Zalattni Press sits in a low, nondescript building behind a simple family-run restaurant in Yangon's Seven Mile district. Below its front step, chickens scavenge around the base of tangled jasmine bushes and ever-increasing amounts of traffic block the main road metres away.
Until late 2015, the operation had only a single, old-fashioned printing press, often run in the dead of night. Buddhist scripts bundled with string now commonly leave the building, but, in the kleptocratic Myanmar of military rule, the press – partly funded by the small Sydney-based charity, Myanmar Australia Conolly Foundation (MACF) – became a secret frontline in the medical education of the country's most poorly served. (Courtesy of smh.com.au)
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Myanmar worker killed, 15 hurt in van crash
A woman was killed and 14 other Myanmar workers and a baby injured when a passenger van taking them from Phuket to the Tak border crashed into a roadside tree and overturned in Muang district of this central district of this central province on Friday morning.
The accident occurred on the Liang Muang-Wang Yang route in tambon Ban Pho, said Pol Lt Somchet Nutchanart, a duty officer at Muang police station. It was reported to police around 8am.
The van was carrying 15 Myanmar migrant workers and a one-year-old child. They were heading back to Myanmar, travelling from Phuket to Tak’s Mae Sot district. (Courtesy of Bangkok post: news)
The accident occurred on the Liang Muang-Wang Yang route in tambon Ban Pho, said Pol Lt Somchet Nutchanart, a duty officer at Muang police station. It was reported to police around 8am.
The van was carrying 15 Myanmar migrant workers and a one-year-old child. They were heading back to Myanmar, travelling from Phuket to Tak’s Mae Sot district. (Courtesy of Bangkok post: news)
ADB ‘keen’ on Bangladesh-Myanmar railway network
The project to set up rail communication with Myanmar was approved in 2010 but has been on hold due to lack of funds.
“The ADB has been prioritising Bangladesh’s policy for development through regional connectivity,” said Economic Relations Division (ERD) joint secretary (ADB branch) Saifuddin Ahmed.
“The project under Trans-Asian Railway corridor will set up rail links with Myanmar. The ADB wants to fund it because of its tremendous prospect.”
About 100 km of tracks will connect Dohazari, Ramu, Cox’s Bazar and another 28 km will go until Ukhia’s Ghumdhum under the project.
“We’ve had two meetings with the ADB mission on this project. The ADB has agreed to give $1.5 billion in loan at two percent interest.”
The ADB in its conditions said the tracks needed to be dual gauge and underpasses must be built to make sure elephant corridors were not disturbed. (Courtesy of bdnews24.com)
“The ADB has been prioritising Bangladesh’s policy for development through regional connectivity,” said Economic Relations Division (ERD) joint secretary (ADB branch) Saifuddin Ahmed.
“The project under Trans-Asian Railway corridor will set up rail links with Myanmar. The ADB wants to fund it because of its tremendous prospect.”
About 100 km of tracks will connect Dohazari, Ramu, Cox’s Bazar and another 28 km will go until Ukhia’s Ghumdhum under the project.
“We’ve had two meetings with the ADB mission on this project. The ADB has agreed to give $1.5 billion in loan at two percent interest.”
The ADB in its conditions said the tracks needed to be dual gauge and underpasses must be built to make sure elephant corridors were not disturbed. (Courtesy of bdnews24.com)
Friday, February 19, 2016
India, Myanmar to hold coordinated patrol in Andaman Sea, Bay of Bengal
India and Myanmar have signed an agreement on standard operating procedure for coordinated patrols in the strategically significant Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal even.
As part of the ongoing India-Myanmar defence relations, the fourth edition of the India-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR) was successfully undertaken from February 13-16 along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Andaman Sea.
Indian Navy ships Saryu and Bitra, along with Myanmar ships Aung Zeya and FAC 563, participated in the 4th IMCOR. (Courtesy of The Economic Times)
As part of the ongoing India-Myanmar defence relations, the fourth edition of the India-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR) was successfully undertaken from February 13-16 along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the Andaman Sea.
Indian Navy ships Saryu and Bitra, along with Myanmar ships Aung Zeya and FAC 563, participated in the 4th IMCOR. (Courtesy of The Economic Times)
Sardar Umar Alam, Head of UNESCO, Yangon Office: Interview
How is the Capacity Development for Education for All (CapEFA) programme enhancing management skills in the Ministry of Education (MoE)?
SARDAR UMAR ALAM: In 2012, Myanmar took the overdue decision to reform the education sector, and thus to improve access to and quality of education. Through CapEFA and other education sector programmes, UNESCO strengthened national capacity in the priority areas of policy formulation, decentralised education planning, education costs, monitoring and evaluation, financial planning and management. We appreciate the government’s lead in the reform process and have supported the MoE by providing tools in order to strengthen the process, as per international standards. UNESCO’s focus has been to increase the MoE’s efficiency and effectiveness in delivery quality. We have noticed that the steps taken by the ministry have been equally rewarding, as they have restructured the ministry and realigned departments. This includes setting up the new Department for Teacher Education, and the current focus on setting up an Education Management Information System for Myanmar. This, in turn, will empower state and township level officers, who are at the forefront of managing education and education investments, to better prepare plans for school management. UNESCO will continue to support MoE in developing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that would further strengthen their decision-making, accountability and transparency. (Courtesy of oxfordbusinessgroup.com)
SARDAR UMAR ALAM: In 2012, Myanmar took the overdue decision to reform the education sector, and thus to improve access to and quality of education. Through CapEFA and other education sector programmes, UNESCO strengthened national capacity in the priority areas of policy formulation, decentralised education planning, education costs, monitoring and evaluation, financial planning and management. We appreciate the government’s lead in the reform process and have supported the MoE by providing tools in order to strengthen the process, as per international standards. UNESCO’s focus has been to increase the MoE’s efficiency and effectiveness in delivery quality. We have noticed that the steps taken by the ministry have been equally rewarding, as they have restructured the ministry and realigned departments. This includes setting up the new Department for Teacher Education, and the current focus on setting up an Education Management Information System for Myanmar. This, in turn, will empower state and township level officers, who are at the forefront of managing education and education investments, to better prepare plans for school management. UNESCO will continue to support MoE in developing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that would further strengthen their decision-making, accountability and transparency. (Courtesy of oxfordbusinessgroup.com)
Help Myanmar build democracy
For decades, the isolationist nation-state of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, was ruled with an iron fist by an authoritarian regime that crushed reform movements and imprisoned dissidents.
However, in recent years, the country has slowly begun to emerge from the darkness. The much-anticipated transition to democratic rule will enter a new phase in March, when a newly elected government finally takes control of many of the levers of power.
Myanmar held flawed but nominally democratic elections in November 2015. “The 8 November elections were a major waypoint in Myanmar’s transition from authoritarian rule,” states a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG).
A pro-democracy political party defeated the incumbent Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and also easily bested other parties that represented various ethnic groups. “Holding a peaceful, orderly vote in a context of little experience of electoral democracy, deep political fissures and ongoing armed conflict in several areas was a major achievement for all political actors, the election commission and the country as a whole,” stated the ICG report, entitled The Myanmar Elections: Results and Implications. (Courtesy of thewhig.com)
However, in recent years, the country has slowly begun to emerge from the darkness. The much-anticipated transition to democratic rule will enter a new phase in March, when a newly elected government finally takes control of many of the levers of power.
Myanmar held flawed but nominally democratic elections in November 2015. “The 8 November elections were a major waypoint in Myanmar’s transition from authoritarian rule,” states a report by the International Crisis Group (ICG).
A pro-democracy political party defeated the incumbent Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and also easily bested other parties that represented various ethnic groups. “Holding a peaceful, orderly vote in a context of little experience of electoral democracy, deep political fissures and ongoing armed conflict in several areas was a major achievement for all political actors, the election commission and the country as a whole,” stated the ICG report, entitled The Myanmar Elections: Results and Implications. (Courtesy of thewhig.com)
Thursday, February 18, 2016
ASEAN MPs: Action must follow Sunnylands commitments
Parliamentarians from across Southeast Asia today called on ASEAN leaders to make good on commitments included in the Sunnylands Declaration, which was unveiled at the end of this week’s US-ASEAN Summit in California.
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) specifically noted commitments to strengthen democracy, promote and protect human rights, and work toward inclusive economic development, but voiced wariness over the resolve of ASEAN leaders to follow through.
“ASEAN leaders have made these kinds of commitments before, including in the ASEAN Charter, but what has come of it? Up until now, we’ve seen backsliding, rather than progress,” said APHR Chairperson and Malaysian MP Charles Santiago.
“In order for things to be different this time, ASEAN leaders must step up to the plate and make good on their promises. That means taking concrete steps, including restoring democracy in Thailand and ending the persecution of opposition leaders in Cambodia and Malaysia, among many other to-dos.” (Courtesy of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights)
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) specifically noted commitments to strengthen democracy, promote and protect human rights, and work toward inclusive economic development, but voiced wariness over the resolve of ASEAN leaders to follow through.
“ASEAN leaders have made these kinds of commitments before, including in the ASEAN Charter, but what has come of it? Up until now, we’ve seen backsliding, rather than progress,” said APHR Chairperson and Malaysian MP Charles Santiago.
“In order for things to be different this time, ASEAN leaders must step up to the plate and make good on their promises. That means taking concrete steps, including restoring democracy in Thailand and ending the persecution of opposition leaders in Cambodia and Malaysia, among many other to-dos.” (Courtesy of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)