The Irrawaddy Magazine

---

• Military Officials, Cronies Released from US Blacklist
• The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (October 8)
• This Week in Parliament (October 3-7)
• Obama lifts sanctions against Burma

Military Officials, Cronies Released from US Blacklist Posted: 08 Oct 2016 02:07 AM PDT A combination of file photos shows, from L-R, former dictator Snr-Gen Than Shwe, General Maung Aye and Thura Shwe Mann. (Photo: REUTERS/Staff/Archives.) RANGOON — Burma's former dictator Snr-Gen Than Shwe was among individuals removed from the US Treasury's blacklist following the lifting of Burma sanctions on Friday. Another 16 senior military officials, including former Vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye, have been removed from the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List. Apart from senior military officials, military-related businesses removed from the list include Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited, the Myanmar Economic Corporation, Myawaddy Bank and the Directorate of Defence Industries, which is Burma's state-owned arms and ordnance manufacturer. Five top crony business men, along with their family members and businesses, are no longer under sanction; they are U Tay Za, U Khin Shwe, Yuzana U Htay Myint, U Zaw Zaw and Stephen Law, whose late father was once described by the US Treasury as one of the world’s key heroin traffickers. President Barack Obama formally announced the lifting of US sanctions on Burma on Friday by terminating an emergency order that deemed the policies of the former military government a threat to US national security. The move followed a meeting between Burma's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and Obama in Washington last month, in which she called for the lifting of economic sanctions against her country. More than 50 individuals along with their families and their businesses in hotels, agriculture, construction, banking, and logging were released from sanctions on Friday. A key figure is Lt–Gen Thein Htay, chief of the Directorate of Defence Industries, who was blacklisted in 2013 for alleged arms trading with North Korea. Another three Burmese firms, Soe Min Htike Co. Ltd., Asia Metal Company and Excellence Mineral Manufacturing Company, sanctioned in 2013 for working with North Korea, have been removed from the SDN list. Also among the individuals are family members of Thura U Shwe Mann, a former Union Solidarity and Development Party chairman and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's close ally from the previous U Thein Sein government. He is a former general and was considered the third most powerful man in the State Peace and Development Council. His wife Daw Khin Lay Thet and son U Aung Thet Mann—who is the CEO of Ayer Shwe Wah, a subsidiary of Htoo Trading Company owned by U Tay Za—are also no longer sanctioned. The lifting of sanctions was welcomed by Burma's business community on Saturday. U Khin Shwe, the president of Zay Gabar Company who was also removed from the list, said it was "a very nice move" by the US government "at the right time" as Burma now has a civilian government led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. "Any delay in lifting sanctions could lead to backsliding in the country's democratic transition as Burma is in urgent need of economic development," he told The Irrawaddy. "We [businesspeople removed from the list] can create jobs for thousands of people when international investment comes in," he added. U Khin Shwe explained that the sanction lift will encourage other countries, aside from the US and EU countries, to invest in Burma, such as South Korea. "They will no longer feel reluctant to work with us as there are no sanctions," he said. The US Treasury Department said the termination of the Burma sanctions program does not impact Burmese individuals or entities blocked pursuant to other sanctions authorities, such as counter-narcotics and North Korea sanctions, barring any business dealings with the US. They include alleged drugs kingpin Wei Hsueh Kang and the United Wa State Army, one of Burma's biggest ethnic armed groups. They remain on the SDN List, and their property and interests in property remain blocked. The post Military Officials, Cronies Released from US Blacklist appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (October 8) Posted: 07 Oct 2016 08:07 PM PDT A man rides across the "friendship" bridge at the Indian town of Moreh on the Burmese border, January 25, 2012. Indian border trade 'crippled' Trade between Burma and India at the international gate between Tamu, Sagaing Division and Moreh in India's Manipur State ground to a halt early this week after Burma closed the trading post on Monday, according to The Hindu news outlet. The closure followed a powerful bomb explosion inside Burma near a boundary pillar located 40 meters from a neighborhood in Moreh on Sunday. On the evening of the same day, a man believed to be an Indian insurgent was shot by five unidentified persons at Namphalong near the international gate, according to reports. Meanwhile, loaded trucks from India were stranded at Moreh waiting for the gate to reopen, while many others returned to Imphal, the Manipur state capital, and to other cities in northeast India, The Hindu report said. The price of imported goods has risen steeply in parts of India's northeast since the closure, according to other sources. Bangladesh seeks gas from Burma Bangladesh is seeking support from India for a proposal to import natural gas from Burma, according to The Daily Sun in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka. Support for the plan was due to be solicited at a meeting in New Delhi on Friday between Bangladesh's energy minister Nasrul Hamid and Indian State Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendar Pradan, the paper said. Bangladesh has already made a proposal to Burma to export its surplus gas to Bangladesh, according to the report, which added that Burma's gas exports to Thailand and China have dropped amid a fall in gas and oil prices in the international market. "To meet ever-growing gas demand, Bangladesh wants to propose energy sector cooperation with Myanmar. Bangladesh's proposal will include a joint-venture gas pipeline and possibly a sub-regional grid line for the Rakhine and Chin states of Myanmar," Bangladeshi officials told the paper. Bangladesh currently produces 2,700mmcfd of gas against a demand of 3,200mmcd, the report said. KBZ insurance arm aims to list on Rangoon's Stock Exchange The KBZ banking group is seeking to list its insurance arm on the Yangon Stock Exchange by the end of next year, a senior executive told Reuters this week. The size of the initial public offering has not yet been finalized, but the listed arm could have a market capitalization of between US$500 million – $750 million, senior managing director of KBZ group U Nyo Myint said. The insurance arm has paid-up capital of $55 million. KBZ plans to list 40 percent of the firm, he said. Trading started on the Yangon Stock Exchange in March this year and so far three companies have been listed. Meanwhile KBZ's banking arm is seeking a partnership with a financial technology company to boost digital and mobile banking solutions across the country, group executives said. Thailand's True Money to work with Asian Green Development Bank Thailand's True Money is gearing up to provide electronic payment services between Thailand and Burma, the Bangkok Post reported. This would allow the company to tap into the potentially lucrative stream of remittances that passes from several million Burmese migrant workers in Thailand to their families in Burma. In March this year, the central bank of Thailand eased regulations to allow companies holding payment licenses under the law regulating e-payment to act as international money transfer agents using websites and mobile phone apps. True Money will team up with the Asia Green Development Bank, owned by prominent military-linked tycoon Tay Za, to develop a payments service that will be capped at 200,000 baht (7.3 million kyats/US$5,730) per day per person. The international payment service has "strong potential" because Thailand was "home to 3.9 million migrant workers in 2015" said Saranrat Srichiraratana, managing director of True Money. Burmese migrants working in Thailand transfer around 77 billion baht (US$2.2 billion) home annually, with an average of 30,000 baht ($860) worth of transactions per person per year, the report said. However, most of this remittance money passes through informal channels, including the hundi system, which involves a network of brokers spread across the two countries, despite the option of using banks since 2012. Singapore-themed festival in Rangoon A "Singapore Festival," taking place this weekend at the Myanmar Plaza in Rangoon, will celebrate 50 years of bilateral relations between Burma and Singapore. Organized by the Singapore Tourism Board, the event will feature games, performances and music, with appearances by movie stars Pyay Ti Oo and Eaindra Kyaw Zin. Celebrities Thun Sett and Tun Ko Ko will conduct cooking demonstrations onstage. .Burma and Singapore marked 50 years of diplomatic relations in April this year. Visa-free travel between the two countries is set to begin in December. Singapore is a growing destination for Burmese nationals. The city state already contains a substantial Burmese expatriate population. Annual visitor arrivals to Singapore from Burma rose by 12 percent from 2011 to 2015. Huawei teams up with KMD China's Huawei has teamed up with information technology and services provider KMD Group to boost its presence in Burma's mobile phone market, the China Daily reported. Huawei aims to increase its market share in Burma where the brand already enjoys a strong position in the country's growing mobile phone market. Huawei's brand power is significantly higher in Burma than in its home market, China, according to a report on Burma's consumer market titled "Spotlight on Myanmar," conducted by WPP and Millward Brown companies. In February this year, a Huawei-backed information technology training center opened in Rangoon's Thanlyin University of Science and Technology. The Huawei Authorized Information and Network Academy (HAINA), one of several set up across the globe, aims to boost human resources in Burma's information technology sector. Thilawa SEZ Holdings proposes share split   Thilawa SEZ Holdings has proposed splitting its shares at a ratio of 1:10 in order to increase its stock's liquidity and affordability, DealStreet Asia reported. The number of issued and paid up shares will rise from 3,892,915 to 38,929,150, while the value of shares will change from 10,000 to 1,000 kyats (US$7.85 to $0.78) per share, according to the proposal. A date has not yet been confirmed for the stock split. The company also announced that it has appointed a new chief financial officer, Wei Hua Tan, a former chief financial officer of UAE-based Al Maabar International Investments Company, with interests in real estate and the hospitality sector. He will assume the position earlier held by U Tun Tun, who also acts as the executive director and chief financial officer of First Myanmar Investment (FMI), one of Burma's largest investment firms headed by tycoon Serge Pun. Thilawa SEZ Holdings oversees the development of the Thilawa Special Economic Zone, a 2,500-hectare industrial park and port development project located in Rangoon's southeastern Thanlyin Township, which has attracted substantial Japanese investment. The post The Irrawaddy Business Roundup (October 8) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

This Week in Parliament (October 3-7) Posted: 07 Oct 2016 07:48 PM PDT Members attend a meeting at the Lower House of Burma's parliament earlier this year. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters) Monday (October 3) In the Lower House, lawmakers voted to reject Dr Maung Thin's proposal for the government to design an inclusive basic education policy by holding seminars at different levels and inviting input from different levels of society. In the Upper House, Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Dr Tun Win responded to a question from Daw Ei Ei Pyone of Irrawaddy Division (8), saying that his ministry is disseminating knowledge about good agricultural practice, soil management and the use of fertilizer and pesticides, right down to local level, while prioritizing research and development. Tuesday (October 4) In the Lower House, lawmakers debated a proposal from U Than Nyunt, representing Phyu Township of Pegu Division, for the government to upgrade rail transport in line with international standards. The house put the proposal on record. The Union Parliament revoked the widely derided 1950 Emergency Provisions Act, which had been used frequently by successive military governments to imprison dissidents. Wednesday (October 5) In the Lower House, U Myint Lwin, who represents Twante Township of Rangoon Division, asked whether the government had plans to support Burma's film industry, with an eye to penetrating international movie markets. Minister of Information U Pe Myint replied that a dedicated motion picture law is a precondition for developing Burma's film industry and said his ministry was working with relevant individuals, associations and ministries to develop one. The Upper House approved the draft of the hotly anticipated Myanmar Investment Law, which merges and updates the provisions of the 2012 Foreign Investment Law and the 2013 Myanmar Citizens Investment Law. Thursday (October 6) The Lower House approved amendments to the civil service law. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Maj-Gen Aung Soe responded to a question from U Tun Tun, of Pwintbyu Township in Magwe Division, saying that his ministry is taking legal action against illegal liquor shops and bootleg sellers, and is making brewing plants undergo checks before extending their licenses. In the Lower House, lawmaker U Tin Aye asked about the government's security plans in light of increasing terrorist attacks in other countries in the region. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Maj-Gen Aung Soe replied that his ministry has blacklisted international terrorist organizations and their members, in accordance with lists supplied by Interpol, Aseanpol and partner organizations, and has developed counter-terrorism plans based on international practice. In the Upper House, U Hla Hsan of Magwe Division (1) asked about five state-run fertilizer plants and about fertilizer imports. Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr Tun Naing said that two plants, in Myaungdaga and Kangyidaunt, are still operating but manufacturing below normal levels while three others, in Sale, Kyunchaung and Kyaw Swar, have halted production because of a shortage of natural gas needed for fuel. He said that the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation regulates imports of fertilizer to ensure their quality and accessibility. Lawmakers in the Upper House also debated a new bill to protect citizens' privacy and security from state intrusion, which was previously passed by the Lower House. Friday (October 7) The Lower House's term formally concluded. According to the Lower House speaker, a total of 225 "asterisk" questions and 407 "non-asterisk" questions were asked throughout the term. Sixteen proposals, including two "important" proposals, were submitted—four were approved, nine others documented, two rejected and one was not discussed. Ten out of 19 bills were passed. In the Upper House, divergent views were expressed over the bill to protect citizens' privacy and security. The debate will continue at the Union Parliament during the next parliamentary term. In the Union Parliament, lawmakers ratified an Asean protocol concerning an "enhanced" dispute-settlement mechanism. The post This Week in Parliament (October 3-7) appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Obama lifts sanctions against Burma Posted: 07 Oct 2016 07:27 PM PDT US President Barack Obama talks to the media as he meets with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. on September 14. / Photo: Reuters) WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama formally announced the lifting of US sanctions on Burma on Friday by terminating an emergency order that deemed the policies of the former military government a threat to US national security. ''I have determined that the situation that gave rise to the national emergency … has been significantly altered by Burma's substantial advances to promote democracy, including historic elections in November 2015,'' Obama said in a letter to the US House and Senate speakers. A US Treasury statement said that as a result of the termination of the emergency order the economic and financial sanctions administered by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control were no longer in effect. The move followed a meeting between Burma's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and Obama in Washington last month, when she called for the lifting of economic sanctions against her country, and he said he was willing to do this. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won a sweeping victory in the November elections. Obama’s letter pointed to the formation of a democratically elected, civilian-led government as a result of the election, the release of many political prisoners and improved human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and freedom of association and peaceful assembly. ''While Burma faces significant challenges, including the consolidation of its democracy, the United States can, and intends to, use other means to support the government and people of Burma in their efforts to address these challenges,'' Obama's letter said. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy icon, helped persuade the West to impose sanctions on Burma during her years as a jailed opposition leader. She is now trying to strike a balance between showing her people the economic rewards of a democratic transition while keeping pressure on the country’s generals for further reforms. Some members of the U.S. Congress have expressed concerns about the extent and durability of change in Burma and introduced legislation seeking to give lawmakers some influence on the process of easing sanctions. Rights groups condemned last month’s announcement, saying it forfeited leverage on Burma's military. Officials of the US administration have said the removal of sanctions would not apply to military-to-military assistance, given the extent of the military’s involvement in politics and rights abuses. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself has been criticized for doing too little to address the plight of Burma's stateless Rohingya Muslim minority. The State Department said last month that several restrictions would remain in place, including barring visas for military leaders. The post Obama lifts sanctions against Burma appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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

The Irrawaddy Magazine

---

• KIO: Burma Army Launched Air Strikes
• Mon Armed Group Warned to ‘Stop Violating Ceasefire’
• Rangoon Govt Reviewing Motorcycle Ban
• What’s Next in Mongla and Wa Tensions?
• Trade Deficit Reaches US$1.73 Billion in Govt’s First Six Months
• Buddhist Monks Lead Commemoration of 1976 Thai Massacre 

KIO: Burma Army Launched Air Strikes Posted: 07 Oct 2016 04:49 AM PDT KIA troops on the march in Chi Phway Township near the China-Burmese border in Kachin State. (Photo: J Paing/The Irrawaddy) RANGOON – The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) alleged that on Friday morning the Burma Army launched air strikes from four fighter jets on its armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The  Burma Army attacked Inkaren Hill in Waingmaw Township where KIA Battalion No. 252 was deployed, KIO information officer Lt-Col Naw Bu told The Irrawaddy. "We can confirm that [the Burma Army] attacked with four fighter jets for about an hour from 8am. I have not yet received information about the situation on the ground, so I have no comment about that," he said. The Burma Army has not made a statement about the alleged attack and The Irrawaddy was unable to obtain a comment from the Directorate of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare under the Ministry of Defense. U Koi Darn, who is in charge of a relief camp at Mongna Baptist Church in Waingmaw Township, told The Irrawaddy he saw planes overhead around 9am on Friday. After the '21st Century Panglong' peace conference, the Burma Army has frequently launched offensives on the KIA. The KIO views these actions as an attempt to pressure the KIA to sign the NCA before the second round of the peace conference. "While we are dedicated to building peace through negotiation, it is not right to pressure us into political talks through military operations," said Lt-Col Naw Bu. Since the recent conflict flared, Kachin locals in state capital Myitkyina and Tanai Township have held mass demonstrations calling on the Burma Army to immediately end military offensives. Demonstrators also demanded federalism and self-determination and stressed the need to solve political problems by political means. The KIA is a member of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)—an ethnic alliance of non-signatories of the NCA. The KIA signed a ceasefire agreement with Burma's ruling military regime in 1994 that collapsed when the Burma Army and the KIA came to blows over the Tarpein Hydropower Project in 2011, forcing hundreds of thousands of local people from their homes. The post KIO: Burma Army Launched Air Strikes appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Mon Armed Group Warned to ‘Stop Violating Ceasefire’ Posted: 07 Oct 2016 04:44 AM PDT New recruits of the Mon National Liberation Army have undergone training in recent months at a camp in Kyainseikgyi Township of Karen State. (Photo: Ah Ar / Facebook) The Mon State Government has delivered a formal warning to the New Mon State Party (NMSP), an ethnic Mon armed group, demanding that it stop taxing locals, acting as law enforcement, cracking down on illegal drugs, and recruiting locals in "government-controlled" areas. In a meeting on Friday involving the Mon State Chief Minister and the military-appointed Minister of Security and Border Affairs, along with senior NMSP members, the ethnic armed group was accused of violating the 2012 bilateral ceasefire agreement, and told that it must "respect the rule of law," according to NMSP spokesman Nai Win Hla, who was present. "We responded that we would stop these actions only if the government found political solutions," he said, maintaining that the NMSP was moved to enforce law and order locally and stamp out drugs because the Burmese government had failed in its responsibility to do so. According to Nai Win Hla, the border affairs minister Col Win Naing Oo accused the NMSP of "disrespecting the government." Nai Win Hla said the group "did not respond" to this accusation. The Mon State government had sent 28 letters in total to the NMSP since January this year, alleging violations of the bilateral ceasefire. The border affairs minister brought up two such cases at the meeting: the killing of a civilian during a raid on an illegal drug ring in Kawkareik Township of Karen State, and the arrest of a man accused of forcing a woman to marry him in Mudon Township of Mon State (after the Burmese police had failed to take action, according to local Mon sources). The NMSP, whose armed wing is called the Mon National Liberation Army, is active across areas of southeastern Burma, and is a member of the influential ethnic armed group alliance the United Nationalities Federal Council. Although the NMSP reached a bilateral ceasefire agreement with Burmese government in 2012, it chose not to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) last year—after which tension between the MNSP and the Burma Army has grown, according to NMSP leaders. "We have to keep tight control of our soldiers, to ensure our troops' movements stay within the boundaries [agreed under the bilateral ceasefire]," said Nai Hong Sar, vice chairman of the NMSP, who said the group  "did not want to have problems" with the Burmese Army and the government. "They are trying to create problems with us because we refused to sign the NCA," he claimed. The post Mon Armed Group Warned to 'Stop Violating Ceasefire' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon Govt Reviewing Motorcycle Ban Posted: 07 Oct 2016 04:37 AM PDT Two men ride on a motorcycle in the outskirts of Rangoon. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Rangoon regional government is reviewing a ban on motorcycles in central areas of Burma's commercial capital, the region's transport minister told lawmakers during the regional legislative session of parliament on Thursday. Responding to a question concerning official permission for motorcycle licenses and dealers in the outskirts of the city's municipal council-controlled areas, the minister of electricity, industry, roads and transportation Daw Nilar Kyaw said that the regional government was "completing reviews on rules and regulations related to setting territories for motorcycle riding." "After setting areas [for motorcycle use], motorcyclists must have a driving license and a license for their vehicle," she said, adding that the regulation must be robustly enforced. While there is no specific law for riding two-wheeled vehicles in Rangoon, motorcycles have been banned in 33 municipal council-controlled townships since the early 2000s while government officials were allowed to ride motorcycles until July 2009, as per "guidelines" released by the city's transport authorities. There are currently 14 townships that are not under the administration of the city's municipal authority—Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC)—where many residents regularly use motorcycles. Burma has an estimated four million registered motorcycles in the country, based on official figures, and many more are imported illegally. Daw Nilar Kyaw said she could not say when an announcement on the updated regulations would be made. The post Rangoon Govt Reviewing Motorcycle Ban appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

What’s Next in Mongla and Wa Tensions? Posted: 07 Oct 2016 03:52 AM PDT UWSA soldiers on military parade (Photo: Shan Herald Agency for News) RANGOON – Military tensions arose unexpectedly between the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and its closest ally, the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) better known as the Mongla Group, at the end of September. On Sept. 28, around 600 UWSA troops raided Mongla Group outposts in Loi Hsarm Hsoom, Loi Kiusai and Parng Mark Fah inspection gate between Kengtung and Mongla in eastern Shan State and arrested over 150 Mongla Group troops, local media reported. As observers reacted with surprise to the unexpected conflict between the two groups who share former affiliations with the   Communist Party of Burma (CPB), the Mongla Group released a statement on Oct. 3. The statement said that UWSA troops had conducted field exercises in the area controlled by the Mongla Group and that some UWSA troops had made serious mistakes during the exercise, resulting in ''terrible consequences.'' The statement did not provide details about the alleged incidents, but said that leaders of the two groups subsequently met on Oct. 1, when UWSA leaders commanded its officers who performed the military exercises on the ground to correct the ''mistakes.'' U Kyi Myint, a spokesperson for the Mongla Group, refused to provide specific information when asked by The Irrawaddy about the case. "Just refer to the statement. We have no problem. Everything is just all right," he said. Local media outlets questioned both the Mongla Group and the UWSA about the incident, but neither provided details. According to information leaked from troops on the ground, the UWSA freed Mongla Group troops and returned the Parng Mark Fah inspection gate within three days, but it has continued to hold the strategically important bases of Loi Hsarm Hsoom and Loi Kiusai and to send   reinforcements and ammunition into the areas. Sources close to the UWSA said it had  done so in preparation for military activities by the Burma Army. A person close to the UWSA told The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity: "The place(s) [previously] held by the Mongla Group are militarily important, but their deployment there is not strong enough. Losing this area would put both the Mongla Group and the UWSA at grave risk." Some military analysts had a different view, arguing that the Mongla Group had released the statement as a bid, using peaceful means, to persuade the UWSA to retreat. In 2009, when the Burma Army was putting pressure on ethnic armed groups to transform into sections of the Burma Army-aligned militia known as the Border Guard Force, the UWSA deployed its troops in the area with the approval of the Mongla Group, said U Maung Maung Soe, an ethnic affairs analyst. He concludeds that the UWSA was now  conducting military activities in the area as a response to the Burma Army's recent attacks on ethnic groups, including the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). The UWSA and the Mongla Group have traditionally shared similar views on Burma's government and on ethnic issues,  but after the National League for Democracy (NLD) government took office this year, the UWSA started to perceive that the Mongla Group had changed its  standpoint, according to some military analysts. Some analysts assessed that  that the UWSA was  not satisfied with the Mongla Group's repeatedly making statements in support of  the new government and expressing trust in the government's peace initiative. The latest confrontation may reflect the UWSA's irritation with the Mongla Group after the '21st Century Panglong' peace conference, they say. "The problem is that the Mongla Group talked about its support for the '21st Century Panglong' peace conference and signing the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA), which upset the UWSA," a military analyst told the Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity. At the conference, the Mongla Group suggested that it may sign the NCA and engage in peace and development talks, while the UWSA has repeatedly said that the NCA was not necessary. The two allies, which often refer to each other as brothers, approached the '21st Century Panglong' peace conference differently. While the Mongla Group dispatched senior leaders, the UWSA only sent officers in charge of liaison offices to the government-organized event/ On the second day of the conference, the UWSA staged a dramatic walk-out,  apparently as a result of a misunderstanding over ID cards issued to itsdelegates. The UWSA has felt some concern over closer ties between the Mongla Group, the government and the Burma Army and therefore took preemptive action to occupy militarily strategic areas, said   Khun Sai, chief editor of the Shan Herald News Agency which is monitoring ethnic armed group issues in Shan State. "I'm not sure how important those places are for the Mongla Group, but they are absolutely crucial for the UWSA. If those places fell into the hands of Burma Army, the UWSA is finished," U Khun Sai told The Irrawaddy. The UWSA is based in two places. It has territory on the Thailand-Burma border while its headquarters are on the China-Burma border, both areas within Shan State. The Mongla region lies in a strategic position connecting the two territories. "If the Wa have to choose between the Thailand-Burma border and that area in Mongla, they would choose the latter. That place is that important to them," said U Khun Sai. Apart from its military importance, the area recently newly occupied by the UWSA is in the economically strategic Golden Triangle area straddling Burma, Thailand and Laos. Burma Army battalions are also deployed in the area. The UWSA may also be more concerned that the Mongla Group will draw closer to the  Burma Army than to  the government, some have suggested. Such ties would constitute a real threat to the UWSA, one analyst said. Now, despite the Mongla Group's recent public statement, the UWSA has brought in large reinforcements to the areas in question. It remains to be seen how tensions between the two groups will develop and what impact this may on Burma's peace process. The post What's Next in Mongla and Wa Tensions? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Trade Deficit Reaches US$1.73 Billion in Govt’s First Six Months Posted: 07 Oct 2016 03:35 AM PDT The Asia World Port, Burma's biggest container port, on the Hlaing River in Rangoon, May 14, 2016. (Photo: Reuters /Soe Zeya Tun) RANGOON — Burma's trade deficit has reached US$1.73 billion in the National League for Democracy government's first six months, beginning in April, significantly lower than the $2.24 billion deficit reached over the same six-month period last year. From April till the end of September this year, Burma's total trade volume amounted to US$12.9 billion, with exports worth $5.6 billion and imports $7.3 billion, according to figures from the Ministry of Commerce. This puts exports $11.9 million higher than the same period last year, but imports $495 million lower, signaling an overall decline in the total volume of trade. "Exports of oil and gas, and of gems, are significantly down this year," U Yan Naing Tun, director-general of Ministry of Commerce, told the Irrawaddy. However, he said that increases in agricultural exports had helped make up some of the shortfall. The director-general attributed the decline in imports to a relative slowdown in construction and infrastructure development during the period. Burma's major exports are oil, gas, gems, marine products, and agricultural products including rice, beans, pulses and rubber. Its major exports include electronics and materials used in construction. The Ministry of Commerce anticipates a total trade volume of $32 billion through the current fiscal year ending on March 31, 2017. The total trade volume for the previous fiscal year reached $26 billion. Burma's trade volume increased steadily year on year after political and economic reforms were launched under former President U Thein Sein in 2011. However, in 2015, the last year of U Thein Sein's term, the trade volume appeared to be leveling off. The post Trade Deficit Reaches US$1.73 Billion in Govt's First Six Months appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Buddhist Monks Lead Commemoration of 1976 Thai Massacre  Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:35 PM PDT Thai Buddhist monks walk with candles through Bangkok's Thammasat University on Oct. 6, 2006 (Photo: Adrees Latif / Reuters) BANGKOK, Thailand — Buddhist monks, survivors, mourners and activists gathered Thursday to mark the 40th anniversary of one of the darkest days in Thailand's history, when police killed scores of university students at a peaceful protest, and vigilantes defiled the dead. Students at Bangkok's Thammasat University had been protesting the return from exile of a hated former dictator in 1976 when they were trapped by a right-wing mob and heavily armed paramilitary police, who fired guns and grenades at the defenseless crowd of several thousand. After the students were subdued, thugs rushed in and grabbed as many as a dozen. They were then taken to a nearby public field, beaten to death, hanged and abused, with the bodies tossed onto a makeshift funeral pyre. The official death toll was 46, though credible independent estimates put it at more than 100. The disorder was used as an excuse for the army to seize power later that day, undoing a student-led democratic revolution three years earlier. The anniversary comes as Thailand is again under military rule since a 2014 coup, a situation referred to by some speakers at the anniversary ceremony. "I think we all have heard the term 'Brexit' used to describe the process of Britain leaving the EU. I would like to propose that the first necessary condition for democracy in Thailand is 'Mexit'; meaning the first necessary condition is to take the military out of politics," said Surachart Bamrungsuk, a former student leader who was present at the Thammasat tragedy and then was held in prison for two years on trumped-up charges. "If we can't take the military out of politics, then don't even think about democracy," said Surachart, now a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. This year's commemoration has drawn broader interest than usual because an invited speaker, teenage Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong, was not allowed into the country by Thai authorities, making headlines worldwide. Wong was supposed to speak at Chulalongkorn, which this year joined Thammasat for the first time in marking the anniversary. The rector of Thammasat, Somkit Lertpaithoon, said the university teaches its students about the violence and even has survivors on its staff. "Even though the events of Oct. 6 may not be documented in Thai history, the new generation still strives to learn about it," he said in a speech at the university. The Thammasat massacre has always been a sensitive issue, both because the images of lynchings speak to a dark side of the Thai character and because the assault on the university showed how the state could carry out human rights abuses with impunity. No perpetrators were ever punished. An increasing awareness of human rights since 1976 has led to much questioning of the use of state violence, especially because of a sometimes-violent struggle for political power that has troubled Thailand for the past decade, including bloody street battles in Bangkok in 2010. "The massacre is still of interest 40 years after the fact because it remains officially unresolved. Those who were involved in the violence have not been held to account, even as there has been a wave of transitional justice processes around the world, and even expanded questioning and investigations in relation to the violence of April-May 2010," Tyrell Haberkorn, a fellow in political and social change at the Australian National University, said earlier this week. "The incident has relevance to the current state of Thai politics because it becomes possible to continue to stage coup after coup while repressing dissent because those who have done so in the past have not been held to account for doing so," she said. The post Buddhist Monks Lead Commemoration of 1976 Thai Massacre  appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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

National News

---

• Dutch tourist sentenced to three months for disturbing dhamma sermon
• ‘Don’t ask tough questions’ – checks on power out the window as NLD exerts its majority
• Four national human rights commissioners resign over child domestic workers scandal
• MPs to send letter to govt urging end to conflicts
• More calls for de-escalation of fighting in Kachin and northern Shan states
• Govt releases Citizens Budget in bid to boost finance transparency
• ANP’s congress to be held in early 2017
• Ma Ha Na versus London Sayadaw – how will the controversy end?
• As conflicts simmer, Kayan group fears further spread
• Myanmar highlighted as a priority hub in ending tiger trade

Dutch tourist sentenced to three months for disturbing dhamma sermon Posted: 07 Oct 2016 01:07 AM PDT Dutch tourist Klaas Haytema was sentenced by a Mandalay court yesterday to three months in prison and ordered to pay a K100,000 (US$80) fine after being found guilty of disturbing a religious assembly under section 296 of the penal code.

‘Don’t ask tough questions’ – checks on power out the window as NLD exerts its majority Posted: 07 Oct 2016 01:06 AM PDT National League for Democracy MPs have been forced to reconcile their roles in supporting democracy with the machinations of governance following a chiding in which they were told to stop asking "tough questions".

Four national human rights commissioners resign over child domestic workers scandal Posted: 07 Oct 2016 12:55 AM PDT Four members of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission resigned yesterday amid a ballooning scandal and seething public backlash over financial settlement arranged in a child torture case.

MPs to send letter to govt urging end to conflicts Posted: 07 Oct 2016 12:54 AM PDT A group of lower house lawmakers will send a letter to the Union government urging it to end recent hostilities between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups as quickly as possible, in an apparent conflation of the National League for Democracy administration's powers with those of the autonomous military.

More calls for de-escalation of fighting in Kachin and northern Shan states Posted: 07 Oct 2016 12:00 AM PDT Tens of thousands of people protested in Kachin State's capital yesterday, calling for an end to military hostilities. "Statements alone are no longer working. We need to come out and protest, and demand an end to war."

Govt releases Citizens Budget in bid to boost finance transparency Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:54 PM PDT For the first time, the government has explained its income and spending to the public. The Ministry of Planning and Finance has released a Citizens Budget.

ANP’s congress to be held in early 2017 Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:38 PM PDT The Arakan National Party will hold its next congress in early 2017, when it will reappoint central executive committee members following a party purge, an official said.

Ma Ha Na versus London Sayadaw – how will the controversy end? Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:37 PM PDT The legal, religious and perhaps political tangle represented by the long-running court action against the senior cleric known as London Sayadaw has not been unravelled by the collapse of the case against him and his co-defendants. Indeed, the affair could now become more complicated.

As conflicts simmer, Kayan group fears further spread Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:36 PM PDT An ethnic Kayan youth organisation has joined growing calls for a cessation of hostilities in Myanmar's border regions, where recent Tatmadaw offensives have displaced thousands of civilians.

Myanmar highlighted as a priority hub in ending tiger trade Posted: 06 Oct 2016 11:35 PM PDT The illicit trade in tiger skins and parts has continued unabated in Asia, with Myanmar considered a trading hub rife with unregulated markets and lax enforcement, two wildlife conservation groups said in a new report.

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

Shan Herald Agency for News

---

Burma army takes villagers captive during clashes with RCSS/SSA Posted: 07 Oct 2016 01:39 AM PDT At least ten villagers were taken captive by Burmese government forces during clashes with the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA). Photo SHAN- A picture of Burmese soldiers and villagers walking through Donglao village-tract on October 4. Sai Leng, a Donglao village-tract resident who helps provide aid to refugees in the area, told Shan Herald that at least ten civilians, including women, were arrested by the Burmese military after its Battalion 292 had fought with RCSS/SSA troops in Wan Boi village, Donglao village-tract, in southern Shan State's Mong Kung Township. "Around 30 Burmese soldiers entered the village, and we saw they had more than ten villagers with them," Sai Leng said. One village elder said that two Donglao residents were among those arrested. He said the pair were cooks at the local drug rehabilitation center, which the RCSS/SSA helps to operate. Thetwo cooks in question have not yet been released, he said. Since the fighting broke out on October 1, pictures of Burmese troops marching their captives alongside them have spread on social media. "Arresting villagers should not be happening right now. This is a time for peace-building in our country," said Sai Hor Hseng, the spokesperson for Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF), a non-profit rights watchdog in the region. "These groups should also not be fighting, because the RCSS/SSA is a signatory to the NCA [nationwide ceasefire agreement]." SHRF reported that during these recent clashes, a number of local villagers were arrested, tortured and even killed. In June this year, Shan Herald reported that five Mong Yaw residents in Shan State's Lashio Township were murdered by Burmese government troops. During this most recent bout of hostilities in Mong Kung, about 2,000 people, including women and children, have fled their homes in fear. Many are currently sheltering at two monasteries in Donglao village-tract. "Whenever there is fighting, innocent civilians are the victims," said Sai Parng, an MP from the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) representing Mong Kung Township. "They are afraid to stay in their own villages, and have no option but to flee to safety." The SNLD went on to question the integrity of those who signed the NCA in October last year. The hostilities are continuing, so we cannot put our trust in the terms of the ceasefire," he said. "And make no mistake about it – these clashes will keep on happening." Human rights activist Sai Hor Hseng urged all parties to "stop fighting in Shan State and other ethnic areas, and release all villagers immediately." By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)

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

The Irrawaddy Magazine

---

• Forty-Two Companies Vie for Five New MRTV Channels
• NLD Lawmaker Claims Foreign Workers are Flouting Visa Regulations, Harming Local Interests
• Damaged Bagan Temples Under Detailed Assessment
• Dutch Tourist Sentenced to Three Months in Prison, 100,000 Kyats Fine
• Rescued Migrant Fishermen Appeal to Govt for Unpaid Wages
• Four MNHRC Members Resign over Tailor Shop Abuse Case
• Rangoon Motel Sues NLD Lawmaker for Alleged Drunken Brawl
• Portugal’s Guterres Poised to be Next UN Secretary-General

Forty-Two Companies Vie for Five New MRTV Channels Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:46 AM PDT A parliamentary broadcast by Sky Net, a channel under the Shwe Thanlwin Company. (Photo: J Paing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — The Ministry of Information announced on Thursday that 42 companies have been included in the initial content provider list to work under the state-owned Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV). From among these companies, five will be selected to run their own channels under MRTV, one of four entities granted a broadcasting license by the ministry—others include the Forever Group, Shwe Thanlwin Co., and Myawaddy TV. MRTV was set up in 1979, and for decades was used to broadcast propaganda by Burma's former military regime. It currently has 10 channels. "Five channels will be working under MRTV. There is a third party that will select five companies [from among the 42 on the content provider list]. The whole procedure is expected to finish within the next three months," U Myo Myint Maung, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Information, told The Irrawaddy. "We will provide five channels to the private sector. Companies must submit their detailed proposals to the selection committee, and they will choose by the end of this year," he said. Of those companies designated as approved content providers eyeing the channel spots, some already have a satellite TV broadcasting service. The Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB TV) is one such group—a news organization which long operated in exile from Thailand and Norway. U Toe Zaw Latt, bureau chief of DVB TV, told The Irrawaddy that they have run a successful satellite broadcasting service for 25 years, but they hope that a digital platform will introduce their coverage to new audiences. "This channel will go by the digital broadcasting system, so we want to target audiences who are not watching satellite TV," he said. "We're a TV news channel—we have experience broadcasting news. I don't think it is too difficult for us, but for beginners, I agree it is hard to start." U Toe Zaw Latt added that the market competition will be stronger in the new platform, and that challenges regarding technology, investment and human resources lay ahead. "Investment will be big—we should expect an investment of three to five years in order to return the benefits," he said. U Nyi Lin Seck, former channel director of the 5 Network, part of the Forever Group, told The Irrawaddy that as far as he knows, most companies want to set up entertainment channels, including shopping networks, which could bring in more money than news channels. "If they want to make a profit, there should be a variety of channels for the long term—there will be risks ahead," he said. "In my experience, [channels] can't run 3-5 years unless they spend at least US$3 million." U Nyi Lin Seck added that the government should grant licenses to companies with strong capital, who can commit to long-term investment. "What we are concerned about is, how in the previous government's time, one person was granted a license but the real operator is someone else," he said. U Ye Htut, former Minister of Information under ex-President Thein Sein's government, told The Irrawaddy that news content providers will face difficulties as long as they are unable to provide a variety of programs in a digital media age. Facing the greatest challenge will be newcomers to the digital TV scene, he speculated. "As far as I know, TV remotes are controlled by children and housewives," he said. "They like entertainment channels and these have high potential. For news channels, it is difficult, as long as they can't surpass online news," he said. U Ye Htut added that content providers must prepare programs for at least eight hours per day—repeated three times—and three hours' worth of shows must consist of new programming. "For the initial three months, new programs can attract people. Then beyond three months, they can mix old and new programs. This is what content providers must prepare, starting now," he said. The post Forty-Two Companies Vie for Five New MRTV Channels appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

NLD Lawmaker Claims Foreign Workers are Flouting Visa Regulations, Harming Local Interests Posted: 06 Oct 2016 07:10 AM PDT A high rise under construction in Rangoon. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — National League for Democracy (NLD) divisional lawmaker U Than Naing Oo called on the Rangoon Division government to investigate the legal status of foreign workers in the city, who he believed were flouting visa regulations and harming local interests. In the Rangoon Division parliament on Thursday, U Than Naing Oo, who represents Pabedan Township (constituency-1), claimed that many skilled foreign workers on "social" visas were employed in the construction sector, getting paid more to do the same jobs as locals, and that some were running small shops, in apparent violation of laws that prevent foreigners from operating small businesses in competition with locals. He said he had seen "evidence" from nongovernmental organizations that are in contact with foreign workers. The lawmaker also accused these "foreigners" of anti-social behavior, saying he had witnessed "Chinese men drinking beers on the sidewalk"—to which the Arakanese Ethnic Affairs Minister U Zaw Aye Maung responded, "citizens should bring them [drinkers] to the police station." The Arakanese ethnic affairs minister, speaking on behalf of the divisional government, stated that 3,928 foreigners were currently working in Rangoon on business visas, having received permission to work from various ministries. The Burmese government offers 12 kinds of visas, including social, tourist, business, religious, educational and journalist. Thai nationals are allowed to enter Burma visa free for a certain period; this allowance is not extended to Chinese nationals. After an initial three-month period, visas covering work can be extended by six-month followed by 12-month and then 22-month periods. Minister U Zaw Aye Maung claimed that candidates are rigorously examined, often by different ministries and sometimes at the Union level, before permission to work is granted. U Aung Myo, who represents Sanchaung Township (constituency-1), asked the divisional government to disclose the amount of income tax received by foreigners working in Rangoon. Those earning less than 2 million kyats (US$1,573) are not taxed; those earning 2-5 million kyats a month are taxed at 5 percent; 5-10 million kyats at 10 percent; 10-20 million kyats at 15 percent; 20-30 million kyats at 20 percent; and over 30 million kyats at 25 percent. Minister U Zaw Aye Maung said that over the 2015-16 fiscal year the Rangoon divisional government collected 61.298 billion kyats (US$48.2 million) in tax from 6,596 foreigners working in the city. He warned against locals collaborating with unscrupulous foreigners in setting up businesses—so as to get around legal barriers to foreigners competing with locals—for instance by allowing the businesses to be registered in their name: "Don't give your name to foreigners for a little money," he said. "Be faithful to the nation. Liars will come here to exploit." Lawmaker U Than Naing Oo told journalists after the parliamentary session that he had learned that the Junction Square construction project, located in Sanchaung Township, and the Junction City project in Pabedan Township, were together employing "almost a thousand" foreign workers. On enquiring at the township Immigration departments, he was told that many of the workers were on social visas. He said he was not fully satisfied with the response of minister U Zaw Aye Maung, because he did not say whether the government was going to investigate these construction projects. He said he was calling for the government "to take effective action on the ground." The post NLD Lawmaker Claims Foreign Workers are Flouting Visa Regulations, Harming Local Interests appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Damaged Bagan Temples Under Detailed Assessment Posted: 06 Oct 2016 05:42 AM PDT One of the temples in Bagan seen after the earthquake on Aug. 26. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON— Ancient temples and pagodas in Bagan which were damaged in a powerful earthquake in August are currently under detailed assessment by Unesco experts and the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library. Officials from the department told The Irrawaddy that the detailed assessment was started in early September, after emergency responses and an initial assessment took place from Aug. 28 to Sep. 10, and is targeted to finish by the end of November. The director of Bagan's Archaeological Department U Aung Aung Kyaw explained that the detailed work would assess individual temples with severe damage while the rapid assessment helped analyze the severity of the damaged temples, all of which have high historical and cultural heritage value. "Detailed assessment takes time," he said. "It will assist technical experts in planning restoration works for individual damaged temples more effectively." "There are things that can't be done easily," U Aung Aung Kyaw said, citing the difficulty of constructing scaffolding on the big temples to clean debris at the top of the structures. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, the earthquake affected a total of 449 temples out of 3,252 across the ancient capital on Bagan plain. This included iconic structures Sulamani, Ananda, Htilominlo, Myazedi, Shwesandaw, Lawkananda and Dhamma Yazaka, and the murals at Ananda Oakkyaung. U Than Zaw Oo, director of Burma's branch of the World Heritage Site Committee, told The Irrawaddy that five teams led by the department, and under Unesco's guidance, are conducting a detailed assessment on individual structures in order to ascertain the extent of the damage, including harm to murals. The detailed assessment will be reported to the technical expert team comprised of archaeology experts from Unesco, the Association of Myanmar Architects, the Myanmar Engineering Society and the ministry itself, for thorough analysis and recommendations for restoration work, U Than Zaw Oo explained. "We have only finished about thirty temples now," he said. "Depending on the severity of the damage, we prioritize which temples to assess first." It is expected that they will work on over one hundred temples during the process, he added. A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Burma at 5:04 p.m. on Aug. 24, centered about 15 miles west of Chauk in Magwe Division. It damaged ancient temples in Bagan, located to the north of the epicenter. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi sent notice to officials in the Bagan archaeological zone not to "rush" the restoration of the damaged pagodas and temples, and to seek technical assistance from Unesco. She met with the director general of Unesco in New York during a trip to attend the UN General Assembly and stressed the importance of Bagan's cultural heritage. Unesco also pledged to support the restoration of the damage temples. The temples of Bagan, dating from between the 9th and 13th centuries—when the Kingdom of Pagan ruled over much of lowland Burma—are considered Burma's biggest tourist draw, although the ancient capital has yet to be granted World Heritage Site status, allegedly on account of sub-standard, inauthentic restoration efforts under previous governments. The post Damaged Bagan Temples Under Detailed Assessment appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Dutch Tourist Sentenced to Three Months in Prison, 100,000 Kyats Fine Posted: 06 Oct 2016 04:04 AM PDT Dutch tourist Klaas Haijtema leaves his second court hearing in Maha Aung Myay Township on Oct. 4 (Photo: Myat Pye Phyo / The Irrawaddy) MANDALAY – A court in Mandalay's Maha Aung Myay Township sentenced a Dutch tourist to three months in prison and a fine of 100,000 kyats [US$79] for violating immigration law and disturbing a religious ceremony on Thursday. U Hla Ko, the defendant's lawyer, told The Irrawaddy that the court sentenced 30-year-old Klaas Haijtema at 2 p.m. local time under Section 296 of Burma's Penal Code and under Section 13.1 of the Immigration Act. "On one charge he was sentenced to three months imprisonment under the Penal Code and on another charge he was fined 100,000 kyats under the Immigration Act," U Hla Ko said. "We are appealing the court's decision." Haijtema, from Holland, visited Burma as a tourist but had a case filed against him after he unplugged an amplifier used to enhance a Dhamma recitation by Buddhist devotees at the township's Dhamma Yone community hall on Sept. 25. Haijtema was staying at the hotel opposite the hall. The plaintiffs said the Dutch man did not take off his shoes when he entered the holy site and that he removed the wires from the PA system, disrupting the recitation that was held to mark the eve of a Buddhist Sabbath day. Originally the tourist was charged under Section 295 of the Penal Code, which prohibits "injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class." However, on Thursday the charge was changed to Section 296 which prohibits "disturbing religious assembly." "He did not insult religion, he only disturbed religion. Therefore, the court changed the charge," said Haijtema's lawyer. Klaas Haijtema is currently detained at Obo Prison in Mandalay. The post Dutch Tourist Sentenced to Three Months in Prison, 100,000 Kyats Fine appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rescued Migrant Fishermen Appeal to Govt for Unpaid Wages Posted: 06 Oct 2016 03:03 AM PDT A press conference held by the rescued fishermen on Wednesday at the offices of the Myanmar Journalist Network. (Photo: Myo Min Soe/The Irrawaddy) RANGOON – Fishermen saved from slave-like conditions in Indonesia's fishing industry called on Burma's government to assist them with claiming owed salaries on Wednesday. An investigative report on South East Asia's fishing industry by the Associated Press (AP) in March 2015 led to more than 2,000 slaves being freed, including hundreds of Burmese migrant workers, from Indonesia. After the report was published, the Indonesian government rescued hundreds of workers and in April 2015 launched an investigation into fishing company Pusaka Benjina Resources. The company admitted the maltreatment of workers but denied accusations that workers were held in cages and were not paid. Thailand's Silver Sea Reefer Co. was also involved in trafficking and exploiting Burmese migrant workers. A total of 513 fishermen urged the government to help them obtain their unpaid salaries as they met with media at the office of Myanmar Journalist Network in Yangon on Wednesday. "Government authorities said they would help us get back our salaries within six months after we got back to Burma. But, we have not gotten anything yet and the government has barely provided any assistance," said U Hlaing Min, one of the fishermen. It is now nearly one year since they arrived back in Burma but they are still struggling to make a living and some fishermen have had to go back to Thailand to find jobs, he said. U Myint Naing worked for 22 years in fisheries on Indonesia's isolated Benjina Island. "I have worked for so many years, but now I only demand five years' salary. I want to get back my money for which I was tortured," he said. Many died while working in fishing trawlers and on Benjina Island, said the rescued fishermen. With the assistance of the Burma government, a total of 575 Burmese migrant workers were repatriated from Indonesia in May and June last year. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Rescued Migrant Fishermen Appeal to Govt for Unpaid Wages appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Four MNHRC Members Resign over Tailor Shop Abuse Case Posted: 06 Oct 2016 02:48 AM PDT Dr. Than Nwe, Daw Mya Mya, U Zaw Win, Dr. Nyan Zaw (L to R) pictured at a press conference in Rangoon on Sept. 21, 2016 where they defended their response to the case. (Photo: J Paing) RANGOON— Four members of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission (MNHRC) have resigned following a public outcry over their negotiating a financial settlement in a high-profile abuse case of two teenage maids in downtown Rangoon. The President's Office announced on Thursday that the resignations of U Zaw Win, Dr. Nyan Zaw, Dr. Than New, and Daw Mya Mya have been authorized with the signature of President U Htin Kyaw. The commissioners faced calls to resign after it transpired that they urged families of the victims to accept cash settlements totalling US$4,000 from the alleged abusers rather than push for legal action. The two victims of the abuse case, 16-year-old Ma San Kay Khaing and 17-year-old Ma Tha Zin from Rangoon's Kawhmu Township, described being beaten, cut, and forced to work for five years with little or no pay by the family who owns Ava Tailor Shop in downtown Rangoon’s Kyauktada Township. The case was initially filed at the Kyauktada Township police station three months ago by U Swe Win, chief correspondent of the Myanmar Now news agency, after a member of the family informed him about the abuse and asked for help in rescuing the girls. When the police failed to take action, U Swe Win contacted the human rights commission. But the commission failed to speak directly to the victims and have been criticized for what was perceived as taking advantage of the victims and their families' lack of legal knowledge. Amid public anger for what was widely deemed insufficient action by the commission, the Yangon Police Force's Anti-Human Trafficking Unit and the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement opened a case against the perpetrators, and six family members connected to the case were detained at the end of last month. An urgent proposal was also submitted and approved in the Lower House of Parliament on Sept. 22 to take action against the commission for failing to help the victims and violating their human rights. U Swe Win told The Irrawaddy that it is good that the resignations have been announced so soon after the Lower House's proposal, but said that the whole commission needs to be reorganized. "Though the commission members resigned, it is not enough. If we don't have a body which truly works for the sake of human rights, it will be a loss for the country," he said. "And another important thing here is that a journalist [referring to himself] was at the commission's closed door meeting," said U Swe Win. In previous cases, details of the commission's work were not released. "It is also important to have transparency on the commission's work" he added. The six family members of the Ava Tailor shop are facing several charges under the Anti-Human Trafficking Law, the Child Law, Penal Code sections 325 and 326 for "voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means," and section 344 for "wrongful confinement for ten or more days." The post Four MNHRC Members Resign over Tailor Shop Abuse Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon Motel Sues NLD Lawmaker for Alleged Drunken Brawl Posted: 06 Oct 2016 01:24 AM PDT The Motel Shwepyithar, the site of the alleged brawl. (Photo: Facebook) RANGOON — A Rangoon motel has filed a lawsuit against a National League for Democracy lawmaker, U Nyan Linn, accusing him and two friends of swearing, threatening and drunkenly fighting with motel staff on Saturday evening. At a press conference on Wednesday, the Motel Shwepyithar claimed that the lawmaker, who represents Rangoon's Shwepyithar Township in the Lower House, arrived drunk at the motel with two friends at around 11 pm, with the intention of singing karaoke. The three became enraged when staff told them that the karaoke machines were out of order, sparking the brawl. "U Nyan Lin is a lawmaker and a respected person in light of his position. We will proceed in line with the law against his anarchic actions in our hotel," motel supervisor Ko Maung Maung Lay told The Irrawaddy. The supervisor said the motel was opened a year ago and the karaoke machines were intended mainly for guests, who each received a free one-hour session. U Nyan Lin however denied that he had gone to the motel to sing karaoke:  "I went because I had received complaints about the motel from locals," he told The Irrawaddy. He said he had no plan so far to respond to the motel's allegations "because I did not commit any of the charges." He added that he had informed the Shwepyithar Township administrator and the police prior to visiting the motel, and chose to go in plain clothes—posing as an "ordinary customer" to verify locals’ complaints—out of concern that the hotel's image would suffer under a more official inspection. The post Rangoon Motel Sues NLD Lawmaker for Alleged Drunken Brawl appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Portugal’s Guterres Poised to be Next UN Secretary-General Posted: 06 Oct 2016 01:14 AM PDT Antonio Guterres arrives for a news conference at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland Dec. 18, 2015. (Photo: Denis Balibouse/ Reuters) Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres is poised to be the ninth United Nations Secretary-General and is expected to be formally recommended to the 193-member General Assembly for election by the Security Council on Thursday, diplomats said. Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, president of the 15-member council for October, said he hoped the council would unanimously recommend Guterres, who was also the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015. Guterres, 67, would replace Ban Ki-moon, 72, of South Korea, who will step down at the end of 2016 after serving two terms. Guterres was prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. The council has been holding informal secret ballots since July in a bid to reach consensus on a candidate. Members had the choices encourage, discourage or no opinion. Guterres has come out on top of all the polls and on Wednesday received 13 encourage votes and two no opinion votes. "In the end, there was just a candidate whose experience, vision, and versatility across a range of areas proved compelling," US Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters. "If we have these transnational threats and we don't have somebody at the helm of the United Nations that can mobilize coalitions, that can make the tools of this institution … work better for people, that's going to be more pain and more suffering and more dysfunction than we can afford," she said. Diplomats said one of the no opinion votes was cast by one of the five veto wielding powers, which are Russia, China, the United States, France and Britain. The Security Council will adopt a resolution, traditionally behind closed doors, recommending that the General Assembly appoint Guterres for a five-year term from Jan. 1, 2017. The resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes to pass. "We hope it can be done by acclamation," Churkin said. Thirteen people were nominated in the race to become the next UN chief, but three had already withdrawn before Wednesday's secret ballot. In a bid for more transparency in the opaque selection process, the candidates were for the first time able to make election campaign-style pitches to the General Assembly. When Guterres spoke to the General Assembly in April, he said he was a candidate to become secretary-general because "the best place to address the root cause of human suffering is at the center of the UN system." He spoke in English, French and Spanish during the two-hour long town hall meeting. Guterres, a devout Catholic, spoke about his decade as the UN refugee chief as "an extraordinary privilege but a terrible frustration because there was no humanitarian solution for their plight." He said the solution was always political. He described a UN chief as "acting with humility, without arrogance, without giving lessons to anybody, but working as a convener, as a facilitator, as a catalyst and behaving like an honest broker, a bridge builder and a messenger for peace." The Irrawaddy adds: Guterres' first official visit to Burma in his role as UN refugee chief was in 2009 where he travelled to northern Arakan State and the country's South East. Guterres announced he would upgrade the UNHCR mission in Burma particularly in terms of health, education, water and sanitation, agriculture and infrastructure. Guterres visited again in 2012 where he rejected an offer by then President Thein Sein that the UN agency take responsibility for resettling Burma's displaced Rohingya community in other countries. In troubled Arakan State, also known as Rakhine State, longstanding discrimination by majority Buddhists against Muslim Rohingya exploded into bloody violence in 2012. More than 100,000 people, mostly Rohingyas, are still in displacement camps. The post Portugal's Guterres Poised to be Next UN Secretary-General appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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