Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, once asserted that a government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people". In so doing, he firmly underlined the value of democracy and the characteristics of a democratic government. And in the 150 years since he uttered his famous phrase, these values and characteristics have spread and been adopted by people in countries across the globe. Myanmar is among the countries that are attempting to adopt such a democratic culture.
After many years of direct military rule, Myanmar in 2010 held a general election, which is a core element of a democratic culture. The military regime handed over power to an elected government led by Thein Sein in 2011. In 2012, the international democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy contested a by-election and she became a Member of Parliament.
In November 2015, the people of Myanmar again cast their votes for the NLD, hoping the party could make big changes, based on its campaign slogan, "Time for Change", which motivated voters to come to the polls in huge numbers. In particular, members of the ethnic minorities, who had suffered from civil war for many decades, cast their votes for the NLD, putting high expectations on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to end the fighting, restore the Panglong Agreement, and bring peace to the country.
Kachin youths lead a demonstration in Myitkyina on April 30 to demand the government help Kachin villagers trapped in the jungle by recent fighting.
Sadly, the country has fallen deeper into conflict and the party's slogan, Time for Change, is seldom heard. On top of the economic downturn, the decay of the freedom of press and religious freedom, Myanmar's civil war continues and seems unstoppable, in spite of the numerous negotiations that have taken place.
Due to the recent escalation of fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Kachin Independence Army, thousands of innocent civilians have been forced to flee from their homes, and many remain trapped in the jungle.
To help these desperate people, Christian leaders, hundreds of civil society organizations and displaced people sent letters of appeal to President Win Myint, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Army commander-in-chief and other leaders.
In response to these letters, the country's leadership did nothing. This inaction led to a mass demonstration by Kachin youths in Myitkyina on April 30, 2018. It was not the first time people had gathered to demand something be done to help the trapped villagers; there had been a similar demonstration in Myitkyina on Feb. 5. But this time, the protest spilled over into other states, divisions, and even foreign countries such as the U.S. and Japan.
Not only were the appeals for help shunned, but the authorities launched a crackdown against the demonstrators, arresting many and charging them with unlawful acts. According to data collected by the Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar, 45 demonstrators are being sued by the police and Tatmadaw on the grounds of violating the country's peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and defamation laws.
Kachin youths lead a demonstration in Myitkyina on April 30 to demand the government help Kachin villagers trapped in the jungle by recent fighting.
It is understandable that the civilian government can do little to rein in the police force as it is controlled by the Tatmadaw via the Ministry of Home Affairs. Thus every action conducted by the police might come on the orders of the Tatmadaw. However, the government including President Win Myint and de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and elected members of Parliament should not keep silent. As the leaders elected by the citizens of Myanmar, it is their duty to speak out.
It is not surprising that the people want the government whom they elected to take action when and where it is necessary. It is the people's right to make demands of the government. As Xunzi, the Confucian philosopher, once said "The lord is the boat; his subjects the water. It's the water that sustains the boat, and the water that capsizes the boat."
The government — meaning both the members of Parliament and the cabinet — depends on the people, and if a government turns a blind eye and shuts its ears to the people's demands, it is inevitable it will eventually be overthrown. Thus, the ruler (government) has to govern with the interests of the people in mind. As the government was elected by the people, and thus it was of the people, it also must be "for the people". The elected government should stand up with the people for the sake of democracy.
In a nutshell, the people of Myanmar should be cherished, and never abused either by the government or Tatmadaw. The people form the basis of the country. If this basis is stable, the country will be sure to find peace. But if the government neglects the people's demands and behaves like a totalitarian regime, these core values of a democratic government — "of the people, by the people and, more importantly, for the people" — will not nest in the country, but fade away.
Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of a Kachin State-based analyst.
YANGON — Amid risk remaining high, Myanmar's economy performed better in the 2017-18 fiscal year with a recovery in agriculture, improved manufacturing performance with garments continuing to excel and strong services growth, the World Bank said in its Myanmar Economic Monitor report released on Thursday.
It said that the economy experienced a broad-based increase in real GDP growth to 6.4 percent in 2017-18 from 5.9 percent in 2016-17. Growth is projected to increase to 6.8 percent in 2018-19.
Inflation also declined year by year, from 7 percent in 2016-17 to 5.5 percent in 2017-18 and is expected to ease further to 4.9 percent, the World Bank said.
Rice exports reached record highs and like garments continued to access new markets, the report stated, while gas exports were propped up by a significant, but uncertain, increase in global gas prices, offsetting declining production from maturing fields, it stated.
While it noted that while economic outlook is positive, there are concerns that the slow pace of reforms, vulnerabilities in the financial sector and limited progress in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine are starting to affect business sentiment.
Investors concerned about the reputational risk of operating in Myanmar may defer already committed FDI or new investments, it said.
Foreign direct investment (FDI) approvals declined by 14 percent in relation to 2016-17, but FDI flows adequately financed the current account deficit, it added.
External risks from uncertainty in global trade policy and in commodity prices intensify the downside risks to the growth outlook, stated in the report.
The bi-annual report analyzes economic developments, economic prospects and policy priorities in Myanmar, based on available data reported by the Myanmar government and collected as part of the World Bank's regular economic monitoring and policy dialogue.
U Zaw Myo Hlaing, managing director of Unique Network Marketing Co., Ltd, said during the panel discussion at the report launch event on Thursday that the report is contrary to what most businessmen and farmers are saying in that doing business has become more difficult.
"Those working are saying that there are difficulties in doing business," he said.
"The GDP growth is not exciting, as it doesn't impact everyone in the country," he said, adding that people are not feeling much positive change due to the growth.
He urged wider awareness on taxation, assistance for small and medium enterprises, and combating corruption to improve the current climate of doing business.
"It's very important that the benefit of growth and income increases are shared across the population. This year, a lot of growth came from the agricultural sector, which comprises farmers. So they're producing more crops – rice, beans, and pulses – that are being demanded, not only in Myanmar but outside. The sale of those crops generates income for those farmers. We do feel that the rapid progress that Myanmar has made on reducing poverty with stable inequality can continue," Hans Anand Beck, lead economist of the World Bank, told The Irrawaddy.
The agriculture sector accounts for 26 percent of GDP, industry and manufacturing account for 33 percent, and services account for 41 percent.
Favorable weather conditions and increased external demand caused agricultural output to rise by an estimated 2.5 percent in this fiscal year.
The World Bank suggested that implementing the cogent new Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan, collecting more revenue and spending it better, and providing greater policy certainty and a simpler operating environment for businesses could support investment and economic prospects.
YANGON — The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) opened its first liaison office on Thursday in Panghsang, the declared capital of the Wa self-administered region in Shan State, to improve communication with allied armed groups.
The TNLA is a member of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), which is led by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and has seven members in all.
Major Tar Aike Kyaw, a spokesman for the TNLA, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that the office was opened with the UWSA’s permission.
"We want to have better communication with each other, so we opened an office there," he said, adding that he did not know if other FPNCC members had plans to do likewise.
The TNLA is based in remote parts of northern Shan and has found it difficult to travel to other parts of the state to meet with fellow armed groups. It says the new office will save it both time and money and help foster closer relations with the UWSA and the rest of the committee members.
"It was very difficult to get to Wa areas; we had to spend a lot of time to get there. It was also not safe when we traveled,"Major Tar Aike Kyaw said.
The FPNCC was formed to help its members hold peace talks with the national government and military and has received occasional assistance from China as a mediator. It has condemned the Myanmar military over its latest offensives against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of its members, in Kachin State and against the TNLA in Shan.
The Myanmar military has repeatedly warned the UWSA not to support the TNLA or any other members of the Northern Alliance, a separate but overlapping bloc of armed groups that often clash with the military in Kachin, Rakhine and Shan states.
But the UWSA, which claims some 30,000 fighters and the largest rebel army in the country, has ignored the warnings, with little direct blowback from the military.
The military has, however, been restricting the movement of ethnic Wa is some parts of Shan in an apparent bid to pressure the UWSA to cut ties with the Northern Alliance.
The FPNCC consists of the KIA, TNLA, UWSA, Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, National Democratic Alliance Army and Shan State Progressive Party.
NAYPYITAW — The Forestry Department has blamed growing demand from China for a surge in elephant poaching in Myanmar.
"Elephant poaching has increased rapidly because of increasing demand from a neighboring country for both consumption and medical use," said Forestry Department deputy director-general U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin as he answered questions at a press conference at the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry in Naypyitaw on Thursday.
Such references by Myanmar officials to a "neighboring country" in the context of the illegal wildlife trade are commonly understood to refer to China.
He added that while in the past elephants were mainly poached for their tusks, demand for flesh, trunks, and hide had increased.
The number of poached elephants has risen steadily since 2014. While only four were poached in 2014, the number increased to 20 in 2015 and 18 in 2016, before jumping to 46 in 2017, according to Forestry Department records.
Meanwhile, more than 50 elephants died of natural causes over the past four years.
"If we are losing an elephant every week, including those that die of natural causes, the population of wild elephants could drop significantly in the next 20 to 30 years," U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin said.
Irrawaddy, Bago and Yangon regions have become poaching hot spots, but the Forestry Department has only around 300 staff members assigned to combat the illegal trade, and therefore has to rely on cooperation from local authorities and residents, he said.
Police brought 56 poachers to trial last year, and have arrested six this year.
In January, the department launched an initiative offering rewards of 3 million kyats each to those providing authorities with information leading to the arrest of elephant poachers. In March, the department awarded the sum to a villager in Irrawaddy Region after forestry police were able to arrest a poacher thanks to a tip from him.
In mid-February, the government launched the Myanmar Elephant Conservation Action Plan (MECAP), a strategy for the next 10 years (2018–27) with the overall aim of securing viable and ecologically functional elephant populations in Myanmar for the next century and beyond with support from international and local organizations.
Myanmar President U Win Myint allowed the resignation of the Chin State minister for municipal works, electricity and industry on Thursday, following the regional Parliament seeking presidential approval to reshuffle three ministers earlier this month.
Salai Isaac Khen, the resigned minister, told The Irrawaddy on Friday that his resignation "showed accountability" for his failure to implement projects related to the Hakha urban city plan, Hakha market and Falam water distribution.
He said that he takes full responsibility even though respective departments under the ministry could not perform these tasks. The public has complained about the lack of success of these projects in particular.
"I was appointed as the minister and not elected, therefore, I believe taking responsibility is important."
The water supply project was intended to access water from Lavia Dam, some 25 miles from Falam, and the water was to be distributed to households in Falam. This project was supposed to be completed in March.
However, there were issues with the contract and implementation. Za Thang, a Falam resident, told The Irrawaddy that no one knew about the contract made with the tender-winning Authentic Co. except the chief minister, municipal minister and company director. Furthermore, Za Thang said, the town elders later found out that the pipe installed in the project was not eight inches wide but six inches wide.
Za Thang said, "The municipal minister is a hard-working person who unfortunately could not go against the chief minister."
Salai Isaac Khen was a director of the research and advocacy group Gender and Development Initiative Myanmar and a leading civil society member until he was selected to become a minister in the Chin State government in 2016.
His tireless efforts during his two years in the position were acknowledged by many, despite some objections to his performance.
He said he plans to continue his studies at this time, as he was preparing to begin a Ph.D. when taking the ministerial position. He will also resume work with Gender and Development Initiative Myanmar.
The Chin State cabinet reshuffle is still in process, as two other state ministers – social affairs and transportation – are slated to be transferred.
NAYPYITAW — The Ministry of Finance and Planning says it will launch an internal investigation into a department director who allegedly encouraged his staff to take bribes.
On Sunday, an audio file was posted on the “Golden Gatekeeper” Facebook page purportedly of U Yin Min Aung, director of the Finance Ministry’s Customs Department. In the recording, the man stresses the importance of maintaining cohesion when taking bribes. The director is alleged to have made the remarks on May 26, 2016, during a meeting with taxation officers about to take up assignments across the country.
The recording has gone viral since being posted online and sparked a public outcry.
On Thursday, Deputy Finance Minister U Maung Maung Win said an internal investigation body had been formed to look into the allegations.
"But we have not yet started the investigation. We'll gather evidence first," he told reporters in Naypyitaw, where the ministry’s work over the past year was being reviewed.
U Thein Swe, the Customs Department’s deputy director-general, said the investigation was ordered by the President's Office.
"The investigation body consists of a deputy director-general and a director. I don't know who they will investigate," he said.
"An internal investigation is not enough. The maximum punishment will be a transfer or a warning. In fact, that case should be handled by the Anti-Corruption Commission. Only then will the public get a satisfactory answer," lawyer U Kyi Myint told The Irrawaddy.
In the recording, the man tells his audience to beware of attracting legal action when taking bribes.
"Everyone should unite and be satisfied. Everyone should be in agreement. But don't be too greedy beyond your position. The elephant has his own share, the horse has his own share, the goat has his own share, and the ant has his own share," the man says.
DHAKA — A Myanmar foreign ministry delegation on Thursday in Dhaka said it is accelerating the repatriation process of Myanmar nationals living in Bangladesh but that it needs to promote awareness among its citizens.
"We are working on [the challenges of repatriation]. We need to promote awareness among Myanmar people and we will be providing more information to the counterpart foreign secretary in Dhaka," said Myint Thu, the permanent secretary of the Myanmar Foreign Affairs Ministry, when asked about the challenges to repatriating Rohingya refugees now living in Bangladesh.
A second Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting with Bangladesh was held in Dhaka. A 15-member delegation from both countries joined the meeting, where the main discussion was starting the physical repatriation of forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals who are currently living in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
The Myanmar delegation head said, "We had a candid discussion on repatriation. We discussed our preparations to date, are continuing to have working group meetings and are setting up a mechanism to receive the refugees.
He added that the two sides were working on the bilateral agreement to begin the process.
When asked about claims that Myanmar has been delaying the repatriation process, the delegation head replied, "That's what we are here for. We are working on accelerating the process."
Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque, who is leading the 15-member team from Bangladesh, told reporters that he could not give a specific date as to when the process would begin because "this kind of repatriation is very complex and difficult."
The JWG is reviewing the progress to date of plans to repatriate some 700,000 Rohingya who fled Myanmar's Rakhine State largely following Myanmar Army security clearance operations that began in August 2017.
Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a repatriation agreement on Nov. 23, 2017.
On Jan. 16, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a "physical arrangement" document that would facilitate the return of the Rohingya Muslim refugees to their homeland.
The document stipulated that the process would be completed preferably within two years from its start.
In mid-February, Bangladesh handed over a list of more than 8,032 Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar during a meeting in Dhaka.
Myanmar has so far verified the residency of only 878 Rohingya out of the 8,032 who were on the list from Bangladesh.
The head of the Bangladesh delegation said issues regarding the residency verification process and preparations to address these matters were also discussed.
Shahidul Haque said that a new list would be sent and that both parties agreed to foster the repatriation process.
A Bangladesh official told The Irrawaddy that it was "productive meeting" and that "things were moving in the right direction even though the issue is quite complex."
Asked whether the delegations discussed the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in the meeting, the official stated that it was discussed and that "there are no ARSA members in our territory."
"They are convinced of our position and we will work together to identify ARSA members," the official stated.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the United States Embassy in Dhaka said on Thursday that the US Agency for International Development administrator Mark Green met with Shahidul Haque, the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary, at the latter's office in Dhaka on Wednesday.
In the meeting, the administrator reiterated that any repatriation or relocation of the Rohingya must be safe, voluntary, dignified, and based on informed consent.
The two discussed the strong partnership between the United States and Bangladesh, including USAID’s long history in the country.
DHAKA — The US government’s aid chief on Thursday called on Myanmar to end violence against members of the Rohingya Muslim minority and to provide humanitarian workers and media unhindered access to the country.
Mark Green, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, visited Rohingya refugee camps on a three-day visit to Bangladesh this week.
The United States would provide $44 million in additional aid to help meet the needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, he told reports in Dhaka, before travelling on to Myanmar, which is also known as Burma.
“Today, I will fly to Burma and will ask them to end the violence and will also ask them to allow media access," Green said.
“This humanitarian crisis is a global challenge and our government along with the international community will work together to support Bangladesh,” he said.
According to UN officials, nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh from Buddhist-majority Myanmar’s Rakhine State to escape a military crackdown since August, launched in response to Rohingya insurgent attacks.
Refugees have told of numerous incidents of murder, rape and arson by Myanmar troops and Buddhist vigilantes, which the United Nations has likened to “ethnic cleansing.”
Myanmar has denied nearly all of the allegations, saying its security forces have been waging a legitimate counter-insurgency operation against Rohingya “terrorists.”
Green, who is due to meet Myanmar government officials in the capital, Naypyitaw, said he would ask for “free and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the country” as well as access for media to travel freely.
US President Donald Trump this month assured Bangladesh of US support in dealing with the Myanmar Rohingya refugee crisis.
LOS ANGELES — The Chinese government has expressed “deep concern” over published reports that a University of Southern California gynecologist was allowed for years to treat students, many of them from China, despite accusations of sexual abuse and harassment.
The Los Angeles Times reported this week that Dr. George Tyndall, 71, resigned from USC last year after an internal investigation at the university found he performed unnecessary or unprofessional physical exams and made inappropriate comments to some of the young women in his care.
Tyndall was not suspended by the university until 2016 despite complaints dating to the 1990s, according to the article. He has not been arrested or charged with any crime, the newspaper reported.
Late on Wednesday, China’s state-owned news agency Xinhua quoted an unidentified official of the Consulate General of China in Los Angeles as saying, “We noticed the report and expressed our deep concern over the situation.”
“We request USC to take serious step to investigate the issue and protect Chinese students from illegal violation.”
The Chinese consul general in Los Angeles could not be reached for comment.
Tyndall could not be reached by Reuters for comment. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he denied any wrongdoing, saying, “I’m there to protect the health of Trojan women,” referring to the school’s mascot.
Emily Gersema, a spokeswoman for the university, said on Thursday that it was preparing a statement in response to the Chinese government. USC enrolled 5,101 students from China in 2017, according to its website.
In a “letter to the USC community” issued on Tuesday on the school’s website, its president C.L. Nikias said Tyndall was placed on administrative leave in June 2016 after a complaint by a staff member and since then had not been allowed contact with students.
The school acknowledged in the letter that it did not report accusations against Tyndall to the California Medical Board until this year, when he sought reinstatement at USC.
“On behalf of the university, I sincerely apologize to any student who may have visited the student health center and did not receive the respectful care each individual deserves,” Nikias said.
Earlier this year Larry Nassar, a former faculty member and physician at an on-campus clinic at Michigan State University and a doctor for USA Gymnastics, was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to criminal sexual conduct.
OSLO — A third of the world’s protected areas for wildlife are suffering road building, more farms and other man-made threats that are undermining goals to safeguard the diversity of life on Earth, scientists said on Thursday.
Almost 200 nations agreed in 2010 to set aside at least 17 percent of the world’s land areas in parks and other sanctuaries by 2020 as a cornerstone of a plan to shield animals and plants from pollution, land clearances and climate change.
But many protected areas fall short, according to a report in the journal Science led by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia.
“Six million sq km (2.3 million square miles) – 32.8 percent – of protected land is under intense human pressure,” from threats including more roads, cities, farms and railways, the scientists wrote.
The area is roughly equal to the size of India and Argentina combined. Mangroves, Mediterranean forests, some grasslands and savannahs were among protected areas most at risk.
James Watson, a professor at the University of Queensland and co-author, told Reuters he was “stunned” by the data. “Governments are claiming these places are protected for the sake of nature when in reality they aren’t,” he said.
Overall, governments say the extent of protected lands has roughly doubled since the early 1990s and now covers 15 percent of the world’s land in more than 200,000 protected areas, the study said.
Among examples of threats, the study showed satellite images of Kamianets-Podilskyi, a growing city within a national park in Ukraine, roads slicing through Mikumi National Park in Tanzania and farms and other buildings in Dadohaehaesang national park in South Korea.
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which oversees the 2020 plan, said it hoped Thursday’s findings would spur more action to ensure that protected areas exist in more than name.
“There is indeed a risk for protected areas to be misrepresented as paper parks,” Cristiana Pasca Palmer, executive secretary of the CBD, told Reuters in an email.
Among recommendations, countries should improve assessment and management of protected areas, and try where possible to connect them so threatened species can migrate.
Another study in Science on Thursday showed that strict limits on global warming would help safeguard most species of plants and animals, especially insects such as bees or butterflies that are vital to pollinating crops.
“A species with a very small range is at greater risk of extinction,” lead author Rachel Warren of the University of East Anglia told Reuters.
A rise of 1.5C degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, the toughest goal under the 2015 Paris climate agreement, would mean that only six percent of insects species would suffer a halving or more of their natural habitats.
But risks would rise fast with higher temperatures. Eighteen percent of insects would lose more than half their ranges if temperatures rise 2C (3.6F), the main Paris goal.
Some ethnic Shan have wondered publicly whether the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) is providing material support to the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in its fight against the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) after grenades carrying KIA markings were found following a clash between the RCSS and TNLA in Kyaukme Township early this month.
The KIA has produced a range of weapons including sniper rifles, grenades and ammunition for a long time. But some ethnic Shan may not understand this, and have accused the KIA of supporting the TNLA. While it is likely the KIA has been willing to sell the TNLA guns, grenades and ammunition, the deals are more commercial than political. They are also not unique. The TNLA also purchases arms from the United Wa State Army — indeed, almost all the AK-47 guns used by the TNLA come from the UWSA – and have bought weapons from Chinese arms dealers as well. Illegal weapons markets can be found at a number of different spots along the Chinese border, and according to TNLA sources, for the right amount of money, it's possible to buy any type of gun.
The ethnic armed forces based near the Chinese border know how to generate cash, which they then look to invest in a variety of ways to generate returns to finance their revolutions. In March 2017, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), attacked several casinos in Laukkai in Kokang, and made off with US$73 million, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. This set an example for other ethnic rebels groups not just to attack your enemy, but to think about how to use their armed forces to raise money too. The MNDAA justified the attacks by claiming that the casinos belonged to Myanmar Army generals and local Kokang authorities who were former members of the MNDAA.
Following the casino raids, different rumors circulated around the border that the MNDAA would use the cash to set up an arms factory to produce guns. But, other sources in the area said the MNDAA invested the money in businesses in areas controlled by the UWSA and the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA).
The UWSA controls Special Region 2, while the NDAA controls Special Region 4 (Mongla) in the eastern and northern parts of Shan. These two armed groups signed a ceasefire agreement in 1989, and their territories have since seen a range of commercial activity develop. The central government does not have any influence over or enough power to control this region. The UWSA has 30,000 troops, according to the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, while the NDAA has 3,000 men under arms.
Chinese authorities occasionally crack down on illegal money laundering through banks, so the rebel groups do not view it as prudent to keep their money there. They do view it as safe, however, to invest money in the Wa and Mongla regions and even further afield; some say that the MNDAA has invested its casino horde in different enterprises in China.
Members of the Northern Alliance – the KIA, Arakan Army, TNLA and MNDAA — have no shortage of ideas about how to make money, and they understand that is better not to spend it all waging war. They have tried to think ahead about how to make money, grow interest and ensure the have the funds to finance their revolutions in the future.
In their attack on Muse on May 11, the TNLA targeted a casino belong to the Pansay militia, which historically had been involved in the illegal drug business. The TNLA claimed that the casino even belonged to some Burmese officials cooperating with the Pansay militia.
However, the TNLA could not get inside the casino.
The TNLA may have intended to seize laundered money when attacking the casino but motivated by good reasons. Gambling has ruined the lives of many poor people in the region, while the casino also plays a part in the illegal drug trade in the area, they say.
The leaders of the TNLA, AA, and MNDAA want to build their own capitals similar to those established by the KIA, UWSA, and NDAA (Mongla). There are several reasons why. The groups have concluded that if they want to have peace they need their own separate areas. As long as they live among the Burmese, there will be no peace. They point out that the KIA has Laiza, and Mai Ja Yang towns and KIA soldiers have shown they are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect these places.
The TNLA, AA and MNDAA want to set up arms factories similar to those operated by the KIA. The KIA arms factory were initially run by Chinese engineers but in 2015, according to border sources from China, the KIA was able to replace them with their own engineers, who had been trained by the UWSA. Today, the KIA operates the factories on its own.
The Myanmar Army has repeatedly threatened to eliminate the KIA and other armed groups. But, the ethnic armed groups including the UWSA, which is based near the Chinese border, have shown a united front, one built as much on commercial motivations as communal interests.
CHIANG MAI, Thailand – The Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, agreed to postpone the rebuilding of an old road and to halt military deployments in the Ler Mu Plaw area of Papun district, Karen State, following a meeting between the Army chief and Karen National Union leaders in Yangon on Thursday.
Army chief Sen. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing met a KNU delegation led by its chairman, Padoh Saw Mutu Sae Poe, who was accompanied by commander-in-chief General Saw Jonny, political and military affair adviser Colonel Saw Htoo Htoo Lay and other senior leaders.
The agreement came more than two months after Tatmadaw troop movements in the area caused an escalation of tensions and the displacement of more than 2,400 villagers in Ler Mu Plaw in Luthaw Township.
"During our meeting, we discussed further plans for the peace process," read the post on the Facebook page of Sen. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on Thursday afternoon. "The Tatmadaw will temporarily postpone the reconstruction of the Khay Pu to Ler Mu Plaw Road, in response to the KNU's concerns. And the locals in the area can stay in their homes without having to worry and can move freely."
KNU vice-chairman Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that as the Tatmadaw's troop deployments were for road construction, and the road plan had been postponed, the troops must return to their original posts.
The meeting with the Army chief was held "to resolve the current armed conflict" between the army and the KNU's armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), which has resulted in villagers being displaced, the vice-chairman said.
The KNU has repeatedly expressed its opposition to the road rebuilding and numerous clashes have happened between the KNLA's Brigade 5, which controls the area, and Myanmar army troops since it began on Mar. 4. Fearing more troop deployments, many locals have fled their homes.
Apart from the current violence, the KNU said the road project had undermined trust-building between the two sides.
Despite the Tatmadaw's labeling of the agreement as a "temporary postponement," Padoh Kwe Htoo Win said "We both agreed that the Tatmadaw's road works could not proceed until the KNU agreed to the plan and locals gave their consent."
Thursday's meeting did not cover the killing of a civilian, Saw O Moo, who was shot dead on suspicion of being a KNLA soldier in April 5. But the KNU vice-chairman said that "this case would have to be solved step by step."
He added the two sides would continue to hold talks at the state/regional level between the KNU's military affairs negotiation team and the head of the Southern Command "for detailed discussions on the military affairs."
BAGAN — Traditional Myanmar lacquerware, or Yun De, is one of the country’s most famous handicrafts.
The tradition is believed to have started in Bagan in the 12th or 13th century and the region remains the national epicenter of the industry today, home to several large workshops.
A man splits bamboo for making lacquerware. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy)
But local interest in the practice is slowly fading.
Usually applied to wood or molded bamboo strips, the work is difficult and time-consuming, involving teamwork and many steps.
First, the craftsmen must split the bamboo and mold the strips into the desired shapes.
The lacquerware workshop at Bagan House in Bagan. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy)
Then they polish the shapes with a black sap from the Thit-Si tree and let it dry for about a week. They then apply a few more coats, each time adding sawdust, cotton fibers or crushed animal bones to the sap and waiting for another week.
Once all the coats have been applied and allowed to dry, artists draw floral designs by hand using needles in a practice called Pan Yun. Then come the colors.
A woman prepares finished lacquerware items. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy)
Traditional Myanmar lacquerware typically employs only three colors — red, blue and green — though some shops also use gold paint, raising the price of the final product. And when applying the colors, only one can be added at a time.
Lacquerware can be applied to anything from bracelets, rings and necklaces to boxes, trays and furniture.
The process involves seven steps in all and at its best can take up to six months to a year for a single item, earning its price tag.
A finished lacquerware item. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy)
I learned about the process at the Bagan House lacquerware workshop and would encourage any visitor to Bagan to stop by this or any of the area’s other workshops for a lesson on one of Myanmar’s best-known handicrafts. It’s worth it.
Lacquerware items on display at Bagan House. (Photo: Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy)
YANGON – Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda earned 67 billion kyats plus USD15.2 million (20.5 billion kyats) in tourist receipts in fiscal 2016-17, while the regional government's interest income on pagoda-related deposits at state-owned Myanmar Economic Bank totaled 476.4 million kyats in the period, regional cabinet member U Naing Ngan Lin told the Yangon Parliament on Wednesday.
The comments were made during a regular session of the regional Parliament in reply to questioning by National League for Democracy lawmaker U Kyaw Zeya about the earnings of well-known Yangon pagodas such as Shwedagon, Sule, Kabaraye, Botahtaung and Swedaw. All of the sites are popular destinations for both foreign tourists and local residents. U Kyaw Zeya noted that no accounting of the pagodas' income had ever been made public or reported to Parliament. The money came from various sources, including donations from devotees, income from tendering contracts for related businesses such as pagoda parking lots, and even gold found during panning around the pagoda compounds.
The lawmaker asked a range of questions, including whether the pagodas' trustee boards had deposited the money in bank accounts in line with budget principles; the total amounts deposited in each bank; and details of the selection process for trustee board members, pointing out that appointees should be persons of good character who dutifully maintained the pagodas. Yangon Region Social Welfare Minister U Naing Ngan Lin explained that candidates for the pagoda trustee boards were jointly screened by religious affairs and divisional government officials, before the selection board examined their qualifications. All appointees must be approved by the Sangha, the nation's highest religious authority, the minister said.
In fiscal 2016-17, Sule Pagoda earned 16 million kyats, Kabar Aye Pagoda earned 89 million kyats, Botahtaung Pagoda earned 14.5 million kyats and USD15.2 million, and Swedaw Pagoda earned 15.8 million kyats, the minister said. The pagodas' trustee boards follow the same financial calendar and accounting procedures as ministries, he said, adding that their expenditure reports are reviewed annually by the general auditor's office. He promised to submit the audit reports to Parliament in future years.
Outspoken parliamentarian Daw Kyi Pyar of Kyauktada constituency told The Irrawaddy that ordinary residents have no idea about famous pagodas' income, as it is not publicly disclosed. She said even she was shocked at the amount when the regional government minister officially answered questions in Parliament.
"It's a huge, unbelievable amount of money," she said.
She believed the funds should be distributed to poor monasteries that teach Buddhist scripture to monks and nuns across the state, and to help pay for maintenance of monastery yards and structures. Daw Kyi Pyar said that even in Yangon and Bago regions it was easy to see that many monasteries are unable to afford painting and fencing. She said it was unclear whether the Religious Affairs Ministry has specific rules and conditions that restrict a pagoda to spending money on its own needs.
"I don't think they could spend all the money in Shwedagon pagoda alone, and a pile of money is sleeping in the bank," she said.
Despite being listed as one of the world's poorest countries and among the most vulnerable to natural disasters, Myanmar topped the World Giving Index 2016, a survey of donation activities conducted by the Charities Aid Foundation. The ranking is based on the proportion of the population that regularly donates to strangers and charity groups, not the amount of money given.
NAYPYITAW — Myanmar's government will help Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh from northern Rakhine State file grievances in cases of alleged human rights abuses, according to the Union minister for social welfare, relief and resettlement.
Dr. Win Myat Aye announced the policy during an assessment of his ministry's record over the past year at a press conference in Naypyitaw on Thursday.
Establishing such a process has become a priority for the government as it faces serious allegations of human rights abuses from the international community. While only some individuals are responsible for the human rights abuses, the organizations they belong to have had to shoulder all the blame, the minister said.
"There are various allegations. There are allegations against organizations, for example the Tatmadaw [Myanmar's military], rather than the individuals who actually committed the crimes. This mars the image of the organizations. The individual perpetrators should face punishment, not their organizations," he said.
Those wishing to file grievances can do so from their current locations but will have to attend a trial in Myanmar. The state will bear the costs of bringing the witnesses to the court, according to the minister.
"We have announced that those who fled to Bangladesh now have the right to file complaints. And the Myanmar government will assist them in doing so," Dr. Win Myat Aye said.
The move aims to address the widespread allegations in a transparent manner, he added.
During visits to Maungdaw in Rakhine State, The Irrawaddy received reports of rapes and other human rights violations by security forces. Their allegations were found not to be true when checked by forensic pathologists, however.
The government initiated the grievance process after the international community, including the United Nations, put pressure on Myanmar to make sure the Tatmadaw acts in a responsible manner and shows accountability in its handling of the Rakhine issue.
NAYPYITAW — The Myanmar government will work with private seafood factories to resume fish and prawn exports to Saudi Arabia, which banned their import in April, said Deputy Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Minister U Hla Kyaw.
The deputy minister was responding to a question from lawmaker U Aung Kyi Nyunt during an Upper House session on Thursday about the government’s efforts to overturn bans on seafood imports from Myanmar in Saudi Arabia, the US and the EU and on its plans to find new markets.
The US imposed a ban on imports of prawns from Myanmar because Myanmar’s fishing boats and nets do not use turtle excluder devices.
On Jan. 30 the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) announced a temporary suspension of fish and prawn imports from Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh and India, effective as of April 1.
"Our ministry will help local fish factories to meet the regulations of the SFDA so that we can continue our export of aquaculture products to Saudi Arabia," U Hla Kyaw said.
The ban was based on the World Organization for Animal Health’s Quarterly Aquatic Animal Disease Report covering the Asia-Pacific region for April, May and June of 2017. According to the SFDA, it shows that white tail disease is present in some parts of Myanmar.
"There are international-standard fish processing factories in Myanmar. They can stand inspection. But if you'd check the breeding part, breeders usually feed fish together with poultry and swine, so it will fail the inspection," said U Toe Nandar Tin, vice president of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation.
Myanmar earns between $20 million and $35 million annually from fish and prawn exports to Saudi Arabia, according to the deputy minister.
The Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Ministry expects to earn $700 million from seafood exports globally in the 2017-2018 fiscal year and has earned $663 million as of March 11.
Myanmar’s seafood exports head mainly to China, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Australia and to countries in the Middle East and Europe.
CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Ethnic educators try to find means to gain access to support and recognition from government education ministries for unofficial (ethnic national) schools, where many minority children are learning in their ethnic languages.
Educators gathered at the Ethnic Education Forum held in Moulmein, Mon State, this week and shared their challenges in maintaining ethnic education, said U Thein Naing, an ethnic education consultant.
"We discussed how we approach both the state and Union governments, as well as the parliaments … to explain the issue and to seek acknowledgment. We hope the Union education ministry will recognize and provide support to these schools, " he said.
There are more than 2,000 ethnic national schools, at which an estimated 100,000 children are educated in their mother tongues. These schools are outside of the government-supported system.
They are run individually through the support of the communities within the ethnic states of Karen, Karenni, Mon, Shan, Kachin and in the refugee camps along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Some are under the control of ethnic armed organizations.
Organized by the Mon National Education Committee, nearly 90 education experts and teachers representing 13 different ethnic education departments, civil society groups and international partners gathered at the forum from May 15-16.
They discussed the challenges facing and the need to promote ethnic education, mother tongue based-multilingual education (MTB-MLE), federal education, a community school bill and bylaws, and educational research priorities.
U Thein Naing added that although there has been some collaboration between the ethnic national schools and the township, districts and state level governments, more recognition and support is needed.
He said monetary support for teacher salaries is still needed, even though many ethnic national schoolteachers attend trainings alongside government schoolteachers in the summer.
But government recognition of a mother tongue based curriculum or integration of it into a nationwide program "is still weak," U Thein Naing said, adding that this means that children who can only access these ethnic national schools are lacking protection under the law.
"We want to help a democratic government recognize the civil rights of children, as well as their right to education. These children need to be recognized under the law as well, as well as receive educational support."
In Mon State, there are ethnic national schools and mixed-schools, and they are run in collaboration with the government to some extent. However, in other ethnic states, these schools are run independently without adequate educational materials.
In Karenni State, there are more than 1,000 students learning at more than 39 unofficial schools with 120 teachers. These schools are not supported by the government, said Elizabeth Mimar, a spokesperson for the Karenni Education Committee.
Educators put their efforts into overcoming these hurdles. U Thein Naing told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that the drafting of the Community School bylaws is in progress. If Myanmar rules to adopt a community school bill in the works, there is a chance that these ethnic national schools will receive recognition and support," said the consultant.
The drafting process started about six months ago, after the secretary of the [government] National Education Policy Commission Dr. Khaing Myae encouraged ethnic school educators to draft one, he said.
The government had allowed the teaching of ethnic languages at public schools since 2012, however, the classes are outside of school hours and the teachers are paid less. Furthermore, the ethnic language teaching is merely a translated version of Bamar texts and teachers have been urging for a mother tongue based curriculum that would allow for a multilingual approach.
MANDALAY – A court in Mandalay's Maha Aung Myay Township on Thursday rejected a bid by the editor of Myanmar Now to have video evidence submitted against him by a supporter of an ultranationalist monk ruled inadmissible.
U Kyaw Myo Shwe, a supporter of U Wirathu, sued Myanmar Now chief editor Ko Swe Win in March 2017 under Article 66 (d) of the Telecommunications Law on grounds that he insulted the monk. Ko Swe Win was arrested and released on bail in July last year. The plaintiff submitted a video clip of an interview Ko Swe Win gave to Radio Free Asia's Burmese-language service.
"The judge said the evidence submitted by the plaintiff did not play a vital role in the lawsuit, so she rejected the complaint," said U Myo Min Zaw, a lawyer for Ko Swe Win, after the court session.
Ko Swe Win initially submitted the complaint to a higher court, the Mandalay District Court, in early May. The court decided to accept the evidence submitted by the plaintiff and said it would respect the decision of the lower court.
Ko Swe Win and his lawyers allege that the video clip submitted by the plaintiff was edited in order to incriminate the defendant, and want it ruled inadmissible as evidence.
"Although the court decided to accept the evidence, we will have another chance to challenge it when we make our arguments before the court," the lawyer said.
Ko Kyaw Myo Shwe insisted the evidence submitted to the court was genuine and had not been edited.
"Ko Swe Win said my evidence was not reliable. However, those are things which he posted on Facebook, and was quoted as saying by the media; I'm not fabricating them," he told journalists after Thursday's court session.
"I would like to urge Ko Swe Win not to be afraid… If he does not wish to continue with the trial, he can simply apologize to Sayardaw U Wirathu and I will withdraw the lawsuit immediately," he added.
Maha Aung Myay Township Court heard from the plaintiff on Thursday and will continue to hear from him at the next hearing, which is scheduled for May 31.
Myanmar's prospects for peace are fading as fighting escalates in the north, in Karen State in the south and to the west in Rakhine State.
China, the US and the EU have issued statements expressing "concern" and asking all sides to exercise restraint and arrange an immediate ceasefire. As a result of the outbreak of renewed fighting between the armed forces and police on one side and ethnic armed groups on the other in Muse Township, Shan State, the Chinese Embassy issued a statement noting that some Myanmar residents along the border have fled to China and that some stray bullets have landed in Chinese territory.
The irony is that China promised to help broker peace between Myanmar’s government and military and its ethnic armed groups. But no one seems to be listening.
Beijing appointed Sun Guoxiang, its special envoy for Asian affairs, to assist in facilitating discussions. But his approach so far is believed to be under review and facing some resistance from powerful Chinese army generals who oversee their country’s border with Myanmar.
Indeed, China's economic and political interests in this troubled country should be under review.
Members of the Northern Alliance bloc of ethnic armed groups are believed to be under the influence of China. But considering the renewed clashes in Myanmar, China's promise to assist with the peace process is now in question.
Northern Alliance members include the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Arakan Army (AA).
Western powers that were active in the "peace process" under the previous government of former President Thein Sein have not sat idly by.
The US Embassy and EU mission in Yangon issued statements expressing concern and calling on the government and military to protect civilian populations and let in humanitarian assistance.
“The US Embassy is deeply concerned about intensified fighting in Kachin State, which has forced thousands of people to flee their homes,” the US said. “We are also deeply troubled by recent fighting in Shan State and [Karen] State that has also displaced thousands of people. We urge all parties to cease fighting. We call upon the government, including the military, to protect civilian populations and allow humanitarian assistance to be delivered to those affected by the conflicts.”
The Myanmar Army used air strikes against Kachin rebels — members of the Northern Alliance — in Hpakant Township on Tuesday, and KIA fighters were injured. Some newly bought jet fighters, including JF-17s from Pakistan, are reportedly being deployed from the Myitkyina Airbase to attack the rebels. As a result of the fighting, thousands of innocent civilians are suffering.
In Yangon, Mandalay, Myitkyina and other major cities, activists have gathered to call for an end to the fighting. A peaceful anti-war protest in Yangon on Saturday was disrupted when civilians allied with the police started attacking participants. Eight people were detained and sued for violating the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law before being released on bail the following day.
Witnesses and reporters who have covered such events for the past four or five years say the aggressive civilians were known supporters of the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion, commonly known as Ma Ba Tha, and the army.
The EU statement called on Myanmar to ensure that peaceful protesters could exercise the freedom of expression and assembly.
The demand for peace is gaining momentum.
On April 30 more than 3,000 Kachin residents staged a protest march against the ongoing clashes between the Myanmar Army and KIA and to call for the rescue of thousands of displaced people trapped by the fighting. The Northern Command of the Myanmar Army has sued three Kachin youths who led a sit-in protest against the fighting in their state for defamation.
A lasting peace in Myanmar is far away. More importantly, the recent clashes demonstrate that ethnic groups are losing faith in the current peace process and in negotiations with the military and government.
The silence of Myanmar’s de facto leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and other top leaders is also alarming and surprising — a sign that they are admitting defeat in the quest for peace?
YANGON — The Yangon Parliament has not yet approved the regional government's urban development proposal regarding infrastructure, transportation, housing and economic development projects in the commercial capital totaling more than 1.3 trillion kyats as lawmakers call for more transparency.
The Yangon government submitted a report about 12 projects funded by local and international investment from 2018-21 to the regional Parliament early this month. Since the submission, 14 lawmakers have debated the report, complained that they had little or no idea about the projects and criticized the government's lack of transparency.
Lawmakers said the report that the government submitted to Parliament only included titles of projects and general information, making it difficult for them to give their approval.
"If we approve, it is nothing more than signing a blank paper and then Parliament is responsible for the consequences caused by those projects," said U Nay Phone Latt, a National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker, in Parliament during a debate early this week.
Constitutionally, projects to be carried out by regional or state governments have to be approved by the relevant Parliament.
On Wednesday, the Yangon government's Minister of Electricity, Industry, Transport and Communication Daw Nilar Kyaw gave a lengthy explanation of the projects to the regional Parliament.
"We will implement the projects upon the approval of the Parliament," she said.
The Parliament on Wednesday did not give the projects the green light. Instead, the speaker sought consensus from the lawmakers to keep their discussion and the minister's explanation as a "record."
NLD lawmaker U Kyaw Zeya said the projects have not been approved by the Parliament thus far.
"It is only documented that the issue was discussed in Parliament and that it will be open to further debate," he said.
Another NLD lawmaker Daw Sandar Min said: "If the government resubmits the proposal with more details and amendments, we will discuss it again."
Daw Nilar Kyaw on Wednesday said out of 12 proposed projects, feasibility studies have been carried out for some but are still ongoing for others.
The minister was not available for immediate comment on Thursday when the government will resubmit the proposal with amendments.
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian police conducted searches through the night and into Thursday morning at five places linked to ousted Prime Minister Najib Razak, including the family home where he stays, a senior police officer said.
A lawyer for Najib, who was ousted from office in last week’s general election, said police seized handbags and a few other personal items from Najib’s home in connection with a money laundering probe.
A multibillion-dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which was founded by Najib, is being investigated by police in at least six countries, including the United States. Najib denies any wrongdoing.
Amar Singh, the director of police commercial crime investigations, told Reuters that five places linked to Najib were being searched, including the family home in an upmarket Kuala Lumpur district.
Singh gave no other details, but the Star newspaper said searches were also conducted at the prime minister’s office, the official residence and two places linked to Najib’s family in a luxury Kuala Lumpur condominium.
The search at the family home was continuing at 10 a.m., nearly 12 hours after a dozen armed policemen first entered the premises. The police started the search after Najib returned home from prayers at a mosque to mark the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
“The search is supposed to be under the money laundering act … they found nothing incriminating,” Najib’s lawyer Harpal Singh Grewal told reporters who were camped outside the house.
He said police took away some personal possessions including a couple of handbags. “Nothing serious. About two, three boxes” of them, Grewal said.
When asked whether Najib would be arrested, he said: “There is no indication that they [the police] will do it.”
He said Najib and his family were cooperative with police. “They [the police] also acted professionally,” he said.
Mahathir, 92, has said there is sufficient evidence to investigate the scandal at 1MDB.
Mahathir has replaced the country’s attorney-general and officials at the anti-graft agency, in what appears to be a purge of people seen as close to the former premier.
On Wednesday, jailed reformist Anwar Ibrahim was granted a full pardon and freed, underlining the dramatic political changes in the Southeast Asian country in the last seven days.
Anwar teamed up with Mahathir, his ally-turned-foe-turned-ally, to oust Najib. The relationship between the two remains volatile, however, and will likely determine what course Malaysia will chart in the coming months.
UNITED NATIONS — Around 60 babies a day are being born in vast refugee camps in Bangladesh, sheltering hundreds of thousands of mainly Rohingya Muslims who have fled Myanmar, the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF said on Wednesday.
Nearly 700,000 Rohingya fled to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh in the past nine months after a Myanmar military crackdown that the United Nations, United States and Britain have denounced as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar has denied that any ethnic cleansing occurred.
UNICEF said in a statement that since the crisis began more than 16,000 babies had been born in the camps, of which only about 3,000 were delivered in health facilities.
“Around 60 babies a day are taking their first breath in appalling conditions, away from home, to mothers who have survived displacement, violence, trauma and, at times, rape,” said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF’s Representative in Bangladesh.
UN Security Council envoys visited the refugee camps in April.
“It is impossible to know the true number of babies who have been or will be born as a result of sexual violence,” Beigbeder said. “It is vital that each and every new and expectant mother and every new-born receive all the help and support they need.”
Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts in Myanmar’s Rakhine State last August sparked a military operation that Myanmar has said was legitimate. Last November, Myanmar’s military released a report in which it denied all accusations of rape by security forces.
A senior Bangladesh health ministry official, who declined to be named due to sensitivity of the matter, said last week that so far 18,300 pregnant women had been identified in the camps and the rough total estimate was around 25,000.
In March the United Nations launched an appeal for $951 million to help the Rohingya refugees for the rest of the year, but it is less than 20 percent funded.
YANGON — A Myanmar policeman told a court on Wednesday he met two Reuters reporters on the night of their arrest in December, but denied giving them secret documents to incriminate them.
His testimony contradicted a previous witness who last week said police had “set up” the pair.
“During my meeting with Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, I didn’t take anything from them and I didn’t give anything to them,” Police Lance Corporal Naing Lin told Judge Ye Lwin, overseeing the hearing at a court in Yangon.
“I went and met with Wa Lone because he called me and requested a meeting. I didn’t call Wa Lone and ask him to come meet me,” said Naing Lin, who said he met the Reuters reporters over dinner and was not accompanied by any other policeman.
A previous witness, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing, has told the court a police chief ordered Naing Lin and another policeman to give “secret” documents to Wa Lone in an operation to entrap him.
The court in Yangon has been holding hearings since January to decide whether Wa Lone 32, and his Reuters colleague Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, will be charged under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison, for allegedly obtaining confidential documents.
At the time of their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in a village in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The killings took place during an army crackdown that United Nations agencies say sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.
The reporters have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers at a restaurant in northern Yangon by two policemen they had not met before, having been invited to meet the officers for dinner.
Naing Lin said Wa Lone called him in December and introduced himself as a Reuters reporter, requesting an interview about his experiences in Rakhine, where Naing Lin’s Police Security Battalion 8 was stationed between April and November last year.
During the dinner, Wa Lone asked Naing Lin about the 10 murdered Rohingya, Naing Lin said.
During cross-examination, defense lawyer Than Zaw Aung said phone records show Naing Lin calling Wa Lone three times in the afternoon and the evening of Dec. 12, the day the pair were arrested.
Naing Lin said several times he did not call Wa Lone, and insisted it was the reporter who called and initiated the meeting.
Lead prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung declined to comment after the hearing.
Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay was not immediately available for comment. After last week’s hearing he said that the courts were independent, and the case would be conducted according to the law.
Police Witness Fired
The previous witness, Captain Moe Yan Naing, has told the court that hours before the reporters were arrested, he was taken to the Battalion 8 compound with five other officers who had previously been contacted by Wa Lone, where they were interrogated by the police Special Branch.
When the officer in charge, Brigadier General Tin Ko Ko, found out that one of the six, Naing Lin, had been in contact with Wa Lone but had not met him in person, he ordered Naing Lin to use his phone to arrange a meeting with Wa Lone that evening, according to Moe Yan Naing.
He said Tin Ko Ko instructed Naing Lin to give Wa Lone documents related to Battalion 8 activities in Rakhine “in order to have him arrested."
Since first giving testimony in April, Moe Yan Naing, 47, has been sentenced to a year in jail for violating police discipline. Police have said the sentence was not related to the account he gave in court.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Police Director General Aung Win Oo dismissed Moe Yan Naing’s testimony, saying Tin Ko Ko did not know the two reporters and that he did not order them to be set up. Reuters has been unable to contact Tin Ko Ko for comment.
At the end of Wednesday’s hearing Police Captain Myo Lwin, the officer in charge of escorting witnesses in custody to court, said Sergeant Khin Maung Lin, who was due to testify next week, had been fired from the police and his whereabouts were unknown. He did not elaborate further.
Both Moe Yan Naing and Naing Lin said Khin Maung Lin was among the six policemen who had had contact with Wa Lone before the arrest.
The Ministry of Information said in December, after the journalists were detained, that Moe Yan Naing and Khin Maung Lin had also been arrested under the Official Secrets Act. No further information on the proceedings against Khin Maung Lin had been released since then.
