Since Burma (also known as Myanmar) began to re-engage with the outside world in 2010, the country has made great strides in liberalizing politically and economically. The military junta has stepped back from running the country, former leading general Thein Sein has accepted defeat after contentious 2015 elections, and the government is now in the hands of National League for Democracy (NDL).
Since officially gaining power in 2016, the NDL has worked to empower its Nobel-Laureate leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, by creating the post of State Counsellor for her, as she is barred by the Constitution from holding the Presidency. Ms. Kyi has shown every intention of further reforming Burma, starting with the recent freeing of its few remaining political prisoners.
Due to Burma’s ongoing economic liberalization, natural resources, and geographic positioning, it has the potential to experience prolonged and rapid growth. While not without risks, Burma offers international investors many new opportunities in 2016. (Courtesy of Global Risk Insights)
April 24, 2016
UK campaign group calls for release of U Gambira
Burma Campaign UK yesterday called for the immediate and unconditional release of U Gambira, and all the remaining political prisoners in Myanmar.
U Gambira was a leader of the 2007 Saffron Revolution and a former political prisoner. He was arrested in 2007 and sentenced to 68 years in prison. He was released in 2012.
On 19 January 2016, he was arrested by around 20 police officers at his hotel room in Mandalay. He was charged under the Myanmar 1947 Immigration Act for illegally crossing the border and entering the country. U Gambira, who now lives in Thailand, travelled to Myanmar to obtain a new passport, and he was able to cross the Thailand-Myanmarborder at an official crossing point without facing any problems. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
U Gambira was a leader of the 2007 Saffron Revolution and a former political prisoner. He was arrested in 2007 and sentenced to 68 years in prison. He was released in 2012.
On 19 January 2016, he was arrested by around 20 police officers at his hotel room in Mandalay. He was charged under the Myanmar 1947 Immigration Act for illegally crossing the border and entering the country. U Gambira, who now lives in Thailand, travelled to Myanmar to obtain a new passport, and he was able to cross the Thailand-Myanmarborder at an official crossing point without facing any problems. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Britain's crumbling colonial heritage laid bare in shocking pictures
From former colonial splendours of the Raj to whaling stations in the South Atlantic, they are far-flung and fast crumbling outposts of Britain’s centuries-old overseas heritage.
The dilapidated and decaying legacies range from mansions and parks that were the pride of India and Burma to churches, cemeteries and plantations fading away from neglect on tropical islands in the Andaman and Caribbean seas.
But a leading British conservation and heritage expert has now made the economic case for Government support to help save colonial and industrial treasures to promote Britain abroad as well as to bolster local regeneration.
“At a time when so much public debate is focussed on Britain’s role in Europe, I think we often forget that we built much of the modern world,” Philip Davies, a former director of English Heritage, told The Telegraph. (Courtesy of telegraph.co.uk)
The dilapidated and decaying legacies range from mansions and parks that were the pride of India and Burma to churches, cemeteries and plantations fading away from neglect on tropical islands in the Andaman and Caribbean seas.
But a leading British conservation and heritage expert has now made the economic case for Government support to help save colonial and industrial treasures to promote Britain abroad as well as to bolster local regeneration.
“At a time when so much public debate is focussed on Britain’s role in Europe, I think we often forget that we built much of the modern world,” Philip Davies, a former director of English Heritage, told The Telegraph. (Courtesy of telegraph.co.uk)
Britain's crumbling colonial heritage laid bare in shocking pictures
From former colonial splendours of the Raj to whaling stations in the South Atlantic, they are far-flung and fast crumbling outposts of Britain’s centuries-old overseas heritage.
The dilapidated and decaying legacies range from mansions and parks that were the pride of India and Burma to churches, cemeteries and plantations fading away from neglect on tropical islands in the Andaman and Caribbean seas.
But a leading British conservation and heritage expert has now made the economic case for Government support to help save colonial and industrial treasures to promote Britain abroad as well as to bolster local regeneration.
“At a time when so much public debate is focussed on Britain’s role in Europe, I think we often forget that we built much of the modern world,” Philip Davies, a former director of English Heritage, told The Telegraph. (Courtesy of telegraph.co.uk)
The dilapidated and decaying legacies range from mansions and parks that were the pride of India and Burma to churches, cemeteries and plantations fading away from neglect on tropical islands in the Andaman and Caribbean seas.
But a leading British conservation and heritage expert has now made the economic case for Government support to help save colonial and industrial treasures to promote Britain abroad as well as to bolster local regeneration.
“At a time when so much public debate is focussed on Britain’s role in Europe, I think we often forget that we built much of the modern world,” Philip Davies, a former director of English Heritage, told The Telegraph. (Courtesy of telegraph.co.uk)
Thein Sein: A Presidential Timeline
Frontier looks back over key events during the term of President U Thein Sein, an unassuming former general whose reforms laid the foundation for a transformed Myanmar.
On March 30, the five-year tenure of President U Thein Sein came to an end. When he took office after the flawed 2010 general election, few expected the diminutive former general who had served as the junta’s prime minister to bring much change to a country that had been under the military’s harsh grip for almost five decades. However, the political, economic and social reforms that he introduced surprised even the most optimistic observers.
Thein Sein’s term was not without controversy, though, and as he handed power to U Htin Kyaw, political prisoners still languish in jail, ethnic conflict persists in parts of the country and a genuinely national ceasefire remains elusive. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)
On March 30, the five-year tenure of President U Thein Sein came to an end. When he took office after the flawed 2010 general election, few expected the diminutive former general who had served as the junta’s prime minister to bring much change to a country that had been under the military’s harsh grip for almost five decades. However, the political, economic and social reforms that he introduced surprised even the most optimistic observers.
Thein Sein’s term was not without controversy, though, and as he handed power to U Htin Kyaw, political prisoners still languish in jail, ethnic conflict persists in parts of the country and a genuinely national ceasefire remains elusive. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)
Villagers in Manipur wary of losing land to Myanmar
Leery of fencing work along Indo-Myanmar border, a committee of about 40 villages in Manipur has announced it will not allow any government official or work inside their area.
"No government agent shall be permitted to enter these border villages," said Ngachomi Ramshang, the general secretary of 'Chandel-Ukhrul Indo-Myanmar Border Land Protection Committee'.
The committee has been formed to represent the people of 40 tribal villages in Ukhrul and Chandel districts who fear that the central and state governments might allow their land to be ceded to Myanmar, Ramshang said.
He said the Information Centre for Hills Areas Manipur (ICHAM) has been undertaking a border survey in the backdrop of the "undenied fact" that Manipur's territory is coveted through "missing" and "reappearing of boundary pillars deep inside Manipur's territory".
ICHAM also represents people who fear loss of their land to the neighbouring country.
India has been constructing a fence along the 1,624-kilometer Indo-Burma border to control smuggling, drug trafficking and insurgency. (Courtesy of thestatesman.com)
"No government agent shall be permitted to enter these border villages," said Ngachomi Ramshang, the general secretary of 'Chandel-Ukhrul Indo-Myanmar Border Land Protection Committee'.
The committee has been formed to represent the people of 40 tribal villages in Ukhrul and Chandel districts who fear that the central and state governments might allow their land to be ceded to Myanmar, Ramshang said.
He said the Information Centre for Hills Areas Manipur (ICHAM) has been undertaking a border survey in the backdrop of the "undenied fact" that Manipur's territory is coveted through "missing" and "reappearing of boundary pillars deep inside Manipur's territory".
ICHAM also represents people who fear loss of their land to the neighbouring country.
India has been constructing a fence along the 1,624-kilometer Indo-Burma border to control smuggling, drug trafficking and insurgency. (Courtesy of thestatesman.com)
Myanmar's USDP Expels 17, Including Former Assembly Speaker
Myanmar's opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party has expelled former party chairman and parliamentary speaker Shwe Mann and 16 of his allies in the military-affiliated party, a senior USDP official said on Saturday.
"About 17 members who are not obeying party rules and disciplines were allowed to leave from the party," Tint Zaw, a member of the USDP's Central Committee, told RFA's Myanmar service.
Tint Zaw said the decision was taken at a meeting of senior party leaders to plan for upcoming by-elections, and that those expelled included Shwe Mann affiliates Aung Ko and Maung Maung Thein.
He did not elaborate on what party rules the party members had violated, but suggested a link between the expulsions and Shwe Mann's decision in February to accept an appointment by incoming leader Aung San Suu Kyi as chairman of the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission. That body supports parliamentary committees as they amend existing laws and draft new legislation. (Courtesy of RFA)
"About 17 members who are not obeying party rules and disciplines were allowed to leave from the party," Tint Zaw, a member of the USDP's Central Committee, told RFA's Myanmar service.
Tint Zaw said the decision was taken at a meeting of senior party leaders to plan for upcoming by-elections, and that those expelled included Shwe Mann affiliates Aung Ko and Maung Maung Thein.
He did not elaborate on what party rules the party members had violated, but suggested a link between the expulsions and Shwe Mann's decision in February to accept an appointment by incoming leader Aung San Suu Kyi as chairman of the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission. That body supports parliamentary committees as they amend existing laws and draft new legislation. (Courtesy of RFA)
Rakhine MPs deny rebel ties
The Arakan National Party (ANP) denied accusations that it had joined hands with the Arakan Army (AA) to create clashes with government forces in order to destabilise Rakhine State.
Tun Aung Kyaw, general secretary of the ANP, was questioned about Facebook accusations that the party collaborated with the AA to destabilise the new state government formed by the National League for Democracy.
The ANP won a majority of seats in the Rakhine State parliament in November's election but the NLD, which only won eight state seats, used its constitutional right to select all the regional governments and chief ministers. The ANP declared it would work in opposition to the new state administration.
Tun Aung Kyaw said the party policy for what is one of the poorest states was that it could never participate in violence. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
Tun Aung Kyaw, general secretary of the ANP, was questioned about Facebook accusations that the party collaborated with the AA to destabilise the new state government formed by the National League for Democracy.
The ANP won a majority of seats in the Rakhine State parliament in November's election but the NLD, which only won eight state seats, used its constitutional right to select all the regional governments and chief ministers. The ANP declared it would work in opposition to the new state administration.
Tun Aung Kyaw said the party policy for what is one of the poorest states was that it could never participate in violence. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
Aung San Suu Kyi must stand up for embattled minorities
Gethin Chamberlain, in his excellent report on the post-election challenges faced by Aung San Suu Kyi and others (News), poses several questions, not least about the plight of the Rohingya Muslim minority who are facing relentless persecution. In addition, the control and the power belong, as ever, to the army, which still holds a quarter of parliamentary seats .
Deep concerns are being expressed and a recent report by the UN Special Rapporteur for Burma has said that “the Rohingya people are gradually been decimated”. Only last week, 65 Rohingyas were drowned as they tried to flee the country in flimsy boats .
The Observer report is timely because it has given us a rare and convincing account of the challenges ahead. Aung San Suu Kyi represents the ambition that Myanmar can become a democratic country and the hope is that she will finally be prepared to stand up for the rights of Muslim people. (Courtesy of The Guardian)
Deep concerns are being expressed and a recent report by the UN Special Rapporteur for Burma has said that “the Rohingya people are gradually been decimated”. Only last week, 65 Rohingyas were drowned as they tried to flee the country in flimsy boats .
The Observer report is timely because it has given us a rare and convincing account of the challenges ahead. Aung San Suu Kyi represents the ambition that Myanmar can become a democratic country and the hope is that she will finally be prepared to stand up for the rights of Muslim people. (Courtesy of The Guardian)
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