The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- This Week in Parliament (August 8-12)
- Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘We Wanted to Challenge the Things that Other Women Couldn’t Do’
- The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (August 13, 2016)
| This Week in Parliament (August 8-12) Posted: 12 Aug 2016 07:36 PM PDT  The gates to the compound of Burma's national parliament in Naypyidaw in Nov. 2014. (Photo: Reuters) Monday August 8 In the Lower House, lawmaker Kyaw Htay representing Leshi Township in the Naga Self-Administered Zone requested that government establish accommodation nationwide for education staff at basic education schools in rural areas who face financial constraints, with priority given to less developed parts of the country. The house approved discussion of the proposal. Lawmaker Hla Moe presenting Aungmyaythazan Township in the city of Mandalay urged the government to adopt a program to evaluate the educational qualifications of basic education students. The house approved debate on the issue. In the Upper House, lawmakers debated a proposal from Kyaw Htwe of Rangoon Division Constituency-8 that called on the Union government to develop a comprehensive plan to address annual flooding in the Irrawaddy Delta and coastal areas during the rainy season [June to October], as well as drinking water scarcity across Burma during the hot season [March to May]. Tuesday August 9 In the Lower House, lawmakers debated a proposal from Than Win, representing Rangoon's North Okkalapa Township, which urged the government to take decisive steps to root out entrenched corruption in Burma. The Union Parliament promulgated an anti-graft law in August 2013 and established an anti-corruption commission in March 2014, which has been widely criticized as ineffective. Lawmakers in the Lower House agreed to donate a day's stipend of 20,000 kyats (US$17) to aid flood relief across the country. In the Upper House, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Tun Win said, in response to the proposal by lawmaker Kyaw Htwe, that a total of 94 reservoirs for drinking water across eight divisions and states would be re-dug, and that a total of 2,097 water supply projects are planned in 298 townships across Burma for the 2016-17 fiscal year. He said the ministry would continue to dredge rivers, creeks and drains to alleviate flooding in the Irrawaddy Delta. The Upper House put the proposal on record. In a session of the Union Parliament, Deputy Minister for National Planning and Finance Maung Maung Win explained the circumstances surrounding a proposed US$100 million loan from the World Bank. The speaker invited lawmakers to register to debate over accepting the loan. The Union speaker informed lawmakers of the nomination by President Htin Kyaw of Bo Bo Nge, a member of the National League for Democracy's economic team, to the board of directors of Burma's Central Bank. He asked any lawmakers who objected to the nomination to register for debate. Wednesday August 10 In the Lower House, 32 lawmakers continued to debate Than Win's proposal on the elimination of corruption. Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission Mya Win said "a change in attitude" was required both from those officials who received bribes and members of the public who gave bribes. The parliament approved the proposal and the speaker ordered the Bill Committee to review Burma's anti-graft law. In the Upper House, Kyaw Ni Naing of Shan State Constituency-11 enquired about the Union Peace Conference—or "21st Century Panglong Conference"—scheduled for later this month. Minister Kyaw Tint Swe of the State Counselor's Office replied that they expected around 700 representatives drawn from the government, the Burma Army, ethnic armed groups and political parties, among other stakeholders. He said the agenda would be settled at a meeting of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee. Education Minister Myo Thein Gyi replied to the question raised on Monday about staff-quarters for teachers, saying that 10.156 billion kyats (US$8.57 million) was allocated for the construction of teaching staff-quarters during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 fiscal years, with priority given to remote areas. The chairman of the Union Civil Service Board submitted a draft law to the Upper House to amend the current civil service law. The house approved it for debate. Thursday August 11 In the Lower House, lawmaker Tin Htwe of Pegu's Waw Township proposed that the government concentrate on modernizing farming methods, stating that increases in yield per acre would help alleviate rural poverty. He cited continued low rice production as an area of concern. The Lower House approved discussion of his proposal. In the Upper House, lawmakers debated a draft senior citizens law and a draft territorial sea and maritime zones law. Military lawmaker Major Aung Kyaw Phyo stressed the urgency of establishing a firm territorial sea boundary between Burma and Bangladesh, in accordance with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, and of reaching a bilateral code of conduct on exploiting resources located near the boundary line. According to census data released in 2014, there were around 5 million "elderly persons" aged 60 or over in Burma—almost 10 percent of the national population. Upper House lawmakers agreed to donate a day's stipend of 20,000 to aid flood relief across the country. Minister for Education Myo Thein Gyi proposed a draft science, technology and innovation law for debate in the Upper House, which the house duly approved. Friday, August 12 The Union Parliament approved the appointment of Bo Bo Nge, a member of the National League for Democracy's economic team, to the Central Bank's board of directors. No lawmakers had raised any objections, and no debate took place. Lawmakers started debating President Htin Kyaw's proposal of accepting a US$100 million loan from the World Bank in order to implement projects under the Myanmar Monetary Sector Development Plan. Discussions will continue next week. The post This Week in Parliament (August 8-12) appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Dateline Irrawaddy: ‘We Wanted to Challenge the Things that Other Women Couldn’t Do’ Posted: 12 Aug 2016 07:30 PM PDT
We are seeing more women journalists in the newly revitalized media industry, thanks to democratization. Looking back, the industry grew in the post-war and pre-independence periods, paving the way for inspiring women journalists like Dagon Khin Khin Lay, Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay and Ludu Daw Ahmar. Then, the press almost collapsed under the military regime. Today, in the post-military regime or democratization period, the press has revived and we see many women journalists, like you two. Ma Eaint Khine Oo, what role do Burmese women journalists currently play in the media industry compared to their foreign counterparts? Eaint Khine Oo: First of all, I would like to go back to when I first joined the press. I started my journalism career after September 2007. At that time, it was quite rare for women to choose a career in journalism but there were a certain number of women journalists. When I told my family that I wanted to be a journalist, they didn't know what that was. Because I had been fond of reading since I was young, they let me pursue it—thinking it was a job that involved literature. So, I became a reporter. We faced the same difficulties as our male colleagues—it was difficult to find sources or chase political stories. We could only report business news. Many [women] journalists joined the press after September 2007 and the number gradually increased over the years. Most of them worked hard. Once we became journalists, we wanted to challenge the things that other women couldn't do—like going home late at night or traveling far away to report—and we have done that. Compared to our foreign counterparts, in terms of long-distance travel, we are still left behind. Some editors do not want to send women journalists away, and they use their sex and safety concerns as excuses. It is partly because publishers do not provide proper funding. For example, when there are ethnic summits outside Rangoon, women journalists want to go. But we are not permitted to go, on the basis that it is not appropriate for women to go into regions controlled by armed groups. We are behind in that regard. I want management to choose reporters based on their knowledge of the region and the issues, not because of their sex. They should think about how they can provide security for the reporters. YN: I agree with you. But recently Burma's press has taken great pride in female journalist Esther Htusan winning a joint Pulitzer Prize. It is difficult for male journalists to win that prize, and her victory brings great pride to Burmese women journalists and shows that they are not falling behind. Most of the leaders in Burma's media industry are men, and there are times when women are not favored or even provided equal opportunity. Ma Swe Mar, you recently covered the Mai Ja Yang Ethnic Summit in Kachin State. What difficulties did you face and was management worried about your safety when sending you there? Swe Mar Thein Lwin: You said that the media industry is mainly led by men and therefore women are given less opportunity. But opportunities do not need to be given. Everyone should have them, regardless of their sex. We do not want to be favored by male editors because we are women. It should be natural. If a male reporter can report, so can we. Why not? We are the same. But as journalists, we need to be mindful of our personal safety. Regarding my Mai Ja Yang trip, the town is in Kachin State and is controlled by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). It was a long distance to travel. It was a 24-hour drive from Rangoon to Myitkyina, and then another day from Myitkyina to Mai Ja Yang. Management may think that it is risky to send a woman journalist on travel that includes overnight stays. There has been a custom in our news agency that male journalists are usually dispatched for such trips. Women journalists have covered press conferences about ceasefires and the peace process in Rangoon. I told management that rather than cover these events from Rangoon, we wanted to go and see what was happening in northern Shan, Kachin and Karen states. We need to know what is happening on the ground and find out if stakeholders are doing what they are preaching. I always demanded to attend the events in ethnic regions. The management chose male journalists and male cameramen for the Mai Ja Yang trip. So, I convinced management that I could do the reporting and I would take responsibility for myself. I explained why a reporter like me needed to go there. They approved within minutes. It was the first time that our media outlet [Eleven Media] sent a woman journalist on a long-distance assignment. YN: Usually these trips are arduous and male editors take that into consideration when sending reporters to conflict or war zones. Women are traditionally regarded as the weaker sex in our society and there is concern that they may get sick or face other dangers while away. We generally prefer male journalists for such tiring trips. Now, women journalists are keen to go to conflict areas. We have no doubt about their capacity, but they are physically weaker than men. Ma Eaint Khine Oo, you have worked as an editor. What advice do you have for women journalists who travel to conflict areas? EKO: I would like to point out three things. First, Esther Htusan went abroad for her investigative story about enslaved fishery workers. I do not know her editors. But her editors did not consider her sex; they just considered her ability and her safety. And her efforts were honored, which brings us great pride. Likewise, we have a lot of investigative journalism to do regarding labor issues in our country. As the government becomes more transparent, we need to do more investigative journalism. When I was still a reporter, I went to Karen State's Hpa-an to cover an election. I had lived there before. At that time, clashes were going on in Myawaddy but I went there because I was familiar with the region. I went around to the polling stations by motorbike. I could do it because I knew the region. It had nothing to do with my sex. At the same time, I maintained contact with my editor for my safety. After I became an editor, I had both male and female reporters working under me. I sent a female reporter to cover [sectarian conflicts in] Meiktila. In another case when we heard about sectarian conflict in a township in Pegu Division, it was already 6 p.m. I didn't send the male reporter to Pegu. It was not because of his sex, but because of safety concerns. We could not afford to arrange a car for him and he had to take the bus. The place was under curfew and he had to sleep wherever he arrived, which was not safe for him. I would have the same considerations for women journalists under similar circumstances. What is important is the safety of reporters. My view is that we should consider safety, but not base it on gender. YN: Thank you for your contributions. Last week, over 100 women journalists gathered and shared their experiences. It is important that we respect the dignity and safety of women journalists when reviving the media landscape of Burma. Thanks for watching! The post Dateline Irrawaddy: 'We Wanted to Challenge the Things that Other Women Couldn't Do' appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (August 13, 2016) Posted: 12 Aug 2016 07:22 PM PDT  A man carries a basket near rubbish carts in Rangoon on September 28, 2013. Vicky Bowman, director of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business, said this week that waste management remains a top concern amongst the center's local partners. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to Promote Arbitration Law The ICC International Court of Arbitration will host workshops on arbitration—a technique for solving disputes outside of courts—for young lawyers during the third week of August. A seminar for the public will also be held. Burma's new Arbitration Law, passed in January 2016, provides for the enforcement of Burmese arbitration decisions in other countries, and vice versa, the event's organizers said, adding that this paves the way for the development of a meaningful arbitration industry in Burma. At the two-day workshop, leading practitioners will provide training focusing on the practical aspects of international arbitration and on the ICC Rules of Arbitration. The event will take place on August 18 and 19 at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry's (UMFCCI) head office in Lanmadaw Township, Rangoon. Participation is by invitation only. Due to the complexity of the content, the workshop is not considered suitable for absolute beginners. The public seminar will be held at the same location on Saturday, August 20, and is open to everyone, including lawyers, academics and members of the business community, subject to prior registration. Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business Submits First Report to UN One of Burma's primary sustainable business initiatives, the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business (MCRB), announced this week that it had submitted its first Communication on Engagement (CoE)—a biannual report on the progress of the MCRB's activities—to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), of which it has been a member since 2014. MCRB director, Vicky Bowman, said in an August 11 press release that compiling the CoE "prompted us to reflect on whether the way we deliver [our work] programme respects the environment and human rights." In the statement, Bowman added that in the workshops MCRB has convened, waste management remains a top participant concern. "This is true, whether we're talking with faculty in Yadanabon University, or fishermen in Ngapali," she said. UNGC members must demonstrate a commitment to ten principles of human rights, fair labor, environmental sustainability and anti-corruption measures. In Burma, there are currently 352 members of the UNGC: 343 business members and nine non-business members, including the MCRB. There are over 22,000 members globally. World Bank to Provide No-Interest US$100 Million Loan to Burma Government employees' salaries will not increase despite plans to take on a US$100 million loan from the World Bank, The Irrawaddy reported on Tuesday. The loan is aimed at reducing a state deficit by separating salaries from the budget. In Tuesday's Union Parliament session, Maung Maung Win, deputy minister of National Planning and Finance, confirmed that the World Bank's International Development Association would provide Burma with a $100 million loan interest-free for 38 years starting in 2017. "It's a no-interest loan, but the service fees per year will be 0.75 percent of the total loan amount," he said. Of this, $75 million is designated to go to the Ministry of Planning and Finance and $25 million is earmarked for Burma's Central Bank. In accordance with a plan for development set out to develop Burma's financial sector, $60 million of the funds allocated for the finance and planning ministry will be used to provide monthly pay and allowances for civil servants. Other smaller sums are designated toward helping reform state-owned banks, developing microfinance, insurance and monetary systems in the country, and staff capacity building within the ministry. Burma Plans to Ease Restrictions on Foreign Investors The Nikkei Asian Review reported on Friday that Burma appears set to pass "a series of bills designed to ease restrictions on foreign capital" in order to attract investment from abroad. The legislation created by the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA) must be submitted to the central government. By the end of 2016, Burma's Parliament will likely approve the new measures, said Aung Naing Oo, the director general of DICA. Current laws in Burma designate a company as "foreign" if any of its stock shares are owned by a non-Burmese citizen, leading to significant restrictions. Newly proposed rules would consider a company as "foreign" only if 35 percent of its stock is owned by non-Burmese shareholders. Rangoon-Based Food Delivery Service Expands to Mandalay and Naypyidaw Yangon Door2Door, a food delivery service in the commercial capital of Rangoon, will open branches in Mandalay and Naypidaw this month, Deal Street Asia reported earlier in August. The company was founded in 2012 by an Egyptian national, Shady Ramadan, who saw a business opportunity in the lack of food delivery available in the city. Yangon Door2Door utilizes a staff of 40 and a fleet of 27 bicycles and one car to bring food to customers. Six months before the expansion of Yangon Door2Door was announced, BOD Tech, a local online company, gained a 50 percent equity investment in the delivery service. The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (August 13, 2016) appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week, we'll discuss the role of women reporters and the challenges facing them in Burma's new media landscape brought about by the democratization process. Daw Eaint Khine Oo of VOA [Voice of America] Burmese Edition and Daw Swe Mar Thein Lwin of Eleven Media will join me for the discussion. I'm Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni.| You are subscribed to email updates from The Irrawaddy. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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