Members of Myanmar's older generation remember the death of Aung San the way Americans over a certain age can recall where they were when US President John F Kennedy was shot.
Aung San was the founder of the Myanmar Army, and after World War II became a leader of the struggle for independence from Britain, before being assassinated in July 1947.
Independence came six months later, when his daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, was only 2 years old. Although her father was dead, he became the defining personality of her life.
"She never for one moment forgot that she was the daughter of Burma's national hero, Aung San," wrote Michael Aris, her scholar husband, in the foreword to Suu Kyi's book Freedom From Fear, in 1991.
The couple married in 1972 and had two children, Alexander and Kim, who saw little of their mother after 1988, as she was placed under house arrest in Myanmar. Aris died in 1999 in Britain. (Courtesy of dpa-international.com)
April 17, 2016
Myanmar grants amnesty to 83 prisoners on new year day
Myanmar's government granted amnesty to 83 prisoners Sunday, the country's traditional new year day, according to a presidential order.
The presidential pardon was granted with an aim to bring about national reconciliation and to ensure peace of mind of the people on the occasion of the new year, said the presidential order.
On April 8, a total of 199 prisoners including political activists and students facing trial connected with politics were released from prisoners across the country.
That release came a day after State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi pledged to seek presidential pardon to political prisoners and activists. (Courtesy of Xinhua)
The presidential pardon was granted with an aim to bring about national reconciliation and to ensure peace of mind of the people on the occasion of the new year, said the presidential order.
On April 8, a total of 199 prisoners including political activists and students facing trial connected with politics were released from prisoners across the country.
That release came a day after State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi pledged to seek presidential pardon to political prisoners and activists. (Courtesy of Xinhua)
April 16, 2016
Persecuted Rohingya Muslims find rare refuge in Chicago
For the majority of his life, Nasir Bin Zakaria was a citizen of nowhere.
He was 14 when he was kidnapped by militants at a bazaar in west Myanmar. "Kalah," they hissed at him, a racial slur used toward Rohingya — the ethnic Muslim minority residing among the country's Buddhist majority. He spent a night at the militant camp before escaping to Malaysia. He never saw his parents again.
Now, at 45, he's among almost 1,000 Rohingya refugees who've found a new home in Chicago, the majority of whom began arriving in 2013. The local group makes up nearly a fifth of the Rohingya refugees resettled across the country since 2010, U.S. Department of State officials said. (Courtesy of Chicago Tribune)
He was 14 when he was kidnapped by militants at a bazaar in west Myanmar. "Kalah," they hissed at him, a racial slur used toward Rohingya — the ethnic Muslim minority residing among the country's Buddhist majority. He spent a night at the militant camp before escaping to Malaysia. He never saw his parents again.
Now, at 45, he's among almost 1,000 Rohingya refugees who've found a new home in Chicago, the majority of whom began arriving in 2013. The local group makes up nearly a fifth of the Rohingya refugees resettled across the country since 2010, U.S. Department of State officials said. (Courtesy of Chicago Tribune)
'Cancer within Islam': Leaders urge Muslims to take a stand against terror
Leaders of some of the world's biggest Muslim countries gathered at the annual summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Turkey have called on fellow Muslims to criticise themselves and take a stand against terror, which they said is spreading like cancer within Islam.
Speaking to the delegates attending the meeting in Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said "sectarianism and violence'" have already caused the division of the Muslim world and its continued existence ''brings more sorrows among brothers.''
"Muslims are the ones that experience the biggest harm. We cannot accept this situation. We cannot stay silent in front of such a picture,'' stressed Çavuşoğlu, CBN News reports. (Courtesy of christiantoday.com)
Speaking to the delegates attending the meeting in Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said "sectarianism and violence'" have already caused the division of the Muslim world and its continued existence ''brings more sorrows among brothers.''
"Muslims are the ones that experience the biggest harm. We cannot accept this situation. We cannot stay silent in front of such a picture,'' stressed Çavuşoğlu, CBN News reports. (Courtesy of christiantoday.com)
Bangladesh wants OIC initiative to settle internal differences of member states
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her speech read at the OIC summit in Istanbul by the foreign minister, said unity was needed to pursue the “great Islamic values of fraternity, justice and inclusion”.
Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali led the Bangladesh delegation at the 13th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the foreign ministry said.
The two-day summit ended on Friday.
Around 30 Heads of States and governments and foreign ministers of over 20 countries joined the meet, themed on “Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace” in the context of the current volatile conditions in the Muslim world.
Internal conflicts and fratricidal civil wars, sectarianism, terrorism and violent extremism, Islamophobia, humanitarian and natural disasters, regression of the Muslim society, problem of Palestine, poverty, issues of development and an OIC ten year Programme of Action were discussed at the summit. (Courtesy of bdnews24.com)
Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali led the Bangladesh delegation at the 13th summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the foreign ministry said.
The two-day summit ended on Friday.
Around 30 Heads of States and governments and foreign ministers of over 20 countries joined the meet, themed on “Unity and Solidarity for Justice and Peace” in the context of the current volatile conditions in the Muslim world.
Internal conflicts and fratricidal civil wars, sectarianism, terrorism and violent extremism, Islamophobia, humanitarian and natural disasters, regression of the Muslim society, problem of Palestine, poverty, issues of development and an OIC ten year Programme of Action were discussed at the summit. (Courtesy of bdnews24.com)
Myanmar’s Mirror 10 tips: “the ASEAN Way” vs “the Suu Kyi Way”
For the first time in the history of ASEAN, there will be a Nobel peace laureate and the world’s most famous political icon in the AMM (ASEAN Ministerial Meeting or the ASEAN annual meeting) family. Myanmar’s new Foreign Minister Aung Sun Suu Kyi needs to know a few things about the organization, which she has had a dreadful relationship with. Of course, before she attends the first AMM on 22-23 July in Vientiane, she should come up with an overall policy towards ASEAN as a precursor to her future numerous ASEAN-related meetings in the next five years. Laos said that there would be at least one thousand meetings—in comparison to 2004 when Laos chaired and hosted about 400 meetings.
First, when the ASEAN foreign ministers meet, they will meet informally, say, the night before. The informal meeting, as they would like to call it, is the place where the leaders can discuss issues and concerns she wants to raise. Some of these issues would already, if they are really serious, have been addressed by ASEAN senior officials, who normally meet before their ministers gather. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
First, when the ASEAN foreign ministers meet, they will meet informally, say, the night before. The informal meeting, as they would like to call it, is the place where the leaders can discuss issues and concerns she wants to raise. Some of these issues would already, if they are really serious, have been addressed by ASEAN senior officials, who normally meet before their ministers gather. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Civil-military relations critical for success of new Myanmar gov't
After months of suspense, a democratic government took the mantle to govern Myanmar. U Htin Kyaw, a long-time aid of Aung San Suu Kyi, is the new President. In reality, Suu Kyi will remain at the real center of power.
Although the existing constitution denies Suu Kyi the top post, she has been vested with key portfolios such as education, electric power, energy and foreign ministry, apart from holding the Office of the Presidency. To allow her more legroom, a constitutional amendment was made to create the position of State Advisor, effectively making her the de facto ruler. Thus, in every sense Htin Kyaw will be the rubber stamp head and Suu Kyi will act as the real face of the new government.
While the government formation was billed as a most difficult exercise, it turned out to be a smooth affair. Even the military members of parliament (MP) who raised a lot of opposition to Suu Kyi becoming advisor received an unprecedented mandate that the National League for Democracy (NLD) received in the November 2015 general elections. (Courtesy of china.org.cn)
Although the existing constitution denies Suu Kyi the top post, she has been vested with key portfolios such as education, electric power, energy and foreign ministry, apart from holding the Office of the Presidency. To allow her more legroom, a constitutional amendment was made to create the position of State Advisor, effectively making her the de facto ruler. Thus, in every sense Htin Kyaw will be the rubber stamp head and Suu Kyi will act as the real face of the new government.
While the government formation was billed as a most difficult exercise, it turned out to be a smooth affair. Even the military members of parliament (MP) who raised a lot of opposition to Suu Kyi becoming advisor received an unprecedented mandate that the National League for Democracy (NLD) received in the November 2015 general elections. (Courtesy of china.org.cn)
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