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Police and students in standoff at monasteryStudents say they will give police two days to end blockade of monastery in Letpadan and clear way for planned march on Yangon to protest against the National Education Law. news 3
www.mmtimes.com DAiLY eDitioN test issUe 1 | tUesDAY, mARcH 3, 2015
500Ks.
Heartbeat of tHe nation
Journalist says police have stolen Facebook account
A FREELANCE photojournalist ar-rested last week for posting a satirical message on social media has regained his freedom but not control of his Facebook account. U Aung Nay Myo, 37, yesterday accused police of having changed the password on his account and posted messages purporting to be from him.
He was arrested at his home in Monywa early on February 27 for post-ing a satirical image on Facebook that employed a poster for a 1970s movie, Kunlon 40 Days, but added pictures of Myanmars current and former lead-ers, including President U Thein Sein and former senior general Than Shwe.
Police planned to charge him under the 1950 Emergency Provisions Act. However, he was released on March 2 after three days in custody.
Shortly before U Aung Nay Myos re-lease a message was posted to his Face-book account apologising for the earlier post. But he told The Myanmar Times that he had not written it, and the mes-sage was deleted later in the day.
U Aung Nay Myo said he gave SB officers his Facebook and Gmail pass-words while he was being interrogated and they had changed the password.
The police took my Facebook pass-word and they havent given back [the account] yet, he said, adding that he had asked SB to give him back control of the account.
U Aung Nay Myo said police had seized all his electronic devices, in-cluding his computer, mobile phone, memory sticks, hard disks and even CCTV cameras.
The alleged misuse of U Aung Nay Myos Facebook wall by police drew strong criticism from journalists and his Facebook friends.
U Myint Kyaw, the head of the Myanmar Journalist Network (MJN), said police had deliberately violated the privacy of a citizen and damaged his dignity.
Monywa police could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Students chant and wave flags at police from inside a monastery in Letpadan township, Bago Region, on the morning of March 2. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing
PRESIDENT U Thein Sein has warned China not to encroach on Myanmars sovereignty, as the two sides discuss the crisis on their border following three weeks of fighting with ethnic Chinese rebels in the Kokang area.
I stress here that I will not tolerate any country or group infringing on the sovereignty of Myanmar, the former general said in his monthly radio ad-dress on March 1, referring to clashes in the Kokang Self-administered Zone.
Both the Tatmadaw and the rebels have sustained heavy casualties since fighting broke out on February 9, and tens of thousands of ethnic Chinese have fled across the border into Yun-nan province.
U Thein Sein said the two countries had discussed the conflict, although he did not disclose at what level the talks had taken place. Myanmar and China would cooperate according to the five principles of peaceful coexistence, in-cluding the understanding that neither would allow the use of its territory to damage the interests of the other.
Statements from both sides indicat-ed they had reaffirmed the general prin-ciples underpinning their close rela-tionship, but had not reached concrete agreements over the Kokang conflict.
Responding to reports and accusa-tions from the Tatmadaw that the rebel Myanmar National Democratic Alli-ance Army (MNDAA) is getting support from inside China, a senior Chinese of-ficial denied rumours that local au-thorities in Yunnan were involved in the conflict.
No organisation or person using Chinese territory would be allowed to undermine the China-Myanmar rela-tionship and stability in border areas, Kong Xuanyu, head of the foreign min-istrys Asia department, was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency on the evening of March 1.
The conflict has had an impact on Chinas border control and social secu-rity, Mr Kong said, referring to the in-flux of refugees estimated by unofficial sources to number up to 100,000.
Mr Kong said China has called on relevant parties to achieve a nation-wide ceasefire through peace talks.
President U Thein Sein has declared martial law and a state of emergency in Kokang while the government has re-jected calls by the rebels for a ceasefire.
Declaring that the government is truly committed to a negotiated end to decades of conflict with various mi-nority groups, U Thein Sein confirmed that the governments Union Peace-making Work Committee and the Na-tionwide Ceasefire Coordination Team would resume talks in mid-March.
However, the Myanmar Peace Cent-er, which is facilitating the talks, said the government would probably bar the MNDAA from taking part, even though the Kokang issue was expected to be discussed.
A member of the NCCT confirmed to The Myanmar Times that the March 12-16 meeting would discuss the fight-ing in Kokang but that the three armed groups involved the MNDAA, the Ara-kan Army (AA) and the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) would not be allowed to attend.
The three rebel groups have criti-cised the government for refusing to open talks. In a joint statement re-leased on March 1 they said they sup-ported talks aimed at reaching a na-tionwide ceasefire agreement but that the government had resorted to force
instead of dialogue.They also accused the military of
committing war crimes and human rights abuses in the area of Laukkai, a charge dismissed last week by the di-rector of the Presidents Office as rebel propaganda.
The MNDAA is led by Pheung Kya-shin, an 85-year-old warlord who was ousted from the region in a Tatmadaw offensive in 2009 and is reported to have spent some of the last six years in China regrouping his forces.
Official Myanmar media are paint-ing a picture of normality returning to parts of Kokang, including the main town of Laukkai, which has seen some of the heaviest fighting. The reports ap-pear aimed at encouraging people to return to their homes despite accounts
by human rights groups of looting and killing of civilians by Tatmadaw forces. The government denies the allegations.
Laukkai is said to have returned to normal as the army is making endeav-ours to secure the area, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar report-ed, quoting army newspaper Myawady.
One volunteer organisation last week released pictures said to be of its workers in Laukkai collecting the bod-ies of 11 civilians and cremating them on pyres of wood and tyres. Some had their hands tied behind their backs.
The MNDAA has warned refugees on the border that it is too dangerous to return, while China is not publicly urging them to go back.
While the bulk of Kokangs ethnic Chinese inhabitants appear to have fled east to China, more than 10,000 local government employees, such as teach-ers, as well as sugar plantation work-ers mostly non-Chinese have sought safety deeper inside Myanmar.
Despite reports of people return-ing, an official at a centre for displaced people at Mansu Shan monastery in Lashio told The Myanmar Times that the 500 inhabitants there did not feel it was safe to return. If the government is making life return to normal and the army is endeavouring to secure the area, then why are the people fleeing? This is funny news, Ma Mee said.
Additional reporting by Ye Mon
2 News THE MYANMAR TIMES March 3, 2015
Tatmadaw troops patrol the road between Kunlon and Laukkai. Photo: Zarni Phyo
I will not tolerate any country or group infringing on the sovereignty of Myanmar.
President U Thein Sein
President warns China over Kokang
GUy Dinmore LUn min manG
Workers defy government pleas, threats to end wage rise protest
UP to 1200 striking workers from fac-tories in Yangon are refusing to reel in the picket lines and return to work, ac-cording to a government official.
The remaining strikers rejected a proposed modest increase to daily wag-es, U Htin Aung, the deputy minister of labour, employment and social welfare, said in a speech yesterday.
Most of the initial strikers have al-ready returned to their factories after accepting a K300-a-day (US$0.30) bump in pay that will bring their daily earnings up to K700 ($0.70).
Just over 2880 workers of the origi-nal 3803 have accepted the compro-mise, according to U Htin Aung.
On January 28, thousands of work-ers from the Red Stone, Costec, E-Land Myanmar and Ford Glory garment fac-tories, as well as the Tai Yi shoe factory, began picketing.
The labourers list of demands var-ied by factory, but all were unanimous in seeking a K30,000-a-month pay increase.
Police beating, arrests and nego-tiation offers have failed to sway nearly 1200 labourers who continued their
campaign yesterday outside the E Land Myanmar garment factory of Shwe Pyi Thar township, according to figures provided by the workers.
We need more negotiations, said Ma Aye Sanda Win, a labourer from Costec garment factory in Shwe Pyi Thar township.
The government and the employ-ers are cooperating to cheat. They told the media that the labour protests are over. That is absolutely wrong. We still strike, she said.
According to Ma Aye Sanda Win, those who accepted the K300-a-day pay rise did so under duress and were not
satisfied with the increase.Some of them are afraid of the Feb-
ruary 20 arrests by police. And the rest were thinking about living costs, she said.
In addition to the pay rise, the pro-testing workers are also demanding the release of two labour union leaders and an activist who allegedly lead the rallies and are facing charges of public distur-bance. The trio will head to court for arraignments later this week.
Deputy minister U Htin Aung en-couraged a swift end to the strike, and called on workers to head back to the factories for the health of the economy.
No negotiation gets 100 percent ap-proval. If the result is acceptable to you, you should agree, he said.
Another official took a more threat-ening stance, however. U Zaw Aye Maung, deputy chair of the Yangon Region labour affairs negotiation team, warned protesters that if they did not call off the picket the government could issue an order under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure that would ban public assemblies, marches and speeches, and impose a 6pm curfew.
Labourers said last night that they plan to continue the strike until their demands are met.
Kyaw Phone [email protected]
KYaT
300Per day pay increase that almost 3000 workers from five factories
have accepted from their employers, according to the government
Un calls for immunisation to continue
Two United Nations agencies are calling for a national immunisa-tion program to resume in Shan States Kokang region, despite ongoing violence that has claimed more than 130 lives.
clashes that erupted in northeastern Shan State on Feb-ruary 9 between the Tatmadaw and the Myanmar National Democratic alliance army have displaced at least 30,000 locals and also interrupted the countrys largest vaccination program to date against rubella and measles.
The World health Organiza-tion and UN childrens Fund (UNIcEF) said there was an urgent need for immunisations to resume in Kokang, where 35 percent of children remain at risk of the potentially deadly diseases.
Viruses do not know borders and do not discriminate. condi-tions must be re-established for immunisation teams in Laukkai to resume their work as soon as possible, Bertrand Bainvel, UNIcEFs representative in Myanmar, said in a statement issued last night.
The statement said tem-porary truces had been called in other countries to enable immunisation campaigns to take place. Myanmar had reached a 95 percent coverage rate before the vaccinations were disrupted in Kokang.
The exceptional commit-ment by the Myanmar society over the last weeks to protect children from debilitating diseases such as measles and rubella is leading to exceptional results. Yet, we must reach to every child, said Dr Jorge Luna, WhO representative to Myanmar.
Laignee Barron
News 3www.mmtimes.com editor: Thomas Kean | [email protected]
Two people wait on test results after H5N1 outbreakOne person has already been cleared of infection but results for two more are expected in coming days
Shwe Yee Saw MYintPhYo wai KYawhlaing KYaw SoePYae thet [email protected]
We have destroyed 50 percent of the poultry [in the Monywa breeding zone] so far, and could be finished tomorrow.
Dr htain linn Sagaing region Livestock Federation
BIRD FLU
Police swoop in to stop student march
STUDENT protesters and police were locked in a tense standoff last night at a monastery in Bago Regions Let-padan township, after the authorities moved in early yesterday to stop them from resuming a march on Yangon.
Leaders of the group of students, which set out from Mandalay on Janu-ary 20 for Yangon to protest against the National Education Law, an-nounced last night they would leave Aung Myae Beikman Monastery with-in two days, regardless of whether po-lice allow them to pass.
The students halted the march on February 18, giving parliament un-til March 1 to enact their proposed amendments to the law. However, last week the Amyotha Hluttaw an-nounced that it would hold consul-tations on the amendment bill from
March 5 to 15.Student leaders met Pyidaungsu
Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann on February 27 in a last-ditch effort to avert a potential confrontation with the authorities, who have warned the students against entering Yangon Region.
However, they emerged from the meeting without a clear timeline on when parliament would approve the bill.
As they prepared to resume their protest on March 2, however, almost 1000 police moved in at 8:30am, blocking them from leaving the mon-astery 30 minutes later as planned.
One of the groups leaders, Ko Nan-da Sit Aung, said yesterday that the authorities had reneged on an earlier promise to let them march.
We met with the [Bago Region] minister for border affairs [on March 1] and agreed that we could resume marching peacefully, without shout-ing slogans in the cities, and the police would not be there, he said. But in the morning, they blocked us at the gate holding guns.
At 9:30am, border affairs minis-try officials arrived at the monastery gate and announced that the min-ister wanted to negotiate with the students.
Minister for Security and Border Affairs Colonel Thet Tun spoke to stu-dent leaders for about 20 minutes, but the talks did not yield any result.
He told students during the discus-sion that he understood their promise at the March 1 meeting to proceed peacefully to mean they would call off the protests.
But now this morning you stu-dents started marching. Thats why the police are here, he said in the meeting.
The students asked whether they would be arrested if they left the mon-astery and started marching, but the minister did not respond.
Further talks are likely on March 3.We have [told] the minister that
we will start the marching on the morning of March 3 to Tharyarwady and from there drive to Yangon, said Ko Aung Hmine San of the Action Committee for Democratic Education.
Mratt Kyaw thu
Students gather behind the entrance to Aung Myae Beikman Monastery in Letpadan on March 2. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing
HEALTH officials are awaiting the result of tests ordered in the case of two Monywa farmers who may be infected with bird flu. Three people who reported with fever symptoms over the weekend have been tested, but one has already been declared negative.
The news comes as the Minis-try of Health announced yester-day that all birds in the Monywa Fowl and Quail Livestock Special Zone, where the H5N1 strain of bird flu was discovered last week, are to be destroyed over the next few days.
The National Health Labo-ratory in Yangon is expected to release the results of the blood tests in the next one or two days, health officials said.
Yesterday a person tested negative for H5N1, but test re-sults are still awaited for the other men, director general Dr Myint Hun told The Myanmar Times yesterday.
Dr Kyaw Naing Oo, deputy di-rector of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, said the blood tests had been ordered because the men had reported symptoms of fever. The ministry had opened a temporary health-care centre near the outbreak zone to provide medical check-ups, said Dr Kyaw Naing Oo.
As of last night, half the live-stock in the special zone had al-ready been destroyed, he said.
Destruction will be complete within a week, he said, adding that the government is compen-sating farmers affected.
The H5N1 virus was con-firmed in the zone, in Monywa, Sagaing Region, after a number of birds were found dead. More than 250,000 birds had been de-stroyed as of March 1.
Dr Htain Linn, chair of Saga-ing Regions Livestock Federa-tion, said yesterday that officials decided to destroy poultry on farms that were not affected by H5N1 in order to ensure there was no recurrence of the disease. We have destroyed 50 percent of the poultry so far, and could be finished tomorrow. We have been explaining the situation to farm
owners, he said.He said that there were
150,000 chickens and 500,000 quail in the 134-acre Livestock Special Zone, and added that authorities from the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Depart-ment were checking chickens and quails in the neighbouring Monywa Livestock Special Zone. No infection has been found there so far.
No humans have been infect-ed to date. The state will provide financial help to poultry breed-ers who sustain losses from the natural disaster fund, and the Livestock Federation is being asked to donate money for them. Once destruction is complete, we have to wait 21 days and then cleanse the farms. If the situa-tion is found to be safe, breeding can resume, said Dr Htain Linn.
Sales of chicken have slumped in Monywa and Mandalay since the news of the bird flu emerged, but prices remain mostly steady.
Dr Min Thein Maw, deputy director of the Livestock Breed-ing and Veterinary Departments Research and Disease Control Di-vision, said yesterday that tests were still being conducted to de-termine the source of the virus.
We are still investigating where the virus came from and how it entered the country, he said.
Dr Lyae Naing Oo, director of the Disease Control Division, said it would take about three months to establish where the vi-rus came from and how it got to the livestock zone.
Translation by Thiri Min Htun
Students say Bago Region minister for security and border affairs reneged on a promise to allow them to peacefully resume their march toward Yangon
4 News THE MYANMAR TIMES March 3, 2015
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Migrants in Thailand to get ID cards as deadline looms
THE government hopes to dole out more than 640,000 certificates of identity in a new attempt to legalise undocumented Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand ahead of an im-pending deadline, according to offi-cials from Myanmars Department of Labour.
Department of Labour director general U Myo Aung said the Thai gov-ernment has warned Myanmar work-ers to get the identity certificates be-fore March 31 or face possible arrest.
The number eligible for the cer-tificate which remains valid for two years represents just a fraction of the estimated 3 million Myanmar migrants who work in Thailand, however.
Only holders of temporary residen-cy cards, known as pink cards, that were given to migrants during a reg-istration period that ended in October can apply.
After Thailands May 22 coup, the newly installed junta began tightening restrictions on the countrys foreign labour force, which is largely undocu-mented. Migrants lacking passports, residency cards and work permits were allowed to register for temporary documents during a June to October 2014 window. In order to extend the temporary documents, migrants em-bassies were tasked with verifying nationality and issuing identification documents by the end of March.
Of the 1.6 million total migrants who registered in Thailand by Octo-ber, more than 640,000 were from My-anmar, according to the Thai Ministry of Labour figures.
The Myanmar embassy in the Thai
capital Bangkok is making preparations to handle 600,000 applications from workers and their dependents during March, U Myo Aung said last month.
The migrant workers will be able to apply for the certificate in 21 different cities in Thailand.
Migrants who already hold a na-tional ID as well as a Myanmar house-hold registration document can apply directly for a passport however, U Myo Aung added.
Filing an application for the cer-tificate will cost 30 baht (about US$1) per worker. Those who qualify will be charged another 400 baht ($13).
However, migrant rights advocates
said the process will not be straight-forward because many pink cards con-tain incorrect information, including misspelled or incorrect names.
The employers name might be listed as the brokers name and that will be the problem as Thai police can arrest [the migrant] if the real em-ployers name doesnt match, said U Ko Tun, a coordinator for the Migrant Worker Rights Network.
U Myo Aung confirmed this would slow down the process. He said even the names of migrant workers are sometimes spelled incorrectly on the Thai-issued cards.
For example, we spell Myint
Aung, but Thai officials might spell it Myn Ang. Then we dont know which spelling to put on the certificate, U Myo Aung said.
Migrant rights groups said the system, which follows several earlier attempts to register undocumented workers, will make it more difficult to work legally in Thailand.
The registration policy generally changes with politics, so it is incon-sistent. This time around it is very bureaucratic and detailed. It makes migrants and their employers have to spend time they dont feel they have, said Brahm Press, the director of MAP Foundation in Chiang Mai.
Kyaw Phone [email protected]
Migrant workers from Myanmar at their home in Chiang Mai last month. Photo: Kaung Htet
No villagers involved in Kachin murders: KBC
NO civilians are suspected in the rape and murder of two volunteer teachers in northern Shan State, the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) has stated. The KBC set up its own inquiry into the January 19 atrocities in Muse townships Kaung Khar village.
Reverend Samson Hkalam, secre-tary of the KBC, told The Myanmar Times yesterday that his organisation had already interviewed all the villag-ers in Khaung Khar and was satisfied that none had committed or was in-volved in the case.
Suspicion has fallen on the Tatma-daw, elements of whose 503rd Light In-fantry Regiment were stationed in the village on the night of the murders.
Government investigators told the KBC on February 20 that DNA sam-ples taken from the crime scene had not matched with any members of the 503rd Regiment nor any villagers.
We have interviewed 130 of the villagers, including two who were sus-pected of involvement by the govern-ment investigation team. From their answers, we know the villagers did not commit these crimes, said Rev Samson Hkalam. He declined to provide further details, saying the KBC would release a
statement about the case soon.The KBC yesterday wrote to Presi-
dent U Thein Sein saying the case should be investigated without pres-sure and haste in order to ensure that the truth came out and justice was done through correct legal procedures. We informed the president that our investigation team had changed its name to the Truth-Finding Commit-tee of Kachin Baptist Convention, and that we believe no villager was in-volved, said Rev Samson Hkalam.
However, he said the KBC doubts the DNA test results because they ap-pear to clear Tatmadaw soldiers of involvement.
A senior member of the govern-ment team has also said the villagers were not involved, and that the team would release further details of its in-vestigation once it was complete.
But he defended the integrity of the DNA results. The results were checked in the chemical examination laboratory. I dont understand why [the KBC] doesnt believe the result, he said.
The rape and murder of the two volunteer teachers, Maran Lu Ra, 20, and Tangbau Hkwan Nan Tsin, 21, sparked widespread outrage and accu-sations that Tatmadaw soldiers were responsible.
News 5www.mmtimes.com
Farmers seek boycott of MPs who didnt stand up for us
ANGRY farmers whose land was confiscated are urging voters to with-hold support from candidates in the election later this year who failed to speak out on the issue. A meeting of about 700 farmers at Mandalays Bay-da Institute on February 28 released a seven-point statement demanding that the government stop destroy-ing farmers lives and jailing those who resist or protest land-grabs.
Farmers have lost their land. Its totally impossible for us to vote for candidates who didnt stand up for
us, U Aye, whose farmlands in Pyin Oo Lwin have been confiscated, told The Myanmar Times.
The farmers second point urged supporters to vote against MPs who failed to help resolve farmland issues. A third expressed objections to set-ting March 2, the anniversary of Gen-eral Ne Wins military coup in 1962, as Peasants Day. The remaining points of the statement concerned proposed amendments to the Land Utilisation Bill which, it said, could hurt the in-terests of farmers. The farmers also expressed support for the student-led protest against the National Educa-tion Law and called on the authorities to refrain from violently dispersing student marchers.
The current situation of farmers is not easy because their lands have been confiscated under successive governments. Without an effective settlement, the situation could lead to farmer uprisings, said U Ko Ko Gyi, of the Facilitator Network for Interest of Farmers and Labour (FNIFL).
Daw Myint Myint Aye, who works with the Meiktila Facilitator Net-work, told The Myanmar Times that agriculture-related laws introduced by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, includ-ing the Farmland Law, were worse than earlier legislation.
The Farmers Interest Promotion Bill and the Vacant, Fallow and Vir-gin Land Law work for the benefit of
the authorities, not the farmers. We need to amend these laws, she said.
Farmers have no power or weap-ons. Our lands have been seized. If this situation persists, there may be protests, she warned, adding that government declarations that con-fiscated lands had been restored to their previous owners were con-tradicted by the fact that many farmers faced trials following land disputes with the government and
private companies.Campaigner Daw Win Win Kyi,
from Tangar Myauk village in Man-dalay Regions Madaya township, said more than 600 acres had been confiscated in her village since 1986.
If there is no land for farmers to cultivate, the governments goal of poverty alleviation can never be met, she said. They are making the poor poorer.
Translation by Thiri Min Htun
Farmers whose farmlands have been confiscated meet in Mandalay on February 28. Photo: Si Thu Lwin
Si Thu Lwin
in BRiEF
Man out with mate told wife he had been abducted by Tatmadaw A 22-year-old taxi driver from South Dagon township has been charged after he told his wife he had been abducted by soldiers to work as a porter when he was really just out for a night with a friend.
The man called late on February 26 and said he had been taken by two sol-diers and put in a truck with seven other people, and that he had been forced to leave his taxi on Pyidaungsu Road.
His wife and a local official collected the car. The man arrived home the next morning and admitted he had been out with a friend. He has been charged with causing a public disturbance.
Argument leads to house fireA man has been charged with causing mischief by fire with intent to destroy property after he used petrol to burn his personal documents following a fight with his wife. The February 28 fire damaged a mattress and the floor of his East Dagon township home. Toe Wai Aung, translation by Khant Lin Oo
Activists protest in front of inseinAbout 15 political activists from the Movement for Democracy Current Force group protested in front of Insein Jail in the morning of February 26, demanding a government amnesty.
Daw Than Than Maw, wife of MDCF leader U Htin Kyaw, who is serving more than 11 years jail for leading a series of protests without permission, led the demonstration.
We dont want selective release of political prisoners. There are also many prisoners who were sentenced unjustly. They should also be released, she said. Lun Min Mang
Parliamentarians whom farmers believe failed to help them get back their land could face election backlash
Our lands have been seized. If this situation persists, there may be protests.
Daw Myint Myint Aye Meiktila-based activist
6 News THE MYANMAR TIMES March 3, 2015
Yangons next census: its struggling bus system
YANGON transport authorities are to conduct a census of the citys buses. The Yangon Region Supervisory Com-mittee for Motor Vehicles, usually known as Ma Hta Tha, will compare the number of buses officially regis-tered with those actually running, said authority chair U Hla Aung last week.
Ma Hta Tha is cracking down on bus lines that switch buses between routes without informing them, as required by regulation. Often, the au-thorities only find out that this has taken place after an accident occurs.
In early March, in coopera-tion with the Transport Planning
Department and the Road Transport Administration Department, we will analyse buses operating with a busi-ness license or a normal licence and align our records to show the correct number of buses, said U Hla Aung.
Some buses no longer run on their registered routes, and others have transferred to other lines.
We will take action against any bus line that has transferred buses to other routes without permission. This could even result in them being sus-pended from operating, he said.
Bus owners need to inform both Ma Hta Tha and the Transport Planning Department of any routing change, but sometimes neglect to do so.
Sometimes they inform us, but not the Transport Planning Department, so their list is different from ours. We only find out when we conduct an investigation following an accident, said U Hla Aung.
The authority will be telling own-ers to keep up with the rules or risk losing their licence. Updated infor-mation will help Ma Hta Tha deal with customer complaints about the service.
According to Ma Hta Tha records, there are 6800 buses operating in Yangon.
Researchers push for law to criminalise partner violence
VIOLENCE against women should be dealt with by the law, a prominent womens organisation is demanding. The Gender Equality Network says it will lobby the government to include all forms of partner violence within the legislative framework.
Speaking at the launch of the study Behind the Silence, which details in-timate partner violence, GEN direc-tor Daw May Sabe Phyu said that womens organisations would urge the inclusion of such crimes in the Myanmar National Prevention of Vio-lence against Women Law now under discussion.
She said it was essential to inte-grate violence prevention into nation-al legislation against violence against women, including gender equality and the abolition of discriminatory laws.
We need to raise awareness on gender so that the legislation deals with the situation correctly and fairly, she said.
GEN plans to offer awareness training on gender equality and wom-ens rights to MPs, legal experts and government officials, as well as within communities.
The new law has been in prepara-tion since 2013 by government wel-fare officials and related NGOs, and is expected to be submitted to par-liament in April or May. GEN will share its study with MPs for their consideration.
GEN researcher Dr San Shwe said civil society, government authorities and international organisations in-creasingly recognised the extent of the issue across the country. She said violence against women was a seri-ous and reprehensible human rights violation that directly and indirectly
affected the health, livelihoods and opportunities of women.
Marital rape and intimate partner violence are considered a private affair that cannot be discussed. Most women keep silent for fear of cultural and so-cial stigma, said Dr San Shwe.
The study interviewed 38 women with experience of intimate partner violence in Yangon and Mawlamyine. It also included focus-group discus-sions with women there and in Mag-way, Lashio, Loikaw, Labutta and Kale.
Another researcher, Stephanie Miedema, said the issue should also be addressed through classes in school that focus on gender aware-ness, healthy relationship, and sexual health and rights. Programs to fos-ter awareness of gender inequalities, harmful masculinity, relationship skills and violence against women as social problem should be encouraged, she said.
Cherry [email protected]
ayenyein
We will take action against any bus line that has transferred buses to other routes without permission.
U hla Aung head of bus regulatory body
Commuters and a conductor jostle for space on a crowded bus in Yangon. Photo: Boothee
News 7www.mmtimes.com
ViewsWhy managing development in an election year matters
IN a democracy, an election season is an exciting time. It is an occasion for a possible change in policy directions or a confirmation of continuity. As evi-dence of the vitality of democracy, pas-sions around elections should be cele-brated. But in economic development, it is also a time to test what transcends electoral politics a broadly shared national vision to guide the country over a long period and sustained com-mitment to implementing a coherent strategy to realise such a vision, re-gardless of who is in the government. History tells us that the countries that fail to achieve such consistency fare poorly in economic development.
President U Thein Sein has articu-lated a simple but clear vision for My-anmar a prosperous and inclusive country. Few would disagree with this notion. Is there, then, a long-term strategy that Myanmar can embrace, independent of different political in-clinations its people may have? I think there is, though it has perhaps not to date been described so explicitly and debated publicly.
Inclusive development is gener-ally understood to mean a growth process that benefits all segments of the population, including the poorest. In the longer term, however, we must be concerned with growth that will steadily take everyone toward decent and even comfortable living. For that to happen, the economy must generate good employment opportunities or business opportunities if one is more independent-minded for all. But how to make such growth a reality is often not understood well. So, how would Myanmar deliver it?
Sustained inclusive development will require many private businesses to spring up and grow robustly. They need to be innovative and competi-tive, and treat their employees well. They should not rely on exploitation of cheap labour to make quick money.
Inclusive companies rely on inno-vation, quality of products and servic-es, and competitiveness. Many are in manufacturing, but they are also found in services and agriculture. They value employees, for their strength derives from the capabilities of their workers. Those are the companies that generate good jobs. Over time they help raise everyones income, as they move into increasingly sophisticated and high-value products and services.
Encouraging vigorous growth of such companies requires sound mac-roeconomic management, including moderate fiscal deficits, a non-infla-tionary monetary policy and com-petitive exchange rates. But concerted government action in three important areas is also needed: upgrading of key infrastructure; high-quality educa-tion for every child, so that there is abundance of competent workers to support both innovation and high-standard production; and a business-friendly institutional environment, such as sound laws and effective enforcement, coherent and effective business regulations, and availability of financial services.
Some economies have been very successful in achieving inclusive devel-opment. These include South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan before them, as well as many European coun-tries that industrialised earlier. They have all invested in these three prior-ity areas. A strong education system is also critical in making sure that every
child can avail themself of good eco-nomic opportunities. This is the sup-ply side of inclusion.
One thing that is often overlooked is an important shift that these coun-tries made in the overall political and economic framework. In earlier times, their economies were all dominated by the strong influence of an elite class. The ruling social class used its po-litical power to gain special economic privileges, such as monopoly rights to produce or sell something, fabulously profitable public contracts, and tax ex-emptions. In fact, many companies in the old days were formed on the basis of such advantages, and this was the case in Myanmar too, until recently.
The businesspeople tended to see such arrangements as the main source of making profits. By changing that incentive framework, these countries were able to channel their best entre-preneurial minds toward innovation and competition.
It also opened opportunities to those without political connections or influence. In a sense, this represents a democratisation of the economy, for it took away the exclusive status of the elite class in the economic world. When this transformation happened,
and simultaneously the government invested in the three priority areas infrastructure, education and institu-tional environment their economies were put on a path of sustained and inclusive growth.
Many other countries have focused on these three basic areas, but failed to address this last requirement. Some of them have managed to generate high GDP growth for a period, but it was seldom inclusive. Income inequality often rose and businesses tended to ex-ploit, rather than value, their workers. Lacking capacity for innovation, those countries have tended to get stuck in the middle-income trap.
In Myanmar, the far-reaching re-forms and ambitious investment pro-grams have began to address the three basic building blocks for an inclusive economy. More importantly, it has also taken some early steps toward chang-ing the fundamental economic regime.
For instance, the Myanmar Invest-ment Commission has been re-estab-lished to bring more transparency and rigorous evaluation to the busi-ness licensing process, thereby reduc-ing questionable deals. The special treatment that government-owned enterprises or government-associated
companies used to receive has been largely eliminated. It is also reforming its tax policies and tax collection sys-tems. Very importantly, the president has stressed the importance of fighting corruption. Corruption is usually the flip side of the special deals given to the business elite. Fighting corruption, therefore, means closing off such old ways of making money.
One may ask why we should ex-pect Myanmar to succeed where many others have failed. Although cultural generalisation is risky, Myanmars tra-ditional values seem to put the country in a good position to pursue inclusive development. Its tradition of honesty and diligence remains firm; so are the traditions of valuing education and strength in basic literacy and numera-cy. They will all serve the country well in moving into high-value economic activities. Its geographic location is al-ready well recognised as an advantage. Inclusive development is entirely feasi-ble for Myanmar.
An outline of an appropriate strat-egy for building a prosperous and inclusive country in Myanmar has emerged. What is important now is to articulate it more explicitly and forcefully to the public so that every-one understands what additional ac-tions government will have to take to realise the long-term vision. I believe such an effort is crucial, as it will en-sure that not just the broad vision but also the basic strategy to achieve it is owned by the nation and becomes an enduring and collective commitment. If that happens, then Myanmar can go through the year of elections with more confidence, for at least the fun-damental path of economic develop-ment will not be easily shaken, no mat-ter what the election outcomes, and it can expect steady progress toward the shared vision.
Myanmar may have started its work on building an inclusive economy late. If it sustains a sound strategy, and re-mains mindful of the key question of transforming the business and political culture early, its future will be bright.
Masahiko Tanaka is head of the Japan International Cooperation Agency office in Myanmar.
Masahiko Tanaka
An appropriate strategy for building a prosperous and inclusive country has emerged. What is important now is to articulate it more explicity and forcefully.
Supporters welcome President U Thein Sein back to Yangon following a foreign trip in October 2012. Photo: Staff
8 THE MYANMAR TIMES March 3, 2015
Business
APPLICATIONS are trickling in two months after a surprise policy change hit automobile importers, according to experts.
Late last year Yangon officials began requiring car importers to have proof of a parking space before being able to purchase an imported vehicle, which slowed the industry. Some townships have been more reluctant than others to issue the required paperwork showing proof of parking.
About 2000 people have now successfully obtained the paper-work to purchase imported vehi-cles, though most of them are in outskirt townships with ample
parking space available, according to U Soe Htun, chair of the Myan-mar Automobile Manufacturers and Distributors Association.
There are about 2000 purchas-ers who bought cars with the re-quired letters, but they are com-ing from the outskirts, including townships like Thanlyin, Kone-chankone and North Dagon, he said.
Growing car imports following the lifting of import restrictions since 2012 have been blamed for causing increasing traffic jams in Yangon. In response, the vehicle import su-pervisory committee announced on December 18, 2014, that all imported vehicles must have places to park fol-lowing the start of 2015.
There are a few exceptions. No-tably, those submitting an old car to the government and receiving another import ticket were exempt from the new parking requirement.
U Soe Htun also said that
he reckons only a few hundred permits are being granted each month, from 6000 a month before the restrictions.
Importers are complaining of be-ing forced to wait up to two or three weeks to receive the required recom-mendation letters from township ad-ministration officials, causing them
to slow their orders. Some have also raised the possibility of corrupt pay-ments being required in response for the documents.
Others in the industry say it is possible to use an address in the more permissible townships, when really importing vehicles downtown.
However, an official requesting anonymity from Yangon Region government said the requirements are too strict to allow for any im-porters or officials to cheat.
Importers now need to show they have recommendation letters from YCDC as well as the township administrations. They need to pass everything step-by-step. So there cant be corruption, he said.
U Soe Htun said he is not sure about the specific methods used to obtain the recommendation let-ters, but he only takes cars from importers that have the correct documentation.
Car sales trickle in with policy aye
nyeinwin
About 2000 purchasers ... bought cars with the required letters, but they are coming from the outskirts.
U Soe Htun auto importer
Imported car sales have slowed after a surprise policy change was announced in December. Photo: Staff
A CAR showroom owner has accused local authorities in Mandalay of putting her out of business because of a per-sonal grudge.
Pyone Myanmar, based in Aung Chan Thar village on the Mandalay-Pyin Oo Lwin Highway in Mandalay Region, says it has faced lengthy delays in extending its business licence.
Daw Thu Thu Khin, managing di-rector of the company, said last week that Pyone Myanmar had been granted approval by the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Development in November 2013 and its operating li-cence would expire on March 31.
I had no problems getting a licence for the first year. But now Im having difficulty obtaining the certificates I need to get an extension. Even the ward administrator told me theyd been in-structed by their superiors not to give me a certificate, she said. I dont un-derstand why they are making trouble instead of helping me. They seem to be harbouring a personal hatred against my company. Daw Thu Thu Khin said she had complained to the president and the regional government.
The Pyin Oo Lwin township Settle-ments and Land Records Department has filed a lawsuit against Pyone Myan-mar under section 35 of the farmland law on the grounds that the company opened a car showroom on an 0.6-hec-tare (1.75-acre) plot before land-use per-mission was granted. The firm applied in February 2014 but almost six months went by before it received any response, though the process is to take a month and the firm paid its taxes, she said.
U Chit Tun Aung, head of Pyin Oo Lwin townships Settlements and Land Records Department, said Pyone My-anmar had been identified as one of a number of companies allegedly in breach of land laws. There is no right to construct any building during the ap-plication period, he said.
Si Thu Lwin, translation by Zar Zar Soe
Showroom stopped by grudge
9BUSINESS EdItor: Jeremy Mullins | [email protected]
Exchange Rates (March 2 close)Currency Buying Selling
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Shwe taung opens restaurant area of Junction Square
Falling mineral prices hit North Koreas economy hard
bUSineSS 10 bUSineSS 11
THE proportion of people on the nation-wide grid has increased slightly to 34.6 percent, from about 30pc when the civilian government took over in 2011, according to the Ministry of Electric Power.
Domestic electricity rates have been among the lowest in Asia, and it is consistently identified as a hin-drance for economic development.
The ministry has attempted to expedite a range of power projects including large-scale hydropower, gas-fired and coal-fired plants, as well as more innovative projects such as solar and wind.
Minister of Electric Power U Khin Maung Soe said that while
2.42 million households had access to power in 2010-11 fiscal year, the number has grown to 3.15 million.
Speaking at the opening ceremo-ny of a power station at Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone, he said there is still a long ways to go.
We have to force electrification projects for the next 12 years contin-uously to [reach our goal of ] 65.4pc population coverage, he said.
Rakhine State, the site of Kyauk-phyu, has some of the lowest elec-trification rates in the country, but is the target of ministry investment.
Japan International Coopera-tion Agency is assisting the min-istry with its aim to achieve 100pc electrification by 2030. Current en-ergy consumption for the country is around 2000 megawatts.
Electricification rate up aUng [email protected]
nyan Lynn [email protected]
MYANMAR has a three-year grace peri-od to meet ASEAN Economic Commu-nity targets, but will still meet challeng-es facing its later deadline, according to experts.
The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is set to be created at the end of 2015, but the less-developed CLMV countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam have until 2018 to enact a range of reforms aiming at creating a single market, creating a competitive
economic region, equitable develop-ment and an internationally inte-grated region.
In practice, this means the 10 ASEAN members must remove a range of barriers on the intra-bloc flow of
goods and services, some of which have been tough to accomplish.
Myanmar Minister of National Planning and Economic Development U Kan Zaw said that while the country has surmounted many changes, it does
face trouble implementing the AEC.Of course we need to overcome
the challenges and continue to move forward on essential elements. We are trying our best. However, no countries could have perfect AEC implementa-tion, he said.
Some experts have questioned the degree to which Myanmar will benefit from participating in the bloc, even with the three-year extension to meet-ing its requirements to lower barriers.
Myanmar cannot catch benefits when other member countries grasp its profits, in spite of the implementa-tion period being extended, said U Tin Cho, Parami Energy Group senior adviser. He said part of the problem is the unevenness in which trade barriers are being lowered inside and outside the bloc.
Other businesspeople such as U Moe Kyaw, managing director of My-anmar Market Research Development, said the AEC may not be enough to re-duce poverty and narrow the develop-ment gap inside the bloc.
Struggle to reach even extended ASEAN goals
THE first major gold exchange centre in the country is closer to reality as company plans have been submitted by a gold industry association.
The Myanmar Gold and Jew-ellery Entrepreneurs Association would like to build a market mod-eled after Shanghai and Hong Kong gold exchanges, but will need significant government sup-port to govern the project, said association secretary general U Kyaw Win.
We have sent our plans to the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Finance, he said. We need ministry support to draw up rules and regulations to create the central gold market.
We cant only do it with the dealers. If the ministries dont get involved, we wont be able to do it, he added.
If approved and given support, the market will among other fea-tures allow for the sale of gold certificates, removing the neces-sity of holding the physical pre-cious metal.
The association has formed a public company to look into de-veloping local interest in the pre-cious metal. Officials from the Myanmar Gold Development Pub-lic Company visited Shanghai and Hong Kong in January to look at how their exchanges function.
The study trip resulted in a written report which is to lay the foundations for the exchange.
U Kyaw Win said the Shanghai centre was founded largely under government control in 1997, with support of dealers. However, it was
relatively unsuccessful until the mid-2000s. By 2012, it had become the main centre of Chinas gold dealing, accounting for up to 95 percent of the total trade.
The market is supporting the country and is one of the largest Shanghai-based government rev-enues sources, he said. It has reduced illegal gold trade and prevents smuggling, which takes resources out of the country with no records or state revenue.
The Hong Kong metals market has differed significantly in its history and development from its Shanghai counterpart.
Its gold and silver exchange was formed by dealers, and the rules, regulation and constitution are likely to be different from the Yangon exchange, said U Kyaw Win.
China is the worlds largest gold producer, and overtook In-dia in 2014 as the worlds largest consumer of the precious metal.
U Kyaw Win said the Shang-hai exchange came partly in an effort to stop gold from leaving
the country by illicit means by formalising trade.
Myanmar should do likewise or it will definitely be like Shang-hai in its years gone by, he said.
U Kyaw Win claimed local dealers are not concerned about the concept and will buy in.
The market must be reliable, profitable and trustable if it is to be a success within a short time period.
If the market actually works, people will change from buying gold on a retail basis to buying gold from companies and banks, said dealer U Nay Myo Htet.
People would also rather buy gold certificates [paper repre-senting gold ownership] rather than actual physical gold from dealers, which is a constraint on current dealers.
Still, U Kyaw Win said it is un-likely that dealers will disappear altogether in the foreseeable fu-ture, adding many are doing busi-ness in traditional ways and will be unlikely to change for the time being.
Gold exchange coming
Su Phyo win
A gold seller holds out the precious metal for inspection. Photo: Staff
Association experts look to China for inspiration to build central market, though insiders insist it will not move ahead without support from government ministries
10 Business THE MYANMAR TIMES March 3, 2015
JAPANESE firm Sumitomo Corpor-taion has signed an agreement with Myanma Electric Power Enterprise to build a 50-megawatt gas-fired power plant for Thilawa Special Economic Zone, according to an of-ficial announcement on March 1.
The agreement was signed on February 26, with the plant to be financed by a concessionary loan from Japan International Coopera-tion Agency, according to the an-nouncement in state newspaper Myanmar Ahlin.
Sumitomo is also a part-owner of the Thilawa project along with two other Japanese companies.
The announcement follows a process begun by the Ministry of Electric Power last year to find a firm to build the 50MW generating station. Several other private com-panies were also considered during the bidding process.
Myanmar Electric Power Enter-prise managing director U Htain Lwain said at the time of bidding that individual submissions for sev-eral different projects were being considered based on their produc-tion and price, with an aim to have them up and running in 2015.
Natural gas to fuel the Thilawa project will come from Zawtika, My-anmars fourth commercial gas field which turned on last year. Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise will con-struct a 20-mile (32-kilometre) long gas pipeline, which is 20 inches (50.8 centimetres) in diameter, ac-cording to the news.
Sumitomo has other operations in Myanmar, including partnering with Japanese telco KDDI in run-ning mobile services provider MPT. It is also one of three Japanese com-panies holding a 39 percent share in Myanma Japan Thilawa Develop-ment, the company running the SEZ.
Thilawa is one of three large SEZs under construction in Myan-mar, along with Kyaukphyu and Dawei.
Sumitomo signs power agreement for Thilawa SEZaung [email protected]
MEGaWaTT
50Output of the new electricity generating station coming to Thilawa, according to
the agreement
SHWE Taung Group has updated its well-known Junction Square shopping mall with a restaurant zone titled the Secret Garden.
Opened on February 28, it is the companys response to in-creased interest in finding quality places to eat in Yangon, said Shwe Taung Group managing director Daw Sandar Htun.
We want better places to relax and have good food in the city, she said. After customers finish shopping, they can gather at some very nice restaurants.
Junction Square opened in March 2012. It comprises about 286,000 square feet (26,570 square
metres) of space of which 166,00 square feet is retail space on the corner of Pyay Road and Kyundaw Street in Kamaryut township. It also claims about 270 shops and three cinemas inside.
Shwe Taung is one of Myan-mars largest property firms.
The company operates three other Junction-branded malls in Yangon and one in Nay Pyi Taw,
with a total of 612,358 square feet of retail space.
The Secret Garden area sits on the sixth floor of the parking ga-rage, with about 12 restaurants in the space. The restaurant brands include several well-known out-lets, such as Fuji Japanese Restau-rant, Marrybrown and Shabaushi Buffet.
The expansion was first
planned in 2013, and was designed with a garden theme by Thailand-based architects. It connects by elevator with the Junction Square food station, as well as the car parking garage.
Daw Sandar Htun also high-lighted the ample parking space an increasing rarity in Yangon as well as the nearby entertainment options.
Shwe Taung opens restaurant expansion at Junction Square
Myat NyeiN aye
We want better places to relax and have good food in the city. After customers shop, they can relax at some very nice restaurants.
Daw sandar htun Shwe Taung Group
Guests take a first look at the Secret Garden area of Shwe Taungs Junction Square building. The new zone includes 12 restaurants and is located above a car park. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing
in BRiEF
Viber tries out mobile gamesPopular mobile messaging service Viber has begun offering games for its local users, according to company officials. Games including Viber Pop, Viber candy Mania and Wild Luck ca-sino have been available since March, according to a statement.
The app has become popular for local mobile phone users, in part because it works even with slower internet speeds.
Viber added its 5-millionth user in Myanmar in august, while claiming a total of 516 million users worldwide. The firm is one of many companies riding the wave of increasing numbers of mobile users in the country.
aung Kyaw Nyunt
FMi air receives certificateThe newest full service airline has re-ceived its air Operator certificate from the Department of civil aviation.
The certificate allows FMI air to transition from a charter operator to a full-schedule airline and put into service its own Bombardier jet, a press release said.
We believe that our aircraft and customer-oriented service will provide passengers with a superior travel ex-perience, said FMI air chief executive officer Bruce Nobles.
The airline will commence a daily flight service connecting Mandalay and Yangon on February 25. Staff
Thai officials push for isO useLocal companies should make more use of international ISO standards used to grade goods and processes, accord-ing to Thai businesspeople.
With many smaller IT producers struggling to gain attention, achieving the standard means foreign and large companies are more uncertain about the companys offerings, said Panitarn Pavarolavidya, chair of the Thai-Myan-mar Business council.
The ISO standard is important for software development. countries such as Brazil, china and Thailand are using it, he said. aung Ko Ko
Business 11www.mmtimes.com
SRI Lankas new president has can-celled mining licences issued by the previous government to 16 foreign companies to search for blue sap-phires and other gems, his office said.
The office of Maithripala Siri-sena said permits granted to the unidentified companies were being withdrawn immediately to better protect the local mining industry.
Sixteen foreign companies had been given gem mining licences by the previous administration, and the president in an effort to protect local miners cancelled those per-mits without further investigation, it said in a statement released on the weekend.
Sri Lanka has a substantial gem and jewellery industry and is known for some of the worlds biggest and most expensive precious stones.
But traditional gem mining is labour-intensive and the industry has resisted attempts to introduce new technology, fearing deeply un-popular job losses.
It is unclear if the 16 companies had already been mining on the is-land or had been preparing to set up operations.
Mr Sirisena, who ousted Ma-hinda Rajapakse at presidential polls in January, first made the an-nouncement at a meeting with local industrialists on February 28, the statement added.
Mr Sirisena also told the busi-ness leaders he had been under pressure to make progress on a long-stalled economic cooperation pact with India during his visit to New Delhi in February.
But the president said he had avoided holding talks on the issue with Indian Prime Minister Naren-dra Modi in the interests of protect-ing local businesses, according to the statement.
The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement has been in the works for over a decade. But Co-lombo has been reluctant to allow Indian banks, insurance companies and other firms to operate, fearing its smaller services sector would be swamped.
Mr Modi is expected to travel to Sri Lanka later this month as part of efforts to deepen ties, partly in order to counter Chinas growing influence in the region, including the Indian Ocean.
Mr Sirisenas trip to India, his first overseas visit since coming to power, was aimed at mending rela-tions that had been strained under Mr Rajapakse.
Mr Rajapakses government had been accused of corruption and making concessions to foreign com-panies in return for kickbacks.
AFP
Sri Lanka cancels foreign mining licences
Columbo Pyongyang
North Korea hit by mining fall
16Number of permits for foreign mining companies that were cancelled by Sri
Lankas new government
THE sharp fall in global commodity prices is starting to have an impact on North Korea, economists say, hurting a state that relies heavily on exports of minerals to keep its economy afloat and its gargantuan military funded.
Combined with Chinas economy coming off the boil, the recent slump in coal prices in particular could hurt Kim Jong Uns byungjin policy: His stated desire to simultaneously de-velop North Koreas economy and its nuclear weapons program.
Commodity prices are dropping, so its becoming more and more dif-ficult for North Korea to earn foreign currency, said Choi Kyung-soo, presi-dent of the North Korea Resources Institute in Seoul. I think last year, minerals trade decreased by about 10 percent by volume and about 15pc by price.
Mining makes up roughly 14pc of the North Korean economy, which, al-though in a parlous state and under heavy financial sanctions, appears to have been growing in recent years, when China still was booming and commodity prices still surging. North Korea is heavily reliant on commodi-ties such as anthracite and iron ore for its export revenues, and just as it rode the resource boom to its apex in 2011, it is now the victim of a steady and steep decline in world prices, said
Kevin Stahler of the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
The overwhelming majority of North Koreas trade is with China which remains its closest ally and economic patron, despite the political chill that has descended in the past three years since Kim Jong Un took over in Pyongyang. And more than 70pc of its exports to China are min-ing products, according to the Seoul-based Korea International Trade As-sociation.
The prices that North Korea can get from China for anthracite coal and iron ore, its main mineral exports, fell
by 26pc and 35pc, respectively, be-tween their peak in 2011 and last year, Mr Stahler said in a recent note on the institutes NK Witness blog.
Furthermore, Beijing is trying to reduce Chinas dependence on coal, and North Koreas coal reportedly does not meet the new sulfur stand-ards introduced to try to tackle Chi-nas air pollution problems.
All this is bad news for Mr Kim, who has made industry a priority. In his New Years address, he said that improvements in a range of sectors, including coal mining, were opening up bright prospects for the building of
an economic giant and improvement of the peoples living standards.
Underlining the importance of mining in the North Korean economy, the Obama administration this year has slapped restrictions on North Korean officials working at North Koreas Mining Development Trading Corporation, which Washington says is responsible for the countrys arms dealing and weapons export business, in the wake of the devastating cyberat-tack on Sony Pictures. This is in addi-tion to the heavy restrictions on North Koreas financial activities, which make it difficult to receive payments for its exports.
But North Koreas mining sector it-self is not under sanctions; its trade in natural resources is legal. There are very limited ways for North Korea to make money: selling weapons, smug-gling and mining, said Mr Choi of the North Korea Resources Institute. Be-cause of sanctions, its very hard for them to make weapons or to sell [nar-cotic] drugs, so the only legitimate way for North Korea to make money these days is from selling minerals.
All told, South Korea estimates the total value of the Norths mineral de-posits at more than $6 trillion more than enough, as one analyst puts it, to fund several more generations of lead-ers called Kim. Bloomberg
Kim Jong-il visits a North Korea construction site. Photo: AFP
12 Business THE MYANMAR TIMES March 3, 2015
THE Indian governments budget was praised as balancing the need to boost business and to help the poor, but some experts were disappointed at a lack of big-bang reforms to Asias third largest economy.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley an-nounced a US$11.3 billion increase in spending on crumbling roads, rail and other infrastructure and cut the corporate tax rate on March 1, when he unveiled the right-wing govern-ments first full budget.
Mr Jaitley also rolled out new pension, insurance and social secu-rity programs for tens of millions of desperately poor, along with tougher penalties for wealthy people who stash their cash overseas to avoid paying tax.
But some analysts were con-cerned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not use the budget to radi-cally reshape economic policies after his party swept to power in a general election last May, pledging to reform the then-faltering economy.
Given Modis historic mandate last year, many people had hoped that this budget would signal a sharp and visible departure from business as usual, said Sadanand Dhume, India expert at Washington-based think-tank the America Enterprise Institute. Measured by that yard-stick, it is indeed a bit of a disap-pointment, he added.
Some economists had been hop-ing Mr Jaitley would slash the more than $35-billion annual subsidy bill championed by the previous left-leaning government. Critics say the program is inefficient and too expensive.
Others were anticipating a start to the privatisation of inefficient state-run banks and companies.
Alok Churiwala, head of Churiwa-la Securities in Mumbai, said reform expectations had been sky high, but we all knew in our hearts that in a
big democracy like ours [such] moves are most unlikely.
Mr Jaitley on February 28 attempt-ed to deflect criticism of the pace and scale of reform, after months of pledg-es to fire up the manufacturing sector and improve the ease of doing busi-ness to attract foreign investment.
People who urge us to under-take big-bang reforms also say that the Indian economy is a supergiant which moves surely but slowly, Mr Jaitley told parliament.
Political researcher Manoj Joshi said the government was mindful of the need to balance reform with help-ing the two-thirds of Indians still liv-ing on less than $2 a day.
The point is that the BJP is a po-litical party and is making a budget in a country where there are many poor voters, said Mr Joshi, from the Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation.
They have tried to balance the issue of setting the stage for growth along with social equity.
Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last month suffered a drubbing in Delhi state elections, its first major defeat at the polls since it stormed to power.
Despite new figures showing the economy is growing faster than previously thought, critics say many ordinary Indians have yet to feel the
benefit and are tired of waiting for change. Indias media on March 1 mostly praised the budget for forging ahead with efforts to boost growth, while holding back on reforms in fa-vour of helping the poor.
Jaitley lights growth fuse, a front-page headline read in the Hin-dustan Times.
An editorial in left-leaning The Hindu described the budget as an imaginative and deft balance.
Mr Jaitley has deftly reconciled the interests of business and the mar-kets on one hand and that of masses .. on the other... the newspaper said.
It Isnt Big, But Its Full of Bang, said The Economic Times. AFP
Indian office-goers walk past a digital screen showing Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley delivering his Budget speech at parliament in New Delhi, on the facade of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in Mumbai. The Indian governments budget was praised on March 1 for its balance. Photo: AFP
New Delhi
TehraN
No big bang in Indian budget
BILLIONAIRE investor Warren Buffett hinted he had found a successor to re-place him as he reflected on 50 years in charge of his Berkshire Hathaway con-glomerate in an annual letter to share-holders.
The 84-year-old investment guru, ranked by Forbes as the worlds third richest man with a fortune estimated at US$72.3 billion, said his replacement as CEO would be relatively young and recruited from within.
Our directors believe that our fu-ture CEOs should come from internal candidates whom the Berkshire board has grown to know well, Mr Buffett remarked.
Our directors also believe that an incoming CEO should be relatively young, so that he or she can have a long run in the job ... Both the board and I believe we now have the right person to succeed me as CEO a successor ready to assume the job the day after I die or step down.
In certain important respects, this person will do a better job than I am doing.
The identity of Mr Buffetts likely successor has been a guessing game for years. However the octogenarian ty-coon known as the Oracle of Omaha bullishly declared he has no intention of giving up the reins anytime soon.
I truly do feel like tap dancing to work every day, he said.
Mr Buffett said he had proposed that his son Howard succeed him as a non-executive chair in order to guard against a botched appointment.
My only reason for this wish is to
make change easier if the wrong CEO should ever be employed and there oc-curs a need for the Chairman to move forcefully, he wrote.
Mr Buffetts letter outlined another year of gains for his group, with Berk-shire Hathaway outperforming the S&P500 index, up 27 percent compared to the S&P500s 13.7pc.
In half a century, the contrast is even more impressive. A dollar invested in Berkshire in 1964 would now be worth $1.826 million; the same dollar invested in the S&P500 would be worth just un-der $11,200. Mr Buffett compared his acquistion of obscure textile manufac-turer Berkshire half a century ago to picking up a discarded cigar butt that had one puff remaining in it.
Though the stub might be ugly
and soggy, the puff would be free, he remarked. Berkshire is now one of the worlds largest conglomerates whose companies manufacture everything from lollipops to jet airplanes.
The billionaire painted an optimis-tic portrait of the US economy, noting that while unbroken gains were un-likely, America could look forward to a bright future as it pulls clear of the Great Recession.
The dynamism embedded in our market economy will continue to work its magic, he wrote. Gains wont come in a smooth or uninterrupted manner; they never have.
And we will regularly grumble about our government. But, most assur-edly, Americas best days lie ahead.
AFP
waShiNGTON
Oracle of Omaha foresees successor
INDONESIAS inflation slowed further in February, official data showed, ow-ing to the lower cost of fuel and some staple foods in Southeast Asias top economy.
Prices rose 6.29 percent year-on-year last month, slowing from a 6.96pc rise in January, according to data from the statistics agency.
The rate had accelerated in recent months after the new government re-duced huge subsidies on petrol and diesel, pushing up the cost of trans-portation and delivering goods.
But after the price of oil fell dra-matically, the government decided to almost entirely scrap the decades-old fuel subsidy regime.
Because of the collapse in global oil prices, letting fuel float with the mar-ket actually reduced costs, which has fed through to lower inflation.
Februarys slowdown was caused by low prices of staple foods such as chillies, onions and transportation as a result of lower fuel prices, said sta-tistics agency official Sasmito Hadi Wibowo.
Lower inflation last month prompted the central Bank Indonesia to announce a shock cut in its key in-terest rate, reducing it 25 basis points to 7.5pc, saying it was confident prices would remain under control.
An aggressive cycle of rate rises had been blamed in part for a slow-down in economic growth, which has sunk to five-year lows.
Bank Indonesia last week sug-gested further rate cuts could follow, prompting the rupiah to fall to a near 17-year low. Separately, HSBC said its purchasing managers index of Indo-nesias manufacturing activity hit a record low of 47.5 in February, down from 48.5 in January. AFP
Inflation slows on fuel drop
JakarTa
IRAN could allow internet giants such as Google to operate in the Islamic re-public if they respect its cultural rules, Fars news agency said on February 28 quoting a senior official.
We are not opposed to any of the entities operating in global markets who want to offer services in Iran, dep-uty telecommunications and IT minis-ter Nasrollah Jahangard told Fars.
We are ready to negotiate with them and if they accept our cultural rules and policies they can offer their services in Iran, he said.
Mr Jahangard said Iran is also ready to provide Google or any other company with facilities that could en-able them to provide their services to the region.
Forty million people out of a popula-tion of around 78 million use the inter-net in Iran.
Authorities have regularly blocked access to networks including Fa-cebook, YouTube and Twitter since protests against the disputed 2009 re-election of hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Telecommunications Minister Mahmoud Vaez said in November that Iran would have smart filter-ing within six months to weed out internet content authorities deem
offensive or criminal.Internet censorship is a bone of
contention between conservative hard-liners and government members, in-cluding moderate President Hassan Rouhani who use social networks.
Mr Jahangard told Fars that sanc-tions imposed by the international community on Iran over its nuclear program could create problems for American companies.
They are waiting for the interna-tional legal conditions to be cleared before they can operate conveniently [in Iran] but other companies outside the US have come forward and started negotiations, he said.
He did not name any of these com-panies but said that some have ac-cepted the conditions laid out by Iran adding that technical preparations are under way for them to enter the Iranian market.
Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany are trying to strike an accord with Iran that would prevent it from developing a nuclear bomb in return for lifting international sanctions. Iran insists its nuclear pro-gram is purely civilian. A March 31 deadline for a political framework for the deal is looming.
AFP
Internet giants may be cleared to enter Islamic Republic
Warren Buffett. Photo: AFP
14 World THE MYANMAR TIMES March 3, 2015
World World editor: Fiona MacGregorBEIJING
BRITAINS Prince William met with Chinas Communist President Xi Jin-ping yesterday before strolling through the Forbidden City, the former home of the countrys deposed imperial dynasties.
Mr Xi warmly welcomed the sec-ond-in-line to the British throne, mak-ing the highest-profile visit to China by a member of the royal family since Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip in 1986.
Prince William was met by the Chinese leader on the first full day of a trip which comes as London and Beijing have traded diplomatic barbs over pro-democracy demon-strations in Hong Kong, a former British colony.
But the differences appeared to be put aside as Mr Xi congratulated the 32-year-old prince on the expected birth of his second child.
The British royal family has great influence not just in Britain but across the world, Mr Xi said.
The prince said he was looking forward to the remainder of his trip, which will see him visit the commer-cial hub of Shanghai before heading to an elephant sanctuary in the south-western province of Yunnan.
Its been a long interest of mine for many years to come and visit Chi-na, he told Mr Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Prince Williams visit has been seen as an attempt by Britain to improve top-level diplomatic relations with Beijing.
London is anxious to improve its trade ties with the economic power-house. The princes father, Charles, has never visited mainland China, though he attended the handover of Hong Kong.
In a leaked diary, he described Chi-nas leaders at the 1997 ceremony as appalling old waxworks, and he has been accused of deliberately side-step-ping formal banquets during Chinese leaders visits to Britain.
Buckingham Palace has been on a charm offensive towards China, with Prince William issuing a Lunar New Year message in Mandarin ahead of his visit.
He was asked how his Chinese skills were developing as he walked through Beijings ancient Forbidden City, the palace of Chinas Ming and Qing dynasties.
Ni hao thats as far as I got, he told reporters with a smile, standing in front of the Hall of Supreme Har-mony, where coronations were car-ried out before the Chinese imperial regime was overthrown.
AFP
Prince meets Xi on China visit
Britains Prince William (left) meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 2.
SEOUL
NORTH Korea fired two missiles into the sea and vowed merciless retaliation yesterday as the US and South Korea kicked off joint mili-tary drills denounced by Pyongyang as recklessly confrontational.
The annual exercises always trigger a surge in military ten-sions and warlike rhetoric on the divided peninsula, and analysts saw the Norths missile tests as a prelude to a concerted campaign of sabre rattling.
If there is a particularly sharp escalation, we could see the North orchestrating some kind of clash on the maritime border, said Jeung Young-Tae, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.
The missile launches came with a stern warning from the nuclear-armed North Korean Peoples Army (KPA) that this years military drills would bring the peninsula towards the brink of war.
The South Korean defence min-istry said the two Scud missiles were fired from the western port city of Nampo and fell into the sea off the east coast a distance of nearly 500 kilometres (310 miles).
UN resolutions prohibit any ballistic missile test by North Ko-rea and ministry spokesperson Kim Min-Seok said Pyongyang appeared intent on triggering a security crisis.
We will respond sternly and strongly to any provocation, Mr Kim told reporters.
The Japanese government said
it had issued a strong protest to the North given the danger such mis-sile launches posed to aviation and shipping.
Missile tests have long been a preferred North Korean method of expressing anger and displeasure with what it views as confronta-tional behaviour by the South and its allies.
The situation on the Korean peninsula is again inching close to the brink of a war, a spokesper-son for the KPA General Staff was quoted as saying yesterday by the Norths official KCNA news agency.
The only means to cope with the aggression and war by the US imperialists and their followers is neither dialogue nor peace. They should be dealt with only by merci-less strikes.
North Korea has threatened at-tacks, including nuclear strikes, on the US before, although it has never demonstrated a missile capa-bility that would encompass the US mainland.
The largest element of the two South Korea-US drills that began yesterday is Foal Eagle, an eight-week exercise involving air, ground and naval field training, with around 200,000 Korean and 3700 US troops.
The other is a week-long, large-ly computer-simulated joint drill called Key Resolve.
Seoul and Washington insist the exercises are defence-based in nature, but they are regu-larly condemned by Pyongyang
N Korea opens fire as drills start
IN PICTURES
Photo: AFP
A crane is used to lift the fuselage of the crashed AirAsia QZ8501 plane at the Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta yesterday. Indonesia has retrieved the final major part of the fuselage of an AirAsia jet that crashed into the Java Sea in December, killing all 162 people on board, officials said on February 28.
Photo: AFP
World 15www.mmtimes.com
Major offensive against iS launched in iraqWORLd 17
Ukraine death toll tops 6000 since AprilWORLd 16
Protest leaders turn themselves inHONG KONG
JAKARTA
HONG Kong pro-democracy lawmak-ers handed themselves in to police yesterday over their involvement in mass protests for free elections, the lat-est step in a widespread investigation which has been accused of intimidation.
Police have vowed to investigate the principal instigators of the street blockades which ended in December when rally camps were cleared.
A number of protest leaders have been arrested and released without charge, in a controversial procedure which some say is harassment.
Albert Ho and Helena Wong, both of the Democratic Party, turned them-selves in at Wan Chai police headquar-ters yesterday morning after being re-quested to attend.
Each of them was holding a small yellow paper umbrella the symbol of the democracy movement as sup-porters shouted, We want universal suffrage.
We Hongkongers who have tried to fight for true democracy are not the ones who have done something wrong ... it is the ridiculous Hong Kong and Chinese governments taking away our democratic nominations, Ms Wong said before she went inside.
The street protests which began in
September and lasted for more than two months were sparked after Beijing said that candidates for the 2017 vote for Hong Kongs next leader would be vetted by a loyalist committee.
Campaigners dismiss that as fake democracy, but Hong Kongs leader-ship says that any public vote must take place within Beijings framework and has granted no concessions over the vote.
Prominent student leaders includ-ing the teenage face of the protests, Joshua Wong, have already been through the police procedure, which saw them formally arrested and ques-tioned when they handed themselves in, then released without charge hours later.
Police said they reserved the right to prosecute those who were released.
Both Mr Chow and Ms Wong ques-tioned the process, saying police should charge them if they had the evidence.
It engenders a sense of uncertainty and they are using that, in my view, as a method of control, said Michael Vidler, the lawyer representing Joshua Wong, after the teenager was released.
These pre-arranged arrests are a waste of resources and money. The police are trying to intimidate Hong Kong people, said former lawmaker Audrey Eu, who was expected to turn herself in late yesterday. She said she was being brought in for inciting and organising an unauthorised assembly.
Former lawmaker and veteran campaigner Martin Lee also hand-ed himself in yesterday morning to shouts of Go, Martin, go from supporters.
AFP
THE brother of an Australian facing imminent execution in Indonesia has appealed on national television for President Joko Widodo to spare t
