The Irrawaddy Magazine |
- Three Suspects in Record Malaysian Meth Bust Appear in District Court
- Investors Dissatisfied With Government’s Lack of Direction on Economy
- Big Holes Still Exist in Financial Reports of Extractive Companies
- Yangon Chief Minister Makes New Municipal Law Official
- Discrepancies Found in Audit of Mandalay Development Fund
- Visiting ICRC Chief Says Northern Rakhine Needs Urgent Economic Relief
- Yangon’s Street Foods — For the Hungry and Daring
- Thai Leader Tries to Comfort Families of Missing Soccer Players
- Army Chief Denies Military Involvement in Murder of Two Kachin Teachers
- US Forces, British Divers Join Search For Boys Missing in Thai Cave
- World Bank to Provide Up to $480M to Aid Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh
- US Lists Myanmar Among Worst Offenders of Human Trafficking
- China’s Yuan at New Lows as Trade War Threatens Market Instability
| Three Suspects in Record Malaysian Meth Bust Appear in District Court Posted: 29 Jun 2018 08:32 AM PDT YANGON – Three suspects linked to a record drug bust in Malaysia — U Min Naing, Haj Yassin and his brother-in-law Zeyar Hein — were prosecuted at a court hearing on Friday under sections 20 (b) and 22 (a) of the Anti-Narcotics Law. They face minimum jail terms of 15 years and possible lifetime imprisonment or the death penalty if found guilty. On May 28, Malaysian authorities announced their largest-ever drug seizure, finding nearly 1.2 tons of methamphetamine and a quantity of heroin in a shipping container. The drugs, disguised as golden tea packages, were shipped from Myanmar in a container that was declared to Customs officials as containing traditional foodstuffs. The haul had an estimated street value of USD18 million. Three Myanmar nationals and several Malaysians suspected of involvement in drug trafficking were arrested. Malaysia announced that the container carried the Log No. FSCU 9911521 and that the shipment came from Myanmar's commercial capital, Yangon. Two days later, Myanmar police arrested prominent Customs clearance agent U Min Naing, owner of the Nice Guy Clearance Service Agency in Yangon. Police did not identify the owner of Nice Guy Agency, but The Irrawaddy learned on June 8 that it is owned by U Min Naing and that its affiliate businesses U Kaung Trading and the Nice Guy purified drinking water factory are owned by U Min Naing's family. Based on the container log number, The Irrawaddy has previously reported that this container was leased to Sinokor, based in Malaysia's Penang port, and that the vessel left Myanmar Industrial Port (MIP) during the Water Festival period. U Kaung Trading managing director U Aung Soe Moe signed a shipping instruction book for Haj Yassin. As of today, police had yet to say whether U Aung Soe Moe had any further connection to the case. By chance, The Irrawaddy saw a man widely believed to be Aung Soe Moe at the Western District Court. He denied that he was Aung Soe Moe, but pictures seen by The Irrawaddy match his appearance. The police were able to locate Haj Yassin based on information received from initial suspect U Min Naing. The first statement on the case issued by police merely said they had arrested the suspect on June 2 and that the key suspect, Haj Yassin, was at that time on the run, having left his luxury Toyota Lexus under the Tarmwe flyover on May 30. The police statement contradicted the testimony of suspect U Min Naing, who claimed to a judge at Friday's hearing that he has been detained since May 30. According to the Home Affairs Ministry's latest statement, police arrested Haj Yassin (aka Maung Maung) on the Mandalay-Pyin Oo Lwin highway on June 6 and detained a third suspect, Zeyar Hein, on June 9 as he returned to Yangon from Malaysia to extend his passport. Fourth suspect Dawei Gyi, aka U Aung Lwin, was arrested at the Ma Hlwa Taung border checkpoint in Tinintharyi Division, and 10 grams of crystal methamphetamine, or "ice", was seized at his house in Dawei Township on June 20. The three suspects were initially remanded for detention at Seik Kan Myo Ma Court and officially handed over to stand trial to the Western District Court on Friday. The police also handed over Haj Yassin's luxury car and a Bongo Box car allegedly used for drug transportation as evidence to the court 0n the same day. From around 10 a.m., relatives of U Min Naing and the wife of Haj Yassin, as well as Zeyar Hein's younger brother and his wife, were seen waiting in the lobby. They declined to answer questions on the case when asked by The Irrawaddy. At Friday's hearing, District Court Associate Judge No. 1 Daw Moe Moe Aye confirmed the suspects' detention dates, addresses, ages, and national registration card numbers, along with the articles under which they were being prosecuted. The judge set July 13 as the next trial date. Suspects U Min Naing and Haj Yassin were represented by defense lawyer U Than Aung, who was assisted by about five representatives, while Zeyar Hein requested the judge assign him a separate defense lawyer. The judge officially announced warrants for two suspects, Jia Wei (aka Qin Jiamu) and Hussein (aka Mohammed Hussein). It was unclear whether suspect U Aung Lwin would appear in Tanintharyi Division Court or be brought to Yangon. After the hearing, Zeyar Hein's mother said quickly to her son, as he was being led from the courtroom, "Don't worry my son. I'm right here for you and we will do our best for you." The Ministry of Home Affairs announced last week that it had confiscated at least 18 billion kyats worth of movable and immovable assets from the six suspects. The assets are believed to be the proceeds of drug deals. Cash, bank account documents and valuables including jewelry were seized. Third suspect Ahko Gyi (aka Ka Tone), the husband of Jia Wei, is still at large and believed to be living in Malaysia, according to the police statement. The post Three Suspects in Record Malaysian Meth Bust Appear in District Court appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Investors Dissatisfied With Government’s Lack of Direction on Economy Posted: 29 Jun 2018 08:13 AM PDT YANGON — Impatient with the sluggishness of the economy, local investors are losing confidence in the pace of economic reform and blame it on a lack of direction by the National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government after two-and-a-half years of its administration. "The economy is really slow. The government doesn't know how to deal with the problem. They need to listen to advice from the experts," said U Than Lwin, a senior advisor to Kanbawza Bank Ltd and a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar. "They don't choose the right people for the right positions," he told The Irrawaddy. He stressed, "The government has a trust problem. They don't rely on people who have a proven ability in business and finance in the country. They don't take advice from them either." U Than Lwin is not the only one upset at State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government for ignoring advice from economists who understand the actual conditions and economic problems in Myanmar, which has been isolated from the rest of the world for more than five decades under the military dictatorship. In December, the Myanmar Business Sentiment Survey found that the economy is declining and local business confidence is falling regarding the coming year. Released by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), the survey found that short-term business sentiment has fallen from 73 percent in 2016 to 49 percent, with a majority of businesspeople citing a lack of clear economic policy from the government. "The government's economic reforms have not been not very effective for the business environment. A key problem is that they don't hire real economists," said U Myo Min, chief executive officer at the PS Business School. "If you don't know how to drive a car, you really don't know what should be included in the road safety law," he said. He added, "If you are an economic policymaker, you must have experience doing business in Myanmar." The survey also found that entrepreneurs have been losing confidence in the economy because of high taxation and non-competitive import practices. It found that 22 percent of local investors had zero understanding about taxation. "They don't listen to us, so they don't know our problems," said U Myat Thinn Aung, chair of the Hlaing Thar Yar Industrial Zone. U Than Lwin and U Myo Min told The Irrawaddy that in their experience the NLD declines to accept advice from outside economists, and only consults its own economic committee members. "The country's economy is in the hands of people with no experience in business," U Myo Min said. Speaking at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Convention in Yangon on Dec. 9 last year, Dr. Myint, a former chief economic adviser to former President Thein Sein, said the government lacks economic direction and that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's government needed to engage with people who are qualified in business, finance and other crucial sectors in order to ensure economic growth. He urged the State Counselor to listen to what experts have to say, especially economic advisers and key officials at the Union, state and division levels. In the UMFCCI survey, local investors urged the government to prioritize the development of economic infrastructure, create transparent financial management systems, fix problems with taxation, trade deficits, banking and finance, create jobs for local people, tackle the kyat's depreciation, institute rules and regulations to protect intellectual property and prepare for businesses to survive in Asian and international markets. In 2017, Vice President U Myint Swe also made a promise to local investors belonging to UMFCCI that Myanmar would make the top 100 countries on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business list. However, in 2018 Myanmar declined to 171st on the list of 190 countries, down one place from the previous year. Myanmar remains the least favorable ASEAN country in which to do business, ranking below even Cambodia (141st), Laos (125th) and Vietnam (68th).
According to the World Bank, Myanmar's GDP per capita has improved, rising from $193.2 in 2000 to $1,195.5 in 2016, but is still among the lowest in ASEAN. Foreign investors have criticized the government for delaying the New Company Law, as well as failing to address weak infrastructure and regulatory changes they expected would be tackled last year. Local dissatisfaction with economic conditions has not been appeased by growth in the size of the overall economy. The World Bank reported that Myanmar's GDP growth rose to 6.4 percent in 2017-2018 from 5.9 percent in 2016-2017. It is forecast to increase to 6.6 percent in 2018-2019. The Asian Development Bank put GDP growth at 6.8 percent in 2017 (up from 5.9 in 2016). It said that if the government can manage the reform in such a way as to improve the business environment, growth could even top 7 percent by 2019. According to the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration (DICA), in fiscal 2016-2017, under the NLD-led government, foreign direct investment (FDI) totaled USD6.6 billion, down by USD3 billion from fiscal 2015-2016. Under former President U Thein Sein's administration, FDI totaled USD9.5 billion in 2014-2015. "The textile industry has been struggling; some businesses have already shut down. Foreign investors are also withdrawing from the textiles sector," U Myat Thinn Aung said. Former minister of Planning and Finance U Kyaw Win earlier insisted that country's economy is on a growth trajectory that was encouraging to investors, but he resigned from his post after being investigated for alleged bribery by the Anti-Corruption Commission in May. He also admitted that the doctoral degree in finance cited on his CV was fake. U Than Lwin stressed that choosing the right people is crucial to improving the country's economy. "Previous people [military rulers] made that mistake; don't make the same mistake again," U Than Lwin said. During the two-and-a-half years of the current administration, an investment law has been approved, the New Companies Law took effect on Aug. 1, and new rules under the Condominium Law were released, but the economy has still not shown signs of improvement.
"The government has been implementing reforms, so why is the economy almost dying? We need to find the reason. I understand that solving economic problems is difficult for the politicians. So, they need to listen to expert voices," U Myat Thinn Aung said. In 2016 July, four months after taking office, the NLD government announced a 12-point economic manifesto to support competition and increase the vibrancy of the private sector, to strengthen the public financial sector, to privatize appropriate state owned enterprises, to improve infrastructure development, to support the agriculture and livestock sector for inclusive growth, to create job opportunities and encourage foreign investment, to create a stable financial system and to help small and medium enterprises thrive in the market, while also promising inclusive economic growth. But many investors have been disappointed, as those promises have been slow to take shape. "I accept our economy is slow. The government also understands and they are trying to improve things," said U Ye Min Oo, an NLD economic committee member and a former managing director of AGD Bank. In July, the government announced that U Thaung Tun, Union minister for the Office of the Union Government, will take over as chair of the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC). He is formerly a member of MIC. Also, in June, the NLD nominated new Planning and Finance Minister U Soe Win, 80. The minister said there are many challenges ahead that can't be underestimated. He has professional experience in international banking, having worked for the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank for more than 30 years. "The government has appointed a new Finance Minister and Investment Commission Chair. We will see progress. Normally, we can't see the impact [of economic policy] on the ground immediately; it needs time. We will see progress in our economy during the coming three to six months," U Ye Min Oo said. The post Investors Dissatisfied With Government's Lack of Direction on Economy appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Big Holes Still Exist in Financial Reports of Extractive Companies Posted: 29 Jun 2018 07:53 AM PDT YANGON – Myanmar's state-owned enterprises (SOEs) involved in the extractive industries still lack transparency and need to reform to meet international standards, according to the Multi Stakeholder Group (MSG) tasked with implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), on Thursday. Myanmar became a global EITI candidate in July 2014 but it has yet to gain full membership as it has not passed the validation process, which will start next month. The MSG is comprised of representatives of the government's ministries of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Electricity and Energy, the private sector and civil society groups. In the two and half years since the first MEITI report was published in January 2016, which drew heavy criticism, the MEITI national consultation office has published second and third reports on extractive industries, namely: oil and gas, gems and jade, and other mineral mining and pearl farming, for the fiscal periods of 2014-15 and 2015-16, on June 28. The reports were dated March 2018 and MSG members said they plan to produce an additional forestry sector report next month, in July. Daw Moe Moe Tun, a representative of the civil society sector, noted that one of the 21 recommendations laid out in the reports found that "Myanmar's natural resource extractions are deteriorating." The reports were based on figures shared with MEITI by private companies and state-owned enterprises, she said. "State revenues were lost due to long-running mismanagement and corruption. There are weaknesses in the provision of licenses, taxation and lack of legal procedures to monitor joint ventures between the government and private companies. Thus we also lost opportunities for locals to develop," said Daw Moe Moe Tun, who is from the Myanmar Alliance for Transparency and Accountability (MATA), a national network of civil society groups and individual experts. U Kyaw Thet, the deputy director of the Department of Mines, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation said that implementation of the recommendations made in the first MEITI report in January 2016 was ongoing while the suggestion made in the current second and third MEITI reports are being implemented already. U Kyaw Thet is also a member of the MSG and one of the speakers at press conference held Thursday to discuss the reports. "We have been reviewing the 14 recommendations made in the first report at every MSG meeting and we have seen some improvements. Our take on the recommendations is not like showing no more interest [after the reports are published]. We are strictly adhering to our aims of creating good governance in the extractive industries. Therefore, all of us believe in the reports' (recommendations) to reform [strategy] and find ways to improve the situation," he told The Irrawaddy. Military still dominates extractive industries Daw Moe Moe Tun agreed the latest reports are more comprehensive than the first one, but said there are still large gaps in them. Although the government is following the recommendations, the MSG member highlighted that the main military-controlled businesses — Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC) and Union of Myanmar Economic Holding Limited (UMEHL) —still lack transparency and accountability. Military-owned firms control almost all of the mineral-mining operations, she said. From these firms, their revenue share was over 1.3 billion MMK. These figures were based on the military companies' own templates and audit reports shared with MEITI. "But our country's weakness is our auditors can check only the accounts, not the performance. Both UMEHL and MEC are under the office of the commander in chief, so we have been asking whether the army should be involved in those businesses," Daw Moe Moe Tun said. In March, the Myanmar Center for Responsible Business (MCRB), a think tank, urged the government to develop mining policy and laws for sustainability in the mining sector. The MSG had tried to reach out to three selected companies in the jade-rich Hpakant region to do assessments, but their effort was stymied as the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, did not give permission for them to travel to the region. MOGE still the highest contributor of revenue, but discrepancies abound in "in kind payments" Total revenue collected from the extractive companies amounted to 3,404.469 billion MMK (or 20 percent of state revenues) for the fiscal year 2015-16, according to the Central Statistical Organization, as cited in the MEITI report. The value of exports from the extractive sector amounted to USD 5,304.03 million and accounted for about 47.6 percent of the country's total exports. Total revenues from extractive industries were slightly higher in the previous fiscal year (2014-15), amounting to 3,408.193 billion MMK (or 20.6 percent of total state revenues). Its export value was USD 6,648.07 million and represented about 53.1 percent of the country's total exports in 2014-15. The oil & gas production and transportation industry remained the highest taxpaying sector for those two years. The Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, a state-owned enterprise, controls and partially owns several of the main firms operating in the sector. The revenues received from the oil and gas sector totaled 2,579.917 billion MMK (or 76 percent of state revenues) from 41 oil and natural gas productions companies (including pipeline transportation companies) in the 2015-16 fiscal year. Of the 76 percent, state-owned enterprises transferred to Other Accounts and to government agencies 33 percent and 43 percent of the total net receipts, respectively. In the previous years, the same companies generated 2,882.206 billion MMK (85 percent) of revenues, of which 39 percent and 45 percent respectively were transferred to Other Accounts and government agencies. In 2015-16, the MEITI report states, they “reconciled in-kind payments made by extractive companies selected in the scope with commodities received by government agencies and we note differences,” which were detailed in the report. According to the report, in-kind payments of natural gas (for 2015-16) totaled 137,066 million scf (MMscf), however, in the government’s MOGE list, the income was listed as only 713 MMscf, implying 136,353 MMscf had disappeared. In the previous fiscal year (2014-15), the difference was 129,638 MMscf as only 645 MMscf was listed in the MOGE data. There was no information shared to MEITI to explain the discrepancy, and it was believed that two-thirds of the gas was taken by the military. The environmentalist U Win Myo Thu said the government should have shared this information to help transparency and accountability. “Apart from the military uses, we heard more than 40,000 million scf was lost due to damaged pipelines,” he said. The price for 1 million scf of natural gas is roughly USD 4,000, thus for two years, an estimated USD1.0 billion has disappeared from the income list. For jade, there was also a discrepancy between the company-provided information and the government data of 426,554 kilogram in 2015-16. The government representatives in the MSG said that the jade and gold paid "in kind" was kept at museums. MOGE and foreign debt The MOGE's offshore and onshore oil and gas extraction revenues represented 47.5 percent of the country's total income. Even though MOGE is the highest revenue-generating sector, Daw Moe Moe Tun noted that its foreign loans also account for nearly half of the total loans and the majority are from China with an interest rate of 4.5 percent. "Thus, we have to think about whether it is really making a profit. Also the MEITI report this time is not yet able to clearly provide details of the loans and payment of loans and interest," she said. According to U Than Htay Aung, an MOGE expert who serves as an MSG member from the government side, out of the eight foreign loans to MOGE from China, Japan, Thailand and India, three had already been paid back. A Japan International Cooperation Agency loan for offshore oil exploration of USD111.732 million has a 30-year repayment period and Myanmar will have to start payment in January 2023. For onshore oil exploration projects, MOGE received a USD80.51 million soft loan from China to be repaid between January 2013 to the end of July 2022. Other Chinese loans for the Yadana-Yangon gas pipeline, Southeast Asia natural gas pipeline and Shwe offshore gas project, and the South East Asia crude oil pipeline project amounted to USD 1,654.454 million. The repayment terms for those projects are for 15 years and payment for the Yadana-Yangon gas pipeline began in 2015 with the latter two's repayments beginning in 2016. As of March 31, USD1459.639 million was still needed to pay the four Chinese loans, plus total interest of USD440.94 million, according to the government figures. More revenue sharing from gems and jade sector The revenue from gems and jade mining brought in 707.808 billion MMK (21 percent of the total revenue share from extractive industries to the state) in 2015-16, up from 387.029 billion MMK (11 percent) in 2014-15. The revenue increases in 2015-16 came from 51 of 1,660 gems and jade-extraction companies, which paid taxes of more than one billion MMK. In the previous year (2014-15), MEITI’s reconciled data came from 72 companies, which paid taxes of more than 0.75 billion MMK to the government. In the first MEITI report, just 11 companies participated in the transparency monitoring. "Other mineral" mining operations, including gold, amber, rubies, copper, raked in 98.583 billion MMK (3 percent) of total revenues for the extractive sector, with 28 companies (out of a total of 1,038) paying taxes of more than 0.25 billion MMK in the 2015-16 fiscal year. In the previous year, it was 124.848 billion MMK (4 percent) from 29 companies (of a total of 969) paying taxes of the same amount (more than 0.25 billion MMK to the government). "Our work is on the right track and we want our cabinet leaders, other directors of the respective departments and the businessmen to be aware of the importance of EITI standards and to pay attention to the responsibility and accountability of the mining sector," said U Kyaw Thet, pointing to the increases in of private companies and state-owned enterprises sharing data. He explained the government reviewed the extractive companies to see whether they followed the environmental management plan (EMP), and those that violated the EMP had their licenses revoked. Therefore, from around 2,000 minerals mining companies in 2013-14 there are only 1393 in operation today. Despite the number of mining companies sharing their financial information for MEITI reconciliation, by looking at the data, it is clear a handful of companies including state-owned enterprises and the military-owned firms dominate the extractive sector. "We have to ask whether business is taking place in balance. It is time to share the data on resource extraction and the financial figures with the people, who are the original owners of these natural resources," Daw Moe Moe Tun said. "The state-owned enterprises do not meet international standards, as they are controlled, managed and monitored by themselves. For that reason, no legal action was taken. In contrast, many local people have been sued for many reasons," she added. The post Big Holes Still Exist in Financial Reports of Extractive Companies appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Yangon Chief Minister Makes New Municipal Law Official Posted: 29 Jun 2018 03:17 AM PDT YANGON — Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein signed the new Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) bill into law on Thursday. "This law will take effect as of June 28," the chief minister said as he handed over the law to Yangon Mayor U Maung Maung Soe at Yangon City Hall. "This law turns a new page in the history of the new government and envisions the future of Yangon," he said, adding that the legislation would become the “driving force'” behind the commercial capital’s economic development. The law was drafted by drawing on research carried out with the help of experts from Singapore and Japan, U Phyo Min Thein said. The legislation, which supplements the 2013 YCDC Law, was approved by the Yangon Region Parliament on Wednesday after four months of debate. It includes 31 chapters with 337 provisions, including penalties for breaching the code of conduct for civil servants. "The 2013 YCDC Law doesn't prescribe penalties for municipal staff for negligence or mistakes, but the new law does. Action will be taken under the code of conduct for civil servants as well as existing laws for abuse of power and negligence," said lawmaker U Hla Htay, who represents Mingalar Taungnyunt Township in the regional parliament. The original draft included 32 chapters. Lawmakers did away with a proposed chapter that would have given the YCDC the authority to engage in business in various sectors including construction, services and recreation. The new law also sets in motion a major shakeup of the regional government’s administrative structure. The government previously had more than 20 departments but will now have work divvied up among seven teams. The law also creates a new post of vice mayor to ease the workload of the mayor of Myanmar’s largest city. "The law mainly focuses on [municipal] election by-laws. As the law has been approved, the election for the vice mayor post will be held as soon as possible," said U Phyo Min Thein. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Yangon Chief Minister Makes New Municipal Law Official appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Discrepancies Found in Audit of Mandalay Development Fund Posted: 29 Jun 2018 02:51 AM PDT MANDALAY — There are discrepancies regarding Mandalay's development fund under the previous regional government that are only being found two years later, said Mandalay's chief minister on Thursday. A regional auditor general's office discovered that clear reports were missing for more than 3 billion kyats (US$2.1 million) that were used for education, rural development, communication and rehabilitation projects. "There were differences or unclear statements under 10 of the fund's sections during the former administration," said Mandalay Chief Minister Dr. Zaw Myint Maung during a press conference in Mandalay on Thursday where the current regional government explained the work done in the past two years in office. The audit report was dated June 2017 and covered the use of the development fund from 2012 to 2016, which was handled by the previous government. "Some amount needs to be returned to the government while in some sections, there are no financial statements whatsoever," said the chief minister. "Since this money belongs to the nation and its citizens, it should not be neglected or misused. Those responsible must take care of this and explain how these funds were used," he added. The chief minister said he sent a notice to the responsible department but he did not mention what action would be taken if those accountable failed to respond. At the press conference, the regional government also explained that rural development in Mandalay Region has been successful, as the government has built schools and clinics and carried out electrification projects effectively. He added that business development has also improved, with 62 foreign investments at the regional level and 154 at the local level recorded in 2018. On the other hand, the chief minister said there are still challenges as the government is limited by the 2008 Constitution, referring to its ability to return confiscated land to the rightful owners. According to the regional government, more than 4,300 acres of confiscated land were already returned to the proper owners, while some 9,000 acres were under consideration and should be returned by the end of this year. "Our biggest challenge is confiscated land. Some land cannot be returned to the rightful owners, as there are problems proving ownership," explained the chief minister. Farmers have criticized the regional government for its failure to return confiscated lands. Some farmers attempted to plow their seized lands and were then sued for trespassing under the current administration. Apart from the land issue, the regional security and border affair minister said there are also issues with fighting drugs. "Since our president is putting his efforts toward eliminating drug abuse, we are boosting our forces and changing our tactics to arrest and take legal action against drug dealers," said Colonel Kyaw Kyaw Min, the regional security and border affairs minister. From 2017 to March 2018, some 265 million kyats worth of heroin, opium and other drugs were seized and more than 400 drug cases were reported. The post Discrepancies Found in Audit of Mandalay Development Fund appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Visiting ICRC Chief Says Northern Rakhine Needs Urgent Economic Relief Posted: 29 Jun 2018 01:22 AM PDT SITTWE, Rakhine State— Communities in northern Rakhine State are still in need of emergency assistance, said the International Committee of the Red Cross. ICRC chief Peter Maurer visited Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships in troubled Rakhine State, met people from Rakhine, Hindu and Muslim communities and observed the ICRC's humanitarian assistance during a three-day visit that started on Tuesday. "It is unquestionable that we need to expand our activities. Businesses in the region are impacted, and people are also impacted. Mainly, ICRC needs to do something to assist the economy," he told reporters at Sittwe Airport upon completion of his visit on Thursday. "Humanitarian organizations are doing their best to alleviate the suffering in very difficult circumstances, especially as the monsoon season advances. But 10 months on, despite all the talking and efforts, too many people are still suffering too much,” said Maurer in his statement. "While the emergency response continues, there must be urgent progress – from humanitarians, development actors, and the authorities – on building sustainable solutions," he added. The ICRC chief arrived in Bangladesh on Friday, and is expected to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and other high-ranking officials. Maurer also met leaders of the Arakan National Party on Wednesday and civil society organizations (CSOs) in Sittwe on Thursday. He held talks with government officials as well. "We urged the ICRC chief to make sure there is transparency and equality in providing aid to communities. We urged him not to be biased in providing assistance," said U Than Tun, a Sittwe-based CSO representative who participated in the meeting. Some members of the local Arakanese community have expressed a concern that international agencies are biased against them in providing humanitarian supplies. The ICRC chief noted that the consequences of the attacks have impacts on the lives and businesses of local communities. "What I heard was how much the economy of a village is destroyed when 7,000 out of 9,000 people have left," he said after meeting locals in Nga Khu Ya village in Maungdaw. "Villagers no longer go to fields for farming. They no longer go to markets. They completely lost resilience and still rely on humanitarian aid," added Maurer, who was visiting the northern areas of Rakhine State for the first time. The Red Cross Movement (RCM) has provided assistance to over 180,000 people since the insurgent attacks on Aug. 25 last year, according to the ICRC's Sittwe Branch. The RCM consists of the ICRC, Myanmar Red Cross Society, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescents. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Visiting ICRC Chief Says Northern Rakhine Needs Urgent Economic Relief appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Yangon’s Street Foods — For the Hungry and Daring Posted: 28 Jun 2018 11:54 PM PDT One of the best ways to get to know a place is by exploring its popular foods. Walking along the streets of Yangon, you will come across a plethora of vendors and stalls offering a wide range of foods influenced by Chinese, Indian and local cuisines. This street fare often looks good and smells delicious, and it is always cheap. If you want to know more about the daily lives of the local people and the culture of Yangon, the city's famous street foods are one of the best places to start. To help, I have collected some of the more common and popular street foods for you to try the next time you're in town. These foods can easily be found in downtown areas like the Sule Pagoda neighborhood, Chinatown and Bar Street.  Wat Thar Doke Htoe (Pork sticks) A local favorite, you will surely be attracted by the smell of Wat Thar Doke Htoe (pork sticks). The various parts of the pig including internal organs like liver, intestines, kidneys, spleen, heart, lungs, tongue, meat, skin and cartilage are all cut into pieces and skewered on small bamboo sticks. You can ask for any part of the pig and the vendors will slice it up for you. Most of the Wat Thar Doke Htoe vendors provide small stools for their customers to sit on, and you can then ask for sauce and soup from a large pot that sits in the middle of the table. Wat Thar Doke Htoe is very popular with locals although many foreigners shy away from it because of the way it is displayed and for reasons of hygiene. Some restaurants and bars also offer pork sticks on their menus so you may want to try it at one of those places instead. If you dare to try the real street pork sticks, just head for downtown and you'll see many vendors offering this Yangon staple. Each stick will cost about 200 kyats. Prices vary depending on the shop.  Moat Lin Mayar This is a popular Myanmar teatime snack. The direct translation is 'Couple's Snack,' because it is made of two halves that are joined to become one. First, the vendors pour the mixture into a big black round pan then put on other toppings like peas and quail eggs. Then, the halves of Moat Lin Mayar are separately heated by a charcoal fire underneath to a crispy brown and finally combined as one and flipped over. You can find Moat Lin Mayar around the city. It is usually sold as a set of 10 for 500 kyats.  La Phet Thoke (Tea leaf salad) La Phet Thoke is a traditional Myanmar dish that is often sold at teashops, restaurants and uniquely styled stalls. You can see these La Phet Thoke stalls at many places in Yangon. The vendors put a small amount of tealeaf into a small container and mix it with boiled corn, peanuts, diced tomatoes, cabbage and some dried fish. La Phet Thoke stalls are most commonly seen around the downtown area and on 19th street.  Bein Mont (Myanmar pancake) Bein mont is a traditional snack that some people eat as breakfast and some as a teatime snack. It is also known as 'Myanmar street pancake' and is chewy, crispy, nutty and perfect to order as a take-away. The vendors will cut it into bite-size portions that you can eat as you go on your way. There are two different types – brown and white pancakes. Both are made of rice flour but the brown cakes are mixed with "jaggery" (palm sugar) to sweeten them and are topped with coconut slices, nuts and white poppy seeds. The white pancakes are more suitable for those who don't like sweet food and are topped with boiled peas and onion. You can find them for sale along many streets in Yangon and elsewhere. Prices vary from vendor to vendor but Bein mont typically sell for 200 to 500 kyats each.  Lan Thaye Moat (Dosa sandwiches) Lan Thaye Moat was originally an Indian cuisine that is mixed with a Myanmar topping. It's a crispy, thin crepe made from the batter of fermented ground lentils and rice. First, a thin layer of batter is spread quickly inside a concave metal pot over hot coals, then some toppings are added such as tomatoes, chickpeas, small pieces of chili, cabbage, bean sprouts along with sprinkles of black pepper. This one is also good as a takeaway and it's perfect as teatime or pre-dinner snack. Lan Thaye Moat typically sells for about 200 or 300 kyats each.  Samosa Salad Samosa Thoke (Samosa salad) is another Indian-inspired cuisine that is a mixed salad of diced potato, chickpeas and samosa. The salad also includes shredded cabbage, chopped raw onions, mint leaves, and some chili for those who like it a little hotter. Then, a small amount of heat and comfort in the form of thick masala lentil soup is poured over the salad and it's ready to eat. Samosa Thoke is a vegetarian dish and some people eat it instead of dinner or lunch. Samosa salads can easily be found on Yangon's streets and sell for 500 kyats each. A Kyaw Sone (Fried snacks) A Kyaw Sone (Fried snacks) is Myanmar's very own fast food and can be found on many streets of Yangon. Buu Thee Kyaw (crispy gourd fritter) is a local favorite and you can also get fried snacks like samosas, spring rolls, chickpeas, bananas, ba yar kyaw and fried potato slices. People eat them for breakfast and sometimes as a teatime snack. It's delicious but the oil used to fry them is sometimes not of the highest quality. So, you need to be careful to check the vendors before you buy from them. These fried snacks are also cheap at 100 kyats each.  A Thoke Sone (Variety of salads) A Thoke Sone is one of most popular street foods in Myanmar. Among the varieties are Khout Swal Thoke (noodle salad), Tofu Thoke (tofu salad), papaya salad and also rice salad. You will see a lot of portable street food stalls in the crowded parts of Yangon. Vendors carry those stalls on their shoulders, balancing two baskets. They go place to place and settle down when they find what looks like a good spot. You take a seat on their colorful plastic stools and you can choose among the salads, which are made in front of you after you place your order. If you want it spicy, then ask for some chili powder. The salads are mostly good tasting but they are best avoided if you have stomach problems. If you dare to try one while you are in Yangon, you can easily find these roving vendors in the downtown area. One salad will cost 500 kyats. The post Yangon's Street Foods — For the Hungry and Daring appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Thai Leader Tries to Comfort Families of Missing Soccer Players Posted: 28 Jun 2018 11:36 PM PDT Thai Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha this morning assured families of the 12 young soccer players and their coach that they will all survive the ordeal as the mission to rescue them from inside the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai Province's Mae Sai District entered its sixth day. Noting that the children and teenagers were soccer players, he said they should be physically fit to cope with the hardships they were enduring. "You need to have confidence in your children's physical fitness and the ability of the rescue teams to help them out," Gen Prayuth told families who gathered to meet him at the rescue command center. Most of the families have been camping just outside the Tham Luang cave since the rescue mission was launched on Sunday. The soccer team went missing on Saturday. The prime minister arrived at Tham Luang-Khunnam Nangnon National Park this morning as rescue teams frantically continued to find ways to reach into a chamber of the cave where the children are believed to be taking refuge. Their efforts have been hampered by rough terrains and continuous heavy rains. Gen Prayuth was briefed on the current state of the rescue operation before he proceeded to comfort relatives hoping for good news about their missing children and loved ones. Gen Prayuth said he felt "mentally tortured" by the ordeal the children and their families were going through. "I feel as if they were my own children," he said. There was one light moment when some of the family members mentioned the possibility of the children being stranded in an area known as "Pattaya Beach" inside the cave. "Let's do this. If they all come out safe and sound, we will take them to visit Pattaya Beach," the prime minister said, referring to the famous beach, drawing some smiles from the otherwise emotion-stricken villagers. Gen Prayuth later demonstrated how the families should learn to do meditation to relieve their tensions, drawing laughter and rounds of applause from them. The prime minister also took the opportunity to thank foreign experts and rescue teams who have arrived to help with Thai authorities' rescue operation. The post Thai Leader Tries to Comfort Families of Missing Soccer Players appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| Army Chief Denies Military Involvement in Murder of Two Kachin Teachers Posted: 28 Jun 2018 11:26 PM PDT NAYPYITAW — Myanmar Army Chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing claims that the army had nothing to do with the rape and murder of two volunteer teachers more than three years ago in Muse District in northern Shan State and blames the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). In a meeting with the Myanmar Press Council in Naypyitaw on Thursday, the army chief denied accusations that the two Kachin teachers were raped and killed by Myanmar Army soldiers. "[The army chief said that] a thorough investigation was conducted and it was found that two KIA members killed them and that it had nothing to do with the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army)," said vice chairman of the press council U Ohn Kyaing. The army chief also rejected other accusations against the Tatmadaw and said that it has strong evidence against those accusations, said U Ohn Kyaing. Two ethnic Kachin teachers, Maran Lu Ra and Tangbau Hkawn Nan Tsin, who were both 20-year-old volunteers working with the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), were raped and killed in Kutkai's Kaung Kha village on Jan. 19, 2015. Local residents accused the Tatmadaw, as Kaung Kha was occupied by soldiers from the Myanmar Army Infantry Battalion 503 at the time of the murders. It is impossible that KIA troops came into the village occupied by the Myanmar Army and raped and killed the girls, said Hkali, of the KBC. "How could KIA troops enter the village and rape and kill the women while the army battalion was stationed there. The police investigation seemingly has ceased. The perpetrators still can't be identified, but everyone knows who they are," said Hkali, adding that the KBC would cooperate with the Shan State Lawyers Network to get justice for the women. Locals have staged protests and the Myanmar Women's Network, Kachin Peace Network, Women's League of Burma and 88 Generation Peace and Open Society have issued joint statements, demanding justice for the two teachers. An investigation commission consisting of police, a people's militia and KBC priests was formed to investigate the murder. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. The post Army Chief Denies Military Involvement in Murder of Two Kachin Teachers appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| US Forces, British Divers Join Search For Boys Missing in Thai Cave Posted: 28 Jun 2018 09:55 PM PDT CHIANG RAI, Thailand — US forces and British divers have arrived in Thailand to help in the search for 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach believed trapped by floodwaters in a cave, as rescuers prepared to drill a shaft into the cave on the fifth day of the search. Major Buncha Duriyapan, commander of the 37th Military District in Chiang Rai, said workers would drill down from the top of the Tham Luang cave complex in northern Chiang Rai Province to create an alternative entrance for rescue workers. “We will drill down from one of the chimneys,” Buncha told reporters on Thursday. “The expert divers went straight from the plane into the cave to make an assessment,” he said, referring to the three British divers who landed in Thailand on Wednesday. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said 30 members of the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) have joined the search operation. “The United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) has sent 30 staff with equipment to help penetrate the cave walls,” Prawit told reporters. Search efforts, which have included Thailand’s elite navy SEAL unit, have been hampered by heavy rain and flooding inside the cave where the boys, aged between 11 and 16, and their 25-year-old assistant coach went missing on Saturday. Rescue workers on Thursday scoured the top of the mountain looking for alternative entrances to the cave, according to a Reuters reporter at the scene. Thai National Deputy Police Chief Wirachai Songmetta said police officers would explore a 1 km path to the right of the cave on Thursday. So far, rescue teams have been focusing on a 7 km-long route to the left of the cave’s entrance that they believe the boys and their coach took. Authorities say they’re optimistic the boys are still alive, but the toll of five days of no news was visible on the faces of the boys’ relatives. Family members, red-eyed from crying, said prayers on Thursday near the cave, led by a saffron-robed Buddhist monk. “Observe your breath in this place of love. Love between mother, father and child,” the monk told anxious relatives. “Do not worry and wait for good news.” The post US Forces, British Divers Join Search For Boys Missing in Thai Cave appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| World Bank to Provide Up to $480M to Aid Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh Posted: 28 Jun 2018 09:31 PM PDT WASHINGTON — The World Bank said on Thursday it would provide up to $480 million in grant-based support to Bangladesh to address the needs of Rohingya refugees including health, education, water, sanitation and social protection. The World Bank’s board approved a $50 million grant to add to an existing health-sector support project in Bangladesh, the first in a series that could total $480 million. The health-sector grant included contributions based on a partnership between Canada and the World Bank’s International Development Association arm. It will help Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh receive maternal, neonatal, infant, child, and adolescent health and nutrition services, reproductive healthcare and family planning support, the World Bank said. The support from IDA, the bank’s fund for the world’s poorest countries, will include up to $400 million on grant terms to help Bangladesh cope with the crisis, the bank said. Since last August, more than 700,000 mostly Muslim Rohingya have taken shelter from violence in Myanmar in the Cox's Bazar District in Bangladesh, making it the world's largest and fastest growing refugee camp. “We are deeply moved by the suffering of the Rohingya people and stand ready to help them until they can return home in a safe, voluntary, and dignified manner,” World Bank president Jim Yong Kim said in a statement, adding that the bank would also support the people of Bangladesh. Canadian International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said in a statement that for every dollar contributed by Canada, five additional grant dollars would be unlocked in support of health, nutrition and population services to the refugees. Kim and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres are scheduled to visit Bangladesh on July 1-2 to assess the severity of the crisis and discuss what more can be done. The post World Bank to Provide Up to $480M to Aid Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| US Lists Myanmar Among Worst Offenders of Human Trafficking Posted: 28 Jun 2018 09:26 PM PDT The United States on Thursday placed Myanmar on its list of worst offenders of human trafficking and accused it of using child soldiers amid global criticism over human rights abuses by the country’s military against the minority Rohingya Muslims. Gabon, Laos, Papua New Guinea and Bolivia were also downgraded to Tier 3 from the Tier 2 Watch List in the State Department’s 2018 Trafficking in Person’s report, which publicly embarrasses countries into acting to curb human trafficking. The report evaluates 187 countries and territories and ranks them into four tiers, with Tier 1 being the best and Tier 3 the worst. The US downgraded Bolivia to Tier 3 because of its failure to report investigating, prosecuting or convicting human trafficking crimes, nor did it have the resources or training to do so, according to the report. A Tier 3 ranking can trigger American sanctions limiting access to US and international foreign assistance. The report said that children should only be removed from their family as a “temporary, last resort.” US President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policy, which separates families at the US-Mexico border, has raised concerns over child welfare and an increase in trafficking. A senior State Department official said the US does have screening standards in place for trafficking indicators when children cross the border unaccompanied or are separated from their parents. The official referred questions on the issue to the Department of Homeland Security. Meanwhile, Sudan was upgraded to the second-to-worst ranking at a time of improved relations between the US and Khartoum. The US lifted some sanctions against Sudan in October and is considering easing more. While the report is not meant to be influenced by geopolitical considerations, both the Trump and Obama administrations have been accused by human rights groups of prioritizing economic and security interests over human trafficking concerns. Thailand and Pakistan were upgraded to Tier 2, among a list of nations making significant efforts to comply, the report said. Pakistan spent four years on the Tier 2 Watch List of nations deserving special scrutiny, the limit a country can remain at the second-to-worst ranking before either being upgraded or downgraded. There were a total of 29 upgrades and 20 downgrades in this year’s report, the State Department official said. North Korea, China and Russia remained listed as some of the worst offenders. China was downgraded to Tier 3 last year. Iran and Niger were also added to the child soldiers list, while Sudan was removed. Countries on the list can face sanctions, including restrictions on receiving US military aid. Iraq was added back to the list after being removed by former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The post US Lists Myanmar Among Worst Offenders of Human Trafficking appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
| China’s Yuan at New Lows as Trade War Threatens Market Instability Posted: 28 Jun 2018 09:25 PM PDT SHANGHAI — China’s yuan slipped to a new low on Friday and was on course for its worst month on record, as a bitter Sino-US trade row threatened to rattle the world’s second-biggest economy even as rebound in stocks brought a modicum of calm. Chinese stocks were also set for their biggest monthly slide since January 2016, highlighting the anxiety among investors as Washington and Beijing showed no signs of backing down from their tariff spat. As of 0230 GMT, the benchmark CSI300 Index was up about 1.15 percent, while the Shanghai Composite Index rose around 0.8 percent, though they were down 8.8 percent and 9.1 percent for the month. The yuan has shed about 3.4 percent of its value against the dollar in June, it’s biggest fall since the market exchange rate was unified in 1994. On Friday at 0230 GMT, it was trading at 6.6368 per dollar. US President Donald Trump has shaken the world trade order by seeking to renegotiate the terms of some of the United States’ trading relationships, in particular with China. The US is targeting $34 billion of Chinese goods for tariffs to take effect on July 6, and has threatened tens of billions of dollars more for similar duties. Investors worry an extended selloff in stocks and the yuan could spark a bout of capital outflows, putting further strain on the economy and complicating policy making as authorities put up defenses against the trade battle with the United States. Chinese 10-year treasury futures for September delivery, the most traded contract, leapt 0.24 percent. “The central bank is expected to step up efforts to calm investors and slow the pace of the yuan depreciation that has sparked risk aversion across regional markets, including a possible reintroduction of the counter-cyclical factor (CCF),” Gao Qi, FX strategist at Scotiabank in Singapore, wrote in a note on Friday. He said there would be “strong resistance” at 6.70 yuan per dollar. A trader at a regional bank in Shanghai who declined to be named said there had been some “filtering” of the midpoint fixing, which is set by the central bank each morning, in an apparent bid to keep the yuan from falling too sharply. “It is too early to say whether the counter-cyclical factor has been revived. If market sentiment could recover by itself, there is no need to use the factor. Market still needs some time to digest,” the trader said. In May 2017, the People’s Bank of China added a secret “counter-cyclical factor” to its formula for calculating the midpoint, which helped put a floor under a falling yuan. It effectively removed the x-factor at the start of this year as the yuan rebounded. The trader said dollar demand was strong this week and could persist until July 6, when US tariffs on Chinese goods are set to take effect. The post China’s Yuan at New Lows as Trade War Threatens Market Instability appeared first on The Irrawaddy. |
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