Myanmar will drop charges against dozens of<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-police-fire-rubber-bullets-tear-gas-to-scatter-ethnic-minority-protest-196896"> ethnic minority protesters </a>who demonstrated against a statue of independence hero General Aung San and will hold talks with them, state media said on Wednesday, offering a rare concession.

The surprise climbdown comes as Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the ruling National League for Democracy and the general's daughter, faces rising dissatisfaction in ethnic minority areas ahead of elections set for next year.

On Tuesday, police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd of 3,000 protesters in Loikaw, capital of the eastern state of Kayah, also known as Karenni.

Aung San brokered a 1947 pact among some of Myanmar's ethnic groups that is marked by an annual holiday on February 12, but the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-activists-charged-after-protesting-independence-hero-statue-196112">Karenni protesters</a> say its promises were not implemented after the general's assassination that year.

On Wednesday, the official Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said state officials had negotiated with protesters the previous day and agreed to revoke the charges against them.

In turn, the activists agreed to suspend their protests, it said, adding negotiations would take place within a month, covering issues such as an inscription on the statue's pedestal.

The statue may be moved from its prominent position in a Loikaw park, the paper added.

"The protest group dispersed after we got that agreement," said Khun Thomas, one of the Loikaw protest leaders.

He said the activists expected the charges of unlawful assembly, incitement and defamation filed against more than 50 people to be formally dropped when they went to court on Wednesday.

Officials unveiled the statue in Loikaw this month, triggering the latest in a spate of protests begun when plans for the monument were first announced in mid-2018.

Ethnic minority activists pushing for a federal system of government in Myanmar oppose the statue and other monuments to a leader from the country’s Burman majority.

On taking power in 2016, Suu Kyi set her top priority as securing peace with ethnic armed groups, but progress has been slow.

Myanmar will drop charges against dozens of ethnic minority protesters who demonstrated against a statue of independence hero General Aung San and will hold talks with them, state media said on Wednesday, offering a rare concession.

Myanmar will drop charges against dozens of ethnic minority protesters who demonstrated against a statue of independence hero General Aung San and will hold talks with them, state media said on Wednesday, offering a rare concession. The surprise climbdown comes as Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the ruling National League for Democracy and the general's daughter, faces rising dissatisfaction in ethnic minority areas ahead of elections set for next year. On Tuesday, police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd of 3,000 protesters in Loikaw, capital of the eastern state of Kayah, also known as Karenni. Aung San brokered a 1947 pact among some of Myanmar's ethnic groups that is marked by an annual holiday on February 12, but the Karenni protesters say its promises were not implemented after the general's assassination that year. On Wednesday, the official Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said state officials had negotiated with protesters the previous day and agreed to revoke the charges against them. In turn, the activists agreed to suspend their protests, it said, adding negotiations would take place within a month, covering issues such as an inscription on the statue's pedestal. The statue may be moved from its prominent position in a Loikaw park, the paper added. "The protest group dispersed after we got that agreement," said Khun Thomas, one of the Loikaw protest leaders. He said the activists expected the charges of unlawful assembly, incitement and defamation filed against more than 50 people to be formally dropped when they went to court on Wednesday. Officials unveiled the statue in Loikaw this month, triggering the latest in a spate of protests begun when plans for the monument were first announced in mid-2018. Ethnic minority activists pushing for a federal system of government in Myanmar oppose the statue and other monuments to a leader from the country’s Burman majority. On taking power in 2016, Suu Kyi set her top priority as securing peace with ethnic armed groups, but progress has been slow.

Myanmar to drop charges against ethnic minority protesters in statue dispute

Myanmar voters cast their ballots in a small but key by-election Saturday, a rare local test of support for embattled leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party more than halfway through her time in office.

Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) swept to power in 2015 in a landslide victory ending decades of military rule.

But her tenure has been marred by a failure to speak up for Rohingya Muslims driven out of the country by the army and stumbling peace talks with insurgent groups in lawless border areas.

A mere 13 positions are in play in the country's second by-election since the national poll three years ago, but they are spread out across the country and include parliamentary and regional assembly seats.

Some two-dozen parties are in the mix and 69 candidates are taking part.

At one polling station in Yangon's Tamwe township residents showed support for Suu Kyi while acknowledging some of the criticism.

"I voted NLD this morning," Maung Maung, 34, a software engineer who lives in Tamwe, told AFP.

"I was a strong supporter of the NLD for years but during the years when NLD took power, there were some failures that they are working on," he added, without going into detail.

Aye Soe, a 52-year-old street vendor, expressed full-throated backing.

"I will support her until I die," she said.

Initial results are expected to be announced on Sunday.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi's reputation at home is more secure than it is abroad, where her image as a rights icon has been shattered by the Rohingya crisis.

More than 720,000 from the stateless Muslim minority have fled to Bangladesh since a military crackdown in August 2017.

Huddled in crowded camps, they have recounted stories of murder, rape and villages burned to the ground.

Myanmar has denied almost all of the allegations, saying soldiers were defending themselves against Rohingya militants.

UN investigators have called for the situation to be referred to the International Criminal Court and for senior members of the Tatmadaw, as the armed forces are known, to be investigated on genocide charges.

Myanmar voters cast their ballots in a small but key by-election Saturday, a rare local test of support for embattled leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party more than halfway through her time in office.

Myanmar voters cast their ballots in a small but key by-election Saturday, a rare local test of support for embattled leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party more than halfway through her time in office. Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) swept to power in 2015 in a landslide victory ending decades of military rule. But her tenure has been marred by a failure to speak up for Rohingya Muslims driven out of the country by the army and stumbling peace talks with insurgent groups in lawless border areas. A mere 13 positions are in play in the country's second by-election since the national poll three years ago, but they are spread out across the country and include parliamentary and regional assembly seats. Some two-dozen parties are in the mix and 69 candidates are taking part. At one polling station in Yangon's Tamwe township residents showed support for Suu Kyi while acknowledging some of the criticism. "I voted NLD this morning," Maung Maung, 34, a software engineer who lives in Tamwe, told AFP. "I was a strong supporter of the NLD for years but during the years when NLD took power, there were some failures that they are working on," he added, without going into detail. Aye Soe, a 52-year-old street vendor, expressed full-throated backing. "I will support her until I die," she said. Initial results are expected to be announced on Sunday. Nobel laureate Suu Kyi's reputation at home is more secure than it is abroad, where her image as a rights icon has been shattered by the Rohingya crisis. More than 720,000 from the stateless Muslim minority have fled to Bangladesh since a military crackdown in August 2017. Huddled in crowded camps, they have recounted stories of murder, rape and villages burned to the ground. Myanmar has denied almost all of the allegations, saying soldiers were defending themselves against Rohingya militants. UN investigators have called for the situation to be referred to the International Criminal Court and for senior members of the Tatmadaw, as the armed forces are known, to be investigated on genocide charges.

Myanmar by-election rare local test for Aung San Suu Kyi

Three senior journalists at Myanmar's largest private newspaper were remanded in custody after handing themselves in to police on Wednesday, facing accusations of causing "fear or alarm" following a complaint from the Yangon regional government.

One of the men, Eleven Media Group's editor-in-chief Kyaw Zaw Linn, had earlier told Reuters that police raided the paper's offices at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, but he and two other journalists sought by the authorities were not there.

"The office informed me that they came because of an article in the journal," he said, shortly before entering a police station in central Yangon's Tamwe township with lawyers on Wednesday morning.

Hours later the three journalists were taken in handcuffs to Tamwe township court, where they were remanded in custody to Insein Prison, northern Yangon, until Oct. 17.

Defence lawyer Kyi Myint told reporters outside the courthouse that the Yangon regional government had filed a complaint over an article by the paper's chief reporter Phyo Wai Win. The article, published on Monday, included quotes from regional lawmakers raising questions about public spending, including on an overhaul of transport in the country's commercial hub.

Yangon's regional government is headed by Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein, a protégé of Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a member of her National League for Democracy party.

The chief minister's assistant, Maung Maung Kyi, declined to comment on the complaint filed by the regional government, referring all questions to an information department that Reuters was unable to reach on Wednesday. National government spokesman Zaw Htay did not answer a call seeking comment.

Police told staff at Eleven Media on Tuesday evening that a case had been opened against Kyaw Zaw Linn, Phyo Wai Win and editor-in-charge Nayi Min under Section 505 (b) of the country's colonial-era penal code, said Ko Oo, an editor at the paper.

Section 505 (b) prohibits publishing information that may "cause fear or alarm", that could cause someone to commit an offence, or disrupt "public tranquillity". It carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

Lawyer Kyi Myint said the trio's defence would be that the article was accurate.

"I didn't write anything wrong," said Phyo Wai Win as he entered the police station. "I only wrote the truth."

The Foreign Correspondents Club of Myanmar said in a statement it was "deeply shocked and disturbed" by the arrest of the three journalists, while Amnesty International's director of crisis response, Tirana Hassan, called for their immediate release.

Free speech advocates say press freedom in Myanmar has retreated under the administration of Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who took power in 2016 under a constitution that preserves the military's role in politics despite a formal end to decades of army rule.

A total of 38 journalists have faced charges under various laws during her administration, freedom of expression group Athan said last month.

Two Reuters reporters were convicted last month of breaching the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to seven years in prison, drawing global condemnation. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were detained last December while investigating a massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims that took place during a military crackdown in western Rakhine state.

Last month, a former newspaper columnist who was harshly critical of Suu Kyi on Facebook was sentenced to seven years in prison for sedition.

The chief executive and another editor of Eleven Media were detained for nearly two months in late 2016 on charges relating to a complaint made by Yangon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein over a Facebook post alleging corruption in his ties with local businessmen. Phyo Min Thein told a news conference at the time that the allegations were "intended to defame my personal dignity". Eleven Media published an apology.

Three senior journalists at Myanmar's largest private newspaper were remanded in custody after handing themselves in to police on Wednesday, facing accusations of causing "fear or alarm" following a complaint from the Yangon regional government.

Three senior journalists at Myanmar's largest private newspaper were remanded in custody after handing themselves in to police on Wednesday, facing accusations of causing "fear or alarm" following a complaint from the Yangon regional government. One of the men, Eleven Media Group's editor-in-chief Kyaw Zaw Linn, had earlier told Reuters that police raided the paper's offices at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday, but he and two other journalists sought by the authorities were not there. "The office informed me that they came because of an article in the journal," he said, shortly before entering a police station in central Yangon's Tamwe township with lawyers on Wednesday morning. Hours later the three journalists were taken in handcuffs to Tamwe township court, where they were remanded in custody to Insein Prison, northern Yangon, until Oct. 17. Defence lawyer Kyi Myint told reporters outside the courthouse that the Yangon regional government had filed a complaint over an article by the paper's chief reporter Phyo Wai Win. The article, published on Monday, included quotes from regional lawmakers raising questions about public spending, including on an overhaul of transport in the country's commercial hub. Yangon's regional government is headed by Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein, a protégé of Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a member of her National League for Democracy party. The chief minister's assistant, Maung Maung Kyi, declined to comment on the complaint filed by the regional government, referring all questions to an information department that Reuters was unable to reach on Wednesday. National government spokesman Zaw Htay did not answer a call seeking comment. Police told staff at Eleven Media on Tuesday evening that a case had been opened against Kyaw Zaw Linn, Phyo Wai Win and editor-in-charge Nayi Min under Section 505 (b) of the country's colonial-era penal code, said Ko Oo, an editor at the paper. Section 505 (b) prohibits publishing information that may "cause fear or alarm", that could cause someone to commit an offence, or disrupt "public tranquillity". It carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison. Lawyer Kyi Myint said the trio's defence would be that the article was accurate. "I didn't write anything wrong," said Phyo Wai Win as he entered the police station. "I only wrote the truth." The Foreign Correspondents Club of Myanmar said in a statement it was "deeply shocked and disturbed" by the arrest of the three journalists, while Amnesty International's director of crisis response, Tirana Hassan, called for their immediate release. Free speech advocates say press freedom in Myanmar has retreated under the administration of Nobel laureate Suu Kyi, who took power in 2016 under a constitution that preserves the military's role in politics despite a formal end to decades of army rule. A total of 38 journalists have faced charges under various laws during her administration, freedom of expression group Athan said last month. Two Reuters reporters were convicted last month of breaching the Official Secrets Act and sentenced to seven years in prison, drawing global condemnation. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were detained last December while investigating a massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims that took place during a military crackdown in western Rakhine state. Last month, a former newspaper columnist who was harshly critical of Suu Kyi on Facebook was sentenced to seven years in prison for sedition. The chief executive and another editor of Eleven Media were detained for nearly two months in late 2016 on charges relating to a complaint made by Yangon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein over a Facebook post alleging corruption in his ties with local businessmen. Phyo Min Thein told a news conference at the time that the allegations were "intended to defame my personal dignity". Eleven Media published an apology.

Myanmar newspaper journalists held after handing themselves in to police

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi became the first person to be stripped of honorary Canadian citizenship on Tuesday over her refusal to call out atrocities by her nation's military against the Rohingya Muslim minority.

The move was made official after Canada's Senate voted to revoke the symbolic honour.

The lower house had already approved a motion to the same effect last week.

The House of Commons granted the privilege to Suu Kyi in 2007, but her international reputation has since been tarnished by her refusal to call on the Burmese army to put an end to the atrocities committed against the Rohingya.

Canadian lawmakers described the violence against them as a "genocide" in a resolution passed in September.

The ethnic group are treated as foreigners in Burma, a country that is more than 90 per cent Buddhist.&nbsp;

A brutal military campaign that started last year drove more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar into neighbouring Bangladesh, where they now live in cramped refugee camps -- fearful of returning despite a repatriation deal.

Many have given accounts of extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and arson.

Canada has granted honorary citizenship only to five other personalities, including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Malala Yousafzai.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi became the first person to be stripped of honorary Canadian citizenship on Tuesday over her refusal to call out atrocities by her nation's military against the Rohingya Muslim minority.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi became the first person to be stripped of honorary Canadian citizenship on Tuesday over her refusal to call out atrocities by her nation's military against the Rohingya Muslim minority. The move was made official after Canada's Senate voted to revoke the symbolic honour. The lower house had already approved a motion to the same effect last week. The House of Commons granted the privilege to Suu Kyi in 2007, but her international reputation has since been tarnished by her refusal to call on the Burmese army to put an end to the atrocities committed against the Rohingya. Canadian lawmakers described the violence against them as a "genocide" in a resolution passed in September. The ethnic group are treated as foreigners in Burma, a country that is more than 90 per cent Buddhist. A brutal military campaign that started last year drove more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar into neighbouring Bangladesh, where they now live in cramped refugee camps -- fearful of returning despite a repatriation deal. Many have given accounts of extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and arson. Canada has granted honorary citizenship only to five other personalities, including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Malala Yousafzai.

Aung San Suu Kyi becomes first person stripped of honourary Canadian citizenship

US President Barack Obama issued an executive order rescinding sanctions on Myanmar on Friday, citing substantial advances to promote democracy.&nbsp;

The order reinstates preferential tariffs for Myanmar that were suspended for more than two decades amid human rights abuses by the ruling Junta.

&quot;I have determined that the situation that gave rise to the national emergency ... has been significantly altered by Burma&#39;s (Myanmar&#39;s) substantial advances to promote democracy, including historic elections in November 2015,&quot; Obama said in a letter to the US&nbsp;House and Senate speakers, Reuters reported.

The announcement ends an emergency order that established that the policies of the former military government were a threat to US national security. The sanctions had been annually renewed by US presidents for two decades.

The economic and financial sanctions administered by the Department of the Treasury&rsquo;s Office of Foreign Assets Control were no longer in effect, a US&nbsp;Treasury statement said.

Last month, Obama had announced plans to lift the economic sanctions after meeting the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar&#39;s leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Washington.

&quot;While Burma faces significant challenges, including the consolidation of its democracy, the United States can, and intends to, use other means to support the government and people of Burma in their efforts to address these challenges,&quot; Obama&#39;s letter said.

The move is designed to coax the rapidly transforming southeast Asian country from decades of economic isolation. But the removal of sanctions will not be applicable to military-to-military assistance, US administration officials have said, Reuters reports.

Suu Kyi&#39;s National League for Democracy won in the November elections.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy icon, helped persuade the West to impose sanctions on Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, during her years as a jailed opposition leader. She is now trying to strike a balance between showing her people the economic rewards of a democratic transition while keeping the&nbsp;pressure on the country&#39;s generals for further reforms, Reuters said.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

 
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&nbsp;

An emergency order that deemed the policies of the former military government a threat to US national security, has now been terminated

US President Barack Obama issued an executive order rescinding sanctions on Myanmar on Friday, citing substantial advances to promote democracy. The order reinstates preferential tariffs for Myanmar that were suspended for more than two decades amid human rights abuses by the ruling Junta. "I have determined that the situation that gave rise to the national emergency ... has been significantly altered by Burma's (Myanmar's) substantial advances to promote democracy, including historic elections in November 2015," Obama said in a letter to the US House and Senate speakers, Reuters reported. The announcement ends an emergency order that established that the policies of the former military government were a threat to US national security. The sanctions had been annually renewed by US presidents for two decades. The economic and financial sanctions administered by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control were no longer in effect, a US Treasury statement said. Last month, Obama had announced plans to lift the economic sanctions after meeting the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Washington. "While Burma faces significant challenges, including the consolidation of its democracy, the United States can, and intends to, use other means to support the government and people of Burma in their efforts to address these challenges," Obama's letter said. The move is designed to coax the rapidly transforming southeast Asian country from decades of economic isolation. But the removal of sanctions will not be applicable to military-to-military assistance, US administration officials have said, Reuters reports. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won in the November elections. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy icon, helped persuade the West to impose sanctions on Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, during her years as a jailed opposition leader. She is now trying to strike a balance between showing her people the economic rewards of a democratic transition while keeping the pressure on the country's generals for further reforms, Reuters said. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Obama announces lifting of US sanctions on Myanmar

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Myanmar to drop charges against ethnic minority protesters in statue dispute

Myanmar by-election rare local test for Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar newspaper journalists held after handing themselves in to police

Aung San Suu Kyi becomes first person stripped of honourary Canadian citizenship

Obama announces lifting of US sanctions on Myanmar