May 25, 2016
EU and US Sanctions Updates on Burma/Myanmar
EU renews its sanctions on Burma/Myanmar until 30 April 2017. These measures impose an embargo on providing Burma/Myanmar with arms and goods that might be used for internal repression. Council Decision 2016/627 amends Decision 2013/184/CFSP. (Courtesy of lexology.com)
Former ABSDF chairmen denied entry visas
Dr Naing Aung and Moe Thee Zun, the former chairmen of the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), both former citizens of Myanmar, have been denied entry visas to visit the country.
“We continuously fought for the release of Daw Suu (Aung San Suu Kyi). We also fought for the release of Min Ko Naing and other political prisoners. But now, no one helps us get visas. We feel sad. We have been living in exile for 27 years to fight for Myanmar's democracy reform," said Moe Thee Zun.
Under the new government, measures are reportedly being taken to give more protection to former Myanmar citizens and those working abroad. In so doing, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population is also easing restrictions on entry visa applicants. (Courtesy of elevenmyanmar.com)
“We continuously fought for the release of Daw Suu (Aung San Suu Kyi). We also fought for the release of Min Ko Naing and other political prisoners. But now, no one helps us get visas. We feel sad. We have been living in exile for 27 years to fight for Myanmar's democracy reform," said Moe Thee Zun.
Under the new government, measures are reportedly being taken to give more protection to former Myanmar citizens and those working abroad. In so doing, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population is also easing restrictions on entry visa applicants. (Courtesy of elevenmyanmar.com)
Turkish NGO to provide iftar meals for refugees during holy month of Ramadan
An NGO linked to Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) outlined its charity aid work Tuesday for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan and beyond, including iftar (fast-breaking) meals and vital supplies to people in war-torn countries.
Mustafa Tutkun, head of the Turkish Diyanet Foundation (TDV), said the group will provide refugees in Turkey with iftar meals during Ramadan -- the sunrise-to-sunset fasting holy month, falling on June 5-July 6 this year.
Turkey adopted an open-door policy towards Syrian refugees in 2011, opening its borders to people fleeing the civil war, and now hosts around 3 million refugees. (Courtesy of dailysabah.com)
Mustafa Tutkun, head of the Turkish Diyanet Foundation (TDV), said the group will provide refugees in Turkey with iftar meals during Ramadan -- the sunrise-to-sunset fasting holy month, falling on June 5-July 6 this year.
Turkey adopted an open-door policy towards Syrian refugees in 2011, opening its borders to people fleeing the civil war, and now hosts around 3 million refugees. (Courtesy of dailysabah.com)
Human trafficking rings sabotaging myIMM
Human trafficking syndicates are to blame for the Malaysian Immigration System (myIMM) at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, being compromised.
A report in the Turkish news portal Anadolu Agency said the system was found to have been downed deliberately once a day by international traffickers to allow the movement of illegal migrants in and out of the country.
“The system is believed to have been switched off deliberately, so when the system [appeared] crashed, passports would be stamped manually,” it quoted a source as saying. (Courtesy of freemalaysiatoday.com)
A report in the Turkish news portal Anadolu Agency said the system was found to have been downed deliberately once a day by international traffickers to allow the movement of illegal migrants in and out of the country.
“The system is believed to have been switched off deliberately, so when the system [appeared] crashed, passports would be stamped manually,” it quoted a source as saying. (Courtesy of freemalaysiatoday.com)
Police officer faces murder charges for death of Rohingya detainee
Police are preparing to file charges of murder with intent against a police officer who shot a Rohingya man after a group of 21 Rohingya men escaped from Phang Nga Immigration Detention Center early Monday morning. (story here).
“According to witnesses, Muhammad Kornee, 18, threw a big rock at one of the officers and the officer used his gun to defend himself,” said Capt Chatree Pienkayai of the Phang Nga City Police. (Courtesy of phuketgazette.net)
“According to witnesses, Muhammad Kornee, 18, threw a big rock at one of the officers and the officer used his gun to defend himself,” said Capt Chatree Pienkayai of the Phang Nga City Police. (Courtesy of phuketgazette.net)
Burma Government Must Heed US Stance on Rohingya
With US sanctions on Burma being extended with amendments, and US Secretary of State, John Kerry paying a visit to the country, US policy on Burma has become clarified. It will continue to engage and support the country, especially in facilitating free markets and investment, yet reservations around the military’s role in the political domain, certain crony individuals and businesses, and the continued persecution of the Rohingya convey the message that support is not absolute, and more reforms need to take place.
On 17 May, 2016, US sanctions were extended by another 12 months with certain amendments. All banks in Burma have now been taken off the sanctions list, thus making it easier for US businesses to operate, yet certain individuals with close ties with the military and the former regime remain on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, thus barring any US businesses from dealing with them. The ban on businesses investing in jade and other precious stones remains. President Barack Obama, when notifying Congress, explained the reasoning behind the continued sanctions, “The political opening remains nascent, and concerns persist regarding ongoing conflict and human rights abuses in ethnic minority areas, particularly in Rakhine [Arakan] State, and the continued role of the military in the country’s political and economic activities.” (Courtesy of burmapartnership.org)
On 17 May, 2016, US sanctions were extended by another 12 months with certain amendments. All banks in Burma have now been taken off the sanctions list, thus making it easier for US businesses to operate, yet certain individuals with close ties with the military and the former regime remain on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, thus barring any US businesses from dealing with them. The ban on businesses investing in jade and other precious stones remains. President Barack Obama, when notifying Congress, explained the reasoning behind the continued sanctions, “The political opening remains nascent, and concerns persist regarding ongoing conflict and human rights abuses in ethnic minority areas, particularly in Rakhine [Arakan] State, and the continued role of the military in the country’s political and economic activities.” (Courtesy of burmapartnership.org)
Eliminating Statelessness in Southeast Asia
The government of Myanmar has come under fire this month following Aung San Suu Kyi’s rebuke of U.S. Ambassador Scot Marciel’s reference to the Rohingya, the estimated one million stateless Muslim inhabitants of Myanmar’s Western Rakhine State. Aung San Suu Kyi’s government refuses to fully confront the issue of the Rohingya, who have been denied equal access to citizenship since the passage of the 1982 Citizenship Law. The denial of citizenship has compounded human rights abuses, rising to the crime of genocide, according to an October study by Fortify Rights. The persecution of the Rohingya has deservedly captured increasing international attention in recent years, although greater awareness and mobilization is needed. The plight of statelessness remains a universal challenge.
Around the world, there are an estimated 15 million stateless people. According to the UNHCR, somewhere a stateless child is born every 10 minutes and within the countries hosting the 20 largest stateless populations some 70,000 stateless children are born every year. In 2014, the UNHCR announced its Campaign to end Statelessness in ten years. The same year, the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion reported that more people in Asia and the Pacific are affected by statelessness than in any other region of the world. How ASEAN addresses this challenge will be key to achieving the UN’s objective of eradicating statelessness by 2024. (Courtesy of thediplomat.com)
Around the world, there are an estimated 15 million stateless people. According to the UNHCR, somewhere a stateless child is born every 10 minutes and within the countries hosting the 20 largest stateless populations some 70,000 stateless children are born every year. In 2014, the UNHCR announced its Campaign to end Statelessness in ten years. The same year, the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion reported that more people in Asia and the Pacific are affected by statelessness than in any other region of the world. How ASEAN addresses this challenge will be key to achieving the UN’s objective of eradicating statelessness by 2024. (Courtesy of thediplomat.com)
3,000 Rohingya Muslims have nowhere to go
Dil Mohammed, 71, is not sure if he wants to go back to Myanmar and neither does he want to live in a state of penury. He just wants to have good food and a clean bed to sleep. Emerging out of his plastic tent near Fatima Masjid at Balapur, Dil just wants a refugee status and a settlement.
With certain death staring at them and hardly any chance of survival, 1,25,000 Rohingya Muslims had to flee from Myanmar during the 2012 Rakhine state riots. Nearly 3,000 of them have been living under plastic tents in Hyderabad
The plight of Rohingya Muslims, nearly 3,000 of them, who started making Hyderabad their temporary home since 2009 is no bed of roses. In each camp as they would like to call their colony, there are close to 60 families living in small plastic tents which are held together with bamboo. (Courtesy of thehansindia.com)
With certain death staring at them and hardly any chance of survival, 1,25,000 Rohingya Muslims had to flee from Myanmar during the 2012 Rakhine state riots. Nearly 3,000 of them have been living under plastic tents in Hyderabad
The plight of Rohingya Muslims, nearly 3,000 of them, who started making Hyderabad their temporary home since 2009 is no bed of roses. In each camp as they would like to call their colony, there are close to 60 families living in small plastic tents which are held together with bamboo. (Courtesy of thehansindia.com)
Activists urge inquiry after Rohingya shot in Thai detention centre breakout
Rights groups called on Tuesday for an independent investigation into the fatal shooting of a Rohingya Muslim from Myanmar who was involved in a dramatic mass breakout from a detention centre in southern Thailand.
Twenty-one Rohingya men escaped from the Phang Nga Immigration Detention Centre in the early hours of Monday after sawing through an iron bar in their communal cell.
One was shot dead and three caught after they kicked, pushed and threw stones at police and immigration officers who chased them up a nearby mountain, police said.
Eleven more Rohingya were arrested on Tuesday and will be charged with fleeing detention, police said. Another four are still missing. (Courtesy of news.trust.org)
Twenty-one Rohingya men escaped from the Phang Nga Immigration Detention Centre in the early hours of Monday after sawing through an iron bar in their communal cell.
One was shot dead and three caught after they kicked, pushed and threw stones at police and immigration officers who chased them up a nearby mountain, police said.
Eleven more Rohingya were arrested on Tuesday and will be charged with fleeing detention, police said. Another four are still missing. (Courtesy of news.trust.org)
Aung Mingalar headcount shows population decrease
The enclave was held by security forces during the 2012 riots, and has been under armed guard since. Until recently, security around the perimeters had been relaxed somewhat, although the ghetto’s food supply still comes largely from the IDP camp market. Sources told The Myanmar Times yesterday that since the headcount, no one has been allowed in or out of the quarter.
Last week, a government official said some Rakhine residents had written to Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu asking for the population of Aung Mingalar to be counted because they feared that many more people had entered the quarter and were staying there illegally.
The official, who asked not to be named, said the complainants included local monks and elders from various civil society organisations. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Last week, a government official said some Rakhine residents had written to Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu asking for the population of Aung Mingalar to be counted because they feared that many more people had entered the quarter and were staying there illegally.
The official, who asked not to be named, said the complainants included local monks and elders from various civil society organisations. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
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