The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• 49 Kachin Detained by Burma Army, Accused of KIA Links
• President’s Office Vows to ‘Counter’ Arakan Attacks; Locals Call for an End to Violence
• Over 100 Teachers Evacuated From Border Town in Northern Arakan State
• Arakan State Unrest Heightens Political Concerns
• Will the First Group of Refugee Returns Take Place This Month?
• Tourism Industry Urges Govt to Issue Arakan State Travel Advice
• Thailand Wakes to Uncertainty, Grief Without King Bhumipol

49 Kachin Detained by Burma Army, Accused of KIA Links Posted: 14 Oct 2016 09:39 AM PDT Ethnic Kachin detained by the Burma Army in Bhamo (Photo: Myawaddy News / Facebook) Forty-nine Kachin locals have been detained by the Burma Army since Tuesday, when they were accused of attending a Kachin Independence Army (KIA) militia training. The individuals, members of the Rawang and Lisu sub-ethnic groups, come from Putao, in northern Kachin State. They were arrested at the Sein Lone military checkpoint, and are being held in Kachin State's Bhamo prison and are facing two charges under the Unlawful Association Act for communicating with an "unlawful association" and possessing weapons with the group. "Since their arrest, they have been put in the Bhamo central prison," said U Aung Thein, Bhamo's Lower House lawmaker from the ruling National League for Democracy, who is trying to get in contact with the group. "I was told by the district administrator that all of the accused had admitted that they received weapons training at the KIA's Mai Ja Yang camp, although they were told that they would be given training related to agriculture," the lawmaker told The Irrawaddy on Friday. "But I have not seen them in person yet," he added, "As of now, charges are filed against them. They will have to appear before the court. We hope to meet them when they come for the hearing and learn what happened." As the case is related to the military, the lawmaker said that they have less power to directly intervene, due to the volatile situation in the area, which is a conflict zone. Quoting the Bhamo district administrator, U Aung Thein added that the accused are aged 20 to 40 years, and amongst them, four are women. On Friday morning, the military-owned Myawaddy newspaper posted on their Facebook page that on Oct. 11 they "had arrested 49 people returning from getting militia training with the KIA," as well as an additional eight people who were driving the trucks. All of the detainees will be transferred to the Moe Mauk police station, and security will be tightened in the area, they added. After armed conflict between the government forces and the KIA renewed after the disintegration of a ceasefire in 2011, schools in the conflict zone were forced to shut down, leading youth to seek out new opportunities for vocational development. Local sources say there are hundreds of students pursuing their education in learning centers in Mai Ja Yang—a KIA stronghold on the China border—who are now in danger in the area, due to the reoccurrence of a recent military offensive against the KIA. According to Dau Kha, a spokesperson from the advisory team of the Kachin Independence Organization—the political wing of the KIA—they provide trainings in education, health care, agriculture and livelihood development. He added that the KIA does not provide military training at its headquarters. The post 49 Kachin Detained by Burma Army, Accused of KIA Links appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

President’s Office Vows to ‘Counter’ Arakan Attacks; Locals Call for an End to Violence Posted: 14 Oct 2016 09:15 AM PDT People seek refuge at Thabyae Gone monastery in Maungdaw Township after fighting between the Burma Army and militant broke out nearby villages. (Photo: Rakhine Gazette / Facebook) SITTWE, Arakan State — Four suspects have reportedly confessed to taking part in and planning attacks on border guard posts in northern Arakan State's Maungdaw Township with the financial backing of outside terrorist organizations, according to a President's Office statement released on Friday. Two of the men were transferred from Bangladeshi authorities to Burma and two were captured in Maungdaw Township. The statement said that the four men confessed to authorities—which were unspecified—to taking part in an attack on border posts on Sunday with the aim of occupying Maungdaw Township, led by a group they identified as Aqa Mul Mujahidin, which the President's Office described as being affiliated with the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO), last known to be active in the 1980s and 1990s. The statement also said an investigation had revealed that the group allegedly receives financial backing from Islamic terror networks and is led by a 45-year-old living in Kyauk Pyin Seik village of Maungdaw Township who attended six months of training in Pakistan. "We will effectively counterattack any terror attack or attempted terror attack," the President's Office statement said. "We will also investigate, identify and take harsh actions against those behind the terrorists, those who support them secretly, and organizations and individuals that aid and abet terrorism." The group was allegedly planning to attack six border posts with 400 armed men last Sunday, but, armed with machetes, instead attacked a border patrol police headquarters and two outposts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships, killing nine policemen and looting firearms. According to state-run media, the Tatmadaw arrested another man in Maungdaw Township's Warpaik Village on Wednesday and reportedly confiscated a MA-11 gun, 11 cartridges, 1,510 rounds of ammunition and flags and badges connected to the RSO. The man is the fifth suspect to have been detained in the area since Sunday. Military-controlled Myawaddy media said on Thursday that while Burma Army troops carried out a manhunt for the suspects Wednesday in Kyet Yoe Pin Village of Maungdaw Township, ten suspected militants were killed and one gun was seized in clashes. Five Burma Army soldiers have been killed in the manhunt, and 15 men—suspected militants—have been killed by government forces. Military Operation Areas Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships in northern Arakan State are designated as military operation areas until firearms looted from border police force are recovered, ministers told reporters at a press conference in the state capital of Sittwe on Friday. On Thursday, Arakan State Chief Minister Nyi Pu summoned NGOs and INGOs to the state government office to update them on the situation in Maungdaw Township. He told relief organizations that to work in areas of military operations they must apply for permission from the government and follow rules and regulations, according to his official Facebook page. Nyi Pu said that "Although the neighboring town of Buthidaung has returned to normal and shops have opened, the market is closed in Maungdaw. Unless the government can recover the firearms, armed clashes could happen at any time." He mentioned that some attackers are from "outside," referring to Bangladesh, and alleged that they had links to Maungdaw Muslim residents. Brig-Gen Thura Sun Lwin of the border police told international relief organizations, including United Nations (UN) organizations and partners, that foreigners are currently prohibited from entering Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships. Displaced Persons and Reports of Abuse A joint statement released on Monday by 14 Rohingya organizations in exile accused government soldiers of killing seven unarmed men in the village of Myothugyi; the Burma Army described the casualties of being those of suspected militants. The groups called on international organizations and governments to pressure the ruling National League for Democracy government to halt such actions, and end persecution against Muslims in the region. Since then, further accusations of abuses—detainments, and the burning of houses—have surfaced. Arakan State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu sought to quell rumors of abuse with a statement on Facebook saying that news from the government should be regarded as true. "The Union government is trying to decrease the worries of the two communities and we [the state government] are also carrying out on-the-ground information for law enforcement and stability in this region," his post said. In Maungdaw Township, local sources say that ethnic Mro and Thet villagers—fearing the unrest—have been seeking safety in monasteries in Buthidaung. Arakan National Party (ANP) secretary U Tha Htun Hla visited Maungdaw yesterday to support the displaced villagers. According to him, about 300 people were sheltering at Buddhist monasteries. The Arakan State government office secretary U Tin Maung Swe said that local Arakanese from the area concerned for their safety would need to be relocated. The Burma Army has also airlifted 90 school teachers from areas of Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships, according to the state government. Meanwhile on Friday, residents of two villages in rural areas of Maungdaw Township were taking refuge in Sittwe, saying they were too frightened to remain at their homes following Sunday's attacks. A total of 36 people from the villages were staying at a Buddhist monastery in the state capital. Four women from the group met a delegation from the World Food Programme (WFP) headed by Stephen O'Brien, United Nations' Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. "My child and I are safe here, but my husband is at home and we don't yet know how safe he is," villager Daw Thein Shwe told the UN delegation, through tears. Rumors and the deaths of policemen in Sunday's attacks had triggered the decision to leave Myaing Tha Ya and Aung Mingalar villages, she said. A total of 60 more people from the area were expected to arrive in Sittwe later on Friday, the delegation heard. A WFP representative told the villagers that it would work with the state government to provide assistance. Meanwhile, U Hla Shwe, a community leader from the Rohingya Muslim community in Sittwe worried that the violence would spread. "We condemn those acting with violence," he said, adding that his community loved peace, and wished to live in peace. Ko Wai Hun Aung, an Arakanese social activist, said that using force may not be the best way to find suspects and that authorities should instead work with local religious leaders. The post President's Office Vows to 'Counter' Arakan Attacks; Locals Call for an End to Violence appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Over 100 Teachers Evacuated From Border Town in Northern Arakan State Posted: 14 Oct 2016 05:37 AM PDT Burma Army airlifts teachers and locals from an area close to the Bangladesh border in Maungdaw Township of northern Arakan State on Thursday. (Photo: Office of the Defense Services Commander-in-Chief) More than 100 teachers in government schools have been evacuated via Burma Army helicopter from the small settlement of Taungpyoletwea by the Bangladesh border, in Maungdaw Township of northern Arakan State, with just over 20 remaining to be airlifted. These evacuations, with the teachers flown in to neighboring Buthidaung Township, are taking place after fatal attacks on border guard police posts on Sunday, followed by a manhunt focused on Maungdaw Township, has led to several dozen deaths among police, Burma Army soldiers and suspected militants. Most of the estimated 250 assailants who attacked the police posts remain at large, according to state media. At least six suspects have been arrested. "[The attackers] have done nothing to teachers. No [teacher] has suffered injury so far," said Maungdaw Township education officer U Khin Aung, who added that the Burma Army was preparing to evacuate the remaining 20 teachers in Taungpyoletwea. Alongside the 114 teachers that have been airlifted since Thursday, the Burma Army has evacuated 50 government officers, one monk, and 16 local residents, according to the office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services. An unverified number of residents of rural villages in Maungdaw Township have reportedly fled to Maungdaw town, with monasteries providing shelter. U Tun Hla Sein, a state lawmaker representing Maungdaw Township, said, "Locals have fled for the town for fear of food shortages. Most vendors [in their villagers] are Muslim, and have closed their shops." Schools have been closed in Maungdaw and neighboring Buthidaung townships since the beginning of the week due to security concerns. Education officer U Khin Aung said whether schools would re-open after the Thadingyut festival, which lasts for the duration of next week, would hinge on an improvement in the security situation. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko The post Over 100 Teachers Evacuated From Border Town in Northern Arakan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Arakan State Unrest Heightens Political Concerns Posted: 14 Oct 2016 05:32 AM PDT Entrance to Maungdaw Township, Arakan State. (Photo: Narinjara) NAYPYIDAW—Recent attacks on border police posts in Arakan State have heightened public concern over the democratization process and civil-military relations, members of the political community told The Irrawaddy. Lower House lawmaker U Lwin Ko Latt, of Thanlyin Township, told The Irrawaddy that he is worried about the situation following the deaths of nine policemen, five soldiers, and fifteen other men. "The military intelligence should have known about [the attacks] before they happened. The Defense Ministry is responsible for that. And under the circumstances, we want [the Burmese military] to only work within the legal framework. I don't want them to seek political gain out of this," he said. "The event is a cause for concern for security. I am also worried if concerned governments will be able to handle this effectively," said U Lwin Ko Latt. As the conflict could hamper democratization in Burma, it was important that the government proceed with caution in line with the rule of law, said U Nay Myo Htun, a Lower House lawmaker representing Htantabin Township. U Ye Htun, a political analyst, said State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi seemed to be exercising caution in handling the issues in Arakan State. "The military has violated laws in our [Shan] state. I think [the State Counselor] has sent the information minister to Arakan State to gather information on the ground so that she can make a judgment," said U Ye Htun. He also suggested sending the Arakan State Advisory Commission led by former UN general secretary Kofi Annan to Arakan State. Though the ministries of defense, home affairs and border affairs—which are addressing the unrest—fall under military rather than civilian leadership according to the 2008 Constitution, responses are being made under the guidance of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, National League for Democracy spokesperson U Win Htein told The Irrawaddy. "All the information about the Arakan issue reaches her. Though Defense and Home Affairs ministries are under the [army] commander-in-chief according to the Constitution, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi gets on well with them. She has taken the overall responsibility to handle it," said U Win Htein. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has told the media that the government is doing their best to solve the conflict following the attacks on border posts, and will handle them impartially under the rule of law. "The Defense Ministry has to take responsibility to handle this transparently. The whole incident must be presented to the public in a transparent manner, otherwise public concern will remain high, because there have been many rumors including those on Facebook," said U Lwin Ko Latt. The Irrawaddy contacted the President's Office, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Border Affairs several times to ask about video files circulated on social media and for the government's responses to the Arakan issue, but was not able to obtain a comment. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko The post Arakan State Unrest Heightens Political Concerns appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Will the First Group of Refugee Returns Take Place This Month? Posted: 14 Oct 2016 04:01 AM PDT A refugee family hold numbered placards as they pose for a photo during a census conducted by Thai authorities at Mae La refugee camp in July 2014. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — The first round of Burmese refugee returns is reportedly taking place later this month from Nu Po refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border, with no exact date yet set. The return has been arranged by the UN refugee agency, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), according to sources from the Karen Refugee Committee (KRC), a community-based organization that facilitates services on refugee matters in Thailand. When asked, KRC spokesperson Naw Blooming Night Zar told The Irrawaddy that she is not aware of the details of the return plan, as it was directly arranged by the UHNCR. "We are not aware of the process. As far as we know, it is organized by the UNHCR. They [UNHCR] didn’t let us know. Based on their policy, refugees can independently decide by their own [whether or not to return], so they deal directly with individual refugees," said Naw Blooming Night Zar. When The Irrawaddy contacted the UNHCR, Iain Hall, a senior field coordinator for the UNHCR said "there is no date yet communicated on the return of the group from Nu Po" refugee camp. He added, however, that all refugee returns must be voluntary. He said that the UNHCR had not yet received information from the Burmese and Thai governments on a return date. "When UNHCR receives information from the Myanmar and Thai governments to confirm the return of the Nu Po group, including the date, then we would be very happy to provide more information," said Hall. According to a report by Voice of America quoting Chief Minister of Karen State, Nang Khin Htwe Myint, the first group of returning refugees would include some 56 people take place after October 25. She said the return was voluntary, and that the Karen State government would provide food, health care and guarantee safety for the returnees. The UNHCR also will provide other required assistance, she added. The Irrawaddy could not reach Nang Khin Htwe Myint at the time of reporting. There are more than 120,000 Burmese refugees in nine camps on the Thai border, most of whom are ethnic Karen who fled their homes due to civil war. Many have been in Thailand for more than two decades.     The post Will the First Group of Refugee Returns Take Place This Month? appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tourism Industry Urges Govt to Issue Arakan State Travel Advice Posted: 14 Oct 2016 03:44 AM PDT Ngapali Beach is a quiet and peaceful getaway far from conflicts in Northern Arakan State. (Photo: Steve Tickner / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Members of Burma's tourism industry have urged the government to provide international tourists with detailed travel advice about the conflict in Arakan State. International media have been covering ongoing security operations in Arakan State, also known as Rakhine State, since last Sunday when armed men attacked a border patrol police headquarters and two outposts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships, killing nine policemen and looting firearms. Foreign visitors have been making enquiries with tour companies and in some cases postponing or cancelling trips, industry observers said. Tourist destinations in Arakan State—including state capital Sittwe, Ngapali Beach, Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw—are far from the conflict in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships "Foreign visitors have asked if Arakan State is safe or not as they have seen many pictures of recent clashes in the media," said Daw Sabei Aung, managing director of Nature Dream Travel & Tours. She told The Irrawaddy that the government needs to provide information for visitors to Arakan State on which areas are safe and which are not. "Tourists put safety first," she said, urging the government to release information related to travel safety in the region. Daw Hnin Pwint Phyu, managing director of Nan Myint Ma Har Travels & Tours, also said that official government information is required. "Our visitors' safety is a big responsibility," she said. "At the moment, we're relying on our partners in Arakan State for information." Myanmar Tourism Marketing Committee sent a letter to tour companies this week on how to respond to enquiries from visitors, without official government information. The committee told tour companies that attacks in northern Arakan State near the Bangladesh border are far from famous travel sites. "Travel companies have their own monitoring group to get the latest information from their sources, even though there has been no official information," U Phyo Wai Yar Zar, a former chairman of the committee, told The Irrawaddy. U Myo Win Nyunt, director of Ministry of Hotel and Tourism said that no instructions or warnings had been issued about Arakan State. "So far, we have not provided tour companies with 'dos and don'ts,'" he said. Tourism advice from an Australian Government website for Arakan State "except Sittwe and resort areas at Ngapali Beach" is to "think seriously about whether you need to travel here due to the high level of risk." Border trade gates with Bangladesh have been closed indefinitely and navy ships are monitoring the coastline. All of Maungdaw's 400 schools were ordered to close on Monday. The post Tourism Industry Urges Govt to Issue Arakan State Travel Advice appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thailand Wakes to Uncertainty, Grief Without King Bhumipol Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:47 PM PDT People weep after an announcement that Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej has died, at the Siriraj hospital in Bangkok, Oct. 13, 2016. (Photo: Chaiwat Subprasom / REUTERS) BANGKOK, Thailand —  Thailand's people woke up on Friday to the first day in 70 years without King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a king worshipped as a father-figure who guided the nation through decades of change and turmoil. The king, the world's longest-reigning monarch, died in a Bangkok hospital on Thursday. He was 88. He had been in poor health for several years but his death has shocked the Southeast Asian nation of 67 million people and plunged it into grief. The streets of Bangkok were busy as usual on Friday morning, 12 hours after news of the king's death was announced. Most people in the capital and in towns across the country dressed in black but shops opened for business. The cabinet declared a government holiday for mourning but the Stock Exchange of Thailand and other financial institutions opened as normal. The stock market's benchmark index rose at the open and was up 4 percent by late morning while the baht currency strengthened about 1.3 percent against the dollar, on hopes that there would be an orderly succession. Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is expected to be the new king but he does not command the same adoration that his father earned over a lifetime on the throne. At Bangkok's Grand Palace, thousands of mourners, some sobbing, lined up to kneel before a portrait of the king, and make a ritual pouring of water as part of royal funeral rites. "I still feel like I'm dreaming. I can't believe it happened," said Supawan Wongsawas, 64, a retired civil servant. Suthad Kongyeam, 53, a civil official, said it felt like losing a father. "He was the heart of the whole country," said Suthad. "Everything is shaken. There is nothing to hold on to anymore." Thailand has endured bomb attacks and economic worries recently while rivalry simmers between the military-led establishment and populist political forces after a decade of turmoil including two coups and deadly protests. The king stepped in to calm crises on several occasions during his reign and many Thais worry about a future without him. The military has for decades invoked its duty to defend the monarchy to justify its intervention in politics. Military government leader Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Thursday the country was in "immeasurable grief … profound sorrow and bereavement". He said security was his top priority and called for businesses to stay active and stock investors not to dump shares. 'DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK' Thursday's crush of mourners in the grounds of Siriraj Hospital, where the king died, had gone by Friday morning, but about 100 people, most dressed in black, prayed there before a statue of the king's late mother. "I'm scared and don't know what to think. If I go home I can't think," said Jirawat Wayaphan, 64. The hospital was open and busy, but all visitors froze and stood at attention as the national anthem was played over loudspeakers as usual at 8 a.m. Later on Friday, the king's body will be taken in procession from the hospital to the Grand Palace. Authorities have not issued plans for a funeral but a traditional royal cremation will take months to prepare. By mid-morning, hundreds of mourners had packed the narrow, sun-seared pavements along the route. Many people sheltered beneath umbrellas or cooled themselves with fans. Paramedics with a wheelchair plucked one woman from the crowd who was suffering in the heat. Security was tight in the city's old quarter of palaces, temples and ministries with soldiers at checkpoints, government offices and intersections. Black-and-white footage of the king playing jazz on the saxophone has replaced regular transmissions on television channels since shortly after the king's death was announced. Prayuth said Prince Vajiralongkorn wanted to grieve with the people and leave the formal succession until later, when the parliament will invite him to ascend the throne. "Long live His Majesty the new king," Prayuth said. Thailand's strict lese-majeste laws have left little room for public discussion about the succession. The junta has promised an election next year and pushed through a constitution to ensure its oversight of civilian governments. It looks firmly in control for a royal transition. Foreign embassies in Thailand advised tourists to respect the feelings of the Thai people at their time of grief. Tropical Thailand, with its beaches, Buddhist temples and infamous night life, expects a record 33 million tourists this year. Most Thais have known no other monarch and King Bhumibol's picture is hung in almost every house, school and office. Until his later years, he was featured on television almost every evening, often trudging through rain, map in hand and camera around his neck, visiting a rural development project. His wife, Queen Sirikit, 84, has also been in poor health over recent years. The Thai community in California, the largest in the world outside of Thailand, was also in mourning. "I just know that I loved my king, he is the king that helped everybody, helping the poor, everything," Stella Boonyawan, a Thai expatriate, said outside the Buddhist Wat Thai Temple in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. In Bangkok, Prayuth warned against anyone taking advantage of the situation to cause trouble. Politicians from all sides will be in mourning. Given a smooth transition, major economic disruptions are not expected, analysts and diplomats said. The post Thailand Wakes to Uncertainty, Grief Without King Bhumipol appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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National News

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• Death toll tops 40 in Rakhine border raid aftermath as skirmishes continue
• Oppression’s spawn plagues Rakhine State with death and dread
• In wake of MPs’ legal issues, Right to Recall law discussed
• Media group threatens libel suit after former employees of closed newspaper demand back pay
• UNFC to meet with govt peace commission
• FREDA plans Yangon tree project
• Mandalay to crack down on child beggars
• YCDC aims to wean off ground- water
• Ministry pushes to reduce chemical use in crops
• Jade curse tests post-sanctions Myanmar

Death toll tops 40 in Rakhine border raid aftermath as skirmishes continue Posted: 14 Oct 2016 12:48 AM PDT The death toll in northern Rakhine State has risen to more than 40 as security forces and unidentified insurgents continue to clash in the aftermath of a brazen October 9 assault on border security posts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships.

Oppression’s spawn plagues Rakhine State with death and dread Posted: 14 Oct 2016 12:21 AM PDT A nightmare has become reality in this country: A Chimera has been born out of oppression, fear, deliberate provocation and complicit silence whose gestation has been surprisingly long but, having materialised, has already claimed dozens of lives.

In wake of MPs’ legal issues, Right to Recall law discussed Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:46 PM PDT As two National League for Democracy MPs sorted out sticky legal issues this month, some want to see the passage of a long-discussed law allowing the public to recall elected officials.

Media group threatens libel suit after former employees of closed newspaper demand back pay Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:31 PM PDT A Fierce row over claims for millions in compensation following the sudden closure of a Mandalay newspaper has intensified, as the publisher concerned has threatened critics with a libel suit.

UNFC to meet with govt peace commission Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:30 PM PDT The Delegation for Political Negotiation is meeting in Nay Pyi Taw tomorrow with the government's peace commission, a member of the commission said yesterday.

FREDA plans Yangon tree project Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:27 PM PDT Yangon's streets will again be lined with trees, as they were 30 years and more ago, city officials and conservationists say. Planting is to begin before the end of the year. Many of the trees that used to line the streets have been cut down because of road widening or to make way for light poles.

Mandalay to crack down on child beggars Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:23 PM PDT "Fagins " who train children to beg from passers-by will face a government crackdown as part of the drive to take homeless youngsters off the streets and protect them from a life of crime.

YCDC aims to wean off ground- water Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:14 PM PDT Yangon City Development Committee hopes to cut its reliance on groundwater by 2025, Water and Sanitation Department deputy head U Myo Thein told The Myanmar Times.

Ministry pushes to reduce chemical use in crops Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:13 PM PDT In a move toward the eventual introduction of organic agriculture and away from the overuse of harmful chemicals, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation is taking steps to protect rice and other crops meant for domestic consumption and export from hazardous chemicals.

Jade curse tests post-sanctions Myanmar Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:09 PM PDT Its embrace can bring wealth beyond measure, or instant death. It is a magnet for the most impoverished migrant workers and the most ruthless exploiters. Its haunts are a cauldron of armed conflict beyond the law of the land. In what could be one of its most challenging tests, how will Myanmar's democratic government deal with the green curse of jade? A well-managed extractive industries sector would attract responsible domestic and overseas investors who employed well-paid workers protected by robust safety standards, producing rare and valued assets that would help fill the nation's tax coffers and pay for its public services.

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Shan Herald Agency for News

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Commentary on UNFC to Meet Govt in Naypyidaw on Saturday Posted: 14 Oct 2016 01:23 AM PDT In the wake of Arakan conflict, where possible foreign elements might be involved or not involved, tension and hatred are high. Thus, the Burma Army heightened escalation of armed engagement against the ethnic resistance armed organizations in Kachin, Shan and Karen states dominating news have somewhat been pushed back. But the armed conflict goes on and continues to erode the ongoing peace process. For the UNFC, while it is correct to be still involve in the negotiation process, it has to also draw a line and consolidate its political positions. As Nai Han Tha spelled out, the UNFC would need to strive for a tripartite dialogue or equitable participation, all-inclusiveness of all armed groups and most of all, the unilateral or bilateral nationwide ceasefire has to be in place. And to do this, the Burma Army must be accommodating and not just looking at a short term territorial gain and clean itself from "self-employed national savior or protector." The Burma Army insistence that protection of the country's "sovereignty" and "national unity" to be its sole responsibility is a twisted logic. Because if the ethnic resistance groups would agree with the Burma Army notion, they won't have to fight for a shared-sovereignty, which in the first place is all about going to war to realize their political conviction and aspirations that they consider to have a fair say and cut, which have been robbed by the Burma Army from them. As for the national unity, the ethnic nationalities think that they are still in the making, perhaps through this ongoing peace process, as there is still no agreed common national identity as yet. If said two conditions of unilateral or bilateral ceasefire and Burma Army cleans itself from self-employed national savior rhetoric are met, the peace process could at least go ahead. Otherwise, the talking and fighting vicious circle will only continue, at the expense of the continued people's sufferings. It is as simple as that. Link to the article: UNFC to Meet Govt in Naypyidaw on Saturday

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The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Activists Say Urban Insecurity Hampers Women’s Capacity
• Thai King Bhumibol, World’s Longest-Reigning Monarch, Dies: Palace
• UNFC to Meet Govt in Naypyidaw on Saturday
• Mongla: ‘the Wildlife Trafficking Capital of the World’
• Security Tightened on Border with Southern Arakan State
• Thai King’s Medical Condition Has ‘Overall Not Yet Stabilized’: Palace

Activists Say Urban Insecurity Hampers Women’s Capacity Posted: 13 Oct 2016 06:46 AM PDT Attendees at the Safe Cities Campaign event. (Photo: Zue Zue / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Women's rights activists have called on the government to consider the needs of women in its delivery of public services while also increasing its budget for women, and enacting and enforcing laws and policies to protect and promote their rights. Action Aid Myanmar, in cooperation with local partner organizations, launched a "safe cities campaign" at its office in Rangoon on Tuesday, saying that women are experiencing urban insecurity, particularly in Rangoon. Their definition of urban insecurity for women goes beyond physical violence or sexual harassment, but also considers their accessibility to health care, education, job opportunities and public utilities like electricity and transportation in urban areas. Urban women's insecurity not only affects their lives, but also impacts their families, said Daw May Sabai Phyu, director of the Gender Equality Network, at the launching ceremony. "In some cases, women have to reject job opportunities that come to them just because they don't want to go back home late at night. Expanding safe and secure services within their reach will solve this problem," she said. Rangoon Division Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, who was also present on the occasion, said: "We need to make sure there is greater security for women in Rangoon.  We have to try to make Rangoon a safe town for women, and we would try to accumulate as much budget as possible for this. We will also consider women's issues in budget management." Adriano Campolina, CEO of Action Aid International, said, "We need policy changes. Stronger policies and laws are needed, and security needs to be strengthened in places in which there is frequent [sexual] violence. We need police departments that will hold perpetrators accountable." The safe cities campaign is first of its kind in Burma. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko The post Activists Say Urban Insecurity Hampers Women's Capacity appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai King Bhumibol, World’s Longest-Reigning Monarch, Dies: Palace Posted: 13 Oct 2016 06:41 AM PDT Members of the Thai public weep after an announcement that King Bhumibol Adulyadej has died, at the Siriraj hospital in Bangkok, on Thursday. (Photo: Chaiwat Subprasom / Reuters) BANGKOK, Thailand — Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was the world's longest-reigning monarch, died in hospital on Thursday, the palace said in an announcement. He was 88. King Bhumibol reigned for seven decades after ascending the throne in 1946. His loss will be deeply mourned in Thailand, where he was regarded as a pillar of stability during decades of political upheaval and rapid development. The palace did not give a reason for his death but he has been sick in hospital with various ailments for much of the past year. "His Majesty has passed away at Siriraj Hospital peacefully," the palace said, adding he died at 15:52 local times (0852 GMT). His son and heir apparent, the 63-year old Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, is expected to become Thailand’s new king. Parliament was due to meet in a special session later on Thursday after a meeting of the cabinet, a legislature official said. Anxiety about the king's health and the succession has formed the backdrop to over a decade of political upheaval in Thailand that has included two coups. More than 1,000 people gathered at the hospital where the king had been staying. Many of them started to cry as the news of his death broke. "I feel so saddened by this news. He has given so many things to the country," said Apinut Jaroonpipatkul, a 25-year-old medical student. King Bhumibol was seen as a force for unity, and there have long been concerns that without him the country's divisions could worsen. That seems unlikely under the military government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who has kept a tight grip on power since toppling an elected government in 2014. Prince Vajiralongkorn has yet to command the respect and adoration that his father drew after a lifetime on the throne. He has kept a lower profile than King Bhumibol for most of his life but in the past two years took on more of the public duties the king was no longer able to perform. The prince divorced his third wife in 2014. Thailand's strict lese-majeste laws have left little room for public discussion about the succession. It has been so long since Thailand has had a succession, there is no modern precedent. Thailand is expected to be in mourning for months and possibly longer, and the prince's coronation will not take place until that mourning period is over. When the king's sister died in 2008, a 100-day mourning period was declared. She was cremated 10 months after her death. The king was seen as head of an institution central to Thai identity and as a father-figure to the nation. The post Thai King Bhumibol, World's Longest-Reigning Monarch, Dies: Palace appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

UNFC to Meet Govt in Naypyidaw on Saturday Posted: 13 Oct 2016 03:22 AM PDT UNFC members meet in Chiang Mai, Thailand on Thursday. (Photo: Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy) CHIANG MAI, Thailand — The ethnic armed alliance the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) will meet with government peace negotiators in Naypyidaw on Saturday, where demands for a cessation of Burma Army hostilities will be discussed. Saturday will mark the one-year anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), which member groups of the UNFC did not sign. The UNFC held a meeting at its headquarters of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand on Thursday, in preparation for the Naypyidaw meeting. Nai Hong Sar, vice chair of UNFC, said their delegates would "reiterate our eight demands," which include for a comprehensive ceasefire to be announced by the Burmese government, and for international monitoring of a ceasefire. UNFC delegates raised these demands in an earlier meeting with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon in July. Nai Hong Sar told The Irrawaddy that the Naypyidaw meeting was intended to "build understanding." Describing the need for international observers to monitor any ceasefire agreement, he mentioned how clashes had even erupted between the Burma Army and an NCA signatory, the Restoration Council of Shan State, earlier this month. He also cited recent Burma Army offensives in Karen State, an area supposedly covered by the NCA. Despite the staging of the "21st Century Panglong" peace conference in late August and early September, Burma Army offensives—with air strikes and artillery shelling—have stepped up in recent weeks against the Kachin Independence Army, a member organization of the UNFC. Although UNFC members attended the peace conference, they did not take part in the political dialogue framework review session that followed in September. The government's National Reconciliation and Peace Center in Rangoon will host the next session for reviewing the framework—which will set the shape and terms for political dialogue over a federal restructuring of the state—on Tuesday of next week. A UNFC delegation is expected to join this time. The post UNFC to Meet Govt in Naypyidaw on Saturday appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Mongla: ‘the Wildlife Trafficking Capital of the World’ Posted: 13 Oct 2016 01:51 AM PDT Blocks of elephant hide and other dried parts from a variety of animals are offered by a Mongla vendor. (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) Mongla lies on the border of the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in southwestern China and Shan State in northeastern Burma. Situated in the heart of the Golden Triangle, the city is known among other sad epithets as the wildlife trafficking capital of the world and for drugs, gambling, and prostitution. Despite officially belonging to Burma, the area operates as a special armed region, making it both difficult and expensive (if not off limits) for most Burmese and non-Chinese nationals to visit. Furthermore, its overwhelming influence from China—ranging from its currency, technology, and infrastructure to the language, entertainment, and food—also deters Burmese and foreign tourists in Burma from visiting Mongla. Instead, it is frequented annually by hundreds of thousands of visitors from mainland China, who drive across the border "illegally" from Daluo without a visa or border pass. Despite their unauthorized status, there is little that is either secret or mysterious about their travel and whereabouts. Mainland Chinese enter Burma on roads that circumvent the official port of entry, but are still monitored by local government officials, who jot down names and receive 53 CNY (US$8) in cash per visitor. Upon their return, they are subject to stringent checks by Chinese customs agents, who will thoroughly search their car and belongings for illegal contraband. Illicit goods, including drugs, wild animals, and weapons, are both less regulated and more readily accessible in Burma than in China. If smugglers are caught, they face stiff fines and years in jail. Slow loris, a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, are sold alive and slaughtered for parts in the Mongla market. (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) Mongla's large outdoor market in the city center is about the size of a soccer field, and is open daily. Despite offering few visual attractions, the market features a vast selection of produce and household goods (about 90 percent of which have been imported from China) as well as a smaller variety of fresh vegetables and fruits that have been grown locally. Vendors are typically unemployed Han from mainland China, but also comprise a number of Shan (known as Dai in China), Akha, and other ethnic minority groups from Mongla's surrounding countryside. Between rows of fresh fish, vegetables, and flowers, the market includes a section for wildlife with perhaps 15 to 20 traffickers of increasingly threatened animals, including rare and endangered species. Clouded leopard, a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List, in the Mongla market. (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) It is a heart-rending scene I returned to repeatedly over the course of my brief stay in the city, and is among the saddest sites I have seen. Small monkeys; birds of prey with thick, dark plumage and piercing, orange eyes; green pigeons; hairless moles; slow loris; and other fur-covered animals—all alive—crouch listlessly or flap in fear in cramped metal wire cages. Some are curled into tight balls with their heads tucked away or keep their eyes semi-closed to the bright daylight. Their suffering is compounded by an array of fresh meat spread atop flattened cardboard boxes that are laid out on the ground or sit on top of black plastic crates. A barking deer, or muntjac, hunted in the Wa State is strapped to the back of a motorcycle in Pangkham, the capital. Once in Mongla, barking deer is cut up, its skin and other parts offered for sale. (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) The day's catch includes an assortment of barking deer, or muntjac, northern serow, civets, pheasants, clouded leopard, large soft-shelled turtles, and other indigenous species from the mountains—the few remaining spots of wilderness around Burma and Southeast Asia I imagine not yet desecrated by mining, logging, and other human activity. In addition to live animals and fresh meat, there are countless dried animal parts strewn across the ground or separated into neatly arranged piles. I am struck by the sheer magnitude of pieces, which include coiled snake skins, quills, skulls, carcasses, bones, paws, cloven hoofs, fur pelts, tusks, horn, antlers, and genitalia. As I venture to ask vendors and their customers questions, my horror and disbelief turn to despair and condemnation. Dried parts from a variety of animals, including critically endangered species such as pangolin, are carefully arranged by a Mongla vendor. (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) The animals are primarily used to steep in liquor as a tonic or elixir and for medicinal purposes. Like vitamins, each seems to serve a specific purpose. Small live owls cost 70 CNY (US$11) each and are said to cure headaches and other head ailments. Pangolin skins, a fully protected animal under both Chinese and Burmese domestic law and the multiparty Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), sell for 1,600 CNY (US$245) per pound and are supposedly good for the vertebra and spine. Dried chunks of elephant skin cut into crude rectangles resemble discarded scraps of fabric. They are said to cure stomach illnesses, and cost 200 CNY to 250 CNY (US$30 to $38) per pound. The thicker skin is more expensive. Other animal parts help revitalize kidney or liver function while tiger penises, of which there are a seemingly endless number, boost male virility. Like dried meat, fresh meat is also steeped in alcohol or eaten with the belief that it will strengthen the body's immune system. Prices range from 45 CNY (US$7) for a pound of barking deer to 8,000 CNY (US$1,227) for a whole Asiatic golden cat that appears to have been recently killed by a single bullet to the belly. Blood from the wound still looks fresh. In addition, fresh northern serow meat sells for 80 CNY (US$12) per pound while the head by itself costs 150 CNY (US$23). Other wildlife parts are sold as trophy pieces, for decoration, or as amulets and lucky keychains, including severed monkey hands with paw pads that are still soft. Unacquainted with the wildlife market, but accustomed to similar or higher prices for ordinary material goods, I am taken aback by the relatively low cost of increasingly finite resources with immeasurable value to the natural ecosystem and humankind. At the Mongla market: two live owls cower in a cage, while blocks of elephant hide and other parts are offered. (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) Business peaks in winter during the week-long Chinese Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year, when the number of wealthy compatriots arriving from mainland China rises. They sport high-end smartphones, diamond-encrusted watches, and other expensive accessories and hail from cities as distant as Harbin in northeast China, near the Russian border, and closer metropolises like Kunming. They buy mostly for personal consumption or as gifts for friends and relatives. A tiger's leg, which is prized as a particularly effective restorative, fetches a premium at 3,000 CNY (US$460). The limb is severed from the lower shin and comes replete with an exposed bone, dried marrow, sinewy strands of tendon, four massive claws, and a trimming of fur at its base. I ask a potential customer whether it might be fake. I hope it is. He acknowledges that while imitations exist, most products here are, in fact, genuine and too difficult to fabricate well enough to make counterfeiting a worthwhile pursuit. Because the client's main concern is evading China's border control agents, the vendor readily agrees to mail him his purchase immediately upon payment. It turns out shipping wildlife from Mongla to China is no problem. One tiger leg takes five to six days. A tiger's leg, which is prized as a particularly effective restorative, fetches a premium at 3,000 CNY (US $460). Is it real? (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) Wildlife trafficking and associated environmental crime is a lucrative industry, with an estimated value of $8 to $10 billion annually in Southeast Asia alone, according to the US Trade Representative, a federal agency that develops and coordinates US international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, as well as oversees negotiations with other countries. While often portrayed as a dangerous activity involving organized crime syndicates, a 2009 Smithsonian article by Charles Bergman on the illicit wildlife economy in Ecuador offers a different perspective: "It's not the shadowy activity people might think; it's more like an open secret," he writes. Despite its visibility, wildlife crime persists unchecked in Southeast Asia, as in Latin America, for myriad reasons, including the limited capacity of officials to conduct regular inspections, weak or inadequate regulations and law enforcement, and a lack of resources or resolve at the local level. This has evoked new responses from the global community to raise public awareness and encourage locals and tourists alike to play a more pivotal role in enforcing control, with "wildlife trade hotspots" like Mongla now marked by the World Wildlife Fund as both "trouble areas" and "opportunities for great conservation success." A Mongla market vendor with his makeshift table displaying an Asiatic golden cat, common palm civet, ferret badger, and the remains of a red muntjac, or barking deer. (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) So what can be done to stem the illegal wildlife trade? To start, the following measures can help market-goers and other travelers become more familiar with and better assess the trade in wildlife. These approaches can also provide conservationists with empirical evidence of the illegal trade, help them to identify trends and understand the changing conditions at the market, and enable them to ascertain the impact of their work and influence wildlife trafficking enforcement policies. Take pictures: Visual documentation serves as important evidence of wildlife trafficking and can help with the correct identification of animal species. While large cameras typically attract attention, it is common for market-goers to take photos and video of the wildlife being sold with their smartphones or other inconspicuous devices. Watch and observe: Take a rough count of the number of vendors and customers at the market, the frequency and pattern of sales, the volume of live and dead wild animals and wildlife parts, the availability of water and prevalence of hand and utensil washing to help prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases, and other trends and public behaviors. The skins of Chinese pangolins, a critically endangered species on the IUCN Red List, for sale in the Mongla market. (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) Talk and listen: Ask vendors and customers questions about the price of wildlife, the types of species for sale, the number of buyers and their consumption habits, the purpose of sales, the intended destination and means of transport, hygienic conditions at the market, and other aspects of the trade chain. Questions directed to traders about the source location of wildlife, poachers and hunters, and the sellers themselves are less likely to elicit a forthcoming response. Mandarin Chinese is often the standard language of communication given that demand is driven by mainland Chinese consumers. Share information: In recent years, effective new analytical tools and technologies have become available to the public to help combat wildlife trafficking and improve government, foundation, international agency, and NGO-led environmental conservation efforts. In Southeast Asia, these include: Wildlife Witness, an easy-to-use app that encourages users to safely photograph the wildlife, record the exact location, and report the activity to TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. Wildscan, a Vietnam-based app that offers a similar endangered species identification and response option. In addition, the Oxford Wildlife Trade Research Group at Oxford Brookes University maintains a database that tracks the illegal trade in Mongla and is sourced in part with data contributed voluntarily by travelers. Wildlife parts are sold as trophy pieces, for decoration, or as amulets and lucky keychains, including severed monkey hands with paw pads that are still soft. (Photos: Naomi Hellmann) Further responses to combat the illegal wildlife trade are widespread and multifarious. For non-travelers and people committed to improving animal welfare from home, help can be provided by allocating resources to fund the enforcement of CITES provisions and maintenance of nature reserves. In Asia, there are many national and international NGOs, including the World Wildlife Fund, TRAFFIC, Fund for Animals, China Exploration & Research Society, Wildlife Conservation Society, Nature Conservancy, Wild Aid, and International Fund for Animal Welfare. These organizations are dedicated to monitoring illicit markets, reducing consumer demand, and protecting threatened species. The global community can also assist with public education and awareness by sharing information online. At the same time, people who buy animals and wildlife products should make use of cultivated alternatives over wild stocks to stop the illegal trade. Finally, products including food, medicine, supplements, cosmetics, jewelry, clothing, décor, and furniture made from wild-sourced imports should only be purchased from licensed sources with genuine CITES certificates of species and origin. Republished with the kind permission of Terrain.org: A Journal of the Built + Natural Environments. The post Mongla: 'the Wildlife Trafficking Capital of the World' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Security Tightened on Border with Southern Arakan State Posted: 13 Oct 2016 12:58 AM PDT Gaw Yin Gyi Island, off the coast of Irrawaddy Division. (Photo: Salai Thant Zin / The Irrawaddy) Security has been scaled up in Nga Yoke Kaung, a coastal sub-township in Irrawaddy Division that borders the southern tip of Arakan State, after attacks by assailants of unverified origin on border police posts in northern Arakan State on Sunday, followed by a ongoing manhunt. Two light infantry battalions under the Burma Army's South-Western Command, a naval detachment and units of the police are jointly securing the area, according to locals, who said they have never seen such a large military presence in the area. "Fully-armed soldiers from Southwestern Command arrived at Gaw Yin Gyi Island near our village this morning [Wednesday], and are stationed there. So is a naval ship nearby," a community elder of Nanthapu Village told The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity. Well-armed soldiers also arrived in four military trucks to provide security in and around Nga Yoke Kaung, said U Zaw Win, a local resident. "I think it is because of the concern that the terror in Arakan State may spread [south] to here. Fishermen are not even going out to sea because of the situation," he told The Irrawaddy. Nga Yoke Kaung is on the westernmost tip of Irrawaddy Division, on the Bay of Bengal. The adjacent stretch of sea has been a route used by human traffickers, taking migrants from Bangladesh and northern Arakan State bound for Malaysia and elsewhere in the region. On May 29 2015, an abandoned boat holding 733 trafficked migrants was found off the coastline there. Irrawaddy Division police chief Col Htun Min has instructed all the police stations in Nga Yoke Kaung sub-township to be on full alert, for "regional security," a police officer in Nga Yoke Kaung told The Irrawaddy on condition of anonymity. The post Security Tightened on Border with Southern Arakan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Thai King’s Medical Condition Has ‘Overall Not Yet Stabilized’: Palace Posted: 12 Oct 2016 10:53 PM PDT Well-wishers hold pictures of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej as they pray for him at the Siriraj hospital where he is residing in Bangkok, on Oct. 12. (Photo: Athit Perawongmetha / Reuters) BANGKOK, Thailand — The health of Thailand's 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest reigning monarch, has "overall not yet stabilized," the palace said on Wednesday. The statement from the palace follows one on Sunday saying the king was in an unstable condition after receiving haemodialysis treatment, which is used to cleanse the blood of toxins, extra salts and fluids. A Reuters reporter at Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital said all four of the king's children, including Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, visited him on Wednesday. "On Oct. 11 his blood pressure lowered and breath quickened," the palace said. The king's health has "overall not yet stabilized," it said. Several hundred people gathered at the hospital, where the revered king has been for much of the past year, to pray for him. The government had earlier urged people not to listen to rumors on social media about "situations," saying they should await official announcements. During his seven decades on the throne the king, who is seen as a unifying force, has intervened when events threatened to plunge Thailand into crisis. He has been treated for various ailments over the past year and was last seen in public on Jan. 11, when he spent several hours visiting his palace in the capital, Bangkok. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is also head of the ruling junta, canceled an official engagement in Chonburi province on Wednesday and was having an audience with the crown prince on routine government work, the foreign ministry said. "The government spokesman has urged for the Thai public to rely on official announcements for an update on situations, rather than uncorroborated information in social media circles," it said in a statement, without referring to the king's health. US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said the US-born king has been a "true friend of the United States." "He's a revered figure in Thailand and he's an admired figure in the United States and we hope his situation will stabilize," Russel told reporters in Washington. Thailand has long been an ally of the United States, for decades united in opposition to the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. The Stock Exchange of Thailand closed down 2.5 percent, its lowest since the end of May, after falling as much as 6.9 percent at one point to its lowest since March 1, led by shares in the aviation and tourism industries. Wednesday's palace statement was the third health bulletin this month after the palace said on Oct. 1 the king was recovering after a respiratory infection. Laws protecting the royals from insult make it a crime to defame, insult or threaten the king, queen, heir to the throne or regent. The post Thai King's Medical Condition Has ‘Overall Not Yet Stabilized’: Palace appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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