The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• MPs Asked to ‘Seek Approval’ for Civil Society Engagements
• Suu Kyi to Meet Wa and Mongla Armed Group Leaders
• Rangoon Division Chief Minister Laments ‘Tight Budget’
• Ethnic Youth Conference Organizers to Defy Government Ban
• Ethnic Armed Group Summit Commences in Kachin State
• State-Run Newspaper Argues for Myitsone Cancellation
• Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week (July 26)

MPs Asked to ‘Seek Approval’ for Civil Society Engagements Posted: 26 Jul 2016 07:26 AM PDT Members of the Lower House are pictured resuming parliamentary proceedings on Monday, July 25, 2016. (Photo: Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Lower House Speaker Win Myint has appealed to parliamentarians to inform him of workshops, meetings and trainings beforehand in order to gain official approval for such events; the request applies to sessions to which MPs have been invited by non-governmental and civil society organizations. Arakan National Party lawmaker Pe Than published the appeal on his Facebook page on Monday, saying, "It's unclear whether it is a letter of appeal or instructions." Pe Than said that MPs had not received any explanation for the newly issued appeal. Questions were also raised when it was revealed that the letter had not been introduced to parliamentarians belonging to the Upper House. "The previous Parliament had no precedent for this, and now, the new Parliament is trying to adopt new barriers, that's why I am saying we are losing our lawmakers' rights," Pe Than said, describing civil society and non-governmental organizations as "our partners." He added that generally, when representatives from civil society or non-governmental organizations—CSOs and NGOs—organize an event, they inform parliamentarians only two to three days before the workshop or seminar. This new restriction will cause detrimental delays, said Pe Than. On Tuesday evening, the Lower House released a second statement defending the earlier letter. It said that the parliamentary leadership was not intentionally restricting the rights of lawmakers or attempting to control the relationship between legislators and civil society organizations. However, legislators who represent one of the Lower House committees or are individually connected with outside organizations will not be permitted to use the Parliament hall for discussions, meet-and-greet sessions, or hosting outside organizations under a legislator's name. A senior official within the Lower House Office also told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that Win Myint's letter was not intended to restrict the legislators' rights, but to inform the Parliament about any trips or absences. "As far as I know, it's just a misunderstanding [with the lawmakers]," said the official, on the condition of anonymity. "Actually, the purpose is not what they think." She said that a similar announcement had been made during former Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann's term, in 2011. It came in the form of a letter to the legislators reminding them to inform Shwe Mann of trips abroad. But it is unclear whether the lawmakers had to inform the Speaker of all types of invitations, including local seminars. Parliament members are waiting to see how Lower House Speaker Win Myint will deal with legislators who disregard the appeal. "Even if we don't follow his instructions, there is no law to take action against us," Pe Than pointed out. Dr. Khin Zaw Win, director of the Tampadipa Institute, which has provided capacity building workshops for lawmakers over the past five years, criticized the Lower House Speaker's move as an attempt to "control" members of parliament. The Speaker's main duty, he said, should be to work toward enacting or amending laws. "I really don't like it," Khin Zaw Win said of the restrictions, also expressing concern about how MPs representing parties outside of the National League for Democracy (NLD) parliamentary majority would react to what he perceived as increased NLD supervision. The post MPs Asked to 'Seek Approval' for Civil Society Engagements appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Suu Kyi to Meet Wa and Mongla Armed Group Leaders Posted: 26 Jul 2016 05:49 AM PDT UWSA leader Bao Youxiang (left) and then-spokesperson Aung Myint are pictured at an ethnic summit held in 2015 in the Wa capital of Panghsang. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will meet leaders of the Wa and Mongla non-state armed groups in Naypyidaw on Friday to discuss their participation in the Union Peace Conference, slated for late August. As the head of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) and the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), Suu Kyi has recently met with leaders of both signatory and non-signatory groups to the country's 2015 nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). The upcoming Naypyidaw meeting is a continuation of government delegation talks with the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and the Mongla Army which took place in late June, said Khin Zaw Oo. The former lieutenant general is the current secretary of the government's Peace Commission and member of the sub-committee tasked with reaching out to NCA non-signatories regarding the Union Peace Conference. "We invited them to meet our top leaders to build further relations," said Khin Zaw Oo, adding that the meeting would give the groups a chance to "clarify anything we said," in order to prove the government's sincerity. "We also invited them take part in the upcoming peace conference," he said. The Wa delegation will reportedly be led by Pao Yu Yi, a central committee member of the UWSA, and Sai Lin, chairman of the National Democratic Alliance Army-Eastern Shan State (NDAA-ESS), also known as the Mongla Army, named for the township that serves as a stronghold for the group. Wa and Mongla leaders expressed a desire to speak with Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the Burma Army, during their trip to the capital, but such a meeting has not yet been confirmed. The UWSA and Mongla Army refused to sign the NCA in October 2015, saying that since they had already agreed to bilateral ceasefires with the Burmese government in 1989, they did not require a new pact, pointing out that neither group was engaged in active conflict with government armed forces. They said that they supported the peace process and would only participate in upcoming political dialogue. "They are interested in the political dialogue, and shared their views on participating in the dialogue rather than signing the NCA, but we explained that the situation had changed," said Khin Zaw Oo. "Before, it was only a ceasefire. Now the nationwide ceasefire is followed by the political dialogue." Given self-administration under the 2008 Constitution, the UWSA's area is known as the Wa Special Region 2 and the Mongla Army's is referred to as Special Region 4. The post Suu Kyi to Meet Wa and Mongla Armed Group Leaders appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon Division Chief Minister Laments ‘Tight Budget’ Posted: 26 Jul 2016 05:14 AM PDT Rangoon Division Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein addresses students and faculty members at Rangoon Univeristy on Monday. (Phyo Min Thein / Facebook) RANGOON — Rangoon Division Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein on Monday cited a "tight budget" of less than US$300 million as an obstacle to delivering multi-sector improvements to Rangoon. The chief minister's budgetary lament was delivered at a meeting with faculty members and students of Rangoon University, alongside Education Minister Myo Thein Gyi, as reported by local media. In his own address, the education minister had stressed the importance of research in educational reform, and an attendee had asked if the government had a plan to assist research in Burma. The chief minister responded, "We wish to fulfill all the demands submitted to us. But we have no money. Think of it like a household. A rich household can do everything. The Rangoon Division government has a budget of 332 billion kyats [US$280 million], a small amount, which includes the funds for government staff salaries." "We have no money. And there are excessive demands. But we listen to the people's voices and try to set our priorities," said the chief minister. The post Rangoon Division Chief Minister Laments 'Tight Budget' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ethnic Youth Conference Organizers to Defy Government Ban Posted: 26 Jul 2016 04:51 AM PDT Preparations being made for the National Ethnic Youth Conference in Panglong, Southern Shan State. (Photo: NEYC / Facebook) The organizers of a National Ethnic Youth Conference to be held in the Shan State town of Panglong are planning to defy an order from the state government to "suspend" the event. On Monday, the organizers received a letter signed by Aung Than Maung, the Burman ethnic affairs minister in the Shan State government, stating that the conference could not go ahead as planned, according to an "order" from the Union government. The conference organizers claim no reason was given for the suspension order, and the letter did not state when in fact the conference could take place. In statements released on Facebook, and in comments made to The Irrawaddy, the various groups taking part have signaled their intention to go ahead with the conference, planned for July 27-31, in spite of the suspension order. More than half of the youth delegates—set to number more than 600—have already arrived in the town. The rest are reportedly on their way. Panglong, in Loilen District of southern Shan State, was the site of the Panglong Agreement reached in 1947 between Burmese independence leader Gen Aung San and leaders representing the Shan, Kachin and Chin ethnic groups. The agreement promised equal rights and full autonomy in internal administration for the "frontier areas"—the borderlands where ethnic minorities predominate. Sai Aung Myint Oo, a conference organizer, told The Irrawaddy, "We will go ahead and hold it because we have the right to do so, even under the 2008 Constitution." "The government should be supporting us, but the state government dares not take responsibility and the Shan State chief minister is avoiding meeting us," he said. Through multiple statements delivered chiefly through social media, supporters of the conference initiative—including educators, political analysts, activists and politicians—have objected to the suspension order from the Shan State government. Kyaw Min Htike, who leads an ethnic Dawei youth delegation to the conference—currently traveling all the way from Tenasserim Division in Burma's far south—told The Irrawaddy that they "condemn the government's act," and will continue on to Panglong regardless. "It is ugly," Kyaw Min Htike said. "[This] should never have happened under the government that promised change." Youth from Burma's ethnic minority regions began preparing for the conference four years ago, and held a preparatory ethnic youth conference in northern Shan State in 2014. "The government's objection [to the youth conference] shows its lack of vision," said Sai Nyunt Lwin, secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, the second largest party in the Shan State parliament after the Union Solidarity and Development Party. He has encouraged the youth taking part to "calmly overcome" the challenges and to demonstrate solidarity by making a "collective decision." "The new government need not be fearful," Sai Nyunt Lwin added. "What are they afraid of?" On Tuesday afternoon, the conference organizers went to the Shan State capital of Taunggyi to request talks with the state government. Late afternoon on Tuesday, one of the organizers, Mai Mai, informed The Irrawaddy that a government official [whose rank and identity they wished to keep anonymous] had told them that they now had permission to proceed with the conference—a seeming reversal. However, as of 5:30 pm on Tuesday, they had not received official confirmation. The post Ethnic Youth Conference Organizers to Defy Government Ban appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ethnic Armed Group Summit Commences in Kachin State Posted: 26 Jul 2016 04:30 AM PDT The first day of the ethnic armed group summit in Mai Ja Yang, Kachin State: July 26, 2016. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) MAI JA YANG, Kachin State — Leaders representing 17 ethnic armed groups gathered in Mai Ja Yang, Kachin State on Tuesday to search for common ground in working toward a federal system in Burma. Representatives from China and the United Nations also joined the meeting as international observers. The summit was held in preparation for the upcoming Union Peace Conference in late August in Naypyidaw. Khu Oo Reh, the secretary of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)—a coalition of nine ethnic armed groups who opted out of signing a nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the government in 2015—spoke in Mai Ja Yang about the significance of the event. "This could be historic meeting for our ethnic armed groups. We intend for this meeting to prepare for the coming [Union Peace] Conference," he said, adding that the organizations would "negotiate" to "reach a common agreement" during the four-day summit, which ends on Friday. "Our conflict," Khu Oo Reh continued, "can only be solved at the table," a reference to the need for peace talks over continued clashes. Not in attendance, however, were the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the United Wa State Army (UWSA), despite being invited to the event. "They [the TNLA and MNDAA] did not come because the UWSA did not come," said UNFC vice chairman Nai Hong Sar. The UWSA is thought to be Burma's largest non-state armed group—with an estimated 20,000-plus troops; the organization reportedly plans to meet government representatives in Naypidaw on Friday. The United Nationalities Alliance—a coalition of ethnic political parties—and the Women's League of Burma—an umbrella group of women's organizations across Burma—also joined Tuesday's session. Gen N'Ban La, who serves as the vice chairman of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA)—which hosted the event—and also acts as the UNFC chairman, spoke about the importance of the upcoming Union Peace Conference for Burma and its ethnic communities. He attributed Burma's civil war, which began shortly after the country's 1948 independence, to the former military regime's failure to abide by and implement the 1947 Panglong Agreement, which promised equal rights and self-determination to ethnic nationalities. The upcoming Union Peace Conference has been dubbed Burma's "21st Century Panglong Conference," in an attempt to replicate the spirit of the original 1947 summit. "We have the Panglong Agreement, but we could not implement it. I have questions about who blocked the implementation of our agreement," said Gen N-Ban Hla. "We all wanted to have equal rights. They [the military regime] used a unitary system, and therefore our country has problems now," he said. The KIA general also pointed out that not all ethnic armed groups could sign last year's NCA with the former government; only eight armed groups became signatories to the agreement—and the KIA was among those who opted out. Even though Burma now has a new, elected National League for Democracy-led government, N'Ban La highlighted the ongoing fighting with the Burma Army in the country's northern regions. "This time is important for us, and we all need to have unity," he said. The UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Myanmar Vijay Nambiar, who joined the Mai Ja Yang summit, said that the UN will stand alongside ethnic armed organizations and the government in support of the peace process. Sun Guoxiang, from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that China will "continue supporting" Burma. Mai Ja Yang lies on Kachin State's Chinese border, in area under KIA control. Fighting broke out between the Burma Army and the KIA in the area in 2011, and Mai Ja Yang's Chinese investors had to leave their businesses and projects behind, leading the town to become largely abandoned. Since then, fighting has continued sporadically outside of Mai Ja Yang between the KIA and the Burma Army. The post Ethnic Armed Group Summit Commences in Kachin State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

State-Run Newspaper Argues for Myitsone Cancellation Posted: 26 Jul 2016 02:54 AM PDT Entrance to the Myitsone Dam construction site, north of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina, photographed in 2015. If completed, Myitsone would be among the largest hydropower stations in the world. (Photo: Tin Htet Paing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — An editorial in the Burmese state-run newspaper The Mirror has argued that the construction of the highly controversial Chinese-backed Myitsone Dam in Kachin State—suspended since 2011—should be completely abandoned, because it harms relations between Burma and China. State-run media in Burma have previously taken a cautious line on the project, and avoided overt criticism. The editorial claimed that the message of the people of Burma to China—"don't mess up the Irrawaddy"—was "crystal clear." The editorial backed the "fourth option" for the Myitsone Dam, namely the total cancellation of the project: "both countries should look for hydropower projects that can be mutually acceptable," it concluded, echoing Kristensen's recommendation. Popular approval of The Mirror's Sunday editorial was evident on social media. Moe Thway, who leads youth organization Generation Wave, wrote a post on Facebook urging the government to follow the editorial's suggestions. "I will stand with the public to support the new government," Moe Thway concluded. The US$3.6 billion hydropower dam project is situated just downstream of the confluence that forms Burma's most iconic river, the Irrawaddy, and was intended to supply power mainly to China's relatively underdeveloped southwest. The project was a joint venture inked between a Chinese state-owned corporation, China Power Investment (CPI), the Burmese Ministry of Electric Power and a Burmese conglomerate, Asia World, during the time of the military junta. In 2011, the project was suspended by President Thein Sein until the end of his term in 2016, after a sustained public outcry and claims that the dam would disrupt the flow of sediment in the country's main waterway, disrupt agricultural livelihoods downstream, and pose grave flooding risks in the event of an earthquake, due to its proximity to a fault line. This editorial from a state-run newspaper comes on the back of renewed lobbying from China to resume the project. In early June, the Chinese Ambassador Hong Liang and representatives of CPI travelled to Kachin State to meet with local leaders. On April 5, five days after the National League for Democracy (NLD) government assumed office, China's Wang Yi became the first foreign minister of another nation to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's new foreign minister—although the Myitsone Dam and other controversial Chinese investments were reportedly not discussed. The Mirror editorial was published on the same date—July 24—that Suu Kyi held a meeting with Wang Yi in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on the sidelines of the 49th Asean Foreign Ministers Meeting, although the Myitsone Dam was reportedly not on the agenda. After the meeting with Suu Kyi, the Chinese foreign minister addressed a press conference, saying that, "the Myitsone Dam issue will not harm the two countries' future relationship," as reported by Eleven Daily. Suu Kyi is projected to visit China, following an invitation from the Chinese foreign minister, prior to a planned trip to the US in September. During its tenure so far, the NLD has yet to utter a word on the eventual fate of the Myitsone Dam, leaving uncertainty on all sides. Back in 2011, when she was an opposition figure, Suu Kyi issued a statement encouraging public campaigns to "save the Irrawaddy." She also appealed to the governments of both China and Burma to avoid "endangering" the lives and homes of the Kachin people, to take note of the earthquake risks and to consider the environmental impacts. "In the interests of both national and international harmony, concerned parties should reassess the scheme and cooperate to fund solutions that would prevent undesirable consequences and thus allay the fears of all who are anxious to protect the Irrawaddy," she said. Win Myo Thu, director of environmental organization EcoDev Myanmar, said the Chinese company backing the dam would have to gather public consensus before proceeding with the project—a highly unlikely prospect. "Sixty-percent of Burma's population would be affected by the project," Win Myo Thu claimed. The company should try to get a yes-vote from them, he said mockingly. "The Chinese company must accept the harsh reality that they must shut down the project," he concluded. The post State-Run Newspaper Argues for Myitsone Cancellation appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week (July 26) Posted: 25 Jul 2016 08:10 PM PDT The Irrawaddy picks 10 interesting events happening in Rangoon this week. Free English Language Classes The Center of Excellence for Business Skills Development offers a free class called 'English Language Toolkit for Effective Communication' every Saturday. Everyone who attends receives a certificate following completion of the class. Register by emailing tn.aye@unesco.org. or ss.hlaing@unesco.org. Where: Center of Excellence for Business Skills Development, Parami Road, Hlaing Campus. Tel: 09 976 114933 When: Saturday, July 30, 2pm to 4pm Anusara Workshop Series: Finding Transformation with Yoga This three-part weekend workshop series will focus on exploring effective alignment through Anusara's universal principles. There will be three sessions—Saturday, 10:30 to 1:30 pm; Saturday, 3:00 to 5:30 pm; and Sunday, 2:30 to 5:30 pm. The classes cost $45 for one session, $80 for two sessions and $110 for all three sessions. Where: Yangon Yoga House, Room 4, Yankin Lan Thwe, Yankin Tsp. Where: Saturday, July 30, 2016 Yangon Running Club Weekly runs leave from Balance Fitness 2 on Thursdays at 6:15 a.m. and Saturdays at 7:15 a.m. Runners of any level are welcome to join. Where: Balance Fitness 2, No 103, University Ave Road & Thanlwin Street, Bahan Tsp. When: Saturday July 30, 7am to 10:30am FAB 42 Club Night DJs will spin at J-One Music Bar at this party for LGBT patrons and friends. The entrance fee is 5,000 kyats. Where: J-One Music Bar, Bo Cho Street, behind Union Business Centre, Tamwe Tsp. When: Saturday, July 30, starts at 10 p.m. Book Fair About 160 vendors will sell books at discounts of 10 to 50 percent at a book fair organized by the Ministry of Information. Readings will also be held, with 18 papers on Burmese politics to be shared. Where: Printing and Publishing Enterprise Headquarters on Theinbyu Street (opposite the Secretariat) When: Friday, July 29 to Sunday, 31 July Trade Show Organized by the Myanmar Intellectual Proprietors' Association, the Myanmar Famous Brands Expo and Promo will be held at Tatmadaw Hall. Where: Tatmadaw Hall, U Wisara Road When: Friday, July 29 to Sunday, July 31, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open Mic Night For anyone who ever wanted to sing on stage, 7th Joint Bar and Grill hosts an open mic night every Tuesday night. Entrance is free. Where: 7th Joint Bar and Grill, Shwe Asia Building, 48th Street and Mahabandula Road, Botahtaung Tsp. Tel: 09261399933 When: Tuesday, July 26, starts at 8 p.m. 'New Vision' Exhibition This group art exhibition at Lokanat Gallery showcases more than 80 paintings with prices between $200 and $500. Where: Lokanat Gallery, 62 Pansodan St, 1st Floor, Kyauktada Tsp. Tel. 095-1382-269 When: Wednesday, July 27 to Sunday, July 31 Comic Exhibition Myanmar Artists and Artisans Association features more than 80 works by 31 comic artists. Where: Myanmar Artists and Artisans Association, Bogyoke Market When: Wednesday, July 27 to Sunday, July 31 Korea-Myanmar Exchange Exhibition A graphic design exchange exhibition will be held at the New Treasure Art Gallery. Where: New Treasure Art Gallery, No. 84/A, Thanlwin Street, Golden Hill Avenue, Bahan Tsp. Tel: 01-526776, 503712 When: Sunday, July 30 to Friday, August 5 The post Ten Things to Do in Rangoon This Week (July 26) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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National News

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• US embassy in Yangon apologises for training exercise gone wrong
• Daw Aung San Suu Kyi praised after first ASEAN meet
• MP proposes anti-narcotics crusade
• Hluttaw Speaker urges MPs to follow procedures
• Are frosty NLD-military relations finally thawing?
• State counsellor to meet Wa, Mongla
• Myanmar to submit disputed parkland for heritage designation
• Catholic leader asks religion ministry for minority representatives
• Outbound tour company said to defraud travellers
• Donated Singaporean GPS units to track risk of megaquake

US embassy in Yangon apologises for training exercise gone wrong Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT The American embassy in Yangon apologised yesterday after a tear gas test gone awry led to erroneous reports of a bombing and temporarily affected the flow of traffic along University Avenue, where the mission is located.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi praised after first ASEAN meet Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT Asean unity may be under severe strain, but Foreign Minister Daw Aung San Suu Kyi emerged from her first ministerial meeting without a scratch on her international reputation, according to analysts, who praised the leader's diplomacy.

MP proposes anti-narcotics crusade Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT A Shan State parliamentarian wants the government to include an anti-narcotics drive in its so-called "100-day" plans if such an initiative is not already part of the National League for Democracy's vision for its early days in office.

Hluttaw Speaker urges MPs to follow procedures Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT As MPs get settled into the second parliamentary session, the lower house Speaker has warned them to stick to the straight-and-narrow.

Are frosty NLD-military relations finally thawing? Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT Observers are cautiously parsing two recent events featuring prominent military officers in the hope of reading their implications for national reconciliation and the success of the 21st-century Panglong Conference due to begin next month.

State counsellor to meet Wa, Mongla Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will meet with two powerhouse ethnic armed groups in the capital later this week, as the government lays the groundwork for the much-anticipated Panglong Conference slated for next month.

Myanmar to submit disputed parkland for heritage designation Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT Myanmar officials plan to submit land being claimed by Thailand for consideration as its own UNESCO World Heritage Site, U Than Zaw Oo, director of the Myanmar branch of the World Heritage Site committee, said yesterday.

Catholic leader asks religion ministry for minority representatives Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT A Cardinal is calling for minority religions to be better represented in the Ministry of Religion and Culture.

Outbound tour company said to defraud travellers Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT Complaints to police about a Yangon Region travel company from angry customers have highlighted the weaknesses of the law governing tour companies, industry experts say.

Donated Singaporean GPS units to track risk of megaquake Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:30 PM PDT To better monitor the fault lines under Myanmar and keep watch for a megaquake, a Singaporean research network has donated 10 fault-tracking global positioning system (GPS) devices to be installed across the country.

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Shan Herald Agency for News

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Shan State government move to cancel youth conference Posted: 26 Jul 2016 02:36 AM PDT The Shan State government has made a last-minute move to cancel a five-day ethnic youth conference, citing the possibility of a negative impact on the upcoming 21st Century Panglong Convention (21CPC). One of the organizers of the National Ethnic Youth Conference, Sai Aung Myint Oo of the Shan Youth Network, confirmed that they received an official letter yesterday evening signed by Dr. Aung Than Maung, the Burman Shan State Minister of Ethnic Affairs, requesting that the youth forum be suspended. The National Ethnic Youth Conference is scheduled to be held in the town of Panglong, 100 kilometers east of Shan State capital Taunggyi, on July 27–31. "All the representatives have already arrived in Panglong," said Sai Aung Myint Oo.  "The meeting will carry on as scheduled because we are working for the Union. We don'thave any weapons. We are working peacefully in accordance with the law." The conference itinerary includes talks on peace-building and federalism, and has gathered 600 ethnic representatives from across Burma, including Arakanese, Akha, Burman, Chin, Danu, Dawei, Intha, Kachin, Kadu, Kanan Karen, Karenni, Kokang, Lahu, Mon, Myaung Zee, Naga, Shan, Pa-O, Palaung (Ta'ang), Taung Yoe, Wa, and Yaw. Next week sees the restart of peace talks, the so-called 21CPC, between the government, the Burmese military, and ethnic armed groups. The meeting is slated to take place in Mai Ja Yang in Kachin State. The 21CPC is a continuation of political dialogue initiated by the previous Thein Sein administration; however the new government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, says it intends maintaining the momentum of the peace process. Speaking to Shan Herald, youth conference organizer Sai Aung Myint Oo said, "We have been planning this ethnic youth conference for many years. Because of the preliminary meeting in Mai Ja Yang, and the 21CPC that will follow in late August – to be attended by State Councillor Aung San Su Kyi – the Shan State government tried to dissuade us from holding the forum. They said they were worried our conference would affect the peace talks. Sai Aung Myint Oo defended the youth conference, saying, "What we are doing, we do for national unity." The organizing committee for the National Ethnic Youth Conference said it had confirmed permission for the event three times, the final time being last week on July 22. Sai Aung Myint Oo said that since receiving the letter last night, he had requested a meeting in person with the Shan State chief minister, but was denied. He said that Panglong was chosen as a venue for the forum via a democratic vote by representatives of the ethnic youth groups, a decision which also factored in travel expenses and organizing costs. The Coordination Committee for National Ethnic Youth Conference (CCNEYC) was initiated in June 2012, and has since sat for several meetings. In October 2014, they held a conference in northern Shan State which led to the formation of a committee to implement the national-level conference which is due to begin tomorrow. The Shan town of Panglong is famous in recent Burmese history as the seat of negotiations in 1947 between Burman and ethnic leaders in preparation for independence from Great Britain. By: Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

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The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Ooredoo Lucky Draw Draws Fire From Users
• ANP Alleges Govt ‘Wrongly’ Issued Citizenship in Arakan State
• Government to Announce Economic Policy This Week
• Lawmaker Proposes Secretariat Be Returned to the Public
• The Lady and the Generals  
• Hundreds of Jade Mining Licenses Expire This Month

Ooredoo Lucky Draw Draws Fire From Users Posted: 25 Jul 2016 08:20 AM PDT Ooredoo advertisement on a train on Rangoon's "circle" line (Photo: Pyay Kyaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — A reportedly defective "lucky draw" introduced by Qatar-based mobile network provider Ooredoo has been met with fury from users on social media, leading to a suspension order from the Ministry of Transport and Communication. The ministry is now investigating whether the lucky draw constitutes illegal "gambling," assistant permanent secretary to the ministry Chit Wai told The Irrawaddy. Ooredoo's text message-based lucky draw, called "Khu Phyay, Khu Htaw," was to last from July 18 to Oct. 15. Ooredoo subscribers could answer a series of quiz questions, with text message responses costing 200 kyats (US$0.17) each. Participants could win 3 million kyats ($2,526) on a given day, and accumulate 30 million ($25,255) over the full period, with the additional opportunity of winning phone handsets on weekends. The quiz included questions related to Burma's geography, current affairs and general knowledge, with participants selecting one of two answers. However, since Friday, a high number of users have been venting on Facebook that "correct" responses drew text messages reading "incorrect, try again," and claimed to have been "cheated." Catching wind of this fury, the Ministry of Transport and Communication's Department of Telecommunications sent a letter to Ooredoo on July 23 ordering them to stop the draw, and chastising them for not submitting the scheme to the ministry prior to launch. "We're now checking telecommunications law to determine whether this kind of [lucky draw] package is legal. We can't yet say whether it represents a form of gambling," assistant permanent secretary Chit Wai said. Chit Wai noted that, "Ooredoo is not forcing their subscribers to spend money on text messages for the lucky draw." He said they were still awaiting a response from Ooredoo. Meanwhile, complaints on Facebook have continued to rumble. "I've spent at least 5,000 kyats [US$4.20] answering their questions," raged Ma Mon Mon, a resident of Rangoon's Yankin Township. She went on, "If my answer is correct, I get ten points, and so on till I get closer to the prize draw—but I got back replies saying most of my answers were wrong, which is not true, and so I tried again and again got so frustrated." "It's like baiting," she said. On Monday, Ooredoo apologized to its subscribers and said it would reimburse lucky draw participants within 48 hours. The draw will remain on hold while discussions are held with the ministry, and participant's scores will remain as they were. Ooredoo recently announced it had netted 7.5 million subscribers in Burma, one of the fasting growing telecoms markets in the world since the liberalization of the market in 2013. This puts it well behind Norway-based Telenor, the only other foreign operator so far in Burma, which has claimed 16.9 million subscribers. However, Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT)—the State-owned enterprise that held the monopoly prior to 2013—still holds the largest share of subscribers. A fourth telecoms operator—a shared venture between Vietnam's Viettel, 11 local Burmese public companies and a subsidiary of military-run Myanmar Economic Corporation—was awarded a license earlier this year, but has yet to enter the market. The post Ooredoo Lucky Draw Draws Fire From Users appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

ANP Alleges Govt ‘Wrongly’ Issued Citizenship in Arakan State Posted: 25 Jul 2016 08:12 AM PDT About 200 participants, including individuals representing civil society organizations, political parties and the Buddhist monkhood, attended the Arakan National Party's press conference on Sunday, July 24 at the Dolphin Restaurant in Rangoon. (Photo: Pyay Kyaw / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON – The Arakan National Party (ANP) and several Arakanese legal experts held a press conference on Sunday alleging that Burma's previous government had wrongly issued citizenship documents to over 1,000 Muslims in Arakan State's Myebon Township. The Arakanese political and legal representatives say that the 97 individuals issued Citizenship Scrutiny Cards—or "pink cards," which denote full citizenship—and 917 people granted naturalized citizenship, received these statuses in violation of Burma's controversial 1982 Citizenship Law. Several ANP leaders said that the main purpose of the press conference was to draw attention to what they allege are similarities between the National League for Democracy (NLD) government's current practices regarding citizenship verification and those of the former military-backed administration. The ANP is instead calling for stricter verification measures; the party has been active in lobbying to uphold the 1982 Citizenship Law, which has been condemned by the United Nations and the international community as being discriminatory against minorities, including Muslims. As part of a citizenship verification process initiated in June 2014 by ex-president Thein Sein's government—under the "Rakhine State Action Plan"—former Arakan State Chief Minister Maung Maung Ohn led a team that examined 2,900 applicants who applied for citizenship in Sittwe District's Myebon Township. These individuals largely belonged to Muslim minorities in the region, including ethnic Kaman and Rohingya. In December of that year, Arakanese Buddhist residents of Myebon shut their houses and businesses in protest during Maung Maung Ohn's visit to the township to show their dissatisfaction with the practices of the citizenship scrutiny committee. This caused the government to swiftly suspend the process, which only resumed in May this year. Thar Pwint, a former lawyer as well as a member of the citizenship scrutiny committee, said the committee was formed of eight people, including six government officials from the township level. At the press conference, he said that the committee had reportedly checked only the following points at the township level committee: whether the applicants had reached the age of 18, if they were mentally sound, and if they could fluently speak one of the ethnic languages of Burma. [Although the 1982 Citizenship Law contains the latter provision, it does not list what the ethnic, or "national," languages actually are—neither does the 2008 Constitution.] He acknowledged that, at the time, he was not familiar with Burma's citizenship and immigration laws, even though immigration department officials had distributed pamphlets to the committee members outlining Burma's three categories of citizenship, as outlined in the 1982 law: full, naturalized and associate. Thar Pwint alleged that government manipulation of the law "created loopholes for Bengalis," using a term employed widely throughout Arakan State and elsewhere in Burma to describe the group which self-identifies as Rohingya; "Bengali" implies that the Rohingya are interlopers from Bangladesh, a claim which they reject. At the press conference, ANP representatives, including party chairman Aye Maung, described an interpretation of the 1982 Citizenship Law focused heavily on articles 42 and 6. Article 42 states that individuals can obtain naturalized citizenship by demonstrating evidence that they or their parents or grandparents entered Burma before 1948, the year the country gained its independence from Britain. Article 6 states that those considered citizens at the time the 1982 law came into effect will remain as such, and their status cannot be revoked unless it is found that an individual has attained it under "false representation"—naturalized and associate citizenship can, however, be revoked by the central government on a range of vague pretexts, including "showing disaffection or disloyalty to the State." Kyaw Zaw Oo, an ANP lawmaker in the state legislature, argued that according to these measures, applicants for citizenship whose predecessors entered Burma after 1948 are not eligible for any form of citizenship. He pointed out that the previous government's implementation committee did, however, give "pink cards" [denoting full citizenship] to people who did not meet this criterion, thereby "breaching procedure." The Irrawaddy asked ANP vice chairwoman Aye Nu Sein whether the ANP had a plan to address the citizenship status of around 1 million stateless Muslims in Arakan State, approximately 130,000 of whom remain displaced after violence in 2012 and 2013. Echoing other members of the ANP leadership, she said that the only option was adherence to the 1982 Citizenship Law, which she said would provide them with basic rights and greater freedom of movement, without elaborating on how this would be carried out. "All we want is to keep implementing in line with 1982," Aye Nu Sein said in reference to the law, adding that the reporter should "not make allusions." NLD patron Tin Oo was among party members who attended the event, but he declined to comment. On Monday, both the Arakan State Chief Minister Nyi Pu and Win Lwin, the head of the Population and Immigration Department in Arakan State, could not be reached for comment. The post ANP Alleges Govt 'Wrongly' Issued Citizenship in Arakan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Government to Announce Economic Policy This Week Posted: 25 Jul 2016 06:52 AM PDT Workers unload goods at the Thilawa Port in 2013.  (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) RANGOON — The National League for Democracy (NLD) government will announce its long-awaited economic policy through state-run media on July 29 said Tun Tun Naing, permanent secretary of the Ministry of National Planning and Finance. The public reveal of the economic policies comes almost four months after the NLD assumed power. Tun Tun Naing did not elaborate on policy details and said further information would come directly from the planning and finance minister. Sean Turnell, economic advisor to the NLD, told The Irrawaddy last week that the government's economic policies would follow the ones laid out by the NLD last year, as industry observers and experts expected. "The principles will remain the same," he said, but added that one big issue facing the government is a lack of security. "People don't trust in banks. They don't have land security. Investment security is fundamental." The NLD's previous economic policies stressed fiscal prudence, lean and efficient government, a revitalized agricultural sector, monetary and fiscal stability and functioning infrastructure. The party also emphasized that policies comply with domestic laws and be consistent with international human rights standards in order to facilitate foreign direct investment (FDI). Myat Thin Aung, chairman of the Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone, said he does not have high expectations for these early economic policies because they were set with politicians rather than after sufficient consulting with industry experts. Politicians need to discuss policy with business industry experts, even after releasing their plans, he said, adding that while the NLD's policy may need to be fine-tuned, he hopes that it will emerge "better." Myat Thin Aung said he expected the government to favor local entrepreneurs in order to compete with foreign investors who are entering the country. "The economic policy should be strong enough to support all types of investors," he said. The post Government to Announce Economic Policy This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lawmaker Proposes Secretariat Be Returned to the Public Posted: 25 Jul 2016 06:47 AM PDT A ceremony last week at Rangoon's Secretariat commemorates Martyrs' Day. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — A Rangoon divisional lawmaker will submit a proposal that would return the city's historical Secretariat building—which has been leased to a private company—back to the public. Aung Htoo, a National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker representing Rangoon's Botahtaung Township, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that he will ask the government during the upcoming parliamentary session to give back to the public the 120-year-old Secretariat building, which is located in his constituency and is the site where independence leader Gen Aung San and eight of his colleagues were assassinated 69 years ago. "I was really happy to see thousands of people enter the building on Martyrs' Day [last week]. It is a historical place and part of our heritage. It shouldn't be privatized. Instead, it should belong to the public," he said. The Secretariat is currently undergoing renovations supervised by local developer Anawmar Art Group, which was selected as winner of the Secretariat tender in 2012. After submitting a detailed plan of renovation methods and planned building use, a 50-year lease was awarded to the developer. Le Yee Soe, director at Anawmar Group, told The Irrawaddy last year that the group planned to convert part of the dilapidated colonial structure into an art museum and would spend an estimated US$50 million on the renovation. The post Lawmaker Proposes Secretariat Be Returned to the Public appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Lady and the Generals   Posted: 25 Jul 2016 05:57 AM PDT Aung San Suu Kyi receives Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing at her Rangoon residence for a Buddhist merit-making ceremony with monks on this year's Martyrs' Day, July 19. (Photo: Yawainwe Inn Ma / Facebook) It takes two to tango, say Burma-watchers trying to make sense of the relationship burgeoning between the new government and the armed forces. This last week, some intriguing gestures have passed between the two. On July 19—Burma's Martyrs' Day, commemorating the assassination of independence hero Aung San and eight of his colleagues in 1947—Commander-in-Chief Snr Gen Min Aung Hlaing became the first armed forces commander in decades to take part in the annual ceremony at the Martyrs' Mausoleum in Rangoon. This is bound to become protocol for Min Aung Hlaing's successors. There were more surprises. After delivering his salute at the mausoleum, the commander-in-chief showed up at Aung San Suu Kyi's Rangoon residence for a Buddhist merit-making ceremony, switching his uniform for a traditional Burmese jacket and longyi. Pictures of Min Aung Hlaing and Suu Kyi nodding and smiling at each other alongside prominent Buddhist monks in Suu Kyi's lakeside villa were shared widely among the Burmese public and foreign observers. Prominent former generals were also present, including Myint Swe, vice president and a protégé of former dictator Than Shwe, and Shwe Mann, who was once "number three" in Than Shwe's military junta and is now a close ally of Suu Kyi. Relations between Shwe Mann and the military establishment have grown chilly at best; with Suu Kyi in the middle, they were forced to exchange pleasantries. Last month, the military attempted to sue a local newspaper for a story that quoted from a speech given by Shwe Mann to graduates of the Defense Services Academy, in which he urged them to work with the country's newly elected democratic government. The military claimed the publication of these words could "destroy the unity of the military." Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy. Tin Oo, a commander-in-chief of the military during the 1970s and now one of the senior-most leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD), was seen conversing with top members of the military establishment at Suu Kyi's house on July 19. The event was like a social gathering of the current bi-polar political elite in Burma, minus President Htin Kyaw. The general public reacted positively. Min Aung Hlaing, who had turned 60 by July 19, brought his wife along; she was photographed sitting behind Suu Kyi as the monks partook of their lunch offerings. It was a demonstration of closer relations forged between Suu Kyi and the armed forces chief. So what was the deal underlying all this? One theory circulating among political analysts asserts that the government first proposed that President Htin Kyaw attend the ceremony at the Martyrs' Mausoleum, which would have made him the first Burmese head of state to attend since before the 1988 coup. However, this would have led to concerns that such a move would reflect badly on previous heads of state—who chose to remain aloof from a monument so closely associated with Aung San, the late father of then-opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi—and would have set a binding precedent for all succeeding presidents. In the end, President Htin Kyaw commemorated Martyrs' Day in Naypyidaw at a Buddhist merit-making ceremony, receiving little publicity. Assigning Min Aung Hlaing to the high-profile ceremony in Rangoon was part of the compromise reached, so the theory goes. A rumor shared among political pundits several months ago was that Min Aung Hlaing was facing resistance in extending his position for another five years—on the understanding that, constitutionally, he would need the go-ahead from the president. On Wednesday of last week, Lt Gen Mya Tun Oo addressed a press briefing in Rangoon on behalf of the military, in which he confirmed that Min Aung Hlaing and his deputy, Soe Win, would continue in their roles for the full term of the current government, ending in 2020. Under an amended defense services law, the retirement age is now pegged at 65. Political insiders have since claimed that the NLD government had given the green light for this extension; Suu Kyi and senior NLD officials were not ready to begin relations with a new commander-in-chief. In May, Min Aung Hlaing clarified his position at a press conference in Naypyidaw: "The commander-in-chief is below the president. Contrary to what many had assumed, we are working together [with the civilian government]." Suu Kyi's present goal is to achieve peace in a war torn country. For this, she must find common ground with army generals as well as ethnic leaders. Like her father, she has shown herself to be a pragmatic politician. The events of last week, with the appearances of the commander-in-chief at the Martyrs' Mausoleum and in Suu Kyi's Rangoon home, signal such an attempt to reach out and build trust. This augurs a new political dynamic in Burma—a cause for cautious optimism. The post The Lady and the Generals   appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Hundreds of Jade Mining Licenses Expire This Month Posted: 25 Jul 2016 02:46 AM PDT A mining field in Kachin State. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) Burma's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation has released a list of 310 jade mining companies in Kachin State who will be unable to renew their licenses when they expire at the end of this month. The government previously said it would not renew expired jade mining licenses until it had worked out a management plan that met international environmental norms. Most of the expiring licenses belong to jade miners operating in Kachin State's Mohnyin, Hpakant and Lone Khin areas, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation's website. The ministry is prepared to develop an environmental management plan and will regulate mining companies in line with that plan, said Win Htein, director general of the ministry. "We won't renew the licenses of mining companies that do not meet the norms," he said. Kachin State's jade mines came into the spotlight after hundreds of miners were killed during numerous landslides in Hpakant Township last year. The worst incident killed at least 110 people at a mining waste dumpsite last November. "This is a good move. But companies aren't just operating in one mining field. The question is how the government will check that these companies with expired licenses really cease operations," said Myint Han, information officer at the Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association. Jade dealers said they doubt the new government can effectively enforce the ban on mining in Kachin State, where the rule of law is weak because of ongoing fighting between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Burma Army. Meanwhile, thousands of Burmese jade dealers have collected signatures on a petition calling for the new National League for Democracy (NLD) government to temporarily halt gemstone mining and stop illegal exports to China in an effort to increase prices on the domestic market, according to sources at the Myanmar Gems and Jewelry Entrepreneurs Association. Existing regulations require jade dealers to pay the government a 28 percent tax on every sale. Sellers who want to avoid the tax sell illegally to China, according to sources at the association. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Hundreds of Jade Mining Licenses Expire This Month appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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