Buthidaung, Arakan State (Rohingya Vision) – A village administrator has been repeatedly raping a Rohingya woman abusing his power in Buthidaung Township for weeks, according to the reliable sources.
The administrator is a Rakhine (Magh) Buddhist extremist named ‘Maung Chan Thar’ administrating a Rohingya village, ‘Phaya Pyin Aung Pha,’ in Buthidaung Township. The recurrent raped victim is identified to be ‘Daw T’ (real name withheld for privacy), 38, from plot 1 of the village.
“The Magh extremist administrator, Maung Chan Thar, and his henchman visit the house of a widow named Daw T often and rape her using the authority of an administrator. When she tries to refuse, they beat her and threaten to imprison her. She asks for help from others but nobody dares help her knowing the brutalities of the extremist administrator.
So, the villagers have to be quiet and the helpless woman is subjected to rape repeatedly,” said an elder person in Buthidaung on the condition of anonymity. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
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December 5, 2015
Myanmar cardinal wants Irrawaddy dam project halted
Myanmar’s prominent Catholic Church leader has urged the country’s newly elected government to halt the controversial Myitsone dam project in northern Kachin state, which is widely viewed as environmentally and culturally destructive. Cardinal Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon explained to UCANEWS that if Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the National League for Democracy that won the Nov. 8 election, really wants to fulfil the desire of the people she should follow the desire of the ethnic Kachin people.
The $3.8 billion dam, slated to be the 15th largest hydroelectric power station in the world when completed by 2017, is being built on the Irrawaddy River, Myanmar's premier waterway, to provide power almost exclusively to neighboring China.
By 2010, the dam's construction caused at least 2,000 people to be relocated from their ancestral homes in Aung Myin Thar village. The military-backed government of President Thein Sein suspended construction in September 2011, while China vigorously agitated for recommencing work on the project. (Courtesy of Vatican Radio)
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The $3.8 billion dam, slated to be the 15th largest hydroelectric power station in the world when completed by 2017, is being built on the Irrawaddy River, Myanmar's premier waterway, to provide power almost exclusively to neighboring China.
By 2010, the dam's construction caused at least 2,000 people to be relocated from their ancestral homes in Aung Myin Thar village. The military-backed government of President Thein Sein suspended construction in September 2011, while China vigorously agitated for recommencing work on the project. (Courtesy of Vatican Radio)
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Governments Talk But Few Answers Yet to Rohingya, Boatpeople Tragedy
BANGKOK: As the resumption of dangerous sea journeys in the Bay of Bengal looms, countries in the region today affirmed that the only way to reduce loss of life at sea is by working together on comprehensive and sustainable approaches to mixed migration movements.
On Friday delegates from more than 20 countries and international organizations met in Bangkok for the 2nd Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean.
They took stock of achievements since the previous meeting in late May - when some 5000 Rohingya and Bangladeshis were eventually disembarked after weeks adrift at sea - in a bid to better prepare for future movements.
''With an unprecedented 60 million persons displaced today, it has become clear that forced displacement issues are a global phenomenon that no country can address or resolve on its own,'' said Volker Turk, the UN Refugee Agency's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection.
''The numbers we are seeing in this region can be managed and we welcome the regional approach,'' he added.
''The fact that only 1000 people have taken to boats since September offers an important window of opportunity to put those plans in place.'' (Courtesy of Phuket Wan)
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On Friday delegates from more than 20 countries and international organizations met in Bangkok for the 2nd Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean.
They took stock of achievements since the previous meeting in late May - when some 5000 Rohingya and Bangladeshis were eventually disembarked after weeks adrift at sea - in a bid to better prepare for future movements.
''With an unprecedented 60 million persons displaced today, it has become clear that forced displacement issues are a global phenomenon that no country can address or resolve on its own,'' said Volker Turk, the UN Refugee Agency's Assistant High Commissioner for Protection.
''The numbers we are seeing in this region can be managed and we welcome the regional approach,'' he added.
''The fact that only 1000 people have taken to boats since September offers an important window of opportunity to put those plans in place.'' (Courtesy of Phuket Wan)
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US Prepares to Amend Myanmar Trade Sanctions
The United States is preparing to amend sanctions on Myanmar after banks complained they can't finance trade that goes through the nation's main port terminal because it is run by a blacklisted business tycoon.
State Department officials have been sounding out Congress about remedial policies, which an administration official said could take effect as early as next week.
The administration is keen to promote economic growth with the country also known as Burma, which recently held landmark elections, but its fix could draw criticism from U.S. lawmakers and human rights groups.
It would mean giving the green light to banks to process transactions related to trade that passes through a container port terminal in the main city of Yangon that is run by Steven Law, the son of a deceased heroin kingpin. He heads one of Myanmar's largest conglomerates, Asia World, that flourished under the former ruling junta.
Two associations representing many of the world's largest commercial banks, The Clearing House and The Bankers Association for Finance and Trade, have requested a sanctions work-around to Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. In a July letter they warned that trade with Myanmar could otherwise be impacted badly. (Courtesy of ABC News)
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State Department officials have been sounding out Congress about remedial policies, which an administration official said could take effect as early as next week.
The administration is keen to promote economic growth with the country also known as Burma, which recently held landmark elections, but its fix could draw criticism from U.S. lawmakers and human rights groups.
It would mean giving the green light to banks to process transactions related to trade that passes through a container port terminal in the main city of Yangon that is run by Steven Law, the son of a deceased heroin kingpin. He heads one of Myanmar's largest conglomerates, Asia World, that flourished under the former ruling junta.
Two associations representing many of the world's largest commercial banks, The Clearing House and The Bankers Association for Finance and Trade, have requested a sanctions work-around to Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. In a July letter they warned that trade with Myanmar could otherwise be impacted badly. (Courtesy of ABC News)
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Myanmar's 'Sister Suu' Faces Long Odds, but a Great Opportunity
The landslide victory by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party in the 8 November 2015 Myanmar election, after decades of Suu Kyi held under house arrest, marks one of the world’s most extraordinary political turnabouts.
However, Suu Kyi’s political ascendancy is less unique in Asia than it may at first appear. As the daughter of the country’s independence leader Aung San, who was assassinated in 1947, she is only one of several prominent female dynasts — the daughters, wives or widows of ‘martyred’ male leaders — to lead major democratic opposition movements across Asia and then assume political power. Other prominent examples are Corazon C Aquino in the Philippines, Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, Megawati Sukarnoputri in Indonesia, as well as Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. (Courtesy of Economy Watch)
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However, Suu Kyi’s political ascendancy is less unique in Asia than it may at first appear. As the daughter of the country’s independence leader Aung San, who was assassinated in 1947, she is only one of several prominent female dynasts — the daughters, wives or widows of ‘martyred’ male leaders — to lead major democratic opposition movements across Asia and then assume political power. Other prominent examples are Corazon C Aquino in the Philippines, Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, Megawati Sukarnoputri in Indonesia, as well as Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. (Courtesy of Economy Watch)
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2 Myanmar fishermen tell Indonesian court they were enslaved
TUAL, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian court on Friday overruled defense objections and decided to proceed with the trials of five Thais and three Indonesians accused of human trafficking in connection with slavery in the seafood industry.
The three-judge panel rejected arguments by defense lawyers that a government moratorium on foreign fishing boats was chiefly responsible for the stranding of hundreds of foreign fishermen, many trafficked or enslaved, on remote Indonesian islands.
State prosecutors have charged the defendants with violating a law against people-smuggling that carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine as high as $46,000.
The court heard testimonies Friday from two Myanmar fishermen, Nyo Naing and Zaw Myat. They are among more than a dozen foreigners expected to testify at the trials that began Nov. 16 at the district court in Tual, a municipality in southeastern Maluku province about 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) east of Jakarta.
Both men told the court they had been tortured, forced to work up to 24 hours a day, and were not paid. They also said they were locked up in a prison-like cell in the fishing company's compound.
All the defendants were arrested in May in the remote island village of Benjina after the slavery was revealed by The Associated Press in a report two months earlier. They are employees of Pusaka Benjina Resources, one of the largest fishing companies in eastern Indonesia. (Courtesy of http://bigstory.ap.org)
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The three-judge panel rejected arguments by defense lawyers that a government moratorium on foreign fishing boats was chiefly responsible for the stranding of hundreds of foreign fishermen, many trafficked or enslaved, on remote Indonesian islands.
State prosecutors have charged the defendants with violating a law against people-smuggling that carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine as high as $46,000.
The court heard testimonies Friday from two Myanmar fishermen, Nyo Naing and Zaw Myat. They are among more than a dozen foreigners expected to testify at the trials that began Nov. 16 at the district court in Tual, a municipality in southeastern Maluku province about 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) east of Jakarta.
Both men told the court they had been tortured, forced to work up to 24 hours a day, and were not paid. They also said they were locked up in a prison-like cell in the fishing company's compound.
All the defendants were arrested in May in the remote island village of Benjina after the slavery was revealed by The Associated Press in a report two months earlier. They are employees of Pusaka Benjina Resources, one of the largest fishing companies in eastern Indonesia. (Courtesy of http://bigstory.ap.org)
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Last chance to see in rural Myanmar
We are visiting Daw The Mgu, a Red Karin village of about 100 families near Loikaw in Kayah State, Myanmar. The Red Karin are animist and believe they are descended from two large birds that flew over the mountains. The male bird is Karin Na Ye and the female is Karin Na Yar.
Most of the women no longer wear traditional dress, but one young woman dons hers to show us. This takes time and involves three helpers. As well as the red scarves wound around women’s heads, their capes are red. Silver was once plentiful here and they wear long silver earrings, the favourite style being a bunch of (scaled- down) sweet corn cobs and we see necklaces of silver coins, some of which depict England’s Edward VII. The Red Karin women wear a beaded belt around their midriff, and a long white scarf reaches from the neck to the knee. Over the knee they wear coils of cotton threads dyed black with lacquer.
We ask to meet the oldest person in the village to see if he or she would like some spectacles we have brought with us. Daw Phye Myas thinks she is about 95. Her five children would like her to go and live with them. She won’t, because she likes her traditional house and can continue looking after one of her daughters, who is about 65, and has mental health problems. She tries the glasses but says they are of no use; we then discover her eyesight is so good she can still thread a needle. (Courtesy of The Australia)
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Most of the women no longer wear traditional dress, but one young woman dons hers to show us. This takes time and involves three helpers. As well as the red scarves wound around women’s heads, their capes are red. Silver was once plentiful here and they wear long silver earrings, the favourite style being a bunch of (scaled- down) sweet corn cobs and we see necklaces of silver coins, some of which depict England’s Edward VII. The Red Karin women wear a beaded belt around their midriff, and a long white scarf reaches from the neck to the knee. Over the knee they wear coils of cotton threads dyed black with lacquer.
We ask to meet the oldest person in the village to see if he or she would like some spectacles we have brought with us. Daw Phye Myas thinks she is about 95. Her five children would like her to go and live with them. She won’t, because she likes her traditional house and can continue looking after one of her daughters, who is about 65, and has mental health problems. She tries the glasses but says they are of no use; we then discover her eyesight is so good she can still thread a needle. (Courtesy of The Australia)
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Myanmar needs leaders above politics
While voters understand the word “politician”, they are less familiar with the term “statesman”. It is yet to be rendered properly in Burmese.
Much of electorate have a cynical view of the politician as someone who is trying to get elected and may well fail to meet their election promises when in office, while a statesman or woman is a more positive term.
Statesmen are supposed to work for the common good, do what they believe is right for the people and country.
They should stick by their code and should not be compromised by political manoeuvres. While a statesperson might compromise on their position to find a solution, they should never be compromised by poor behaviour.
Hans Morgenthau, the author of “Politics Among Nations”, called a statesman “the political realist” since they see policies through their effect on the country.
Politicians may have their own beliefs which can get adapted to the political sphere, power, wealth or laws. Morgenthau says a politician looks to gain power for themselves or their party, rather than their country. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
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Much of electorate have a cynical view of the politician as someone who is trying to get elected and may well fail to meet their election promises when in office, while a statesman or woman is a more positive term.
Statesmen are supposed to work for the common good, do what they believe is right for the people and country.
They should stick by their code and should not be compromised by political manoeuvres. While a statesperson might compromise on their position to find a solution, they should never be compromised by poor behaviour.
Hans Morgenthau, the author of “Politics Among Nations”, called a statesman “the political realist” since they see policies through their effect on the country.
Politicians may have their own beliefs which can get adapted to the political sphere, power, wealth or laws. Morgenthau says a politician looks to gain power for themselves or their party, rather than their country. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
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Myanmar petition foiled by Bangladesh over Bay of Bengal claim
In a recent petition with the United Nations, Myanmar claimed a certain portion of the Bay of Bengal, which lawfully belongs to Bangladesh, the Dhaka Tribune reported on 3 December.
The Union of Myanmar filed the petition with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on July 30, 2015.
But the “grabbing bid” was foiled by the Bangladesh government as the Bangladesh authorities filed a counter petition immediately, protesting the claim of Myanmar, the report said. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
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The Union of Myanmar filed the petition with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on July 30, 2015.
But the “grabbing bid” was foiled by the Bangladesh government as the Bangladesh authorities filed a counter petition immediately, protesting the claim of Myanmar, the report said. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
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Interview: 'It Would be Good to Transfer Power as Soon as Possible'
Tin Oo, 88, co-founder of the National League for Democracy (NLD), spent almost seven years in prison and under house arrest under the military junta that ran the country before 2011, when military rule was replaced by a quasi-civilian government. In an interview with reporter Nay Rein Kyaw of RFA’s Myanmar Service, the retired general, former commander in chief of Myanmar's armed forces and trusted patron of NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi discusses the NLD's effort to form a government after their landslide victory in Nov. 8 general elections.
RFA: What is your opinion of Aung San Suu Kyi’s meeting with the president and military chief?
Tin Oo: It is something we have to welcome. It is good that they said they will transfer the nation’s power peacefully and will collaborate with her in the future, but we have to wait and see whether they work as they said or not. We haven’t heard anything about power transferring yet.
RFA: People have two concerns: 1. They didn’t discuss how to solve problems in the country. 2. They didn’t state a time frame for the power transfer. What do you think of these issues?
Tin Oo: Yes, we have the same concern. They only said they agreed to collaborate and they are pleased for the meeting. That’s why I told you we have to wait and see. If they could discuss how to work together on solving the country’s problems, people will be very delighted.
RFA: What is your understanding for time frame of the power transfer process according to constitution?
Tin Oo: They have said they will transfer it within 90 days. It would be good to transfer the power as soon as possible. People voted willingly and they want to see the implementation of the election result that their votes produced. Actually, parliament shouldn’t be halted in the time between the two (outgoing and incoming) governments.
RFA: Do you think the NLD is ready to form a government?
Tin Oo: Aung San Suu Kyi and her group have plans, but they haven’t spoken out about it yet.
RFA: How will the NLD choose a vice-president and president?
Tin Oo: They will be chosen by the party central executive committee. (Courtesy of RFA)
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RFA: What is your opinion of Aung San Suu Kyi’s meeting with the president and military chief?
Tin Oo: It is something we have to welcome. It is good that they said they will transfer the nation’s power peacefully and will collaborate with her in the future, but we have to wait and see whether they work as they said or not. We haven’t heard anything about power transferring yet.
RFA: People have two concerns: 1. They didn’t discuss how to solve problems in the country. 2. They didn’t state a time frame for the power transfer. What do you think of these issues?
Tin Oo: Yes, we have the same concern. They only said they agreed to collaborate and they are pleased for the meeting. That’s why I told you we have to wait and see. If they could discuss how to work together on solving the country’s problems, people will be very delighted.
RFA: What is your understanding for time frame of the power transfer process according to constitution?
Tin Oo: They have said they will transfer it within 90 days. It would be good to transfer the power as soon as possible. People voted willingly and they want to see the implementation of the election result that their votes produced. Actually, parliament shouldn’t be halted in the time between the two (outgoing and incoming) governments.
RFA: Do you think the NLD is ready to form a government?
Tin Oo: Aung San Suu Kyi and her group have plans, but they haven’t spoken out about it yet.
RFA: How will the NLD choose a vice-president and president?
Tin Oo: They will be chosen by the party central executive committee. (Courtesy of RFA)
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Burma Army, Karen Rebels Visit Colombia
A joint delegation representing the Burma Army, ethnic Karen rebels and the government-affiliated Myanmar Peace Center arrived in Colombia this week to study the country’s peace process.
The delegation from Burma included senior Burmese military officials Lt-Gen Ye Aung and Maj-Gen Tun Tun Naug; Tu Tu Lay, an advisor for the Karen National Union (KNU); Maj. Paw Doh of the KNU; and Maj-Gen Saw Moses, second-in-command of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA).
At least one representative of the KNU/KNLA Peace Council, a breakaway faction of the Karen minority’s dominant rebel group, as well as members of the MPC also joined the study mission, according to MPC official Hla Maung Shwe.
“It was the first time that Burma Army officials and armed ethnic groups have joined a delegation together. They will study the peace process and conflict resolution in Colombia,” Hla Maung Shwe said.
Asked why Burma’s other non-state armed groups were not represented in the delegation, the MPC official said the Karen groups had a closer relationship with the government and have made considerable progress on trust-building through regular bilateral conferences.
“Other ethnic rebels will have the chance to participate when the trust is stronger,” Hla Maung Shwe said.
The Burmese government achieved a landmark peace accord with eight non-state armed groups on Oct. 15, but fell short of its goal of securing a nationwide pact. Seven groups involved in the negotiations did not sign the agreement, some out of solidarity with armed groups that the government did not include. (Courtesy of Irrawaddy)
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The delegation from Burma included senior Burmese military officials Lt-Gen Ye Aung and Maj-Gen Tun Tun Naug; Tu Tu Lay, an advisor for the Karen National Union (KNU); Maj. Paw Doh of the KNU; and Maj-Gen Saw Moses, second-in-command of the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA).
At least one representative of the KNU/KNLA Peace Council, a breakaway faction of the Karen minority’s dominant rebel group, as well as members of the MPC also joined the study mission, according to MPC official Hla Maung Shwe.
“It was the first time that Burma Army officials and armed ethnic groups have joined a delegation together. They will study the peace process and conflict resolution in Colombia,” Hla Maung Shwe said.
Asked why Burma’s other non-state armed groups were not represented in the delegation, the MPC official said the Karen groups had a closer relationship with the government and have made considerable progress on trust-building through regular bilateral conferences.
“Other ethnic rebels will have the chance to participate when the trust is stronger,” Hla Maung Shwe said.
The Burmese government achieved a landmark peace accord with eight non-state armed groups on Oct. 15, but fell short of its goal of securing a nationwide pact. Seven groups involved in the negotiations did not sign the agreement, some out of solidarity with armed groups that the government did not include. (Courtesy of Irrawaddy)
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Yoma's Pun Seeks New Myanmar Stock Exchange's First Listing
First Myanmar Investment Co., a conglomerate controlled by businessman Serge Pun, is aiming to be the first publicly traded company on the Myanmar stock exchange.
Pun, who is also chairman of Singapore-listed developer Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd., said in an interview that First Myanmar doesn’t plan to sell any new shares. The company, which has businesses ranging from financial services and real estate to health care in Myanmar, submitted its application for a listing about four months ago, he said at the Bloomberg Asean Business Summit in Bangkok Friday.
"We are ready," said Pun, who returned to Myanmar as an investor more than two decades ago after fleeing the country in 1965 following a military coup. "We hope to be the catalyst for the exchange."
Foreign direct investment in Myanmar surged after the quasi-civilian government began opening the country to the outside world five years ago, and may accelerate further after an election victory last month by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party. Positioned between India and China astride maritime trade routes between Europe and East Asia, Myanmar’s economy is set to expand about 8.3 percent this year and close to that in 2016, according to the Asian Development Bank.
While the bourse officially opens on Dec. 9, trading may not begin until toward the end of the first quarter. Shares are currently traded over-the-counter through the Myanmar Securities Exchange Co. Authorities in Myanmar have been working with Japanese brokerage Daiwa Securities Group Inc. to establish the exchange. (Courtesy of Bloomberg Business)
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Pun, who is also chairman of Singapore-listed developer Yoma Strategic Holdings Ltd., said in an interview that First Myanmar doesn’t plan to sell any new shares. The company, which has businesses ranging from financial services and real estate to health care in Myanmar, submitted its application for a listing about four months ago, he said at the Bloomberg Asean Business Summit in Bangkok Friday.
"We are ready," said Pun, who returned to Myanmar as an investor more than two decades ago after fleeing the country in 1965 following a military coup. "We hope to be the catalyst for the exchange."
Foreign direct investment in Myanmar surged after the quasi-civilian government began opening the country to the outside world five years ago, and may accelerate further after an election victory last month by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party. Positioned between India and China astride maritime trade routes between Europe and East Asia, Myanmar’s economy is set to expand about 8.3 percent this year and close to that in 2016, according to the Asian Development Bank.
While the bourse officially opens on Dec. 9, trading may not begin until toward the end of the first quarter. Shares are currently traded over-the-counter through the Myanmar Securities Exchange Co. Authorities in Myanmar have been working with Japanese brokerage Daiwa Securities Group Inc. to establish the exchange. (Courtesy of Bloomberg Business)
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Govt Tables Kyaukphyu SEZ Plans in Parliament
Burma’s government is seeking parliamentary approval to begin the first phase of the Kyaukphyu special economic zone (SEZ) in Arakan State, lawmakers said on Friday.
Myint Thein, deputy minister for Rail Transportation and head of the Kyaukphyu SEZ management committee, outlined the long-mooted project, billed as the country’s western economic gateway, to Lower House lawmakers on Thursday.
MPs were told to register by Monday for debate on the project in Parliament next week, with the government seeking the legislature’s approval to use the land earmarked for the zone.
The Kyaukphyu SEZ would “be set up on 4,289 acres of land,” Myint Thein informed lawmakers, according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar. The project is slated to include an industrial zone, a housing estate and two deep sea ports, on Ramree and Maday islands respectively, according to the deputy minister.
Tender bids for development of the zone closed last November, with a total of 12 proposals submitted by one local and 11 international firms. However, the opaque tender and evaluation process has been beset by delays, with no successful bidder yet announced, despite official assurances that the process was nearing completion. (Courtesy of Irrawaddy)
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Myint Thein, deputy minister for Rail Transportation and head of the Kyaukphyu SEZ management committee, outlined the long-mooted project, billed as the country’s western economic gateway, to Lower House lawmakers on Thursday.
MPs were told to register by Monday for debate on the project in Parliament next week, with the government seeking the legislature’s approval to use the land earmarked for the zone.
The Kyaukphyu SEZ would “be set up on 4,289 acres of land,” Myint Thein informed lawmakers, according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar. The project is slated to include an industrial zone, a housing estate and two deep sea ports, on Ramree and Maday islands respectively, according to the deputy minister.
Tender bids for development of the zone closed last November, with a total of 12 proposals submitted by one local and 11 international firms. However, the opaque tender and evaluation process has been beset by delays, with no successful bidder yet announced, despite official assurances that the process was nearing completion. (Courtesy of Irrawaddy)
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Myanmar Now praised widely for election coverage
In the wake of Myanmar's 2015 general election, Myanmar Now, a fledgling media outlet born from collaboration between the Thomson Reuters Foundation and local Myanmar journalists, has garnered praise among leading journalists and diplomats for the exceptional quality of its election coverage.
In 2010, Myanmar embarked on political reforms leading towards a liberal democracy. These reforms resulted in a proliferation of new media outlets, but several problems - consolidation by owners, a spike in defamation cases and an overall lack of journalism skills - resulted in a shortage of objective news coverage about the reforms.
The lack of balanced reporting was particularly serious for ethnic groups, which are not only excluded from national press coverage and dialogue, but are also often the subject of inflammatory reporting that stokes violence.
Myanmar Now was proposed by the Thomson Reuters Foundation's Media Development team as a means of improving governance, accountability and inclusivity in the reform process and reducing inter-communal tension and violence. It began operations in July, shortly before the election season began.
In the following months, Myanmar Now published a wide range of content aimed at giving citizens trustworthy information about the election campaign. This included "fact sheets" with general information on various aspects of the election, and interviews with key candidates from opposing parties and representatives of marginalized ethnic minorities. (Courtesy of Trust.org)
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In 2010, Myanmar embarked on political reforms leading towards a liberal democracy. These reforms resulted in a proliferation of new media outlets, but several problems - consolidation by owners, a spike in defamation cases and an overall lack of journalism skills - resulted in a shortage of objective news coverage about the reforms.
The lack of balanced reporting was particularly serious for ethnic groups, which are not only excluded from national press coverage and dialogue, but are also often the subject of inflammatory reporting that stokes violence.
Myanmar Now was proposed by the Thomson Reuters Foundation's Media Development team as a means of improving governance, accountability and inclusivity in the reform process and reducing inter-communal tension and violence. It began operations in July, shortly before the election season began.
In the following months, Myanmar Now published a wide range of content aimed at giving citizens trustworthy information about the election campaign. This included "fact sheets" with general information on various aspects of the election, and interviews with key candidates from opposing parties and representatives of marginalized ethnic minorities. (Courtesy of Trust.org)
For more information - Visit here.
Podcast: Restructuring China’s military, will Suu Kyi ignore Rohingyas, Seoul protests, and more
What’s the significance of China restructuring its military? Seoul gets ready for what may be a massive anti-government rally this weekend. If Aung San Suu Kyi doesn’t help the Rohingyas in Myanmar, does that taint her victory? Plus one Japanese company is using trees to make noodles, attacks in Bangladesh continue, and more on the Dec 4 edition of Asia News Weekly.
WHAT’S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHINA RESTRICTING ITS MILITARY?
With its nine-dash line, China has claimed virtually all of the South China Sea as their own. We've seen their slow and steady build-up of bases for more than a year now, and as the United States announces it will once more sail inside the 12 nautical miles Beijing likes to claim as its own around these features, China unveiled a restructuring of its military forces. To help understand why that may be, Mark Cozad, Senior International Defense Policy Analyst with the RAND Corporation returns to the podcast. (Courtesy of The Strait Times)
WHAT’S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHINA RESTRICTING ITS MILITARY?
With its nine-dash line, China has claimed virtually all of the South China Sea as their own. We've seen their slow and steady build-up of bases for more than a year now, and as the United States announces it will once more sail inside the 12 nautical miles Beijing likes to claim as its own around these features, China unveiled a restructuring of its military forces. To help understand why that may be, Mark Cozad, Senior International Defense Policy Analyst with the RAND Corporation returns to the podcast. (Courtesy of The Strait Times)
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