Saturday, January 26, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Myanmar Failing to Create Conditions Needed for Rohingya Return: UN

Posted: 26 Jan 2019 01:18 AM PST

DHAKA—The United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, on Friday said Myanmar security forces have been engaged in an intimidation campaign against Rohingya people living in border areas and camps in Bangladesh to ensure they do not return to Myanmar.

"It is evident that Myanmar is not working to create conditions for return for the Rohingya but is engaging in a sustained campaign of violence, intimidation and harassment," she told a press conference at a hotel in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Friday evening. The press conference marked the conclusion of her 11-day visit to Bangladesh and Thailand.

To the contrary, she said, Myanmar security forces have continued to force Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.

The UN special envoy said she had found during her visit that Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh will not be able to return to Myanmar in the near future. She encouraged the Bangladeshi government to begin to engage in longer-term planning and prepare the local population for this reality.

She also suggested UN member countries consider setting up an ad-hoc court on Myanmar for ensuring accountability for crimes against humanity in Rakhine State.

Obtaining such a decision from the UN Security Council is unlikely as permanent members have veto power and they are not all likely to agree. Therefore, she said, UN member countries could also take the step of establishing an ad-hoc court on Myanmar, among several other options.

She expressed her annoyance over the deportation of Rohingya people from India and Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh, adding that Delhi and Riyadh must ensure that the Rohingya people can live in safety and dignity within their territories until the refugees can return home.

Lee on Thursday visited Bhashan Char, an island in Noakhali District, to check the progress of facilities there. The Bangladesh government has a plan to transfer a portion of the Rohingya refugees to the island.

"If any plans are made about refugee relocation in the future, refugees must be fully engaged and participate in the process," she said. "Without a protection framework agreed with the humanitarian community, the plans cannot move forward."

She said third-country resettlement was not a realistic possibility, given the huge number of people involved.

In a separate statement issued by the UN in Geneva on the same day, Lee said, "Communities are divided based on religion and ethnicity, and members of minorities face marginalization and discrimination. Ethnic nationalities continue to be subject to domination by [Myanmar's] central government and the military, despite the official stance that they are working for peace to be brought to the country."

Regarding the situation in Rakhine State, Lee said the escalation in fighting between the military and the Arakan Army is very worrisome, especially because the government and military have blocked humanitarian access. The special rapporteur also noted that there was continued fighting in Kayin State, and that new military bases have been built in Kayah State.

The post Myanmar Failing to Create Conditions Needed for Rohingya Return: UN appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Myanmar Military’s Loose Lips: Gaffe or Gambit?

Posted: 25 Jan 2019 09:10 PM PST

Kyaw Zwa Moe: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy! Recently, spokespeople for the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) said during a press conference that State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi instructed it to crush the Arakan Army (AA). The following day, a spokesperson of the President's Office, U Zaw Htay, released a statement in response and said it was privileged information. We'll discuss whether the military spokesperson disclosed something he shouldn’t have or did so with political or other motives, and what impact the claim will have on relations between the government and the military. U Kyi Myint, a lawyer and chairman of the Union Lawyers and Paralegals Association, and Dr. Min Zaw Oo, executive director of the Myanmar Institute for Peace and Security, join me to discuss this. I'm Kyaw Zwa Moe.

Spokespeople for the Tatmadaw at their press conference revealed what was discussed at the top-level meeting between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the president, the military chief and some Union-level ministers. U Zaw Htay said it was privileged information, which is defined as secret information that is barred from being disclosed to the public. Ko Min Zaw Oo, what is your assessment of this? Why did the Tatmadaw spokespeople disclose it? Do you think they have political motives, or other motives?

Min Zaw Oo: I wouldn't like to speculate about their intentions. According to procedure, the records of the meetings of state leaders are top secret. Privileged information is a formal term. Normally it is called classified information.  Any piece of information that can negatively impact national security if it is exposed is treated as classified information. Once a piece of information is designated as classified information, it can't be told to the public until it is declassified. Some of the issues discussed at the national-level meeting relate to policies. Then there must be discussion about whether or not to make those policies public. If something is to be made public, for example, (spokespeople) can say the Tatmadaw and the government share the same position on internal insurgency. But according to procedure, disclosing exactly who said what at the meeting is not allowed. It is difficult to say why [the military spokespeople] said it. But we can say that it is not in line with the procedures for handling and publishing classified information.

KZM: Tatmadaw spokespeople named Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as the one who instructed it to annihilate the AA. It provoked widespread criticism on social media as well as from the Arakanese community, and criticism of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.  What is your assessment of this from a legal perspective?

Kyi Myint: I was quite taken aback by the statement of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team. I wouldn't have believed it if it were not said by the Tatmadaw True News Information Team. It is in fact a violation of the Official Secrets Act. There is no higher-level meeting than the recent one. If somebody speaks about it the same day as the meeting, it might be because he was instructed (by the leaders) to do so. But if it is said at a different place at a different time, it is a violation of the Official Secrets Act. The term "privileged information" is used to cover up the violation of the Official Secrets Act. How justifiable is that? Union Parliament Law No. 11, Lower House Law Section 12 and Upper House Law Section 12 grant exemptions, but only for lawmakers and not for other people. Filing a complaint against someone under the Official Secrets Act needs the approval of the president. You can't just file a complaint directly. Penalties vary depending on the degree of the secret — a maximum of 14 years and a minimum of two years in prison. Even if a piece of information is leaked, it depends on the opinion of the president and the state counselor. A lawsuit can't be filed if they don't approve it. It is, without doubt, a disclosure of official secrets to have revealed who said what at a top-level meeting. Though U Zaw Htay said it was privileged information, that is not enough justification. Only the state counselor and the president have the authority to decide whether or not to take action.

KZM: We don't know what political motives the military has. It seems the Tatmadaw spokespeople made the disclosure under instructions from their bosses. Some doubted Daw Aung San Suu Kyi really said it. Whether she said it or not, Arakanese political parties and the Arakanese community expressed their negative feelings towards Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her government on social media. So how bad was the impact? Didn't the Tatmadaw leaders expect it, or did they just want to show that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is on their side on that issue?

MZO: To make a fair assessment, what U Zaw Htay told the media made an impact even before the press conference of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team. And the impact intensified when the Tatmadaw spokesperson named Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in particular. The gulf between the National League for Democracy (NLD) and Arakanese parties widened. The Arakanese community's view of the government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has become more negative. There is more criticism from the Arakanese community on social media. The Official Secrets Act of Myanmar mainly lists the conditions under which the law can be violated and doesn't clearly define official secrets. And there is no procedure regarding declassification. So there are related problems.

KZM: Before the most recent one, there were top-level meetings in the past. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, while she was under house arrest, had meetings with former military chief Senior General Than Shwe, Vice Senior General Maung Aye and General Khin Nyunt during the military regime. And since the 2015 elections, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing have met four, five times including their private meetings. Their last meeting took place in January 2019 and focused on the Rakhine issue. Before this, there were no information leaks. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has never leaked information even though she might have discussed important issues. There were reports that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Than Shwe met two times in the past few years. But no information leaked about their meetings. There are no regulations about what information should and should not be disclosed. They are mainly concerned with the motives behind it. Today, our country is focusing on national reconciliation, mainly between the civilian government, Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups. So I don't think [the government] will take harsh action for saying so. But what can [the government] do in response in a moderate way?

KM: The Official Secrets Act was enacted in 1923 as Act No. 19. Sections 3 and 4 of the law define the conditions deemed to constitute the disclosure of official secrets. And the law classifies actions that are punishable by 14 years [in prison] and punishable by 2 years. [And the Tatmadaw spokesperson's disclosure of information] infringes on the Official Secrets Act. But then, the law doesn't necessitate taking action for violations. (The recent meeting) is the highest-level meeting in the country. Everybody knows that such a disclosure negatively affects the image of a people's leader both inside and outside the country. So I would like to suggest that responsible people should exercise caution with such information in the future.

KZM: The Tatmadaw spokespeople quoted Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as saying there would be finger-pointing if the Tatmadaw did not attack the AA, (whose members are from a recognized) ethnic group, but crushed ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army), (whose members) practice a different religion. Do you think the Tatmadaw spokespeople need to reveal such details? The disclosure has caused great division between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her government and Arakanese political parties and the Arakanese community. How bad was the impact of the disclosure?

MZO: It seems to have caused some friction between the government and the Tatmadaw. And it caused some friction between the NLD and Arakanese political parties and the Arakanese community. What can be done to prevent this? Suppose the top leaders hold a meeting and adopt a policy. The top leaders should discuss whether or not that policy should be made public. If they agree to make it public, they can do so. The nature of a meeting is that a decision reached at the meeting can be made public, but normally the details about who said what and why are not made public. If such things are disclosed, the classified information will no longer be secret. It would be good if everyone could work together to prevent this from happening again.

KZM: Some scholars suggest that the disclosure of such information could undermine trust.

MZO: In the peace process, there is a need to hold many talks with many ethnic armed groups. They are not lawful groups; they are outlawed. Even in talks with such groups, there are lines that can't be crossed. Both sides know the other's misdeeds, which they can use to criticize the other side. But they should not disclose them. Though there is no law [that prohibits the disclosure of information], certain things must be observed according to protocol.

KZM: Thank you for your contributions!

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

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Imagining a Better World in a Kayan Mountain Village

Posted: 25 Jan 2019 06:02 PM PST

Just before our Toyota pick-up set off, a local middle-aged man told my friend who had organized our trip, "Sorry, I can't join you, but our platoon commander will accompany you up there. Nothing to worry about." Then, a cheerful, stout man in his 20s wearing camouflage pants and a blue jacket with a pistol jammed in his belt jumped onto our four-wheel-drive truck and we were off.

We were in Cebu, a village about three hours' drive from Loikaw, the capital of Kayah (Karenni) State in eastern Myanmar. Though it is located in Shan State, almost the entire population of the village is Kayan, a Karenni subgroup. Encountering such a village is not unusual in Myanmar—it simply demonstrates how diverse the country is, with its different regions that are home to various tribes and religious groups. The Kayan are legendary for the bronze rings worn by some of their "long-necked" women.

Our pickup truck was now gearing up to climb a narrow road into a village, with rocky mountains on our right and a steep abyss to our left. The cool mountain breeze coming through the windows kept the air inside the vehicle crisp, and the green hills made for a refreshing sight.

Without the presence of the platoon commander from the Kayan National Liberation Army (KNLA), however, we wouldn't have been able to drive up to the village, as it is located in the ethnic armed group's territory. The KNLA signed a ceasefire with the previous military regime in the mid-1990s.

On the way to our mountainous destination, any worries we may have had began to seem unfounded. The view was scenic, the road rough and steep, the weather pleasantly chilly, the situation peaceful. On the way, our car had to stop twice at makeshift bamboo gates; the platoon commander briskly jumped off to open and reclose the gates—there were no guards or other signs of military presence.

Another mountainside view from the Rankhu Center near Rankhu, a Kayan village in Shan State. / Kyaw Zwa Moe

It did not feel to us inside the car that we were in rebel-held territory. The area is no longer an active military zone—unlike two decades ago. Our trip had a single purpose—to explore "virgin territory" as domestic tourists.

Before driving up into the mountains, we enjoyed a lunch of authentic Kayan dishes of boa meat with local spices. As we ate, our host in Cebu Village pointed to the mountains behind the village and told me, "Many years ago, we used to go and hide up in those mountains occasionally, as there was fighting between the government army and Kayan rebels." Our host continued, "We had to stay up there for days or weeks. One time, I was taken by the [government] army as a porter, like other villagers. Luckily I survived."

"No more fighting these days," he continued. In his 50s now, he is clearly a happy family man living with his wife and daughters. My friend told me he is the best chef in the village. That certainly seemed true but his wife's dishes of boa meat were also amazingly tasty. All Kayan dishes have a unique flavor, thanks to the use of locally grown Matkhar pepper, which makes your tongue slightly numb; their heat is reminiscent of Szechuan peppercorns.

The view from the mountaintop Rankhu Center looking down on the Kayan village of Rankhu in Shan State. / Kyaw Zwa Moe

Today, Cebu is still a stronghold of the KNLA and its political wing, the Kayan New Land Party, whose headquarters are located in this village. In a grand Kayan mausoleum near the headquarters, their late leader U Shwe Aye is buried. He founded the KNLP in 1964, two years after the dictator General Ne Win staged a coup and began his iron-fisted rule of the county, which included repressing ethnic peoples' rights in remote areas like Kayah State.

After driving up and down several mountains for an hour-and-a-half on a dirt road, our lunch host pointed out that our car had reached its destination, Rankhu Village, which sits around 4,000 feet above sea level on a peak surrounded by other mountains.

"Rankhu" means "rocky"; residents said the village was built 300 years ago on the mountain as a refuge from tribal fighting and natural disasters.

Our jaws dropped to see the way the houses literally perch atop rocks and large boulders. The entire village was built up among and upon rocks and boulders. There are about 60 households in the village, whose population is just over 300. All are Kayan, but they belong to various sub-tribes. Almost all are Catholic.

The children and other villagers seemed to be expecting us, and flocked to the center of the village when our vehicle pulled up. Smiles beamed from every face. It was almost sunset, so our group climbed to the central point of the village, which is elevated above most of the homes.

At night, some of the senior villagers, including bishops, mostly middle-aged, came to converse with us. They said many of the other villagers had wanted to come up and talk, but they had told them not to disturb the guests. Much of the conversation was focused on what they can do to develop their village, whose livelihood is based entirely on agriculture, especially rice, chilies and a few other crops. They said they were interested in developing community-based tourism, which they believe has potential as another income stream for the village. They are eager to embark on the kind of development they see occurring in other, better-connected villages. The conversation barely touched on politics.

The crowing of roosters woke me up next morning. They seemed to be engaged in a crowing competition. I climbed out of my sleeping bag to find that thin clouds had gathered around central Rankhu and above the roofs of the houses in the village. Before long, our group was amazed to see an "invasion" of thick clouds into the village. The entire village and the nearby peaks were soon enveloped in a sea of cloud. I felt as if I were being borne aloft in the air by this sea of clouds. The atmosphere brought to mind some lyrics from John Lennon's "Imagine":

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today (ah ah ah)

They were the perfect lyrics for this moment, encapsulating my feeling of floating serenely among a sea of cloud in a space with no heaven above and no hell below.

Looking down on the village from this point was so tranquil. The message of "Imagine" was enhanced by something I had noticed since arriving in the village the previous day: the total lack of any political party offices—no flags or offices of the ruling and popular National League for Democracy, no presence of the Union Solidarity and Development Party, led by ex-generals: nothing. It seemed to set this place apart from any other in the country.

That doesn't mean that the villagers are not interested in politics. In the Rankhu Center, there are several photos hanging on the wall, just as you find in other Kayan villages. Among them, the main three are: independence hero Bogyoke Aung San; his daughter and the country's current de facto leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; and the late Kayan leader U Shwe Aye, in that order. My friend told me that those three photos are seen in most Kayan villages and other official places. In Cebu and Rankhu, I saw no pictures of previous and current military leaders like ex-president U Thein Sein or Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, the current commander-in-chief.

On the way back down the mountain, I asked whether there were still poppy farms in these mountains. Our Kayan driver answered, "We have far fewer poppy plantations these days."

He cracked a local joke while steering the car along the dirt road: "We used to say here, 'We grow mustard seeds, but poppy plants come out!'" We all laughed at this together.

Reflecting on how nice and peaceful this trip was, I felt like the "dreamer" Lennon refers to in "Imagine", thinking about my country and the many problems it still faces, while silently singing to myself:

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do.
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too.

Imagine all the people
Living life in peace.

You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one.
I hope someday you’ll join us

 


A Kayan woman plays a traditional instrument.

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Friday, January 25, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Military Gives EAOs until Feb. 12 to Cease Operating Outside Their Areas

Posted: 25 Jan 2019 06:34 AM PST

The Myanmar Military (or Tatmadaw), on Friday warned ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) operating in regions overseen by five of its military commands to cease trying to expand their areas of operation no later than Feb. 12, and to urgently begin peace talks with either the government or the Tatmadaw negotiation team.

It claimed the EAOs are destabilizing the regions by fighting each other, as well as ambushing Tatmadaw troops.

The Myanmar military declared a four-month truce in the areas from Dec. 21, 2018 to April 30 this year, citing the need to negotiate ceasefire-related issues. The military stated that during the unilateral ceasefire period, the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) would engage in peace negotiations with the EAOs in their respective areas: the Northern Command in Kachin State; the Northeastern, Eastern and Central Eastern commands; and the Triangle Command in Shan State. If necessary, it said, the negotiations would be made with the Tatmadaw's negotiation team led by Lieutenant-General Yar Pyae.

The Tatmadaw's warning statement on Friday said, "while the EAOs should be putting their efforts into peace negotiations during the truce, they have focused on building up strength, recruitment and boundary expansions." These actions, the Tatmadaw said, "put a burden on the livelihoods of the local residents, increase the number of war-displaced, impact on road transportation security and finally affect the peace process which the people long for."

In a roughly one-month period from Dec. 21, 2018 to Jan. 24, 2019, there have been 13 instances of interethnic fighting between the EAOs in the regions, namely between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS)/Shan State Army South (RCSS/SSAS) and the combined forces of the Ta'ang Nationalities Liberation Army (TNLA) and Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army North (SSPP/SSAN); and between the RCSS/SSAS and Pa-Oh National Liberation Organization (PNLO).

The Tatmadaw accused the EAOs of operating outside of their own boundaries 168 times; extorting money from civilians 10 times; recruiting people 20 times; ambushing Tatmadaw troops 10 times; and conducting anti-vehicle mine attacks twice.

It specifically warned the RCSS to follow the boundary set under the Union-level ceasefire agreement signed on May 19, 2012 in Keng Tong, Shan State, and the SSPP to follow the boundary set during the meeting on Dec. 15, 2015 in Naypyitaw.

The Tatmadaw urged three groups—the TNLA, AA and MNDAA—in northern Shan State to specifically follow their statement made on Dec. 12 to give up armed struggle, and two NCA signatories—the KNU and KNLA (PC) in Karen State—to follow their agreements.

This month, KNU troops and the Tatmadaw engaged in clashes again over the Tatmadaw's attempt to upgrade roads in the KNU-Brigade 5 area.

In addition, the Tatmadaw said KNU forces extorted money from locals in the Southeast Command and Coastal Command areas and ambushed and conducted anti-vehicle mine attacks against Tatmadaw troops in the Southern Command, which is close to the KNU Brigade 5 area.

When the Tatmadaw held a press conference on Jan. 18, it did not mention the KNU's activities, which are outside of the five Commands under the truce.

Despite these warnings, ethnic and political affairs analyst U Maung Maung Soe expected that "The four-month truce will last until it ends, but a few clashes might occur during that time."

He suggested that the northeast region would see stability when the groups stopped trying to expand their boundaries.

The post Military Gives EAOs until Feb. 12 to Cease Operating Outside Their Areas appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Int’l Crisis Group Urges China to Push for Army Ceasefire in Rakhine

Posted: 25 Jan 2019 04:46 AM PST

YANGON—In its latest report issued on Thursday, the International Crisis Group (ICG) urged China to put pressure on the Myanmar Army to extend its unilateral ceasefire to Rakhine State in order to address ongoing armed clashes there between government troops and the Arakan Army (AA).

The report, entitled "A New Dimension of Violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State", contains five sections detailing the insurgency waged by the AA, arbitrary arrests of prominent Rakhine politicians, the indiscriminate killings of protesters in Mrauk-U last year and the political grievances between Arakanese political parties and the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), as well as encouraging both sides to restrain from further offensives in the region.

Regarding the ICG's advice, Yangon-based ethnic affairs analyst U Maung Maung Soe said China has been playing a major role in facilitating the peace dialogue for the Northern Alliance group for several years, adding that a Chinese envoy even recently disused the ongoing violence in Rakhine with AA leaders in Kachin State's Laiza, where the Kachin Independence Army and the AA headquarters are located.

But any encouragement to the military to extend the ceasefire to cover Rakhine State should firstly involve negotiations between the actors, U Maung Maung Soe said.

"Without having any negotiations between them, it's really tough to discuss possibilities," he said.

As part of the solution, the ICG suggested the Myanmar government initiate dialogue with ethnic Rakhine representatives over key political, economic and social issues. It also recommended the authorities consider releasing Aye Maung and other ethnic Rakhine political prisoners.

The report mentioned that political dialogue between the Union government and Arakanese stakeholders should cover the repatriation process for Rohingya refugees who have been sheltering for more than one year in Bangladeshi camps, the rebuilding of Rohingya communities, economic development and power sharing between the central and state governments.

It also said the NLD government's labeling of the AA as "terrorists" had only "exacerbated the tensions" between the Arakanese and Burman political actors at both the state and national levels.

The government convened a rare high-level meeting of senior military and civilian officials in Naypyitaw on Jan. 7 in response to the AA's coordinated attacks on four border outposts in northern Rakhine on Jan. 4, which killed 13 policemen and injured more than a dozen.

The day after the meeting, Myanmar President's Office spokesman U Zaw Htay held a press briefing in which he used harsh rhetoric against ethnic Arakanese, and told reporters that the president had given the military a green light to "crush the terrorists". His comments are seen as having increased support for the AA among the Arakanese public.

The Irrawaddy phoned U Zaw Htay on Friday evening to get his comments on the ICG's criticism of the government, but he declined to answer questions over the phone. Brigadier-General Zaw Min Tun from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief did not answer phone calls on Friday.

AA chief Tun Myat Naing previously told The Irrawaddy that the group felt it was necessary to raid the four Border Guard Police outposts in northern Rakhine, as the police were helping the military implement its "four cuts" strategy, which includes cutting off food, information and travel in the conflict zone, as well as conducting arbitrary arrests of AA supporters and Arakanese youth activists.

The ICG report says, "The 4 January attacks and government response have changed the dynamic of armed conflict in Rakhine State by activating previously latent support for the AA and bringing such support more into the open."

In an apparent attempt to discredit the AA among ethnic Rakhine, U Zaw Htay made inflammatory remarks accusing the group of having ties with the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, and of operating two bases inside Bangladesh. The ICG predicted the Tatmadaw (Myanmar's military) may instead focus its attention on civilians, seeking to undermine support for the AA by making large-scale arrests.

Despite the ICG's wide range of suggestions on how to find a peaceful solution in Rakhine, armed conflict is seen as likely to emerge in other contested areas across Myanmar in the near future. On Friday, the Office of the Commander-in-Chief issued warning messages to all ethnic armed groups, including both signatories and non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, to cease all military movements by Feb. 12.

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Myanmar Army Man ‘Rescued’ in Bangladesh

Posted: 25 Jan 2019 03:37 AM PST

DHAKA—Members of Bangladesh's Border Guard Force “rescued” a private of the Myanmar Army in the Banhatirchhara area of Naikkhongchhari sub-district in Bangladeshi hill district Bandarban on Thursday morning after acting on information from the Myanmar side of the border, officials said on Friday.

The 28-year-old man is identified as army constable Aung Bo Bo Thein, a member of Myanmar's No. 5 Border Guard Police Branch. He was found unarmed, 3.5 kilometers from the international border after reportedly having crossed into Bangladesh at around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

He is originally from a Yangon garrison of the Myanmar Army.

“We were informed by our counterparts in the BGP that one of their soldiers was lost while on duty. We rescued him,” said Bangladesh Border Guard's Ramu region commander Brig-Gen Ainul Morshed Khan Pathan.

He said they are following international laws as prescribed in the Geneva Convention in order to get him back to his home country.

The Bangladesh border guard officials said the soldier was “drunk” and roaming “aimlessly” when the team at the Bhallokkhia border outpost found him in uniform.

A local Bangla-language daily Nayadiganta quoted Bangladesh border guard officials saying that in primary interrogations of the soldier, he expressed that he was unhappy with his army job in Myanmar.

When asked when he would be returned to Myanmar, the Ramu border guard force chief said they would send him back “as soon as possible,” in compliance with their commitment to good relations with their Myanmar border guard counterparts.

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Infographic: 30 Years of Chinese Investment in Myanmar

Posted: 25 Jan 2019 02:45 AM PST

YANGON—Amid increasing global pushback against Chinese investment, Myanmar's government has grown more agreeable to involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Looking back at the last three decades, Chinese investment in Myanmar reached its peak during the 2010-2011 fiscal year after President Thein Sein's government took office. In the 2011-2012 fiscal year, Chinese investment began a rapid decline after the controversial $3 billion China-backed Myitsone hydropower project was suspended amid public outcry. The years between 2014 and 2016 then saw a steady rise in investment figures from China.

Despite public wariness surrounding Chinese investments, the Rohingya crisis and condemnations from the West over what has happened in Rakhine State have pushed Myanmar back into the hands of the Chinese.

Last year, Myanmar began to adopt a "look east" economic policy and has the Greater China region in its new line of vision. Experts have been surmising that BRI infrastructure projects are set to become the country's most significant source of investment and support for the country's economic growth this year.

It is certain that China will remain to be a decisive economic influence for Myanmar which is also a potentially crucial partner in its BRI and other economic plans. In terms of foreign investment figures, China is now Myanmar's largest investor as well as biggest trade partner.

Here, The Irrawaddy compiles clear visualizations of all Chinese investment projects in Myanmar, including the proposed, those about to be implemented, currently being implemented, completed projects and those suspended due to public pressure and contract agreement issues.

Ref: China Overseas Investment Data, Ministry of Electric and Energy, DICA, Global Environmental Institute: Investment Trade and the Environment Program report and rivers network.

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‘I Don’t Need to Explain Myself’: Scandal-Hit Tenasserim Chief Minister

Posted: 25 Jan 2019 01:39 AM PST

YANGON—Tenasserim Region Chief Minister Daw Lei Lei Maw said she would not respond to a nepotism scandal surrounding her.

"I don't need to explain myself. Time will tell. They [the government] can come and make an inspection, and if I have done something wrong, it will be revealed," she told The Irrawaddy.

According to unconfirmed reports, the chief minister will be forced to resign for allegedly awarding business contracts to Global Grand Service (GGS) Company, which is reportedly owned by her relatives, and allegedly appointing a relative as her personal secretary, a paid government position.

The chief minister has denied that any of her relatives work for GGS Co.

"If I am asked to resign, I will. I would have to; that is standard procedure," Daw Lei Lei Maw said. She was confident she would be able to clear her name, however.

Daw Lei Lei Maw said the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD)'s Central Executive Committee had not communicated with her regarding the allegations.

"My personal secretary is [an official] from the General Administration Department," she said.

According to lawmakers in the regional parliament, Daw Lei Lei Maw appointed a daughter of U Aung Soe, a member of the NLD's Central Executive Committee and the chairman of the NLD's Tenasserim Region chapter, as her personal secretary when she took office. Daw Lei Lei Maw is U Aung Soe's sister-in-law.

Daw Lei Lei Maw denied making any such official appointment. "I have not appointed her [to a position]. But sometimes, she helps me with some computer work in my office. She is just helping," she told The Irrawaddy.

The President's Office issued an order on April 1, 2016, barring Union ministers from appointing family members as their personal secretaries. According to the order, Union ministers must select from among departmental officials when appointing personal secretaries, in line with the rules and regulations for civil servants.

Though the rule could be strictly interpreted as not applying to local governments, Tenasserim regional parliament speaker U Khin Maung Aye said it applies to all government officials.

"Those who hold important positions should not appoint their relatives. Others might have a bad opinion of this. My understanding is that [the order] applies to all members of the government," he said.

He confirmed that U Nay Myo Aung, the son-in-law of U Aung Soe, holds a senior position in GGS Co., which supplies electricity in Dawei District.

GGS Co. produces electricity from gas purchased from the government. The company owes over 8 billion kyats for gas supplied between July 2017, when it launched its power supply service, and late 2018.

He said the regional parliament has received complaints from locals about the chief minister and GGS Co. The parliament will take action in line with the relevant laws and regulations, he said.

NLD spokesperson Dr. Myo Nyunt told local media the party had also received complaints against the chief minister.

The scandal follows a separate controversy involving the Kachin chief minister. On Friday and Monday, Chief Minister U Khet Aung ordered three ministers to resign from their positions. The only explanation given for the move was that the instruction had come from State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The post 'I Don't Need to Explain Myself': Scandal-Hit Tenasserim Chief Minister appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Loans from China Must Be Repaid ‘As Early As Possible’

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 10:33 PM PST

NAYPYITAW—During a session of the Union Parliament on Wednesday, lawmakers urged the Union government to pay off loans from China as quickly as possible, pointing out that China's interest rates are the highest among all foreign countries that have lent to Myanmar.

Lawmakers discussed the Joint Public Accounts Committee's assessment of the government's debt report for a six-month transitional period in 2018 before the new fiscal year began in October.

"As we are allowed to pay back any amount any time we wish, we should pay back loans from China—whose interest rate is high and whose loan amount accounts for 40 percent of the total national debt—as early as possible," Lower House lawmaker Daw Cho Cho told the Union Parliament.

According to the latest government debt report, Myanmar had racked up some $4 billion in loans by 1988 and a further $2.7 billion up to 2011—97 percent of which is owed to China. It says the government amassed another $3.1 billion in loans between 2011 and 2016 and $91 million more since then.

Myanmar currently owes a total of $10 billion to international lenders, more than $4 billion of it to China. According to lawmakers, China's interest rates are also the highest at 4.5 percent.

The previous Parliament approved $300 million in loans from the Export-Import Bank of China at 4.5 percent interest to fund a number of cooperatives.

Upper House lawmaker U Than Soe called for the urgent adoption of a debt management strategy to arrange loan repayments to China.

Citing international examples, he suggested that Myanmar can repay China's loans in the form of rice exports, as the majority of Myanmar's rice is exported to China through border trade.

"The majority of Chinese loans were borrowed under previous successive governments. Now it is time we pay them back," said U Than Soe.

The Union ministers are set to discuss the national debt in response to the Joint Public Accounts Committee's assessment at the Union Parliament on Jan. 29.

The post Loans from China Must Be Repaid 'As Early As Possible' appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

President Honors Top Taxpayers

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 08:44 PM PST

NAYPYITAW—Myanmar President U Win Myint presented certificates of honor to the country’s top payers of income tax, commercial tax and special commodity tax for the 2017-18 fiscal year, at the presidential residence in Naypyitaw on Thursday.

A certificate of special honor was awarded to U Aung Ko Win, chairperson of Kanbawza (KBZ) Bank which has topped the list of taxpayers for seven consecutive years.

U Zaw Zaw of Max Myanmar Group (left) receives a top taxpayer certificate from President U Win Myint. / Htet Naing Zaw

Among the top income taxpayers of the 2017-18 fiscal year are leading businesspersons U Zaw Zaw, U Ai Tun, U Aung Moe Kyaw, U Khin Maung Aye and U Tha Toe Hein as well as Myawady Bank and Myawady Trading, both of which are owned by the Myanmar military.

The post President Honors Top Taxpayers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Big Brands Revisit the Milkman Model to Cut Plastic Pollution

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 08:40 PM PST

Major packaged goods sellers and retailers, under pressure to cut the flow of single-use plastic bottles and containers clogging the world’s waterways, have teamed with recycling and shipping firms on an e-commerce service that puts a twist on the old-fashioned milkman.

Called Loop and announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, it delivers products such as orange juice, shampoo and laundry detergent in reusable glass and metal bottles to shopper doorsteps and retrieves the empties for cleaning and reuse.

Launch partners include recycling firm and Loop parent TerraCycle; shipper United Parcel Service Inc.; consumer packaged goods sellers Procter & Gamble Co., Unilever Plc., PepsiCo Inc. and Coca-Cola European Partners Plc.; and retailers Carrefour and Tesco Plc. Loop’s unveiling comes just months after China’s decision to stop collecting and processing plastic waste escalated alarm over environmental damage to the world’s oceans.

The service launches in May with projects in Paris and the New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania area. A UK program is slated for later in 2019, with Toronto, Tokyo and California to follow next year.

Users order products online and put down fully refundable deposits for the reusable packaging. They can wipe out shipping fees of $15-$20 by including about seven items in their order, said Tom Szaky, chief executive of recycling firm and Loop parent company TerraCycle.

Plastic production has surged over the last 50 years, leading to widespread use of inexpensive, disposable bottles, cups, takeaway containers and other products.

Government bans on products like single-use plastic water bottles, shopping bags and polystyrene cups have sent retailers and consumer goods companies searching for solutions.

Loop’s Paris retail partner Carrefour will test and tweak the program ahead of the official launch.

“It will surprise me if it works on day one,” said Carrefour Secretary General Laurent Vallee, who added that Loop challenges industry and consumers “to act, to think and to buy differently.”

PepsiCo will start a 5,000-household Paris project with Tropicana orange juice in glass bottles and Quaker Chocolate Cruesli cereal in steel containers, said Simon Lowden, president and chief marketing officer of global snacks and insights.

Lowden and other executives vowed to use their companies’ scale and marketing muscle to support the project, but declined to quantify financial investments.

P&G’s Loop contributions include Tide Purclean laundry detergent in stainless steel bottles and Pampers diaper recycling.

Loop’s refundable deposits in Europe range from 0.25 euros for a Coca-Cola 200 milliliter bottle to 47 euros ($53.50) for Pampers recycling, TerraCycle said.

Virginie Helias, P&G’s chief sustainability officer, said the company will monitor Loop demand before investing in comprehensive package redesign projects.

Likewise at Nestle, which designed a stainless-steel Haagen-Dazs ice cream container designed for Loop’s New York-area project, Kim Peddle Rguem, Nestle USA’s ice cream president.

The post Big Brands Revisit the Milkman Model to Cut Plastic Pollution appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Canada’s Envoy to China says ‘Misspoke’ on Huawei CFO Case

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 08:35 PM PST

TORONTO—Canada’s ambassador to China said he “misspoke” when he said Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd, Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou had a strong case against extradition to the United States, John McCallum said in a statement on Thursday.

Speaking to Chinese-language media in a Toronto suburb on Tuesday, McCallum said Meng had “good arguments on her side” in her case.

“I regret that my comments with respect to the legal proceedings of Ms. Meng have created confusion. I misspoke. These comments do not accurately represent my position on this issue,” McCallum’s statement said.

Meng’s arrest in Vancouver on Dec. 1 at the behest of the United States enraged China, which has called for the extradition case to be dropped. The United States has until Jan. 30 to formally request her extradition over alleged violations of US sanctions on Iran.

Canada’s government has emphasized that it follows the “rule of law” and cautioned against politicizing the case after US President Donald Trump told Reuters last month he would intervene if it served US trade or national security interests.

In his Tuesday remarks, McCallum said Trump’s comments and the fact that Canada had not applied the same sanctions against Iran as the United States made for “strong arguments” Meng could make before a judge. She next appears in court on Feb. 6.

Meng has been released on bail and is living in one of her two multi-million Vancouver homes, wearing a GPS ankle bracelet and watched by security guards when she leaves the house.

The case has made for tense Canada-China relations. Two Canadians were detained in China following Meng’s arrest, and a third was sentenced to death on drug charges.

Neither Canada nor China has explicitly tied these actions to Meng’s arrest but some former diplomats have suggested this is a “tit-for-tat” issue.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters Wednesday that he is focused on getting detained Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor out of China and recalling McCallum would not help their case.

The post Canada’s Envoy to China says ‘Misspoke’ on Huawei CFO Case appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Aid Curbs in Myanmar’s Rakhine Impact ‘At Least 50,000 People’—UN

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 08:27 PM PST

YANGON—New government curbs on aid activities in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State “are affecting at least 50,000 people,” the United Nations has said in an internal note, highlighting the growing impact of recent fighting on the civilian population.

The Rakhine State government this month blocked non-governmental organizations and UN agencies from travelling to rural areas in five townships in northern and central parts of the state affected by conflict.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and UN World Food Programme were exempted from the ban on aid activity in the region, where fighting between government troops and autonomy-seeking ethnic Rakhine rebels has displaced thousands.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) summarized recent information gathered from aid organizations on the impact of the restrictions in the two central Rakhine townships of Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun.

UNOCHA circulated a note on the findings late on Wednesday to some UN officials and non-governmental organisations seeking comments and updates on the situation. Reuters obtained the note independently and reviewed it on Thursday.

It said that the restrictions forced aid organizations to reduce or stop pre-existing programs, including the provision of healthcare, clean water, school construction and teacher training, among other activities.

For example, the agency said that in Kyauktaw “mobile health services were to be provided in 15 villages, totaling around 17,000 people, involving around 1,600 people to be treated on average each month… the provision of these services has now been put on hold.”

The affected activities included primary health care and malnutrition screening and treatment, it said.

“In Ponnagyun, around 220 health consultations in rural areas of the township have been stopped, including emergency referral services,” the agency said in the note.

Fighting has forced about 5,000 people to flee from their homes and to take shelter in monasteries and communal areas across the region since early January, according to UNOCHA.

Myanmar’s president, speaking in a rare meeting with the commander-in-chief this month, urged the military to “crush” the rebels of the Arakan Army. The president, Win Myint, is a loyalist of the de facto government leader, Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Last week, the United Nations called on the government to allow “rapid and unimpeded” humanitarian access to the area.

“We are currently working to assess the impact that recent access restrictions could have on the delivery of pre-existing and ongoing humanitarian programs in the affected townships,” said Pierre Peron, UNOCHA’s spokesman in Myanmar in response to an email seeking comment on the internal note.

“This is an evolving assessment.”

He said the United Nations was “liaising closely with the authorities in Rakhine State, who have now invited humanitarian organizations to individually apply for travel authorizations for specific activities”, adding he hoped authorities would respond “quickly and positively” to such applications.

Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay did not respond to calls seeking comment.

'Ready to respond'

The Rakhine municipal affairs minister, Win Myint, could not be reached for comment. He told Reuters earlier the restrictions had been put in place for “security reasons” and he did not know when they would be lifted.

Reuters contacted several affected NGOs seeking comment on the situation. One of them, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), said: “Along with most other organizations we do not currently have access to respond to the needs of the conflict-affected and displaced populations.”

“We have emergency supplies prepositioned and remain ready to respond if this situation changes,” said Laura Marshall, the NRC’s acting country director.

The affected aid groups published a statement on Tuesday expressing “deep concern” about the restrictions.

Rakhine State has been roiled by successive rounds of violence in recent years.

In 2017, an extensive military crackdown, following attacks by Rohingya Muslim insurgents, prompted about 730,000 Rohingya to flee westwards into neighboring Bangladesh.

The Arakan Army, the group behind the recent fighting, is demanding greater autonomy from the central government for the state, where the mostly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine people form the majority of the population.

Arakan Army fighters killed 13 policemen and wounded nine in attacks on four police posts in early January, state media reported.

An Arakan Army spokesman outside Myanmar told Reuters the group attacked the security forces in response to a broad military offensive in the north of Rakhine that also targeted civilians.

The post Aid Curbs in Myanmar’s Rakhine Impact ‘At Least 50,000 People’—UN appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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Thursday, January 24, 2019

The Irrawaddy Magazine

The Irrawaddy Magazine

Young Myanmar Photographer Living the Dream in New York

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 06:13 AM PST

New York-based Myanmar photographer Kim, also known as The Street Sensei, has earned coveted opportunities to work with international brands, and has worked in various media including world famous magazines Forbes and Vogue.

The talented young photographer was also one of several street style photographers who appeared as models in Vogue in September 2018 for the "Tom Wood x Kelly Harrington Denim capsule collection". The collection showed the lifestyles and fashions of inspiring young street photographers.

Before the Vogue appearance, she was mentioned in Forbes magazine's #Sheshistory campaign for International Women's Day back in March. And many of her fashion shoots were published in Paper and V magazines.

"I was super honored to be published in Forbes. This was definitely one of the highlights of my life," said the 26-year-old "tomboy".

She added, "When I was growing up in [Myanmar], I could only dream about something like this. So having it come true in real life is such a blessing." Kim shared her special moments with The Irrawaddy while spending some time back in Yangon working on a photography project.

She has worked for various well-known brands including Tiffany and Co., W Hotels, Maybelline, Huawei and H&M fashion, whom she counts among her regular customers, though it was New York Fashion Week that marked the beginning of her long photographer's journey.

Kim left Myanmar at the age of 14 and studied Asian Politics & Culture at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The college requires all students to take one art class, and she chose photography.

"That was the beginning. At that time, I never knew that I would become a photographer one day," Kim said.

Later, she started capturing everything in front of her, as well as making fashion portraits of friends.

"After graduation, I had more time. Before becoming a photographer, I was so interested in fashion. I've always tried trying to stay up to date with fashion weeks and bloggers," she said.

One day in 2015, with New York Men's Fashion Week coming up, she texted the popular young blogger Dathias Godfrey to say she wanted to capture all the moments with him at New York Fashion Week.

"I just tried to reach him and he said yes. That was my very first step into this industry," Kim said.

She added, "That day was amazing and so tiring. Godfrey took me to the after-party and I got a chance to meet many models and bloggers."

Then, she found herself working as a photographer.

"I was so happy—even without drinking. It was physically tiring, but that was when I knew that this is what I love to do," she said.

She started polishing her photography skills that day, learning from inspiring photographers online. She adopted the name "The Street Sensei".

"'The Street Sensei' was given to me by one of my Hong Kong friends. I like street style and culture, and shoot a lot of street fashion photography. And 'sensei' means 'master' in Japanese—most people know this word. So, my artist name became 'The Street Sensei'," Kim explained.

In the beginning, she wasn't paid for her photography because she just collected experiences. All she knew was that she wanted to capture every moment, she said.

 

Kim grew up in Myanmar and now works as a full-time street fashion photographer in New York. / supplied

 

She soon established a network; Godfrey helped her with many things, and they became best friends, she said.

By 2017, she had already been to many New York Fashion Weeks and done a lot of street and fashion photography. Many clients started to notice her.

"The main struggle is that I don't know the pricing, marketing and how to negotiate, but Godfrey helped me loads," she said.

She said clients hire her because of her different points of presentation. They want what she has to offer and what she can do.

"I'm always trying to go beyond the normal," she said.

Kim's style is definitely fashion-focused, but with a street twist and a dash of storytelling. It's somewhere between lifestyle and fashion.

"The clients tell me the concept for the project and give me full creative control. That's amazing. They believe in my vision," Kim said.

Of course, she works with a lot of top local models and bloggers as well. Kim became noticed locally through her fashion videography of local supermodels, and her travel videos.

"I haven't worked in Myanmar before. Supermodels come to New York for fashion weeks and I shoot them. This time, I came here with a few projects," Kim said.

She collaborated with "The Moment" and organized a talent-search event called "Push Your Boundaries". They will choose the best models together. Then, they will train them to become influencers in the future, Kim explained.

"And I have some photo shoots for fashion magazine," she said.

 

Kim with Myanmar supermodels Awn Seng and Nang Kae Mar at the 'Push Your Boundaries' event in Yangon in December / supplied

 

She shared her feelings about working in Myanmar and New York, saying, "Both countries have stress."

In New York, the clients will ask for many things to be done because they have paid you. In Myanmar, if the clients have a budget, their desired marketing strategy is still very traditional, because Myanmar is very religious and very traditional, and she has to respect that.

"I'm OK with it all; I like challenges like that. So, that's the only difference. I literally fight with them to get what I want. Because, at the end of the day, it's my name on the damn things. So, I want to make sure it's good," Kim said.

She added that, "When they do give me full creative freedom, the clients don't have the budget for it."

In Yangon, it's difficult to get quality staff to help her work. This is the other problem; she still struggles to get a good assistant.

The fashion industry in Myanmar is really strong, she says, and she believes some of the supermodels in the country could work on international catwalks.

"I think the talent here is so good. Some models are really professional and they could be on International catwalks. They try so hard, they do research, catch updates and always listen to what's trending," Kim said.

She added that, "Now, social media is really trending and we use it as a positive way to grow ourselves; you use it as a tool for yourself and your brand."

She loves working as a photographer because it doesn't require working in the same place, city or country. It can be done anywhere.

"Now everything is digital; everything is going digital. If we have a good image and network, we can do our work anywhere and earn money," Kim said.

Kim urges local young talents to do what they love and love what they do.

She advises, "If you want to do something, just try. I mean, just focus on the job you want to do and do the research, learn from your seniors or others. If it doesn't work, then you know it, but if you don't try, you'll never know. So, just try."

She plans to go back to New York and shoot, then travel to other cities and work. Then she wants to come back to Myanmar and shoot.

"I will collaborate with other young talents from Myanmar. The young talents are so inspiring because I was there [in the same position]. And then someone found me; I want to, like, give back," she said.

She added, "I want my own cool studios, both in Myanmar and New York. Ha ha! Is that too much? People are really lucky if they get to do what they love. It's really a blessing if people get paid to do what they love. If people get paid to do what they love, that's the dream. Now, it's like I'm living the dream, but then there're more dreams, because you can't just stop," she said.

 

The post Young Myanmar Photographer Living the Dream in New York appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

China’s Six Belt and Road Projects in Myanmar to Watch in 2019

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 05:01 AM PST

YANGON—The Myanmar government recently agreed to begin work on key projects under the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) agreement which is part of Chinese's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. Experts, including voices from the World Bank, have pointed out that Myanmar's growth will largely depend on major BRI infrastructure projects that get underway this year.

The 1,700-kilometer-long CMEC will start in China's Yunnan Province, go through Myanmar's major economic cities—Mandalay in central Myanmar, the commercial capital of Yangon—and reach the coast at Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Rakhine State. The proposal includes upgrades to three major roads through Mandalay and Muse on the Myanmar side of the border with China, and some other roads in Shan State.

An estimated $2 billion will be spent in the initial stages of the project which is expected to be made up of 24 projects in total.

Among the 24 proposed CMEC projects, Myanmar has agreed to speed up the process of nine major projects, which include the Kyaukphyu SEZ in the west, the New Yangon City Development in Yangon and the border economic cooperation zones in Kachin and Shan states.

Here, The Irrawaddy looks at six projects which are set to be implemented this year and which require careful monitoring—including the controversial Myitsone dam project, on which a final decision could be made this year.

The post China's Six Belt and Road Projects in Myanmar to Watch in 2019 appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Govt Reports 2nd ARSA Attack in Northern Rakhine State This Month

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 04:20 AM PST

YANGON — Three officers were wounded by artillery shells in a two-hour assault on a police post in northern Rakhine State’s Maungdaw Township Thursday morning by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), according to the General Administration Department (GAD).

It was the militant Muslim group’s second reported attack on police in the area in as many weeks.

U Hla Tun Tin, an official with the GAD’s Kyein Chaung office in northern Maungdaw, said the attack near Wai Lar Taung Village began at about 7 a.m., according to an initial police report.

Citing the report, he said about 40 ARSA fighters crossed into Myanmar from Bangladesh near border marker No. 41 and tried to seize the post, which lies some 200 meters from the border. But he said the officers managed to repel the assault with the help of reinforcements from a neighboring regiment after two hours.

"They broke through the border fence and ambushed them with artillery." U Hla Tun Tin told The Irrawaddy.

The police, he added, said the militants were well armed and managed to destroy some structures before retreating back across the border. He said ARSA had also mounted an attack near Maungdaw’s Wat Kyein Village on Jan. 16.

"Some people were confused about [who carried out] the previous attack. But this time we can definitely say that this morning’s attack was carried out by ARSA," U Hla Tun Tin said.

The military and Ministry of Home Affairs initially and wrongly attributed the Jan. 16 attack on the Arakan Army, a claim it immediately denied. The Arakan Army is mostly active in neighboring townships.

Video footage posted to Facebook on Jan. 19 appeared to show ARSA fighters armed with assault rifles waiting for an approaching police vehicle near Wat Kyein Village and then firing on it. Government media reported that six police officers were wounded in the attack. The militants also used an improvised explosive device.

ARSA has not released any statement about this month’s reported attacks via its Twitter account.

The post Govt Reports 2nd ARSA Attack in Northern Rakhine State This Month appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Yangon Timeout

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 03:29 AM PST

Jazz Week

The French Institute, in conjunction with other top music outlets around Yangon, are organizing a week of jazz and improvised music. French jazz band Splanx have flown in from France and will team up with local jazz acts for a performance in the garden of the French Institute on Friday at 8 p.m. (entry 5,000 kyats). The live music will be followed by an electro swing DJ set. On Saturday at 11 a.m. there will be a masterclass on music improvisation at Gitameit Music Institute followed by a jam session at Atlas Rooftop Bar at 8 p.m. with both French and Myanmar musicians.

Jan. 23 to 26 | Institut Français de Birmanie, Gitameit Music Institute, Atlas Rooftop Bar & Lounge|

Networking Cocktail

A chance to network with like-minded business and commerce experts, this event is organized by the German Myanmar Business Chamber and the Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Myanmar.

Jan. 24 | 6 p.m. | Atlas Rooftop Bar & Lounge | Uniteam Building, 84 Pan Hlaing Street, Sanchaung Township | Tickets $25 for GMBC/JCCM members and $30 for non-members.

Rivers and Tourism in Myanmar

John Farrell, a Myanmar tourism expert who has previously given talks in Yangon on the Mergui Archipelago, will this time have an evening to present the topic of Myanmar's rivers and the tourism potential in connection with rivers and waterways. Attendees to events at the British Embassy Club are required to show I.D. at the entrance.

Jan. 24 | 7 p.m. | British Embassy Club | 46 Gyo Byu Road, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township

113 Year Anniversary of Yangon Zoological Gardens

Yangon Zoological Gardens is this year hosting a three-day festival in celebration of its 113th year. This event is not to be missed by families with young children who love animals. Extra entertainment will be organized at the zoo, including a magic show, games and animal and bird shows. There will be music performances and a food and product fair to interest the young and old alike.

Jan. 25 to 27 |Yangon Zoological Gardens | Mingalar Taung Nyunt Township

How to Get Startup Ideas

Phandeeyar will host yet another interesting and informative talk for those interested in the world of tech entrepreneurship, business and startups. Joao Dutra will be the speaker and the event is set to be an interactive and engaging way to learn about techniques for generating ideas for tech businesses—a key skill in the startup world.

Jan. 25 | 6 p.m. | Phandeeyar | 10th Floor, Royal Riverview Condo, 628/636 Merchant Road

Myanmar Ethnics Culture Fest

The traditions and cultures of many of Myanmar's ethnic groups can be seen at this six-day festival. Go there to enjoy a diverse range of food and drinks and see traditional dance performances and fascinating and intricate costumes from across the country. Entry is free of charge.

Jan. 25 to 30 | 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. | Kyite Ka San Stadium | Yangon

Kirin Night & 90's Kids

Step back in time to the golden age of 90's music and feel the unstoppable urge to sing and dance with friends just like in the old days. One of Yangon's favorite DJs, Master Bay Tar, will pump out the 90's beats and the beer drinking competition is sure to be entertaining. Kirin promotions will be available before 8 p.m. and the dress code "black and white" applies.

Jan. 25 | 7 p.m. | The Beat Bar | Corner of Bo Myat Tun and Merchant Street, Yangon

Yangon Pride

This event gets bigger and better every year and this year, it even features a boat parade which departs from Botahtaung Jetty on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. On Friday evening and Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening, Thakin Mya Park will be the venue for an exciting lineup of games, music, films, a drag show, hero awards and an interactive disco as well as the legendary drag Olympics. For the full schedule, see the Yangon Pride event page on Facebook.

Jan. 25 to 27 | Thakin Mya Park | Ahlone Township

Wa Hta Ga La Tha–Art Exhibition

Contemporary Myanmar artist Soe Naing will show a collection of his work created between 1994 and today. The exhibition opening will feature poetry readings and live musical performances by Raywai & ROA. The artist's book of the same name will also be launched at the opening with signed copies available.

Jan. 26 to 28 | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Gallery 65 | No. 65, Yaw Min Gyi Road, Dagon Township

 

Chef Fest @ Yangon Zay

Yangon Zay ups its game this weekend with the first ever edition of Chef Fest featuring top local and international food talent. Myanmore Chef of the Year 2018 Chef Orng of Orng's Kitchen, Myanmar's Master Chef Sharky, British-Thai chef John Chantarasak of AngloThai and other reputable chefs from near and far will offer a number of diverse and delectable dishes alongside the usual Yangon Zay fare and entertainment.

Jan. 26 | 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. | The Tea Factory | Kanyeiktha Street, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Yangon

We Rock for Justice

Some of the biggest names in Myanmar's music industry will perform on one stage this weekend. Zaw Win Htut with Emperor, Wai La, Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein, Chan Chan, Eaint Chit, Thar Nge and T-Zin will perform at this free concert organized by Let's Talk in conjunction with My Justice which is funded by the European Union and the British Council. The event aims to raise awareness of the importance of justice, fairness and equality for all.

Jan. 27 | 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. | Shwe Htut Tin Event Park |East Horse Race Course Road, Tamwe, Yangon

 

The post Yangon Timeout appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Yangon Ditches Campaign Ban on Party Logos For Local Elections

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 01:56 AM PST

YANGON — The Yangon municipal election commission has reversed an order banning candidates for the March 31 local polls from using their party logos while campaigning.

"We have reversed our previous decision and announced that the logos of political parties, big or small, the Union Solidarity Development Party or the National League for Democracy, can be used to ensure a free and fair election," commission chairman U Aung Khine told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

The commission originally said that political party members could contest the elections but could not use their party logos and emblems in their campaigns.

Not everyone was please with the about-face.

"There are countries that allow the use of party logos in municipal elections. But it is not good that [the municipal election commission] changes its decision often," said Daw Thin Thin, a Sanchang Township resident who is monitoring the polls.

A total of 105 seats will be up for grabs: three in each of the city's 33 townships and six for the executive board of the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC).

The elections will be held under the new YCDC Law, which came into effect on June 28 and supplements the 2013 Municipal Law. One of the six elected committee members will be named vice mayor, a post created by the new law to ease the workload of the mayor of Myanmar's largest city.

Candidates have until Monday to submit applications to contest the elections. The list of qualified candidates will be announced in the second week of February.

The first-ever municipal elections were held in Yangon in December 2014.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.

The post Yangon Ditches Campaign Ban on Party Logos For Local Elections appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Man Shot Dead Outside Home in Rakhine’s Minbya Township

Posted: 24 Jan 2019 12:46 AM PST

SITTWE—A resident of Pann Myaung village in Rakhine State's Minbya Township was shot dead in front of his house on Wednesday evening, according to township police.

U Maung Aye Thein, 56, was shot five times at close range at around 9 p.m., Police Captain Mya Zaw told The Irrawaddy.

"He saw somebody trying to open the gate in his fence. Thinking it was a guest, he went outside and approached the gate. He was shot near the fence," the police officer told The Irrawaddy.

U Aye Maung Thein sustained five gunshot wounds and died on the spot. His body was sent to a local hospital for a post-mortem examination.

The motive for the killing was not immediately clear. The victim, who made a living by doing odd jobs, was an ex-member of the Union Solidarity and Development Party and formerly served as a 10-household administrator and auxiliary firefighter, Pol. Capt. Mya Zaw said.

"Villagers didn't see anything. They said they heard something like a firecracker. His wife said she saw the gunman. She said he is not a local," he said.

There are over 1,400 households in Pann Myang village, and locals have been in a state of panic since the murder, he said.

"We are still gathering information. So we still don't know the motive for the murder. And we are still investigating the type of bullets used," he added.

U Khin Than Maung, a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), was murdered at his residence in Kyar Inn Taung village in Rakhine State's Myebon Township on Dec. 24 last year.

The post Man Shot Dead Outside Home in Rakhine's Minbya Township appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

What We Can Hope For From the 70th Anniversary of Karen National Resistance Day

Posted: 23 Jan 2019 10:08 PM PST

The Karen National Union (KNU), the oldest ethnic armed group in Myanmar and a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), plans to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Karen National Resistance Day at its headquarter in Law Khee Lar, Karen State, on Jan. 28-31.

For the first time, the KNU will mark the event with a military parade joined by its splinter groups: the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA); Karen National Liberation Army-Peace Council (KNLA-PC); and Border Guard Force (BGF). The KNU has been observing the anniversary for decades, but this is the first time the Karen armed groups will mark it together.

The decision to celebrate the anniversary together came about when they met on Oct. 8, when they agreed to work together on securing self-determination for the Karen people.

According to a senior KNU official, the group has invited all ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) to the ceremony. It has also invited the Myanmar military, or Tatmadaw, the Union government, political parties and some foreign diplomats. Surprisingly, U Aung Min, head of the Myanmar Peace Center and a peace negotiator under ex-President Thein Sein, is among the invitees as well. All those invited are expected to attend.

The KNU’s reasons for inviting them all boil down to two reasons.

First, the KNU wants to solve the many territorial disputes among the EAOs. Clashes over territory continue to occur between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and Shan State Progress Party (SSPP), the RCSS and Ta’ang National Liberation Army, and the KNU and New Mon State Party. The RCSS and SSPP are engaged in heavy fighting right now; they are expected to discuss their dispute at the anniversary.

Second, the KNU wants to talk about the stalled national peace process and set it on the right track. The KNU temporarily pulled back from the peace process in October, and the RCSS followed suit the next month. They said a recent high-level meeting with the government and Tatmadaw had failed to achieve a breakthrough on key obstacles.

It appears that all NCA signatories are disappointed with the peace process. After several meetings with the government and Tatmadaw and three rounds of the 21st Century Peace Conference, signatory EAOs now believe that the current trajectory will get them little.

The fact is that the NCA also cannot guarantee any ceasefires between the Tatmadaw and signatory EAOs. Recent clashes between the Tatmadaw and KNU, over the Tatmadaw's alleged deployment of patrols to facilitate a road upgrade, highlight the weakness of the NCA.

General Yawd Serk, a leader of the RCSS, accused the Tatmadaw of not abiding by the terms of the NCA after the Myanmar military attaché in Bangkok blocked a meeting of the Committee for Shan State Unity in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2017. The Tatmadaw and RCSS clashed the same year.

As all the EAOs — NCA signatories and non-signatories alike — share a common vision to build a federal union, they will surely discuss the stalled peace process and at least try to devise a new strategy to move it forward.

It appears the KNU also wants U Aung Min to give them some advice on how to do that, and possibly even broker future negotiations. In 2015 the KNU signed the NCA with seven other EAOs after several dialogues with a negotiating team led by U Aung Min. The NCA signatories and U Aung Min undeniably used to have good relations; the KNU now wants to revamp the relationship.

It is also undeniable that Myanmar’s peace process is faltering. Achieving peace and ending the conflict in the near future seems impossible, in spite of a four-month unilateral ceasefire the Tatmadaw called in late December.  Heavy fighting between the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army continues in Rakhine State.

Meetings between the EAOs and Tatmadaw are key to ending the conflict and solving the problem. But before any meaningful peace talks can happen with the Tatmadaw and government, the EAOs must settle the territorial disputes between each other. Thus, we hope all EAOs attend this year’s anniversary and meet in order to solve their disputes and forge a new path to peace.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of an analyst based in Kachin State.

The post What We Can Hope For From the 70th Anniversary of Karen National Resistance Day appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Huawei Executive Has Strong Case to Fight Extradition: Canadian Envoy

Posted: 23 Jan 2019 09:06 PM PST

OTTAWA — A top executive from Huawei Technologies Co Ltd being held in Canada can make “strong arguments” against extradition to the United States, in part due to President Donald Trump’s politicization of the case, Canada’s ambassador to China said.

Canadian envoy John McCallum’s comments to Chinese-language media, which were broadcast on Wednesday, are the most explicit sign yet from a Canadian official that Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer, may not be sent to the United States.

Meng was detained on Dec. 1 in Vancouver at the request of the United States over alleged violations of U.S. sanctions on Iran. She is currently under house arrest and China is demanding that she be freed.

In a clip shown by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp, McCallum said Meng had “quite good arguments on her side,” the first of which was “political involvement by comments from Donald Trump in her case.”

Trump told Reuters last month he would intervene in Meng’s case if it served U.S. national security interests or helped close a trade deal with China. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland quickly warned Washington not to politicize extradition cases.

McCallum also said extradition “would not be a happy outcome,” a comment that could irritate the Trump administration, which has generally cool relations with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government.

Huawei declined to comment on McCallum’s remarks.

The envoy’s comments, which were made in English on Tuesday, are potentially awkward for Canada’s government, which insists it cannot intervene because of judicial independence.

Trudeau sidestepped questions about the matter on Wednesday, telling reporters in Saskatchewan that under Canadian law Meng would have a chance to mount a strong defense.

The Liberals may face a tough reelection fight this October against the opposition Conservative Party, which said McCallum’s actions raised “questions of political interference.”

David Mulroney, an ex-Canadian ambassador to China, tweeted that McCallum’s comments were “almost impossible to understand.”

Possible options

McCallum noted Canada has not applied the same sanctions against Iran as the United States.

“Canada does not sign onto these Iran sanctions. So I think she [Meng] has some strong arguments she can make before a judge,” he said.

The U.S. Justice Department has until Jan. 30 to file a formal extradition request and Canadian officials will then take up to a month to decide whether an extradition hearing is warranted. Legal experts say they expect a hearing to be held.

“Canada respects its international legal commitments, including by honoring its extradition treaty with the United States,” Freeland spokesman Adam Austen said in an email.

Meng’s arrest has hurt Canada’s relations with China, which subsequently detained two Canadians last month, citing national security concerns. Additionally, a Chinese court later retried a Canadian who had been jailed for drug smuggling and sentenced him to death.

McCallum said he saw three possible options for resolving the case. One would be Meng’s extradition, which he said “would not be a happy outcome and that would take years” given that she could lodge legal appeals.

The second would be for the United States to make a deal with China whereby the extradition request would be dropped. The third would be Meng’s release by a Canadian court on the grounds the U.S. request was not warranted.

McCallum, 68, a former Liberal cabinet minister, has made headlines in the past with offhand or colorful comments.

The post Huawei Executive Has Strong Case to Fight Extradition: Canadian Envoy appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Focus on Thai Fishing Distracts from Worker Abuse in Other Sectors–Researchers

Posted: 23 Jan 2019 08:51 PM PST

BANGKOK—Millions of migrant workers in Thailand’s construction, agriculture and livestock industries suffer from exploitative practices, but a focus on the fishing sector has distracted attention from them, researchers said on Thursday.

Migrant workers in several industries get few protections, including a minimum wage and overtime pay, and contend with unsafe working and living conditions, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a report.

While Thailand has taken steps to clean up its multibillion-dollar seafood industry after it came under international scrutiny for slavery, trafficking and violence on boats, it has done little to regulate conditions in other sectors, it said.

“The singular focus has diverted attention away from similar problems occurring elsewhere in Thailand,” the IOM said in the report released in Bangkok.

Exploitative practices have been recorded in domestic work, sex work, construction, agriculture, livestock, hospitality, garment manufacturing and other sectors, “yet they have received much less effort and investment to improve conditions.”

There are about 4.9 million migrants in Thailand, making up more than 10 percent of the country’s workforce, according to the IOM. Most are from poorer neighboring countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Since taking power in a 2014 coup, Thailand’s ruling junta has taken a more restrictive approach to the foreign workforce.

The country has also taken some steps to tackle abuse, eliminating recruitment fees paid by workers, and banning the practice of withholding identification documents.

Yet because recruitment systems and governance frameworks are not effective, workers are “vulnerable to exploitation at various points during the migration process,” the IOM said.

The agricultural sector has high levels of informal work combined with low wages and use of child labor, while sex workers face harassment and the threat of arrest because they are not covered by Thailand’s labor laws, it said.

One activist said extensive media coverage and the financial implications of a ban on seafood exports had led the Thai authorities to act, even as abuses in other sectors remained unreported.

“Perhaps people believe slavery at sea to be more compelling than slavery on land,” said Debbie Stothard, secretary general at the International Federation for Human Rights, an advocacy group.

“So there’s been far less outrage and attention to abuses in other industries,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Earlier this month, the European Union withdrew its threat to ban Thai fishing imports, saying it recognized the country’s efforts to tackle human trafficking and improve labor conditions.

In a rare victory for migrant workers, Thailand’s highest court last week ordered compensation be paid to 14 migrant laborers from Myanmar whose accusations of abuse at a chicken farm sparked a landmark legal case.

The post Focus on Thai Fishing Distracts from Worker Abuse in Other Sectors–Researchers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.
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