A court in Rangamati on Sunday sent four people, including a suspected leader of Myanmar insurgent group ‘Arakan Army’, to jail after rejecting their bail petitions in three separate cases.
Rangamati Judicial Magistrate Jhuma Sarkar passed the order when their lawyers submitted a petition for their bail and fixed January 20 for the next hearing.
The four are Renin Suye, a suspected leader of Myanmar insurgent group ‘Arakan Army’ and Ong U Yang Rakhain, Jo Su Aung Marma and Mong Aang Marma.
On a August 26 tip off, a team of army and police personnel conducted a joint drive in Kainda union of Rajasthali upazila and arrested Ong U Yang Rakhain ,Jo Su Aung Marma and Mong Aang Marma. (Courtesy of The Financial Express-BD)
December 21, 2015
Rakhine workers in Yangon move from tailoring to telecoms
Most Yangon-based businesses run by people from Rakhine State are tailors or goldsmiths, said Ma Than Than Win, who moved from Rakhine to Yangon. Many women originally from Rakhine who live in suburban Yangon have opened shops in their living rooms – some combining tailoring with selling traditional Rakhine foods, she added.
Rakhine men who move to Yangon mostly work as goldsmiths, according to U Shay Gyi, who has his own shop. “I opened a gold shop and my wife sells Rakhine snacks in the street bazaar,” he said. “Business is alright for me. We both have jobs, so the situation is not so hard.” At the gold shops, the focus is more on the art of creating and learning a craft than selling, he said.
But U Shay Gyi believes this way of life is endangered. “Many young people who move to Yangon from Rakhine want to sell handsets and phone accessories given the current situation,” he said, referring to Myanmar’s recent telecommunications boom. “Now the youth are opening phone accessories shops.” (Courtesy of MMTimes)
Rakhine men who move to Yangon mostly work as goldsmiths, according to U Shay Gyi, who has his own shop. “I opened a gold shop and my wife sells Rakhine snacks in the street bazaar,” he said. “Business is alright for me. We both have jobs, so the situation is not so hard.” At the gold shops, the focus is more on the art of creating and learning a craft than selling, he said.
But U Shay Gyi believes this way of life is endangered. “Many young people who move to Yangon from Rakhine want to sell handsets and phone accessories given the current situation,” he said, referring to Myanmar’s recent telecommunications boom. “Now the youth are opening phone accessories shops.” (Courtesy of MMTimes)
Trusted recruiters, friends leading domestic migrants to abuse: ILO report
In the absence of a functioning, official employment system, the vast majority of over 7000 workers interviewed – 72 percent – said they found jobs through friends, other workers or labour brokers. The International Labour Organization highlighted the finding in its latest study, the first in-depth look at domestic migration within Myanmar.
The unofficial channels, while easy to access, are for the most part unregulated, leaving the workers open to abuse, the ILO found.
Kim Rogovin, an ILO officer who prepared the report, said the unregulated recruitment of almost all of Myanmar’s internal migrant workers contributes to some of the injustices they face.
Of the 72pc who said they received assistance finding a job, 86pc said they knew the person who assisted them and 9pc said they used a labour broker, known as a pwe sar.
According to Ms Rogovin, none of the workers had used one of Myanmar’s 91 labour exchange offices, which are operated by the Ministry of Labour. Ideally, these offices distribute labour cards to workers who register their employment history and education, and then help to place them in appropriate jobs. (Courtesy of MMTimes)
The unofficial channels, while easy to access, are for the most part unregulated, leaving the workers open to abuse, the ILO found.
Kim Rogovin, an ILO officer who prepared the report, said the unregulated recruitment of almost all of Myanmar’s internal migrant workers contributes to some of the injustices they face.
Of the 72pc who said they received assistance finding a job, 86pc said they knew the person who assisted them and 9pc said they used a labour broker, known as a pwe sar.
According to Ms Rogovin, none of the workers had used one of Myanmar’s 91 labour exchange offices, which are operated by the Ministry of Labour. Ideally, these offices distribute labour cards to workers who register their employment history and education, and then help to place them in appropriate jobs. (Courtesy of MMTimes)
Migrant workers pin hopes on NLD
The National League for Democracy promised change and now overseas workers are eagerly awaiting an ensuing tide of reforms.
While the party has yet to issue much, if any, of a policy agenda – including about migrant workers – that hasn’t stopped some rights activists and overseas labourers from pinning their hopes on the fighting peacocks to overhaul the abuse and trafficking-riddled system.
“We expect that the new democratic government will be more proactive about tackling migrant workers’ problems because the party leader is always talking about better enforcement of the rule of law and protection of human rights,” said U Htoo Chit, director of the Thailand-based Foundation for Education and Development.
Migrant workers make up a sizeable chunk of the country’s labour force with many families heavily dependent on informal remittances that have been estimated as five times higher than the total foreign direct investment. While according to the 2014 census, about 4 percent – 2.2 million – of Myanmar’s population works abroad, the Ministry of Labour expects the true figure lies closer to 10pc of the population, with 3 million Myanmar migrants in Thailand alone, and about 1 million in Malaysia.
Most work without protections or official documents such as contracts and passports, and find employment though informal channels that leave them vulnerable to trafficking, debt bondage and forced labour. Even the government-approved and licensed routes abroad have often proven exploitative. (Courtesy of MMTimes)
While the party has yet to issue much, if any, of a policy agenda – including about migrant workers – that hasn’t stopped some rights activists and overseas labourers from pinning their hopes on the fighting peacocks to overhaul the abuse and trafficking-riddled system.
“We expect that the new democratic government will be more proactive about tackling migrant workers’ problems because the party leader is always talking about better enforcement of the rule of law and protection of human rights,” said U Htoo Chit, director of the Thailand-based Foundation for Education and Development.
Migrant workers make up a sizeable chunk of the country’s labour force with many families heavily dependent on informal remittances that have been estimated as five times higher than the total foreign direct investment. While according to the 2014 census, about 4 percent – 2.2 million – of Myanmar’s population works abroad, the Ministry of Labour expects the true figure lies closer to 10pc of the population, with 3 million Myanmar migrants in Thailand alone, and about 1 million in Malaysia.
Most work without protections or official documents such as contracts and passports, and find employment though informal channels that leave them vulnerable to trafficking, debt bondage and forced labour. Even the government-approved and licensed routes abroad have often proven exploitative. (Courtesy of MMTimes)
Aung San Suu Kyi's Party Won't Push for Abrupt Economic Changes in Myanmar
By Shibani Mahtani
YANGON, Myanmar-- When it forms Myanmar's government next month, the National League for Democracy--led by Aung San Suu Kyi--plans to largely continue the economic policies of the outgoing military-backed administration and won't attempt to shutter businesses linked to the former ruling generals.
"We don't need abrupt changes; we want continuity between our government and the previous one," said Han Tha Myint, who chairs the NLD's economic committee, in an interview last week. "We don't need to turn the present bureaucracy upside down, but at the same time, will find ways to alleviate corruption."
The new emphasis on continuity underscores the somber realization by the party's cadre of octogenarian former dissidents that they will be limited in their ability to wipe away the vestiges of five decades of military rule. According to watchdogs, corruption and patronage still run deep and much remains controlled by the armed forces and their allies. Mr. Thein Sein and his top ministers said the elimination of corruption was their key economic goal--they passed an anticorruption law in 2013--but few people have been charged with graft and Myanmar is still ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. (Courtesy of nasdaq.com)
YANGON, Myanmar-- When it forms Myanmar's government next month, the National League for Democracy--led by Aung San Suu Kyi--plans to largely continue the economic policies of the outgoing military-backed administration and won't attempt to shutter businesses linked to the former ruling generals.
"We don't need abrupt changes; we want continuity between our government and the previous one," said Han Tha Myint, who chairs the NLD's economic committee, in an interview last week. "We don't need to turn the present bureaucracy upside down, but at the same time, will find ways to alleviate corruption."
The new emphasis on continuity underscores the somber realization by the party's cadre of octogenarian former dissidents that they will be limited in their ability to wipe away the vestiges of five decades of military rule. According to watchdogs, corruption and patronage still run deep and much remains controlled by the armed forces and their allies. Mr. Thein Sein and his top ministers said the elimination of corruption was their key economic goal--they passed an anticorruption law in 2013--but few people have been charged with graft and Myanmar is still ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. (Courtesy of nasdaq.com)
The 2015 General Election in Myanmar: What Now for Ethnic Politics?
Although the elections were peaceful, significant conflict continued in parts of the Shan and Kachin states. The expectations on the new government are extraordinarily high and all of the challenges facing the country remain as difficult to address as ever.
Projects
Myanmar in Focus
Despite huge challenges, election day in Myanmar passed almost entirely peacefully. Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy triumphed in polls that were regarded by domestic and international observers as remarkably free from irregularities. The scale of the victory, and the apparent willingness of the current government and military authorities to ensure an orderly transfer of power in the coming months, opens up the potential for an optimistic new chapter in Myanmar’s post-independence history.
The hopes and expectations on the new government are extraordinarily high. Yet all of the challenges facing the country remain as difficult to address as ever. One of the most integral to the country’s future will be dealing with the legacy of decades of political divisions, ethnic exclusions and armed conflict that have continued since Myanmar’s independence in 1948. Although the elections themselves were peaceful, significant conflict continued in parts of the Shan and Kachin states, with attacks by the national armed forces (Tatmadaw) unusually intense both before and after the polls. Adding to this uncertainty, while the poll results reflected the nationwide popularity of the NLD, the scale of the NLD landslide under the country’s “first-past-the- post” electoral system has left most ethnic-based political parties with few seats, or none at all. (Courtesy of Transnational Institute))
Projects
Myanmar in Focus
Despite huge challenges, election day in Myanmar passed almost entirely peacefully. Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy triumphed in polls that were regarded by domestic and international observers as remarkably free from irregularities. The scale of the victory, and the apparent willingness of the current government and military authorities to ensure an orderly transfer of power in the coming months, opens up the potential for an optimistic new chapter in Myanmar’s post-independence history.
The hopes and expectations on the new government are extraordinarily high. Yet all of the challenges facing the country remain as difficult to address as ever. One of the most integral to the country’s future will be dealing with the legacy of decades of political divisions, ethnic exclusions and armed conflict that have continued since Myanmar’s independence in 1948. Although the elections themselves were peaceful, significant conflict continued in parts of the Shan and Kachin states, with attacks by the national armed forces (Tatmadaw) unusually intense both before and after the polls. Adding to this uncertainty, while the poll results reflected the nationwide popularity of the NLD, the scale of the NLD landslide under the country’s “first-past-the- post” electoral system has left most ethnic-based political parties with few seats, or none at all. (Courtesy of Transnational Institute))
Prayer protest case highlights pressure
The sentencing of a senior Yangon reporter for taking part in a prayer event on behalf of persecuted colleagues has raised concerns that the military-backed government is not going to relent in its prosecution of journalists during its last few months in office.
Daw Shwe Hmone, chief reporter for Thamaga News Journal who was found guilty of illegal assembly for taking part in an unauthorised prayer protest at a pagoda, said yesterday, “This government has had no desire to allow freedom of the media so far. We need to wait and see under the new government.”
After a trial lasting six months she was convicted on December 18 by a Yangon court for violating Article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly Law for a protest that did not have official approval, held on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2 last year.
She was sentenced to 15 days in jail or payment of a fine of K10,000 (US$7.70). She said she was ready to serve the short prison term but her colleagues paid the fine. Journalists noted that although the prison term was brief, the length of the trial and the time taken to come to court provide the authorities with the means to sustain pressure on dissidents. (Courtesy of MMTimes)
Daw Shwe Hmone, chief reporter for Thamaga News Journal who was found guilty of illegal assembly for taking part in an unauthorised prayer protest at a pagoda, said yesterday, “This government has had no desire to allow freedom of the media so far. We need to wait and see under the new government.”
After a trial lasting six months she was convicted on December 18 by a Yangon court for violating Article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly Law for a protest that did not have official approval, held on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2 last year.
She was sentenced to 15 days in jail or payment of a fine of K10,000 (US$7.70). She said she was ready to serve the short prison term but her colleagues paid the fine. Journalists noted that although the prison term was brief, the length of the trial and the time taken to come to court provide the authorities with the means to sustain pressure on dissidents. (Courtesy of MMTimes)
Myanmar Beer undergoes facelift as it takes on new rivals
December 20, 2015:
Drinkers buying a beer at Yangon’s roadside bar shacks used to face a limited choice: more likely than not, they would order a mug of Myanmar Beer, sometimes with a shot of coarse whisky to give the light local brew an extra kick.
These days there is more variety, thanks to the arrival of Denmark’s Carlsberg and its Dutch rival Heineken, which began brewing in Myanmar this year as economic reforms uncorked a market protected under military rule.
Now, Myanmar Brewery Limited (MBL), the military-linked producer of the old favorite Myanmar Beer and four other brands, faces stiff competition from global giants for a rapidly growing consumer market set to lift beer consumption from among Asia’s lowest.
Just months after opening, Heineken is doing so well it plans to double capacity at its Yangon facility to 50 million liters from 25 million liters, said Lester Tan, managing director at the APB Alliance Brewery Company which produces Heineken.
The company has accelerated an expansion plan it had expected to execute after three or four years, he said.
“Heineken volumes have just gone through the roof, it has taken us all by surprise,” Tan said.
Heineken’s economy brand Regal Seven is “slowly chipping away” at Myanmar Beer’s competitive advantage, he said. (Courtesy of Deal Street Asia)
Drinkers buying a beer at Yangon’s roadside bar shacks used to face a limited choice: more likely than not, they would order a mug of Myanmar Beer, sometimes with a shot of coarse whisky to give the light local brew an extra kick.
These days there is more variety, thanks to the arrival of Denmark’s Carlsberg and its Dutch rival Heineken, which began brewing in Myanmar this year as economic reforms uncorked a market protected under military rule.
Now, Myanmar Brewery Limited (MBL), the military-linked producer of the old favorite Myanmar Beer and four other brands, faces stiff competition from global giants for a rapidly growing consumer market set to lift beer consumption from among Asia’s lowest.
Just months after opening, Heineken is doing so well it plans to double capacity at its Yangon facility to 50 million liters from 25 million liters, said Lester Tan, managing director at the APB Alliance Brewery Company which produces Heineken.
The company has accelerated an expansion plan it had expected to execute after three or four years, he said.
“Heineken volumes have just gone through the roof, it has taken us all by surprise,” Tan said.
Heineken’s economy brand Regal Seven is “slowly chipping away” at Myanmar Beer’s competitive advantage, he said. (Courtesy of Deal Street Asia)
Top global newsmakers this year
From global power players acting out of character to underdogs taking on entire regimes, 2015 saw some stunning comebacks, upsets and turnarounds.
1 STAGGERING CHALLENGES FOLLOW A STUNNING WIN
AUNG SAN SUU KYI
MYANMAR PRO-DEMOCRACY ICON
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent close to two decades in detention under successive military regimes in Myanmar, led her party to a resounding win in the Nov 8 general election.
To millions of her supporters, The Lady - who won the prestigious Nobel Prize in 1991 for her single-minded defiance of the erstwhile military dictatorship - finally got her due.
But the ultimate test lies ahead for Ms Suu Kyi once she forms a government at the end of March next year: How to deliver on expectations in running a diverse and fractious country of some 50 million while leading a party - the National League for Democracy - that has never held power. (Courtesy of The Straits Times)
1 STAGGERING CHALLENGES FOLLOW A STUNNING WIN
AUNG SAN SUU KYI
MYANMAR PRO-DEMOCRACY ICON
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent close to two decades in detention under successive military regimes in Myanmar, led her party to a resounding win in the Nov 8 general election.
To millions of her supporters, The Lady - who won the prestigious Nobel Prize in 1991 for her single-minded defiance of the erstwhile military dictatorship - finally got her due.
But the ultimate test lies ahead for Ms Suu Kyi once she forms a government at the end of March next year: How to deliver on expectations in running a diverse and fractious country of some 50 million while leading a party - the National League for Democracy - that has never held power. (Courtesy of The Straits Times)
Optimism in post-election Myanmar
Several meetings after the November elections between pro-democracy Aung San Suu Kyi and political and military heavyweights have signalled that both sides are working towards a peaceful transition and national reconciliation. This holds key to Myanmar’s economic development.
Myanmar’s historic elections in November ended with a landslide victory for the NLD party. The NLD won almost 80 percent of the contested seats in both the lower and upper houses, giving it a 60 percent majority in each house.
The NLD now enjoys a massive mandate, but the military still plays a significant role in Myanmar’s politics. Since the pivotal elections a month ago, Aung San Suu Kyi has met with departing President Thein Sein, army chief General Min Aung Hlaing, parliamentary speaker (also a former general) Shwe Mann, and most notably with former dictator, Than Shwe to discuss power transition and cooperation.
Meetings with military heavyweights bring hope
While the NLD has secured a majority in the contested seats, the military still holds 25 percent of the seats of both houses. Therefore, although the NLD has control over legislation it does not have control over constitutional amendments, which require 75 percent support from the parliament.
Thus Ms Suu Kyi and her party NLD will have to work closely with the armed forces to continue political reforms. That’s why after the elections, the party leader has downplayed pre-election confrontational rhetoric and called on NLD members to work with the armed forces and former regime members for national reconciliation.(Courtesy of Global Risk Insights)
Myanmar’s historic elections in November ended with a landslide victory for the NLD party. The NLD won almost 80 percent of the contested seats in both the lower and upper houses, giving it a 60 percent majority in each house.
The NLD now enjoys a massive mandate, but the military still plays a significant role in Myanmar’s politics. Since the pivotal elections a month ago, Aung San Suu Kyi has met with departing President Thein Sein, army chief General Min Aung Hlaing, parliamentary speaker (also a former general) Shwe Mann, and most notably with former dictator, Than Shwe to discuss power transition and cooperation.
Meetings with military heavyweights bring hope
While the NLD has secured a majority in the contested seats, the military still holds 25 percent of the seats of both houses. Therefore, although the NLD has control over legislation it does not have control over constitutional amendments, which require 75 percent support from the parliament.
Thus Ms Suu Kyi and her party NLD will have to work closely with the armed forces to continue political reforms. That’s why after the elections, the party leader has downplayed pre-election confrontational rhetoric and called on NLD members to work with the armed forces and former regime members for national reconciliation.(Courtesy of Global Risk Insights)
Buddhism seen fostering core bloc
YANGON - While the Dec. 31 launch of the ASEAN Economic Community is unlikely to create a unified market of 600 million people right away, four countries with a common major religion are expected to form a nucleus within the new economic zone.
Standing tall in central Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda attracts both locals and foreign tourists, including many from Thailand. At some temples in the city, which is the former capital of Myanmar, three to five of every 10 foreign visitors are Thai. In fact, many Thais make pilgrimages to temples in Cambodia and Laos as well, while Thailand is a popular destination among people from neighbouring countries. This is because Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia all share Theravada Buddhism - a school originally spread from India - as a dominant religion.
Formation of a community is said to require a sense of cultural unity, including religion. As the European Union expanded with Christianity as the cultural backbone, Buddhism may play a key role in forging a community among the four countries in Southeast Asia. (Courtesy of AsiaOne Asia News)
Standing tall in central Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda attracts both locals and foreign tourists, including many from Thailand. At some temples in the city, which is the former capital of Myanmar, three to five of every 10 foreign visitors are Thai. In fact, many Thais make pilgrimages to temples in Cambodia and Laos as well, while Thailand is a popular destination among people from neighbouring countries. This is because Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia all share Theravada Buddhism - a school originally spread from India - as a dominant religion.
Formation of a community is said to require a sense of cultural unity, including religion. As the European Union expanded with Christianity as the cultural backbone, Buddhism may play a key role in forging a community among the four countries in Southeast Asia. (Courtesy of AsiaOne Asia News)
Myanmar Beer undergoes facelift as it takes on new rivals
Drinkers buying a beer at Yangon's roadside bar shacks used to face a limited choice: more likely than not, they would order a mug of Myanmar Beer, sometimes with a shot of coarse whisky to give the light local brew an extra kick.
YANGON: Drinkers buying a beer at Yangon's roadside bar shacks used to face a limited choice: more likely than not, they would order a mug of Myanmar Beer, sometimes with a shot of coarse whisky to give the light local brew an extra kick.
These days there is more variety, thanks to the arrival of Denmark's Carlsberg and its Dutch rival Heineken , which began brewing in Myanmar this year as economic reforms uncorked a market protected under military rule.
Now, Myanmar Brewery Limited (MBL), the military-linked producer of the old favorite Myanmar Beer and four other brands, faces stiff competition from global giants for a rapidly growing consumer market set to lift beer consumption from among Asia's lowest. (Courtesy of Channel News Asia)
YANGON: Drinkers buying a beer at Yangon's roadside bar shacks used to face a limited choice: more likely than not, they would order a mug of Myanmar Beer, sometimes with a shot of coarse whisky to give the light local brew an extra kick.
These days there is more variety, thanks to the arrival of Denmark's Carlsberg and its Dutch rival Heineken , which began brewing in Myanmar this year as economic reforms uncorked a market protected under military rule.
Now, Myanmar Brewery Limited (MBL), the military-linked producer of the old favorite Myanmar Beer and four other brands, faces stiff competition from global giants for a rapidly growing consumer market set to lift beer consumption from among Asia's lowest. (Courtesy of Channel News Asia)
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