Sunday, November 25, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

88 Generation’s U Ko Ko Gyi Shares Vision for New Party, Myanmar

Posted: 23 Nov 2018 10:07 PM PST

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! This week U Ko Ko Gyi — chairman of the People's Party, recently established by the 88 Generation student leaders, who have taken a leading role since the 1988 pro-democracy uprising — has joined me to discuss his insights into Myanmar’s complicated political landscape. I'm Kyaw Zwa Moe, The Irrawaddy English editor.

It is fair to say that Myanmar politics have always been as complicated as they could be. After the country regained independence in 1948, civil war broke out and problems arose with ethnic armed groups under the Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League government. Because of the civil war, Myanmar came under the military boot. There was the one-party authoritarianism of the Myanmar Socialist Program Party and then a military regime. Now we are in the era of the elected government. But the legacy [of military rule] still lingers as new problems arise. What new ideas and approaches do you have, as a leader of a new party, to resolve the country's unsolved problems?

Ko Ko Gyi: I have often made this joke when I am asked why I joined politics. Jokingly I reply [that I joined because] I don't like ease. I mean I could make a comfortable living to myself. But since 1988 I feel I could not just stand by, and I have had dreams about the future of my country, the way I wanted it to be. To pull our country out of the complicated maze you mentioned was one of our dreams. The daily politics of the grassroots people are their livelihood. We have had dreams of improving their living standards to be on par with neighboring countries, or better than theirs if possible. Analyzing the problems, one is the politics that involve the civil war, ethnic equality and federalism, and civil-military relation, because the country was under military rule for a long time and is experiencing a constitutional crisis as attempts are made to address those problems within the framework of the 2008 Constitution. These are the political problems. Also, looking from a different perspective, I'm afraid the political leaders are trapped in the political problems. So we wondered how much attention they have been able to pay to the daily livelihood problems of the people, and what the links are between the political terminologies we argue about and the daily lives of the people. So we think that while we try to end the civil war, which is even older than us, there is also a need to have political impact on the daily lives of ordinary people.

KZM: So it has become ever more important to find approaches?

KKG: Yes it has.

KZM: As you have said, one of the problems is the civil war, and so there are efforts toward peace. The role of the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) in politics should be noted. And there is also a constitutional crisis. Tatmadaw leaders play a very important role. The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has focused on national reconciliation. If you do acquire a degree of power, how would you negotiate with Tatmadaw leaders?

KKG: We have become middle-aged men since we first engaged in politics as students. The Tatmadaw has also had a new generation come to power. The military officers of 1988 have either retired or died. I see that change as an opportunity. I would like to build understanding between the Tatmadaw’s younger generation and our younger generation. I have had informal talks on secession, for example. Nobody wants to secede and nobody wants others to secede. Generally, there is no disagreement on that. But the conceptual foundations are different. One side thinks the other side must give up the right to secede, and the other side thinks that it must cling to it because it is enshrined in the [1947] Panglong Agreement. This is negative argument. So why don't we take a different approach? For example, in the US Constitution it says "in order to form a more perfect Union." So if we take our cue from this and say "in order to form a more perfect federal Union," then there is no need to argue over secession. The establishment of a federal union is a process, and it will not be completed in a certain period of time. So at informal talks I have suggested taking a different approach and thinking about "in order to form a more perfect federal Union", and some military officials have seriously considered it. So my point is that there will be no answers if we solve old problems with old ideas. Everyone should accept this point. If we can find new approaches and new ideas, especially if there are new approaches and new ideas among the younger generations, I think these problems will be overcome.

KZM: The question is how to offer them new ideas, especially those who have some degree of power. I mean if military leaders will have new insights and understandings about constitutional reform. If not, they will maintain the mindset of protecting the 2008 Constitution and not allowing it to be changed.  If that is the case, how would you make them change their mind?

KKG: In negotiations, each side should try to know each other's red lines.

KZM: They can't be crossed?

KKG: It is better to not cross them, but I don't mean they shouldn't be crossed at all. Both sides should work to find common ground within the agreed range without crossing the red lines. If disagreements are repeatedly touched on, the distance will expand. So we've called for acknowledging the differences and finding common ground to start working on it. Then, we hope, the differences will diminish.

KZM: The 2020 election is years away. Before we talk about the election, let's think about some possible scenarios. If the People's Party — I found that it has achieved a certain level of public recognition — were to have some degree of authority, what approaches would it adopt to address these problems that would be different from those of the U Thein Sein government and the current government?

KKG: Speaking of the political problems we mentioned earlier in the conversation, while there are calls for ceasefires and peace, the role of those who are capable of firing and shooting has become more important.

KZM: There are more clashes now.

KKG: If this problem is objectively accepted as a political problem, and not a military problem, there is a need to empower the ethnic political forces. So one of the policies of the People's Party is to forge an alliance with ethnic political parties. If we can help them secure political representation and political power in their regions, there will be an option. As evidence builds that running a political party can lead to politically favorable results, there will be greater belief that those problems can be solved politically and that there is no need to take up arms. So in working to achieve peace, there is a special need, from a political point of view, to create a role for ethnic political forces. I seriously believe this.

KZM: Many political parties like your policy. The ruling NLD will remain the most powerful party in the 2020 election. The second most powerful will be the USDP (Union Solidarity and Development Party). Your party may be an alternative to those two parties. But being the third party may be a big challenge. What is your party's strategy to mobilize public support in regions like Yangon and Mandalay?

KKG: We've opened a headquarters. Then we'll have to open branches outside Yangon. We have plans to turn those offices into centers where people can file complaints about their daily problems and seek advices and consultation. If people can discuss their problems frankly and seek advice … we believe we will gain public support over time if we give them practical support rather than urge them to join or vote for the party. And speaking of ethnic regions, ethnic populations are spread differently in different regions.  So these are things that need detailed discussion. Yes, it is true for democratically mature countries that democracy is about standing for election and competing intensely. But in a sensitive and deeply divided country like ours, there is a need for cooperation at every stage — in policy, in elections and in parliament after elections.

KZM: Many believe the NLD is working for a successful democratic transition for the country. Your party of 88 Generation leaders also works for democracy. They can be clearly differentiated from those parties associated with dictators. How would you make the People's Party stand out among other democratic parties including the NLD to win greater public support? It seems the NLD still has real potential to win the 2020 election.

KKG: As we've worked together for many years, we want to hold talks with other parties, including the NLD, that have the same stance and objective as us. And we can hold talks with them about related issues, for example. If we have a shared view on a particular subject, then we can just inform the public as it is. If not, regarding urban challenges, for example, we have to convince the public that our plans are better.

KZM: So my question is, what would you do to win the election?

KKG: It is a cause for concern that voter turnout has declined. Voter turnout declined in the 2017 by-election, and in the 2018 by-election fewer than 50 percent of [eligible] voters cast votes; only 42 percent of voters cast votes. Why didn't they cast votes? Are they fed up with politics? Do they feel that nothing will improve even if they vote? I think that population is particularly important for us. So I believe the People's Party can win votes by rekindling their interest in politics and bringing them back to polling stations.

KZM: Now is the age of globalization, so we need to look beyond domestic affairs and into international relations. Myanmar has been criticized and its image has been marred due to the Rakhine issue and human rights issues. As you have studied IR (international relations), what is your vision of Myanmar's international relations, or what is your party's foreign policy?

KKG: We have adopted a policy of reciprocal, beneficial and peaceful cooperation with neighboring countries, regional countries and the international community. In fact, the Rakhine issue is a specific issue. There is still argument about whether it is a domestic issue or an international issue. The international community labels it an international issue, and we have to approach it from the perspective of the sovereignty and security of the country. Some [countries] have criticized us out of honest concerns, but some have their own agendas. We don't want to confront any country. We should try to make our international friends understand the reality. And we need to solve the problem issue by issue. From the point of view of human rights, whether they are citizens or not, they are human beings who should have access to humanitarian assistance and security. About their citizenship, citizenship laws are different from one country to another. The international community should acknowledge this point. Again, after they gain citizenship, there should not be discrimination on grounds of creed and color, gender and social status. So step by step we should try to make the international community understand and know the reality.

KZM: Some political analysts have said that ASEAN countries have to choose between the US and China. What is your choice?

KKG: There are two types of international relations. One is value-based, such as the values of democracy, human rights and liberalism. Each country implements its foreign policy based on what it values. Another is interest-based. There are cases when countries give priority to interests over values when their interests are confronted. So a political leader needs to understand what [the country’s] political interests are. And they need to adjust international norms and values as much as possible to match the interests of their country. So there are only two ways big countries are involved in international politics. One is their interests and the other is the values that they trumpet. It is important that we understand this fact and manage international relations effectively, because we are a small country in terms of size and are neighbors with superpowers. Any government in office has to give priority to maintaining good ties with them; this is the requirement of reality. And it also needs to maintain friendly ties with the international community.

KZM: Thank you for your contributions, Ko Ko Gyi.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post 88 Generation’s U Ko Ko Gyi Shares Vision for New Party, Myanmar appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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Friday, November 23, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Arakan Army Claims It Killed 3 Tatmadaw Soldiers in Remote Clash

Posted: 23 Nov 2018 06:24 AM PST

YANGON—Three government soldiers were reportedly killed on Thursday during fighting with the Arakan Army (AA) in an area between northern Rakhine State's Buthidaung Township and Chin State's Paletwa Township.

The fighting coincided with the Tazaungmone Festival, also known as the Festival of Lights, which marks the full-moon day in Tazaungmone, the eighth month in the traditional Myanmar calendar.

From its headquarters in Kachin State's Laiza, the AA reported the skirmish via its official Facebook page. It said the fighting broke out on Thursday afternoon. Citing witness accounts, the AA said three soldiers of the Myanmar Army (or Tatmadaw) had been killed and that one of its own fighters was wounded. It said the fighting erupted when an active AA frontline column unexpectedly encountered government troops near where the borders of Myanmar, Bangladesh and India meet.

A resident of Buthidaung Township told The Irrawaddy that a major from the Tatmadaw's Buthidaung battalion was killed and that his body had been evacuated by helicopter yesterday. He also claimed that at least a dozen AA rebels were killed.

The AA's statement did not elaborate on the cause of the clash; it said simply that the Tatmadaw commonly launches offensives against it at the end of the monsoon season. The military had not released any casualty figures via its website as of Friday. The Irrawaddy was unable to reach an Army spokesman for comment on Friday.

Ko Kyaw Aung, a member of an ethnic Chin charity group from Paletwa Township, said his group had heard about the renewed clashes from villagers, but said he did not have updated information because the area was outside telecom network coverage and was not linked to urban areas by a sealed road. The village nearest the fighting is a 10-hour boat ride from Paletwa. Despite occasional fighting in the region, not a single villager had sought refuge in the downtown area of Paletwa so far, he said.

Asked by The Irrawaddy whether the recent flare-ups in fighting were a sign that the AA had established a strong foothold in the Paletwa region, he said, "I am not a military expert but we can obviously see that many clashes are occurring in various locations in a single day."

There had been no tightening of security downtown, Ko Kyaw Aung said, but military officers were checking the IDs of passengers on boats bound for the upper Paletwa region.

The AA and the Tatmadaw have clashed on numerous occasions in recent months. In October, the AA even announced that its snipers had taken out a commander and three soldiers from the Tatmadaw's Infantry Unit No. 541.

In October 2015, during the administration of then-President U Thein Sein, the AA, Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Kokang groups were excluded from signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). Eight armed organizations out of more than 20 in the country inked the accord, but some of the largest, including the Kachin Independence Army, declined to do so.

The post Arakan Army Claims It Killed 3 Tatmadaw Soldiers in Remote Clash appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Making Myanmar’s Last Royal Capital an ASEAN ‘Smart City’

Posted: 23 Nov 2018 06:18 AM PST

YANGON—Myanmar's last royal capital, Mandalay, was recently ranked by CIO Asia as number fifth among the top 10 cities in Southeast Asia in the process of becoming "smart cities," a ranking which is based on information from The ASEAN Post, The Economist Intelligence Unit,a the network's own project profiles and Govlnsider.

Mandalay City Development Committee (MDCD) has drawn up a 30-year urban development plan with a vision to improve the water supply system, wastewater treatment and solid waste management using smart technology. Sensors have been installed on the streets of Mandalay to monitor and control traffic in real time and to monitor the condition of pipelines and water meters as well as a new electronic toll-payment system. The efforts show Mandalay has strong potential to achieve its goal of becoming a "smart city" along with more than 20 other contending ASEAN cities.

U Ye Myat Thu, Mandalay's smart city officer and committee member of MCDC spoke with The Irrawaddy's reporter Nan Lwin about recent developments, the technological transformations of Mandalay municipality and challenges that may come in the process of gaining full smart city status.

Recently, Mandalay was recognized by CIO Asia as a Southeast Asian city in the process of becoming a smart city. It was ranked as the fifth most promising city on the list. Over MCDC's two remaining years in term, how do you envision this happening?

Some people may think a smart city is like something out of a James Bond movie where you would see lots of high-tech weapons or something like that. Perhaps some may think that everything in the city will be transformed into a luxurious form using a huge amount of money. Definitely not. Actually, a smart city is one that facilitates public services using technology.

Mandalay is now using sensors which keep real time traffic light records and monitor traffic congestion through automated control centers. The sensors also track the condition of pipelines and water meters in real time to identify leaks. The city now uses a radio-frequency identification (RFID)-based system in a new electronic toll payment system.

Front view of Mandalay City Development Committee (MCDC) headquarters. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

Early this year, while Singapore took the position of chair of ASEAN, the country's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong proposed the ASEAN Smart Cities Network initiative. All ASEAN member countries agreed to collaborate in the initiative in order to promote smart and sustainable urban development. Among more than 20 participating cities, our processes have shown strong improvements in [the process of] achieving our smart city goal. Hence we are considered to be in the process of becoming a smart city and already have some features needed to get full smart city status.

What are the characteristics and framework for an ASEAN smart city?

The official Smart Cities Framework is based on partnership and funding. The framework has six main areas— Civic and Social, Health and Well-being, Safety and Security, Quality Environment, Building Infrastructure and Industry and Innovation. In each area, there are categories to improve in such as Culture and Heritage Tourism, Public and Municipal Services, Governance, Housing and Home, Healthcare, Education, Resource Security, Cybersecurity, Public Safety, City Surveillance and Crime Prevention.

Here in Myanmar, Culture and Heritage, Resource Security, Cybersecurity, City Surveillance and Crime Prevention and Trade and Commerce are under different ministries. In other countries, those sectors are under the control of a mayor.

Unlike other countries, we can't control all sectors included in the ASEAN Smart Cities Framework. However, public and municipal services, governance (only e-government), environment quality, resource access and management, urban resilience, traffic control, buildings and construction are under the MCDC's umbrella so we can transform those sectors using technology.

What are MCDC's main technological transformations in Mandalay?

It started with garbage collection trucks. We installed GPS and software to monitor their routes and daily duty areas. We installed an alert system so if they don't go to a township where they are supposed to collect the garbage, we are alerted.

We are using IOT (Internet of Things) sensors on the street to keep track of vehicles. The sensors also scan vehicle numbers; we can track their route from the control room with real time control monitors to see whether they ran a red light and which direction they are heading.

We installed CCTV cameras at traffic lights. Some cameras can clearly see whether the seatbelt is fastened and also how many people are in the car. All the data is directly sent to the control room. By entering the vehicle's plate number, we can find details on the vehicle's routes. It can help the crime unit and investigations.

The traffic lights are automatic and adjust depending on traffic congestion. If there are no cars on the other side, the green light will turn red automatically. As in the system currently used in Singapore, vehicles from the other sides can pass through. By using technology, we also receive traffic congestion data. Therefore, we are able to learn which streets should be one-way or two-way.

A Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)-based system has been installed at the toll gates. It is an electronic payment system. We assembled laser walls at every highway toll gate which scan the size of the vehicles and calculate the payment due. Traditionally, tolls were paid by hand at the toll gate. We didn't get detailed data. The cash that we received was always less than the actual number of vehicles. There were cases of corruption; the accounts used to be wrong.


The technology control center at MCDC’s headquarters. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy

Now most of the highway companies are satisfied with our electronic prepaid payment system because they can track their vehicles and also receive detailed data. Moreover, they don't have to spend extra money on a machine for counting exact cash amounts.

MCDC is introducing a 3-R (reduce, reuse, recycle) recycling system to the citizens. We have installed recycling bins for different types of waste in many places. Students are learning about the recycling bins at school. We are training them on how to put the waste into the different bins (paper, cans or plastics).

Can you elaborate more on the details of Mandalay's 30-year master plan?

We only announced the new garbage system to the citizens, but we have also started using an automatic meter-reading system in some townships with which government staff can record water usage on applications on their mobile phones just by walking in front of a house. We also installed sensors to record how many gallons of water are wasted. Those projects were funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Netherlands, Japan and other countries.

Drones have recorded the details of city planning and buildings. Moreover, we are re-collecting citizen data including family member numbers and properties and the number of vehicles. The project aims to produce a new dataset. If we know the number of family members, we can trace how many tons of garbage they produce. If we know how many vehicles they own, we can calculate traffic congestion and a potential new street-planning system.

It is interesting: we just received new figures for the city's population and housing. For example, previous data showed one million buildings while our new data shows double that figure. Based on the new data we can receive more taxes from the citizens.

MCDC have been adopting new technologies and rules that ordinary citizens may not be familiar with. How does MCDC engage with citizens?

Before we change something, we collect data first because data supports reasoning for making changes. The MCDC team were well-prepared for complaints from citizens. We have concrete reasons for every change in the city. We also have elected MCDC members who are the focal people for engaging with citizens.

Does MCDC face issues with changing the citizens' old habits during the period of transitioning to a smart city?

We try to make citizens follow rules. Trust is vital. They need to trust that we are making positive changes for them. If citizens don't follow the rules, all the money we spend will be wasted. I think citizens have changed a lot. It's like the broken window theory: a building with a few broken windows is more susceptible to vandals breaking the others. A clean space with no trash discourages people from littering.

I believe citizens can control their own community to follow the rules. In some townships people organized small trucks to collect garbage. We just need to provide the bins and gather all the garbage at the same place. They also installed CCTV to see who is continuing to put rubbish in the wrong place because some people are used to throwing near the bins. There are penalties for who those don't put rubbish into the bins directly.

I heard that smart city concept came from a city mayor who was very passionate about urban planning even before he became a mayor. What is the role of Mandalay's mayor during this transformation?

All the decisions for the city were based on Mandalay's mayor's vision. The mayor was brave as he dared to make decisions to buy the latest technology. If he is not brave, I would have to work with China-made machines and the result would be stumbling.

Whenever we have to use part of the budget for technology or software or machines for the smart city, we have challenges with the audit teams, but the mayor always explains to them that long-lasting products are more expensive. If he didn't understand those kinds of things, we would never get the best technologies or machines for the city.

MCDC have introduced new technologies in many sectors within a short time. How was the budget managed?

Some high-tech software was donated by foreign companies. Mostly, we got discounts because the companies want to show Mandalay as an example. If the project results are good here, the company will be able to advertise their products to the rest of the country.

MCDC didn't receive budget for this project from the Union government. After we collected building and population data, we received more taxes from the citizens. Moreover, the RFID systems at the toll gates are providing a huge income for MCDC. After we use technology in the public service sectors, including in toll gates, water meters and others, our income significantly increased.

In the past, people used to build or renovate buildings without MCDC's permission. Now we use drones to get actual figures and photos of buildings. Citizens understand if they build without permission we will immediately trace it from our data center. As a result, the income from the building permits has also increased.

What are the biggest challenges?

Every change faces resistance. Sometimes the resistance exists even within our employees. When we installed the GPS systems on garbage trucks, some employees put water in them so we couldn't trace their routes. We had to warn them that if they do it again, we will take serious action.

There are challenges dealing with some ministries. For example, at the riverfront area, a ministry has given permission to private sand companies [to take sand] so the area is so messy. However, we can't manage that kind of thing because it is not under our control.

Public transportation is not under MCDC's control. Even though drivers are breaking the rules and regulations, we can't take action against them. They aren't afraid of us at all.  Sometimes I joke with my ethnic friends that we also want federalism in Mandalay as well.

What are the future plans of MCDC?

We are planning to do standard mapping in order to easily find any location in Mandalay. We will draw up street direction signs using systems of international standards, particularly the United States' standardized system. We have been working on a payment gateway system so citizens don't need to come to the office to make payments on property taxes, construction permits and other municipal taxes.

In the future, they will be able to make payments using QR codes at the nearest bank. Technologically it is almost ready but we still need to negotiate with private banks. MCDC is looking to buy standard facial recognition technology which could help police in investigate crime cases.

A wastewater treatment plant is now under construction and we plan to clean all waste water in the near future. MCDC is also working with Japan to draw up a drainage master plan to solve flooding on the roads and other issues. We will bring in new technology for drainage systems in the future.

I can't predict when or if Mandalay will achieve full smart city status but we will leave all these achievements made during our administration as a foundation.

The post Making Myanmar's Last Royal Capital an ASEAN 'Smart City' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Separatist Rebels Storm China’s Consulate in Pakistan, Two Police Killed

Posted: 23 Nov 2018 05:03 AM PST

KARACHI, Pakistan — Three suicide attackers tried to storm the Chinese consulate in the Pakistani city of Karachi on Friday but were killed before they could get into the building, the city’s police chief said.

At least two police officers were killed in the attack, which was claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist insurgent group that opposes Chinese projects in the resource-rich southwestern province of Baluchistan.

All Chinese staff at the consulate were safe, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and China’s Foreign Ministry said.

The assault was the most prominent attack in Pakistan against China, a neighbor and close ally which is pouring billions of dollars into Pakistan as part of its Belt and Road initiative.

It was also the highest-profile operation in years by the BLA, which mostly wages a low-level insurgency in Baluchistan. The group also calls itself the Balochistan Liberation Army.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered an inquiry, with his office calling the attack “part of conspiracy against Pak and China economic and strategic cooperation.”

As the attack unfolded, an explosion and gunshots rang out in Karachi’s affluent Clifton neighborhood, where the consulate is located, and a plume of smoke rose over the area.

Karachi police chief Amir Shaikh said the three attackers came in a car filled with explosives but failed to get inside the heavily fortified compound.

“They tried to get inside, but the Rangers and police killed one of the terrorists,” Shaikh said.

A gun battle broke out with the two other attackers trying to enter the consulate’s visa section, but they were also killed, he said.

At least three cars parked near the embassy were destroyed in the initial blast. A helicopter hovered over the area for hours after the attack.

Insurgency

A spokesman for the BLA confirmed there were three attackers.

“They stormed the Chinese Embassy in Karachi. China is exploiting our resources,” spokesman Jiand Baloch told Reuters by telephone.

The insurgents are based in Baluchistan, where China has funded development of a deep-water port in the town of Gwadar and other projects on a China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Baluchistan, which is on the borders of Afghanistan and Iran, has rich mineral and natural gas reserves but is Pakistan’s poorest province.

Separatists have for decades campaigned against the central government and what they see as the unfair exploitation of the province’s resources, in particular natural gas and minerals.

The BLA says the state is also taking over land belonging to indigenous people and has targeted Chinese-funded projects.

India was quick to condemn the attack, saying there was no justification for such violence.

India and Pakistan regularly blame each other for violence in each other’s countries and Pakistan has long accused India of supporting the Baluchistan insurgents. India denies that.

India has for decades accused Pakistan of supporting Islamist separatist militants fighting Indian security forces in the Indian part of the Himalayan region of Kashmir.

“The perpetrators of this heinous attack should be brought to justice expeditiously,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Chinese targeted

The Friday attack was “reflective of a growing China focus by the BLA,” said Raffaello Pantucci, director of international security studies at the London-based Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies.

In August, a BLA suicide bomber attacked a bus carrying Chinese mining workers in Baluchistan, wounding five people.

China has in recent years become one of Pakistan’s most important investors and supporters with some $60 billion poured into projects as part of China’s continent-bridging Belt and Road initiative.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang condemned the attack and said China “requests the Pakistani side takes measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and organizations.”

When asked whether the attack would affect Chinese investment in Pakistan, Geng said China would “continue unswervingly” to work with Pakistan to develop CPEC projects.

The post Separatist Rebels Storm China’s Consulate in Pakistan, Two Police Killed appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Military Releases Ta’ang Locals Arrested in Retaliation for Detainment of Captain

Posted: 23 Nov 2018 03:34 AM PST

The Myanmar Army in Kutkai Township, northern Shan State, has released six Ta'ang locals which they arrested this week, while four others remain in detention following the Ta'ang National Liberation Army's (TNLA's) detaining of an army officer on Tuesday, according to local sources.

Myanmar Army Infantry Battalion 45, based in Kutkai, released five people yesterday evening and another this morning, according to the village head of Pan Ku in Kutkai Township where the incidents have been taking place.

"Those five people were released [on Thursday] at 8 p.m. local time," said Aike Sam, village head of Pan Ku.

One of the detainees was a woman who gave birth just 10 days ago. She, along with her new born baby and her two-year-old daughter, were among the five released yesterday.

The army continues to detain four others, one of whom is said to be the girlfriend of the Myanmar army captain who is currently being detained by the TNLA.

The locals detained have no involvement with the TNLA, according to Aike Sam who negotiated with the Myanmar Army for their release.

After the Myanmar Army interrogated the six people, they found them to be innocent and therefore released them, he said.

Joint forces of Infantry Division 99 and Infantry Battalion 45 of the Myanmar Army detained 10 people in total from the area where their army officer was detained by the TNLA.

The TNLA reported that they detained a captain named Chan Myay Htun from the Myanmar Army's Infantry Battalion 45, which is based in Kutkai Township, on Tuesday.

Members of the TNLA who stopped a car found the captain inside and seized two guns and bullets from him.

The TNLA have announced that they will take action against Capt. Chan Myay Htun under their own laws.

Capt. Chan Myay Htun's girlfriend is ethnic Ta'ang and lives in Mang Pan Village, according to local villagers. He often traveled to the village to visit her and some members of the TNLA knew about their relationship. He was arrested by the TNLA while enroute to her village.

In retaliation to the arrest, the Myanmar Army detained Capt. Chan Myay Htun's girlfriend along with her older brother who is the head of their village, Mang Pan, as well as the other villagers.

The post Military Releases Ta'ang Locals Arrested in Retaliation for Detainment of Captain appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Hong Kong Firm Close to Finalizing New Yangon City Proposal

Posted: 23 Nov 2018 03:07 AM PST

YANGON—Hong Kong-listed China Communications Construction Co. Ltd (CCCC) has nearly finalized its proposal for the development of US$1.5 billion (2.4 trillion kyats) worth of initial infrastructure for the controversial "New Yangon City" project across the Yangon River from Myanmar's commercial capital, according to a government body established to oversee the project.

New Yangon Development Company announced on Sunday that the final stage of negotiations with CCCC for the preparation of the Pre-Project Documents (PPD) including technical specifications, a financial proposal, a business model and related documents are now under way.

Upon the submission of the documents and approval by NYDC, CCCC will be able to enter the first stage of the NYDC Challenge Model, an adaptation of the global model of the Swiss Challenge for fair competition and transparency, according to NYDC chief executive Serge Pun.

The documents are expected to define the scope of nine initial infrastructure projects in the first phase of the mega-project.

They are: a six-lane bridge spanning the Hlaing River from Kyinmyindine Kannar Road near Bargaya Road to the New City; a two-lane bridge spanning the Pan Hlaing River alongside the existing Pan Hlaing River Bridge; 26 km of arterial roads connecting the major nodes of the new city; basic infrastructure and utilities for the five new Resettlement Village Towns; infrastructure for the first 10 sq. km of a planned industrial Estate; power distribution and transmission facilities; a water-treatment plant for the entire New City; a wastewater-treatment plant; and a water intake facility near the Toe River approximately 32 km from New Yangon City plus a water main distribution line.

NYDC plans to develop 20,000 acres of land in the first phase of the project, and claims this will generate 2 million jobs. The company says the cost of initial infrastructure work in the first phase is expected to exceed $1.5 billion.

The company and the Chinese firm signed a framework agreement in April this year.

As part of the NYDC Challenge, should a second party challenge with a lower bid, CCCC will be allowed to match the offer or forgo the bidding. If CCCC chooses to forgo, the second party will be awarded the contract and will be obliged to reimburse all costs incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of the PPD. Those costs will be agreed between NYDC and CCCC prior to the initiation of the tender process.

The project has come under criticism due to the low-lying topography of the area, which is prone to flooding as it has a maximum elevation of just 5 meters above sea level. NYDC said it had kick-started a flood-risk assessment for the New Yangon City project with Royal HaskoningDHV, a Dutch consultant.

However, Serge Pun said he believed the project will be "a success" if Myanmar is able to take advantage of current trade tensions between the U.S. and China and lure more foreign investors.

He said many factories in China were thinking about relocating to avoid the impact of U.S tariffs, which impose a 25-percent tax on goods made in the country. The property mogul described the situation as "an opportunity" if Myanmar could attract those factory owners to relocate to the New City.

The post Hong Kong Firm Close to Finalizing New Yangon City Proposal appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Human Rights Body Investigating Man’s Death in Yangon Police Custody

Posted: 22 Nov 2018 11:44 PM PST

YANGON — Myanmar’s National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday launched an investigation into the death of a man who was allegedly beaten by Yangon police while being interrogated.

Ko Aung Aung, 28, a taxi driver, was arrested by Thanlyin Township police on the evening of Sept. 12 along with two suspected thieves. According to local media, the two suspects told police that they hired Ko Aung Aung for a ride and that the taxi driver had nothing to do with the theft.

Ko Aung Aung died on Sept. 26, after the trial. His family then filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission, believing he was tortured by police and died from his injuries.

U Phone Kywe, who is heading the investigation, said commission members have since met with the family, people who had contact with Ko Aung Aung during his detention, and the doctor who performed the post-mortem. He said they also intended to question police and the suspected thieves, who are being held at Insein Prison.

U Phone Kywe said the commission has also received other complaints accusing police of abusing detained suspects.

Recently in Ahlon Township, a tour operator detained as a suspected thief said police beat him in custody. Police apologized to the man after his allegations spread on social media and have launched an internal investigation of the accused officers.

In another case, a man suspected of stealing a fishing net died while in the custody of police in Dedaye Township, Irrawaddy Region. The National Human Rights Commission launched an investigation and on Aug. 1 sent a report to the Home Affairs Ministry, which oversees the police force, recommending that action be taken against the inspector and police officers involved.

"Police have a police manual and procedures. If they followed the law, there would be fewer extrajudicial cases. Unnecessary things happen because they are poorly followed. We need to find answers instead of placing blame. It is important that all police know and follow the police manual," said U Phone Kywe.

He said the commission would also speed up the education programs it runs that teach police and soldiers about human rights laws and rules.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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China Says US-China Trade Talks Should be Equal, Mutually Beneficial

Posted: 22 Nov 2018 09:51 PM PST

BEIJING — Trade talks between the United States and China should be equal and mutually beneficial, Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said on Friday, adding that he hoped the two countries can find ways to manage their differences through dialogue.

US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, are expected to hold talks during the G20 summit in Buenos Aires next week as trade ties between the world’s two largest economies become increasingly fraught.

Wang, speaking at a press conference in Beijing, said he hoped both sides could move in the same direction and find ways to resolve their problems. Officials from both countries are in close contact under guidance from their leaders, he added.

Washington wants Beijing to improve market access and intellectual property protections for US firms, cut industrial subsidies and slash a $375 billion trade gap. Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese imports to force concessions.

The US tariff rate on $200 billion in Chinese goods is set to increase to 25 percent from 10 percent on Jan. 1. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on all remaining Chinese imports — about $267 billion more in goods — if Beijing fails to address US demands.

Trump said on Thursday that he hoped he can make a deal with China when he meets Xi.

“I can say this, China wants to make a deal very badly — because of the tariffs,” Trump told reporters in Palm Beach, Florida.

“China wants to make a deal; if we can make a deal, we will,” he said.

The high-stakes meeting comes as the Trump administration shows little sign of backing down in its demands and rhetoric.

Washington said on Tuesday that China has failed to alter its “unfair” practices at the heart of the US-China trade conflict, in an update of the US Trade Representative’s “Section 301” investigation into China’s intellectual property and technology transfer policies.

China rejected the fresh US accusations of perpetuating “unfair” trade practices and urged Washington to stop making provocations.

The Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday that it was deeply concerned by the report issued by the US administration this week.

Citing security concerns, the US government on Monday also proposed stepping up scrutiny over technology exports in 14 key high-tech areas including artificial intelligence and microprocessor technology, a move that many analysts view as directly targeting China.

A 30-day public consultation period on the proposal to include those sectors in its broader export control regime is underway and will end on Dec. 19, according to a document published on the US government’s Federal Register.

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China Steps Up Prosecutions For Pollution Offences: Authority

Posted: 22 Nov 2018 09:08 PM PST

SHANGHAI — China prosecuted more than 3,500 people for pollution-related crimes in the first 10 months of the year, up nearly 40 percent on a year ago, law enforcement authorities said, as Beijing looks to courts and police to curb violations.

China has struggled to enforce its environmental laws as growth-obsessed local governments turn a blind eye to polluting local enterprises, and it has been trying to ensure violations are properly punished.

China’s Procuratorate said at a Thursday briefing that it would show “zero tolerance” to environmental crimes, adding that it also prosecuted nearly 8,500 people for the wider offence of “damaging resources” in the first 10 months, up 44 percent.

The number of criminal prosecutions is still small compared to the nearly 130,000 environmental violations reported in the first nine months of the year, leading to fines of 10.63 billion yuan ($1.53 billion), according to Environment Ministry data.

Beijing has encouraged courts and police departments to establish dedicated environmental divisions, while financial regulators and other government departments are under pressure to play a bigger role in punishing polluters.

In a speech earlier this year, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to deploy the full weight of the state to reverse decades of environmental damage, forcing several ministries and regulators to draw up their own plans to fight pollution.

However, the central government still regards grass-roots enforcement as a weak link, and has launched a series of reviews into the way local officials rectify violations, focusing on what they describe as “fraudulent”, “superficial” or “perfunctory” efforts to meet pollution standards.

China is also making use of its feared graft-busting body to crack down on local government violations, documents published by the corruption watchdog showed this week.

Anti-corruption teams throughout China have been investigating officials for failing to rectify environmental problems, according to notices published on the website of the Central Commission of Discipline Inspection (CCDI), which normally handles corruption and other acts of misconduct.

At a meeting of the disciplinary body in Xian in northwest China, officials were reprimanded for oversight failures during the construction of a wastewater pipeline, CCDI said in a notice on Thursday.

In another case, the local party discipline committee of Sichuan punished local Communist Party cadres for failing to respond to public complaints about an unregulated dog slaughterhouse in the city of Jianyang, the CCDI said.

The post China Steps Up Prosecutions For Pollution Offences: Authority appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China Halts Bridge Construction After 6,000 Rare Fish Die: Media

Posted: 22 Nov 2018 08:54 PM PST

SHANGHAI — China has halted construction of a bridge in the province of Hubei after it was said to have caused the death of around 6,000 critically endangered Chinese sturgeon, the China Daily said, citing the Agriculture Ministry.

An investigation team found the construction project in the city of Jingzhou had illegally encroached on a protected national nature reserve, the paper said.

The fish were bred at an aquafarm in Jingzhou. Their deaths were attributed to the “shocks, noises and changes of water sources” brought about by the bridge project.

The Chinese sturgeon is on the brink of extinction as a result of pollution, overfishing and the construction of massive hydroelectric dams along the Yangtze River.

Overdevelopment of the river has also decimated the population of the native Yangtze porpoise and caused the extinction of the baiji dolphin, known as the “Yangtze mermaid.”

A total of 1,085 animals and plants native to China are listed on the global red list of “threatened” species compiled by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

According to a report published last year by a group of Chinese non-governmental organizations, 738 of the protected species saw their numbers decline from 2000 to 2015, with only 102 seeing improvements over the period.

The post China Halts Bridge Construction After 6,000 Rare Fish Die: Media appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Bamboo House For Manila Slums Wins Top Prize in Future Cities Contest

Posted: 22 Nov 2018 08:27 PM PST

BANGKOK — The creator of a low-cost house made of bamboo to tackle the chronic shortage of affordable housing in the Philippine capital has won a top international prize to design future cities in a rapidly urbanizing world.

Earl Forlales, 23, won the first prize from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in its Cities for our Future competition. The prize money of 50,000 pounds ($63,915) will fund a prototype, as well as actual units.

The house, known as CUBO, uses engineered bamboo, and can be put together in four hours at a cost of 60 pounds per square meter, according to a statement released Thursday.

The modular housing, which can be manufactured in a week, includes design elements such as a tilted roof that captures rainwater and reduces heat gain, and elevated stilts that prevent floodwaters from entering the home.

“The world’s cities are growing all the time and there is a real need to make sure they are safe, clean and comfortable places to live in,” said John Hughes, competition judge and president of RICS.

“Earl’s idea stood out for its simple, yet well thought through solution to the world’s growing slum problem,” he said.

Of Manila’s population of 12 million, about a third live in slums, possibly the most in any urban area in the world, charities estimate.

Many residents are migrants from the provinces who come in search of better opportunities, and cannot afford housing. An additional 2.5 million migrant workers are forecast to move to the city in the next three years.

The National Housing Authority last year committed to building 800,000 homes over five years. The backlog for government housing in the Philippines is about 5.5 million, campaigners estimate.

Forlales, a graduate in material science engineering, said he took inspiration for CUBO from the bamboo hut his grandparents lived in outside Manila.

CUBO will first be used to house the incoming worker population in the short term, and then extended to the city’s slums. The plan also includes options to provide residents with new skills and jobs, Forlales said.

“The affordable housing solution must necessarily be low-cost, sustainable, robust and long lasting. We cannot make do with band-aid solutions,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

“Housing opens up opportunities, so the solution must be decent and dignified, giving residents access to all necessary amenities for a better life,” he said.

CUBO can be built in any city where bamboo is available, including most of Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa and Latin America, he said.

The inaugural Cities for our Future competition — run by RICS and supported by the United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO and the Association of Commonwealth Universities — drew more than 1,200 entries.

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Thursday, November 22, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Students Launch All-Local ‘Cotton Bagan’ Clothing Brand

Posted: 21 Nov 2018 05:46 PM PST

A group of young students from Meiktila district have started producing pants and scarves using local cotton under the Cotton Bagan brand. Their main purpose is to build a trusted local brand based upon Myanmar's most famous tourism site.

Cotton Bagan products are 100 percent cotton, and only available in Bagan, the country's most popular travel destination for both locals and foreigners, said co-founder Pyay Soe Hein, 21.

"In Bagan, there are many imported clothes with high price tags. Elephant pants, which are imported from Thailand, are trending in Bagan. It's because there are no other choices. There are no local brands that tourists can trust in a lot of tourism areas. That's why we wanted to build a trusted local brand," he said.

Scarves from the Cotton Bagan brand (Photos: supplied)

Personally, Pyay Soe Hein doesn't like to wear elephant pants, and he is sure that there must be other guys like him. That's why the team chose to start the business by making cotton pants in Bagan.

Cotton Bagan was launched by three young graduates of Meiktila University of Economics in the middle of 2017.

"We started planning in the middle of 2017 with two other friends, but we have other people who help us. Some juniors from university helped with marketing research and seniors also helped," he said.

The products were launched to the public in October 2017.

Before Cotton Bagan, he worked on another clothing brand called Gent and Glory that was mainly supported by the university's English club members and students from other majors.

"So, we already had the experience and had networked with suppliers and garment factories. Our university is not far from the industrial zone. We were able to reach it easily. Our experience with Gent and Glory made things a lot easier when we started Cotton Bagan," Pyay Soe Hein said.

But they needed to go step by step, starting with a brand-building analysis.

"We had just a little knowledge from our lectures. So, there were many mistakes when we tried to do things in the real world. This business is bigger than our previous one," he said.

A boy and girl wear unisex cotton pants by Cotton Bagan.(Photos: supplied)

Actually, there are a lot of local brands selling cotton clothes in Myanmar, but they are not pure cotton and some are imported from China and Thailand; they just change the brand logo, he said.

"That means, we [in the country] lose too much. [Myanmar] can also source cotton locally but [traders] buy from abroad. So, our country loses money to others. In the old days, people just imported the different fabric sheets from foreign countries. Nowadays, they even import the finished goods," Pyay Soe Hein said.

Domestic tourist sites are places that can generate income for local businesses. But most of the people there order from foreigners; they don't see how much the country is losing, he added.

"So, we want to promote our local cotton. Local cotton is as good as imported cotton. The imported cotton is a bit better than ours but ours is also of decent quality."

They have different cotton suppliers and all the products from the brand are made in Myanmar.

Cotton Bagan doesn't have a showroom or its own shop; it is distributed via retail partners.

A girl wears Cotton Bagan-brand long pants in Bagan.(Photos: supplied)

"So, we need to make an agreement first with retail partners who promise to sell the products at a fixed price. And they need to explain the product description honestly as well," Pyay Soe Hein said, explaining the way the company operates.

He added, "If there are complaints from customers about the products, the retail partners contact me."

When people visit Bagan, they can explore the area wearing comfortable cotton pants by Cotton Bagan. They can also buy them as gifts for their friends and family; that's the brand's other purpose, he said.

"That's why we are careful about the details of the packaging as well," Pyay Soe Hein said.

Cotton Bagan is an officially registered brand. The pants' design is simple and unisex with different color options. They have small, medium, large and extra large sizes, as well.

"The brand is targeted at both locals and foreigners, because tour companies and tour guides are already connected with souvenir shops. So, they go to that kind of shop directly. If we choose those souvenir shops as our retail partners, we need to pay the tour company and tour guides. So, the cost will increase and the profit will be less, or else the products' price will be high. That's unfortunate," he said.

In the future, the team will check the response from customers to Cotton Bagan's first products. It will then expand from Bagan to other tourism sites, Pyay Soe Hein said.

The prices for the pants range from 5,600 kyats to 7,000 kyats.

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Wednesday, November 21, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Sri Ksetra: UNESCO Treasure to Discover on a Short Break from Yangon

Posted: 20 Nov 2018 08:12 PM PST

YANGON—Amid the furor over Bagan's precarious application for UNESCO World Heritage listing this year, it shouldn't be forgotten that Myanmar already has one World Heritage site. Sri Ksetra (often pronounced Thayekhittaya), along with the ancient cities of Beikthano and Halin, were the locations of Myanmar's mighty Pyu kingdom and were given a coveted place on UNESCO’s list in 2014. The Pyu kingdom flourished between 200 BC and AD 900. Today, most travelers to the city of Pyay in Bago Region come to visit the impressive Pyu sites of Sri Ksetra.

Whether you hire a motorcycle or tuk-tuk or have your own car it takes about half a day to visit all the sites. Note that Sri Ksetra is too spread out for walking or cycling from site to site.

After leaving the urban hub of Pyay city you will approach the outer boundary of Sri Ksetra at the Nagatunt City Gate which was once one of nine gates protecting the ancient city. Today all that remains are the ruins of red brick walls though a large, white UNESCO World Heritage stone marker here is a reminder that this is the entrance to a historically significant place.

Next stop is the museum (5,000 kyats for foreigners; closed on public holidays). It holds some of the more valuable and significant archeological findings from Sri Ksetra and gives background information for what you are about to see. For foreigners, this is where your driver will take you to pay the 5,000 kyats Sri Ksetra zone fee.

At the palace citadel you will see the remains of a once thick and powerful wall built during the Pyu period to protect the most important kingdom residents. Excavations here found iron objects, terracotta roof tiles, hairpins made with precious stones and inscribed bricks. Today, only the wall ruins remain and you may find a herd of goats playfully scampering around them.

Rahanda Temple, located near Yahandar Pond in Sri Ksetra has stone Buddha carvings inside. / Marie Starr / The Irrawaddy

Following this, Yahandar Pond, which looks like a fairly insignificant lake surrounded by trees and with Bawbawgyi Pagoda in the background, is said to be where Buddhist monks bathed after attaining enlightenment. It is also a sign of the sophisticated hydraulic network of the ancient kingdom which supplied water from a nearby hill range to the surrounding area year-round. Nearby, Rahanda Temple is gated shut but original stone carvings of Buddha can be seen through the gates.

Passing more farms of rice paddies, sweetcorn plantations and farmers tending trellises of beans, you will come to one of the most famous and giant structures from the Pyu era: Bawbawgyi Stupa. The huge, solid cylindrical stupa measures almost 47 meters in height and the lack of detailed finery and decoration is a sign of just how early a structure it is. Excavation of the surrounds found stones with carvings of Pyu script dating to the 6th century AD. It is said to be one of the oldest Buddhist monuments in Myanmar and on a full moon festival, many locals come to pray at the stupa which is decorated with flower and fruit offerings while music is played on loudspeakers and free food is offered to all.

Next on the route, the Cemetery of Queen Beikthano has six large stone burial urns partially set in the ground. Local lore has it that the mighty Pyu queen and her relatives were buried there.

The Payama stupa is 42 meters high and makes up one of the three large stupas which Sri Ksetra is renowned for. / Marie Starr / The Irrawaddy

Payama is another massive stupa, this time egg-shaped and measuring 42 meters in height. It is hollow and is said to enshrine relics of the Buddha. On the full moon of Thadingyut (usually in October) a small festival takes place in the compound and men use ropes to make the perilous climb up the curved stupa walls to clear the grass and growth that has grown in the brickwork during the year.

Payagyi is a third stupa located on the outskirts of Pyay. Though it lacks the glory granted to the other stupas which stand out tall on the flat, green farmland, there is a buzz around it and what's more, local lore has it that the big toenail of Buddha's right foot is enshrined inside.

Travel tips for Pyay

Pyay is off the usual tourist trail and so offers genuine local experiences and welcomes. Two days is enough to see all Pyay has to offer.

The carvings at Akauk Taung as seen from the Irrawaddy River. / Kaung Myat Min / The Irrawaddy

As well as Sri Ksetra, visitors should take a day to visit Akauk Taung located two hours from Pyay city. Along the cliff following the river, dozens of Buddha images are carved into the rock face. Shwesandaw Pagoda is the main pagoda in the city center and is also worth a visit around sunset. Thone Pan Hla is a beautiful abandoned monastery located 30 minutes from the city or 10 minutes from Queen Beikthano Cemetery which has become a popular spot for photographers and models for the lost-kingdom atmosphere it evokes.

Thone Pan Hla, an abandoned monastery worth a visit while in the Sri Ksetra area. / Kaung Myat Min

For dining in Pyay, Wish restaurant on Strand Road which sits on the banks of the Irrawaddy River, is very popular and has great views and good food. A lively night market kicks off at dusk on Old Post Office Road and offers lots of sweet and savory dinner options. At one end of the night market is Baydaryi Food Village which is a modern restaurant with a fun, upscale street-food theme and street-side seating which is ideal for people-watching over a beer in the evening.

Some accommodation options include Lucky Dragon Hotel ($40) which is centrally located and has a small outdoor pool, and the new Hotel Ksetra ($25) located away from the city but closer to Sri Ksetra.

Transport options to Pyay include buses from Yangon which take around seven hours and leave regularly throughout the day. Pyay's bus station is a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride from the city center. Trains from Yangon Central Railway Station leave at 1 p.m. and arrive in Pyay at around 9:30 p.m. The journey by private care takes six hours or less.

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Tuesday, November 20, 2018

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Yangon Circular Railway Line Upgrades to Finish in 2023: Deputy Minister

Posted: 20 Nov 2018 05:42 AM PST

YANGON — Upgrades to the Yangon Circular railway line aimed at easing the commercial capital’s traffic congestion are expected to be completed in 2023, Deputy Transport and Communications Minister U Kyaw Myo said on Tuesday.

Speaking to lawmakers in the Yangon Parliament, he said work could not begin in 2017 as planned because negotiations with the contractors took longer than expected and commenced only this year. The delay has also pushed the expected date of completion back a year.

The upgrades, planned since 2014, are part of the Japan International Cooperation Agency's Strategic Urban Development Plan for Greater Yangon. The work includes modernizing the line’s stations, tracks, trains and management.

U Kyaw Myo said the upgrades were needed to replace decades-old tracks, deteriorating facilities and equipment and outdated practices.

He told lawmakers that the ministry carried out a feasibility study with Japan’s help in 2014 and that environmental and social impact assessment reports were submitted to the Environment and Conservation Ministry, which approved the project in June.

Public consultations were held four times over two years, the deputy minister added.

The Yangon Circular, managed and operated by Myanma Railways, is 46 kilometers long with 38 stations and runs 221 times a day. Some 73,000 commuters ride the line daily.

To upgrade the system, the Transport and Communications Ministry divided the line into halves — the western half from Phayarlan Station to Danyingone Station, and the eastern half from Danyingone Station to Pazundaung Station. The ministry awarded each half to a different consortium.

U Kyaw Myo said both consortiums started work in early 2018.

The project is being funded by a $207.8 million loan from Japan and 54.5 billion kyats ($34.3 million) from the nation budget, the deputy minister said. Once finished, he added, the upgrades are expected to cut the time of a round trip from 170 minutes to 105 minutes.

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$80M Loan from France Denounced as Unnecessary in Parliament

Posted: 20 Nov 2018 05:18 AM PST

YANGON—Lawmakers have criticized the government's €70-million ($80-million) loan from a French agency to be used to develop waterways and urban heritage in Yangon, claiming that the government was majoring on the minors while neglecting pressing issues.

Last week, the deputy minister for planning and finance gave details about the "Transport, Waterways and Urban Heritage Project" in the Union Parliament.

He said the government would take the loan from the French Development Agency in order to carry out the five-year project from 2019 to 2023 including for the dredging of Pazundaung Creek (also known as Nga Moe Yeik Creek), to develop a corridor along the waterway for public use, for the development of some waterfront areas along Yangon River and to upgrade a market.

Originating in the Bago Plateau north of Yangon, the creek runs through the city before it empties into Yangon River south of the city. According to the deputy minister, the whole project would cost more than €84.7 million in total with additional contributions from the EU (€5.9 million) and the Myanmar government (€5.2 million).  He said the city's municipal body, Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC), will implement the project with collaboration from the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

But his explanations didn't impress the Union Parliament lawmakers.

On Monday, lawmaker U Khin Maung Maung of the ruling National League for Democracy asked the parliament why the proposed project should be prioritized.

"The government should stress more important things rather than focusing on the trivial," he said.

The Yangon Region lawmaker complained that his city doesn't even have enough street lights and that roads are potholed and become flooded when the rains come due to a failing drainage system.

"The YCDC still hasn't been able to fix those problems yet. Now they are eyeing another project," he said.

He recalled a World Bank $104-million loan accepted in 2017 for solving flooding issues in the city's downtown areas. But now, one year on, the areas still face inundations when the rains come.

U Khin Maung Maung said the creek focused on in the project was not a major transport waterway in the city—a project not worth carrying out under an international loan.

"So are the others like [the plan for] upgrading a market and developing the waterfront. Do we really need a foreign loan for them? We will have to pay it back," he warned.

Another lawmaker Daw Yin Min Hlaing pointed out that Yangon should spend international loans where it is really required for the benefit of people. She pointed out that until March this year the YCDC had spent more than $500 million on only three projects.

"With the money for the new project, it would be nearly $700 million of YCDC spending," she said.

Relevant authorities will respond to the lawmakers' discussions on Monday and the Parliament will decide if the loan should be granted or not.

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Ethnic Dawei Party Wants Language Ban Lifted

Posted: 20 Nov 2018 03:37 AM PST

Mon State — The Dawei Nationalities Party (DNP) has asked Dawei Township authorities in Tenasserim Region to lift a new ban on using their language to fashion signs for this week’s full moon festival.

In a statement on Monday, the DNP said it was a tradition during the religious festival for ethnic Dawei to prepare signs bearing the name of their township quarter in the Dawei language. The signs are placed on carts each quarter prepares and uses to wheel a Buddha statue around the town.

The statement came in reacting to a latter Dawei Township authorities sent the quarters and their villages last month instructing them to use Burmese only.

"For Dawei people this action is similar to banning our literature and culture; it is intended to oppress all ethnic Dawei," the statement said.

It also accused the National League for Democracy of breaking the promises it made during the 2015 election campaign to protect and promote the rights of ethnic minorities.

“The name of our quarter written in our [Dawei] language is different from its name in Burmese. Our people are very happy when they see their language in writing,” said DNP Chairman U Aye Min. "But they don’t let us write it this year.”

He said the Dawei had more freedom to use their language under military dictatorship and that it was disappointing to see a mostly democratically elected government rolling their rights back, raising fears that it was trying to wipe out their culture and literate altogether.

"This should not happen when the country is using democracy," said Hein Htet, an ethnic Dawei and joint secretary of the Myanmar Youth Affairs Committee.

"We were oppressed for many years. We feel we are being oppressed again," he said.

On Tuesday, however, local news outlet Dawei Watch reported that Tenasserim Region Government Director U Moe Zaw Latt said the language ban was imposed so that all visitors could understand the signs, apologized for the order, and said it would be reversed.

“They are free to write in their language. Our government will issue one more statement soon to abolish the first order,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference on Tuesday.

The Irrawaddy could not reach local authorities for confirmation or comment.

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Work on Muse-Ruili Economic Cooperation Zone to Begin Soon

Posted: 20 Nov 2018 01:52 AM PST

By Myo Pa Pa San   20 November 2018

YANGON—The first of three projected economic zones along the Myanmar-China border will be implemented soon between Shan State's Muse and China's Ruili, Deputy Commerce Minister U Aung Htoo said.

Under an agreement between Naypyitaw and Beijing, three "economic cooperation zones" will be established in Kachin and Shan states along the border as part of Beijing's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative.

The two others will be built in Kanpiketi town, in Kachin State's Special Region 1, which is under the control of the New Democratic Army-Kachin militia; and Chinshwehaw in Shan State's Laukkai Township, part of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone.

The two governments have already started discussions on implementation of the economic zones, said U Aung Htoo.

"We will implement the zone between Muse and Ruili first, and China has also begun fencing off [a location in] Jiegao in China's Yunnan Province," the deputy minister said at a press conference on Monday.

Government officials and businessmen of the two countries are set to hold further talks at a border trade expo to be held in December in Muse.

"We'll discuss what type of industry will be established there. Private companies that are recognized by the government will be allowed to participate. We'll invite expressions of interest from private companies soon and examine whether they are capable or not [of developing the zones]," U Aung Htoo said.

While economic zones will boost border trade, they will also provide job opportunities for locals and more business opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, while increasing foreign investment, he said.

Dr. Maung Maung Lay, vice president of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, was more optimistic about the zones. "They will enable Myanmar migrant workers to come back and work in their country. And we can also import technologies," he said.

He was hopeful that Myanmar would be able to make use of Chinese technologies to produce value-added exports to address the country's trade deficit.

"The government is cutting red tape and reviewing taxation regulations regarding trade," Dr. Maung Maung Lay said.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in May last year following State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to China in August 2016.

The joint committee for implementation of economic cooperation zones was established in April.

The post Work on Muse-Ruili Economic Cooperation Zone to Begin Soon appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Jade Miner Shot Dead in Hpakant Clash

Posted: 19 Nov 2018 11:41 PM PST

MANDALAY — Clashes between freelance jade prospectors and security personnel of a jade mining company resulted in the death of one on Monday in the jade mining area of Hpakant in Kachin State.

According to witnesses, security personnel from Jade Leaf Mining Company, located near the village of Namt Hmaw in the Seik Mu area, opened fire into a crowd of prospectors who had gathered outside the site entrance waiting to enter the mine and search for jade residue.

"The prospectors apparently tried to enter the company premises before the permitted time and had a confrontation with security there who then opened fire and killed one," said U La Nan, a local miner who was present at the site of the incident.

Hpakant police confirmed the death of Ko Aye Than, 25, a prospector from Pauk Taw Township of Rakhine State, during the clash on Monday.

"Ko Aye Than was shot on his right chest and died on the spot. A Mitsubishi Pajero, a car garage and a two-story building were burned down. We are still investigating the cause and the cost of the burnt property. We will take legal action against those who incited the clash," said the duty officer of Hpakant Police Station.

In Hpakant's jade mining region, deadly clashes between security officers from mining companies and prospectors are very common. Clashes usually break out when the two parties argue about entry to the jade mining company premises which prospectors often seek before the permitted time, sometimes resulting in injury, or even the death, of the jade prospectors.

At the end of October this year, at least six prospectors were injured when mine security personnel opened fire into a crowd gathered near Sun World jade mining company in Saijabom Village in Hpakant.

On Nov. 14, two prospectors died while trying to enter the mine site of jade mining company Jewelry Star, located in the Waikhar area of Hpakant, without permission and were shot by security.

"If there are strict laws for both the prospectors and the jade mining companies, and if all of them follow the rules, there will be no such sad incidents. The security persons also need to find another way to stop the prospectors rather than opening fire easily," said U La Nan, the local miner.

"Our jade mining region has experienced many sad incidents. We want rule of law in our region desperately," he added.

The post Jade Miner Shot Dead in Hpakant Clash appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Man Sentenced to Death Penalty for Murder of 19-year-old Student

Posted: 19 Nov 2018 11:02 PM PST

MANDALAY — The Kyaukse Township court sentenced three men involved in the killing of a student from the Kyaukse Government Technical Institute on Monday. One man received the death penalty and two others received lengthy sentences.

Aung Thu Hein, who stabbed Ko Nay Min Htet to death, received the death penalty. Min Khant Kyaw received 21 years imprisonment and Min Chit Aung received 20 years imprisonment for involvement in the fight that led to the killing of Ko Nay Min Htet.

"The court should sentence all three people to the death penalty to set an example. However, we are satisfied with the severity of the penalty as is," said U Toe Wai Phyo, the uncle of Ko Nay Min Htet.

Ko Nay Min Htet, 19, was in his final year at Kyaukse Government Technical Institute when he was playing a game on his cell phone while traveling with a friend in August 2018. Three men approached the pair and grabbed Ko Nay Min Htet's phone.

When the two friends asked the robbers to return the phone, they were beaten up and U Nay Min Htet was stabbed to death.

Aung Thu Hein, Min Khant Kyaw and Min Chit Aung were arrested hours after the incident.

They were brought to court and faced charges for theft, murder and being accomplices to these crimes.

The post Man Sentenced to Death Penalty for Murder of 19-year-old Student appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

National Security Adviser Appointed Minister of New Investment Ministry

Posted: 19 Nov 2018 09:10 PM PST

YANGON — Myanmar President U Win Myint has appointed the country's national security adviser U Thaung Tun as the head of a newly formed ministry that aims to boost local and international investment and to make that investment socially and environmentally responsible.

Prior to the appointment, apart from the security adviser position, U Thaung Tun was also the government office minister.

The announcement, following the Union Parliament's approval of the formation of the new ministry on Monday morning, said he has been transferred from government office minister to his new position of minister for the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations.

President U Win Myint last week proposed the formation of the new Union-level ministry to Parliament for approval.

Myanmar Attorney General Tun Tun Oo told Parliament on Monday that the new ministry will be a merger between the Foreign Economic Relations Department and the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration– both of which are currently under the Ministry of Planning and Finance.

He assured that the formation of the new ministry would provide swifter investment-related information to local and international investors, real-time collaboration with relevant departments and dispute resolution among investors.

The plan comes at a time when Myanmar's economy is slowing and many international investors are turning away because of the Rohingya crisis. Some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to neighboring Bangladesh since a military crackdown in northern Rakhine State late last year. The government, led by Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has come under heavy international criticism for remaining largely silent on the issue.

In his message to Parliament last week regarding the formation of the ministry, President U Win Myint said the government needed the new ministry "to make use of outside assistance from the United Nations and other international organizations in accordance with the country's policies and to effectively collaborate with the UN and others international organizations."

U Thaung Tun has served as ambassador to the Philippines, Belgium, the Netherlands and the EU and was director-general for political affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the former military regime.

During that time, he was widely criticized by the opposition for warning Daw Aung San Suu Kyi – then under house arrest – that she "must not rock the boat" after she said she would boycott the military regime's controversial constitutional convention at a 2006 press conference in Manila.

In 2016, he worked as a government relations adviser for Shell Myanmar Energy PTE.

He was appointed national security adviser in January 2017 and government office minister that November. The appointments were criticized by former lawmaker U Soe Thane, who was the president's office minister under former President U Thein Sein. U Soe Thane reportedly said that U Thaung Tun had failed to disclose his previous work for the George Soros Foundation as a consultant and said that making him national security adviser could hurt Myanmar's relations with China.

The former lawmaker also reportedly said that George Soros approached him to secure a ministerial appointment for U Thaung Tun, but U Thein Sein rejected the idea because George Soros was American.

The post National Security Adviser Appointed Minister of New Investment Ministry appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Sri Lanka’s New PM May Lose Budget Even as he Clings to Power

Posted: 19 Nov 2018 09:09 PM PST

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who lost two motions of no confidence last week, may lose his government’s budget even as he clings to power.

Lawmakers opposed to Rajapaksa said they intend to remove funding for staff salaries and other costs in a vote on Nov. 29. The opposition, which regards his administration as illegitimate, will also seek approval to slash the government’s overall budget, they said.

It was the latest of several new twists on Monday in the political chaos that has embroiled Sri Lanka for the past few weeks.

Leaders of political parties backing Rajapaksa and President Maithripala Sirisena refused to allow a third motion of no confidence to be held through name call or electronic voting on Monday. The previous two motions passed through a voice vote but Sirisena said they hadn’t followed the proper procedures. Sirisena appointed Rajapaksa last month after firing Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister, setting off the political turmoil on the island off India’s southeast coast.

Rajapaksa is seen as a close ally of China, though Beijing has denied accusations that it was instrumental in getting him appointed.

Dinesh Gunawardene, a Rajapaksa loyalist, said Wickremesinghe’s coalition had handed a motion “to suspend all government expenses” to the speaker and the Parliament secretary.

“According to the previous no confidence motions, both Rajapaksa and his government are out. There is no government, but there are MPs,” M.A. Sumanthiran, a lawmaker who had voted for the no confidence motion, told Reuters.

“The finance of the country is under the control of the Parliament. Now we have proposed a motion to stop government finances for the prime minister’s office,” he said.

Ananda Kumarasiri, the deputy speaker of the Parliament, established a select committee to carry on parliamentary business before adjourning the House to Nov. 23.

Unlike last Thursday and Friday there were no physical altercations on the floor of Parliament on Monday. On Friday, lawmakers supporting Rajapaksa threw books, chili paste and water bottles at the speaker to try to disrupt the second vote.

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya said in a statement that investigations have begun into Friday’s events, including damage that was done to public property in the melee.

The political crisis has hit the economy. On Monday the rupee fell to a record low of 177.20 per dollar. Foreign investors have pulled out more than 30 billion rupees ($169.5 million) since the crisis unfolded on Oct. 26.

Wickremesinghe loyalists allege that Rajapaksa’s party is trying to buy lawmakers for as much as $3 million each. Rajapaksa loyalists have rejected the allegation.

Both Sirisena and many Rajapaksa loyalists have said they have the majority in Parliament. However, the no confidence motion against Rajapaksa and his government was passed twice by 122 votes in the 225-member Parliament.

Most foreign countries, including Western nations, have yet to recognize Rajapaksa as the prime minister.

Last week, eight Western countries stayed away from a meeting with the government to register their protest against Sirisena’s decision to dissolve Parliament.

The post Sri Lanka’s New PM May Lose Budget Even as he Clings to Power appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Deadly Air Pollution Shortens Lives by Nearly 2 Years: Researchers

Posted: 19 Nov 2018 09:00 PM PST

NEW YORK — Air pollution, caused largely by burning fossil fuels, is cutting global life expectancy by an average of 1.8 years per person, making it the world’s top killer, researchers said on Monday.

The tiny particles ingested from polluted air shorten life more than first-hand cigarette smoke, which can reduce it by 1.6 years, and are more dangerous than other public health threats such as war and HIV/AIDS, they said.

The University of Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) shows people in parts of India, the world’s second-largest country by population, could live 11 years less due to high levels of air pollution.

Life expectancy averages slightly below 69 in the South Asian nation of 1.3 billion, according to the World Bank.

The researchers launched a website that tells users how many years of life air pollution could cost them according to which region of a country they live in.

The index seeks to transform hard-to-comprehend data into “perhaps the most important metric that exists – life”, Michael Greenstone, director of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC), said in a statement.

Particulate pollution is normally measured in micrograms per cubic meter.

“The fact that this AQLI tool quantifies the number of years I and you have lost to air pollution makes me worried,” Kalikesh Singh Deo, an Indian member of Parliament, said in a statement shared by EPIC.

China and Indonesia are also among the countries where microscopic particles floating in the air hit residents the hardest, cutting their life expectancy by as much as seven years and five and a half years respectively, the website shows.

Other studies have previously looked into the number of people who may die prematurely because of air pollution.

But the EPIC scientists hope the website – the first of its kind, according to the institute – will make the consequences of policies that promote dirty energy more tangible, and encourage reforms that promote better air quality.

Only a handful of India’s 100 most polluted cities have drawn up plans to combat air pollution despite being asked to do so three years ago, a report from the World Health Organization said earlier this year.

The post Deadly Air Pollution Shortens Lives by Nearly 2 Years: Researchers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Ten Things to do in Yangon This Week

Posted: 19 Nov 2018 07:53 PM PST

Myanmar vs Vietnam

Myanmar's national football team play Vietnam in the AFF Suzuki Cup group stage.

Nov. 20, 6 p.m. Thuwunna Stadium. Tickets 3,000 to 5,000 kyats.

 

Iron Cross

Myanmar's most famous rock band Iron Cross play live in Yangon.

Nov. 21, 6 p.m. Kandawgyi Hmawsinkyun. Tickets 10,000 kyats at 09-445151010.

 

Premier's Tazaungdaing Festival

Many singers including Myanmarpyi Thein Tan, R-Zarni, Phyo Pyae Sone, Ni Ni Khin Zaw will participate in the live show.

Nov. 21-22, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Maha Bandoola Park. Free Admission.

 

Nate Ban Zay

There will be traditional Myanmar nate ban zay market event at City Mall shopping mall.

Nov. 21-22, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. City Mall St. John

Emperor

Veteran vocalists Zaw Win Htut, Ringo and Sithu Lwin plus Big Bag will perform.

Nov. 22, 6 p.m. Thuwunnabhumi Event Park. Tickets 10,000 to 70,000 kyats at 09-778400007, 09-778400009.

Colorful May Kha Music Showcase

Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein, Wai La and Aung Htet will perform to the accompaniment of Diramore's orchestra.

Nov. 24, 7 p.m. National Theater of Yangon. Tickets 5,000 to 35,000 kyats at 09-445151010.

 

Fab #78

This is the 78th edition of the popular club night held by and for Yangon's LGBT community and their friends.

Nov. 24, 10 p.m. till late, Club Pyrite, No.37, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, near Inya Lake Hotel. Entry 5,000 kyats.

 

Pix’ART Digital Art Festival 2018

French accordionist Pascal Contet will present "Other Worlds," an original creation fusing live music with the video artworks of Thierry Coduys.

Nov. 23, 8 p.m. Institut Français de Birmanie, No. 340, Pyay Road, Sanchaung Tsp. Entry 5,000 kyats.

 

November Exhibition

Veteran artist Soe Naing showcases a collection of his painted artwork.

Nov. 21-22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. OK Art Gallery, Aung San Stadium (North Wing).

 

The Expression

This is Zay Zay Htut's solo art exhibition.

Nov. 17-25, 10 am to 6 pm. River Gallery, Chindwin Chambers, beside Strand Hotel.

The post Ten Things to do in Yangon This Week appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Cambodian PM Says Won’t Allow Any Foreign Military Base in His Country

Posted: 19 Nov 2018 07:30 PM PST

PHNOM PENH — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday there would never be a foreign military base in his country, following a news report that China was lobbying for a naval base in southwest Koh Kong Province.

The Asia Times, citing unidentified diplomatic sources and analysts, reported on Thursday that Beijing had been lobbying Cambodia since 2017 for the naval base, which could host frigates, destroyers and other vessels of the People’s Liberation Army Navy.

“Does Cambodia need to violate its Constitution to allow a foreign military base on Cambodian territory?” Information Minister Khieu Kanharith quoted Hun Sen as saying on Facebook during a cabinet meeting on Monday.

“With whom does Cambodia need foreign troops to fight with?” Hun Sen said, according to Khieu Kanharith. “And I do not need foreigners to fight in Cambodian territory like in the past, nor does Cambodia allow her to be a place for ideology or weapon experiment,” he said.

The possible naval base is thought to be part of a project by China’s Tianjin Union Development Group (UDG), which began work in 2008 on 45,000 hectares of land in a national park for 99 years.

There has been little information about the $3.8 billion project or its progress.

UDG was also to spend $45 million on the port, which The Asia Times report described as a naval base.

Cambodia-based Sawac Consultants for Development, commissioned by Cambodia’s environment ministry, said the port would be able to handle up to four 20,000-tonne container ships.

The port was guarded by Cambodian military and appeared unfinished when Reuters visited in June.

China, Hun Sen’s strongest regional ally, has poured billions of dollars in development assistance and loans into Cambodia through bilateral frameworks and China’s Belt and Road initiative.

The initiative, unveiled by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to bolster a sprawling network of land and sea links with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

It has attracted a flood of Chinese commercial ventures in Cambodia, including casinos and special economic zones.

 

The post Cambodian PM Says Won’t Allow Any Foreign Military Base in His Country appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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