Several hundred squatter huts were bulldozed with the help of heavy machinery early yesterday morning at the Myaemyan Aung and Yezarni plantations in Santhamardi Ward in Pyinmapin Village, Mingaladon Township, Yangon Region.
Around 600 huts housing 2,500 people were built in the plantations about 15 years ago.
Among the residents were many school-age children who are now preparing to take their final exams. The authorities demolished their huts while it was raining.
While the houses were being demolished, a woman who had recently given birth collapsed in a state of shock. The state of her health is not yet known.
“After receiving warning letters [about their eviction] in recent days, three women gave birth to babies. Now, the [women] are very frightened. We heard a woman died in childbirth,” said a resident of Santhamardi Ward.
However, this account was denied by the authorities. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Inter-religious harmony faces serious challenges in Myanmar
For decades, Myint Soe's family has been able to practice freedom of religion in Myanmar, with neighbors reveling in the family's “half-Muslim, half-Buddhist” status.
But Myint, 58 years old, admits that when he married his Buddhist wife 33 years ago, some of his family did raise objection.
“Some, especially my grandparents, strongly criticized me,” he tells Anadolu Agency from his small house in Yangon’s central rail station compound.
“It was because I didn’t ask my wife to convert to Islam,” the government worker recalls. "But why would I? Even though I'm from a poor and uneducated background, I believe someone’s faith should not be controlled.”
Myint's wife, 58-year-old Khin Shwe, tells Anadolu Agency that she had doubts about her husband at first as her parents warned her that she would be forced to convert to Islam soon after the marriage. (Courtesy of Anadolu Agency)
But Myint, 58 years old, admits that when he married his Buddhist wife 33 years ago, some of his family did raise objection.
“Some, especially my grandparents, strongly criticized me,” he tells Anadolu Agency from his small house in Yangon’s central rail station compound.
“It was because I didn’t ask my wife to convert to Islam,” the government worker recalls. "But why would I? Even though I'm from a poor and uneducated background, I believe someone’s faith should not be controlled.”
Myint's wife, 58-year-old Khin Shwe, tells Anadolu Agency that she had doubts about her husband at first as her parents warned her that she would be forced to convert to Islam soon after the marriage. (Courtesy of Anadolu Agency)
Buddhist monks hope for peace in Myanmar
After once trudging through war-torn Sri Lanka, their first outside India, Buddhist monks of the prominent Drukpa Lineage are now undertaking a similar foot journey for peace in Myanmar, which has witnessed decades of ethnic turbulence. The Drukpa monks are mainly based in India's Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir and have a long history of promoting inter-faith peace and celebrating diversity.
The country's former military government is on the cusp of a major transition to a pro-democracy setup under Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy last November won the first openly-contested elections in 25 years.
"This 'padyatra' or foot journey encompasses the message of peace and harmony. Our yatras or marches spread consciousness about the importance of harmony and reconciliation," Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche told IANS here as the journey began.
Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, who is leading the journey, is the spiritual regent to the Gyalwang Drukpa, the spiritual head of the Drukpa Order with over 1,000 monasteries across the Himalayas. (Courtesy of thehansindia.com)
The country's former military government is on the cusp of a major transition to a pro-democracy setup under Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy last November won the first openly-contested elections in 25 years.
"This 'padyatra' or foot journey encompasses the message of peace and harmony. Our yatras or marches spread consciousness about the importance of harmony and reconciliation," Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche told IANS here as the journey began.
Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, who is leading the journey, is the spiritual regent to the Gyalwang Drukpa, the spiritual head of the Drukpa Order with over 1,000 monasteries across the Himalayas. (Courtesy of thehansindia.com)
Myanmar is still the third-most malnourished country in Southeast Asia
The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) in Myanmar is facing a funding shortfall of $51 million to meet all the needs till the end of 2016. The organisation, which has a 250-strong staff in the country, says it provided food and cash assistance to 1.2 million people in 2015. This includes emergency food assistance to half a million victims of disasters and conflict.
Myanmar Now chief correspondent Thin Lei Win spoke to Dom Scalpelli, WFP country director in Myanmar, about what the shortfall means, why Myanmar is still food insecure, and what eradicating hunger and malnutrition would mean to the country.
Question: How concerned are you about the funding shortfall? Or is this part of a long-standing problem?
Answer: The funding shortfalls are a common part of our business, unfortunately. It’s like running a fire department without having the money for the trucks or the petrol in the trucks. Imagine, each time there’s a fire, you need to quickly run around the city and ask for money. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
Myanmar Now chief correspondent Thin Lei Win spoke to Dom Scalpelli, WFP country director in Myanmar, about what the shortfall means, why Myanmar is still food insecure, and what eradicating hunger and malnutrition would mean to the country.
Question: How concerned are you about the funding shortfall? Or is this part of a long-standing problem?
Answer: The funding shortfalls are a common part of our business, unfortunately. It’s like running a fire department without having the money for the trucks or the petrol in the trucks. Imagine, each time there’s a fire, you need to quickly run around the city and ask for money. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
California's Burmese Newspaper Finds a New Voice
California is home to an estimated 30,000 Burmese, the largest concentration of the Myanmar diaspora in the United States. Although many have resettled in the US to escape the political situation at home, the Californian Burmese are not known for their activism. This was evident in 2007 during a campaign outside Los Angeles City Hall to gather signatures for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest, and other political prisoners.
“At that time, even though there are about 10,000 Burmese in Los Angeles how many do you think came to the demonstration? Only about 20 people,” recalled Ma Swe Swe, 38, editor of Myanmar Gazette, a Burmese-language monthly newspaper published in Los Angeles.
Ma Swe Swe, a medical graduate and part-time journalist who used the pen name Nyo Khet Kyaw when she was writing for publications in Myanmar, arrived in Los Angeles in 2005 to help care for her aunt. She soon married another Myanmar journalist, U Gyi Soe, and together with a financial backer they launched the Mandalay Gazette in July 2006. It was renamed the Myanmar Gazette in October 2013, when their former backer pulled out. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)
“At that time, even though there are about 10,000 Burmese in Los Angeles how many do you think came to the demonstration? Only about 20 people,” recalled Ma Swe Swe, 38, editor of Myanmar Gazette, a Burmese-language monthly newspaper published in Los Angeles.
Ma Swe Swe, a medical graduate and part-time journalist who used the pen name Nyo Khet Kyaw when she was writing for publications in Myanmar, arrived in Los Angeles in 2005 to help care for her aunt. She soon married another Myanmar journalist, U Gyi Soe, and together with a financial backer they launched the Mandalay Gazette in July 2006. It was renamed the Myanmar Gazette in October 2013, when their former backer pulled out. (Courtesy of Frontier Myanmar)
Myanmar market holds potential for Vietnamese goods
Pham Thiet Hia, the centre’s director, said that Myanmar, with its population of 55 million, has high demand for many kinds of products that Vietnamese companies manufacture at a high standard.
"Myanmar people favour Vietnamese goods," he said.
They include electric and electronic equipment, construction materials, information and technology, food, confectionary and agricultural materials and production technologies.
Le Tan Minh, deputy head of the centre’s Trade Promotion Division, said voltage regulators were in demand in Myanmar as its electricity grid was being improved. (Courtesy of The Nation)
"Myanmar people favour Vietnamese goods," he said.
They include electric and electronic equipment, construction materials, information and technology, food, confectionary and agricultural materials and production technologies.
Le Tan Minh, deputy head of the centre’s Trade Promotion Division, said voltage regulators were in demand in Myanmar as its electricity grid was being improved. (Courtesy of The Nation)
Anti-Human Trafficking Police Threaten Boat-Victims for Ransom
The Myanmar (Burmese) anti-human trafficking police has been threatening the Rohingya boat-victims in Maungdaw Township for ransom for a few months.
The victims now released by the authorities and the Maungdaw court were arrested after their boat was captured by the Myanmar Navy in Bay of Bengal off Myanmar coast in May 2015.
On 21st May 2015, the Navy captured their boat with more than 200 people on board trying to flee to Malaysia. After capturing the boat, the navy informed the Maungdaw authorities and handed the people over to them.
The authorities took the boat-people on the land via the ‘Ang Ngu Maw’ jetty in southern-most Maungdaw on May 22. Of them, the authorities took away a few people (who were also Rohingyas) along with them secretly from public eyes and left 228 people behind.
From 228 people, 20 people were again separately sent to Maungdaw Police station. Of the 20 people, 8 were boat-workers from ‘Irrawaddy’ division who were later imprisoned to 8 years each for people smuggling.
From the remaining 208 people, 8 were the local Rohingyas of Kyauktaw Township and hence sent to their native township. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
The victims now released by the authorities and the Maungdaw court were arrested after their boat was captured by the Myanmar Navy in Bay of Bengal off Myanmar coast in May 2015.
On 21st May 2015, the Navy captured their boat with more than 200 people on board trying to flee to Malaysia. After capturing the boat, the navy informed the Maungdaw authorities and handed the people over to them.
The authorities took the boat-people on the land via the ‘Ang Ngu Maw’ jetty in southern-most Maungdaw on May 22. Of them, the authorities took away a few people (who were also Rohingyas) along with them secretly from public eyes and left 228 people behind.
From 228 people, 20 people were again separately sent to Maungdaw Police station. Of the 20 people, 8 were boat-workers from ‘Irrawaddy’ division who were later imprisoned to 8 years each for people smuggling.
From the remaining 208 people, 8 were the local Rohingyas of Kyauktaw Township and hence sent to their native township. (Courtesy of Rohingya Vision TV)
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