Wai Wai Nu didn’t know she was being arrested when she was being arrested. She was an 18-year-old studying law, and in her mind she thought authorities were taking her, her mom, and her sister to a private place where authorities could question them about the activities of her father Kyaw Min, who they had taken to jail two months prior.
It was 2005, a full 15 years since the 1990 elections when her father was elected to be a member of parliament. The results of those elections, successfully led by Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League for Democracy, were ignored by the military that ruled Myanmar. Shortly thereafter, Min faced harassment so fierce it forced him to move his family from their home in Western Myanmar’s Rakhine State to Yangon, the former capital and the country’s largest city.
During those first days at Insein Prison, a facility notorious for repressing political dissidents and for its terrible conditions, Wai Wai was filled with equal parts confusion and hope. Because she knew her family hadn’t committed any crimes, there was a constant belief that what was right and just would prevail. That belief began to waver as days became weeks and weeks became months, and her family’s appeals were rejected at every stage. (Courtesy of WNN Interviews Global)
January 21, 2016
Myanmar-Netherlands Water Challenge 2016 launched
Under the theme ’Smart Delta’, the program will engage university students across Myanmar with the challenges of sustainable delta development. Student teams will be encouraged to apply their own, original thinking to develop ideas and solutions for the Ayeyarwady Delta, supported by professional experts from Royal HaskoningDHV, Van Oord, Deltares, Arcadis and the Netherlands Embassy in Yangon.
The Myanmar-Netherlands Water Challenge 2016 was officially launched during a celebratory event at Yangon Technological University. Marten Hillen attended the event of behalf of Royal HaskoningDHV: “We are pleased to work with Myanmar’s highly motivated students to work on the country’s water challenges. This Water Challenge is a great opportunity to show students how exciting it is to work in the water sector. We look forward to growing our team of water professionals in Yangon.” (Courtesy of royalhaskoningdhv.com)
The Myanmar-Netherlands Water Challenge 2016 was officially launched during a celebratory event at Yangon Technological University. Marten Hillen attended the event of behalf of Royal HaskoningDHV: “We are pleased to work with Myanmar’s highly motivated students to work on the country’s water challenges. This Water Challenge is a great opportunity to show students how exciting it is to work in the water sector. We look forward to growing our team of water professionals in Yangon.” (Courtesy of royalhaskoningdhv.com)
As Myanmar enters a new era, Washington and Beijing vie for influence
Myanmar is a country rapidly moving toward uncharted political terrain. By March 2016, the National League for Democracy (NLD) will take power for the first time in history, bringing an end to five decades of rule by the military establishment. Once suppressed by the military junta, the NLD – led by longtime dissident and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi – has secured an indisputable victory during the country’s November 2015 elections, winning a majority in both houses of Parliament.
The ascent of the NLD comes at a time when Myanmar finds itself at a new strategic crossroads, pulled toward the geopolitical orbit of major powers: the United States and China, as well as India. Since the outgoing military-backed government opened the country to Western investment in 2011, the US has prioritised its relationship with Myanmar as part of its strategy to reassert influence in the Asia-Pacific region. The country has received numerous visits by US high-ranking leaders, including President Obama on two occasions. (Courtesy of Just International)
The ascent of the NLD comes at a time when Myanmar finds itself at a new strategic crossroads, pulled toward the geopolitical orbit of major powers: the United States and China, as well as India. Since the outgoing military-backed government opened the country to Western investment in 2011, the US has prioritised its relationship with Myanmar as part of its strategy to reassert influence in the Asia-Pacific region. The country has received numerous visits by US high-ranking leaders, including President Obama on two occasions. (Courtesy of Just International)
Leader of Myanmar's Saffron Revolution Jailed
A former Buddhist monk who helped lead the 2007 Saffron Revolution is scheduled to appear in court today to answer an illegal border crossing charge following his arrest on Tuesday.
U Gambira, also known as Nyi Nyi Lwin, and his wife Australian citizen Marie Siochana were apprehended by police in Mandalay where they traveled to apply for a passport, family members told RFA’s Myanmar Service. Since Gambira was released from prison in a 2012 amnesty arrangement he has primarily lived in Thailand.
“We don’t know anything yet,” his mother Daw Yay told RFA. “They took away both. Last night they released his wife, but they kept him there.” (Courtesy of RFA)
U Gambira, also known as Nyi Nyi Lwin, and his wife Australian citizen Marie Siochana were apprehended by police in Mandalay where they traveled to apply for a passport, family members told RFA’s Myanmar Service. Since Gambira was released from prison in a 2012 amnesty arrangement he has primarily lived in Thailand.
“We don’t know anything yet,” his mother Daw Yay told RFA. “They took away both. Last night they released his wife, but they kept him there.” (Courtesy of RFA)
King Power keen to grow within Asia
King Power Group, the country's sole duty-free operator, plans to spend more than 8 billion baht on its first business expansion abroad.
It will initially invest in two Asian countries: Japan, where most of the 8 billion baht will be spent, and Myanmar, for which it has a 100-million-baht budget, chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha said.
The two international duty-free shops are expected to open next year.
"The number of international flights and the number of foreign tourist arrivals are key factors for King Power to make an investment decision outside Thailand," he said.
Japan is a popular destination for both Thai and Chinese tourists. (Courtesy of Bangkok Post)
It will initially invest in two Asian countries: Japan, where most of the 8 billion baht will be spent, and Myanmar, for which it has a 100-million-baht budget, chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha said.
The two international duty-free shops are expected to open next year.
"The number of international flights and the number of foreign tourist arrivals are key factors for King Power to make an investment decision outside Thailand," he said.
Japan is a popular destination for both Thai and Chinese tourists. (Courtesy of Bangkok Post)
Myanmar ethnic minority MPs receive Suu Kyi boost
Aung San Suu Kyi's party nominated four MPs for speaker positions in the two parliamentary houses that will convene next month, NLD spokesperson Nyan Win told AFP, including three ethnic minority MPs.
Aung San Suu Kyi's victorious opposition party nominated three ethnic minority politicians on Wednesday (Jan 20) for prominent roles in the country's new parliament, a boost to a demographic who have long complained of exclusion.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) swept up nearly 80 per cent of the seats in elections last November, beating out many ethnic minority parties who had been expected to do well on their home turf in the country's restive border regions.
But on Wednesday her party nominated four MPs for speaker positions in the two parliamentary houses that will convene next month, NLD spokesperson Nyan Win told AFP, including three ethnic minority MPs. (Courtesy of ChannelNewsAsia)
Aung San Suu Kyi's victorious opposition party nominated three ethnic minority politicians on Wednesday (Jan 20) for prominent roles in the country's new parliament, a boost to a demographic who have long complained of exclusion.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) swept up nearly 80 per cent of the seats in elections last November, beating out many ethnic minority parties who had been expected to do well on their home turf in the country's restive border regions.
But on Wednesday her party nominated four MPs for speaker positions in the two parliamentary houses that will convene next month, NLD spokesperson Nyan Win told AFP, including three ethnic minority MPs. (Courtesy of ChannelNewsAsia)
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