Blood Teak: How Myanmar's Natural Resources Fuel Ethnic Conflicts

The original version of this article appeared on the Wilson Center's New Security Beat.

On March 30, the government of Myanmar and an umbrella group of 16 ethnic minority groups agreed to a draft agreement for a "nationwide ceasefire" to end decades of conflict in the country's northern reaches. But even as the latest ceasefire was being made, two armed groups, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), were in open conflict with the Burmese military. Fighting in Kokang and Kachin has led to casualties in the triple digits and displaced an estimated 100,000 civilians.

Given the potential for the military to use renewed conflict as a pretext to roll back or end Myanmar's nascent political reform process, it might seem puzzling for minority groups seeking greater autonomy and relief from human rights abuses to escalate violence at a time like this. But their logic is clearer when you understand what's been so commonly overlooked in Myanmar's ethnic conflicts: competition by both minority rebel groups and the Burmese military over the control of extractive resources and illicit industries.

Rubies, Jade, Timber, and Poppy

Academics have pointed to competition and control over extractive natural resources such as minerals, metals, and timber as factors which lead to both higher rates and increased duration of internal conflict. Valuable extractive resources provide incentives for the formation of non-state armed groups and extend the duration of existing conflicts by providing a relatively easy source of income that groups can use to purchase military equipment and recruit fighters.

Areas currently under the control of or within the traditional home areas of ethnic minority groups in Myanmar are rich in timber, rubies, and jade. These resources are both extremely lucrative and easy for an armed group to control and export.

The KIA and other armed groups bordering China have long benefited from the exploitation of northeastern Myanmar's teak forests and other valuable hardwoods, which are harvested and smuggled into China. A recent report by the NGO Forest Trends found the overwhelming majority of Chinese timber imports from Myanmar are illegal. Likewise, rubies and other gems from ethnic minority areas have been smuggled across the border and into global markets.

What's more, the military strategies of many armed groups appear to be heavily influenced by a desire to maintain and expand control over natural resources. After the resumption of major hostilities between the KIA and Burmese military in 2011, a KIA force spread thin by the offensives of better equipped government forces surprisingly launched a significant offensive of their own. Their target? Hpakant, one of Myanmar's most lucrative jade mining centers.

Myanmar's booming drug production also serves as an easily exploitable source of revenue for non-state armed groups. Several of the most powerful armed groups run large-scale methamphetamine production operations and/or control the cultivation of poppy for the production of heroin. These are then smuggled into China and Thailand to supply growing demand in the region. The recent outbreak of conflict in Kokang may well be an attempt by the MNDAA to restore their control over the revenues of the drug trade.

An Alternate Path?

Given the seeming unending nature of these decades-long conflicts, options for resolution appear limited. A military resolution through the escalation of violence is both deplorable from a normative perspective and practically improbable. Is it possible, then, for nonviolent measures to alter the incentives of armed groups in ways that make control of extractive resources and illicit industries less important as a means of survival? There are several options.

First, the government of Myanmar and international actors could crack down on illicit exports. This approach may prove very difficult to implement, as smuggling across rugged borders is difficult to monitor and cooperation from local communities and governments on both sides of the border who gain financially from smuggling is unlikely to be forthcoming (high-ranking military and government officials are among those that profit most from smuggling outside ethnic minority controlled areas).

Alternatively, a long-term peace deal and political settlement which places the control of revenues from extractive resources in the hands of local governments run by ethnic minority officials may eliminate some of the most powerful motivations for the continuation of conflict. The prospects for such a long-term deal also appear dim. The military has demonstrated its willingness to undermine or ignore agreements when they conflict with their interests. Likewise, minority groups are unlikely to have enough trust in the state to agree to such a plan should it require them to lay down their arms.

Perhaps the most viable option in the medium to long term is development programs specifically targeted at diversification of local economies, reducing reliance on extractive resources and illicit industries for the survival of minority communities. As control of extractive resources diminishes in comparative economic importance, so would the incentives of communities to sustain armed conflict intended to maintain control of these industries.

This approach is not without its own challenges. It is difficult to know if the Burmese state and military would have the foresight to allow such development programs in rebel-held regions. In the government's current form, it seems unlikely, but if liberalization continues, perhaps it will become more possible. Additionally, those at the very top of the leadership structures of armed groups benefit the most from the status quo. This approach would therefore depend on eroding support for the continuation of resource-driven conflict from below, gradually undermining the comparative economic advantage to both civilians and rank and file members of armed groups to continue fighting.

The re-ignition of conflict should be a reminder that as long as the incentives to control exploitable natural resources and illicit industries are greater than the incentives to create stability, there is little hope for long-term peace in Myanmar. Sustainable progress is possible, but only if the underlying economic structures of minority groups are altered by the diversification of local economies and the government continues opening up. While this is by no means a panacea for the conflict, it may begin to alter the economic circumstances which have facilitated such persistent violence and bring about the conditions which lead to a more enduring peace.

Jay Benson is a research assistant at One Earth Future Foundation and a recent graduate of the International Studies Master's Program at the University of Denver.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/blood-teak-how-myanmars-natural-resources-fuel-ethnic-conflicts/

Myanmar's formerly blacklisted businessman urges U.S. to delist others

YANGON - The first Myanmar businessman to be removed from a U.S. blacklist since the country emerged from military rule said on Thursday that the United States should delist more people so they can partner with American companies to develop the economy.

Win Aung and his two companies, Dagon International Ltd and Dagon Timber Ltd, were the first to be taken off the blacklist since Washington started to ease a near-total ban on business with Myanmar in 2012 after a semi-civilian government took power the previous year.

Dozens of Myanmar businessmen remain on the sanctions list, and Win Aung said he hoped that those who meet the U.S. Treasury Department's criteria could be removed soon.

"If they can create more business, they can create more job opportunities," he said in his first interview since the April 24 delisting.

Once one of the most developed countries in the region, Myanmar's economy was eviscerated by mismanagement and corruption during 49 years of military rule. Western countries further isolated the Southeast Asian nation by imposing sanctions in response to human rights abuses.

Myanmar launched widespread economic and political reforms in 2011, convincing the United States and other Western countries to suspend most sanctions. But many in Myanmar now feel the reform process has stalled. The U.S. sanctions regime included the entire government as well as businessmen such as Win Aung, who were accused of providing financial support to the junta. The Treasury Department is not required to provide information about why someone is placed on the blacklist to the public or even to the individual, but classified diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks provide some clues.

The cables allege that Win Aung illegally exported $5 million worth of teak logs to China, and used connections to ruling generals to win lucrative contracts to help build Naypyitaw, the capital that was constructed secretly and unveiled by the regime in 2005. "I find a lot of the information in the Wikileaks is not correct," Win Aung said.

He said the regime ordered most construction companies in Myanmar to build at least two buildings in Naypyitaw, which he did. He said he has never exported logs to China and provided Treasury with company records to prove it.

The U.S. State Department statement gave no details on why Win Aung was removed from the list, but his former lawyer, John Viverito, told Reuters that Win Aung's willingness to open his company's books was likely a main factor. REUTERS

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Defence seeks retest of evidence in Koh Tao case

Defence seeks retest of evidence in Koh Tao case

By Nyan Lynn Aung   |   Thursday, 30 April 2015

DNA evidence allegedly linking two Myanmar migrants to the murder of British backpackers may be subject to re-examination, if defence lawyers get their way in court today.

Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, who were killed on Koh Tao in September. Photo: AFP

The accused, Ko Zaw Lin and Ko Wai Phyo, are set to appear at the pre-trial hearing at the Koh Samui Court where their attorneys will press for several critical items of physical evidence to undergo forensic re-examination. The defence is also requesting Thai police provide further information about the analysis of DNA samples taken from the two suspects.

Ko Zaw Lin and Ko Wai Phyo have been charged with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, who were found dead while holidaying on Koh Tao last September. The accused also face a rape charge.

"The defence team's forensics experts need the original case evidence to conduct a proper analysis to prevent a miscarriage of justice," said Nakhon Chompuchat, head of the defence team.

The case has come under fire internationally with Thai police accused of framing the Myanmar migrants amid a botched investigation that included both alleged confessions and claims of torture. Both of the victims' families have previously said they are keen to see the "right people" convicted.

"We hope that the judge will hear the case according to Thailand's criminal law rather than be undermined," said U Aung Myo Thant, a lawyer assigned by the Myanmar embassy to assist the defence.

Today's hearing will also include progress updates from both defence and prosecution teams, with 65 plaintiffs, including 45 police officers and five doctors, expected to participate.

In addition to requesting a retest of the physical evidence, the defence has also asked that the trial be moved for funding reasons. The team said the frequent plane trips to Koh Samui, costing 5200 baht a person (US$280), are taking a financial toll, even with support from the Myanmar embassy.

"When we go [to Koh Samui] there are at least six people going each time and the funding is becoming a problem," said U Kyaw Thaung, a member of the investigation council and director of the Myanmar Association in Thailand.

The trial is scheduled to begin in July. Thai prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty, but the defence remains optimistic of acquittal.

"[We] are sure that after the defence team has a chance to present all our evidence at court during the 18-day trial, and also cross-examine all of the prosecution, police witnesses and evidence, the court could not be convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the two accused were the ones who actually committed this heinous crime," said Nakhon Chompuchat.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/defence-seeks-retest-of-evidence-in-koh-tao-case/

Sittwe Group Donates to Refugees

The donations consisted of medicine, 50 packages of rice, 350kg of dry fish, pressed fish, salt and dry chili.

There are 407 refugees in Sapar Seik Village, they have come from the nearby villages of Aung Lan Chaung, Panlon, Kalar Chaung and Painne Chaung. The Burma Army sent them there for their own safety after fighting broke out on 17 April.

According to Facebook posts several villages were burnt down after fighting broke out between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army (AA) in Aung Lan Chaung Village on 17 April. The Burma Army denied those reports and told aid volunteers that only one house was destroyed when an artillery shell hit it.

The Burma Army now believe that the villages of Kalar Chaung and Panlon are safe and they will send villagers from those villages back to their homes on 28 or 29 April according to Colonel Win Thu, the Burma Army's tactical commander who is supervising the area. But, villagers from Aung Lan Chaung and Painne Chaung villages are free to decide whether or not to return home.

Narinjara has learnt that because the situation now appears calmer some villagers from Aung Lan Chaung and Painne Chaung villages will return to their villages to assess the situation for themselves.

Though the situation in the area of Aung Lan Chaung Village, where the fighting started, has returned to normal the Burma Army are still preventing residents from going to Kyauktaw Town and to villages along the Pea Stream. As a result of this villagers from some villages are facing food shortages and a difficult situation said aid volunteers.

Narinjara has also heard that the Burma Army has been detaining youths from several villages to question them because they suspect them of being involved with the AA, which has created fear among the villagers.

Though the Burma Army barred aid donations from individual aid organisations to refugees in Sapar Seik Village they allowed a group of volunteers from Kyauktaw Township to deliver aid to the refugees on 25 April. The donation from the Sittwe group was the second donation of aid that the refugees had received.

Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI 

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/sittwe-group-donates-to-refugees/

Koh Tao murders: Dr Porntip to examine DNA evidence

Thailand's Koh Samui provincial court on Thursday ordered police to hand over DNA samples to the Central Institute of Forensic Science's director Dr Porntip Rojanasunand at the trial of two Burmese migrants accused of murdering a pair of British tourists last year.

Andy Hall of the Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN), which has been assisting and advising the accused migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, said the defence team is "delighted" by the ruling to reassess the biological evidence.

"We are really delighted," he told DVB on Thursday. "Much more than what we expected in the beginning … We were very concerned that this case would be a miscarriage of justice. It was being rushed, being hurried. And now we feel more confident that justice will be done."

A re-enactment of the crime was held at Sairee Beach on Koh Tao on 3 October 2014. (Reuters screen grab)

In addition to being a widely respected forensics expert, Dr Pornthip holds a degree of celebrity status in Thailand. She previously cast doubts on the case by criticising the police's bungling of the crime scene on Sairee beach on the island of Koh Tao where English backpackers David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were found dead on 15 September last year.

"The opportunity for a fair trial has really increased, and hopefully we can get to the bottom of the facts on whether these two boys were involved in this case or not," said Hall, adding that Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun appeared in good spirits.

He said the defence team was also trying to have CCTV camera footage, which they believe is crucial to their case, admitted to the trial.

Speaking to Reuters outside the courthouse, Nakorn Chompoochart, the head of the Burmese youngsters' defence team, said, "The court agreed that the DNA evidence is important in this case. The defence lawyers want an independent forensic organisation to look into it. Those experts are also witnesses for the defence team. If our witnesses can go through all the evidence, it will help them better understand the case, and then they can testify with confidence."

Thai police had previously submitted DNA samples of the two Burmese migrants, both 21 at the time of the incident, which they said were taken from the female murder victim who was also raped at the scene.

The Burmese embassy's special delegation tasked with assisting the defendants did not show up at the hearing, Hall said, and called for "more engagement by the Burmese embassy and the British government".

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Thai police have nevertheless remained confident that the DNA evidence will prove that the Burmese pair were the murderers. Results of an investigation by British police from Scotland Yard were never made public, but the families of the two murdered Britons have reportedly been in contact with British authorities and say they are convinced Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun are guilty.

The defendants have been detained at Koh Samui prison since 4 October. They have maintained their innocence throughout, and say they only confessed after being subjected to torture and intimidation by Thai police officers while in detention.

The two wrote an open letter on 3 December calling for justice and have requested assistance from Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"We were not involved in this crime. We think it is injustice that we are in jail. We want justice and equality," said the open letter, written in Burmese.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/koh-tao-murders-dr-porntip-to-examine-dna-evidence/

Khin Aung Myint Hints at Opposition to Suu Kyi Presidency

Khin Aung Myint, speaker of the Upper House of Parliament, arrives to attend Burma's six-party talks at the Presidential palace in Naypyidaw on Apr. 10. (Photo: Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters)

RANGOON — Khin Aung Myint appears to have once again poured cold water on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's post-election prospects, after the Upper House speaker said that questions of the presidency should be considered within the "national interest".

During an interview with South Korea's Yonhap news agency, Khin Aung Myint said that while he would like to see Suu Kyi participate in the country's leadership, it was important for those contesting this year's general election that the country's future prospects were considered ahead of individual ambitions.

"We should look at this problem not from the point of one individual, but from the point of the national interest of the country," he said. "There should not be an emphasis on one or another person over the process of deciding the fate of the country as a whole."

The speaker's comments come amid growing certainty from political observers that a referendum to consider amendments to the 2008 military-drafted constitution, which bars Suu Kyi from the presidency, is unlikely to occur before the election.

Union Parliament Speaker Shwe Mann, who is perceived to be close with Suu Kyi, said last October that Article 59(f) should be amended to allow the opposition leader to contest the presidency. The constitutional provision prevents those with close relatives in possession of foreign citizenship, as is the case with Suu Kyi's children, from holding presidential office.

Political analyst Yan Myo Thein told The Irrawaddy that Khin Aung Myint's more conciliatory comments about the opposition leader, along with Shwe Mann's comments on charter reform last year, were a strategic intervention by the leadership of the incumbent Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).

"It is a political strategy…to receive support in creating closer relationship with the opposition leader, to make Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and observers believe that her rivals are in separate moderate and hardline factions. There is no such division between the leaders of the USDP," he said.

Khin Aung Myint, Shwe Mann and Suu Kyi are all members of the parliamentary six-party talks, which will discuss proposals for constitutional reform. The talks commenced in April after they were proposed in November last year, and the leaders are scheduled to meet again in May.

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http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/khin-aung-myint-hints-at-opposition-to-suu-kyi-presidency/

Business and tourism information directory for Mon State published for the first time

Reported by: Arkkar
Thursday, April 30th, 2015

Copy of Mon State's Business and Tourism directory(Copy)

The first Business and Tourism information directory for Mon State (2015-16) has been published by Hinthar-pyo Media Group. The book includes a list of historical sites, Mon cultural details and important facts, according to Daw Mya Mya Cho, who is the executive head of the directory's publication.

The directory has more than 150 facts, and took about one and half years to compile, starting in November 9, 2013, until its nationwide publication on April 24, 2015.

"After writing a title, we have to travel to that place. When we get there, we meet with respective senior people and inquire after the facts we want," said Daw Mya Mya Cho, who gathered the data for the directory.

Daw Mya Mya Cho went on to state that it was difficult to get information that is factual, reliable and sufficient for the directory. It had been decided not to include some facts that are insufficient And yet recorded, but the state government insisted that the directory is for the tourism zone and readers should know such facts; therefore, they have been included.

"For example, Paung Township apparently once accommodated a Japanese armory. However, we do not want to provide this information to anyone, as there is no affirming evidence. Still we do not want to leave that fact out. So, we travelled to that place 2-3 times, and learnt about the history by ourselves. Then, we wrote as much as we could on the topic using the facts procured," said Daw Mya Mya Cho.

When tourists come to Mon State, they mostly visit well known places such as Golden Rock (Kyaik Thiyo) in Kyaihto Township, Kyaik Thanlan in Moulmein City, as well as Setse beach and Kyaikkhami in Thanbyuzayat Township, while they do not visit other places as frequently.

"In Mon State, there are lots of places to visit in every township. For example, in Kyaikmayaw [Township] alone, there are lots of caves to visit and study. To be able to learn about those places, we must go there, gather information and then write about them," said Daw Mya Mya Cho.

The fact list of the directory includes Mon State's general information and phone numbers of government departments. It contains a Mon cultural index with information such as traditional Mon wedding facts, meal-table proceedings of a typical Mon family and information on well-known people from respective townships. Importantly, the book features sightseeing places, historical brick tombs and a hotel directory for tourism projects.

With the desire for development of business and tourism in Mon State, Mon State based reporters and local senior people helped pile up facts for the directory.

Daw Mya Mya Cho also said that she had thought to republish the directory in the upcoming years with more complete, newly found facts and new sections.

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http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/business-and-tourism-information-directory-for-mon-state-published-for-the-first-time/

Myanmar parliament speaker to meet No. 2 US diplomat

WASHINGTON (AP) " The State Department says that Myanmar parliament speaker Shwe Mann will discuss democratic reforms with the No. 2 U.S. diplomat next week during a visit to Washington.

Shwe Mann is a possible contender for the nation's presidency. He arrives Thursday at the invitation of House speaker John Boehner and will meet with members of Congress. The department says Shwe Mann will meet Monday with Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

Former pariah state Myanmar is gearing up for national elections by November, a landmark in its bumpy transition from five decades of direct military rule. Shwe Mann is a former top general and junta member, and now a leading member of the ruling party.

He will address the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank this Friday.

AP

This story has been automatically published from the Associated Press wire which uses US spellings

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/myanmar-parliament-speaker-to-meet-no-2-us-diplomat/

Myanmar's MySQUAR aims to raise $1.5m in London listing next month

MySQUAR, Myanmar's only social media platform in the local language, is looking to raise $1.5 million, at a valuation of $25 million, through an initial public offering on London's Aim, next month, an executive linked to the company said.

Shashi Fernando, Chief Executive Officer at Yonder and Beyond, the Australia listed global technology accelerator, that has 3 per cent equity holdings in MySQUAR, said that the social media platform was targeting a listing for the middle of next month.

AIM is the London Stock Exchange's international market for smaller growing companies. A wide range of businesses including early stage, venture capital backed as well as more established companies join AIM seeking access to growth capital.

"When we started talking to MySQUAR, smartphone penetration in Myanmar was 7 per cent – it became 10 per cent by the time we reached a deal- it is growing that quickly. Handset prices are coming right down all the time, they have just given out two new mobile (permits) to Telenor and Ooredoo and that is exciting, and it felt like it was a great market," Fernando said in an interaction with DEALSTREETASIA.

"It was also felt that existing social media applications like wechat and line were not configuring for Burmese language. So the opportunity was there. The reality is that, it is not easy to invest in companies Myanmar, and the main reason we are listing is to allow people to have access to Myanmar market, as well as raise money for development," he added.

Fernando further said the social media platform was looking to raise $1.5 million at a valuation of $25 million, and added that the platform already had more than 460,000 users, and expects the numbers to more than triple to over 1,480,000 by the end of the year.

"MySQUAR  is growing at 5000 users per day," he said.

In August last year, MySQUAR had unveiled its free mobile messaging app – MyChat – built solely for Myanmar.

The social media platform's chairman is Piers Pottinger, the co-founder of Bell Pottinger Communications, and its chief executive Eric Schaer is also the head of Singapore-based private investment firm Rising Dragon.

Last year, techinasia, had an interesting post, where MySQAR's erstwhile Canadian founder claimed she was ousted in a 'hostile takeover' of the social media platform. The report further quoted a blogpost titled, 'When investors turn into bullies', where Rita Nguyen, founder and former CEO of MySQUAR, had said that her co-founder Nguyen Quynh Anh, and she were "locked out" of the company. Another report, in local media, had said that Rita Nguyen, who had been named one of Forbes' Asia Power Businesswomen, had taken down this blog post, on June 17, a week after she had uploaded the same.

Earlier this year, Myanmar granted mobile licenses to Telenor and Ooredoo after these two companies were selected last year following a bidding process, becoming the first foreign mobile phone companies to operate in the country. Their rollout of services has seen Myanmar's low mobile phone penetration rise rapidly over the last few months.

Also Read:

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VCs in Media: Good, Bad Asian prospects

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/myanmars-mysquar-aims-to-raise-1-5m-in-london-listing-next-month/

Koh Tao murders trial resumes Thursday

The trial of two Myanmar migrants accused of murdering a pair of British tourists is set to resume Thursday (April 30) on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province.

crime,

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Bangkok Post

Wednesday 29 April 2015, 05:53PM

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Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun are charged with murdering David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on Sai Ree beach on the neighbouring island of Koh Tao on September 15. They also are charged with raping Witheridge.

The case has drawn much international attention, and various observers have accused the Thai authorities of framing the Myanmar men, both 21, and organising a coverup after members of a local organised-crime gang were implicated.

Defence and prosecution lawyers at Thursday's hearing are expected to update the court as to the progress of preparing witnesses, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) reported.

The court is also expected to consider the recent requests by the defence team that physical evidence be re-examined by the Ministry of Justice's Central Institute of Forensic Science, and for more information provided regarding the process of DNA analysis.

Thai police have nevertheless remained confident that DNA evidence will prove that the Myanmar pair are guilty. Results of an investigation by British police from Scotland Yard were never made public, but the families of the two murdered Britons have reportedly been in contact with British authorities and say they are convinced Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun are guilty.

A lawyer representing the migrants told DVB in October that the pair told their legal team and members of the Myanmar embassy that they were tortured into giving confessions.

Meanwhile, some 100 Myanmar migrant workers joined a workshop on Koh Tao on Monday and Tuesday (April 27/28) to discuss migrant rights.

Participants in the workshop, organised by the Migrant Worker Rights Network (MWRN) and the Human Rights and Development Foundation, on Tuesday set out an eight-point list of demands to Thai authorities, including: regular pay for migrant workers; the opening of a Myanmar migrant passport centre; preventing police and officials from acting above the law; and conformity to labour regulations.

A letter with the demands was handed over to the Koh Tao municipal chief on Tuesday.

"I believe that organising networks here will be very helpful in promoting the rights of migrants," said a Myanmar organiser of the event. "Many migrants on the island live in fear. They do not know their rights and are afraid of the authorities."

Some 4,000 Myanmar nationals work on Koh Tao. Organisers said most did not attend the workshop because they feared repercussions from the local police.

One attendee told DVB: "Previously, I would have been afraid to come to a workshop like this. But if both migrant workers and officials are aware of and respect labour rights, this island will be a safer and better place for us."

Andy Hall, a British activist working on migrants' issues for the MWRN, said, "I have been to this island many times in assisting [Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun] during the hearings in the murder case. During that time, I have learned more and more about the plight of migrant workers on this island which is so popular among foreign tourists."

Read original story here.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/koh-tao-murders-trial-resumes-thursday/

Burma parliament speaker Shwe Mann travels to US for diplomatic talks

Shwe Mann. Pic: AP.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. State Department says that Burma parliament speaker Shwe Mann will discuss democratic reforms with the No. 2 U.S. diplomat next week during a visit to Washington.

Shwe Mann is a possible contender for the nation's presidency. He arrives Thursday at the invitation of House speaker John Boehner and will meet with members of Congress. The department says Shwe Mann will meet Monday with Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

Former pariah state Burma is gearing up for national elections by November, a landmark in its bumpy transition from five decades of direct military rule. Shwe Mann is a former top general and junta member, and now a leading member of the ruling party.

He will address the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank this Friday.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/burma-parliament-speaker-shwe-mann-travels-to-us-for-diplomatic-talks/

Handmade Chate Longyi from Amarapura

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26 migrants found crammed in truck in Thailand

Twenty-six illegal Burmese migrants found crammed inside a small covered truck were arrested in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, early on Wednesday morning.

Highway police flagged down the Isuzu MU-7 passenger vehicle for a search on a road in tambon Ban Kao in Muang district around 5am following a tip-off that illegal immigrants would be smuggled via this route, Pol Maj Pitak Wongwanit, highway police investigation chief, said on Wednesday.

Instead of stopping, the driver sped past them and the police gave chase. The driver later stopped the vehicle at Ban Kao intersection and ran away, but was later caught.

Police found 26 Burmese immigrants – nine women and 17 men – jam-packed inside the vehicle. None had any travel documents. They had been sneaked into the country via Ban Pu Namron border checkpoint.

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The illegal immigrants were detained for interrogation before being deported to Burma, officially known as Myanmar.

Driver Somkhuan Seeda, 42, a native of Kanchanaburi, told police that he had been hired for 500 baht (US15.60) a trip to transport migrants to Tha Maka district in the border province. He said he had done it twice before.

Police were not convinced by his story and he was detained for further investigation.

 

This article was originally published in the Bangkok Post on 29 April 2015.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/26-migrants-found-crammed-in-truck-in-thailand/

Note to Washington: Use Your Blacklist Wisely

Burmese President Thein Sein, right, and US President Barack Obama in Bali on Nov. 19, 2011. Relations between the two countries have improved rapidly since this first meeting between the two leaders. (Photo: Reuters)

When the United States removed one of Burma's most prominent businessmen, Win Aung, from the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list last week, other blacklisted tycoons surely sent silent prayers that they would be next in line for removal from the list that bars them from business with their American counterparts.

Many of Burma's wealthy businessmen and women were awarded the dishonor thanks to their links to the former military regime, often for using their connections to notorious hardliners for personal financial gain. But if the United States was ready to forgive Win Aung, who according to a 2007 US diplomatic cable published by Wikileaks supported the Than Shwe regime and "used his contacts with the senior generals to amass and maintain his fortune," why wouldn't the rest of them be eligible for removal from the list?

What is most encouraging for the so-called "cronies" is the fast-tracked approach of reengagement with the Burmese government since President Thein Sein assumed power in 2011. The United States began to ease its near-total ban on business with Burma in 2012, and Win Aung is the first businessman to be removed from the SDN list after relations started to warm. While two others have been added to the list—Lt-Gen Thein Htay was blacklisted in 2013 for involvement in arms deals with North Korea, and ruling party lawmaker Aung Thaung was added last year for undermining reforms and "perpetuating violence"—none of Burma's business elites have since been added to America's wall of shame.

Hence, delisting Win Aung, a well-connected tycoon and head of Burma's largest business association, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), could indicate that the United States is eager to do business in Burma so as not to fall behind other Western markets rushing to invest.

The US Treasury Department said in a statement that Win Aung was delisted because he had "taken steps to support reform." With little further explanation or context, this statement could mean just about anything. For instance, this could easily be interpreted as, "we don't care what you did in the past, so long as you aren't connected to North Korea. Just mind your business, we'll embrace you."

Choosing Win Aung for delisting is interesting for a few reasons, as there are other big-business cronies on the list that might have been just as good as a starting point. But it's possible that he was delisted because he is chairman of the UMFCCI, which represents more than 10,000 domestic companies.

If the US Treasury intends to remove more businesspeople from the list, which it appears inclined to do, it should be mindful that many of those people are highly suspected of involvement in drug trafficking and money laundering—crimes that were pervasive under the former regime, and from which they are still reaping benefit.

These cronies have disguised themselves as businesspeople; construction, trading, you name it. Many have ties to some ethnic militias notorious for drug-running along Burma's eastern border. Hopefully, the US government takes these allegations seriously, and doesn't want its own entrepreneurs entering into deals with drug kingpins in suits.

And then there are others on the list with known links to human rights abuse, land confiscation and environmental damage. Win Aung could be considered one of them, as he was granted enormous logging concessions in protected areas under the former regime.

That being the case, the US Treasury ought to take great care in approving "businesspeople" for removal from the blacklist. If not, it could—inadvertently or otherwise—be helping the bad guys get rich while the rest are left to suffer the consequences of decades of irresponsible business.

Related Posts:

• 
  'Crony' Win Aung Removed From US Blacklist: Who's Next?


• 
  Shedding Some Light on the Blacklist


• 
  US Lifts Sanctions on Prominent Burmese Businessman


• 
  Who's Next for Burma's Blacklist?


• 
  Burma Releases Names of Those Removed from Blacklist

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/note-to-washington-use-your-blacklist-wisely/

Presidential Adviser Lends Hand to Political Party Hopeful

People count votes at a ballot station during by-elections in Rangoon on April 1, 2012. (Photo: Reuters / Soe Zeya Tun)e

RANGOON — As the deadline looms for aspiring political parties to register with Burma's Union Election Commission (UEC) ahead of the 2015 general election, one applicant has caused a minor commotion on social media after rumors swirled that the party would be comprised of ex-generals and supported by a top advisor to President Thein Sein.

Presidential adviser Nay Zin Latt, who also acts as dean of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a local NGO, confirmed that he had agreed to act as patron of the newly formed National Party, but denied the involvement of any past or present high-ranking military officials within the party's ranks.

Rather, the party is being organized by hundreds of CSIS alumni and current enrollees from the center who are interested in joining the political arena, he told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday.

"The trainees from our center are forming a party and they asked me to guide them, so I will just join for a while," he said.

The CSIS opened three years ago in Rangoon's Hlaing Township, and has graduated about 3,000 alumni, Nay Zin Latt said. It offers two-month courses, nine-month diploma programs and master level studies on political management, public administration and business.

Pite Tin, a political columnist who is helping to organize the party, said 60 CSIS former and current enrollees had come together to organize the party. They had asked Nay Zin Latt to help them by acting as patron of the party to offer advice and support for the fledgling political enterprise.

"It has been alleged that ex-generals are included in the party and also [former dictator] Ne Win's grandson [Aye Ne Win]; many accusations, but those are not true. We have only included two retired military personnel and the majority is from CSIS," said Pite Tin, himself a CSIS enrollee.

Pite Tin said that the party intended to field about 400 candidates in the election, which is expected in early November. Tens of thousands of people have offered to seek party membership, he claimed, highlighting that the party's ambitions were still pending registration approval from the UEC.

"We propose to organize a strong and firm party formed of skillful cadres who can effectively operate for the long-term sake of the country rather than just the elections [in the short term]," he said.

The National Party is among 17 new parties that have submitted registration applications to the UEC after the commission last month announced a registration deadline of April 30. If the 17 applications are approved, nearly 90 parties will potentially compete for votes later this year.

"We are just founding a party like others, and we have been the most focused among many new parties. I have no idea why they are attacking us like that instead of welcoming us," Pite Tin said of social media users who used the online allegations as an opportunity to criticize the military's continued influence over Burma's politics.

The rumors prompted The Voice, a Burmese-language daily, to publish a story last week in which Pite Tin was quoted as denying that any former generals were involved in the party's formation.

"Only if political parties are strong and firm will the military stay away from politics, whereas now they are involved," Pite Tin said, while adding that he believed the military, Thein Sein's government and the Parliament were genuine in their stated desire for democratic reform in Burma.

Related Posts:

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• 
  New Political Party Aims to Put Burma's Women in Power


• 
  Kachin Leader Gets Long-Sought Approval for Political Party


• 
  Indonesian Presidential Hopeful Prays Mecca Trip Will Win Votes

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/presidential-adviser-lends-hand-to-political-party-hopeful/

Myanmar (ex-Burma): Arbitrary detention and sentencing of Mr. Thein Aung Myint

New information

MMR 002 / 0315 / OBS
021.1

Sentence / Arbitrary detention
/

Judicial
harassment

Burma / Myanmar

April
24, 2015

The Observatory for the Protection
of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for
Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has
received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following
situation in Burma / Myanmar.

New
information:

 

The Observatory has been informed
by reliable sources of the arbitrary detention and sentencing of Mr. Thein
Aung Myint, member of the Movement for Democracy Current Force (MDCF). MDCF
is a community-based organisation that campaigns against land-grabbing and other
human rights violations. Thein Aung Myint is a human rights defender who has
been working to help communities to advocate for their rights, including land
rights. He is also a former political prisoner. He was detained in 1994, 2007,
2009, 2010, and 2012 for his peaceful protest activities.

According to the information
received, on April 23, 2015, a court in Mandalay's Aung Myay Thar San Township
sentenced Mr. Thein Aung Myint to six months in prison under Article 18 of the
Act on the Right to Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession for participating
in a peaceful protest on October 27, 2014, in Mandalay. The protest called for
an investigation into the October 4, 2014, extrajudicial killing of journalist
Aung Kyaw Naing, aka Par Gyi.

Although Mr. Thein Aung Myint had
applied for permission from township authorities to hold the protest,
authorities refused to grant it. In addition,

Mr. Thein Aung Myint was not
present when the protest began, since it started while he was speaking with
local authorities, who had called to inform him that they had rejected his
protest application. He arrived at the site when the protest was close to its
end.

Although about 200 people took
part in the October 27 demonstration, Mr. Thein Aung Myint was the only person
charged and held responsible as he initially filed the application for the
protest. His colleague Mr. Aye Thein testified to the court that he [Aye
Thein] had led the protest and offered to present photos of himself holding a
bullhorn and leading protest chants.

Mr. Thein Aung Myint had already
been sentenced on March 23, 2015, to six months in prison on the same legal
grounds for leading a peaceful protest on March 27, 2014, against electricity
price hikes (see background information). He is currently detained in Mandalay's
Oh Bo Prison.

The Observatory condemns the
arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of Mr. Thein Aung Myint, which
merely aim at sanctioning his peaceful human rights activities, and calls for
his immediate and unconditional release.

The Observatory is further
concerned about MDCF members being the targets of frequent judicial harassments
and arbitrary imprisonments.

Background
information:

On March 23, 2015, a court in
Mandalay's Chan Aye Thar Zan Township sentenced MDCF members Messrs. Thein Aung
Myint and Saw Hla Aung to six months in prison under Article 18 of the
Act on the Right to Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession for leading a
peaceful protest against electricity price hikes on March 27, 2014.

The court also sentenced two other
people, Mr. Kyaw Myo Htun and Ms. Khet Khet Tin, to six months
under the same law in connection with the March 27 protests, even though they
were not involved in the demonstration. Mr. Kyaw Myo Htun only observed and
applauded the protesters, while Ms. Khet Khet Tin, who is Mr. Thein Aung Myint's
wife, was shopping in the area at the time the protest took place. When she saw
that authorities were arresting her husband, she asked them not to use excessive
force in the process. The four are currently detained in Mandalay's Oh Bo
Prison. Ms. Khet Khet Tin will appeal the sentence.

Mr. Thein Aung Myint had applied
for permission from township authorities to hold the March 27 protest. However,
authorities refused to grant permission on the grounds that Thein Aung Myint was
not a resident of that township. About 100 people took part in the
demonstration.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities of
Burma, urging them to:

i.              
Guarantee in all circumstances the
physical and psychological integrity of Messrs. Thein Aung Myint, Saw Hla Aung
and Kyaw Myo Htun and Ms. Khet Khet Tin, as well as of all human rights
defenders in Burma;

ii.             
Release Messrs. Thein Aung Myint,
Saw Hla Aung and Kyaw Myo Htun and Ms. Khet Khet Tin immediately and
unconditionally as their detention is arbitrary and seems aimed at sanctioning
their human rights activities;

iii.           
Put
an end to acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against them as
well as against all human rights defenders in Burma;

iv.            
Comply with all the provisions of
the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular with
its:

-       
Article 1, which stipulates that
"everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote
and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental
freedoms at the national and international levels";

-       
Article 6(a), which states that
"everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to
participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and
fundamental freedoms";

-       
Article 12.2, which provides that
"the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the
competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others,
against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure
adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a
consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the
present Declaration";

v.             
More generally, ensure in all
circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in
accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and ratify
international and regional human rights instruments.

Addresses:

·      
U
Thein Sein, President of Myanmar, President Office, Office No.18, Naypyitaw,
MYANMAR; Fax: + 95 1 652 624

·      
Lt
Gen Ko Ko, Minister for Home Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Office No. 10,
Naypyitaw, MYANMAR; Fax: +95 67 412 439

·      
U
Win Mra, Chairman of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, 27 Pyay Road,
Hline Township, Yangon, Republic of the Union of Myanmar; Fax:
+95-1-659668

·      
Dr.
Tun Shin, Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General, Office No. 25,
Naypyitaw, MYANMAR; Fax: +95 67 404 146/ 106

·      
U
Tun Tun Oo, Chief Justice, Office of the Supreme Court, Office No. 24,
Naypyitaw, MYANMAR; Fax: + 95 67 404 059

·      
U
Kyaw Kyaw Htun, Director General, Myanmar Police Force, Ministry of Home
Affairs, Office No. 10, Naypyitaw, MYANMAR; Fax: +951 549 663 / 549
208

·      
H.E. Mr. Maung Wai, Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative to the United
Nations in Geneva, Avenue Blanc 47, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland. Fax: +41 22 732 89
19, +41 22 732 73 77, Email: mission@myanmargeneva.org

·      
Embassy of Myanmar in Brussels,
Boulevard Général Wahis 9, 1030 Brussels, Belgium, Fax: +32 (0)32 2 705 50 48,
Email: mebrussels@skynet.be

Please also write to the
diplomatic representations of Burma in your respective countries.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/myanmar-ex-burma-arbitrary-detention-and-sentencing-of-mr-thein-aung-myint/

Pahang Revive AFC Cup Hopes After Beating Yadanarbon FC 7-4

Eastern Region News

---

Pahang Revive AFC Cup Hopes After Beating Yadanarbon FC 7-4

KUANTAN, April 29 (Bernama) -- Pahang revived its AFC Cup hopes after a 7-4 victory over Myanmar's Yadanarbon FC in a high scoring Group G match at the Darul Makmur Stadium, here tonight.

The win saw Pahang move up to second spot in the Group with seven points after five matches.

Pahang's Nigerian import Dickson Nwakaeme gave his team a flying start in the 6th minute when he slammed home a pass from Azamuddin Akil before Matias Conti made it 2-0 in the 18th minute while Dickson again came on board to strike his second goal of the night and Pahang's third in the 32nd minute after a brilliant solo effort.

The Myanmar side managed to reduce the deficit on the stroke of half time when Djeje Maximin Djawa struck before the break to make it 3-1.

The start of the second half was a different ball game as Pahang quickly stamped its class with substitute D. Saarvindran adding the fourth in the 48th minute but Yadanarbon FC refused to surrender when Hlaing Bo Bo struck their second goal in the 58th minute to make it 4-2.

However, Dickson made sure the margin remained intact when he completed his hattrick a minute later to score Pahang's fifth goal.

Not to be outdone, Bo Bo was again on target in the 68th minute before Pahang added two quick goals through Mohd Hafiz Kamal (85th) and Saarvindran (87th).

Yadanarbon FC however, had the final say when Win Naing Soe made it 4-7 in the final minute of play.

In another Group G match at the Mongkok Stadium in Hong Kong, Group leader South China stretched their 100 percent unbeaten record to five matches after beating Global FC from the Philippines 3-0.

Pahang will now require only a draw against Global FC in their final group match at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Manila on May 13 to join South China into the second round of the competition.

-- BERNAMA

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/pahang-revive-afc-cup-hopes-after-beating-yadanarbon-fc-7-4/

Progress to be achieved in 3rd BCIM-EC meeting: Chinese ambassador

Progress to be achieved in 3rd BCIM-EC meeting: Chinese ambassador

DHAKA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Ma Mingqiang said on Wednesday the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM-EC) will witness a fresh progress through four countries' joint efforts in the 3rd Joint Study Group Meeting, which is scheduled to be held in India in the second half of this year. "I am quite confident that, with joint efforts of our four countries, fresh progress will be achieved in the 3rd Joint Study Group Meeting,"said the diplomat while addressing a discussion session titled "BCIM Economic Corridor: Harmonious South Asia" at CIRDAP auditorium in the city. "Jointly we can realize our dreams and I believe the BCIM-EC will lead us to a harmonious South Asia and a better tomorrow for all,"he said.

The diplomat said four countries, individually might lack potentials in realizing their dreams of having a better life and harmonious community."But together we might have almost everything that are needed, human and natural resources, goods and market, technology and capital."

Speaking as the chief guest, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said trade volume within the four countries will see a significant rise once the BCIM-EC is implemented.

He said Bangladesh is progressing with continued rise in trade and the BCIM-EC will expedite it further.

The idea of BCIM was first put forward by scholars. For some years, it remained a topic among the academic circles of the four countries.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/progress-to-be-achieved-in-3rd-bcim-ec-meeting-chinese-ambassador/

Southern State Community Band performing Sunday

The Southern State Community Band will present a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 3 on the college's central campus in Hillsboro. The concert is free and open to the public.

The band will perform a variety of styles of music such as Karl King's march "Burma Patrol," and the Jaime Texidor march "Amparito Roca." Those who like music of the Broadway stage will enjoy "A Tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein" and selections from "The Music Man." The band will also perform symphonic band arrangements such as James Swearingen's "Follow the River" and "Scottish Portrait."

The Southern State Community Band was founded in 1998 by Corrine Erickson, a member of the country's first WAF Band. Currently under the direction of Dr. Brian Siemers, an instructor at the college, the Southern State Community Band is open to both students and community members. There are no auditions and all are welcome to participate.

Those interested in band and choir events at the college can visit www.sscc.edu/students/music.shtml or www.facebook.com/SSCCmusic.

Submitted by Kris Cross, SSCC director of public relations.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/southern-state-community-band-performing-sunday/

DVB Bulletin: 29 April 2015

On tonight's bulletin:

• Foreign journalists detained in northern Shan State


• 54 Chinese nationals sentences to six months jail time


• Ashin Uttara takes blasphemy case to Naypyidaw Supreme Court


• 26 migrants found crammed in truck in Thailand


• DVB among winners of Myanmar Journalists Association press awards

You can watch DVB Bulletin every weeknight on DVB TV after the eight o'clock news.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/dvb-bulletin-29-april-2015/

Locals demand action against rape accused

Following the rape and murder of a 40-year-old tribal woman in Arunachal Pradesh, the police have arrested a migrant worker, who came "from Nagaland."

Following the rape and murder of a 40-year-old tribal woman in Arunachal Pradesh, the police have arrested a migrant worker, who came "from Nagaland." On basis of prima-facie evidence the person was taken in to custody on Monday night and interrogated by the police.

The incident had occurred in Old Khamdu village in Changlang district on the south-eastern edge of the State, bordering Myanmar, when the woman from Tangsa tribe went to the nearby river."She was picked up and raped. The accused had also beaten her with a bamboo stick and laceration could be noticed on her lower abdomen," the police superintendent (SP) of Changlang district told
The Hindu
.

While the motive of the accused is still unclear, the woman "may have" opposed the man from having a relationship with a loca...

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/locals-demand-action-against-rape-accused/

Suu Kyi presidential bid should be considered in nation's best interest: Myanmar ...

SEOUL, April 29 (Yonhap) -- Myanmar should consider a presidential bid from the country's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from a point of national interest, not individual, its parliamentary speaker said Wednesday.

The remarks by U Khin Aung Myint, the upper chamber speaker of Myanmar's bicameral legislature, are seen as indirect opposition to ongoing efforts for constitutional revision to allow Suu Kyi to run for president later this year.

The democracy icon of the Southeast Asian country is currently banned from the elections as the constitution prohibits anyone with offspring of foreign nationality from running for president. Her sons have British citizenship.

"We should look at this problem not from the point of one individual, but from the point of the national interest of the country as a whole," said the speaker, a member of the six-party talks on constitutional reform, in an interview with Yonhap News Agency. "In the process of transforming democracy, there should not be an emphasis on one or another person over the process of deciding the fate of the country as a whole."

   U Khin Aung Myint was in Seoul this week to meet with Chung Eui-hwa, the speaker of the unicameral National Assembly and other officials to discuss bilateral cooperation.

The Myanmar speaker is one of the six negotiators involved in the amendment discussion convened ahead of the country's landmark general elections set for late 2015.

"This upcoming election will be the second in our democratic reform process so therefore it is very important for the country, for the elections and post-election period to be conducted calmly and fairly," he said.

The results of the general elections will determine much of Myanmar's future course of democratization following the Southeast Asian country's recent shift from military rule to a semi-civilian system.

"In my personal opinion, everybody should participate (in political leadership)," the upper-house speaker said. "Of course, Aung San Suu Kyi is an intellectual and because she has a political image inside the country, I would like her to participate in the leadership of the country as well."

   No matter who becomes the next president, everybody must work toward the betterment of Myanmar with good will, he said.

During the meeting with his counterpart in Seoul, meanwhile, the South Korean side lauded Myanmar's great future potential and expressed interest in helping develop the Southeast Asian country, he added.

U Khin Aung Myint, the speaker at the upper chamber of Myanmar's bicameral legislature, holds an interview with Yonhap News Agency on April 29, 2015. (Yonhap)

pbr@yna.co.kr

(END)

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/suu-kyi-presidential-bid-should-be-considered-in-nations-best-interest-myanmar/

Keppel Land's new hotel wing in Yangon to open by end of the year

SINGAPORE - Developer Keppel Land held a topping-up ceremony for its new hotel wing at Sedona Hotel Yango on Wednesday, as it grows its hospitality business in Myanmar.

The expansion will cater to rising demand for hotels in Myanmar, as the market "opens up and attracts more businesses and foreign investments, as well as tourists", said chief executive Ang Wee Gee.

The new 29-storey Inya Wing, which comes with 420 rooms, is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The 366-room Sedona Hotel Yangon opened in 1996, and was among the first few international hotels established in Myanmar.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/keppel-lands-new-hotel-wing-in-yangon-to-open-by-end-of-the-year/

Herstmonceux, Powell advise Burma

General Sir David Richards, the former chief of the British armed forces, met representatives of Burma's ruling military junta in(...)

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http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/herstmonceux-powell-advise-burma/

Koh Tao murder trial set to resume

The trial of two Burmese migrants accused of murdering a pair of British tourists is set to resume on 30 April on the island of Koh Samui in southern Thailand.

Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun are charged with murdering David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on Sairee beach on the neighbouring island of Koh Tao on 15 September. They are also charged with raping Witheridge.

The case has drawn much international attention, and various observers have accused the Thai authorities of framing the Burmese youngsters, both 21, and organising a cover-up after members of a local 'mafia' clan were implicated.

Defence and prosecution lawyers at Thursday's hearing are expected to update the court as to the progress of preparing witnesses.

The court is also expected to consider the recent requests by the defence team that physical evidence be re-examined by the Ministry of Justice's Central Institute of Forensic Science, and for more information provided regarding the process of DNA analysis.

Thai police have nevertheless remained confident that DNA evidence will prove that the Burmese pair are guilty. Results of an investigation by British police from Scotland Yard were never made public, but the families of the two murdered Britons have reportedly been in contact with British authorities and say they are convinced Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun are guilty.

A lawyer representing the Burmese migrants told DVB in October that the pair told their legal team and members of the Burmese embassy that they were tortured into giving confessions.

Meanwhile, some 100 Burmese migrant workers joined a workshop on Koh Tao on Monday and Tuesday to discuss migrant rights.

Related Stories

• Migrant kids fall through cracks in Thai school system
• Hundreds of Burmese migrants arrested in Thai raids
• Migrant lottery winner shot dead in southern Thailand

Participants in the workshop, organised by the Migrant Worker Rights Network (MWRN) and the Human Rights and Development Foundation, on Tuesday set out an eight-point list of demands to Thai authorities, including: regular pay for migrant workers; the opening of a Burmese migrant passport centre; preventing police and officials from acting above the law; and conformity to labour regulations.

A letter with the demands was handed over to the Koh Tao municipal director on Tuesday.

"I believe that organising networks here will be very helpful in promoting the rights of migrants," said a Burmese organiser of the event. "Many migrants on the island live in fear. They do not know their rights and are afraid of the authorities."

Some 4,000 Burmese work on Koh Tao. Organisers said most did not attend the workshop because they feared repercussions from the local police.

One attendee told DVB: "Previously, I would have been afraid to come to a workshop like this. But if both migrant workers and officials are aware of and respect labour rights, this island will be a safer and better place for us."

Andy Hall, a British activist working on migrants' issues for the MWRN, said, "I have been to this island many times in assisting [Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun] during the hearings in the murder case. During that time, I have learned more and more about the plight of migrant workers on this island which is so popular among foreign tourists."

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/koh-tao-murder-trial-set-to-resume/

Thailand to award late Winsein Tawya Sayadaw a Ph.D

Reported by: Katie News
Wednesday, April 29th, 2015

In the second week of May, Sarsana University in Thailand will bestow deceased Winsein Tawya Sayadaw with Ph.D. honours that was awarded to him in February, 2015, according to Dr. Myint Oo, the chairman of the [Pagoda] Trustee Committee of Winsein Tawya Monastery.

"Although he planned to attend the ceremony and accept the honour of the Ph.D, Sayadaw [abbot] [attain final dissolution of assemblage of the five aggregates of being and] has passed away," said Dr. Myint Oo.

Dr. Myint Oo also said that the corpse of Sayardaw would be put into a golden coffin with a mirror and would be on display for people to pay homage. A tradition that occurs when well-known person has passed away and was requested by Sayadaw when he was alive.

On May 31, a ceremony will take place whereby Sayardaw's body will be transferred to a temporary monastery for the public to their pay respects. In January, when the birthday of Sayadaw falls, another ceremony will be held and the corpse will be located in a permanent monastery.

When he was alive, Sayadaw worked on developing not only Buddhism [Sarsana] projects, but dug wells and lakes. Not to mention help build schools, roads and bridges.

In addition, in the past 2 years, Sayadaw started donating money to the elderly citizens with the desire of paying back debts to his parents and grandparents, and with aspirations for the country to have plenty of money, ruby and other precious stones.

After Sayadaw passed away, chief minister of Mon State and Mon state government as well as members of New Mon State Party (NMSP), including NMSP's chairman Nai Htaw Mon, traveled to pay homage to his remaining body on Monday.

"When I heard the news that Sayardaw passed away, I wanted to cry. I was not able to even say a word [at that moment]," said U Ngwe Htun Aung, who donated water to everyone who came to pay homage at the funeral ceremony of the Sayardaw.

Sawyadaw passed away at 1:30 PM on April 26 of a heart attack whilst receiving medical treatment at Asia Taw Win Special medical Clinic in Rangoon. Before that, he also travelled to Thailand three times to receive medical treatment in 2014.

On 500 acres of land, Sayadaw , amoungst others, managed to build 500 statues of monks and more than 600 pagodas. The world's largest lying Buddha status was also constructed there.

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http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/thailand-to-award-late-winsein-tawya-sayadaw-a-ph-d/

Electoral ‘Inflection Point’ Fraught With Challenges: Report

Election officials prepare to open a polling station for by-elections in Rangoon's Kawhmu Township early on April 1, 2012. (Photo: Reuters)

RANGOON — A report from an influential international think-tank has raised concerns about Burma's ability to hold credible elections late this year, while noting that developments over the last five years offer voters a chance at the most legitimate poll in a quarter century.

The much-anticipated national election, expected in early November, "will be a major political inflection point, likely replacing a legislature dominated by the Union Solidarity and Development Party [USDP], established by the former regime, with one more reflective of popular sentiment," according to a report released on Tuesday by the Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG).

Among other issues, the ICG said perceptions of the Union Election Commission (UEC) as biased toward the ruling USDP, security challenges and constitutional shortcomings including a provision barring the country's most popular politician from the presidency could cast a pall over the polls.

Constitutional reform, pushed for by the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party and Burma's ethnic minority groups, is "unlikely" ahead of the vote, according to the report, ensuring that the election is fundamentally undemocratic on at least two fronts: the provision preventing NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi from assuming the presidency, and the military's constitutionally enshrined political power, which guarantees that 25 percent of more than 1,100 seats in national and regional legislatures will be occupied by unelected military personnel when a new Parliament convenes next year.

The disenfranchisement of up to one million holders of temporary identification cards, most of whom are stateless Rohingya Muslims, and the likely reality that those living in some conflict areas on the country's periphery will not have a chance to vote looks set to further imperil the election's credibility.

Though the USDP and NLD will be the only parties capable of competing nationwide, the electoral playing field will be a crowded one, with 71 parties having registered to compete at some level, and the applications of more than a dozen more pending. The scope of the administrative duties tasked to the UEC and its local subcommissions—including educating an ill-informed electorate—and its inexperience mean the electoral body's capacity "could be severely stretched," the ICG said.

The outlook is not wholly grim, however, according to the ICG.

It makes note of significant changes to the country's political landscape since the administration of President Thein Sein took power. The reforms may help ensure a more free and fair nationwide election than its predecessor in 2010, which was widely derided as a flawed poll amid allegations of vote rigging and a boycott by Burma's most popular opposition party, the NLD.

Improvements in the electoral environment included the holding of a 2012 by-election that was viewed as largely free and fair. That poll saw the NLD take 43 of 44 seats it contested, giving Suu Kyi's party a foothold in Parliament after it decided to re-engage in the political process.

Presiding over that vote was the UEC, widely regarded as being close to the ruling USDP, with its chairman Tin Aye a former general and senior leader of the party who jettisoned his official partisan affiliation when he took the UEC post in 2011.

The ICG report sought to assuage doubts over the UEC's independence, however, saying the commission "appears determined to deliver the most credible elections that it can, and has been impressively transparent and consultative."

A freer media environment and invitations extended to domestic and foreign elections observers would also lend credibility to the electoral process, ICG said.

It lauded changes since the 2010 vote that have lowered the fee for registering as a candidate, while saying that the cost of lodging an elections-related complaint, while halved from 2010 to 500,000 kyats (US$460), remained exorbitant.

The report highlighted an anticipated period for which there is no precedent in Burma's modern history: the four months between polling day and the required installation of a new government, which will include newly elected parliamentarians' vote on who will be the country's next president. The report said the period "will be one of considerable uncertainty, possibly tensions. This is when messy, potentially divisive horse-trading will occur over who will become president, with whose support and what quid pro quos."

The ICG is no stranger to Burma and has previously offered a largely positive assessment of the reforms carried out by Thein Sein, who was given its "In Pursuit of Peace" award in 2012. Since then, his administration has come under increasing criticism at home and abroad, with widespread concerns that the country's reform process has stalled.

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http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/electoral-inflection-point-fraught-with-challenges-report/