Human rights advocates have called for the governments of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia to end the indefinite detention of Rohingya refugees in immigration facilities and government-operated shelters and camps.
Nearly a year after the regional refugee crisis involving Rohingya migrants made headlines across the globe, no durable solution has been found to end their plight, representatives from the non-profit organisation Fortify Rights and the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) said yesterday. They released a joint report, drawing attention to the refugees' continued lack of protection.
Those who landed safely on shore were shuffled away to immigration detention centres (IDCs) and are still being held there, said Amy Smith, executive director of Fortify Rights. (Courtesy of Bangkok Post: News)
March 12, 2016
What now for Myanmar's Suu Kyi and her presidential proxy?
Htin Kyaw, a former driver for Aung San Suu Kyi and a close friend, was nominated to be Myanmar's first civilian president in decades Thursday.
He will act as a proxy for Suu Kyi who is barred from the presidency by the military-drafted constitution because she has foreign-born children.
So what now for Suu Kyi and the impoverished but hopeful nation she plans to lead from behind the scenes?
What happens next?
Htin Kyaw has been nominated but still needs to be assessed for suitability by the same constitution that bars Suu Kyi and then voted into office by Myanmar's two legislatures over the coming days.
Barring last minute upsets, that vote should be a forgone conclusion -- both houses are comfortably dominated by Suu Kyi's party.
He will take over from outgoing army-backed president Thein Sein on March 31. In the meantime, Suu Kyi will pick her cabinet and her government will start operating in earnest from early April. (Courtesy of AFP)
He will act as a proxy for Suu Kyi who is barred from the presidency by the military-drafted constitution because she has foreign-born children.
So what now for Suu Kyi and the impoverished but hopeful nation she plans to lead from behind the scenes?
What happens next?
Htin Kyaw has been nominated but still needs to be assessed for suitability by the same constitution that bars Suu Kyi and then voted into office by Myanmar's two legislatures over the coming days.
Barring last minute upsets, that vote should be a forgone conclusion -- both houses are comfortably dominated by Suu Kyi's party.
He will take over from outgoing army-backed president Thein Sein on March 31. In the meantime, Suu Kyi will pick her cabinet and her government will start operating in earnest from early April. (Courtesy of AFP)
Suu Kyi's candidates for Myanmar president pass the first test
The upper and lower houses of the Burmese parliament on Friday chose as presidential nominees Htin Kyaw and Henry Van Thoi, candidates vetted by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party.
It is expected that Myanmar's Armed Forces will propose their candidate early next week, when the nominations for the presidential elections will be concluded.
In a plenary session held next week, the parliament is to decide who will become the next Myanmar president for the next five years.
Kyaw, elected by the lower house and Thoi,chosen by the upper house, met the expectations of today since the National League for Democracy has a majority in both legislative bodies after its landslide election win on Nov. 8, 2015.
Members of the Armed Forces, who have a quarter of seats reserved in the parliament under the 2008 Constitution, did not participate in the nominations since the military has its own candidate. (Courtesy of laprensasa)
It is expected that Myanmar's Armed Forces will propose their candidate early next week, when the nominations for the presidential elections will be concluded.
In a plenary session held next week, the parliament is to decide who will become the next Myanmar president for the next five years.
Kyaw, elected by the lower house and Thoi,chosen by the upper house, met the expectations of today since the National League for Democracy has a majority in both legislative bodies after its landslide election win on Nov. 8, 2015.
Members of the Armed Forces, who have a quarter of seats reserved in the parliament under the 2008 Constitution, did not participate in the nominations since the military has its own candidate. (Courtesy of laprensasa)
Htin Kyaw, Henry Van Thio Confirmed as VP Nominees
As expected, the Union parliament on Friday morning confirmed National League for Democracy members U Htin Kyaw and U Henry Van Thio as vice-presidential candidates.
U Htin Kyaw received the endorsement of 274 of the 330 civilian lawmakers in the Pyithu Hluttaw. The Lower House’s 110 military lawmakers are currently caucusing separately to determine their vice-presidential nominee.
Outgoing vice-president Dr Sai Mauk Kham, who was nominated by the Union Solidarity and Development Party, received 29 votes, one vote short of the USDP’s current Pyithu representation after the party’s crushing election defeat last November. The vote had 14 invalid ballots and 13 absences.
In the Amyotha Hluttaw, Henry Van Thio, elected to represent the chamber’s Chin-3 constituency last year, received an emphatic endorsement of 148 votes from a total of 168 civilian lawmakers. USDP candidate U Khin Aung Myint, the Amyotha Hluttaw speaker during the last term of parliament, received 13 votes, with 6 invalid ballots cast.
Former government minister U Soe Thane, who successfully contested Kayah-9 as an independent last year, was the sole absence. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)
U Htin Kyaw received the endorsement of 274 of the 330 civilian lawmakers in the Pyithu Hluttaw. The Lower House’s 110 military lawmakers are currently caucusing separately to determine their vice-presidential nominee.
Outgoing vice-president Dr Sai Mauk Kham, who was nominated by the Union Solidarity and Development Party, received 29 votes, one vote short of the USDP’s current Pyithu representation after the party’s crushing election defeat last November. The vote had 14 invalid ballots and 13 absences.
In the Amyotha Hluttaw, Henry Van Thio, elected to represent the chamber’s Chin-3 constituency last year, received an emphatic endorsement of 148 votes from a total of 168 civilian lawmakers. USDP candidate U Khin Aung Myint, the Amyotha Hluttaw speaker during the last term of parliament, received 13 votes, with 6 invalid ballots cast.
Former government minister U Soe Thane, who successfully contested Kayah-9 as an independent last year, was the sole absence. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)
UNESCO facilitates consultation on Right to Information Law in Myanmar
UNESCO and the Ministry of Information facilitated a consultation meeting on the Right to Information (RTI) Law in Yangon on 9 March 2016, the UN body said in a statement. The meeting was widely attended by diverse stakeholders, including News Media Council (NMC), journalist associations, media houses, national and international Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and senior representatives of the National League for Democracy (NLD).
The meeting was opened by Sardar Umar Alam, Head of Office, UNESCO Myanmar, who noted that the objective of the consultation was to provide a platform to build a common understanding on the core principles comprising the Right to Information (RTI) Law for Myanmar, and to deliberate on the strengths and weaknesses of the draft prepared by the Ministry of Information. The draft law was shared with CSOs and Media stakeholders prior to the meeting, and various stakeholders including Centre for Law and Democracy, Article 19, SEAPA, Mizzima Media Group and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative provided in-depth technical feedback, and recommendations to overcome the gaps and shortfalls of the draft law for further discussion at the meeting. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
The meeting was opened by Sardar Umar Alam, Head of Office, UNESCO Myanmar, who noted that the objective of the consultation was to provide a platform to build a common understanding on the core principles comprising the Right to Information (RTI) Law for Myanmar, and to deliberate on the strengths and weaknesses of the draft prepared by the Ministry of Information. The draft law was shared with CSOs and Media stakeholders prior to the meeting, and various stakeholders including Centre for Law and Democracy, Article 19, SEAPA, Mizzima Media Group and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative provided in-depth technical feedback, and recommendations to overcome the gaps and shortfalls of the draft law for further discussion at the meeting. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
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