In an important move that is being cautiously welcomed by human rights organizations who work on Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi has announced the creation of an Advisory Commission to find “lasting solutions” to the manifold issues affecting Western Rakhine State.
Much of the coverage of the creation of the commission has focused on the appointment of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, which provides it a semblance of independence and neutrality. What hasn’t been commented upon is the fact that not a single Rohingya Muslim leader or representative has been appointed to the commission.
Instead, the true purpose of the commission has been called into question, as Suu Kyi has made two controversial choices to represent the Rakhine: U Win Mra and Saw Khin Tint. Both Rakhine representatives have “engaged in denial of mass atrocity crimes committed by extremist Buddhist nationalists.” (Courtesy of chicagomonitor.com)
August 31, 2016
UN Chief Addresses Rohginya Issue Ahead of Peace Talks
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Burma to improve living conditions for its Rohingya Muslim minority on Tuesday, ahead of peace talks between leader Aung San Suu Kyi and many of the country’s ethnic armed rebel groups.
Burma’s 1.1 million Rohingya will not be represented at the conference starting on Wednesday, but the fact Ban raised their plight—and used the term for the group that is divisive in Burma—may add to international pressure on Suu Kyi to address the issue.
“The government has assured me about its commitment to address the roots of the problem,” Ban told a news conference in the capital Naypyidaw. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
Burma’s 1.1 million Rohingya will not be represented at the conference starting on Wednesday, but the fact Ban raised their plight—and used the term for the group that is divisive in Burma—may add to international pressure on Suu Kyi to address the issue.
“The government has assured me about its commitment to address the roots of the problem,” Ban told a news conference in the capital Naypyidaw. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
Ban Ki-moon tells Myanmar world concerned about Rohingya
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Myanmar on Tuesday that the world is very concerned about the tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees who have been living for more than four years in camps in northern Rakhine state after fleeing violence from the Buddhist majority.
“They deserve hope,” Ban said at a joint news conference with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. “All of Myanmar’s people, of every ethnicity and background, should be able to live in equality and harmony, side by side with their neighbors.”
Ban is in Myanmar to attend peace talks aimed at ending half a century of conflict between the government and the country’s many armed ethnic minority groups. The talks begin Wednesday in Naypyitaw, the capital. About 2,000 delegates and guests are expected to attend the opening ceremony. (Courtesy of wtop.com)
“They deserve hope,” Ban said at a joint news conference with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. “All of Myanmar’s people, of every ethnicity and background, should be able to live in equality and harmony, side by side with their neighbors.”
Ban is in Myanmar to attend peace talks aimed at ending half a century of conflict between the government and the country’s many armed ethnic minority groups. The talks begin Wednesday in Naypyitaw, the capital. About 2,000 delegates and guests are expected to attend the opening ceremony. (Courtesy of wtop.com)
Myanmar group targets Kofi Annan; uses Morgan Freeman photo
A prominent anti-Muslim group of Buddhist nationalists in Myanmar is criticizing former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on social media, and accidentally taking actor Morgan Freeman down with him.
Myanmar’s government announced last week that Annan will lead an advisory panel aimed at finding “lasting solutions” to the conflict in Rakhine state, where human rights groups have documented widespread abuses against minority Rohingya Muslims. The group Ma Ba Tha, led by Buddhist monks, has been accused of helping to incite violence in the region that left hundreds of Muslims dead in 2012.
Ma Ba Tha condemned Annan’s involvement in a Facebook post Monday that called him “a funny-looking and disrespectful person cannot talk about our own issues in the country.” It also called Annan, who is from Ghana, a “kalar,” a slur used in Myanmar against Muslims and Indians. (Courtesy of wtop.com)
Myanmar’s government announced last week that Annan will lead an advisory panel aimed at finding “lasting solutions” to the conflict in Rakhine state, where human rights groups have documented widespread abuses against minority Rohingya Muslims. The group Ma Ba Tha, led by Buddhist monks, has been accused of helping to incite violence in the region that left hundreds of Muslims dead in 2012.
Ma Ba Tha condemned Annan’s involvement in a Facebook post Monday that called him “a funny-looking and disrespectful person cannot talk about our own issues in the country.” It also called Annan, who is from Ghana, a “kalar,” a slur used in Myanmar against Muslims and Indians. (Courtesy of wtop.com)
Myanmar army attacks SSPP/SSA ahead of Panglong Conference
Less than a week ahead of Myanmar’s historic 21st Century Panglong Conference, the Myanmar army has launched an offensive against the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) in northern Shan State's Lashio District, according to an SSPP/SSA official.
Maj. Sai Hsu, the spokesperson of the SSPP/SSA, said that the fighting broke out yesterday near the village of Kong Ark Lieng in Mong Gao tract of Tangyan Township, Lashio District, when a Myanmar government unit under the control of North Eastern Command violated SSPP/SSA territory.
“A Tatmadaw [government forces] unit under command of Tangyan attacked us,” he said. “The fighting lasted from 4:15pm to 6pm on Sunday. And then at 7pm, they attacked us again with artillery.” (Courtesy of mizzima.com)
Maj. Sai Hsu, the spokesperson of the SSPP/SSA, said that the fighting broke out yesterday near the village of Kong Ark Lieng in Mong Gao tract of Tangyan Township, Lashio District, when a Myanmar government unit under the control of North Eastern Command violated SSPP/SSA territory.
“A Tatmadaw [government forces] unit under command of Tangyan attacked us,” he said. “The fighting lasted from 4:15pm to 6pm on Sunday. And then at 7pm, they attacked us again with artillery.” (Courtesy of mizzima.com)
Myanmar to hold historic peace talks with ethnic armies
Peace talks aimed at ending more than half a century of conflict between Myanmar's army and an array of armed ethnic rebel groups are due to start in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Wednesday.
The talks are the first formal peace negotiations since Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party swept elections last November and took office in April, vowing that national unity would be its top priority.
Suu Kyi is expected to address the five-day conference, along with the powerful head of the nation's military, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and representatives of at least 17 of the 20 main armed groups. Hundreds of delegates are expected to attend. (Courtesy of bigstory.ap.org)
The talks are the first formal peace negotiations since Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party swept elections last November and took office in April, vowing that national unity would be its top priority.
Suu Kyi is expected to address the five-day conference, along with the powerful head of the nation's military, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and representatives of at least 17 of the 20 main armed groups. Hundreds of delegates are expected to attend. (Courtesy of bigstory.ap.org)
Myanmar and China – Is Daw Suu Kyi The Pivot?
Myanmar’s State Counsellor and head of the National League for Democracy (NLD) Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has just concluded a five- day (Aug 17-21) official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese premier Li Keqiang. She was accorded the protocol of a visiting prime minister of a country that the Chinese leaders see not only as being of economic importance but also of great strategic interest.
Is the Chinese leadership viewing her as more acceptable than Myanmar’s military, the Tatmadaw?Some have questioned whether Su Kyi is a rising star or a fading beacon. The Chinese seem to regard her as a rising star, for at least the near future. Suu Kyi remains debarred from the post of president of Myanmar by the 2008 constitution. Despite the huge victory of the NLD in the last election, the army retained by law 25 per cent of the seats in parliament to block any amendments to the constitution. Nevertheless, Suu Kyi was confident enough to say, even before the president was elected, that she would control the presidency. President U Htin Kyaw, a long time aide of Su Kyi, was handpicked by her without opposition. Her power and acceptance by the people is palpable. She chose her official position as State Counsellor, a post that did not exist before. After deliberations she also chose to become foreign minister. These two posts give Suu Kyi a very wide range of powers both internally and internationally. Even if much is mentioned in the international media about her one must remember that she is a Nobel Laureate for peace, and has an international status above just politics. (Courtesy of slguardian.org)
Is the Chinese leadership viewing her as more acceptable than Myanmar’s military, the Tatmadaw?Some have questioned whether Su Kyi is a rising star or a fading beacon. The Chinese seem to regard her as a rising star, for at least the near future. Suu Kyi remains debarred from the post of president of Myanmar by the 2008 constitution. Despite the huge victory of the NLD in the last election, the army retained by law 25 per cent of the seats in parliament to block any amendments to the constitution. Nevertheless, Suu Kyi was confident enough to say, even before the president was elected, that she would control the presidency. President U Htin Kyaw, a long time aide of Su Kyi, was handpicked by her without opposition. Her power and acceptance by the people is palpable. She chose her official position as State Counsellor, a post that did not exist before. After deliberations she also chose to become foreign minister. These two posts give Suu Kyi a very wide range of powers both internally and internationally. Even if much is mentioned in the international media about her one must remember that she is a Nobel Laureate for peace, and has an international status above just politics. (Courtesy of slguardian.org)
PM Narendra Modi: ‘Road map and action agenda’ with Myanmar now evolved
Leaders of India and Myanmar held extensive talks on Monday to bring a new momentum in cooperation in agriculture, banking, power and energy sectors between the two countries. Both countries also agreed to work towards a long-term and a mutually beneficial arrangement for trade in pulses.
Four agreements, including the agreement pertaining to the construction of 69 bridges on the Tamu-Kalewa section of the trilateral highway connecting India, Myanmar and Thailand, were inked at the end of talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw.
The two sides signed MoUs to boost cooperation in areas of connectivity, medicine and renewable energy. (Courtesy of financialexpress.com)
Four agreements, including the agreement pertaining to the construction of 69 bridges on the Tamu-Kalewa section of the trilateral highway connecting India, Myanmar and Thailand, were inked at the end of talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw.
The two sides signed MoUs to boost cooperation in areas of connectivity, medicine and renewable energy. (Courtesy of financialexpress.com)
Almost 1.3 million child labourers in Myanmar: survey
The Myanmar Labour Force, Child Labour and School to Work Transition Survey 2015 was released yesterday in Nay Pyi Taw.
More than 10 percent of the nation’s minors, or 1,278,909 children, are employed across the informal and informal sectors, including as unpaid labour for family businesses such as farming.
Numbering 676,208, boys account for a larger share of this workforce than girls, who the survey found to number 602,701.
While the figures are large, more than 75pc, or 966,758 children, are 15 to 17 years old, an age range where employment is legal across most of the developed and developing world. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
More than 10 percent of the nation’s minors, or 1,278,909 children, are employed across the informal and informal sectors, including as unpaid labour for family businesses such as farming.
Numbering 676,208, boys account for a larger share of this workforce than girls, who the survey found to number 602,701.
While the figures are large, more than 75pc, or 966,758 children, are 15 to 17 years old, an age range where employment is legal across most of the developed and developing world. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
India promises whole-hearted support to Myanmar
India on Monday extended its support to Myanmar in organising a peace conference, which is due to begin on August 31 and will comprise major insurgent groups, some of which operate from areas along the border between the two countries.
The development comes close on the heels of China's support to Myanmar's peace initiatives with the insurgent groups.
India announced its support for the '21st Century Panglong Conference' beginning Wednesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met visiting Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw, who is on his maiden trip abroad after becoming head of state. (Courtesy of economictimes.indiatimes.com)
The development comes close on the heels of China's support to Myanmar's peace initiatives with the insurgent groups.
India announced its support for the '21st Century Panglong Conference' beginning Wednesday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met visiting Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw, who is on his maiden trip abroad after becoming head of state. (Courtesy of economictimes.indiatimes.com)
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