Hundreds of people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon, Burma, on Thursday with a simple demand: The United States must stop using the word "Rohingya."
"It is already clear that there is no such ethnicity as Rohingya in our country," a protester named Win Zaw Zaw Latt told Anadolu Agency before the demonstration. "We demand the U.S. as well as Western countries and the E.U. to stop using the term Rohingya."
To most of the world, the Rohingya are a Bengali-speaking Muslim minority in Buddhist-majority Burma, also known as Myanmar. More than 1 million Rohingya are thought to live in Burma, the majority of them in Rakhine state, along the western border with Bangladesh and India. Despite the size and long-standing presence of this community, the government does not consider its members Burmese citizens. (Courtesy of The Washington Post)
April 30, 2016
Myanmar's Transition: The 'Fun' Part is Over
Many have recently debated whether U.S. president Barack Obama’s foreign policy can appropriately be deemed “realist.” Whether or not it fits the academic definition, the Obama administration’s worldview has evinced an audacious level of pragmatism—a pragmatism perhaps best illustrated by Myanmar. Obama and Myanmar’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, found usefully practical partners in one another and have achieved impressively idealistic ends. Continued reform there, however, will require even more hard-nosed approaches to difficult dilemmas by both the United States and Myanmar.
In 2011, the Obama administration saw the shifting political dynamics in Myanmar as an opportunity to flex its campaign-pledged pragmatism and productively engage with a traditionally hostile regime. Following a limited opening by the military government, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton became the first such official to visit Myanmar in 56 years. While conferring with the recently-released Suu Kyi, she reportedly told Clinton, “I don’t want to be an icon, I want to be a politician,” and that she was ready to get her hands dirty in the hard work of politics. (Courtesy of The Diplomat)
In 2011, the Obama administration saw the shifting political dynamics in Myanmar as an opportunity to flex its campaign-pledged pragmatism and productively engage with a traditionally hostile regime. Following a limited opening by the military government, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton became the first such official to visit Myanmar in 56 years. While conferring with the recently-released Suu Kyi, she reportedly told Clinton, “I don’t want to be an icon, I want to be a politician,” and that she was ready to get her hands dirty in the hard work of politics. (Courtesy of The Diplomat)
Myanmar’s Natural Resources Minister Inspects Jade, Gold Mines in Kachin State
Myanmar’s natural resources minister on Friday began an inspection tour of the Hpakant jade mines and Mohnyin gold mines in Kachin state, where local residents are concerned about the environmental damage and deadly accidents their operations have caused, a state government official said.
Ohn Win, head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, is conducting the inspection through May 3 in response to a demand by civil society organizations in northern Myanmar’s Kachin state in late March that the new government form a commission to inspect jade mines that had violated industry regulations.
H La Aung, minister of natural resources and the environment in Kachin state, said Ohn Win will meet with the state’s chief minister and other members of the government on Saturday and travel to the town of Mohnyin on Sunday.
During the tour, members of the Kachin state government will discuss the problem of waste soil produced by mining activities and other environmental issues concerning the jade mines in Hpakant township with Ohn Win, he said. (Courtesy of RFA)
Ohn Win, head of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, is conducting the inspection through May 3 in response to a demand by civil society organizations in northern Myanmar’s Kachin state in late March that the new government form a commission to inspect jade mines that had violated industry regulations.
H La Aung, minister of natural resources and the environment in Kachin state, said Ohn Win will meet with the state’s chief minister and other members of the government on Saturday and travel to the town of Mohnyin on Sunday.
During the tour, members of the Kachin state government will discuss the problem of waste soil produced by mining activities and other environmental issues concerning the jade mines in Hpakant township with Ohn Win, he said. (Courtesy of RFA)
NGO: Sharp Drop in Human Smuggling in Andaman Sea Since May 2015
Illegal boat journeys from Myanmar and Bangladesh have decreased significantly in the year since Thailand launched a crackdown on human trafficking, but the root cause of the problem still festers, an activist fighting for Rohingya Muslim rights told BenarNews in an interview.
A year ago Sunday, the discovery of graves in the jungles of southern Thailand that contained the remains of people trafficked from those two countries triggered a crackdown by the Thai government against human smugglers.
A Thai maritime blockade on people-smuggling boats followed, which in turn precipitated a humanitarian crisis when thousands of desperate Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi migrants came ashore in neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia.
In Thailand, at least 90 people, including a Thai general, are now on trial on human-trafficking charges. (Courtesy of benarnews.org)
A year ago Sunday, the discovery of graves in the jungles of southern Thailand that contained the remains of people trafficked from those two countries triggered a crackdown by the Thai government against human smugglers.
A Thai maritime blockade on people-smuggling boats followed, which in turn precipitated a humanitarian crisis when thousands of desperate Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshi migrants came ashore in neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia.
In Thailand, at least 90 people, including a Thai general, are now on trial on human-trafficking charges. (Courtesy of benarnews.org)
India, Myanmar start joint border patrolling
Assam Rifles Chief Lt Gen Harminderjit Singh Sachdev on Friday said that India and Myanmar had started joint border patrolling in some stretches of their "unfenced border".
"The patrolling has not started all over but in some specific areas. They (Myanmar Army) also come and we also go there (Myanmar)," Sachdev told IANS on the sidelines of the investiture ceremony of Assam Rifles.
India has been urging Myanmar to act against rebels including from the Manipur-based United National Liberation Front, People's Liberation Army (PLA), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup and People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, Assam-based United Liberation Front of Asom and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang operating from Sagaing and Chin State of Myanmar. (Courtesy of Business Standard News)
"The patrolling has not started all over but in some specific areas. They (Myanmar Army) also come and we also go there (Myanmar)," Sachdev told IANS on the sidelines of the investiture ceremony of Assam Rifles.
India has been urging Myanmar to act against rebels including from the Manipur-based United National Liberation Front, People's Liberation Army (PLA), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup and People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, Assam-based United Liberation Front of Asom and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang operating from Sagaing and Chin State of Myanmar. (Courtesy of Business Standard News)
Poland and Myanmar sign Memorandum of Understanding
“You have come a long way”, U Zaw Min Win, Vice President of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce (UMFCCI), pointed out at his welcome speech for polish business leaders in an office tower in Yangon yesterday.
It is not quite sure if he is referring to the nearly 4000 miles air distance from Poland to Myanmar or to the economic success of this European country. Poland's economy has grown continuously since its membership in the European Union (EU) in 2004. It was the only country in the EU that could keep this increase even during the world financial crisis in 2009.
Hoping to maintain this streak of success in the future, the Polish Chamber of Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) together with the UMFCCI on the 28 April. Representatives from eleven polish companies from food, IT and machinery sectors attended the ceremony to seek better relationships with local businesses. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
It is not quite sure if he is referring to the nearly 4000 miles air distance from Poland to Myanmar or to the economic success of this European country. Poland's economy has grown continuously since its membership in the European Union (EU) in 2004. It was the only country in the EU that could keep this increase even during the world financial crisis in 2009.
Hoping to maintain this streak of success in the future, the Polish Chamber of Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) together with the UMFCCI on the 28 April. Representatives from eleven polish companies from food, IT and machinery sectors attended the ceremony to seek better relationships with local businesses. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Army Reinforces troops near SSPP/SSA's Loi Say-LoiLeng Base
The Myanmar Army has dispatched reinforcements to the Loi Say-LoiLeng area in northern Shan State's Tangyan Township, where a Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA) base is located, according to an SSPP/SSA information officer.
He said that over ten vehicles from the Myanmar Army were heading towards Tangyan on 24 April. Last week, the Myanmar Army’s North Eastern Command ordered the SSPP/SSA to withdraw from the Loi Say-LoiLeng ridge in Tangyan Township by 22 April. This ridge is located to the west of the Salween River near territory controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA).
On 22 April the commander of the North Eastern Command ordered the SSPP/SSA to allow joint field inspections to be conducted on 27 April. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
He said that over ten vehicles from the Myanmar Army were heading towards Tangyan on 24 April. Last week, the Myanmar Army’s North Eastern Command ordered the SSPP/SSA to withdraw from the Loi Say-LoiLeng ridge in Tangyan Township by 22 April. This ridge is located to the west of the Salween River near territory controlled by the United Wa State Army (UWSA).
On 22 April the commander of the North Eastern Command ordered the SSPP/SSA to allow joint field inspections to be conducted on 27 April. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Dilemma for Suu Kyi in push for peace process
Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has called for a major peace conference with ethnic minorities - a chance again for Myanmar to progress towards the federal state the minorities have fought for for decades.
But analysts warn that despite her public support - her National League for Democracy (NLD) won the November 2015 election by a landslide - the military must be on the same page for any effort to succeed.
The leader of the NLD government told representatives of armed ethnic groups on Wednesday: "We have to work on holding a peace conference and including non-signatories of the NCA in the peace process at the same time." The NCA is the National Ceasefire Accord that was cobbled together last October by the previous government with eight armed groups. Several other armed groups did not sign the pact. (Courtesy of The Straits Times)
But analysts warn that despite her public support - her National League for Democracy (NLD) won the November 2015 election by a landslide - the military must be on the same page for any effort to succeed.
The leader of the NLD government told representatives of armed ethnic groups on Wednesday: "We have to work on holding a peace conference and including non-signatories of the NCA in the peace process at the same time." The NCA is the National Ceasefire Accord that was cobbled together last October by the previous government with eight armed groups. Several other armed groups did not sign the pact. (Courtesy of The Straits Times)
MSF requests price cut for pneumonia vaccine
MSF has presented a petition with nearly 400,000 signatures to pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline asking that they drop the vaccine cost to US$5 per child in all developing countries and for humanitarian organisations.
Pneumonia is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths in Myanmar. Recent UNICEF data shows pneumonia accounted for 16 percent of under-five deaths in 2015, with 7516 losing their lives because of the disease.
Myanmar is due to introduce a new pneumococcal vaccine for pneumonia in the coming months. The $20 million project, co-financed by the government and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), is slated to run from 2016 to 2020. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
Pneumonia is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths in Myanmar. Recent UNICEF data shows pneumonia accounted for 16 percent of under-five deaths in 2015, with 7516 losing their lives because of the disease.
Myanmar is due to introduce a new pneumococcal vaccine for pneumonia in the coming months. The $20 million project, co-financed by the government and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), is slated to run from 2016 to 2020. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
Terror, disaster aid drills eyed
Singapore plans to co-host a regional anti-terrorist exercise while Thailand has agreed to organise a drill on humanitarian assistance and disaster mitigation.
The plans were announced at a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and his Singaporean counterpart, Ng Eng Hen, in Moscow.
Gen Prawit is attending a meeting of Asean and Russian defence ministers in Moscow. The visit to Russia is the second in just over two months for Gen Prawit, who met Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in February.
The talks are being held alongside the fifth Moscow International Security Conference. Gen Prawit also has scheduled to have talks with the defence ministers of Laos, Myanmar, Russia, and Vietnam. (Courtesy of Bangkok Post: News)
The plans were announced at a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and his Singaporean counterpart, Ng Eng Hen, in Moscow.
Gen Prawit is attending a meeting of Asean and Russian defence ministers in Moscow. The visit to Russia is the second in just over two months for Gen Prawit, who met Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in February.
The talks are being held alongside the fifth Moscow International Security Conference. Gen Prawit also has scheduled to have talks with the defence ministers of Laos, Myanmar, Russia, and Vietnam. (Courtesy of Bangkok Post: News)
Three dozen repatriated from Malaysia as process hits more snags
Thousands of Myanmar workers languish in Malaysia’s notorious detention centres for months and even years awaiting citizenship documents from the Myanmar government. Some have overstayed their visa, while others immigrated without any documents to begin with. Stranded in the squalid facilities where they have little contact with the outside world, they must rely on civil society groups to help connect them with the embassy.
The lengthy wait appears to be a Myanmar-specific quandary, as detainees from other countries stay in the facilities for at most a handful of weeks before being repatriated, according to groups assisting the Myanmar workers. Many hoped the new government might expedite the process.
Last week, the floodgates briefly opened and 34 Myanmar workers were repatriated on April 22, according to the Yadana Setka Free Funeral Service Organization of Joho Township, which assists migrants in the Parka Narnat Camp. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
The lengthy wait appears to be a Myanmar-specific quandary, as detainees from other countries stay in the facilities for at most a handful of weeks before being repatriated, according to groups assisting the Myanmar workers. Many hoped the new government might expedite the process.
Last week, the floodgates briefly opened and 34 Myanmar workers were repatriated on April 22, according to the Yadana Setka Free Funeral Service Organization of Joho Township, which assists migrants in the Parka Narnat Camp. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
US to promote doing business in Myanmar
US business delegations will visit Myanmar next week to seek investment opportunities that will also promote the country’s economic growth, Scot Marciel, the newly arrived US ambassador, announced yesterday.
Speaking to domestic media, Mr Marciel said the US Agency for International Development (USAID) would also come to Myanmar in a demonstration of support for the new government.
“I am very pleased the administrator of US Agency for International Development Gayle Smith … will be visiting here. She is arriving this weekend and going up to Nay Pyi Taw for talks with the government to hear first-hand from the government about its priorities and where we can be helpful,” the ambassador said.
“A large part of her trip is to hear from the government what the needs are, what the priorities are. That will help us not only immediately, but in the future to determine how best to use our assistance.” (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
Speaking to domestic media, Mr Marciel said the US Agency for International Development (USAID) would also come to Myanmar in a demonstration of support for the new government.
“I am very pleased the administrator of US Agency for International Development Gayle Smith … will be visiting here. She is arriving this weekend and going up to Nay Pyi Taw for talks with the government to hear first-hand from the government about its priorities and where we can be helpful,” the ambassador said.
“A large part of her trip is to hear from the government what the needs are, what the priorities are. That will help us not only immediately, but in the future to determine how best to use our assistance.” (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)
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