Burma’s ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), will hold internal elections starting next week to replace some of its executive committee members who are no longer involved in the party’s activities.
A directive released by the NLD on Tuesday said there are some executive committee members at varying levels who have been expelled or have resigned from the party.
“The NLD has to fill those slots for the sake of the party’s unity and strength,” said the letter signed by Nyan Win, a member of the party’s secretary board, which is comprised of senior party leaders, adding that “any executive committee members who are now in the Union and regional Parliaments” will not be replaced. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
June 8, 2016
Myitsone Dam Resumption Would Prove Suu Kyi’s Downfall
On Saturday, some 40 residents of the Kachin State capital Myitkyina staged a brief protest in front of the Palm Spring Resort. They were demanding a permanent halt to the Chinese-funded Myitsone dam and hydropower project in Kachin State.
The contentious project is sited 26 miles north of Myitkyina, and just downstream from the confluence that forms Burma’s Irrawaddy River.
At the luxury hotel, a meeting was being held between Chinese Ambassador Hong Liang, Chinese investor China Power Investment (CPI) and chairman of the Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP) Tu Ja. They discussed the resumption of the 6,000-megawatt US$3.6-billion Myitsone Dam, which is being pursued earnestly by China. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
The contentious project is sited 26 miles north of Myitkyina, and just downstream from the confluence that forms Burma’s Irrawaddy River.
At the luxury hotel, a meeting was being held between Chinese Ambassador Hong Liang, Chinese investor China Power Investment (CPI) and chairman of the Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP) Tu Ja. They discussed the resumption of the 6,000-megawatt US$3.6-billion Myitsone Dam, which is being pursued earnestly by China. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi Forced to Address Rohingya Muslims Issue
In a recent press conference with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Aung San Suu Kyi, was forced to address the Rohingya issue. Up until then she had been conspicuously silent on the matter, her views were ambiguous and punctuated by an advisory sent from the Burmese Foreign Ministry she leads to foreign ambassadors “not to use the term Rohingya.” As we know this advisement was sent out after Burmese Buddhist nationalists held anti-Rohingya protests, demanding the name not be used. Suu Kyi caved to the extremists, lending more credence to the belief that she is either unwilling or incapable of repulsing the rampant hate perpetrated by fear mongering monks and their followers.
At the press conference Suu Kyi asked for more “space” to resolve the issue, but she also reiterated that the name Rohingya not be used since it is “emotive.” She differentiated herself from the hardliners by stating that the Rohingya should also not be called “Bengali.” Bengali is used derogatively by anti-Rohingyans to imply that Rohingya are illegal immigrants who came from Bangladesh. Other terms that she could have spoken out against include the racist use of “Kalar,” a term analogous to “n*****,” a part of everyday nomenclature and hurled in a dehumanizing fashion at Muslims. Questions remain after the press conference: if Suu Kyi is truly interested in tackling the issue, why is she caving into the demands of extremist nationalists? Why did she bar any Muslims in her National League for Democracy (NLD) party from running in the 2015 elections? Why has her party stated that the Rohingya issue is “not a priority?” These questions will continue to plague Suu Kyi until she makes substantive moves to quell the doubt that her actions have fostered. (Courtesy of chicagomonitor.com)
At the press conference Suu Kyi asked for more “space” to resolve the issue, but she also reiterated that the name Rohingya not be used since it is “emotive.” She differentiated herself from the hardliners by stating that the Rohingya should also not be called “Bengali.” Bengali is used derogatively by anti-Rohingyans to imply that Rohingya are illegal immigrants who came from Bangladesh. Other terms that she could have spoken out against include the racist use of “Kalar,” a term analogous to “n*****,” a part of everyday nomenclature and hurled in a dehumanizing fashion at Muslims. Questions remain after the press conference: if Suu Kyi is truly interested in tackling the issue, why is she caving into the demands of extremist nationalists? Why did she bar any Muslims in her National League for Democracy (NLD) party from running in the 2015 elections? Why has her party stated that the Rohingya issue is “not a priority?” These questions will continue to plague Suu Kyi until she makes substantive moves to quell the doubt that her actions have fostered. (Courtesy of chicagomonitor.com)
Assembly: 13384 Foreigners Staying in J&K; PSA Slapped on 10 Rohingyas
Jammu and Kashmir Government Tuesday said that a total number of 13384 foreigners are staying across the state.
In a written reply in lower house of J&K Legislature to Udhampur lawmaker, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Home Department In charge negated reports of any radicalization among Rohingyas living in J&K.
It said that Srinagar based “Sakhawat” run by Muhammad Ul Umar, SR Institute of Development based at Rambagh is working among Rohingyas in Jammu. It added that members of Jama’at-e-Islami Srinagar too have been helping the Rohingyas in cash and kind from time to time.
“Strict vigil is being kept on the activities of these Rohingyas,” the government said. (Courtesy of kashmirlife.net)
In a written reply in lower house of J&K Legislature to Udhampur lawmaker, Pawan Kumar Gupta, Home Department In charge negated reports of any radicalization among Rohingyas living in J&K.
It said that Srinagar based “Sakhawat” run by Muhammad Ul Umar, SR Institute of Development based at Rambagh is working among Rohingyas in Jammu. It added that members of Jama’at-e-Islami Srinagar too have been helping the Rohingyas in cash and kind from time to time.
“Strict vigil is being kept on the activities of these Rohingyas,” the government said. (Courtesy of kashmirlife.net)
Rohingya: A challenge for ASEAN society
The plight of the Rohingya people in Myanmar has attracted the world’s attention for years. In May 2015, the Rohingya refugee crisis grabbed international headlines when tens of thousands of Rohingya fled from Myanmar’s state-sponsored persecution in overcrowded boats heading toward Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Myanmar’s government views the Rohingya as illegal citizens and describes them as immigrants from Bangladesh, despite the group having inhabited Rakhine state since the 16th century. Government policies bar them from praying, obtaining education or getting married. Many children have witnessed their parents killed by the junta regime, as if the Rohingya people were delinquent evildoers.(Courtesy of thejakartapost.com)
Myanmar’s government views the Rohingya as illegal citizens and describes them as immigrants from Bangladesh, despite the group having inhabited Rakhine state since the 16th century. Government policies bar them from praying, obtaining education or getting married. Many children have witnessed their parents killed by the junta regime, as if the Rohingya people were delinquent evildoers.(Courtesy of thejakartapost.com)
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