Saturday, October 28, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Myanmar Army Partially Withdraws from Maungdaw, Allows Aid Access

Posted: 28 Oct 2017 12:40 AM PDT

YANGON — The Myanmar Army withdrew dozens of soldiers from conflict-torn northern Rakhine State's Maungdaw district on Wednesday, the Office of the Commander in Chief announced on its official Facebook page.

According to the statement, The Myanmar Army dispatched columns to fight the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), formally known as Harakah Al-Yakin (faith movement) and who attacked 30 border outposts and one military barracks, and conduct "clearance operations."

The army decreased its operations after Sept. 5, the statement said, as Maungdaw district recovered from conflicts in August and the Myanmar Army pulled back troops from the region to be formed as an auxiliary force in state capital Sittwe.

The statement did not mention, however, the number of soldiers as well as the relevant infantry unit.

The military provided four pictures under the statement which captured the arrival of army soldiers in a navy ship as well as several military trucks in capital Sittwe.

An intelligence source based in Rakhine told The Irrawaddy that around 200 soldiers returned and at least one hundred soldiers may now remain in Maungdaw district.

The announcement of withdrawal by the military came two days after the U.S. State Department announced it would suspend travel waivers on Myanmar's senior army generals as well as other responsible officials.

During a press briefing of US State Department's deputy secretary Patrick Murphy on Oct. 24, he said: "We also want accountability for atrocities. As we announced last night, we have identified new and ongoing action to hold responsible those who have committed violence, including following measures, suspending travel weavers for military leaders, accessing existing authorities to consider options to target individual responsible for atrocities."

The Irrawaddy contacted military spokesperson Maj-Gen Aung Ye Win in tas well as Rakhine State's border affairs minister Col. Phone Tint in order to verify whether withdrawing troops in Maungtaw region was related to the US state department's actions or not, but failed to reach them.

Myanmar President Office's spokesman U Zaw Htay told The Irrawaddy's Naypyitaw correspondent that imposing sanctions will hit development for the public of Myanmar and the World Bank's withholding of US$200 million also potentially negatively affected the economic development of Myanmar.

"Sanctions could not be helpful for current situation in Myanmar as we are conducting with coordination and the country is still in a democratic transition process and just half way towards democratic federal union," said U Zaw Htay.

Regarding military troops pulling back from Maungdaw district as a response to the US, ethnic affairs expert U Maung Maung Soe concluded that the actions of army is an attempt to prove to the international community that they are not applying excessive force, rather than a direct response to the US state department's new approach.

"The announcement of US is just blaming the army and even imposing sanction would not greatly impact military leaders," said U Maung Maung Soe.

In terms of the wording "excessive force" in military action, he argued that western countries could define the terminology based on considering heavy civilian casualties.

He pointed out even that the US applauded Philippine military forces for retaking Marawi from Isis. The situation between The Philippines and Myanmar, however, is completely different as ARSA militants used rudimentary weapons against security forces instead of fighting with firearms.

U Maung Maung Soe agreed with allegations of the international community that many Muslim villagers were fleeing to neighboring countries from the military's brutal operations. He said, however, that western countries always blame one-sided to government and purportedly ignored to mention the name ARSA in their statements.

On Thursday, Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and UN Resident Coordinator to Myanmar Ms. Renata Dessallien discussed their point of views in Napyiyaw. On Friday, World Food Program (WFP)'s spokeswoman Bettiana Luescher told journalists in Geneva that Myanmar has given the green light to resume humanitarian assistance in northern Rakhine State.

The post Myanmar Army Partially Withdraws from Maungdaw, Allows Aid Access appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar’s Gramophone Record Collector

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 09:26 PM PDT

In the early 1960s, when Maung Maung was attending the 7th grade, his grandmother gave him a His Master's Voice (HMV) gramophone, locally called as dog brand gramophone, a present that obsessed him for the rest of his life.

"This was one of the main factors that inspired me to collect gramophone records," said Maung Maung, who is commonly known as researcher Maung Maung.

When it comes to the history of the gramophone in Myanmar, no one knows as much as Maung Maung who has collected almost a century's worth of gramophone records—from the records of a play by Saya Pu—a court artist in the reign of Myanmar's last monarch King Thibaw in late 19th Century—to the last gramophone record produced in Myanmar in 1976 by classical musician Kyaukpadaung Kyaw Lwin in 1976.

He started collecting gramophone records while he was a student after his grandmother gave him a gramophone and kept on collecting through various stages of his life as a university student, a police officer, and then a lawyer.

Gramophone records have recorded Myanmar's classical music, traditional culture and historical events that were previously passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth as well as from books and literature, he said.

Gramophone records of the colonial period. (Myo Min Soe/The Irrawaddy.)

"Around 1972 I was attending university [in Yangon] and gramophones started to lose popularity," he recalled, "Because of the invention of cassette players and the decline in quality of gramophone records."

He related the quality decline to the socialist system being practiced by Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) at the time.

As cassette players became popular, people were selling their old gramophones to dealers. "At that time, people started to exchange their gramophones for cassette players. Later, gramophones were [discarded and] stacked in piles like bricks."

"Nobody would stop you if you take them because people thought they were garbage and you've just cleared it. If I had been the director-general of [State Broadcaster] Myanma Radio and Television [MRTV], I would have taken them by car," he said about the demise of gramophones.

He scavenged through piles of gramophones and records in Yangon and took his favorites back to his native Daik-U Township in Bago Region.

"My father also helped me collect newspaper adverts for gramophone records," he said.

After he graduated, he worked as a school teacher back in Daik-U and taught his students Myanmar literature and nationalism which was taken from Anyeint and marionette songs, and plays in gramophone records, which he had collected.

Maung Maung’s research book on gramophone records. (Myo Min Soe/The Irrawaddy.)

Then he joined the police force and served as a police chief in a number of townships in Bago Region.

"While I was serving as a police chief, I told second-hand goods dealers like this. I don't care anything else but gramophones and records. I would buy any, and any consequence is yours if you don't sell me," he explained how he collected gramophone records.

When he heard somebody had some rare gramophone records, he went there along with his gramophone. He bought gramophone records if owners sold, but when owners didn't, requested owners to let him play it on his gramophone.

He continued collecting gramophone records while he was working as a lawyer after retiring from the police force. He continued to get gramophones and records from his clients and friends.

Former information minister U Kyi Aung, who is also a gramophone fanatic, once solicited him to donate his gramophone records to his ministry, but he refused.

However, with the approval of the minister, he got an opportunity to group the gramophone records of MRTV according to their genres.

Maung Maung’s in-house gramophone records collections. (Myo Min Soe/The Irrawaddy.)

"MRTV has plenty of gramophone records, but not as many as my archive in terms of records with real historical values, for example, only I have the original record of the song Doh Bamar which was the origin of today's Myanmar national anthem and sung by Thakhins in colonial period."

"However, that was very beneficial to my research on gramophones. I am grateful to authorities for this," he said.

Based on his collection of records, newspaper clippings and adverts and references, he published a 1000-page research book on the country's gramophone disc history, for which he won the national literature award in 2015.

Maung Maung shows a gramophone. (Myo Min Soe/The Irrawaddy.)

Regarding the book, historian Dr Toe Hla said: "This is a book which has never existed before, and which every artist should keep."

"From this book, scholars and researchers can find the history of artists and songs of eras, and socio-economy and faith reflected by songs," he remarked.

"I collected them because I'm crazy about it. I'll figure out the arts, history, literature, tradition and culture reflected in those records. I will share the quality of old classical Myanmar songs and standards of Myanmar literature to younger generations and international gramophone disc researchers," he said.

A gramophone record disc of British Burma Film Co. (Myo Min Soe/The Irrawaddy.)

About the future of over 100,000 records which he collected for nearly six decades, he said: "Frankly speaking, I don't expect to receive help from the [information] ministry."

"If I say something, they [information ministry officials] would reply they would submit a letter to the minister or come back again at this or that time. I don't care. In fact, they should come to us. If they don't, I will do it on my own. But if there are people who know the value and can afford to keep my records in a museum or alike, I will transfer them," he said.

"I'll keep on collecting those records. That's my life," he said.

Gramophones and accessories. (Myo Min Soe/The Irrawaddy.)

The post Myanmar's Gramophone Record Collector appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Dateline Irrawaddy: Will International Sanctions Over Rakhine Impede Myanmar’s Democratic Transition

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 08:35 PM PDT

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! Ongoing conflicts in Rakhine State have had a considerable impact on Myanmar's democratic transition. It is likely that western countries will impose targeted sanctions on the Myanmar Army. Under such circumstances, how will Tatmadaw leaders respond? How will Myanmar's relations with the international community change? What are the policies and weaknesses of the government in handling the issue? And will the Rakhine issue put the country's democratic transition in a negative direction? Ethnic affairs and Rakhine issue analyst U Maung Maung Soe joins me to discuss these issues. I'm Irrawaddy English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe.

ရခိုင္အေရးေၾကာင့္ ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံ က်ရႈံးေနၿပီလား (႐ုပ္/သံ)

Posted by The Irrawaddy – Burmese Edition on Wednesday, October 25, 2017

The Rakhine issue broke out months ago on Aug. 25, and is not yet over. First of all, I think it has had a profound impact on the democratic transition of the country. Myanmar was a charmer on the international stage before the most recent and serious outbreaks of violence in Rakhine over the past three years and even since 2011 when the country started to open up. Everyone was interested in the country and wanted to come and invest. But the problem we are facing is quite serious as around 500,000 to 600,000 have left the country. It is a black stain on Myanmar's democratic transition. Recently, the US State Department said that targeted sanctions would be imposed on Myanmar. They assessed that the security forces led by the military, rather than the government, used excessive force in conducting clearance operations. It is likely that targeted sanctions will be imposed on military leaders by the US or the EU. What will be the response if that happens, and how will our country's relations with the international community change?

Maung Maung Soe: As you've said, it is true that Rakhine issue has become a setback in Myanmar's democratic transition. But I don't think the international community will impose the same punishments as the past. There were strict sanctions while the country was under the military regime.

KZM: Including economic sanctions.

MMS: Yes. But this time, they would assume that the military is mainly responsible, and put limited sanctions. If they impose sanctions on the military, they would target some military leaders. Such sanction would have an impact on the functions of the military. But for the country as a whole, it is unlikely to create impact. But then, it may have some impact on the national reconciliation efforts of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. As President U Htin Kyaw has said in his message to the UN [at 72nd Anniversary], I'd like to urge the UN to pay attention to the interests of each individual UN member. I mean, the UN needs to understand the democratic transition and complexity of our country. I don't mean they should ignore the Bengali issue. Call it a human rights problem or citizenship problem of Bengalis, it is important that the truth is adhered to. The problem today has not just erupted recently, but had been simmering for years—since 2012 or even before. So, it is not reasonable to punish the current government for this. It would be best for the international community to support the reforms of the government, I think. If it imposes sanctions, it would hinder the reforms of the government.

KZM: In the early days of the conflict, the international community blamed both the government and the military. Now, they blame separately, saying that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi doesn't have complete authority over security forces. They now target the military. Anyway, the military leadership plays a major role in the democratic transition of Myanmar. So, the US, UK and EU have invited and held talks with the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services. Regarding relations with other countries and the military, for example, UK has cancelled engagement with the Myanmar military and stopped a scholarship program immediately. And Myanmar military responded that it would not send [staff to the UK]. So, I think it is difficult to restore such relations between international countries and the military leadership?

MMS: Yes, it would be difficult. I think it will have an impact on the democratic transition of Myanmar. The problem erupted all of a sudden, but because of long-running causes. It erupted while the government of National League of Democracy (NLD) was starting to make changes to it. The international community said that the report of Kofi Annan commission is acceptable to them. And Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said that she would implement what she can start with the recommendations in the report. Shouldn't the international community wait and see? If they are forcibly putting pressure on the government rather than encouraging it [to implement those recommendations], the outcome would not be good. Again, we can't leave out the military in national reconciliation process. This is the problem of our country.

KZM: Concerning the Rakhine issue, most of the Myanmar people and commentators better understand the situation, but the international community—maybe they have got in a corner because of alleged human rights violations and the UN's strong criticism—according to the UN figures, 500,000 to 600,000 refugees have left Myanmar. Therefore the United States of America as well as other countries are compelled to do something. But then, thinking our local politics simply about national reconciliation, the cooperation of Tatmadaw is extremely important for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government in democratic transition. If sanctions are targeted at the Tatmadaw, will it affect the relations between the two?

MMS: Yes, it will. If this happens, there will be increased tensions in our country. The increased tensions will make democratic transition more difficult. Then, our country is likely to be faced with another serious crisis.

KZM: The current situation suggests that we are back in a crisis.

MMS: Yes, we are back in a big crisis. Talking of the military, it has not got a positive reputation both at home and abroad. At such a time, there arose criticisms [concerning its response in Rakhine]. Excessive force might have been used in operations in Buthidaung and Maungdaw. And the Tatmadaw said that it was investigating [into alleged abuses]. But then, Bengalis fled not only because of security forces using excessive force. Because they keep on fleeing in the past two months. We need to find out the reason why they are fleeing. It is no longer because the security forces use force. Security forces might have used force in the early days [of the conflict]. But we didn't witness on the ground. Yes, there might have been the use of excessive force. But then, as far as I'm concerned, organizations related to Bengalis and ARSA [Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army] are gathering those refugees in Bangladesh. They are doing so to demand their political rights like in the case of Kosovo, I assume. We need to foresee such a possibility. You can't approach to this problem one-sidedly.

KZM: The Rakhine issue has put Myanmar's politics back into tight corners. Anyway, the government has to address this issue. And it is addressing. The international aid may not directly come into Myanmar like it did in the past. It seems that the aid may go to those 600,000 refugees who have fled from Myanmar. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has recently accepted donations from local businessmen for rehabilitation works in Rakhine State. She received nearly 18 billion kyats. So, according to this and her previous messages, it seems that her policy is kind of self-reliance for rehabilitation. But, international assistance is also necessary for us. What will the government require to solve the Rakhine issue, and to get out of this tight corner?

MMS: As you've said, the international assistance to Myanmar will decline. It is estimated that a sum of over US$ 400 million will be required to help refugees in Bangladesh. But then, only over US$ 300 million was earmarked at the meeting [of UN agencies in Geneva]. So, it seems that the large proportion of the sum will go to refugees in Bangladesh. So, we have to do our own for rehabilitation. Though the government has got 18 billion kyats now, it won't be sufficient. But then what we need mainly is political strength. As the report of Kofi Annan Commission has pointed out, representatives of two communities must involve in solving this issue. For the time being, there are many difficulties and restrictions for Bengali representatives to participate. We still can't reach them. But for Arakanese community, we can involve representatives elected by Arakanese people. They may have different and radical views. But those differences must be addressed through negotiation. We must involve in Arakanese community and their representatives in solving this problem. It is the only way forward on self-reliant basis. Now, there are committees for Rakhine State such as Rakhine State development committee, committee to implement the recommendations of advisory commission, and the last one committee for humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation and development committees formed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. But then, those committees do not include people of concerned societies. If we are to go on a self-reliant basis, representatives of the Arakanese community must be included. The problem must be solved together with them. Some of them may have extreme views and may oppose against illegal Bengali immigrants. In a recent interview [about the violence in Rakhine], a teacher from Indaing said his father was murdered in violence, and they could do nothing. So they are emotional to accept them back or co-exist with them. On Oct. 21 evening, two Diangnet villagers from Aung Thabyay village were killed while they were hunting a boar. Two escaped but with injuries. So, such attacks have not yet been over. So, they are deeply emotional, and we can't stop them from feeling emotional. However, we must solve the problem together with them. Because they live in there.

KZM: After the Aug. 25 attacks, refugees fled, many Hindus as well as other local ethnic people were killed. And there were a lot of arson attacks. Taking a look at the big picture, the bitter truth is that it is now very difficult to restore harmony between two communities—the Rakhine community and the other community. I think it is hard to restore the situation even before August 25. The problem in Rakhine, the western gate of Myanmar has affected the entire country. The peace process is not yet over, and the NCA [Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement] is not yet signed by all groups though it has been two years [since the first signing of NCA]. The fire is burning in Rakhine State and touch wood, if clashes recur? What do you assess?

MMS: It is a real cause for concern. In national reconciliation of our country, federalism is the key.

KZM: It is the most basic part.

MMS: Seven ethnic groups of FPNCC [Federal Political Negotiation Consultative Committee] which accounts for around 80 percent of armed ethnic groups have not yet signed NCA. While we are facing a problem at the western gate of the country, and the international pressure is mounting, we do hope that tensions [with armed ethnic armed groups] could be defused. However, according to what I heard from the speeches on 2nd year anniversary of NCA on Oct. 15, [the government and the military] stick to NCA, and there was criticism against those who don't sign NCA. The government didn't talk much, but the military voiced criticism. It is still difficult to bring those to table to hold political talks on national reconciliation. At such time, there are some tensions. There were tensions after SSPP [Shan State Progressive Party] troops in Wan Hai [SSPP Headquarters] area were asked to move from there in order to build a road on the bank of Thanlwin River. Then, tensions eased and recently rose again when [SSPP] troops stationed between Thanlwin River and the south of Mongshu, Mongtung were asked to move. If they refuse to move, there may be clashes. Likewise other armed ethnic groups based in northern Myanmar such as TNLA [Ta'ang National Liberation Army], AA [Arakan Army], Kokang and KIA [Kachin Independence Army]—if they can't participate in political dialogue for not signing NCA, will they just do nothing to achieve their ambitions? Or if the military will carry out assault? What will happen in western gate if large-scale wars break out in northern Myanmar? Though ARSA is not making serious attacks at the moment, it is not impossible that they may take advantage of clashes in northern area, should it happen, and launch attacks in western gate. If then, our country is likely to become a failed state. As I've said, the government should make relaxations at the same time so that armed ethnic groups can join the peace talks. Only then, it will be able to pull our country out of crisis. Otherwise, our country will get into worse crisis, I'm worried.

KZM: Scholars assess that Myanmar has become nearly a failed state. They say Myanmar is on the verge of becoming a failed state, and just one more step away from it. I think our country is in a corner. Both the government and the military are in a corner. And it is fair to say that the international community is in a corner in handling Myanmar. If they don't take these things into consideration, what they did once to support and assist to democratize Myanmar will come to nothing. Thank you for your discussion.

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Friday, October 27, 2017

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Parliament to Consider Reinstating Gen Aung San on Currency

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 06:37 AM PDT

YANGON — It has been nearly three decades since the former military junta phased out pictures of the country's late independence hero Gen. Aung San on the bank notes.

But on Friday, a proposal to once again put the late hero's image on currency was agreed to discuss at the Lower House.

National League for Democracy (NLD)'s lawmaker U Aung Khin Win of Magwe Region's Myaing Township submitted a proposal on Friday urging the Union Government to issue future notes showing the face of Gen. Aung San.

"It goes without saying that people would love to use banknotes with the image of Bogyoke rather than with pictures of a lion or elephant," he told parliament.

Pictures of Gen. Aung San were first printed on currency notes in 1958, 10 years after he was assassinated along with other eight colleagues. Thakhin Pho Hla Gyi, who was a central figure in the first oil field workers' protest against British oil companies in the colonial era, and Saya San, who was a central figure in the massive peasants' rebellion against the British rulers, also featured on the 45 kyat note and 95 kyat notes in 1987.

But those bills were gradually removed from circulation after 1988, the year of a crackdown by the ruling military regime on pro-democracy protestors. The banknotes were later redesigned with a lion or elephant on the front and the country's famous buildings and landscapes on the other side.

Until today, individual collectors still keep bank notes with Aung San's image. They can still be found for sale by street vendors in Yangon as novelty items, in denominations as low as 1 kyat.

MP U Kan Myint of Magwe Region's Thanyat Township seconded the proposal on Friday.

He said in other countries banknotes feature the pictures of kings, queens, heroes and prominent figures in honor of their efforts. America's George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson and more are featured. China's Mao Zedong, India's Mohandas Gandhi, Thai's Bhumibol Adulyadej are also all featured on banknotes in their respective countries, he added.

"It is really sad to see Myanmar's currency feature animals rather than heroes," he told the MPs.

He previously asked last November if there a plan to replace banknotes with Gen. Aung San pictures.

At the time of U Kan Myint's question, the Central Bank mentioned Myanmar's economic stability, saying the cost of replacing the banknotes of various denominations with redesigned notes could be between 100 billion to 300 billion kyats.

"My proposal is totally different from the previous question. We will need to print new banknotes to replace the damaged notes or to release new sizes or new denominations. At that time, we can print with Bogyoke Aung San pictures," MP U Aung Khin Win told MPs.

He added that the new banknotes have been printed every two or three years. In 2009, the Central Bank released the 5, 000 kyat notes and in 2012, 10, 000 kyat notes and in 2014, the new size of 200, 500, 1000 kyat notes.

The post Parliament to Consider Reinstating Gen Aung San on Currency appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Two Kachin Pastors Sentenced for Unlawful Association

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 05:54 AM PDT

CHIANG MAI — Lashio Township Court in northern Shan State sentenced two Kachin pastors to two and four years imprisonment under three charges including unlawful association on Friday.

Dumdaw Nawng Latt, 65, received four years and three months under Article 17[1] of the Unlawful Association Act, section 8 of Import/Export Act and section 500 of the Defamation Act in the Penal Code. Langjaw Gam Seng, 35, was sentenced to two years and three months under the first two charges.

Two members of the Kachin Baptist Convention in Mong Ko were abducted by Myanmar Army troops on Dec. 24, 2016, leaving no knowledge for the family on their whereabouts.

Three weeks later in January, the Tatmadaw released the information that they had detained the two pastors for helping the Northern Alliance and spreading wrong information. They were later handed over to police custody and charges were put against them.

Zau Ra, secretary of the Kachin Baptist Convention in Mong Mawng, told The Irrawaddy on Friday the KBC would make appeals for them at the higher court.

"We want them to be released unconditionally," Zau Ra said, stressing their innocence.

They were arrested and charged for helping journalists including The Irrawaddy reporters visit the site of a church reportedly destroyed by rockets fired from a Myanmar Army fighter jet, following the Nov. 20 attack by the Northern Alliance forces: Taang Nationalities Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Kachin Independent Army (KIA) in northern Shan State.

Dundaw Naung Latt is the chairman of the Mong Ko's Kachin Baptist Convention and he received an additional two years for defamation. The military accused him of criticizing the Tatmadaw while being interviewed by media, explained Zau Ra.

Major Kyaw Zin Tun of Bridage 99 acted as plaintiff and filed the complaints at the Muse Township Court in January.

Since March they have had eight court hearings and received the final verdict today.

But on Friday verdict, the trial was tightly controlled, as journalists could not even take pictures of the accused outside of the court, said Lamai Mai Mai, a Kachin youth activist, who went to listen to the verdict.

"Today's verdict is another reminder that in Myanmar, human rights defenders have a choice: silence or a sentence," said David Baulk, Myanmar Human Rights Specialist with Fortify Rights.

He said, "These two men are looking at years in jail for doing what the Myanmar government should be doing anyway, standing up for the human rights of innocent people."

The National League for Democracy (NLD) government and the Tatmadaw have shown efforts to achieve peace in the country, despite clashes continuing in the northern Shan State.

The government's peace negotiation body, the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC), which includes military representatives, has not able to create ceasefires with active ethnic armed groups in the region, or end claims of human rights violations.

"It's astonishing that government representatives can keep a straight face while they talk about their efforts to build peace. The Myanmar military continues to kill, injure and displace civilians in the war in the north, and to get away with it," said David Baulk.

"The biggest obstacle to ending human rights violations in this country is the unchecked power of the military – and the impunity with which they operate."

The post Two Kachin Pastors Sentenced for Unlawful Association appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Life in Bangladesh Refugee Camps

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 05:39 AM PDT

The US State Department on Monday said it had taken actions against current and former Myanmar military leaders by cutting off travel waivers and was considering further actions to impose economic measures against those responsible for atrocities against Rohingya.

Furthermore, the statement said all units and officers involved in operations in northern Rakhine State to be ineligible to receive or participate in any US assistance programs as well as rescinding invitations for senior Burmese security forces to attend US-sponsored events while exploring accountability mechanisms available under U.S. law, including Global Magnitsky targeted sanctions.

The US actions against the Myanmar military came at a time when the army has been condemned by international community for alleged arbitrary killings, arson and rape against Rohingya amid their clearance operations in northern Rakhine State in response to a series of militant attacks in August.

Followed by the operations, hundreds of thousands of Muslims have fled to Bangladesh to escape from the atrocities. Currently, the number of the refugees in Bangladeshi camps is more than 600,000 according to international aid agencies. Here are pictures from the camps reflecting the plight of the refugees that prompted the United States to take actions.

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Myanmar Gives Green Light to Resume Food Aid to Rakhine, says UN

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 04:14 AM PDT

GENEVA, Switzerland — Myanmar authorities have agreed to allow the United Nations to resume distribution of food in northern Rakhine state which was suspended for two months, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.

The WFP was previously distributing food rations to 110,000 people in northern Rakhine state – to both Buddhist and  Rohingya communities.

Rohingya insurgent attacks on police stations triggered an army crackdown, that the United Nations has called “ethnic cleansing”, and U.N. humanitarian agencies have not been able to access northern Rakhine to deliver aid since then.

“WFP has been given the green light to resume food assistance operations in northern part of Rakhine. We are working with the government to coordinate the details,” WFP spokeswoman Bettina Luescher told journalists in Geneva.

She had no timeline or details on the proposed distribution of rations to members of the Muslim Rohingya minority still living in northern Rakhine, and said it was still being discussed with the authorities in Myanmar.

“We just have to see what the situation on the ground is. It’s very hard to say these things if you can’t get in,” Luescher said.

The post Myanmar Gives Green Light to Resume Food Aid to Rakhine, says UN appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Illustrator on Inspirations, Humor and Storytelling

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 04:04 AM PDT

During his freshman year in college, Wunna Soe and his classmates were asked to mention the names of Myanmar painters that they knew. Unlike other students, all the names he gave belonged to comic artists. As an art student who majored in painting, he felt embarrassed for not knowing the difference between comics, cartoons and painting.

Nearly 20 years later, he is known as an illustrator, cartoonist, painter and animator. His latest works include "Thaa Shin Pyu" (Novice Ordination Ceremony), an award-winning short animation film about Myanmar parents' endeavors and sacrifices to monastically ordain their sons, which he directed under the name Edo Vader.

The 38-year-old artist is also praised for his brave political cartoons drawn under his pseudonym Be Ru Ma. However, not many people know that the pseudonyms Edo Vader and Be Ru Ma belong to the same artist. Regardless of the differences between cartoons, illustration and animation, for him they are all sourced from his childhood love of drawing.

"I started drawing when I was a kid—as young as 3- or 4-years old," Wunna Soe told The Irrawaddy at his downtown Yangon studio, filled with his paintings, collections of vintage cassette players and anime figures.

"I could not understand when my father explained to me at that time that the animated movies I watched were created with many drawings like the ones I drew," he said.

Wunna Soe working at his studio in downtown Yangon, October, 2017. (Photo: Myo Min Soe/ The Irrawaddy)

Makings of an Artist

Born in Kalay, a town in Sagaing Region situated in upper Myanmar, Wunna Soe is the youngest child of three siblings and the only one in the family who is now making a living as an artist.

Inspired by Disney movies that he watched as a child, he eventually started studying animation and even made some flipbook animations. Knowing without any doubt that he wanted to continue drawing, he went to Yangon University of Arts and Culture (YUAC) after high school in 1998.

While studying painting, Wunna Soe began drawing cartoons under the name Edo Vader. "Edo" means "most beloved" in ethnic Karen language and "Vader" is dedicated to the name of his favorite master of Myanmar traditional orchestra "Sein Baydar." He combined the transliterated version of "Baydar" with his childhood nickname "Edo," Wunna Soe explained.

An illustration by Edo Vader. (Supplied)

He distributed his comic strips for free on campus. Even though the strips only cost the price of a tea, the country was in deep poverty and he felt bad for college students who could not afford to buy cartoons.

"I just wanted them to read and enjoy my works," he said. "I didn't feel right if they would be unable to read my comics just because they didn't have enough money to spend," he added.

Political Cartoonist

As Wunna Soe immersed himself into drawing cartoons, his strips attracted a fan base at college. He satirized everything in his environment—from the lifestyles of college students to blackouts in Yangon to many other social issues. His fame as a political cartoonist came in light of the Saffron Revolution in 2007 that resulted in the death of several demonstrators and the arrest of hundreds of Buddhist monks by the junta.

Due to the military government's sensitivity to criticism and strict censorship at the time, he had to use a different pseudonym to hide his identity. Coinciding with his studying of the Japanese language, he chose the name "Be Ru Ma," meaning "Burma" in Japanese.

An editorial cartoon by Be Ru Ma. (Supplied)

"As I was drawing political cartoons, I wanted to remind myself that it was a fight against military dictatorship but not against military personnel, like it was a fight against fascism but not against Japanese people during the Japanese colonial time in Myanmar," he said on the thinking behind the pseudonym "Be Ru Ma."

Photojournalist and cinematographer J Paing said his editorial cartoons about the Saffron Revolution were "brave and memorable."

"He is very creative and his cartoon characters have got personalities," J Paing told The Irrawaddy.

"We can recognize and distinguish his cartoons from other ones drawn by different artists because he's got his own style," he added.

However, Wunna Soe said local artists U Ba Kyi, Maung Sein and Paw Oo Thet have a lot of influence on his works.

Wunna Soe aka Edo Vader at his studio in downtown Yangon, October, 2017. (Photo: Myo Min Soe/ The Irrawaddy)

Animating Myanmar

Wunna Soe escaped the political turmoil left in the dust of the Saffron Revolution to Thailand, where he worked for two and a half years for exiled media Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB). Then in 2012, the man of many interests left for Korea to do a master's degree in animation at the Korea National University of Arts.

Though acknowledging an unprecedented number of animation companies producing films in Myanmar, he stressed many lack narrative and storytelling skills. The companies must prioritize creativity over profit, he added.

A fan of American illustrator and painter Norman Rockwell and legendary Japanese animator and manga artist Hayao Miyazaki, Wunna Soe said he wants to present Myanmar traditional and cultural stories in a contemporary style.

"I always think about how I can include our traditional and cultural identities in my works," he said.

His film "Thaa Shin Pyu" won the best short film award at local Wathann Film Fest in September this year. It tells a story about a Myanmar father who risks his life securing money in order to hold a monastic novice ordination ceremony for his only son, addressing many realities and social issues in Myanmar—from land grabbing to illegal organ trade to corrupt institutions—all in a 12-minute piece.

Poster of Edo Vader's award-winning animation film "Thar Shin Pyu". (Supplied)

The festival's audience and judges praised the film as an emotional piece about a father's love and an honest portrayal of Myanmar society.

"If it's a comedy, I want to make it really humorous. If it's a sad piece, I want to make it really emotional," Edo Vader said of his film.

For J Paing, the award-winning animation lacks the trademark style of its creator. "As much as I liked the film, it's also hard to tell that its creator is the same person as the cartoonist Be Ru Ma whose works I used to enjoy," he said.

Next Chapter

While best known as a cartoonist and an animator, Edo Vader has also not stopped painting. He will have a solo exhibition in December this year in Yangon and, like his films, his paintings are a mixture of Myanmar aesthetics with a contemporary style. (He posted a sneak peek of his works on social media.

Illustrations of characters by Edo Vader created for messaging stickers in application Viber.

Wunna Soe would choose illustrations as his long-term profession over his other passions because he wants to fill a gap in the local industry of illustration, focusing on children's books.

"There is limited contents if we talk about children's literature in Myanmar. There are some story books but rarely is there illustration."

He currently makes illustrations for the Third Story Project that creates children's books in Myanmar language and other local ethnic languages, addressing various issues including tolerance, diversity, gender, environment and children's rights.

"We used to have more choices of books to read when we were young," he said.

"Now the industry is in desperate situation and it needs people like us to contribute," he said.

The post Myanmar Illustrator on Inspirations, Humor and Storytelling appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt to Provide Aid to Displaced Persons

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 03:57 AM PDT

YANGON – The Myanmar government will provide food supplies for internally displaced persons (IDPs) if requested, said U Zaw Htay, director-general of the State Counselor Office.

Leaders of IDP camps can contact the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) if they are short on food, he told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday.

Refugee repatriation, rehabilitation and support is one of the issues the government and the ethnic armed organizations have included in their social sector discussions in ceasefire implementation.

"The State Counselor [Daw Aung San Suu Kyi] has already set out policies regarding IDPs. Our government will provide assistance in food, health and education and so on for them. They now receive aid from NGOs. If they are short [of food] because of cuts by NGOs, they should contact NRPC. NRPC will provide help," said U Zaw Htay.

At present, about 150,000 IDPs from various camps in Kachin and northern Shan states still receive food supplies from the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), but many of the supplies have been cut since 2016 and camps are therefore facing food shortages.

There are over 160 IDP camps in Kachin and northern Shan states, both in areas controlled by the government and armed ethnic groups, since citizens left their homes following the renewal of fighting between the government and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in June 2011, as well as active fighting with other armed groups in northern Shan state.

In addition, Myanmar has more than 110,000 IDPs in 24 townships in the southeast of the country, including in Karen, Karenni and Shan states, and nearly 100,000 refugees on the Thailand-Myanmar border because of the country's 70-year civil war, according to the The Border Consortium.

Food support has been gradually drying up since the country's peace process began.

Regarding Shan IDP camps on the Myanmar-Thai border which are facing food shortages, U Zaw Htay said said camp leaders can contact NRPC to get food for IDPs there.

"For IDPs inside our country, we can provide aid immediately. But for refugees [on the Thailand border], it is a little complicated as we have to talk with the Thai government," said U Zaw Htay.

"CSOs (Civil Society Organizations) in Kachin are working in cooperation with Dr Win Myat Aye [Union minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement]. And IDP camps in Shan State can contact us if they also want to receive help," he added.

If requests for food supplies are made to the government, the State Counselor and representatives of the Myanmar Army, Parliament and the government's Peace Commission will discuss them at regular meetings of the NRPC. Concerned state governments and ministries will provide assistance according to the decisions of the meeting, said U Zaw Htay.

According to U Zaw Htay, the government will provide food to IDPs with funds from three sources—funds of the Union and concerned state governments, funds of the NRPC and funds of the Coordination Body for Peace Process Funding (JCB).

U Zaw Htay continued that food supplies could be requested from the government through these three channels. Leaders of IDP camps can submit the list of IDPs and details about the camp directly to the NPRC to request food supplies.

Ethnic signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) can also ask for help through their peace talks, and CSOs helping IDP camps can seek assistance from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.

Saw Steve, the chairperson of the Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People (CIDKP), said he had not heard of such a plan yet from the current NLD government and this would be a new initiative. But he said under the then Myanmar Peace Centre, IDPs in Karen State had received the support mainly for rehabilitation, not relief, through the Japanese Nippon Foundation's support for conflict-affected people.

"The support under the conflict-affected people was mainly for the IDPs as well as local villagers in the area. We have not had any experience before of the government directly providing support to the IDPs," he said.

State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has coordinated with the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) for helping out the IDPs in Kachin and northern Shan State, following their meeting in Naypyitaw in July. The State Counselor instructed the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement to provide assistance in food, education, health and job opportunities to IDPs both in areas controlled by both the Union government and the KIA in Kachin State.

This month, the Thai border-based Shan State Refugee Committee (SSRC) said that six IDP camps along the Myanmar-Thai border which shelter over 6,200 people will run out of food starting this month. Those IDPs—who fled from their homes due to the fighting between the Restoration Council of Shan State and the Myanmar Military in late 1990s—are not recognized as refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR), although they receive international relief support.

A report released by the Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) in August said aid to refugees along the Thailand Myanmar border should not be cut as fighting continues in Shan State. Two of the six camps—Loi Tai Laeng and Loi Kaw Wan—also had to move around in 2006 and 2009 respectively after the Thailand authorities accused them of crossing into their territory and told them to return to Myanmar.

Lung Sai Pieng, SSRC secretary who which oversees six IDP camps, told The Irrawaddy that as they are facing a food shortage, they want to receive support from the government and are hoping the government will assist the victims of civil war.

He told the Irrawaddy this week that the news that U Zaw Htay relayed about helping IDPs is new to him and they did not know about it before. "As we know now, we would discuss between our committee and would communicate with the government," he said.

The post Govt to Provide Aid to Displaced Persons appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

TNLA Members Rape School Headmistress in Shan State

Posted: 27 Oct 2017 02:22 AM PDT

YANGON — Two members of Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA)—an ethnic armed group often clashing with the Tatmadaw—raped a school headmistress in a village in Kyaukme Township, northern Shan State, according to the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services' Office.

Two individuals wearing TNLA uniforms raped the 44-year-old headmistress in Mankauk village in Kyaukme Township outside her house around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, said the report.

Brig-Gen Tar Bong Kyaw, spokesperson of TNLA, confirmed the rape: "Yes, they are our soldiers. We've detained them in a cell."

The TNLA military court will hand down penalties that fit their crime, he said, adding that he was not clear exactly how the two committed the crime.

"I don't know the details. But the rape case has been confirmed. We've instructed that a speedy trial be held to punish them," he said.

"We'll open a case at the police station," said deputy education officer of Kyaukme Township U Kyaw Win. "We've now brought the headmistress to Kyaukme."

The township education department has also brought 13 other female teachers from Mankauk village school to Kyaukme as the rape case has thrown the teachers into a panic.

"The teachers will go back to their school when normalcy is restored there. We've brought them as they are a bit frightened now," said U Kyaw Win.

The Kyaukme Township Education Department has also filed complaints with the township general administration department and the district education department, and the school in Mankauk village has been closed as teachers are sheltering in Kyaukme.

The Irrawaddy contacted the Kyaukme Township police station to inquire about the case, and police said that the case happened in the controlled area of Monglon police station which will be responsible for handling the case.

"Monglon is too far from us. It is difficult to contact them because they are a local police station. We only have contact with them through walkie-talkie. We don't even have their phone numbers," said the police officer of Kyaukme Township police station.

TNLA is active in a number of townships including Nawnghkio, Kyaukme, Hsipaw, Namhsan, Lashio, Kutkhaing, Namtu, Mantong, Manhsam, and Manpan in northern Shan State.

The post TNLA Members Rape School Headmistress in Shan State appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Appeal to Deny Myanmar Now Editor Bail Fails

Posted: 26 Oct 2017 10:55 PM PDT

MANDALAY — A court in Mandalay rejected on Friday an appeal to revoke bail for Ko Swe Win, chief editor of news agency Myanmar Now.

The editor was detained and then released on bail in July after Mandalay resident U Kyaw Myo Shwe filed a complaint under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, accusing Ko Swe Win of insulting ultranationalist monk U Wirathu.

The plaintiff opposed the granting of bail and filed an appeal in September. However, Mandalay District Court decided it would not deny bail.

"The court said it will give bail to the Myanmar Now editor and he will continue the trial at the township court," said Ko Swe Win's lawyer U Myo Min Zaw.

Ko Swe Win will continue the trial at Maha Aung Myay Township Court next week.

The post Appeal to Deny Myanmar Now Editor Bail Fails appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

‘Like a Roar’: Dozens Killed in Blasts at Indonesia Fireworks Plant

Posted: 26 Oct 2017 10:48 PM PDT

KOSAMBI, Indonesia — Two explosions tore through a fireworks factory on the outskirts of Indonesia's capital on Thursday, killing at least 47 people and injuring dozens.

It was one of Indonesia's worst industrial disasters and is likely to cast a new spotlight on lax safety standards in the Southeast Asian country, where rules are often ignored or weakly enforced.

Workers had no time to escape from the plant in Tangerang, an industrial and manufacturing hub to the west of Jakarta, after the explosions that one neighbor described as a "roar" that could be heard miles away.

A video of the scene inside the warehouse, widely shared on social media, showed charred bodies sprawled about the burnt-out factory, and Reuters reporters at the scene saw grass scorched over an area about 10 meters (33 feet) from the site.

"People were burned so badly you couldn't see their faces … It was really bad," said search and rescue official Deden Nurjaman, who expected the death toll to climb as more bodies were found inside the factory.

Fireworks are frequently used in Indonesia for religious and other celebrations, and are widely available.

There have been a series of major fires in Indonesia this year, including one that engulfed one of Jakarta's main markets.

Thick, dark plumes of smoke billowed from the factory through the afternoon as an inferno took hold. As night fell, the PT Panca Buana Cahaya Sukses warehouse was still smoldering and there was a stench of chemicals and burning plastic.

Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono told Metro Television that 47 bodies had been discovered, 46 people were injured and 10 people were unaccounted for. He said the missing might have left with light injuries or not have been working at the time.

One of the first policemen on the scene, Raymond Masengi, told Metro TV that he and other officers had to smash holes in the factory wall to help the injured escape.

Fiza, a doctor in the emergency unit at Tangerang General Hospital, said he was treating seven people, some of them with burns to more than 80 percent of their bodies. Three were in critical condition.

A nearby mosque held prayers for the victims.

'Like a Roar'

Forensic police worked in fading light to examine the debris, setting up a few floodlights to try and establish the cause of the blaze.

Yuwono said police were looking into the permit of the factory, which was close to a school and housing and—according to media reports—had been operating for only two months.

A witness who lives around the corner from the factory said she heard an explosion "like a roar."

"I dressed and stepped outside the house, and saw the flames, they were almost in my face. The smoke, the heat was in my face. I panicked, I was scared, I picked up my son and ran away from the fire," said Kartini, 40, who uses one name, like many Indonesians.

Hundreds of children at a school just 100 meters (yards) from the factory jumped in terror over a wall as the explosions boomed, dropping books and bags in their haste to get away.

Science teacher Asep Mahmud, 47, said: "There were several small explosions and then one really big one that shook our buildings and desks."

The post 'Like a Roar': Dozens Killed in Blasts at Indonesia Fireworks Plant appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Tillerson Tells Myanmar Army Chief US Concerned About Reported Atrocities

Posted: 26 Oct 2017 10:41 PM PDT

WASHINGTON, United States — US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke on Thursday with Myanmar's army chief and expressed concern over reported atrocities against self-identifying Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State, the US State Department said in a statement.

Tillerson urged the army chief, Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, to support the Myanmar government in ending the violence and allowing the safe return of ethnic self-identifying Rohingya who have fled the area, the statement said.

More than 600,000 self-identifying Rohingya Muslims have fled Rakhine State in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, mostly to neighboring Bangladesh, since security forces responded to self-identifying Rohingya militants' attacks on Aug. 25 by launching a crackdown.

The State Department is considering formally declaring the crackdown on self-identifying Rohingya Muslims to be ethnic cleansing.

In his call with Min Aung Hlaing, Tillerson also urged the Myanmar military to facilitate humanitarian aid for displaced people, allow media access and cooperate with a UN investigation into allegations of human rights abuses, the State Department said.

Pressure has mounted for a tougher US response to the self-identifying Rohingya crisis ahead of President Donald Trump's maiden visit to Asia next month when he will attend a summit of Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, in Manila.

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Remains of Late Thai King Collected After Night of Tears and Ancient Funeral Rites

Posted: 26 Oct 2017 09:58 PM PDT

BANGKOK, Thailand — The cremated remains of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej were collected on Friday as part of an elaborate, five-day funeral ceremony that drew hundreds of thousands of black-clad mourners to Bangkok's historic old quarter.

King Bhumibol was the world's longest-reigning monarch when he died a year ago aged 88. His seven-decade rule spanned some of the most tumultuous moments in modern Thai history, including several coups, a deadly crackdown on student protesters, natural disasters and a regional financial crisis.

His son, new King Maha Vajiralongkorn, presided over the burning of his father's remains in a golden crematorium in a dramatic, late-night ceremony in the Thai capital on Thursday.

Many mourners stayed to watch as smoke rose from the crematorium. Some broke down in tears at the end of what was an emotionally charged day, the mid-point of the lavish, US$90 million ceremony. Others had travelled many miles to pay their final respects to their revered late king.

Shielded from the sun by a large white-and-gold umbrella, King Vajiralongkorn led a religious ceremony in the morning to collect his father's remains. He sprinkled the bones with sacred water as classical Thai music played in a ceremony that was televised live.

The remains were blessed by Thailand's Supreme Patriarch, the head of the order of Buddhist monks. The late king's bones will be taken to the Grand Palace, where he had lain in state since his death last October.

Although Thailand does not conduct polls on the monarchy's popularity—partly because of strict laws that protect the royal family from insult—the king built up a wide personal following and is often referred to as "father."

In a ceremony steeped in colors, ancient traditions and beating drums, a royal urn was brought from the Grand Palace to the cremation site in three processions on Thursday.

The ceremony brought Thailand to a standstill as many businesses, including banks, shut to honor the late king.

The late king's nine-spired crematorium, built to honor the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty, features intricate carvings and staircases with sculptures of nagas—a half-human, half- cobra beings—among other mythical creatures.

Pictures of mourners wearing black and holding photographs of the late king flooded social media in Thailand, with many using popular hashtags such as #rama9, #kingofkings, and #thegreatestking.

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Rakhine Border Trade Running Again, Says Commerce Chairman

Posted: 26 Oct 2017 07:26 AM PDT

YANGON — Border trade in northern Rakhine State's Maungdaw Township has resumed, as the region has stabilized, according to the Maungdaw Border Trade Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber's chairman U Aung Myint Thein said trade stopped when the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) staged an early morning offensive on 30 police outposts in the district on August 25 although authorities did not officially announce the suspension of trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

In response, the Myanmar Army launched clearance operations against ARSA in the region that forced at least 600,000 Muslims to flee for Bangladesh. International rights groups and Muslim villagers accused members of the security forces of committing arson, killings and rape.

The violence halted to the Bangladesh border many exports such as ginger roots, dried fish and rice. Arakanese businessman U Aung Thein said the majority of traders' goods, including his own, perished in storage over the past two months.

U Aung Thein planned to export nearly 20 boats filled with ginger roots to Bangladesh before conflict in Maungdaw erupted in August.

"The fresh ginger is already dry as we have kept it for a couple months and [a recent Islamic festival] is over now," said U Aung Thein.

While the demand for fresh ginger is low, said U Aung Thein, demand for rice and dried fish is very high because of the sheer number of self-identifying Rohingya refugees—known locally as "Bengali" by many—sheltering in Bangladesh's Teknaf district.

U Aung Thein explained that a 50-kilogram bag of low-grade rice bag costs about 25,000 kyats in Maungdaw and about 32,000 kyats in a Bangladeshi market.

Muslim trader U Anowar, owner of Shwe Mya Ratanar Enterprise, who lives in downtown Maungdaw told The Irrawaddy over the phone on Thursday that the situation there has calmed and some businesspeople began trading again in mid-October. However, he said, most of the Muslim merchants have hesitated to do business, including himself, from fear of them or their families becoming a casualty in the troubles.

"People are worrying about conflict as much unverified information is circulating in the community. So they just briefly go shopping and then return home," he said.

Authorities have allowed shops—many run by Muslims—to open in municipal markets, he said, but only a handful of people sell goods for a couple of hours in the morning and shops close before the afternoon. The city's roads are not crowded in the daytime like they were before the conflict, he said, adding, "not many people go outside."

According to sources, security in downtown Maungdaw has tightened and more police checkpoints between Muslim and Arakanese quarters and village entrances have been deployed. Security forces ask people trying to enter downtown for national verification cards or official documents and check every package being brought in.

The Irrawaddy contacted the commerce office in Maungdaw to gauge the volume of border trade but there was no answer on Thursday.

Rakhine State government has been developing on the outskirts of Maungdaw the Kanyin Chaung border trade zone, a project estimated to cost about 2 billion kyats (US$1.5 million) altogether.

The project was begun under the Thein Sein administration and Rakhine State chief minister Nyi Pu, who was appointed by the National League for Democracy government, has earmarked 1.5 billions kyats of its 2017-18 fiscal year budget in order to complete construction.

According to government statistics, three foreign companies and 136 local companies are operating in the Maungdaw area, where trade this year is expected to reach US$6 million, with $5 million already reached by September.

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Police Open Cases After Fake Reports of Buddhist Academy Gun Haul

Posted: 26 Oct 2017 06:07 AM PDT

YANGON — A Yangon police station has opened cases under Myanmar's telecoms law against four unidentified Facebook users who allegedly spread false reports that police raided a well-known Buddhist academy and found firearms.

Stories circulated on Facebook on Oct. 23 said weapons and ammunition were discovered at Sitagu International Buddhist Academy's Yangon campus in North Dagon Township. The stories also claimed the academy's leading monks were detained for interrogation and urged the public to report suspicious monasteries.

The reports were widely shared, with many users quick to dismiss the news as fake. The academy—respected in Myanmar and abroad as a hub for Theravada Buddhism—reported the stories to North Dagon Township Police Station, complaining they were defamatory and damaged the image of the academy.

The station's police chief Than Zaw Min told The Irrawaddy they opened cases against four Facebook users under Article 66(d) of Myanmar's Telecommunications Law on Tuesday.

Police are still identifying the accounts' owners, he added.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture released a statement on Tuesday saying the reports were spread with the intention to incite racial and religious conflict in the country.

An account named "Faisal Thar Thakhin" first posted the news on Monday and "Myanmar News" page also posted it, the ministry stated.

Article 66(d) carries a maximum prison sentence of up to two years for "extorting, coercing, restraining wrongfully, defaming, disturbing any person using a telecommunications network."

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Police Charge 15 in Phyo Ko Ko Tint San Case

Posted: 26 Oct 2017 05:59 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Police have charged 15 individuals of ACE Company including company chairman U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San on 17 counts of illegal possession of firearms and illicit drugs and others, deputy home affairs minister Maj-Gen Aung Soe told reporters on Thursday.

"We've detained 15 persons in connection with this case, and are conducting investigation," said Maj-Gen Aung Soe.

On Oct. 15, police detained U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San, who is the son of sports minister under U Thein Sein's administration U Tint San, and two ACE employees at Naypyitaw Airport after discovering 12 WY tablets, 1.5 grams of methamphetamine, two pistols and 72 bullets in U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San's backpack.

According to to the deputy home affairs minister, a total of 24 firearms—20 guns and four air guns—have been seized from ACE hotel, company property, and U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San's houses in Naypyitaw and Yangon so far.

The 15 men are charged on ten counts in Naypyitaw and seven counts in Yangon of illegal possession of firearms and drugs as well as under the State Secrets Act, Export/Import Law and Telecommunications Law, according to the homes affairs ministry.

"We're collecting information from computer files and documents [of U Phyo Ko Tint San] and are investigating to identify more accomplices," said Maj-Gen Aung Soe.

U Than Zaw Aung, a lawyer based in Yangon, said U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San's case should be tried at a district level court because he is charged under the State Secrets Act which carries harsh penalties.

"If he is sentenced separately for separate counts, he may get over 20 years in prison. Each count could hand down three to seven years of imprisonment. And the charge under State Secrets Act is punishable by 14 years in prison. It depends on what the court will decide," U Than Zaw Aung told The Irrawaddy.

According to initial police investigation, U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San had been planning to establish a security company though none of the existing laws allows provision of armed security services by private companies.

U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San's case has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and progress on the investigation of the case will be informed to the public according to the approval of the Union government, said the deputy home affairs minister.

The post Police Charge 15 in Phyo Ko Ko Tint San Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Lower House to Debate Social Media Surveillance

Posted: 26 Oct 2017 01:40 AM PDT

NAYPYITAW — Lower House lawmakers will debate whether to monitor social media—particularly Facebook—and step up Internet surveillance after a motion passed on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

National League for Democracy (NLD) MP of Magwe Region's Gangaw Township Daw Yin Min Hlaing urged the government to monitor online activity, saying that irresponsible use of the Internet can disrupt law and order and corrupt morals.

"While the use of social media has increased a lot, [fabricated] reports that disrupt the stability of the state and morals of citizens are spread far and wide on social media. They have caused disruption and also negatively affect the current government," she told reporters after the parliament session.

She said fabricated reports along with religious and racial hate speech on social media have earned Myanmar a negative image on the international stage.

MP Daw Khin Moh Moh Aung of Latha Township seconded her proposal, saying that "egocentric power maniacs" are deliberately disrupting the transition of government and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by exploiting racial and religious issues and inciting emotions through the social media.

"A group of people are abusing social media to create misunderstanding between important stakeholders of the country and delay the national reconciliation process. So I support monitoring," said Daw Khin Moh Moh Aung.

While the country's democracy is still in its nascent stage, some people will easily sway citizens with low political awareness, which can pose a threat to the country, she argued.

Myanmar Media Council secretary U Thiha Saw said views differ among governments on the control of social media, citing the Chinese government as an example of a state that aims for complete control of social media, while it is unrestricted in most other governments.

He suggested educating netizens to become "intelligent users" rather than controlling social media would be better.

"Will a total ban be imposed or a tax be levied as people are saying? If tax is imposed, few people will use social media," he said.

"What is important is to use it beneficially. There may also be netizens who use it irresponsibly," he added.

"According to the proposal, users will have to register their Facebook accounts and it will make it easier to identify those who abuse," said U Tin Maung Win, chairman of Lower House Communications and Transportation Committee.

He said his committee has not yet received any suggestion about levying tax on Facebook users.

Fellow Asean members and other countries strictly monitor the identity of social media users, but Myanmar has not even been able to register all of its SIM card subscribers, Daw Yin Min Hlaing told the parliament.

U Ye Myat Thu, an IT expert in Mandalay, said: "You can't control social media like that. What you have to control is the behaviors of the people. Behaviors are influenced by how you grow up and what you are taught at school. It is to be controlled by the community. It is nothing to do with social media. If it is banned, people who swear will find another platform to swear."

Facebook is the most popular social media platform among Myanmar's netizens and according to Internet World Stats, there are 11 million Facebook users in Myanmar as of June, 2017.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Thai Capital Draped in Yellow as Tens of Thousands Gather for King’s Funeral

Posted: 25 Oct 2017 10:56 PM PDT

BANGKOK, Thailand — Amid beating drums , the whistle of an ancient flute and an artillery salute, Thailand began an elaborate ceremony steeped in ancient rites to mark the start on Thursday of a lavish cremation ceremony for revered late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Hundreds of thousands of mourners lined the streets of Bangkok to watch the funeral procession, with buildings on the route draped in yellow marigolds on the eve of his cremation.

Mourners dressed in black slept overnight on thin plastic mats on pavements near the Grand Palace in the Thai capital in order to secure a good view of the procession.

“This is the last goodbye. I really love and miss him. It is very difficult to describe,” said a tearful Pimsupak Suthin, 42, who travelled to Bangkok from the northern province of Nan for the funeral.

Officials dressed in blue and orange removed a symbolic golden urn from the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall at the start of the ceremony.

The late king’s body, which had been lying in state at the palace since his death a year ago, was moved to the cremation area on Wednesday night.

New King Maha Vajiralongkorn, King Bhumibol’s only son, arrived at the Grand Palace dressed in a red uniform with his two daughters and young son.

He presided over religious chanting as the urn was removed by soldiers and placed onto a golden chariot. Other senior members of the Thai royal family walked behind the urn.

All television stations in Thailand broadcast the ceremony that evoked images of ancient Siam, Thailand’s former name.

Officials in charge of the ceremony said around 110,000 members of the public had gathered near the cremation area, with another 200,000 in adjacent areas in the city’s historic centre.

Ancient Rites

The king’s cremation will feature a number of ancient rites. A series of processions leading the urn wound through the streets from the Grand Palace in Bangkok’s historic quarter to the 50-metre (165-feet) high Royal Crematorium that has been erected in a square nearby.

A sum of $90 million has been set aside for the funeral, the likes of which has never been seen in Thailand, officials in charge of preparations have said.

King Bhumibol, also known as King Rama IX, died last October aged 88 after ruling for seven decades. He played a pivotal role in maintaining stability during years of political upheaval and rapid development.

Piyamat Potsopho, 38, said she had been waiting for the king’s funeral procession since Wednesday night.

“I was very fortunate to have been born under the reign of King Rama IX,” she said.

Another Bangkok resident, Suchinda Samparp, 67, said: “It’s so hard to describe the dedication I’ve seen, how people have come out to help each other and how the late king has inspired this.”

Analysts say the king’s death has left a large vacuum in the Thai psyche.

Thailand has observed a year of mourning for King Bhumibol and radio and television stations have played songs dedicated to the monarch almost non-stop since his death.

The songs urge Thais to follow in “father’s footsteps”.

King Bhumibol is often referred to as “father” by Thais and is credited with reviving the popularity of the monarchy in Thailand.

Days of heavy rain failed to deter mourners, many of whom pitched tents in order to gain the best access to the funeral.

Many businesses around the Southeast Asian nation were shut, while Bangkok’s old quarter was draped in floral garlands made of marigolds. Some government buildings placed potted yellow marigolds around portraits of the late king.

King Bhumibol was born on a Monday, a day which Thais associate with the colour yellow.

The post Thai Capital Draped in Yellow as Tens of Thousands Gather for King's Funeral appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

N.Korea Leader Sends Congratulations to China’s Xi After Congress

Posted: 25 Oct 2017 10:11 PM PDT

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a rare congratulatory message to China's President Xi Jinping on Wednesday wishing the Chinese leader "great success" in his future tasks as head of the nation, the North's state media said.

The friendly gesture by the North Korean leader, who rarely issues personal messages, was sent at the end of China's all important Communist Party Congress at which Xi became China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.

The message comes as China is being urged by the international community to do more to rein in the North's missile and nuclear tests that have raised tensions globally.

"It expressed the conviction that the relations between the two parties and the two countries would develop in the interests of the peoples of the two countries," the North's state-run central news agency said in a statement on Thursday, citing the message sent by Kim to Xi.

"The Chinese people have entered the road of building socialism with the Chinese characteristics in the new era" under the guidance of Xi, the message also said.

The two countries often exchange routine diplomatic correspondence and ceremonial letters to each other on political anniversaries or political promotions, although personal messages to and from the bilateral leaders tend to be few.

Analysts said it was yet too early to tell whether or not ties between the two countries were warming up.

"Congratulatory messages between North Korea and China is an old story and reading too much into the message exchanged would be a one-sided analysis," said Yang Moo-jin, professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.

"It's what they usually do and not surprising at all."

China is the North's sole major ally, and accounts for more than 90 percent of trade with the isolated country.

Beijing has been called upon by several countries, especially the United States, to step up its efforts to curb North Korea's ambitions towards building a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile that can reach the United States.

It has shown it is irritated with Pyongyang following the isolated state's numerous missile launches and nuclear tests, repeatedly calling for restraint and urging all sides to speak and act carefully.

China has said it will strictly enforce UN Security Council sanctions banning imports of coal, textiles and seafood, while cutting off oil shipments to the North.

Meanwhile, North Korea has not engaged in any missile or nuclear provocations for over a month since mid-September, although the isolated state tends to test fewer missiles late in the year for unexplained reasons.

"North Korea has been walking a diplomatic tightrope by taking advantage of strategic mistrust between China and Russia, but it has not been easy as Beijing has sternly responded to its nuclear and missile provocations," said Kim Han-kwon, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul.

"China's party congress is over, but Kim Jong Un's concerns will only continue to deepen. The most significant event at hand is the upcoming summit between Xi and Trump," said Kim.

The post N.Korea Leader Sends Congratulations to China's Xi After Congress appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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