Daw Aung San Suu Kyi should never be allowed to become president by changing the constitution, according to a hard-hitting opinion piece published in the military-owned Myawady newspaper yesterday.
The column, prominently flagged on the front page of the Tatmadaw’s mouthpiece, declared that section 59(f) of the military-drafted constitution, which effectively bars the National League for Democracy leader from being head of government, should not be changed “for all eternity” out of “national interest”.
Myawady chose to publish the column on the day of the opening of the new NLD-dominated parliament amid recent speculation that the military might relent and agree to change the constitution, or waive that particular article, in order to allow Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to take on the mantle of the presidency, perhaps after a year or so. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
February 3, 2016
Rakhine government builds homes for displaced people
The Rakhine State government has started building new homes in six villages in Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U townships for civilians who fled fighting between the Arakan Army (AA) and the military last month.
District and township authorities, as well as police, had ordered IDPs (internally displaced people) to leave the temporary camps that had been established in Buddhist monasteries by January 20. The regional government is using its budget to build the new homes.
A state government official told The Myanmar Times yesterday that they were still building the wooden houses for the IDPs and that they would total nearly 100 homes for over 300 people. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
District and township authorities, as well as police, had ordered IDPs (internally displaced people) to leave the temporary camps that had been established in Buddhist monasteries by January 20. The regional government is using its budget to build the new homes.
A state government official told The Myanmar Times yesterday that they were still building the wooden houses for the IDPs and that they would total nearly 100 homes for over 300 people. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
Direct challenge to Myanmar's military mooted over presidential vote
A veteran ally of Aung San Suu Kyi has declared the 70-year-old Nobel laureate must be Myanmar's next president, fuelling speculation her party is considering a direct challenge to the country's powerful military.
Tin Oo, a former defence minister and commander-in-chief, dismissed reports he would be nominated for the position only a day after Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy took control of the parliament after a thumping victory at elections last November.
"Daw (Ms) Aung San Suu Kyi must be president," Mr Tin Oo, 88, was quoted as saying by the Myanmar Times. "Why can't she be president? I am just a supporter for her. I never want to be president." (Courtesy of smh.com.au)
Tin Oo, a former defence minister and commander-in-chief, dismissed reports he would be nominated for the position only a day after Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy took control of the parliament after a thumping victory at elections last November.
"Daw (Ms) Aung San Suu Kyi must be president," Mr Tin Oo, 88, was quoted as saying by the Myanmar Times. "Why can't she be president? I am just a supporter for her. I never want to be president." (Courtesy of smh.com.au)
Fraud Probe Alleges Chinese Firm Sent Money to Myanmar Insurgents
A Chinese finance company at the centre of a multi-billion dollar fraud investigation is believed to have sent money to territory under the jurisdiction of Myanmar’s largest ethnic armed group, according to Chinese media reports.
State media outlet Xinhua reported on Monday that 21 people had been arrested for their involvement with Ezubo, an online peer-to-peer lender. Authorities alleged the service had defrauded nearly one million investors of more than 50 billion yuan (US$7.6 billion) and illegally possessed a cache of firearms.
Among those arrested were Ding Ning, chairman of Ezubo’s parent company Yucheng Group. According to the Caixan Online news service, Ding was born in eastern China and has since become a Myanmar citizen. Ding had been detained in December after authorities froze the company’s assets, sparking protests by outraged investors at the company’s Beijing office.
Sources familiar with the Chinese police investigation told Caixan that Yucheng Group and its subsidiary had sent $1.5 billion to territory in Myanmar controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) near the Chinese border. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)
State media outlet Xinhua reported on Monday that 21 people had been arrested for their involvement with Ezubo, an online peer-to-peer lender. Authorities alleged the service had defrauded nearly one million investors of more than 50 billion yuan (US$7.6 billion) and illegally possessed a cache of firearms.
Among those arrested were Ding Ning, chairman of Ezubo’s parent company Yucheng Group. According to the Caixan Online news service, Ding was born in eastern China and has since become a Myanmar citizen. Ding had been detained in December after authorities froze the company’s assets, sparking protests by outraged investors at the company’s Beijing office.
Sources familiar with the Chinese police investigation told Caixan that Yucheng Group and its subsidiary had sent $1.5 billion to territory in Myanmar controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) near the Chinese border. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)
Thailand blocks trucks carrying goods from Myanmar
Although Myanmar allows trucks from Thailand to enter through the Mawtaung border gate, Thai authorities have begun preventing trucks from Myanmar from enter Thailand, sources say.
There are restrictions at the Sinkhun border gate, as it is a temporary border crossing.
“We are depending on the Sinkhun border gate as we are selling our products in a market in Thailand. Our trucks cannot go beyond the Thai immigration checkpoint. This increases our expenses as we have to unload the goods from the trucks. I want to request that the Thai authorities allow the trucks from Myanmar to enter the market directly,” said a vendor from Mawtaung. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
There are restrictions at the Sinkhun border gate, as it is a temporary border crossing.
“We are depending on the Sinkhun border gate as we are selling our products in a market in Thailand. Our trucks cannot go beyond the Thai immigration checkpoint. This increases our expenses as we have to unload the goods from the trucks. I want to request that the Thai authorities allow the trucks from Myanmar to enter the market directly,” said a vendor from Mawtaung. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
Myanmar warns of EI Nino drought in Mandalay region
Myanmar agricultural authorities has warned of possible drought caused by EI Nino in northern Mandalay, a major agricultural base, in March and April, an official report said Tuesday.
The possible drought could impact crops, said the report issued by the region's supervisory committee for efficient water use in agriculture.
Following the release of the drought warning, all departments concerned are taking necessary measures for EI Nino, the report said.
Mandalay region is set to use 40,500 hectares of farmland for summer cultivation this year, the report added. (Courtesy of Shanghai Daily)
The possible drought could impact crops, said the report issued by the region's supervisory committee for efficient water use in agriculture.
Following the release of the drought warning, all departments concerned are taking necessary measures for EI Nino, the report said.
Mandalay region is set to use 40,500 hectares of farmland for summer cultivation this year, the report added. (Courtesy of Shanghai Daily)
People still live in this 10-acre abandoned theme park in Myanmar
In 1997 some of the most powerful men in Myanmar’s dictatorship gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a glitzy new theme park by Yangon's city zoo.
Set in the then-capital, the park with its merry-go-rounds featuring brightly coloured ponies, a kiddies’ play hall and a games arcade, was probably not the most sinister project the notoriously brutal military rulers had ever cooked up.
In fact the generals seemed to hope it would help distract an isolated population from the realities of life under tyranny. State media branded the theme park a “recreation centre for the people” and boasted of “world class ... modern games.” (Courtesy of mashable.com)
Set in the then-capital, the park with its merry-go-rounds featuring brightly coloured ponies, a kiddies’ play hall and a games arcade, was probably not the most sinister project the notoriously brutal military rulers had ever cooked up.
In fact the generals seemed to hope it would help distract an isolated population from the realities of life under tyranny. State media branded the theme park a “recreation centre for the people” and boasted of “world class ... modern games.” (Courtesy of mashable.com)
Impediments to installing democratic govt in Myanmar remain: US
With Myanmar's new Parliament beginning session, the US has hailed the development as a "very important step forward" but cautioned that impediments to realisation of full democratic government remain.
"Millions of people around the country, including many voting for the first time, elected their representatives on the 8th of November of last year," State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference, during which he "congratulated" all the elected members of the new parliament of Myanmar, which the US still calls as Burma.
The session yesterday marked a historic turnaround for the National League for pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's Democracy party, which for years was suppressed by the military. (Courtesy of Business Standard News)
"Millions of people around the country, including many voting for the first time, elected their representatives on the 8th of November of last year," State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters at his daily news conference, during which he "congratulated" all the elected members of the new parliament of Myanmar, which the US still calls as Burma.
The session yesterday marked a historic turnaround for the National League for pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's Democracy party, which for years was suppressed by the military. (Courtesy of Business Standard News)
Swedish officials visit Rohingya and Rakhine people in Myanmar
Representatives from Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm visited Myanmar in the end of January 2016. The Deputy Head of the Department for Asia and the Pacific, Erik Widman, joined by Elenore Kanter and Christian Fogelström from the same department, spending four days meeting local and international partners as well as the NLD.
They also visited Rakhine state to learn more about the situation there, including visiting camps for displaced Rohingya and Rakhine people and meeting with the Chief Minister for Rakhine. (Courtesy of scandasia.com/)
They also visited Rakhine state to learn more about the situation there, including visiting camps for displaced Rohingya and Rakhine people and meeting with the Chief Minister for Rakhine. (Courtesy of scandasia.com/)
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