonymity said there remains too much "control" in Parliament and they have become concerned about how the Parliament will use its checks and balances.

But Sai Thiha Kyaw said that the parliamentary affairs committee had not performed any checks and balances yet, because most of the issues that lawmakers faced have been inherited from the former military-backed government. He added that lawmakers difficulties would be eased after gaining experience and a better understanding of parliamentary procedures.

Speaker Win Myint told reporters at his first press conference after Friday's session that his parliament is "free from the control of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi—who is very disciplined and who always asks permission to come to Parliament, even for work related reasons."

Win Myint assured the public that his actions were for the benefit of the people, notably his comments to the Minister of Electric Power and Energy regarding a blackout; last month, he urged the minister to take the electricity issue seriously and to take immediate action.

Lawmakers and voters have also been closely watching former political activists turned lawmakers speak on the issues of charter reforms, gender quotas in politics and ethnic peace.

Shan lawmakers hoped for charter reforms, which would guarantee ethnic rights, federalism and equality through official channels. But it has not yet happened and Sai Thiha Kyaw said, "such amendments must be initiated by either majority NLD lawmakers or military appointees because the SNLD represents such a small number."

For now, women politicians are waiting to raise the issue of gender quotas in Parliament, as it could be easily rejected by male-dominated lawmakers who see a quota to increase the number of women in political leadership as unnecessary.

Prominent women rights advocate and lawmaker Shwe Shwe Sein Latt told The Irrawaddy that more awareness needs to be raised before this issue can be addressed, since the country has faced gender discrimination for decades.

The post First Parliamentary Session Closes appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Peace, Reconciliation Key to Constitutional Change: Win Myint

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 06:29 AM PDT

Lower House Speaker Win Myint. (Photo: Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy)

NAYPYIDAW — Amending the Constitution will not be possible unless national reconciliation and peace are achieved despite the efforts of the National League for Democracy (NLD), said Win Myint, speaker of the Lower House, on Friday.

The speaker stressed the need for national reconciliation to amend the military-drafted 2008 Constitution as he met the press after the first regular session of Parliament came to an end.

"This process [of Constitutional reform] may be successful only with greater mutual understanding, trust and respect, for which national reconciliation and internal peace must be achieved," Win Myint told the reporters.

Win Myint restated the NLD's campaign slogan from Burma's 2015 election, saying that amendment of the 2008 Constitution would follow after the establishment of the rule of law and internal peace.

"We would like to amend [the Constitution] during this term. We will amend it as soon as we possibly can. I understand that the faster it can be done, the greater it will benefit our country," said Win Myint.

Burma Army chief Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing has said in interviews that he is willing to cooperate with the NLD government. But political analysts have pointed out that the military head and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi have not met since February.

Following the NLD's electoral victory, Suu Kyi met Min Aung Hlaing in December 2015, and in January and February of 2016 to discuss a peaceful power transfer. But they have not met officially since the NLD assumed power on March 30.

Two months into the NLD's administration, the National Defence and Security Council, of which Suu Kyi is a member as the foreign affairs minister, also has yet to meet.

The council, which has extensive powers over defense and security issues, comprises 11 members with the military holding six posts to the NLD's five.

"We want to change the Constitution so much that our chairperson [Suu Kyi] traveled across the country calling for its amendment. But we just can't do as we wish," said Win Myint. "How can we try to achieve a goal [prematurely] that we know will fail?"

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Peace, Reconciliation Key to Constitutional Change: Win Myint appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ethnic Peace Delegation Reviews Political Dialogue Framework

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 05:54 AM PDT

Ethnic leaders and government peace negotiation representatives held a two-day meeting at a branch office of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center in Rangoon on Thursday. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Leaders of ethnic armed organizations that signed 2015's so-called nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) and a government delegation that included Burma Army officials held a meeting in Rangoon to further discuss the peace dialogue process.

The meeting took place at a branch office of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) this week in order to prepare for State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi's "21st Century Panglong Conference." Modeled after a 1947 summit hosted by Suu Kyi's father and independence leader Gen Aung San, the upcoming conference hopes to invoke the spirit of inclusion and interethnic cooperation of the original Panglong.

Burma Army official Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, who chairs one of two government sub-committees tasked with making preparations for the upcoming peace conference, attended the meeting with seven ethnic representatives from NCA-signatory groups.

The attendees reviewed the framework for political dialogue, offered suggestions for amendments and discussed how to include NCA non-signatory groups in the talks.

Kwe Htoo Win, secretary general of the NCA-signatory Karen National Union (KNU), said the delegation agreed to negotiate with NCA non-signatories, and to hold a meeting with non-signatories prior to the conference, which is scheduled for July or August.

"If they [NCA non-signatories] want to particpate in reviewing the framework, they will need to join our group. We will review the framework for political dialogue and if we all agree, we will submit it. That will lead to an official review. Now, this is just an informal review," said Kwe Htoo Win.

Hla Maung Shwe, a member of the conference preparation sub-committee and senior advisor to the Myanmar Peace Center, which oversaw the NCA, posted on Facebook that the framework for political dialogue would be amended in advance of the upcoming peace conference.

He said the amended framework would be based on the NCA while also attemping to include NCA non-signatories, especially those who are members of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an ethnic armed group alliance.

Dr. Tin Myo Win, longstanding personal physician of Suu Kyi and newly appointed government peace negotiator, met with NCA non-signatory groups in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last week and officially invited them to join the framework meeting.

The Irrawaddy reporter Kyaw Kha also contributed into this story.

The post Ethnic Peace Delegation Reviews Political Dialogue Framework appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

BBC Journalist to Appeal Conviction

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 05:11 AM PDT

BBC reporter Nay Myo Lin is seen at Mandalay's Chanmyathazi Township court on Monday. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — A Mandalay-based journalist working for the BBC's Burmese-language news service, who was sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labor on police assault charges, plans to file an appeal next week, according to his lawyer.

Forty-year-old reporter Nay Myo Lin was convicted under Article 332 of Burma's Penal Code, which covers "voluntarily causing harm to deter [a] public servant from carrying out his duty," at Mandalay's Chanmyathazi Township court on Monday after a year-long trial.

The initial complaint was submitted by Lance Corporal Ba Maw over an alleged altercation between the policeman and the journalist during a demonstration in Mandalay last year. The 2015 protest was held by several dozen Mandalay-based students and activists demanding the release of those arrested in "the Letpadan crackdown" that saw students imprisoned in Pegu Division for demonstrating against Burma's controversial National Education Law.

Nay Myo Lin's defense lawyer, Thein Than Oo, told The Irrawaddy that the appeal would be submitted to Mandalay district court next week once the Chanmyathazi Township courthouse finishes its legal procedures.

"We will try our best to get an acquittal or a more lenient sentence [at the appeal]," he said.

He also stressed that the three-month jail term was an unexpected punishment as the court could have chosen to impose a monetary penalty instead.

Nay Myo Lin is the husband of Zarni Mann, a Mandalay-based reporter for The Irrawaddy who is also currently pregnant.

Zarni Mann claimed that the whole process of testimony by the trial judge was questionable, adding that the judge did not review the altercation clearly.

"I think the sentence was too heavy for such a minor injury," she said. "The injury was so insignificant it was hardly noticeable," she said.

According to the police, the authorities tried to stop protesters on motorbikes and caused several drivers to fall. The reporter Nay Myo Lin was among those who were caught up in the accident, after which he allegedly hit one of the officers on his left temple.

"He [the judge] said he wanted to protect civil servants. But he didn't think about other people," Zarni Mann told The Irrawaddy, referring to the protesters who fell from motorbikes because of the attempts of the police officer to stop them.

She also questioned the new government's commitment to reform the judiciary and called on the government to review the verdict.

The BBC issued a statement after the verdict that the organization would "work with the lawyer to support his appeal."

Both the Foreign Correspondents Club of Myanmar (FCCM) and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) said in press releases on Tuesday that the verdict was "harsh" as the incident was not intentional and had occurred during a scuffle.

"We believe that such a harsh sentence meted out against a journalist could tarnish the image of the new civilian government that espouses…democracy and reforms," FCCM said in their statement.

SEAPA described both the charges and sentence as "an attempt to diminish blame on the police," whose own actions at the demonstration had not been reviewed in the context of their legality.

Burma News International said in a statement on Thursday that the case against Nay Myo Lin "deeply saddened" Burmese journalists, as they are working with the new government to create a better media environment in the country.

"We believe it would be appropriate for officials from the judiciary department together with government agencies to review reporter Nay Myo Lin's case in accordance with the legal procedures of the News Media Law rather than the Penal Code," the statement said.

The post BBC Journalist to Appeal Conviction appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rohingya Reject New Citizenship Verification Cards

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 03:19 AM PDT

Arakan State Director of Immigration and National Registration Win Lwin speaks to the press. (Photo: Kyaw Win)

RANGOON — A citizenship verification exercise aimed at stateless Muslims in Arakan State, which resumed last month, has been temporarily suspended in Ponnagyun Township, where residents of a small Rohingya village have refused to cooperate.

The Rohingya Muslim residents of Tarle village have refused to accept National Verification Certificates (NVCs) being handed out because the bearer's ethnicity and religion is not stated on the cards, according to San Hla, commanding officer of a police station in Thaetap village. The process has been suspended for a week in the township.

NVCs are being handed out automatically to those who will be scrutinized for eligibility for citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law at a later stage in the process.

San Hla said the Muslim villagers had refused the NVCs even after officials explained their immediate advantages, which reportedly includes greater freedom of travel.

The Irrawaddy spoke with Maung Ne, the Rohingya headman of Tarle village, who confirmed the refusal: They told officials that they "wouldn't agree [to accept the new cards] unless you first put our race and religion [Rohingya Muslim] on the cards." The officials responded that "there are no Rohingya in Arakan State" and soon left the village.

"We are Rohingya, but this is not mentioned on the cards," Maung Ne said.

The government is currently implementing citizenship verification only in Kyaukphyu, Myebon and Ponnagyun townships of Arakan State. In Kyaukphyu and Myebon, those targeted reside in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, where they were relocated from elsewhere in Arakan State after anti-Muslim violence in 2012 and 2013.

In Kyaukphyu and Myebon townships, the process is proceeding as planned, without any reported problems.

Aung Kyi, a Kyaukphyu Township Immigration officer, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that 1,192 people have been registered so far in the township, with NVCs handed to 140. On Friday morning, the number of NVCs disbursed had reached 484, according to Thawta Thwin, assistant director of the township Immigration office.

Phyu Chay, a Muslim resident of an IDP camp in Kyaukphyu, said on Thursday that around 75 percent of camp residents had been enrolled in the process. Phyu Chay reported that Arakan State Director of Immigration and National Registration Win Lwin had told camp residents that they could travel freely with the cards in hand.

"I am very happy about the NVCs. We believe that the National League for Democracy government will help us to become citizens under the 1982 Citizenship Law," Phyu Chay told The Irrawaddy.

Aung Lwin who lives in a displaced persons' camp in Myebon, said that NVCs had been issued to 126 people there on Wednesday.

The citizenship verification program is part of the Rakhine State Action Plan, unveiled under the former government in 2014 in response to the violence of 2012 and 2013. As originally conceived, the scheme only permitted the state's Rohingya population to apply for citizenship on the condition that they self-identify as "Bengali." The status of this provision has yet to be clarified by the new government installed in April.

A pilot citizenship verification program was carried out in displaced persons' camps in Myebon Township in 2014. Out of the 1,094 Muslims applicants, 209 were declared eligible for citizenship in September 2014—although most were reportedly Kaman, a recognized Muslim minority group, and 169 qualified only for "naturalized" citizenship, which contains fewer rights than "full" citizenship, and can be revoked.

After an outcry from Arakanese Buddhist residents in Myebon and the state capital Sittwe, the program was swiftly suspended. It resumed only last month.

The 1982 Myanmar Citizenship Law, enacted under the military-socialist regime of Ne Win, narrowed eligibility for citizenship along ethnic lines. Those not included within 135 recognized ethnic groups must demonstrate that all four grandparents made Burma their home, and that both themselves and their parents were born in Burma. However, since the vast majority of people in Burma went without documents prior to rules requiring registration introduced in 1951, this remains very difficult for most to prove.

The post Rohingya Reject New Citizenship Verification Cards appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Muslim Lawyers Association Launches

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 01:39 AM PDT

A Muslim man passes a mosque down the street from the Myanmar Muslim Lawyers Association’s office in Rangoon on Friday. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — Burma's first Muslim lawyers association launched in Rangoon with 70 attorneys on June 4, according to the group.

The Myanmar Muslim Lawyers Association Chairman Kyaw Nyein told The Irrawaddy that Burma is a diverse country with many different races and religions, and the group intends to advocate for equal rights, freedom and justice for all Muslims in the country.

"We formed this association to work within the rule of law to find a way to maintain community unity while still practicing religious diversity," said Kyaw Nyein.

The new group will work together with other lawyers and will still operate under the umbrella of the Myanmar Lawyers' Network, he said.

Some lawyers are worried about the formation of the new group and have criticized the move, which they say will create divisions among lawyers, according to Kyi Myint, founder of the Myanmar Lawyers' Network.

"There are lawyers who are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist [in the Myanmar Lawyers' Network]," said Kyi Myint. "We are worried there will be divisions among lawyers or even among the people. What if Muslims only trust Muslim lawyers?"

Burma saw deadly outbreaks of anti-Muslim violence during the rule of former President Thein Sein's government from 2011-16, causing some Muslims to feel their rights were not fully protected.

Many Muslims in Arakan State, who are still living in camps outside of their hometowns after violence broke out in the region in 2012, have repeatedly asked the Burmese government to resettle them back home, to no avail.

"We will work to protect our human rights, to stop discrimination against the Muslim community, and we will cooperate with anyone who has similar goals," said Kyaw Nyein.

The Myanmar Muslim Lawyers Association will open its first office in Rangoon's Botahtaung Township this month and it plans to apply for official registration soon.

This article was translated from Burmese by Lawi Weng.

The post Muslim Lawyers Association Launches appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Government Polls the Public on Betel Nut

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 01:10 AM PDT

A vendor prepares betel quids in one of the ubiquitous stalls across Rangoon (Photo: Pyay Kyaw / The Irrawaddy)

RANGOON — The President's Office opened an online poll on Wednesday night to collect the public's thoughts on reducing betel nut chewing and spitting in government offices and public places.

On May 27, the Burmese government launched a new anti-betel policy, which includes educational programs about the diseases resulting from betel nut chewing, and the enforcement of an ban on chewing, spitting or selling betel nut in or near government offices, schools and hospitals.

This policy, seemingly more strident than that espoused by previous governments, would have to contend with what is a highly ingrained habit among men and women in Burma.

Critics have since contended that the government should instead prioritize ridding drugs, alcohol and gambling from urban spaces, since these are far more injurious to public health—for the youth in particular—and are leading contributors to criminality. Critics have also pointed to the welfare of Burma's many betel quid sellers, who could be deprived of a livelihood.

At 4 p.m. on Thursday, 2,284 out of 4,804 (47.5 percent) stated that gambling, drugs and alcohol should be targeted in tandem with betel nut. The second largest percentage group agreed with the policy aims but disagreed with the implementation strategies. The next largest group totally agreed with the government's plan. Only 120 disagreed with the plan outright.

"We conducted this poll because we wanted to know the public reaction's to the policy, positive or not," President Office's spokesperson Zaw Htay told The Irrawaddy. He expected the poll would continue for five more days, but this has not been confirmed.

Zaw Htay said that individual government departments would also conduct non-online polls in select parts of the country, to check for variant reactions.

Under the previous military-backed government under President Thein Sein, an online poll was conducted only once, to gauge the public's opinion on increasing civil servants' salaries. The betel nut poll is the first to be conducted by the new democratically elected government.

Zaw Htay said that the polls' results would be considered when state and divisional governments across Burma implement the policy.

"Though the government issued the policy, it needs to be acceptable to the public, so that they may follow it. We need a positive reaction to be able to successfully implement it," he said.

"We are also working against drugs, illegal medicines and bad food hygiene. But for these, we don't need to conduct a poll, since the public's opinion is already clear," President Office's spokesperson said, responding to criticism that the government should be prioritizing the control of drugs and alcohol rather than targeting low-income betel nut sellers.

In most cities in Burma, drug and alcohol addiction is of great concern to the public. In recent years, police across the country have been seizing record quantities of illicit drugs. In February, police in Rangoon seized over 260,000 methamphetamine pills worth over 1.3 billion kyats (around US$ 1 million) that had been abandoned in Mingaladon Township.

The post Government Polls the Public on Betel Nut appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Unhappy Anniversary

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 12:56 AM PDT

5th

The post Unhappy Anniversary appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Woes Mount for Kachin State’s IDPs As Aid Agencies Cut Funds

Posted: 10 Jun 2016 12:50 AM PDT

Internally displaced persons (IDP) camps throughout Kachin State, photographed between June 2 and 6, 2016. There are more than 100,000 IDPs currently living in the state, according to a joint statement released by more than 100 civil society organizations. (Photos: Moe Myint / The Irrawaddy)

MYITKYINA, Kachin State — All Aike Yoon wants is to go home. But he can't.

The 40-year-old is currently living in Thagara Monastery, which serves as a makeshift internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Waingmaw Township, Kachin State. He has six children and hails from the village of Sam Paing, 40 miles from the Kachin State capital, Myitkyina. Sam Paing once was home to some 40 households, and every villager owned both buffalos and farmlands. But in 2011, when war broke out between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burma Army, Sam Paing and four other nearby villages were caught in the crossfire and burned.

Thursday marked the fifth anniversary of the outbreak of fighting that ended nearly two decades of relative peace.

Aike Yoon has been living for five years in Thagara camp like the other 480 IDPs residing on the monastery grounds. It is not easy to visit his village, but sometimes he goes back to clear trees and bushes around his house. First, he needs to get the approval of the IDP camp management committee. Then, he needs the go ahead from the Burma Army's commander to enter that area.

The military command post is based in the middle of Aike Yoon's village, and any villager returning is watched closely the whole time they are back home.

There are many military checkpoints between the camp and his village, and signs warn of landmines beside the highway between Myitkyina and Bhamo.

While his home is now a burned out husk, he still would prefer to return and repair it rather than live elsewhere. In the camp, Aike Yoon remains unhappy because his family's current living quarters are cramped and uncomfortable, and they have to abide by the camp's rules and regulations.

"If there was no fighting, I would like to return home because I have farmland and cattle," said Aike Yoon. "But there are landmines around the village, so even if there is no fighting, we still wouldn't feel safe."

Relief Dries Up

United Nations (UN) agencies and international relief organizations provided rice and cooking oil as well other essential supplies to Kachin's IDPs for the last four years. But all of that changed in January. The UN and other organizations started giving only financial assistance instead of rice.

Now the relief organizations give 300 kyats (US$0.25) per day to each IDP, which is not enough to buy the amount of rice the UN and other organizations had been providing. Additionally, they have to buy cooking oil, salt and fish paste to make their food.

"What can we do with such a small amount?" said Aike Yoon. "We have to take what they give us whether we like it or not."

Aike Yoon's family is surviving by earning a small income from making amber handicrafts and decreasing their daily expenditures. His three sons are attending middle school but they are not sure if they will be able to keep their children in school because the aid cuts have had a major impact on the family.

The Irrawaddy contacted the World Food Program, which had been the main supporter of many of the Kachin-based IDP camps, but a representative in Rangoon declined to answer questions about the funding cutbacks.

When Will They Return?

La Roi, the Program Director for the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) Bhamo, a local relief organization, said he was told by some aid agencies the financial cuts were not just targeted at Burma, but have also affected programs worldwide.

"'When will the IDPs return home?' some international non-governmental organizations asked me," La Roi said. "There is no fighting now, so the IDPs can go back home now."

Dangers remain, however, leaving many IDPs reluctant to return home.

The KBC director said that an IDP was killed by a landmine after returning home earlier this year. And fear of the Burma Army runs deep.

An IDP living at Robert Church, Inn Khu Nam, said, "I have known many young Kachin girls who were raped by Burmese soldiers. I am scared of them. I will never return until they withdraw from our village."

Behind the Scenes

The KBC in Bhamo, 100 miles southwest of Myitkyina, has delivered over US$6 million to 12 IDP camps home to more than 10,000 people. In partnership with UN agencies, the KBC distributed food, built shelters and provided healthcare to the camps.

But some IDPs do not even have the luxury of living in a UN-supported camp. Robert Church in Bhamo houses 3,600 people, with whole families squeezed into 60-square-foot rooms.

The KBC's La Roi said many problems have arisen recently, and the financial cuts have exacerbated the situation. Some middle and high school students have dropped out and are working at construction sites, phone service shops, restaurants, hotels or tea shops to help support their families.

Some have even gone further afoot, with the promise of higher-paid jobs in factories and on banana plantations inducing them to cross the border to China illegally.

La Roi said, "This is becoming a more significant problem."

During the day, the IDP camp on the Robert Church grounds is virtually devoid of men, most of whom have gone off to work in jade mines or on construction sites.

But the IDPs' struggles do not end in the camps. Often, they face discrimination from local communities.

Even at the government-run school, some teachers have reportedly made a separate classroom for IDP children and sometimes the teachers do not allow IDP students to use the same bathroom as the local students. This discrimination is yet another factor encouraging the students to drop out of school.

"Some people say we Kachin people are lazy and have adopted the behavior of beggars," said La Roi. "I get really upset when I hear things like that."

The Amber Business

Khat Cho, one of the IDP camps in the Kachin State's Waingmaw Township, has been home to approximately 500 IDPs since the conflict started. Fighting has been intense in Waingmaw due to the presence of natural resources like amber and gold.

While it is widely assumed that the IDPs are all ethnic Kachins, there are actually many Shan, Burman and Arakanese people who were working in mines when the fighting forced them from their homes.

Htwe Htwe Myint is Burman and a mother of two currently living in Khat Cho camp. Her family receives 36,000 kyats a month from World Vision, a US-based Christian charity, but that is not enough to cover daily expenses. Meanwhile, her husband has struggled to find work on construction sites or rubber plantations.

"We are now dependent on the extra income we earn [in addition to the aid]," she said. "If we can't earn any more money we will be in trouble. The price of rice is going up."

Htwe Htwe Myint's family makes beads, necklaces, bracelets and rings with colorful amber stones, work that requires them to buy raw materials from a nearby amber-rich region.

Htwe Htwe Myint and other craftspeople sell their products to shops in the cities Waingmaw or Myitkyina. The families earn some money from their handicrafts, but the products' prices have been dropping over the past few months. The artisans claim the shop owners pay them low prices for their wares, despite the fact that they export the amber products to China illegally and make sizeable profits.

Of Khat Cho IDP camp's 90 households, almost 80 percent make amber handicrafts, said Khin Maung Shwe, leader of the management committee for the camp.

Livelihood programs are run by the WFP, Oxfam, International Committee for the Red Cross and World Vision, but there are limitations. The IDPs have to create a "business" of four to five families and focus on jobs like livestock raising, food vending or tailoring. They also are required to submit a detailed business plan to the relief organizations. If the business plan is approved, each family would receive around 50,000-60,000 kyats (US$42-$50).

New Programs, New Problems

According to the KBC, 32 camps are located in Waingmaw and Myitkyina townships, serving more than 14,000 people.

Khong Dau, the head of Maina IDP camp, the largest camp in Waingmaw Township, acknowledged that international aid dropped off in early 2016, and described some of the new aid programs as complicated and ineffective.

The decreased financial aid and change in payment method has had a negative impact on the IDPs, he said, adding that human trafficking, drug dealing and other social problems would appear at the camp if the international relief organizations keep limiting aid.

More than 2,000 people from 30 different villages live in Maina camp. They became homeless after their houses were burned down during fighting in 2011.

Lu Mai, a resident of Maina, said, "We would like to get rice and cooking oil instead of cash."

Hoping for Peace

The Irrawaddy also visited Mai Kaung IDP camp of Man Si Township, located so close to the conflict zone that sometimes the residents can hear explosions from the blue-hued mountains only a few miles away.

La Byart Khun, a 50-year-old mother of five children, is currently living in Mai Kaung IDP camp. Reflecting the sentiments of many people living in the camps, she said requesting food and cash from the organizations is humiliating.

"We would not ask for aid from them if we could safely return home," she said. "I'm waiting for that moment."

Naw Maing, an IDP who is head of the management committee for Mai Kaung camp, said they frequently hear about peace talks but see no results. Fighting between the KIA and government troops is still intermittent around the nearby Mt. La Htaw Phone.

"I have heard that the government peace negotiator didn't answer the questions posed by the KIA's official, Gen Gun Maw," he said, referring to last week's meeting between the National League for Democracy peace envoy, Dr. Tin Myo Win, and representatives from ethnic armed groups in Chiang Mai, Thailand. "So I don't think we'll have peace."

Naw Maing urged both sides to prioritize removing landmines and withdrawing their forces from the villages.

"We are scared of both sides," he said. "They have weapons, but we are empty-handed."

While almost every IDP dreams fervently of going home, one 71-year-old widow has accepted what she expects to be her fate.

Inn Khu Nam has already decided that she will spend her last hours at Robert Church if the Burma Army soldiers never withdraw from her village. She said she has been spent almost five years in a tiny room, but at least she can find peace at the church.

"Dying in a churchyard is much more honorable than dying in a war-torn place," she said.

The post Woes Mount for Kachin State's IDPs As Aid Agencies Cut Funds appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Resistance to India Joining Nuclear Suppliers Group Softens

Posted: 09 Jun 2016 11:43 PM PDT

India's Prime Minister Narenda Modi arrives for the first plenary session of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, April 1, 2016. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst / Reuters)

VIENNA — A US-led push for India to join a club of countries controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology made some headway on Thursday as several opponents appeared more willing to work toward a compromise, but China remained defiant.

The 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons by restricting the sale of items that can be used to make those arms. It was set up in response to India's first nuclear test in 1974.

India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to NSG rules granted to support its nuclear cooperation deal with Washington, even though India has developed atomic weapons and never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the main global arms control pact.

But China on Thursday maintained its position that the Non-Proliferation Treaty is central to the NSG, diplomats said.

The handful of other nations resisting India's admission to the group, including South Africa, New Zealand and Turkey, softened their stance somewhat, opening the door to a process under which non-NPT states such as India might join, diplomats said.

"There's movement, including toward a process, but we'd have to see what that process would look like," one diplomat said after the closed-door talks on Thursday aimed at preparing for an annual NSG plenary meeting in Seoul later this month.

Opponents argue that granting India membership would further undermine efforts to prevent proliferation. It would also infuriate India's rival Pakistan, an ally of China's, which has responded to India's membership bid with one of its own.

Pakistan joining would be unacceptable to many, given its track record. The father of its nuclear weapons programme ran an illicit network for years that sold nuclear secrets to countries including North Korea and Iran.

"By bringing India on board, it's a slap in the face of the entire non-proliferation regime," a diplomatic source from a country resisting India's bid said on condition of anonymity.

Washington has been pressuring hold-outs, and Thursday's meeting was a chance to see how strong opposition is.

US Secretary of State John Kerry wrote to members asking them "not to block consensus on Indian admission to the NSG" in a letter seen by Reuters and dated Friday.

Most of the hold-outs argue that if India is to be admitted, it should be under criteria that apply equally to all states rather than under a "tailor-made" solution for a US ally.

Mexico's president said on Wednesday his country now backs India's membership bid. One Vienna-based diplomat said it had softened its stance but still opposed the idea of India joining under conditions that did not apply equally to all.

The post Resistance to India Joining Nuclear Suppliers Group Softens appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai Temple Denies Abbot Involved in Tiger Trafficking

Posted: 09 Jun 2016 11:36 PM PDT

A tiger is seen in a cage as officials continue moving live tigers from the controversial Tiger Temple, in Kanchanaburi province, west of Bangkok, Thailand, June 3, 2016. (Photo: Chaiwat Subprasom / Reuters)

KANCHANABURI, Thailand — A Buddhist temple denied that its abbot was involved in illegal trafficking of tigers at a news conference Thursday that was its first detailed response since Thailand's wildlife authority removed scores of big cats from the popular tourist attraction and found dead cubs in jars and freezers.

"What happened here seems to suggest that many crimes were committed," said Siri Wangboongerd, a spokesman of the temple in Kanchanaburi, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) west of Bangkok. "But what happened here wasn't done by the abbot because he does not manage this place," he told journalists on the temple premises.

As he spoke, the abbot, Phra Wisutthi Sarathera, appeared briefly, riding in a golf cart which circled the news conference. But he did not address the journalists. Police were present at the conference as observers. The abbot has not been charged with any crime.

Siri said the temple's tourist trade is managed by other people and not by the abbot.

"There are news reports that this temple is part of the tiger trade route to the black market. How could we trade tigers? Who would do such a thing? This is a temple. This accusation is made without evidence," he said, in the first comprehensive statement from the temple since the scandal broke.

The temple, which had been heavily promoted to tourists, charged admission for visitors to take photos with the tigers and walk them on leashes. Last week, Thailand's wildlife authority shut down the temple's animal activities after the discovery of dozens of cubs in freezers and jars on the premises. It also removed more than 137 tigers from the temple grounds to rescue shelters. On Tuesday, police discovered a slaughterhouse and tiger holding facility that they believe was linked to the temple and used in a suspected animal trafficking network.

Animal rights activists have long accused the temple of mistreating its tigers. The government suspects the monks at the temple have been involved in illegal breeding and trafficking of the animals. The temple resisted previous efforts to take away the tigers, but relented last week after police obtained a court order.

A day after seizing the tigers, police stopped a monk and two other men in a truck leaving the temple with two tiger skins and a suitcase with tiger teeth.

The post Thai Temple Denies Abbot Involved in Tiger Trafficking appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Saturday, June 11, 2016

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Friday, June 10, 2016

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Sponsor