PARIS – A French NGO worker detained in Bangladesh has been kept in custody despite a court verdict which ordered his release on Tuesday.
Puemo Tchantchuing, who prefers to be known as Moussa Ibn Yacoub, was arrested on Dec. 22 in Bangladesh and was accused of “suspicious activities” and the use of a false identity as the name he uses is not that printed on his passport and identity card.
These charges were punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.
Tchantchuing, an aid worker at the French humanitarian organization BarakaCity was working with the Muslim Rohingya minority who have fled persecution in Myanamr. He had been stopped at a checkpoint while going to schools and orphanages in the south of the country where the Rohingya camps are situated.
A court in Bangladesh ordered the release of the 28-year-old on Tuesday. However, the court decision was “cancelled” on Wednesday and Tchantchuing was kept in custody.
In a statement, BarakaCity said: “We learned that the judge who allowed his [Tchantchuing ] release has been replaced, and that the receipt has been crossed out by hand.” (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
January 14, 2016
BGP kill a Rohingya fisherman in Maungdaw
Maungdaw, Arakan State: A Rohingya fisherman was shot dead by Burmese Border Guard Police (BGP) on Januar10, at around 9:30 pm, while he was fishing at Naff River with along other fishermen, a local fisherman Korim said.
The deceased was identified as— Mohammed Roffique (19), son of Sayed Alam, hailed from Shweza village of Maungdaw Township, the fisherman more added.
Some fishermen went to fishing to the Naff River after getting permission from BGP personnel and some are not, a fisherman said on condition of anonymity.
Rafique accompanied by other fishermen of Shweza village went to the Naff River for catching fish by a row boat on January 10, at night. A patrol boat of BGP personnel of Shweza out post camp saw the fishing boat and called them to stop the fishing, but the fishermen were trying to flee, so, the BGP fired on the fishermen where Rafique was dead on the spot and the other fishermen managed to escape by jumping into the River, said Hamid, a local elder quoting the fleeing fishermen. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
The deceased was identified as— Mohammed Roffique (19), son of Sayed Alam, hailed from Shweza village of Maungdaw Township, the fisherman more added.
Some fishermen went to fishing to the Naff River after getting permission from BGP personnel and some are not, a fisherman said on condition of anonymity.
Rafique accompanied by other fishermen of Shweza village went to the Naff River for catching fish by a row boat on January 10, at night. A patrol boat of BGP personnel of Shweza out post camp saw the fishing boat and called them to stop the fishing, but the fishermen were trying to flee, so, the BGP fired on the fishermen where Rafique was dead on the spot and the other fishermen managed to escape by jumping into the River, said Hamid, a local elder quoting the fleeing fishermen. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
In Myanmar, a Wife’s Wrenching Decision
AKYAB (SITTWE) — How much should you sacrifice to save your husband’s life?
And how much hardship do you inflict on your son to rescue your husband?
Those are the questions Jano Begum faced. Jano, 22, and her husband, Robi Alom, 30, are among the more than one million Muslims who belong to the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, subjected to an ethnic cleansing that a Yale study suggests may amount to genocide.
I’ve written several times over the years about the brutalization of the Rohingya, but I know that for some readers it seems obscure and remote. Why worry about a distant people when there are so many crises in our own backyard? But put yourself in Jano’s situation, as she sits in a hut in a concentration camp here, and think how far you would go to save your spouse. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
And how much hardship do you inflict on your son to rescue your husband?
Those are the questions Jano Begum faced. Jano, 22, and her husband, Robi Alom, 30, are among the more than one million Muslims who belong to the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, subjected to an ethnic cleansing that a Yale study suggests may amount to genocide.
I’ve written several times over the years about the brutalization of the Rohingya, but I know that for some readers it seems obscure and remote. Why worry about a distant people when there are so many crises in our own backyard? But put yourself in Jano’s situation, as she sits in a hut in a concentration camp here, and think how far you would go to save your spouse. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
White sugar surging into Myanmar, smuggled to China
LONDON/BEIJING - Strong flows of white sugar are moving from India and Thailand to Myanmar, a fast-growing destination, and much of that is believed to be smuggled into China, trade sources said.
They said a clampdown on raw sugar import licences by Chinese authorities, a disappointing start to the Chinese harvest due to adverse weather, and high import margins into China, have spurred the trade.
The strong Chinese demand has contributed to pushing up whites-over-raws premiums on the Intercontinental Exchange to in excess of $100 per ton this week, a very comfortable margin for refiners.
White sugar is also believed to be smuggled into China via Laos and Cambodia, trade sources said.
"Shipments from Thailand to Myanmar and Laos have been very heavy in the last couple of months," a Western analyst said. "That's another route into China." (Courtesy of Agweek)
They said a clampdown on raw sugar import licences by Chinese authorities, a disappointing start to the Chinese harvest due to adverse weather, and high import margins into China, have spurred the trade.
The strong Chinese demand has contributed to pushing up whites-over-raws premiums on the Intercontinental Exchange to in excess of $100 per ton this week, a very comfortable margin for refiners.
White sugar is also believed to be smuggled into China via Laos and Cambodia, trade sources said.
"Shipments from Thailand to Myanmar and Laos have been very heavy in the last couple of months," a Western analyst said. "That's another route into China." (Courtesy of Agweek)
Parliament to leave 14 bills for next government term
Myanmar's Lower House of Parliament ruled yesterday that 14 bills, including the Bill for the Protection of the Constitution, would not be discussed during the term of the current parliament.
The Lower House decided to send the bills, which were submitted by the Joint Bill Committee, back to the Union Parliament due to a shortage of time to process the bills. The current parliament’s term will expire at the end of this month. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
The Lower House decided to send the bills, which were submitted by the Joint Bill Committee, back to the Union Parliament due to a shortage of time to process the bills. The current parliament’s term will expire at the end of this month. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
Govt rejects China’s request for timber-based industrial zone in Myanmar
The Myanmar government has rejected China’s requests to purchase timber in log form under a tender system and to build a timber-based industrial zone in Myanmar, said Khin Maung Yi, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry.
Rumours have circulated recently about Myanmar signing an MoU with China to facilitate the trading and cultivating of timber; they have since been dismissed by the Myanmar government.
“The Chinese government’s representative group came to us. We held a discussion with civic organisations. They requested the establishment of a timber-based industrial zone in Myanmar, perhaps in Lashi or Muse, for log trading. Our ministry replied that this would not be possible,” said Khin Maung Yi.
China’s request came after several visits by Myanmar officials to China in an attempt to curb illegal timber smuggling perpetrated by Chinese nationals.
During the Myanmar representatives’ negotiations in China, Chinese officials promised to cooperate and said: “Logs from Myanmar entering through any route and from any region will not be allowed.” (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
Rumours have circulated recently about Myanmar signing an MoU with China to facilitate the trading and cultivating of timber; they have since been dismissed by the Myanmar government.
“The Chinese government’s representative group came to us. We held a discussion with civic organisations. They requested the establishment of a timber-based industrial zone in Myanmar, perhaps in Lashi or Muse, for log trading. Our ministry replied that this would not be possible,” said Khin Maung Yi.
China’s request came after several visits by Myanmar officials to China in an attempt to curb illegal timber smuggling perpetrated by Chinese nationals.
During the Myanmar representatives’ negotiations in China, Chinese officials promised to cooperate and said: “Logs from Myanmar entering through any route and from any region will not be allowed.” (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
Report on hate speech in Myanmar media released
To systematically monitor the use of hate speech through media, PEN Myanmar has been conducting a conflict sensitive media monitoring project, the group said in a statement on 12 January to announce the release of their report ‘Hate Speech:A Study of Print, Movies, Songs and Social Media in Myanmar.’
The project focussed on broadcast media (primarily songs and movies), social media (Facebook) and print media (newspapers, journals, and magazines) from January 2015 to 10 November 2015.
Overall, about 153 Facebook pages were monitored on a daily basis (see graphic). During the observation period, the number of accounts had to be increased depending on the political context of the country. At least 60 % of the pages were active. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
The project focussed on broadcast media (primarily songs and movies), social media (Facebook) and print media (newspapers, journals, and magazines) from January 2015 to 10 November 2015.
Overall, about 153 Facebook pages were monitored on a daily basis (see graphic). During the observation period, the number of accounts had to be increased depending on the political context of the country. At least 60 % of the pages were active. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Vow to boost BD-Myanmar trade
Bangladesh Myanmar Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BMCCI) has elected its new leadership to boost the business relations between the two countries. The Chamber thinks joint collaboration in the areas of connectivity such as road link, airline & shipping routes, telecom and banking channels would help increase the bilateral business.
The chamber said this is the right time for investment and better trade facilitations between the two neighbouring countries. Myanmar could be an opportunity for Bangladesh, considering the country's thrust on 'look-east policy' and entry to the ASEAN marketand Myanmar can also look at Bangladesh as a gateway to exploit market opportunities in SAARC. Myanmar is a country rich in jade & gems, oil, natural gas and other mineral resources. GDP (nominal) in Myanmar is US$64.3 billion in comparison to Bangladesh’s $174 billion. (Courtesy of The Financialexpress BD)
The chamber said this is the right time for investment and better trade facilitations between the two neighbouring countries. Myanmar could be an opportunity for Bangladesh, considering the country's thrust on 'look-east policy' and entry to the ASEAN marketand Myanmar can also look at Bangladesh as a gateway to exploit market opportunities in SAARC. Myanmar is a country rich in jade & gems, oil, natural gas and other mineral resources. GDP (nominal) in Myanmar is US$64.3 billion in comparison to Bangladesh’s $174 billion. (Courtesy of The Financialexpress BD)
Military party awards major projects to China
YANGON -- After a delay of nearly a year, Myanmar's outgoing military-controlled government has awarded Citic Group, China's largest state conglomerate, contracts to develop Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and a nearby deep sea port in Rakhine State close to Myanmar's border with India.
The impoverished and remote area has been blighted by serious sectarian strife in recent years. Parliament approved the development of Kyaukphyu SEZ at the end of December despite criticism of the tender process. The ruling military-linked Union Solidarity and Development Party is in its final weeks after being defeated in a general election in November by the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
The Citic consortium comprises China Harbor Engineering Company, China Merchants Holding, TEDA Investment Holding, Yunnan Construction Engineering Group and Charoen Pokphand Group, a Thai conglomerate. (Courtesy of Nikkei Asian Review)
The impoverished and remote area has been blighted by serious sectarian strife in recent years. Parliament approved the development of Kyaukphyu SEZ at the end of December despite criticism of the tender process. The ruling military-linked Union Solidarity and Development Party is in its final weeks after being defeated in a general election in November by the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
The Citic consortium comprises China Harbor Engineering Company, China Merchants Holding, TEDA Investment Holding, Yunnan Construction Engineering Group and Charoen Pokphand Group, a Thai conglomerate. (Courtesy of Nikkei Asian Review)
The Lady and the Generals
On election night in Myanmar, as results trickled in and it became clear that Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) had won in a landslide, thousands jubilantly crowded outside the party headquarters in Yangon. The air seemed filled with a sense of catharsis — a feeling of deliverance from long suffering under decades of military rule. As one voter said the night of the November 8, 2015 contest, “This is our chance for freedom.”
Yet outside the majority-ethnic Burman lowlands, scenes of exultation were notably absent. While the NLD performed well in these areas, reports indicated disengagement from the electoral process, low voter turnout, and concerns about the NLD’s ability to govern.
Elsewhere, disaffection with electoral politics was the least of concerns. On Election Day in the northern Shan State, the Myanmar military continued bombing the Shan State Army-North. And in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State, Rohingya Muslims spent Election Day confined to camps for the internally displaced — this after anti-Muslim violence swept an area where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have been living in abject exclusion. (Courtesy of Jacobin)
Yet outside the majority-ethnic Burman lowlands, scenes of exultation were notably absent. While the NLD performed well in these areas, reports indicated disengagement from the electoral process, low voter turnout, and concerns about the NLD’s ability to govern.
Elsewhere, disaffection with electoral politics was the least of concerns. On Election Day in the northern Shan State, the Myanmar military continued bombing the Shan State Army-North. And in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State, Rohingya Muslims spent Election Day confined to camps for the internally displaced — this after anti-Muslim violence swept an area where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have been living in abject exclusion. (Courtesy of Jacobin)
Suu Kyi’s surprise attendance seen as boost for Myanmar peace talks
Aung San Suu Kyi’s last-minute decision to join Myanmar peace talks she had previously criticised took some attendees by surprise, and could boost the chances of progress with rebel groups who have so far resisted joining the process.
The democracy champion, who led her party to a landslide election victory in November, shared the stage in the capital Naypyitaw with members of the former military junta, which kept her under house arrest for years and persecuted her allies.
Suu Kyi has already shown she is willing to do business with former foes, and, despite a constitutional ban on her becoming president, has also made clear that she intends to lead the country.
Her appearance at peace talks this week attended by the military, members of parliament and some of the armed guerrilla groups waging local insurgencies across Myanmar underlined that sense of pragmatism, experts said.n (Courtesy of The Morung Express)
The democracy champion, who led her party to a landslide election victory in November, shared the stage in the capital Naypyitaw with members of the former military junta, which kept her under house arrest for years and persecuted her allies.
Suu Kyi has already shown she is willing to do business with former foes, and, despite a constitutional ban on her becoming president, has also made clear that she intends to lead the country.
Her appearance at peace talks this week attended by the military, members of parliament and some of the armed guerrilla groups waging local insurgencies across Myanmar underlined that sense of pragmatism, experts said.n (Courtesy of The Morung Express)
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