Hundreds in Myanmar rallied on Tuesday against an advisory commission led by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan to find solutions to the conflict between the country's Buddhists and minority Rohingya Muslims, which has cast a pall over democratic reforms.
The plight of the Rohingya has raised questions about Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's commitment to human rights and represents a politically sensitive issue for her National League for Democracy, which won a landslide election victory last year.
Local residents and Buddhist monks joined the protest overseen by dozens of police, despite rain in the northwestern Rakhine State, challenging what they perceived as "foreigners' biased intervention" from the nine-member panel.
Jeers and chants denouncing the panel intensified upon the arrival of Annan's plane. The crowd soon followed the convoy into town, where Annan delivered a speech and met with members of both the Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine communities during his two-day visit to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
September 2, 2016
UN Secretary General Receives Mixed Messages in Stakeholder Meetings
United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon met with an interfaith panel and civil society representatives at two different events with two contrasting messages in Naypyidaw on Wednesday.
During the meeting with the interfaith group, well-known Buddhist monk Ashin Nyanisara, also known as Sitagu Sayadaw, attributed a “lack of understanding of the essence of one’s own faith” to “one of the causes of conflict” in Burma.
Only through understanding this “essence,” the monk explained, can mutual understanding and friendship be fostered. Government schools, Ashin Nyanisara added, should develop a religious education syllabus “to help students understand every religion in the country.” (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
Correction: Myanmar-Kofi Annan story
In a story Aug. 30 about a Facebook post criticizing former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the Buddhist nationalist group Ma Ba Tha was responsible for the post. A Ma Ba Tha leader says it was not responsible and that the post and the Facebook page on which it appeared are fake.
A corrected version of the story is below:
Myanmar Buddhist group says post insulting Kofi Annan was fake
Buddhist nationalist group in Myanmar says Facebook post in which it appeared to criticize former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was fake
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — A Buddhist nationalist group in Myanmar says a Facebook post in which it appeared to criticize former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was fake. (Courtesy of startribune.com)
A corrected version of the story is below:
Myanmar Buddhist group says post insulting Kofi Annan was fake
Buddhist nationalist group in Myanmar says Facebook post in which it appeared to criticize former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was fake
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — A Buddhist nationalist group in Myanmar says a Facebook post in which it appeared to criticize former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was fake. (Courtesy of startribune.com)
Myanmar looks to new rice agreement with Jakarta
The governments of Indonesia and Myanmar will sign a memorandum of understanding next month on continued rice exports, but the two commerce ministers then face an unresolved issue over payment for a previous shipment that failed to comply with Indonesian regulations.
Commerce Minister U Than Myint will travel to Indonesia on September 13 for an MoU signing ceremony, after which he and his Indonesian counterpart will discuss the terms of a new export agreement, the ministry has confirmed.
The new contract for rice exports will involve private sector exporters and buyers, thus officials from the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) and MAPCO will be involved in discussion about exactly how much rice Myanmar will export and at what price.
The original government-to-government agreement with Indonesia was signed by Myanmar’s previous government in April 2013. But Indonesia only approached Myanmar for rice imports in 2015. (Courtesy of bangkokpost.com)
Commerce Minister U Than Myint will travel to Indonesia on September 13 for an MoU signing ceremony, after which he and his Indonesian counterpart will discuss the terms of a new export agreement, the ministry has confirmed.
The new contract for rice exports will involve private sector exporters and buyers, thus officials from the Myanmar Rice Federation (MRF) and MAPCO will be involved in discussion about exactly how much rice Myanmar will export and at what price.
The original government-to-government agreement with Indonesia was signed by Myanmar’s previous government in April 2013. But Indonesia only approached Myanmar for rice imports in 2015. (Courtesy of bangkokpost.com)
Kofi Annan to visit Myanmar amid demand to abolish advisory commission
Former United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan, who was recently appointed to head the Rakhine State Advisory Commission, will pay a visit to Myanmar next week even as nationalists demanding to abolish the commission led by him.
“It may be on September 6, but a fixed date for when he will come here is unsure,” the Myanmar Times quoted, U Tin Maung Swe, Secretary of the Rakhine State Government, as saying. U Zaw Htay, Deputy Director General for the President’s Office, also confirmed that plans were in the works for the former UN chief to visit, but said dates and a detailed itinerary had yet to be planned.
The Annan lead nine-member Rakhine State Advisory Commission has been tasked with finding conflict-prevention measures, ensuring humanitarian assistance, rights and reconciliation, establishing basic infrastructure, and promoting development long-term plans in the restive state. The commission has been given one year to conduct research and submit a report on its findings. (Courtesy of indianexpress.com)
“It may be on September 6, but a fixed date for when he will come here is unsure,” the Myanmar Times quoted, U Tin Maung Swe, Secretary of the Rakhine State Government, as saying. U Zaw Htay, Deputy Director General for the President’s Office, also confirmed that plans were in the works for the former UN chief to visit, but said dates and a detailed itinerary had yet to be planned.
The Annan lead nine-member Rakhine State Advisory Commission has been tasked with finding conflict-prevention measures, ensuring humanitarian assistance, rights and reconciliation, establishing basic infrastructure, and promoting development long-term plans in the restive state. The commission has been given one year to conduct research and submit a report on its findings. (Courtesy of indianexpress.com)
Myanmar grants e-visa at three border crossings with Thailand
Myanmar has granted e-visa for tourists and business visitors at three border crossings with Thailand starting from Thursday.
The authorities began e-visa services for tourists entering the country through Yangon International Airport on September 1, 2014 from a total of 100 countries and the service was extended to Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw on November 9 the same year, Xinhua news agency reported.
Moreover, the authorities also offered e-visa for business visitors from 51 countries at Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw airports on July 1, 2015. (Courtesy of business-standard.com)
The authorities began e-visa services for tourists entering the country through Yangon International Airport on September 1, 2014 from a total of 100 countries and the service was extended to Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw on November 9 the same year, Xinhua news agency reported.
Moreover, the authorities also offered e-visa for business visitors from 51 countries at Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw airports on July 1, 2015. (Courtesy of business-standard.com)
September 1, 2016
Kofi Annan to Visit Arakan State Next Week
Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan will arrive in Burma on Sunday and visit Arakan State on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, to introduce his role as chair of the new Arakan State Advisory Commission to local Buddhist and Muslim stakeholders, according to Arakan State government secretary U Tin Maung Swe.
Kofi Annan is expected to meet the Arakan National Party (ANP), the largest party in Arakan State, which represents the interests of the Buddhist majority and has taken a hard line against the largely stateless Rohingya Muslim community, which suffered from anti-Muslim violence in 2012 and 2013 and remains largely segregated from Buddhist communities in the state, with restrictions placed on their movement.
However, ANP general-secretary U Tun Aung Kyaw, who is currently attending the Union Peace Conference in Naypyidaw, told The Irrawaddy over the phone that the party had not yet received a formal request for a meeting with the new commission. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
Kofi Annan is expected to meet the Arakan National Party (ANP), the largest party in Arakan State, which represents the interests of the Buddhist majority and has taken a hard line against the largely stateless Rohingya Muslim community, which suffered from anti-Muslim violence in 2012 and 2013 and remains largely segregated from Buddhist communities in the state, with restrictions placed on their movement.
However, ANP general-secretary U Tun Aung Kyaw, who is currently attending the Union Peace Conference in Naypyidaw, told The Irrawaddy over the phone that the party had not yet received a formal request for a meeting with the new commission. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)
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