The first cyclonic system of the monsoon season appears to have passed over northwestern Rakhine State causing minimal disruption to its major centres, with initial reports indicating no casualties. Residents in makeshift shelters at IDP camps outside of Sittwe appeared yesterday to have suffered the worst brunt of the storm in Myanmar.
Cyclone Roanu, which has claimed at least 24 lives in Bangladesh and another dozen in Sri Lanka, according to AFP, made landfall on May 21, causing heavy rains and high winds across Myanmar.
In Buthidaung and Maungdaw, where the storm was strongest, no missing persons had been reported at the time of printing. The exact impact on coastal and inland villages remains unclear, with information still scarce as of last night. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
May 23, 2016
'No Muslims allowed': how nationalism is rising in Aung San Suu Kyi's Myanmar
At the entrance to Thaungtan village there’s a brand new sign, bright yellow, and bearing a message: “No Muslims allowed to stay overnight. No Muslims allowed to rent houses. No marriage with Muslims.”
The post was erected in late March by Buddhist residents of the village in Myanmar’s lush Irrawaddy Delta region who signed, or were strong-armed into signing, a document asserting that they wanted to live separately.
Since then a couple of other villages across the country have followed suit. Small but viciously insular, these “Buddhist-only” outposts serve as microcosms of the festering religious tensions that threaten Myanmar’s nascent experiment with democracy. (Courtesy of theguardian.com)
The post was erected in late March by Buddhist residents of the village in Myanmar’s lush Irrawaddy Delta region who signed, or were strong-armed into signing, a document asserting that they wanted to live separately.
Since then a couple of other villages across the country have followed suit. Small but viciously insular, these “Buddhist-only” outposts serve as microcosms of the festering religious tensions that threaten Myanmar’s nascent experiment with democracy. (Courtesy of theguardian.com)
U.S. Sanctions on Myanmar to Stay Until Military’s Influence Is Reduced
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday said Myanmar would have to change its constitution to guarantee civilian power if it is to see the remaining American economic sanctions on the country lifted.
Speaking in the country’s capital Naypyitaw after meeting with the country’s foreign minister, Aung San Suu Kyi, Mr. Kerry said the key to lifting the remaining sanctions would be for Myanmar to show more progress in reducing the military’s influence as the country continues along the road to democracy. “It is very difficult to complete that journey, in fact impossible to complete that journey, with the current constitution,” Mr. Kerry said.
He was later scheduled to hold talks with Myanmar’s army chief before traveling to Vietnam, where President Barack Obama is due to arrive early Monday for a state visit. (Courtesy of wsj.com)
Speaking in the country’s capital Naypyitaw after meeting with the country’s foreign minister, Aung San Suu Kyi, Mr. Kerry said the key to lifting the remaining sanctions would be for Myanmar to show more progress in reducing the military’s influence as the country continues along the road to democracy. “It is very difficult to complete that journey, in fact impossible to complete that journey, with the current constitution,” Mr. Kerry said.
He was later scheduled to hold talks with Myanmar’s army chief before traveling to Vietnam, where President Barack Obama is due to arrive early Monday for a state visit. (Courtesy of wsj.com)
Rohingya refugee: We were hunted down by mob in Myanmar
For decades, Rohingya Muslims have been fleeing Myanmar, a Buddhist majority country where they are forced to live in apartheid-like conditions and denied access to jobs, education and healthcare.
But in recent years the exodus of refugees has surged. Since 2012, more than 100,000 people have braved perilous boat journeys in search of better lives in Malaysia, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries.
Abu Siddiq, a Rohingya refugee living in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, told Al Jazeera that he was forced to flee his home after ethnic Buddhists launched a brutal campaign against his family and community. (Courtesy of aljazeera.com )
But in recent years the exodus of refugees has surged. Since 2012, more than 100,000 people have braved perilous boat journeys in search of better lives in Malaysia, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries.
Abu Siddiq, a Rohingya refugee living in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, told Al Jazeera that he was forced to flee his home after ethnic Buddhists launched a brutal campaign against his family and community. (Courtesy of aljazeera.com )
Monks again march in Myanmar to protest 'Rohingya'
Protests demanding the government ban the word “Rohingya” took place in Myanmar Sunday, with nationalists marching in commercial capital Yangon as well as in Taung Gyi in restive Shan State.
The demonstrations are aimed at pressuring President Htin Kyaw and state counselor-cum-foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi to denounce the United States embassy in the country for using the word to describe the stateless and persecuted Muslim minority.
Hardline nationalists refuse to recognize the term, instead referring to the ethnic group as "Bengali", which suggests they are illegal immigrants from neighboring country Bangladesh.
In Taung Gyi, capital of eastern Shan, a march jointly organized by the Taung Gyi-based National Security Network and Yangon-based Myanmar National Network, saw around 100 protesters take to the streets with banners emblazoned “No Rohingya”. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
The demonstrations are aimed at pressuring President Htin Kyaw and state counselor-cum-foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi to denounce the United States embassy in the country for using the word to describe the stateless and persecuted Muslim minority.
Hardline nationalists refuse to recognize the term, instead referring to the ethnic group as "Bengali", which suggests they are illegal immigrants from neighboring country Bangladesh.
In Taung Gyi, capital of eastern Shan, a march jointly organized by the Taung Gyi-based National Security Network and Yangon-based Myanmar National Network, saw around 100 protesters take to the streets with banners emblazoned “No Rohingya”. (Courtesy of aa.com.tr)
A LESSON IN DEFUSING TENSIONS
A Rakhine MP created controversy when he submitted a proposal in the Amyotha Hluttaw last week that offended the Tatmadaw.
U Sein Wai Aung, a member of the Arakan National Party, proposed that the government declare a ceasefire to stop months of clashes between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army. He also proposed that the AA be among the armed ethnic groups invited to participate in peace talks planned by the National League for Democracy government in the coming months.
When he submitted the proposal, Sein Wai Aung prefaced his remarks by saying every race was patriotic and then accused the Tatmadaw of using forced labour and violating human rights and referred to the AA as “Rakhine’s Tatmadaw”.
Military MPs objected to Sein Wai Aung’s comments and tensions rose in the chamber. (Courtesy of frontiermyanmar.net)
U Sein Wai Aung, a member of the Arakan National Party, proposed that the government declare a ceasefire to stop months of clashes between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army. He also proposed that the AA be among the armed ethnic groups invited to participate in peace talks planned by the National League for Democracy government in the coming months.
When he submitted the proposal, Sein Wai Aung prefaced his remarks by saying every race was patriotic and then accused the Tatmadaw of using forced labour and violating human rights and referred to the AA as “Rakhine’s Tatmadaw”.
Military MPs objected to Sein Wai Aung’s comments and tensions rose in the chamber. (Courtesy of frontiermyanmar.net)
Suu Kyi calls for 'space' to address Myanmar's Rohingya issue as Kerry visits
Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi asked to be given "enough space" to address the plight of her country's Rohingya Muslim population, as visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pressed the Nobel peace laureate to promote respect for human rights.
Some 125,000 Rohingya in Myanmar are displaced and face severe travel restrictions in camps since fighting erupted in Rakhine State between the country's Buddhists and Muslims in 2012. Thousands have fled persecution and poverty in an exodus by boat.
The United States has long supported Suu Kyi's role in championing democratic change in Myanmar, but was surprised this month when she suggested to the new U.S. ambassador Scot Marciel to refrain from using the term 'Rohingya' for the persecuted Muslim minority.
The Rohingya, most of whom live in apartheid-like conditions, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and referred to by many as Bengalis. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
Some 125,000 Rohingya in Myanmar are displaced and face severe travel restrictions in camps since fighting erupted in Rakhine State between the country's Buddhists and Muslims in 2012. Thousands have fled persecution and poverty in an exodus by boat.
The United States has long supported Suu Kyi's role in championing democratic change in Myanmar, but was surprised this month when she suggested to the new U.S. ambassador Scot Marciel to refrain from using the term 'Rohingya' for the persecuted Muslim minority.
The Rohingya, most of whom live in apartheid-like conditions, are seen by many Myanmar Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and referred to by many as Bengalis. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
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