--------------------------------------- Burma media reform hampered by three draft laws 'Discrimination does not exist': U Shwe Mann The Irrawaddy River Is Like a Mother Authority prohibits demonstration in front of Malaysian Embassy KNU in Rangoon for peace talks Myanmar maids finding it hard here Is there a bright future for Myanmar's capital? Mission possible: RNDP and ALD agree to unify UN convoy delivers aid to IDP camps in rebel territory Decades-old bets in Myanmar's tech industry finally reap rewards --------------------------------------- Asian Correspondent Burma media reform hampered by three draft laws By Zin Linn Jun 15, 2013 11:42PM UTC In March of this year, a delegation from the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand convened a meeting with the major Myanmar media associations at Myanmar Media Resource Center in Yangon. There was a discussion about the changing media landscape and the prospect of forming a press club in Yangon. As a consequence, a six-member delegation from Burmas, also known as Myanmar, media realm paid a trip to Thailand and there was a press panel - Myanmar Media Panel: Rejoining the World Journalist Community - on June 12 at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand. There, they shared their views on the rapidly changing media market, the new daily newspapers starting up in the country, online and social media forums and also some hot issues challenging the Interim Press Council of Burma/Myanmar. The speakers on the panel were Kyaw Yin Myint, upper Myanmar bureau chief for Modern, Kumudra, Dana and Warazein newspapers; Chit Win Maung, member of Myanmar Press Council and leading committee member of Myanmar Journalist Union(MJU); Ms. EiEi Myat, executive editor of Agri Business News Journal published by Ministry of Agricultural and Irrigation and a CEC member of Myanmar Journalist Association (MJA); Ms. Theingi Htun, senior reporter for Mizzima; Jimmy Han Htwe Aung, Asahi TV (Tokyo Channel 5); Teza Hlaing, a photojournalist for Irrawaddy News and a freelance video journalist for Radio Free Asia. Six Journalists from Burma made a visit to Bangkok, speaking at the FCCT on 12 June 2013. (Photo: Southeast Asian Press Alliance - SEAPA) In Burma, press freedom is currently at a crossroads, the speakers said. The quasi-civilian government led by ex-general Thein Sein would like to maintain the country under limited or disciplined democracy while the mainstream general public wants a new phase of change. Citizens are demanding freedom of expression and association while the government is rigidly vetoing these basic rights. In the midst of demands for a free press, the Burmese government granted permission for some of the private dailies that began publishing in the first week of April this year. Its really a great risk for the publishers, editors, correspondents and even the distributors of the dailies in such a time of vagueness. Out of the 16 private daily newspapers given permission to publish, four dailies began publishing on 1 April 2013. Burma dissolved the press censorship board officially known as the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) in January. According to the state-run New Light of Myanmar, the termination of PSRD was approved during the cabinet meeting held on 24 January 2013. However, in place of PSRD, the Copyrights and Registration Division will be formed under the Information and Public Relations Department, said the state-run newspapers. Unquestionably, the dissolution of the censorship office was the result of the unity of journalists. The PSRD defended its rigid role up to the last breath. It was a historic and extraordinary event which occurred on 1 August last year that 92 journalists from Myanmar Journalists Association (MJA), Myanmar Journalists Network (MJN) and Myanmar Journalists Union (MJU) wearing black T-shirts decorated with the catchphrase STOP KILLING PRESS launched a demonstration in the former capital Rangoon protesting against the suspension of two journals the Voice Weekly and the Envoy Journal. Again in March 2013, three media groups MJA, MJN and MJU protested against the draft of the new Printing and Publishing Law drawn up by the Ministry of Information (MOI) submitted to Parliament on 27 February, 2013. They protested because MOI did not consult with media stakeholders before it put forward the draft bill to the House. Several journalists, along with the Committee For Freedom of Press (Myanmar), gathered at a media workshop at the Yuzana Garden Hotel in Yangon on 12 March calling on the government to revoke the drafted Printing and Publishing Bill. The MOls draft bill systematically put up the grip of government on the print media freedom. It made certain its supremacy to exploit on license certificates as per revoking or fining. The clause made the journalists angry because of the fact that it is no different from the 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Law. If passed in its current form, the draft law will essentially replace Burmas old censorship regime with a similarly repressive new one, said Shawn Crispin, CPJs senior Southeast Asia representative. Banning news topics and legalizing the jailing of journalists is utterly inconsistent with the press freedom guarantees that authorities vowed the new law would promote. We urge lawmakers to amend this draft in a way that protects, and not restricts, press freedom. Concerning Burmas press freedom, Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) says in its press freedom report (2013), To date, there is not much tangible proof of media reform, apart from the dissolution of the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division, and the publication of private news dailies that began on 1 April 2013. In such a blurred situation, the Public Service Media (PSM) draft law came out during a press conference at the Printing and Publishing Enterprise on 8 June, 2013. According to the Deputy Information Minister Ye Htut, the PSM draft has the basic principles of representing all citizens. According to Chit Win Maung, member of the Myanmar Interim Press Council, he as well as the council objected to the PSM draft law as it appeared to go up against the private sector in term of market competition and media freedom. The most controversial issue is that 70 percent of the budget for Burmas PSM will have to be provided by the state funds, he said. He also mentioned during the press conference that if the information ministry has to submit the PSM draft law to the parliament, there are altogether three draft laws concerning the media freedom reason. It seems making more complication on press freedom with media ethics. The deputy information minister said that it is true that the PSM draft law is across-the-board, but it does not go against any existing laws. The law is not intended to control private media outlets, Ye Htut insisted. In the interim, the responsibility is on the Interim Press Council to present a well-defined press law bill. So far, no one could say the outcome of the media reform process, as the representatives of the journalists diligently keep on with drafting their press law. http://asiancorrespondent.com/109248/burma-media-reform-mystified-by-three-draft-laws/ ---------------------------------- Myanmar Times 'Discrimination does not exist': U Shwe Mann By AFP | Saturday, 15 June 2013 Myanmar's influential parliament speaker vowed Thursday to press forward with democratic reforms but said the country already had laws against discrimination amid a furor over anti-Muslim violence. Shwe Mann, a former general who is a key architect of reforms and is eyeing the presidency, was visiting Washington, where he said he hoped to study the US democratic system including the separation of government powers. "For the interest of our people and the international community, we wish to see that a continuous democratic system is deeply rooted in Myanmar," he said at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars. Leading a delegation of lawmakers, Shwe Mann said that he hoped to encourage reconciliation in the long conflict-torn nation and also to build a "more inclusive society." But asked whether parliament needed to do more to protect the Rohingya Muslim minority following a wave of violence, Shwe Mann said that "actions will be taken" against anyone who violated existing laws. "According to our law, discrimination does not exist whether you are a Rohingya or whether you call them Bengali, or even in religion," he said. "There are still some weaknesses in terms of the rule of law. Therefore, we are working hard so that the rule of law will prevail in Myanmar," he said. Myanmar's roughly 800,000 Rohingya are considered by the UN to be one of the world's most persecuted minorities. Myanmar does not consider them to be citizens, saying they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh, and local authorities have reimposed a ban on Rohingya having more than two children. Up to 140,000 people -- mainly Rohingya -- were displaced in two waves of sectarian unrest between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine state last year that left about 200 people dead. Myanmar has faced strong international criticism over the Rohingya, a stark contrast to the enthusiasm over reforms in recent years over democratic reforms that have included an easing of censorship and freeing of political prisoners. Shwe Mann told Radio Free Asia while in Washington that he plans to run for president in 2015, making him the only declared candidate besides opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who was freed from house arrest in 2010. Shwe Mann met Tuesday with Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and discussed various topics including human rights and legal reform, a State Department official said. http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/7123-discrimination-does-not-exist-u-shwe-mann.html ----------------------------------- The Irrawaddy River Is Like a Mother By KYAW PHYO THA / THE IRRAWADDY| Saturday, June 15, 2013 | Prominent environmentalist Devi Thant Cin at her Rangoon home. A painting of her great-grand parents, King Thibaw and his wife, hangs in the background. (Photo: Jpaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON Had things turned out differently, Devi Thant Cin might have been a doctor. It was her childhood dream. But looking back nearly six decades later, she feels happy with the path she has chosen instead. It was just my childhood fantasy, the 66-year old said with a smile. Now Im a conservationist by choice. As Burmas reformist government opens up to international investors who eye its rich natural resources, environmental and social concerns are increasingly coming to the fore. But with the new space for civil society, the countrys environmental movement is also gaining momentum, and Devi Thant Cin has become one of its leading activists. She is one of a handful of female campaigners who have been spearheading nationwide activities to protect Burmas environment in recent years. Most prominent among their activities has been a campaign aimed at shutting down the controversial Myitsone hydropower dam. The Chinese-backed proposal would dam the Irrawaddy at a site in northern Burma, blocking the flow of water and migrating fish species on the countrys largest river, which is a life line to millions of people downstream. The environmental campaigns against the dam led to a nationwide public outcry, prompting President Thein Sein to suspend the project in 2011 until 2016, when his presidential term expires. Devi Thant Cin speaks with reverence of the Irrawaddy River. I want the Irrawaddy flows freely. The river is like a mother who feeds Burmas citizens, she said. If anyone tries to resume the project, I will continue to protest. Although she is best known for being an environmentalist, she is also a princess and a direct descendant of King Thibaw, the last monarch of Burma of the Koung Boung Dynasty. Her father is the son of the kings third princess. She said that her father, who earned the nickname the Red Prince for his belief in Marxism, taught her not be arrogant because of her royal blood, but to stand up for the poor and serve the people instead. I still believe in those basic ideologies and found out that they fit with environmental conservation, Devi Thant Cin said, arguing that although the whole of society is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, the poor at the grass-roots level will be hardest-hit. The green movement, she added, helps protect them against these environmental risks. So being a conservationist gives me a chance to work for people, she said during an interview in the small living room of her Rangoon house, which she shares with two other royal descendant families. On the walls of the house, only a faded oil-painting of her great-grand parents and a black-and-white group photo of her great-aunts in full regalia serve as faint reminders of the familys royal background. Devi Thant Cin first started writing about environmental awareness in the early 2000s, when few in Burma had heard of these issues. She also began travelling through the country to give talks to farmers about the risk of using chemical fertilizers, while she spoke with students to inform the younger generation of environmental concerns. Although she could have used the lingering public reverence for Burmas last kings to aid her work, Devi Thant Cin has never done so. Its embarrassing to tell my audience that Im a great grand-daughter of King Thibaw. Let them find about it by themselves, she said. What Im doing is as important as who I am. In 2007 she began publishing Burmas only environmental magazine Aung Pin Lae, enlisting the help of friends and fellow activists to keep the struggling publication afloat in order to inform the public of the global green movement and environmental degradation in the country. Environmental conservation is her life, said Min Chit Naing, who has been the magazines editor since early 2012. Min Chit Naing, who previously worked as an environmental reporter at a local weekly, said he has known Devi Than Cin for several years, adding that her dedication was unwavering. She even puts her family affairs on the back seat when it comes to the environment, he said. When public concerns over the Myitsone dam project intensified in 2011 and protests against the project became more frequent, Devi Thant Cin founded the Myanmar Green Network (MGN). She brought environmental campaigners and engineers together to provide scientific and technical evidence that would back up the protestors demand and show that cancellation of the project is justified. In 2012, when another Chinese-backed project, the Letpadaung copper mine in northwestern Burma, sparked a huge local protest, MGN took the initiative to conduct local soil and water tests to determine how the mines run-off was affecting the local communitys health and environment. The network submitted the results and experts suggestion on the project to the president, relevant authorities and a project investigation commission led by opposition leader and lawmaker Aung San Suu Kyi. I take my hat off for her, for she is very serious when it comes to environmental conservation, said U Ohn, the chairman of MGNs Forest Resource Environment Development and Conservation Association. In spite of her royal background, she is not arrogant and is the one who fully drives the MGN. Asked if she is concerned about, or perhaps opposes, the rise in foreign investment in Burma, Devi Thant Cin says, We have to welcome FDI, but at the same time we have to be aware of its exploitative nature. Thats why we keep repeating that we need to have strong rules and regulations for our environment, while welcoming foreign investors. Burmas green movement has grown much stronger in the past decade, in no small part through Devi Thant Cins efforts. Public interest continues to rise, green networks are being set up (MGN has connected with more than 50 environmental groups), and Burmas government finally established a Ministry of Environment in 2011. Devi Thant Cin therefore, is confident that the movement can make a difference and protect Burmas rich and diverse natural environment. A conservationist must be patient. We believe everything is possible, she said. What we need is time. http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/37552 -------------------------------------- Narinjara Online June 16, 2013, 9:36 am Authority prohibits demonstration in front of Malaysian Embassy ( Yangon, 16 June 2013) : The Burmese authority has prohibited any protest programme in front of the Malaysian Embassy in Yangon for the time being. Myanmar Social Development Network (MSDN) applied for the permission to lodge a protest, which was rejected by the authority on Friday. Red-Roses-at-Malaysia-Embassy-YangonKo Thet Naing of MSDN informed that the police superintend of Dagon township police station did not allow to hold the protest programme against the Malaysia government staging demonstrations in front of their embassy in the former Burmese capital. Responding to the MSDN application, the police officials asserted that the protest programme would be ill-timed, as some high ranking Burmese administrators including deputy foreign minister U Zin Yaw and deputy social security minister Daw Win Maw Tun are visiting Malaysia to solve the problem related to the migrant Burmese in that country. It is understood that at least seven Burmese migrants have been killed and 10 others got injuries, when local gangs started attacking the migrants in different parts of Malaysia since May 30 this year. We wish the Burmese migrants taking shelter in Malaysia also get equal rights as the other foreigners (in Malaysia) enjoy there. Our (Burmese) people should also get the security as the other do. That is why we wanted to stage a peaceful protest in front of their embassy in Yangon, said the MSDN leader Thet Naing. The protest programe was scheduled to start at 10:30 am on Saturday (June 15), but the plan was cancelled after the police denied permissions. Few youths came to the front of the Malaysian Embassy with an aim to join in the protest, but soon they left the location, a witness said. Another MSDN activist Ko Nay Myo Zin argued that the condition of Burmese people living in Malaysia remains pathetic and it would only deteriorate in future if proper initiatives are not taken on time. http://www.narinjara.com/main/index.php/authority-prohibits-demonstration-in-front-of-malaysian-embassy/ ---------------------------------------- KNU in Rangoon for peace talks June 15 , 2013: Author: S'Phan Shaung (KIC) A Karen National Union delegation, led by its chairman, Saw Mutu Say Poe, left yesterday for Rangoon to meet with government officials for a new round of peace talks. Padoh Thaw Thi Bwe, the organisations joint secretary confirmed with Karen News that a KNU delegation, led by Chairman Saw Mutu Say Poe, is schedule to meet government Minister, U Aung Min, from the president office today, June 15. The KNU delegation will meet the governments delegations in Rangoon to discuss the current political situation and to progress the peace building process. The KNU delegation includes its Defense Department head, Padoh Saw Roger Khin, the Karen National Liberation Armys Chief of Staff, General Johnny and Major Dee Kwe. A separate group of KNU delegates, led by one of its Central Executive member, Padoh Saw Tadoh Moo, is also in Rangoon to discuss issues related to the current ceasefire arrangement with the government. Delegates include, Padoh Saw Aung Win Shwe from the KNUs Foreign Department, Padoh Saw Eh Kalu Say, from the KNU Justice Department, Saw Ta Mla and Major Ta Mla Thaw. A KNU press statement said the KNU delegation led by Padoh Tadoh Moo is schedule to meet with officials at the Myanmar Peace Center to discuss the ceasefire Code-of-Conduct that both the Burma Army and the KNLA have to obey. These trips were arranged following a three-day meeting with the KNU Central Executive Committee on June 10 in a undisclosed location in the KNLAs Brigade 7. http://karennews.org/2013/06/knu-in-rangoon-for-peace-talks.html/ -------------------------------------- Myanmar maids finding it hard here More are running away from employers; some agents stepping in to smooth transition Published on Jun 16, 2013 8:05 AM By Amelia Tan Unable to please their employers, more Myanmar maids are giving up and running away, so much so that some agents are trying to improve matters themselves by conducting home visits and training. A total of 51 maids have sought shelter so far this year at a migrant worker's group, which expects this to continue if employment conditions do not improve. The Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) sheltered 64 runaway maids from Myanmar last year, 29 in 2011 and 13 in 2010. The figures reflect the increase in the number of Myanmar women who now come here to work as maids. There are more than 27,000, and more are expected as a shortfall in Indonesian maids persists. http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/myanmar-maids-finding-it-hard-here-20130616 ------------------------------- Is there a bright future for Myanmar's capital? Achara Deboonme achara_d@nationgroup.com Through the floor-to-ceiling wall of Nay Pyi Taw International Airport, you see no plane outside. "We are inviting you to the capital of Myanmar. Nay Pyi Taw welcomes visitors. Everything is beautiful and sophisticated. You'll be pleased and relaxed." This is part of a song specially written to promote Myanmar's new capital city, about 300 kilometres north of Yangon. Sung by famous vocalist Ni Ni Khin Zaw, the video is played over and over on a small TV screen at the international airport's departure lounge, just opened for outsiders for the first time last week. Some of the 900-odd participants at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia 2013 were transported to the capital on chartered flights, mostly from Bangkok. Certainly, first-time visitors will be surprised at the large, modern airport. They will also be surprised at the new city's many facilities: two shopping malls, a planetarium, zoo, gardens, the Hluttaw (parliamentary) Building, and a sports village (for the SEA Games, which will take place later this year in the city). Generally, the city is quiet. Aside from the buses and vans shuttling between the Myanmar International Convention Centre (MICC) and hotels, there are few vehicles on the eight-lane road that runs through the city straight to Yangon. Once in a while, a public bus appears. Don't expect to see many taxis. They are found at shopping malls and at hotels, but you need to make a reservation - which costs a staggering 15,000 kyats (about Bt450) per one-hour service. Most at the shopping malls go by foot, some with flashlights in their hands as not all roads are sufficiently lit at night. Junction Centre is the biggest shopping mall, with a department store that features some brand products. Its supermarket is big, offering thousands of items, including many from Thailand. Thai cuisine is popular here. In the basement, where there are only three restaurants, two offer Thai food. Bangkok Sky is the most popular. It's a real Thai restaurant with a long list of authentic food including Sukhothai noodles. The staff members communicate in broken English and are enthusiastic. Most WEF participants spent three or four days at the MICC, where the meetings took place. Only a few could make a half-hour trip to the Uppatasanti Pagoda, an identical twin of the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. While the original is believed to have been built by the Mon people between the 6th and 10th centuries, this one was built by the government and is about seven metres shorter than the original. However, like the original, it is also covered in gold leaf. Unlike the original, which is surrounded by big trees and other, lower, buildings, this one stands on a hill, clear of other construction, overlooking the beautiful mountains that border the Shan State. Much of the construction work in the city started only in 2006, but there are now over 15 hotels and more are being built. Some can match five-star hotels in other cities in terms of design, decoration and service. The MICC itself is large, with meeting rooms named after different states in the country - Shan, Rakhine, Kachin and Ayeyarwady. Near the main roads here, you could wonder where on earth you are. The modern architectural designs give the impression of a big city. Yet, where are the nearly one million inhabitants said to live here? They could possibly be at the fresh produce market, where local food products are sold in a very genuine environment. I imagine a lot of flies too. Generally, Nay Pyi Taw will remind you of the big cities that are mushrooming across China. Infrastructure exists here, except a rail network, which is too costly for the country at this stage, and the general impression is of Myanmar embracing modernisation in a big way. To both the WEF host and participants, the forum served as a test on whether Myanmar will be ready to assume the role of Asean chair next year. Over 100 meetings are scheduled throughout the year, mostly to take place in the capital, as Asean gears up towards the advent of Asean Economic Community in 2015. One local businessman here, Serge Pun, is pushing for the development of new hotels ahead of 2014. Personally, I would push for better transport services. Many WEF participants went straight back to their hotels after the meetings at the MICC, as there was no way to get to shopping malls or other venues unless you arranged your own transport. It was also annoying that, sometimes, buses left before scheduled times. If Thais are famous for their "krengjai" (consideration), Myanmar people seem more impatient. If only a few passengers were on a bus, they were soon ready to tell the driver to leave the venue, oblivious to other passengers who might want to catch the same bus. With better shuttle services to other places, Myanmar could have encouraged more spending. Myanmar people are proud of their achievements. As seen on the MICC Facebook page, many photos were uploaded and attracted numerous "likes". That's impressive given the low Internet penetration in the country. A challenging future lies ahead, though. How the hotels in this quiet city will be kept busy after all the big events are over remmains to be seen? How the current pace of development will benefit locals also remains to be seen? With direct flights to other destinations in Myanmar, how many future visitors will come to the capital city? As we left, the airport looked so empty, without any food shop where you could find water or snack to kill the waiting. Hopefully, this will change when athletes descend here for the SEA Games. History suggests that all cities get bigger. But how will Nay Pyi Taw grow in the coming decades? Well, visit the city and share your thoughts. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Is-there-a-bright-future-for-Myanmars-capital-30207962.html ------------------------------------- Narinjara Online June 15, 2013, 9:36 am Mission possible: RNDP and ALD agree to unify ( Yangon, 15 June 2013) : Two major political parties of Arakan region in western Burma have today agreed to unify for a single party. It was decided in a meeting held in Rangoon, the former capital of Burma, to merge the Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP) and the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD) into one party with an aim to fight for the cause of Arakanese people. The delegates representing both the parties have agreed to emerge both RNDP and ALD into a single political party in todays meeting, informed Dr Aye Maung, the president of RNDP. The unification meeting on Saturday have arrived in three important agreements including 1) to combine two parties as a solo party to lead Arakanese people effectively, 2) to emerge accordance with Burma election commission rules and principals and 3) to form an unification committee by the delegates representing both parties. We will continue our meeting tomorrow to discuss about the unification process between the two parties. We will also discuss and resolve the policy, strategy and tactic in the meeting. Need not to be mentioned that we are interested to carry out the unification process effectively and without any delay, added Dr Maung. The unification meeting started at 9 in the morning in the office Rakhine Thahaya Association, where six delegates from each party attended. The meeting was also graced by over 20 prominent Arakanese senior citizens representing various social groups as observers. U Aye Tha Aung, the president of ALD, while speaking to Narinjara over phone expressed happiness at the outcome. He personally welcomes the decision related to the unification of RNDP and ALD. Our final aim is to unify all Arakanese political parties into a single entity. We are struggling hard for long time to achieve the goal of unification among all Arakanese groups. I must say all the Arakanese people living inside Burma and abroad would welcome the outcome of todays meeting, revealed Tha Aung. http://www.narinjara.com/main/index.php/mission-possible-rndp-and-ald-agree-to-unify/ -------------------------------- UN convoy delivers aid to IDP camps in rebel territory By DAVID STOUT Published: 14 June 2013 A ten-truck UN convoy with humanitarian assistance for more than 5,000 people arrived in displacement camps behind rebel lines in Kachin state on Friday for the first time in more than a year. Since a 17-year ceasefire broke down between the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) and the government in 2011, Naypyidaw has consistently prevented the UN and international aid groups from accessing the population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) living outside of government territory. Following lengthy negotiations with the government, UN representatives in Rangoon said they aimed to send additional humanitarian aid to the more than 100,000 people who have been displaced during fighting that broke out in Kachin state two years ago. Now we have the agreement of all sides, said UN spokesperson Aye Win, adding that a recent seven-point agreement signed by the KIO and Naypyidaw in late May likely helped push the government to allow international aid groups to enter rebel territory. Its raining hard and these people are in dire need of assistance. We certainly hope that we will be able to continue the assistance. Relief workers on the ground said officials would be hosting workshops at camps in Majayang tonight and would begin distributing aid on Saturday. According to the statistics published by the UNs Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, approximately 60,000 IDPs are living in territory outside of the governments control in Burmas far north. In the past two years, the population has largely had to rely on support provided by community-based organisations, which often lack the financial support and distributional capacity to address the needs of the tens of thousands of displaced residents. The cross-line convoy represents a positive step forward by the government to help all people in need across Kachin state. It is crucial for this convoy to be the first of many, and that regular and unimpeded access to all people displaced in Kachin state is sustained, said UN Humanitarian Coordinator Ashok Nigam in a report published by the agency on Friday. While rights groups lauded the UNs tenacity in pressing the government to allow aid groups access to the IDP camps behind KIO lines, analysts said it would take more than one convoy for Naypyidaw to prove they are willing to start abiding by basic humanitarian principles. The government has allowed the Burmese military to play games with humanitarian aid, that is the bottom line here, said Phil Robertson, deputy-Asia director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) during an interview with DVB. Now, the government needs to prove to the international community that theyre prepared to fully comply with the international human rights practice of [providing] assistance to all, wherever they happen to be, according to their needs and nothing else. Although the recent deal signed by the KIO and government-backed peace negotiators in May sought to reduce fighting between the two sides, the Kachin have refused to sign an official ceasefire with Naypyidaw until the countrys ethnic minorities are granted greater political autonomy. During the talks chief peace negotiator Aung Min said President Thein Sein is planning on hosting a summit later this summer with all of the countrys armed groups to commence a political dialogue aimed at ending the myriad civil wars that have plagued Burma since independence. http://www.dvb.no/news/un-convoy-delivers-aid-to-idp-camps-in-rebel-territory/28809 ------------------------------------ Decades-old bets in Myanmar's tech industry finally reap rewards Saturday, June 15, 2013 4 comments It may have taken almost two decades, but Tun Thura Thets investment in one of Asias poorest countries is finally paying off. Ive been waiting here for 17 years to have this moment, he said, sitting at his office in Yangon, Myanmar. After 10 or 12 years, we almost gave up. Tun Thura Thet is CEO of Myanmar Information Technology (MIT), one of the few software companies that managed to survive under the countrys military rule. But after years of facing a stagnant business environment, Myanmars tech industry is starting to tap into opportunities brought on by the nations move toward democracy. MIT, founded in 1997, is a maker of enterprise software and expects to ride high on the reforms ushered in by the countrys new civilian government. Last week, the company gained global attention when it became Microsofts major supplier for its software products in the nation. Making the deal possible was the decision by the U.S. to lift trade sanctions on the country, Tun Thura Thet said. The company is also helping local banks pave the way for modern financial services, including establishing Myanmars first ATMs. Just last month we launched mobile banking for one of the banks, he said. This is one of the things we are very excited about. In Myanmar, we can always be the first to do these things. In other countries, you dont have this chance. It marks a major contrast from over a decade ago, when Tun Thura Thet was unsure his company would succeed under the countrys military rule. Home to 60 million people, Myanmar represents one of the last untapped markets in Asia and its tech industry has struggled to grow. Even now, Internet penetration in the country is only at 1 percent and electricity can be scarce. Most people cannot afford to buy mobile phones, let alone purchase a PC. The tech market here has been small, said Tun Thura Thet, whose company employs 300 people but is considered large by local standards. Only about 10 local software firms operate in the country, he estimated. MIT was able to thrive by selling enterprise software to Myanmar banks. But following the countrys banking crisis in 2003, the company resorted to going abroad, and expanded to Singapore in 2005 as an offshoring provider. The countrys past censorship of the Internet was another obstacle that threatened to derail his business. So in 2001, MIT and several other tech firms banded together to form a government-approved technology park in Yangon, with better access to the Internet. The company was lucky to survive under such conditions, he said. Tun Thura Thet remembers the frustration. Why am I here? Im wasting my time, he recalled thinking. Im wasting everything, my youth, my innovation, my opportunities, everything. But again, what brought me back is the people. If youre a leader you have to work hard until theres a transformation. Others in Myanmars tech industry are also reaping the benefits of that same transformation. Thaung Su Nyein is managing director of Information Matrix, an IT and media company also based in Yangon. Like Tun Thura Tet, he also made a decade-old bet on Myanmars tech industry stretching back to 1999 when he decided to leave New York and return to his home country. I wanted to be the next Yahoo! in Myanmar, he remembered. I wanted to be that pioneer. But his business plan quickly collided with Myanmars attempts to control the Internet. After arriving, Thaung Su Nyein learned that local authorities had detained several people for starting email services in the country. The government had also made it illegal to offer any kind of private Internet service. Politics was really bad at that time. Basically you were providing this outside gateway out of the governments hands, he said. This was really dangerous in the eyes of the government. But for the IT business guys, they didnt even think about that. It forced Thaung Su Nyein to scale back his business plan, and instead try to start an offline cyber cafe. At the cafe, PCs would be loaded with pre-downloaded Web content imported on CDs shipped from Singapore. But authorities were quick to intervene, and shutdown his business. The leadership didnt like the word Internet, he recalled. But despite his business plans failure, Thaung Su Nyein found success in print media, and began releasing a publication covering technology. His company now publishes several weekly journals, in addition to operating online portals, and running a web development business. Since Myanmars new government took power in 2011, a sea of change has occurred in the country, he said. The government has ended the strict online censorship, and wants Internet and telecommunications to play a major role in developing Myanmar, Thaung Su Nyein added. In addition, the government reforms are expected to open up Myanmars mobile Internet market, potentially bringing a flood of online users to Thaung Su Nyeins publications. By 2016, Myanmar wants mobile penetration in the nation to reach between 75 and 80 percent. We could get tens of thousands of reader on our mobile apps, Thaung Su Nyein said. Thats something we are looking forward to. Source: PC World http://www.myanmar-business.org/2013/06/decades-old-bets-in-myanmars-tech.html
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
BURMA RELATED NEWS - JUNE 13, 2013
***************************************************** BURMA RELATED NEWS - JUNE 13, 2013 ***************************************************** AP - Myanmar ruling party: Suu Kyi coalition possible AFP - Parliament chief says discrimination banned in Myanmar AFP - Malaysia to repatriate Myanmar nationals after clashes ABC News - Thai navy allegedly involved in trafficking, beating of Rohingya refugees ABC News - Malaysia Warns Myanmar Immigrants Against Violence Malay Mail - Community policing preferred over fences The Sun - Myanmar clashes under control UPI - Transparency concerns linger for Myanmar Bangkok Post - Myanmar to screen Rohingya refugees Asia News Network - Thailand, Myanmar mull exchange of white elephant Asia News Network - Myanmar religious violence for political gain, say experts Asia News Network - Myanmar delegation to probe M'sia killings Asia News Network - Myanmar, Indonesia reaffirm to US$1b in trade Bernama - Myanmar Unveils $500 Million Tourism Plan The Star Online - Myanmar embassy urged to help in documentation for illegals in view of clashes The Star Online - Myanmar satisfied with Malaysia’s handling of clashes Channel NewsAsia - Myanmar leader to visit Britain, France CNN - Burmese singer takes on HIV stigma Scoop - Burma: No Police Prosecuted For Incendiary Attack The Irrawaddy - UN Supports Drug Eradication in Opium-Rich Shan State The Irrawaddy - Monks’ Convention in Burma Calls for Restricting Buddhist-Muslim Marriage The Irrawaddy - Thai Talks Aim to Curb Violence for Fasting Month Mizzima News - Shan parties seek political reconciliation***************************************************** Myanmar ruling party: Suu Kyi coalition possible By MATTHEW PENNINGTON | Associated Press – 3 hrs ago WASHINGTON (AP) — The chief of Myanmar's pro-military party said Thursday he is not ruling out a coalition government with the opposition party of Aung San Suu Kyi after crucial elections in 2015 if it's in the national interest. In the past two weeks, both lower house speaker Shwe Mann and Nobel laureate Suu Kyi have said they want to run for president. The election will be crucial in setting Myanmar's political direction as it shifts from decades of authoritarian rule. Shwe Mann made the comments to The Associated Press during a visit to Washington with a multi-party delegation of Myanmar lawmakers, one of them from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy. Shwe Mann was third-ranking member of the repressive junta that imprisoned Suu Kyi for years. Shwe Mann said his party is collaborating with Suu Kyi, who was elected to parliament last year. Asked if a coalition was possible after the election, he said it was too soon to say whether or not that would happen, but indicated it was possible. "I believe time will decide on this matter. But the important thing here is to have confidence between Aung San Suu Kyi and us," he said through an interpreter. Few epitomize Myanmar's dramatic transition from pariah state to aspiring democracy as powerfully as Shwe Mann, a 65-year-old former general who was a trusted lieutenant of junta chief Than Shwe. A March 2007 diplomatic cable from the U.S. Embassy in Yangon published by Wikileaks even dubbed him a "dictator-in-waiting." He also led a secret 2008 trip to North Korea, reportedly reaching an agreement on missile technology cooperation. But as Myanmar has changed direction, so has Shwe Mann. He's now viewed as a committed reformer and closer to Suu Kyi than current President Thein Sein who has led the nation's political changes. Shwe Mann recently replaced Thein Sein as head of the Union Solidarity and Development Party, which dominates the fledgling legislature. His influence also extends into the still-powerful military he served in for four decades. His delegation has gotten a grand reception in the Washington, meeting with top State Department officials, former top diplomat Hillary Rodham Clinton and lawmakers, including House Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Joe Crowley, and Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell and John McCain. The trip, to learn how Congress works, was organized by the National Democratic Institute and the Institute for Representative Government. Six Myanmar lawmakers are participating. At a public forum they attended Wednesday at a Washington think tank, Shwe Mann voiced commitment to rule of law, and said those who broke it would be punished. But he later denied to AP reports from international human rights groups that security forces have been complicit in sectarian violence against minority Rohingya Muslims in the west of predominantly Buddhist nation. The violence has killed hundreds in the past year, and uprooted about 140,000, in what some say presents a threat to Myanmar's political reforms because it could encourage security forces to re-assert control. While acknowledging challenges in the democratic transition, Shwe Mann predicted the 2015 elections would be free and fair. The 2010 vote that installed his party in power wasn't and was boycotted by Suu Kyi. Her party only has a toe-hold in the legislature after winning a few dozen seats in 2012 special elections. In the last nationwide free vote in 1990, Suu Kyi's party won convincingly but the military ignored the result. Despite his cooperative spirit toward the opposition leader, Shwe Mann would not be drawn on whether he would support changes to the army-dictated constitution that would disqualify the popular Suu Kyi from becoming president. He said a parliamentary commission is considering amendments. "I don't want to make any remarks that would influence others or hurt the interest of another person, because this matter concerns the majority of the people," Shwe Mann said. Thein Sein has not ruled out running for a second term as president but is widely expected to retire. Last month, he became the first Myanmar leader in 47 years to visit the White House, a sign of the dramatic improvement in U.S.-Myanmar relations in the past two years after decades of diplomatic isolation. A key U.S. demand has been that Myanmar sever military ties with North Korea, because of fears that arms sales to Myanmar, in violation of U.N. sanctions, help Pyongyang finance its nuclear weapons program. U.S. officials say there's been progress, but are still calling for that military relationship to be terminated, which suggests transactions continue. Shwe Mann asserted that the arms trade has stopped. "If there's any information that we hear on this matter we will continue to take actions as required. Because our country, like others, will abide by the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council," he said. "We are not neglecting this matter." ***************************************************** AFP - Parliament chief says discrimination banned in Myanmar AFP News – 8 hours ago Myanmar's influential parliament speaker vowed Thursday to press forward with democratic reforms but said the country already had laws against discrimination amid a furor over anti-Muslim violence. Shwe Mann, a former general who is a key architect of reforms and is eyeing the presidency, was visiting Washington, where he said he hoped to study the US democratic system including the separation of government powers. "For the interest of our people and the international community, we wish to see that a continuous democratic system is deeply rooted in Myanmar," he said at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars. Leading a delegation of lawmakers, Shwe Mann said that he hoped to encourage reconciliation in the long conflict-torn nation and also to build a "more inclusive society." But asked whether parliament needed to do more to protect the Rohingya Muslim minority following a wave of violence, Shwe Mann said that "actions will be taken" against anyone who violated existing laws. "According to our law, discrimination does not exist whether you are a Rohingya or whether you call them Bengali, or even in religion," he said. "There are still some weaknesses in terms of the rule of law. Therefore, we are working hard so that the rule of law will prevail in Myanmar," he said. Myanmar's roughly 800,000 Rohingya are considered by the UN to be one of the world's most persecuted minorities. Myanmar does not consider them to be citizens, saying they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh, and local authorities have reimposed a ban on Rohingya having more than two children. Up to 140,000 people -- mainly Rohingya -- were displaced in two waves of sectarian unrest between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine state last year that left about 200 people dead. Myanmar has faced strong international criticism over the Rohingya, a stark contrast to the enthusiasm over reforms in recent years over democratic reforms that have included an easing of censorship and freeing of political prisoners. Shwe Mann told Radio Free Asia while in Washington that he plans to run for president in 2015, making him the only declared candidate besides opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who was freed from house arrest in 2010. Shwe Mann met Tuesday with Deputy Secretary of State William Burns and discussed various topics including human rights and legal reform, a State Department official said. ***************************************************** AFP - Malaysia to repatriate Myanmar nationals after clashes AFP News – 10 hours ago Malaysia said Thursday it would work with Myanmar to repatriate thousands of their nationals following clashes in the community that left at least four dead and led to a security sweep. The two Southeast Asian nations insisted that violence -- beginning late May at a wholesale market in Kuala Lumpur -- linked to strife between majority Buddhists and minority Muslims in Myanmar was under control. Malaysian authorities have suggested Buddhists came under attack from Muslim countrymen seeking vengeance over deadly sectarian strife back in Myanmar. "It is a clash of Myanmars among themselves... The quarrel they have back home is brought to our country," Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Jaafar told reporters after meeting a delegation from Myanmar. He said some 257,000 Myanmar nationals work in Muslim-majority Malaysia -- 144,000 of these illegally -- filling mostly lowly paid jobs in plantation, construction and other sectors shunned by locals. Some 250 people remain in detention here after a security sweep last week following the deadly clashes, in addition to illegals held previously. "We have 4,400 Myanmar detained in immigration detention centres now, and we have invited the Myanmar authorities, especially the embassy, to... bring them back," Wan Junaidi said. He also called on the United Nations refugee agency to swiftly process those who say they are refugees and feel unsafe to return to Myanmar. The agency has documented some 95,000 Myanmar refugees in Malaysia, which does not grant them any legal status but allows temporary stays. Of them, 28,000 are Muslim-ethnic Rohingyas, who are denied citizenship in Myanmar. The United Nations has described them as one of the world's most persecuted minorities. Deadly sectarian strife pitting Buddhists against the Rohingyas has continued since last year in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine. Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister Zin Yaw said in separate comments to reporters that the attacks in Malaysia were believed to be "gang-related" and not necessarily religious. "We ask help from the Malaysian government to protect our people working here. Some want to go back to Myanmar so (we will) make arrangements for them to go back quickly," he said. ***************************************************** ABC News - Thai navy allegedly involved in trafficking, beating of Rohingya refugees There are new allegations the Thai navy is involved in the human trafficking of Rohingya Muslims fleeing religious violence in Western Myanmar. By Southeast Asia correspondent Zoe Daniel | ABC – 17 hrs ago There are new allegations the Thai navy is involved in the human trafficking of Rohingya Muslims fleeing religious violence in Western Myanmar. Earlier this year the ABC revealed that the Thai military had been involved in the shooting of Rohingya, who had arrived on the shores of Thailand by boat. Now the ABC has tracked down Rohingya Muslims in Malaysia who claim they were intercepted, brutally beaten and then sold to traffickers by the Thai military. Rohingya refugee Zafar Ahmad's story is frighteningly familiar. He fled religious violence in Western Myanmar, but on the journey to Malaysia the boat he was on was intercepted by the Thai navy. "The navy arrested us and took us to an island, they took us into a forest, then they took our clothes so we had only underwear... They beat us and asked us why we came to this country," he said. "A few days later another boat arrived and the people on it joined us." Mr Ahmad says the two boats had their engines removed, and under the Thai navy's "push back" policy, more than 200 passengers were then put back on board, towed out to sea and abandoned. One seemingly made it all the way to Sri Lanka. It made headlines when it landed because 96 people died on the way due to lack of food and water. By the time Mr Ahmad's boat made it back to Thai shores, towed in by a fisherman, 12 people had died. Those left were then sold by villagers. "Thai Muslims gave us food while we were in the jungle, but after that they sold us," he said. Allegations Thai navy shot dead asylum seekers Tens of thousands have been displaced by fighting between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar's Rakhine state and many have made for Malaysia, passing Thailand en route. Earlier this year the ABC revealed allegations that shots were fired and at least two asylum seekers were killed after a boatload of Rohingya was stopped by the Thai navy off Phuket. The navy denied shooting people who had jumped into the water to swim to shore, along with further allegations that the navy had sold captured Rohingya to human traffickers. But now the ABC has tracked down more Rohingya men who make similar trafficking claims. "The navy beat me the whole night. Then I was handed over to some Thai people in the morning. I was beaten a lot," Rohingya man Nurul Amin said. "I was then transferred again to traffickers and they beat me almost 12 times." Another man, An Sarrulla, gave a similar account. "The navy allowed us to the shore, they spoke Thai, I did not understand. We asked for food, I don't not know if they understood but they beat us instead," he said. Mr Amin and Mr Sarrulla are new arrivals to Malaysia. If true, their claims confirm that trafficking involving the Thai navy continues, despite repeated denials by Thai authorities. Back in March, Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra promised an investigation into the treatment of Rohingya by the Thai navy. To the ABC's knowledge, no detailed investigation has ever taken place. ***************************************************** ABC News - Malaysia Warns Myanmar Immigrants Against Violence KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia June 13, 2013 (AP) Malaysia's government on Thursday warned immigrants from neighboring Myanmar not to restart sectarian clashes that recently killed four people. The fighting in several neighborhoods around Kuala Lumpur earlier this month triggered worries in Malaysia that tensions between Myanmar's Buddhists and Muslim minority had spilled over to a country that hosts hundreds of thousands of Myanmar nationals. Malaysian police are holding 250 Myanmar citizens from a security sweep following the violence because they were found without valid immigration documents. It is not clear whether they would be charged in court or deported. "The quarrel they have back home is brought to our country," Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Jaafar told reporters after a meeting with Myanmar's deputy ministers for foreign affairs and labor. Police are now monitoring locations where Myanmar immigrants are known to work, the home ministry said in a statement. Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Zin Yaw said rival gangs in Kuala Lumpur appeared to have used religious grievances as an excuse to start fights that were not directly related to waves of violence targeting mostly members of the Muslim Rohingya community in Myanmar in the past year that killed several hundred people. ***************************************************** Malay Mail - Community policing preferred over fences By Faizal Nor Izham | Malay Mail – 22 hrs ago PETALING JAYA: FOLLOWING City Hall's proposal to fence up the Selayang wholesale markets to deal with the overwhelming Myanmar community, certain groups have expressed a preference for more grassroots-level measures in dealing with individual cases. The market has seen violent clashes between warring Myanmar factions, suggesting their problems at home have now spilled into Malaysia. Many illegal activities also take place at back lanes and parking lots, including the sales of drugs and illegal cigarettes. Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib had said the areas would be fenced up "like a fortress" within a month, with an Immigration checkpoint thrown in for good measure. However, Bar Council Human Rights Committee co-chairman Andrew Khoo (pic) said fencing and heavy policing may be counterproductive, as it may only heighten existing tension. "NGOs should carry out ground-level policing to address community-related problems before they escalate. Policing should be done to protect the community, not heighten concerns for their own safety," he told The Malay Mail. He also said the issue of whether migrants are undocumented or not should not just be restricted to Selayang. "There should be adequate check points set up at immigration entry points all over the country. Furthermore, some of them may simply be refugees or asylum-seekers, not trouble-makers," he said. Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president N. Surendran said placing the blame on entire groups of people is "not the Malaysian way". "It is unfair to treat all migrant workers as undesirables. They are brought in to help develop the nation and its economy," he said, adding Malaysia's industrial sectors would be badly affected without them. "I don't think fencing is the solution. We should not be treating our own city areas as if they are ghettos," he said. "Any illegal activities should be dealt with proper law enforcement." Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam said the practicality of the plan should be studied in-depth, given its possible implication to Malaysians, such as restriction of right to movement. "It is equally important for them to ensure that any intended security measures address the issue holistically," he said. ***************************************************** The Sun - Myanmar clashes under control Posted on 13 June 2013 - 10:03pm Last updated on 14 June 2013 - 08:57am Hemananthani Sivanandam newsdesk@thesundaily.com PUTRAJAYA (June 13, 2013): The Home Ministry has given an assurance that the recent clashes involving Myanmar nationals in Malaysia are under control. Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tunku Jaafar said the sporadic clashes that took place between May 30 and June 4 had nothing to do with Malaysia. "What happened here is a reflection of the quarrels that occurred in Myanmar and has nothing to do with Malaysia or its enforcement agencies. It is a clash among the Myanmar nationals," he said after receiving a courtesy call from two deputy ministers from Myanmar. Wan Junaidi said the police have arrested 250 Myanmar nationals in a security sweep following the clashes and found that some did not have valid documents. He said there are 257,583 Myanmar nationals in Malaysia, of whom about 144,000 are illegal. He also said some 4,400 of them are at detention centres. Myanmar Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister U Zin Yaw told journalists the clashes here, in which four Myanmar nationals died, may not be directly connected to the tensions between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar. "It is not like that because it started in the wholesale market in Selayang and as you know, that area is very difficult to control because of all the people who come from around the world to work there. "They discovered about what happened in Myanmar and they (replicated) it here, that's all," he said. ***************************************************** Transparency concerns linger for Myanmar Published: June 13, 2013 at 8:11 AM WASHINGTON, June 13 (UPI) -- Myanmar is a risky area to do business, especially in the energy sector, because of internal conflicts and corruption, EarthRights International said. Revenue Watch Institute gave Myanmar its lowest rank in its latest report on transparency in the extractive industries. Sanctions have eased on Myanmar as the country takes steps toward democratic reform. Human rights groups said sanctions encouraged reforms in the first place. EarthRights International said it's been able to document how activity in Myanmar's extractive industries is tied to serious human rights abuses. "Myanmar remains a high-risk area for foreign investment, and companies and their home states should take serious measures to mitigate the risk that their actions will contribute to internal conflict, human rights and environmental destruction, and corruption," the advocacy group said in a statement Wednesday. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget in May said U.S. entities that have new net investments of more than $500,000 need to report on policies and procedures in Myanmar by July 1. The reporting requirements extend to human rights, corruption and any arrangements with security service personnel. ERI says governments are "generally" backing economic engagement over human rights issues in Myanmar. ***************************************************** Bangkok Post - Myanmar to screen Rohingya refugees Published: 13 Jun 2013 at 19.46 Online news: Local News BALI - The Myanmar government will next week begin a process of screening the nationalities of about 2,000 Rohingya migrants now being sheltered in Thailand, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said on Thursday. Mr Surapong said Myanmar Foreign Minister Wanna Muang Lwin had informed him that Nay Pyi Taw had set up a working group, led by Myanmar ambassador to Thailand Myo Tint, to begin examining the nationalities of the Rohingya next week. The ministers met for bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation in Indonesia on Thursday. The Myanmar move to deal with the Rohingya problem in Thailand was the result of earlier talks between the two countries in Brunei on the sidelines of the Asean Ministerial Meeting on April 10-11. Mr Surapong had at that time asked Myanmar to take back Rohingya migrants in Thailand. However, Nay Pyi Taw was not convinced all 2,000 had travelled from Rakhine State, claiming some might have travelled from Bangladesh's border area to Myanmar. Nay Pyi Taw still refuses to recognise most Rohingya as Myanmar citizens. The nationality-screening process would examine whether they really had travelled from Rakhine State, Mr Surapong said. He said the Rohingya migrants, including children and women, had been fleeing Rakhine State in western Myanmar to Thailand via boat since early this year. The Thai government in January agreed to give them shelter for six months, which expires soon. ***************************************************** Asia News Network - Thailand, Myanmar mull exchange of white elephant By News Desk in Bangkok/The Nation | Asia News Network – 15 minutes ago Bangkok (The Nation/ANN) - Thailand plans to borrow a white elephant from Myanmar as a symbol to mark 65 years of bilateral ties between the countries, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said yesterday. Surapong said the Thai delegation discussed the idea with Myanmar's Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin during this week's Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation meeting in Bali. Diplomatic relations between the two countries will reach their 65th anniversary next year, and Surapong said an "auspicious" white elephant might play the symbolic role of a good-will ambassador, following in the footsteps of China's "panda ambassador" Lin Ping. The elephant could be displayed in Chiang Mai Zoo for six months to boost tourism, he said. The Myanmar ambassador told Surapong that he would discuss the matter with the Nay Pyi Taw government. Surapong also reported his discussion with U Wunna Maung Lwin on the European Union's wish for Thailand to aid some 2,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled Myanmar for Thailand this year. The Myanmar minister assured him that a working team, led by Myanmar's ambassador to Thailand, was set to begin the process of verifying the Rohingya's nationality next week. Four months of the six-month period designated for Thailand to aid the Rohingya had already passed, so the identification process would aim for completion in two months, he said. Surapong added that he had told EU representatives that Thailand had given what humanitarian aid it could to the Rohingya, but it was not a rich country. The EU should also help take in these immigrants, and not just leave them as Thailand's sole responsibility, he said. ***************************************************** Asia News Network - Violence used to instigate Myanmar nationals back home By Rashvinjeet S. Bedi and Farik Zolkepli in Petaling Jaya/ The Star | Asia News Network – 15 minutes ago Petaling Jaya (The Star/ANN) - The recent outbreak of violence involving Myanmar nationals in Malaysia is being distorted and used to instigate the population back in Myanmar. Blogs and social media platforms such as Facebook are being used to create the false impression that Myanmar nationals are being persecuted in Malaysia. "They want to poison the minds of the people back home," claimed a Myanmar national who has lived in Malaysia for more than a decade. Most of the blogs and Facebook postings are in Burmese although the Star Online came across one which has posts in English at hlaoo1980.blogspot.com. On June 9, the blog claimed that killings of Myanmar Buddhists were being carried out by Bengali Muslims (the official Myanmar term for the Rohingyas) in Kuantan, Selayang and Sungai Besi. The blog also posted gruesome pictures of people being chopped up as the victims of the violence here. Violence in various parts of Kuala Lumpur involving Myanmar nationals from May 30 to June 4 has seen three Myanmar nationals dead and a few others injured. The violence has been linked to recent clashes in Myanmar between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in the western state of Rakhine. The observer, however, pointed out that the last major outbreak was back in March. "Why is the violence suddenly spilling over? Someone is trying to instigate the population back home. They are using Malaysia for their own political gain," he said. The man also pointed out that many Myanmar nationals were changing their Facebook profile pictures to black in solidarity with the alleged victims here. Meanwhile, police refuted allegations in Myanmar-based blogs that the clashes in Malaysia had escalated as well as notions that Myanmars here were victimised. Newly-appointed Federal CID director Comm Hadi Ho Abdullah said police were aware of lies being spread in such blogs. "We are aware that these blogs are hurling allegations, including bringing up supposed previous cases that Myanmar nationals were being victimised in Malaysia. "It is nothing but lies," he said. Comm Hadi explained there were seven clashes reported in the country before police launched a joint operation with the Immigration department and UNHCR Malaysia. "It has been incident-free for the past one week," he said. ***************************************************** Asia News Network - Myanmar religious violence for political gain, say experts News Desk, Eleven Media Group Publication Date : 14-06-2013 Religious clashes are caused by defenders of dictatorship who are sowing violence for political gain, experts said at a public talk on Buddhism and Non-Violence held in Yangon on Wednesday. International and local experts gathered at a public talk held at the Royal Rose Restaurant to discuss the religious clashes happening in Myanmar. The talk focused on the experiences other countries who have experienced instances of ethnic or religious conflict during similar transitions to democracy. “They (anti-reformists) need a new national or religious identity and technology, something like new message to send to the people in these moments, creating an atmosphere of fear and anger,” said Igor Blazevic, a Czech-based human rights campaigner. "When they have tried all means to win the election; they use rape to trigger communal violence and have ultra-nationalists fan the flames," he added. An Arakanese young girl was allegedly raped and murdered by Muslims in 2012. This iginited the communal violence in Arakan which then spread to Meikhtila and now Lashio, Oakkan and Bago regions, killing many lives. Although the authorities released that there are some perpetrators manipulating the clashes, they are released without effective charges. Ajarn Sulak Sivaraksa said that Myanmar is known to be real Buddhist country since monks took to the streets in non-violent protest and were beaten by the military 2007. The monks tolerated this and have continued praying. Sivaraksa is the founder of Sathirakoses-Nagapradeepa Foundation, a Thai NGO. He is also known as one of the fathers of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists, according to Wikipedia. “Buddhists and military are at the upper hand in Myanmar. The military are used to making tricks with mobs and conflicts. Besides, most don’t care about other groups, like Buddhists, Islamic, Kachin, Myanmar and Shan, for example,” said Dr. Tin Maung Than, former chief editor of Your Life Magazine. ***************************************************** Asia News Network - Myanmar delegation to probe M'sia killings News Desk, Eleven Media Group Publication Date : 13-06-2013 An eight-member Myanmar delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Minister of Labour flew to Malaysia yesterday on a fact-finding mission after a series of violent attacks on migrant workers from Myanmar. President Thein Sein instructed the delegation to do it's best to help prevent further attacks on Myanmar nationals working in Malaysia according to officials in the President's Office. "The government will do everything possible depending on the evidence the delegation had gathered. The delegation was instructed to protect Myanmar migrant workers in Myanmar from further attacks targeting on the citizens," said Zaw Htay, Director of the President's Office. A series of attacks on targeting Myanmar citizens began on May 30 leaving six dead and another twelve injured, according to Myanmar sources based in Malaysia. However, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zin Yaw has said that the Police in Malaysia have only confirmed four deaths so far. The purpose of the delegation will be to investigate these deaths and gather evidence so as to further protect Myanmar nationals working in Malaysia. The delegation also aims to negotiate the release of migrant workers being detained by the Malaysian police. "These problems have to be solved in accordance with the conventions between the two countries. Malaysia is a friend of Myanmar so we have to handle this issue diplomatically," added the Director of the President's Office. Six [migrant workers] died in violent attacks targeting Myanmar nationals working in Malaysia. Twelve remain in critical condition in hospital according to San Win, Chairman of Kepong Funeral Service Society. ***************************************************** Asia News Network - Myanmar, Indonesia reaffirm to US$1b in trade Agnes Winarti, The Jakarta Post Publication Date : 13-06-2013 Despite the ongoing communal tensions in Myanmar, both Indonesia and Myanmar have reiterated their bilateral commitment to boost efforts in achieving the target of US$1 billion in trade volume by 2016. “We are able to review the state of our economic relations and trade, especially our efforts to achieve $1 billion trade value by 2016, as well as our promotion of investment and progress in capacity building,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told media after the third meeting of the joint commission for bilateral cooperation between the two countries on Wednesday. The meeting serves as an important follow up after the recent state visit of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Naypyitaw, the capital of Myanmar on April 23-24. As of last year, Indonesia and Myanmar’s bilateral trade had reached $465 million, increasing 7.98 per cent from $430.7 million in 2011. Last year, Indonesia recorded cumulative investment values worth $241.5 million, boosted by the expansion of Indonesian businesses in Myanmar. “Within three years, we are fully committed to achieve the $1 billion trade volume target,” said Marty. The enhancement of cooperation includes various sectors, such as agriculture, energy, technology, preventing and combating transnational organised crime, capacity building partnerships, investment and bilateral trade for both countries’ mutual benefit. Marty praised Myanmar’s positive development, which was both transformative and fundamental, over the past year. “Of course, every development leaves challenges, including community relations and reconcilliation issues, as we have gone through in the past. I have expressed my strong support to Myanmar in overcoming those challenges,” emphasised Marty. Myanmar Foreign Affairs Minister Wunna Maung Lwin said: “among others, we also discussed recent development with respect to the reform and national reconcilliation process, including Myanmar’s recent approach to prevent the recurrence of communal violence, as well as to achieve peaceful solutions.” Throughout the past years, Indonesia has continuously displayed its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance through the works of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT Care for Humanity). “Around three weeks ago, we handed over $1 million in financial assistance to build three schools equipped with multipurpose halls,” Indonesian Ambassador to Myanmar Sebastianus Sumarsono said on the sidelines of Wednesday’s meeting. The schools are to be built in Rakhine state, a site of communal conflict. Sebastianus acknowledged that education and settlement improvements were among the most urgent needs of conflict-prone Myanmar. He said that Indonesia had also provided $1 million in financial assistance for the construction of a three-story hospital equipped with a tsunami protection shelter. ***************************************************** Myanmar Unveils $500 Million Tourism Plan NAY PYI TAW (MYANMAR), June 12 (BERNAMA- NNN-ADB) -- Myanmar, alongside the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Norway, has unveiled a Tourism Master Plan which outlines 38 development projects valued at nearly a half billion dollars that will help increase Myanmar's tourism competitiveness, protect environmentally important areas, and safeguard ethnic communities. "This master plan outlines a path to welcoming more visitors to Myanmar without threatening our unique cultural heritage or endangering pristine environments," said U Htay Aung, Myanmar's Minister for Hotels and Tourism. If Myanmar continues implementing economic, political, and social reforms, international visitor arrivals are forecast to rise as high as 7.5 million in 2020 - a seven-fold increase from current numbers - with corresponding tourism receipts worth US$10.1 billion. Under a high growth scenario, the tourism industry could provide up to 1.4 million jobs by 2020. "Tourism will be a pillar of Myanmar's economy, and it has the potential to create meaningful job opportunities for the country's people, including those living in poor communities," said ADB Vice President Stephen Groff. "This plan is a long-term vision, and a solid start to ensuring tourism contributes to equitable social and economic development in Myanmar." The master plan, funded by Norway, recommends building tourism-related human resources by strengthening the tourism education and training system, and identifies US$44.5 million in new opportunities and partnerships aimed at training tourism workers. "The Myanmar Tourism Master Plan provides a leading tool for the Government of Myanmar to develop the sector in an environmentally and socially sustainable manner. The implementation of the plan will demand strong government leadership and coordination among a wide range of government agencies and state and regional governments," said the Norwegian ambassador to Myanmar, Katja Nordgaard. Projects focus on expanding international air arrivals in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, undertaking improvements to the Bagan river pier to support more cruises, and building feeder roads in destinations like Ngapali beach and Inle Lake. Myanmar's 1993 Tourism Law will be reviewed and updated to streamline licensing formalities for hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and tour guides, as well as to amend sections governing regulations around the gaming subsector, labor, and the establishment of outbound tour operations for Myanmar citizens. The master plan suggests establishing a Tourism Executive Coordination Board, chaired at the vice-president level, to draw the various tourism-related ministries, agencies, and federations together under a single umbrella. The plan also outlines the need for new tourist police divisions to be set up not only to safeguard tourists, but to prevent child trafficking and sex tourism. It suggests new tourism initiatives be introduced to ethnic communities using pilot community-based tourism projects that ensure local people are prepared to handle an influx of visitors, and maintain control over tourism in their communities. Nearly half a million visitors arrived by air in Myanmar last year, with Thailand, the People's Republic of China, Japan, the US, and the Republic of Korea making up the bulk of visitors. France, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom each accounted for about 4-5% of overall arrivals. Another 465,614 visitors - mostly on day trips from Thailand - arrived via land borders. ***************************************************** Updated: Thursday June 13, 2013 MYT 11:12:00 PM The Star Online - Myanmar embassy urged to help in documentation for illegals in view of clashes By ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia welcomes Myanmar nationals to work in the country, including the illegals if they can legalise themselves, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tunku Jaafar said. "If they can get their documents in order and find legal employment we would gladly welcome them to help develop our country. "We need workers in the plantations because as Malaysia develops, the locals look for something better to do,” he told newsmen after meeting Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister U Zin Yaw and Deputy Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security Daw Win Maw Tun here. Wan Junaidi said the Immigration Department's record showed that there are 257,583 Myanmar workers in the country and about 144,000 being illegally employed. “We cannot legalise them just because we need the manpower. “They must have documents which only their embassy can issue and we want them (the embassy) to do this as soon as possible due to the problem (clashes),” he said. Wan Junaidi added that since the documentation process was long, the Myanmar government must work with the authorities in Malaysia. On the clashes, he said his Myanmar counterpart confirmed they involved Myanmar nationals. “After having visited the places, they realised that it had nothing to do with the enforcement agencies," he said. ***************************************************** Updated: Thursday June 13, 2013 MYT 2:35:57 PM The Star Online - Myanmar satisfied with Malaysia’s handling of clashes By ZUHRIN AHMAD PUTRAJAYA: The Myanmar government is satisfied with the way the Malaysian authorities handled the recent clashes among its citizens and pledged to cooperate fully to help resolve the issue. Myanmar Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs U Zin Yaw said Thursday that the local police and immigration department had acted professionally. "We are really happy with the cooperation," he said after meeting Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tunku Jaafar here. U Zin also confirmed that the clashes were between rival groups of those who were living in Malaysia. "It is not related to the violence in Myanmar and also did not involve local (Malaysian) people," he said. Between May 30 and June 4, there have been seven clashes involving Myanmar nationals in Kuala Lumpur and parts of Selangor where four people died and several others were injured. ***************************************************** Channel NewsAsia - Myanmar leader to visit Britain, France POSTED: 14 Jun 2013 12:05 PM YANGON: Myanmar's President Thein Sein will visit Britain and France next month, an official said Friday, as the international community continues to embrace his nation's democratic reforms. Thein Sein will travel to up to four countries on his second trip to Europe in months, a government official said requesting anonymity. "Our President Thein Sein will visit about three or four countries in mid-July... he will visit the UK and Paris in France for sure," a Myanmar government official told AFP, adding detailed information of who will accompany him has not been released. Myanmar's leader visited several European countries in March -- although not Britain or France -- to drum up support for reforms that he has overseen since taking the presidency in 2011. Those changes include freeing some political prisoners and holding by-elections which saw opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi take a seat in parliament. The European Union on Wednesday readmitted Myanmar to its trade preference scheme, saying it wanted to support reform in the Southeast Asian state through economic development. Myanmar's membership of the scheme was withdrawn in 1997 due to concerns over the use of forced labour under the then-military junta, but it was reinstated in response to an International Labour Organization report that labour practices in Myanmar had improved. The EU had already ditched most sanctions against the country, although an arms embargo remains. Washington has also lifted most embargoes and foreign companies are now eager to enter the resource-rich nation, with its perceived frontier market of some 60 million potential consumers. Thein Sein met US President Barack Obama in Washington last month, becoming the first Myanmar leader to do so for nearly half a century in a symbol of the end of his country's diplomatic isolation. ***************************************************** CNN - Burmese singer takes on HIV stigma By Hilary Whiteman, CNN June 14, 2013 -- Updated 0341 GMT (1141 HKT) Yangon, Myanmar (CNN) -- Zarni Aung's not sure how he contracted HIV -- it may have been from a tainted needle or a sex worker. Either way, the virus saw his weight plunge below 40 kilograms before he left his home in Aunglan Township to seek help in Myanmar's largest city, Yangon. Now 34, Zarni Aung is working for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) -- or Doctors without Borders -- as a counselor for HIV patients too scared to expose their illness for fear of being ostracized or ignored. "I'm no longer afraid to speak out," he says in halted English at MSF headquarters, occasionally stopping to sip tea and get the words straight in his head. He's a singer who, at the height of his illness, was too sick to peform, but after his treatment clinched third place in Myanmar Music Idol, the country's version of American Idol. Just over one year ago, MSF issued an urgent plea for help to treat an estimated 85,000 Burmese people with HIV. At the time only a fraction were getting vital antiretroviral therapy (ART), creating heartbreaking decisions for doctors who had to choose who was treated and who was turned away. "Every day we are confronted with the tragic consequences of these decisions: desperately sick people and unnecessary deaths," the head of MSF's Myanmar mission, Peter Paul de Groote, said in a report, "Lives in the Balance," released in February 2012. It wasn't a new phenomenon. Back in 2008, the medical group issued an even more desperate call for help to halt Myanmar's HIV epidemic. The situation for sufferers was critical, it warned, due to a severe lack of ART. "Unless ART provision is rapidly scaled-up, many more people will needlessly suffer and die," De Groote warned in the report "A Preventable Fate." At the time, of 240,000 estimated to be carrying the HIV virus, 76,000 were in urgent need of ART. Of those, only 11,000 people were being treated. Fast-forward to 2013 and the numbers tell the story of a dire situation brought back from the brink. Around 125,000 people are now estimated to need ART in Myanmar but money has been pledged to retreat 85% of them, around 106,000 people, said Dr. Khin Nyein Chan, MSF's medical coordinator in Yangon. It's due to the return of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which pulled its funding in 2011 due to a lack of donations. Just over $160 million has been pledged until the end of 2016 to pay for HIV treatment and prevention programs for people most at risk of falling ill. The return of funding follows the transition of power from the military junta that ruled Myanmar for 50 years to democratically elected President Thein Sein, who took office in March 2011. Since then, international sanctions have been lifted and the country's been working with foreign governments and delegations to repair decades of neglect. While new funding for HIV treatment is flowing into the country, MSF warns that extending healthcare to 106,000 people is a slow process. So far the medication is only reaching 50,000. "We still need to overcome a lot of challenges ahead,"said Dr. Khin Nyein Chan. "There is a need for capacity building, decentralizing the care delivery, and the stronger engagement of partners, including the Ministry of Health." And there's another pressing issue: Eradicating the stigma associated with having HIV in Myanmar. That's where Zarni Aung comes in. In 2006, when he was first diagnosed, he was too scared to speak out for fear of people's reactions. He started attending group sessions at MSF and soon realized that he was one of the few people he could find the strength to talk. "Most of the patients were depressed so I disclosed my status and experience to help support them," he said. He tells the story of an HIV patient whose family refused to attend his funeral, and of the HIV positive eight-year-old boy who went home crying from school after his teacher told him not to play with other children. Zarni Aung now gives talks in schools and to anyone else who will listen as part of the support group Myanmar Positive. His claims of discrimination against Myanmar's HIV patients are backed by a UNAIDS report released in 2011. The "People Living with HIV Stigma Index" found that 31% of Burmese respondents said that they had been excluded from social gatherings, including weddings, parties, funerals, because of their HIV status. It was the highest proportion of nine Asian countries surveyed, including Thailand, Pakistan and China. One quarter said, within the last 12 months, they had felt discriminated against by their own families, 45% said they had been verbally or physically assaulted and 78% said they were aware that people were talking about them behind their backs. One quarter felt suicidal and around the same number said discrimination had forced them to quit their jobs. Zarni Aung says attitudes are beginning to change, but it will take time and a change in government policy to protect the rights of HIV patients. But he has a powerful ally in the form of Burmese opposition leader and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who last month joined 200 people for a candlelight vigil to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses. "Respect for the human rights of people living with HIV must be promoted," she told the crowd. "We also need to protect the people who live on the fringes of society who struggle every day to maintain their dignity and basic human rights. "I believe that with true compassion -- the invisible cord that binds us to other human beings regardless of race, personal status, religion and national borders -- we can get results for all people." ***************************************************** Scoop - Burma: No Police Prosecuted For Incendiary Attack Friday, 14 June 2013, 2:57 pm Press Release: Asian Human Rights Commission Burma: No Police Prosecuted For Incendiary Attack But Seven Activists So Far Imprisoned Over Letpadaung Mine Dispute On 8 June 2013 the Myanmar Journalists Network hosted a press conference in Rangoon about the imprisonment without right to defence of at least seven persons who have been actively opposing the Letpadaung Hills copper mine project, in Monywa District, Sagaing Region, where police on the night of 29 November 2012 broke up encamped protestors by firing incendiary devices into their shelters, causing extensive burning and other injuries. Although no action has been against the police involved, so far seven human rights defenders have themselves been imprisoned after trials reminiscent of the days before political reforms in Burma, trials in which they have been denied access to legal documents or a right to defence. The seven are Ko Nwe Oo Ko, vice chairman of the All Burma Student Union, Upper Burma working committee; Hein Zaw Win, chairman, and Ko Htin Sha Pyi Hlyan Oo, secretary, University Students Union (Monywa); U Myint Aung, secretary of the Letpadaung Hills Rescue Committee; and, Ko Aung Soe, Yangon People's Support Network and two other locals on whose case the AHRC has commented previously (AHRC-STM-082-2013). The police have in making these arrests acted with complete disregard for law. The regional and district commanders have issued announcements saying that they have issued arrest warrants for the arrest of various people on various charges, which are enumerated but not stated. The AHRC has obtained copies of some of these documents. They are absent of police seals, reference numbers or other standard procedural requirements and basically just constitute written assertions that the police have authority to do as they want, and to threaten people that those who fail to cooperate will also be in trouble. Furthermore, according to a lawyer who has been working on the Letpadaung cases, U Wai Lu, who spoke at the press conference in Rangoon, people who have been imprisoned have not been able to get sight of any documentary evidence that arrest warrants were issued against them, or other evidence presented to the courts to prove that they are guilty of anything. Wai Lu added that in Myint Aung's case, he has been jailed for a year on a charge that ordinarily would attract a penalty of no more than a month. Aung Soe they had heard had been given a year but on what charge and by what court they do not know. Nor is his current place of detention known. The manner in which these people have been arrested, tried, charged and imprisoned speaks to the continued use of the courts as political tools in Burma for the pursuit of people whom the authorities find to be politically inconvenient. And the Letpadaung case, although a high-profile one, is in this respect in no way isolated. Relatives of farmers involved in a melee over land with police in Ma-ubin District in the delta region west of Rangoon have also reported that their loved ones have been called away for questioning by police and have not returned home, but nor have they been informed of charges or the detained persons' whereabouts. One reason that the police in Letpadaung feel emboldened to do as they please is that they have gotten away with committing egregious forms of violence on local people thanks to the failure of a presidential commission of inquiry into the copper mining project to hold them to account, as the AHRC has indicated previously (AHRC-STM-073-2013). The failure is on at least two counts. First of all, the commission whitewashed the police violence against protestors and failed to make any recommendations that action be taken against the officers involved. Nor did it give any meaningful or useful suggestions regarding police abuses, making some generic recommendations about training that are empty of contents and lacking in evidence of serious thought or attentiveness to the problem. Secondly, the commission treated the matter of lands forcibly taken from local people for the mining project since the 1970s as essentially a financial matter, and therefore a question for compensation, rather than a matter of rights. Yet for many and perhaps most of those dispossessed, given the scale of the resistance to the mine project from local villagers, the question rests on the recognition of their rights to occupy and cultivate land, and-in a period in which the government of Burma claims to be democratising-to have their voices heard. By treating the issue as one of financial compensation, the commission completely missed the point, and in so doing, encouraged continued actions against opponents of the mine. The inquiry members, and above all, its chairwoman, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, still have an opportunity to set things right. Urgently, they should speak out actively and assertively against the imprisonment of human rights defenders and others who have mobilized to oppose the mine in accordance with what they legitimately believe are their rights in a purportedly democratising country. These people must be released at once. The police operation against them, which is unlawful, given the absence of any attempt to anchor it in correct procedures, must cease. Furthermore, they should reconsider and retract their recommendations made in their official report, and instead of giving the green light to an operation that rides roughshod over the interests and desires of the people most affected, call for extensive consultations that take into account all views and concerns-not in the piecemeal and insincere manner of the commission, but in a frank and genuine manner consistent with the practices of a forward-looking and democratising country, not one still mired in the militarised mentalities and behaviour of its recent past. ***************************************************** UN Supports Drug Eradication in Opium-Rich Shan State By NYEIN NYEIN / THE IRRAWADDY| Thursday, June 13, 2013 | RANGOON — The United Nations on Thursday called for tighter law enforcement against drug traffickers in Burma, while affirming its commitment to collaborate with ethnic rebel groups and the government in anti-narcotics operations in opium-rich Shan State. In a joint press conference with the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in Rangoon on Thursday that it would support relevant authorities to eradicate the drug trade in east Burma. “There must be sanctions against those who produce illicit drugs and traffic those drugs,” said Jason Eligh, the Burma manager of UNODC. “At the same time, we must find a way to encourage them to participate in a wider solution for drug [eradication] in Shan State.” Burma is the world’s second-largest poppy grower, with cultivation of opium poppy increasing in the last six years in Shan State. According to the UNODC, 300,000 families in Shan State grow poppy plants for a living. “It is not easy to eradicate, as the opium plantation area is wide, and thousands of families rely on the income from this poppy cultivation,” Eligh said. Another challenge to drug eradication in Burma is “the financial investment in poppy cultivation” by different armed groups, he added. RCSS chief Lt-Gen Yawd Serk said the ethnic rebel group was working with the UNODC to launch a pilot project in Shan State’s Moe Nae and Mai Pan townships. He said the rebel group also spoke with government officials this week about the drug issue. Yawd Serk said many people in Shan State had turned to poppy cultivation because other economic opportunities were diminished by decades-long civil wars between ethnic armed groups and the government’s army. “People have grown poppy plants in order to survive these past decades, as there has been fighting in their areas,” he said. “Now we have a ceasefire agreement with the government,” he added. “So now we can work on the development sector, including rehabilitation for poppy growers and drug eradication. We will use substitution crops to improve people’s lives.” The UNODC country manager agreed that a ceasefire and a market for substitution crops would help families in Shan State. “They are growing poppy, not because they are bad, but because households simply do not have enough food to eat,” Eligh said. ***************************************************** Monks’ Convention in Burma Calls for Restricting Buddhist-Muslim Marriage By LAWI WENG / THE IRRAWADDY| Thursday, June 13, 2013 | RANGOON — About 200 senior Buddhist monks convening in Rangoon on Thursday have begun drafting a religious law that would put restrictions on marriages between Buddhist women and Muslim men. Ahead of the two-day conference, the monks — who are highly revered in Burma — had said that they would meet to discuss how to resolve ongoing tensions between Buddhists and the country’s Muslim minority. On Thursday, the monks announced that preventing interfaith marriage would help improve inter-communal relations in Burma, and much of their time was spent discussing a 15-page draft law that would introduce the restrictions. “We hold this meeting with the intention of protecting our Buddhist race and our religion, and also to have peace and harmony in our community,” said U Dhammapiya, a senior monk and a spokesman for the convention. U Wirathu, a well-known nationalist monk, said he was delighted with the plans to try to stop any Buddhist woman from marrying a Muslim man. “I have dreamed of this law for a long time. It is important to have this law to protect our Buddhist women’s freedom,” he said during a press conference. U Wirathu leads the controversial 969 campaign that is being implemented all over Burma. It encourages Buddhists not to do business with Muslims and only support fellow Buddhists’ shops. The participants of the conference came from townships across Burma to convene at a monastery in Rangoon’s Hmawbi Township. The monks said they would collect signatures to pressure Burma’s Parliament to adopt the law, adding that they would send letters to President Thein Sein, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and all other lawmakers. They said the law would follow other examples of restrictions on interfaith marriage, such as those that are in place in Singapore and in Muslim-majority Malaysia. “We found that there was peace and harmony in Singapore after they ratify this law in their country. This is why we should not have a problem [passing a similar law] in our country,” U Dhammapiya told reporters. Singapore and Malaysia both have long-standing restrictions on interfaith marriage between Muslims and people from other religions. The rules require that non-Muslims convert to Islam in order to register their marriage. A copy of the law proposed by the monks would require any Buddhist woman seeking to marry a Muslim man to first gain permission from her parents and local government officials. It also requires any Muslim man who marries a Buddhist woman to convert to Buddhism. Those who do not follow these rules could face up to 10 years in prison and have their property confiscated, according to the draft law. Kyaw Khin, secretary of the All Myanmar Muslim Federation, said the proposed law would violate basic human rights. “In terms of human rights, this type of restriction would be an abuse,” he said. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 16 states that “Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family.” Kyaw Khin doubted however, that the draft law would be adopted by lawmakers, adding, “There would be a long way to go, if it is to be passed in Parliament. I believe it won’t happen.” Kyee Myint, a senior lawyer and member of the Myanmar Lawyers’ Network, warned against passing a prohibitive religious rule into law. Burma’s government, he said, “should be careful not to pass a law just to protect one particular religion.” The proposed law comes at a time of growing sectarian tensions between Burma’s Buddhists and Muslims, who are estimated to make up some 5 percent of the country’s total population. Violence between Buddhists and Muslim communities broke out in Arakan State, western Burma, in June last year. The unrest has since spread to dozens of towns in other parts of the country. Hundreds of people have been killed and more than 150,000 people — mostly Muslims — have been forced to flee their homes. Nationalist Buddhist monks have been accused of openly supporting the violence by calling for the removal Muslims from towns and villages in order to establish Buddhist dominance. In some cases, monks were reportedly observed participating in and organizing the street violence. Other Burmese monks however, have also criticized the actions of their nationalist brothers. U Pantavunsa, the leader of the Saffron Monks Network, told The Irrawaddy recently that he rejected the 969 campaign, as it was stoking up inter-communal tensions in Burma. ***************************************************** Thai Talks Aim to Curb Violence for Fasting Month By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS| Friday, June 14, 2013 | KUALA LUMPUR — Thai government and Muslim separatist negotiators said Thursday they hope to curb violence in insurgency-wracked southern provinces during the upcoming Muslim fasting month. The two sides issued a statement after holding a round of peace talks in Malaysia seeking an “expression of sincerity, goodwill and trust” during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan that begins in July. An Islamic insurgency that erupted in 2004 has killed more than 5,000 people in Thailand’s three southernmost, Muslim-dominated provinces. Attacks occur almost daily despite the start of peace talks this year. The militants mainly target security forces and teachers, who are perceived as representatives of the government of predominantly Buddhist Thailand. Terms and conditions for ensuring peace during Ramadan will be made public as soon as possible, according to the joint statement released after the one-day talks in Kuala Lumpur. “When we commit to peace, we must trust each other. This is the first step,” Nipat Thonglek, a senior member of the Thai government negotiating team, told reporters. It is unclear whether the rebel representatives involved in the talks would be able to completely eliminate violence, as the insurgency is thought to be highly decentralized, with local units free to choose targets and campaigns. Rebel negotiators plan next to provide Thai authorities with detailed explanations of their five preliminary demands, including allowing other Southeast Asian countries and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to observe the peace talks. Subsequent meetings will be held after Ramadan, according to the statement. ***************************************************** Mizzima News - Shan parties seek political reconciliation 13 Jun 2013 12:15 Written by Theingi Htun RCSS/ SSA chairman Lt-Gen Yawd Serk [Ywet Sit], second from left, meets with Shan Herald News Agency editor Khun Sai (center) and SNLD chairman Khun Htun Oo, second from right, at the SNLD office on June 12, 2013. Photo: Hong Sar / Mizzima RCSS/ SSA chairman Lt-Gen Yawd Serk [Ywet Sit], second from left, meets with Shan Herald News Agency editor Khun Sai (center) and SNLD chairman Khun Htun Oo, second from right, at the SNLD office on June 12, 2013. Photo: Hong Sar / Mizzima Representatives of the Restoration Council of Shan State/ Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) plan to meet in Yangon within the next few days to discuss solutions to their political differences and seek a common approach to constitutional reform. “Our purpose is to work out how we can cooperate on solving political issues,” said RCSS/ SSA central committee member Sai Hla. Speaking to Mizzima, he said that reformation of the 2008 constitution will be discussed extensively. Sai Nyunt Lwin, the general secretary of the SNLD, confirmed that the meeting would go ahead, but said that no date or venue had yet been fixed. Sai Hla said that the RCSS/ SSA, formerly known as the Shan State Army- South, would raise the issue of a “Panglong Conference”, a summit aimed at reinforcing ethnic parties’ wishes to adopt a federal system in Myanmar. *****************************************************
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