Anti-Islamic sentiment is brewing in Thailand, spurred-on by Buddhist monks who feel that their religion is under threat from Islam.
This fear mongering has been exacerbated by the ongoing political conflict within Thai Buddhism, the 12-year-old armed-insurgency in Thailand’s deep south, and the growing influence of Buddhist radicals in neighboring Myanmar.
Bangkok-based Buddhist monk Maha Aphichat is unafraid of speaking his mind. The 30-year-old gained notoriety last October, after he urged Thai Buddhists on social media to burn down a mosque for every monk killed in the country's Malay-Muslim dominated south. (Courtesy of Channel NewsAsia)
February 9, 2016
Myanmar's union parliament sets date for presidential run
Myanmar's union parliament on Monday announced March 17 as the date for three groups of the union parliament representatives to nominate their respective candidates for the presidential run.
The three candidates are to be nominated respectively from the group of elected house of representatives (Lower House), the group of elected house of nationalities (Upper House) and the group from military-nominated representatives, Xinhua news agency reported.
The candidate who wins the most number of votes will be the president, while the remaining two will be vice presidents. (Courtesy of Business Standard News)
The three candidates are to be nominated respectively from the group of elected house of representatives (Lower House), the group of elected house of nationalities (Upper House) and the group from military-nominated representatives, Xinhua news agency reported.
The candidate who wins the most number of votes will be the president, while the remaining two will be vice presidents. (Courtesy of Business Standard News)
Japan turning to Myanmar for more technical trainees, but for how long?
A labor shortage in Japan has prompted many companies to look to Myanmar for cheap labor, but other nations in Asia are doing exactly the same--and the pot is growing smaller.
Japan's thirst for cheap labor using foreign technical trainees has led to charges that it is exploiting overseas nationals, an issue about which Takashi Miyajima, professor emeritus of sociology at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo, has a lot to say.
"Although technical trainees are allowed into Japan as 'laborers,' they cannot change jobs if they become dissatisfied with their pay," he said. "Changes should be made to provide the technical trainees with the same wages received by Japanese doing the same work and to give them the freedom to change jobs." (Courtesy of AJW Asahi Shimbun)
Japan's thirst for cheap labor using foreign technical trainees has led to charges that it is exploiting overseas nationals, an issue about which Takashi Miyajima, professor emeritus of sociology at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo, has a lot to say.
"Although technical trainees are allowed into Japan as 'laborers,' they cannot change jobs if they become dissatisfied with their pay," he said. "Changes should be made to provide the technical trainees with the same wages received by Japanese doing the same work and to give them the freedom to change jobs." (Courtesy of AJW Asahi Shimbun)
Myanmar’s President Urges MPs to Safeguard Country’s Constitution
Myanmar's President Thein Sein called on lawmakers on Monday to safeguard the country’s constitution by amending or nullifying existing laws only in accordance with the charter’s terms.
The move comes amid widespread local media reports that the new National League for Democracy (NLD) party-led parliament could soon suspend a provision barring pro-democracy politician Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president.
Thein Sein’s comment came a day after two pro-government television channels—Sky Net and Myanmar National Television—reported that “positive results” could come from negotiations between NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and military commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing about the suspension of Article 59(f).
The article in the 2008 constitution, which was drafted when a military junta ruled the country, bars anyone with foreign spouses or children from becoming president. This includes Aung San Suu Kyi, whose two sons are British nationals, as was her late husband.
Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party won the Nov. 8 general elections by a landslide, has said that she will operate above the president, who will likely be another NLD politician. (Courtesy of RFA)
The move comes amid widespread local media reports that the new National League for Democracy (NLD) party-led parliament could soon suspend a provision barring pro-democracy politician Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president.
Thein Sein’s comment came a day after two pro-government television channels—Sky Net and Myanmar National Television—reported that “positive results” could come from negotiations between NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and military commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing about the suspension of Article 59(f).
The article in the 2008 constitution, which was drafted when a military junta ruled the country, bars anyone with foreign spouses or children from becoming president. This includes Aung San Suu Kyi, whose two sons are British nationals, as was her late husband.
Aung San Suu Kyi, whose party won the Nov. 8 general elections by a landslide, has said that she will operate above the president, who will likely be another NLD politician. (Courtesy of RFA)
Mercy for Myanmar's military?
As she prepares to wield power in Myanmar’s legislature in April after a historic election, Aung San Suu Kyi is giving this advice to all those who suffered under the country’s military rule over the past half century: Set aside a desire for revenge against the Army.
“The Lady,” as Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi is known, can be forgiven for being so forgiving – despite the military’s long record of atrocities against political, ethnic, and religious groups. For one, she carries moral weight from being put under house arrest herself for 15 years as a result of her advocacy for democracy. And two, like Nelson Mandela who came out of prison to rule post-apartheid South Africa, she has practical reasons not to seek immediate retribution against a still-powerful elite. (Courtesy of CSMonitor.com)
“The Lady,” as Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi is known, can be forgiven for being so forgiving – despite the military’s long record of atrocities against political, ethnic, and religious groups. For one, she carries moral weight from being put under house arrest herself for 15 years as a result of her advocacy for democracy. And two, like Nelson Mandela who came out of prison to rule post-apartheid South Africa, she has practical reasons not to seek immediate retribution against a still-powerful elite. (Courtesy of CSMonitor.com)
Myanmar Might Get a Woman President Before the United States Does
Myanmar might get its first woman president before the United States does, even though the leading candidate — Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi — is, at least for now, constitutionally ineligible for the job. Back in November, the National League for Democracy party, which is led by Suu Kyi, won national elections by a landslide, ending decades of military rule. As Suu Kyi — who spent 21 years as a political prisoner before her release in 2010 — is the clear favorite to become president, the NLD is in talks with commander-in-chief General Min Aung Hlaing to get around the law, and the negotiation is going well, The Guardian reports.
Myanmar's constitution (chapter three, no 59(f), if you want to get really specific) requires that "he himself, one of the parents, the spouse, one of the legitimate children or their spouses not owe allegiance to a foreign power." That he suggests that only a man can be elected president, although, fortunately, nobody seems to be trying to make that point. On top of that, and less arguably, Suu Kyi's late husband, as well as both of her sons, were and are British, making her ineligible. There's also a clause that necessitates the president have military experience (she doesn't). Since 25 percent of seats in both houses of parliament are reserved for the military, and the NLD has most but not all of the rest, it will need to pull some military leaders over to its side to override that clause of the constitution. (Doing so will require 75 percent of the vote.) (Courtesy of NYMag)
Myanmar's constitution (chapter three, no 59(f), if you want to get really specific) requires that "he himself, one of the parents, the spouse, one of the legitimate children or their spouses not owe allegiance to a foreign power." That he suggests that only a man can be elected president, although, fortunately, nobody seems to be trying to make that point. On top of that, and less arguably, Suu Kyi's late husband, as well as both of her sons, were and are British, making her ineligible. There's also a clause that necessitates the president have military experience (she doesn't). Since 25 percent of seats in both houses of parliament are reserved for the military, and the NLD has most but not all of the rest, it will need to pull some military leaders over to its side to override that clause of the constitution. (Doing so will require 75 percent of the vote.) (Courtesy of NYMag)
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