Myanmar weekly news vol01 no 01

Myanmar Weekly News 4th January 2014 Vol.1 No.1

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Vol 1, No.1 4th January 2014 www.myanmar.com

Today is Myanmar Independence Day

Table of Contents

NEWSMAKERS

Suu Kyi urges Myanmar army to back charter reform

Myanmar’s Leader Backs Change to ConstitutionMyanmar’s

Myanmar president backs changing army-drafted constitution

Myanmar president supports changing constitution, making Suu Kyi eligible to lead

Myanmar president backs constitutional amendment

Myanmar president says healthy constitution must be amended from time to time


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Myanmar must respect human rights as chairman of ASEAN

Constitutional amendment issue to highlight Myanmar parliamentary debate in 2014

Myanmar declares no more political prisoners after amnesty

Myanmar lifts curfew order in riot-hit Meikhtila on new year eve

Myanmar to host 7th ASEAN Para Games

Myanmar movie academy award ceremony in Yangon

Aung San Suu Kyi to visit Chin State

Karen rivals unite for New Year


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Suu Kyi urges Myanmar army to back charter reform

Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Saturday called on the powerful

military to get involved in reforming the country's junta-era constitution, which

currently bars her from becoming president.

YANGON: Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Saturday called on the

powerful military to get involved in reforming the country's junta-era constitution, which

currently bars her from becoming president.

The Nobel laureate, who has repeatedly asserted her readiness to take on the top political

job, said the nation's "tatmadaw" army was "essential" in amending the charter, which is currently being debated by a parliamentary panel that includes soldiers.

"The tatmadaw must not remain in a dilemma about whether to take part in amending the

constitution. It must take part in it," she told members of her National League for

Democracy (NLD) at a ceremony to mark Myanmar's independence from colonial rule.

Myanmar's President Thein Sein, a former general who has won international praise for

reforms since he took power in 2011, on Thursday lent his support to constitutional reform in a monthly speech published in state media.


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He also said he supported amending provisions which exclude anyone whose spouse or

children are overseas citizens from becoming president -- a clause widely believed to be

targeted at Suu Kyi, whose two sons are British.

"I would not want restrictions being imposed on the right of any citizen to become the

leader of the country," Thein Sein said.

The charter change issue is rising to the fore as Myanmar prepares for key 2015

parliamentary elections, seen as a definitive test of whether the military is willing to loosen its grip on power.

The country's president is selected by the legislature.

Suu Kyi has ramped up her campaign for a change to the 2008 constitution, which also ring-fences a quarter of the seats in parliament for unelected military personnel.

"We have to accept openly that the constitution is not fair, not in accordance with

democratic standards and not a charter that is good for our country's future," she said Saturday.

Any change to the charter needs the support of over 75 percent of the legislature, so at least some soldiers would have to vote for the reforms.

The NLD last week said it would not boycott the 2015 poll, even without a constitutional amendment first.

Suu Kyi spent 15 years under house arrest under military rule in Myanmar, before she was

freed after controversial elections in 2010 that her party boycotted.

Since then Thein Sein has pushed through sweeping changes, including welcoming Suu Kyi and her party into parliament following landmark by-elections in 2012.

The parliamentary panel is expected to receive reform suggestions from the opposition and

ruling party in the coming days, and is due to report its recommendations at the end of January.

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/suu-kyi-urges-

myanmar/943006.html


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Myanmar’s Leader Backs Change to ConstitutionMyanmar’s Leader

Backs Change to Constitution

BANGKOK — Myanmar‘s president said Thursday that he backed changing the country‘s

Constitution to allow ―any citizen‖ to become president, apparently a reference to Daw

Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Prize-winning democracy advocate whose political ambitions have been thwarted for decades by the military.

In his most explicit remarks on the issue to date, President Thein Sein said it would be

―healthy‖ to amend the Constitution ―from time to time to address the national, economic

and social needs of our society.‖ He added that he ―would not want restrictions being imposed on the right of any citizen to become the leader of the country.‖

The Constitution, which was written by a military junta that is now defunct, specifically bars

candidates for Myanmar‘s presidency and vice presidency from having close family members

who ―owe allegiance to a foreign power‖ — a provision many analysts say was written to

block the popular Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi from power. Her two sons with her British husband were born in Britain and live outside Myanmar, also known as Burma.

Mr. Thein Sein is a former general and his comments, made in a speech on national

television and reprinted in the Burmese state news media on Thursday, carry weight across

Burmese society. But any constitutional changes need the support of more than 75 percent

of the members of Parliament, and Mr. Thein Sein‘s leverage over the legislature is seen as limited.


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The majority party includes at least one powerful adversary for the presidency who would

apparently have no interest in changing the Constitution for Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi‘s benefit.

National elections are scheduled for late next year.

The president‘s remarks come as the country has begun grappling with the deadlock over

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi‘s possible candidacy that has been looming over the future of the fragile democracy that emerged from a long-ruling military junta in 2011.

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi and her allies have said they are considering a boycott of the 2015

elections if the law that effectively prevents her from running for the presidency is not

changed.

Letting her run would be construed by some as a sign to the outside world, which has begun

to invest heavily in Myanmar, that democratic changes are moving forward. She has repeatedly said she will run if allowed.

Mr. Thein Sein‘s comments come after the largest political party in the country, the Union

Solidarity and Development Party, offered a list of proposed amendments to the

Constitution.

Top lawmakers from the party, which is led by senior military officers from the former junta,

proposed a minor change to the constitutional qualifications for president: spouses of a

candidate‘s children would not need to have Burmese citizenship. But the lawmakers retained the clause saying that the children must be Burmese citizens.

U Khin Maung Htoo, a member of Parliament for the party, said that in order for Ms. Aung

San Suu Kyi to qualify for president, ―her two sons must apply for Burmese citizenship and give up foreign citizenship.‖

According to Derek Tonkin, a former British diplomat who is the chairman of Network

Myanmar, which monitors politics in the country, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi‘s two sons, Kim and

Alexander, once held Burmese nationality but their citizenship was revoked by the junta.

Mr. Tonkin said that the two sons would probably be reluctant to renounce their foreign citizenship.

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, who is recovering from foot surgery, indicated Thursday that she

considered the suggested change inadequate. In remarks broadcast on Radio Free Asia, she

said that the nationality of adult children was not relevant and that the requirement ―does

not fit with democratic values.‖

―They are adults,‖ she said. ―Parents don‘t have responsibility for them.‖

Mr. Thein Sein did not refer to the majority party‘s proposals in his own remarks, so it was

unclear if he was pushing the party to go further. It also remains unclear if he will run for a second term.

All changes to the Constitution would require the assent of the country‘s still-powerful

military. Because amending the Constitution requires more than 75 percent approval of

Parliament, the military, which is allotted 25 percent of the seats, has an effective veto.


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Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, a former political prisoner who was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace

Prize for her defiance of military rule, was blocked from contesting elections in 1990 on the

grounds of receiving help from foreigners.

In April 2012, she was allowed to run for Parliament and won, a major milestone in

Myanmar‘s transition from military dictatorship to democracy.

More recently, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of the country‘s independence hero, has

been criticized by human rights groups abroad for her lack of support for the country‘s

persecuted Muslim minority. Her standing has also fallen among Myanmar‘s other minority

groups, which feel she has neglected their calls for more autonomy and befriended her

former jailers: the military. But she remains very popular over all, and her party is generally considered the front-runner in the 2015 elections.

In addition to the amendment relating to the presidential qualifications, Myanmar‘s Parliament is expected to consider a flurry of other amendments to the Constitution.

The Union Solidarity and Development Party proposed far-reaching measures that would

decentralize the administration of the country. Officials who serve as the equivalent of

mayors would be locally elected instead of appointed, as they now are. And the de facto

governors of states and divisions would be chosen by local legislatures, not appointed by the president.

These changes would probably be well received by the country‘s minority groups, which

have long advocated a federal system that gives them more autonomy. The government is currently negotiating a national cease-fire with the ethnic groups.

Wai Moe contributed reporting from Yangon, Myanmar.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/03/world/asia/myanmars-leader-backs-change-to-constitution.html?_r=0

Myanmar activists seek constitutional change

3 January 2014 /YANGON, AP

Several dozen activists rallied peacefully in Myanmar's biggest city on Friday to call for

changing the constitution to allow pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to serve as

president.

The small demonstration in Yangon came as demands have grown louder among politicians and

lawmakers for amending the constitution.


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The charter was drafted and adopted under the stewardship of Myanmar's previous military

government to ensure that the military retains a major voice in administering the country. The

military's appointed seats constitute a quarter of the total in Parliament.

An article in the constitution says anyone whose spouse or children owes allegiance to a foreign

power cannot become president or vice president. Suu Kyi was married to the late British scholar

Michael Aris, and her two sons are foreign citizens. Critics complain that many other provisions

are also undemocratic.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party announced last weekend that it would contest

the 2015 general election. It boycotted the 2010 election but successfully contested by-elections

in 2012 after electoral reforms were implemented, with Suu Kyi winning a seat in the lower

house.

“In every country, wherever it is, all the citizens have the right to elect their president, the

ministers and the prime minister as they want because this is for the good of the country,” said

the organizer of Friday's protest, Zaw Win. “But as there are lots of restrictions, we have to come

out onto the streets to protest to say that these articles in the constitution are not appropriate for

the country.” Myanmar is a republic where the president is chosen by Parliament rather than

directly elected. The NLD expects to do well enough in the 2015 polls to offer its own

presidential candidate, and Suu Kyi has expressed an interest in running. Suu Kyi's party has

recently stepped up its calls for constitutional amendments to meet democratic norms. In a

speech broadcast on radio on Thursday, President Thein Sein said he supports amending the

constitution, and his ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party has suggested changing the

clause that bars Suu Kyi from becoming president. Several other provisions are also under


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scrutiny for revision, and some proposed changes would strengthen self-government in regions

of the country dominated by ethnic minorities.

Myanmar takes first step to clear way for Suu Kyi

Myanmar's military-backed ruling party has formally proposed amending a clause in the

Constitution that now bars opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from being president of the

country.

Separately, the government announced it was fulfilling a pledge of President Thein Sein to release all remaining political prisoners.

The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), at the end of a three-day central

committee meeting on Monday, adopted a resolution proposing 94 amendments or

annulments to the Constitution. These include amending the contentious 59(f) clause that

bars anyone from being president if they or anyone in their family has foreign citizenship.

Doing so would clear the way to the presidency for Ms Suu Kyi if her party wins the 2015

General Election, a likely outcome given her personal charisma and political pedigree as daughter of independence hero Aung San.

Ms Suu Kyi was married to a British citizen and their two sons are British citizens, disqualifying her for the presidency under 59(f).

The amendment process has to go through a committee which has received proposals from

other political parties and civil society groups as well. Coupled with debates in Parliament, the process will take months. So the amendment of 59(f) is not a certainty.


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But that the proposal has come from the military-backed USDP is very significant, analysts

said. The clause was seen to have been put into the Constitution by the army - which drew

it up and rammed it through a referendum in 2008 - specifically to shut Ms Suu Kyi out of the presidency.

But Ms Suu Kyi has been mending fences with the army and is known to have engineered a

tacit alliance with the powerful Speaker of the House Thura Shwe Mann - who is also chair of the USDP.

Mr Shwe Mann is a former top general - but he is also a contender for the presidency in

2015. Analysts say he and Ms Suu Kyi both need each other, so they have to find an accommodation.

"This is Shwe Mann trying to further ingratiate himself with Daw Suu Kyi, so that he will be

her choice for president in case she is not eligible," said a Yangon-based analyst who asked not to be named.

But he warned that "it puts Shwe Mann even more on a collision course with the military…

which is a bit dangerous". "I don't think (the military) will budge on 59(f) before elections."

Parts of the Constitution including Section 59(f) give an ongoing role to the military in

politics, including significant legislative, executive and judicial powers. A quarter of seats in

Parliament are reserved for military officers. Amending it to dilute this could antagonise military hardliners distrustful of liberal democracy.

Even the USDP - which was essentially set up by the military - is not completely united on

the matter. A USDP lawmaker reportedly told journalists he had received a petition of 50,000 signatures against amending 59(f).

Meanwhile, Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) affirmed last Saturday that

the party would contest the 2015 election. The party is also proposing some 150 amendments to the Constitution, including to 59(f).

"I will say clearly that we must contest the 2015 election. Since from the beginning, the

NLD is determined to contest it," party spokesman Nyan Win said.

Meanwhile, President Thein Sein has fulfilled a promise made to the international

community earlier this year, to free all remaining political prisoners. Late on Monday, the government said it was issuing a sweeping amnesty.

This meant the country would start with a clean slate, but the issue of old repressive

legislation remained, said Yangon-based analyst Richard Horsey. "The next step must now

be to urgently amend or repeal those laws."

Source: http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/myanmar-takes-first-step-clear-way-suu-kyi


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Myanmar President backs changing Army-Drafted Constitution

YANGON — Myanmar‘s president gave his backing today (Jan 2) for amending a military

drafted constitution and indicated support for changes that would make Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi eligible to lead the country.

Mr Thein Sein, the reformist general and former top member of the army regime that ruled

Myanmar for 49 years, said changing the constitution could help national reconciliation and he did not support laws that bar anyone from becoming president.

―I would not want restrictions being imposed on the right of any citizen to become the

leader of the country,‖ Mr Thein Sein said in a monthly televised address to the nation.

―At the same time, we will need to have all necessary measures in place in order to defend our national interests and sovereignty.‖

The comments by the president are likely to be welcomed by opposition leader Suu Kyi, the

68-year-old leader of a peaceful two-decade struggle against military dictatorship, who has in recent months stated her wish to become president.

For now, Ms Suu Kyi is ineligible for the top post because her two sons are British citizens.

The comments are the latest show of openness by a president who has surprised the world

with an array of reforms that were unimaginable under the junta, like the release of

hundreds of political prisoners, liberal investment laws, legalising protests and scrapping of media censorship.


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Mr Thein Sein, 68, has yet to declare whether or not he will retire from politics after the

next election in 2015, or seek a second term. Other contenders include parliament speaker,

Mr Shwe Mann, 66, another key reformer who outranked Mr Thein Sein in the former junta.

According to Myanmar‘s constitution, the legislature, not the people, are responsible for choosing a president.

Three panels representing the lower house, the senate and lawmakers chosen by the

military each nominate a presidential candidate. A vote of the bicameral parliament then takes place, where one of the three candidates is chosen as leader.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/02/us-myanmar-politics-

idUSBREA010CZ20140102


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Myanmar commutes death sentences, jail terms

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar's president on Thursday commuted the death

sentences of some convicts and slashed the jail terms of others, but it was unclear whether

any political prisoners would be freed through his order.

President Thein Sein had granted pardons Monday to those convicted of or charged with a

variety of political offenses. The amnesty followed a promise by Thein Sein in July that all political prisoners would be freed by the end of the year.

State television and radio said Thursday's order commuted death sentences to life

imprisonment, reduced jail sentences of more than 40 years to 40 years, and cut sentences

of 40 years or less by one-fourth. It said the order was made on humanitarian grounds and to mark the 66th anniversary of the country's independence this Saturday.

It was not immediately clear how many prisoners would benefit from the order or whether any political prisoners would be freed.

"Many prisoners from various prisons, including criminals, will be freed under this order,"

said Bo Kyi of Myanmar's Assistance Association for Political Prisoners and a member of the

Political Prisoner Scrutinizing Body formed by the government. "I want to wait until

tomorrow to see if the political prisoners that we have requested to be freed are among those released."

Bo Kyi said the names of 46 political prisoners deserving freedom had been submitted to

the president.

While concerns focus on prisoners who belonged to the country's pro-democracy, anti-

military movements as well as several ethnic minorities, there are others who fall into the

category of political prisoners, including former military officers who ended up on the losing sides in factional battles.

Bo Kyi said many of the top former military intelligence

officers who are serving lengthy jail terms will have their

sentences reduced but will remain in prison.

It is also expected that a Foreign Ministry official and a

retired army major will have their death sentences commuted to life.

The ministry official and the former major were sentenced in

2010 for allegedly leaking official information about a secret

2008 trip to North Korea by the third-ranking member of

what was then Myanmar's ruling junta, Shwe Mann, who

now is chairman of the country's elected Parliament. The

leaked details of the link between the two rogue nations

prompted the United States to express concern and call on Myanmar to sever military ties with North Korea.


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Thein Sein on Monday granted pardons to those convicted of or charged with a variety of

political offenses, such as unlawful association, high treason, contempt of government,

security laws and violations of the peaceful assembly law.

Since Thein Sein became president in 2011, he has freed about 1,300 political prisoners,

according to former detainees.

Thein Sein, a former general who became an elected president after five decades of

repressive military rule, has instituted political and financial reforms to lift Myanmar's

sagging economy. The country had faced sanctions from Western nations because of its

poor human rights record and undemocratic rule, but most of them have been lifted.

The release of political detainees is a benchmark used by Western nations to judge Thein

Sein's administration, and previous releases have been a major factor in decisions by those nations to ease sanctions.

Myanmar president supports changing constitution, making Suu Kyi

eligible to lead

Myanmar's president has given his backing for amending a military drafted constitution and

indicated support for changes that would make Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi eligible to lead the country.

Thein Sein, the reformist general and former top member of the army regime that ruled

Myanmar for 49 years, said changing the constitution could help national reconciliation and he did not support laws that bar anyone from becoming president.


leader of the country," Thein Sein said in a monthly televised address to the nation.

http://www.newsfeedmaker.com/news/2014-01-02/thein-sein-in-nzjpg/5182918


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"At the same time, we will need to have all necessary measures in place in order to defend our national interests and sovereignty."

The comments by the president are likely to be welcomed by opposition leader Aung San

Suu Kyi, the 68-year-old leader of a peaceful two-decade struggle against military

dictatorship, who has in recent months stated her wish to become president.

For now, Ms Suu Kyi is ineligible for the top post because her two sons are British citizens.

The comments are the latest show of openness by a president who has surprised the world

with an array of reforms that were unimaginable under the junta, like the release of

hundreds of political prisoners, liberal investment laws, legalising protests and scrapping of media censorship.

Thein Sein, 68, has yet to declare whether or not he will retire from politics after the next

election in 2015, or seek a second term.

Other contenders include parliament speaker, Shwe Mann, 66, another key reformer who outranked Thein Sein in the former junta.

According to Myanmar's constitution, the legislature, not the people, are responsible for choosing a president.

Three panels representing the lower house, the senate and lawmakers chosen by the military each nominate a presidential candidate.

A vote of the bicameral parliament then takes place, where one of the three candidates is

chosen as leader.

Myanmar's parliament has appointed a committee to draft recommendations about how to

change the constitution, which critics say is too centralised and offers too much power to the military.

The committee said on Wednesday it had received 323,110 suggestions via 28,247 letters ahead of the December 31 deadline for public feedback.

It is expected to submit its report during the next house session, which starts on January

13.

Han Tha Myint, a senior member of Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD)

party, said the NLD had no immediate comment on the president's speech.


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Myanmar President backs Constitutional Amendment

AFP Myanmar president backs constitutional amendment

Yangon (AFP) - Myanmar's leader on Thursday lent his support to reform of the country's

junta-era constitution, indicating he would back changes to allow opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to become president.

Thein Sein, a former general who has won international praise for dramatic reforms since he

became president in 2011, said lively debate about revising the charter showed increasing

"political maturity".

"I believe that a healthy constitution must be amended from time to time to address the

national, economic, and social needs of our society," he said in a speech published in the English-language New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

He said he supported amending provisions which exclude anyone whose spouse or children

are overseas citizens from becoming president -- a clause widely believed to be targeted at

Suu Kyi whose two sons are British.


leader of the country," Thein Sein said.

Suu Kyi has vociferously campaigned for a change to the 2008 constitution, which also ring-fences a quarter of the seats in parliament for unelected military personnel.

The charter change issue is rising to the fore as Myanmar prepares for key 2015

parliamentary elections, seen as a definitive test of whether the military is willing to loosen its grip on power.

The country's president is selected by the legislature.


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On Saturday Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party said it would

not boycott the 2015 poll, even without a constitutional amendment first to allow her to

become president.

Suu Kyi spent 15 years under house arrest under military rule in Myanmar, before she was

freed after controversial elections in 2010 that her party boycotted.

Since then Thein Sein has pushed through sweeping changes, including welcoming Suu Kyi and her party into parliament following landmark by-elections in 2012.

In his speech Myanmar's leader said he had "tried to promote harmony" while in power, but

warned that the country risked a political impasse if the demands of the people "are larger than what the current political system can accommodate".

"If this happens, we could lose all the political freedom we have achieved so far," he said.

A parliamentary panel is now reviewing the constitution and is expected to report its

recommendations at the end of January.

Source:http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/world/a/20577293/myanmar-president-backs-constitutional-amendment/

Myanmar president says healthy constitution must be amended from

time to time


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Myanmar President U Thein Sein on Thursday expressed his believe that healthy

constitution must be amended from time to time to address national, economic, social

needs of society.

Thein Sein gave the speech in his regular monthly address to the nation aired through state

radio.

He underlined that political dialogue, essential for national reconciliation and the foundation of the national peace process may require the amending or revision of the Constitution.

"Amending the provision on the qualification of the political leadership of the country, I

would not want restrictions being imposed on the right of any citizen to become the leader of the country," he pointed out.

In this regard, he said, the amending of the Constitution will be undertaken to facilitate

national reconciliation, the foundation of the national peace process, through consensus based on mutual understanding, and listening to each other's demands.

He continued to say that a discussion about constitutional amendment issues and other

related issues, which would have been impossible before, is now openly discussed and debated among the public.

Showing the level of political maturity in the country, the country's main political group, the

National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and other political

parties have also actively organized forums and meetings to discuss constitutional amendments, he said.

He called for working towards increasing political vibrancy by improving participation and citizens' political rights.

He specially pointed out that the reform process is stronger, adding that an achievement of

the reforms was the much-anticipated and grand hosting of the 27th Southeast Asian Games in December.

He strongly believed that the support from citizens living both inside and outside the ountry provided a driving force for medals.

In 2014, Myanmar will take over the important responsibility of chairing the regional group

ASEAN, ensuring success of our chairmanship of ASEAN through the joint efforts of our

people, he added.

So far, with the aim of national reconciliation, together with the hard work of the political

prisoner Review Committee, and in keeping with his promise, U Thein Sein has freed all political prisoners by the end of last year.


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Myanmar must respect human rights as chairman of ASEAN

The year 2013 has just accomplished its duty in Myanmar, but it leaves ongoing war upon ethnic

population launched by government army produces more and more internal displaced people

plus refugees from various Shan villages.

Additionally, this war forces ethnic people to flee

from the country. These war-victims escaped into

neighboring countries as political exiles, illegal

migrants and refugees.

So, people have to make questions that why

government‟s armed forces do not stop fighting along

ethnic border areas. Without stopping war in ethnic

areas, how can the President convince the people

from the border areas of his government's goodwill

efforts for peace and stability and growth?

While number of hostilities considerably decreased in

many ceasefire regions, armed clashes in war-torn

Kachin and Shan state are still unstoppable. Those

hostilities in Kachin and Shan states have increased

IDPs numbers along Sino-Myanmar border. As a

result of more armed clashes between government‟s

forces and the Kachin Independence Army and

communal violence in Rakhine state produce 140,000

internal displaced people.

Up till now, Myanmar government and ethnic armed organizations fail to reach a nationwide

ceasefire agreement although they had maintained ceasefire talks in Myitkyina on Nov 4-5,

2013. Many hoped there would be a breakthrough via the meeting but it didn't take place. There

are still many differences between Myanmar government and ethnic armed organizations,

especially on founding of a federal union and a federal armed forces submitted by ethnic armed

organizations while Myanmar government suggested ethnic armed groups to abandon arms and

take part in politics.

However, there was no breakthrough result from Myitkyina summit but both parties agreed to

continue additional ceasefire talks. The next of talks of the United Nationalities Federation

Council (UNFC), an alliance of Burma‟s armed ethnic groups, won‟t take place until upcoming

January. Originally the meeting was supposed to go on in December in the Karen National Union

(KNU) controlled area.

Again, representatives from Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups will meet in an inner

location in Karen state, in January 2014 after Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT),

which formed during Laiza summit, meeting in KNU's control area. Although there are still

differences, situation seems to be improved because both parties have submitted their proposals


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each other. Many issues stay behind to be discussed as ethnic armed organizations prefer getting

political settlement before nationwide ceasefire signing. Ethnic leaders said most points in both

proposals are agreeable although some points need to make bargain.

However, the establishing of federal army issue will be a stalemate.

Constitutional amendment issue is beyond doubt a key question in Myanmar's political reforms.

The 2008 constitution seems to be a federal constitution; however, the union parliament has

more political power than the state parliaments. Political parties have highlighted undemocratic

articles in the 2008 constitution, especially about military‟s unelected 25% seats in all

parliaments.

Myanmar parliament has already established a joint constitutional review committee to assess the

constitution. Establishing a federal union and a federal army depend on the imminent

constitutional progression. If Myanmar army agrees amendment of the constitution, political

parties and ethnic armed groups will satisfy and make way for peace in the country.

When looking at international relation in 2013, Norway, Sweden, and EU have supported

financial and technical supports for restoring peace in the country. Moreover, American and

British governments have closely watched the political development in the country and are

interested in to work with Myanmar army to respect human rights. The Japanese government

also delivered financial and technical support to the government.

In the investment sector, China is still at the top among foreign investors in Myanmar. In recent

years, Japanese transnational companies have regularly increased its investment in the newly

open-up country.

Japanese companies have started Thilawa deep seaport construction and taking into

consideration to invest in Dawei SEZ.

Regarding development, President U Thein Sein delivered an address at the opening ceremony of

National Level Workshop on "Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation' at Myanmar

International Convention Centre in Nay Pyi Taw ON 20 May 2013, according to the state-run

newspapers.

In his address, U Thein Sein said, "The world is facing many challenges such as financial crisis,

climate change, food security and rise in demand for energy. For Myanmar, an agro-based

country, development of the agricultural and livestock breeding sector of rural areas, climate

change, food security, higher incomes of rural people and poverty alleviation are the issues we

have to address with all seriousness."

He additionally said that the respective authorities need to hold talks with economic experts,

organizations and departments to find out how to deal with such demanding task and what

programmes have to lay down.

He also encouraged establishing cooperative system. But the system did not win public trust in

Myanmar because in the past, people were forced to participate in activities and corruption was


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out of control. Learning lessons from those events, citizens should support formation of

cooperative societies with likeminded people, he said.

Burma remains one of the world's least developed countries, and was ranked 138 out of 182

countries in the 2010 UN's Human Development Index. Burma is regularly along with the most

corrupt countries in the world by Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions

Index -- in 2009, Burma was ranked third from the bottom after Afghanistan and Somalia.

Burma (Myanmar) is one of Asia's poorest countries, reflected in its health indicators. It had the

44th highest infant mortality rate of the 193 countries listed by the UNICEF in its 2011 State of

the World's Children report.

Myanmar has no check and balance system since the defense sector regularly takes the lion share

of the annual budget. If the government really wants to lift the people's social standard or trim

down poverty, it must trim down its defense spending first. Without external threats, the country

should not pay out too much for the military. As a result, the economy has plummeted and

unemployment rate goes up. At the same time, the hyper-inflation burst out as corruption takes

place as a key player.

To most citizens, „Poverty Alleviation‟ should start fighting against the corruption or the practice

of bribery. And it is also necessary to trim down the defense spending.

In year 2014, Myanmar has to take the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian

Nations (ASEAN). Member-Countries in the ASEAN region ought to convince the Government

of Myanmar to take necessary measures for the improvement of its issue of economic

disproportion and human rights situation related to the illegitimate land grabbing. The UN should

also consider establishing a Commission of Inquiry into the illegitimate land confiscation

business in Myanmar that caused not only armed conflict but also produced several thousands of

landless farmers, refugees and internal displaced population.

Becoming chairman of the ASEAN, government should think about the suffering of its people as

main concern. Millions of ethnic people have been expelled from their homes to make way for

development projects such as hydro-power dams, reservoirs and sea ports. However construction

and engineering companies close to the government enjoy profits from those projects, without

respecting human rights and existing laws of the nation.

- Asian Tribune -


22

Constitutional amendment issue to highlight Myanmar parliamentary

debate in 2014

YANGON, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's parliamentary Joint Committee for Review of 2008

Constitution closed the deadline on Dec. 31, 2013 for acceptance of suggestions from

government departments, political parties and civil societies on amendment of the 2008

constitution.

The committee said it had received over 28,000 letters of suggestions on over 320,000 points for the amendment.

The 109-member joint committee is expected to put forward the report on the suggestions to the parliament by the end of this month for debate and adoption.

Myanmar opposition party, the National League for Democracy ( NLD), has sent suggestions

to the committee on amending 168 points from almost all 15 chapters except one chapter of

the constitution, including an article 59-f that disqualifies its leader Aung San Suu Kyi from

taking presidency or vice presidency as her spouse or children owes allegiance to foreign power.

Suu Kyi was married to the late British scholar Michael Aris with her two sons holding foreign citizenship.

The NLD central committee announced that it will enter the upcoming general election in

2015 no matter whether the constitution is changed or not, said U Nyan Win, the party spokesman.

Regarding the constitution issue, the NLD had sought public opinion polling in some regions,

including Yangon, Kawhmu and Tharyawaddy since the past few months, in which the

majority of the people showed support of amendment of the existing 2008 Constitution for a

free and fair 2015 general election.


23

Moreover, the NLD had also sent a proposal to

the president calling for a quartet talks involving

Aung San Suu Kyi, the government, the

parliament and the military for amendment of the

2008 constitution ahead of the 2015 general election.

Meanwhile, the ruling party, the Union Solidarity

and Development Party (USDP), adopted a

resolution in its central committee meeting on

Dec. 30, 2013 that it would propose to amend 73

provisions and annul 21 provisions with the 2008

Constitution.

The proposal submitted to the parliamentary

committee also included amendment to Section

59-f of the 2008 constitution which was drawn

then to block opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi

from becoming president.

The proposed amendment paves way for Suu Kyi

to be eligible to run for presidency by allowing

her two sons to take Myanmar citizenship since

her spouse, who was a British scholar, has died.

The Section 59-f states that "the president shall himself, one of the parents, the spouses,

one of the legitimate children or their spouses not owe allegiance to a foreign power, not be

subject of a foreign power or citizen of a foreign country. They shall not be persons entitled

to enjoy the rights and privileges of a subject of a foreign government and citizen of a

foreign country."

The USDP also proposed among others that "constitutional amendment can be made with 75 percent of affirmative vote of the parliament."

The 194-page 15-chapter Republic of the Union of Myanmar Constitution -- 2008, drafted in

accordance with the detailed basic principles laid down by the National Convention, was promulgated in May 2008 after a nationwide referendum.

Under that constitution, a multi-party democracy general election was held in November

2010, in which the USDP won the majority of the parliamentary seats with its then party

chairman U Thein Sein being elected as president of the new civilian government who took office in March 2011.

In 2012, the government amended the party registration law, re- legalizing the opposition NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

The NLD took part in the by-elections in April, winning 43 out of 45 open parliamentary

seats.

Meanwhile, Myanmar's parliament sessions are to resume on Jan. 13.


24

AHRC welcomed Myanmar President order of general amnesty for all

prisoners

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) welcomes Order No. 51/2013 of 30 December

2013 by the president of Burma (Myanmar), issuing a general amnesty for all persons imprisoned or facing trial or investigation for certain categories of political offences.

The categories include persons accused or convicted of offences under the colonial-era

Unlawful Associations Act, for charges of treason, sedition or disturbing the public

tranquillity under the Penal Code (sections 122, 124A and 505), the 2011 Peaceful

Assembly and Procession Law, and the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act. According to latest

reports, eligible prisoners are today being released from jails around the country.

The order has been issued in order to fulfil the president‘s commitment given previously

that all political prisoners would be released by the end of 2013, both by ensuring the

release from prison of people detained under political offences, and halting actions against

people currently facing such charges. Insofar as it does this it has a general expediency;

however, the amnesty fails to take into account the fact that now, as in the past, Burma‘s

prisons contain people detained for political reasons who have been charged with non-political offences.

Among those persons not released today is Dr Tun Aung, on whom the AHRC in 2013 issued

an urgent appeal. The AHRC has confirmed that he is not among those persons released,

presumably because the offences for which he is being detained include not only those

political charges mentioned in the presidential order but a range of alleged crimes under antiquated communications and foreign exchange regulations laws, among others.

Indeed, AHRC said that even now he is facing further charges under a national population

registration law because, perversely, government officials incorrectly recorded his details on official documents—clerical errors for which Tun Aung is himself instead being blamed.

AHRC deplored that other persons unlikely to be released, if the criteria for the freeing of

detainees are followed, include Ma Khaing, a reporter for the Eleven Media group in Shan

State whom, according to that media outlet, was on December 17 sentenced to three months‘ imprisonment for investigating and documenting judicial corruption.


25

In her case none of the charges brought are of an ostensibly political nature, even though in

fact they were allegedly brought for broadly political reasons. The media outlet has

expressed concern that although a number of journalists have been charged with offences related to their work since the current government took office, she is the first to go to jail.

Thus, AHRC pointed out the failure of the president with this order to fulfil his commitment to release all political detainees by the end of 2013 is its first and immediate concern.

The second, it said, longer-term concern relates to the persistent use of executive

amnesties to free detainees. The release of persons from prison who should not have been

detained in the first place is under any circumstances a welcome event. However, the repeated use of this method is no way to build the rule of law.

On the contrary, AHRC deplored that it has potentially corrosive effects on rule-of-law

institutions, by failing to put pressure on the courts and other agencies to take responsibility

for their own failures, and prevent these types of cases in the first place. Indeed, none of

the persons amnestied have actually been exonerated, and none are in a position to make

claims for compensation or take other actions for wrongful detention. All that has happened is that the president with a wave of the hand has let them out.

Continuous executive hand waving might get some people out of jail who should not be

there, but it is no solution to the problems that Burma has with systemic arbitrary and

illegal detention. On the contrary, it potentially undermines the search for lasting solutions by functioning as an easy way out from the search for alternatives.

It also undermines any claims on the part of the government of Burma to be working

towards a judiciary with credibility and independence, since it reinforces the overwhelming

power of the president to make decisions at his discretion as to who stays locked up and

who gets out.

The current president is making choices on the release of detainees that for the most part

are amenable to the public and are appreciated by democratic political parties and human

rights groups in Burma, and abroad. But it does not take any stretch of the imagination to

envisage a situation in which the current president or, perhaps more likely, another

incumbent in a few years time might make amnesty decisions that will be offensive to many

people—amnesties to protect human rights abusers, rather than to free human rights defenders.

Indeed, Burma has lessons in its past that speak to this possibility, and today we need look

only as far as its neighbour, Thailand, to see the extent of political conflict caused by a blanket amnesty not only for human rights defenders but also for human rights abusers.

Therefore, the Asian Human Rights Commission while welcoming this particular amnesty

urges that the authorities in Burma work strategically towards more lasting rule-of-law

oriented solutions to arbitrary detention, in particular, through urgently needed reform of

courts so that unjustly imprisoned people can have their sentences overturned and seek

compensation for wrongful imprisonment. Only through actions of this sort will the judicial

system obtain rather than further lose credibility and independence through the release of unjustly detained prisoners.

Source: http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-001-2014


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Myanmar declares no more political prisoners after amnesty

Myanmar on Tuesday declared it would have "no more political prisoners" by year-end after

announcing a sweeping amnesty, releasing several inmates as campaigners voiced concern

that more dissidents remain behind bars.

YANGON: Myanmar on Tuesday declared it would have "no more political prisoners" by

year-end after announcing a sweeping amnesty, releasing several inmates as campaigners voiced concern that more dissidents remain behind bars.

The country, which had pledged to free all prisoners of conscience by the end of 2013, has

held a series of high-profile amnesties as part of dramatic reforms since the end of outright

military rule nearly three years ago.

It was unclear whether the amnesty would affect all of about 40 political prisoners listed by

campaigners, as well as a further 200 people awaiting trial, mainly for protesting without permission.

Myanmar late Monday said it would pardon those imprisoned under controversial legislation,

including the Emergency Act used by the junta to imprison opponents as well as laws

governing freedom of assembly and the right to protest.

Presidential spokesman Ye Htut said the amnesty, along with a separate pardon for five

additional inmates jailed under other legislation, meant "there are no more political prisoners".

"I would like to say that the president has fulfilled his promise given to the people, because

there will be no political prisoners at all at the end of 2013," he said in a post on his

Facebook page, without giving further details of the release which began Tuesday.


27

Former general Thein Sein has won international plaudits and the lifting of most western

sanctions for overseeing political and civil freedoms since becoming president nearly three

years ago.

But campaigners sounded a note of caution.

"We cannot say at this moment whether there are no more political prisoners. We are

waiting and watching," said Thet Oo, of a group representing former political prisoners in Yangon, adding he hoped more activists would be released in coming days.

He said five political prisoners were thought to have been released across the country Tuesday.

Around 120 more people awaiting trial - some of whom were being held in prison - were believed to have had cases against them dropped.

Arbitrary imprisonment was a hallmark of nearly half a century under a junta that denied

the existence of political prisoners, even as it imposed harsh punishments on rights activists, journalists, lawyers and performers.

Before Myanmar's reforms, rights groups accused the country of wrongfully imprisoning about 2,000 political detainees.

Most of these have since been freed under previous amnesties, but many political prisoners have suffered repeated arrests for continuing their activities.

Nyan Win, spokesman for Aun San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy

party, welcomed the amnesty and said it would "technically" mean there were no more political prisoners.

"We have to say that there are no prisoners under political charges. But we also have to check if there are people remaining in prison under other charges," he told AFP.

Dozens of relatives and friends awaiting news of their loved ones gathered outside Yangon's notorious Insein prison, where at least nine inmates were freed on Tuesday.

It was unclear how many of them were considered political prisoners.

Peace activists Yan Naing Tun and Aung Min Oo, who were sentenced in recent weeks to

eight months in prison for marching to the rebel town of Laiza in strife-torn northern Kachin

state, were greeted by jubilant supporters as they walked free from the jail.

"I respect the president for keeping his promise," Yan Naing Tun told reporters.

The latest amnesty includes those convicted under the most notorious laws used by the

former junta against its critics, including democracy campaigner Suu Kyi - who is now an MP following the dramatic reforms.

But while the pardon appears to cover those currently facing charges, it does not extend to people arrested after December 31.


28

David Mathieson, a researcher with New York-based Human Rights Watch, said the claims could be "bluster" to try to meet the self-imposed release deadline.

He called on Myanmar to repeal the controversial laws.

Campaigners fear authorities could continue to arrest critics in the future, potentially creating more political prisoners.

Prison authorities said they did not have a timetable for releasing those pardoned, adding it

could take time to identify all those affected.

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/myanmar-declares-no-more/938708.html

Myanmar lifts curfew order in riot-hit Meikhtila on new year eve

Yangon: Myanmar authorities lifted curfew on riot-hit Meikhtila on Tuesday night, the new

year eve of 2014, as order has been restored there, local media Voice reported Wednesday quoting local administration.


29

The dusk-to-dawn curfew were imposed on four townships of Meikhtila in northern Mandalay

region since March 2013 following deadly communal riot which left more than 10,000 people

homeless out of around 500,000 population in the area.

The Meikhtila riot was then sparked by a brawl between buyers and sellers over a bit of gold

clip at a gold shop on March 20, 2013.

During the clashes, 43 people were killed and 86 others injured with 1,355 houses, shops and buildings being destroyed as well as 39 various vehicles being burnt.

The riot later spread to more than a dozen other townships including Yemethin, Tatkon, Gyopingauk, Minhla, Okpho, Nattalin, Zigon, Patigon, Moenyo, Pyay and Thegon.

Myanmar police force arrested 68 culprits linked with the riot. Of them 30 have been sentenced to various jail terms.

Businessmen to Asean: AEC what? Explain further

Companies surveyed by the Asean Business Advisory Council said they felt that the

dissemination of information on the Asean Economic Community Blueprint and its implementation could have been done better.

Respondents from 502 companies expressed ―slightly above-average satisfaction‖ with the

bloc‘s overall implementation of the blueprint across 16 selected policy areas except one:

dissemination of information.

The survey scored responses from a scale of one (low) to five (high). On average, the

overall implementation of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) was scored at 3.11, according to the Asean BAC.


30

Respondents were least satisfied with the dissemination of information which scored 2.97 and the consultation with businesses on AEC initiatives at 3.07.

Areas that respondents were most satisfied with was the elimination of tariffs (3.36),

followed by the protection of investors and their investments (3.30), promotion of joint

investment missions that focus on regional clusters and production networks (3.29) and increasing foreign equity participation in services sectors (3.29).

According to the Asean BAC, small firms were also relatively not as satisfied with measures

relating to establishing transparent, consistent and predictable investment rules. Medium-

sized firms were also less satisfied with areas relating to enhancing cooperation in regional

infrastructure development as well as enhancing the competitiveness and dynamism of Asean small and medium enterprises.

Companies in different countries also expressed dissatisfaction in implementation in different areas.

Brunei and Philippines ―expressed less satisfaction‖ with efforts to enhance national

competition to create a fair competition environment.

Indonesia and Myanmar were not as satisfied with how the AEC ―enhance cooperation in

regional infrastructure development‖, Laos and Malaysia were less satisfied with efforts to

simplify customs procedures while Thailand and Vietnam were less satisfied with Asean‘s efforts in reforming rules of origin.

Companies in Singapore were ―less satisfied‖ with Asean‘s efforts relating to the

establishment of transparent and predictable investment rules.

―This is consistent with the findings in the Surveys on Asean Community Building Effort

2012 conducted by the Asean Secretariat (2013), where businesses across Asean countries

held the view that Asean could do more in organising promotional activities to garner interests and raise awareness through the media,‖ said the Asean BAC.

―They also felt that the channels being used were not sufficiently effective and instead

should be more tailored for the target audience, taking into account language barriers and educational level differences among others,‖ it said.

In its policy recommendations, the ASsean BAC ―strongly urged‖ the regional grouping to

intensify its engagement with the business community, by strengthening the process of

information dissemination and consultation with businesses on AEC initiatives, which have

been consistently rated by respondents of the survey and its successors as being among the least satisfactory areas of AEC Blueprint implementation.


31

Myanmar, Germany see economic, cultural cooperation

Myanmar and Germany saw economic and cultural cooperation between the two countries in

2013 encouraged by German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelles's visit to Myanmar in

2012.

During 2013, the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) signed an

agreement with its Myanmar counterpart, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), to open its representative office in Yangon.

It is the first business representative office from Europe to open in Myanmar and the new

office would support Myanmar's efforts to finalize the draft of a small and medium-sized enterprises law.

The move also helps German companies start business here, connecting them with

Myanmar partners, offering Myanmar firms a forum to discuss any difficulties they may have in working with them.

German companies have interest in Myanmar's infrastructure projects including railways

and electricity supply as well as consumer products and car industry.

According to official figures, bilateral trade between Myanmar and Germany amounted to

187.53 million U.S. dollars of which Germany's import from Myanmar totaled 42.98 million

U.S. dollars while its export to Myanmar stood 144.55 million U.S. dollars in the fiscal year 2012-13.

Germany's investment in the Southeast Asian nation amounted to 17.5 million U.S. dollars

as of July 2013 since Myanmar opened to such investment in late 1988.


32

In the cultural and educational sector, Germany-based Goethe Institute is to open in

Myanmar to introduce initiatives for bilateral cultural, educational cooperation and to

conduct language proficiency courses.

The institute works for Myanmar-Germany cooperation in promoting sports sector through

mutual exchange, conducting courses for youths and seminars of experts on German

Language, sending Myanmar scholars to Germany, cultural exchange of musicians and cultural troupes and media exchange.

The Goethe Institute has opened about 150 branches in 95 world countries, offering

Germany's culture and arts and conducting paper-reading sessions on German's culture including language sector.

Myanmar has also seen German companies running tourism industry with the aim of promoting the sector of Myanmar.

Scholarship programs for Myanmar students are also planned for 2014.

Germany has announced decision to resume full-scale development aid to Myanmar following that of the European Union to suspend sanctions against the country for one year.

Germany is known as the second-largest donor to Myanmar after Japan.

Christians persecuted in Myanmar too, stripped of citizenship


33

In Myanmar, Buddhism is infused with nationalism.

Followers of news events in Asia are well aware that Myanmar (formerly Burma) is a hotbed

of religious strife between Buddhists and Muslims. However, it is less well-known that Christians are also subject to religious persecution in the strife-ridden country.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - A story in UCANews tells about Naing Ki, a citizen of

Myanmar who is being increasingly marginalized because of his conversion to Baptist

Christianity. The persecution of Christians in the primarily Buddhist state is common and

Christian minorities in some places, particularly in rural villages, is intense.

Naing Ki told UCAN that brick were thrown at his house, how he is denied the right to trade

with local merchants and must drive for three hours once every few weeks to obtain food

and supplies for his family. Next year, he won't even be counted in the national census, which means he won't even be considered an actual citizen.

All because he is a Christian.

These developments are a bit baffling to those familiar with the basic tenets of Buddhism

which stress non-violence and acceptance, but in Myanmar the religion is tempered with

nationalism and in the face of aggressive outside threats, such as Islam, the native

Buddhists have become hostile.

It's hard to blame them. The Muslims have arrived, bringing with them terrorism and

violence as their preferred tactic for forcing conversions in the border regions where they

have become dominant. With the mainstream of the nation still Buddhist, but fearing attack,

it's natural for them to retaliate against outside influences.

It's also a convenient distraction from the dysfunctions of government as the state feebly

struggles on the path to democracy.

Christians are hardly militant, but they tend to segregate rather than assimilate. The

Baptists have made inroads into the rural state of Chin, where Naing Ki lives and the

Buddhists there feel very threatened by their presence. The end result is a segregated

society where Christians form enclaves and Buddhists form theirs, and any dispute between the two different persons immediately becomes the spark for religious conflict.

In Naing Ki's case, he is the only Christian in a small rural village of Buddhists.

It doesn't help that outside aid is banned and the government gives tacit approval to the

persecution of religious minorities. According to UCAN, Christian children are often enrolled in free public education and forced to participate in daily Buddhist rituals.

As Myanmar prepares to take its census and plans to discount those who aren't Buddhist,

millions of people could lose their citizenship and become stateless people, all because they

are of a different religious persuasion.

Cut off from outside aid and domestic support, these people will be forced to turn to one

another, which could give rise to intense, militant movements and outside intervention. If Myanmar is looking to transition into a fully-fledged, peaceful democracy, it is making the

http://www.ucanews.com/news/religious-intolerance-alive-in-secretive-chin-state/69936


34

Source: http://www.watchinga.com

Religious intolerance alive in secretive Chin state

The road to Yaung Laung in Myanmar‘s northwestern Chin state winds through cloud-raked

mountains, where more than a century ago American missionaries began canvassing the land.

Only 28 households make up this remote village, a three-hour drive from the nearest town

of Mindat. Included among those wooden abodes is the house where Naing Ki and his family live, the only Baptists in a village of Chin Buddhists.

That distinction has been difficult for the 28-year-old, whose father founded the village in

1989. Naing Ki had been Buddhist but converted a decade ago after struggling ―to find

peace of mind‖ within the dictates of Myanmar‘s most widely-followed religion. The

conversion was met with hostility from his neighbors.

―They told me that no Christians were allowed in the village and tried to force me to leave,‖

said Naing Ki, who, fearing retribution from villagers, met with ucanews.com reporters at a

spot above Yaung Laung, far away from prying eyes. When he invited a pastor to pray a year after converting, ―villagers threw bricks at my house‖.


35

The American Baptist missionary Arthur E Carson began the first wave of proselytizing the

largely animist Chin back in 1899. Today around 90 percent of the state, Myanmar‘s most

impoverished and remote, are Christian. Yaung Laung‘s concentration of Buddhists thus makes it an anomaly, and Naing Ki something of a lone wolf.

Amid the coverage of protracted ethno-religious violence in Myanmar over the past year, the tension between its Buddhist and Christian communities has received scant attention.

Although the military has a long and ugly record of attacks on churches and other Christian

sites of worship, particularly in Kachin and Karen states, its nefarious presence in Chin

state, which the government opened to foreigners only two months ago, has gone largely

unnoticed by the outside world. A 2010 investigation by Physicians for Human Rights found

evidence of rights violations by the military here that may constitute crimes against humanity, including religious persecution, torture, rape and killings.

More subtle forms of pressure on non-Buddhist communities has also fueled tensions in the

region, notably the creation of so-called Na Da La schools run by the Border Affairs Ministry

that attract poor Christian children with offers of free education and meals, and require

them to practice Buddhist rituals each day. Pressure from rights groups in recent years has however pushed the government to ease this requirement.

Beyond this, actual violence between civilians in Chin state has been seldom documented.

―The villagers beat my wife and I in 2005 and told us we had no right to stay here,‖ Naing

Ki recalled. He said a Buddhist missionary monk dispatched to the region to counter the

Christian missionaries – a practice common to many areas of Chin state – had pressured him to convert back to Buddhism, otherwise he would not be accepted.

Naing Ki has stayed, but he remains persona non grata in the village. Banned from using

the communal water pipes and from shopping in village stores, he is forced to make the

three-hour journey to Mindat once every few weeks to pick up food supplies. He has slowly developed cordial relations with his immediate neighbor, who often gives him water.

Aside from the instances of violence and discrimination, there is an ominous subtext to

Naing Ki‘s story. In 2014, Myanmar will conduct its first census in more than two decades.

Since his conversion in 2003, local authorities have refused to include the 28-year-old on

the family registration list. This means he will not be included in the census.

The plight of Naing Ki goes beyond just a tale of religious persecution. It raises key

questions about who does and does not qualify as a Myanmar citizen, an issue that has

gained increasing attention with the attacks by Buddhists on Muslims over the past year and the ongoing denial of citizenship for the Muslim Rohingya minority.

That denial of citizenship based on religious or ethnic identity is nothing new in Myanmar,

said Matthew Smith, head of Fortify Rights International. With it comes ―a cascade of other

rights violations, including limiting access to employment, education and healthcare, freedom of movement and other livelihood issues‖.

Yet often the conflict here takes more nuanced forms. The Chin are believed to have begun

their migration southward from the Tibetan plateau in the ninth century, and planted roots


36

in what is now Chin state some 300 years later. Centuries-old claims to land play a major factor in religious tensions.

Sixteen kms beyond Yaung Laung, the village of Yar Taing Kyne stretches along a narrow

road cut into a steep mountainside. Here, animists, Baptists, Buddhists and Catholics mingle

comparatively harmoniously. But attempts by Baptist elders to build a church last year were

met with resistance from members of the Buddhist community, who said the land

earmarked for the church belongs to their ancestors. Perceived evangelizing by Baptist

leaders adds to the problem.

―Baptists will attempt to convert people not of a strong religion and will then support them

materially, which creates disunity and tension,‖ said U Aung Kyaw, a former village

administrator of Yar Taing Kyne. He added that the situation works both ways: Buddhists also should refrain from building monasteries in Christian villages.

The government has done little to tackle the tensions. Indeed following the Buddhist-Muslim

violence of the past year, it has stood accused of direct complicity in attacks on Muslim

communities in an effort to sow inter-communal hostilities and thus embolden the military, which has felt threatened by the democratic reforms.

―For the last 60 years the state has pushed a homogenous nationalism onto ethnic areas in

a number of ways,‖ said Smith. ―It has stifled political and economic development and led to

deadly civil war.‖

Chin state‘s woeful infrastructure added to its remoteness. Poor roads and blocks on the

provision of outside aid and the movement of its people has compounded the problems

associated with poverty, and has also allowed these animosities to fester. Locals are angry

that in a majority Christian state, a government touting its newfound openness has

appointed a Buddhist as the minister for religious affairs.

President Thein Sein‘s inability to mend age-old divides between Myanmar citizens is one of

the key obstacles to democratic transition, and threatens to become the fuel for conflict well

into the future. As the likes of Naing Ki know, the problems don‘t stop there – come next

year, on government books that will long outlast his own lifetime, he will be officially

considered an outsider. With violent campaigns underway to distinguish once and for all which religion qualifies someone as Myanmar, millions of others could join him.

Source:http://www.ucanews.com/news/religious-intolerance-alive-in-secretive-chin-state/69936


37

Myanmar to host 7th ASEAN Para Games

YANGON - Myanmar Vice President U Nyan Tun has called for successful hosting of the 7th

ASEAN Para Games in Nay Pyi Taw from January14-20 and achieving the best results at the games, official media reported Wednesday.

U Nyan Tun made the call at the coordination meeting to host 7th ASEAN Para Games in

Nay Pyi Taw, said the New Light of Myanmar.

The ASEAN Para Games will be organized in line with the rules of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation APSF, he said.

He said that the work guideline for the 27th SEA Games was adopted to make preparations

of the stadiums and gymnasiums with full facilities not only for the SEA Games but also for

the ASEAN Para Games, realizing the equality, participation and sharing for the para sports

athletes.

The country is ready to host the games and Myanmar will have great opportunity to uplift the prestige of the state by hosting the ASEAN Para Games, U Nyan Tun said.


38

In its fine tradition, Myanmar Para sports athletes had secured a large number of medals in the Far East and South Pacific Region para Games and ASEAN Para Games.

The games will comprise 12 sports events namely archery, track and field, Bocia, seven in

one football event, five in one football event, goal ball event, table tennis, swimming, chess,

volleyball, wheelchair, basketball and weightlifting events.

Myanmar movie academy award ceremony in Yangon

Winners of Myanmar Film Academy Award in 2012 1. Best Director Award : Ko Zaw (Aryone Oo) with ―Egg‖ Film

2. Best Male Artist Award : Pyay Ti Oo with ―Latt Pan‖ or ―The Red Cotton Flower‖ Film

3. Best Female Artist Award : Phway Phway with ―Latt Pan‖ or ―The Red Cotton Flower‖ Film

4. Best Supporting Female Artist Award: Chaw Yadanar with ―Egg‖ Film

5. Special Award (Best Kid Artist) : Yoon Yoon with ―Tain Min Thamee Yae Diary‖ Film


39

6. Best Cinematography Award : Aung Ko Latt with ―Kayan A Hla‖ Film

7. Best Film Editor Award : Zaw Min with ―Egg‖ Film

8. Best Background Music Award : Win Ko with ―Mway Khan Htike Thu Phit Par Say‖ Film 9. Best Sound Award : Tony Lynn with ―Kayan A Hla‖ Film


40

Aung San Suu Kyi to visit Chin State

28 December 2013: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Chairperson of the National League for

Democracy (NLD), is set to make a visit to Chin State in the first week of 2014.

The party says that the 68-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate will travel to Burma's

western state as planned from 6 January next year as she is well recovered from the

operation on her foot.

She will fly from Rangoon to Kalaymyo in Sagaing Region where she is scheduled to meet with NLD executive members from Kalay, Kalewa and Mingin townships.

According to media reports, Suu Kyi will travel to Tedim and Falam townships of Chin State where she will be talking about issues related to the 2008 Constitution from 7 to 9 January.

She has said that her party will contest 2015 General Election and that the constitution has to be amended for there to be a fair election in the country in 2015.

Burma's 2008 Constitution, unless amended, prevents Aung San Suu Kyi from running for

president owing to her husband and children being 'citizens of a foreign country'.


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During her stay in Chin State, Suu Kyi is to meet with NLD members although detailed information about her programmes is still unavailable.

It will be the first in ten years since her visit to Chin State in 2003.

http://www.chinlandguardian.com/index.php/chin-news/item/2053-aung-san-suu-kyi-to-

visit-chin-state

Karen rivals unite for New Year

At the break of dawn, battalions of unarmed Karen soldiers marched in a parade past

hundreds of jubilant visitors at Shwe Kokko Myine in Myawaddy Township as part of the celebrations which marked Karen New Year.


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But what was most unusual about this year‘s celebration was that the soldiers represented

opposing armed factions which have faced each other on the battlefield – the Border Guard

Force (BGF), the Karen National Union (KNU) and the KNU/ KNLA Peace Council (KPC).

Hosted at the BGF headquarters near the Thai border, BGF Maj. Saw Maung Win explained

the symbolism of the soldiers marching without arms. ―The aim of this event is to reunite the Karen people and the rival armed forces – it is time to reunite and cooperate.‖

Saw Maung Win was referring to the recent history of splits, divisions and defections that

has marred and weakened the Karen resistance, perhaps most notably the

Buddhist/Christian Karen split in 1994, which resulted in the formation of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (now renamed the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army) or the DKBA.

A handful of strikingly benign DKBA soldiers laden in military hardware did not march, but

mulled around the event grounds and enjoyed watching boxing bouts next to their BGF, KNU and KPC counterparts.

Representatives of the three Karen armies have been meeting since September 2013 to

organize this landmark event, which ran from 30 December– 1 January. Based on the full

moon and held on the first day of the month of Pyatho in the Buddhist Lunar Calendar, Karen New Year coincidentally fell on 1 January this time round.

During the three-day event, Shwe Kokko received thousands of visitors including ethnic

Karens from all five townships of Karen State –Kawkreik, Myawaddy, Kyain Seikgyi,

Hlaingbwe and Hpa An. Many Karen migrants and refugees also returned to Burma across the Moei River for the festivities.

Thai Karen as well as curious Thais and international visitors also enjoyed the packed

program of traditional ―don‖ dancing, boxing and musical performances. Huge helium

balloons, glowing 20-foot candelabras adorning palm trees and countless Karen flags added

to the festive atmosphere.

But there were undoubtedly some political points to be made, and speeches were delivered

by some notable persons of influence: Aung Min, the chief negotiator for the Burmese

government and minister of the President‘s Office; Deputy Minister of Border Affairs Gen. Maung Maung Ohn; and KNU Chief of Staff Gen. Saw Johnny.

Dr. Saw Htun Myint spoke for the Karen BGF, which was formed in 2010 as an ally of the

Burmese army. ―We have our dignity as Karen people,‖ he said. ―We chose our way – by way of the constitution.‖

Outlining the focus of the BFG in Myawaddy Division, he said, ―We aim to protect our nation, our region and our Karen people. Our country is Burma.‖

Speaking on the sidelines to DVB, Saw Hlo Tun, a chief KNU administrator and vice-

chairman of the event organizing committee, echoed Saw Htun Myint. ―The ethnic revolution

did not succeed. The best solution is peace in Burma, and Karen New Year is a time for unity.‖

KNU Chief of Staff Gen. Saw Johnny shared more skeptical reflections, noting that: ―Peace is

still not a reality for all ethnicities, there is only peace for some.‖ However he pointed out


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that peace would be good for the economy and would lead to increased tourism in Karen State.

When asked about the history of the Karen flag (of which there were hundreds if not

thousands flying proudly at the event), the BGF‘s Saw Htun Myint was quick to strip it of its

sovereignty or revolutionary symbolism, calling it an ethnic flag. ―The Myanmar flag is our national flag, it symbolizes our union with other ethnic groups.‖

Among the Karen visitors to the New Year‘s celebration, brothers Lay and Thein said they

came to witness unarmed Karen soldiers standing and marching together and to enjoy some

boxing.

Lay said he barely remembers being displaced with his parents from his village, Nwong Ya

Wa, 20 years ago when the family fled to Mae La refugee camp in Thailand. His younger

brother Thein can only remember growing up in Mae La. When Thein was 12, his parents, two sisters and him were granted UNHCR status and resettled in Omaha, Nebraska.

Thein has since gone back to Mae La but fears he will not be able to return to the United

States because of visa trouble. Thein said he is very wary of the Burmese army and Thai officials because of his precarious status.

For many Karen, the prospect of achieving unity still appears distant; at best it is expected

to be a long process. Even without weapons, the lines between the rival Karen groups are stark.

For Lay and Thein, the Karen New Year‘s celebrations at Shwe Kokko are a distraction from

the daily trials of life in a refugee camp, but the festival also reminds them of their culture. Thein explains: ―Being Karen is a state of mind.‖

http://www.dvb.no/news/karen-rivals-unite-for-new-year-burma-myanmar/35704

Refugees Struggle With Rations Cut

January 3, 2014 • Author: Karen News


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Refugees on the Thai-Burma border struggle to find ways to cope with cuts to their food rations officially introduced to camps in December 2013.

Naw Htoo lives in Umpiem Mai Refugee camp south of the Thai Burma border town of Mae Sot. Naw Htoo said that the food ration cuts would mean her family would struggle for food.

―The rations is not enough for us – rice, cooking oil, charcoal, salt and fish paste.‖

Naw Htoo‘s family is large.

―We are ten and six have had their rations cut to eight kilos of rice. This is down from 12 kilo. The first month of the cuts we coped because we had reserves. For sure we will suffer next month.‖

Naw Htoo‘s said the cuts meant her family had to scavenge for food in nearby jungle areas.

―We have to find wood to cook with it when we don‘t have enough charcoal. I don‘t remember the last time we had meat. If we have meat we can only afford to buy the bones and dried fish. The last good meal we had was at church during Christmas.‖

Naw Htoo said her husband had to risk leaving the camp to find work to help supplement the family‘s food.

―My husband has to try to find work as a daily labourer. He risks being arrested.‖

Naw Htoo said she has taken to growing vegetables around the house and foraging in the jungle

The 130,000 refugees on Thailand‘s border with Burma are facing further food shortages, with the

monthly rice ration for being slashed from 12 to eight kilograms. It is the latest cut to the ration, which previously stood at 15kgs in 2012.


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The Border Consortium (TBC), a coalition of NGO‘s that has administered aid to the camps for over two decades, said that the reduction in rations was due to a drop in funding from donors.

In an interview with The Irrawadddy, Mark Bruce, a spokesman for TBC, said eight kilograms was not enough. ―We know this. The change in rations is not a good thing,‖ he said.

Mr Bruce added that the rice cuts did not apply to children, the elderly or the sick and that the rice ration for children under five years old has actually been raised to 13.5 kgs, although this was still lower than the 15kgs refugees were getting before the cuts started.

―In order to ensure that the community‘s basic needs are met, TBC is continuing to maintain a standard monthly ration while introducing four staged levels of assistance,‖

Under the staged assistance plan, households are categorized according to their level of need from, self-reliant, standard, and vulnerable to most vulnerable. TBC said that households that were self-reliant would see the cut in rice rations for adults.

Joint Secretary of the Karen Refugees Committee, said she supported the notion of encouraging self-sufficiency of refugees at the camp, but nevertheless expressed concern over the cuts. ―This is a concern for us, we have to wait and see how this will effect people.‖

Legal Pariahs

TBC said that they would increase job opportunities and vocational training as a way to increase refugee‘s self-sufficiency, but some humanitarians believe this is unrealistic, as the majority of refugees are unregistered and lack the necessary documents to work outside the camps, thus leaving them with no legal protection.

And even if they can go home, conditions are more basic in Eastern Burma than they are in the camps.

According to household surveys in rural areas of South East Myanmar conducted by TBC in the past, just 27% of families‘ access protected water sources. TBC‘s surveys also indicated ―59% of households are impoverished while a comparable proportion has recorded inadequate food security.‖

In a 143 page report called ‗Ad Hoc and Inadequate: Thailand‘s Treatment of Refugees and Asylum

Seekers‘, Human Rights Watch criticized Thailand‘s refugee policies as causing refugees of all nationalities to be ―exploited and unnecessarily detained and deported.‖

―Thailand presents Burmese refugees with the unfair choice of stagnating for years in remote refugee camps or living and working outside the camps without protection from arrest and deportation,‖ said Bill Frelick, HRW‘s Refugee Program director in a report last year focusing on the refugee situation in Thailand.

Thailand has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not have a refugee law or functioning asylum procedures. It regards refugees living outside of official camps as being in the country illegally.

―While these camps offer some element of protection, by remaining in the camps without any source of real income, refugees become completely dependent on aid agencies.‖ Human Rights Watch said in the 2012 report

Source: http://karennews.org/2014/01/refugees-struggle-with-rations-cut.html/


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Myanmar weekly news vol01 no 01

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